Seven Souls

Seven Souls is a 1989 album by the American music group Material. A collaboration with author William S. Burroughs, the album features his narration of passages from his novel The Western Lands (1987) set to musical accompaniment.

Seven Souls
Studio album by Material
Released	1989
Studio	Platinum Island Studio and BC Studio, New York
Genre	No wave
Label	Virgin, CDV 2596
Producer	Bill Laswell, Material
Material chronology
One Down (1982) Seven Souls (1989) The Third Power (1991)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10

The album was re-released in 1997 with bonus tracks, three re-mixes that were added to the beginning of the album. In 1998, a new title, The Road to the Western Lands, was issued, composed of new mixes of the tracks.

"Equation" / "Ineffect" was released as a single in 1989 (Virgin America, PR 3380).

Track listing

1. "Ineffect" (Bill Laswell, Nicky Skopelitis, William S. Burroughs, Simon Shaheen) – 7:34
2. "Seven Souls" (Laswell, Burroughs) – 5:42
3. "Soul Killer" (Laswell, Burroughs) – 4:32
4. "The Western Lands" (Laswell, Skopelitis, Burroughs) – 6:54
5. "Deliver" (Laswell, Skopelitis, Foday Musa Suso) – 5:48
6. "Equation" (Laswell, Skopelitis, Rammellzee) – 5:06
7. "The End of Words" (Laswell, Burroughs) – 5:06

Seven Souls (Remix)

1. "The Western Lands" [a Dangerous Road Mix] (Laswell, Burroughs) – 8:31
2. "Seven Souls" [Tim Simenon Mix] (Tim Simenon, Burroughs) – 7:06
3. "Soul Killer" [Remote Control Mix by Terre Thaemlitz] (Terre Thaemlitz, Burroughs) – 8:15

The rest of the album as per the original release

The Road to the Western Lands

1. Bill Laswell – "The Seven Souls" (Burroughs, Laswell) – 5:47
2. Talvin Singh – "The Western Lands" (Burroughs, Talvin Singh) 6:36
3. DJ Soul Slinger – "The Western Lands" (Burroughs, DJ Soul Slinger) 5:09
4. Spring Heel Jack – "The Road to the Western Lands" (Burroughs, John Coxon, Ashley Wales) 6:17
5. The Audio Janitor (DJ Olive) – "Joan's Haunted Hints at the Gate to the Western Lands" (Burroughs, DJ Olive) 6:37
6. Bill Laswell – "Seven Souls" [The Secret Name] (Burroughs, Laswell) 10:37
7. Material – "The Western Lands" [A Dangerous Road Mix] (Burroughs, Laswell) – 8:31

Personnel

Material

• Bill Laswell – 4, 6 and 8-string basses, acoustic guitar, tapes, percussion

Additional personnel

• William S. Burroughs – voice
• Rammellzee – voice ("Equation")
• Foday Musa Suso – voice ("Deliver")
• Fahiem Dandan – voice ("Ineffect")
• Nicky Skopelitis – 6 and 12 string guitars, baglama, coral sitar, saz, Fairlight CMI
• Simon Shaheen – violin
• L. Shankar – violin
• Jeff Bova – electronic keyboards
• Sly Dunbar – drums, Fairlight
• Aïyb Dieng – percussion

"The Western Lands" [a Dangerous Road Mix]

• Jah Wobble – bass
• Bill Laswell – bass samples
• Nicky Skopelitis – guitar
• Tetsu Inoue – electronics
• DJ Spooky – noise

"The Seven Souls" [The Secret Name]

• Alicia Renee aka Blue Eyes: vocals
• Nicky Skopelitis: guitar
• Bill Laswell: bass, keyboards, turntable

Production

• Recorded at Platinum Island Studio and BC Studio, New York.
• Produced by Bill Laswell / Material.

Release history

• Seven Souls – 1989 – Virgin, CDV 2596 (CD)
• Seven Souls (Remix) – 1997 – Triloka Records, 314 534 905-2 (CD)
• The Road to the Western Lands – 1998 – Triloka / Mercury, 314 558 021-2 (2x 12" / CD)

In popular culture

The track "Seven Souls" is featured in the opening scene and in the closing credits of The Sopranos Season 6 episode, "Members Only".

External links

• Seven Souls at Discogs (list of releases)
• Seven Souls at Bandcamp