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

Additional personnel

"The Western Lands" [a Dangerous Road Mix]

"The Seven Souls" [The Secret Name]

Production

Release history

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