A Tribute to Cuneiform Records

This year, Cuneiform Records are going to take a long hiatus this year due to the direction of the falling sales and deciding if they want to continue on where the future for the label to go into or not. Since launching back in 1984, Steve Feigenbaum is the heart and soul of Cuneiform Records. I’ve first discovered the label alongside MoonJune Records back in the 2010 documentary of Romantic Warriors: A Progressive Music Saga by filmmakers Jose Zegarra Holder and Adele Schmidt.

Cuneiform were on my radar list to be on the lookout for. I’ve discovered a lot of great music from the label. It wasn’t just a Prog label, but also Avant-Rock, RIO (Rock In Opposition), and Jazz at the same time. It was for me, as the late great Harvey Pekar mentioned about his views on collecting both Comic Books and Jazz Records in the 2003 film, American Splendor; “It’s like the Treasure of the Sierra Madre or something. You go to Thrift Shops, you go to garage sales, because you go to find something that’s real rare and most of the time it’s a total waste of time, but once in a while, you’ll come up with something that’ll wet your appetite.”

That’s the same thing with me, it wasn’t just the big names like Pink Floyd, ELP, Genesis, and Yes to name a few, but for me, it was supporting the little guy or some of the bands I’ve never heard of that would peaked my interest. Whether it’s Cheer-Accident, Present, Univers Zero, The Microscopic Septet, The Cellar and Point, and Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores to name a few, it’s always a treat to see what the label would peak my cup of coffee. Not to mention hitting the big gigantic push with the 12-CD/2-DVD set of Art Zoyd’s 44 1/2: Live + Unreleased Works.

Not only that but both Sid Smith's Podcasts from the Yellow Room and Prog Rock Deep Cuts with Ian Beabout, was making my wish list grow and grow even more to open my eyes up of what Cuneiform would think of next on their upcoming releases. I hope they’ll continue. We can’t let real good music die and keeping Independent music growing strong by not letting the flames in the water, but keeping the flames up and going more and more. So to Steve Feigenbaum, Joyce Nalewajk, and all the crew at Cuneiform Records, I tip my bottle of water to you. Here’s some of my top 10 lists of the albums from the label that were one of my favorites from them.

1. Bent Knee – Say So
2. Led Bib – The People In Your Neighborhood
3. Chrome Hoof – Chrome Black Gold
4. Pixel – We Are All Small Pixels
5. Robert Wyatt – ‘68
6. Zevious – Passing Through the Wall
7. Present – Le Poison Qui Rend Fou / Triskaidekaphobie
8. The Muffins – Manna / Mirage
9. Happy Family – Minimal Gods
10. Alec K. Redfearn & The Eyesores – Sister Death

But Wayside Music is still up-and-going. Please show your support to buy music and keep the music train going more and more.

http://www.waysidemusic.com/