| Desire Caught by the Tail | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Adrian Belew |
| Cover: | Adrian Belew - Desire Caught by the Tail.jpg |
| Released: | 1986 |
| Recorded: | 1985–86 |
| Studio: | Creative Audio, Urbana, IL |
| Genre: | Experimental |
| Length: | 32:59 |
| Label: | Island[1] |
| Producer: | Adrian Belew |
| Prev Title: | Twang Bar King |
| Prev Year: | 1983 |
| Next Title: | Mr. Music Head |
| Next Year: | 1989 |
Desire Caught by the Tail is the third solo album by Adrian Belew, released in 1986.[2] [3] It is an instrumental record that was written, arranged and performed by Belew alone.
Unlike its predecessors Lone Rhino and Twang Bar King, Desire Caught By the Tail is an entirely experimental album. It was recorded using treated, multi-tracked electric guitars, guitar synthesizer, keyboards and assorted percussion instruments.
The title Desire Caught by the Tail is from the play 'Le Désir attrapé par la queue', written by Pablo Picasso. The album is in part inspired by Picasso, with both the sound and the composition style being more abstract, harsh and loosely structured than much of Belew's other solo repertoire.
The New York Times wrote that "by multitracking guitars and percussion, [Belew] can follow odder whims - inventing quasi-Middle Eastern folk melodies (and making his guitar sound like a musette), melting down tunes halfway through, piling up electronic yowls and twitters. Mr. Belew mixes eerie resonances and slapstick timing; even in instrumentals, his grin comes through."[4]
Belew reused a part of "Tango Zebra" as "Peace On Earth" on his 1994 album Here.
All tracks written and arranged by Adrian Belew.