Soutar, Richard

***Richard Soutar was one of the earliest artists on the east coast to write, record, press and publish his own albums. In 1976, he self-released a trippy DIY gem of a record called Lavender Daydreams, followed by Episodes in 1979. Both albums eventually saw reissue as (long sold out) LP editions on Void Records, who are now going to release Soutar's latest recordings in a band setting, Satori Circus, which has touches of hard rock, blues, and county—as handled in Soutar’s idiosyncratic way. Stated influences on the new album include the Doors and Mississippi John Hurt—and maybe much more accurately, an Adyashanti lecture: “all the crazy scenes you go through like a madman running in circles and suddenly seeing it clearly because you’re in this very quiet sacred moment that descends unexpectedly on you. Some people call it Grace, others samadhi, others Satori,” as Soutar explains. "Satori Circus is a collection of songs I wrote over the last fifteen years… and some go back farther,” says Soutar. "It included sounds that aren’t being created anymore but I still love and I feel others might still want to hear. I played with sound effects more. I also had access to a mellotron and a Hammond B3 and anything else I could think of. Satori Circus is my movement into digital. It was very difficult and I struggled with my 8-track digital. It was like working with gloves on for an analogue and tape guy. There were extra steps and a lot of multi-function buttons, but there was economy too.” Limited to a 400 copy pressing on black vinyl.