Moog album - Dick Hyman

OysterRock · Post by **OysterRock** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 3:45 pm

Has anybody listened to the record "Moog: The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman"? I picked this up a few weeks ago on vinyl, don't think they've reissued it on CD. The man has a most unfortunate name, but the album is rather good. I would recommend it to anyone, Moog-fanatic or not.

The back of the album is pretty funny, "...music that may soon make every kind of music we have known before seem obsolete." Is that how poeple really thought about synthesizer music back then?

MarkM · Post by **MarkM** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 4:34 pm

Yes, I bought it when it first came out. I haven't listened to it in over 25 years. I still have it.

GregAE · Post by **GregAE** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 8:46 pm

Dick Hyman's "Electric Ecletics" is an interesting album (I have it), although it's very dated when compared with some other efforts during that time.

Carlos' "Switched-On Bach" seems timeless by comparison, and is still an interesting listen to this day. The album "Everything you ever wanted to hear on the Moog... but were afraid to ask" also holds up well IMO, but again this is another classical-done-on-the-Moog recording. Not nearly as good as Carlos' effort, but not bad either.

There were a number of "Switched-On" records made in the late '60's. Seems that everyone jumped on that bandwagon after the success of Carlos' SOB. "Electric Ecletics" proabably falls into this category, trying to capture some of that 'Moog Magic'. Fortunately, most of the "Switched-On" copycat recordings are relegated to the record dust bin of history, where they belong.

Brian G · Post by **Brian G** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 11:14 pm

The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman was released on CD but I think it is now out of print. If you check Amazon there are some used copies but they are pretty expensive. Maybe E Bay ?

Not sure if it's still available on CD or not but "Moog Indigo" by Jean Jacques Perrey is a fun recording.

Brian

MarkM · Post by **MarkM** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 11:43 pm

My recollection of the Hyman album was that it was a bit poppy and corny. I think maybe there was one or two tracks that were ok, but I was pretty young when I heard them. I guess it was over 30 (not 25) years since I last heard it.

OysterRock · Post by **OysterRock** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 11:45 pm

Good lord! Someone is trying to sell the CD for $69.98 on amazon.com. Uuuummmm....no.....I paid $10 for it on vinyl and that was pushing my limit.

I'm not saying its the best album ever, it fact it can be a bit annoying. I just thought it was an interesting listen and I hadn't seen it mentioned here before.

Brian G · Post by **Brian G** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 9:18 am

It has some fun tracks on it, when I picked it up new on CD a few years ago it was around $15.

corkyburger · Post by **corkyburger** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 9:47 am

In my opinion both Dick Hyman Moog albums are classics. One features possibly one of the best Moog covers of a funk track in 'Give it Up or Turn it Loose', and the other has the Minotaur.

These albums made me want a Moog!

Sure they have their cheesy moments but I would still rate these above most of the band wagon Switched On albums (of which i have most of them and love too).

There was a period when both albums on vinyl were going for pretty silly money in the UK, I don;t think it is quite so expensive now.

It is funny because my in-laws (who hate electronic music) know of Dick Hyman through his more standard keybaord and piano work, I tried to get them into his Moog albums but they didn't like them.

The raw energy and power in 'Givr it Up turn it Loose' is just amazing. I love Switched on Bach but sometimes it is too clean and neat and tidy. Dick Hyman plays like an animal.

CB

nicholas d. kent · Post by **nicholas d. kent** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 9:26 pm

Well the main thing that made Hyman stand out is that he really has serious keyboard chops and that he adapted them toward playing original lead lines on a synth.

Though people are right to say it doesn't contain the layered studio crafting of Carlos for instance, though only Tomita really ever met that level. Likewise, in that era Keith Emerson set the standard for all out rock synth.

That's not the point, he's playing some super neat Jazzy-funky-loungy leads. You can hear his clear influence on many "retro" influenced acts like Money Mark and Buffalo Daughter.

Another rare (on CD) Moog-heavy pair of albums that comes somewhere in between Electric Ecclectics and Switched on Bach are TONTO's two albums ("Zero Time" and "It's about Time", the CD is "TONTO Rides Again") - I bring it up because it has a sort of funk aspect but is far far more elaborately arranged and engineered -- if perhaps the leads aren't as all out as Hyman's

fewtch · Post by **fewtch** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 4:36 am

GregAE wrote:Fortunately, most of the "Switched-On" copycat recordings are relegated to the record dust bin of history, where they belong.

As a collector of these Moog recordings, I take partial issue with that. Out of maybe 75 LP's in my collection, I listen to at least 5 or 6 of them regularly (all of which are out of print and never released on CD). In my opinion, some of these are quite good but don't accord with the musical tastes of our time enough to be worth re-issuing, or maybe the record companies just feel they wouldn't sell. There are several records that I feel really should have a CD release, e.g. "Star Wars" by the Electric Moog Orchestra. Those who love the Moog sound (and those who feel nostalgia for the Moogospheric atmosphere of the 70's) would probably enjoy some of these recordings, but have no choice but to buy a turntable and scrape barrel-bottoms looking for these rarities. That should change.

GregAE · Post by **GregAE** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:16 pm

Fewtch -

I have no disagreement with you. You're comments are right on. I, too, wish that more of these old LP's would be made available on CD. At least some of the better ones.

My original comment about "Switched-On copycat recordings being relegated to the dust bin" was based on my vague memory of the records that came out following the success of Carlos' SOB (I do recall a few stinkers). That, and what I read in "Analog Days - The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer", p151:

'These psuedo-Moogists neede to produce fast, while the public was still attentive. Very few of these composers, arrangers, and performers approached the task with anywhere near Carlos' artistry (one exception was Dick Hyman), and none were anywhere near successful.'

The text continues:

'Jon Weiss, who personally demonstrated Moogs to some of these new visitors, quickly found that all they wanted was a cash cow that went "Moog"; "I saw this influx of the most disgusting, copycat efforts... Some of the most insipid garbage." '

---

Occassionally I break out my turntable and listen to some of my old Moog albums, including 'Electric Ecletics', 'Everything...', and others, but always return to the 'gold standard' - Carlos' and Tomita's recordings. These classical Moog recordings are truely classic!

Would you mind putting together a list of your Moog albums and posting it on Squarewave? I know a lot of us would be interested to see it.

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Squarewave/

Greg