TIMOTHY, MR. MOONLITE (mono/stereo) (Segue, 197?)
When it comes to ecclesiastical real estate, it’s hard not to feel pity for the dozen or so books that precede Revelations. As obscure today as the membership of the Hanseatic League, with messages ringing nearly as relevant as the slogans for Smoothie King or the Sunglass Hut (’Free Shipping! Free Returns‘), the intercalary New Testament glut ’a gospels as personified by the likes of 1st, 2nd or 3rd John combine to truly put the piss into epistle. And whether or not Jude, Titus or Philemon were the unwitting victims of some unforeseen, corrupt canonical ‘bubble’-scheme or if the position afforded them today is ultimately fitting in regards to their Baltic-Avenue-urban-sprawl-level of contribution to the greater overall logos is not for this humble, non-ecumenical blog to speculate on. What is infallible fact is that Timothy - the Saint - was deemed worthy of a measly ten short chapters - a veritable Biblical memo - of Saint Paul’s time, spread out over the course of two equally svelte books. Whether we should thank Paul here for his brevity or feel a tad bit narkey for our Tim is a matter better off left to Nicea. At the very least, Saint T garnered much more in the way of recognition than his late 20th century namesake from Pittsburgh, PA (but should he?).
Timothy Wahler is a mystery, that is, I‘m not sure if he was circumcised or not. That said, if for the one song that comprised both the ‘mono’ and ‘stereo’ sides of his lone single, it is clear that Timothy deserved better. Recording for the Pittsburgh-based Segue label in a late-night, ragged, pop psych style reminiscent of the Sidewinders or Michel Pagliaro, ’Mr. Moonlite’ offers yet further proof of the incipient, pre-punk 70s pop underground Greg Shaw seemed forever to be trumpeting. No date on the label, but in the early 80s Wahler relocated to New York City and formed Racer X with Allan Zane of the Speedies (the one with the big perm) and recorded a mini-LP for France’s New Rose Records, which is sporadically sweated by power pop collectors, before tragically contracting HIV and passing away in 1987. For ’Mr. Moonlite’ alone, Wahler should be beatified or accorded minor sainthood. R.I.P.
Listen to ’Mr. Moonlite’ below...
HARK, ALERTE, ACHTUNG! HITHERTO UNKNOWN B-SIDE BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY KNOWN EBAY BALLEUR BEAUTIFUL_HAPPINESS! DIG 'THAT IS ALL!' THAT IS ALL!
'THAT IS ALL'
1 comment:
I worked with Timmy on his material from 1979 to 1980. I helped him and introduced him to EMI Records and Bill Aucoin, manager of Kiss. Does anyone have a photo of Timmy?
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