Seven Souls Explained

Seven Souls
Type:	Album
Artist:	Material
Cover:	Seven Souls.jpg
Released:	1989
Studio:	Platinum Island Studio and BC Studio, New York
Genre:	No wave
Label:	Virgin, CDV 2596
Producer:	Bill Laswell, Material
Prev Title:	One Down
Prev Year:	1982
Next Title:	The Third Power
Next Year:	1991

Seven Souls is a 1989 album by the American music group Material. A collaboration with author William S. Burroughs, the album features his narration of passages from his novel The Western Lands (1987) set to musical accompaniment.

The album was re-released in 1997 with bonus tracks, three re-mixes that were added to the beginning of the album. In 1998, a new title, The Road to the Western Lands, was issued, composed of new mixes of the tracks.

"Equation" / "Ineffect" was released as a single in 1989 (Virgin America, PR 3380).

Track listing

1. "Ineffect" (Bill Laswell, Nicky Skopelitis, William S. Burroughs, Simon Shaheen) – 7:34
2. "Seven Souls" (Laswell, Burroughs) – 5:42
3. "Soul Killer" (Laswell, Burroughs) – 4:32
4. "The Western Lands" (Laswell, Skopelitis, Burroughs) – 6:54
5. "Deliver" (Laswell, Skopelitis, Foday Musa Suso) – 5:48
6. "Equation" (Laswell, Skopelitis, Rammellzee) – 5:06
7. "The End of Words" (Laswell, Burroughs) – 5:06

Seven Souls (Remix)

1. "The Western Lands" [a Dangerous Road Mix] (Laswell, Burroughs) – 8:31
2. "Seven Souls" [Tim Simenon Mix] (Tim Simenon, Burroughs) – 7:06
3. "Soul Killer" [Remote Control Mix by Terre Thaemlitz] (Terre Thaemlitz, Burroughs) – 8:15

The rest of the album as per the original release

The Road to the Western Lands

1. Bill Laswell – "The Seven Souls" (Burroughs, Laswell) – 5:47
2. Talvin Singh – "The Western Lands" (Burroughs, Talvin Singh) 6:36
3. DJ Soul Slinger – "The Western Lands" (Burroughs, DJ Soul Slinger) 5:09
4. Spring Heel Jack – "The Road to the Western Lands" (Burroughs, John Coxon, Ashley Wales) 6:17
5. The Audio Janitor (DJ Olive) – "Joan's Haunted Hints at the Gate to the Western Lands" (Burroughs, DJ Olive) 6:37
6. Bill Laswell – "Seven Souls" [The Secret Name] (Burroughs, Laswell) 10:37
7. Material – "The Western Lands" [A Dangerous Road Mix] (Burroughs, Laswell) – 8:31

Personnel

Material

• Bill Laswell – 4, 6 and 8-string basses, acoustic guitar, tapes, percussion

Additional personnel

• William S. Burroughs – voice
• Rammellzee – voice ("Equation")
• Foday Musa Suso – voice ("Deliver")
• Fahiem Dandan – voice ("Ineffect")
• Nicky Skopelitis – 6 and 12 string guitars, baglama, coral sitar, saz, Fairlight CMI
• Simon Shaheen – violin
• L. Shankar – violin
• Jeff Bova – electronic keyboards
• Sly Dunbar – drums, Fairlight
• Aïyb Dieng – percussion

"The Western Lands" [a Dangerous Road Mix]

• Jah Wobble – bass
• Bill Laswell – bass samples
• Nicky Skopelitis – guitar
• Tetsu Inoue – electronics
• DJ Spooky – noise

"The Seven Souls" [The Secret Name]

• Alicia Renee aka Blue Eyes: vocals
• Nicky Skopelitis: guitar
• Bill Laswell: bass, keyboards, turntable

Production

• Recorded at Platinum Island Studio and BC Studio, New York.
• Produced by Bill Laswell / Material.

Release history

• Seven Souls – 1989 – Virgin, CDV 2596 (CD)
• Seven Souls (Remix) – 1997 – Triloka Records, 314 534 905-2 (CD)
• The Road to the Western Lands – 1998 – Triloka / Mercury, 314 558 021-2 (2x 12" / CD)

In popular culture

The track "Seven Souls" is featured in the opening scene and in the closing credits of The Sopranos Season 6 episode, "Members Only".

External links

• • Seven Souls at Bandcamp