Sunday, 19 July 2015

Todd - "With Love...From Me To You" (Self Released) 1979

If you thought Gary Wilson's self-released effort was disturbingly creepy,then this collection by 'Todd', invisible to girls school outsider from the class of '79, is sickening. Like a charming sub-Dean Friedman (of Well,well,said the rocking Chair infamy), sixteen year old loner Todd whines about how much he could love the right girlie,loneliness and other acne fueled nonsense,while he tinkles on the ivories,backed by some actual chums;even though the drummer and the guitarist look like the same person. Apparently he sold/gave away copies of this at one of those end of year prom things that Americans have to humiliate the dumb and ugly kids.
How Terrible but good these shut in a cupboard since 1972 odes to love are,is besides the point anyway. Its probably got the best album cover artwork ever produced. If Yes had something like this on the cover of "Tales Of Topographic Oceans" instead of that Roger Dean crap, Punk Rock may never have happened. Just imagine a sixth form art portrait of Rick Wakeman in a sensible sweater, huge glasses and a perm,and tell me you wouldn't have bought it? The shear shitness of the contents would have become secondary?


A2Love Lost
A3Can't Get Her Out Of My Mind
A4Before It's Too Late
A5Miracle Whip
B1Christ's Love Song
B2With Love... From Me To You
B3The First Time
B4The End Of The Rainbow
B5How Will I Make It On My Own?

DOWNLOAD...from me to you,HERE!


Petty Vendetta said...

"so funny I forgot to laugh"

Jonny Zchivago said...

So sad i forgot to hoo hoo, he was soooo lonely!

the saucer people said...

Here is one "outsider" album I love and cherish - I remember it first appeared on the Swan Fungus website a few years ago and I was absolutely blown away by the strangely touching music and lyrics - you just know when Todd cried "so lonely" - it wasn't some metaphor, damn did that man feel, it just oozes cosmic pain and existential angst.

In my opinion, there is nothing "ironic" about Todd - the man was as "real" as they come - Apparently, some of the Americans call it "real people" music - now there's a tautological phrase to delight in, but I guess I know what they mean.

Pretty much every track is an absolute gem - my favourite is "Before It's Too Late" (the sooo lonely track JZ mentions).

There is a great endearingly shambolic interview with the man himself here (worth listening to the erm 'technical difficulties that precede the call, starts around the 20min mark, followed by a tad of silence and then the great Todd Wathen himself (it has had less than 50 listens so it may be worth putting the link on the actual post as I know the comments section is "off-limits" for most blog visitors).

the saucer people said...

So absent minded, I forgot to post a couple of links:

If you are unable to afford the current $2500 wanted for an original copy of the Todd album, you can get a vinyl copy of the reissue for $10 inside the US & $29 rest of the world - you can also get a FLAC copy for the pricely sum of $3!

Here are a couple of my all time favourite outsider/real people albums that maybe a few of you have not heard. I don't think they are really "outsider" artists - but it's in the zone of obscure one-off and/or privately pressed albums (plus I think they are just damned wonderful) -

The first is a 1971 privately pressed album by a a couple of Californian hippie kids called Tres & Kitsy ‎AKA The Children Of Sunshine and the album is called "Dandelions". If you like the Langley School album, then onwards:

Scroll down to bottom and there is a Mega link. Also there is a good interview with them here:

Second up is a seventies singing nuns beat combo from Australia complete with drum machines and synth! It was originally released on Philips in 1973 then reissued in 1976 by Alba House Communications. Don't let the "religious" vibe put you off - think Susan Christie, early Cherry Red/Virgina Astley - but it definitely has something unique about it:

There is a MF link to a rip of said album on the above page - there is also an interview here and I think it really adds to the listening experience:

Third up is a truly strange and utterly psychedelic (in the way Father Yod was truly psychedelic) one off, released on ESP Disk in 1968 and reissued in 2009 by a Canadian woman called Erica Pomerance, titled "You Used To Think"

You can get a FLAC rip over at the wonderful Greek blog(which has some great posts on it like some early Glenn Branca and Lard Free amongst a myriad of gems)

Some of you have probably got all the above or have no interest - but isn't the joy of the comments section just as much about occasionally sharing something that has touched your soul, as it is asking for a repost, a rip you are looking for, or to show the world how terminally cool and cynical you are?

Alan Burns said...

The first "outsider music" album I was ever introduced to, and possibly still the best!

Jonny Zchivago said...

Well, i was gonna post another 'outsider' record, but I've been sidetracked by these links that the saucer person provided!.....rather good,Erica Pomerance is a reason why drugs are long as you aren't the one thats taking them. On the other side of the coin we have Eric clapton,who is a reason why drugs are bad,very bad.
If she had a middle name Shirley?....her initials would have been ESP!

pinkpressthreat said...

I came across this once before on egg city radio but I've spaced it somewhere, so thanks. Egg City Radio's links seem mostly active still - some good stuff on there:

Anonymous said...

Johnny! Where you at? What's going on?