Flim & The BB's - Tricycle

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MotorToad

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# Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
# Original Release Date: November 1982
# Number of Discs: 1
# Label: Digital Music Products, Inc.
# ASIN: B000003DCJ

Billy Barber; Piano, Fender Rhodes, Prophet and Moog Synthesizers
Bill Berg; Drums an d Percussion
Flim Johnson; 5-String Alembic Basses & Oberheim on “Lunch Hour Wedding March”
Dick Oatts; Alto, Soprano & Tenor Saxophones, Flute and Clarinet

"This original 1982 recording was made direct to a Mitsubishi X-80 2 track digital recorder at a sampling frequency of 50.4kHz. Transfer to DSD was made using the original session master tape played on a Mitsubishi recorder connected directly to an EMM Labs DSD A/D converter feeding a Sony DSD recorder. No EQ or processing whatsoever was used in the transfer."

All that above was from google. This is one of my favorite recordings of all time. Tricycle is such a fun song to listen to, huge dynamic range (please FF to the meat of the song before you set the volume level, it goes loud after 45 seconds or so), crisp and very musical. Lunch Hour Wedding March has some awesome electronic organ bass and will really let you know whether your system has a flat response on the low end. I love this album so much that I've bought three or four other works by them just looking to match the magic.

Big Notes is close (Funhouse on Big Notes was written and performed entirely on a 80286 in '84 or '85!), and New Pants is cool, but none of their other stuff really reaches the immature entertainment of Tricycle. This one CD, though, is a must-have.


Heh, some more stuff I found googling them. I'll let someone else's words do the work for me:
"Back in 1985, a friend showed me his newest toy; this dad-blamed contraption he called a CD player. The first disc he slid in was this jazz piece by an unknown band called Flim & The BBs. The song he played was called "Tricycle" and it was off the album with the same name. I had to check my shorts afterward, as many GIs in Vietnam had to do when they were startled by an explosion. Well, it's not THAT bad, but this tune will certainly test the limits of both your amplifier and your speakers! The dynamic range is simply spectacular, and the musicianship is flawless. I wouldn't recommend cranking this piece on a pair of aging woofer cones, as you may be sending the drivers to be re-coned. However, if your speakers are in fine fettle, and you are looking for a slightly overproduced, but still satisfying piece of power jazz from a fiercely tight trio (I think it's a trio), then go out and have a listen. You won't be disappointed."
SACD-08%20300x300.jpg
 
Tricycle was one of the FIRST CD's I ever bought. In the mid 80's, when CD's first debuted, there was a mag called CD Review (published by Wayne Green, a fascinating guy, but that's another story). That became my primary reference for building my audio collection. The reviews were excellent, rating both performance and sound quality separately. It introduced me to all the quality labels in those days... DMP, Telarc, Sheffield, Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, etc. Unfortunately, Wayne eventually sold the magazine, and it eventually went kaput, like DMP and some of the other audiophile labels. Wading through the plodding music reviews in S'phile (and others) leaves me wishing for the good ole days with CD Review.
 
Great disc.

I bought all three of the Flim & the BBs discs (Tricycle, Tunnel, Big Notes) back in the mid 80's. Still great music especially on ML.

All are good but Tricycle is the best.
 
Great disc.

I bought all three of the Flim & the BBs discs (Tricycle, Tunnel, Big Notes) back in the mid 80's. Still great music especially on ML.

All are good but Tricycle is the best.


Hi Burke, They actually produced two more, a compulation Cd called "Vintage BB's" which had two or three bonus tracks on it. The other Cd was "The Further Adventures of Flim and the BB's".

One of the nice things about their presentation was all their Cd's were at least 60 min long (TriCycle was actually only a little less than 56min long), which back in those early days an awfull lot were no longer than an average LP.
 
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I've oftened wondered what became of them. They worked mainly as session musicians, and, as I recall, one of them was also an animator at Disney!

FYI, Billy Barber (piano, synthesizer) also released two solo albums on the DMP label, Shades of Gray, and Lighthouse, both are excellent.
 
I've oftened wondered what became of them. They worked mainly as session musicians, and, as I recall, one of them was also an animator at Disney!

FYI, Billy Barber (piano, synthesizer) also released two solo albums on the DMP label, Shades of Gray, and Lighthouse, both are excellent.

Dick Oats (whose name apparently wasn't cool enough to make the band name :D), had at least one duet effort on the DMP label with Garry Dial, Brassworks. {Hrm, "Flim, Dick, and the B.B.s?" Probably a good idea to go anonymous} I bought it, and it's nice, but it lacks the verve and dynamics of the Flim music. I haven't listened to it in a long time, but when I see the disc the word "boring" floats into my head.

After DMP, the band put at least two records out on Warner Bros, New Pants and This is a Recording. New Pants is quite good and I recommend it, but not as good as Tricycle. To be honest, I can't remember much about This is a Recording so I'd expect it wasn't the bestest effort ever if it left so little a mark on my memory. I'll listen to it tomorrow and see. :) Big Notes was their second CD, I think, and it's really good, too. Also on DMP. By no means a complete list, just going by what's on my shelf. ;)

How were Barber's albums? Worth a listen? Completely aside... Flim goes by "Jimmy" on the later albums. :)
 
Wow...those are great. Also try Salamander Pie. Different in a good way though.
 
Where would you get a copy?

So sorry to interupt the discussion here folks, but I would like to hear this album on SACD, however everywhere I look it seems to be backordered, or out of production. Been looking for about three months now. I would LOVE to get my hands on "tricycle". Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance and happy listening!:music:
 
No luck as of yet..........

Unfortunately, data is missing from the file on both links that have been provided. Manifest in Charlotte still cannot get a hold of a copy. What do you folks suggest at this point?

Thank you for your input.
 
Unfortunately, data is missing from the file on both links that have been provided. Manifest in Charlotte still cannot get a hold of a copy. What do you folks suggest at this point?

Thank you for your input.

Hmm... both of the links above worked for me, but barring that, did you try either Music Direct or Acoustic Sounds?
 
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Unfortunately, data is missing from the file on both links that have been provided. Manifest in Charlotte still cannot get a hold of a copy.
Use Google - it is your friend.....

With just a teensy little bit of work.....

SACD - Amazon - Used - $50
CD - Amazon - Used - $3
CD - Tower - New - $15
SACD - Tower - New - $20

Can Tower can really get it or not....????
 
I apologize. Let me clarify, I can log onto the page, but when I go to order....that's when it says that data is missing. Thank you for your suggestions, as I will try once more.

I actually want two copies, one for a dear friend of mine and one for me. I'll give him the copy if I can only find one as I'm trying to turn him [a vinyl lover and a stubborn one at that] on to SACD, but he is very particular in his musical tastes and this album could open the door for him.

Thanks again, as it is much appreciated!!!
 
DTB300 said:
Can Tower can really get it or not....????
From what I have found out, it has been back ordered with all sellers. Rumor has it that they will not be releasing it again, that's just from what I've heard, please take it with a grain of salt. Could explain why the price for the used is three times higher than that of the new.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...m-20/ref=nosim

They still have two used as of today at 7PM. I finally found it, but I had to order a used one. TXS for your assistance, as it was much appreciated.
 
Flim

Speaking of the BB`s, their best cd to me is, "This is a Recording" I believe is the title. A friend of mine turned me on to it. Excellent music, hardly no air or radio time. And, on DMP`s website, it is not listed.

Anyone know what`s up?
 
Speaking of the BB`s, their best cd to me is, "This is a Recording" I believe is the title. A friend of mine turned me on to it. Excellent music, hardly no air or radio time. And, on DMP`s website, it is not listed.

Anyone know what`s up?

It was released on the Warner label, no longer in production. There are used copies on Amazon, and I'm sure they're available elsewhere.
 
sleepysurf,

Thanks for the heads up. That is sad. All the great music always seems hard to get. I have never bought a used cd. I guess I`m skeptical of the quality.
 
Flim & The BB's

"I've oftened wondered what became of them. They worked mainly as session musicians, and, as I recall, one of them was also an animator at Disney"

The only one I still see is Jimmy "Flim" Johnson who serves as the touring bassist with James Taylor.

After the DMP days I sort of lost interest, but there was great song with Michael Ruff on lead vocals called "New Snow" that came off of the This is a Recording disc.
 
# Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
# Original Release Date: November 1982
# Number of Discs: 1
# Label: Digital Music Products, Inc.
# ASIN: B000003DCJ

Billy Barber; Piano, Fender Rhodes, Prophet and Moog Synthesizers
Bill Berg; Drums an d Percussion
Flim Johnson; 5-String Alembic Basses & Oberheim on “Lunch Hour Wedding March”
Dick Oatts; Alto, Soprano & Tenor Saxophones, Flute and Clarinet

"This original 1982 recording was made direct to a Mitsubishi X-80 2 track digital recorder at a sampling frequency of 50.4kHz. Transfer to DSD was made using the original session master tape played on a Mitsubishi recorder connected directly to an EMM Labs DSD A/D converter feeding a Sony DSD recorder. No EQ or processing whatsoever was used in the transfer."

All that above was from google. This is one of my favorite recordings of all time. Tricycle is such a fun song to listen to, huge dynamic range (please FF to the meat of the song before you set the volume level, it goes loud after 45 seconds or so), crisp and very musical. Lunch Hour Wedding March has some awesome electronic organ bass and will really let you know whether your system has a flat response on the low end. I love this album so much that I've bought three or four other works by them just looking to match the magic.

Big Notes is close (Funhouse on Big Notes was written and performed entirely on a 80286 in '84 or '85!), and New Pants is cool, but none of their other stuff really reaches the immature entertainment of Tricycle. This one CD, though, is a must-have.


Heh, some more stuff I found googling them. I'll let someone else's words do the work for me:
"Back in 1985, a friend showed me his newest toy; this dad-blamed contraption he called a CD player. The first disc he slid in was this jazz piece by an unknown band called Flim & The BBs. The song he played was called "Tricycle" and it was off the album with the same name. I had to check my shorts afterward, as many GIs in Vietnam had to do when they were startled by an explosion. Well, it's not THAT bad, but this tune will certainly test the limits of both your amplifier and your speakers! The dynamic range is simply spectacular, and the musicianship is flawless. I wouldn't recommend cranking this piece on a pair of aging woofer cones, as you may be sending the drivers to be re-coned. However, if your speakers are in fine fettle, and you are looking for a slightly overproduced, but still satisfying piece of power jazz from a fiercely tight trio (I think it's a trio), then go out and have a listen. You won't be disappointed."
SACD-08%20300x300.jpg



Yes, This cd is nice. however, the one that I want and am looking for is "This is a Recording." When I first heard it, I loved it. Very hard to find this cd. Amazon does not have it. There is no more Tower records here in NY to buy it from, have you heard this cd? better yet, do you know where i can get it?
 

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