The Angels of Epistemology

The Angels of Epistemology operated between 1986 and 1989, yet their initial outing surfaced only in 1991 as a six-song 7" EP. Four years later the CD-only anthology Fruit finally gathered most of the surviving recordings. Their music still felt prescient. It merged the simulated global rhythms of early Camper Van Beethoven and 3 Mustaphas 3 with the mid-1970s progressive leanings of Henry Cow and the hardcore punk origins of the majority of its members, producing a volatile mix that hovered near collapse yet usually held together. Jeb Bishop founded the group in Raleigh, NC, as its singer and guitarist. No fixed roster ever solidified for live work or studio sessions. Players from the Raleigh-Durham area continually rotated through, introducing atypical instruments such as zither and balalaika. Consistent with the group's relaxed ethos, both official releases credit everyone solely by first name. After the 1989 breakup Bishop moved to Chicago, where he played bass and guitar in the improvisational Vandermark Five and also directed his own free-jazz trio. Local affection persisted on the Raleigh-Durham scene, leading Merge Records to issue an untitled 7" EP of 1987-1988 material in 1991 as one of its earliest offerings. The twenty-track Fruit followed in 1995, incorporating only four of the EP's six selections.