Chapter 28, Moog Analog Synthesizers, Part 1

Episode 168

Chapter 28, Moog Analog Synthesizers, Part 1. Works Recommended from my book, Electronic and Experimental Music 

Welcome to the Archive of Electronic Music. This is Thom Holmes.

This podcast is produced as a companion to my book, Electronic and Experimental Music, published by Routledge. Each of these episodes corresponds to a chapter in the text and an associated list of recommended works, also called Listen in the text. They provide listening examples of vintage electronic works featured in the text.

The works themselves can be enjoyed without the book and I hope that they stand as a chronological survey of important works in the history of electronic music. Be sure to tune-in to other episodes of the podcast where we explore a wide range of electronic music in many styles and genres, all drawn from my archive of vintage recordings.

There is a complete playlist for this episode on the website for the podcast.

Let’s get started with the listening guide to Chapter 28, Moog Analog Synthesizers, Part 1 from my book Electronic and Experimental music.

 

Playlist: EARLY MOOG RECORDINGS (BEFORE 1970)

 

Time

Track Time

Start

Introduction –Thom Holmes

01:32

00:00

1.     Emil Richards and the New Sound Element, “Sapphire (September)” from Stones (1967). Paul Beaver played Moog and Clavinet on this album by jazz-pop mallet player Richards, who also contributed some synthesizer sounds.

02:21

01:44

2.     Mort Garson, “Scorpio” (1967) from Zodiac Cosmic Sounds (1967). Mort Garson and Paul Beaver. Incorporated Moog sounds among it menagerie of instruments. Garson went on to produce many solo Moog projects.

02:53

04:04

3.     Hal Blaine, “Kaleidoscope (March)” from Psychedelic Percussion(1967). Hal Blaine and Paul Beaver. Beaver provided Moog and other electronic treatments for this jazzy percussion album by drummer Blaine.

02:20

06:58

4.     The Electric Flag, “Flash, Bam, Pow” from The Trip soundtrack (1967). Rock group The Electric Flag. Moog by Paul Beaver.

01:27

09:18

5.     The Byrds, “Space Odyssey” (1968) from The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968).  Produced by Gary Usher who was acknowledged for having included the Moog on this rock album, with tracks such as, “Goin’ Back” (played by Paul Beaver), “Natural Harmony,” and unreleased track “Moog Raga.”

03:47

10:48

6.     The Monkees, “Daily Nightly” from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones Ltd. (1967). Moog effects provided by Micky Dolenz of the Monkees and Paul Beaver.

02:29

14:40

7.     Jean Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley, “The Savers,” a single taken from Kaleidoscopic Vibrations (1967). The first Moog album by this duo known for their electro-pop songs.

01:48

17:08

8.     Wendy Carlos, “Chorale Prelude "Wachet Auf" from Switched-On Bach (1968). The most celebrated Moog album of all time and still the gold standard for Moog Modular performances.

03:34

18:54

9.     Mike Melvoin, “Born to be Wild” from The Plastic Cow Goes Moooooog (1969). Moog programming by Paul Beaver and Bernie Krause.

03:03

22:28

10.   Sagittarius, “Lend Me a Smile” from The Blue Marble (1969). This was a studio group headed by Gary Usher, producer of The Byrds, who used the Moog extensively on this rock album.

03:09

25:30

11.   The Zeet Band, “Moogie Woogie” from the album Moogie Woogie(1969). Electronic boogie and blues by an ensemble including Paul Beaver, Erwin Helfer, Mark Naftalin, “Fastfingers” Finkelstein, and Norman Dayron.

02:43

28:40

 

Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.

My Books/eBooks: Electronic and Experimental Music, sixth edition, Routledge 2020. Also, Sound Art: Concepts and Practices, first edition, Routledge 2022.

See my companion blog that I write for the Bob Moog Foundation.