So after that they recorded their demo tape on a JVC portable recorder and went to the SRB record company. Finally they finished their first recording (in just one day). They just would like to have their own album. Songs were recorded in just one take without dubbing. These recordings were to be divided afterwards into several songs by the producer).
At first they recorded their demo tape by a JVC portable recorder and went to the SRB record company, because the SRB record company was the nearest place to their home. They had already over one hundred songs written by themselves before they debuted. They wanted heavy guitar sounds like AC/DC but it was impossible to make a sound like them because of insufficient technological know-how. So they only depended on psychedelic ad lib or fuzz guitar. But ironically this made their first album sound unique. After their first album release, many Korean young people were surprised by their music!!
Their music was very unique and fresh and it distinguished them from previous Korean pop music.
Anyway their first album became a million seller in the Korean 1970s pop scene over the time. The record sold immediately over five hundreds of thousands copies! But band members were in confusion. They didn’t know their music would be that good. So they said that “After our first album release, we are just left with our musical instruments and lost our music.”
Weirdo Rec. description : ""San Ul Lim (translated as 'That Mountain Echo', alternate spellings include 'Sanulim', 'Sanullim' and 'San Ul Rim') was formed by three brothers born of privilege in Seoul, South Korea.
With confidence gained from endless practicing and competing in a university student song contest, they approached record label SRB (because it was near their house!) and recorded their first album in just one day.
Upon its release in 1977, the LP sold over a half-million copies and paved the way for many further volumes. The songs are full of fuzz guitar, tinny keyboards and simple production, reminding one of the American garage and pop-psychedelic groups from the sixties, but with an Asian flavor. For this new reissue World Psychedelia have included two pages of English liner notes, explaining the significance of the final track, a cover of the traditional Korean folk song 'Arirang'." "
After five months, their second album was released. They tried to define their musical genre on this album. They had added organ sounds by their sister Kim Nan Suk. Especially the most important thing is that not only Korean music fans but also Korean music mania outside Korea had been wildly excited by their music. Their music became more psychedelic and interomptu.
Dusty Groove description : "The middle child in the mighty Seoul combo San Ul Lim's trio successive garage/psych masterpieces of the late 70s -- and San Ul Lim 2 might be the best and most adventurous of the lot -- full of spacey, more experimental passages! If San Ul Lim 1 was the most sunshine rock oriented set, and San Ul Lim 3 flirted with hard rock, album 2 splits the difference with a little bit of groovy prog elements and lots of spacey organ! The tunes have some more languorous, moody bits that are rich with atmosphere and some really sweet work on bass, fuzzy guitars and the swirling organ -- but the group's excellent ear for melody and a catchy groove are still very much intact! 10 tracks in all. (The booklet includes a an essay translated into English, but no English tracklist.) "
Weirdo Rec. description : "Sizzling second album, which according to the liner notes, was released just five months after the bands first album; despite the fact that these early San Ul Lim records were made as late as 1977, they sound as if they could have been cut in the late 60's. San Ul Lim were ostensibly a trio-with the eldest brother on guitar, the youngest on drums and the middle playing bass; they also have their sister Kim Nan Suk playing keyboards-a small oversight maybe for her never to get any credit on the records , as she has as big a role as her eldest brother when it comes to carrying the solos for the group, using a broad array of synths (a harpsichord farfisa patch being popular) and electric pianos. The bass playing of the middle brother is also spirited. Not content to merely playing his role in the rhythm section and keeping harmony going, he has a tendency to keep busy with fast moving scale fragments and melodies. A tougher sounding album than their rightly-lauded debut-the music became more psychedelic and impromptu; and as the notes tell us, "Definitely the second album San Ul Lim made them rock stars in Korea." Korean rock specialists called the first three San Ul Lim albums "the demo tape triple collection". These are regarded as the bands best recordings "because they made most songs on these albums between 1971 and 1975 (before their debut). Therefore the songs had their early originality and creativity."
Anyway definitely their second album made 1970s rock stars in Korea. So they tried to experiment more music after success of these albums. They considered the musical originality of their 1st and 2nd albums, but were conscious of USA and UK Hard rock style at the time of the 3rd album. They wanted to make this album as Western top class Hard rock music. Firstly they didn’t use organ and used only guitars, drums and bass as a power rock trio and also made songs in a Hard rock style,(songs which were not ballad style or popular).
So their 3rd album is the most rocky album of their albums. But they failed both commercially and musically, because they did not have the ability to play the complete songs in performance.
However we had to value this as positive. They produced the best rock and now were the best rock band. The reason is that their music had creativity and rash braveness, scary frankness even though they did not have sufficient ability as musical performers they had just creativity and rash braveness. Therefore many Korean rock specialists called this album half a success or an exciting failure.
After then they made many albums and Kim Chang Wan, who was a leader of San Ul Rim, released solo albums and Children’s songs collections. But their creativity was dried up and the music became more popular, so they focused on commerciality.
Also I think that their best recordings are their 1st to 3rd albums because they made most songs on these albums between 1971 and 1975 (before their debut). Therefore the songs had their early originality and creativity. Korean rock specialists called these albums the demo tape triple collection.
Description Dusty Groove of 3 : Super fuzzed out, trippy 70s psych rock from Korea's San Ul Lim -- an album recorded by the Seoul rockers in the power trio format of guitar, bass and drums -- but with such a fuzzy, dense tone that it's hard to fathom how on Earth they got the sound! The opening track starts in wonderfully eye-opening fashion with the buzzing guitar sound and raspy vocals -- but the follow up tracks have a softer vocal tone and more of a spacey effect -- kind of evocative of "Sister Ray" in the relentless buzz sounds, but with a more lilting overall vibe! Includes notes in English, but the titles are Korean -- 5 tracks in all, including a mammoth 18 minute closer! (Apologies for the lack of track titles -- the booklet includes an English language essay, but not a translation for the song titles!)
Description Vinyl Kiosk : "The liner notes say, they wanted to make this album as Western top class Hard-Rock music. This time they didnt use organ and used only guitars, drums and bass as a power rock trio, and also made songs in a Hard rock style (songs which were not ballad style or popular). But, of course, the result is not a Hard Rock record at all. True, the record starts out with throat-shredding vocals and a guitar sound that is suddenly fuzzed-out and ominous sounding; but by track two, we already have dreamy melodies; but all's well that end's well, thanks to the almost 19-minute track that was the entire side two of the original LPdroning fuzz guitar psychedelia at its maniacal best, with a "White Light, White Heat" groove, and imaginative fuzz guitar soloing. Korean rock specialists called the first three San Ul Lim albums the demo tape triple collection. These are regarded as the bands best recordings because they made most songs on these albums between 1971 and 1975 (before their debut). Therefore the songs had their early originality and creativity.
Description Weirdo records :
"Korean psych with nightmare fuzz & shitcan organ, plus slightly clueless rhythm section & impressively wrongheaded blues guitar solos. Although you'd swear they were made circa '67 or '68, they really didn't start recording until the mid-70s. This is their 3rd lp, and was their last foray into stoned nonsense before they tried to go prog/fusion."
San Ul Lim concert in 1982
Supplement:
In the middle of the 1980s, dance music was introduced to Korean people and it had a strong hold on them in Korea like other countries, so they had to change their originality and music style to survive in the music business.
But they tried to get back to the early powerful sound on their 9th album (1983). They could not accept that the public taste in the Korean 1980’s music market had changed to dance music. From this time, practically the three brothers band San Ul Rim ended. After failure of this album, they had to go their own way. They had little live concerts, so they were not able to have music as their main business. It was to take over ten years until we meet a San Ul Rim as three brothers in a band again.
So their 10th to 12th albums were Kim Chang Wan’s project band and the musical style was his singer-songwriter music.
Group leader Kim chang Wan became a Radio DJ and famous TV talent, while Kim Chang Hun and Kim Chang Ik became employees of big Korean corporations.
In 1997, they were united as a three brothers band again and as a result their 13th album was released.
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Three questions about San Ul Rim.
1.What’s the position of San Ul Rim’s music in 1970s Korea?
1970s Korean music scene
The 1970s Korean music scene was divided into two parts. One is the Group sound (Rock band style) based on the US army stage circuit and the other is the folk sound base on Myung-Dong club. The goal of the former is a superb performance (technical skill and accurate copying ability of western classic rock numbers) while the latter had much more importance in personal expression. But both of them had the common point that the craftsmans mind was strictly trained.
But San Ul Rim’s music style didn’t belong anywhere (in these 2 parts). Their music was band music, a free expression style / philosophy that everybody can play music if somebody picks up a guitar. Therefore their music style was improvisational and amateurish. I think it was similar to 1960’s USA and UK garage rock band music and punk rock. Nevertheless, San Ul Rim members never have listened to the garage rock music and punk music at those times. Also their stage was a Gajungjip* (home) and not garage. <=Gajungjip means that Koreanized house structure between Korean traditional house and Apartment>
Their unique music style was completed while having a music game in their house. And they weren’t based on any existing musical background in Korea. So many Korean rock specialists say that “they seem to have fallen from the sky.” Because of it, San Ul Rim is the most unique band in Korea.
I think their music is a unique naughty boys rock sound.
2. How was the political situation of Korea at those times?
Politically the Park Jung Hee(Korean 5th-9th president) military dictatorship regime governed in these times. He governed for 16 years (1963-1979).
So before a song was released on an album, all lyrics had to be censored by a government organization.
There was a pre-censorship institution in Korea. So San Ul Rim had to write their lyrics wholesomely. ex. They changed a song name from wolf to girl on their first album. As this political situation, most of their lyrics are wholesome and simple. But their sound was exceptional.
3. How can a group be born like San Ul Rim these days?
From birth until into the university age, in the 1970s, they could freely and usually enjoy western pop music in Korea. And the university student was in a position in which he could enjoy it freely. As a result they had the benefit of the early stages, making it possible to expresses their originality in their brother’s music game. I think it made the basis that led to San Ul Rim in those times.
(text written by Folkie Jin, edited by me & Woolfeman)
