DIY / Outsider

Recordings made by non-professionals, usually on their own dime. Also know as “real people music” this stuff can range from charming & naive, to downright twisted.

  • Charle Tapia: "With Soul" (Soular) Charle Tapia: “With Soul” (Soular)

    Mr. Tapia is a flamenco guitarist, in the same vein as Jose Feliciano, who performed at lounges and Mexican food restaurants in the San Fernando Valley. He is backed by The Classmates, a band on the drums, guitars and vibes. Dig on this bad-ass cover while chowing on carne asada and sipping on margaritas.
    Charle Tapia: […]

  • The Trio - a splendid time is guaranteed for all The Trio - a splendid time is guaranteed for all

    Here’s the kind of oddball record I live to find, eat your heart out Langley School. This is a crazy one, Villa Park High School vocal music department presents: A Splendid Time is Guaranteed by all by The Trio which consists of Dan Bullock, Tim Reeder and Chris Caines. Pretty much the entire album consists […]

  • Susan and Sarah: S/T Susan and Sarah: S/T

    This is maybe my favorite record that I’ve ever purchased from a local junkmonger I call “Van Guy” - a guy who drives around to flea markets selling books, records, furniture, etc out of his van. Quite a character. Anyhow, I find that with this type of stuff you either “get it”, or don’t. Not […]

  • Doreen Kostynuik - I Wish You Rainbows Doreen Kostynuik - I Wish You Rainbows

    Doreen bears it all on this solo journey. While there are some standard (original) folk and bluegrass songs, the real interesting parts are on the spoken-word tracks. On these songs she opens up on a personal level which at first made me feel uncomfortable, but over time became bearable owing to the poetic nature of […]

  • The New Colonials - Flying High The New Colonials - Flying High

    Yes! The New Colonials from North Battleford, Saskatchewan. You mean you’ve never been to North Battleford?! Well, I don’t even know where North Battleford is either and I’m Canadian. In any case, this local bar-band brings some great rock and roll to the table in what was their first and only album. There are a […]

  • Hi Hopes Hi Hopes

    I grew up near Anaheim, CA, which is where Hope High the school for developmentally disable kids that spawned the Hi Hopes is. So, I’m sorta partial to them even though their records are not very good. Well, I mean they are “good” for records of music made by, to use the liner notes’ not […]

  • Homestead Act: Gospel Snake Homestead Act: Gospel Snake

    Writing about these largely unknown, home-made records can be tough. Take this private press hipster bluegrass lp here… which is particularly a head scratcher. If the cover (which as always is scant on vital info) is to be believed, these kids were from TN, and this record was released in “AD 1972″.

  • Marr'Del - The Mystery of Love Marr’Del - The Mystery of Love

    Beautifully sparse and poetic album by this mysterious Ohio native, Marr’Del. The songs blend between spoken word poetry and singing with only the company of her guitar, harp, and sometimes the rain. Amazingly Marr’Del had no formal musical training, which really enhances the personal element of the album.
    There is so much more I want to […]

  • Minnesingers: Music In Motion '74 Minnesingers: Music In Motion ‘74

    For the most part this is an average to below average youth choir/band lp. However, there is a flash of brilliance in their version of “Summer Breeze” - which is absolutely delightful! Reminds me of something off one of those Langley School lp’s. I’d like to tell you more about this record, but liner notes […]

  • Perry L. Jackson: The Old Deer Hunter Perry L. Jackson: The Old Deer Hunter

    9.7 out of 10 people would probably find it completely unlistenable, but in 10 years of collecting records this is perhaps the most fascinating lp I’ve found.

  • David Kelsey - Flights of Fancy David Kelsey - Flights of Fancy

    Private press pipe organ/sythnesizer instrumental lp with a subtle PNP vibe. Tracks include “The Man I Love,” “I’ve Got My Eyes On You,” and “Marijuana.”

  • Nicodemus - Spacechild Squall Nicodemus - Spacechild Squall

    Nicodemus is an outsider biker folk fella from Michigan. This album was recorded “live” in 1977, complete with fake applause track. Total “smoking a jay around the campfire” jams. Amazingly the guy actually has a pretty good voice. He repressed 500 copies of the LP a few years ago, it can still be found for […]

  • Bobby Brown - Live Bobby Brown - Live

    I originally bought this to trade/sell but it eventually grew on me after playing it during a late-night discussion with a special lady. Bobby Brown is a multi-instrumentalist and the ultimate in DIY. This album, whilst saying “Live” on the front, was actually recorded in his van to an audience consisting soley of his dog.
    The […]

  • Carol Kleyn - Love Has Made Me Stronger Carol Kleyn - Love Has Made Me Stronger

    I suppose this record would not be everyone’s “cup of tea”. I imagine some people would say - “but she can’t play an instrument or sing very well” - and they would technically be correct. All I know is that there are far too many people making music who are supposedly “good” at it for […]

  • Chris Korzen - Nirvana For Home Use Chris Korzen - Nirvana For Home Use

    Total homemade one here. Chris put this out in the mid eighties on the Playfull label. The track that gets me everytime is “Nirvana”. Sounds like The Beach Boys with a total real person vibe to it, it’s really catchy. This is definitely one of those records that straddles the line between being cheesy with […]

  • Emmett Frisbee - Sound Paintings Emmett Frisbee - Sound Paintings

    “Emmett Frisbee used to travel the country entering Hoagy Carmichael look-alike contests. He was never a winner, though once he was one of the ten finalists.

  • Rick Morano-At the Top of the Marq Rick Morano-At the Top of the Marq

    Cool private press lp out of PA. Has a pretty unique and darn funky cover of “Proud Mary”. The music backing is great, but Rick’s voice sounds out of place, but it kind of adds to the charm of the song. Cool record that’s worth checking for.

  • Gary Kail - Zurich 1916 (Creative Nihilism) Gary Kail - Zurich 1916 (Creative Nihilism)

    A very personal musique concrete tour-de-force subtitled “Creative Nihilism - Studies in musique concrete 1979-1983″ (Iridescence 1984), Gary Kail’s magnum opus brings to mind the recordings of the LAFMS and other bedroom tape-splicers of the pre-digital era.
    The first record consists of Gary’s solo explorations, while the second one contains collaborations of his with other ‘creative […]

  • Kenneth Higney - Attic Demonstration Kenneth Higney - Attic Demonstration

    A tough one to write about because so much has already been said about it. First, though, I will say that if you have even the slightest interest in “outsider music” BUY THE CD REISSUE! Cause it is definitely all that.

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