This group has been put together for fans of Gary Numan and visitors of the Numanme site, to discuses all things Numan sell/trade share stories and images
from all aspects of Numan's career.
Numanme Radio Podcast will be playing you some of the best Classic Alternative, New Wave, Dark Wave, Synth-Pop, and Punk. Also, a staple diet of Gary Numan/Tubeway Army without question. Shows will be updated here when they become available.
The gallery contains Gary Numan-related photographs. They range from the Tubeway Army days to the present day. Feel free to browse and if you would like to add any of your images please get in touch.
Nash the Slash is best known to most Numan fans for the Gary Numan Wembley farewell concerts back in 1981. He also supported Gary in 1980 for the north America
tour and for Gary's 1980 UK tour.
Nash the Slash born Jeff Plewman (March 26, 1948 – May 10 or 11, 2014), but better known by his stage name Nash the Slash a Canadian musician and a multi-instrumentalist, he was known primarily for playing electric violin and mandolin, as well as harmonica, keyboards, glockenspiel, and other instruments (sometimes described as "devices" on album notes.
Nash's music covers an eclectic range, varying from instrumental—mood-setting music, to rock and pop music with vocals. Nash the Slash described his music as techno
frash, electronic rock n roll. 1975 see Nash worked manly as a solo artist but in 1976; he founded the progressive rock band FM. Soon after releasing the band's first album, Black Noise, in 1977, but Nash left the band; resuming his solo career in 1978.
Nash has performed with surgical bandages covering his face since 1979. "During a gig at The Edge in the late '70s to raise awareness of the threat from the Three Mile Island disaster, he walked on stage wearing bandages dipped in phosphorus paint shouting to the crowd: 'Look, this is what happens to you.' The bandages became his trademark.
Nash always tried to keep he’s true identity a secret, although the Star profile of 1978 had already revealed his real name. Nevertheless, in a 1981 interview with the UK magazine Smash Hits, Nash was questioned about his real name, and replied with "Nashville Thebodiah
Slasher". The name "Nash the Slash" was born from silent film, and the name "Nash the Slash" comes from that of a killer butler encountered by Laurel and Hardy in their first film, Do Detectives Think? (1927).
Nash also formed he’s own independent record label Cut-Throat Records.
2012 Nash announced his retirement via his website on November 6, 2012, stating he was "rolling up the bandages" and shutting down his official website on December 31. He thanked his loyal fans for their support during his 40 years as an independent artist, but stated that live gigs no longer excited him and that his "eccentric style / genre finds no place into today's scene." He also mentioned the "theft of music on the internet devastated a very important source of income."
On May 10, 2014, Nash died at his home in Toronto at age 66, from a suspected heart attack. His death was announced on Facebook by friend and collaborator Robert
Vanderhorst, who wrote that Plewman passed away over the weekend. Vanderhorst also confirmed the death in an interview with the Toronto Star.
2016 Canadian cult-hero Nash the Slash's early catalogue is reissued through Canadian label Artoffact Records.
Artoffact reissued CD and vinyl remasters of Nash's first record, Dreams & Nightmares, as well as his most popular full-length Children of The Night, the super-rare live album Hammersmith Holocaust, and the EP Bedside Companion. Long-time Nash admirer Gary Numan has penned the liner notes for Hammersmith
Holocaust.
Questions
& Answers
Questions: What is
your musical background and at what age did you learn to play the violin
and mandolin ?.
Nash the Slash: Trained
on classical violin age 8 to 18. Self-taught on mandolin age 16 (same
tuning as violin)
Questions: Where/when
did you first perform as a rock band/artist ?
Nash the Slash: 1975 The
Roxy Theatre performing live to the silent film "Un Chien
Andalou"
Questions: What was
the first commercially available material featuring yourself (either solo
or as part of a group).
Nash the Slash: FM's
first LP "Black Noise" came out in 1978 at the same time I
released my first EP "Bedside Companion"
Questions: What
bands/artists influenced you as a teenager ?
Nash the Slash: My teen
years were in the Sixties so there was very little electronic music, but
the groups I enjoyed were The Who,The
Kinks, Cream, Hendrix, Soft Machine. The real influences came in the
Seventies; Kraut Rock, Hawkwind,
The Silver Apples, Moondog, Syrinx, Roxy Music, Eno, Fripp, etc.
Questions: What bands
did you work with before FM (as Nash The Slash) ?
Nash the Slash: None.
Questions: Most
fans know that 'Nash' was a character in a 1920's Laurel and Hardy film,
but why did you decide to create
'Nash the Slash' the recording artist and musician ?
Nash the Slash: It was a
great stage name and I already was a musician.
Questions: What was
the reaction of your friends at the time, when you decided to perform as
'Nash the Slash' ?
Nash the Slash: "Nash
The Slash" performed live without bandages for the first 4 years. My friends
just thought it was a cool stage name.
Questions: How do you
manage to keep cool on stage when dressed as Nash ?, and have you ever
collapsed with heat exhaustion
due to the bandages ?
Nash the Slash: The
bandages are not a mask. They are wrapped on every night and discarded. I spend
about $600 a year on bandages. They are wrapped on in a special way. They
are soaked in cold water to
better layer them as well as keep me cool for the first 20 minutes. They
are removed between sets. The
hottest gig I have ever done was at a pavillion in the summer of 1983. The
building had no air-conditioning, and by showtime there were 500 people in
a room that was estimated at the
time to be over 35 C.I drank two gallons of water and lost 4 pounds during
the performance.
Questions: When FM
started to take off, what was the reaction of the fans to Nash ?
Nash the Slash: I had
already left the group when FM began to "take off". In the early
days with FM, I never wore the bandages.
Questions: Is it
common knowledge in music circles in Canada/Toronto as to your real
indentity ?
Nash the Slash: It is a
well-kept secret.
Questions: Do you
know in which european country 'Children' sold the most copies ?
Nash the Slash: The UK for
sure.(ps..Are you guys Europeans yet? :)
Questions: In 1981
you appear on Gary Numans album 'Dance', do you appear on any other
artists/bands records,
Nash the Slash: Some I
don't remember the titles. I played on a Ken Lockie single. I recorded
in Canada with "Drastic Measures" 1979 and The Spiney Anteaters
1998
Questions: What instrument do you tend to compose with the most and why?
Nash the Slash: I always start with a simple drum machine pattern and then jam on mandolin or keyboards. It's the fastest way to get creative. I don't record with a computer. It's too slow to get things up and running. The computer is only good for editing later.
Questions: Let me get your thoughts on a few tracks - just whatever pops into your head. Let's start with Vincent's Crows.
Nash the Slash: Vincent's Crows is one of my favorite tracks. The lyrics by Toby Dammit are brilliant and lend themselves perfectly to the drama of the music.
Questions: Theory Of
The Black Hole.
Nash the Slash:
A very strange piece. Words by Dr. K. Syinide.
It wasn't very long so I decided to repeat the whole thing backwards.
Questions: Friends And
Neighbours.
Nash the Slash: The best version of this song is the original
demo I released on the CD, Lost in Space. This CD is a collection of FM
demos and live recordings from 1978 to 1985. F&N has a completely
different melody and has way more balls to it. I really liked the original
and hated the LP version. The producer had too much influence on Cameron.
Questions: As an
independent artist, how much of an impact has the internet had on sales,
in either a positive or negative sense?
Nash the Slash: The Internet is a great place for promotion,
but lousy for sales. As an independent, I have no way of challenging
bootleggers. I say to my fans, 'I won't sell out, don't you sell out. Keep
it honest.' I can't ask for more than that.
Questions: Were you
'pushed into a corner' to record/release 'Novel Romance' ?,or were you
happy with it ?
Nash the Slash:I was
pushed. How can you tell?!!? - Virgin wanted another song that wasn't on
the LP "children" and I had
nothing prepared. I don't write quickly or without intent but it was great
fun working with Bill Nelson.
Questions: American
Bandages is certainly one of my favourite LP's of all time - are you
happy with it and how was it
received in the US and Canada ?
Nash the Slash: American
Bandages was a fun project. I had the idea to do an 'American Cover LP'
for many years. It was the
producer's idea to involve Cam and Martin from FM. Ironically, due to bad
management and a worse
record deal, the LP was never released in the USA. Go figure.
It is to this day a cult album in America.
Questions: You have
worked with FM on and off many times over the years - is there a story to
tell here ?
Nash the Slash: After we
collaborated on American Bandages, it was an agent's idea that we should
re-group. The agent said he could
make us a lot of money. We did, but I spent 4 more years NOT DOING Nash
the Slash. Bad
artistic decision.
Questions:FM's music
and the music of Nash the Slash is very different, were there many
disagreements between you and
Cameron Hawkins over the years regading the music style and content ?
Nash the Slash: Cam and I
rarely agreed on musical direction. The strongest influences on FM music
came from my exposure to
European electronic music. Cam was into The Beach Boys.
Questions: Now a
difficult one - which album or individual track ranks as your personal
favourite and why ?
Nash the Slash:Right now
I am re-mastering 'Decomposing' and 'Normal'. I am amazed that I wrote
this stuff over 15 years ago. Every
time an artist revisits their recorded past, there can be embarrasments
and new discoveries. I can only
express satisfaction with my whole recorded output.
Questions: Why did
you leave it until 1999 to return with a new solo album ?
Nash the Slash: 1983-
American Bandages, 1984-1989 - FM, 1990-1997 - film scores. All these
years I was compiling material. Some tracks on 'Thrash' are over 10 years
old.
Questions: You
mention elsewhere that you do not use sequencers,samplers and PC's for
music composition
- have you tried out the technology (i.e Cubase, Acid, Rebirth etc) ?
Nash the Slash: I haven't
got time to learn a whole new approach to composing. I get by with very
simple tools. When I say
I don't use sequencers, I really mean I don't own a dedicated sequencer.
However, sequence-like riffs can
be created by feeding a midi signal from the Alesis drum machine to a
Roland D50 kbd. A
sequencer was used on such tunes as 'Born to be Wild'. On 'Children', I
had a Crumar Multiman that was aset of
bass pedals with a built-in drum machine and bass sequences plus chords,
either in rhythm mode or drone.
This crazy machine was made in Italy for your typical mom and pop wedding
duo. I called it my 'Poppa-chichi'
machine from the sound of the drum machine. By the time I got through
adding echo,fuzz and octavider
(yes,sub-octave effects on bass pedals!) I could create entire live pieces
with this device. 'Wolf' is a totally
live example of the Crumar. So is 'In A Glass Eye' and 'Danger Zone'.
There are others on the LP 'Normal'.
Questions: Will you
be embracing any new technology in the near future as far as your music is
concerned ?
Nash the Slash: There are
many tricks I used with my tape recorders. One example is the drum sound
on 'Swing-shift'. It is an
Roland rhythm 55 drum machine. It was played at double the intended tempo
and recorded onto the reel-to-reel
at 15ips. When played back at 71/2 ips, the drums were now at the right
tempo but VERY
HEAVY!!! This trick Iused with other drum machines (Womble). I am the
proud owner of the first drum machine
Roland ever made. I bought
my Rhythm 55 in 1976 and I still use it to this day. It is the drum sound
in Dead Man's Curve and Dopes on
the Water. I could write a book on early drum machines. When you are very
familiar with the tools at hand, you
can do anything. The modern computer hardware involves a steep learning
curve for me, and I think I get
interesting results by being creative in other ways. I can see myself
using hardisk storage. DAT tapes and
machines are not very reliable. Today, we need more back-ups to avoid loss
or damage. I never had these
problems with analog tapes or machines.
Questions: Who is 'Nash The Slash' -
how would you describe the man behind the music ?
Nash the Slash: Tall and
thin. Long fingernails with pointy ears and teeth. My
autobiography is called 'Whatever Happened to Max Schreck?'
Questions: Is there anything
you would still like to achieve in the music world ?
Nash the Slash: I
would like to perform my music with a very large string orchestra (40
players) and hand out fuzz boxes to
just the cello section!
Questions: Which would you rather
have, a platinum selling album or a commission to score a major
Hollywood movie ?
Nash the Slash: I
would like to score a really twisted underground movie that becomes a cult
classic and be paid one million pieces of
3000 mm diameter plates of pure platinum, 50 mm thick.
Questions: Which
gives you the most pleasure - writing/composing or performing ?
Nash the Slash: None of
the above. The greatest pleasure I get is writing books like 'Frog Jumping
For Dummies'. And why ? Got
a frog?
Questions: Who is the best musician
you have ever worked with ?
Nash the Slash: That's
a hard question. Who have I actually played with that I thought was a
really great musician ? or anyone
I may have worked with ( producers don't necessarily play on the sessions)
My
favourite musician to work with and me being a BIG FAN was definitely Bill
Nelson, but Bill and I never
actually played a note together. I have worked with some of the best
session players in Canada (
soundtrack to the Bruce McDonald film Highway 61)
Questions: What were your
thoughts and feelings towards the UK music scene in 1980/81, and why
did you return to Canada when your
career appeared to be going so well in the UK ?
Nash the Slash:The UK
music scene was beginning to implode on itself. The punks were fading out
or literally dying off
(Malcolm Owens, singer for The Ruts, was the greatest loss I can think of)
and the experimental bands like
Ultravox were going through serious changes. Their singer John Foxx ,went
solo and sounded like the
Emperor with no clothes, while Ultravox found Midge Ure for their new
voice and started a whole new
career. The Stranglers survived as did Siouxie as well as The Cure but
many exciting bands I heard
while I was living in England exploded on impact!. Such is
the volatile nature of the British music scene. One joke amongst local
musicians was the over
-the- top support an artist would get from the New Music Express or NME. One month
a rave review, the next month a scathing put-down as if the performer was
the reviewers'
personal whipping boy. The NME was well named. To many musicians they were
known and pronounced
by their intials - The En,Emy! Back in
Canada I had a touring schedule to get back to. The gig scene in the UK was
very limited. You went
out and played the rooms once around the country only when the industry
says it's your turn to do so.
There were too many groups for any individual artist to be blazing their
own trail. In
Canada, I was the Prodigal Son Returns and I could make the most of it.
Questions: What does
the short term future hold for you ?
Nash the Slash: Promoting
the live performances of the silent film 'NOSFERATU'
Questions: Are you
working on any new material intended for commercial release ?
Nash the Slash: I have 3
back-catalog CD's ready plus a CD of all-new instrumentals. I would also
like to release the 3 silent film
scores I've done. At the present time I have over 6 hours of live music
for immediate performance.
Questions: Are you
happy with the way things are going for you at present ?
Nash the Slash: Today was
kinda shitty. I sprained my right index finger while doing some gardening.
Lucky it wasn't my left hand
(fingering you know)
Questions:After
over 3 decades of performing live, what still excites you most about
stepping onto that stage?
Nash the Slash: Have you ever heard the roar of an Indie
race-car or the sound of a jet fighter taking off? It's the volume that
gets your heart pounding. Have you ever heard anyone else play the violin
at 120 decibels? It still turns my crank.
Gallery
Discography
1978 BEDSIDE COMPANION
Fever Dream
Masquerade
Blind Windows
Million Year Picnic
The first release on Cut-Throat Records and solo record would be the 1978 Bedside Companion 12” EP compiling of 4 electronic instrumentals, heavily featuring the hunting electric
violin.
1979 DREAMS & NIGHTMARES
Islands
Ylla
The Chase
Un Chien Andalou
Blind Windows/Countervail
Mooncurse
Lost Lenore
Til Death Do Us Part
1979 see the first full album by Nash titled Dreams & Nightmares a collection of instrumental horror stories. The cover also had Nash the Slash on it covered in he’s trademark bandages so was born the legend Nash the Slash. It sold over 12,000 copies in the first year - one of the most successful independent releases at that time. Nash gained notoriety for his bizarre and macabre act, and for that reason he become a very sort after support act for bands and artists of the time, such as Devo, Pere Ubu and Elvis Costello.
1980 Nash released a 7 minute twisted cover of Jan & Dean's "Dead Man's Curve" with vocals, propelled him to greater public recognition. The B-side, "Swing Shift (Souixante-Neuf)" also featured vocals, and was co-composed with lyricist Toby Dammit, with whom Nash further collaborated over the next few years. Music videos were made for both songs. He also toured New York. This led to opening slots for the likes of XTC and Gary Numan across North America. That summer he found himself on his most auspicious tour to this day, on the same card as The Who in front of his hometown crowd at CNE Stadium. Though he offered to do the gig for free, he would end up being paid $125 - minimum union wage.
A second tour with Gary Numan was planned in the UK. But before he ever made it onto the stage his electric mandolins were stolen - prompting a feature on a Scotland Yard TV program - similar to Crime Stoppers. Hastily-gathered replacements saw the completion of the tour.
( re-issued on CD together with Bedside Companion as Blind Windows in 1997) .
1980 Hammersmith Holocaust
Wolf
Dopes on the Water
Children of the Night
Barbara O'Riley
Danger Zone
Ultra-limited edition (300 copies) live "official" bootleg of Hammersmith Holocaust, recorded at The Hammersmith Odeon opening for Gary Numan. All three hundred copies are hand-stamped by Nash and Mike Dent, his sound tech. This is the rarest of Nash recordings.
In September, 1980, Gary Numan called up for Nash to do tour of U.K. The call came on a Thursday night. Gary wanted Nash to come to England to start the tour on the following Monday! Needless to say it was chaotic. Nash had two roadies but could only take one with him due to costs. He chose the stage/sound tech, Mike Dent. That left the problem of passports. With connections in Ottawa, both passports were issued within 48 hours. The next problem was getting there as Nash didn't have the $2,000 for airfare and equipment. A quick call to Laurie Dunn at Virgin Publishing in London and Nash had an immediate advance and the first flight out on Monday morning. The first show was in Birmingham that night, but due to delays and the long drive up from London, Nash didn't make it. The first performance of Nash The Slash in England would be the next night in Manchester. The tour arrived London on September 16 for two nights at the Hammersmith Odeon. This is a very old building in the heart of London and not very secure. While equipment is left set up on stage overnight, thieves break in and steal two of Numan's keyboards and both of Nash's mandolins, which are in one case that resembles a guitar case. The loss is devastating. Unlike a keyboard or guitar, electric mandolins are hard to find, and Nash's instruments were custom made. The famous "Skull" mando might be gone forever. Scotland Yard is called in to investigate and a police drawing of the Skull mando is shown on a TV show called Crime Search. This show is usually dedicated to jewelry heists in Knightsbridge, but being a foreign visitor, Nash is given special attention. As Russell Bell (Numan's guitarist) said to Nash at the time, "I once had my stereo stolen and it didn't get on Crime Search!"
On the second night at the Hammersmith, Nash does a shortened set, playing just violin. Before the tour continues in Portsmouth, Nash must find another mandolin. After searching all over London, Nash settles on a cheap Japanese model, and with some serious alterations, it becomes a functional instrument. This instrument will be used for the rest of the tour, as well as on the upcoming recording sessions for the Children of the Night LP. Nash calls back home to Canada for a new mandolin to be made. Vladomir Bosnar, the maker of all Nash mandos, goes to work on another black model. The first of the two nights at Hammersmith was recorded on a cassette machine at the board. The last-known performance of the Skull mando had been preserved for posterity. This tape would come in handy very soon.
Later that year, Nash signed with Dindisc, a sub-label of Virgin. Dindisc wanted to put out some promo records to the media, but Nash didn't have anything recorded yet. Oh yes, he does. Released in a limited edition of 300 copies live "official" bootleg of Hammersmith Holocaust, recorded at The Hammersmith Odeon, opening for Gary Numan. All three hundred copies are hand-stamped by Nash and Mike Dent, his sound tech. It takes three days of sitting on the floor of their apartment to stamp all the labels and jackets as well as number each one. The LP's are distributed to radio and music journalists. They are not for sale. This is the rarest of Nash recordings
.
1981 CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT
Wolf
Dead Man's Curve
Children of the Night
Deep Forest
In a Glass Eye
19th Nervous Breakdown
Swing Shift (Soixante-Neuf)
Metropolis
Dopes on the Water
Danger Zone
1981 “Children Of The Night” the second full-length solo album. With Nash playing all instruments. Hillage does a wonderful job producing Nash, bringing out a much harder sound than heard on his debut solo release Dreams and Nightmares. Released in 1981 after Nash toured the United Kingdom in 1980 supporting Gary Numan, the album quickly gained cult status with its unique sound, created using electric mandolins, electric violins, drum machines, and other sonic devices. The album sleeve proudly proclaims “There are no guitars.”
This album rocks, complete with covers of the Rolling Stones (and brilliant version of “19th Nervous Breakdown,” which seems perfectly suited for Nash) and Deep Purple, with Nash altering the words of the classic “Smoke on the Water” to “Dopes on the Water.” He even covers Jan and Dean’s “Dead Man’s Curve,” although the version found on this album is not as powerful as Nash’s original cover found on a 7″ single (released on Nash’s own Cut-Throat Records). There are a number of interesting instrumentals full of wonderful noises that produce an awe-inspiring sound, especially the opening track “Wolf,” which includes brief moments from Peter and the Wolf. This is a very strong album, full of interesting sounds, that stands up to repeated listenings.
The album was recorded in six weeks at Britannia Row Studios, London, in late 1980 and produced by Steve Hillage. It was released on the Virgin Records label Dindisc, which was owned by Richard Branson. The album was re-released on CD in 2000 with bonus tracks. The cover photo was taken at the road entrance looking up from Paddington Station, London.
1981
With Bill Nelson producing, Slash released "Novel Romance" as a single in '81, but his journey into actual 'pop music' was less than successful.
(reissued on CD in 2000 with bonus tracks) .
Dead Man's Curve (7") Cut-Throat Records CUT-3 Canada 1980
Dead Man's Curve (7") Dindisc DIN28 New Zealand 1980
Dead Man's Curve (7", Single) Dindisc VVD-45.041ES Portugal 1981
Dead Man's Curve (7", Single) Dindisc, Dindisc 102.949, 102 949 Netherlands 1981
Dead Man's Curve (7", Single) Dindisc, Dindisc DIN 28, din 28 UK 1981
Flexi-disc, 7", Single Sided, 33 ⅓ RPM, Blue Orchestral Manoeuvres* / Nash The Slash – Pretending To See The Future / Swing Shift
Novel Romance (7") Dindisc DIN 33 1981
1981 DECOMPOSING
The Calling
Life in Loch Ness
Womble
Pilgrim's Lament
1981
His next full album was Decomposing later that year. In between tours with The Tubes, Human League and Iggy Pop, he also appeared at a number of outdoor festivals. He also found time to appear on 3 tracks on Gary Numan's Dance album as well as tour as part of his entourage. This is the first album playable at any speed. Being all-instrumental music, there are no voices to affect the realism of the orchestrations. Thus the album becomes a collection of electronic concertos, each movement being defined by the speed of the turntable. A turntable with speeds of 33, 45 and 78 rpm, creates a different ratio within the pieces, yet maintains a familiar melodic drama.
Saying all this, the record was recorded to produce the sound you hear at 45rpm and any compilations using tracks taken from this record reflect this.
Deliberately playing or recording records at a higher speed gave an antic quirkiness to voices; doing so at a slower speed changed music and voice to an ominous, growling tone. Nash the Slash took advantage of this speed/tonal effect with his 1981 12-inch disc Decomposing, which featured four instrumental tracks that were engineered to play at any speed (with the playing times listed for 33⅓, 45 and 78 rpm playback).
Decomposing gains rave reviews in Playboy magazine and The Village Voice and wins a number of awards throughout North America. Nash's wide appeal also gained the album airplay here and abroad - in places as obscure as Poland.
1982 AND YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE NORMAL
Citizen
Pretty Folks
RSVP
Vincent's Crows
Dance After Curfew
Normal
The Hypnotist
Remember When
Animal Jamboree
Stalker
1982 saw the release of And You Thought You Were Normal. The single "Dance After Curfew" was produced by Daniel Lanois in an attempt to gain a commercial acceptance. North American tours with Iggy Pop again and Kim Mitchell preceeded more international fanfare - including top album according to Billboard magazine. This included the track "Dance After Curfew" produced by Daniel Lanois prior to his association with Brian Eno. The single became a surprise club and radio hit in Poland, which was then still behind the iron curtain, where curfews and restrictions on western culture were imposed by the government of the time.
1984 see the unofficial reunion of Slash with FM
(reissued on CD in 2000 with bonus tracks)
1984 AMERICAN BAND-AGES
(American Bandstand Theme)
Bandstand Boogie
American Band
Born To Be Wild
Who Do You Love?
1984 (West Side Version)
Bandstand Boogie Reprise
Hey Joe
Psychotic Reaction
1984 (Dance Version)
Run Through the Jungle
1984 also see the release of his most commercial record to date – American Band-Ages. A collection of re-workings of rock standards, it featured covers of Grand Funk's "We're An American Band", Joe South's "Hey Joe" and CCR's "Run Through The Jungle". Ironically, tho he'd been a solo artist for the better part of eight years at this point, he was nominated that year for a Juno for best new male vocalist - losing to eventual winner Alfie Zappacosta.
(reissued on CD in 2003 with bonus tracks)
American Band (7", Single) Quality Q 2448 1984
Bandstand Boogie (7") FM VHF 13 1985
1984 THE MILLION YEAR PICNIC
The Million Year Picnic
Swing Shift (Soixante-neuf)
Blind Windows/Countervail
Lost Lenore
Dead Man's Curve
The Chase
Pilgrim's Lament
Life In Loch Ness
That same year saw The Million Year Picnic - a greatest hits compilation, He couldn't have dreamed of a publicity stunt like what happened in '85. Pepsi-Cola was running TV ads which featured Rough Trade being served pop by waiters dressed in bandages and wearing sunglasses and tuxedos. A legal battle ensued - and tho Pepsi had a point when saying Nash's image was anything but original (he was criticized for stealing the gimmick from 'The Invisible Man') - they eventually settled out of court. All the while, his collaberation with Hawkins & Deller again inspired a full-fledged reunion for FM, good for 2 albums from '85 thru '87 - Con-Test and Tonight - which contained 5 tracks from Con-Test.
Some of their music was also featured on the 1988 film 'Friday The 13th - Part 7'. Sporadic Canadian tours ensued over the next couple of years before Slash returned to his true mission in life - scoring the music to films. Between '89 and '96 he worked on several projects, including 'Black Pearls', 'A Trip Around Lake Ontario - Roadkill', 'Father Snowshoes', 'Blood & Donuts' and a pair of classic silent films - 1919's 'The Cabinet of Dr Caligari' and 'The Lost World' from 1925.
1984 4 EXTERNAL CUTS ONLY
Who Do You Love (version 1)
American Band (version 1)
Psychotic Reaction (version 1)
Who Do You Love (version 2)
American Band (version 2)
Psychotic Reaction (version 2)
4 Externalcuts Only - 2 versions of 3 previously recorded songs see the light of day.
1991 HIGHWAY 61
Pokey Remembers
The Clothesline
Pickerel Falls Sunrise
The Getaway
Pokey Finds A Body
Ice Blues
Afternoon In The Barbershop
War (Margo's Song)
Pokey Meets The Devil
Bikers Get A Shave
Jackie Prepares The Body
Pokeys Blues
Jackie Hitches Outa Nowhere
Jackie Bin Baptized
Country Driving
The Devil's Playground
Into The Land Of Fire
Fires Of Hell
Pokey Remembers
Doc Satan
Nightmate Drive
The Getaway (Reprise)
1997 BLIND WINDOWS
Fever Dream
Un Chien Andalou
Masquerade
Blind Windows/Countervail
Blind Windows
Mooncurse
The Million Year Picnic
Lost Lenore
Islands
Til Death Do Us Part
Ylla
Blind Windows
The Chase
Marsden Versions
In '1997 he released Blind Windows, a loose collection of instrumental remixes of his earlier works. The CD got worldwide distribution, reaching No3 on the Canadian Indie Charts. He continued doing local projects while finding time to write for the next album. Nash the Slash's whole persona is an enigma, complete with wrap-around bandages to conceal his true identity. This CD is a compilation of his first two solo releases following his first departure from FM. The songs are entirely instrumental and entirely solo, and very hard to categorize. While it is electronic, it isn't "dance" or "ambient" or "new age," and yet all of those genres go into the mix. There is a small debt paid to Eno, but Nash creates his own unique, original sound. He is capable of writing beautiful and haunting melodies, as evidenced by such songs as "Un Chien Andalou" and the incredible "Masquerade." At the same time, he is able to create music from noise, terrifying the unsuspecting listener. All the music tends to lean towards darkness, but some songs are just downright creepy (let's not forget his second album, included in its entirety on this CD, was titled Dreams and Nightmares). "Blind Windows/Countervail," "Lost Lenore," and "'Til Death Do Us Part" are prime examples of the more unsettling side, and yet in their own way these songs are also quite beautiful. Fans will delight in being able to obtain his first two albums on CD, and music fans craving something different and original would enjoy this CD. As an added bonus, the EP Bedside Companion is included twice, once in its original form, and once in a slowed-down 33 version (the EP was recorded to be played at 45 rpm). Both versions are equally enjoyable. Highly recommended.
1999 THRASH
Something Weird On My TV
Tension
Theory Of The Black Hole
We Will Be The Leaders
End Of The Millenium
Thrash
Give Me The Creeps
Vincent's Crows
I'll Wait For You
Guns And Sandwiches
Underground
Shock Treatment
1999 Thrash was released in '99 and contained Slash's trademark penchant for the macabre set in an electronic atmosphere, including the title track, "Theory of The Black Hole," "End Of The Millenium," "Give Me The Creeps, and "Guns And Sandwiches." This CD features a new recording of "Vincent's Crows". And this CD does not disappoint; if anything, Nash has improved with age. Still essentially a solo artist, Nash collaborated with a couple of lyricists for this outing, and the result is brilliant. Nash continues to write his own unique brand of music, which is still difficult to categorize — rock, dance, ambient, and electronic all mixed together to form a new sound. The songs are full of classic Nash violin solos, and his voice has never sounded better. The music seems to be a bit harder, especially in the percussion sounds, and noisier than one is used to hearing from Nash. And how many artists can use the scream of a large cat (not identified, although it sounds like a panther) to effect in a rock song? But again it works. At the same time, Nash's gentler side is seen in the beautiful, sadly touching "I'll Wait for You." Fans of his music should not be disappointed with this outing, and although the music is somewhat eclectic, adventurous music fans will enjoy this CD. A brief warning: as with most of Nash's output, some of the music is unsettling and downright scary at points ("Theory of the Black Hole"); however, this does not detract from the brilliance of the work.
2001 NOSFERATU
Murnau's Vision
Nina and Jonathon
Renfield's Scheme
Don't Worry Nina
Foreboding Journey
Jonathon Awakes
The Land of Phantoms
You Are Late
Blood
Letter to Nina
What a Lovely Throat
Fear and Premonition
Sense of Menance
The Crypt
Dracula Packs
Rats
Venus Flytraps and Other Vampires
Nina Among the Dunes
Fatal Breath
Renfield's Master
Dracula Unpacks
Nosferatu
The Ship of Horrors
Drum Alarm
The Book of Vampires
Plague
Renfield's Revenge
Nina's Trance
Sacrificing Nina
The Morning Sun
In 2001 he returned to adding modern a modern touch to silent films, scoring a re-release of the first actual vampire movie
'Nosferatu'.
2001 LOST IN SPACE
Black Noise
Phasors On Stun
One O' Clock Tomrrow
Baba O'Riley
The Only Way To Win
Friends & Neighbours
It's My Life
Why Don't You Take It
Starless
This same year an FM greatest hits package called Lost In Space – Obscurities And Oddities was released nicely summing up the group's three albums.
2008 IN-A-GADDA-DA-NASH
Astronomy Domine
21st Centry Schizoid Man
Animal Magnetism
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Baby O'Riley
Follow the Leader
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Constantinople
In-A-Gadda-Da-Nash (2008) – CD
This CD from 2008 offers 45 minutes of deviant power rock music. Nash has dragged his gear out into the daylight and dipped way back into ancient history for a selection of classic tunes that he feels modern generations cannot live without. Nash plays electric violins, electric mandolins, synthesizers, drum machines, assorted noises, and vocals. Be forewarned: this album features cover tunes chosen from 1967 to 1981. Be further cautioned: these versions may cause severe psychological damage to listeners who are not prepared for wildly exciting deviations. Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine.” epitomizes the psychedelic rock era, and Nash does the composition savage justice. Wailing strings establish searing riffs that skirt the interstellar realm, while spacey electronics perfectly capture a cosmic disposition. Haunting vocals resound from the other side of a dimensional barrier, communicating an obsession with mankind’s urge to explore the unknown.
King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man.” A prime example of Nash’s mandolin serving up blazing fury with emphatic puissance. Demonstrative vocals resound with an artificial edge. Edgy electronics and crisp e-perc establish an elevating instrumental passage.
Scorpions’ “Animal Magnetism.” Metallic beats and guttural chords provide a gritty foundation for vocals that wail from a submerged vantage.
Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Shrill mandolin punctuates a stately vocal presentation supported by folksy strumming. Electronics produce a threatening hurricane that the searing mandolin riffs strive to ward off.
The Who’s “Baba O’Riley.” Classic cyclic riffs are embellished with bass notes, as Nash’s rich vocals achieve a commanding presence. Mandolin and electronics handle the central melody with increasing intensity. Drifting violin slides into a frenzied delivery of enthusiasm.
Killing Joke’s “Follow the Leaders.” Husky riffs and pounding percussion generate a steadfast tension accompanied by hoarsely anthem vocals. Pulsing keyboards contribute a throbbing undercurrent. A crashing euphony is achieved.
Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” Things switch to a dreamily psychedelic demeanor with this song, but the somnambulance is seasoned with an ominous darkness. Keyboard sweeps carry portentous weight. Growling mandolin rises amid the mix to produce a lavish intensity of fierce proportion. The signature drum solo is supported by eerie electronics which harbor a touch of hostility, eventually adopting a lilting stretch before the gripping finale.
The Residents’ “Constantinople.” Sparse structure marks this quirky tune with isolated riffs, strident rhythms, and vocals that evolve into a multitracked myriad of voices. Things escalate with shuddering electronics.
While retaining the period charm of these classic tunes, Nash infuses his own style on each piece, subjecting the melodies to delightfully foreboding airs.
2009 LIVE IN LONDON 2008
Psychlone
Tension
Swing-Shift
Children of the Night
Something Weird on My TV
Normal
21st Century Schizoid Man
We Will Be The Leaders
Dead Man's Curve
Underground
Baba O'Riley
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
In 2009, the long awaited concert captured on tape happened, when he released the nearly hour-long Live In London, taped during his 2008 UK tour, featuring a number of his own compositions, as well as covers of "21st Century Schizoid Man," "Dead Man's Curve," "Baba O'Riley," and
"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida."
2011 THE RECKLESS USE OF ELECTRICITY
The Million-Year Picnic
Something Weird On My TV
The Hypnotist
Swing Shift (Soixante-Neuf)
Fever Dream
We Will Be The Leaders
Ylla
Wolf
Citizen
Remember When
In Search Of Prey
Islands
I'll Wait For You
Children Of The Night
Lost Lenore
Pretty Folkes
Lake Ontario Suite (Pt.1)
Dance After Curfew
Reactor No.2
Metropolis
Underground
Crab Waltz
2016 Hammersmith Holocaust Black Vinyl.
A1 Wolf
A2 Smoke On The Water
B1 Children Of The Night
B2 Barbara O'Riley
B3 Danger Zone
Artoffact Records reissues Hammersmith Holocaust in an expanded gatefold sleeve, complete with a replica of the original insert, printed inside the fold. As a special bonus, Gary Numan, without whom the live show would not have happened, has written a wonderful piece for the liner notes, explaining why he invited Nash to be his support, as well as how influential Nash was over the years.
2016 Hammersmith Holocaust Special Edition Square-Splatter Vinyl
A1 Wolf
A2 Smoke On The Water
B1 Children Of The Night
B2 Barbara O'Riley
B3 Danger Zone
Artoffact Records reissues Hammersmith Holocaust in an expanded gatefold sleeve, complete with a replica of the original insert, printed inside the fold. As a special bonus, Gary Numan, without whom the live show would not have happened, has written a wonderful piece for the liner notes, explaining why he invited Nash to be his support, as well as how influential Nash was over the years.
2016 Children of the Night. CD Digipak
1 Wolf
2 Dead Man's Curve
3 Children Of The Night
4 Deep Forest
5 In A Glass Eye
6 19th Nervous Breakdown
7 Swing Shift (Soixante-Neuf)
8 Metropolis
9 Dopes On The Water
10 Danger Zone
11 Wolf (Live)
12 Danger Zone (Live)
13 Reactor No. 2
14 Swing Shift (Original 45 RPM Version)
15 Swing Shift (Fleix Version)
16 Children of the Night (Live)
The Artoffact Records CD reissue includes six bonus tracks. The audio and artwork have been restored to the highest possible quality, and the set comes with a spectacular booklet showcasing many unreleased photos of Nash backstage and on-stage. The CD comes in a beautiful 6-panel digipak
2016 Children of the Night. 2LP Black Vinyl.
A1 Wolf
A2 Dead Man's Curve
A3 Children Of The Night
A4 Deep Forest
A5 In A Glass Eye
B1 19th Nervous Breakdown
B2 Swing Shift (Soixante-Neuf)
B3 Metropolis
B4 Dopes On The Water
B5 Danger Zone
C1 Wolf (Live)
C2 Danger Zone (Live)
C3 Reactor No. 2
D1 Swing Shift (Original 45 RPM Version)
D2 Swing Shift (Fleix Version)
D3 Children of the Night (Live)
The Artoffact Records vinyl reissue comes in an expanded, double-LP gatefold and includes six bonus tracks. The audio and artwork have been restored to the highest possible quality, and the set comes with a spectacular vinyl-sized booklet showcasing many unreleased photos of Nash backstage and on-stage.
2016 Children of the Night. Special Edition Fog-Blue 2LP Vinyl.
A1 Wolf
A2 Dead Man's Curve
A3 Children Of The Night
A4 Deep Forest
A5 In A Glass Eye
B1 19th Nervous Breakdown
B2 Swing Shift (Soixante-Neuf)
B3 Metropolis
B4 Dopes On The Water
B5 Danger Zone
C1 Wolf (Live)
C2 Danger Zone (Live)
C3 Reactor No. 2
D1 Swing Shift (Original 45 RPM Version)
D2 Swing Shift (Fleix Version)
D3 Children of the Night (Live)
The Artoffact Records vinyl reissue comes in an expanded, double-LP gatefold and includes six bonus tracks. The audio and artwork have been restored to the highest possible quality, and the set comes with a spectacular vinyl-sized booklet showcasing many unreleased photos of Nash backstage and on-stage.
2016 Bedside Companion Black Vinyl.
Side A: Bedside Companion
1. Fever Dream
2. Masquerade
3. Blind Windows
4. The Million-Year Picnic
Side B: The Marsden Versions
5. Fever Dream (Marsden)
6. Masquerade (Marsden)
7. Blind Windows (Marsden)
8. The Million-Year Picnic (Marsden)
Nash the Slash's debut 12" came in the form of Bedside Companion, a four-track EP that Nash claimed was the first ever that could be played at two speeds (45 RPM and 33 1/3 RPM). Later, when the material was released on CD, both speeds were recorded to extend the EP to eight tracks. This eight track version never appeared on vinyl until now.
2016 Bedside Companion Special Edition Black/White Half-&-Half Vinyl.
Side A: Bedside Companion
1. Fever Dream
2. Masquerade
3. Blind Windows
4. The Million-Year Picnic
Side B: The Marsden Versions
5. Fever Dream (Marsden)
6. Masquerade (Marsden)
7. Blind Windows (Marsden)
8. The Million-Year Picnic (Marsden)
Nash the Slash's debut 12" came in the form of Bedside Companion, a four-track EP that Nash claimed was the first ever that could be played at two speeds (45 RPM and 33 1/3 RPM). Later, when the material was released on CD, both speeds were recorded to extend the EP to eight tracks. This eight track version never appeared on vinyl until now.
2016 Dreams And Nightmares. Black Vinyl.
Left Side
A1 Islands
A2 Ylla
A3 The Chase
A4 Un Chien Andalou
Right Side
B1 Blind Windows / Countervail
B2 Moon Curse
B3 Lost Lenore
B4 'Til Death Do Us Part
Shortly after releasing Dreams and Nightmares, Nash would meet and inspire Gary Numan, play on Numan's DANCE album, and support Numan in the UK in 1980 and 81.
The Artoffact Records vinyl reissue is remastered and comes in a gorgeous gatefold sleeve. The tracks on the vinyl are the same versions as originally released in 1979 (subsequent Dreams and Nightmares reissues had different lengths).
2016 Dreams And Nightmares. Special Edition Black-Inside-White Vinyl.
Left Side
A1 Islands
A2 Ylla
A3 The Chase
A4 Un Chien Andalou
Right Side
B1 Blind Windows / Countervail
B2 Moon Curse
B3 Lost Lenore
B4 'Til Death Do Us Part
Shortly after releasing Dreams and Nightmares, Nash would meet and inspire Gary Numan, play on Numan's DANCE album, and support Numan in the UK in 1980 and 81.
The Artoffact Records vinyl reissue is remastered and comes in a gorgeous gatefold sleeve. The tracks on the vinyl are the same versions as originally released in 1979 (subsequent Dreams and Nightmares reissues had different lengths).
2016 Dreams And Nightmares including Bedside Companion. 2CD Digipak.
CD1: Dreams and Nightmares
1 Islands
2 Ylla
3 The Chase
4 Un Chien Andalou
5 Blind Windows / Countervail
6 Moon Curse
7 Lost Lenore
8 'Til Death Do Us Part
CD2: Bedside Companion
1. Fever Dream
2. Masquerade
3. Blind Windows
4. The Million-Year Picnic
The Marsden Versions
5. Fever Dream (Marsden)
6. Masquerade (Marsden)
7. Blind Windows (Marsden)
8. The Million-Year Picnic (Marsden)
The Artoffact Records 2CD reissue is remastered and comes in a beautiful DVD-sized tall digipak with booklet. The first CD includes all the tracks as originally appeared on the 1979 vinyl. The second CD is Bedside Companion, an EP that Nash released in 1978, while claiming that it was the first EP ever that could be played at two speeds (45 and 33 1/3). On this CD, both speeds are included so that the EP is expanded to eight tracks.
Reissue Super-Collector Pack. All CDs & All the Vinyl.
This collector's pack allows you to buy copies of every Nash the Slash reissue, including all possible colours of the vinyl. The special edition vinyl AND black vinyl are included, and you will receive a sleeve for each (i.e. two sleeves per release, two complete releases). CD reissues are also included. You will receive the following releases:
Dreams and Nightmares incl. Bedside Companion - 2CD
Dreams and Nightmares - Black Vinyl
Dreams and Nightmares - Special Edition Vinyl
ABedside Companion - Black Vinyl
Bedside Companion - Special Edition Vinyl
Children of the Night - Special Edition 2LP Vinyl
Children of the Night - Black 2LP Vinyl
Children of the Night - CD
Hammersmith Holocaust - Special Edition Vinyl
Hammersmith Holocaust - Black Vinyl
Reissue Collector Pack. All CDs & Special Edition Vinyl.
This collector's pack allows you to buy copies of every Nash the Slash reissue in one copy. The special edition vinyl is included. Black vinyl is NOT included. CD reissues are also included. You will receive the following releases:
Dreams and Nightmares incl. Bedside Companion - 2CD
Dreams and Nightmares - Special Edition Vinyl
Bedside Companion - Special Edition Vinyl
Children of the Night - Special Edition 2LP Vinyl
Children of the Night - CD
Hammersmith Holocaust - Special Edition Vinyl
Nash’s Farewell
When Nash the Slash retired from music in 2012, he wrote:
So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
It’s time to roll up the bandages. The thrill is gone, it seems for me more than B.B. King.
I’m proud of my remarkable 40-year career in the music biz with no hit (commercial) records. As an independent artist without management, major label support or any grants whatsoever (thank you Canada Council and Factor), I toured internationally and accomplished so much. I was unique on stage and on my recordings. I refused to be slick and artificial. I opened for and toured with some of the best musicians in the world, and was regarded highly by my peers. Rolling Stone journalist Lester Bangs once reported, “Nash the Slash is the kind of opening act that makes the headliner work twice as hard”.
I created one of the first Canadian independent record labels (Cut-Throat Records) in order to release my music and merchandise to the public. I was the first Canadian musician to use a drum machine on an album (1978), at a time when drum machines were outlawed according to the bylaws of the Toronto Musicians’ Association. I was the first to record an album, ‘Decomposing’, which was listen-able at any speed, and miraculously reviewed in Playboy magazine. I composed and produced music for film and television, and for multi-media exhibitions of the surrealist paintings by my friend Robert Vanderhorst.
I hold the distinction of suing the corporate giant Pepsi Cola of Canada for one million dollars (in the Ontario Supreme Court, 1982) for ‘misappropriation of personality’; I won but received no money, just bragging rights.
I travelled across Canada, the US and Europe, and especially adored Newfoundland. I supported Gary Numan and Iggy Pop tours, and was invited to perform in Russia. I received airplay on Polish National Radio in 1979, when Poland was still behind the Iron Curtain. (Years later, a Polish fan explained to me that, because the first LPs were instrumental, there were no lyrics of ‘western decadence’ or ‘punk anarchy’ to grade the musical content as unsafe for communist consumption. Too bad no one in Poland could afford to send away for my records.)
Thanks to Bob Stone at World Records for his support and guidance in those early years, and to Vito, Rose (sadly, R.I.P.), Randy and Doug at Records on Wheels for their distribution and encouragement. Thank you to David Marsden and CFNY-FM for being the only Canadian radio to play my music (as well as the records of a multitude of rising independent Toronto bands like Drastic Measures, The Diodes, The Curse, Blue Peter and Teenage Head). My gratitude also to Randy Ellis who hosted me at his New Jersey club, City Gardens, and in his home with my two roadies and beloved dog.
Independent solo artists can’t do it alone, and I’ve been blessed to have had incredible artistic and technical support. Photographer Paul Till shot all my early album and promo photos, John Pearson drew the Nash the Slash font and logo, and James Redekop designed the CD artwork and acted as my indispensable webmaster for the past ten years. They’ve all been inspirational in their creativity, while putting up with my ornery desire to make the right artistic impression.
I am indebted to Rick Heinl of Heinl’s Violins in Toronto, an oasis of beautiful instruments. In a shop surrounded by violins and cellos worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, Heinl’s has always treated me with respect and great amusement as they repaired my chain-sawed electric violin alongside a million-dollar Stradivarius.
I fondly remember my dearly departed friend and mentor, David Pritchard. He was a man of extraordinary talent, a brilliant personality, artist, free-form DJ and composer. Last but not least, my good friend Gary Topp deserves special mention. Gary was the promoter who presented my first live performance in 1975 at his Original 99-Cent Roxy movie theatre, and gave me so much exposure at his clubs (The Horseshoe and The Edge) as well as numerous supporting concert slots with such great artists as The Stranglers, Pere Ubu and Magazine. Topper inspired me to create the Nash persona, and to this very day, makes me laugh ’til it hurts.
Finally, I would like to thank all the fans who have supported my career for so many years. I never tired of the letter-writing from and to the young and old, receiving and cherishing (to this day) their thoughts, and drawings of Nash in various poses and demeanor. I have kept many of these letters and artwork because they reflect a serious effort on the part of the fans to communicate with me… to connect.
My ‘gauza-lobotomy’ t-shirt artwork is courtesy a fan from 30 years ago. There were writers who described at great length how they listen to Nash records while toiling at their creative output, be it poetry, painting or making jewelry. There have been many who wrote about their own musical inspirations, some were gear-heads (drum machines were a popular topic of conversation). There were mandolin and violin players, even classical and jazz musicians. Many wrote for an autographed picture. There were even kids who took their Nash records to school to play for their grade five classmates, and then, I received a fan letter from the teacher. One time, a high school orchestra did an arrangement of ‘The Million-Year Picnic’. Eat your heart out, Nickelback!
A few main reasons to put Nash to rest… Live gigs don’t excite me any longer. My eccentric style/genre finds no place in the today’s scene, although it’s widely acknowledged that my sound led the way for the development of contemporary electronic/techo dance music in Canada. Even more to consider, the theft of music on the internet has devastated a very important source of my income. CD sales have dropped off considerably, and it’s due mainly to file-sharing without regard for the ownership of the recordings.
Mark Zuckerberg was recently quoted as saying that Facebook will soon go through an ‘explosion of sharing’. That may be all well and fine, but CDs are copyrighted objects containing music that is also copyrighted. The music-listening public has this misinformed idea that music is free… listening on the radio is free, so why not the internet? I don’t employ Metallica’s high-priced lawyers to chase down my millions.
A journalist once asked me to describe a typical Nash the Slash fan. I replied, ‘They just get it’. They get my references to Ray Bradbury, Boris Karloff, and even my opening quote from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It was my intention to shock, but not offend.
My early musical inspirations came from classical music especially Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev, the power of The Who, the inter-stellar fables of Hawkwind, the distinctly Kraut-rock riffing of Neu, Michael Rother, Ashra Temple, Amon Duul, and Kraftwerk, the drum-machine innovations of Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come and Silver Apples, the indescribably hypnotic music of Louis Thomas Hardin also known as Moondog, the oblique musical strategies of Brian Eno, and the very first dominant and melodic use of synthesizer on a commercial record anywhere on the planet by Toronto’s own Syrinx. Even before the internet, one could scour the world for inspiration and undiscovered gems.
Creativity in all its facets should be inspirational, and as such should be absorbed, its subtleties appreciated, understood and then woven into the fabric of some other person’s creative vision. I’m very pleased to have shared my creative endeavors with so many people around the world. I hope I’ve left a few breadcrumbs in the forest, to inspire others to find their own path.
