Monday, June 08, 2009

What's Sonic Youth got to do with the Dustdevils?

Nothing really is the answer, unless you consider SY the only band of it's type of which case you live in a very narrow universe.

So the other night a post caught my eye on mog by a mogger posting a Live Bush tetras video at the knitting factory, which i have scratched up, i mean really scrappy 7" copy of "Things That Go Boom in the Night" (i think), and was then subsequently chatting with my friend Jim about Danceteria and couple bands from the past including Mission of Burma and the one other bands that came up during the conversation were of course the Dustdevils and I said holy hell I just ran into this band accidentally again...blah,blah,blah. Seriously file Dustdevils with your noise bands on the farther end with neurosis and live skull as far as I am concerned. SY is a pop band compared to this drug smuggling outfit or least in the middle of their output. for the most part Dustdevils are a really noisy rock band founded by English Guitarist Michael Duane and Aussie vocalist/guitarist Jaqi Dulany. They started the band in the Mid 80's in the UK then transplanted themselves to NYC. With a inconsistent line-up of now well known NY scenesters playing in the band on and off again up until the late 90's where they toiled their brand of sonic pollution. The exact dates for these things are not so important sometimes if the discography overshadows it in the annals of rock history. Probably a foot note (if that) for some but for others a major part of a scene along with thinking fellers union, Fly Ashtray, Wider, Gerard Cosloy Matador owner, and Crown Heights among other band folk; all whom did time as part of the Dustdevils. I can't even keep up but this trouser press discography review does a good job naming names. Now seriously, you really need to be into dissonant guitars and feedback that creates this aural landscape to enjoy it. The later stuff gets all trance and mixxy but you'll like it. I have.

Here are a few choice selections:
Mp3 - Young Moss Tongues - from Geek Dip (Matador 1989) where you really get that SY comparison to something could have easily been on EVOL and you would be none the wiser.
Mp3 - Encient - from Rhenyards Grin (Rouska/Fundamental -1987) - This album starts does hit part of pop department alla throwing muses a whee bit but i think it has to do more with production and more apparent song structures. I honestly start with this one then work you way up or down.
Mp3 - Receiver - From Extant EP (Matador - 1996) Recorded in 1993 sometime and released posthumously after for good parting of Duane and Dulany.

Live dustDevils Video
Grab just about the whole Dustdevil discography for yourself here or buy some somewhere if you can find some. They're better than drugs kids.

5 comments:

Syd The Squid said...

actually, the Sonic Youth connection is quite solid these days with Mark Ibold (far right in the photo) now being their full time bass hitter...

i taught him to play, he'd never touched a guitar before joining DUSTdevils... i just wanted him in the band as he's such a nice bloke... oh, we formed in NY in 1984 & did play a show at Danceteria...

Mxxx

daviso said...

nice. thanks for the info Michael! Everything does come around

Syd The Squid said...

anything else you need, just let me know...

Syd The Squid said...

oh... & one of the unreleased songs will be getting released as a split 7" with Tiger Cried Beef...

daviso said...

cool- be sure to send a promo and I'll do my part. rockforlife