The Paper Snail

Jim O’Rourke’s Top 10 Minimalist Records

  1. Arnold Dreyblatt: “Animal Magnetism”
  2. Earth: “Earth 2”
  3. Folke Rabe: “Was??”
  4. David Behrman: “Leapday Night”
  5. Tony Conrad: “Four Violins”
  6. Phillip Glass: “Dance no. 2” from “Dances 1-5”
  7. Michael Nyman: “Images Were Introduced” from “The Kiss”
  8. Gavin Bryars: “Sinking of the Titanic”
  9. Miles Davis: “He Loved Him Madly” from “Get Up With It”
  10. Brian Eno: “Discreet Music”

Originally posted on Jim’s old site, Hoobalaboobala.

From the Domino Website, 2003

November 26

Jim O’Rourke’s old favourites that get him excited to go to work…

sparks -propaganda claudio rocchi -volo magico no.1 juan hidalgo -rrose selavy geino yamashiro gumi - oserezon talking heads - more songs about buildings and food roberto cacciapaglia - sei note in logica souled american - frozen supersister - spiral staircase neil young - on the beach jackie o motherfucker - the magick fire music

June 3

ten top tunes turning on the turntable of mr jim o’rourke

cockney rebel “cavaliers” alex harvey band “action strasse” jan garbarek “blow away zone” jay ferguson “thunder island” tubeway army “listen to the sirens” tisziji munoz “visiting this planet” billy mernit “i’m open” lady june “the letter” sweet “yesterday’s rain” whitehouse “you don’t have to say please”

January 30

Jim O’Rourke’s Current Listening

jan dukes de gray “sun symphony” conlon nancarrow “etude no. 20” merzbow “puroland” michael schumacher “room piece 24” masayuki takayanagi “variations on a theme of qahafi”

Some Of Jim O’s Favorite Songs

something in the air - thunderclap newman rawhide - scott walker davy the fatboy - randy newman thank god it’s not christmas - sparks the all golden - van dyke parks somewhere in hollywood - 10cc half a chance/where i belong - gerry rafferty achilles last stand - led zeppelin lifemask - roy harper it - genesis dancing queen - abba the kiss - judee sill the man - patto laughing - david crosby i’m so confused - mick softley

Amazon UK, February 2004 or earlier

Guest Edit: Jim O’Rourke

It seems like Jim O’Rourke gets everywhere these days–hiding in sleeve notes of some of the best albums in a myriad of genres or up-front performing as the fifth member of Sonic Youth. In the past year there’s been Wilco’s Yankee, Hotel, Foxtrot, Bobby Conn’s fantastic 70s influenced The Golden Age and of course Sonic Youth’s Murray Street. And somewhere admidst all that there was Insignificance, his third solo album to be released in the UK through Domino. But he’s never just been interested in experimental rock. He’s released experimental jazz records (with Derek Bailey) plus worked on many classical, electro-acoustic and krautrock projects. With a musical CV as long as your arm, we just had to ask Jim O’Rourke to talk us through some of his favourite records.

Sparks, Propaganda

In a just and righteous world, this album would be regaled throughout the land–held as a benchmark for all pop progenitors. Instead, we have had to settle for the Stone Roses. Alas, the brothers Mael hold the twin thrones of pop perfection with this, their finest missive.

Gerry Rafferty, Can I Have My Money Back

In this same just and righteous world, there would be a special place in the heart of all citizens for those wandering tunesmiths, their lonesome wails greeted daily by the offerings of fresh fruit, or mead. But, alas we drink life savers soda. But back in the day when his humblebums started to shake their stuff, Gerry Rafferty was like a beautiful mix of early Al Stewart, Roy Harper, early 70s Mick Softley and Emmit Rhodes. Those were the days.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

The once lush field are barren, when we gather the nerve to inspect the grounds, those gardeners these days are just no damn good. And to think Graeme Revell was one SPK. The mind boggles. America seems to be sinking all these fine fellows down to their knees, and it’s a shame we don’t wear knickers, cause the cold water might wake them up a bit. With Michael Small’s scores for Klute and The Parallax generally unavailable, and Nitsche’s masterpiece score Greaser’s Palace but a footnote for the devoted few, let’s turn our ears instead to the beauty of understatement and conflict. Who needs Phil Spector?

Derek Bailey, Mirakle

If you look through the trees, you might see a small group of people around a campfire, an odd collective, the wizened sage sits on a tree stump, the tree cut down to build his “axe” (and this is why we have the term) while a tour bus stands nearby, wheels flat, on a standstill from its journey to “funkytown”, or whatever the hell Lipss Inc was goin. How come that name was never hailed much? It’s brilliant. Anyways, oh yes, Derek Bailey, Jamaladeen Tacuma and Calvin Weston get down to some serious abstract funk. As Mike Varney from Guitar Player magazine would say “this one shreds!”

Colin Blunstone, One Year

Blunstone took a year away from music after leaving the Zombies. This resulted. People should take breaks more often. Oh wait, it hasn’t helped David Bowie.

Groundhogs, Split

This one is easy. Need to have your ass kicked? Yes, you do. I have Tony Mcphee send me sailing everyday. Brutal, slashing, soulful, explosive, and that’s just the cover.

Bill Fay, Time of the Last Persecution

Why is it I’m always comin’ back to 70 or so?? Not only was Deram Nova doing a lot of special things at the time, free-rockin super skree guitarist Ray Russell was jumping with both feet. While some may only remember him from “rock follies” or his freedom-jazz riffage, he was also quite the man backing others. Here his whole group support brilliantly self-defeatist Bill Fay. He made Nick Drake seem quite cheerful, and hooray for him (and yes, Mr. Drake, of course…). His first album, also included here, was more of an orchestrated/Michael Gibbs pop explosion. America had “endless summer”, here was the endless bummer.

The Taking of Pelham

Seems films were more considerate then as well. This comedy thriller, which knew when to laugh and when to jolt, was filled with actors who looked like people, real people. But the score, oh my, the score, which so accurately reflected the tone shifts in the film, and enthrals on its own. A kind of Stan Kenton-esque discordant big band funk, an incredible, sound stage ambience to the recording, incredibly funky, yet bent, and not as in fabric. A real all-time favourite. Get the film while yer at it.

Genesis, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

I hear the kids really like this Internet thing. Here’s some advice, what the old fogies call “prog rock”? Don’t trust them. Now if yer reading this in England and you’ve seen Rick Wakeman on Nevermind the Buzzcocks , I understand, but that was “Yes”, this is “Gene-sis” and this was their finest moment. Yes, there are some keyboard excercises here and there, but that’s alright, what do you think that techno stuff is?? Still the benchmark for what a double album can be (for those under 20, albums are those things your parents have). One of my all time favourites, I recall having it on a C-90, and the last song cut out at the end of the tape, oh woe the fate that befell me.

Van Dyke Parks, Song Cycle

I thought for once I’d keep this off a list, but, I’m a good boy, so it’s time to do penance at the altar of the greatest album ever made. Yes. EVER. No, I still haven’t changed my mind. This is still so ahead of it’s time, it’ll be some work for some folks, and that’s cool and all. Everyone I know who loves this, myself included, finds a new association, a new layer, a new lyrical twist every time. A richer album you can not find. And it’s probably only 10 bucks! If there’s an Edsel CD, get that one, they did a better job transferring the tape. Shame on you Warner Bros!

Jim O’Rourke Interview by Aaron Garbutt (circa ‘98)

After five or so years paired with David Grubbs as the highbrow-indie Gastr del Sol, culminating in 1998’s amazing ‘Camoufleur’, Jim O’Rourke’s latest solo effort pulls together influences as disparate as the pop of Beach Boys co-collaborator Van Dyke Parks, the experimental Americana of folkie John Fahey, and the minimalism of Tony Conrad and Arnold Dreyblatt - as well as Jim’s own pre-Gastr recordings - to create something new, yet warmly familiar. ‘Eureka’ is challenging, pleasant - and above all, satisfying. It is a work of intelligence and breadth. I’ll go so far as to say that Jim O’Rourke is the Orson Welles of independent music. When not creating his own music, Jim’s producer’s hand is guiding everyone else’s; from Sam Prekop to Stereolab to U.S. Maple; He has also toured recently with Merce Cunningham. He lives and works in Chicago and answered questions via email.

Aaron Garbutt: ‘Eureka’ is Fantastic, what are your thoughts now that it has been unleashed on the world?

Jim O’Rourke:…as far as possible from ‘Eureka’…

A.G: What about the cover art?

J.O: Well, I saw a postcard of the picture in Japan in ‘95 and knew immediately that this was one day going to be the cover of my record. the artist’s name is Mimiyo Tomozawa, and she’s brilliant. I love her stuff, and when I’m in Tokyo we go to karaoke together and scare everyone.

A.G: You’ve been producing a lot lately, are there any projects that are more inspiring or interesting than others; any good stories?

J.O: Well, Jesus, there are always too many stories to even begin. I really enjoyed the records I worked on lately: Superchunk, Aluminum Group, Stereolab, High Llamas, Sam Prekop, Licht/Mazzacane, in general they are all different and require a lot of attention and quick thinking (hopefully!!) so I’m always feeling fresh about working that way.

A.G: Who are some important musicians of the past? Contemporaries?

J.O: past: Charles Ives, Derek Bailey, Luc Ferrari, John Fahey, Van Dyke Parks, Stravinsky, etc… now: Fennesz, Pita, Kevin Drumm, Nobukazu Takemura, Markus Popp, etc…

A.G: Favorite books, films, artists?

J.O: Books:

The Crying Of Lot 49 [Thomas Pynchon]

Against Nature [Joris-Karl Huysmans]

Cities Of The Red Night [William S. Burroughs]

Films: Bad Timing [Nicolas Roeg]

Performance [David Cammel, Nicolas Roeg]

Lisztomania [Ken Russell]

The Discrete Charm Of The Bourgeoisie [Luis Bunuel]

Artists:

Chris Burden

Paul McCarthy

A.G: Tell us about your neighborhood, any favorite restaurants, a place to get a deal on shoes?

J.O: Hmm, not much commerce in my neighborhood, no places to eat really. lots of mexican, but not that good, plus I’m a vegetarian, so I’d get tired of the one or 2 things I can have. There is a movie theater two blocks from my house that has films for $2, but I can never go anymore -usually working all day, so…

A.G: Who was your first crush?

J.O: Hmm, Linda Jansen, Adrienne Galowski, Cheryl Atchue, Tina Schapp. High School: Miss Skowron, English teacher (of course!), and then my life long crushes started around 13: Cyndi Lauper and Ikue Mori.

A.G: Your favorite President?

J.O: ‘President’s Choice’ cookies.

some Q+A from the Jim O’Rourke mailing list on Yahoo! dated August, 2001

Could you tell us a little about your non-musical influences?

roeg, bunuel, godard, makavejev, huysmanns, tati, groucho marx, thomas bernhard, michael snow, paul mccarthy, chris burden, vito acconci, monte hellman, ken russell, pinter, mamet, resnais, robert downey sr., albert brooks

What’s worth listening to these days?

Mott the Hoople, pre-1976 Al Stewart, Paul McCartney’s “Ram”, Whitehouse, 10cc, Sparks’ “Propaganda”, Roy Harper, Led Zeppelin’s “Presence”, Bridget St. John, Egg’s “The Polite Force”, and Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors”

Jim O’Rourke: Chicago, New-York, Tokyo et Paris quelquefois

http://www.purjus.net/music/interviews.php3?interview=20

14 Avril 2002. Auditorium du Louvres à Paris

Jim O’Rourke avait été invité dans le cadre du cycle de films “Maquillage, Le visage peint au cinéma”, à mettre en musique Larmes de Clown, un film muet de 1924 de Victor Sjörström, avec Lon Chaney. J’ai décidé de profiter de mon passage express à Paris ce weekend-là, de tenter ma chance et de rencontrer ce musicien hors-norme. J’appréhendais le fait de devoir batailler avec toute la clique journaleuse musicale parisienne (Inrocks, Magic, Libé qui sait ?). Service de presse injoignable ce dimanche, évidemment, c’était mal barré. Mais comme on dit, “qui ne tente rien n’a rien”, alors je me suis présenté à l’accueil de l’auditorium du Louvres, au culot, demandant à parler à M. O’Rourke…

2 minutes plus tard

Ca y est, on me présente. La première impression : il est pas grand le bonhomme, il est un peu bouffi le Jim. Mais avant tout, Jim O’Rourke est très aimable, fidèle à sa réputation. Malgré ses nombreuses heures de voyage avant d’arriver à Paris cette même apres-midi, Jim a donc bien voulu faire une pause dans son travail de préparation pour sa prestation du soir, avant de se faire appeler pour les balances. Voici la retranscription de l’entretien que nous avons eu ce jour-là. Dommage que je ne puisse pas vous mettre, chers lecteurs, les nombreux éclats de rire ! (on n’a pas assez de place sur le serveur de PurJus.net pour mettre du son, désolé)

Good evening Jim…

Hi.

We are at the Auditorium du Louvre. You are going to present the music you created for a silent film from the 20’s. Do you do this kind of thing Often?

I have not done it in many years. Usually I do not do it. Usually I do not enjoy doing music to film. Now, I think I remember Why, now I’ve been working on this one! (Laughter.)

…I read somewhere goal on the Internet that you very much liked movies, and maybe your interest in movies was your interest Stronger than in music?…

Yeah… my interest in film has nothing to do with the music in it! (Laughter) Usually it’s the least interesting thing for me.

Well, I must admit I’m not very familiar with all what you did, you do a lot of things. One particular thing is very striking in your interviews: you seem to always mention tons of artists names. Do you think people should like you “investigate” in music, always try to be alert? Do you feel comfortable with people just listening to the radio without bothering who’s behind?

Oh, I think everybody should investigate. It should be an active pursuit. I don’t understand how people just wait for things to be given to them. I need to find out things constantly. if i like something and I see a name related to it that I don’t know, a name on the liner note, an article with a name I know, I want to find out what the other name is. I always in need to know. I’d hope everybody would do that.

To a certain extent we – students, fellow worker for purjus.net – try to do that. But it’s a hell of a time-consuming job!

(laughs) Yeah, it takes up most of your time.

…and most of your money buying records.

Yeah. I mean, if you can’t buy records, you just find people who have them to hear them.

I learned that you’ve got a degree in composition…

(laughs)

…Do you think one must study music to understand it? Or is it just a bonus?

Yeah, it just lets you know about other aspects of it. I don’t think you need to study at all, like formerly study, like university. If anything, I think it gets in the way. because it put too much value on things that aren’t necessarily the most important things in music. It puts more value on technique and analysis than on music and what it does. So, I think school gets in the way, personnally. I think the best school in listening, is your turntable.

What do you think then about that “intellectual” jazz: in concerts it’s usually a championship for who will recognize the standard theme the first.

A lot of times that’s what that is, yeah. A lot of times “using material” gets confused with “using material to make something else”. And many people just stop at the point of using things, and don’t think of what te references mean outside of playing them. “what does it mean socially? what kind of things does it connotate?”.

Do you fear that happening in so-called “experimental” music? Some artists are just banging things on walls, or things like that… Does this kind of music appeal to you?

There’s just as much bad music in experimental music as anything else. Because people are afraid to say that some experimental music is bad. Some of it’s great, some of it’s good, some of it sucks! Just like any other kind of music. But it seems to be… It seems you can’t have an opinion about these kinds of music. You know the terms, the definition of them are so vague for many people that to start making jugements… not jugements, but having an opinion about them seems difficult. Nobody’s going to make a big stink if you say “that last Old Dirty Bastard record really sucked!” because there is sort of an understood set of criteria for what makes that good or bad. But it’s a lot more vague in experimental music. Yeah, there’s definitely bad stuff! being experimental doesn’t mean it’s good!

…and when there’s a famous name on the liner notes, it doesn’t mean it’s good.

Usually not! A lot of times, just like anything else…there’s a lot of famous names that are awesome, some are terrible. It really depends on your taste. There are plenty of famous names you couldn’t pay me to go and see. And there’s plenty of small names you couldn’t pay me to go and see. And there’s plenty of big and small names that I will always go see or listen to. It depends on one’s taste, like anything else.

A few days ago, a friend of mine listened to a Fenn O’Berg record, and he just couldn’t get into it. Do you mind?

I don’t listen to it! (laughs.) I don’t know what that record is, it’s a strange one. No, I mean it’s fine, if it’s not for them, it’s not for them. I don’t expect them to listen to… an Ace of Base record or something. I listen to Boney M. records but i don’t know many people who do! (laughs.) It doesn’t bother me if someone doesn’t like it. There’s plenty of people who don’t like it! So, if I had a problem, I’d be in deep trouble.

I also read that you have a strong interest in French “musique concrète”, but do you like some earlier French composers: like Ravel or Debussy…

Sure. Growing up I listened to all that stuff. And then I got into the Luc Ferrari and Pierre Henry and all that. Yeah, I mean, of course a lot of the 20th century composers. I always liked Milhaud very much. I like that stuff just as well.

we only spoke of “occidental” music. What about Asian music, South American music…

Japanese music. I’m crazy about it. I have a huge collection of Japanese music. There’s a whole history of music in Japan. Most people know about stuff like the noise bands, the Boredoms, things like that, which are all great. But the country has an entire history. In the 70’s there were amazing, amazing, records in Japan. There were rock bands, there were folk-rock band, there were folk bands, singer-songwriters. There’s tons of that stuff. I’m crazy about it. I go there 4 or 5 times a year just buying everything I can get my hands on. I just came back with another box full. 2 boxes full!

Do you manage to listen to all of it?

Oh yeah, I listen to everything.

So you basically live for music. You don’t do anything else?

No, I don’t do anything else. I watch movies but otherwise… I consider it all work but no, I don’t do anything else. What else is there to do? (laughs.)

You work with numerous artists, many of which you admire. Do you still have people in mind you’d love to work with?

There always is. You know, I’ve been very lucky to get to work with a lot of great people. An people I never thought I would be able to get to work with.(pause) I don’t know. I think I need a break from working WITH people! (laughs.) It’s been like ten years straight of it. There’s a lot of people I would love to do things with but it wouldn’t be necessarily collaborate. Because a lot of people I like, they do great on their own. I don’t want to mess it up. For instance I love Albert Marcoeur, if I could do like reissue the records or help them get more available. But collaborate?… I’d rather him just make a new record of his own than collaborate. (laughs.) A lot of people I like I just want them to keep doing their stuff.

Lately you put out 2 very different records. Insignificance on Domino for Europe, and I’m happy and I’m singing… on the German label Mego. In what direction will you go next?

I’m sure I won’t make another record for another 2 years. So I have no idea. I doubt I’ll make a record for a long time.

You’ll be on the road…

No, it’s just that it takes me years to make a record. Most of the stuff on the Mego record is already like 3 years old. I just take a long time to do records on my own.

.

20h30, l’auditorium est plein. j’ai des sérieux doutes sur le fait que Lon Chaney et son film muet puisse intéresser autant de gens, ce qui prouve par la même occasion que Jim O’Rourke peut rassembler plus de 500 personnes sur son seul nom. Pour être tout à fait honnête, je n’ai pas été vraiment époustouflé par la prestation électronique d’O’Rourke, qui n’a pas fait preuve d’une grande diversité d’ambiances pour accompagner les 80 minutes du film, par manque de préparation peut-être. Mais l’essentiel de la journée pour moi n’était pas là.

Un grand merci à Jim pour sa disponibilité et sa gentillesse, à l’équipe de l’auditorium du Louvres, et particulièrement à Valérie Brisset du service de presse.

Jim on some of his favorite records

Not sure about when this book was published, but I think it dealt with a sort of of “Desert Island Discs” scenario. Jim was one of those surveyed for the book.

Van Dyke Parks “Song Cycle” (Warner Bros 1968)

How can life go on worth living without this? The most perfect musical statement I’ve ever heard. Really the extension of Charles Ives into our century, really the one that truly moves that vision into our time. His greatest song, greatest lyrics, arrangements that can’t be decoded until you arrange yourself into the ground, and an attention to the use of the studio as an arranging element that is still second to none.

Tony Conrad “Outside the Dream Syndicate” (Virgin Caroline 1972)

What can you say? Tony Conrad is the man. Along with Phill Niblock and Arnold Dreyblatt, truly the great minimalist, took the music to its honest conclusion, working for the music and its ability to move us. While I would want all of Tony’s recordings with me, this one has a special place in my heart. How could it not. Also of interest, young Tony on the cover looks exactly like Axel Dorner.

Sparks “Propaganda” (Island 1974)

Oh boy, lyrics that are the best match of misanthropy and angst filled laughs that I’ve heard, incredible songs, amazing arrangements, really words don’t suffice. “Kimono my house” comes a close second, but this one has the best riff break I’ve heard, end of Thanks but no Thanks. I have nearly crashed the car many times during this section. Not recommended for driving, but who drives on a desert island?

Roy Harper “Lifemask” (Harvest 1974)

It’s tough to choose one Roy Harper record. How could I pass up ”Valentine”, “Come out fighting…”, “Stormcock”??? Well, I choose ”Lifemask” for the B side full lenght The Lord’s prayer, which if I’d heard when I was 12, I woulda learned it note for note instead of learning ”Supper’s Ready”. Still my favourite Roy track. The genius can’t be stopped.

Led Zeppelin “Presence” (Swansong 1976)

There’s no argument. I don’t care what people say, THIS is Zeppelin’s best album. Usually people who don’t like this are either confusing it with “In through the out door” (ugh) or “Coda” (nevermind…) or have never heard it. Achilles last stand, c’mon, how can you not lose your head???

Talk Talk “Laughing Stock” (Verve 1991)

Another case of people think I’m talking about their new wave records, which were fine for what they were. But this, wew… One of the best sounding, best written, oh what’s the point, this record is beyond words. If only the organ solo at the end of “Spirit of Eden” album were on this, it’d be absolutely their ultimate statement.

Judee Sill “Judee Sill” (Asylum 1971)

What the hell was in the water in the early 70’s? Why do people bother buying records made now when they can buy David Crosby’s “If Only I Could Remember My Name” for a dollar, or 10cc “How Dare You” for 50 cents?? Why pay 14 bucks ah, whatever, 99% of what comes out now, I’m tellin’ ya, the standards have slipped! Judee’s first record is the best singer songwriter record of the period, bar none.

Philip Glass “Einstein on the Beach” (Tomata 1974)

When I was a teenager, it was easier to find albums of Glass, Reich, etc. than the other bunch. When I was 18 THIS was my Black Sabbath, my Zeppelin. The original recording, played loud, can still send shivers up my spine. Along with “Music in 12 parts” all of Reich’s stuff until 78 (inclusive!) really really made life worth living.

Harumi Hosono “Cochin Moon” (King 1978)

Sadly one of his least known records. I love his Dr. John inspired records like “Hosono House”, or his Van Dyke-ish stuff, but his pre-YMO record is still the record that blows my mind. When I asked him about, it took him a minute to even remember the record, oh it’s a weird world.

Bill Fay “Time of the Last Persecution” (Deram Nova 1972)

While I also love his first record “Bill Fay”, this album somehow taps some sense of serious grave digging that I’ve not heard before on a record. With amazing backing from Ray Russel’s group (Ray himself was involved in some awesome rock record at the time, like the first rock Workshop record, ”Running Man”, and his own mind blowing “Secret Asylum”). Really one of the great lost treasure.

(P.S. I think maybe Patto’s The Man is the most perfect rock song I’ve ever heard.)