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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | plattc@optonline.net |
| Subject | TV Eyes (was: new Zombies) |
| Date | Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:36:31 +0000 (GMT) |
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> I just received the new Japan-only-$35 "TV Eyes" CD from
> NotLame.com. This is an 11-track CD featuring the music of Roger
> Manning, Jason Falkner and some third guy I don't recognize.
> Only 2 of the tracks have come up so far on my iPod, and both
> have been disappointing. Each features Jason on vocals and is
> more in the style of his tracks with the Grays - "just not as
> good", as Randy Newman says ("I'm Dead But I Don't Know It). So
> far, no similarities to Jellyfish exist. Although I do really
> like a few tracks of Jason's music, I really preferred the Jon
> Brion or Buddy Judge tracks on The Grays. And I never could
> figure out exactly what he contributed to Jellyfish, as I see
> little similarities to his sol stuff and Jellyfish output. Seems
> like he faded into the background of that band.
I'm sure others are already chiming in as I type this, but...
First, Jason really had virtually no input to songwriting for Jellyfish (he may have contributed a line of a lyric, I think in "All I Want Is Everything"), and was recruited more as a session lead guitarist who also helped flesh out the backing vox on tour. He left the "group" because it really wasn't a "group" vibe; it was Roger and Andy's vehicle, period, end of story.
As for TV Eyes, the third guy you don't recognize is Brian Reitzell, formerly of Redd Kross, co-conspirator with Roger on Moog Cookbook, and of more recent fame as soundtrack composer and "supervisor" (i.e. the guy who picks the songs) for Sophia Coppola's movies (and a few others). "Lost in Translation", "Virgin Suicides", "Marie Antoinette"...
The record evolved out of Roger and Brian's one-off "Logan's Sanctuary", conceived as a high-concept retro-futurist fake soundtrack for an imagined sequel to "Logan's Run". They recruited Jason to sing vocals late in the game, and had so much fun doing the 70's/80's era synth stuff that they did a full-on 80's synth homage now known as TV Eyes (I forget the original name they had for it). It was recorded three or four years ago (heck maybe even more), and they only in the past year or so got whatever minimal distribution deal they've got now.
I haven't heard more than a couple tracks myself, but I'd be surprised if any of it remotely resembles Jellyfish, the Grays, or Jason's solo stuff.
So there you go. Far more than you wanted to know.
Christopher
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