Vienna Calling:A Happy Hunter and Collector

 Reinhard Probst is a music fellow and record collector who lives and works in Vienna,Austria.We met a couple years ago during summer holidays and since then we are in touch in a regular basis  exchanging thoughts and information about our common passion:music.As i consider him a mastermind of the global psych scene of all eras, i asked him to be the first collector who would be presented here in a new circle for the blog and has to do with people that love and collect music and especially vinyl lovers.Rei, thanx a lot!

What do you collect and why?

 I´m collecting mostly psychedelic music from the 60`s till now.The reason for that kind of music are my first impressions whenI listened for the first time Jimi Hendrix when I was 10 years old, in autumn 1967 - I still do - but I think this was the basis for all coming afterwards. But I`ve listened  over the decades all styles of music (Jazz, Rock, Folk, Soul, Disco, Punk, Metall, etc.). But music with soundeffects, sitar or special instruments was from the beginning on my favorite style (for example: Beatles's Tomorrow Never Knows was much better for me than Eleanor Rigby or Yellow Submarine).My first records I bought from my pocket money were cheap soldout 7”es (Beatles Stones, Who, Doors) – I couldn`t  afford LPs in the 60´s.In the 60`s and early 70`s I got my wish LPs on birthday, easter, x-mas from my parents, uncles and aunts, grandpas and grandmas…
 And when my parents and me visited their parents in Germany I always came back with some vinyls – I remember when my grandpa went in a shopping center with me in early 1969 – I saw the new album Book of Taliesyn from Deep Purple – I was so happy when we went out – I got it!The  first LP I bought from my own money was Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Chile on Karussell-records in 1971. I still have it in my collection and on the innersleeve is written nr. 1……I had luck to have some years older friends.  They already had some of my  favorite records in their collection – so I recorded many vinyls on my tape-recorder…and bought  the vinyl  sometimes some years later.
Reinhard Probst

How big is your collection?

 I invite you to count them...It changes always - but in the moment I think about 4200-4500 CDs,2500 LPs, 400 singles, 500 tapes and maybe about 150 music DVDs and 200 music videos – my maximum on vinyl were about  4000 LPs  in the 2nd half of the 80`s – but I sold a lot of records to have more money for CDs – don`t  laugh about that – this is a very tragic episode in my life…

                                                                 What do you think itʼs worth? 


 Haha - no idea - besides the worth changes from year to year! And the value is not so important for me as the music itself.

How and where do you store it?

 All is in my small 60 squaremeters apartment which is full up to the ceiling...it`s a problem in the future for me...I often think about that – I would like to sell 300-400 CDs and about 150 useless vinyls  from the 80`s to get more space again - curiously most of these 80`s records are for the birds,  so I keep them at home and hope to get the money I´ve payed for eventually in the future. Only the industrial music from the 80`s reaches higher prices – but I already sold most of them too early.
Maybe I will sell a part of my huge comic collection,which is in the bedroom – so I would get more space for vinyl…

Whatʼs the rarest or most unusual item in your collection?

 There are many rare original records...
for example:
JIMI HENDRIX: Electric Jimi Hendrix on Track records,
THE DEEP: Psychedelic Moods on Parkway Records ,
TAROT by Walter Wegmüller on Kosmische Kouriere...
and and…
The most unusual vinyl is maybe ZACHHILL & MICKBARR Vol.2
(limited edition of 27 copies) which comes in 2 metal plates with
4 screws to open und it has a weight of 4,3 Kilogramm!

What elusive gem are you still looking for?

 CAN: (the original) Monster Movie on Scheisshouse records (which I sold in 1983  for 35(!) euro – what a pain to think about that) – in the meantime I think it`s about  2500 euro…I´m not sure If I can or will afford..

How do you track stuff down?

 In the 60`s & early 70`s I got all music magazines (Bravo, Pop, Popfoto, Musikexpress and Rennbahnexpress)  for free, because my mother was working as an accountant in a shop for magazines and she got all magazines which weren`t  sold during the week, but without the title page. But I got a lot of music informations….
From 1975 on I got selling lists (first from Austrian sellers, later from Germany, England, USA). Till the 90`s I studied nearly every evening the lists and ordered records, I couldn`t find in the shops in my hometown.In the early 80`s the record fairs started in Vienna – the best chances to get the stuff I was looking for. I also visited some record fairs in Germany and in London . I went one or two times a year to London for some days, where I found records I didn`t know of the existence. Since 1999 (my computertime started) I get a lot of newsletters from different shops from all over the world, I read magazines like Record Collector or Good Times, I talk with friends and collectors  and I follow every important information. Today with internet collecting is much more easier  than it was in the 70`s or 80`s. In these times it was often a test buying - now I very often can listen to an interesting record online and decide if I buy it or not.

Have you got a favourite record store?

 My favorite store in Vienna doesn`t  exist any longer….It was called “Why Not Records” – which was specialized for rare and unusual records – specially for 60`s & 70`s – I even worked there from 1979 to 1987 beside my job as socialworker – was a great time…My other favourite shop was called “Ton um Ton” – the last rarities shop in town. The owner Reinhardt Bugl and very good friend of mine died in 2004 on a heartattack….Since that I´m an online buyer.


How often do you listen to the stuff in your collection?

 Every day! Between minimum of 2 hours to maximum of 14 hours –I would need much more time to listen…but I need also time for my wife.Fortunately she likes more than 90% of my music… what a happy man I am!

Is there a visual side to collecting for you?

 

 Of course I bought records in the last decades which had a psychedelic cover – most of them were good – but sometimes I was wondering, because cover art and music didn`t  fit together – on the other side there exist expressionless covers with brilliant music inside…

How do you think youʼll eventually dispose of your collection?

NEVER!  I take my collection into the grave…hehe!


Whatʼs your all time favourite record,regardless of value or rarity?

JIMI HENDRIX: Are You Experienced? (Mono - Track records)

(As told to High Fidelity Stories)

Set The Controls For A Sky Picnic

    These new psych kids on the block are not ashamed at all of being huge fans of the early Pink Floyd era and they are filling our hearts with smiles from New York.   Chris Sherman( guitar & vocals),Leah Cinnamon( bass guitar & vocals) and Pete Meriwether( drums & percussion)got their name from a door magnet according to an urban legend.Their second full length album is already out and Chris dedicated some time to send his greetings and the band's dreamy vibes.

Which was the point of your life that made you to decide to be a musician?

 
That would have been around age 12 or 13, when I received my first guitar.  My father is a musician as well, so I always grew up with music and instruments around the house, so it was quite a natural thing.  I didn't get serious though until I took up drums in high school and then things progressed from there when I got to college, as far as practicing, writing and basic theory. 
 
Which was the first Pink Floyd track you listened to?And which one was the first album?

I vividly recall "Another Brick In the Wall Pt 2" on the radio as a child, if only for the verse the children sing, which struck a chord with someone around that same age.  I didn't come back to them though until around ten years ago, and "Dark Side" was the obvious gateway.  Interestingly enough, I didn't get into their bigger albums from there, but went on to "Piper" after hearing so much about this crazy Syd fellow.


All of your vinyl releases are through non US labels. Didn’t you send any demos to American labels for a possible collaboration in the past?

 

We sent both albums out to any and every psych and prog label we could find.  It just so happened that for "Farther In This Fairy Tale" the only label willing to take a chance on us was Nasoni in Germany. This time around, we had a few places that were interested throughout the world, but ultimately, we already had the working relationship with Nasoni, so that fell into place nicely again. That said, we are still looking for a US based label to put "Paint Me A Dream" out as well, as it is in our best interest to have it easily available for people here and to gain more popularity stateside.

What is the feedback you get from people who listen to your music?

Of the early reviews we have gotten thus far for "Paint", the response has all been positive.  People seem to dig what we're doing, and that's awesome. Listeners and fans tend to have their own opinion on what aspect they like most of what we do, be it the more spaced out material or the psych-pop style. 

Which way do you work a new song?

For the most part, I'll write a song at home, demo it, then bring it to our rehearsal space, where we'll work on arranging and adding parts.  Usually I'll hear how the final song should sound, which I'll try and express, but Pete and Leah will find a way to take that concept and better my initial vision.  For some of the more spacey and epic stuff, we'll just start jamming until an idea takes shape and work on refining it from there. We are really good self-editors, and by far our harshest critics.
 

 Can you make a short sum of all tracks from your “ Paint Me A Dream” lp?
 
The record is about a dreamer experiencing a sequence of night visions, getting lost in a web of thought and longing for reality, only to find clarity in the beckoning daybreak.  Naturally, the songs all deal with sleep and dreams in some capacity. 
Compared to the "Farther" LP, this was a very collaborative writing process across the board.  I really love that a lot of the pieces weren't just full songs, but came out of jams.  For instance, Freak Out Ethel is two separate ideas fused together.  I had the whispering intro section and the final serene part, but it didn't feel finished.  Next thing I know, Leah and Pete start playing that funky section and it just fit perfectly in the middle of the song. Likewise, Slumber's Gate, is a few ideas put together.  Aurora was actually a much longer jam that I edited down to a manageable length to close out the LP. 

Do you listen to new artists or bands?

Certainly, but not as much as older stuff.  There is a pretty good psych revival going on these days.  I am a ridiculously huge fan of Dungen, along with nearly everything else on the Subliminal Label.  I thankfully caught the Amazing last month at a few gigs.  Blew me away.  Tame Impala is great and I've really started to warm up to the new album.  Stardeath and White Dwarfs.  Black Mountain.  Wolf People.  Primus. Flaming Lips and all the weirdness they bring.  Then of course, there are bands that we have played with over the years that I admire and dig.  

 Do you buy vinyl records or cds?Have you a favourite record store?

I only buy vinyl unless the album is either extremely difficult to find, too costly, or the CD has loads of bonus tracks that aren't available elsewhere.  I cite sound quality is the biggest reason. I consider myself an audiophile, so I want the music replicated as close to how it was meant to be heard, and not with an extra layer of digital sound or some of the harshness that a CD is going to offer.  I prefer the warmth of the analog sound.  You also have the intimacy of the vinyl experience, from flipping the LP at the end of the side to handling the record sleeve with the giant artwork.  That said, LP collecting can get out of control, so I try and exercise restraint these days as my collection was starting to take over my place.
As for record stores, New York City is home to some of the best in the world.  Academy Records in the East Village would probably get top honors though.

Tell me a couple of tracks that you would like to make covers of.(apart from the ones you have made and released).

We have a Hollies song that we just recorded during the "Paint" sessions that will be out in February on Fruits De Mer. "See Emily Play" is part of our live rotation that we do not have a recording of yet. We've discussed doing some early Soft Machine.  And I would love to electrify some Donovan or do a version of Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men". 

What’s your point of view about the future of music business and which will be internet affection?

I think it is already a dead industry. People have less interest in buying music these days when it's readily available for free.  For the average person, the need to own a collection of music seems like a foreign concept. But, while the internet has led to the demise of music sales, it has at the same time opened doors for the discovery of new bands.  People might be more apt to see a band when they come to town if they dug streaming something on Spotify as opposed to buying, which is still supporting the artist, just in a different way that the old model. The problem is there is so much music available with the click of a button that it is nearly impossible to weed through and consume the good stuff.  Therein lies the challenge of reaching new audiences.

 

Which are your future plans?

Right now,we're gearing up to play as much as we possibly can this winter and spring to support the LP.  We'll keep up with the press and interviews such as this to also spread the word.  I'm always writing so we'll slowly work on new material as well and sprinkle that into sets.  As mentioned before, we'll end up working toward an American release of the LP as well. And really, we'll just take things from there.  It's hard to plan things out too much because things will unfold as they may.

What are you doing for living?


I work in television doing post production.  Leah is a graphic designer.  And Pete works for a non-profit.  So we're all pretty busy when not making music.

Any plans for a european tour?

If we had more money to put toward that, or we could get some support, trust me, we would be there in no time!  We discuss it at times, albeit unrealistically, because it's involved; from the flight, to the itinerary, and the driving between countries, passports, visas... It will happen eventually, but I don't think yet.

 Do you know anything about greek music?
 
Honestly, no.  That is one genre that I have never been exposed to, but if you have any recommendations, don't hesitate to send them my way.


Would you like to add anything else?

I hope I sold the new LP well enough just now to all the readers out there, and that if they take the time to check it out, they dig what they hear.
Thanks for offering us the chance to do this and for sending me these questions.  This was fun.

 (As told to High Fidelity Stories)
contact :www.skypicnicmusic.com
              skypicnic.bandcamp.com

Greece Goes Modern-The Holy Grail Has Landed!

It’s been exactly 45 years since greek discography was enriched with “Greece Goes Modern” by Mimis Plessas & The Orbiters,an album that managed to join the mediterranean shake with jazz improvisations creating a perfect,solid music body and brought a fresh and 

 dynamic sound.The talent and the incredible skills of the musicians gave us a modern project that still offers a delightful listening nowdays.
After tracking down an original vinyl copy of this rarity, the “Lost Archives” series of B-OtherSide Records”  in collaboration with “Belle Vue” fanzine and the Plan59 vintage record store as well, proceeded to a limited hand numbered reissue of 300 copies (half on black and half on white vinyl).This edition will be accompanied with an insert, providing a personal note from the maestro Mimis Plessas and photos taken from his personal archives.Street date is the 24th of December.Not to be missed!

Enjoy it online and grab a vinyl copy before it is too late! 

Elias Zaikos Plays The Blues For A Silent Night

  It was 1994 when the owners of Mylos Club in Thessaloniki decided to give away a very special Christmas card that would smell...vinyl.The season greetings were accompanied with a 2 track seven inch single,playing an unexpectable blues version of "Silent Night" arranged by Elias Zaikos while the flip side("River Moon Waltz") was an original tune by the famous greek bluesman.EZ talks about blues and Christmas.

 What are your first musical memories growing up in Thessaloniki?

I wasn't playing the guitar until my early 20s, hanging around with friends playing music in rock bands, listening to lot of records, it was different times then,

no internet, no cell phones...

 

                                                               Did you always want to become a musician?

I think always wanted to be a self made man, kind of independent, music never stopped calling and one day i heard it. Since then, i never looked back.

 

 What first attracted you to the blues?

Raw power, freedom of expression, once this music grabs you, that's it!

 

  
Who’s influenced you the most in your music writing and playing?

Well, most everyone in the classic blues discography...i listen to a lot of music, many different styles, not just blues, there's a bit of everything i know into my songs and playing style. I get inspiration from what i see and hear around me.

 

 Do you remember singing Christmas carols as a kid?

Yes, it was nice, i can't recall any special memory though...

 

 Would you share a story being on the road or on stage at Christmas time?

Not really, i just feel happy to play for celebrating people.

 

Tell us a few things about the recording and release of "Silent Night".

That was done in a very short time, i had this idea to play the melody on the guitar, some friends said "let's do it", went to the studio with a couple of excellent musicians and friends and finished the whole thing in a day or two.
   

Are there any particular songs that you play that have special meaning to you?

Each and everyone. The impact varies, but a meaning remains.

 Do you think that the young people are fond of the blues?

I see a lot of young people coming at our gigs lately, i think that's a good sign.

  
 How do you see the future of blues music?

This is real people's music, i believe it will never die or fade, just like love or man's willing to find a better earth to live in.

What’s your favourite guitar?

If i had to pick just one guitar, that would be a Telecaster.

Who are your favourite blues artists?

Man, that's a long list! We don't have the time!

 

Which are your top 5 blues records of  all time?

Hard to say...five? Come on! 50 would be kind of easier.

 

Which are the future plans for you and Blues Wire?

A new album for 2013 and playing as much as we can!

(As told to High Fidelity Stories)
contact http://www.blueswire.gr/zaikos.htm

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – We No Who U R

Tree don’t care what a little bird sings
We go down with the due in the morning light
The tree don’t know what the little bird brings
We go down with the due in the morning
And we breathe, in it
There is no need to forgive
Breathe, in it, there is no need to forgive
(again)
The trees will stand like ṗleading hands
We go down with the due in the morning light
The trees all stand like ṗleading hands
We go down with the due in the morning light
And we breathe it in
There is no need to forgive
Breathe it in, there is no need to forgive
(again)
The trees will burn with blackened hands
We return with the light of the evening
The trees will burn blackened hands
Nowhere to rest, with nowhere to land
And we know who you are
And we know where you live
And we know there’s no need to forgive
And we know who you are
And we know where you live
And we know there’s no need to forgive
And we know who you are
And we know where you live
And we know there’s no need to forgive

 Lyrics from http://www.songonlyrics.com/nick-cave-thebadseeds-wenowhour-lyrics 

Blues For An Open Raincoat

"a symphony orchestra.
there is a thunderstorm,
they are playing a Wagner overture
and the people leave their seats under the trees
and run inside to the pavilion
the women giggling, the men pretending calm,
wet cigarettes being thrown away,
Wagner plays on, and then they are all under the 
pavilion. the birds even come in from the trees
and enter the pavilion and then it is the Hungarian 
Rhapsody #2 by Lizst, and it still rains, but look,
one man sits alone in the rain
listening. the audience notices him. they turn
and look. the orchestra goes about its
business. the man sits in the night in the rain, 
listening. there is something wrong with him,
isn't there?
he came to hear the
music."

Charles Bukowski - Rain

Blues For An Open Raincoat by Highfidelitystories on Mixcloud

Tuber:Smoked Up Chords

 "Tuber grew up in a sunny place, south of Greece, in an island called Crete. They were hiding from the sun, jamming in dark studios and playing their music in rock caves. As they moved north, sounds became lighter, since they started miss hot ground. Balance came as a result of smash, dark embraced light and improvisation turned into an effortless and instinctive process. Tuber moved their interest into new forms, founding themselves experimenting with compositions that combine mixed styles and sounds from different ground. Focus is now on rock aesthetic flirting with psychedelic atmosphere and a touch of romantic mood. At this time Tuber live in Serres, forming their feelings and thoughts into music and words, still learning how to leave with reality and reinventing it with love." 
  
That's how Tuber introduce themselves.Paris, their bass player,kindly answers a bunch of questions. 

Tell us few things about Tuber.When did you start, how did you meet each other? 

Brothers Yannis and Nick where playing together since they where university students in Crete. They have this unique bond as musicians that you get when you play with someone for that long. They've approached me almost three years ago because they wanted to record a demo at my studio in Serres. They didn't have a bass player at the time and all the songs where structured around a 30sec guitar pedal looper in which Yannis could tap dance on it while rolling a cigarette! I agreed to play bass on the demo and after a few rehearsals I got excited with the songs, joined the band and end up recording and producing our first EP at parallel universe studio.

What did your first songs sound like and who were your main influences?

All three of us come from different musical backgrounds and that is what brings a nice contrast to our music. Our first songs are actually the four tracks on our first release of the EP.

How did you get your name?

Out of an English dictionary!
Are there any other groups that sound similar to you in your area?

I wouldn't say so, there are some great Greek bands in similar genres though.

How would you describe your music?

"It's like a beef stew cooked with rock ingredients and seasoned with heavy guitar riffs" as a reviewer once wrote. I don't know, I guess we prefer playing it rather than talking about it, we'll let the listeners describe it in their heads!

How did you get the decision to release your first project in a foreign label and not in a greek one??Have you sent any demos to a  label before you release it?

No we didn't went after any labels at all. We've just released it as a free download through bandcamp and two years later Krauted Mind Records contacted us over the Internet with a vinyl re release offer which was too good to turn down.

Tell me a few words about all 5 tracks of the ep.How did you choose titles etc….

Nick, our drummer came up with most of them. I think he tried to describe the feelings he got from listening to the songs.

Do you think of adding vocals in the future?

Not having vocals in our songs is what got as where we are today. I mean, instrumental music is international and it's much more easily conceived to people around the world than having weird English accent and funny lyrics. Obviously there are a lot of non native English speaking bands who have achieved international recognition but they fall in a different category and they are the exception to the rule.

What are you doing for living?

I run a provisions company and a recording studio. The brothers have an accounting office.

Describe the atmosphere in your concerts. How people react in your music? 

We've only had a few shows so far but the audience keeps growing and that is a very good thing for a new band.

What is the feedback you get from people who listen to your music?

Lot's of kind words and that's what keeps us going!

Through the years a lot of groups are mainly known via internet and not from the their cd or vinyl releases. What is your opinion about this?

The Internet is this new giant source of information. Intermediaries have been cut out and you can release your music with a few clicks, that's the easy part. The difficult part for a band is to find the right channels to do so and for the listener to distinguish good music from all the trash that's been released out there every second. Various blogs have helped us to spread our music all over the world and we are much obliged and thankful for their support! 

Which are your future plans?

We are currently working on new songs and we'll begin recording during summer. Also a European tour is in our plans for the winter. Plus we have a new member in the band, a second guitarist. The plan is to relief Yannis from all the live guitar looping which to tell you the truth was a nightmare both sound wise and for Yannis as a performer. So we'll be touring as a 4 piece from now on.





 
(As told to High Fidelity Stories)
contact:www.tuber.bandcamp.com