The Obscure Series

Thanks to Rob Tannenbaum for finding this link.  Here's the copy:

Obscure Records was a U.K. record label which existed from 1975 to 1978. It was created and run by Brian Eno, who also produced the albums (credited as executive producer in one instance). Ten albums were issued in the series. Most have detailed liner notes on their back covers, analyzing the compositions and providing a biography of the composer, in a format typical of classical music albums, and much of the material can be regarded as 20th century classical music. The label provided a venue for experimental music, and its association with Eno gave increased public exposure to its composers and musicians.

Obscure Records

Brian Eno likes to sing

An essay on NPR by Brian Eno about the values of communal singing.

Roxy Music bits and pieces

Times UK review of new Brian Eno biography, "On Some Faraway Beach" by David Sheppard.

Baltimore CityPaper review of Michael Bracewell's "Re-Make/Re-Model".

Blogcritics review of "The Thrill of It All" DVD.

Brian Eno is 60

Here is an interview with Brian Eno in the Independent (UK).

IBR 1975 Page Six

This page represents one of the many reasons that Island was such a unique label.

All these records went on to sell more when they were released on other labels later! The Dylan albums were released on Asylum in the US after Bob Dylan had a falling out with CBS after they released the out-takes compilation "Dylan." David Geffen scooped him up for two records before Dylan returned to the loving arms of Columbia.

The first three Brian Eno "vocal" records marked an escape from his Roxy Music identity and his path to becoming the Kevin Bacon of the music industry. Everything in pop is six degrees from Eno. "Here Comes the Warm Jets" includes his thinly-veiled attack of former bandmate Bryan Ferry -- the song "Dead Finks Don't Talk" includes the verse:

"Oh you headless chicken
How those poor teeth take so much kicking?
You're always so charming
As you peck your way up there."

Guest musicians on "Warm Jets" include longtime collaborator Robert Fripp (King Crimson), Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson, all from Roxy Music; John Wetton, sometime Roxy, UK, Asia, Yes, Crimson, etc. bass player; sometime Womble and Sex Pistols collaborator and guitarist Chris Spedding, along with various members of Hawkwind among others!

A very short clip of "Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch"

"Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)" included contributions from Robert Wyatt, known from Soft Machine and Matching Mole, as well as for his interpretation of the Elvis Costello song "Ship Building;" (here performed on the "Old Grey Whistle Test") and Phil Collins (Genesis, Brand X) who might have being doing session work because he wasn't sure if the "Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" project was really ever going to get finished! Fun too was the inclusion of the Portsmouth Sinfonia, a classical music group made up of musicians assigned to instruments that they were not familiar with. (Here they play "Also Sprach Zarathustra").

Third time is a doozy! "Another Green World" is one of the great records of the 1970s. Released in November 1975 it marked the commercial transition of Eno's work into the ambient arena. (The title track is known in the UK as the theme music to the BBC arts series, "Arena"). John Cale (The Velvet Underground) joined the Eno players on this record.

An amateur video set to "St. Elmo's Fire."