James M. Shepard – Collisions [Cass] (1988, Iron Press)

Released in 1988 on Iron Press, 'Collisions' belongs to the cassette-based side of Jim Shepard’s musical output, rooted in the underground scene of Columbus, Ohio. Shepard was best known for founding Vertical Slit in the late 1970s and later forming V-3, but his solo recordings gave him plenty of room to explore rougher, more experimental territory outside the usual band format. His approach combined abrasive guitar, feedback, unconventional song structures and lo-fi recording techniques, often blurring the line between rock music, noise and sound collage. 

Iron Press was closely associated with Shepard’s independent recording activities, providing an outlet for material that circulated far from the mainstream record industry. Small-run cassettes and self-produced releases were an important part of his working method, allowing him to document ideas and experiments without the restrictions of conventional studio production. This DIY approach also connected his solo work with the wider Columbus underground, where musicians moved between punk, art-rock and experimental projects. 

By the late 1980s, Shepard had spent years developing this distinctive recording style through Vertical Slit and a growing body of solo material. His subsequent work with V-3 carried many of the same elements into a band setting, combining jagged guitar playing and unconventional arrangements with a more recognisable rock framework. Shepard continued recording prolifically until his death on October 16, 1998, leaving behind a large catalogue of releases, demos and recordings that extended well beyond his better-known projects. 

 

Label: Iron Press – none 

Format: Cassette, Compilation 

Country: US 

Released: 1988 

Style: Lo-Fi 

 

Tracklist:  

Collisions 

A1 The Voice 

A2 Collisions Cut-Up 

A3 Union View 

A4 Hostpital.. Hostpital 

A5 Bedview 

A6 All Dreams Must End 

A7 The Elevator 

A8 In The City Of Union (There Are No Trains) 

Strange Rifle Range 

B1 Clay Figurine 

B2 Something About The Queen 

B3 Bad Taste 

B4 Francis Bacon 

B5 Frontier Radio 

B6 A Crucial Glimpse Into The Nearest Hole 

B7 Havana Whore 

B8 Havana Sandwich 

B9 The Chinese Whores Living In Havana Beckon The Sailor Boys 

B10 You're In Pieces Fighting Life 

B11 The Great Collapsing Head Finale 

B12 One Minute She's On 

B13 Acid Bath 

 

Notes:  

Cassette came with a novella called "Collisions", the 2nd installment in the "Drapez" trilogy. Although the release is referred to as "Collisions", the tracklisting on the cover makes a distinction between "Collisions" on side A and "Strange Rifle Range" on side B. 

Tracks B2-B3, B5-B11 & B13 recorded in an abondoned bomb shelter in Munich. 

 

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