TECH TALK
“Dangerously ahead of its time and grossly uncommercial!" That’s the phrase Tonio K. used to describe one of his earlier albums. His first solo album, 1979’s Life In The Food Chain, set the trend for subsequent releases. Specifically, critical adulation and tiny yet fervent (read: cult) commercial response.
TECH TALK
NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND by Billy Cioffi
“Dangerously ahead of its time and grossly uncommercial!’’ That’s the phrase Tonio K. used to describe one of his earlier albums. His first solo album, 1979’s Life In The Food Chain, set the trend for subsequent releases. Specifically, critical adulation and tiny yet fervent (read: cult) commercial response. It contained a near dance hit called “The Funky Western Civilization” which was enough to convince record label honchos to order up another platter with the idea that sooner or later Tonio K. might come up with the main course. Since that time a couple of A&R people have felt the same way (I think a couple of them still have jobs) and every couple of years we get another look inside of Tonio K.’s twisted pop music mind. The latest, Notes From The Lost Civilization, finds Mr. K.’s fortunes on the upswing for a change.