“It was so hot out there”, said Willie Shears [producer], echoing the perspiration of a group that had gathered in the studio on that scorching afternoon at Gypsy Farm.
“But you know” Shears continued, “it just wouldn’t have felt right, recording a song like This Heat in the comfort of air conditioning”.
Indeed, when This Heat debuted on radio last year, local country music disk jockey ‘Porkchop’ was quick to point out the atmosphere stating: “Creepy steel guitar & haunting vocals! I didn’t think it was possible to get chills because of a song about the heat.”
– Michael “Porkchop” Branch / WLHR 92.1
Uncle Goo / This Heat is available on Cattywampus!!! (2019 / Gypsy Farm Records)
In related news, long time GF veterans and psychedelic-folk-dream-team, otherwise known as “Old Smokey” (Jim Willingham), have reissued their first ep, Weeping Willow, and made it available for the first time online, thanks to John Fernandes’ Cloud Recordings label.
The ep was Gypsy Farm’s fifth release (GF005) having since gone out-of-print but is available now digitally, via bandcamp.
“Sounds as if it were originally featured on “The Wickerman” Soundtrack (1973), but some how, rather found itself reincarnated, falling through the laws of time and landing on your turntable, here in this strange modern world.” – WJAY review of Old Smokey [2013]
Rounding out our scope of all things in GFR news, pre-orders are now live for the long awaited album by The Humms. The sophomore effort, titled Vampire Hours, marks the return of original founding drummer, John Bleech, among other special guest appearances and is due out September 29th with a special advance release for Record Store Day at select locations in Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland, Ohio and Kentucky.
“This new release from The Humms yanks the listener from the ghoulish psychedelia of ‘Lemonland’, thrusting them deep into a depraved and possessed saloon in 17th century Transylgeorgia, spinning through violent and resplendent waves of dusty, mescaline-dipped Mai Tais, screaming for the life they once forgot, shadow boxing the vampire they’re afraid to admit they are.”
— Jared Cobb, The Peacock Observer
Along with the announcement, came a weird video collage, seemingly composed of old footage from the GFR archives, accompanied by a soundscape, with a rhythm not unlike that of some defunct Maytag dryer.
The audio has yet to be confirmed as being any part of the album’s track list. [UPDATE: The song title is “Fangs”]
Pre-order The Humms Vampire Hours on 12″ vinyl and get a digital download of the record, including the first single “Lady Low”.
Gypsy Farm Network 