Yama & the Karma Dusters (Euphoria Blimpworks Band) “Up
From the Sewers”
Yama
& the Karma Dusters (Euphoria Blimpworks
Band)
“Up From the Sewers”
Quintessential
underground anarcho-Hippie,
anti-establishment private press blast by a
band (and commune) from Chicago c. 1970,
with poetic, sometimes vicious lyrics
(Dylan-esque, or Arthur Lee and Love? you
decide), and funky, hard-edged bones. Yama
& the Karma Dusters, a.k.a. the Euphoria
Blimpworks Band, were inter-racial,
anti-war, Stop the Bomb, free love Hippies,
the wildest of the wild kids. They really
cook on the up-tempo tracks, sounding like a
cross between The Blues Project and Dylan’s
early electric period band circa 1966,
augmented by a violin player. On the hard
rockers, founding member Howard Berkman,
formerly of morose garage punksters the
Knaves, spits out sharp-tongued protest
without becoming precious, while the band
simmers and sizzles in sympathy. There are
melodic folky ballads too, culminating in
the gorgeous ‘Hello Big City.’ The band’s
ability to mix these elements into a
coherent statement — recorded in surprising
fidelity — solidify this an overlooked gem
of the period. An underground counterculture
classic, if ever there was one.
Need to know more? Check out the the massive
16-page gonzo memoir of their Hippie commune
— you can find out what happened when when
Crazy Steve spiked the Gallo jug with acid!
•Lion exclusive: 150x hand-numbered copies
on Transparent Red vinyl
•First legitimate reissue of this
anti-establishment private press gem
•Comes with an 16-page booklet gonzo memoir
of their Hippie commune, w/ tons of photos
Track Listing:
Side A
1. Don’t Kill the Babies (2:09)
2. I Want to Make it Back to Puerto Rico
(3:32)
3. Kathleen (3:33)
4. Revolution (3:10)
5. (All the Way with the) C.T.A. (2:43)
6. I Want to Talk to You (2:54)
Side B
1. Reflections
2. Snow Bitch (6:28)
3. Wouldn’t it Be Funny (4:02)
4. Evolution (2:38)
5. Hello Big City (4:24)
Originally released in 1970 as Manhole
Productions No. 1.
Transparent red
vinyl version is a Lion exclusive
edition of 150x hand-numbered copies available exclusively from Lion:
Catalogue number: RTAI 004 / LION LP-197
UPC: 778578319717
_____
also available — pre-order only
Black vinyl version
is a Return to Analog International
exclusive
Format:
RTAI exclusive edition — black vinyl (500x
copies)
available through Lion on a pre-order only
basis
or direct from Return to Analog
International:
Quintessential
underground anarcho-Hippie,
anti-establishment private press blast by a
band (and commune) from Chicago c. 1970,
with poetic, sometimes vicious lyrics
(Dylan-esque, or Arthur Lee and Love? you
decide), and funky, hard-edged bones. Yama
& the Karma Dusters, a.k.a. the Euphoria
Blimpworks Band, were inter-racial,
anti-war, Stop the Bomb, free love Hippies,
the wildest of the wild kids. They really
cook on the up-tempo tracks, sounding like a
cross between The Blues Project and Dylan’s
early electric period band circa 1966,
augmented by a violin player. On the hard
rockers, founding member Howard Berkman,
formerly of morose garage punksters the
Knaves, spits out sharp-tongued protest
without becoming precious, while the band
simmers and sizzles in sympathy. There are
melodic folky ballads too, culminating in
the gorgeous ‘Hello Big City.’ The band’s
ability to mix these elements into a
coherent statement — recorded in surprising
fidelity — solidify this an overlooked gem
of the period. An underground counterculture
classic, if ever there was one.