Slug-The 3 Man Themes (1996)
Artist: Slug
Title: The 3 Man Themes
Label: PCP Entertainment
Format: CD
Cat #: PCP 024
Year of Release: 1996
Country and Year of Edition Issue: US 1996
Listed Condition: VG+/VG+
Sell Date: 10/28/25
Sell Price: $4.41
Discogs Last Sold: 10/15/25 VG+/VG+ $3.99
Low: $1.99
Median: $3.89
Average: $4.16
High: $9.17
Current low price: $8.14
Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 2
Have/Want: 110/41
Where Sold: Chula Vista, CA
Time it took to sell: 15 years
Where and When Bought: Venus used $3 late 90's sticker still on it
Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B-
Sad To See It Go: No
Slug's swansong, The 3 Man Themes, was a 75-minute-long soundtrack to a non-existent film. Not quite ambient, certainly rooted in the noise rock they started in with a nod to their forerunner Can, whom they cover "Oh Yeah" from Tago Mago. Since I have a band that, in theory, strives for lengthy noisy soundscapes that could potentially be used for soundtracks, this served as a bit of a warning of what NOT to do, making me enjoy the record slightly less than I might have otherwise. I had the whole thing in a playlist shuffle the last couple weeks with some other titles I wanted to acclimate myself to, so when I finally played the album, I might have some deeper insight. Even in shorter doses I looked forward to whatever track I heard coming to an end. Even if I thought the track was well executed or conceived in parts. It goes beyond the CD all in one lump vs the record split up over 4 sides so you can take breaks. Does anyone really want to actively choose to hear "Resonance Man" in its 15:03 glory ever? Do loft classical concepts belong in a rock context or is it just slumming it? I'm no classical snob, lord knows I love my prog and really don't want to put on a suit for a night out, but...
It bothered me to some degree. How could something that seems like a good idea, and even SOUNDS ok in part seem ultimately unlistenable in execution? 9 tracks (10 on the remastered stream). 4 of them with the word "man" in the title. One of the members, Steve Ratter, hints in the discogs notes that one of them is a woman making the album title correct for those that may ponder. Just like the feminist doctor joke of the 70's! Since the Hayden sisters play violin on Resonance Man, I would guess that track is the culprit. "Resonance, Man!" is different than the theme of Men Gentle, Madison and Grey.
3 men, 3 minds, why amalgamate them?
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