Cyclic Defrost

An Australian magazine focusing on interesting music

John Fahey

By September 21, 2005

John Fahey is one of those characters you read about in The Wire and if you came to The Wire through electronic music then you probably have never heard.

Being couped up in a Berlin apartment with Dale and Andrew Pekler’s amazing record collection, Dale and I found a great John Fahey compilation called The Essential John Fahey. Dale put the needle on the record and we went back to what we were doing. This is a great compilation and a good introduction to the endless spiralling guitar lines of Fahey. Although I have to agree with the slightly terse Rough Trade guy that Death Chants, Breakdowns & Military Waltzes from 1967 is overall better.

Its blues but not being someone who listens to blues it is much closer to my ears to minimalism. Stunning beautiful and calm. If you haven’t checked him, head down to your local record store and hear for yourself.

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  • http://fortunegrey.com Matthew Levinson

    He’s pretty special isn’t he. It was Dale that introduced me to Fahey actually. He, Dale not Fahey, was staying at my place in Canberra while touring with the Herd and went flicking through a pile of records my boss had just given me – my boss was making the move from vinyl to cd – and picked out a record by the legendary guitarist. I’m really keen to hear more from the man…

  • ernestbludger

    Seb said:
    “John Fahey is one of those characters you read about in The Wire and if you came to The Wire through electronic music then you probably have never heard.”

    Damned straight. I initially thought I’d been directed to the wrong blog, ’cause the only John Fahey I’d heard of was the former premier of NSW. Will have to pop down to my local slsk store…

  • Dale

    with all this John Fahey hype I’ve been checking discogs and stuff and JF released an album recorded live in Tasmania (!) in 1981. it’s got kangaroos on the front and everything (and a little discourse by jf himself midway through where he says what a trip it is to be in Tasmania cos to americans it’s akin to timbuktoo (i.e. just this mythical name) in this wonderful socal drawl.

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Cyclic Defrost is Australia’s only specialist electronic music magazine. We cover independent electronic music, avant-rock, experimental sound art and leftfield hip hop. Read more

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