"2nd edition now available. No longer comes w/ the original oversize box or booklet, but priced at a much lower price. This 13 CD box set collects the complete available recordings of 70s cult rockers from CA, Ya Ho Wha 13. Led by the late Father Yod, who supposedly died in a hang-gliding accident in the late 70s(?), Ya Ho Wha 13 released numerous LPs (and at least one 8-Track) on their own Higher Key label in the mid-70s. Only distributed locally at the time, some of these have been reissued in psuedo-legit (or outright bootleg) fashion in the UK over the last decade (although more recent Swordfish releases are fully authorized), but have never been widely available. These records epitomize the insanity of highly-personalized psychedelic exploration via the fringes of rock music and its subsequent private documentation better than anything else produced by the human race to date. Tribal-acid pound from the familys key group members (Djinn, guitar; Sunflower, bass; Octavius, drums) and freakish vocal output from Yod himself, wailing away on top like the king of the universe. The exact number of of Ya Ho Wha albums has never been clearly specified until now, but this incredible box set appears to put them all in place, plus a few CDs worth of unreleased material. This new edition features a wooden box with wax seal, with the 13 discs contained in 3 plastic cases. Its not as deluxe as the original packaging (which had 13 separate jewel case editions -- but that was for "then," this is for "now." The music still represents the ultimate in the weird & insane world of private press psychedelic documentation, not to be missed. Contains the following albums:
1) FATHER YOD AND THE SPIRIT OF 76: Kohoutek (the debut release on Higher Key from 1973).
2) FATHER YOD AND THE SPIRIT OF 76: Contraction (1974).
3) FATHER YOD AND THE SPIRT OF 76: Expansion (1974).
4) FATHER YOD AND THE SPIRIT OF 76:All Or Nothing At All (1974, with 4 bonus 7" tracks).
5) YAHOWA 13: Yahowa 13 (1974, with two bonus 7" tracks).
6) YAHOWA 13: Savage Sons of Yahowa (1974).
7) YAHOWA 13: Penetration: An Aquarian Symphony (1974, the masterpiece, one of the 25 most destroyed rock records of all time for sure!).
8) YAHOWHA 13: Im Gonna Take You Home (1974, again! & and another monster record; lets not forget Gregg Breths words from the past -- after all, his copies were handed to him by wisdom: The ultimate acid album there is. Insane vocals and screaming, 100% twisted guitar and total permeated feeling of being completely fucked up! This album is the epitome of the term acid.).
9) YAHOWA 13: To The Principles For The Children (1974-75).
10) FIRE, WATER, AIR: Golden Sunrise (1977, the 8-track only release).
11) YAHOWA 13: YODSHIP (undated, showed up as a UK boot/legit issue a few years ago; classic acid-folk floatation/chant from Osirus & Sunlight with the brothers and sisters).
12) VA: Related Singles (featuring Sky Saxon on most tracks).
13): VA: Unreleased Materials (jamming post-Yod psych from Djinn, Sunflower, Octavius, etc., with Sky Saxon on some tracks)."
I really have no idea how to even begin to explain how Yahowa 13 sounds, not at least because they span such a vast musical landscape and their musical output varies and changes so much from album to album. Their best albums are incredible, and are regarded as beeing among the best and most freaked out psychedelic rock albums ever recorded.
A couple of reviews from the guys over at the Acid Archives to give you some idea what sort of music this is:
"Nothing can match the dual mindfuck of "Contraction" and "Expansion". A really evil feel dominates as Yod pushes you through the stages of a Messianic acid trip, summing it up with "doesn't a lightbulb burn the brightest just before it goes out?". This must have destroyed a few young psyches and caution is definitely recommended. The music is aggressive, ominous and creative, constantly evolving and occasionally intense like nothing else I've heard. Incredible stuff.”
“This tribal acid fuzz monster trip seems to be many's favorite YHWH item (including some of the band members themselves). Intense, evil ritual scenes are projected as Yod pounds out the beat of the time on his kettle drum while Djin, Octavius and Sunflower elaborate brilliantly on top. In terms of sheer "music" this is probably the best and most ambitious of all theirs, and can be lined up against any German spacerock or S F acid jam with flying colors. I challenge anyone to come up with a more tortured, mindpiercing guitar tone than Djin delivers on both sides. Excellent recording with stereo effects and spooky vocal overlays, unlike their usual garage improvisations. What came across as "silence" on the old vinyl boot was in fact low-volume feedback ambience that contributes to the controlled, eerie mood. A deep and challenging artistic statement worthy of great respect. Has a superb sleeve of Father in full action as well. The 1980s bootleg is pretty close, but the label writing on the boot is in slightly less black ink than the (black) original writing. On the bootleg the names of Octavius and Djin have been cut off by the sleeve opening.”
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