Kicked off with catalog number 1001 - the first LP release on ESP-Disk’ - a
V/A comp promoting the Esperanto language. ESP is short for Esperanto. the idea to dedicate the label to this kind of thing was immediately abandoned. https://twitter.com/aquadrunkard/status/1249149606862217217

Right now...Bob James (yeah, THE fusion keyboard jammer Bob James) doing “Wolfman.” It’s a Robert Ashley composition. He’s featured on the recording, credited as Bob Ashley.

ESP’s founder Bernard Stollman told me his friend produced this Timothy Leary record. The producer had to wade through stacks and stacks of tape, laboriously splicing together the material for this LP.

The Fuga’ Tuli Kupferberg’s 1966 LP was constructed by reading ad copy and pamphlets. It’s hilarious!

Vibraphonost Karl Berger’s only solo LP on ESP, recorded 1966 with Henry Grimes on bass and Ed Blackwell on drums. Totally rips.

So good!

Before Yonatan Got played Dvořák with “rock” instruments, The New York Electric Strong Ensemble was tearing up Bach.

Oops, here’s the Bruce Mackay.

All That The Names Implies is up right now. Total jammer.

“The Mind” was from the last track of the 3rd Gods LP.

Seventh Sons — this is an excerpt from one of TWO side-long, stoned-as-fuck improvisations.

The Levitts - a family band Bernard Stollman discovered walking through Central Park. 1 of 2 bands discovered on walks through NYC parks.

The other is MIJ aka Jim Holmberg (MIJ is Jim backwards). Stollman discovered him playing in Washington Square Park. This LP is BONKERS! Jim got synesthesia after an accident. This absurd music was clearly beamed down from another planet.

This Levitts track hits hard right now.

Octopus! ‘69 psych band, mostly teenagers...kinda sophisticated too

Vermont weirdo playing boogie woogie in bars across the state, doing a stand-up bit even. Lots of background bar sounds. If You See Kay...smh.

Band from Baltimore! Bernard told me he signed these guys b/c they finished 2nd place in some contest. He said something about preferring the runners up.

Kind of a killer LP that I should listen to more. I believe this is the 2nd Randy Burns rekkid on ESP.

Alternate covers for The Godz ‘Godzundheit’ - this track is called “Give A Damn” ... maybe the most earnest they ever got.

Alternate covers for Tony Snell’s record, originally release in 1965? This tune hopefully makes you laugh right now.

1973 Sun Ra concert released ‘93. This is Bernard Stollman getting yelled off stage while cycling through slides of outer space.

Alt cover art for The Godz’s Jim McCarthy ‘Alien’ - I gotta say, this SLAYS!

I half-apologize for Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band’s “I Can’t Dance (I’ve Got Ants In My Pants).”

Released erroneously as a Godz record, Pass On The Side is more of a solo project from one Godz member, Paul Thornton. Fun fact: Paul played the One Man Band im the “Audition Day” episode of 30 Rock.

Another fun fact! Paul and Linda McCartney feature on this recording of “God Bless California.”

One and done in 1975, this is the only record released by Bill Horowitz. It’s actually quite killer.

Dipping into a run of Woodstock bands the label released in the mid-70s. It's going to be a 'yikes' for many of you.

Bernard bought tickets to the original Woodstock Festival but was blocked from attending by state police. He had a home out there, though.

This is Tiger Tiger. The tiger brothers were sons of Buffalo Tiger, chief of the Miccosukee tribe, a branch of the Seminoles.

Here's Otis Smith with "Sitting On A Mountain" from this Woodstock Moods and Moments compilation.

Rolf Kempf "Step By Step" from Daydreamer (The Woodstock Album) record 1975. This record cover is just straight up certifiable. My jaw hit the floor the first time I saw it.

And now we skip to 1983 with this Sorgen/Rust/Windbiel Trio record.

That's a wrap. I love this label. I love how Bernard's can seem like a genius with incredible foresight and then completely inept. It speaks to creativity, taking risks, following passion, not getting too bogged down by WHAT SELLS. There's nothing like ESP-Disk'!