DR. FONG & FRIENDS
''CATACLIZM ON 8TH AVENUE''
NOVEMBER 29 2007
44:53
1. CataClizm On 8th Avenue 44:53
ALBUM NOTES
By CDBaby
If you like Beck, Clapton and Billy Gibbons you'll love Dr. Fong's CataClizm on 8th Avenue!
Long ago and far away, way out in the boonies of rural Hoosierland a young boy picked up his ax and started hammering out riffs. From tiny garage bands to legendary rockers Primevil of 700 West fame and eventually performing with some of the best musicians on the planet, Dr. Fong is no doubt one of rock's best kept secrets!
Cataclizm is a bold move into a totally real, unrehearsed, unedited long jam.... Cataclizm was not rehearsed and was done in one take without any overdubs of any kind. Cataclizm is 45 minutes of lettin' a Strat rip, rock, cry and weep in every way imaginable! Check out the good Doc's super guitar licks and the amazing bass work of Gary "Brotherman" Branchaud, Nashville "Alister"!
Crank it way up and hit play! Have a taste of CataClizm on 8th Avenue!
ABOUT
Where to begin? Once upon a time, long, long ago there was a little boy who at the age of seven would scribble out "songs". When he got one of his creations done he would proudly walk through the back door of that little house to see what his mom thought about it. That was way back and the world and the boy have changed so much!
The elusive, reclusive Dr. Fong takes an extremely odd approach to his craft. He is completely and totally musically "ignorant" and ok with that. He does not read or write music....does not understand time signatures and can't read musical charts. Aside from two guitar lessons at the age of 12 he has absolutely no formal music training and has never studied music theory of any type. He has spent virtually no time ever playing cover material but has steadfastly remained true to creating his own music. When asked why he does not enjoy playing other band's music he will say something like, "that's what tape recorders are for so why should I botch up another band's song?" Fong's creations are almost always written from his own life experiences and run the total gamut of music genres and sometimes break new ground i. e. Goodbye Sweet Sherry. Sherry is a good example of Fong's extremely warped sense of humor that frequently finds its' way into his music. In composing music and recording he almost never plays a song all the way through even one time prior to recording it and never "knows" the song before going into the studio with it. Most songs are altered on the fly during the actual recording process. Some start as instrumentals and end up being tunes with vocals i. e. Black Stiletto Shoes in which the lyrics were written in 5 minutes because he thought the song called out for them. When asked why he has not taken the normal path of study and knowledge you will get a response something to the effect that "if I did that I would have to play by those rules". Strange. He never "writes" solo parts prior to recording the tracks and for the most part his songs come to him literally in the middle of the night in dreams as well as admitedly a few nightmares.
Some call him a ghost writer and others call him a complete deranged, eccentric artist. Dr. Fong can be a bit hard to get to know and has a handful of friends and the rest of the world just does not understand him. Insecure with his talents he is own very worst critic and can be almost impossible to work with at times. Maybe he is a prince inside that is not sure if he is a frog or not? I call him a guy who, for reasons known only to him, checked out of the music world in 1981 but thank God decided to come back. The complete story is unknown and he ain't talkin'.....BUT if you are a devotee of red hot rockin' blues and out and out blazing guitar rock and roll, check out Dr. Fong and Friends!
Later in the 70's Wilfong put together the Buccaneer album and concert project that debuted at the Indianapolis Convention Center. The self titled album Buccaneer outsold virtually every major release in the Indiana market and had extensive airplay. Again, Moe Whittemore's super 700 West Studio had a hand in the production and the final mastered product and just like the Primevil release of "Smokin' Bats At Campton's" before it the Buccaneer album has also brought huge bucks on the open market as a prized collector's item! Even more valuable are the handful of copies on an unrealeased "Brown Jacket" version of the Buccaneer album.
Despite the incredible regional success of Buccaneer Wilfong recalls the emotional roller coaster and crash when RSO Records, Island Records and Polygram all eventually passed on the project. What chance did it have when many established artists lost their deals for a period of time? When the band failed to land a major distribution deal during the record industry's dark era known as the Jimmy Carter administration, Wilfong lost everything, falling into poverty after risking it all promoting Buccaneer. At that same time the end came to Fong's first marriage and he literally put down his guitar, turning his back completely on music for 23 years. The pain of it all was just too intense.
After rebuilding his life and eventually settling in Nashville in 98, Wilfong's second marriage was now on the rocks and over. In 2001 and in the clutches of a deep depression Wilfong turned to an old friend that he had not seen or touched in years and made contact once again with music, this time focusing on blues and power rock. This time music came through for the good doc and since that time Dr. Fong has been cutting a swath through the Nashville blues scene as well as prolifically writing blues, rock, torch, jazz and an occasional country song.
In November of 2007 Dr. Fong & Friends erupted! Fong released TWO power rock CD's entitled "Goin' Out To Party Tonight!" and "Black Stiletto Shoes" and simultaneously released a 17 song electric blues CD entitled "Beethoven Of Da Blues". If that were not enough Dr. Fong released a compilation of Primevil, Buccaneer and Dr. Fong & Friends cuts entitled "Best O' Fong" as well as an amazing epic 3 piece progressive blues and power rock instrumental jam CD entitled "CataClism On 8th Avenue"! CataClism is a one track 45 minute CD that literally blazes in a 3 piece jam featuring Fong, Gary "Brotherman" Branchaud on bass and the elusive MadJack on drums! All recent efforts are released by Limerance Records recorded at the almost invisible Mystery Isle Recording on South 8th Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee.
If that wasn't enough both of the 700 West releases "Smokin' Bats At Campton's" and "Buccaneer" are now available as CR "re-releases"!!!! Seven CD's released in a single month??? The doc and crew may go into the Guiness Book of World Records!!
Don't just read about Dr. Fong. Check out Dr. Fong's work on his
MySpace page as well as SNOCAP and CDBaby and other leading CD outlets!
Enjoy!!
By James Q. Hogleroy - Proprietor - J. Q. Hogg's
''CATACLIZM ON 8TH AVENUE''
NOVEMBER 29 2007
44:53
1. CataClizm On 8th Avenue 44:53
ALBUM NOTES
By CDBaby
If you like Beck, Clapton and Billy Gibbons you'll love Dr. Fong's CataClizm on 8th Avenue!
Long ago and far away, way out in the boonies of rural Hoosierland a young boy picked up his ax and started hammering out riffs. From tiny garage bands to legendary rockers Primevil of 700 West fame and eventually performing with some of the best musicians on the planet, Dr. Fong is no doubt one of rock's best kept secrets!
Cataclizm is a bold move into a totally real, unrehearsed, unedited long jam.... Cataclizm was not rehearsed and was done in one take without any overdubs of any kind. Cataclizm is 45 minutes of lettin' a Strat rip, rock, cry and weep in every way imaginable! Check out the good Doc's super guitar licks and the amazing bass work of Gary "Brotherman" Branchaud, Nashville "Alister"!
Crank it way up and hit play! Have a taste of CataClizm on 8th Avenue!
ABOUT
Where to begin? Once upon a time, long, long ago there was a little boy who at the age of seven would scribble out "songs". When he got one of his creations done he would proudly walk through the back door of that little house to see what his mom thought about it. That was way back and the world and the boy have changed so much!
The elusive, reclusive Dr. Fong takes an extremely odd approach to his craft. He is completely and totally musically "ignorant" and ok with that. He does not read or write music....does not understand time signatures and can't read musical charts. Aside from two guitar lessons at the age of 12 he has absolutely no formal music training and has never studied music theory of any type. He has spent virtually no time ever playing cover material but has steadfastly remained true to creating his own music. When asked why he does not enjoy playing other band's music he will say something like, "that's what tape recorders are for so why should I botch up another band's song?" Fong's creations are almost always written from his own life experiences and run the total gamut of music genres and sometimes break new ground i. e. Goodbye Sweet Sherry. Sherry is a good example of Fong's extremely warped sense of humor that frequently finds its' way into his music. In composing music and recording he almost never plays a song all the way through even one time prior to recording it and never "knows" the song before going into the studio with it. Most songs are altered on the fly during the actual recording process. Some start as instrumentals and end up being tunes with vocals i. e. Black Stiletto Shoes in which the lyrics were written in 5 minutes because he thought the song called out for them. When asked why he has not taken the normal path of study and knowledge you will get a response something to the effect that "if I did that I would have to play by those rules". Strange. He never "writes" solo parts prior to recording the tracks and for the most part his songs come to him literally in the middle of the night in dreams as well as admitedly a few nightmares.
Some call him a ghost writer and others call him a complete deranged, eccentric artist. Dr. Fong can be a bit hard to get to know and has a handful of friends and the rest of the world just does not understand him. Insecure with his talents he is own very worst critic and can be almost impossible to work with at times. Maybe he is a prince inside that is not sure if he is a frog or not? I call him a guy who, for reasons known only to him, checked out of the music world in 1981 but thank God decided to come back. The complete story is unknown and he ain't talkin'.....BUT if you are a devotee of red hot rockin' blues and out and out blazing guitar rock and roll, check out Dr. Fong and Friends!
Later in the 70's Wilfong put together the Buccaneer album and concert project that debuted at the Indianapolis Convention Center. The self titled album Buccaneer outsold virtually every major release in the Indiana market and had extensive airplay. Again, Moe Whittemore's super 700 West Studio had a hand in the production and the final mastered product and just like the Primevil release of "Smokin' Bats At Campton's" before it the Buccaneer album has also brought huge bucks on the open market as a prized collector's item! Even more valuable are the handful of copies on an unrealeased "Brown Jacket" version of the Buccaneer album.
Despite the incredible regional success of Buccaneer Wilfong recalls the emotional roller coaster and crash when RSO Records, Island Records and Polygram all eventually passed on the project. What chance did it have when many established artists lost their deals for a period of time? When the band failed to land a major distribution deal during the record industry's dark era known as the Jimmy Carter administration, Wilfong lost everything, falling into poverty after risking it all promoting Buccaneer. At that same time the end came to Fong's first marriage and he literally put down his guitar, turning his back completely on music for 23 years. The pain of it all was just too intense.
After rebuilding his life and eventually settling in Nashville in 98, Wilfong's second marriage was now on the rocks and over. In 2001 and in the clutches of a deep depression Wilfong turned to an old friend that he had not seen or touched in years and made contact once again with music, this time focusing on blues and power rock. This time music came through for the good doc and since that time Dr. Fong has been cutting a swath through the Nashville blues scene as well as prolifically writing blues, rock, torch, jazz and an occasional country song.
In November of 2007 Dr. Fong & Friends erupted! Fong released TWO power rock CD's entitled "Goin' Out To Party Tonight!" and "Black Stiletto Shoes" and simultaneously released a 17 song electric blues CD entitled "Beethoven Of Da Blues". If that were not enough Dr. Fong released a compilation of Primevil, Buccaneer and Dr. Fong & Friends cuts entitled "Best O' Fong" as well as an amazing epic 3 piece progressive blues and power rock instrumental jam CD entitled "CataClism On 8th Avenue"! CataClism is a one track 45 minute CD that literally blazes in a 3 piece jam featuring Fong, Gary "Brotherman" Branchaud on bass and the elusive MadJack on drums! All recent efforts are released by Limerance Records recorded at the almost invisible Mystery Isle Recording on South 8th Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee.
If that wasn't enough both of the 700 West releases "Smokin' Bats At Campton's" and "Buccaneer" are now available as CR "re-releases"!!!! Seven CD's released in a single month??? The doc and crew may go into the Guiness Book of World Records!!
Don't just read about Dr. Fong. Check out Dr. Fong's work on his
MySpace page as well as SNOCAP and CDBaby and other leading CD outlets!
Enjoy!!
By James Q. Hogleroy - Proprietor - J. Q. Hogg's
No comments :
Post a Comment