The Starting Line is composed of two program presentations, both of which are highly edited versions of shows that were originally broadcast on KPFA's Over the Edge radio show, hosted by Don Joyce weekly and featuring members of Negativland. The first program, "The Starting Line," is Tracks 1-5, and features a mock call-in radio show focusing on various aspects of cars, hosted by a character (and used car dealer) named Dick Goodbody. The second program, "The Rototiller Singalong," takes up Tracks 6 - 9, and is hosted by two people claiming not to be involved with Over the Edge, but are in fact David Wills & Richard Lyons. The program features a recording of a Rototiller (as captured by David Wills when his neighbor was using it, which has become a bit of an inside-joke for fans of the show), and over-the-phone "karaoke," where callers provide the vocal parts for music being played in the studio.
Originally released in 1985 by SST Records on cassette only, it appeared as the Second Side of the JAMCON'84 cassette. It was re-released in 1995 by Negativland's own label, Seeland Records, as a CD. Given that JAMCON'84 had already been released, and with additional material, "The Rototiller Singalong," program was added to it.
Track listing
"The Drive Line: World's Most Beloved & Exalted Status Symbol, Metallic Root Beer, Lada, etc."
"Stir the Stumps: Answer Man, Hitler's Staff Car, Chappaquiddick, Transient Peaks, Carnuba Wax, etc."
"Receptacle Programming, Fear of Freeways Mix, Defend the Fuel, Total Asshole, etc."
"Auto Trivia: Cool Cars, Cheaper Cheese, Limousines of Pope Paul VII, etc."
"Chevy Innovation and JamJamJam"
"It Fell in Port Costa, Rototiller Mix, Bottlebrush Bushes, etc." [CD only]
"Phone-In Singalong, Song List, What the World Needs Now, Tammy, Drug Free, Transient Peaks, etc." [CD only]
"This Disco's Out of Sight, A Lot About Mucus, Sammy the Whammy, LIFE'S Unanswered Questions, No Other Possibility, etc." [CD only]
"Pure Full Stereo Rototiller and So Long" [CD only]
Personnel
The CD re-issue does not list personnel, but the SST Cassette release listed the following people participating in both JAMCON'84 & THE STARTING LINE:
Given that OTE is Don's show, and that both Richard & David's voices host THE ROTOTILLER SINGALONG, we can assume that at least those three were involved with that Program.
SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was formed in 1966 by Ginn at age 12 as Solid State Tuners, a small business through which he sold electronics equipment. Ginn repurposed the company as a record label to release material by his band Black Flag.
Over the Edge is a sound collage radio program hosted and produced in the United States by Jon Leidecker ("Wobbly") and Robert Cole ("KrOB"), who took over in 2015 after the death of longtime host Don Joyce.
Escape from Noise is the fourth studio album by Negativland. It marked the band's first release on an established independent record label, SST Records. On the album, they continued to develop their experimental style, as well as incorporating elements of pop music with shorter tracks and more conventional melodies. "Christianity Is Stupid", a track featuring samples from the propaganda movie If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?, proved to be an enduring signature song: the band and the release gained widespread attention a year later due to a SST press release falsely implying that murderer David Brom had listened to the song before killing his family members.
Helter Stupid is Negativland's fifth studio album, released in 1989. It is a concept album that focuses on a hoax that the band started, which claimed that the Negativland song "Christianity Is Stupid" inspired a teenager to murder his family with an axe.
Pastor Dick: Muriel's Purse Fund was the second volume in the Over the Edge series, which distills the best moments from Negativland's radio program Over the Edge, broadcast on KPFA. This album was edited together from several different broadcasts recorded between 1982 and 1986.
The Weatherman's Dumb Stupid Come-Out Line was the third volume in the Over the Edge series, which distills the best material from Negativland's radio program Over the Edge, broadcast on KPFA. This album was edited together from several different broadcasts recorded between 1982 and 1984.
U2 is a withdrawn EP by the experimental music and sound collage band Negativland, released in 1991. The EP and the band gained notoriety when lawyers representing Island Records, the record label of the band U2, sued over misleading artwork and the use of unauthorized sampling.
JAMCON '84 was the first volume in the Over the Edge series, which distills portions of Negativland's radio program Over the Edge, broadcast on KPFA. This album was edited together from at least three different broadcasts recorded between January and July 1985.
Donald S. Joyce was an American musician who was a member of the experimental music group Negativland. He also hosted a weekly radio program called Over the Edge on the Berkeley, California, radio station KPFA, for more than 30 years.
A Big 10-8 Place is the third album by Negativland, released in 1983. It was the first album with the involvement of band member Don Joyce. The album's title is a reference to the radio ten-code "10-8," which means "back in service" or "available for next call" in the context of common CB radio usage. The lyrics and collage sound clips on the album make frequent reference to the CB radio hobby, as well as mischief like jamming.
Negativland is Negativland's first album, released in 1980. Each copy of the album has a different cover. The initial pressing was 500 copies. Unlike all other Negativland albums, the album has no titles for the songs, just numbers. It is the rarest Negativland album, next to the misprinted Dispepsi albums and the U2 E.P.
The Letter U and the Numeral 2 is a 96-page magazine and 25-minute CD by Negativland detailing their conflict with the band U2, over Negativland's EP of the same name. It was released in 1992 as a limited edition of 4000 copies. Two months after its release, SST Records blocked its distribution with a lawsuit claiming, among other things, copyright infringement based on reproductions of press releases sent to the press by SST; "in essence, suing the band for printing (their) threat to sue the band". SST's lawsuit is similar to the "Streisand effect".
Truth in Advertising is a 1997 EP by Negativland. It was released as a teaser for their up-coming album "Dispepsi". Some of the material on the EP dates as far back as 1987, where it was used on Over the Edge, the radio show masterminded by former Negativland band member Don Joyce.
Deathsentences of the Polished and Structurally Weak is an album and booklet by Negativland. The band describes the project as "a 6 by 12 inch 64-page full-color book which comes with a 45-minute CD soundtrack."
Dick Vaughn's Moribund Music Of The '70s is a collection of recordings edited from a wealth of material broadcast on KPFA's Over the Edge radio show, hosted by Don Joyce weekly and featuring members of Negativland, as well as material recorded at a Live Negativland show just after the "U2 Scandal." The recordings are broken up into two discs, and within that contain bits and pieces of many different Over The Edge Shows.
The Willsaphone Stupid Show is a two CD collection of recordings edited from two different broadcasts on KPFA's Over the Edge radio show, hosted by Don Joyce.
Sex Dirt distills a single episode of Negativland's radio program Over the Edge, broadcast on KPFA.
Negativland is an American experimental music band which originated in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1970s. They took their name from a Neu! track, while their record label is named after another Neu! track. The core of the band consists of Mark Hosler, David Wills, Peter Conheim and Jon Leidecker.
The World Will Decide is the 14th studio album by Negativland, released on November13, 2020.
True False is a 2019 studio album by American experimental rock band Negativland. It has received positive reception from critics. It is a companion piece to 2020's The World Will Decide.
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