Borbetomagus – Coelacanth [7''] (1993, Butt Rag Records)

 

The 7" 'Coelacanth' by Borbetomagus came out in 1993 on the American independent label Butt Rag Records. It contains two versions of the title piece, both performed by the core trio of Jim Sauter and Don Dietrich on saxophones and Donald Miller on electric guitar. The recordings come from two different sessions, with “Coelacanth 6.27.92” on the A-side and “Coelacanth 5.9.93” on the B-side. The record was issued in a gatefold sleeve and has the compact, confrontational character typical of Borbetomagus releases from this period.

 
By the time 'Coelacanth' appeared, Borbetomagus had already spent more than a decade pushing free improvisation into increasingly abrasive territory. Sauter and Dietrich had originally come together with guitarist and radio DJ Donald Miller in New York in 1979, after the saxophonists became interested in Miller's WKCR radio programme. Miller was already active in the city's experimental music scene and had played with the cult group Sick Dick & the Volkswagens, while his later work included collaborations with free-jazz drummer William Hooker and numerous other improvisers. 

The Borbetomagus approach was based on improvisation without a conventional rhythm section, with the two saxophones and Miller's amplified guitar occupying the entire sonic space. Their performances could become extremely dense, using feedback, extended saxophone techniques, distortion and sustained noise rather than conventional riffs or melodies. 'Coelacanth' fits neatly into this period, presenting two short live performances recorded almost a year apart and showing the trio working in the stripped-down format that had become central to their sound.

 
The title also has an interesting connection with another Borbetomagus project. In 1991, the group had recorded 'Coelacanth' with The Shaking Ray Levis, Dennis Palmer and Bob Stagner, for a limited-edition 10" picture disc on Agaric. The Butt Rag 7" is a separate release, documenting the Borbetomagus trio rather than the larger collaboration. The band's own discography lists the 7" specifically as 'Coelacanth' (Butt Rag BR006), with Sauter, Dietrich and Miller credited. 

Butt Rag Records was an American underground label with a distinctly independent approach, operating around the margins of alternative rock, experimental music and the American underground. Borbetomagus had already appeared on the label with the 7" 'The Original Chirping Chicken / Choking Olga' (BR004), issued in 1992, making 'Coelacanth' the second Borbetomagus single associated with Butt Rag. Contemporary collector listings also place releases by artists such as Timber and The Biggest Square Thing in the label's catalogue. 

The label's placement of Borbetomagus alongside underground rock and experimental acts is significant because 'Coelacanth' wasn't packaged as a conventional jazz release. The 7" format, tiny independent label and deliberately rough presentation put the group into the same vinyl underground inhabited by noise, punk and experimental rock releases. The record has subsequently become a relatively scarce Borbetomagus item, with specialist dealers describing it as a rare early-'90s 7" containing two live versions recorded a year apart. 

Donald Miller remained an important part of Borbetomagus well beyond the period covered by this single. Alongside his work with the group, he maintained a broad experimental practice, recording solo material and collaborating with musicians from the New York improvisation scene. After moving to New Orleans in 2001, he formed The Death Posture with guitarist Rob Cambre and Butoh dancer Vanessa Skantze, continuing to combine improvised music with performance art. Miller died in 2024 at the age of 66. 

The name Borbetomagus had a slightly accidental beginning. It was originally intended as the title of the quartet's first album rather than the band's permanent name. The word referred to the ancient Celtic name for the German town of Worms, while the album artwork played with the idea of a “city of worms.” Reviewers treated Borbetomagus as the name of the group, and the musicians eventually accepted the name. 

 

Label: Butt Rag Records – BR006 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM 

Country: US 

Released: 1993 

Style: Free Jazz, Noise 

 

Tracklist: 

A Coelacanth 6.27.92 4:49 

B Coelacanth 5.9.93 2:57 

 

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