Bishop, Sir Richard

The Unrock Tapes [VINYL]

Label: Unrock Country: Germany

"After having released records on labels such as Locust, Drag City and John Fahey's Revenant, Richard Bishop's.... The Unrock Tapes... contains eight complete tracks, six of which are highlights taken from earlier tour CDrs that were released on micro-editions years ago. They have never been available on vinyl. Two completely new and unreleased songs make this album even more special. Bishops guitar playing skills contain a variety of influences. They could arouse the absurd impression that his work has something to do with what one would call 'world music'. But his playing gets its fire and fascination from being irreverent in Bishop's unique way. The spirit of his former outfit Sun City Girls is still floating through the album, even if it is not the musical intention, however it gives an impression of an underlying ever increasing and developing personal signature. On the one hand, Bishop uses influences respectfully (Omar Khorshid) and on the other hand his style is typically disrespectful. His guitar playing is delicate and hybrid; because of his subtle skills Bishop is able to express himself in a wide range of styles without losing authenticity. That his Ragas fray out and end up in distortion and his Flamenco sounds Arabic, is also part of his game. Bishop is a Grand-seigneur of the modern American Underground and a big part of its substance and integrity. He is a magician with his guitar; still a winking prankster. Variable and never too predictable. That is also what makes him special. Unrock in its purest form. Released in a limited pressing of 500 copies in 140g clear, virgin vinyl."