sebadoh III

Sebadoh became a trio, recorded their sprawling seminal schizophrenic third album on Homestead Records, and pioneered the indie low-fi aesthetic. It turns out that the sound of the album that proved so influential was due more to lack of funds than to a personal vision. Lou Barlow contributed songs that were mostly acoustic and vulnerable. Eric Gaffney's songs were mostly abrasive hardcore. It was the first album with Jason Loewenstein; and his songs bridged the different styles of Lou and Eric.


Quoth Eric: "These recordings were my second attempt at singing in a studio."


Quoth Lou: "The $1500 Homestead gave us was just enough to cover three days of recording on the 8-track reel-to-reel they had (the 16-track was too expensive)."


Quoth Jason: "I thought that it was heavy and was pretty intimidated. The songs were fantastic. I was always worried about how up in the air my involvement seemed to be all the time and I thought that every rehearsal or show that happened was a miracle. Those dudes would fight, or I would get kicked out for a week, or Eric would decide that he was going to quit and start a band called Sebadeth. I seem to remember more that one 'final show.' It wasn't looking like it would last too long."

http://sebadoh.com/

'The Freed Pig' is Lou's deconstruction of his expulsion from Dinosaur Jr. Eric refused to play on it.

"You were right

I was battling you, trying to prove myself

I tried to bury you with guilt

I wanted to prove you wrong

I've got nothing better to do than pay too much attention to you

It's sad, but it's not your fault"

'Violet Execution' is Gaffney's song about a "Freak-girl named Heather".

"Lost bitch hits the switch

I don't give a hooooot"

The charming 'Black Haired Gurl' is one of three songs by Lowenstein. He recorded them on a cassette and they were transferred and mixed in the studio.

"Hey little girl how long's it been?

The air is thick and you're still thin

My mind is blank so fill me in

What kind of trouble i've got myself in now"

'Kath' was written for Barlow's future wife.

"I'm so glad the wait is through

I'm so glad I waited for you"

During the recording of the vocals on Gaffney's 'Supernatural Force' there was a blackout in the studio.

"Exploration, a supernatural force

White eyes grow at what I detect
Pulling us both into the pretend
Glorious connection due to end
Advertising innocence floating in the air
Unearth the seed, blew it up and it scattered everywhere"

Lou conceived 'God Told Me' for recording with the band.

"America's the greatest way

I'm counting thoughts; I'm counting days"

'Truly Great Thing'

"Make it easy and I'll hold it against you

I'm on a string dangled right in front of you
Make it hard and I'll run away
Keep tomorrow as I kill today"

'Sickles and Hammers' was a cover of an instrumental by the Minutemen. Eric says, "When the sessions were over and mics being pulled down was when I had the idea Jason and I should record the Minutemen cover. Jason pulled off the guitar and bass lines with ease, pure genius and his first guitar on record."

'Total Peace'

"Too smart to ask for more

This is all I've waited for"

Gaffney wrote the disturbing album closer 'As The World Dies The Eyes Of God Grow Bigger': "My bandmates brought a gift to me of a large bottle of whiskey which I consumed during the vocal session of 'As The World Dies...' the one unplanned song, though previously released as 'Elements' on Vertical. The lyrics written the night before, some added on the spot. With a resulting hangover I didn't show up for the mixing the next day and didn't even hear the record until it was done. I've always regretted the vocals on this particular track; but here it is in all its original, if hurriedly conceived, form. The tape ran out while we were still playing and somehow ended in a good place. "

"My father dosed liquid LSD

Fried his mind for years to come, look what it's done to me
The breakup ensued, I held my baby brother's hand"

'III'
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