Finds from last weekend!
Blanco: I like this Japanese band a lot. I have featured them in the past too. Well, today I found a promo video they have made for the song “Lazy” that will be included in their new EP “Slice of Life” that is going to be released on June 16th!
Drims: first time I’m listening to this Nuevo León, Mexico, band and it is through the video for their song “Casa”. It turns out it is not exactly a new song, it is actually part of their “Demos” from 2016 and 2017. The video is new though.
Ampersand: quite surprised to see the Ampersand EP titled “<<<<<<<<” on Bandcamp. I like this record that was released on 7″ back in the year 2000 on the lovely Fantastic Pop records. I have a copy of it myself. So I thought, if you are not aware of it, here is a chance to have a listen to this jangly record from the San Francisco band.
My Darling You!: really? the band is joining Matinée Recordings? That is quite a surprise! I never thought the sound of the band would be something that would fit in the label! But that is great news in any case. I love this band! It was many many years ago when I was in touch with them, even releasing a collection of their recordings. I didn’t even know they were around still. The two new songs that Matinée is releasing are “Thanks for Letting Me Stay” and “Spring”. Digitally for now. I am hoping a physical release!
Llojd: I found about this band through my friend David from Barcelona. He had shared the song “Drömmare och Visionär” which sounded great! I don’t know much about the band but the Soundcloud has many tracks by the Stockholm based outfit. Worth checking them out for sure.
—————————————————————–
A 7″ I don’t own. An incomplete discography. No surprise here. That’s the case with many of the records and bands I feature, as these are bands I want to know their story, their background.
Wall of Orchids was Lane Steinberg. He wrote and performed all the songs the band released. The first two which were released in 1993’s 7″ with “Life Must Go On” on the A side and “Come Back to Me” in the B side. The label that put it out was Pop Look & Listen (POP-1) which seems to have been a self-release as there are no other releases listed on this label.
There is some more information on the sleeve. We know that the photo on the front was taken by Jamie Gordon and the one in the back by Adene Mechanic. Both songs were recorded by James MacMillan, John Siket and John Rosenber at Water Music Recorders in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Interestingly enough this record was reissued 10 years later, in 2003, by EM Records (EM7015EP) from Japan. Aside from the two songs that were included in the original release, it was expanded, with “I Could Have Told You” on the A side and “Great Blue” on the B side. We know that “Great Blue” was recorded at Wild Feed Studios in 1996 while “I Could Have Told You” was recorded at the same studio but in 1999. This song also had the help of Steven Katz. The record was mastered by Koichi HAra at Free People Studios in Osaka, Japan, while the art was designed by Yasuhiro Morimoto for Cloudy, Later Fine. Something interesting in this release is that it mentions that the songs are taken from the album “Late Steinberg Collection 1984-2000”.
The band did release another record under the name Wall of Orchids. It was a CD EP that the legendary label Bus Stop put out in 2001 (BUS058). This EP included 5 tracks, “Great Blue”, “If Not Now, When?”, “No One is Looking at the Rain”, “Come Back to Me” and “Life Must Go On”. All songs were written and performed by Lane. It is said that these songs were recorded wile Lane was managing a recording studio in New York, and when he wasn’t working he would take advantage of the studio’s equipment to record his songs.
There are also three compilation appearances. The first dates from 1996 on the Japanese CD compilation “New One” that was put out by Escalator Records (ESCD001). The band appears with the song “How High is Up?” and is accompanied in this compilation by great bands such as Charlots, Super or Lester Noel.
The other compilation mentioned is the one I was talking about before, the “Lane Steinberg Collection 1984-2000” that EM Records put out (EM1015CD). On this record we see some of his solo work, tracks by the bands Noel Coward’s Ghost, Tan Sleeve and The Wind. Wall of Orchids appears here too with the songs “Life Must Go On”, “I Could Have Told You” (written by VanHeusen and Cahn), “Come Back to Me”, “Give the Devil Has Due”, “Great Blue” and “If Not Now, When?”. It would be interesting too find a copy of this record as it is said it comes with a booklet with information about these recordings.
Lastly, two years ago, in 2017, the label Sugarbush Records put out the vinyl compilation “A Spoonful of Sugarbush” (SB027) where Wall of Orchids was included with the track “Come Back to Me”.
Aside from all this we know too that Lane has been involved with other bands like 8×8 and Cracked Latin.
Aside from that we don’t know much more about Wall of Orchids. Was it just a recording project? Did he ever play live these songs? Why weren’t there more releases especially in the 90s? Are there any more songs? I wonder. Who knows? Who remembers them?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
One Response to “:: Wall of Orchids”
The Pop Look & Listen 7″ was a one-off side project from The Bus Stop Label. Pop Look & Listen was a collaboration between Brian of Bus Stop, and his then girlfriend Mari.