RODAN
July 1, 2008
I think this will be my last post on a Lousville band, Rodan being the starting point for my discovery of this sound In 1994 with the release of ‘Rusty’. It became a landmark record for me at this time since it would be another year until I got the ’Spiderland’ LP (£3 secondhand!) and another four until ‘Diablo Guapo’ (also £3 secondhand!). ‘Rusty’ was unlike anything I’d heard before or since, I was intrigued by how the stripped guitar beauty of ‘Bible Silver Corner’ could lead into the compacted ‘mathcore’ blast of ‘Shiner’. This in turn opened into twisted prog punk workouts of epic proportions. Although Rodan never had the noteriety of Slint they’re pretty much on par in my book.
After the band’s breakup new projects began surfacing but in my opinion never fulfilled the promise that Rodan left. I only heard Shipping News (my pick of the bunch) on the Metroschifter split and have yet to hear Sonora Pine (just did, bass????). And while June of 44 had one or two moments on their first album, the Rachel’s CD I had once wasn’t my thing (where are the fucking guitars lol). These bands (along with their legion of imitators) took on an air of pseudo sophistication and pretension I simply couldn’t relate to. Aside from Shellac and the occasional reissue I’ve never picked up a new Touch and Go/Quarterstick release in ten years, unfortunately there were no new bands on the roster to retain the consistency of the ‘golden era’.
The above picture is a live shot of the band I had saved from a copy of Melody Maker dating from sometime in 1994. I’m glad i had the foresight to cut this out because there seems to be no live shots of the band available online today. Anyroad, whilst looking around the internet for more information I found this fansite which seems a decent resource aside from the lack of rare audio. To rectify this I decided to upload the 1994 Peel Session, Aviary tape & a Live set from Athens, GA in 1994. Someone has listed a shoddy looking bootleg CDr of the Aviary tape and Peel session on Ebay for $12.99. Don’t be ripped off, DL both here and make your own! The Peel Session & live set feature tracks that would’ve made the follow up to ‘Rusty’, after hearing them I think you’ll agree it’s a damn shame that album never happened.
RODAN – Peel Session 23/7/94
RODAN – Aviary tape 1993
I received notice from WordPress that someone asked for these files to be removed, if you still want them then maybe they will see an official release sometime?
01-intro 02-tron 03-darjeeling 04-milk-and-melancholy
05-shiner 06-tooth-fairy-retribution-manifesto 07-intermission
08-jungle-jim 09-gauge 10-the-everyday-world-of-bodies
11-exoskeleton 12-bible-silver-corner
RODAN – Live at the 40 Watt, Athens GA 7/94
(source for Live and the Peel session: Jay Korber, rip by Indyrock. Right On!
Update: the live set was originally recorded by Mr. Henry Owings)
01-bible-silver-corner 02-rungs 03-the-everyday-world-of-bodies
04-interlude 05-angel_in_the_centerfold-later_titled_guage
06-interlude 07-sangre 08-big-things-little-things
09-martin 10-before-the-train-a-picture-of-a-girl
+ more excellent bonus live stuff thanks to Bluescreenlife
RODAN – Live at Lounge Ax, Chicago 25-09-94
Thanks for Aviary!! Its been quite a hard tape to find.
I posted some more rare audio on the fansite – thanks for the wake-up call. Cheers!