DISCOGRAPHY
GOD DAMN RELIGION (DVD - Locust Music, 2008). 30 minutes.
This film is a diabolical experiment in hypnotic mind control—a phantasmagoric presentation of demonic and divine imagery, meticulously assembled and designed to put the viewer into an altered state of darkened awareness. If you've ever wanted to go to Hell and back, this film will get you halfway there. Some folks may find some of the imagery to be disturbing, at least we hope so. Contains some strong sexual content (like any true religion should). Comes with a BONUS CD of SRB's Elektronika Demonika which was previously available on vinyl only. 
POLYTHEISTIC FRAGMENTS (LP/CD - Drag City, 2007).
"Fragments is a spectacular showcase of Bishop's multi-dimensional talents. Here we get fast-picked folk, Django Reinhardt-worthy gypsy tunes, Chet Atkins-style ditties, Hindi-influenced melodies, and a lode of other, less classifiable stuff. Interestingly, this catholic approach is closest in tone to Bishop's actual solo debut, 1998's Salvador Kali, which also freely rolled his polygonal sonic dice. But even compared to that stellar release, Fragments is remarkably kaleidoscopic." - Marc Masters.
"Fragments is a spectacular showcase of Bishop's multi-dimensional talents. Here we get fast-picked folk, Django Reinhardt-worthy gypsy tunes, Chet Atkins-style ditties, Hindi-influenced melodies, and a lode of other, less classifiable stuff. Interestingly, this catholic approach is closest in tone to Bishop's actual solo debut, 1998's Salvador Kali, which also freely rolled his polygonal sonic dice. But even compared to that stellar release, Fragments is remarkably kaleidoscopic." - Marc Masters.
WHILE MY GUITAR VIOLENTLY BLEEDS (LP/CD - Locust Music, 2007)
"The three long meditations that make up this release are violent in the sense of deep passion. For Bishop, these songs are a form of prayer, and as such are as deeply felt an acoustic set as you are likely to hear, one that does not fall into the traps of the pseudo-spiritual, but which maintains an emotional peak throughout. “Zurvan” is the most quiet of the set, an almost traditional blues-based instrumental that still explores some mighty deft territory, both musically and emotionally. It begins the record by reassuring the listener that s/he will be in good hands. “Smashana” dips into a more layered drone, with aspects of psych that help to deepen the piece, and to build off the first song. The real meat is the final, 25+ minute “Mahavidya,” which explores both fretboard and soul, and takes the drone of “Smashana” toward raga, and toward a mystic conclusion to the set." - Dave Segal (OC Weekly)
ELEKTRONIKA DEMONIKA (LP - Locust Music, 2006)
"Elektronika Demonika begins with horrifying incantations before launching into an eerie wash of synthesizers that recalls Ruth White’s classic Flowers of Evil. While Bishop has been largely working with guitar these past few years, the sounds of Elektronika Demonika are mostly generated with synthesizers and shortwave radio transmissions. Side two is where it really gets scary, opening with sinister hand percussion before getting sucked into a black vacuum, which slows things to an ominous crawl. The final track is the most compositionally meticulous, as bursts of short delay are layered until they are rendered an incomprehensible chasmal blur, at which time another incantation begins. And if I didn’t know him to be such a gentleman, I’d assume that this is the work of a raving madman and leave it at that. Despite this or because of it, it’s an absolute masterpiece from start to finish." - James Jackson Toth (Your Flesh)
FINGERING THE DEVIL (CD/LP - Southern Records, UK, 2006)
"Bishop’s seamless blend of gypsy jazz and flamenco guitar embraces the duality of nomadic life, its exuberance and world-weariness. Overall Bishop’s pace is slightly slower here than on his previous full length "Improvika" except on the album’s galloping closer “Howrah Station.” In “Dance of the Lotus Eaters,” he scatters his notes sparingly in sections and coaxes the steady growth of melodies from single chords, rather than frantic runs across the fret board. Bishop also embraces these gentle melodies more fully, shying away from the experimental atonality of "Improvika"’s “Cryptonymous.” This release is full of patience and powerful lyricism." - Jamie Townsend (Foxy Digitalis)
IMPROVIKA (CD - Locust Music, 2004. LP Issued by Bo Weavil, 2005)
"The nine compositions of “Improvika” are influenced by folk music of all corners of the world with the music of India and the Middle East playing particularly prominent roles. This is not, however, post-modern pastiche or multicultural collage. Quite the contrary, it is something that synthesizes all these disparate elements into something wholly new. Bishop has a somewhat improvisational rhythmic language that is all his own as well as a compositional sense that (even if these pieces are, in fact, improvisations as the title might suggest) carries this album easily through its 45 minute running time." - Nick Hennies (Foxy Digitalis)
SALVADOR KALI (CD - Revenant Records, 1998)
"That this solo instrumental album from one of the Sun City Girls would come out on John Fahey's Revenant label isn't a surprise at all once one hears the opening romp, "Burning Caravan." There's the same sense of artistic reach, delicacy, and skill on guitar that one would expect from Fahey, but, of course, Bishop has his own particular obsessions and roots, which he showcases well throughout. Besides having a punning title, Salvador Kali also indicates the breadth of Bishop's musical roots from Europe to Asia and beyond, drawing much like his parent band on any number of worldwide sources and sounding like something he almost created out of thin air." - Ned Raggett (All Music Guide)
VAULT Volume One (Self Released CDR, 2006).
Limited to 50 signed and numbered copies. 12 songs, 40 minutes. A collection of odd recordings from the late 1980s through the early 2000s. Featuring solo guitar, solo piano, numerous keyboard experiments, music for films, and some general wierdness.
VAULT Volume Two (Self Released CDR, 2006).
Limited to 50 signed and numbered copies. 15 songs, 40 minutes. More keyboard experiments, soundtrack music, odd string pieces, a few guitar numbers, and whatever else is on there.
VAULT Volume Three (Self Released CDR, 2006).
Limited to 50 signed and numbered copies. 13 songs, 40 minutes. More oddities here, music for silent films, atmospheric pieces, some guitar explorations, dark piano wanderings, and more.
ALL STRUNG OUT (Self Released CDR, 2007).
Limited to 250 signed copies. 8 songs, 40 minutes. A collection of guitar pieces, most of which are acoustic with one electric piece which eventually became the base track for the song Smashana which was included on the album While My Guitar Violently Bleeds.
STAGED (Self Released CDR, 2007).
Limited to 250 signed copies. 7 songs, 40 minutes. A collection of live recordings spanning from 1998 through 2006. Includes the only recording of the mash-up Nowhere Over the Rainbow. Also included are a couple of improvisations, plus some live renditions of songs from Fingering the Devil, Salvador Kali, and more.
FILM SCORE ANATOMY (Self Released CDR, 2008)
Limited to 100 signed copies. 16 songs, 45 minutes. A collection of musical pieces designed to accompany numerous short film pieces by SRB. There is hardly any guitar on these recordings. There are numerous keyboard pieces with percussion, some whorechestral works created with computers, synthesizers, samples and more.
KNUCKLEHEAD FREEFALL (Self Released CDR, 2008)
Limited to 250 copies. 15 songs, 45 minutes. A collection of various pieces including a number of electric guitar jaunts ranging from North African romps to all out noise. Also some jazzy jingles, avant meanderings, melodic atmospherics, and more. A sign of things to come.
EARTH - SIR RICHARD
BISHOP Split 12" (LP - Southern Lord, 2008)Side one is Dylan Carlson from Earth performing a piece
called "Peacock Angel's Lament" while the reverse side has SRB's
"Narasimha" (That's Narasimha on the cover, the Lion-headed avatar of Vishnu who is disemboweling some unfortunate victim). This was available only during the 2008 Earth/SRB European
tour. They are long gone. "Narasimha interestingly marries "eastern" modalities or tones to more western modes of music without relying on clichéd eastern instrumentation like the sitar, although it is present but not a focus instrument."
SIR RICHARD BISHOP PLAYS SUN CITY GIRLS (7" - No-Fi [UK], 2006)Recorded live at Morden Tower in Newcastle, UK during the 2005 SRB European tour. The songs included here are "Space Prophet Dogon/Vinegar Stroke" and "Esoterica of Abyssinia," which are from the classic Sun City Girls recording Torch of the Mystics. These solo acoustic versions still pack quite a punch.
MESSENGER GIRLS TRIO (LP - Anomalous Records, 2003)
Limited edition vinyl, only 200 copies. Messenger Girls Trio are Dave Knott, Robert Millis, Jeffery Taylor and Richard Bishop (Yes, I know, it is 4 people). "Jeffery Taylor and I started playing guitars together last December 2000. Not long after we decided to invite Rob Millis in on the fun and pretty soon, word got around and Sir Richard was soon begging us to let him change our strings. We considered it for awhile and eventually conceded...." - Dave Knott, 10/15/01.
Sir Richard Bishop's 15 minute solo acoustic guitar piece, "Corpuscle," was included on this compilation CD originally issued in a numbered edition of 1,000 with a hand pulled, embossed silkscreened package. It has since been reissued in a standard jewel box edition. Also includes pieces by Jack Rose, Steffan Basho-Junghans, and Tetuzi Akiyama
ELVI SINAWI Sir Richard Bishop & Jason Glover (3" CD, 2002)
A live performance of electronics and general mayhem. Recorded in the late 90s at I-Spy in Seattle, or at Benaroya Hall, depending on who you ask. Originally limited to about 35 copies in jewel case but now limited to however many Jason Glover makes when nobody is looking.
