Friday, August 21, 2009




Read about a cool compilation recently: Favorite Recorded Scream.

Out on vinyl, the project combines a listing/map of Manhattan independent record shops and the, yes, favourite recorded screams in (mostly) popular music as put forth by some of the owners/staff of said record stores. Seems the initial limited edition run is hard to find...bring on the less limited second edition.

A good overview/review of the project by Ben Sisario for the New York Times can be found here.

Here's a link to the project itself. Unfortunately the look/feel and "readability" of the site isn't good, but I recommend clicking on the red cover image and going through the completed questionnaires.

There are, unsurprisingly, repeat mentions of The Who's 'Won't Get Fooled Again', lots of Beatles and solo Lennon, and of course Iggy Pop (particularly 'TV Eye'). Also included, maybe the most frightening scream of all, the "Jaws" of music if you will, Pink Floyd's 'Careful With That Axe, Eugene'. But like any great list, this compilation of music screams also opens a dialogue. Herein I respectfully add a couple more tunes that have memorable screams that weren't mentioned by any of the the record store proprietors.

John Lennon- "Well, Well, Well" (off Plastic Ono Band). It all starts off like "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" but blissfully degenerates into a primal scream workout, full of increasing rage and release. The third "well" in the song's refrain gradually stretching out in a howl, with the desperate quality of an abandoned child, over repeats of "well well well, oh well").

Replacements- Opening scream/howl of "Bastards of Young" off of Tim. Kicks in at the 4 second mark. A raspy, plaintive and a little bit exhausted-sounding Paul Westerberg doing what he does best. I remember parties, many years ago, and seeing all the people leaping in the air as the howl started, knowing there would be some great pogo thrashing as soon as their feet hit the ground. I was one of those people, with a stiff neck and strained ankles.

Any of your favourites you'd like to share?

Fitz