Catholic Autistic Terrific: “Every Clown Has A Silver Lining”

DNRC059 | LP | 1968/2006 | DELETED

Wacky duo Macdaddy Kiff and Montana Radaman moved to Los Angeles in 1965, living in the garage of Kiff’s grandmother – who was once herself a notable musician in the saucy skiffle band ‘Just Good Clean Rock n’ Roll’. Radaman fell in love with Jane Jayne, a bassist, whom he met at an all girls’ stamp collecting convention in Seattle. The three of them formed ‘Catholic Autistic Terrific’ and within months began touring with big psychedelic bands such as Electric Prunes, Eire Apparent, Camel, Left Banke and Bubble Puppy. They signed to ‘International Artists’ (home of the 13th Floor Elevators) and soon began weaving their magic on transistors everywhere with hits such as ‘Very Happy Egg Man’ and ‘Are You in the Spa Club Too?’ Their swansong album ‘Swansong’ was banned in the UK for its simulated orgasm sounds all throughout the LP. It was a mixture of heady scathing acid-drenched keyboards, neo-classical drums and Zappa-inspired bass. Kiff fell off stage during a concert in San Francisco, yelling ‘C**KS**KERS’ at the audience during their tragic, spontaneous song ‘Call Down the Moon if You Have Time’. The band never recovered, with mass burnings of their later albums. ‘Every Clown Has a Silver Lining’ has some of Kiff’s angry genius in it peppered with the misty lament of the love between Radaman and Jayne. Expect churning hammond, expect avant-garde electronica, expect primitive chants. This is a must buy. Come on!