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Open Your Ears

Album review posted to alt.slack on August 19, 1994.

LickOBE617 (lickobe…@aol.com) wrote:

SUBGENIUS MUTANTS INTO WACKO NOISE/MUSIC CONTACT FOR "FREE GIFT"
STICKERS AND INFO ABOUT 78 MIN. CD BY OUT OF BAND EXPERIENCE(OBE) AND
KINGS OF FEEDBACK--CALL 1-(617) LICK OBE (24 HR. MACHINE)
OR E-MAIL: LickOBE617aol.com
or write to: OBE-KOF-SLACK/BOX 221/BOSTON, MA 02123 USA
OBE-ALIEN NOISE ORGY OF INSANITY ++KOF-USED SLACK-KILL BOB
SEND $10 FOR CD! DOBBS APPROVED! HEARD ON HOUR OF SLACK!
RANDOMLY SELECTED RESPONSES MAY RECEIVE FREE CD??!
PRAISE BOB!

I was intrigued by the prospect of a Doktor band right here in Boston, so I gave their number a call and ordered their CD. Three days later, I received the CD in the mail…talk about a quick response!

Even after the first listening, I knew that this band would never make the Billboard Top 10, simply because their music lacks the qualities necessary to make mainstream radio: a simple, danceable hook, silly lyrics that avoid controversy, and a willingness to sound like every other musician/group on the radio. This is a pity, because OBE/KOF's sound is of the sort that actually makes you sit up and think. The CD's cover is that of a razor blade slicing a human ear, parodying the famous eyeball-slicing scene from "Un Chien Andalou," which explains the purpose: on the surface it looks simple (blood and pain), but it's actually a lot more than that.

OBE/KOF's sound is true SubGenius noise. It uses guitar sounds and drums, but the band leader, Bill T. Miller, also uses extensive samples from varios TV shows, commercials, and sound bites from famous people. The CD itself is a full 78 minutes (27 tracks), and it includes such satirical compositions as "Angie Baby", "Succubus Doggystyle," "Alien Android Succubus" and "Point the Finger," all of which parody your usual rock-n-roll "get laid!" style. They also take potshots at popular media's feeding of entertainment disguised as "news" to the public ( "One Helluva Tweek" ), musicians sampling other artists' work ( "Sample This" ), and the music industry's brain-dead method of determining what makes a song a hit ( "Gimmick" ).

But they also devote a lot of effort to noise in the true SubGenius vein: rants against the Conspiracy! Ivan Stang and Buck Naked make guest appearances, and there's a clip of a phone-sex conversation between "Bob" Dobbs and "Connie." The Kings of Feedback warn us of the dangers of being "Normal," and the CD even includes an appearance by the Anti-"Bob" himself! This alone makes it a must-have for any true SubGenius, and worth getting for those who like taking chances with independent bands.

For those of you who live in the Boston area, OBE/Kings of Feedback will be appearing live, downstairs at the Middle East in Central Square, Cambridge, on September 13th at 10 PM. Check 'em out and tell 'em that you heard about them on the Net! Or Email them at lickobe…@aol.com and ask for info on their CD. It's only $10 - yet another way give the finger to the Conspiracy and its high-priced CD marketing machine.

Hail Kings of Feedback!