Another gem from Bruce Rhodes, this time Human Switchboard. Their debut single was this same titled 4 track EP. If your a visitor to Frank Millers excellent Shotgun Solution blog you may have already heard their second single "I Gotta Know" and if not you can still hear it here.If you want to know more about them then check out it out here.
So you get four outstanding tracks and I'm really struggling to pick my favourite, so I'm gonna have to leave it to you to decide. Bruce mentioned that these songs sound like something else, but he can't quite put his finger on it, and nor can I, so anyone got any ideas.? Then leave a comment.
Band: Human Switchboard
Label: Rug Label
Year: 1977
Tracks:
1. Fly-In
2. Distemper
3. Shake It Boys
4. San Francisco
Ripped from Bruce's glorious scratched vinyl
If you like this then there are two other singles and an album but I don't think there are in general print, so you have to search, beg and borrow.
13 comments:
Can you upload again please? Downloaded onto 2 different PCs and the Zip file says 'faulty' when opened each time.
Mediafire appears to have some problems will have a go later
Sounds very 60's influenced in parts to me. Can't put my finger on what though. Theres some Velvet Underground in there somewhere too. Cheers Gary and Bruce.
Always wondered what they sounded like and now my curiosity is sated. As you may surmise I finally worked out how to listen in.
Hi Rupert, glad you worked it out in the end :-)
Myra not sure if
Hi Bruce, I am sure no one thinks we are supporting people that get up to bad things.
Although I have to say over the years a few people have suggested that I shouldnt have posted certain artists becuase of their pasts, and frankly I get fed up with it. My personal view is that If people don't like what's in here, then go somewhere else.
As you said Bruce I'm here to discover new and obscure music, and hopefully allow others to. It would be a shame because of one person that this band was written out of history. So thanks to you Bruce I will continue to keep Human Switchboard on my bands to listen to list.
Gary,
I don't think there's as much mystery here as you think. Let me explain.
I said I wouldn't buy their music in my initial post. Then I got a follow up email (that I signed up for below) that someone had replied (under anonymous but they signed the email Myrna- I don't know if it's her or not)
I said I hope their sales stay high. Then I wrote Oh wait, they're not for sale and explained in black and white that I went and looked (which I did last night) and their album is not for sale anywhere that I can find on the world wide web. (except a few old used vinyl copies) That's all. Sorry I wasn't aware til' I looked last night that the album wasn't for sale. Most times bands' stuff is for sale these days on CD.
To state my PERSONAL opinion and say I don't want to buy their music is starting an argument? You say Myrna didn't start it, yet it was an anonymous post. How do you know it's her? If you do then fine, but I am using my registered gmail account. True I can register any account I want. Fine. But I didn't start any argument.
I would imagine MYRNA (or whomever posted as her) started the argument when she suggested I am a woman who posts in every forum I can find to "discredit" them. She then called me pathetic.
Are you smoking something? You don't see that as argumentative or slander or making a strong accusation which she obviously doesn't know WHO I am? C'mon Gary.
When I said anonymous comment about my post I mean Myrna's. If you look you'll see they posted it ANONYMOUS but then just signed MM at the bottom) No she didn't ask you to delete it she just called me pathetic etc not knowing who I am and because of "her" post I thought you deleted mine. Sorry if I was wrong.
I understand now you deleted my comment because I had a personal opinion about the band. I didn't realize only positive happy opinions were allowed (especially about a band with such a history and songs that were "full of angst" as described by the NY Times.
Sorry. I won't make any positives that aren't positive as I understand they'll be censored on here. My apologies.
Uh I'm not rocket scientist here but when you ask who "anonymous" is talking about when they are talking to to you - um I just kinda assumed they were talking to Myrna? The post says Myrna.. Not trying to be smart aleck here but last time I checked when someone starts a post with someone's name they are talking to that person (in other words, they weren't talking to you Gary - they were talking to Myrna) and I'd imagine when they say I am not John (I prefer Johnny thanks) they are speaking of me and I am guessing that other person to the the woman Myrna writes about. That's how I took it but then again I read the post as being written to Myrna since... call me crazy... but it says... (first word) Myrna:
Just what Johnny learned in school ;) (in like 1st grade :)
I don't know if you have a way to check the identities on here through IP's but if you do you'll see I am not that anonymous person who posted after me. I got a follow up email before bed telling me they posted hence my reply.
I was "excited" about the post because they said to Myrna to direct her anger at someone else (instead of me, that woman - whomever she means) so I said thanks man. I hope that's ok?
Are blogs now emotionless factual media where people write without passion? I guess they're the opposite of what they used to be.
Feelings or no feelings, I think there is plenty of evidence (news articles, blogs, magazine pieces) written about this; obviously they weren't written by one person. If Tom Petty committed a heinous crime surely the Heart Breakers would be affected as well.
Bob Pfeifer was the head of the band, the founder, the singer, the guitarist, he was the leader. He *was* the Human Switchboard. Obviously this is the biggest news about the band in years. To omit that information would be ridiculous (if even possible!).
What happened happened. Again, if Petty did something that's what would go down in history. Kind of like Phil Spector.
Some say there is no such thing as
bad press. This unfortunate event brings attention to a band that not many know of. The band may actually benefit from the founder's crimes. Ask Jacko about bad press...
Clem thanks for your commebt but I cannot agree with your examples of Tom Petty and Michael Jackson. Firstly Tom Petty is the main man, without a shadow of doubt (hence the band being called Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), but if you read the Human Switchboard history I think Myrna would argue with you that the whole band was Bob Pfifer and that she had no influence or part to play.
And Michael Jackon, well I don't think he benefited from being in the media as a paedophile. If he had actualy been convicted it most probably would have been a very different story.
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