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The Big Takeover Issue #93

Chuck Foster

Since 2002, Chuck has regularly written columns as a music critic/journalist for publications like The New York Waste, Under The Volcano, Horror Garage, Fear and Loathing in Long Beach and The Big Takeover in both print and online versions. Over the years, he has interviewed diverse voices, such as Jello Biafra, Buzz Osborne of The Melvins and Sky Saxon of The Seeds.

Additionally, he has co-written award-winning screenplays for Hell’s Belles and The Summoners (aka Girls Play Games for YouTube’s BlackBoxTV) with director Christian Ackerman. They are currently developing their next project together.

Various Battleground Korea Bear Family

Various - Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America's Forgotten War 4xCD/BOOK (Bear Family)

27 June 2018

At the end of World War II, the victors, i.e. the USA and USSR, split the territories they’d defeated along ideological lines.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins Are YOU One of Jay's Kids?: The Complete Bizarre Sessions 1990-1994 Manifesto

Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Are YOU One of Jay's Kids?: The Complete Bizarre Sessions 1990-1994 2xCD (Manifesto)

22 May 2018

By the 1990s, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins had been relegated to the annals of obscurity.

Honnda Maraschino Mic Drop Orange Milk

Honnda - Maraschino Mic Drop CS (Orange Milk)

12 April 2018

What if pop music actually aspired to be art? Honnda, aka Brooklyn’s Amnon Freidlin (Mouthguard88, Normal Love, ex-Zs), makes it happen on his brilliant collection of spastic cartoon dubstep/house hybrids.

Black Rainbows Pandaemonium Heavy Psych Sounds

Black Rainbows - Pandaemonium (Heavy Psych Sounds)

4 April 2018

After eleven years of mind-blowing releases, Italy’s Black Rainbows deliver their sixth, best, most solid album yet.

ANMLS Slovenly Algo

ANMLS - ANMLS 12" (Slovenly/Algo)

6 March 2018

In the middle of political turbulence, modern American punk rock seems oblivious and apathetic, even in the face of underground clubs closing doors across the country.

Kudzu Defeated Push & Pull

Kudzu - Defeated CS (Push & Pull)

27 February 2018

Springfield, MO synth punks Kudzu return with a sophomore effort full of driving beats and infectious melodies.

Linqua Franqa Model Minority HHBTM

Linqua Franqa - Model Minority 12" (HHBTM)

24 February 2018

Though hip-hop has historically been male-dominated, a few strong women have risen over the years to remind the boys that the girls can dish it out even better.

Nebula Let It Burn Heavy Psych Sounds

Nebula - Let It Burn (Heavy Psych Sounds)

13 February 2018

In 1997, guitarist Eddie Glass and drummer Ruben Romano left stoner rock kings Fu Manchu to pursue a slightly different sound than their alma mater.

Wau Y Los Arrrghs El Mañanero Slovenly

Wau y los Arrrghs!!! - "El Mañanero" 7" (Slovenly)

30 January 2018

In May of 2017, Spain’s Wau y los Arrrghs!!! played their final show, ending an uncompromising fourteen-year garage onslaught.

Psychic TV Kondole Dead Cat Cold Spring

Psychic TV - Kondole/Dead Cat 2xCD+DVD (Cold Spring)

22 January 2018

After the demise of Throbbing Gristle in 1981, frontman Genesis P-Orridge formed Psychic TV with former bandmate Peter Christopherson as an audio/visual enterprise building on the mindset of their former group.

Meat Beat Manifesto Impossible Star Flexidisc Virtual

Meat Beat Manifesto - Impossible Star (Flexidisc/Virtual)

18 January 2018

Political electronic pioneers Meat Beat Manifesto, led by lone remaining founding member Jack Dangers, continues evolving their ever-morphing sound with a nod to ’90s darkness on their first album in seven years.

Betty Davis Nasty Gal Light in the Attic

Betty Davis - Nasty Gal (Light in the Attic)

11 January 2018

By 1975, sex-funk queen Betty Davis had assembled her own band, about half of which were family, and poised to conquer the music industry with her tightest, heaviest album to date and debut for Island Records.

Hand & Leg Slovenly Black Gladiator

Hand & Leg - Hand & Leg 12" (Black Gladiator/Slovenly)

27 November 2017

Hailing from Crete, residing in Athens, Greece, female/male bass/drums duo Hand & Leg offer a perplexing full-length that weaves post-punk, goth and noise rock into a unified vision.

Gutara Kyo Mondo Mongo Slovenly

Gutara Kyo - Gutara Kyo 10" (Mondo Mongo/Slovenly)

27 November 2017

Kobe, Japan’s Gutara Kyo explode with an impressive blast of early ’80s-style hardcore, reminding us that there’s more to the Land of the Rising Sun than noise.

Harry Bertoia Sonambients: The Sound Sculpture Important

Harry Bertoia - Sonambients: The Sound Sculpture Of Harry Bertoia CD/DVD (Sonambient/Important)

19 November 2017

Four recently discovered archival recordings of furniture designer/sculptor Harry Bertoia join a fascinating documentary short made while the artist was still alive for an essential deluxe release.

Diamond Terrifer Cipher Chapel Master Styles Upon Styles

Diamond Terrifier Cipher - Chapel Master 12" (Styles Upon Styles)

11 November 2017

Between blowing minds with Zs albums, sax god Sam Hillmer devotes time to his solo noise/drone project Diamond Terrifier.

Lee Hazlewood Requiem for an Almost Lady Light in the Attic

Lee Hazlewood - Requiem for an Almost Lady (Light in the Attic)

10 November 2017

By mid-1970, singer/producer/songwriter Lee Hazlewood had broken up with his girlfriend and his label LHI Industries was floundering.

Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble Return Innova

Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble - Return (Innova)

3 November 2017

For eleven years, Michigan’s Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble has received deserved accolades for their interpretations of Steve Reich and Terry Riley.

The Meters A Message from the Meters The Complete Josie, Reprise & Warner Bros. Singles 1968-1977 Real Gone

The Meters - A Message from the Meters: The Complete Josie, Reprise & Warner Bros. Singles 1968-1977 3x12" (Real Gone)

26 October 2017

New Orleans funk originators The Meters never saw mainstream success but are continually revered for their unique contributions to the genre.

Patrick Cowley Afternooners Dark Entries

Patrick Cowley - Afternooners (Dark Entries/Honey Soundsystem)

25 October 2017

In celebration of what would have been his sixty-seventh birthday, a third volume of Patrick Cowley’s unreleased electronic compositions pairs his famed gay porn soundtracks with demos for his seminal 1982 album Mind Warp (Megatone), plus a few archival recordings, into what is probably his most coherent posthumous collection to date.

Gundella The Hour of the Witch Modern Harmonic

Gundella - The Hour of the Witch (Modern Harmonic)

18 October 2017

Just in time for Samhain, Gundella’s classic obscure educational record about witchcraft sees its very first reissue for the millennium’s uninitiated.

Turn Me On Dead Man Heavymetal Mothership Heavy Psych

Turn Me On Dead Man - Heavymetal Mothership (Heavy Psych)

15 October 2017

San Francisco space cadets Turn Me On Dead Man return with their fifth offering of psychedelic interstellar metal.

The Luxembourg Signal Blue Field Shelflife

The Luxembourg Signal - Blue Field (Shelflife)

11 October 2017

Three years after their stellar eponymous debut, The Luxembourg Signal deliver a strong sophomore followup.

Mother Engine Hangar Heavy Psych

Mother Engine - Hangar (Heavy Psych)

30 September 2017

German trio Mother Engine return with their third full-length of sprawling prog-inspired instrumentals.

Deadsmoke Mountain Legacy Heavy Psych

Deadsmoke - Mountain Legacy (Heavy Psych)

27 September 2017

Italy’s heaviest band delivers a sophomore monolith that makes them serious contenders in the global doom coliseum.

Various Visions of Darkness in Iranian Contemporary Music

Various - Visions of Darkness in Iranian Contemporary Music 2xCD (Cold Spring)

26 September 2017

Historically, music has been an extraordinarily potent form of rebellion.

Time Attendant Ruby Modifier Ancient Neughbour

Time Attendant - Ruby Modifier 12" (Ancient Neighbour)

24 September 2017

Paul Snowden, the brain behind London’s Time Attendant, returns with a new LP that successfully bridges the gap between glitch beats and Berlin school electronics.

Fvzz Popvli Fvzz Dei Heavy Psych

Fvzz Popvli - Fvzz Dei (Heavy Psych)

20 September 2017

Roman power trio Fvzz Popvli celebrate fuzz their own way on a debut full-length that will likely leave many scratching their heads.

Antibalas Where The Gods Are In Peace Daptone

Antibalas - Where The Gods Are In Peace (Daptone)

11 September 2017

Nearly two decades on, Brooklyn’s twelve-piece afrobeat ensemble Antibalas shows no signs of slowing down on its powerful sixth full-length.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince He's the DJ I'm the Rapper Real Gone

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper 2xCD (Real Gone)

6 September 2017

Before becoming a revered Oscar-nominated A-list actor, Will Smith was one half of a hip-hop duo who not only placed Philadelphia on the map, but also achieved wide mainstream success with the genre’s first double LP.

Samson Shock Tactics Real Gone

Samson - Shock Tactics 12" (Real Gone)

1 August 2017

Before Bruce Dickinson became known as the wailing banshee of Iron Maiden, he fronted Samson, a vehicle for Paul Samson, a guitarist who peacefully resides as an unheard giant of the new wave of British heavy metal.

Ravi Shankar Nine Decades Ghanashyam A Broken Branch East Meets West

Ravi Shankar - Nine Decades Vol.5: Ghanashyam - A Broken Branch (East Meets West)

20 July 2017

In 1989, Ravi Shankar delivered a powerful dance-drama, sort of an Indian ballet, to the Birmingham Touring Opera Company on commission.

Various The Complete Loma Singles Vol.1 Real Gone

Various - The Complete Loma Singles Vol.1 (Real Gone)

12 July 2017

Between 1964 and 1968, Loma Records, an imprint of Warner Brothers that began as a commercial enterprise, became the conglomerate’s soul division under label head Bob Krasnow (formerly of Del-Fi, Autumn, and King Records).

Alan Sutcliffe EMS Synthi AKS Improv

Alan Sutcliffe - EMS Synthi AKS Improv CS (Buried Treasure)

27 June 2017

During his lifetime, West Yorkshire, UK-born Alan Sutcliffe (1930-2014) founded the Computer Arts Society, produced animation for Ridley Scott’s 1979 film Alien (seen in the cover art) and acted as part-time director for Electronic Music Studios, creators of the EMS Synthi AKS.

The Rippers A Gut Feeling Slovenly

The Rippers - A Gut Feeling 12" (Slovenly)

26 June 2017

Sardinia’s The Rippers return with their fifth full-length that shows their blistering freakbeat at full tilt.

Allen Ginsberg The Complete Songs Of Innocence And Experience Omnivore

Allen Ginsberg - The Complete Songs Of Innocence And Experience 2xCD (Omnivore)

22 June 2017

Before poet Allen Ginsberg recorded the legendary sessions that would end up on last year’s phenomenal The Last Word on First Blues collection, he paid tribute to his hero and inspiration William Blake by setting the master’s words to music for what would be his debut non-spoken word album.

Luxembourg Signal Laura Palmer Shelflife

The Luxembourg Signal - "Laura Palmer" 7" (Shelflife)

20 June 2017

Two and a half years after their beautiful, stellar debut, The Luxembourg Signal finally return with an expanded lineup and a pair of excellent songs.

Edward Rogers TV Generation Zip

Edward Rogers - TV Generation (Zip)

7 June 2017

New Yorker Edward Rogers returns with his strongest and most varied album to date while examining America’s cultural obsession with the boob tube.

The Cavemen Death Row Slovenly

The Cavemen - "Death Row" 7"EP (Slovenly)

31 May 2017

Kiwis are generally known for being polite, but Auckland’s Cavemen strive to destroy that stereotype with yet another blast of feral trash rock slime.

Yuri Morozov Strange Angels Experimental & Electronic Music Buried Treasure

Yuri Morozov - Strange Angels: Experimental & Electronic Music (Buried Treasure)

24 May 2017

Through the ’70s and into the ’80s, Yuri Morozov recorded over 46 albums in numerous genres that were passed around Russian underground music circles in defiance of Soviet control.

Coldcut On-U Sound Adrian Sherwood Outside the Echo Chamber Ahead of Our Time

Coldcut x On-U Sound - Outside the Echo Chamber (Ahead of Our Time)

22 May 2017

English electronic music pioneers Coldcut join forces with the godfather of British dub Adrian Sherwood, aka On-U Sound, for sixteen slabs of heavy dub infusion.

Cachemira Jungla Heavy Psych Sounds

Cachemira - Jungla 12" (Heavy Psych Sounds)

11 May 2017

Barcelona, Spain’s Cachemira explode with a stoner-friendly debut straight out of the Summer of Love.

Jed Kurzel The Babadook OST Waxwork

Jed Kurzel - The Babadook OST 12" (Waxwork)

8 May 2017

A large part of what made Jennifer Kent’s 2014 horror film The Babadook so effective was Jed Kurzel’s unsettling score.

Giöbia Magnifier Heavy Psych Sounds

Giöbia - Magnifier (Heavy Psych Sounds)

4 May 2017

Milan, Italy’s Giöbia see their undisputed 2015 masterpiece remastered, repackaged and reissued for all the world to finally hear properly.

Fred Schneider & the Superions The Vertical Mind HHBTM

Fred Schneider & the Superions - The Vertical Mind (HHBTM)

3 May 2017

In case you haven’t heard, B-52s vocalist Fred Schneider has been active with his new band The Superions (Noah Brodie and Dan Marshall) for over a decade.

Round Eye Monster Vision Sudden Death

Round Eye - Monster Vision (Sudden Death)

2 May 2017

Shanghai, China’s Round Eye return with a referendum on last year’s election that offers an insightful glimpse from outside the United States.

Jaimie Branch Fly or Die International Anthem

Jaimie Branch - Fly or Die (International Anthem)

1 May 2017

Having already established herself as a prominent side-player to the likes of William Parker, TV on the Radio and Spoon, trumpeter Jaimie Branch delivers an outstanding debut as band leader that showcases the full range of her talent.

Swans The Great Annihilator Drainland Young God

Swans - The Great Annihilator/Drainland (Young God)

26 April 2017

By 1995, Swans had evolved through several styles of music, from no wave skronk to punishing industrial sludge to Southern Gothic ballads to driving, droning guitar rock.

Various Edie Sedgwick Ciao! Manhattan Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Cinewax

Various - Ciao! Manhattan Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 12" (Cinewax)

20 April 2017

Between 1967 and 1971, directors John Palmer and David Weisman, fixtures of Andy Warhol’s Factory, filmed Superstar/“It” girl Edie Sedgwick in what would ultimately prove to be the defining role of her short life as Susan Superstar, the subject of 1973’s Ciao! Manhattan.

Alessandro Cortini Merzbow Important

Alessandro Cortini and Merzbow - Alessandro Cortini and Merzbow 2x12" (Important)

18 April 2017

Japanese noise god Masami Akita, better known as Merzbow, teams up with Nine Inch Nails keyboardist Alessandro Cortini for a mutual celebration of the famed EMS synthesizer.