photo credit: Elizabeth Wollheim

Peter Stampfel’s ambitious new project spans an entire century of music. On the new 100-song collection, Stampfel has recorded a version of his favorite song from each year of the 20th century. The Holy Modal Rounders co-founder began the project back in 2001 and worked on it intermittent over the ensuing years. Mark Bingham (Glenn Branca, Hal Wilner, Allen Ginsberg) served as producer for this epic undertaking, which is being released by Louisiana Red Hot Records on February 5. Today we share the premiere stream of the aptly titled Peter Stampfel’s 20th Century.

Stampfel looks back on the project and tells Relix: “What a glorious relief to be finally done! And how much more gloriouser it is for me to see it unleashed and free, ready to have its way with the world at large. I’m certain the past and the future will never be the same, which is the whole point. I hope a couple listeners, at least, will notice how much better, in general, most of the 20th century was at rendering beautiful melodies, and will thus be inspired to be more attentive to the boundless possibilities that lie in a well-turned tune. In the immortal words of Robert Graves: “Any idiot can orchestrate, but it takes a genius to make up a good tune.” That said, I’m sure more that more than a few dummies have managed to write a good tune now and again. Welcome, then, to my no longer private, yet very personal, 20th century. Feel free to run amuck.”