Todd Schorr: American Surreal

Todd Schorr is a leading figure in Southern California's cartoon-based art movement, dubbed Pop Surrealism, which embraces lowbrow imagery and a ribald graphic style indebted to popular culture. Check this video preview of the Los Angeles-based artist's newest retrospective, set to a tune that's familiar to our ears. (More here, here, here, & here.)

PART FIVE: The Case of the Multiple Raymond Scotts

Raymond Scott had a wild imagination, yet the man born Harry Warnow chose a banal pseudonym. A Google search spotlights plenty of Raymond Scotts who are not our Raymond Scott. Part five — possibly the final installment — of a diversionary series (part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4):

Raymond Scott:
RETIRED RAPPER WITH A BEEF

Benzino is the stage name of this Raymond Scott, who was also an owner of The Source magazine. An "inactive" or "failed" rapper, he may be most famous for his feud (a "beef" in hip-hop vernacular) with rival rap star Eminem, aka Slim Shady, aka Marshall Mathers. Benzino was hating on Eminem's fame, claiming that his success further isolated black and Latino rappers. He even went so far as to call Em "THE RAP HITLER."

Ray fired first with a disrespect record titled "I Don't Wanna" in which he asserted that Eminem was not true to the rap culture. Eminem retaliated with two diss tracks, attacking The Source by revealing their tactics of "butt-kissing motherfuckers for guest appearances," and claiming "real lyricists don't even respect you or take you serious." "The Sauce" reveals a similar lyrical theme as Em continues attacking Benzino and his magazine: "No more Source for street cred, them days is dead / Ray's got AKs to Dave Mays' head / It's extortion, and Ray owns a portion."

The Source then dug up an old tape in which a young Eminem was rapping slurs against Blacks and women. The publication devoted extensive coverage to the discovery of the recordings, and also the (alleged) negative impact that Eminem has had on the hip-hop industry. Em did not deny making the tape, yet sued The Source for defamation and copyright infringement.

Mr. Scott, who is no longer involved with the magazine, still hasn't officially squashed the beef, and continues to feud with Mr. Shady and his associates.

Em discusses the disses: here.

Dancing Machine

Excerpts from THE WORLD OF SOUND, a chapter I (Jeff Winner) contributed to the SOUND/UNBOUND anthology, compiled by Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky:

In August of 1970, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy read an article in Variety magazine about Raymond Scott and his Electronium. Along with The Beatles and The Beach Boys, Motown virtually controlled the 1960s pop charts with stars like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross & The Supremes. And with THE JACKSON 5 as his latest smash supergroup, Gordy was at the height of his influence. ... 

Hoby Cook was a technician at Motown’s MoWest facility who tested Scott’s Electronium extensively. “I wanted some reactions, so as an experiment, I’d open the door and turn the volume up — loud.” Cook’s technique worked. Motown personnel heard the curious sounds and wandered in. “Cal Harris did a lot of recording with it, and MICHAEL JACKSON was fascinated,” Cook recalled. “He was just this kid sitting there, staring at the flashing lights. He said he wanted THE JACKSON 5 to use the Electronium somehow.”

Powerhouse for Concert Organ

Our friend and fellow Scottologist Les Deutsch has been transcribing classic 1937-39 Raymond Scott Quintette recordings into first-time-on-paper sextette charts. (Scott did not use charts with his band; he taught parts by ear via keyboard example.) Les has also been creating new arrangements for vintage Scott works, and recently configured "Powerhouse" for concert organ. The chart can be downloaded as a free pdf here, and you can grab an mp3 of Deutsch's performance of the arrangement here.

About the fabricated cover image above, Les explains:

"The pipes are from the organ prop used in Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as Captain Nemo’s salon organ aboard the Nautilus. I remember seeing this set on display at Disneyland in the mid-1960s. The organ console later made its way into Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride, where it sits today – but minus this whimsical set of pipes. I searched the Web and found a photo someone had taken of the old Disneyland exhibit."

Powers-house

On Scott Houston's public TV show The Piano Guy, pianist Dave Powers performs Raymond Scott's "Powerhouse" in duet with .... himself.
 

Twisted Toons

We've been covering the development of Stu Brown's Raymond Scott Project for over a year. The CD is now OUT. Stu has posted some tunes from the album on his website in the Audio section. He'll soon be updating his ƒ@ceb()()k and m¥$på¢e pages. The album can be pre-ordered directly via Stu's site in the Store section, or via the my§p@¢e page.

The striking cover was designed by Ali Whitty, developed from an original idea by Stu, who says: "The old photo album look continues throughout the inside of the sleeve and on the back cover." Stu adds that later this month the album will be available in the US via digital etailers, CD Baby, Amazon and as a special order via record stores.

TRACK LISTING: 1. Square Dance For Eight Egyptian Mummies 2. Devil Drums 3. The Penguin 4. New Year's Eve In A Haunted House 5. The Toy Trumpet 6. Boy Scout In Switzerland 7. Suicide Cliff 8. In an 18th Century Drawing Room 9. Moment Musical 10. Powerhouse 11. Egyptian Barn Dance 12. Hypnotist In Hawaii 13. Dinner Music For Pack of Hungry Cannibals 14. At an Arabian House Party 15. Tobacco Auctioneer 16. Twilight In Turkey 17. War Dance For Wooden Indians 18. The Bass-Line Generator 19. Toy Typewriter

Lullatone Will Rock You ... To Sleep

THE NEW YORK TIMES reports:

Lullatone are a husband-and-wife team based in Nagoya, Japan, who revere the electronic music pioneer Raymond Scott the way House reveres Facetti. Taking Scott’s 1963 Soothing Sounds for Baby albums as their starting point, Lullatone have developed a hypnotic, childlike sound that attains a lapidary brevity in their sound stamps (basically audio logos) for the Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

Lullatone's newest collection, We Will Rock You… to Sleep (an introduction to Lullatone), is a sampler CD with tracks from all of their previous albums, including one track from their upcoming disc of loops for babies.

celebration on the planet earth

Les Deutsch writes:

Recordings of our May 18 Caltech Raymond Scott concert are now posted on my website. The concert was recorded with a portable digital Ederol machine. I have further processed the files to invert the "Dabney boom filter."

I have also posted a recording of "Celebration on the Planet Mars." This is my contemporary setting – not a transcription. This is how Scott’s music might be played today, I think, if he were still around. The Caltech Thursday Jazz Band did an excellent job with the tune.

Deconstructing Dad

Stan Warnow, Scott's son, has been developing a documentary film about his father for a number of years. He sent this update:

Deconstructing Dad: The Music, Machines and Mystery of Raymond Scott (that's the film's new title) has been selected for showing at the Biografilm Festival, in Bologna, Italy. The film listing is here. In many ways this is the ideal festival for my film because it is a “celebration of lives,” and it’s always been my intent to showcase my father’s life as a whole, not just one of its many and varied phases. The festival runs June 10-15, and the film is scheduled for showing Friday, June 12. Coincidentally this year’s festival also celebrates the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, and as I was a cameraman and editor on that film, they’ve asked me to participate in their Woodstock events. If you're in the neighborhood, please drop by.

The Return of Taki76

A few weeks ago, I reported that Ropeadope recording artist Taki76 had made a toy of himself to 'jam' with his Raymond Scott figure. With these dolls and others, Taki has now created an RS tribute video featuring his homemade stop-motion animation. The soundtrack is Taki's new cover of Scott's "Powerhouse," with rhymin' courtesy of Jenny Jen The Skate Woman. (Don't blink or you'll miss cameos by Andre 3000, Mr. T, Doom's mask, Pac-Man, and others.)

Select a video format:

• YouTube • Vimeo • MySpace Video

Download a free MP3 of Taki76's "Powerhouse" cover and other goodies here.

UPDATE from Taki: "I made a black & white version just for fun. I used an original Scott recording of 'Powerhouse': here."

Back For Blood! MONKS OF DOOM

Like mutant zombies returning from the grave, hellbent on creating mass hysteria, '80s progressive/metal weirdos THE MONKS OF DOOM reunited in March for two amazing concerts at Club Europa in Brooklyn. Check-out this scary live medley of Raymond Scott's 1937 classic "Powerhouse" and the Monks' own "Hieroglyphic."

Brave Doomophiles who dare to witness more carnage from the reunion shows may do so here, and see also: my previous M.O.D. blog entry.

PART FOUR: The Case of the Multiple Raymond Scotts

Raymond Scott had a wild imagination, yet the man born Harry Warnow chose a banal pseudonym. A Google search pinpoints plenty of Raymond Scotts who are not our Raymond Scott. Part four of a diversionary series (part 1, part 2, and part 3):

Raymond Scott: REBELLIOUS COUNTRY STAR

I learned of this Raymond Scott thru an email query to RaymondScott.com:

From: Georgia B.

Date: September 22, 2008 2:43:49 PM EDT

To: Jeff Winner

Subject: Young Ray Scott

Is the country singer, Ray Scott, that is

so popular now, Raymond Scott's son? They

don't have the same voice. I love the young

Ray Scott's bassy voice! And I love his music!!

Just curious,

Georgia B.

I explained to Georgia that there is no known blood relation. Yet the manifesto on young Scott's site reveals some striking similarities in musical philosophies: "I'm taking the bull by the horns and doing it my way, callin' the shots, and putting out an album on my own. This stuff is real, it's raw, and it's 100 percent Ray. I'm calling the project 'CRAZY LIKE ME,' I think you'll agree that's a pretty fitting title. The tattoo on my left arm says 'Create the Path,' damn right! The time has never been better in the music biz to do something different - independent of these narrow-minded, chicken-shit, so called behemoth record companies."

Our Raymond Scott didn't have tattoos and was not known to use colorful language like "damn right" or "chicken-shit," but he was often accused of being crazy. The two also share a penchant for descriptive titles. Examples from country Scott's albums include "Do It With The Lights On," "Ashtray On A Motorcycle," "Rats Don't Race," and "Sometimes The Bottle Hits You Back." Damn right, indeed. Check this video for "Hell Got Raised."

Vagabond Opera

This Portland OR-based sextet's press kit describes them as "European Cabaret! Vintage Americana! Balkan Belly Dance! Neo-Classical Opera! Old World Yiddish Theater!" (Exclamation points theirs.) VO's new album, The Zeitgeist Beckons, features a calamitous rendition of Scott's spooky "New Year's Eve in a Haunted House."

tenor man's headache

Les Deutsch writes:

We have scheduled a full-blown Raymond Scott tribute concert for the evening of Monday, May 18 at 8:00 in Caltech's Dabney Hall. This will feature "The Caltech Jazz Quintette" with vocal guest star Kjerstin Williams. We will perform about a dozen Scott Quintette tunes – from both versions of his Quintette. This will include several charts written to feature Dorothy Collins with the Q. I'll be playing piano (the easiest part!). My tenor man is already complaining.