Rhys Chatham – Factor X (CD2008)

Wall-of-sound guitars, a roaring brass section and the raw energy of downtown New York. Factor X is the first album by composer and guitarist Rhys Chatham, one of the key figures of the no wave scene and the father of the “guitar orchestra”. It was recorded in spring 1983 at the Radio City Music Hall Recording Studios in New York.

The album shows both sides of Chatham. The A side is “For Brass”, a 16-minute piece for four trumpets, three trombones and tuba, played by top players like Olu Dara, George Lewis and Bob Stewart. It’s dense, hypnotic and sharp-edged. The B side belongs to the electric guitars. On “Guitar Ring”, a whole group of guitarists plus two drummers build waves of overtones and motorik drive, somewhere between minimalism, punk and noise rock. “The Out of Tune Guitar, No. 2” and “Cadenza” complete the album.

This is essential listening for fans of Glenn Branca, Sonic Youth, Swans and the experimental crossover between new music and rock. Released on Moers Music. When you buy here, you’re buying directly from the label, and we only sell originals.

The Side Story

Rhys Chatham started out in classical new music, not in rock. He studied with Morton Subotnick and La Monte Young, and he worked as a piano tuner for Young and a harpsichord tuner for Gustav Leonhardt, Rosalyn Tureck and Glenn Gould. In 1971 he founded the music programme at The Kitchen in New York, where he presented artists like Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Meredith Monk and Pauline Oliveros.

In 1977 he saw an early Ramones concert, and it changed his music. A year later he was performing his famous Guitar Trio around downtown Manhattan with an ensemble that included Glenn Branca. Chatham and Branca have argued for years about who “invented” the no wave guitar sound first. Several later rock musicians got their start in Chatham’s guitar ensembles: members of Band of Susans came from his groups, and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth played with him too.

There’s a connection to another Moers release as well. Trombonist George Lewis, who plays on “For Brass”, is also featured on the Vienna Art Choir album From No Art to Mo(z)art. “For Brass” itself later became known under a new title: Massacre on MacDougal Street. Chatham moved to France in 1987 and still lives there today.

Tracklist

1. For Brass – 16:33

2. Guitar Ring – 11:15

3. The Out of Tune Guitar, No. 2 – 1:48

4. Cadenza – 6:07

Total running time: approx. 36 minutes

Personnel

• Rhys Chatham – electric guitar, composer

• Olu Dara, Sinclair Acey, Ron Todley, Frank Gordon – trumpet

• George Lewis, Jim Staley – trombone

• Steve Freeman – bass trombone

• Bob Stewart – tuba

• Karen Haglof, Craig R. Krafton, Susan Springfield, Tim Schellenbaum – electric guitar

• Anton Fier, James Lo – drums

Details

• Format: CD

• Label: Moers Music

• Catalog no.: CD2008

• Recorded: Spring 1983, Radio City Music Hall Recording Studios, New York

• Price: €14.00