Album: s/t
Year: 1997
Style: Outsider Music, Poetic Ranting
Similar Bands: Half Japanese, Very Early Ween, Wesley Willis
"One-Word" Review: repetitive-auction-sports-commentating-to AM radio.
Based Out Of: New York City, NY
Label: WFMU Production
Label: WFMU Production
Bingo Gazingo - Cover, Photos, CD & Back
Bingo Gazingo - Liner Notes
Bingo Gazingo (1997)
- Psycho/Psycho 4:44
- Up Your Jurassic Park 3:36
- Everything's OK at the OK Corral 5:55
- I Love You So Fucking Much I Can't Shit 2:18
- Everyday I leave 10 Dollars on the Table 2:14
- Baba Booey 2:45
- I'm a Wabbitt 2:41
- Indecent Proposal 2:39
- Two Strangers From Georgia 2:45
- Two Pack Shaker 3:25
- Calling Casablanca 3:06
- Like Beavis & Butthead 3:01
- Artie Wexler 3:08
- Are You A Lover? 2:37
- Oh Madonna (You Stole My Pants) 4:05
- Bingo Gazingo's Bolero 14:14
Album Rating (1-10): 5.0
Members & Other Bands:
Bingo Gazingo - Vocals
R. Stevie Moore - Piano, Bass, Guitar, Theremin (R. Stevie Moore Cassette Club,
Dennis Diken - Drums, Percussion (Smithereens, Husky Team)
Chris Bolger - Guitar, Bass, Egg, Moog Source, Recording Engineer
Stork - Producer
Krys O. - Production Assistant
Chris Drago - Production Assistant
Stephanie Damoff - Production Assistant, Photography, Design, CowbellChris Drago - Production Assistant
Scott Williams - Production Assistant
Diane Farris - Recording Engineer
Dave Amels - Recording Engineer, Remixed to DAT, Mastering, Arp Odyssey, Farfisa, Moog Source, Piano, Theremin (Husky Team, Reigning Sound)
Brian Drago - Mastering
Chris Butler - Guitar, Autoharp, Conga, Bass
Bob Brainen - Drums, Percussion
Rich Hazelton - Layout
Unknown-ness: I'm gonna be honest here, I bought this, not knowing it at all, but because the name has the same flow and is reminiscent of Oingo Boingo, and it was a quarter. The first thing I noticed was that this was sponsored/recorded by/in a radio station, which, when read next to the track titles, made me believe this might be a "comedy" album. And I might be right: from the inspection of the booklet, this was a live recorded album that is basically dialogue over unmatched music. There is a notice that "The musical accompaniment was entirely extemporaneous, in case you were wondering." The vocalist is a rather old gentleman, so I image some "getoffmylawn / racist" content. But some of the jokey titles suggest a time capsule of things pop-culture in 1997. This might be a complete waste of time.
Album Review: After reading more about the man behind Bingo Gazingo, and his tragic passing two years ago, I had a better picture of what to expect. The stories about his self-promotion and his rise to mediocre notoriety are pleasant and fun. A friend even has one of his songs on an outsider music compilation (Songs in the Key of Z).
“Psycho/Psycho” starts after a few seconds with an echoing, antique vocal recording of BG reciting a music-less song (as he calls it: not poetry) he wrote regarding the film Psycho. It sounds like a sports announcer recalling a close head to head horserace. There is faint use of the theremin through out the song. The voice waxes in wanes in intensity, seeming very psychotic, dual personality in itself.
“Up Your Jurassic Park” actually has musical value with a synth bass beat and video game sounding watery effects. This time the vocals recount a trip to Jurassic Park. The vocals are almost preachy, but they still retain the handheld radio sports caster quality of audio with a tinny pitch. The sound effect flow in and out and up and down on their own accord, unrelated to the vocals, but that is what the disc warns against: audio and voice are independent of each other.
“Everything's OK at the OK Corral” features music as if in a sad country western piano bar, mixed with a calming surf guitar. The vocals announce, in a calm but enthusiastic way, a play by play of what happens at the OK Corral, which is anything but OK. There is a nice side to side, drawn out, reassuring swagger behind the delivery and production of the music. The vocals seem to be an off-the-cuff account, and feel unscripted, except they always loop back to the title & message of the song.
“I Love You So Fucking Much I Can't Shit” is a jittery, nervous account of love and pain of the literal dilemma of constipation due to love. The music is jazzy and frantically played, as different instruments take turns over a mostly constant driving drum beat.
“Everyday I leave 10 Dollars on the Table” has a ticking clock percussion followed by acoustic guitar to start off. The song has a very beatnik, coffee shop feel to it, and the repetitive rhyme of table, cain & abel.
“Baba Booey” rocks out from the very start, with driving guitars and drums, like a typical alternative song. The vocals are very low-fi, and the repetitive chorus of the once-famous Howard Stern side kick is catchy. You could say this is reminiscent of early Ween. The theme is that of a crazy love song to Baba Booey, that ends up devolving into crazy noises that kinda sound like the name.
“I'm a Wabbitt” is quiet and ethereal in its start. It is spoken slowly with the “Ewmer Fwudd wisp.” The theme of this song is about being a wabbit & making love. I get the impression the POV is from Fudd’s mind when he is dressed up like a rabbit trying to get Bugs.
“Indecent Proposal” is a very smooth and fun surf-rock song. But the vocals are a cliff’s notes of the film of the same name. The music stops for a stint while the vocals give a menu of indecent proposals. The surf comes back, and the menu continues, followed by the restrictions and stipulations on the proposal.
“Two Strangers From Georgia” revisits the country bumpkin musical theme. It still uses a nice looped poetic flow, revisiting the chorus/title after two or three lines. The song continues to wind down for a good deal of time after the lyrics stop.
“Two Pack Shaker” is a funky jam with bluesy guitar and a church organ. The free flowing lyrics are more refine here, and flow in a much more rhythmic pulse. It is much more listenable, and is a bio about Tupac, who had recently passed away in 1997…with a little extra rhyming verse added in.
“Calling Casablanca” is literally a one sided phone call, as if a madman is ranting about whatever he wants to, related to the film. There are some hints and lines from the movie and lyrics sort of sung of Louis Armstrong’s As Time Goes By from the movie…and parody variants on said song. The backing music is ethereal and ambient, not really fluid, but it paints the feeling of the hotel in Casablanca very nicely.
“Like Beavis & Butthead” is very neurotic, as said/spoken as if on speed or coke. It is reminiscent of a horse race or auctioneer caller. I think the lyrics are recounting different episodes of B&B. The music behind is upbeat and sort of new wave poppy. The song devolves into yacking and sounds that emulate the famous Cornholio character from the cartoon as the song finishes.
“Artie Wexler” is a swaying waltz musically with a deep, dark undertone. The prose is circular, repeating “Artie Wexler” and “on the roof” about Artie Wexler making love. The organ played in this song is a very new wave sound (Elvis Costello and XTC) but it is not played jittery or fast.
“Are You A Lover?” is a smooth jam that is juxtaposed against crazy and fast spoken questioning from the crazy ranting vocalist. It consists of lots of short and quick repetition of rhyming words (usually the same word)
“Oh Madonna (You Stole My Pants)” is an electronic disco song with zapping, pulsing electric beats in the beginning that evolves into a general buzz. The rhythmic beatnik recitation of the lyrics feels very performance art inspired. It flows and twists into different topics, each following topic tripped into by one random word from the preceding section. It ends in a climactic flurry of vocal at the height of excitement, and the end of the song rides out on the disco beat.
“Bingo Gazingo's Bolero” starts out with a poetic description of a relationship. The accompanying music is dark and cloudy, but basic and simple. The vocals continue to repeat with the same rolling repetition. The music begins to take shape as a sort of military march cadence. This is a very long song, and as of now, I see no signs of it changing from this pattern over the final 10 minutes of the album. The general line of repetition is “a woman that’s more than a woman, and a man that’s more than a man” The music builds louder and louder, and begins to gain a bit of a Celtic feel to it. This would truly be impressive to see live, if it were all in one take, because there is virtually no break in the rushed rambling of the vocals.
“Psycho/Psycho” starts after a few seconds with an echoing, antique vocal recording of BG reciting a music-less song (as he calls it: not poetry) he wrote regarding the film Psycho. It sounds like a sports announcer recalling a close head to head horserace. There is faint use of the theremin through out the song. The voice waxes in wanes in intensity, seeming very psychotic, dual personality in itself.
“Up Your Jurassic Park” actually has musical value with a synth bass beat and video game sounding watery effects. This time the vocals recount a trip to Jurassic Park. The vocals are almost preachy, but they still retain the handheld radio sports caster quality of audio with a tinny pitch. The sound effect flow in and out and up and down on their own accord, unrelated to the vocals, but that is what the disc warns against: audio and voice are independent of each other.
“Everything's OK at the OK Corral” features music as if in a sad country western piano bar, mixed with a calming surf guitar. The vocals announce, in a calm but enthusiastic way, a play by play of what happens at the OK Corral, which is anything but OK. There is a nice side to side, drawn out, reassuring swagger behind the delivery and production of the music. The vocals seem to be an off-the-cuff account, and feel unscripted, except they always loop back to the title & message of the song.
“I Love You So Fucking Much I Can't Shit” is a jittery, nervous account of love and pain of the literal dilemma of constipation due to love. The music is jazzy and frantically played, as different instruments take turns over a mostly constant driving drum beat.
“Everyday I leave 10 Dollars on the Table” has a ticking clock percussion followed by acoustic guitar to start off. The song has a very beatnik, coffee shop feel to it, and the repetitive rhyme of table, cain & abel.
“Baba Booey” rocks out from the very start, with driving guitars and drums, like a typical alternative song. The vocals are very low-fi, and the repetitive chorus of the once-famous Howard Stern side kick is catchy. You could say this is reminiscent of early Ween. The theme is that of a crazy love song to Baba Booey, that ends up devolving into crazy noises that kinda sound like the name.
“I'm a Wabbitt” is quiet and ethereal in its start. It is spoken slowly with the “Ewmer Fwudd wisp.” The theme of this song is about being a wabbit & making love. I get the impression the POV is from Fudd’s mind when he is dressed up like a rabbit trying to get Bugs.
“Indecent Proposal” is a very smooth and fun surf-rock song. But the vocals are a cliff’s notes of the film of the same name. The music stops for a stint while the vocals give a menu of indecent proposals. The surf comes back, and the menu continues, followed by the restrictions and stipulations on the proposal.
“Two Strangers From Georgia” revisits the country bumpkin musical theme. It still uses a nice looped poetic flow, revisiting the chorus/title after two or three lines. The song continues to wind down for a good deal of time after the lyrics stop.
“Two Pack Shaker” is a funky jam with bluesy guitar and a church organ. The free flowing lyrics are more refine here, and flow in a much more rhythmic pulse. It is much more listenable, and is a bio about Tupac, who had recently passed away in 1997…with a little extra rhyming verse added in.
“Calling Casablanca” is literally a one sided phone call, as if a madman is ranting about whatever he wants to, related to the film. There are some hints and lines from the movie and lyrics sort of sung of Louis Armstrong’s As Time Goes By from the movie…and parody variants on said song. The backing music is ethereal and ambient, not really fluid, but it paints the feeling of the hotel in Casablanca very nicely.
“Like Beavis & Butthead” is very neurotic, as said/spoken as if on speed or coke. It is reminiscent of a horse race or auctioneer caller. I think the lyrics are recounting different episodes of B&B. The music behind is upbeat and sort of new wave poppy. The song devolves into yacking and sounds that emulate the famous Cornholio character from the cartoon as the song finishes.
“Artie Wexler” is a swaying waltz musically with a deep, dark undertone. The prose is circular, repeating “Artie Wexler” and “on the roof” about Artie Wexler making love. The organ played in this song is a very new wave sound (Elvis Costello and XTC) but it is not played jittery or fast.
“Are You A Lover?” is a smooth jam that is juxtaposed against crazy and fast spoken questioning from the crazy ranting vocalist. It consists of lots of short and quick repetition of rhyming words (usually the same word)
“Oh Madonna (You Stole My Pants)” is an electronic disco song with zapping, pulsing electric beats in the beginning that evolves into a general buzz. The rhythmic beatnik recitation of the lyrics feels very performance art inspired. It flows and twists into different topics, each following topic tripped into by one random word from the preceding section. It ends in a climactic flurry of vocal at the height of excitement, and the end of the song rides out on the disco beat.
“Bingo Gazingo's Bolero” starts out with a poetic description of a relationship. The accompanying music is dark and cloudy, but basic and simple. The vocals continue to repeat with the same rolling repetition. The music begins to take shape as a sort of military march cadence. This is a very long song, and as of now, I see no signs of it changing from this pattern over the final 10 minutes of the album. The general line of repetition is “a woman that’s more than a woman, and a man that’s more than a man” The music builds louder and louder, and begins to gain a bit of a Celtic feel to it. This would truly be impressive to see live, if it were all in one take, because there is virtually no break in the rushed rambling of the vocals.
Stand Out Track: Oh Madonna (you stole my pants)
Links:
rsteviemoore website
rsteviemoore trouserpress
BG on WFMU's blog
This CD's website
Dave Amels wikipedia site
RIP Life Just Bouncesrsteviemoore trouserpress
BG on WFMU's blog
This CD's website
Dave Amels wikipedia site
wiki songs in key of Z
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