Naked City was an avant-garde music group from New York City, New York, United States led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn, performed from 1988 to 1993. The ensemble was notable for remaining unconfined to any musical category, juxtaposing unrelated styles of music often within individual compositions at breakneck speed. Its music incorporated recognizable elements of jazz, grindcore, surf, classical, thrash, country music, punk rock and other genres. Carl Stalling has been cited as an influence on Zorn and the work of Naked City. Read Full BioNaked City was an avant-garde music group from New York City, New York, United States led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn, performed from 1988 to 1993. The ensemble was notable for remaining unconfined to any musical category, juxtaposing unrelated styles of music often within individual compositions at breakneck speed. Its music incorporated recognizable elements of jazz, grindcore, surf, classical, thrash, country music, punk rock and other genres. Carl Stalling has been cited as an influence on Zorn and the work of Naked City.
An embryonic version of Naked City appeared on Rubaiyat: Elektra's 40th Anniversary (1990). Zorn was joined by singer Yamatsuka Eye, guitarist Robert Quine, bass guitarist Bill Laswell and drummer Ted Epstein, for a spastic, caterwauling version of The Stooges' "T.V. Eye".
In Naked City's characteristic early style, songs were often performed at astonishingly fast tempos, drawing heavily on thrash metal and hardcore punk's emphasis on extreme speed. Many songs were quite brief, and typically switched musical genres every few measures, perhaps comparable to spinning a radio dial at random and hearing the same band performing on every station. One critic described Naked City's music as "jump-cutting micro-collages of hardcore, country, sleazy jazz, covers of John Barry and Ornette Coleman, brief abstract tussles — a whole city crammed into two or three minute bursts." This fast-change tendency was inspired in part by Carl Stalling — a Zorn favorite — who wrote music for many Warner Brothers cartoons (featuring Road Runner, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and others); music that featured frequent shifts in tempo, theme and style.
Naked City's eponymous first album was distributed by Elektra Nonesuch and featured a famous Weegee photograph (taken 1943) of a dead gangster on its cover along with macabre illustrations by Maruo Suehiro. There was disagreement between Zorn and the label over cover art on subsequent albums. Zorn wanted to use explicit S&M pictures, images from 19th century medical archives, and execution photographs, most notoriously of a Leng Tch'e victim; Elektra Nonesuch refused. Zorn ended his relationship with Elektra, releasing subsequent Naked City albums on Shimmy Disc and his own Avant and Tzadik labels.
Naked City varied their stylistic approach on later releases. The cover repertoire was expanded to include pieces from various modern classical composers such as Alexander Scriabin, Claude Debussy, Charles Ives and Olivier Messiaen, whose works are featured on the album Grand Guignol. The album Leng T'che featured a single piece, over 31 minutes in length, of gruelingly slow heavy metal. Torture Garden was made up of several "hardcore miniatures," and Absinthe was ambient and noise textures.
Naked City found perhaps their greatest following among the fans of the many death metal, metal and grindcore bands with which they performed, such as Blind Idiot God, Napalm Death, Carcass and Live Skull. The appearance of "Osaka Bondage" - taken from the album Torture Garden - on the Earache sampler Grindcrusher 2: The Ultimate Earache helped this to some extent.
Zorn discontinued Naked City after Absinthe in 1993 when he felt "... the need to write music for other ensembles, in other contexts, with new ideas." A brief reunion occurred in 2003 for a few shows at European jazz festivals.
The original lineup:
John Zorn - saxophone, vocals, composer;
Bill Frisell - guitar;
Wayne Horvitz - synthesizer, piano;
Fred Frith - bass guitar;
Joey Baron - drums.
Additional members:
Yamataka Eye - vocals (early years);
Mike Patton - vocals (mostly for live shows).
An embryonic version of Naked City appeared on Rubaiyat: Elektra's 40th Anniversary (1990). Zorn was joined by singer Yamatsuka Eye, guitarist Robert Quine, bass guitarist Bill Laswell and drummer Ted Epstein, for a spastic, caterwauling version of The Stooges' "T.V. Eye".
In Naked City's characteristic early style, songs were often performed at astonishingly fast tempos, drawing heavily on thrash metal and hardcore punk's emphasis on extreme speed. Many songs were quite brief, and typically switched musical genres every few measures, perhaps comparable to spinning a radio dial at random and hearing the same band performing on every station. One critic described Naked City's music as "jump-cutting micro-collages of hardcore, country, sleazy jazz, covers of John Barry and Ornette Coleman, brief abstract tussles — a whole city crammed into two or three minute bursts." This fast-change tendency was inspired in part by Carl Stalling — a Zorn favorite — who wrote music for many Warner Brothers cartoons (featuring Road Runner, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and others); music that featured frequent shifts in tempo, theme and style.
Naked City's eponymous first album was distributed by Elektra Nonesuch and featured a famous Weegee photograph (taken 1943) of a dead gangster on its cover along with macabre illustrations by Maruo Suehiro. There was disagreement between Zorn and the label over cover art on subsequent albums. Zorn wanted to use explicit S&M pictures, images from 19th century medical archives, and execution photographs, most notoriously of a Leng Tch'e victim; Elektra Nonesuch refused. Zorn ended his relationship with Elektra, releasing subsequent Naked City albums on Shimmy Disc and his own Avant and Tzadik labels.
Naked City varied their stylistic approach on later releases. The cover repertoire was expanded to include pieces from various modern classical composers such as Alexander Scriabin, Claude Debussy, Charles Ives and Olivier Messiaen, whose works are featured on the album Grand Guignol. The album Leng T'che featured a single piece, over 31 minutes in length, of gruelingly slow heavy metal. Torture Garden was made up of several "hardcore miniatures," and Absinthe was ambient and noise textures.
Naked City found perhaps their greatest following among the fans of the many death metal, metal and grindcore bands with which they performed, such as Blind Idiot God, Napalm Death, Carcass and Live Skull. The appearance of "Osaka Bondage" - taken from the album Torture Garden - on the Earache sampler Grindcrusher 2: The Ultimate Earache helped this to some extent.
Zorn discontinued Naked City after Absinthe in 1993 when he felt "... the need to write music for other ensembles, in other contexts, with new ideas." A brief reunion occurred in 2003 for a few shows at European jazz festivals.
The original lineup:
John Zorn - saxophone, vocals, composer;
Bill Frisell - guitar;
Wayne Horvitz - synthesizer, piano;
Fred Frith - bass guitar;
Joey Baron - drums.
Additional members:
Yamataka Eye - vocals (early years);
Mike Patton - vocals (mostly for live shows).
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Batman
Naked City Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Batman' by these artists:
1PLIKÉ140 Batman, Batman (Batman) Batman, Batman (Batman) Hey, yo Ludo…
Ahmad Belvin He's like a villain only it for himself he steady…
Al Hirt Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
Alfredo Casero I`m black, I`m black I`m gord, I`m gord Soy Batman solari …
Alien Sex Fiend Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
B.O.S.E. Me bate, me xinga que eu gosto Me joga na parede Me…
B.R.B. We can ride with stick ride with the blick Just keep…
Big Dance Król komiksów oraz bajek bohaterski silny pan On zwycięski o…
Boss Martians Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
C.O.M.E. Just like Batman I be catching you robbing Her name was…
Cartoon Songs Superstars بات مان بات مان بات مان بات مان بات مان بات…
Cinema Themes and Music Cloudy days and dark nights got me feelin like the…
Comet Kid He was a hero as dark as the night, And he…
Cristina D'Avena Vive Annette in un villaggio dal bellissimo paesaggio Sulle…
Crouch Festival Chorus Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
Crouch Festival Chorus/Nic Raine/The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman B…
D-Sane Vive Annette in un villaggio dal bellissimo paesaggio Sulle…
D. Elfman Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman B…
Dinar Bandosu Sensiz olmaz bensiz olmaz Bu dünya kimseye kalmaz Dertlerin …
Duane Eddy Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
Ektor feat. Ego Když jdou lidi ráno do práce a děti běží do…
EVO NINE Never been sleep before the sunrise กลางคืนน่ะนอนไม่เป็นหรอก…
FBG Duck You should know he raw he a fuckin′ white boy (Sauce) Hey…
FC-7 I gotta, I gotta, keep me a blicky They know I’m…
Fine R.I.P. Batman, Batman (Batman) Batman, Batman (Batman) Hey, yo Ludo…
Garotos Podres Batman Ei seus bat palhaços, quem de vocês Ainda não se …
Guana Batz Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
Halogic Batman kharej men nafa9 HALO mab9achi ki nafa9 9oul n l'Ba3b…
Hefti Neal Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
Hiro ft. D.masta & Scriptonite Vive Annette in un villaggio dal bellissimo paesaggio S…
I Hate You When You're Pregnant Yo You know you better watch out When I've got my boomerang …
Ivan B Yeah No necklace, I went independent Two-six, someone parame…
Jaden Yeah, yeah Batman, Batman, Batman Joker just put me on acid…
Jaden Smith Yeah, yeah Batman, Batman, Batman Joker just put me on a…
Jan & Dean I don't know who he is behind that mask But we…
Joel McNeely - Royal Scottish National Orchestra Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman B…
KEKRA Ouais Oui Oui T'auras beau le nier, t'auras beau le nier On…
Kitsch and Camp To the Bat mobile Let's go! Atomic batteries to power Turbo …
Lemon Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
Les Hou-Lops (Batman, Batman, Batman) Batman est un héros Une force de l…
Link Protrudi & the Jaymen Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
LPB Poody (Wemakebangerz) (JBflyboi, oh baby) Ayy, look No, I can'…
LPB Poody Lil Wayne Moneybagg Yo (Remix, baby) I told her that I'm celibate ain't fuck in…
Lyn Taitt & The Jets Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman B…
Mac Tyer Nouveau cycle, nouveau départ L'esprit vainqueur c'est de n…
Manatees Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
Michael Keaton; Jack Nicholson; Kim Basinger; Robert Wuhl; Pat Hingle Come Closer Feel what you've been dyin' for Don't be afra…
MKIT RAIN 매일 달빛이 뜰 때쯤 어지러워 여긴 가짜가 많아서 안 부러워 새로…
Mucky Pup Thought you were smart, you bought a whore. Then came Batman…
N. Hefti Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
Neal Hefti Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman B…
OJ da Juiceman Overseas with Jackie Chan, 09 like Batman Maserati, Lamborg…
Seal There used to be a greying tower alone on the…
Spitballs Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
Standells Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman B…
The Brothers-In-Law Should have been there Could have helped him I'm not afraid …
The Guana Batz Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
The Jam Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman B…
The Shaws I'm Batman, I'm flyin' I'm Batman, I'm flyin', yeah I'm Bat…
The Standells Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman Batm…
The Who Batman Batman Batman Batman Batman Batman [etc.]…
Ventures (The) Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman B…
Wu-Tang & D-Block Hala stress gördüğün gibi Hala aynı sahte suratlar Beni yarg…
Zmelkoow Batman je zaspal na akcijo ukradli so še eno svetovno atrak…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Naked City:
Blood Duster We are at the summit of the highest mountain We are…
Bonehead Rooaaaaaarr yieeeahh aaaaahhh yoohhh heeeaay Roooooarrrr…
The lyrics can frequently be found in the comments below or by filtering for lyric videos.
Coolius Maximus
Sucks that this album is becoming harder to find online.
Yashaswi Katailiha
@woobiehastelly It's been a year bro!
WHERE IS IT?!
(But seriously though, do you still have it?)
HalcyonVibes
@Coolius Maximus Runout on the original US pressing says it's a direct metal master, which would make sense because John's sax tears through the speakers like a machine gun.
Coolius Maximus
@mans not hot managed to find a vinyl press on discogs awhile back. Sounds great
mans not hot
Sometimes I wish Tzadik wouldn't block reuploads of albums in the label, but oh well
Just a Man
U can buy it, Zorns work and his label is more about passion than making the $$, yet as he doesn’t make a heap it’s understandable that he doesn’t want all his stuff available for free.
Oliwally
This is becoming one of my favourite albums!
Lewis Millar-Nelson
Safe As Milk as one of my top five, for sure
Juan Leyes
@Portmonde Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica.
Portmonde
@Juan Leyes What album is it?