JG Thirlwell's last Foetus album HALT is out now on double vinyl, digipak CD and digital download. Get it on wax while you can.
Here's the scoop...
The long awaited and highly acclaimed final Foetus album HALT is available NOW on double coloured vinyl, deluxe digipak CD and digital. Both physical versions are close to being sold out and are being repressed. The second pressing of the vinyl will come in a slightly different colour, Habernero Red blend for the first vinyl and Grey Matter blend for the second vinyl.
HALT has been variously hailed by Foetus followers as “JG’s best work”, “so freaking good”, “this album is PERFECT” and “a masterpiece”. You can order the album from JG's own Foetus site here or Bandcamp here.
What the media is saying...
“The end of the Foetus project has been on Thirlwell’s own terms – controlled, deliberate, and uncompromising to the last….It’s a reflection of Thirlwell as a writer, creator, composer, and also as a human being. From pre-boy to man – Foetus has left the building.” - Wesley Doyle, The Quietus
“Despite its overwhelmingly dark themes, the album is refreshing in its singular approach and an artist’s willingness to use his platform to explore humanity’s collective dysfunction.” - Mike, Avant Music News
Check out a couple of podcast interviews with JG Thirlwell, some performance footage along with "Succulence" off Halt.
Sadly, bassist Bobby Beeman of Texas punk crew Stick Men With Ray Guns has passed away after a lengthy illness.
Writes SMWRG mainman Clarke Blacker...
As many of you already know, Stick Men With Ray Guns bassist Bobby Beeman has passed away after a long illness. Although Bobby was the last to join the band, he instantly became an integral part of everything. I always trusted his judgement above my own in all things concerning the band. He was a terrific partner and I will miss him always. My thoughts go out to his family in this difficult time.
I feel broken knowing that he's not there, and won't ever be there again. I hope that Scott is aware of what has happened, but we haven't spoken in probably 25 years and he wanted to disassociate himself from the band. I've honored his wishes. If anyone out there can reach him, please let him know about Bobby. Despite the estrangement, I think that he might want to know.
Pierre Chrétien and his Atlantis Jazz Ensemble return with Mystic Suite, another amazing spiritual jazz gem out February 27th.
ATLANTIS JAZZ ENSEMBLE – MYSTIC SUITE
Let us take you back. Waaay back. According to early Greek mythology, the three powerful sons of the god Kronos divided up the cosmos after overthrowing their father: Poseidon ruled the sea, Zeus commanded the heavens, and Hades reigned over the underworld. Conversely, this latest offering from the Atlantis Jazz Ensemble completes the group’s corresponding trilogy – "Oceanic Suite" (2016), "Celestial Suite" (2023), and now "Mystic Suite" (2026).
As you might expect, this "Mystic Suite", inspired by Hades’ supernatural realm, is perhaps the most intense, unusual and sublime of the three albums. It channels the energy of the spiritual jazz offered back in the 1970s by labels such as Strata-East, Tribe and Black Jazz, mixed with the urgency presented by the best of today’s jazz underground, fiercely struggling and searching for meaning within this era of global tumult. This is a meaningful record, driven by human connection, the kind that is only possible when like-minded musicians interact face-to-face within the same room.
The set flows as smoothly as the mythical River Styx. The Fender Rhodes electric piano starts things off slowly by churning an ominous brew during the intro to “Damocles”, before the full band drops a dark Elvin Jones-style mambo, set in a menacing Phrygian mode. The Coltranian vibes continue on the spiritually-charged “Spirits Unseen”, a fast-paced jazz waltz exploring the possibilities of polymodality, before settling into the softer contemplative sonorities of “Persephone”. Side A closes off with the sinuous bossa-tinged “As the River Flows”, before Side B picks things up again with the otherworldly harmonies of “Elysian Fields”. The 12/8 polyrhythms of “Asphodel Meadows” and the highlife jazz of “Gates of the Sun” bring in percussion-heavy Afro sounds into the mix, before things wind down with the horn-drenched melancholy soul-jazz of “Broken Dreams”.
It’s also worth mentioning that the core quintet of the Atlantis Jazz Ensemble is joined here by brilliant tenor saxophonist Petr Cancura, an alum of bassist Cecil McBee’s group, relocated to Canada after a long stint in New York City, as well as versatile percussionist Marielle Rivard, best known for her work as member of the Souljazz Orchestra. Engineer and co-producer Jason Jaknunas recorded the album live off-the-floor at his Metropolitan Studios location, subsequently mastering it to his beloved 1965 Studer Revox G36 all-tube 2-track tape machine. Cover artwork is based on a late 19th century water-colour sketch by Norwegian artist and explorer Fridtjof Nansen.
"Mystic Suite" is the Atlantis Jazz Ensemble’s 3rd album and is released by Marlow Records in vinyl LP, CD, and digital formats on February 27th 2026. LP format was meticulously cut, plated and pressed in Canada at Precision Record Pressing's state-of-the-art facility. Vinyl copies of Mystic Suite will be available at The Record Centre (1099 Wellington St., Ottawa) after the February 27th release date.
Sadly, founding Funkadelic bassist "Billy Bass" Nelson has passed away days after his 75th birthday. Billy played on many more recordings than you know.
Session bassist Bob Babbitt shared his memories of Billy Bass...
Story Time: Billy Nelson recruited Eddie Hazel to join the Parliaments rhythm section on August of 1967. About a month later they picked up Tiki Fulwood at the Uptown in Philly. A few months after that those three decided to become their own group Funkadelic. But a year later they all left Detroit. Tiki went to work for Tyrone Davis. Eddie & Billy tried a thing called Sparky & the Pimpadelics (with Brad Innis & Herb Sparkman) that didn't work-out. Billy went to work for Bill Doggett. And Eddie went back to Detroit to put a live "Funkadelic" band together while studio musicians (Babbitt, Monette, Coffey, Hunter, Van Dyke & Andrew Smith) played on the the sessions for 6 of the albums 7 tracks (Music for My Mother was already done). Tracks like What is Soul & Mommy What's a Funkadelic were jams Billy & Eddie put together in rehearsals during the summer of '68. GC took the entire writing credit for both!
Studio musicians were used because there was NO band at the time, not because they couldn't play. Anyhow, when Eddie Hazel returned to Detroit in early '69 he brought Tawl Ross with him from Plainfield to play bass. They picked up Mickey Atkins (organ) and drummer Zachary Frazier (or Slater) from the 20 Grand Lounge house band. But the band never really clicked like before. GC begged Billy to come back and sort out the band as the album was being completed. Billy took bass, Tawl moved over to rhythm, Tiki agreed to come back and Billy recruited Bernie Worrell from Plainfield. Billy, Eddie, Tiki, Tawl & Bernie became the band. Those are the five pictured on the back of the first album even though they played on little of it. Frazier-Slater was free to go join McKinley Jackson's Politicians where he was the drummer on a number of H-D-H & Motown sessions through the mid-70's. I've never heard any more about Mickey Atkins.
Funkadelic stayed intact for about two years recording Free Your Mind & Maggot Brain as well as Parliament's Osmium album & their singles Red Hot Mama & Breakdown for Invictus (uncredited until a few years back), they were also recorded on most of the sessions for Ruth Copeland's two Invictus albums, although others did participate. Again uncredited until just a couple of years ago. Its often claimed that the Parliaments sang on Free Your Mind & Maggot Brain but Funkadelic did their own lead vocals. In the fall of '71 it ended, period! Tawl left the group, Tiki Left the group. Billy & Eddie quit to go work for Motown. Eddie was there for about seven years, Billy over 10. Funkadelic's '72 follow-up "America Eats its Young" was in part recorded from rehearsal tapes by the made original band.
Billy Bass & George Clinton with Chairmen Of The Board
While at Motown Billy & Eddie can be heard on the "finished" recordings by so many well known artists and on so many hit records. Norman Whitfield loved Funkadelic especially Billy and used him on tons of sessions from '71 - '83. Norman never saw fit to give Billy a single credit until the Tempts Back to the Basics LP in '83!! 12 Years!! The only proof we have that Billy played Bass on Car Wash is that his name is listed at the end of the movie. But he plays bass on nearly every Rose Royce track from the film. Norman used Billy & Eddie on Undisputed Truth & Temptations albums all the time. But it wasn't until the Jeffrey Bowen produced A Song for You & Wings of Love LPs (as well as Bonnie Pointer's '78 solo LP) when they got FINALLY got credit. Billy got that bass sound on Happy People & Shakey Ground by plugging directly into the mixing board. The sound was so out-front that they had to give him credit. Billy is all over the Commodores stuff. He had to play a majority of the bass lines on their first three albums (Machine Gun, Caught in the Act & Mobvin On). After that, Billy had to often teach Ron LaPread the bass-lines to songs like Brick House note for note, and Ron gets a writing credit!! LaPread even went as far as to go out and get himself a BC Rich bass like Billy's to try to copy "his own" sound. They either recorded or re-recorded the bass & guitar parts on so many sessions.
Yet, so many think that the only thing they played on was A Song for You. Of course who'd believe they're on Love Machine, Eddie Kendricks, Smokey Robinson, Rose Banks, Jackson 5ive, Willie Hutch, etc. Same thing at Invictus after the earlier studio guys went either east or west. Guys like Billy, Eddie, Bernie & Donald Baldwin stepped-in and played on a lot of sessions recorded for Invictus during '73 & '74 including the Chairman of the Board's Skin I'm In LP which features the hit Finder's Keepers. Again, no credit. I spoke to Billy about 10 days ago, and the bruh is still working and struggling. We have a very good mutual friend who was present at many of the sessions that Billy played on including just about all of the Commodores sessions. (professionally speaking) I've been asked to look into a few "financial" matters and I KNOW EXACTLY how much Billy has made from residuals & Royalties for all his contributions to P-Funk, Invictus & Motown.
So I got nothing but empathy for Bob Babbitt & so many other musicians who've added so much to the enjoyment of our lives because, other than a band salary while on tour and the session fees they were paid 25-30-35 years ago MOST of these players NEVER got paid anything else. And they don't have the face or name recognition to trade-on, like singers or vocal groups. They only have their resume's, which appear to be a "pack of lies" on the surface because there's no credit to be found hardly anywhere.
