Julian Cope: Copendium: An Expedition into the Rock 'n' Roll Underworld (2012)
I have no idea how Julian Cope could amass so much knowledge about music history in a single lifetime, so I can only imagine that the so-called 'Arch Drude' has discovered the alchemical secret to multiple lives or simply adding more hours to the day.
How else to explain the impossibly vast knowledge of Krautrock and Japanese rock that Cope assembled into two, hugely informative and collectible 'Samplers,' before compiling another treasure trove of assorted music genres into 2012's aptly named Copendium.
Hard rock, psychedelia, acid rock, doom, garage rock, post-punk, stoner rock, motorik, proto-metal, even jazz crops up in this 700+ page colossal collection of essays, reviews, rants, and ruminations -- some of them originally published on his website, Head Heritage.
And no matter what genre he's raving about, backed by detailed research and expert analysis, Cope's style is rife with idiosyncratic hyperbole, non-linear digressions, esoteric and historical references, florid vocabulary, no small amount of humor, and, most important of all, the boundless enthusiasm of a true fan.
That's why spending some time with one of Julian's books feels like a typically rambling and excitable discussion between fellow music fanatics, turning each other on to their latest discoveries.
So when the time came to choose the featured records for this blog, I inevitably gravitated to some of the long-lost proto-metal classics covered here (Sir Lord Baltimore, Pentagram, Highway Robbery, Randy Holden, Hairy Chapter!) that I can occasionally thank Cope for introducing me to.
Simply put: there's no better guide for an Expedition into the Rock 'n' Roll Underworld (as this collection's sub-title promises) than Julian Cope.
Featured Records:
Sir Lord Baltimore: Kingdom Come (1970)
Highway Robbery: For Love or Money (1972)
Randy Holden: Population II (1970)
Pentagram: First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection) (2001)
Hairy Chapter: Can't Get Through (1971)
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