Psych / folk fans - free tape??

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I heard a rumor that if you write to goodnewsbird@hotmail.com and give your address, they'll send you a free cassette. A reliable source says it works, and that the tape is some kind of supremely fucked up Christian psych damage by a husband and wife out of California or something. Any truth to this? I would think some of you might have heard about this. I emailed yesterday but haven't heard anything yet.

― Eric Hoffman, Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:17 (twenty-two years ago)

It IS true but you have the address wrong. It's goodnewsbyrd (with a Y) @ hotmail. The tape is called Son Rise and is by Otem Edwards and Paula Byrd. Mine came with a piece of candy with a scripture written on it and a note explaining that the return address is fake, so don't bother writing. It took a long time to arrive but mine had to go overseas, so who knows?

I didn't hear anything about them being from California, the return address on mine was New York.

The whole thing seems fishy - I'm sure some famous millionaire is behind this. Apparently, they've been sending out free tapes for months. If so, nice hoax. The music IS, as you say, fucked up, with a girl ranting about Jesus over a Jandekian racket on side A, and more ranting on the B side which is sub-Nnck drum clamour. But it's not really that great, to be honest. I'm sure it'll end up being worth something, if they ever do a proper LP.

― Franktalkabouthumans, Friday, 2 May 2003 01:11 (twenty-two years ago)

This is a lie.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 2 May 2003 01:17 (twenty-two years ago)

What do you mean "this is a lie"? I love stuff like this, more information please

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Friday, 2 May 2003 01:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I just mean it can't possibly be true. I haven't heard anything about it, it sounds like this is the kind of thing that might get you on a list of Christian propogandists. Someone else do it and let me know.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 2 May 2003 02:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Roger, why on earth would Christian propogandists target an underground music community so specialized? Are they really looking to convert the 700 or so psych collectors out there? Give me a break. It's not like psychedelic rock hasn't had it's share of Christians - Shadrack Chameleon and Morly Grey both immediately spring to mind.

Like i said, I have done it, it's real.

― Franktalkabouthumans, Friday, 2 May 2003 17:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Not to mention the Search Party!

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 2 May 2003 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Hm. Time to collect more evidence. I think despite Franktalk's assertion, it would be madness to just assume this is true. And besides, does Franktalk's name sound suspiciously Christian to any of you? Listen: I've been having crazy Baptists show up at my door lately, at 8:00 Saturday morning, inviting me to Church down the street. This is the same Church that has a bus parked out front that is plastered with a HUGE picture of a mutilated third-trimester abortion. Or later than that -- hell, the thing has hair and teeth. It looks like they killed a two year old with a hammer. It's horrifying and disgusting and hugely hugely misleading and... well, how do I know I'm not getting tapes from the same kind of Christians?

Don't trust Christians. They lie.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 2 May 2003 17:24 (twenty-two years ago)

his name sounded suspiciously men's recovery projectian to me.

― your null fame (yournullfame), Friday, 2 May 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

well well well what should arrive in todays mail..BUT SAID FUCKIN TAPE!!!..who is behind this fiendish plot?its not bad,more mystery than meatery but hey its slim pickens these days.
dan

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Saturday, 3 May 2003 00:34 (twenty-two years ago)

FUCK YOU ALL MUTHAFUCKAS!!! I'LL KICK ALL YO RANCID ASSES BACK TO WARRIOR DAYZ! SAY MY NAME MOTHAFUCK! FROMBERT! SPELL IT HO: F R O M B E R T!!!!!!!!

― FROMBERT (dog latin), Saturday, 3 May 2003 01:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Dan - I trust you, my man, so I guess it's for real...when did you write to them? How long have you known about this? I just emailed, now that you've corroborated this...looking forward to it now...apologies to Frank and other less skeptical ILMers above...

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Saturday, 3 May 2003 01:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Dan, glad you can vouch for it. Where was the postmark from? New York City? California? Somewhere else?

― Franktalkabouthumans, Saturday, 3 May 2003 01:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Got mine today. The postmark zip-code was 10022.

It's pretty damn weird. I think the cover is a dead giveaway though. It seems obvious this is a scam by some very "in the know" people who set out to make a "weird" record, and not normal folks who happened to believe they were making a proper rock record but lacked the good sense to know how messed up it sounded. What Christian would have a half-naked girl with a kabuki mask and a gun on the cover?

― 5unshine 5uper 5kum, Sunday, 4 May 2003 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you very much need to scan this cover.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 4 May 2003 00:47 (twenty-two years ago)

isn't it curious how many people have posted to this thread that i've never seen before?

― your null fame (yournullfame), Sunday, 4 May 2003 07:55 (twenty-two years ago)

null- are you reading my mind?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 4 May 2003 11:42 (twenty-two years ago)

SAY MY NAME MOTHAFUCK! FROMBERT! SPELL IT HO: F R O M B E R T!!!!!!!!
F.R.O.N.T.A.L. L.O.B.O.T.O.M.Y.!!!!!!

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Sunday, 4 May 2003 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

isn't it curious how many people have posted to this thread that i've never seen before?
We saw the word "free" and we all became greedy, grasping and avaricious.
Okay, Enough about Jandek's for Jesus! Anybody know somebody who's passing out free tapes of new music that DOESN'T mention Jesus?

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Sunday, 4 May 2003 13:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Hasn't WFMU been responsible for these kind of scams in the past?

It's tempting. I just ordered one. I'll post here if anything comes.

― JB, Monday, 5 May 2003 23:58 (twenty-two years ago)

This is insane. I didn't get a tape at all, but today I did get a lathe cut 7" credited to Son Rise and the Moray Elk Choir that sounds like the grooves were cut into it with a safety pin. There was no cover, and it had an old school paper sleeve with writing on it. SEVERE and troubled religious folk damage with group vocals. I also got a pamphlet about how Roman Catholics are in league with the devil and not true Christians. Time to investigate...

I would like to hear the tape now - should I write again and push my luck? anyone wanna trade copy for copy?

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Monday, 12 May 2003 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

This is all too fucked up - isn't there something in revelations about "yey, and the vinyl will be distributed to those who need, and the angel Custos will seperate the green CDs from the gold, and there will be much confusion."

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I got the tape – scary Christina Ricci-like lady in lamé superhero-lady suit witha shotgun on the cover. Songs themselves sound like the Christian Nurse With Wound. Very weird and repetitive. Also, the woman's name is Parula Byrd.

― Fivvy (Fivvy), Monday, 19 May 2003 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

My tape doesn't look anything like that!! Mine has a drawing of a bunch of ragged people looking at the sun from a hill - very hippie scene. The zip on the return address is 3060-something (i lost the envelope). The music is sort of avant folk, acoustic guitar and electric guitar solos, and more than two voices singing. I really like it.

Roger, write me, I'd love to trade a copy for one of that single you have!

― Eric Hoffman, Wednesday, 21 May 2003 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

you guys haven't been forced into any cult ritual shit yet have you? you haven't gotten tons of pamphlets on your doorstep? they didn't tell you that to get the tape you'd have to all wear Nikes and await the spaceship to take you off this planet?

cause i just emailed the guy.

― JasonD (JasonD), Wednesday, 21 May 2003 23:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Eric - check your email dude

The journalist in me is trying to ruin this, i know, but i think there's a clue in the different post-mark thing. Could this be something perpetuated by more than one group of people? Does anyone know of the postmark that Eric speaks of? I know California starts with 9, correct? Mine was from NYC. I Googled "Parula Byrd" and came up with nothing. Just how big IS this cult of Jandekian Jesus People??

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 22 May 2003 00:31 (twenty-two years ago)

mine had a ny postmark..but all done intern like..hmmmm..i am only on 2 media mailing lists..matadors and fmu's..so between the two of them there is probably a mouse afoot
dan

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Thursday, 22 May 2003 21:27 (twenty-two years ago)

five years pass...

i was just cleaning out my garage and found this tape. sounds a lot better than i remember it sounding back then. i have the tape with the golden masked girl on her knees with a gun. i did a search for Otem Edwards & Parula Byrd and the only webpage ever that references them is this one. wtf?

― jaxon, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 17:56 (seventeen years ago)

The Parula warbler is a "small dainty bird" says one source; its song is considered "a bad omen," says another. Otem Relik is a band on MySpace, their track "Cassette Tape" is kind of finger-picking emo-hop.

― dow, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 18:53 (seventeen years ago)

i did a search for Otem Edwards & Parula Byrd and the only webpage ever that references them is this one. wtf?

that's great :)

― Ludo, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:29 (seventeen years ago)

I didn't get a tape at all, but today I did get a lathe cut 7" credited to Son Rise and the Moray Elk Choir that sounds like the grooves were cut into it with a safety pin.

I found a review of a reissue of what Roger said he'd received: http://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/reviews.php?which=1125

Looks like they've been here before, including Wooden Wand & The Vanishing Voice mini tour
Wooden Wand + Sightings & Wooden Wand + Michael Hurley (wherein Roger discusses his involvement with the groups in question)

So was this just some half-baked viral hype? Are they any good? They seem to have been very popular among sockpuppets.

― dad a, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 20:10 (seventeen years ago)

I'm sorry if I just spoiled everyone's fun.

― dad a, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 20:51 (seventeen years ago)

so you're saying roger adultery is behind it? not unplausable.

― jaxon, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 21:15 (seventeen years ago)

Aww, funny thread. Would love to believe it's not a hoax.

― NickB, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 21:43 (seventeen years ago)

the tape i got was just a bunch of racist rants

― jeff, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 21:50 (seventeen years ago)

Moray Elk Choir = Moray Elk Themes? Weird. Probably not a coincidence...

What's a Moray Elk?

Email to that address listed above just bounced back

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 21:55 (seventeen years ago)

Moray Elks Eat the Holy Modal Rounders.

― ian, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 21:55 (seventeen years ago)

(yes i know it's eels.)

― ian, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 21:55 (seventeen years ago)

listening to it again, it's definitely someone in the know and not a real xtian group

― jaxon, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 21:59 (seventeen years ago)

Roger Adultery = J4m3s T0th: is that right?

― NickB, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 22:05 (seventeen years ago)

yes

― wilter, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 22:10 (seventeen years ago)

amongst other things

― Herman G. Neuname, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 22:20 (seventeen years ago)

the tape i got was just a bunch of racist rants

the tape i got WAS ERASED BY PC THUGS

― GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 01:27 (seventeen years ago)

Mine had a cover of "I'm Only Sleeping" by Suggs

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 02:50 (seventeen years ago)

anyone find the lord b/c of this tape

― Mark Rich@rdson, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 03:13 (seventeen years ago)

Eric Hoffman who started this thread appears to be another name for Roger Adultery/Roger Fidelity, since Roger mentioned him here: Piggy (Voivod) est mort The guys in Voivod had cool, punk rock named like "Piggy" and "Snake." That was way cooler than calling yourself "Eric Hoffman" or "Chuck Schuldiner" or "Alex Scolinik."

YOU JUST GOT FREAKFOLK'D

― dad a, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 03:56 (seventeen years ago)

i kinda want to hear this tape.

― t0dd swiss, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 04:36 (seventeen years ago)

Eric Hoffman is in Deicide I think

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 04:47 (seventeen years ago)

"I also got a pamphlet about how Roman Catholics are in league with the devil and not true Christians"

as a Catholic, I can certify this as absolutely true.

― Marco Damiani, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 07:19 (seventeen years ago)

I don't care if this is a hoax or what, this kinda shit is great. Is there any way I can hear this tape 5 years later?

― RabiesAngentleman, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 07:58 (seventeen years ago)

three months pass...

Is there any way I can hear this tape 5 years later?

― RabiesAngentleman, Wednesday, July 30, 2008 7:58 AM (3 months ago) Bookmark

― what i got is HOOS for the capitalism (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Sunday, 2 November 2008 17:59 (seventeen years ago)

SEVERE and troubled religious folk damage with group vocals

This should be on the label of the single. You know, how they used to put "Vocal With Orchestra" or whatever.

― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Sunday, 2 November 2008 23:32 (seventeen years ago)

six years pass...

i found my copy of one of these today, an untitled cassette (which unfortunately i haven't got the means to play at the moment). did anything come to light about these guys? all the searches i've done just lead back to this thread.

― dogs, Tuesday, 2 June 2015 14:03 (ten years ago)

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