Comments on: The Yodeling Astrologer

The Yodeling Astrologer

solarion — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 03:53:44 -0800

When Jim Holmberg fractured his skull after a motorcycle accident in the 1960s, it left him several things - deafness in the left ear, a belief in cosmic forces that had cured the resulting spinal meningitis, and an astonishing sopranino range in his voice.

This voice subsequently caused his discovery while busking in New York by Bernard Stollman, head of the eclectic ESP-Disk label. A short studio session later and 1969's Color By the Number would be his solitary recording artifact, solo psych-folk coated in reel-to-reel delay and reverb courtesy of experimentation with ESP-Disk engineer Onno Scholtze. Like so many other psychers of the day he subsequently fell off the musical map, the limited pressing of the LP soon becoming a collector's item. But without trace wasn't quite true; a good 40 years later this cult status reached his awareness. "I gave my brother one of the albums and asked him if I can borrow it back. He sent it to me and I opened it up and the record was broken. I had no other copies. then I just thought I would google it to be shocked to see I'm all over the internet. " Subsequently he sent several missives of a spiritual nature to ESP-Disk,, and was interviewed by Vice Magazine on his whereabouts for that whole time, and his reflections on music.

By: twoleftfeet

twoleftfeet — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 04:26:58 -0800

That's very wild. I don't understand how a skull fracture could do that to somebody's voice, because the skull seems quite distant from the vocal tract. But I got kicked in the nuts one time and my voice went up several octaves, so maybe it's possible.

By: RokkitNite

RokkitNite — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 04:28:18 -0800

Was that his voice? Holy crap. I kept waiting for it to kick in because my brain just refused to believe that could be someone singing.

By: donaldekelly

donaldekelly — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 06:09:35 -0800

Wow

By: taz

taz — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 07:57:32 -0800

Thanks, this is fascinating. I think this is his YouTube channel, with a couple of songs uploaded from his album, with, apparently, some of his own personal video from China (and Japan at the end of one?) – ie, not "music video," just some of his personal footage, mostly sightseeing stuff.

By: O Blitiri

O Blitiri — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 08:01:53 -0800

If they mated: Marty Robbins and Diamanda Galas.

By: lastobelus

lastobelus — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:28:57 -0800

Indeed, it is a tragedy of history that this guy and Diamanda never collaborated. Imagine them performing live together?

By: lometogo

lometogo — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 13:49:58 -0800

I took a 45 mph broadside hit on my motorcycle on October 1 in Cabarete, Dominican Republic from a driver who chose anonymity and fled. All I have thus far is double-vision and dizziness....Conventional doctors said in a year, I "may" recover....if not, surgery can easily tweak the fourth nerve damage and leave me as good as new. Not on my head, I think.

By: jonp72

jonp72 — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:45:53 -0800

ESP-Disk was a crazy record label. When the most commercial act on your roster is the Fugs, you know you're pretty far out.

By: edverb

edverb — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 16:49:31 -0800

Just listened to the first 90 seconds or so...are you sure he wasn't afflicted with deafness in both ears? Holy shit that was awful.

By: clarknova

clarknova — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 18:02:34 -0800

If they mated: Marty Robbins and Diamanda Galas. There are shallow rollers, and there are deep rollers.