ORIGINAL 1969 SELF-TITLED ALBUM MOONDOG - Columbia Masterworks MS7335 - NM / VG-
$
32
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Description
Louis Hardin was born in Kansas in 1916, banged a drum on an Arapaho chief’s lap in Wyoming, and lost his sight in a farming accident in Missouri as a teenager. But the world knew him as Moondog. And the world did, for a time, know him. While mostly forgotten today outside the rarified halls of experimental music festivals, Moondog's genius-in-circus-freak’s-clothing story makes him one of the essential characters of American subculture.
from Vanity Fair's Hollywood - June 25, 2014
Without the benefit of sight or insulated walls, one could contend that a homeless, blind musician is the best-equipped person to truly “hear” a city. His album Moondog is his musical interpretation of the disorganized patchwork quilt that was 1950s Manhattan. The album’s melodies are often Asian-inspired and drift in and out of context, like a hurried immigrant trying to find his way through the crowded streets. The smells of the East Village, Chinatown, and Central Park are somehow conveyed through percussive shuffles and snaps. Through most of the album, Moondog symbolically keeps time with a steady thump-thump-thump on his tom-tom: homage to his playing with Native American chiefs as a youth. This consistent heartbeat not only backbones the album and represents the forward-moving machine of New York City, but it also whispers to the Western world that the Indians once owned the land, and we are lucky to be sharing their fertile earth. Right?
Moondog allegedly once said that Philip Glass anointed him the “father of minimalism,” even though he never wanted the title/burden of leading a musical movement. The songs on Moondog may be sparse, but they are also short, normally clocking in under two minutes. As quick and dirty encapsulations of larger musical visions, the songs are not necessarily minimalist in the same vein of an extended Terry Riley composition. Moondog’s work is delicate, direct, and overly observant, like a kindergartener describing his day at school. Additionally, unlike most other envelope-pushing modern composers of the time, Moondog did not have a debilitating obsession with tone. Instead, this album maintains a lo-fi charisma that invites the listener in, comforting him or her with warm, familiar melodies and a positive world outlook. Even though many people later saw Moondog as a kook or a hippie, very few doubted his early potential for creative, accessible musical expression. His self-titled album is the best example of how enjoyable American minimalism could have been and remains the ultimate tribute to the homeless, street musician.
from Tiny Mix Tapes - Apr 25 2008Up for auction is the self-titled, avant-garde record album, Moondog. It was released in 1969 by Columbia Records; the catalog number is Columbia Masterworks MS 7335. This is the original stereo release (gray label with "360 SOUND" STEREO "360 SOUND" printed in white, following the label's curve, from 8 o'clock to 4 o'clock) with the original Columbia Records/CBS paper liner. The unipak (similar to gatefold) cover opens from top-to-bottom to extend the image of Moondog to reveal the red robe he is wearing under his cloak. The record is of 30 minutes:19 seconds duration, as follows:
Track Listing
Title/Composer Performer Time
1 Theme Louis Hardin Moondog 2:35
2 Stamping Ground Louis Hardin Moondog 2:36
3 Symphonique #3 Moondog 5:51
4 Symphonique #6 Moondog 2:45
5 Minisym #1 Moondog 5:45
6 Lament I Moondog 1:42
7 Witch of Endor Moondog 6:29
8 Symphonique #1 Moondog 2:36
Condition: The vinyl is Near Mint with a few surface scuffs. The paper label is clean and bright. The album cover is in Very Good condition, fully intact with rubbing, scuffs, scratches and a light crease on the rear. The paper liner is creased, with some yellowing and a 3-inch split on the bottom.
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