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OK, OK, I'll bite. What the fuck is "Red Hash?"

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What is this going to be? Another Drag City 'supergroup' or something? Why the mystery? (if you don't know to what I refer, check the Drag City news page)

― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Sunday, 1 May 2005 06:35 (twenty years ago)

gary higgins. "red hash." 1973. reissued through the good works of mr. ben chasny (who covered a tune from it on his latest album).

it's really nice folky stuff recorded right before mr. higgins went to jail, i believe.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Sunday, 1 May 2005 06:49 (twenty years ago)

Highly enjoyable smalltown hippie folk/folkrock with a professional sound, good vocals and songs full of hooks and strong melodies. A dreamy melancholy dominates, but the sharp arrangements and elaborate production keeps it from ever drifting off. Lyrics deal with dope and being in prison, which is a true story & probably what kept him off major labels. Higgins received a severe 2-year-9-month sentence for possession of weed, but had time to record this album shortly before going to jail. "Red Hash" is a nickname he aquired when being in custody. Underrated LP is a personal fave and better than almost all the overpriced items in this genre. To illustrate Higgins' qualities I'm picking two different fave tracks than Aaron does below; "Stable the Spuds" and the closing "Looking for June". Do not miss this. [PL]
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To these ears this is one of the best loner folk albums. Apparently recorded before Gary went to prison, which gives it an extra edge. Higgins is a great songwriter, and has an appealing soft-but-gruff vocal style. The lyrics reach into some pretty unusual places, and the melodies and hooks are full of unexpected left turns. He even uses moog to nice effect here and there. Pick hits are the beautiful “It Didn’t Take Too Long” and the pissed off “Down On The Farm.” [AM]

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Sunday, 1 May 2005 06:49 (twenty years ago)

oh man, i HAVE that record. Well, not really, I have a burned copy. I KNEW the name looked familiar. I don't remember a fucking thing about it though.

― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Sunday, 1 May 2005 06:50 (twenty years ago)

i love that gary higgins album. i think i've talked about it on other threads. so dreamy and lovely. it's a pot-head delite.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 1 May 2005 08:59 (twenty years ago)

really good record -- i got permission and posted a song and a little info. on my blog, fyi:

http://buked.blogspot.com/2005/04/where-do-you-intend-to-go.html

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Sunday, 1 May 2005 10:52 (twenty years ago)

xpost PS: I'm sure than Ben loves Gary Higins. and Ben's cover of "Smokey" is def. rad, but as far as I know, the album was reissued through the total relentless persistence of Zach Cowie, who spent a loooong time tracking Higgins down. Since Zach is pals with Ben it's pretty likely Zach turned him on to it, too, fyi...

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Sunday, 1 May 2005 10:59 (twenty years ago)

OH, OK, it's all clear now. i was wondering "why the hell do I have this?" and couldn't remember any context, but, i'm sure Scott must have recommended it at one point, and i downlaoded and burned but barely listened for whatever reason. Shows how much I value Scott's opinion though!

― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Sunday, 1 May 2005 13:08 (twenty years ago)

yeah, i think i brought it up on that david crosby thread. there has been an italian cd reissue out for a long time, but i'm guessing it's a boot or whatever.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 1 May 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

aaaah i been searching for a long time, anyone got it on slsk?

― rizzx (rizzx), Sunday, 1 May 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

This is one of the few recordings from this genre that turned out better than I anticipated. Great songs, nice recording, and a definite slant on the early-70s zeitgeist. Not that it sounds bad at all, but I'm anxious to hear how drag city cleans it up.

― brianiac (briania), Sunday, 1 May 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

something about "i pick notes from the sky" really reminds me of another song. it's driving me nuts. argh.

wfmu's blog has an entry about this album.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Sunday, 1 May 2005 16:27 (twenty years ago)

Spiffy, I might have to get this. Ben's taste is v. good.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 1 May 2005 16:37 (twenty years ago)

If there's a vinyl version, I'll buy it

― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Sunday, 1 May 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)

a vinyl reissue will depend on the cd selling really well -- so buy three cds if you want an lp!

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Sunday, 1 May 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

for the two people who care i was wrong about the origins of the reissue -- from the fmu blog: "Zach, one of the most passionate dudes I know when it comes to music, made it his mission to track Higgins down after Chasny gave him a burn of the LP as a gift."

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Monday, 2 May 2005 12:57 (twenty years ago)

four months pass...
the new Vice Magazine (the parents issue - easily one of their worst in ages) has a page on Gary Higgins and a recent photo of him.

i really dig the cd, but can't stop thinking it sounds like Elliot Smith, who i was never a fan.

― Jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 19 September 2005 04:09 (nineteen years ago)

Just saw this in the local weekly here in Chicago. Fleshes out the Higgins story a bit more than what I caught in the NY Times a couple months back. I've downloaded a couple MP3s and liked what I heard so far. Based on that and some other heary ILM recommendations I'm definitely picking this up.

http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheMeter/050930.html

― Timmay, Friday, 30 September 2005 02:12 (nineteen years ago)

I missed both the NYC appearances but the disc is totally worth getting. Hoping he'll be doing more shows in the area. Supposedly he's playing in Philly with the Espers next month.

― Raj, Friday, 30 September 2005 15:18 (nineteen years ago)

I should add I'm sruprised that there hasn't been more talk of this album here. Usually these long lost reissues never live up to the hype, but Red Hash actually exceeded any expectations I might've had. The story also makes me curious to hear some of the recordings by Higgins pre-Red Hash band with Simeon from the Silver Apples -- if there are any tapes of them out there.

― Raj, Friday, 30 September 2005 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

Here's your vinyl copy!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gary-Higgins-Red-Hash-Rare-US-Private-Press-Psych-SS_W0QQitemZ4774697984QQcategoryZ306QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

― Sang Freud (jeff_s), Friday, 30 September 2005 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

I should add I'm sruprised that there hasn't been more talk of this album here

i'm not. most people here have horrible taste.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 September 2005 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

Why is Devendra Banhart usually invoked in re this album, when he totally sounds like Iron & Wine instead?

I really like this one and, as in the case of Raj, I often find this sort of reissue to be disappointing.

― borrowed_tunes, Friday, 30 September 2005 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

because there are a lot of folks whose exposure to folk music is limited to/dominated by mr. barnfart's albums?

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Friday, 30 September 2005 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

I HEARD THERE'S A NEW DEVENDRA ALBUM!!!

It's called "My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows"

GET ONE CLUE!

― YOU ALMOST STABBED YOURSELF IN THE FACE LIKE A HULKAMANIAC (jaxon), Friday, 30 September 2005 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

"I should add I'm sruprised that there hasn't been more talk of this album here."


Well, talk about it then. I've talked about it on other threads. Pitch in. Only YOU can make ILM work. We are counting on your continued donations.

I like the new devendra i don't care what yoo fuckas say!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 30 September 2005 19:15 (nineteen years ago)

dude scott you're a little biased.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 September 2005 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

red hash is easily in my top three favourite albums of the year so far. (just gotta think what the other two are now).

is gary higgins really still alive and playing?

― cake (cake), Friday, 30 September 2005 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

I like the Red Hash, but maybe have yet to fall completely in love with it - it's just not too much different from tons of other records. The middle section is where it seems to really come most alive, with I Can't Sleep at Night, Cuckoo and I Pick Notes From the Sky standing out in my mind - especially Cuckoo's, "I've really gone insane / Can't even spell my name / The cuckoo is in pain, again"

― Jeff LeVine (Jeff LeVine), Friday, 30 September 2005 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

Still alive, still playing. Per the Chicago Reader story:

"In March Higgins made a cameo at a Six Organs show, performing "Thicker Than a Smokey" to a rapt audience of New York hipsters. In late July, when the album was officially reissued, Higgins reconvened the original Red Hash band -- augmented by his 24-year-old son, Graham, on guitar -- to play a release party at Tonic and record a live radio session for WFMU. He's booked two more shows so far, including a November 4 gig at the Empty Bottle during the Two Million Tongues Festival."

― Raj, Friday, 30 September 2005 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

I like the new devendra i don't care what yoo fuckas say!

haha. i don't hate Devendra. i actually like him a lot (haven't heard the new album though). but seriously for people to think he's doing something so unique is a joke. there's absolutely no difference between his albums and the Tyranasaurus Rex folk albums.

― YOU ALMOST STABBED YOURSELF IN THE FACE LIKE A HULKAMANIAC (jaxon), Friday, 30 September 2005 19:43 (nineteen years ago)

Qualitatively speaking?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 30 September 2005 19:50 (nineteen years ago)

there's absolutely no difference between his albums and the Tyranasaurus Rex folk albums.

Marc Bolan wrote better lyrics.

I haven't been able to get into the Red Hash album. It seems a bit dull but I guess I'll give it another shot.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 30 September 2005 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

Well, Tyrannosaurus Rex or however you spel it hasn't put out a new album lately, so y not him 2 fill the gap (think I'm being sent his new 7")(single that is) Really hope the one with Simeon gets reissued too (I'll start with that)

― don, Friday, 30 September 2005 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...
ok i finally got this and it's been a big-time grower. love it.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

three years pass...

Anyone else heard the new Gary Higgins album on Drag City? It's called "Seconds" and is brand new recordings I believe. Was he dug out of the woodwork following the "Red Hash" reissue? I kind of assumed he was dead until I spotted a promo of this new album secondhand locally.

I've just listened to it and am really not convinced. It's verging strongly in the cheese direction perhaps at times, if that's the right word. Quite light, loungy? There were some nice bits and I'll give it a few more shots, but definitely a "hmmmm" first time round.

― krakow, Thursday, 17 September 2009 10:28 (fifteen years ago)

Aye, this is definitely dodgy. It could be bloody Chris Rea or Clapton at times! Please, people with better taste and judgement, tell me I'm wrong!

― krakow, Thursday, 17 September 2009 11:59 (fifteen years ago)

i haven't heard anything about this... don't think i want to hear it. old dudes who disappear for 30 years and then come back are like 99% likely to make some dodgy comeback album. if he has an angry song about a bitter divorce he'll be batting 1000 for bad comebacks.

― GOVERNMENT TRASH QUEEN ON A THRONE (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:22 (fifteen years ago)

It's more syrupy than that.

― krakow, Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:23 (fifteen years ago)


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