“LA Past And Present” week continues today with another local treasure. You could say that other than sharing a home with yesterday’s An Album A Day entry they have nothing in common. You could say most records you hear have nothing in common with this one. Because, honestly, even in the world of vanity/private press oddities, how many other gay glam punk cabaret revues can you name? Maybe there’s Transister-Jet Strikes Back but that wasn’t as campy and fun as this one. Dorian? I mean, I know I listen to a lot of loner/downer folk and very homemade-sounding albums, but surely my knowledge of this particular field would be greater if more titles existed.
Upon first listening to In The World Of Baby Bones I was a bit flabbergasted. I mean…how do you describe this to someone? It sounds like a one-man stage show, or a failed attempt at a concept album or musical. So I did what any rational listener in this modern age does, and I performed a simple Google search for “Paul Vanase” “In The World Of Baby Bones.” And what I found was this article and interview with Paul Vanase, which was published in issue #22 of Scram Magazine. That will pretty much tell you everything you need to know about the man behind Baby Bones and the music contained on this album. Long story short, Paul used to have a stage show in LA and then he toured around with a small group performing…I guess…some of these songs but probably many other unrelated songs in a stage show that described as “A trendy new trend encompassing all the pop, camp, neo-dada and hypersexuality of the broadway and glitter rock scenes rolled into one.” And Paul himself says “It was like a troupe of high school brats weaned on too many Hustler magazines and Rocky Horror Picture Shows presenting an extravaganza under the direction of the Marquis de Sade.” Apparently 5000 (whoa, someone had some lofty goals) copies of this album were pressed, but a lot of ’em ended up in thrift stores when Paul moved from LA to Vegas. Which I think is where he currently resides. Again, you should read that interview to get the full story.
The story of how I found this album is way less interesting than the music. I was at work and someone had traded it in when I wasn’t there, so as I was standing around pricing whatever vinyl was to be added to inventory I came across it, flipped it over, looked at the images on the back and the song titles (“Cosmic Orgy” and “Sticking Needles Through Paper Doll Eyes” in particular) and decided to take it home and listen to it to see if it was worth the price. The rest, as they say, is record collecting history.
Paul Vanase
In The World Of Baby Bones
(Bone Productions, 1978)
A1. Baby Bones
A2. Sticking Needles Through Paper Doll Eyes
A3. Its For Your Name
A4. Broken Chances II
A5. Sissy
B1. Cosmic Orgy [MP3]
B2. Hopeless Case
B3. Sad And Lonely
B4. I Can’t Care Ever
B5. Dilemma
