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SLR Newsletter 3.1
October 15, 1999

From: Smells Like Records
Subject: Smells Like Records Newsletter v3.1

Welcome to another Smells Like Records Newsletter. We�ve got lots of news for you - a new Sonic Youth LP/CD, bands on tour, new Lee Hazlewood re-issues and Thurston Moore�s label Ecstatic Peace! is being manufactured
by Smells Like Records.

SYR 4 will be released on Nov. 8th and is a new double LP/CD by Sonic Youth. The material on SYR 4 was written by 20th century modern composers and was performed by Sonic Youth with Takehisa Kosugi, Jim O�Rourke, Christian Wolff, William Winant, Christian Marclay, Coco Haley Gordon Moore, and Wharton Tiers. The compositions on this record were written by John Cage, Steve Reich, Takehisa Kosugi, Pauline Oliveres, Yoko Ono and other Modern Composers. The works of these composers have proved to be some of the most important and effectual works of the 20th century bridging the gaps between Music, Art, Philosophy and in some cases Mathmatics. These compositions are not classical compositions in the traditional sense but rather are abstractions in musical theory and ideology where as the end result is as much a product of each of the musicians individually, the ensemble as a whole and the composers intentions and direction.

Two Dollar Guitar has just finished up their follow-up to 1998�s Train Songs record; 'Weak Beats and Lame-Ass Rhymes'. Recorded over the span of over a year at the sonic youth studio, this record is their best effort to date. This record finds Two Dollar Guitar reaping the benefits of years of writing and playing together. The record features many special guests such as Carla Bouzlich (of Scarnella & Geraldine Fibbers), Nels Cline , Smokey Hormel (Beck, Tom Waits), Christina Rosenvinge, Doug Easley and Tim Prudhomme(of Fuck) to name a few. The record will be coming out in January of 2000 but you have a chance to preview this new material as Two Dollar Guitar plays shows throughout the end of the year; check the Web Site for more information.

As we mentioned earlier, Smells Like Records is now helping Thurston Moore with his label Ecstatic Peace! The first two projects with which we are involved in is the much anticipated Loren Mazzacane Connor's Dagget Years Box Set and G.E. Stinson�s new record Vapor.

The Dagget Years is a four CD set which collects Loren�s first seven self-released albums of guitar improvisation as well as one other album of unreleased material. The box is a hand assembled limited edition pressing with liner notes by Loren Mazzacane Connor and Byron Coley and will be available October 18th. In conjunction with this special release Thurston has booked Loren to play every night (almost) of The New Music Series at the NYC music space Tonic. (See below for more info)

We should also mention that Sonic Youth has booked most of the month at the beautiful New York Music Space Tonic at 107 Norfolk Street. Steve booked the Sunday night singer songwriter series bringing in such talented people as Souled American, Jim O�Rourke, Christina Rosenvinge, Shelby Bryant (of the clears) and Johnny Dowd. Thurston & Kim booked the Monday Night film series which will feature some rare Sonic Youth/Thurston Moore films as well as some other documenturies. Thurston also booked the New Music series which pretty much covers the rest of the week. In conjunction with the release of the Dagget Years box set and Loren's 50th birthday Thurston has booked Loren to play almost every night of October. The standard format for the evening will be Loren playing either alone or with his band Haunted House (which features Susan Langille and Andrew Burns), then a special guest will play and then usually they will play a collaberative set with Loren. Some of the people Thurston has brought in to play are Rafael Toral, Jim O�Rourke, The No Neck Blues Band, Dean Roberts, Chan Marshall and The Tren Brothers.

So that's what has been happening with us lately. This winter is going to be pretty exciting with new releases by Memphis Author Robert Gordon, Austrialian instrumentalists Hungry Ghosts, and Shelby Bryant who was the primary creative force behind the clears. Also this winter there will be more new music from Sonic Youth as well as the release of Two Dollar Guitar�s new record.

Smells Like Records

Jani

Sonic Youth, initially comprising of guitarist / vocalists Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, guitarist / bassist / vocalist Kim Gordon and drummer Richard Edson, were formed in New York City in 1981. A product of the No-Wave music scene of the late 1970s, the group had their roots in abrasive, experimental music, with Moore and Ranaldo having previously worked with the experimental composer Glenn Branca. The band were joined in 1985 by drummer Steve Shelley, and have now recorded 14 albums together, as well as many side and solo projects. Their work has been consistently challenging and innovative, and they are widely regarded as one of the most intriguing and influential bands of their time.