Sunflower Logic FAQThe story behind the Sunflower Logic release Clouds On The Polar Landscape with uniquely colored vinyl records.Original Release information The debut release from Robert Pollard�s new project The Sunflower Logic, Clouds on the Polar Landscape combines rock, psychedelic weirdness, UFOs and Pollard�s eruditelyrics. Crafted entirely in his home studio and clocking in at just under fourteen minutes, the EP explores the catchy hooks and witty lyricism of �UFO Nights,� �Fuck You Mr. Smith� and three more gems. Where can I view some of these uniquely colored vinyl EPs? Click here to view the vinyl from the known Sunflower Logic EPs Who is The Sunflower Logic? The Sunflower Logic is Robert Pollard, Jim Pollard, Greg Demos and Joe Patterson. Jim is Bob's brother who has appeared on numerous GBV or side project releases throughout the years. Greg is in GBV. Who is Joe Patterson? An ex supermodel. How many songs are on the EP? Five. "UFO Nights", "I Wanna Marry Your Sister", "I Was A Boy", "Felt Stars", and "Fuck You Mr. Smith". Where was the album recorded? It was recorded in Bob's new home studio. He calls it The Public Hi-Fi Balloon. The Public Hi-Fi Balloon was also the name of an art exhibit of collages by Robert Pollard incorporating pictures, words and sound that was held on August 27th and 28th, 2010 at The 45 Space located at 45 Bond Street in New York City. What instruments do they each play? Not quite sure, but the following may be somewhat correct: Bob - guitar, piano, vocals Jimmy - guitar, bass, drums(?), amp drops, noises Greg - bass, guitar(?), some drums Joe - bass on most songs. What is an Amp Drop? Its when you drop the amp and it makes a crashing sound ala Beneath a Festering Moon. Also used on GBV songs "Scalding Creek" and "Sons Of Apollo". What is the UFO sound at the end of "UFO Nights"? Some UFO-sounding effect. Not sure what. What is the bang at the end of "UFO Nights"? Is that Jimmy's famous Amp Drop? For some reason the mic bob was using made alot of noise. It was a condenser mic he was holding in his hands (no mic stand/mount) and it either built up alot of static charge or the cable was bad/loose. Made a lot of popping/crackling noises that you can hear on I Was A Boy too. Bob liked the vocal take on each before they finally figured out what was causing it. What does the phone message say at the beginning of "I Wanna Marry Your Sister"? "Call me back please. Here, like like sittin' by myself. Nobody...like like eleven o' clock, ten o' clock, whatever. Sad ass. Sittin' on my own ass, sad ass. Call me back please, sweetheart. Love you, bye." Is that Bob on the phone message? Yes. I believe that is Bob calling his own number and that is one of his cats making the "meow". What is that scratchy sound on "I Was A Boy"? Is that guitar pick scraping or something else? No idea. Who is Mr. Smith? No idea. Who is Jumbo that is thanked in the liner notes and what is that "found sound" at the end of "Fuck You Mr. Smith"? Jumbo is ex-GBV drummer Kevin March's wife's band that Bob found a tape of in his house. The original full album sequencing of Clouds On The Polar Landscape had some more Jumbo cuts mixed in. Are there any unreleased recordings left over from those sessions? There was 13 total songs recorded, a few more full band and several "Acid Ranch" style songs that were not used. One of the unreleased band songs made it to Bob's upcoming solo record Honey Locust Honky Tonk, though it's Bob playing everything (guitar, drums, bass, vocals). Todd added some additional production to it. Will the other songs ever see the light of day? No idea if there are plans for the other ones. What kind of recording equipment was used? No idea. (Hopefully some more info coming soon on this) Who was the engineer? Greg Demos and Joe Patterson. Any notes on the recording? Joe Patterson on "Felt Stars": "I recorded that one, but really didnt understand the tape machine as well as I do now (which isn't really a whole lot now, just basic recording/mixing). Greg was showing me know to use only one input for every track, then send the signal to the new track and work backwards from track 8 to 1. which I fucked up sort-of and recorded the overdub piano towards the end mixed with the main piano part the new track. I think that's also why there is a a noticable hiss on the track." Who mastered this release? Mr. Media (aka Darryl Robbins) What type of instruments were used for this recording? Were they all Bob's? No idea. (Hopefully some more info coming soon on this) What is Pink Banana Records? It is a fake (now real) label that Bob came up with. His intention was to have someone hopefully stumble on this in a record store and not know what it was. What about that insert with the Pink Banana Records catalog? Most of these are fake band names and releases that Bob came up with. Things like The fake catalog has catalog numbers for each release and contains some LPs and single releases, compilations and some split singles. It has a note at the bottom that reads "all artists and titles have sold out." Then it lists one upcoming release, PB061, which is The Sunflower Logic's Clouds On The Polar Landscape. What do you mean "Most of these are fake"? Word is that another one of the Pink Banana Records releases will be seeing the light of day: Teenage Guitar Force Fields At Home. Who is Teenage Guitar? Bob. Just Bob. Are there any more potential releases listed in the catalog? Bob was going to record another Teenage Guitar record (Blazing Gentlemen) but decided to make it a solo record (the next one after Honey Locust Honky Tonk) and it currently is still set to be called Blazing Gentlemen. What is so special about this release? Each slab of vinyl is uniquely colored, so no two records are the same. Another nugget: This record's pressing took the place of the original pressing date for the upcoming Guided By Voices record English Little League because it was important to Bob that it "came out" late February 2013 if possible. How is this release packaged? It was not shrink-wrapped and the 12" EP came in a polybag with a barcode sticker on the polybag. So if you found it in a record store, with the catalog inside, you wouldn't know who or what it was or when it was from. That was the intent. There is a barcode on the CD, however. The barcode on the vinyl is the same as the barcode on the CD. What is the picture on the cover of the record? No idea. (Hopefully some more info coming soon on this) How many copies were made? Limited edition 12" EP in miscellaneous vinyl colors: 500 total worldwide with 220 sold through Rockathon. Rockathon sold out of their allotment of vinyl in about 2 hours due to huge demand. Additional copies were made available on the website for distributor Revolver USA (MidheavenMailorder.com) but those sold out after a few days as well. 1000 copies were made on CD with 375 sold through Rockathon. What different color variations exist? Initial info: "Some of the following have been reported: black w/ gray swirl, red, orange, green, yellow, purple, blue. There are certain batches with similar colors, but essentially these are all one of a kind." They come in various unique colors, but can be broken down into the following main categories, which I will use to categorize them: Black, Gray, Brown, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple. Otherwise it would be too hard to keep track of certain shades of pink, etc. The trashy copies are put into the category that matches the closest color (gray most of the time). The Acid Ranch LPs that were unique had a draft where people associated with the record could pick some copies. Did you do a draft for this record? If so, how many and what colors were picked and who picked them? No idea. (Hopefully some more info coming soon on this) Any totals on the # of colors? Yes. Go to the Sunflower Logic Stats page. How did the various copies get assigned to people? Were any hand-picked to be shipped to specific people? The LPs were boxed up and then put in a huge pile. Later on, once the orders were placed, they were labeled and sent out with no knowledge of which LP was inside. So, the albums people received were basically random. Even the two essentially black records that were sent to one customer ("Charlie Brown") ... Who came up with this idea? Bob, I assume. Will there be any more releases by The Sunflower Logic? No idea. Special Thanks to The Heed, Joe Patterson, Kevin Poindexter and Matt Davis for providing info on this Sunflower Logic release. |
Image posted on the Robert Pollard Facebook
page on March 7th, 2013 with the following caption: "Each slab of vinyl will be different!" 
Image by Joe Patterson that was shared on the Robert Pollard
Facebook page on March 11th, 2013 with the following caption: "The Sunflower Logic - Clouds On The Polar Landscape" 
Image accompanying a FireNote.com review posted on March 15th, 2013.
"Fire Note Says: Robert Pollard plays it loose and releases one of his most unique recordings to date!" Full article here. 
Another image posted on the Robert Pollard Facebook page later
on March 15, 2013 with the following caption: "What color is your Sunflower Logic vinyl? Rockathon Records' allotment is already hitting mailboxes and there are reports of wine red, mustard yellow, pink, purple, army green and brown vinyl, each swirled with other colors and one of a kind...". 
Original Robert Pollard collage titled Sunflower Logic that was part
of Pollard's 2007 Do The Collage art show as an unframed piece. |