Album Notes

A playful and eclectic melange of diverse musical styles, comedy and theatre using flutes made out of vegetables (carrots, yam, broccoli and potato) as well as the experimental instruments such as the Umbrella-phone (a bowed violin-like instrument made from an umbrella) and the whiskey-in-the-jar-o-phone.

Roots music, Old Time Gospel, Jazz, Blues, Comedy, Anthem Rock, Atmospheric Soundtrack Music, Idiosyncratic Covers of Irish classics - You'll find it all here in Veggie Music from The Wyld Men.

The Wyld Men are three like minded artists who perform and experiment in the realms of music, theatre and movement. The "Veggie Music" CD is an exploration of song styles, soundscapes and radio theatre featuring the use of flutes made out of vegetables and other inventive sources of music. In this recording you will hear such instruments as:

1- Yam, Broccoli and Carrot Whistles as featured on the album cover.

2-The "Slide Potato" (pat. pending)-invented by Jonathan Crocker. (a potato that is cored and then employs the core of the potato to be used as a slide to change the pitch) also on the album cover.

3- The Umbrella-phone ( a bowed single stringed umbrella that utilizes a bicycle brake lever to control the pitch),

4- The Capsicum Merliton ( a kazoo made from a hot pepper ) as seen on the back of the album.

5- The Whiskey-in-the-jar-phone ( a slide wistle with the plunger removed, which is then submerged in a jar of whiskey. The pitch is controlled hydraulically--alcohaulically?-- by moving the jar of whiskey). This instrument, of course, accompanies the song "Whiskey in the Jar ". Pictured on the inside of the album.

The album is seperated into two parts:

1- A-Side -"In the Raw"

This section begins with inventor Jonathan Crocker actually making a slide potato on tape in under 30 second and then moves on to jug band, folk, radio theatre, and Celtic stylings- Danny Boy is accompanied on the Slide Potato itself! With comedic transitions between tunes.

2- B-Side- "Over-Produced Sampler"

Here The Wyld Men have a lot of fun delving into even more diverse genres. Side B starts with veggie jazz but then leaves the produce behind to bring you a 70's - 80's rock styled anthem,an atmospheric soundtrack collage and ends with a driving country western love song.

The Wyldmen are Jonathan Crocker, Douglas Mumaw and David Macejka. This recording could not have been possible with out the help of many talented friends who tolerated countlesss hours of vegetables in various stages of tuning and we thank all of them for their patience and their many musical contibutions. Please check out our website for links to them as well as to see the other things that we do throughout the year.

Through all of this please remember that it is OK to laugh.