Imagine if you will...BTM, the insane genius guru mutant from the alien orgy
samplefest noise rock band, OUT of BAND EXPERIENCE (OBE) sending
out the request for volunteers. That's right, Drum Army Wants You...see the world
and taste its rhythms. It was the fall 1990 and a crack team of percussion experts
were hand-picked by Commander-in-Chief Bill T. Miller to embark on the quest.
With the help of TIME TRAVEL WARP PORTALS and the OBE Magick Amulet,
this mutant patrol of SIX mercenary officers pounded out the basic rhythm trax
during FULL MOON time tunnel sessions.
Departing from a portal which appeared in the wall at HEADROOM STUDIOS
and travelling at the speed of sound, eight "songs" or "jam dimensions" were
conjured up. The battle plan was to lay down the basic assult and then, later, DRAFT Special Forces Troops to overdub even MORE.
Eventually OVER 40 minutes of beatscape masters materialized from the
original 90 minutes of multitrack tapes.
The first half of the CD focuses on the OLD WORLD rhythms.
1-Motherland (Africa)
Transported to the MOTHERLAND of AFRICA, the DRUM ARMY
witnesses the BIRTH OF THE BEAT...jungle logs and chanting call
out across the continent. The DRUM ARMY ensemble answers the
call as the jungle comes alive with the chaos of beats. A mixture
of the primitive organic sounds of ancient world mingles with
modern drums, samplers, and noise making junk that the Drum Army patrol
brought with them through the portal.
2-Tropical Rainstick (South America)
The beats of MOTHERLAND echo in the distance as a new portal
swallows up the the DRUM ARMY PATROL, sweeping them deep
into the AMAZON RAIN FORESTS of SOUTH AMERICA. Rhythm is the spirit
of a country. A gentle rain is starting as the SHAMAN beckons for the mercenary
percussionists to join in. The SHAMAN hands Commander BTM
the sacred TROPICAL RAINSTICK. Eventually a downpour of beats gives
way to clear skies and the rain forest shifts its complex polyrhythms.
In a visionary electro shroom prophecy, the SHAMAN catches
a glimpe of the future, where the purity of the ancient land
is trampled. Cautious, but still hopeful for the future, the SHAMAN shows
the Drum Army Patrol the path to yet another portal.....
3-Trance Dance (Tibet)
Now...high in the mysterious mountains of Tibet, a meditative calm
consumes the time-traveling percussionists of the DRUM ARMY.
The sounds of chanting monks, long brass horns, assorted
bells, shakers, and drums played with large curved sticks
fill the air. For a moment, Commander BTM thinks he HEARS and
understands the origin of the sound of ONE HAND CLAPPING,
but after more meditation, he concludes that the first step
on the path to enlightenment is knowing he will never
truly understand this ancient conundrum. Lost in a
TRANCE DANCE, time seems suspended. Another portal appears.....
4-Tribal Stomp (Native America)
This time BTM and his most trusted officer, General Andrew Deckard,
decide to scout this realm, while the other four officers
stay tranced-out on the Tibetan mountain top, planning to reunite
later. This new portal leads into a desert land of spirits, now known as the southwestern lands of the Native American Indians. A TRIBAL STOMP
is already alive with the visions of an intertribal POW WOW. We will
smoke the pipe and there will be no lies between us. YOU had YOURSELF A VISION.....
5-Big Rock Beat (Britain)
Then suddenly as the smoke drifts skyward, the travelers are drawn into a new portal, travelling through a long vortex maze gliding from the ANCIENT WORLD to the NEW MODERN WORLD.
BTM and AD find themselves joining what appears to be a DRUM-IN of sorts.
Clearly in LONDON, circa late 60s, the drummers pound out a Bonham-Moon-Baker-like beat in a dark dingy club. It's got a groovy beat, huh? After all
the ancient world travels, the BIG ROCK BEAT seems
to be SIMPLE by comparision, but the familiar 4/4 rock rock backbeat feeds
the time traveler's homesick desires. As one of the UK drummers
twirls his sticks, yet another portal opens up.....
6-Urban Jamfest (USA)
Slammed across the ocean to an URBAN JAMFEST. A smorgasbord
of drummers of various styles converge. Now in
the courtyard at the top of Telegraph Ave - UC Berkeley, California,
but it could be ANY CITY USA. In this courtyard BTM and AD are reunited
with THREE of the Drum Army OFFICERS who stayed behind in Tibet. The lost traveler
known as General SIMON stayed behind on the mountain top and to this day
his exact whereabouts are still unknown...SIMON, if yer out there, show us a sign.
THE original five officers, Bill T. Miller, Andy Deckard, Ken Winokur,
Larry Dersch, and John Breglia thrash about wildly with beats bouncing off the concrete jungle as the OVERLOAD of the MODERN WORLD gives way to the
DECAY OF MADNESS.
To replace the VOID left by MISSING IN ACTION
General SIMON, another EXPERT PERCUSSION MERCENARY is brought in
through the original portal at HEADROOM STUDIOS. The only logical
choice is OBE bandmate JEFF COHEN. He appears, joining in
for the rest of the journey...sticks in hand and ready to bang.
Just as the the jamfest sounds become almost unbearable
in their random mixture of styles...guess what...the DRUM ARMY PATROL
is pulled down into another portal.......
7-Eurotech (Germany)
Transported to a EuroTech laboratory packed full of electronics in GERMANY, the ARMY
is surrounded by primative oscillators and hi-tech samplers triggered with drum pads, keyboards, computer sequencers. Ready to morph, loop, and mutate, the DRUM ARMY embraces a chance to step out of the organic grounding of tradition. Sparks fly as an electro industdroid dance beat happy trip ignites....and you guessed it, yet another portal opens up... this time back to the NOW TIMES.
8-Drum Army March (World Parade)
YES...back from the Past into the Future and now somewhere in the PRESENT.
The full-blown DRUM ARMY assembles to MARCH. A hero's welcome back ticker tape semi-normal parade. BUT this is NOT a traditional Drum Corps Marching Ensemble.
NOW ALL the TROOPS have joined with OFFICERS. Marching up the avenues, VISITORS from ALL the worlds the DRUM ARMY visited appear within the ranks to make this a UNIVERSAL EXPERIENCE. The ensemble stops to perform along the route,
as the crowd's cheers become part of the rhythms. Time
drifts onward as the DRUM ARMY marches into the distance...................
Is that yet another portal...who what where why when how is happening NOW?
TIME....1-2-3-4....TIME....TIME....clicks onward and sideways.
Somewhere, somehow Commander BTM gets the TAPES back to
HEADROOM STUDIOS, and enlisting the help of more specialists
known as the TROOPS the process continues.
The TROOPS are not quite sure whether to believe
the tales of time travel and madness, humoring BTM
as he spewed the myths and legends of the journey.
After years of overdubbing, editing, mixing, and mutating,
DRUM ARMY - WANTS YOU! is finally released
on COMPACT DISC. NOW YOU can possess this CD and use
it as a departure point for your own quest for rhythm.
There are rumors that Commander BTM intends to
gather the DRUM ARMY together to do LIVE SHOWS.
Plans are also in the works to do another
complete CD, including LIVE GIG trax and
more actual time travel jamfests. On these new trips,
BTM hopes to explore other dimensions. An new excursion
called TAIKO MANIA (Japan) is now out via MP3 download
and as a bonut cut on the DRUM ARMY DAM CD.
Some of the planned beat realms trips include: Australia,
Moracco, India, Cuba, Alien Planets, Sado Island-Japan (more Taiko)
and few more missions into the rhythms of the
USA (Human Beat Box and Street Tub Bangin' and Native America)
and well as other surprises as the portals
open into other worlds.
RIGHT NOW...YOU can HEAR and POSSESS the DRUM ARMY - WANTS YOU CD!
DON'T WAIT another second. BUY IT NOW!