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5 Albums I Can't Live Without

5 Albums I Can’t Live Without: oGre and cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy

(Credit: Emilie Elizabeth)

Names  oGre/Kevin ‘ohGr’ Ogilvie & cEvin Key

Best known for

Grim yodeling and dumpster theatrics for Skinny Puppy and ohGr. — oGre

Playing synthesizers and noisy things. — cEvin

Current city

Los Angeles — oGre & cEvin

Really want to be

In the here and now … that’s it, no other big aspirations! — oGre

In Kamakura Japan around Shonan, eating soba and riding my bike. — cEvin

Excited about

Just being! …Oh, and bucket list creative projects with a few good friends. — oGre

I’ve heard we have a big tour coming up called Skinny Puppy, a new solo album coming, a eurorack module called BRAP, making some soft vinyl toys, and a new Cyberactif and a score I’m working on for a… Oh, I can’t say that yet. 🙂 — cEvin

My current music collection

Has reflections from many different time periods of my life. — oGre

Old records. — cEvin

And a little bit of

Vamping nostalgia for the dark times spent getting my bat wings 🙂 — oGre

Modern records. — cEvin

Preferred format I’ll take whatever I can get. These ears have become less in need of the high ended audiophiliacs poo poo; moving to more reptilian-like reactions; centered in that pure ancient emotional basal ganglia. Music as memory; to make one weep in the rain! — oGre

I love vinyl, for the size smell, sound and the overall listening experience. — cEvin

 

5 Albums I Can’t Live Without: oGre

 

The 5 albums have been chosen from one of those time periods, as mentioned above, long before I moved to Vancouver, BC to become the character/pseudonym oGre.

These are some the vinyl records that changed my perceptions and led to this very fortuitous adventure, good times and bad, that be Skinny Puppy.

During those feckless days living in Calgary, AB I tuned into a really cool public access show called FM Moving Pictures and credit host Mike Bezzeg for turning my ears on to my first choice in life-changing tunes and introducing me to one of my favorite labels: Factory Records.

1
Closer, Joy Division

Just the idea of something so close to the nerve of desperation; poetic inner-politics laid bare to the bone. I was gutted by what followed on the eve on their first North American tour. Such a rare collision of art and premonition.

Truly changed my perception of what can be expressed through music and word.

2
Here Come the Warm Jets, Brian Eno

 

Still one of my favorite albums! The cast of characters including Fripp writing still my favorite guitar solo on “Baby’s on Fire”…absolutely crushing! Eno’s approach to a no-rules compositional template created one of the most interesting-sounding albums I’d ever heard up to that point. Love SO much of both the ambient and pop/vocal records he released. Will be with me ‘til and after I’m dead.

3
The Madcap Laughs, Syd Barrett

 

I mean…it’s Syd! The frailty of someone on the edge of breaking down manifested in the utter beauty of his phrasing and broken chords. Both horrifying and utterly devastatingly gorgeous be the thoughts and gestures put into this record. The kindness of those Floyd bandmates trying to help him steer his broken vision. Resonates deeply with me.

4
Scary Monsters, David Bowie

 

[Deviates] from normal pop music; diving headlong into something that was wildly narrative-driven and mind-blowing both in production, musicianship, and composition. Alien worlds were visited by this young pup, while on psychedelics, with headphones fully strapped on! As well, Scary Monsters featured Steve Strange from Visage in the video for “Ashes to Ashes”…introducing the short-lived New Romantic scene to the masses!

5
Organisation, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark

 

Gave me the warm fuzzies within that dark mechanized-seeming world created; full of waltz timings and strong moods. Amazing dance music for mutant youngsters like myself, whirling-dervish like in my bedroom.

As I’ve gotten older some of their more mainstream commercial albums have found a strong place in my nostalgic heart. The one band that, whenever they’re in town, you’ll find me dancing up near the front!

Is that considered a guilty pleasure? If so, I’m guilty.

 

Honorable Mention:

 

Pornography, The Cure

And lastly… Honorable (1stchoice) mention to The Cure and their album, Pornography, as well as the rest of their very prolific and incredible catalog. Will always love and hope for The Cure!

 

 

 

5 Albums I Can’t Live Without: cEvin Key

 

1

BGM or Technodelic, Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO)

The most inspirational records I have. Saw YMO in Japan at a young age. And it has inspired everything I do. Yukihiro Takahashi is my ultimate idol (RIP).

 

2

Metamatic, John Foxx

Probably one of the most perfect electronic albums made. Perfect future vision and production.

 

3

Brighter Now, The Legendary Pink Dots

Brilliantly unique, both lyrically and musically. If I listen it’s in my head for a week. Edward Ka-Spel is a genius!

 

4

Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires, Scientist

This album always transports me to the first time I heard it in Amsterdam. One of the best dub producers and albums. I met Scientist and he is also a Class A person. <3

 

5

Los Angeles, Flying Lotus

One of those albums I put in a player of mine in my workshop. It has never been taken out in over 10 years. I can listen to this album forever.