Silver Apples, The
Band members Related acts
- Simeon - vocals, banjo, electronics,
simeon (1967-69, 97)
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- none known |
Genre: progressive Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Silver Apples Company: Kapp Catalog: KS-3562 Year: 1968 Country/State: New York Grade (cover/record): VG / VG Comments: minor ring and edge wear; no poster 2 inch seam split along top Available: 1 GEMM Catalog ID: 13 Price: $50.00
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As The Silver Apples, synthesizer/electronics wizard Simeon and drummer Dan Taylor were among the earliest exponents of "electronic" music. While they never attracted more than a cult following during their brief existence, today their influences can be spotted in a wide variety of musical styles, to say nothing of acts as diverse as Devo, Orchestral
Maneuvers in the Dark and Tangerine Dream. Rediscovered in the early-1990s, the belated recognition culminated in the release of a 1995 multi-artist tribute set: "A Tribute To the Silver Apples".
With that
background 1968's
"Silver Apples" may not
have sounded like the year's most promising collection. Simeon and
Taylor's vocals were certainly an acquired taste; their performances
occasionally recalling Donovan crossed with an out of control oscilloscope). Similarly Stanley Warren's rambling,
hippy-dippy poetry
was very much a product of that particular timeframe. Still, the pair managed to coax some modestly interesting sounds out of their
late-1960s equipment (imagine an early Atari game run amuck) , including Simeon's home built "simeon"
which looked like a science project gone terribly wrong. Coupled with a
couple of skittish melodies and rhythms, tracks like 'Oscillations' and 'Whirly
Bird' were actually weird enough to capture your attention. Sure it sounds hopelessly primitive today, but that
characteristic may have been part of the album's goofy charm. Their obvious
sense of importance might have been the other factor - check out the
hysterically pompous 'Dust'. Moreover, how could
you not be captivated by catchy song titles such as ''Dancing Gods',
'Program' and 'Lovefingers'? Get up and dance you fool ... Hard
to believe but Kapp actually tapped the album for a single: 'Oscillations'
b/w 'Whirly Bird' (Kapp catalog number K-923). Curiously, given its experimental
nature
the album actually proved a modest seller making it into the top-200 charts
where it peaked at # 193. (Original copies of the LP included a poster.)
(side 2) 1.) Whirly-Bird (Simeon - Dan Taylor - Stanley Warren) -
2:39 3.) Dancing Gods (arranged by Simeon - Dan Taylor - Stanley Warren) - 5:55 4.) Misty Mountain (Eileen Lewellen - Dan Taylor - Simeon)
- 2:38
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Genre: progressive Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Contact Company: Kapp Catalog: KS-3584 Year: 1969 Grade (cover/record): VG/VG Comments: minor ring, edge and corner wear; bullet hole bottom left corner Available: 1 GEMM Catalog ID: 14 Price: $75.00
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Co-produced by Barry Bryant and the duo, 1969's
"Contact" wasn't a major change in musical direction. Full of weird studio sound effects
('You and I' started with the sound of an airplane taking off), droning synthesizers, oddball rhythms and jagged melodies, if
anything the sophomore set was even more
eclectic and manic. Largely original material such as 'Water', 'I Have Known
Love' and 'Confusion' once again proved suitably eclectic (particularly for the day and age). If there was a
difference compared to the debut it stemmed from the fact the sophomore set traded in the debut's pseudo-hippy stance for a darker and more ominous feel - credit it to their decision to abandon Warren's sophomoric lyrics for Simeon's own. Full of sputtering electronics (they occasionally recalled a Casio
keyboard having a meltdown (check out the freak out 'Gypsy Love')) and treated voices, anyone who managed to survive something like
'A Pox On You' (probably their best known effort), or the weird country-flavored
'Ruby' was left with the clear impression these guys has some personal issues to deal with.
As on the debut Kapp again chose to release a single. In this case
'Confusion' b/w 'You And I' (Kapp catalog number K-956). It meant the
same fate as the album - instant obscurity. Simeon and Taylor subsequently vanishing from the music scene. 1.) You and I
(Silver Apples) - (side 2) 1.) I Have Known Love
(Silver Apples - Eileen Lewellen) -
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