To Live and Shave In L.A. (TLASILA)

[Johann]

I never really hear this group mentioned anywhere, but I imagine most have heard them or at least if them. Over the years I've had friends who told me they steered clear due to the name or voice, as well as meeting others who absolutely adore them. They managed to situate themselves somewhere between completely free music and obsessively composed musique concrete, destroying and recycling everything in there path.

I tend to check out almost everything they have done (save some stuff feat. Thirston Moore as I really don't care for him) including Tom Smiths Karl Schmit Verlag and his collaboration with the Tochnit Aleph fellows on Ohne. Was curious if anyone else here was into this stuff?

Love them or hate them, they had a powerful influence on many of the people in the 90s scene.

[Deadpriest]

I completely love them, baffling variety and compositional poise, Tom's mad voice and a language of it's own. Favourite album: Les Tricoteuses.

[HongKongGoolagong]

Genuinely weird, deranged and original sounds and one of the most unique and distinct voices ever. A total one-off human being and artist.

Big favourites here are the incredible Tonal Harmony EP on BWCD and the massively eerie and uncomfortable cover of 'Television's Over' by the Adverts from their Helen Butte Vs. Masonna Pussy Badsmell album. Always love the frequent obscure underground art/pornography references in TLASILA's work.

[dddonkey]

I'm obessively, completely amazed by TLASILA. This is my first post on the forum for years, so you understand, how am I damn being serious.

I was on the last show of Ohne in their history. I had to meet Herr Loewenbrueck, trade the tapes and then leave, but I stayedfor the show. It was something... eh. GREAT. Well, one of the best gigs in my life.

[CMSFoundation]

I'm obessively, completely amazed by TLASILA. This is my first post on the forum for years, so you understand, how am I damn being serious.

I was on the last show of Ohne in their history. I had to meet Herr Loewenbrueck, trade the tapes and then leave, but I stayedfor the show. It was something... eh. GREAT. Well, one of the best gigs in my life.

I've seen To Live and Shave live about three or four times. Their set in Chicago in 1999 (the PRE-Roctober tour) was one of the most intense and intimidating (musically and physically) show I've ever been to. Really superb.

Not sure if your love of TLASILA carries over to Tom Smith's previous projects, dddonkey, but you might be interested to know that Tom and his label (Karl Schmidt Verlag) just released a massive 9CDr+1DVDr set of recordings by his '80s project, Peach of Immortality. Listening to it right now. It's a lot murkier and more 'free improv' in construction, but thoroughly skuzzy and deranged -- no AMM cleanliness fetish here. Primary ingredients are tabletop guitar, grinding cello, bass damage, and Tom's grueling set of tape manipulation systems. (Tracks 4-6 on disc 2, from the unreleased "History of Duane Allman" album, give me serious TLASILA vibes, minus the vocals.) You can also listen to it over on Bandcamp.

https://tomsmithksv.bandcamp.com/album/ksv-424-acr-x001-surrealismus-paris-prag-rockville-9xcd