The Music Fugitive

 

When most people hear the name David Janssen, they usually think of the American film & television actor best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Kimble in the television series The Fugitive. But there is another renowned DJ.

 

 

This David Janssen is probably better known around these parts as Ted the Loaf, half of the often featured Renaldo & the Loaf. Renaldo & the Loaf are an obscure English musical duo comprised of pathologist David Janssen & architect Brian Poole (Renaldo Malpractice). They met while in school & starting in the late 70s made experimental music that defied description. While on holiday in San Francisco they gave a tape to one of The Residents. The Residents were suitably impressed. Shortly thereafter they made an album for Ralph Records called Songs for Swinging Larvae which is known as one of the strangest records of all time.

When Renaldo & the Loaf ceased working together in 1986, David stopped making music for the next 20 years. A reunion with his former musical partner in July 2006 led to his reconnection with music. After living as a non-musician for 20 years, David now works with sound samples & a PC.

The Darkening Scale is one of the numerous solo music projects of David Janssen. First off we have Hydrogen Kaleidoscope. The title comes from a conversation Janssen had with a friend some years back. They were talking about a news item regarding the Large Hadron Collider. Janssen’s friend referred to it as the ‘Hydrogen Kaleidoscope’. David thought that it was such a wonderful malapropism that he filed it away for future use as either a song or album title.

The Darkening Scale – Hyrdogen Kaleidoscope, self-released, 2010.
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Tracklist –

The Digital Larynx I

Dog Leg Army

A Cankered Lightness

Discordant Smog

Riding the Bull Home (feat. Sylvie Walder – piano)

Doberman Newsgirl

A Finger Pointing at the Moon

Lyric Poetry of the Useful Zebra

No Finger, No Moon

Timid Cowslip

Arable Rabbi Pt. 1 & 2

The Digital Larynx II

Secondly is a Darkening Scale remix project entitled Stuck Bad. It’s a remix of the Duck Stab album by his friends & label-mates The Residents. (I switched the track order to exactly match Duck Stab. Sorry David.

The Darkening Scale – Stuck Bad, self-released, 2011.

Tracklist –

Continental Sop (Constantinople)

Sexier, Arresting Goat (Sinister Exaggerator)

Bake Sore Toe (The Booker Tease)

Boulder Buses (Blue Rosebuds)

Hugging Salon (Laughing Song)

Acid Ash Bed (Bach is Dead)

Had Visions, Bless (Elvis & his Boss)

You figure it out,

NØ