Slate by CITY OF WORMS

Side A:
- Slate, Part 1

Side B:
- Slate, Part 2
- Tryptich (3 additional tracks in this digital release)


This is City Of Worms' first recorded session and second release.

Like the eponymous first release, this session was without any agreed upon guiding concept. We each gathered sounds that interested us (sonically interesting and of individual sensibilities and advocacies) and gathered to improvise freely. We pressed record and played, would break upstairs to review, then descend the basement stairs to do it again. This would go on throughout the night. Everything was a single take and most everything was kept.

"The Hovel" recorded materials were created using a DIY overdub method. As Jeph explains "A single backing track was recorded using the sampler, then that tape was played back and additional sampler/tape sounds were added live. Handheld tape deck(s) and sampler were plugged into a cheap mixer with the sound routed to my Gibson Falcon amplifier. A line out from that amp was plugged into my stereo Akai cassette deck."

The Slate session recording is low-fi and of high-mid tonal characteristic. I recall an AIWA handheld stereo cassette recorder with an onboard stereo mic, among other cheap cassette recorders. I am not certain what was used for this session. We used what was on hand and what we could afford. These limitations imparted speed to our production and immediacy to our result. These same method qualities were inherent to the materials gathered and performed.

This digital release contains all materials available on the original C60 cassette release. In addition, this contains materials cut due to the time limitations of the original release media. These additional materials are included in the sequence in which they were recorded and reflect the session master. Slight restoration, repair and mastering processes have been applied to reduce obscuring artifact and improve tonal balance. I believe this is a better reflection of the performance happening in the room.

A month prior to the Slate session, I purchased the new SK-1 which was being marketed by Casio as a toy. We were checking out what this newly affordable technology might be capable of. Jeph was taking metal to metal in rhythmic flurry and I pressed "Sample". The next 10 minutes were filled with rhythmic permutations of that sample with everyone simultaneously contributing across a tiny 2-1/2 octave keyboard. From here, it was inevitable that City Of Worms was going to happen. Within a month, both Jeph and Steve had purchased theirs.

- ge

City Of Worms formed in late Fall of 1986. The founding members were Jeph Jerman, Steve Beckner and George Ericson. Methods were improvised regurgitations of our environment (both mediated and IRL)... press record, review, repeat. Tools included SK-1 samplers, handheld cassette decks, pedal effects, guitar amps and minimal technical expertise. Forward 3 years and over 20 releases.