Sunday, June 03, 2007

O Superwoman

I have been wanting an excuse to post this masterpiece of surreal New Wave - Art Rock since I started this blog. Laurie Anderson is an American performance artist and composer. Her work has incorporated graphics, lighting, sculpture, mime, slides, film, speech, music and many electronics, some of her own design. By 1976, her performances were featured prominently in museums and concert venues across Europe and North America. O Superman was released in 1981 and was a suprise crossover hit, reaching number 2 in the British charts.

I came across this amazing record somewhat a bit late. I hadn't even heard it until 2 years ago when it was played on a John Peel tribute show (It was one of his all-time favourites.) I was instantly mesmerised by the beautiful haunting sounds and vocals.

My excuse for posting it now is that it has been given the remix treatment by M.A.N.D.Y. and Booka Shade for the 5 Years of Get Physical compilation soon to be released. I always new that the sparse electronics would be perfect for a dancefloor re-interpretation and I am not dissapointed. However at just over 5 minutes the remix is shorter than the original. I think this could have worked really well as an epic 12 minute tranced out mix.

Laurie Anderson - O Superman // Warner Brothers 1981

M.A.N.D.Y. vs Booka Shade Feat Laurie Anderson - O Superman // 5 Years of Get Physical Compilation

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Comments:
Thanks for this! There was a fabulous pounding techno overhaul by 'X-Booty' knocking around a few years ago which made it into Peel's postumous festive 50. Twas white label only, and I've never been able to track it down- I only have it on crappy cassette tape with Rob Da Bank butting in at the end. But it's amazing..
 
In fact, here it is, the full thunderous eight minutes, albeit recorded off the radio again...

http://festivefifty.blogspot.com/search/label/laurie%20anderson
 
Excellent Thanks for the link. That version is FIERCE. Its laurie Anderson on Ketamine at an Acid Trance night. Obviously Peel loves that sort of thing.

Cheers
 
the links are down for the o superman tracks.at least they don't work for me.
 
shit! you beat me to the laurie anderson post!! actually, i heard it was her 60th birthday on the radio last night and then they played an hour of her music which i danced strangely around the house to. talk about nostalgia. my father loved her and i remember long car rides with her playing on the stereo. thanks for this! r.
 
Laurie Anderson! Laurie Anderson!
Nice one Langer.
I Heard her interviewed on the radio last week and she's a hip, hip lady.

Vinylhed
 
My dad played Big Science a lot when I was a kid...
I really love this track.

I actually have been playing around with it in Ableton Live, but didn't ever make much of it.

Then I saw the M.A.N.D.Y. / Booka Shade remix on Beatport earlier this week

Now, here it is on your blog.

I only wish I liked the remix better... Kind of heavy and far from elegant... Which is funny. The elegance is why I liked the original, and usually why I like Booka Shade tracks too. What a clumsy, plodding baseline for such a beautiful vocal
 
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