Bruce Haack

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i discovered bruce while trying to see if there was anything else along the lines of raymond scott's "soothing sounds for baby" and "manhattan research" albums and think he's AMAZING. i mostly found the children's songs but came across "electric lucifer volume 2" on monday and have heard NOTHING like it before. does anyone here have any opinions on the man haack? and is there anything else of a similar ilk i should look for?

commonswings, Wednesday, 21 August 2002 12:23 (twenty-two years ago) link

You should try to find "Hush Little Robot". I also have "Listen Compute Rock Home" on CD, and Electric Lucifer on vinyl. Dustygroove might have them.


"Hush Little Robot" is the best that is available, IMO - it's a comp of other stuff. Check out brucehaack.com for more info. They used to have .mp3s on this site, but I didn't see any last time I was there.

Kerry, Wednesday, 21 August 2002 13:06 (twenty-two years ago) link

Electric Lucifer is absolutely astounding! (Despite the fact that he only managed to program one drum fill which he re-uses throughout the entire album . Never mind - the vocoder sound is great.)

Microkomputer (Microkomputer), Wednesday, 21 August 2002 13:44 (twenty-two years ago) link

Yeah, He's one of the greatest. I like his early children songs. Any of the three Dance, Sing & Listen are great.

A Nairn, Wednesday, 21 August 2002 14:52 (twenty-two years ago) link

I have his Electric Lucifer Book 2, and it's really beautiful/funny/creepy.

Jody Beth Rosen, Wednesday, 21 August 2002 17:15 (twenty-two years ago) link

two years pass...
This song "When The Sky Is Upside Down" by Mr. Haack and Co. is like the deepest thing I've ever heard. I'm trying to find more moody work by him (as opposed to a lot of his admittedly silly/novelty music). There are a 11 albums listed for sale, some of them being $28 imports - so I want to be smart about buying. Can anyone tell me which to acquire?

They are:
Bite
Funky Doodle
Dance to the Music
This old man
Captain Entropy
Electric Record for Children
The Electronic Record for Children
Electric Lucifer Boook 2
Ebenezer Electric
Listen Computer Rock Home (this is the one I have)
Hush Little Robot

Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 19:12 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm not sure about where to find his albums, but my video place just picked up this new DVD:
http://www.cinemaclock.com/images/dvd/967315-1-haack_a_k_a__bru.jpg
Apparently, it has "mind-blowing visuals" and "specatacular sound effects." I'm gonna rent it.

Trip Maker (Sean Witzman), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 19:24 (nineteen years ago) link

Oh, I misread the post above mine. The only record of his that I have heard is "Hush Little Robot." It's great, but I think it's got a short running time (35 mins maybe?).

Trip Maker (Sean Witzman), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 19:26 (nineteen years ago) link

Hush Little Robot is excellent, I'd start there cos it gives the adult side and shows how brilliant and addled his children's music was.
Electric Lucifer is a concept album but not oppressively so, there's lots of deadpan and silliness mixed in('Song of the Death Machine' always makes it onto mixtapes of mine). The followup is good too, and a little more serious iirc. I'd love to see the doc

tremendoid (tremendoid), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 21:15 (nineteen years ago) link

Bruce Haack!! My favorite track is "Electric To Me Turn," which is frickin' incredible - and it ends with Bruce scatting through the vocoder! You read that right. VOCODER SCATTING.

Ernest P. (ernestp), Thursday, 14 April 2005 00:02 (nineteen years ago) link

the doc is available through Netflix, btw.

Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Thursday, 14 April 2005 00:21 (nineteen years ago) link

Bruce Haack is one of the most admirable musicians there is. Genius. . .

Tokyo Ghost Stories (Tokyo Ghost Stories), Thursday, 14 April 2005 01:38 (nineteen years ago) link

so I want to be smart about buying. Can anyone tell me which to acquire?

a friend acquired almost every one of the children's records years ago. i remember the better ones being "electronic record for children" and "captain entropy." my personal fave though is the first "electric lucifer", which completely shits all over the second one (which is like the same song over and over, pretty sucky imo). didn't know there was a doc. about him wow!!!!!

Amon (eman), Thursday, 14 April 2005 02:40 (nineteen years ago) link

can't go wrong with electronic record for children, though dance to the music has the unbelievable track "soul transportation" (have never heard the rest of the album but that track must have scarred any child that heard it for life in a good way)

milton parker (Jon L), Thursday, 14 April 2005 03:40 (nineteen years ago) link

If you can find one with "Child Psychologist", that's the one to get. I have no idea what album it's on but it's crazy in a late 70s breakdance electro kind of way. But of course with kids rapping about the Greatful Dead.

Adam Bruneau (oliver8bit), Thursday, 14 April 2005 14:44 (nineteen years ago) link

there's also the 3 part series "Dance, Sing & Listen", "Dance, Sing & Listen Again" and "Dance Sing & Listen Again and Again". i used to have one of them but it wasn't all that.

i love "Super Nova" from Electric Lucifer, long epic psych track w/ creepy whispered vocals.

Amon (eman), Thursday, 14 April 2005 15:06 (nineteen years ago) link

All I can find is Electric Lucifer Book 2!
(where can I get the first one?)

Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Thursday, 14 April 2005 17:39 (nineteen years ago) link

it pops up on ebay every now and then. i don't know why they repressed book 2 and not the superior original. 'hush little robot' has half of the tracks from the original 'electric lucifer' but the ones not included are great too.

Amon (eman), Thursday, 14 April 2005 18:06 (nineteen years ago) link

That DVD is way TEH SUCK. It is basically an infomercial for a Bruce Haack tribute compilation thinly disguised as a documentary. I saw it last year and it was really poorly done. There was old archive footage and some decent interviews but is provided to real insight into the man or his work. If you are approaching it from a musicians perspective forget about it, it never really approaches his work in any detail. You get a general timeline and some audio but nothing truly informative. The film is also loaded with compilation artist interviews that are mainly surface/insightless to be polite and inane and frankly stupid to be honest. Jan St Werner from Mouse On Mars was the only one who did not come off as a complete dipshit.

Bruce Haack: King of Techno is a stupid movie with a stupid name.

Disco Nihilist (mjt), Thursday, 14 April 2005 21:48 (nineteen years ago) link

There was old archive footage and some decent interviews but is provided to real insight into the man or his work.

I think I meant to say: it provided little real insight...

disco..., Thursday, 14 April 2005 23:46 (nineteen years ago) link

hm. I was just about to Netflix it and now I pause. Dissenting opinions anyone?
There was a Bruce Haack website up about two years ago that had SCADS of DLable material that was taken down when this movie went into production. Real shame.

Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Friday, 15 April 2005 13:52 (nineteen years ago) link

There's apparently a Cornelius collab. ('Sing A Stupid Song') that I can't find ANYWHERE.

Plus-Tech Whiz Kid (Disco) (Barima), Friday, 15 April 2005 15:00 (nineteen years ago) link

Okay, I don't know what 'Disco' saw, but what I just watched was a lovingly indepth tribute to Bruce Haack offering me insight to the man, his music and philosophy. It contained generous amounts of source footage, photos, interviews, and context, with cool cameos from Mister Rogers, Esther Nelson, and Mouse on Mars. Sure, it had problems; the music was too low in the overall mix, the visuals were dizzying at times, and most contemporary artists interviewed did in fact come off as dipshits. But I think fans of Bruce will definitely get into it, so watch, listen, and enjoy!

Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Monday, 18 April 2005 16:56 (nineteen years ago) link

The tribute LP that the DVD promotes is allegedly due for release in August. I say allegedly as IIRC it's been "forthcoming" since late 1999! A lot of the contributions to the record, e.g. Beck, Stereolab, were recorded back then.

Details, including who's contributed what so far, here:
http://www.dimensionmix.com/home.html

Jeff W (zebedee), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 14:53 (nineteen years ago) link

ten months pass...
Bruce would crush your pretentious souless ass.

Disco Nihilist is a stupid name who nobody will ever know of give two shits about.

Bruce Haack, Friday, 3 March 2006 20:07 (eighteen years ago) link

aren't you dead or something?

I think you have a chip on your shoulder because Mort Garson's Satanic analogue jamz are way sweeter...

Disco Nihilist (mjt), Friday, 3 March 2006 23:14 (eighteen years ago) link

or something disco dork... haackula swallows garson's commercial black mass hole and shits it out into the future

Bruce Haack, Wednesday, 15 March 2006 23:56 (eighteen years ago) link

that reminds me of the mario cartoon when Bowser called mario a "linguini lickin' loser" or when Rita called the Power Rangers "power dorks."

_____, Thursday, 16 March 2006 00:47 (eighteen years ago) link

one year passes...

A-hem. And, indeed, vow. I made tonight my first ever acquaintance with teh wonderfullness which is Bruce Haack's music. The Electronic Record For Children and Electric Lucifer, namely. Mm, and Hush Little Robot is still awaiting.

t**t, Wednesday, 29 August 2007 19:12 (seventeen years ago) link

ten months pass...

fyi, this kind of slipped by me, but Haackula was released in June

Bruce haack's 'haackula' is the record you've dreamt of and the stuff of nightmares. Deemed to be too dark and too offensive for release when it was recorded in 1978, it has languished unheard in the vault ever since. With it's premiere release here it will soon be revered as a lost classic of outsider electronica. Haack's anger with a society he sees as too straight and too claustrophobic is palpable as he hisses and cusses his way over astoundingly elastic electro backings. Already respected as one of the pioneers of twentieth century electronic music, haackula strikes out on this disc into dark, yet playful territory where few have gone before. Imagine a very, very bummed out kraftwerk scowling as they play childlike melodies and sing under their breath of fear and abandonment. One listen to haackula's "blow job" is sure to change the way you view electronic music forever. As well as the full haackula album for the first time this release also features haack's extraordinary 1982 collaboration with russell simmons (def jam/public enemy/beastie boys) 'party machine' and the incredible 32 minute (!) 1979 soundscape composition 'icarus'. All tracks make their first official release here and are lovingly remastered from the original tapes. Often bootleged, (incomplete with an incorrect track-list and much inferior sound quality may we add!) The dark jewel that is haackula now sees the light of day in this deluxe premiere edition. Strap in, and let haackula sink its teeth into you!

I haven't bought it yet, but I will

uh oh I'm having a fantasy, Monday, 28 July 2008 23:48 (sixteen years ago) link

outsider electronica :/

uh oh I'm having a fantasy, Monday, 28 July 2008 23:49 (sixteen years ago) link

that reminds me of the mario cartoon when Bowser called mario a "linguini lickin' loser" or when Rita called the Power Rangers "power dorks."

-- _____, Wednesday, March 15, 2006 4:47 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark Link

uh oh I'm having a fantasy, Monday, 28 July 2008 23:51 (sixteen years ago) link

omg I did not know about Haackula

Curt1s Stephens, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 02:23 (sixteen years ago) link

"Child Psychologist" is just as terrifying and weird and awesome as anything Throbbing Gristle ever did

Curt1s Stephens, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 02:37 (sixteen years ago) link

oh man I got haackula and Blow Job is the funniest shit I've heard in a while. The sound on the whole album is pretty great, but that one track is just so smooth its ridiculous. I don't know why, but whenever I listen to haack I'm reminded of Gary Wilson, both dudes creep me out in the same way maybe.

uh oh I'm having a fantasy, Monday, 4 August 2008 23:57 (sixteen years ago) link

two months pass...

haack was gay? the liner notes to electric lucifer reference two "partners" (ted pandel and chris kachulis) but it's unclear whether that was a working relationship or a romantic one.

moonship journey to baja, Wednesday, 15 October 2008 18:31 (sixteen years ago) link

indeed.

I want to edit my profile. (Display Name), Wednesday, 15 October 2008 18:36 (sixteen years ago) link

cool app (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Wednesday, 15 October 2008 19:04 (sixteen years ago) link

fucking hell, i didn't know this was out. how did I miss this thread? awe-fucking-some.

easy, lionel (grimly fiendish), Wednesday, 15 October 2008 21:11 (sixteen years ago) link

Ha! Was listening to "The Electric Lucifer" last night, awe-fucking-some indeed!

Ich Ber ein Binliner (Tom D.), Thursday, 16 October 2008 09:36 (sixteen years ago) link

nine months pass...

the men who wear their heads in long braids

bamcquern, Monday, 10 August 2009 01:39 (fifteen years ago) link

and all became quiet in the sand dunes
pass the peace pipe to a friend
. . .
(never let it down)

bamcquern, Monday, 10 August 2009 01:42 (fifteen years ago) link

one year passes...

"Child Psychologist" is just as terrifying and weird and awesome as anything Throbbing Gristle ever did

― Curt1s Stephens, Monday, July 28, 2008 7:37 PM (2 years ago)

i need to hear this.

Electronic Record for Children is so good

sarahel, Monday, 7 March 2011 20:16 (thirteen years ago) link

for a weird reason the silkworm section reminds me a bit of a cocorosie song

sarahel, Monday, 7 March 2011 20:20 (thirteen years ago) link

one year passes...

Discover the guy's old synth work through a thread in a Norwegian Facebook group. Incredible to think that he was actually <i>pre</i> Moog!

The GeirBot (Geir Hongro), Friday, 20 April 2012 00:59 (twelve years ago) link

three weeks pass...
four years pass...

play me your album
sing me your song
if you ain't got one
then ding my dong

esempiu (crüt), Thursday, 25 August 2016 01:46 (eight years ago) link

eight years pass...

I'd never heard of this guy before, but I was listening to Cluster last night and when the album ended it started the usual shuffle of random related stuff, some of which was familiar to me (Harmonia) and some of which wasn't (this guy). When I looked down to my phone to see what was playing it looked like it was from this:
https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0224066765_16.jpg

I thought, hmm, West Chester. I grew up in West Chester, PA, what does this have to do with West Chester? It turns out that Ted Pandel was on the faculty there, and at some point Haack moved down to be closer to his (musical?) partner. I had no idea electronic dudes of this pedigree were hanging in my childhood home.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 January 2025 14:49 (four weeks ago) link


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