The Tar Tapes Vol.2
Mike Keneally
Released 1998
- Strange Impulse
- Recognize
- Meat Under Analysis
- Anybody’s Brain
- Molehead
- Old Homes
- Guns
- Economy
- Fencing
- Always Man
- Things Seem Important
- Mystery Eyes
- Where Are You
- Bazbo
- Bazbo The Flea
- The Wreckage Was Large
- Building Bigger Lies
The second collection of 17 songs from Mike’s infamous past. It’s been out of print for a long time, and now it’s available exclusively via download. Also included is an eight-page digital reproduction of the original CD cover, liner notes and lyrics.
THE TAR TAPES VOL. 2
(Immune Records) released in 1998
Mike’s comments (1998):
The second CD collection of songs from my infamous past. This was compiled at the end of May ’98, the most significant month of my life musically, and it was great fun to arrange pieces of my old self according to a schematic arrived at by my new self. It turned out real well. This is the album which made Paul Hinrich decide to like me once and for all.
It’s a limited edition of 1000 signed, numbered copies; one special copy contained an extra CD with the song “The Most Paranoid (of What We Don’t Know),” a soundboard recording from a 1989 Drop Control club gig. As of today (January 7 or 8, 1999) Immune still has copies of “Tar Tapes Volume Two” in stock, and it has also just been released by MSI in Japan (they also released “Volume One” in Japan during 1998, which is good news for anyone who didn’t buy one of the 500 copies Immune originally made available).
The package for this CD contains an insert with fairly exhaustive liner notes, so rather than repeat it, here’s some basic information about where and when the songs came from – if you want to know more specifics about the material before you buy the album, just buy the album.
- STRANGE IMPULSE (from “Your Way Bitchin’ Bonus Tape” – Drop Control studio recording from 1989)
- RECOGNIZE (from “Fashion Poisoning” – MK home demo from 1986)
- MEAT UNDER ANALYSIS (from “The Wow Sound Of Affable Mort” – MK home demo from 1982)
- ANYBODY’S BRAIN (from “Elephants Walking Under God” – MK home demo from 1984)
- MOLEHEAD (from “Your Way Bitchin’ Bonus Tape” – MK piano solo from 1991)
- OLD HOMES (from “Life’s A Butter Dream” – MK home demo from 1983)
- GUNS (from “Fashion Poisoning” – MK home demo from from 1985)
- ECONOMY (from “Elephants Walking Under God” – MK home demo from 1984)
- FENCING (early version of song re-recorded for “hat.”, from “Your Way Bitchin’ Bonus Tape” – Drop Control studio recording from 1989)
- ALWAYS MAN (demo version of song re-recorded for “hat.”, from “Your Way Bitchin’ Bonus Tape” – MK studio recording from 1990)
- THINGS SEEM IMPORTANT (from “The Wow Sound Of Affable Mort” – Mike & Marty home demo from 1982)
- MYSTERY EYES (from “Fashion Poisoning” – Drop Control studio recording from 1986)
- WHERE ARE YOU (from “Elephants Walking Under God” – MK home demo from 1984 with 1998 bass overdub)
- BAZBO (from “Your Way Bitchin’ Bonus Tape” – MK piano solo with percussion accompaniment from 1991)
- BAZBO THE FLEA (from “Your Way Bitchin’ Bonus Tape” – Another MK piano solo with percussion accompaniment from 1991)
- THE WRECKAGE WAS LARGE (from “Your Way Bitchin’ Bonus Tape” – Drop Control live soundboard recording from 1989 with 1998 bass overdub)
- BUILDING BIGGER LIES (from “The Wow Sound Of Affable Mort” – MK home demo from 1983)
The original five cassettes went through various artwork permutations during their existence. A very limited cassette release was prepared for the Japanese market shortly after the tapes were withdrawn from the American market. If you’d like to see the artwork I did for the Japanese issue, click on the individual titles below.
- Your Way Bitchin’ Bonus Tape Demos, studio and live recordings from 1988-1991 (1990) (Tar Tapes)
- Drop Control Studio and live recordings from 1986-1990 (1986/1990) (Tar Tapes)
- Fashion Poisoning Home demos from 1985-1986 (1986) (Tar Tapes)
- Life’s A Butter Dream/Elephants Walking Under God Home demos from 1983-1984 (1984) (Tar Tapes)
- The Wow Sound Of Affable Mort Home demos from 1982-1983 (1983) (Tar Tapes)
Releases:
Immune Records / Immune 002 / 1998 (cd)
MSI / 12128 / 1999 (cd)
Exowax / EX2202d / 2009 (download)
The Mike Keneally Discography
The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat | Scambot 2 | Inkling | Dancing Demos | Live At Mama Kin | You Must Be This Tall | Mike Keneally Free EP Volume 1 | Mike Keneally Free EP Volume 2 | Wing Beat Elastic-Remixes, Demos and Unheard Music | Wing Beat Fantastic: Songs Written by Mike Keneally & Andy Partridge | bakin’ @ the potato! | Evidence of Humanity | Elements Of A Manatee | Scambot 1 | Songs and Stories Inspired By Scambot 1 | The Scambot Holiday Special | Wine and Pickles | Guitar Therapy Live | Dog | Pup | Vai Piano Reductions Vol.1 | The Universe Will Provide | Parallel Universe | Wooden Smoke | Wooden Smoke Asleep | Dancing | Dancing With Myself… And Others | Nonkertompf | Nonkertalk | The Tar Tapes Vol.2 | Sluggo! | The Tar Tapes Vol.1 | Half Alive in Hollywood | Soap Scum Remover | The Mistakes | Boil That Dust Speck | hat. | Tar Tapes Vol.5 – Your Way Bitchin’ Bonus Tape | Tar Tapes Vol.4 – Drop Control | Tar Tapes Vol.3 – Fashion Poisoning | Tar Tapes Vol.2 – Life’s a Butter Dream/Elephants Walking Under God | Tar Tapes Vol.1 – The Wow Sound of Affable Mort