Tuesday 21 August 2012

#19 LITTLE FEAT - Electrif Lycanthrope - Ultrasonic Studios [WLIR], Hempstead, NY. 1974 (Flac)

Little Feat Live
Ultrasonic Studios [WLIR], Hempstead, NY
September 19, 1974




In the previous post, the guest writer mentioned this classic bootleg which has long been available on vinyl. Still unreleased and one of the best ever radio live performances. If you are wondering about the original bootleg title, my assumption is it means electric werewolf or shapeshifter hence the unusual artwork. (sic)
(see correct and detailed expanation below)

01 Rock and Roll Doctor
02 Two Trains
03 The Fan
04 On Your Way Down
05 Spanish Moon >
06 Skin It Back >
07 Fat Man In The Bath Tub
08 Oh Atlanta
09 Willin'
10 Cold Cold Cold >
11 Dixie Chicken >
12 Tripe Face Boogie

Tracks 1-9 Source: PRE-FM (Master 1/2 Track Broadcast RR) >
Mastering (Custom Analog & Digital 10/04) > WAV
Tracks 10-12 Source: FM rebroadcast on WLIR > reel > reel >
m-audio transit > cool edit > cd wave editor 

LINK HERE

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 Fri, 28 Aug 2015

Yesterday I received this e-mail from someone who wishes to remain anonymous. They used a temporary email address to protect their privacy but had difficulty posting it in the comments section. I reproduce it below:

Greetings thebasement67 and all:

To begin with, it is very, very kind of you to list 'Electrif Lycanthrope' as one of The 100 Greatest Bootlegs. This is especially delightful considering it began its Fifth Decade Of Providing Listening Joy a few years ago.
And anyone who has not followed your suggestion to get the broadcast is missing an extraordinary opportunity to get a pristine transfer of this performance.

At the time of 'Electrif Lycanthrope''s release, LITTLE FEAT were the definition of A Cult Band. Radio, even FM Radio, rarely played them. Probably more people saw them performing live during those years than ever had ever purchased 'Salin' Shoes' or 'Dixie Chicken". This would, happily, change over the next few years with the next few releases but when 'Electrif Lycanthrope' was originated and released they were far closer to A Well Treasured Secret than Indispensable To Any Record Collection.
Over the years, I have read many interpretations about the packaging. Especially the title. As you have been so very kind in your words about this work, I thought, if you do not mind, I would use this ability to comment here to answer some questions about it.

'Electrif Lycanthrope' contains no misspelled words. It appears exactly as intended. The title was inspired by a motion picture that was been broadcast as the cover was being assembled. Way back when, the US television network ABC ran movies and other odd programming late at night. This night there was a movie about a teenage werewolf that was created by Dick Clark Productions. It was a silly movie but the word "lycanthropy" was repeatedly used throughout it. I liked the overall sound of that word very much. For the cover it was changed to be a singular noun. It was used to represent the transformation we hoped would soon take place to change those who never listened to LITTLE FEAT into those who always listened to LITTLE FEAT. The word 'Electrif' was a portmanteau of two words: 'Electric", for the guitars being played, and 'Terrific', for the way LITTLE FEAT music made us all feel.

The subtitle '(Be-Bop Deluxe)' was not an error and was not listed as a reference to the English band of the same name. It was included as a reference to a genre of music, bebop, with a superlative added and was a phrase used by someone at the Anytown Office to reference any music she thought was "irresistibly cool". Its inclusion as a subtitle was the first of three clues to appear on three different LITTLE FEAT titles on Kornyfone.

The artwork on the cover of 'Electrif Lycanthrope' was from a calendar made, printed and given away by A Local Record Store. It was used because, first and foremost, it was by Neon Park and, just as importantly, the original calendar could be trimmed so that the art would fit the available space on the cover. That the art contained a Rin Tin Tin with antlers and an El Camino Real bell with a quizzical face, both entities seemingly also having transformed, just made it all the better.
It took about two hours to assemble the cover and get it camera ready. Letraset for the titles. A bottle of ink and a drafting pen, as always, for the handwritten text. The final printed piece does not have the Neon Park art in its intended position as the printer changed it after the final camera ready art was delivered. But other than that, it was printed as intended.

By the way, the seemingly nonsensical notes under the song titles, written in and around The Amazing Kornyfone Record Label ongoing mythology, do reference real places and real people. And do tell a little more about the album's creation. For example, the source for "Willin'" was supplied by someone who was, at the time, a Railroad Engineer. And the reference to Second Street was a reference to an actual Second Street and to actual people who gathered in various establishments along it to listen and, particularly, to dance to LITTLE FEAT. Girls dancing are, by definition, A Natural Wonder. And Girls dancing to LITTLE FEAT are far, far closer to Answered Prayers.

I hope this brings a little enlightenment about a few things. And, if nothing else, will answer the questions about the origin of the title once and for all. Thanks again for all of your kind words.

If It's Too Loud, You're Too Old.

Cheers,
THF

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It doesn’t take much reading above to realize that THF or a close friend was involved in the production of this most famous bootleg. Many thanks to him for sharing this invaluable information.

16 comments:

  1. Never heard of them before. Should be interesting! Thanks for the share!

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    Replies
    1. Time passes, this recording is from 50 years ago! More than a few 'newer' artists, in this list, I've never heard of. So not having heard of bands, like 'Little Feat', is gonna be a thing!

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  2. Hope you get into the groove. For those unsure try the Fan and Willin' first

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  3. I always wondered: why does it say "Be-Bop Deluxe" under the title? They didn't play with LF, did they?

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  4. I don't know if that reference be bop deluxe was a description of the type of music that the band played. Unlikely to be the British band but you never know.

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  5. Thank you - long time LF fan, of the Lowell George era, and been loking for this for ages.

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  6. LOL - nice to see this again. I still have my original LP - the band were selling them around the back of the Hammersmith gig in London. It is, in my opinion, simply the best live performance of any band.

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  7. The first time I heard it I didn't get what all the fuss was about. Yes, great performance but the sound quality left a lot to be desired. It was only later when I downloaded it again I realised that I had download an inferior source with poor quality.
    So hearing this one was like night and day, brilliant sound with a cooking performance.

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  8. Had this great, great album in the '70s, and left it on a no.32 bus in Kilburn when drunk.
    Has anybody found it?

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  9. Fantastic share - thanks so much, basement67!

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  10. Best to ever exist!

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  11. Although the musicians never got a cent thru these 'illegal' releases, bootlegs like “Electrif Lycanthrope” did an important part for Little Feats reputation as true living legend in music history. Lowell George once said: "Anyone who buys a bootleg is going to be a loyal fan who will buy everyone of our official records."
    More than 30 years ago I purchased a copy of “Electrif Lycanthrope” in a Second Hand Record shop. The music really hit me like the shit hits the fan and turned me to real hardcore Little Feat Fan. I had the chance to meet Little Feet backstage several times and once the whole band (… w/o Lowell) signed my copy of “Electrif Lycanthrope”. Its still my most beloved Little Feat memorabilia.

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    Replies
    1. Exactly, and in these days of declining sales of physical product, bootleg recordings still do a job in encouraging people to go out and see a band live.

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  12. Download the show here:

    https://archive.org/details/lf1974-09-19.shnf

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  13. THF. (Dr.) Telly H. Fone? Perhaps?

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