Microsoft word - bastro - antlers live.doc

RELEASE DATE: 28.02.05
CHOPSTICKS
‘ANTLERS: LIVE 1991
TRACKLISTING

Hirscheneck
Czar Bar, Chicago, 7/6/91
Educated Fool 3
Lounge Ax, Chicago, 9/21/91
Metal Legs
Sleepy Taste
Beatlesnacht
Lounge Ax, Chicago, 9/11/91
Glistery
(Enchanced CD)
FORMATS:
BAR CODES:
781484701422
FILE UNDER (musical style) :
Alternative
1991, the year that punk broke. Some of it broke into the mainstream—for about ten minutes. But some of it, like Bastro,
broke into odd, beautiful shards. During the final year of their existence, Bastro was the power trio of Bundy K. Brown,
John McEntire, and David Grubbs. With two Homestead Records LPs (Sing the Troubled Beast and Bastro Diablo
Guapo—see DC290CD) and an EP behind them, the group switched gears and concentrated on longer instrumental
pieces.
Bastro split up at the end of 1991, before making studio recordings of these pieces. What happened afterwards is well-
known. Grubbs and Brown started Gastr del Sol, and Brown and McEntire joined Mosquito, who changed their name
to Tortoise. Singers across the land started receiving pink slips. Punk rockers and free improvisers and industrial-music
freaks formed bands together and started living in the studio. Genre classifications were scorned—until Simon Reynolds
dubbed the whole thing “post-rock.” (Whatever!)
Antlers is an attempt to represent what Bastro was doing in 1991. It represents a period in which Bastro seemed to be
changing from show to show, playing intricately constructed instrumentals with utter abandon. Many of these instrumental
pieces later morphed into Gastr del Sol songs–“Antlers” became “A Watery Kentucky,” “Beatlenacht” became “For Soren
Mueller,” and “Glistery” became “Dictionary of Handwriting.” Parts of “Educated Fool” resurfaced years later in “Fool
Summons Train.” And “Hirscheneck” came from “Counterrev: Bhutan,” a song on the first Bastro EP. Compositions were
in flux, with the band soon to follow. These are among its final recordings, but they sound less like death throes than chin
scratchings and chargings onward.

Antlers consists of cassette recordings made by audience members. It has a rough, blasting-at-you quality that perfectly
suits these headlong performances. This enhanced CD also includes live footage of the group in Germany and Holland
during their final tour.
Apart from Bastro, Gastr del Sol, and Tortoise, Bundy K. Brown has played in Pullman and Directions in Music. As a
remixer, he’s whacked tracks by The Sea and Cake, Calexico, and Aerial M. As a producer, he’s worked with Isotope
217, The Chicago Underground Trio, and REX. John McEntire is a member of Tortoise and The Sea and Cake, owns
and operates Soma Electronic Music Studios, and has produced Stereolab, Tom Ze, Radian, and heaps
more. Before Bastro, David Grubbs was in the Louisville punk group Squirrel Bait. Since then, he’s played in Gastr del
Sol, The Red Krayola, and The Wingdale Community Singers, as well as making numerous solo albums.
• A legendary live band heard live on record for the first time. • Antlers contains early versions of tracks later recorded by Gastr del Sol and David Grubbs.
• Antlers also contains previously unreleased live video footage of Bastro in Germany and Holland. • Liner notes by the three band members are included in the booklet for Antlers. • Antlers package illustrated with numerous previously unpublished photos of these gents looking awfully young.

Source: http://www.munichrecords.be/Releases_info_&_press%20files/Bastro%20-%20Antlers%20Live.pdf