...as raindrops become ocean LP (Closet Records. USA. 1985)

San Antonio, Texas compilation album from 1985 on Gary Davenport's Closet Records label. The first release on Closet Records was a Gary Davenport single released under the name Mannequin in 1979. At that time there was no San Antonio scene to talk of, but as can be heard on this compilation there certainly was one by 1985.

Listen to: "Aruu - Under The Ghost Dome Asleep"

Listen to: "Gary Davenport - The Dreamer Must Wake"

Gary Davenport released very limited singles on his Closet records label under the name Manequin, but by the time this compilation was put together he was billed under his own name. It's a typical loner style track from Gary but with a more produced sound with a far stronger recording than his original basement/lo fi sound.

Listen to: "The Bridge - La Noche de La Luna Nueva"

The fact that this compilation album has so many different artists sounding similar to Gary Davenport is a testament to his influence building a scene that was obviously very indebted not only to his hard work but also his huge musical influence.

Mannequin (Gary Davenport) - Scattered Thoughts 7" (Closet Records. USA. 1979)

Listen to an extract from: "Scattered Thoughts"

This superb Downer/Loner single from San Antonio, Texas, was put out by Gary Davenport in 1979 on his own label Closet Records. When Gary started out there was no scene to speak of in San Antonio but through his incredibly unique and out of step music he created a scene which was very different for the time. H released several records of his own on Closet Records and by other artists, culminating in the compilation album " .....as raindrops become ocean"  which i have blogged in its own right. It also contains another two tracks by Gary Davenport.

Gary's music really does have the downer/loner sound that i love, infact it's more than a sound, it is also a feeling which comes across so strongly.

This three track single was Gary's first ever release and comes in an oversized picture cover with photocopied insert. It was pressed in a quantity of 100 only and simply never turns up for sale. I was lucky enough to buy this copy from a friend of Gary's who was selling off the remaining records from his label with just a handfull of these available.

It's remained a mostly unknown single for many years with copies mainly selling directly from Gary himself or through private sales. There has, to my knowledge, never been a sale through ebay but his second single has shown up a handful of times selling for a healthy three figure sum.

Please note that this is just an extract from the title track for obvious reasons!

One Of You

One Of You (Scarab Records. Canada. 1981 - 1983)

Listen to an extract from: "One Of You - Life Is So Hard"

One Of You released just three 7" singles on their own label Scarab Records, the last single being recorded and released under the name The Trifids. This was the first single with picture sleeve as shown. One of you is basically one Czechoslovakian woman who managed to create a sound and feel so dark and yearning that even i find it hard to listen. She left Czechoslovakia during the 1968 uprising, finally settling in Toronto. All the talk in Prague was of how wonderful the west was. However, when she arrived she remembers being totally crushed. She saw a society where people seemed to be strangers to each other.

Listen to an extract from: "One Of You - Don't Be Desperate"

This second single was released in just a photocopied sleeve, although the colour of the paper does vary. As she could not write music she started writing songs in a code she created. The songs were about feelings of sadness and alienation. Some years later she and her husband recorded these songs and created Scarab Records to release them

Listen to an extract from: "The Trifids - Invincible"

Her last single came without a picture sleeve and is credited to The Trifids with writing credit to One Of You. Both tracks are instrumentals, but Invincible still conveys the same feelings of sadness and alienation. I'd like to thank the collector "Wornhill" who first brought these amazingly dark singles to my attention.

Phil Downer - The Dust of Time

Phil Downer - The Dust of Time (Lestar Records. UK. 1968)

Listen to an extract from: "Pretty Soon"

I can tell you nothing of Phil Downer except for the fact that he is one very aptly named folk artist. The guitar playing is rather accomplished and the voice is nice, but for me it's the delivery and lyrics that lift this above the usual solo acoustic folk effort. These are amongst the darkest lyrics i've heard in many years. For me this is the stand out track where everything seems to come together perfectly.

Listen to an extract from: "The Dust of Time"

This is the title track of this four track ep that may originally have come with a picture sleeve. This is another solid track and definitely another favourite for me. It doesn't quite have the dark atmosphere of Pretty Soon but is still a strong effort. Unfortunately Phil Downer and this single have proved so far to be ungooglable. Any information from Phil or anyone who knew him would be most gratefully accepted. Also, if anyone has a picture sleeve i'd love to see it.