The Free Design : Classy or Kitch? S&D

Search: their cover of Eleanor Rigby, Kites Are Fun, California Dreamin', A Man And A Woman.

Destroy: To be able to destroy anything by FD you'd have to be one very sick individual...

Which isn't to say that I like it simply in an ironic or kitsch sense; I think I just enjoy the brain activity that goes along with listening to something I feel I'm supposed to dismiss and quite enjoying a lot of it. Some lobe says "No, please no!" and another says "Well, that's quite nice."

Search: "Bubbles", "Ivy On A Windy Day" and that one on the Siesta 7" that's not available on the re-issue comps.

Siesta re-issues mastered from vinyl LP, in case anyone's bothered about that kind of thing (see also: Soul Jazz's ESG comp). I guess the advent of the CD burner has made the idea of the 'lost master' a thing of the past...

After being shocked by their inclusion in the Druggy Music thread, I went home and listened to their cover of "Light My Fire" while high. It works.

Also, I once had a dream that my composition teacher in college taught us how to write music for listeners on drugs -- ie specific techniques that would affect listeners on specific drugs.

if I'm into 'daniel dolphin' which full length is the one to start with?

their Christmas album is really good too

By the way, any more feedback about the remixes? I'm tempted but I'd rather wait and get them on CD - I assume they will come out someday.

yes, the reissues of the last three 70s LPs are out, although distribution to UK is patchy. i have seen SFVIP in a couple of shops but no sign of OBO or TIAS yet (and i've been looking)

's/t/b/l' is probably the most representative, but 'one by one' goes deeper for me, a slicker, calmer sound than the earlier boppy stuff, five impossible live tracks with full symphony orchestra, and the best tracks on it aren't on any compilations. "friends (thank you all)" is a real moment.

the only other full album I know is 'kites' though so I'm still learning

After that, of the other Light In The Attic reissues, definitely get Stars/Time/ Bubbles/Love and You Could be Born Again.

Heaven / Earth is a notch below those three, but does have some essential stuff on it.

Kites Are Fun is OK, has a few great tracks. Sing Foe Very Important People is their children's (and therefore their twee-est) record, I've only heard half of this.

The last album, There Is A Song I have yet to hear at all, but is on my 'to buy' list.

There are mp3s on the LITA site I linked to above.

FD's main songwriter Chris Dedrick's solo album from 1972 has also just been reissued on CD by a Korean label - it's been retitled Wishes for the occasion. May be hard to get hold of. A friend of mine who wrote the liner notes is sending me a copy. I will report back when heard.

It's difficult to single out one or two records because every CD has fantastic tracks on it, but since I started with Stars and Born Again I'll second those.

Thanks for the info on the later records like One on One, I held the damn thing at Dusty Groove and couldn't make up my mind about it since I wasn't sure how good it would be. I'll buy it now.

The remix CD (both 12"s collected) is nice from what I heard, the cover of I Found Love was great.

Looking forward to hearing about the Dedrick solo, Jeff.

what site? don't see the link

haha. holy shit. sorry. i was looking to a previous post

Apologies for not posting this earlier, as I promised.

I suddenly noticed the other day, out of the blue, that "Peter, Paul And Mary" from There Is A Song is pretty amazing. Good example of songs of theirs where the lyrics are better than you'd expect...

their lyrics are why I love them so, so much

Daniel Dolphin was a real friend

this is the thread where we transcribe Free Design lyrics

obviously they are classic and I have those songs (mainly Daniel Dolphin but others also) in my head more often than I'd actually like

Keije's Ouija has amazing lyrics.

Wish that I was corny

very sad news (in french) about chris dedrick:

http://www.qobuz.com/info/MAGAZINE-ACTUALITES/CHERS-DISPARUS/Chris-Dedrick-est-mort46645

http://chrisdedrick.com/circleoffifths/2010/08/be-free/

r.i.p.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtXtV-hDPcM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx8DXUPazcg
"You Could Be Born Again"

rip

Oh that's terrible news. I was just looking at his solo record in my cd stack the other day. Very sad, indeed.

I had no idea he did the music for Guy Maddin's 'The Saddest Music In The World'!

Glad he got to live long enough to see people catch up with his incredible band. And it's time for me to finally check out his solo album, I feel like I've been saving it for the right moment.

RIP, thank you for your amazing music

RIP. He made amazing songs w/the Free Design, and impeccable arrangements too. Very sorry to hear he's passed, and that we won't get to hear new music from him--- but, grateful for the music we still have. Thanks Chris!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewh11LJ4uzA

One of their best.

Man, Milton, you were right about “Friends – Thank You All.” This climax is really something.

I heard “Girls Alone” for the first time a couple of months ago and and am somewhat haunted by it.

There’s a live version of “Friends – Thank You All” on the One By One edition on Spotify with an orchestra that is somewhat surprisingly terrific.

As a bonus, please listen to the rather dour man who introduces them on this track: https://open.spotify.com/track/5XM9JBpIDMWon7O7GcA6f4?si=r1ddgd2uT6qWDgdAO4Muag

FD's main songwriter Chris Dedrick's solo album from 1972 has also just been reissued on CD by a Korean label - it's been retitled Wishes for the occasion. May be hard to get hold of. A friend of mine who wrote the liner notes is sending me a copy. I will report back when heard.

― Jeff W (zebedee), Sunday, July 24, 2005 6:23 AM

this is finally on streaming under the title be free btw.