THE ORIGINAL MIND
It's not such a secret that the most weird music comes from Wales,
but I never found out why exactly. Perhaps Welsh people live on
a world on their own, perhaps they just follow their own ideas,
perhaps they have some cells in their brains non-Welsh people don't
own...who knows. Actually it's better not to care that much about
it, but just profit from it.
Crazy minds or not, the fact is that they always come up with a
very original sound... and if you're into music this should be your
main concern. The Original Mind are Welsh too (...why else write
about Wales?) and their new tape "A selection of toy town favourites"
has four tracks and there are so many influences (Inspiral Carpets,
Smokey Robinson, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Captain Beefheart, Dean
Martin...) I need a whole page to print 'em down.
It might be all clear that their music goes back to the 70's...a
decade full of both crap (Tracks from 20 minutes where nothing actually
happens) and revolutionary stuff as well... Luckily for us The Original
Mind (excellent name for a band, it reminds me of something...)
have listened to the good records and the result is one that can
be heard... No indie, no prog rock, no croonerstuff, no anything...just
something completely new even if it takes its idea from existing
things... The sole answer we just need is why exactly do these sorts
of things happen so much in Wales, perhaps it's in the beer...
Taken from issue 18 of The Original Sin.
The Original Mind
WHO ARE YOU? The Original Mind
Arthur Quarter vocals
D’Lovechild bass
Jawbone drums
Strech keys
Mac.D.Mot guitar
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC? But a channel for the
transcendent power of good which courses through our imperfect statures
to the anvil of the hapless unwashed, thereby to throng, multiply
and infuse.
WHAT ARE YOUR RELEASES SO FAR? Three cassette albums, a
seven single, a CD single, and a track on Obvious.
CAN YOU GIVE US A SHORT HISTORY OF YOUR BAND? The Original
Mind . . and a few beyond. Six, in dog years forty two. Played every
shithole in South Wales. Managed to avoid incarceration and have
hospitalised no one [yet] except for each other
WHAT'S THE SUCCESS STORY SO FAR? Shot a video for BBC Wales,
played lots of festivals.
HAVE YOU PLAYED ANY IMPORTANT GIGS? We have quite a few
showcase gigs coming up early in 1997.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE HIGH POINT OF YOUR CAREER? Ask
me again in 18 months/years/lifetimes.
WHAT DO YOU THAT ABOUT THE CURRENT UK MUSIC SCENE AND DO YOU
THINK YOU WILL CHANGE IT'S FACE? Self conscious, shallow and
contrived as ever, we will arrange it’s face, given half a
chance.
WHICH BANDS INFLUENCE YOUR SOUND? Everyone else’s so
shit compared to us, they give us heart through the bad times, except
Django who was a manifestation of the Devine and the leeky drip
infestation of spineless.
WHATS YOUR FAVE RECORD OF ALL TIME AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE IT?
Reason to be cheerful [part three]. I didn’t choose it, it
was thrust upon me!
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? Crime, if this doesn't
work.
STRANGE BUT TRUE?
We are the hardest band in Britain,
the cleverest
the sexiest
best at football
and conkers
Arthur Quarter is currently appearing in panto (not Lepanto . .
that’s a tale from a time when . . ah yes, as if it were but
yesterday).
Feel free to contact the band at 25 Records anytime for interviews/Band
features/ gig info etc. at: 25 Records PO Box 3006, Poole, Dorset,
BH12 2HU.
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Meanwhile you can hear a song by The Original Mind called
'Dino and the Lady'on the 25 Records compilation CD 'Obvious',
priced at only £6 including post.
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