Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | December 1984 (US) July 1985 (UK) | |||
Recorded | 1984 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 35:04 | |||
Label | Touch and Go (US) Fundamental (UK) Latino Buggerveil (reissue) | |||
Producer | Butthole Surfers | |||
Butthole Surfers chronology | ||||
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Back cover | ||||
Alternative cover | ||||
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
Robert Christgau | B+ [3] |
Rolling Stone | [4] |
Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac is the debut studio album by American rock band Butthole Surfers,released in December 1984 by Touch and Go Records in America and Fundamental Records in England. All songs were written and produced by the Butthole Surfers.
This was Butthole Surfers' first album on Touch and Go,and was originally released on clear vinyl. It was reissued on Latino Buggerveil in 1999.
The album's back cover and label photos were produced by artist Michael Macioce. [5]
After releasing their debut studio record on Alternative Tentacles,the band embarked on a decidedly more psychedelic direction with their first full-length LP. However,while half of the album—and in particular the song "Cherub"—has definite psychedelic qualities,elements of traditional punk ("Butthole Surfer"),blues ("Lady Sniff"),surf rock ("Mexican Caravan"),and country rock ("Gary Floyd") are also on display.
"Dum Dum" is also notable for being another song in Butthole Surfers' catalogue to be based around parts of a Black Sabbath song although the lyrics revolve around an entirely different concept from the original. Specifically,the drums are lifted from "Children of the Grave," from the Master of Reality album.[ citation needed ]
Many of Psychic...'s tracks were enhanced with extensive tape editing and,in some cases,the addition of non-traditional instrumentation,including the barrage of bizarre sounds (spitting,vomiting,a Spanish-language radio station,etc.) heard in "Lady Sniff." Lead vocalist Gibby Haynes debuted a new vocal technique by singing through a bullhorn for some songs,and played saxophone on "Negro Observer" and "Cowboy Bob". This was the first Butthole Surfers studio album to feature double drummers King Coffey and Teresa Nervosa,and the last with bass player Bill Jolly,who had also performed on the band's first two releases.
Approximately half the songs on this album,including "Negro Observer," "Lady Sniff," "Cherub," "Mexican Caravan," "Cowboy Bob," and "Gary Floyd," remained staples of Butthole Surfers' live shows.[ citation needed ]
According to guitarist Paul Leary,Psychic... was recorded in a very substandard studio. Leary also claims he and Haynes were living in a tool shed at the time of the sessions. [6]
Butthole Surfers weren't under contract to any record label when they recorded this album. Upon its completion they offered it to Alternative Tentacles,who had released the band's first two EPs but could not afford to distribute the new project. [7] This,combined with questions the group had regarding Alternative Tentacles' handling of royalties from the band’s self-titled debut and the Live PCPPEP ,resulted in the album ultimately being released on Touch and Go. [8]
All songs written and produced by Butthole Surfers.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Concubine" | 2:27 |
2. | "Eye of the Chicken" | 1:36 |
3. | "Dum Dum" | 3:47 |
4. | "Woly Boly" | 2:45 |
5. | "Negro Observer" (CD/LP versions only) | 3:39 |
6. | "Butthole Surfer" | 3:02 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
7. | "Lady Sniff" | 3:45 |
8. | "Cherub" | 6:22 |
9. | "Mexican Caravan" | 2:46 |
10. | "Cowboy Bob" | 2:55 |
11. | "Gary Floyd" | 1:56 |
Total length: | 35:04 |
Chart (1985) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Indie Chart [9] | 12 |
Butthole Surfers are an American rock band formed in San Antonio, Texas, by singer Gibby Haynes and guitarist Paul Leary in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second drummer from 1983 to 1985, 1986 to 1989, and 2009. The band has also employed a variety of bass players, most notably Jeff Pinkus.
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Gibson Jerome Haynes is an American musician, radio personality, painter, author and the lead singer of the band Butthole Surfers.
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The discography of American rock band Butthole Surfers consists of eight studio albums, four extended plays (EP), two live albums, three compilation albums, one video album, and eight singles. Formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas, the group signed with the Alternative Tentacles label in 1981. Butthole Surfers' eponymous debut EP was released two years later. The band added drummers King Coffey and Teresa Nervosa in 1983, moved to the Touch and Go label the following year, and released their debut full-length album, Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac.
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Teresa Taylor, also known as Teresa Nervosa, was an American musician and actress. She was best known as a drummer for the American experimental rock band Butthole Surfers.
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Kathleen Lynch is an American dancer and performance artist, best known as American punk band Butthole Surfers' "naked dancer" from 1986 to 1989; however, she was never officially part of the band.
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