Following is the official Nels Cline discography. (Accept no substitutes!)

Last Update
02.01.05
Total Listings
132

Click on the links below if you'd like to jump to a particular year:

| '79 | '80 | '81 | '83 | '84 | '85 | '86 | '88 | '89 | '90 |
| '91 | '92 | '93 | '94 | '95 | '96 | '97 | '98 | '99 | '00 |
| '01 | '02 |
'03 | '04 | '05 |

1979

Artist
Vinny Golia
Title
Openhearted
Label
Nine Winds LP 0102
Notes
Tracks 2, 4, 6 only. Yes, my first session. With Baikida Carroll (trumpet), Roberto Miranda (bass) & Alex Cline (drums, percussion).

1980

Artist
Walter Thompson
Title
Stardate
Label
Dane LP 002
Notes
Track 4 only. I think this record had Vinny Golia, John Rapson, Roberto Miranda, Alex Cline, and ?? Surely out-of-print -- this was one of the worst album covers ever designed!

Artist
Tim Berne
Title
7X
Label
Empire LP EPC 36K
Notes
Tracks 1, 2, 3, 6 only. Reissued by Screwgun (4xCD box - 70009). With Vinny Golia, Roberto Miranda, John Rapson, Alex Cline.

Artist
Nels Cline and Eric Von Essen
Title
Elegies
Label
Nine Winds LP 0105
Notes
Acoustic duets that only partially represent what turned out to be a nearly 15 year collaboration. Lord knows we should have done at least one more alb.

1981

Artist
Quartet Music
Title
Quartet Music
Label
Nine Winds LP 0106
Notes
Out-of-print first album from a band that lasted 11 years! Jeff Gauthier (violin), Eric Von Essen (contrabass), Alex Cline (percussion), moi on acoustic guitars.

Artist
Roberto Miguel Miranda
Title
Raphael
Label
Nimbus LP NS 1024
Notes
Track 4 only. A really eccentric record from one of the most remarkable characters in jazz;
bassist Miranda. I was 104 degrees when I recorded this!

1983

Artist
Grey Pavilion
Title
Grey Pavilion
Label
Pink Shoe EP 1
Notes
My dear old friends Bill & Mary Spiers-Floyd doing their neo Pink Industry/Eurythmics synthipop thing. Pretty funny now.

Artist
Various Artists
Title
A Children's Guide to C.O.M.A.
Label
Rotary Totem LP 4
Notes
w/ Rhythm Plague. Our track (the longest one on this ancient comp) is called "Radio Free Dude." Rhythm Plague = Wayne Peet (keebs & drum machine), Steuart Liebig (bass guitar & drum machine) & yours truly on electric guitar.

1984

Artist
Rhythm Plague
Title
Dressed for the Apocalypse
Label
Killzone cass. KZC-1
Notes
See last listing for personnel. This was a cassette release (mail order only!).

Artist
Quartet Music
Title
Ocean Park
Label
Nine Winds LP 0113
Notes
Album #2 from your favorite acoustic band-out-of-time.

1985

Artist
Julius Hemphill
Title
Georgia Blue
Label
Minor Music LP 002
Notes
Out-of-print live album of a gig which was my first ever concert in Europe with anyone! 40 minutes or so from what was a 2 hour + set! Of course, Julius was so marvelous, but my playing on this pretty much sucks. Julius (woodwinds), Steuart Liebig (bass guitar), Jumma Santos (percussion), Alex Cline (drums), & me, of course. This band should have recorded the following year (when Bill Frisell was added to the band), but in typical Julius fashion, it never quite happened.

1986

Artist
John Fumo
Title
After the Fact
Label
Nine Winds LP 0116
Notes
John (trumpet player extraordinare) is one of my favorite people & musicians. That said, this is probably one of my least favorite records i've ever been involved with (and i suck on it!).

Artist
Quartet Music
Title
Window on the Lake
Label
Nine Winds LP & cass. 0122
Notes
Album #3 - a smooth & reverby exploration from your favorite
acousticchamberclassicaljazzexperimental combo. Check out Eric's chromatic harmonica!

1988

Artist
Wayne Peet's Doppler Funk
Title
Blasto!
Label
Nine Winds LP 0126
Notes
Personnel: Wayne (keebs/composer), Vinny Golia (woodwinds), John Fumo (trumpet), Bruce Fowler (trombone), Steuart Liebig (bass), Alex Cline (drums), & me, of course. Sort of the kinder/gentler Doppler Funk (live gigs with this band were insane!).

Artist
Nels Cline
Title
Angelica
Label
Enja LP & CD 5063
Notes
w/ Tim Berne, Alex Cline, Eric Von Essen, Stacy Rowles. I think this is still in print in Europe (check the cut-out lists for Amercian copies). I'm still very proud of this session. This is my first effort as a leader, and while I can hear my nerves trembling on a lot of it, the writing and playing seems to hold up well. A facet of my work that has since been less-explored. Find it if you can!

1989

Artist
Quartet Music
Title
Summer Night
Label
Delos International CD 4010
Notes
Recorded direct-to-digital by your favorite, acoustic mini orchestra on the verge of disintegration. Delos totally ripped us off. That said, this is quite representative of our sound, and you still may find it around somewhere.

Artist
Various Artists
Title
Live at the Knitting Factory Vol. One
Label
A&M CD & LP 5242
Notes
w/ Dresser-Feldman-Cline/"Harkening." When we listened to this upon its release we could not figure out what we were hearing. Turns out it was our soundcheck! Fortunately, even our soundchecks were pretty damn good! This was a rare and beautiful experience - a gig wherein i subbed for cellist Hank Roberts.

1990

Artist
Alex Cline
Title
The Lamp and the Star
Label
ECM CD 1372
Notes
Track 3 only. Try ECM's website for a personnel listing. What i do on this album is sing in a "male choir," but it's pretty much mixed out of the album (i produced the original session). A great record (i'm not biased at all!)

1991

Artist
Dennis Gonzalez
Title
The Earth and the Heart: The NYC and LA Sessions
Label
Konnex CD 5028
Notes
Reissued in 1997 on Koch Jazz. I wrote a piece on this album that i'm really happy about called "Two For Mr. Bradford" dedicated to Bobby Bradford, of course. Trumpeter Gonzalez with Ken Filiano (bass), Alex Cline (drums), yours truly, Andrew Cyrille (drums) and some other guy who i never met on guitar.

Artist
Bloc
Title
In the Free Zone
Label
A&M CD 75021
Notes
Ack!!! Major label funky rock that has to be one of the most '80's-sounding records recorded in the '90's. This band was really like a disfunctional family. We stayed together for over 7 years and now i just wonder... I did get to grow my hair, dress funny, and wear make-up which was important to me at the time! With Steuart Liebig (bass), Christopher Mancinelli (drums), Camille Henry (voice), Nick Kirgo (guitar), and rock-boy me. Thankfully out-of-print (we were dropped 4 weeks after the album's release.)

Artist
Vinny Golia
Title
Blood and Concrete: A Love Story
Label
IRS CD N25G13825
Notes
Soundtrack. Good luck finding this! It was just an EP but if you find the movie you'll hear tons of cool music.

Artist
Nels Cline Trio
Title
Lady Speed Stick
Label
Ecstatic Peace!/WDTCHC/Forced Exposure/Magnatone/Amphinomics/Interonic Sentient Media/Senseware from the Senseworks 7" (FE 028 F&M 999 NCTVSISMO 2709 MGT EP #17 - 7" BOX 1/1)
Notes
7 labels, one 7"! A rockout dedicated to Kim Gordon with Mark London Sims (bass) and Michael Preussner (drums).

1992

Artist
Nels Cline Trio
Title
Silencer
Label
Enja CD 6098
Notes
w/ Mark London Sims, Michael Preussner. Out-of-print in the States (but check those cut-out lists or eBay). The first Trio recording - a bit low-key and reverb-y, but in spite of my insistence on harmonizer, a lot of this still sounds good. The German release (magenta cover letters) has some really inept liner notes, the American one (red cover letters - out-of-print) has notes by yours truly.

Artist
Nels Cline Trio
Title
Beardism/WDTCHC (theme)
Label
Ecstatic Peace!/Father Yod 7" E#28 FYPS 2
Notes
Side 1 with Mark London Sims on bass. Side 2 with Mike Watt on bass. Michael Preussner plays drums on both sides. Trio 7"'s were always pretty rocking affairs!

1993

Artist
Film Score
Title
Welcome, Said the Angel (France)
Label
none
Notes
No soundtrack album available. Both films were scored direct to DAT in one day with John Fumo (trumpet), Robert Lloyd (keyboards), Bob Mair (basses), Michael Preussner (drums). This was nerve-wracking and also fun. I enjoy the Bad Seeds-inspired love theme to this day...Now on DVD, I'm told.

Artist
Film Score
Title
Hard Drive (straight to video) (Triboro Entertainment Group)
Label
none
Notes
No soundtrack album available. Both films were scored direct to DAT in one day with John Fumo (trumpet), Robert Lloyd (keyboards), Bob Mair (basses), Michael Preussner (drums). I can't really recommend these movies. This one had some very tongue-in-cheek writing and was a ridiculously bottom-wrung Hollywood experience. A total B- movie! I think this is on DVD, too.

Artist
Brad Dutz
Title
Camels
Label
Nine Winds CD 0152
Notes
Tracks 5 & 9 only. Mr. Dutz is one of the most creative and indefatigable percussion/composition forces around. And, he always has hilarious song titles.

Artist
fIREHOSE
Title
Mr. Machinery Operator
Label
Columbia CD 53208
Notes
Track 13 only. (If you blink you'll miss me!)

1994

Artist
Borneo Express
Title
From Here to Nowhere
Label
B Jeavis CD 0101 [Norway]
Notes
Tracks 2 & 8 only. One of the worst recordings ever made. (When friends do favors for friends...)

Artist
Deborah Holland
Title
Freudian Slip
Label
Bugle/Dog & Pony CD 7971 180001 28
Notes
Tracks 2 & 3 only.

Artist
Bonnie Barnett
Title
Delay in Gravity
Label
Nine Winds CD 0161
Notes
Tracks 7 & 10 only. Ms. Barnett, a vocalist, is one of the many unheralded L.A.-based free improvisers whom you should check out.

Artist
Nels Cline Trio
Title
Pants
Label
Ecstatic Peace!/Father Yod 7" E#50/FYPS 7
Notes
This A-side tune (dedicated to Polly Jean Harvey) turned out to be many people's favorite neo-rock Trio anthem. For all you obsessives, the piece "Nico's Dream" on the B-side incorporates a melody from the Horace Silver piece "Nica's Dream".

1995

Artist
Various Artists
Title
Our Band Could Be Your Life: A Tribute to D Boon and the Minutemen
Label
little brother CD & LP lb-003
Notes
Nels Cline Trio: "Self Referenced"/"West Germany". The only Trio track with my vocals (if you could call them that). This track started my relationship with the fabulous svengali of little brother records, Mike Hogan.

Artist
Brad Dutz
Title
Krin
Label
Interworld CD 919
Notes
Tracks 1 & 10 only.

Artist
Mike Watt
Title
Ball-hog or Tugboat?
Label
Columbia CD & 2xLP 67086
Notes
Tracks 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 11 only. What an experience! I ended up on a lot of tracks, then went out on tour w/ Watt. Check out his hootpage.

Artist
Various Artists
Title
Whore: Various Artists Play Wire
Label
WMD CD 2
Notes
w/ Mike Watt and the Crew of the Flying Saucer /"The 15th". Mike said, "Raccoon coats!" This is his 1930's fratboy take on the classic Wire tune and has 4 guitarists on it!

Artist
Nels Cline Trio
Title
Ground
Label
Krown Pocket CD & 3x7" 02
Notes
This CD was only supposed to be a 7". Somehow, after listening to a bunch of unreleased demos, Krown Pocket kingpin Brian Rosser opted for a full release. Recorded for about $100, this has some of the Trio's more tongue-in-cheek rock stuff as well as some affecting balladry etc. The luscious Bruce Licher-designed triple 7" was a surprise. Brian said "Polvo did it!" Bob Mair on bass & Michael Preussner on drums.

1996

Artist
The Turkanas
Title
Under One Sky
Label
Tonga CD 8301
Notes
I won't reveal the leader's true name on this pseudo-African project done for some French guy. Includes G.E. Stinson among others. Humorously, all the song titles are right, but assigned to the wrong songs!

Artist
Osamu Kitajima
Title
Beyond the Circle
Label
CyberOctave CD 2002
Notes
Don't ever say that the New Age market and I are strangers! (Sometimes i get a session...)

Artist
Vinny Golia Quintet
Title
Against the Grain
Label
Nine Winds CD 0159
Notes
With Rob Blakeslee (trumpet, fluegelhorn), Ken Filiano (bass), Billy Mintz (drums). Like this one a lot! Recorded in about 4 hours.

Artist
The West Coast Modern Day Punk Rock Orchestra
Title
Correspondence
Label
little brother 7" lb-007
Notes
Jovi!!!

Artist
Various Artists
Title
O Come All Ye Faithful: Rock 4 Choice
Label
Columbia CD 67376
Notes
w/ Mike Watt and the Crew Of The Flying Saucer. The only artifact that documents the touring Watt band of '95: Watt, Vince Megrouni, Michael Presssner & moi. There is a Minutemen-like spirit to this track (I think).

Artist
Vinny Golia Quintet
Title
Razor
Label
Nine Winds CD 0169
Notes
With Mike Vlatkovitch (trombone), Ken Filiano (bass), Billy Mintz (drums). Never knew this was going to be a record. A very oblique session.

Artist
Jeremy Toback
Title
Jeremy Toback
Label
Cherry Disc CD 22843
Notes
Me with G.E. Stinson on guitars trying to create some nice, hooky arrangements for sensitive songwriter boy Toback.

Artist
A Thousand Other Names
Title
A Thousand Other Names
Label
Birdcage CD 110014
Notes
This was G.E. Stinson's group with Karou (voice), Brad Dutz (percussion), and yours truly. G.E.'s songs (yes, he sings) were excellent vehicles for our unique and atmospheric improvisational style. Well worth listening to if you can find it (and one of my favorite groups i've ever worked with.) By the way, I did the artwork on the album.

Artist
Mark Weber
Title
Obbligatos For Terpsichorean Dispomaniacs
Label
Nine Winds CD 0182
Notes
Poetry and improvised music featuring a large ensemble of folks here in L.A.

Artist
Nels Cline Trio
Title
Chest
Label
little brother CD & 2xLP lb-006
Notes
Sort of our most epic alb. Includes the crowd pleaser of '94, "The Gamine." Double vinyl includes bonus track! With Bob Mair (bass) & Michael Preussner (drums). Contrary to popular belief, both formats are still in print (AND that's not my torso on the back, it belongs to Violeta.)

1997

Artist
Various Artists
Title
Dice 2 (She Says)
Label
Ishtar CD 002
Notes
w/ Bonnie Barnett. Duets with the always inventive and controversial vocalist.

Artist
Joel Harrison
Title
3+3=7
Label
Nine Winds CD 0187
Notes
Two variations on a concept: 3 guitars, 3 percussionists. With guitarist Harrison plus Steve Cardenas, John Schott, Alex Cline, Brad Dutz, John C. Holmes, Scott Amendola, Glenn Cronkhite & Garth Powell.

Artist
The Geraldine Fibbers
Title
What Part of Get Thee Gone Don't You Understand?
Label
Sympathy for the Record Industry CD 481
Notes
Track 15 only (recorded live at the El Rey in Los Angeles).

Artist
Wayne Kramer
Title
Citizen Wayne
Label
Epitaph CD & LP 86488
Notes
Track 11 only. After doing a bunch of wild, free pieces i somehow got turned into a tiny little loop! If you can tell that this is me you should win something really expensive.

Artist
James Carney
Title
Offset Rhapsody
Label
Jacaranda CD 71002
Notes
Track 7 only.

Artist
Various Artists
Title
The Patio Collection, Volume 2
Label
Smilex CD 007
Notes
Track 9 only (Nels Cline "Totally Tourist"). This is me overdubbed with vocals taken from a phone conversation that accidentally got on my phone machine between the Smilex Records guy and his ex-girlfriend! Isn't technology mysterious?

Artist
Vinny Golia Quintet
Title
A Nation of Laws
Label
Nine Winds CD 0189
Notes
With Rob Blakeslee (trumpet), Joel Hamilton (bass) & Alex Cline (percussion). Vinny recorded this in the sequence he wanted the CD to be in to save money in editing (just like Double Nickles on The Dime!).

Artist
Gregg Bendian's Interzone
Title
Gregg Bendian's Interzone
Label
Eremite CD MTE03
Notes
Bendian on vibes with Mark Dresser (bass) & Alex Cline (drums). Kind of thin sounding, but a great band nonetheless. (*See 2004 CD reissue on Atavistic).

Artist
Banyan
Title
Banyan
Label
CyberOctave CD 2005
Notes
With Steve Perkins, The Freeway Keyboardist and Mike Watt. This was supposed to have Dave Navarro instead of me. The concept was to improvise on material from Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" - as though any of these people even really knew the piece! What we ended up with was an album of edited and slightly overdubbed jamming that's pretty interesting. I miss "The Freeway Keyboardist".

Artist
Nels Cline & Thurston Moore
Title
In-Store
Label
Father Yod/WDTCHC CD FYP-C17/BOX 3/3
Notes
Recorded the same day as "Pillow Wand", live at Rhino Records West L.A. What can i say about playing with Thurston? It's really great and I really am proud of this CD.

Artist
The Geraldine Fibbers
Title
Butch
Label
Virgin CD & cass. 7243 8 4419
Sympathy for the Record Industry 2xLP 507
Notes
Much has been written about this band and this record. Suffice to say that I am extremely proud of this. Find it before it disappears forever.

Artist
The Geraldine Fibbers
Title
California Tuffy
Label
Virgin 7" 7pro-12748
Notes
Promo only.

Artist
Nels Cline & Thurston Moore
Title
Pillow Wand
Label
little brother CD lb-011
Notes
Intentionally minimal duets which we called "The Dream Guitar Project" for a long time before we actually did it. Pillow wand (a make-up applicator) is a metaphor for "dream guitar". The cover photo (of clothes designer Wendy Mullin) ended up costing me more than the actual session (which only took about 2 1/2 hours)! I guess i got charged the rock star rate. *This was also licensed in Europe to the German label Skycap (CD 001).

Artist
Mike Watt
Title
Contemplating the Engine Room
Label
Columbia CD 68161
Notes
Watt's "punk rock opera". A really affecting (and unjustly ignored) conceptual work with TONS of guitar playing. Steve Hodges on drums & percussion (YEAH!). For more on this amazing project, go to Watt's hootpage.

Artist
Various Artists
Title
The Basement Tapes Volume Two: Live Underground
Label
KSPC CD 2
Notes
Nels Cline & Woody Aplanalp/"Fly Fly". Woodward Lee Aplanalp. He rules!

1998

Artist
Mary Lou Lord
Title
Got No Shadow
Label
Sony/WORK Group CD 67574
Notes
Tracks 4,5,7 only. Promos for this album listed me as one of Mary Lou's "musical friends". (But it was four years after this recording session that I finally did meet her in Boston!)

Artist
Nels Cline + Devin Sarno
Title
Rise Pumpkin Rise
Label
Volvolo LP LO-1209
Notes
CRIB dronemeister Devin Sarno and me doing what we do best: raising some sonic dust! Never should have done this on vinyl ('cause it sounds pretty wimpy and crackly), but what the hell? You have to own it anyway. (Note the obscure Guv'ner reference.)

Artist
Nels Cline Trio
Title
Sad
Label
little brother CD lb-012
Notes
This title, initially tongue-in-cheek, turned out to be horrifically prophetic in many ways. Not only was this to be the last Trio session (which was itself quite stressful), there were sound problems, and other people involved with the project either died or were seriously fucked up around this time. Not to mention the fact that my personal life was later in shreds! Nonetheless i think that in spite of a few technical probs that this album has some of our best stuff.

Artist
Scarnella
Title
s/t
Label
Smells Like CD SLR-027
Notes
Scarnella, for those of you who don't know, is an anagram of Carla & Nels. This is truly one of the happiest projects i've ever worked on. We're super proud of this one, so when your local record shop tells you they can't get it, pitch a fit! Don't give up! Thanks. (P.S. That's Carla Bozulich, for all of you who may have been living in a bomb shelter for the last 10 years).

Artist
Nels Cline + Devin Sarno
Title
Edible Flowers
Label
WIN CD WIN030
Notes
Very proud of this part live/part studio duo document with CRIBmeister Devin. This in spite of the fact that we had to do some gnarly cover-up action (and stiff-arming) involving the mad taper who had recorded some of the live stuff. This album was almost an accident yet it has garnered a staggering amount of favorable press.

Artist
Mark Weber
Title
Time Zone Differential
Label
Zerx CD 007
Notes
Tracks 1,2,4,5,7,8,10-17, 20 only.

Artist
Various Artists
Title
Yo Miles!
Label
Shanachie 2xCD 5046
Notes
w/ Henry Kaiser & Wadada Leo Smith. There are millions of people on this double CD. They're all good, and i think Henry did a good job as producer of this session which produced over 8 hours of recorded material!

Artist
Various Artists
Title
SWR Sound
Label
SWR giveaway
Notes
Nels Cline Trio "Bath" (taken from "Chest" CD). If you went to the NAMM show a couple of years ago, the SWR booth was giving these away. (Surprise!)

Artist
Mark Weber
Title
Bygone Tumbleweeds, Tarnation of Smoke
Label
Zerx CD 011
Notes
Track 8 only.

Artist
Various Artists