Man on The Verge of A Nervous Breakdown - by Roger Shepherd — Bill Direen

Schwimmen in der See is an integral part of Bill Direen’s oeuvre and sits at the heart of a substantial body of recorded work that stretches from Six Impossible Things right through to 1983’s Beatin Hearts album and beyond. These are songs that are both complex and unique in themselves, but are also a part of a cohesive timeless body of work.

I saw this band a few times back in pre 1981 times and the recollections are of being awestruck in a misty Old Testament way. The band didn’t so much rock as roll on primal rhythms and connect with the deeper notes. Singer and guitarist Steve Cogle had the presence of a prophet and a voice that predated religion.