ABOUT

REVIEWS ON THE KATHMANDU SESSIONS by DANNY BEN-ISRAEL

SPLENDID
19.03.04

"This is a thoroughly "living" musical document today for the same reason that Zappa's first records still resonate; its long compositions are still rich with ideas! Ben-Israel's material, although based upon heavily-structured concepts, also recycles countless songs of the period, twisting them inside out with a playful vengeance. In "Kathmandu", the lyrical jokes often come from inserting the word "kathmandu" over another noun, but the composition itself is never just a basic delight. It knocks Ben-Israel's peers' melodies around like tennis balls; they mutate, lactate and vacillate beneath his acid sky. "Kathmandu" is the record's unforgettable 13-minute centerpiece, going from crazed Joplin to opium-craving spoken word, then into a netherworld of dream states, play dates and melodic fates. Just like Zappa, the twists and turns go beyond mere parody, and are rooted in classical concepts. The song approaches the brilliance of Liszt's own hilarious "Hungarian Rhapsody #2", and throughly surpasses the efforts of the Fugs and other celebrated satirists of the period.Ben-Israel was not popular enough to inspire speculation regarding his abrupt departure from the music scene. This very lack of popularity, of course, is one reason he left psychedelia to return to stage musicals. Another is the residue of sadness that permeates The Kathmandu Sessions ' last track, "The Hippies of Today are the Assholes of Tomorrow". This scary, mournful song was recorded in 1970, two years after all the other tracks, and reads like a disillusioned summation of the sixties ("The righteous of today are the bigots of tomorrow"), and of sons who fear their destiny ("Oh dear mother, save me from becoming an asshole like Father"). Like "Kathmandu", you'll always remember it, and you'll never need a pill to enjoy it.

- Theodore Defosse
 

PSYCHOTROPIC ZONE

04.08.04

 Danny Ben-Israel, a psychedelic pioneer from Israel, released his album Bullshit 3¼ in 1970 in a limited edition of 400 copies. Danny's music is a strange combination of psychedelia and avant garde. Drugs have clearly played a major role in it. The Kathmandu Sessions was recorded at the same time period as Bullshit, apart from the last track ("The Hippies of Today Are the Assholes of Tomorrow") and it was meant for the English speaking audience. Sadly, it was left unreleased. Now Merry Records from Israel has made a big service by releasing it. There are seven tracks on the CD, first of which is just narration. The album features some pretty far-out stuff from time to time, like being on a bad trip. The lyrics are really weird. The recording sessions were quite messy, and Danny can't really remember that much about them. "Kathmandu" originates from the rumors the guys heard, that you can buy hashish from the stores and at the streets in Kathmandu, and they dreamt of flying there from Tel Aviv. At its best the album works great, but there also some weaker points, as one might guess. This still is an interesting part of the history of psychedelic rock.

-DJ Astro