David E. Williams
Pseudo-Erotica 4-song EP
Red Dog Records, 1987


Williams in 1987

Don't let his cherub face fool you, this songwriter was voted most likely (by me) to follow in Charlie Manson's footsteps and even though he's still around, so far as we know he hasn't sent a band of his followers into the Philadelphia suburbs to spill blood. This "gothpopedelia" (term copyrighted by Vinyl Mine, 2004) 4-song EP was his debut record, I believe, and while it lacks the production quality of his newer work, it suggests either Goth's answer to Spinal Tap with lyrics like "Oh my God, the dog vomited on the floor again" or a modern day Don Quixote spinning his lance at windmill sized rotting flesh trying to write the perfect song. The music and vocals sounds like Legendary Pink Dots but the song subjects are about things like "Taxidermy Tragedy" and Bob Crane's life and mushy endstate.

But despite the "wha? huh?" nature of the afore-quoted opening lyrics, "My God and My Dog" actually is quite clever, starting with a conversation between human and dogs and migrating into a rant from human to God.

Here's Mr. Williams today:

You can visit his website, where you can hear samples from his current work (no full MP3s), read his severely off-beat lyrics and even buy one of the remaining new copies of this 17 year old record. He recently released a new CD of songs which you can buy via Paypal on his site. He's played recently at the Knitting Factory, is playing the Carnival of Souls festival in Derby, UK this weekend and Italy next weekend, so this Don Q. ain't doing too bad for himself. He has also works with guitarist Jerome Deppe, Rozz Williams and Deathpile.

Limited time MP3: My God and My Dog (138 kbps VBR)

And I suppose it's time to repeat the disclaimer - MP3s are provided for evaluation purposes only, recorded from vinyl LPs, vary in quality and are only available for a limited time.