Stained Glass Soma Fountain (Legendary Pink Dots)

Rex <richwill@xsite.net>

Staalplaat web site

In a hollow stone beneath a mossy log, somewhere in a deep green forest far
far away, dwells a race of tiny people who call themselves "the ancient
ones." Their history goes back so far that not one of them remembers exactly
where they originally came from, or how they arrived here. It's safe to say
that they've been around longer than us "tall folk". Their best friends are
mushrooms, and they claim to know who built the pyramids in Egypt, but
they're not telling anyone. Not yet anyway.

The Legendary Pink Dots found these small apparitions one summer day when
their bus overheated and broke down at the edge of that far away forest. It
was a happy accident that led them to meet each other, for the "ancient folk"
were in search of a new source of peppermint, from which they liked to brew
their favorite drink. The Legendary Pink Dots happened to be carrying several
bags of peppermint tea, the delicious aroma of which could be smelled by the
little people, even though they were on the other side of the mountain.
Flying on the backs of dragonflies they went directly to shiny pink bus
parked by the side of the road, where they found the Dots practicing their
music and waiting for the motor to cool down. They introduced themselves.

Within moments The Legendary Pink Dots had overcome their shock at meeting
such strange folk, and soon a deal was struck to exchange a modest amount of
peppermint tea for a magical spell that would give whosoever learned it the
ability to write the most beautiful songs ever heard in the world. The power
of this spell was such that the songs composed by The Legendary Pink Dots
after this encounter travelled to every corner of the planet, inspiring mass
outbreaks of vegetarianism and other gestures of love and optimism.

This collection of songs brings together tracks from numerous rare cassettes,
compilations and unreleased recordings, including the oldest surviving
recording of the LPDs, made when the band was still called "One Day." It
should very much be considered a companion to "Under Triple Moons", released
recently by ROIR. Both CDs present the band's earliest works, many of which
have been impossible to obtain until now.

http://www.staalplaat.com/

lars.tangmark@telia.com

-You and Me / Waiting for the Call

Is it just me or is this the best thing the dots did in their first two years? This is magical, naive, psychedelic and mind-numbingly lo-fi. I had no idea they were this good two months after forming.

- Ice baby Cometh

This is instantly arresting and mystifying. Spooky and surreal. Actually quite scary in its own special way, a bit like a stoned Syd Barrett outtake.

- Introduction / Love on a pale green poststamp

Just love the 'random' section at the end with the violin soloing. Really innovative.

Lars T

mcecrle <mcecrle@sbt.infi.net>

> Douglas Frederick wrote:
>>Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....on Devastate to Liberate, 1985. This studio version of
>>Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm has never been released anywhere else that I have seen.
> Stained Glass Soma Fountains 2cd, put out as a companion to the
re-issues of >the first four albums. Actually, it's one of the dots cds I
listen to most >frequently, and I'd recommend it to almost anyone.

Now this surprises me. I'd read a review or comment on here not too long
ago about how SGSF is the only collection of really old LPD material that
someone found likeable right away. Now it was headed my way in the mail,
so I thought, "Cool!" It took me a bit to get warmed up to Under Triple
Moons, and I still don't care for all of it, but it's got its share of good
tracks--and as a "companion piece" of sorts, I thought SGSF would be right
up my alley.

Well it ain't! Maybe I just haven't listened to it enough yet, but I'd say
it is more a document of LPD-historical interest than anything else.
Waiting For the Call/You 'n Me is great right in the middle, but other than
that, the songs on there are pretty boring, and don't seem to have many
redeeming qualities. Surely I'm not alone on this one?

-frank

Ironrose25@aol.com

mcercle@sbt.infi wrote:

"I thought SGSF would be right up my alley.
Well it ain't! Maybe I just haven't listened to it enough yet, but I'd say
it is more a document of LPD-historical interest than anything else.
Waiting For the Call/You 'n Me is great right in the middle, but other than
that, the songs on there are pretty boring, and don't seem to have many
redeeming qualities. Surely I'm not alone on this one?"

YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

Another dissenter here. I generally find the early stuff awfully annoying,
like those Dots were doing something they really didn't understand, and
weren't very good at -- just their raw "talent". They remind me of a new art
student who is so happy to be creative, that they think that makes their work
"good" to an art critic. (I've been there, all too recently.) What's
wonderful is they stuck with it long enough to grow accomplished at it. In
fact, I think Asylum is the first really great album, and all the ones before
that were spotty. And I do own them, as well as whatever cassettes I have
gotten my hands on so far. And I do love them Dots.

So there.

Shane

PS. I'll buy it someday, but just can't work far enough down my list to do
it. Now if it were out on vinyl, even as an expensive box set.....I'd take
out a second mortgage if I had to to buy it.