After first putting on Dead in the Water & doing some preliminary research, I was embarrassed for not having heard the Heads sooner. That is, until I came to realize that they neither have a web-page (that I can find), that they have one of the least Google-friendly band names ever & that their albums are released in such small quantities (the latest album was initially only given a 100 copy release that sold out overnight) that it really is no wonder that this is my first exposure to them.
But still… now I have to live in regret about all the time I’ve spent not listening to the glorious train wreck noises of the Heads.
Not that the band is easily accessible or anything. From the second you put the needle on the record, the band make it brutally apparent what you are getting into: the most dirty, fuzzed-out, psychedelic space sludge rock you’ve never heard. Repetitive riffs build into epic solos. Drums crash like it is their business to destroy any hint of silence during the double LP’s hour long duration. The band definitely deserves a spot reserved next to Acid Mothers Temple or Comets on Fire at their most crazed in terms of sheer abrasive badassness.
As it turns out, Dead in the Water is a rerelease of previous material, distributed by Invada Records, compiled of mostly improvised album outtakes, jams & rehearsal recordings by Heads’ singer/guitarist Simon Price. I’m guessing, considering that they have been together for over 10 years now (having released at least eight full-length releases), that Simon had more than enough material to work with. And it shows: the album doesn’t have the patchwork quality one usually finds with such compilations. Songs fade & grow into each other, leaving the listener breathless & exasperated.
Many tracks start out with sped-up vocal samples, which I don’t really find add much to the tracks except for contrast. Yes, portions of the album sound tinny or fuzzed out. And yes, some tracks sound more like sonic experiments, in the vein of Faust, than actual songs. But just listen closely (headphones are ideal) to how the two sample tracks back-to-back & try to say that this isn’t the heaviest shit you’ve heard in ages.
Definitely recommended.
the heads probably don’t care if you like this or not:
The Heads - Prologue/’69 Shakes of the Tail. (bad rip)
The Heads - Mystic Healer (Suck My Tailpipe). (bad rip)
Dead in the Water is now available from Invada Records or StonerRock.com.
UPDATE:
Huge thanks to public image who sent me an e-mail regarding this article. As it turns out, the rip I found of the record is, unintentionally, in double-time (played back in 45 - not 33). So, for the time being (until I can do or get my hands on a proper release), I’ve posted a couple of public image’s recommendations from the band’s 1998 release, The Time is Now!. These tracks are just as awesome for sure:
The Heads - Delwyn’s Conkers.
The Heads - Spliff Riff (Roached Out…).
public image also gave me the link to the band’s web-site! So, for more information about the band, check out their digital home over at http://www.theheadsrock.com/.
Been enjoying your great blog for a while, and it’s cool to see The Heads getting a bit of recognition!
I’ve seen them play live many times, and they’ve always been devastating. To anybody interested, I’d recommend seeking out their earlier compilation ‘The Time Is Now’, especially for the tracks ‘Delwyn’s Conkers’, ‘Legavan Satellite’ and the mighty ‘Spliff Riff’.
It has to be said though, that judging by those two (-admittedly wild) mp3s, you’ve actually been enjoying them at the wrong speed! (-If you’ve got the vinyl edition, maybe try slowing it down to 33rpm?)
-If you then think that sounds too slow, then you ought to witness their general work ethic: only 2 or 3 gigs a year, the occasional website update, and a new album every few years whenever they can be bothered. -They’re an admirably unmotivated bunch!
http://www.theheadsrock.com/
Cheers
I updated the article to reflect these points. Thanks for the heads-up!