Moondog – Moondog & His Friends
Released: 1953
Label: Epic

Welcome to the oddness of Alt-folk and the world of Moondog. Louis Thomas Hardin, also known as Moondog, was an American musician, composer, theoretician, poet and inventor of several musical instruments. He was blind from the age of 16.

Hardin lived in New York City from the late 1940s until 1972, and during this time he could often be found on 6th Avenue, between 52nd and 55th Streets, wearing a cloak and a horned helmet sometimes busking or selling music, but often just standing silently on the sidewalk. He was widely recognized as “the Viking of 6th Avenue” by thousands of passersby and residents who were not aware of his musical career.

Moondog’s music from the 1940s and 1950s is said to have been a strong influence on many early minimalist composers. Philip Glass has written that he and Steve Reich took Moondog’s work “very seriously and understood and appreciated it much more than what we were exposed to at Juilliard.”

When listening to this album today, it does not feel the weight of its almost 70 years at all, and it doesn’t seem to me to fit in the decade at all. It still seems a little out there so in the 50’s it must have been almost completely alien to most. It is a very short album at 28 minutes, but this may have been as it was originally released as a 10“ rather than an LP (I haven’t checked this but it makes sense) and of the tracks on it, I would highly reccomend The whole of Suite No.1 and Suite No.2

Tracklist

Dragon’s Teeth • Voices Of Spring
Oasis
Tree Frog • Be A Hobo
Instrumental Round • Double Bass Duo • Why Spend The Dark Night With You?
Theme And Variations • Rim Shot
Suite No. 1
First Movement
Second Movement
Third Movement
Suite No. 2
First Movement
Second Movement
Third Movement

10 Interesting Facts About Moondog & His 1953 Album Moondog and His Friends

Moondog (born Louis Thomas Hardin) was one of the most eccentric and visionary composers of the 20th century. Blind from an early age, he became known as the “Viking of 6th Avenue” due to his unique street performances and homemade attire. His 1953 album Moondog and His Friends introduced listeners to his mystical, minimalist compositions, blending classical, jazz, and experimental sounds.

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About Moondog:

1. A Blind Musical Genius
   Moondog lost his sight at age 16 due to an accident involving dynamite but still mastered multiple instruments, including percussion, keyboards, and his own invented instruments.
2. The Viking of 6th Avenue
   He became a New York City icon, standing on 6th Avenue dressed in a homemade Viking outfit, selling his music and reciting poetry. His appearance and music blurred the line between street performer and avant-garde composer.
3. Inventor of Unique Instruments
   Moondog created several original instruments, including the “Oo” (a triangular harp) and the “Trimba” (a percussion instrument with a distinctive sound), both of which appear on his recordings.
4. Admired by Classical and Jazz Greats
   Despite being a street performer, Moondog was respected by musicians like Leonard Bernstein, Philip Glass, and Charlie Parker. His compositions influenced minimalism and jazz.
5. A Poet and Philosopher
   Beyond music, Moondog wrote poetry and philosophy, often blending Native American influences with Norse mythology in his work.

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About Moondog and His Friends (1953):

6. Released on the Prestigious Prestige Label
   The album was one of Moondog’s early recordings, released by Prestige Records, a label known for jazz, giving him credibility alongside artists like John Coltrane and Miles Davis.
7. Minimalist and Hypnotic
   The album showcased Moondog’s early minimalist style, featuring repetitive, cyclical rhythms that predated the minimalist movement of composers like Steve Reich and Philip Glass.
8. Features Homemade Instruments
   Several tracks include Moondog’s own handmade instruments, such as the Trimba, which gave his percussion a unique and organic sound.
9. Short but Impactful
   The album contains only a few tracks and runs just over 10 minutes, yet it captures Moondog’s distinct fusion of classical, jazz, and street music.
10. A Cult Classic
    Though not widely known at the time, Moondog and His Friends helped lay the foundation for his later work and is now considered an early masterpiece of experimental music.