Ego Summit - The Room Isn't Big Enough


The concept of an “underground supergroup” is a slight contradiction in terms, yet the phrase has been used to describe Ego Summit. Perhaps it’s more appropriate to simply describe the group as some old buddies jamming in the barn. Nonetheless, the histories of the members are unavoidable, as they are collectively leaving behind an inspired discography that dates back to the Ford administration. The ‘Summit was a gathering of a handful of old-time Columbus, OH indie pioneers -- old friends -- who had been show-going and collaborating in an incestuous scene for decades, but might not have all stepped into the same room at the same time to make music. And so, Mike Rep, Ron House, Jim Shepard, Tommy Jay, and Don Howland got together in Jay’s studio/barn to play some music. As Rep’s liners note, “it was generally agreed that some documentation to that fellowship should be recorded on tape before the participants doddered off into ‘old age.’”

That session, recorded by Jay and Rep with some help from Jerry Wick, became the thirteen song album The Room Isn’t Big Enough, the first vinyl release on Rep’s Old Age/No Age imprint, previously a cassette only label. Though a short-lived project, the album is cohesive and profound, a modern day DIY masterpiece that pulled sounds and influences from a half-century’s worth of interesting music. Ego Summit manages to seamlessly reference punk, folk, psych, and blues, and is perfectly presented by the band’s rough-around-the-edges 4-track aesthetic. Dave Hyde, Terminal-Boredom.com

5 comments:

decrepittapes said...

http://www.sendspace.com/file/wt0af5

Anonymous said...

such a fantastic record. scored mine years ago, and i live in fear that i will one day wear it out.

Anonymous said...

awesome..thnx for posting....great blog

Anonymous said...

great stuff !!!
i'm lookin for Don Howland works and this one was missing.
Many thanx.
Bravo

Hive Mind Holy Shroud said...

http://autistictheater.blogspot.com
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
ATAT #105(A)

My Uncle Wayne.
Colonial Hills 7"

side:a
trk:1. Colonial Hills

lovingly fucked with by Mike Rep
@the Used Kids Annex.
1998
spilt milk recordings.
100 pressed on pink wax.

Jenny Mae/Trumpet.
Mike McKeegan/Guitar
Davey Highben/Guitar.voice.
Rep/Tapes.


All I really remember about these sessions was that Mike had just got this new four track he was going to "try out" on us. I really didn't know who Mike was at the time I was pretty new to town. He insisted that we record acoustically, which was fine for me since i wrote everything that way. Well Right off the bat Mike was having problems with his new equipment and after about 45 minutes of fuckery he was ready to go...but first!!! Mike looked like he was struck with the revelation of a lifetime, or rather that moment and in a dash he sprang from his stool, mysteriously produced a joint and turned out the shop lights at the exact same time. Then with a clap, dashing Christmas lights came about and chased themselves around the store with clouds of smoke filling the room. It was at this time Jenny Mae showed up with trumpet in one hand and a practically empty bottle of Gin(?)in the other- it might of been whiskey-I don't remember, I'm no journalist!

Forever since then when ever I see Mike he usually makes some side comment at some time, that usually questions why I never did more with these sessions, the "tossing of the coals", as he liked to call it, but truth be told- I always felt more comfortable singing behind a twisting, turning, churning, morphing, wall of sound and recording with Mike took that all away,It left me vulnerable in the realization of all that was transpiring around me at that point and time in my life...(what the hell am I talking about?)
anyway,
so here it goes...

enjoy.

"...I imagine I could yet I never do,
when I'm alone at home I sit around
and think of you...la la la la la la ..."

(thanks to Dan for lending his copy)