The Art of Walking

After the departure of founding member Tom Hermann following an American tour of the band's previous album, New Picnic Time. Pere Ubu briefly disbanded. A few months later, David Thomas and Allen Ravenstine attended a Talking Heads concert, where Thomas remarked to Ravenstine, "We were better than these guys." Ravenstine replied: "Mayo Thompson." In late 1979, Pere Ubu invited Mayo Thompson of the Red Krayola as a guitarist, who they had previously toured England and collaborated with in 1978. The addition of Thompson bent the group further towards deconstruction and abstraction, and away from "rock and roll" which Herman's guitar work had facilitated. Thomas stated the concept of the album was stumbled upon in the bathtub: == Recording and music ==

The album was recorded in January 1980 at Suma Recording. It was the first Pere Ubu studio album recorded by Paul Hamann; previous Pere Ubu albums were produced and recorded by Ken Hamann, who retired in 1979 and was replaced by his son. The song "Horses" on the album had originally been written by Thompson and appeared on his solo album ''Corky's Debt to His Father'' from 1970. == Critical reception ==

The Art of Walking was released in June 1980 Ian Penman, writing in NME on August 30, 1980, stated: "It is obvious that (the history of) Pere Ubu should not be thought of in terms of a linear development - reducing its entire operation and presence to an exclusive concern for 'working and succeeding in rock and roll. Unfortunately, most criticism - of Pere Ubu, of many other folks - assumes that words have one meaning, that desires point in a single direction, that ideas are logical; it ignores the fact that the world of language, noise and desire is one of lack, insecurity, interruption, struggle, blundering, disguises, ploys, embarrassed grins." Dave McCullough, writing for Sounds on August 30, 1980, commented: "So, things being as they are, we're supposed to keep our eyes firmly closed (lest they reveal the relative dirgeness of all else) when a record as exciting and as funnily subversive as The Art of Walking comes around... If [it] is difficult then I'm much much cleverer than I thought, and every other 'successful' music I've heard this year in comparison must be roughly equivalent to sticking your thumb in your mouth and sucking long and hard... The only way [it] isn't a record full of much excitement, fun and compelling interest is if you don't want it to be so. Trouser Press noted the "ditzy-but-compelling aura of The Art of Walking, rife as it is with hymns of praise to life’s mundane moments. Like a fourth- dimensional doppelgänger for Jonathan Richman, Thomas warbles his thoughts on 'Birdies' and 'Arabia' (with hastily scribbled lyrics appended to what was originally intended to be an instrumental), while Thompson paints the landscapes in dazzlingly shiny — if occasionally unnatural — colors." ==Track listing==

A performance of the song "Birdies" was featured in the 1982 film Urgh! A Music War. ==Personnel==

;Pere Ubu • David Thomas – lead vocals (1–5, 7–9, 11), Vox Continental Baroque organ, drums (9) • Mayo Thompson – guitar, backing and lead (6, 10) vocals, piano • Allen Ravenstine – EML synthesizers • Tony Maimone – bass, piano, organ • Scott Krauss – drums (all but 9), horn, piano, drum machine ;Technical • Paul Hamann – engineer, producer • John Thompson – cover design ==Release history==

An error in the first U.S. pressing resulted in a vocal overdub mix being used of "Arabia" - the original UK pressing used the correct instrumental mix. The first Rough Trade CD edition also used the accidental second mix, but the remastering on the Datapanik box set restored the correct version. The individual remastered disc issued subsequently included both (titling the vocal version "Arabian Nights"). Later editions of the album also changed the title of "Miles" to "Young Miles in the Basement." ==References==