Hear
Fall 2002
No Big Deal
by Jason Martin
In April 1986, Brown Cuts Neighbors released their 4th album "No Big Deal". Actually it was a cassette, in an edition of one, with a hand drawn cover. Can't find that darn cover at the moment... Selections below are off that "album." Cut me some slack though, I was twelve. Actually I just played this for some friends and I think they liked it better than my new stuff. They may be right. Hmmmm. It's hard for me to say...
- You Are Address
[MP3 file is 3.9 MB]
Despite what's said in the lyrics, I did not take drugs. I still thought people sniffed pot. - 9-15 [MP3
file is 1.2 MB]
Solo acoustic guitar/vocal improvisation. - Kazoo [MP3
file is 2.8 MB]
Excerpt from way-too-long piece. This section, though, seemed cool. - Stay Up Late
[MP3 file is 3.6 MB]
A Talking Heads cover. I think it was from that album with the Rev. Finster painting. My folks had the LP. A friend suggested using this song for a video about glue sniffing. I think it's punk in a couple parts.
Overdubs were made by recording on one tape deck, then playing back on another deck while recording on a second deck. Distortion and other fuzzy effects could be achieved by messing with volume and tone. A widely used method. Downright magic when you're a kid.
My bedroom studio back in April 1986...
Keyboard/preset drums:
- Casiotone ct100
Amplification:
- Roland Spirit Bass 15 amp
- mono Radio Shack cassette deck on PA setting with external microphone and burned out motor
- the Sony boom box mentioned below (in record or record/pause mode, it made a great amplifier - still have it too)
Guitars:
- Cort/Tesco/Ventura guitars
- Hondo bass
Drums:
- Cardboard boxes
- assorted percussion and toys
Effects:
- granpa's scanner, cb radio, walkie talkies
Microphones:
- some Sony microphone from Lechmere's
- a handful of Radio Shack mics, various eras
Tape decks:
- Sony boom box with microphone inputs and 3-band eq.
- Sears home stereo, microphone inputs, combined radio/cassette deck/ turntable
- microcassette recorder