Universal Mind

Universal Mind is a live band and a series of studio collaborations led by Milwaukee M.C./Producer Kilgore Trout. From 2006 to 2007 Universal Mind released three underground mix-tapes. American Mixtape is a full-length concept album that highlights the struggle of slackers, students and artists who cannot accept the status quo of a life defined by work. 2008 has seen two underground albums from Kilgore Trout, Daisy Days a collection of instrumental tracks (including a remix of Tom Waits’ “Clap Hands”) and Universal Mind’s Jewels From A Corpse’s Mouth. In addition to the mix-tapes and albums, he has produced 2 tracks for the upcoming Cranberry Show E.P. and a track on slam poet Darlin Nikki’s album Unstitch the Sun.

By September 2007 a live line-up had formed with Kilgore Trout and fellow MCs taking care of microphone duties while DJ Pufnstuf held down the beat. This line-up remained until April when a live band was sought out. The band has solidified with Elizabeth Birr (piano/organ/keys), B.L.T.ease (vocals, keys), Derrick Czekala (from Lonely Sound on drums) and Clayton Hamburg (from Elusive Parallelograms on bass), often accompanied by a string section.

The music tends to be a dark and playful sound constructed out of dusty break loops, deep Roland drums, and samples of jazz, world, classical and psychadelia. Universal Mind has been chastised as having “Quaint little weird raps” by scenesters who see an easy target towards non-threatening lyrics like “Let’s All Go to the Beach” or “Math Rocks” and a eerie homage to Salt N Pepa’s “Push It”. Free association lyrical flows with cartoon-ish, comical sense of humor and cynical introspection has been especially welcomed in the indie/punk rock scene of Milwaukee. Subsequently you will often see them playing in basements, attics, art galleries, warehouses and other unconventional spaces while also sharing the club with the likes of Eyedea & Abilities, Figureheads, Kid Cut-Up, Haz Solo, Carnage and a score of others.