Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis
Encyclopedia
Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis is the second studio EP by American punk
band Butthole Surfers
, released in October 1985. All songs were written and produced by the Butthole Surfers.
The EP was originally released on Touch and Go
. It was also included with CD editions of Rembrandt Pussyhorse
in the U.S. and Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac
in the UK. Rembrandt Pussyhorse and Cream Corn... were again packaged as a single album when they were reissued on Latino Buggerveil
in 1999.
, industrial, psychedelic rock
, and country rock
in the space of four songs. While guitarist Paul Leary
has described Cream Corn... as an unfinished full-length album, lead vocalist Gibby Haynes
has said it was conceived as a single with additional songs.
It is unclear if Teresa Nervosa
performed on all four songs, as she left the band for a short time in 1985. She has been confirmed as playing on "To Parter" and "Tornadoes."
Three of the EP's songs – "Moving to Florida," "Comb," and "To Parter" – are often performed at the band's live concerts.
"Moving to Florida"'s first spoken words would later be sampled by Japanese noise band Hanatarash
on their track "Butthole Surfers/Pisshole Surfers".
, while the "socket" alludes to the socket of his left eye, which he lost in an automobile accident in 1954. The album's original cover concept called for an image depicting cream corn spewing from Davis' eye socket. The commissioned piece did not match the band's expectations though, and they decided to use a different cover image while keeping the concept's name.
According to guitarist
Paul Leary
, he acquired the eventual cover image by chance while purchasing marijuana from an acquaintance in San Antonio, Texas
. The image's photographer was at the acquaintance's residence for the same reason, and happened to have his portfolio with him. After a session of beer
drinking and impromptu guitar playing, Leary accidentally caused some of the photographer's photos to fall on the floor. One of these pictures was a group shot depicting the young girl seen on Cream Corns cover, but surrounded by six older models. Leary commented that he liked it, the photographer gave him the photo and its reproduction rights, and the girl's picture was cropped, blown up, and used on the EP's U.S. cover.
The cover image that has become most associated with the EP was not used on its original American pressing; it featured a plain green sleeve and a clear vinyl
record, and was marketed as a pre-release edition.
and New York. Two of its songs, "To Parter" and "Tornadoes," were originally intended as part of the band's Rembrandt Pussyhorse
album, which was completed long before Cream Corn...s debut. Alternative Tentacles
, who had the initial option to release Rembrandt Pussyhorse (first titled Rembrandt Pussy Horse), held it for a year before ultimately declining to publish it. While waiting on Alternative Tentacles, the Surfers released this EP through Touch and Go
. It is not known if the inclusion of two proposed Rembrandt Pussyhorse songs on Cream Corn... factored into Alternative Tentacles' final decision.
1 Titled "Lou Reed" on UK editions.
2 Titled "Two Part" on UK editions.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
, released in October 1985. All songs were written and produced by the Butthole Surfers.
The EP was originally released on Touch and Go
Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
. It was also included with CD editions of Rembrandt Pussyhorse
Rembrandt Pussyhorse
Rembrandt Pussyhorse is the second full-length studio album by American experimental punk band Butthole Surfers, released in April 1986. All songs were written and produced by the Butthole Surfers, except "American Woman", which was written by Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, Jim Kale, and Garry...
in the U.S. and Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac
Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac
Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac is the first full-length studio album by American punk band Butthole Surfers, released in December 1984 by Touch and Go Records and Fundamental Records. All songs were written and produced by the Butthole Surfers....
in the UK. Rembrandt Pussyhorse and Cream Corn... were again packaged as a single album when they were reissued on Latino Buggerveil
Latino Buggerveil
Latino Buggerveil is an independent record label and publishing company that was founded by psychedelic noise-punk band the Butthole Surfers.The label's first release was the 1987 album A Texas Trip, a various artists compilation which was co-released by Caroline Records...
in 1999.
Music
Highly eclectic, Cream Corn... finds the Surfers exploring bluesBlues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, industrial, psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
, and country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
in the space of four songs. While guitarist Paul Leary
Paul Leary
Paul Leary is an American musician from Austin, TX, best known as the guitarist for American rock band Butthole Surfers. He is also the producer of a number of songs and albums by other bands, including U2, Sublime, the Meat Puppets, Daniel Johnston, The Reverend Horton Heat, Pepper, Maggie...
has described Cream Corn... as an unfinished full-length album, lead vocalist Gibby Haynes
Gibby Haynes
Gibson Jerome "Gibby" Haynes is an American musician, radio personality, and painter, and the lead singer of the group Butthole Surfers.-Early life and career:...
has said it was conceived as a single with additional songs.
It is unclear if Teresa Nervosa
Teresa Taylor
Teresa Taylor , also known as Teresa Nervosa, is an American musician and actor. She is best known as being a drummer for the American punk band Butthole Surfers.-Biography:...
performed on all four songs, as she left the band for a short time in 1985. She has been confirmed as playing on "To Parter" and "Tornadoes."
Three of the EP's songs – "Moving to Florida," "Comb," and "To Parter" – are often performed at the band's live concerts.
"Moving to Florida"'s first spoken words would later be sampled by Japanese noise band Hanatarash
Hanatarash
Hanatarashi , meaning "sniveler" or "snot-nosed" in Japanese, was a noise band created by later Boredoms frontman Yamantaka Eye and featured Zeni Geva guitarist Mitsuru Tabata. The outfit was formed in Osaka, Japan in 1984 after Eye and Tabata met as stage hands at an Einstürzende Neubauten show...
on their track "Butthole Surfers/Pisshole Surfers".
Title and cover
The "Davis" in the album's title is a reference to American Entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr.Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
, while the "socket" alludes to the socket of his left eye, which he lost in an automobile accident in 1954. The album's original cover concept called for an image depicting cream corn spewing from Davis' eye socket. The commissioned piece did not match the band's expectations though, and they decided to use a different cover image while keeping the concept's name.
According to guitarist
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
Paul Leary
Paul Leary
Paul Leary is an American musician from Austin, TX, best known as the guitarist for American rock band Butthole Surfers. He is also the producer of a number of songs and albums by other bands, including U2, Sublime, the Meat Puppets, Daniel Johnston, The Reverend Horton Heat, Pepper, Maggie...
, he acquired the eventual cover image by chance while purchasing marijuana from an acquaintance in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. The image's photographer was at the acquaintance's residence for the same reason, and happened to have his portfolio with him. After a session of beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
drinking and impromptu guitar playing, Leary accidentally caused some of the photographer's photos to fall on the floor. One of these pictures was a group shot depicting the young girl seen on Cream Corns cover, but surrounded by six older models. Leary commented that he liked it, the photographer gave him the photo and its reproduction rights, and the girl's picture was cropped, blown up, and used on the EP's U.S. cover.
The cover image that has become most associated with the EP was not used on its original American pressing; it featured a plain green sleeve and a clear vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
record, and was marketed as a pre-release edition.
Background
The EP was recorded in Athens, GeorgiaAthens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
and New York. Two of its songs, "To Parter" and "Tornadoes," were originally intended as part of the band's Rembrandt Pussyhorse
Rembrandt Pussyhorse
Rembrandt Pussyhorse is the second full-length studio album by American experimental punk band Butthole Surfers, released in April 1986. All songs were written and produced by the Butthole Surfers, except "American Woman", which was written by Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, Jim Kale, and Garry...
album, which was completed long before Cream Corn...s debut. Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
, who had the initial option to release Rembrandt Pussyhorse (first titled Rembrandt Pussy Horse), held it for a year before ultimately declining to publish it. While waiting on Alternative Tentacles, the Surfers released this EP through Touch and Go
Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
. It is not known if the inclusion of two proposed Rembrandt Pussyhorse songs on Cream Corn... factored into Alternative Tentacles' final decision.
Side B
- "To Parter" 2 – 4:20
- "Tornadoes" – 2:36
1 Titled "Lou Reed" on UK editions.
2 Titled "Two Part" on UK editions.
Personnel
All songs written and produced by the Butthole Surfers.- Gibby HaynesGibby HaynesGibson Jerome "Gibby" Haynes is an American musician, radio personality, and painter, and the lead singer of the group Butthole Surfers.-Early life and career:...
– lead vocals - Paul LearyPaul LearyPaul Leary is an American musician from Austin, TX, best known as the guitarist for American rock band Butthole Surfers. He is also the producer of a number of songs and albums by other bands, including U2, Sublime, the Meat Puppets, Daniel Johnston, The Reverend Horton Heat, Pepper, Maggie...
– guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
("Moving To Florida" and "Comb") - Terence Smart – bass ("To Parter" and "Tornadoes")
- King CoffeyKing CoffeyKing Coffey is an American drummer, best known for being the drummer of the psychedelic/noise rock band the Butthole Surfers. He began drumming in a Fort Worth hardcore punk band called The Hugh Beaumont Experience. Around that same time he published a fanzine called Throbbing Cattle...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Teresa NervosaTeresa TaylorTeresa Taylor , also known as Teresa Nervosa, is an American musician and actor. She is best known as being a drummer for the American punk band Butthole Surfers.-Biography:...
– drums ("To Parter" and "Tornadoes")