How great was Basehead?

I've heard about new material since then that was amazing once again, but never heard the results.

(Dan to thread?)

I haven't listened to the CD in a long time, but I remember it being more background sounding, and not as engaging as the first two Basehead records. But please take that opinion with a speck of salt.. I should re-listen to this CD tonight, in fact.

(This was right around the time Ivey was startin' to wax about God in all his liner notes, but there was still a sense of an evil sense of humor... one of the guests on the album was "Uncle Clarence The Thomas")

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go.to/stevek

Sorry, didnt feel the need to type that out again but its the truth.

It was supposed to be the start of a Basehead label ("Bastard Youth of Basehead") on Ryko, with artists produced/affiliated by/with Michael Ivy, but it never took off. Don't go expecting it to be the forgotten Basehead album.

I haven't heard the second and third albums in years, but the first one is good. When I finally managed to buy it a few years back, it wasn't nearly as hip hop-based as I remembered it being, save a few N.W.A samples. It was more like a Sebadoh album, substituting beer for pot.

>:-O

Hmmmm.

Well, this is a more cogent comparison than I initially thought.

Still though.. eek. This completely ignores the unique quality of Ivey and friends fluidly bouncing back and forth between the song and skit worlds. That is a crucial element to why I worship Basehead.

I only have the first two, but they are indeed great. Especially Play With Toys.

Quite right.

It also functions as a very funny comedy album, complete with some of the best uptight honky imitations this side of vintage Richard Pryor.

I've heard about one new record since, but now you're saying two? Are these albums getting released beyond D.C.? (Assuming Ivey is still based there?)

"better than Beck" = Ned OTM.

The ''intro'' and ''outro'' tracks on Play With Toys are laugh-out-loud hilarious and brilliant.

Argh! Bummed it's not on iTunes. I only own "Play with Toys" on cassette and seeing this thread made me crave it! There was a time you could find ENDLESS copies of this (stone classic) in used CD bins.

Wonder what he's up to now. I did a big feature/interview with him way back when for the Washington City Paper, with some quotes from him circa the period when he was finding faith. I used to periodically see his name locally, but not in awhile.

I remember reading that piece! It was fascinating. Do you still have it, by any chance? It would be great to revisit that.

The City Paper online archive only seems to have part of the October 11, 1996 article saved, and the bb codes are getting me error responses when I try to post it.

https://secure.washingtoncitypaper.com/cgi-bin/Archive/abridged2.bat?path=q:DocRoot/1996/961011/basehead11&search=Basehead&SearchString=Basehead&AuthorLastName=Kiviat&IssueDate=mm%2Fdd%2Fyyyy&SelectYear=All&next.x=49&next.y=13

Basehead was a great band back in the day. "Play With Toys" was one of my favorite albums, and "Not in Kansas Anymore" was still a good album even if I didn't quite enjoy it as much.

"Just because I don't sound like Barry White doesn't make me a bitch!" :)

This album is so stoned out. Dude is screwed by nature.

Citizen Cope was Basehead's DJ

..and all those promo CD singles with the remixes and B-sides! some of those were great!

This would be a prime candidate for a nice deluxe reissue. What are the chances?

nil. this band is totally unjustly forgotten, I'd wager.

Great stuff, and I thought Ivey was sexy as all get-out! (saw him at New Music Seminar...'92?)

Mrobz sometimes you are full of surprises

http://baseheadmusic.com/images/photos/gallery/1925174.jpg

It's really up to Ivey. I can't imagine that he doesn't have the rights to the Emigre/Imago material after all these years.

lolz, John was always more into Basehead than I was.

Also Faith is still boring but in direct comparison to the earlier albums. When a Faith song on the iPod comes on via shuffle, it's actually kinda nice and calming.

he was not all beardy and dreddy back in the day.

love Play With Toys so much

"it's not my fault you gotta get love sick during the quiet storm"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If7bELSqWy0

never knew there was a video!

great album, god knows why i've never listened to Not in Kansas

I should listen to the second album, given where I live right now.

"it's not my fault you gotta get love sick during the quiet storm"

This line pops up in my head all the time, and I wish more people got the reference so that I could, well, refer to it more often.

I should spring the 1 cent that the third album is going for on amazon, shouldn't I?

Now Cody Chestnutt has disappeared too. What's with these guys, too much weed?

Michael Ivey went Christian, I know that.

There's one ok/good song on the third album, and I can't remember what it's called. Proceed accordingly.

Love these first two, thank you ILM

What a good prompt! Think I'll listen to them right now...

Here's my 1996 feature interview piece on Basehead at the time of the Faith album

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/11235/you-gotta-have-faith

the intro and outro on plays with toys are some of the funniest songs i've ever heard.

Basehead/fIREHOSE/Beastie Boys show at the tiny Troc in Philly in ... '92? still one of my all-time faves

Are there any other bands that walked a similar dynamic like this without being a bit cheesy?

Two Basehead live recordings popped up today on D1m3ad0z3n! Maybe the last band I would ever expect to see on there, but nevertheless, here we are - early/late shows from a date at Cambridge MA circa '93, desk recordings too.

https://www.fromsmash.com/10CB0ILB2x-bt