Shuggie Otis-Inspiration Information

Aht Uh Mi Head

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i wonder if there have even been shutout polls...

title track deserves some love, too

Has anyone here heard the recently-released outtake from this album, "Magic"? (can't find it online in any of the usual places - vinyl 7" only)

http://s3.amazonaws.com/broadtime_photo/418454794643%3A245

As I have only ever known the reissue I wanted to Vote for Strawberry Letter 23, which is one of my favourite songs ever. Will vote for either Aht Uh Mi Head or the title track.

XL-30

As I have only ever known the reissue I wanted to Vote for Strawberry Letter 23, which is one of my favourite songs ever

"Strawberry Letter 23" was one of four songs from his previous album Freedom Flight that were included on the reissue. I wouldn't have minded the entirety of Freedom Flight to be included (both albums would fit on one CD) - it's every bit as good as its more lauded successor. At least they shouldn't have resequenced the Freedom Flight songs - "Strawberry Letter 23" sounds perfect after "Ice Cold Daydream", but the reissue flipped them.

Also, what was wrong with the original album cover?

Original:

http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/images/covers/shuggie-otis-inspiration-information-20120616125251.jpg

Reissue:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5113MlUdezL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

"Island Letter"--such a great psych-soul slow jam.

yeah, Island Letter is the one for me.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

I voted 'Island Letter' as well. Dreamy and magical.

And I've always loved the original cover. It captures what the album might look like, to be a little obtuse. Just one dude sitting with his thoughts and the music that comes out of them.

I was excited when the reissue was coming out because I had never been able to find any of his other records besides Inspiration Information. But when I saw that butt ugly cover on the reissue, I was none too happy.

Title track

Also, what was wrong with the original album cover?

A: Luaka Bop are terrible. Actually it was probably because the original didn't look psychedelic enough and this was part of their World Psychedelic Classics series.

Also, Freedom Flight is so, so good.

After the Luaka Bop reissue, I went to great lengths to get the rest of Shuggie's work on original vinyl.

And yeah, Inspiration is his best.

**slightly disappointed in the long run**

I always loved Aht Uh Mi Head. Why no Strawberry Letter on the poll?

Apologies. Question already answered upthread.

I have a soft spot for Happy House. Can't decide whether to vote for it.

Island Letter is neat too. I can't really hear it without hearing the Digable Planets song.

Also, what was wrong with the original album cover?

A: Luaka Bop are terrible. Actually it was probably because the original didn't look psychedelic enough and this was part of their World Psychedelic Classics series.

Also, Freedom Flight is so, so good.

― reckless driving, abuse of small dogs, thirst for fame (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Friday, August 17, 2012 12:30 AM (11 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

pretty annoying that they didn't just put all of II and FF on one cd. it would have fit

Maybe a 24 Carat Black GMW poll next? That is another extraordinarily good album.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

24 Carat Black's s/t album came out in '73 and Ege Bamyasi came out in '72. I am talking about Vitamin C/24 Carat Black (the track). Was this one of them rare occasions where black music plagarises white music? I am only saying this because I had always assumed it was Can that pinched the bassline, because they were obviously digging a lot of funk and jazz at the time.

i don't hate the luaka bop cover and understand why they went that way. at the time, it suggested that this was a "relevant contemporary release" with wide appeal, not just some esoteric reissue curiosity aimed at true heads. when the curator has a higher public profile than the artist, repackaging can help the art reach a wider audience. i see that as a good thing, and luaka bop undeniably got shuggie otis & inspiration information into a lot of ears and minds.

new reissue is sweet

I love me some RhythmKing

shit, i had this sitting around for years without listening to it because i thought it was a reggae album and i didn't want to hear a reggae album

and it is great, doh

the bonus disc on the reissue is great too (unreleased recordings from 70s onward). less minimal than II, brighter production (but not really slick), lots of solid hooks, more stylistic variety.

I want to hear Boz Scaggs sing "aht uh mi hed"

Revisiting this today. Such an absolute landmark. The more dated its sounds become, the more I love it. Some of the polyrhythms on it are unmatched. When I finally lose my marbles, I'd wager this is one of the albums they'll play to get me to eat solid food.

Random observation:

It's kind of funny that I discovered this album through Digable Planets sampling it but by the time I heard it, saying something like "`XL-30` reminds me of Nintendo music" was possible. Time really does make fooles of us all.