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ELD RICH PALMER zine issue 8
ELD RICH PALMER zine ÛÛÛÛÛÜÜÜÜÜ ± Ü ÜÜÜ ÞÛÛÛÛÜÜÜÜÜ
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²²²²² ÜÜÜ °²²²ÜÜÞ²²²²Ý°²²ÛÛÛ ²²²²²²ÞÛÛÛ ²²²²² ÞÛÛÛÛÜÜÛÛÛÛÛ²²²²² ÜÜÜßß
Þ²Ûßß ÜÜÜÜ ÜÜ Ü Þ²ÛÛßßßßß ÛÛßß ßß²²Ý °ÛÛÛÛÛÜÜ Þ²²²ßßß .zero99
Well,it's happened.
The origin of this webzine comes from the
paper fanzine ELD RICH PALMER, that's been active
around since 1991...
Me (Zenial) and Krzysztof Sadza have decided
to choose all the best out of the 6th & 7th
issues,mix it up and add to it some new stuff,thus
the 8th act's appeared.
The contents can be obtainable with the use
of almost every computer,which has got simple
txt-editor(PC/MAC/AMIGA/ATARI).It has very small
capacity (a 3.5/1.25 disk is enought) and it can
be sent via net as well. Modest but effective!
We would like the 9th issue to appear
soon,we'd like also it to be open for all ! So
everyone is welcome,and asked for getting in touch
with us immediately at:
Krzysztof Sadza
Napoleonska 25A
06-500 Mlawa
Poland
or
Lukasz Szalankiewicz
Ul.Aleje Wp.42/68
38-500 Sanok
Poland
e-mail:
jantar@promail.pl
zenial@kki.net.pl
The paper issues of ERP zine are available
thru Lukasz (unless,it runs out), contact him via
e-mail...
ELD RICH PALMER' zine issue 8 (contents):
Bulgarian new music scene raport
Slovakia scene raport
XV Parowek
Big City Orchestra
Cpinalonga
Delphium,
Dream into dust
Jantar DC55
Noxius Emotion
Oberon
Origami Replika
Phyrl
Rosengarden
Szeki Kurva
The 4th is eligor
ZIDSIC rec./Mr.Zan
Advertisments
Reviews
(erpzine8.zip)
Editorial for the 8th issue :
- Krzysztof Sadza (main editor)
- Zenial (editor, net, spread)
- Garfield, Zero (superb ascii)
- Terway (reviews)
- Primek (webmaker)
- & others (...)
ARCHIVES:
ELD RICH PALMER' zine issue 1:
My Dying Bridge, Nosferatu, Dead Infection,
Neolithic, Immortal Fate & (...)
NOT available!
ELD RICH PALMER' zine issue 2:
Rongwrong, Obuh rec., Schizo, Mortified,
Retribution & (...)
NOT available !
ELD RICH PALMER' zine issue 3 :
Fetish 69,Inner Thought, Czech scene raport,
Renaissance, Gallows, Vader, Miscreant, Love
History, Rosengarden Funeral of Sores, Pentacle,
Slovakia scene raport (metal), Neolithic, Texton,
reviews (...) NOT available !
ELD RICH PALMER' zine issue 4 :
Into The Abyss, ARS 2, Release, Crack up,
Desultory, Amor Committed Suicide, DarkSide, Die
Verbannten Kinder Eva's, Slave One, Elbereth,
General Bomb Machine, Metalmorphosis and tons of
reviews (...) NOT available !
ELD RICH PALMER' zine issue 5 :
Tenebris, Rain, De Volanges, Omnivorous, Trauma,
Attrition, IF Bwana, Oberon, Black Flames prod.,
Requiem prod., En Garde and tons of reviews (...)
NOT available !
ELD RICH PALMER' zine issue 6 :
Trance/Charnel Music, Mussorgski, Eterne, Elend,
Soundbuster prod., Acting Out, Konca Taniec,
Atarxia, Szeki Kurva, Greek underground raport,
Turkey scene raport, poetry, zines/records reviews
Get it for 2$ or trade.
ELD RICH PALMER' zine issue 7 :
Cpinalonga, Oberon, Origami Replika, Zaraza, Lahka
Muza, Miasto Nie spalo, Phyrl, Slovakia scene
raport, Dream into dust, Nostromo and record
reviews.
NOT available !
NEVER USE THE FANZINE NAME ON THE ENVELOPES !!!
Hidden cash !
þß ß ßßß ßßßß ß ßßß ßß ßßßß ß ßßß ßßßþ
ÛÛÛÛßßßÛÛ°ÛÛÛ۰ܲÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛÛßßßÛÛÛ°
²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛ²ß ÛÛÛ²²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ²
°ÛÛÛ²ÜÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ²ÜÜÛÛÛÛ
° °°°°²ÛÛÛÜÜ°Ü°ÜÛÛÛ°°°°°°°°ÛÛÛÛ °°°°°°°° °
þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
BULGARIAN NEW MUSIC SCENE RAPORT
By Ivailo Tonchev
Hello friends, this short article will try to
introduce you to the new music, coming from the
small country Of Bulgaria. As you know, we were a
socialist country for over 45 years and all sorts
of rock music. Appeared here in the middle of 60s
and saw it's rise with INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FEST,
our answer To the imperialist Summer of Love...
What you can find in the 60s is mostly some great
garage tunes and lots and lost of shitty propaganda
pop. Up to 76-77 it was the same thing nothing that
interesting happened. The end of 70s brought a big
change. With the punk uprising in the West, the
whole scene got its motivation and started its
development. However, there are no documents for
the scene from that period. SIMO LAZAROV was
probably the person who started the development
of electronic music. He released a lot of record
and Cds, his early stuff is quite good but later
he got more and more into the space thing and the
faded Away quickly. However, try to find his
records, although it is almost impossible these
days. He was the only representative of the new
music in those obscure early 80s. There wasn't
anything else that can keep anybody's attention. In
1984-1985, when the first punk/new wave groups
appeared, that gave the start to the whole
underground movement. Let we talk about the years
85-90 first. The beginning of the BG new wave was
set up by TANGRA and their LP "2", released in
1986. It may seem naive but these songs had a huge
following and introduced a lot of people to new
wave. TANGRA sounded a bit like post punk, good
lyrics and interested music. This LP is extremely
rare now! KALE appeared in 1985 and they had a
great influence on the whole scene, as later in
1987 the members formed NEW GENERATION. KALE
existed until 1988, but they lived and played under
the strict laws of communism. The music was some
sort of a minimalist sounding wave/punk. Their
lyrics were written by DIMITER VOEV, the man who
stood behind so many projects. KALE never got the
appropriate attention, as most of his other
projects: WOZZEC I CHUNGRA (over 9 demos, weird
improvisational/experimental music), ABSOLIUTNO
NACHINAESTI (dark wave/punk 2 demos), LAKSHMI OF
NAPISCHIM (2 demos improvisations) and many
others. The band of his life was NEW GENERATION,
and it was his biggest success, that also had a
huge following. They described their style as cold
wave and they really sounded cold and really dark.
They have one LP (split with CONTROL), countless
tape releases and one CD out. They influenced a
whole wave of similar bands, but that happened in
the early 90s. DIMITER VOEV died in 1993, that was
a sad moment for the whole scene. NEW GENERATION
continued but not successfully as ART GENERATION,
released one tape and faded away. Another
interesting band that formed around the end of the
80s was VIOLETOV GENERAL, the dark legend of the BG
underground. Always on the dark side, their punk
industrial music shocked the more conventional
fans. Their leader is EMIL VULEV, one of the most
interesting contemporary painters here. VIOLETOV
GENERAL released countless tapes and their last was
also pressed on a CD. They split up in 1994, after
having a HUGE influence on the whole music scene.
Around 1993-1994 they turned completely into
electronic/improvisational music. EMIL VULEV has
released a lot of new tapes, featuring his sound
experiments. All material is highly recommended.
Now he works with ALIEN INDUSTRY, a metal type of
industrial, not that interesting for me... Another
interesting band that worked at that time was
REVIEW. Fast and dark wave/punk with female vocals.
It contained NEW GENERATION and KALE members and
the vocalist was MILENA SLAVOVA. They have one LP
out, a tape released in 1995 and now they exist as
AFRICA, a post punk band. CLASS and ATLAS had a
split LP together, interesting new wave they got
watered down after this release and do not
deserve thata much of attention. BUDA 3000 were a
mysterious dark and post punk band that gave a
birth to one of the most interesting bands HEARTS
OF TIBET. Imagine a fusion of jazz, LAIBACH, DEAD
CAN DANCE, punk... you will probably get some idea
for the early HEARTS OF TIBET stuff. Later they
released a limited tape EP (100 copies), that gave
birth to their more electronic style. Later they
disappeared and returned as one of the best
electronic acts, sadly they have turned too much
into the commercial music. I saw them live a few
weeks ago, high speed techno music, I have no
words to describe it, I felt there was something
missing although they are one of the most famous
acts these days...
They very beginning of the 90s brought a huge
wave of bands, influenced by the above mentioned
80s bands. A lot of words can be mentioned, a lot
of bands too... sadly not that many of them
released anything. It wasn't a funtime, people were
starving, there wasnt any time for art. Some names
that deserve to the mentioned are MEPHISTO,
PARANOIA, BELI SENKI, MURTVI POETI,
BEZNADEZNOST... the list can go on forever... The
end of the 80s had a huge wave of electronic/free
jazz music. There are two names that deserve to be
mentioned when it comes to jazz. YILDIZ IBRAHMOWA
released her brillant album "Illusory Eternity".
Musically it is close to stuff like MEREDITH MONK
or DIAMANDA GALAS, but she put a strong folk
influence and this album set a new path for the
jazz music here. Later she moved to Turkey. She
released a couple more albums into more traditional
vein, but still good. THEODOSII SPASOV did his
great "Sand Girl" album, one interesting fusion of
folk and free jazz. His other albums are worth
checking too, although slightly watered down.
SERGEI DJAKOV did some quite successful albums with
electronic music. THE SLAV formation has already
released several great albums of experimental and
sometimes jazzy electronics. OM ART FORMATION can
be compared to DEAD CAN DANCE with strong folk
influence. They are one of the most interesting
bands these days. They are working on more ambient
sound in their last album "Ritual Places". DVE
KUPETA released 3 albums and they sound a lot like
TUXEDOMOON. They split up and now they are call
BAND FOR MAD WOMEN, they sound more like some sort
of excentric new wave. 69. Did four albums with
great dark and evil gothic rock. ARACHNOFILIA have
a few tapes out, interesting industrial/dark wave.
ANTISAPIENS were in the gothic rock vein, slightly
more melodic, yet powerful album. NEMI EZERA play
into the THROBBING GRISTLE vein, quite interesting.
RWF played cold wave, with a strong NEW GENERATION
feeling. Something worth checking are first 2
albums of NOVA IOTOVA, that created a BG version of
COCTEAU TWINS, mixed with a steady folk influence.
ZLATKO did one tape, a strange mixture of gothic
and the 70s PINK FLOYD, quite good. Another one man
band is CLOACA, that did 2 demos full of noise
experiments. Almost in the same vein is the tape by
MITKO IGNATOV.
Well, this is just a short look at the BG
scene, its past and future, the way it is now. I
may have mixed or mistaken something, hey nobody is
perfect... Let me now introduce myself: I am Ivailo
from A.O.N.distro, aged 26, earning my living as a
school teacher. If you need any more info an all
these names, just contact me and I will always get
you my latest lists... My catalogue is available
for 1 USD (well hidden) or just a friendly letter.
I love to trade, so that may be a healthy
alternative to money... if you want to check out
the BG punk scene, you can write me too, I stock a
huge pile of punk/HC releases from here.
MY ADDRESS IS:
IVAILO TONCHEV
STARA ZAGORA 6010
KV KAZANSKI 16-G-115
BULGARIA
TEL:00359-42/27080
E-MAIL:IVAILOT@MALCITY.COM
þß ß ßßß ßßßß ß ßßß ßß ßßßß ß ßßß ßßßþ
ÛÛÛÛßßßÛÛ°ÛÛÛ۰ܲÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛÛßßßÛÛÛ°
²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛ²ß ÛÛÛ²²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ²
°ÛÛÛ²ÜÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ²ÜÜÛÛÛÛ
° °°°°²ÛÛÛÜÜ°Ü°ÜÛÛÛ°°°°°°°°ÛÛÛÛ °°°°°°°° °
þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
SLOVAKIA SCENE RAPORT!
By Ryby
Where are these times when clubs in
Bratislava were "Shaking" under the rhytms of
Slovak electro pioneers "THE DARK". Their gigs were
the best what could Slovak electro scene even
offer. They became very popular and while stepping
higher and higher interest of media increased.
Unfortunately,boys didn't manage this publicity and
disappeared as quickly as they came. However, it
was long time ago and things has charged since
then. Successively,here has come some new promising
bands,so I would like to tell something about them
now. And because I'm from Bratislava I begin in our
capital city. Probably nobody who touched this kind
of music at that time would not forget 4 funny
teenagers named NOTORIOUS BOYS. Band was formed
after the fall of totalitarian regime in our
country and it was basis of later established
MORBID FANCY which is not necessary to introduce
especially. Guys performed nice number of gigs,
released 3 demo tapes and, in particular, last
one touched the wider dimensions of
electro-industrial music and proved their
position in our scene. Unfortunately, it's traqic
that I don't know any other electro band from
Bratislava. However, I'm not taking into account a
lot of materials produced in Czech Prague by one
Slovak musician ana I think he wouldn't contest if
he is classed as member of Slovak
electro-industrial scene. Everybody who is
interested in electro probably knows who I'm
talking about. Yes, you're right, it's Ergo, former
member of Crewzine commando. His projects GAPING
CHASM and ANIMA MUNDI became very quickly
well-known, some of his musical creations are still
shocking me. At this time Roman (ERGO)
concentrates more on
dark-electro-ambient-industrial project ANIMA
MUNDI, its last release is really delicious piece
of work. I just can hope it's not last thing from
Roman.
Other interesting act coming from Slovakia
(Trnara) is K.I.F.O.T. We could hear their
production first on electro industrial fest in
Malacky where they have impressed not only me but
also a lot of electro freaks from
Slovakia.K.I.F.O.T H. caused little sensation in
our scene and became one of most wanted bands at
the moment. After second demo" E-bola" they
signed Holger's VUZ Rec. so their CD debut should
be out in few months. It will be named "Ebola" and
it will include remastered tracks from demo + some
extra bonus tracks. And because guys are full of
energy they realized few side projects. It's worth
to mention MINDSCAPE which debuted live with it's
chaotic electro-industrial on electrofest in Trnava
(January'97). Another interesting formation from
Slovakia producing totally different kind of music
is EINLEITUNGSZEIT from Malacky. Concept of their
live performances on scene evoking real apocalypse
offers very exciting and unforgetable show alluring
still more and more machine-heads. Their noise
industrial testing your nervous system is
interesting not only for natives, first success is
vinyl release for German ART KONKRET. At the time
guys re working on absolutly new material, so we
can look forward to it. Another band, same musical
inclination - that's CYBORG. In July 1995 they'z
eleased first demo and titled it "Immortal
Solution", following "Capital Punishment" (March
1996) brings already more agressive and developed
sound. After some problems one of two brothers left
the band giving the place for self-expression to
remaining brother Robert. Of course, Robert didn't
sleep and already in August 1997 came with hot
noise - experimental industrial named "Hall Of
Mirrors", NEURAL PARALITIC is the name of electro
newcomer from Vrbove. Their debut demo "Cerebral
Frequency" we can shortly describe as experimental
EBM. Some time ago we were supplied by classic EBM
of THE TRIBE CONPS from Sulov. However, it's part
of history now. Boys changed the name of the band
and started to produce another kind of music Yes,
I'm talking about ABUSE which offers not only
typical EBM or industrial but preset electro music
in its entirety. That's why you can feel the
influences of various styles in it. Music of
TERMINAL STATE from Presov in eastern Slovakia's
another cup of tea. Their harsh and dynamic EBM
occupied foremost positions in local radio chart.
One of the most successful bands is LAHKA MUZA from
Nitrianske Sucany producing music so different of
all mentioned formations. Dark industrial blocks
with original voice expression of female vocalist
Hilda was enough interesting also for some
labels,so it resulted in two CD's releases (they ve
3rd CD out now -ed). By the way, band is active at
this time as we can infer from their last concert
activities and what's the most important for their
fans next CD should be out very soon. So, that's
all I can provide from my informations about
electro activities in Slovakia. I supposed there is
more bands which would like to present their
production so that's the opportunity for me to
appeal to these bands. Don't hesitate and write,and
send your materials to ALIEN! We are here just for
you. And on the end I would like to call attention
to first Slovak noise-electro-industrial tape
compilation named "Collection Of Biologic Waste".
If you want to try the taste of Slovak electro you
are welcome. Let your head be infected of this!
Executed by Ryby
Contact him at: ALIEN MAGAZINE
Peter Rybar nam.Hraniciarov 6/a
851 03 Bratislava SLOVAKIA
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²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛ²ß ÛÛÛ²²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ²
°ÛÛÛ²ÜÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ²ÜÜÛÛÛÛ
° °°°°²ÛÛÛÜÜ°Ü°ÜÛÛÛ°°°°°°°°ÛÛÛÛ °°°°°°°° °
þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
XV PAROWEK
by Bartlomiej Kalinka
XV Parowek is a project, as also it is a
home-taping label. But the label was created later
than the project. I started distributing my own
tapes with xerox-copied covers and couldn't think
of a better name. The name means "fifteen hotdogs"
and was chosen accidentally. Some people believe,
however, that accidents never happen. XVP has been
started on September 18th 1992 on a school trip in
Sucha Dolina. During first 2 years it was a "real"
band. It was formed by 5 people. One idea was that
we can't play real music, but we do it anyway -
something like punk rock. But another thing was
that we wanted to use non-standard instruments. We
used guitar and drums, but also some handmade toys
called "bass yoghurt", prepared piano, large
pieces of metal confronted with a hammer, etc. The
idea was taken from Einsturzende Neubauten, but I
could hardly understand their music at that time,
except for their abnormality. In 1994 guitar has
been finally abandoned. A recording session in a
basement took place and "Awruk" tape was created.
That tape gave the climate for next "industrial"
productions. At this moment we stopped being a
band. I began to use a computer as a tool and
creating sampled music. On April 1994 "YY+MYY"
tape was made, then "Caly autobus pomielony
masmielszynka", and later "Uwaga! Cisza! Stop!",
and also a split with Sonic Disorder. All of this
music has similar feeling. There are structures
made of sampled sounds. In general there is no
melody, but the structures are simple and
straightforward. Something like tekno grind-core
made with special equipment
(psycho-industrial-noise?). The variety of used
sounds may make those recordings interesting, but
they express rather naive and even somewhat
traditional view of music. Obsession of "living
vacuum-cleaners and refrigarators" is what
expresses the mood of that material. The tracks
are short, and there are many of them, the
movement is quick. On September 1995 "Cartoon
Network" was recorded, and later it was included
on "Anomalous Silencer" #1 CD compilation. It was
something new - sounds and voices from cartoons
were used intensely. The tracks were still noisy
and primitive, but they were saturated with new
ingredient - pop culture. In 1996 I have recorded
"Rozowy hiper-balonik", an ultimate XV Parowek
tape up to date. It also explored the pop world,
but included some softer experimental touches,
some short melodies displaced adequately, some
"electronic" pc-speaker sounds. The technology of
production didn't change - it was all sampled. The
tape had hand-colored cover. XV Parowek is crappy
and sophisticated at the same time. I like to
place my products in something like home-taping
movement. Distribution based mainly on trades with
foreign friends. I also sell several copies a
month in Poland. My tapes are recorded on lo-fi
analog home equipment (only sampled and mixed
digital). This is the future of music - everyone
can do that. There are some side-projects on my
label: Kommissariat, Historia Much z Muchomora,
Piknik Gonzo and Pta. There are some live
recordings, splits. There is some new recording by
XV Parowek, which hasn't been issued yet. It's
been made on January 99. It's really different,
maybe more mature, has full-length tracks. However
it was recorded live and cannot be treated as XV
Parowek "mainstream", so if you want real new
stuff, you still have to wait...
for Eld Rich Palmer
Bartlomiej Kalinka
e-mail: bk159144@zodiac.mimuw.edu.pl
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þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
BIG CITY ORCHESTRA
by Krzysztof Sadza
K; What exactly is bco and how did it come to
happen ?
ubkat; the most recent version of bco first
began in 1979, when some disenfrancised
musicians and a defrocked priest/scientist
started experimenting on a social housing
scheme. The plan was to have a group of
'counterculture' types living in homes that
were all interconnected via social and economic
means. At it's peak the 'Big City' system had
incorporated 5 houses. Shared between them was
a monthly newsletter, shared technology and art
sources, and a musical outlet...big city
orchestra!
K; Who's the mastermind behind the group?
ubkat; Well dAS is the one most responsible for
getting the mail in and out and because of such
he has ordaned himself the power to pick the
projects to be worked on.
K; Does a liquid line up help in the writting
process and what would your writting process be?
ubkat; while there is always some sort of a
core group that are called on over and over and
help make some of the decisions, bco is an
orchestra in the way that we take on a project
and flesh it out and then search for the talent
needed to complete it. The writting process
itself takes the form of scores, scripts, or
sometimes just a basic theme, movement or
emotion.
K; you often have well known persons like daevid
allen play with the orchestra, who else has
become a part?
ubkat; let us just leave it at there are many
musicians who get within our vortex, and that
it is great fun to find out that certain
musicians that you have admired from afar are
also really great people too.
K; I have gotten the impression that bco is as
sarcastic as the residents and as independent as
Zappa, am I right?
ubkat; Those two are great influences on us and
'difficult' music in general. I think we all
owe Mr. Zappa a great deal for teaching the
world that it was okay as a musician to be down
right weird but also intellegent. Have never
thought of the residents as sarcastic. dAS who
has worked for Ralph agreed with me upon
asking.
K; Do you take bco seriously? The titles amaze
me. What should a customer expect from 'Hi-fi
stereo test record for pets' or 'Salty sea
shanties for young pirates'? Is it all a ruse
for the ignorant buyer?
ubkat; Several of the core members are big
record buyers and we are all pretty media
savey, so the titles are a bit on the heavy
handed side but as Dr. Hazer says; never
underestimate the power of overkill. The test
record for pets IS a release of tones for
effecting your pets, and the shanties cd is a
release of pirates songs for kids. Both were
highly researched.
K; What are the ideas behind the 'Consumer' cd,
and 'Replayer'? Do you have a certain method
when doing covers?
ubkat; the consumer cd is a collection of radio
and tv jingles from the last 40 years, we found
the sheet music was available as well as the
copyrite very cheaply. A lot of the folk music
we grew up with. Replayer will be a collection
of prog/art rock primarly from 1968-1973.
again, music that impressed us at some period.
The process here conforms to how we work
sometimes, in true mail art fashion, we have
receiving two or more tracks from predecided
pieces of music. We then take them and add more
tracks until complete. We really surpassed
ourselfs with audacity with some of the people
we got involved, several folks from prog/art
projects we admire, of course no one was
allowed to be on their own original piece.
K; By your actions, you have gone far away from
the music group formula. Publishing books,
magazines, videos and even a puppet show for
cable tv. Is this why ubuibi was founded?
ubkat; exactly, well at least for the limited
hand made items like tryst, the odmc ub books
and other odd packages. Everything else goes
out to all the other labels. We really don't
want to take that road. Regarding puppets, we
love the little critters and will hide behind
them as much as possible. Our big show for last
year consisted of the bco puppet noise band
performing the works of Od McUb.
K; How big is bco's discography ? Does anyone
keep track of it? How have you succeeded in
keeping up such a fast tempo of releases.
ubkat; the smartass answere would be that we
are noise sluts (and we are), but we have just
kept up a steady pace for two decades. No on
keeps track but asking dAS (since he keeps the
archives) that bco has put out at least 150
full length cassettes, 4 singles, 7or 8 cds,
and around 350 tracks for compilations.
K; What were the main musical events of the
1990's in your opinon? What do you have planned
for 2000?
ubkat; The 90's had a lot of changes in the
commeral world, consolidations has killed off
all the medium sized labels and left us with
huge congolmerates and the truly independent.
Good this is a furtile breeding ground. Also we
saw the change in techology that enables the
home musician to release the principle formats
in the marketplace..cd burners/internet/better
multitracks. Regarding the coming future,
2000ad is another day, very anticlimatic, flip
the calendar it's gone...just more projects
about things we find interesting.
K; Some musicians have said that everything
musical has been acheived in the 30's and 40's,
and everything today is a variation of those
years. Do you think there is anything left to
explore?
ubkat; One of the primary uses for music is
communication, we can always use more. And
speaking for a mammal with opposing thumbs...
it's nice to have something to do that doesn't
help screw up our nest. All the arts are
contingent on the past, weither you write a
song about todays newscast or the remergence of
interest in swing. We are always just drawing a
mustage on the mona lisa. We are what our
influences are, but the fun part is that the
art goes thru our own personnal filter.
end of interview (so far)
ok now your turn again....
in warm noise milk
dAS
e-mail: ubuibi@jps.net
ubuibi@jps.netgeocities.com/soho/loft/5503
members.tripod/~bigcityorchestra
freeyellow.com/members2/bigcityorchestra/
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CPINALONGA
by.Krzysztof Sadza
The case of Mr.H.Martis is another example that
the artist of 20th century is the workcoholic,
who's constantly involved in many projects at
once.However, the serial productions of his
records seem to not influence negatively on the
quality,if I was wrong, how could one explain the
phenomena of his latest "Spinalonga" album
then??!!I haven't heard for a long time so
wonderfully pulsating electronica mixing with
acoustic sounds(real percussions!) and Juggling
with emotions and moods.Real ELECTROCHEMISTRY
delicious and recommended!!
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°
ed. : The CPINALONGA's info sheet is very
laconic,so I'd like to ask you about the
beginnings now would you characterise the music
and cultural surrounding, you as a band have been
growing up in? What records have you listened to,
who's begun the whole thing in Greece".
I grew up musically amidst the punk and dark/
wave tide of the late seventies - early
eighties.I believe that things in Creece were
no different to any other place on the
Continent back then.Up until 1984-85 many bands
were being formed and split up,copying,of
course,the current dark-semi-electronic trends
but no-one in my opinion,ever came up with
anything worth amention today.I used to listen
to a lot of the truly Teutonic experimental
stuff, be it Kraut Rock or Wave.
ed. : Was formula "melodic semiexperimental
electro-chemistry" created only to describe your
latest work "Spinalonga",or to define your
current style that you gust develope?
The characterisations you've just reffered to
have been thought by Glafx (i.e.the person
behind Capp Records) in order to provide with a
better description of this particular work of
mine.I reckon,it could be taken as valid
definition of my current style.
ed. : By the way,how has music been changing over
the years ? Where there "turning points/records"
that were fundamental for your development,and
why?
Yes music along with all the other sciences,is
bound to continually evalve. Yet,I tend to
believe that we are just about to experience a
potential breakdown of all musical/genre-wise
boundaries via all forms of the current techno
cyber-industrial-trance directions.Here's a
list of some the most important records I'd
think of concerning my overall evolution :
KRAFTWERK "Radio Activity" probably the
darkest,and most paradoxical piece of 70's
electronica and the first record I have ever
bought; this is the record that actually got me
into the musical sciences, TANGERINE DREAM
'Phaedra" and "Rubicon" along with KLAUS
SCHULZE's" Timewind designated the period when
electronics begun to acquire mystical
qualities.Their delicate yet so rich textural
structures are inimitable
KRAFTWERK"Computerwelt" the absolute classic,
of the past 17 years,for all this time many
people have been trying to explore and decipher
its rhythmic architecture.This,I believe is one
of the most influential records ever to be
produced,signifying the beginning of the new
cybernetic electronic era.A clinically created
landmark record by all means,and to me the
first true opportunity to begin an exploration
within the realms of the silicone metronme.
CLOCK DVA "Man Amplified" I got this record
just a tad late,yet,it managed to change my way
of thinking quite dramatically. "Man Amplifled"
came about eight years after" Computerwelt" to
act as a link between the romantic and almost
mystical view of the evolving silicone
electronics and that of the more
knowledgeable,holistic and mature approach to
them in the late eighties.THE SISTERS OF MERCY
"The Reptile House E.P."although I've always
preferred the LORRIES "Talk about the Weather
E.P." I really think that " The Reptile House"
is one of the darkest records ever. For almost
12 years it would keep hauting me over and over
and force me on the stimulating morbid
atmospheres.Of the modern,day bands I really
liked HAUJOBB,I believe that "Solutions for a
Small Planet is one of the best records of the
current decade,a huge influence on me. I should
also have to mention "FRONT 242's "Fuck Off"
and "Fuck Up Evil" utterly brilliant and
intensely dark cybernetic explorations.Very
rich records indeed! Also,SKINNY PUPPY "Rabies"
and "Too Dark Park" along with MINISTRYs "The
Mind Is a Terrible Thing To Tast"' are all
records which in the their time aad pretty much
helped shape things up,as well as predefine a
huge sector of todays music. So,here, there
were some of the records that have pretty much
sculpted my way of thinking musically and
othervise. In evolutionary terms you can always
easily recognise the link and the circles.
ed. : Does going by time act for,or against you
in experimentation of different aspects of music?
Now,things are changing alot faster than in the
past...
I have absolutely no respects for change,I'd
rather use the term evolution. Things mutate in
a most rapid way.For the most part of the past
ten years we've been experiencing a manic
recycling of all things musical and
ideological.I really like what's going on as
time goes by.Current electronics technologies
keep evolving month after month and along does
electronic music,as well as the human thought.
My pity is only targeted towards those poor
sods the "90's rockers".Some people are always
left behind and out of time...but we don't
care,do we ?(sure, everyone is of free will
-ed) About the time question,though...after a
complete breakdown at the age of 27 a few years
ago,Zeit and I,have finally become good pals.As
I become older I feel younger in the sense that
I by now know my instruments and my tools and
every minute aspect of their function better
than ever before.Therefore I can freely
experiment without beiing limted by the very
nature of a previously incomplete
technical/sentimental knowledge. It is also
mater oftrying to get to grips with and getting
to know your own self better.
ed. : Besides the records done under CPINALONGA
monicker,you're also know by various
collaboration with artist from all over the
world,which common projects you consider as the
most successful artistically,and were there the
ones that did bring nothing to your music
knowledge ?
There's always something to learn by each and
every collaboration be it musically or
otherwise taken.However,nothing of any of my
past collaborations comes to mind as of any
impartance at all.
ed. : You make also music for the needs of
various educational institutions, to what
purposes does it serve?
Well,that was quite some time ago and mostly
during my last few grad and Ph.D.years when I
got chance to start exploring what is termed as
psychoacoustics and sonic cognition.That,I
couldn't really call music rather than sonic
experimentation in order to explore human
cognition and recognition of space,as well as
total and textural coherence.CApp have just
released and revised and reproduced track which
comes right out of that
period,entitled"Electra" in a limited edition
of 100 LPs and are elso willing to release more
of my other academic and experimental stuff.
ed. : Something I missed in your story,what's
worthy to be known ?
On yes,this great author/director Clive Barker
had once been photographed wearing my leather
jacket(which I of course let to him) at a major
radio station in Philadelphia USA.
ed. : Oh,how I could ???! Ok.,let's back to the
present, "Spinalonga" album was put out by CApp
Records,while your previous releases re mainly on
K7,vwy that departure?
To put the record straight,only the very early
releases were on tape (with the exception of
"Immer ein fur Allemal") What followed were two
vinyl outings under the banner of "POETA NEGRA"
(H.Martis former label - ed) in the early
90's.Actually I tend to favour vinyl to CD
Yet,everybody was sort of coming at me and
saying that the market dictates that the
Compact Disc regardless its countless bandwidth
limitations is the only commercially viable
medium nowadays (I think,the things are
changing for better now -ed).It's this simple.I
still do vinyl though.A number of 12's are as a
matter of fact planned for release under
different names later on this year.Another
point to be made is that as a sound engineer I
do produce things differently according to the
planned release medium.
ed. : Probably the last form of you activity
doing soundtrackcs and getting up of "Festival Of
Fiction Cinema" at the beginning of 90-ies
what's story behind it ?
No,unfortunately I don't do
soundtracks,although I'd love to. I never
actually grabbed any chances.So,there,if there
is any aspiring young director out there,do get
in touch! Back in the mid to late eighties I
used to be heavily involved with film
Journalism (I used to do film reviews for a
couple of publications,coorganised film weeks
etc.).Also,at one time I'd decided to get
involved with the optical and special effects
situation.I fell in love with all things Latex
and Cellulose/Silicone based, yet,having
reached crossroads at a later age I had to
decide upon which direction to follow in
general(that is medical,visual or sonic...and
as you may realise,I choose the
latter).Thanks,though,for this particular
question as I really enjoy talking about movie
stuff.I'm a die hard movie buff and I'm really
and deeply into the German expressionism and
the early to mid-30 s Paramount/Universal
productions.
ed. : In my opinion,the music from that record
has "an illustrative" character, might be used as
soundtrack for sure; that's the concept when
recording it ?
You are correct.This particular record
illustrates a bleak landscape of a dried out
life at that time.Most of the material was
recordes after I had to reluctantly return to
Greece and during my time in the National
Service as an involuntary command officer in
secluded areas of the country - that was also
the time when my ex-fiance whom I really felt
for,deserted me in a not so humane way.The
concept behind this record had a lot to do with
a complete absence of emotions.For the purposes
of the record I tried not to view things in a
human mode at all(not that hard at that time),
Everything is understood and even "felt" by the
mechanical processes of a sentimentally
stripped being.There is no sense of warmth or
sentimental existence bu utter drainage
instead.
ed. : What determinated you to name the tracks
that way? No one song but one has the text,
what's it about?
The very nature of the music.Each track title
describes the process involved in the viewing
and examination of the different aspects of the
same script
as explained above.The vocoded
voice recites ideas by psycho-mechanic
technology,so as to emphasize a complete lack
of emotions. The voicing of the dramatic
persona lets it act as an inverse cyborg,techno
cognition in an unwanted human body.It is not
the words that really matter but tne very
nature of the voice. This record, however,in
another sense,is my personal ceremonial tribute
to R.Hutter, F. Schneider and A.Newton.I feel I
really had to pay respect to them in a direct
way and I believe I did that.
ed. : It's very limited album,only 608 copies,is
it due to the fact that you create hard-to-sell
music,and fear to losse too much with bigger
issue,or CPINALONGA's records are addressed to
only exclusive group of listeners?
Both. As well as he eternal problem of trying
to get better distribution deals,yet,always
failing or declining to do so. Strange to say,
though,the CPINALONGA CD is fast coming out of
stack and a new edition is being worked upon
sleeve-wise.
ed. : Your future projects include split
albums,could you say mare of the bands you're
going to share the records with,and other events
you'll eventually participate in?
The split albums idea was actually imposed by
CApp's owner and it has to do, as far as I know
with twelve split releases on vinyl. The first
one includes the CPINALONGA track "Electra"and
three of MR.CRICKET's wonderful tracks on the
other side of the vinyl.I have no knowledge at
all concerning the rest of the bands that I'll
be splitting records with.This is a matter
taken care of mainly by my label boss. Anyhow,I
trust him,so we'll wait and see what happens
next.Other plans include a live date in Athens
Greece on April 15th along with other bands.
Unfortunately I don't get a chance to gig
frequently due to inexistent free time on my
behalf.I'm currently working as sound engineer
at a big studio in Thessaloniki Greece and our
"Holly Nother Digidesign" is taking up nature
under different names,as well as,some stuff
targeted directly to the dance floor,but that
is another story...As,I said I've always been
willing to do soundtracks,so it's up to any of
the discerning movie people to employ me for
that reason as well.
ed. : Final comments?
Do you know of anyone who's been at the Klaus
Schulze 1963 Warsaw concert? Any bootlegs of
that available that are not on the proper
"Dziekuje release" (No,I don't -ed)
Well...anyway,I just hope I didn't dazzle or
bore you with my answers and again ,thanks a
lot!
Well, I wish, I were always endoved with so
informative and serious answers like yours!!!
CApp Recs. S.V.Koukoulomatis
Lisiou 8 GR-11146 Athens GREECE TEL/FAX ++ 30(0)1 2924036
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þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
DELPHIUM
by.Krzysztof Sadza
Jonathan/delphium puts a critic , who wants to
show his smartness in pigeonholing, in a difficult
position .His output is like a mirror that
reflects everything ,which stands within its reach
.Of course, the word "everything" should be
reduced to electronic music with its all subgeners
,variations and freeedom in the rendering. The
delphium's records differ from each other
musicallly having Jonathan try to explore new and
new terrritories - always dark and anxiously
beatutiful...
Krzysztof Sadza
ÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜ ÜÜ ÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜ
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1) I think, everyone is curious now to know how
delphium's started!
1. There is no real history to delphium. I
"started" delphium in May 1993 when I recorded
some solo pieces of music I had written. There
was no set agenda and the whole thing was done
purely for my own interest to see what this
music would sound like. There is no past to
tell. Vinyl releases have appeared regulary
since 1994 onwards on a variety of labels too
numerous to go into here.
2) I wonder if there's a suitable term describing
Your "style" as the differences between your
records make delphium many dimensional?
2. Yes, the records have varied greatly. This
was mainly to keep the music interesting to me,
which is the main priority and secondly the
records have differed to each other to
literally piss-off the "fan base". This didn't
work though.... I wouldn't know if there is a
particular "style" for delphium but there is
certainly a delphium "sound", easily
recognisable to most people it seems.
3)If not a style ,there's maybe a trademark for
delphium ?
3. trademark? Hmmm....... great low-end
basslines. Actually, great basslines full-stop.
I was gonna call the next album "...Great
Basslines" but then realised there were no
basslines on the next album.. I don't know.
It's not something I worry about enough to
comment on.
4) Oh , so what do You want to ahieve with your
music ?
4. I don't have any musical goals. Never have.
Anything I do musically is usaually just me
bluffing my way through.. I'm not classically
or technically trained...nor would I want to
be..
5) The atmosphere condenses but continuing...
what's your definition of delphium being
successful ?
5. Whats success? Recording music? Done that.
Releasing records? Done that. Selling Records?
Done that. Radio Airplay? Done that. Publishing
deal? Done that. My only definition of being
successful would be to be able to continue to
do what you do without concern of what others
think of your work. In this case I'm
"successful". I've no interest in commercial
success...I don't seek it. If it happens, it
happens...
6)Tell us about Aquese Recordings....
6. Aquese Recordings is having a break but will
re-activate in September 1999 with a 7" by
Troum and a CD collection by Lull. Past
releases have been very limited 7" records by
delphium, big city orchestra, lull.... Some
stuff is still available..people should email
or write with sae/irc if they want a list or
whatever...
7)Talking in consideration the sonic limits of
7"EPs , do You think they are a valid form to
release delphium's music on ?
7. Who cares? There is little sonic limitation
with 7" records...I'd say these sort of remarks
were more down to people getting ideas above
their station.... 7"s are great..9 minutes of
music each side at 33rpm....whats more appaling
is these bands who only put on track on each
side....thats crap value for money.
8)The part of Your debut full lenght was know
from your pervious releases ,it seems to be a
kind of document ,haven't people been
disappointed by its ; usually people want a group
to put in a brand-new stuff to its debut album...
8. You seem mis-informed here. The CD on
Outsider Records is not "made up of" tracks
from other releases. Of the 13 tracks on the
CD, maybe 4 have appeared elsewhere, and of
those 4 tracks they are all better mixes or
remixes. The remaining 9 tracks are quality
unreleased material. Of the 4 tracks released
elsewhere, 2 were on a 7" limited to 50 copies
only, 1 track was on a 7" limited to 250 copies
only and the other track was on a cassette
limited to 150 copies. Nobodies got these
records anyway and more importantly I actually
like these tracks....Nobodies ever given me or
Mick McDaid(who financed the CD) and ill
comment on this matter. Besides, the playing
time of the CD is something like 79 minutes,
much more than the average CD release.
9)What's gone down with " Retribution " album ?
9. Nothings gone down with the "retribution"
album. I recorded it and pressed it and wasn't
happy with it for various reasons. The records
are in a room at my mothers house and thats
where they're staying.
10)Any tracks from "Retribution" have appeared on
other records ?
10. Well, one track, "Black Wave" was HEAVILY
remixed for a US compilation CD...the DEMO(not
studio versions) of two tracks appeared on
the the Outsider Records CD release... The
other material from the "retribution" album
will remain unreleased..although I do like to
listen to that album through the sampler and
sample myself..
11)You have two another albums recorded ,but not
released .the lack if interest in them ,or what ?
11. You've got your information wrong again.
I've not looked to find a label to release the
next album. I'm constantly re-recording and
adding new tracks to it..Various labels have
asked to release it but we'll see. I'm not in
any great hurry..... The other album you refer
to ius a compilation of deleted singles and
compilation tracks which I've not looked to
release yet. I've had several great offers to
release the second FULL delphium album, but at
present I'm content to see what happens, sit
back for the right deal.... I'm busy with other
things anyway.
12) Are you gigging ?
12. We have done and do, although not very
often. Transport is always a problem....
13)In times like these ,everyone seems to have a
side-project ,do you ?
13. I don't care for "side-projects". "Oh, this
is my ambient project, this is my noise
project, thois is my jazz project". WHO
CARES!??! I do all I want as delphium
14)Do you consider delphium as a part of any
scene ?
14. I'm not sure I understand what you're
referring to. delphium has never been a part of
any scene and we've never looked to be part of
any either. I don't consider delphium to be
"industrial" or whatever.... You'll need to
explain before I can comment further.
15)Many English groups are complaining about UK
scene ,for example LEGENDARY PINK DOTS don't want
to live ,or perform in England ,while many people
consider your scene as one of the most
influential in word .How would you comment it ?
15.I wouldn't know. I don't go to see bands
like that, I'm pretty disinterested in things
like that. However, of the few
concerts/happenings of this type that I've been
to there has usually been a pretty good
interested audience. I'm sure the legendary
pink dots are just complaining because they are
more populare here. I always thought it was the
same everywhere?
16)Anything in closing ?
16. Thanks for the interview. If anyone wants
to write(enclose sae/irc for reply) then the
address is:
Jonathan, 17 Orchard Way, Camberley, Surrey,
GU15 2TD, United Kingdom.
Email: jonathan@delphium.demon.co.uk
Web: http://anotherdark.hypermart.net
--
jonathan
--
Krzystof's comment to above chat - my
conversations with Jonathan may looks like a
relationship between a fly and a sleeper ,but
nothing like. Jonathan has accepted that form of
the interviews so do I !!! No letters bombs were
sent this time !
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DREAM INTO DUST
by Krzysztof Sadza
Being on WORLD SERPENT Recs.ennobles...It must be
exceptional and good,and it is !!! However,at time
...when I did interview Derek,the fact was unknown
to me, I've been enjoying " No Man's Land",a
little piece of dark and softened music a
reflection on loss,alienation,chaos and
emptiness unleashed by use of mixture of
classical,industrial,experimental,doom and folk
music, while being none of them...DREAM INTO
DUST...
°°°°
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Dream Into Dust °°°°°° Ü Ü ÜÜÜ ßß ß
ed. : Can You give us a brief story on how DREAM
INTO DUST was formed?
DREAM INTO DUST was actually considered for the
title of the 1995 december cassette,as well as
for thee name of band itself,however
stubborness won out and " Hope for Nothing"
came out by DECEMBER.Later the generic sound of
word amd its subsequent overuse by various
bands began to annoy me,so it was changed,since
the sound was maturing anyway.
ed. : What's status of DID,since you all have
your own groups?
DECEMBER is no more,DID is my main
focus.Patrick's main focus is FIGRHEAD,and
Bryin has mainly concentrated on LORETTA'S DOLL
for past serevral years, however he will always
have his hand in multiple
projects.Basically,it's my conception,but
others are brought in to add instruments and
embellishments which bring new dimension.
ed.: Comparing DID to DECEMBER, your
side-project's more electro oriented, are there
other things that differ both groups?
As I mentioned,DREAM INTO DUST is simply the
next step,not a side project. I would have to
disagree with the "electro" tag though.Although
more sampling is used,there are a great deal of
organic sound,that are simply warped through
effects and other means.Besides,that word
brings to mind fat more synthesised sounds,than
we use,I have nothing against synths but
there's actually no synth on the album.
Mostly what sounds like is probably Patrick's
guitar or microphone feedback effects."A Prison
For Oneself" is even further,being entirely
constructed of samples of instrumentation of
the type used in " The Prisoner" cult tv
series.Probably the new material will bring
some of the older sound back, while still going
further.
ed.: I tried to get the meaning of your lyrics.I
thought it might be inspired by a historical
events because of cover picture,title,disc
graphic,but finally I've found nothing but
recordings of different states of emotion,
negative feelings, thoughts... Did I missed the
sense of them?
Your general reading is basically
correct,although there is no real historical
backgrounds inherent.No one's interpretations
of the lyrics can be truly "wrong" unsless they
make blatant and sweeping statements and block
alternate meanings.The words have a personal
meanings.The words do have a personal meaing
and resonance,but they're veiled in
poetry,metaphor and symbolism.Every word is
there for a reason.
ed.: Would I be wrong if I state the music from
"No Man's Land" kind of sonic background for the
lyrics,because it's so strongely bound up with
each other?
I disagree with the "sonic backgrounds"
idea,although it may seem that way on the
track,such as "Dissolution" However I agree
that our music and lyrics interwined.Often the
main lyrical and musical ideas come
separately,and at some point while still
forming the're joined,and then completed
together. Each would be less without other.
ed.: What has the response been to your debut
MCD "No Man s Land" ? Did some record label get
interest in releasing you a full lenght?
The response has been good,with better comments
and discussions of the music than before.It
surprises me that it is seen as very
experimental by most, except perhaps those
artists and listeners who are more experimental
than us. As for the record label,this MCD would
have been released by "Elfenblut" If not for
the poor timing or its completion.However,after
a long delay we are now signed to thea for a
full lenght album,which we are about to begin
seriously working on for an autumn 1998
release.
ed.: What's going on with DREAN INTO DUST now?
We have just recorded a song called "The Man
Who Disappeared" for a tribute to Franz Kafka
compilation,coming out on Italian label Fork
Muzik. Now we are recording an exclusive song
for a Misanthropy/Elfenblut/Heroine
compilation,to fight the unfair censorship that
is imposed by people who are not even familiar
with the music.
ed.: ...and with FIGUREHEAD and LORETTA'S DOLL?
FIGURHEAD sould soon release their debut NCD on
their own label.LORETTA'S DOLL are about to
release their most eclectic album to
date,"Nocturnal Arcade", on World Serpent.Some
bass parts of mine were sampled for one song,
and I mixed another,besides doing the cover
art.I may also play bass with them live.
ed.: Do you see a new faces on NY scene being
worthy to pay the attention to, at the moment?
A band new to those outside New York city is
the excellent BACKWORLD,who are now also on
World Serpent.Of course I have always liked
LORETT'S DOLL but now my view of them is
becoming less objective.
ed.: Anything in closing?
Bryin and I began another project called " OF
UNKNOWN ORIGIN " which is a true
collaboration.Besides a song on the
aforementioned kafka compllation, the full
lenght CD "Seven Ovens Of The Soul" is coming
out very soon on Suffering Clown/World
Serpent.It's more electronic, more
experimental,more chaotic than our other
projects.Dark atmospheric,tribal,industrial
soundscapes,other than that,Chthonic Streams is
continuing to expand, offering more items from
more sources while maintaining a very dark
underground focus.Thank you for this
opportunity to be heard.
CHTHONIC STREAMS
P.O.BOX 7003
New York,
NY 10116-7003
U.S.A.
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Jantar Daj Czar 55krotny
by Zenial
The hidden music, turning into space like an
eye's amber of dumb listener. Give a spell fifty
five times!
JANTAR DC 55 is my project, which is also a
new way and still opened chapter. Actually I'm at
the stage of penetrating and searching specified
brain wave. Now I am trying to condense form of my
recordings by constructing collages of ambiental
restlessness.I want to feel a suggestive taste of
the art-standard.
SPACE, MINIMALISM, SURROUNDINGS AND
ALCHEMICAL GUST OF MYSTICAL LOSING. The lunatic
diversity with resignation from clear beat. That's
what I like.
Ingredients:
New ambient - electronica with a little
industrial fluids. But these are only words, and
what it is exactly ? ------.
|
|
\|/
Try eat magical mushrooms:
.@.
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- vvv.
-.
BON APPETIT !
þß ß ßßß ßßßß ß ßßß ßß ßßßß ß ßßß ßßßþ
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þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
JANTAR DC 55
by KRZYSZTOF SADZA
The presence of formations in the style of
JANTAR DC 55 augurs that the new quality in the
scene is coming! Man/machine relationships, far
away from big studios producents, market, critics;
somewhere in home calm take place unnatural evets
between stillness and individual way of thinking
in the form of single compositions, being know only
to people, who share author's passion. Hopefully,
someday it will come out to the light... Get to
know Zenial and his secret world!
[zenial: oczywiscie marginesy w wywiadach mozna zmniejszyc/zwiekszyc, w
zaleznosci od potrzeby.. i od Twojego
upodobania - ale tak jest chyba okej?]
ed.:
Is JANTAR DC 55 equal project to the others,
you're involved in?
Actually, JANTAR DC 55 is my main and only
priority right now, although sometimes I do
something aside. ANASTAZYA is the past for me.
ed.:
As far as I know,the writing process in JANTAR is
constantly in work, probably that's why so many
tracks are recorded to be not assigned for a
relase.So,could you state your discography
precisly ?
Well, under ANASTAZYA monicker is hidden the
set of my tracks from 1995 to 97. Mainly
various techno mutations based on industrial,
experimental, ambient music. In the historical
pointview, nothing of the stuff but some
excerpts is remarkable in my eyes now.
ANASTAZYA's demo tape "Metro/tube" was on
SHITHUATION (a limited edition), it's not
record label as such, but the distro service
that offers poetic volumes,art zines etc.And
now comes JANTAR DC 55 (for a while know also
as ZEN-ZEN),but I didn't relased anything yet.
Of course,there are many other songs by me,done
aside with what I do now. By the way ,I'd like
to mention about PALSECAM - project/group with
other musicans/friends from demo-scene
(Bartes(Mhz),Tees,Soniq,Kain) - minimal,
ambient,experimental...and don't forget about
ETER(y) it's 20 minutes long compositions
"Nadrealistyczny zapis snow fal radiowych" made
up by use of radio (only!) and kept in dada
spirit.
ed. :
How would you characterize people from
demo-scene? In my opinion,this is very hermetic
scene + acess to it depends more on the possesion
of proper equipments than on an attitude as
such...
Theoretically, you're right.The demo-scene is
of the people,who're is possession of the
computer outfit - it's neccessary.I
think,everyone can easily join us,if one is
aware of how to do it.The bigger problems is
how to get noticed by audience,how to get their
acceptation and appreciation...On the other
side,I know personally some persons,who have
sold their outfit,neverthless they're still
faithful supporters of the demo-scene.
ed. :
What sorts of things does demo-scene deal with?
With everything.
Graphics, music, programming, publishing. It's
the art/skills/acting - done by use of a
computer.
ed. :
Do you think the present audio mediums like
vinyls,cassettes or CDs can be superseded by the
internet because of the possibilities of dubbing
straight from the web it offers?
I don't think so...Firstly,not everone has got
a computer,secondly not everyone does like
listen music from computer.As for me,I do not
like MP3 things for example.Keeping CD or vinyl
record in the hands is very nice feeling,the
same goes to visual side of a cassette jacket.
I think,the internet is useful for
people,who're in trouble with distribution of
their records.Owing to it more people can get
interested in them.
ed. :
Let's back to JANTAR DC55, what's prompted you to
create this ?
I think,it's happend because of my itches to
ambient music and to its various
experimental,industrial tides.There was a
moment in my carrier,when I have decided to
limit a rhythm in my music,and start
experimenting with other things.That's why
ANSTAZYA had got to be gone - I've lost my
heart for it.I'm still searching,my tracks are
mainly anxious,I put to them ambient
collages,minimalism,and add subtle noise
constructions and smudges on the top.
ed. :
I think, the computer music is a skill of putting
single sounds in order + mastering - not a
creative process as such...
In the case of mine, I have got low standard
outfit.You say about putting of single sounds
in order,and that's true,although,you must know
how, becouse the creative procces in the case
of computer music is like " codification of
music " - while the program,which I used to use
is not "friendly" in service.My work is based
on the samples,neverthless their sounds come
from keyboards or I take them from a friend of
mine who creates samples...The mastering is
done in totally diffrent programme...I must
say, there's the programmes that act as
substitute for you,fucking makers,i.e. "Magic
Music Composer", and that's uncreative.You can
take yourself as a computer musican,if you
fell,you are a musican.I have never considered
myself as a musican.
ed. :
Who's impressed and inspired you lately ?
I don't know. There's so many interesting
things around. The movies, music, poetry,
existential events, magic of life. I'm
interested in uncommon issues, the ones
univisible for others. The life is too short to
spend it on triviality.
ed. :
Do you find your bearings in current trends in
music?
I manage with it. I listen to various kinds of
music, though some things surely do not get to
me.I think,I'm in the swim in music market.I
have no idea,if techno/IDM evolves in something
new yet.I'm sure,it won't be in 4/4 form.The
rythm has been broken in every possible way.But
time shall tell.The aesthetic of post-rock
seems to be popular these days. Some says
post-rock evolves,some says it's
dying.Anyway,I'll be faithful to ambient
music,it's still live sound magic.The subgenere
of ambient music - techno ambient - made it
somewhat commercialized,therefore this
subgenere is out of my interest now.
ed. :
You're just working at a com.tape for GAN, tell
us something more about it?
It will be on Gustafff Recs.The idea behind is:
"cyber music against racial prejustice " and
it will compromise all styles of alternative
electronic music.GAN is only the
patronage.Previously,I wanted it to be
consisted only of demo-scene artist,but as time
went by,a new and new groups came in.There's
quite great chance,a big names from post-rock
scene will appear on the tape.I'm going to
present mainly ambient,
jungle/drum'n'bass,and said post rock.I still
work on it,although Gustaff Recs.seems to loose
its interest in it.
ed. :
Why all your releases you have published on your
own, and when a serious album by JANTAR DC 55
hits the street ?
In fact, I don't releases it all,I just dub it
from the source and send it to those who're
interested in it.I have no money for publishing
and distribution.I'm loooking for a record
label, that will care for it. I need a time,
patient and money to realise it.
ed. :
Is a live performance possible in your case?
I am able to do it by use of only one
computer,I can mix and re-mix mine and my
friends tracks.I think,in the case of
JANTAR,the live concert may be an interesting
experience for a listener,becouse every time my
mix is different.I hope to buy the sequencer
and sampler some day,so it will change for
better.
ed. :
How do you find the condition of Polish
experimental music scene?
Besides Obuh Recs, there's no real record
label. We have two tape labels, that do only
limited editions. The grasp of active
people/artists, only 2 fanzines - Dark Zone and
Anxious.exe - the remaining press titles have
disappeared from the market. The local radios
give some shows on air, and overground press
put in the articles on that music occasionally,
but what of it? Even in the web,you don't find
more.That's condition of pl scene. And what
about people ? There are of opinion that
ambient ends on THE ORB,others say MORTISS is
ambient.I've even heard ambient music has
arosen from techno... People have no idea what
they say.Industrial music is replaced in
People's minds by indus-metal trashes. No I'm
not satisfied with it...It's pity, seldom who
knows genious SPEAR...
ed. :
Anything in closing ?
-All artistic/creative contacts are welcome.
Write me, although I allow myself litte delay
in answer !
e-mail : jantar@promail.pl
JANTAR DC 55
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þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
Noxious Emotion
by Krzysztof Sadza
Noxious Emotion...the band's name pictures well
the sort of feeling that emanates out of their
music..."Symbols" is their fifth album in the
carrier, but the very first I had a pleasuer to
listen to,and my overall impression is good,not I
was much exciting about it,but considering my
non-danceable music taste,"Symbols" found a niche
in my sound menu...speaks it good for them,
doesn't it ?! Fans of Elektro-Body-Music and Dance
Industrial (what a strange term - taken from the
band's info sheet) will surely love it !
Ü ÜÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÜ Ü
ÜÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛß ßßÛÛß ÜÜÛÛßßÛÛÛÛÜÜ
ÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÛÛÜÜ ÜÜÜ ßÛÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛß ÜÛÜÜ ÜÜÛß ßÛÛÛÜ ßßßßÛÛ
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ßßß ßÛß ßÛÛÛÛÜßßß ßßß ßßßßßß ßßßßß ßßÛÛÛÛßßß
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1. Could you give us a little history of Noxious
Emotion and how your music has been evolving
within all these years?
Sure.......NE was formed back in 1991 as an
"alternative" to the "alternative"........
hehehe, it was my way of giving people
something musically different than all the
grunge and cock-rock that was comming out of
Seattle. I've always tried to keep the music
all-electronic...... you know, just to have
something different...... The evolution of NE
has been basically from "hard edge" Industrial
to what is now a more mellow 80's New Wave EBM
mix instead........
2. The heyday of EBM seems to be gone in the
past, techno music and it's subgenres force it
out of the dancefloors.....would you agree with
that?
Reluctantly, I do agree.......however, the
scene in America is definately
growing.......just 5 years ago here in Seattle
there was NO place to go, now there is
something to do every night of the week!! So
it's getting better......finally! hehe
3. Are you experimenting? Is there anything left
in danceable electro to explore?
Oh yea.......There's always something NEW to do
with the music out there......right now we're
focusing on the younger croud and getting
them to take "electronic" music as a serious
art-form. It's hard in America to do that,
because it's the land of Guitars.......
4. Does SYMBOLS work well for you? What is the
feedback from Press and Fans?
Symbols is doing GREAT for us!!! It's totally
kicking the shit out of our last CD called
"Count Zero"........hehehe..........I wasn't
sure how people would like it at first, but
people seem to really be liking it a lot!!
**which is VERY cool with me**
5. As my interest in EBM ain't deep, could you
tell me what sort of lyrics are mainly taken up
by EBM lyricists?
Hmmmmm......well, I've noticed that most will
sing about either "Technology" or
"Religion".........I do my fair share of it
too......D'oh!!!! But I also like to take a few
other things into it, like "Sex" and "Social
Issues".
6. What about SYMBOLS then? I've noticed you're
against any form of religion.....what role do the
lyrics play in Noxious Emotion?
I've always tried to write lyrics that make
people think........or at least piss them
off........and you picked up on the
"anti-religious" message well. I've always been
a strong advocate for getting people out from
under the opression of religion. I personally
think that as human beings we've outgrown the
use for religion.......all it does here in
America is cause wars........and that's just
useless and stupid.
7. I think if people dance to your music then
seldom who cares for word messages, does it
disturb you much?
Not really........the people that listen to
dance are having a good time.........and that's
totally cool with me. The people that actually
DO catch the lyrics and are listening to what
I'm saying are cool too.........everyone takes
the message that they want to from our music,
and that's all I can ask for.......
8. I don't understaqnd what's the point in remix
of other bands, I find usually the remix releases
boring......you are surly of different opinion?
Actually, no.........most remixes ARE
boring.........hehehe.........but every now and
then you find a REALLY cool remix. Bands here
in America remix eachother basically just for
fun and for more band exposure.......and
usually those remixes suck........but every so
often you'll come across a real gem, and that
makes it worth while.
9. Are you touring alot? What about the upcoming
gigs in May? Do you ever plan to visit Europe?
Oh yea!! I'd LOVE to tour Europe......and
someday we will........**crossing my
fingers**.......we're actually planning a tour
right now for August of the US to support
Symbols (details are located at
http://www.noxious.com) It'll be our 6th US
tour, so I guess it's just about time that we
came over to Europe, huh?!?! hehehe
10. Have you a side-project?
Actually, yes......I also play keyboards with
Fockewolf, OmniBox, and Mental Ward. I've also
got another side project called "Industrial
Motor Korporation" but that's still in the
early stages of development......
11. Could you say what's comming next from
Noxious Emotion, and how much will it differ from
Symbols?
Actually, yes......the next CD is in the studio
right now......It's gonna be called "Elements"
and it will continue in the New Wave-EBM
style that we're doing now. It's gonna be a
little more etherial, but still with that
"noxious" beat.......
12. Is it hard to be an electro band in the
grunge city of Seattle?
Ohhhhhhh......you have no idea!!!! It was HELL
at first......but it's gotten better every
year, so now it's totally
cool..............Every now and then, when we
play local shows, we'll be setting up our stuff
and the soundman will come up and ask us where
our guitarist is.......when we say we don't
have one, they just stand
their........blank............then shrug their
shoulders and go back to work..........hehehe
13. Would you recommend to us a few good groups
from the states which impress you lately?
Yea......there are several that I'm REALLY
liking.........SMP, Testube, Assemblage 23 and
Battery Cage.........they're all along the same
lines as we are.....very cool EBM. But you guys
have it sooooooo good over there with bands
like Covenant and Project Pitchfork and
Apoptygma Berzerk........ <sigh>
.........America is just too guitar oriented,
so there are only a few really good bands here.
14. And last but not least, why did you find
Poland to be interesting place to make a promo?
Have you a distributor over here?
Hehehe.......actually, I first got turned onto
the Poland scene through a band called
Agressiva 69 who I did a remix for........very
nice people.......also, a few of my friends
have traveled there and stuff.........plus I
just love dealing with people who have cool
accents.....hehehee.
As for distribution, we're working on
it.....hopefully we'll be getting SPV for
Europe......that's still in the works.
Thanks for giving the interview! I hope that
the zine does REALLY well for ya.......go kick
Rolling Stone's sorry ass.......hehehe........
Take it easy!!
Mike
Noxious Emotion
1106 E Republican
Seattle WA 98102
USA
http://www.noxious.com
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° °°°°²ÛÛÛÜÜ°Ü°ÜÛÛÛ°°°°°°°°ÛÛÛÛ °°°°°°°° °
þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
OBERON
by.Krzysztof Sadza
Here we go...OBERON,as musical event,has been
keeping us company for long,long time.Every
time,when Bard's putting his fingers into any
recording,we had tried to notice and critice it
since that beginnings.So, this time we have the
opportunity to talk about the newest OBERON's work
" Mysteries " done absolutely on his own with
grand dose of subtle beauty an individual thought
patterns that characterize Bard's music.
ÜÜÜÜÜ
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1. Bard, you told me, you had troubles with
publishing of 2nd album, what's happened you
didn't do it on Prophecy Productions?
It's a long and tedious story. There were a lot
of problems all the way from the beginning. It
just didn't work out between us so I decided
to leave. I seem to be haunted by bad luck when
it comes to finding a proper label. I have
promised myself that I will not sign any papers
again until I find a label with the proper
financial resources and little bit of artistic
integrity, something which I feel most bigger
labels lack. But it's no use releasing albums
on a small label with limited resources. Won't
get you anywhere. Then it's better to do it
yourself . At least then you are in total
control over your own work.
2. So, Incidental Music is your personal label?
What is the future of that record label?
Yes, well I wouldn't really call it a proper
label. I released the record myself because
there were no one there at the time to do it
properly. I don't know what will happen in the
future. It depends on how "Mysteries" does and
whether or not I get signed to a new label.
3. 2 pieces of MYSTERIES are the classic ones -
is it that stuff that you have planned to put
out as a 7" ep?
No, those songs will not come out on vinyl,
unless someone wants to do an LP version of
Mysteries, that is. There is however some
interest coming from an Italian label to do a
vinyl re-issue of the 1994 "Through Time &
Space" demo tape. But it's evident that OBERON
is moving in two or three different directions.
You have the classical, piano oriented style of
"Nocturne" and "Tearing Me Apart", and then you
have the acoustic stuff like "Mysteries" or
"The End Of The World" and the more upbeat
melancholic pop songs... On Mysteries, I feel
that I succeeded to combine all these different
styles into one great whole. Despite the wide
range in musical style, it is an accomplished
work. But, it would be interesting to do a
singles series or something like that in the
future, which kind of presented OBERON's
different faces to different audiences.
4. What about the other projects /
collaborations to be done in 1998. Any effects
visible / audiable?
I had was originally going to do some work with
some other European bands in 1997 / 98 which
fell through. So there's nothing to report. I
spent most of 1998 to record MYSTERIES and sort
out my problems with Prophecy Productions.
Apart from my recording activity that year was
quite uneventful for me. I try no longer to
place my bets on the future. It's too risky.
5. Some people say that the Good is dull in the
arts, only the Evil is truly interesting and
attractive for the artists / receivers, what are
the reasons for the popularity of the wrong in
art / medias in your opinion?
Maybe because people live such enclosed and
boring lives they seek the extremes to find a
reason to be interested in anything at all?
Basically, I am tired of the whole thing. I
don't want to waste my time speculating on why
someone chooses a particular path through life.
People can do whatever they want as long as
they keep it to themselves and don't get in the
way and ruin the lives of others. The
mainstream media has always liked to flirt with
taboos and "dangerous" sexuality or whatever.
Everything mounts from an urge to be a part of
something that is greater and more powerful
than themselves. Surely, all of this "dark and
eerie" stuff lies latent in man's own nature.
But it seems that some people needs to
experience these things through role models,
hype and glamour since they themselves are too
restrained to confront and live out their
"dark sides" as individuals, alone and exposed
to the berating glares of their peers.
6. "Mysteries" hasn't got negative/dark feelings
and emotions, and sounds great!
Basically what my music tries to convey is
vision of a world where you find consolation
and serenity. It represents the struggle for
being able to experience beauty which is
untainted - untouched. In the midst of all this
there is of course an element of deep
melancholy and sadness, because such states of
being are not easily attainable because we are
locked into the womb of the great beast of
civilisation. I mean, I have become indifferent
to a lot of things I used to care about in the
past. I don't know, but when you give a piece
of yourself to something you love, that you
really want to believe to be good, and it turns
out to be corrupt and ugly, something inside of
you turns to ice. It's inevitable. I have
realised that it is better to focus on the good
things that you have inside and forget about
the world for a while. It's no crime to shut
out the misery in the world and indulge for a
while in the beauty that stems from the
mysterious, magical worlds in the mind. For
me, in art and music, evil becomes a
meaningless word. Negativism or sombre feelings
are nevertheless a completely different issue.
As much as anything it is a part of the
artistic expression. I can be low, I am
egotistical, which is kind of the haze I am
living in, like being inebriated on dejection.
I have a desire to experience true beauty and
unrestrained freedom, and to realise the things
that I believe in. And I know that the only
road to fulfilment goes through myself and the
music. It's all in a blur, but I know where I
am going. I want to express this greatness
beyond all the pain in the world. So in
essence, OBERON should be a source of strength,
not misery.
7. Do you think that art, as opposed to a human
being, can exist beyond good and evil?
Art does not exist beyond good and evil, that
is, if these terms are for real. Art may exist
beyond politics. It has been said that all
living creatures are political. I can agree
with that because we live in communities and we
have to do everything in our power to preserve
and protect our personal interests. But I
believe that music and art transcends
politics. Music is about feelings and it is an
experience that exist only between the medium
and the listener. It brings out visions and
dreams that does not have anything to do with
the world we see everyday, and there is no need
to hide or stalk anything before the force that
flows through the music. Music and art are the
ultimate expressions of freedom in a world
where freedom has become an ideal and not a
reality we may take for granted. All things
which contribute strength and comfort or
pleasure or power are good. All that destroys
and hinders growth is evil. So art is also a
matter of either being constructive or
destructive. A good dream visualised and
brought closer to the listener through music or
art would therefore be good. So art and music
does not exist beyond good and evil. Our bodies
and our minds perceive and interprets
everything that comes into our private spheres.
It is all a matter of what makes you strong and
what brings you down.
8. This is the very first time you asked guest
musicians for help in recording. What share did
they have in the final result?
Well, I did use session musicians on "Oberon",
but this time they were more active. The oboe
solo on "Anything" was written by the oboe
player. And the drums for "The Garden Of Flesh
& Bones" was improvised over my music. I mean,
people will get to know these songs as they are
- the energetic beats, the oboe solo... So if
you look at it that way, it wouldn't have been
the same album if they weren't there. It would
have been a different album. But when you hire
session musicians, they come in, do the work,
get paid and leave. There is hardly any
personal or creative input. So at the end of
the day, the final result is up to those left
in the studio when the album is being mixed,
which is my producer and myself.
9. Does it mean that your music has reached the
level in which the other musicians are
indispensable?
That depends on what kind of music I choose to
record. I could do a record for solo piano, or
I could go back and do something like my first
album. But OBERON tends to go in a more
complex, classical direction. I may in the
future do some more work with the guy who did
the oboe solos on "Anything" and "Reveries" (I
wrote that one). In addition, I want to
incorporate a string quartet/quintet into the
OBERON sound. I will only use professional or
exceptionally talented musicians, because I
feel I have reached a level of perfection both
in song writing and recording that demands
competent players. I always set new goals that
surpass what I have done in the past. If there
is something I want to do which requires
additional musicians, then I will do that.
10. Tell us about your latest literary
fascinations...
I am wildly in love with the works of Albert
Camus, Carlos Castaneda, Robert Prisig and Ayn
Rand. I am also reading a few things by and
about the mighty interesting German
philosopher, Spinoza. I have a huge interest in
the stuff that Ayn Rand writes about. So far I
only read "The Fountainhead" but I rarely come
across such beautiful works of art. I would
recommend it to anyone out there. It's a good
book. I also like some of Lyall Watson's work.
I read his "Dark Nature" which is a "natural
history of evil". It's basically about the
semblance of evil in the animal species, which
isn't such a farfetched subject at all. You
should read it, Krzysztof. I am sure you'd find
some very interesting things in there.
11. All lyrics but one is by you, why William
Blake, then?
Several years ago, I was given a collection of
his poetry for my birthday, and when I saw this
particular poem I was struck with it's stunning
beauty. I was working on some of the music for
"To Spring" at the time and all of a sudden, it
dawned on me that the poetry would fit the
music perfectly. In addition it said exactly
what I was thinking as well. The Spring is an
important season for me. Also, the poem seemed
to encompass so many things. It was perfect.
12. By the way, did you watch J. Jarmuch's "Dead
Man"?
Just a few clips, that's all. Not enough to
leave an impression.
13. What's the feedback from the press, fans? Do
you think that OBERON's status in Norway grows
up with that album?
Too early to say. But the feedback from those
who have heard it has been good. But Mysteries
is obviously something new, and they are
usually a bit confused, because they don't know
how to approach it. But as far as Norway is
concerned, I have not made a big fuzz about it,
because there are hardly any fanzines here, and
the major press only writes about mainstream
music. I am about to launch a new project
though, which I have called "The Oberon
Conspiracy" which is basically about putting up
lots and lots of posters and spreading flyers
everywhere, getting my record played in the
most unusual places, like waiting music on the
telephone help service of the Internet Service
Providers where a lot of people will hear it,
basically becoming a part of the people's daily
routine... I will start here in my home town.
If it works I will let loose the conspiracy on
other towns in Norway as well as abroad. Feel
free to join the pack!!
14. BEL CANTO finally released a new album. Do
you enjoy "Rush"?
No, I don't really like Bel Canto. It's not my
kind of thing.
15. What other great albums appeared in Norway
lately?
None that I can think of, no.
16. Will you record something new in this
Millennium yet?
I hope to record some new material in the
summer. I love to record during the summer.
Creatively, it's a very good season for me. But
I wouldn't expect a new OBERON CD to come out
before next year at least.
Contact information:
Oberon web site: http://home.sol.no/~titlesta/oberon/
E-mail: oberon@online.no
Incidental Music Online: www.iguild.com/homes/incidental/
E-mail: incidentalmusic@iguild.com
þß ß ßßß ßßßß ß ßßß ßß ßßßß ß ßßß ßßßþ
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°ÛÛÛ²ÜÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ²ÜÜÛÛÛÛ
° °°°°²ÛÛÛÜÜ°Ü°ÜÛÛÛ°°°°°°°°ÛÛÛÛ °°°°°°°° °
þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
ORIGAMI REPLIKA
by JUDGE REPLIKA
ORIGAMI REPLIKA is a free part of the ORIGAMI
REPUBLIKA network of cultural workers.ORIGAMI
REPLIKA deals with extreme audio tricks and
totally stupid sarcasm on behalf of the old
clichees of rock, punk, techno and power
electronics.Instead of using the obvious imagery
of death camps,torture,apocalypse and that shit,we
scream for ice cream.There are no set limits to
what ORIGAMI REPLIKA want to achieve,in our recent
SchMerzP0nk Dada concept (putting out recordings
in various formats and touring Europe in May) we
steal the tricks and the spirit of punk,broken
techno and harsh noise and include them in a very
hard physical performance, in UK we handed out
flowers and chocolate to the audience,I was
naked,in Newcastle I even gave fellow Republikant
Martin A40 a short blow job.So there are no
limits,we simply challenge ourself.Maybe you can
call ORIGAMI REPLIKA the flowerpower child of the
KULTURAL TERRORIST NETWORK.We always put out new
split-tapes with other bands of similar fine
music,we try to submit material to any compilation
out there.We love to do live shows by phone, so
radios etc. please contact us,call us up at a
specific time and we'll play for you.Of our merits
we can tell you that we did support for
EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN at Astoria in London last
September, and that DaDa Nation recommended
ORIGAMI REPLIKA to be on the list of the 10 best
bands in the 90s.Just because our attitude is that
of positivism, but still with a very sharp edge to
what we do.Check out our website for further
confusion/ information...if not on the net; feel
free to contact us via: Komkol
Autoprod,Kirkegata 37 a,7014 Trondheim,NORWAY.
(Recommended letters to Tore H.Boe ONLY!) Website;
http://www.noiseweb.com/origamireplika out now:
ORIGAMI REPLIKA:Ka/Skader cd,ORIGAMI REPLIKA:
SchMerzP0DaDa 7" cd and a bunch of cassettes on
various labels globally.WE ARE TRUE PUNKnTHERE IS
NO COMPARISON.Support the POLAR BEAR BEAT
foundation!
"music for the tilted generation", ORIGANI REPLIKA
list of related bands LESSE MARHAUG, THE GREY
WOLVES, COCK E.S.P., SMELL and QUIM, RRRs PURE
series, MASONNA, MERZBOW, CON-DOM, CHARLES
BASCOMB, HARRY PUSSY, NEIL CAMBELL, INCAPACITANTS,
FLUX OF PINK INDIANS, SPICE GrrrLS, MRS.HIPPI,
BUTTHOLE SURFERS, ATARI TEENAGE RIOT, CNN
for Eld Rich Palmer zine by JUDGE REPLIKA
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þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
PHYLR
by.Krzysztof Sadza
One of the pillar of electro beat legend COP SHOOT
COP,John F.Coleman has recently put out his debut
full lenght "Contra La Puerta".An event such as
many others,everybody seems to release a record
now.The difference is in the musical content
that's very attractive piece of electronic music.I
think you can find out more about the album from
the below chat and if you're perceptive enough,you
will surely notice that the used descriptions to
characterize PHYLR's debut are much alike to the
ones in CPINALONGA's case. What of it ?? Nell,gust
a remark - things ain't such as we see them;
making illustrative/picturesque music meant
something totally different both for Mr.Martia and
Mr.Coleman,though the means and the goals're the
same.It's needless to say what's my opinion of
it,could I give a space to an artist's output
other than great ???!
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ed. : How did you start the musician ?
As a young child,l was forced to take classical
piano lessons.All I really wanted to do was
make up my own songs but I had to learn to play
Bach and Diabelli and stuff like that. I really
wanted to play in a rock band,but my parents
wouldn't let me grow my fair long so I though
that I would've to go into business or urban
planning or some such thing. When I got a bit
older,I started taking french horn lessons
with Phillmore Hall,an anclent black man who
had taught Dizzy Gillespe to play the
trumpet.So we had a jazz band early on.Then I
started doing classical brass
quartets.Eventually I quit all music and
started making experimental films.But I found
myself always making loops out of the
magnetic tape from films. All sorts of
weird,fucke up stuff that made no sense,
really.I may release some of this stuff through
internet and mail order sometime in the next
year.So this led me back to music.I bought a
sampler and continued making strange sound
collage type stuff.Eventually I became a part
of the band,COP SHOOT COP.Years went by.I
stopped doing drugs and found out that I was
still in COP SHOOT COP.This lasted another
couple of years,although I started doing some
film scores.Finally, CSC fell apart and I was
free.
ed. : So,do you find the years in CSC creative?
Yeah.The years I spent playing with CSC were
definitely creative. We made alot of good music
in Cop,put out 4 albums and other EP's,etc In a
way,though, I feel more creative now. Now that
Cop is history,Im standing on my own feet
creatively.Im scoring films and theatre doing
solo stuff (PHYLR),and have a band(HERE) I now
feel more fulfilled creatively in that I have a
few outlets rather than being a part of a band.
ed. : Ok,what s happened next?
I drove a truck for a year,during which time I
got a band together called FILER (which is my
middle name). I quickly got disenchanted with
it, though; at the time I was sort of fed up
with rock music. Also,I realize that I was not
much of a singer,or at least I didn't know my
boundaries at the time.Now I'm singing in
another project and I feel pretty good about
it.Anyway, from the ashes of FILER came PHYLR,
which is also coming out of my film scoring
work.Right now, I'm gust starting to do live's
shows as PHYLR.
ed. : And what's reaction been to the shows?
The audience reaction varies at live PHYLR
gigs.Then again,the live PHYLR shows are all
different.Sometimes its live solo
mixing,sometimes its with live drums, sometimes
with female vocals.I basically gust try to
change it around as much as possible and its
not like the album.I see these as two very
different things Sometimes the audience is
right there with me and sometimes there is no
connection. Also,in changing the live situation
all the time,there is somewhat of a
gamble,especially if there is very little time
to rehearse.But this uncertainty can also
provide a real edge to live shows.
ed. : What's MATERA PROJECT '!
MATERA is M.Teho Teardo's project.There is
MATERA album out which he did with Mick Harris
from SCORN.Theo and I have a project together-
called HERE, but I really had nothing to with
MATERA.They did use a fev samples which i gave
them,so I'm credited on the album.But even my
credit is wrong : on the MATERA I'm credited as
John,not Jim.
ed. : You've mentioned HERE...
This is a collaboration between myself and
Mauro Teho Teardo from Italy. It will be out in
Italy on CPI;after we are done mixing it we
will start shopping it around for European and
American release. It also is very
electronic,touing band.
ed. : Let's talk about "Contra La Puerta" album -
due to various personal elements,I found it as a
sonic biography...
"Contra La Puerta" is a sonic biography. I
think anything I do musically(except film
scores will be a sonic blography. It's all
personal.Generally,I don't have a plan in in
mind when I make music. My motivations is
internal although it may be reaction on to the
world outside So the songs and sounds arise out
of my personal history, my feelings and my
moods.Which strange,because I am generally a
happy person,but my music is not.Sonically,I
find truth in darkness. This seems true for
most art forms."Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
feels more real than "The Sound Of Music"
Ed. : Is the album a substitute for a film ?
No,although it does evoke images and
scenes."Contra La Puerta" is not a substitute
for a film.
Ed.: You are more musican,or film maker ?
I am definitely more a musician.I like the way
that sound/music can work together with
film/image,but my primary sense is sound.
ed. : The musical contents of the debut is a
blend of newer trends in electronic music
(masterely done,by the way!), however you avoid
the real extreme things: power electronics,
hardcore...what do you think of them, would the
ones find a niches in your music someday ?
"Contra La Puerta' did not venture to the
extremes of electronic music, although it
contains elements of
ambient,jungle,breakbeat,etc.I don't know if I
could ever work solely in one single genre of
music.It feels too limiting. But the newer
PHYLR stuff does feel more extreme.It is also
much simpler. The only problem I have with
"Contra La Puerta" is that there is too much
going on. So the new material is simpler.And I
am interested in seeing hov extreme things can
get and still remain cohesive.
Ed. : While we're at it,will the next release be
as "picture-esque" as the debut was ?
Not really.Like I said earller, the new PHYLR
stuff is much simpler. This makes it a bit more
lean and mean, less dramatic. I think that it
will still be cinematic, but not so dramatic.
Also,i think it will be working in several
different directions.Some stuff I'm doing now
is extremely electronic,some is bordering on
jazz noir,and some I see as real "songs", with
vocals and all.
Ed. : "Contra..." became a priority release for
Invisible,you must be extremely content of it,
don' t you ? Is it easy to hit to Martin Atkins
taste ?
I'm not sure why you think it's a priority
release. (because your UK's distributor said
that -ed)I haven't really seen that much
happening with it.As far as Martin Atkins
tastes go,they must be good since he released
the PHYLR CD, right? (Yep -ed)He just happened
to like what I was doing and agreed to release
it.I do like some of the other things on
Invisible.In particular,you should check out
the NOT BREATHING stuff if you haven't heard
it.
Ed. : Did you watch or hear something good
recently ?
Records: WE ("As Is", on Asphodel),DJ SHADOW
("Endtroducing",on Mawax),
Dr.OCTAGON("Dr.Octagonacologyst",MoWax),
SQUAREPUSHER ("Hard Normal Daddy", on
Warp).Alsa Lo Recordings is a label that puts
out great compilations, and & EMI has a great
jazz label. Film:It's weird.I never remember
films after I see them.(????? -ed) I've gone to
see a film and sat halfway through it before I
realize that I've seen it before.
Anything left to say ?
Other things I'm doing.I'm co-composing a
theatre piece now with Hal Hartley called
SOON.This will debut at the Salzburg Opera
Festivel in Austria this July.With
PHYLR,hopefully a 12 inch vinyl will be
released soon with a couple of remixes from
"Contra La Puerta" and a new song as well.With
HERE, the first single and video will be out in
Italy in May,the full lenght CD will be out in
the beginning of September.We are currently
looking for European and American distribution.
Jim Coleman
352 Oakland Valley Road
Cuddebackville, New York
12729
email: phylr@mindspring.com
Hot news from PHYRL :
I just finished a new Phylr album. Invisible
plans to release it in the early fall, but just
in North America. So I am currently looking for
a label or labels throughout Europe.
Meanwhile I've been touring in Italy with my
other band, here. Our first album, Brooklyn
Bank was released on CPI in Italy and Invisible
in the states. We are about to start working on
the second album.
And I'm on an upcoming compilation of music
which has been made for dance theatre. Other
artists on this CD include Zeena Parkins and
David Linton. This will be released soon on
Elliot Sharps label, zOAR records.
Jim Coleman
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þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
ROSEGARDEN
HISTORY
...Once upon a time in the year 1990...
A day in April, music store in Katowice. Two
individuals of Katowice underground have come
across each other: Magda Majka and Tomasz
Podgorski. This meeting has given a birth to the
most extraordinary band. It happened on the
"Valpurgia Night", and this was supposed to be a
name of this newborn child of Silesian
underground. It started its music journey as a
duet, that later has received a name ROSEGARDEN
FUNERAL OF SORES
*
"...We always want to follow, what's inside of us,
and not mind any music trends" -Tom said.
*
This outstanding, keeping far from the mainstream
was always the feature, that distinguishes their
band from the rest of our music scene. Instantly
inspired by the universe, the people, thoughts,
dreams, they drew from ideas from their unusual
sensitiveness. That is, why their lyrics circulate
around love, beauty, sex, faith, god.
*
"...In spite of different ways of expression used
by musicians on their 7 tapes, you can realise,
that high emotions dominate over a form of a song,
over everything. You do not feel the lack of a
structure, because you receive an avalanche of
sounds, profound and proud voices, sadness,
melancholy, hope, joy, and anger... One of the
most positively haunted bands I have ever met..."
A review from "Eldrich Palmer" - zine
*
"GOD CRY FOR THE INSANE EARTH" is the first
record, imbued with past century's climates and
Celtic nature.
*
It was followed by rock "BLAMAGE", full of
hypnotic drum machine, sampled guitars and bass,
gentle violins, mouth harmonica, French and
English lyrics.
*
The year 1991 is a year of the first conception
album "MY INSIDE GARDEN", the expression of
blossoms and curses. It was a genial act.
"...Two opposites collide; fine acoustic guitars,
a gentle female voice and a sick keyboard
atmosphere, a drum machine, a sinister male lament
(...) It is difficult to find a place for this
music and I think it's not because of the lack of
my knowledge but a unique character of
ROSEGARDEN..."
A review from "Foolmoon" - zine
*
They have become an intellectual, esoteric band.
*
A couple months later "GATHERING OF FLOWERS"
appears as a result of a co-operation with a
pantomime theatre. It is an instrumental work, a
sampled symphony.
*
"TASTE THE SKY `TILL IT BLEEDS" was born in 1993."
"...Music?
It's not music.
These are pearls scattered around mires, sirens'
voices during a gale, a cold light buried in a
dying in ritual fire. It's a horror and an
ecstasy... "
A review from a "Darkzone" - zine
*
It sets against a religion in opposite to the
"LOVE GOD", which explains the essence of God.
*
In 1994 Magda Majka walks off and Marta Hryniewicz
joins ROSEGARDEN.
*
"IMAGINATIONS" and "In the garden..." appear as a
return to a slow, heavy guitar sound, followed by
a beautiful music inspired by Charles Baudelaire's
poetry called simply "LES FLEURS DU MAL".
*
In 1994 they begin "Novenna", which is a perfect
work. It is also as crucial as "My Inside Garden"
or "Love God". In 1996 Rosegarden Funeral Of Sores
signs a contract with German Hyperium!!!
"NOVENNA" the first official album was produced
and published in 1997!
*
... And nowadays...
Tom still working and we still waiting for the new
ROSEGARDEN album which will call "BODY WITH
SUNLIGHT" Tom says - this album will include more
beautiful, dynamic music, with more hypnotic
sounds, oriental sounds, is inspirited Hindus
music,and will be very eroticism...
ROSEGARDEN
CONTACT
You can contact us:
By mail:
ROSEGARDEN
Tomasz J. Podgorski
GROMADZKA 53 G
40-771 KATOWICE 19
POLAND
HYPERIUM
http://www.hyperium-rec.com
ROSEGARDEN
DISCOGRAPHY
07.1990 "God Cry For The Insane Earth"
(cassette longplay)
02.1991 "Blamage"
(cassette longplay)
10.1991 e.p. "Blind Soul"
(cassette e.p.)
12.1991 "My Inside Garden"
(cassette longplay)
08.1992 "Gathering Of Flowers"
(music for pantomime)
11.1992 e.p. "Haunted House"
(cassette e.p.)
07.1993 "Taste The Sky 'till It Bleeds"
(cassette longplay)
11.1993 "Love God"
(cassette longplay)
05.1994 "Imaginations"
(cassette longplay)
07.1994 "In The Garden..."
(cassette longplay)
10.1994 "Les Fleurs du Mal"
(cassette longplay)
12.1994 "Jesus Loves Me"
(cassette longplay)
08.1997 c.d. "Novenna"
(the first official published album)
ROSEGARDEN
LIRICS
"NOVENNA"
The Man Who Loves The Sea
Love the sea
Your wet feet love the sand
Love the sea
A jealous wave that castles undermines
Love the sea
A wind blowing empty in your ears
Love the sea
Scattered by joy its salty tears
Love the sea
Breathing with wavy sigh
Love the sea
Seashells lying on the sand
Love the sea
Hiding tour dreams in the shells of god
Love the sea
Blue flames hidden in your coral blood
Love the sea
Its mouth let it come to your face
Love the sea
It calms you down with its waves
Love the sea
Fingertips on my sandy skin
Love the sea
When I sing let my love in
Rattle with empty snail shells, sea said
Jump into my blue love veils, sea said
Ill cuddle you with my sea
My humming tune Ill hide in your ears
I am the history
I will be here
Treasuring you
It's a perfect time
To richen my blue eyes
Hey man please love the sea
Fall in my arms
Sail with my sea
Your tear in the water
Hey man please love the sea
In the name of love
I will hide you in the shell of god
The man who loves the sea
Turned his face to the sun
The man who loves the sea
He open its shells of god's thoughts
The man who loves the sea
He rattled with empty snail shells
The man who loves the sea
He jumped into its blue love veils
The sea cried
Threw out the sand
Brought him on a wave
To the edge of his land
Laid him on a sand
Among his castles
The sea waited for so long
To find him divines pearl
To take him into its depths
Until it lies him on the coral bed
Covered with boundlessness
Hidden in its shells
The sea
The man who loves the sea
Before My Heart Burns Out Quite
One milliard years ago
When the word was upraised
By the birth sounds
The sky was golden
And the nature had no colour
Born from fire and the sea foam
Fed with the sweetness of the sun
High on the silver of the moon
Carelessness I waited
For a moment, a precious one
Cry out my name
I will become
And your body so pale
Like snow at dawn
I scent roses on your body
Which creeps and crawls
Like a snake changes its skin
Blinds with a naked glare
Oh that loves inside of me
It quite burns out my soul
Can you see me?
When at night I light your body
With my brilliant tears
And crying I lie beside you
By down
When the winds that blow out of my mouth
With kisses disperse your hair
With sunshine
I blind your sleepy eyes
So here I am
Just cry out my name
So here I am
I become
So here I am
Just invite me in
Before my heart burns out quite
True Love (Chanson Sur L`amour Et La Vie)
My mother
She gave birth to me
With one great true love
She was feeding me love
And I was only a child
Growing up in her safety arms
With her true love
She opened my burning eyes
With her true love
She filled my mind
When I grew up
I slipped out of my mother's arms
I saw the world
With my immature eyes
It was like a rainbow
Like god's sun
I found here my love
My true love
Was hidden in her colder eyes
In her true love
Her nude body covered mine
True love
We found ourselves
Flying with the birds
Jumping to the sun
Talking with the stars
We found ourselves
Feeling the warmth of the ground
And flowers under our feet
While stepping
Led by our true love
Choked by true love
True love
One true love
Nestled in our garden
To escape the world
We set free the butterflies
That lived in our mouth
The cold wind surrounded us
Grabbing the blue suns
Walking with the planets
Which sleep in our arms
In the circle of the earth
In the circle of the sky
Plaiting turnovers
Of our twisted hands
We were flying on the clouds
Sinking with the sunny lights
Reflecting our mirrors
We looked like the gods
It was our cosmos
And we were the new stars
Discovered by the astrologists
When we floated above the ground
But she left with my love
Leaving empty my memory
And I still need this time
In which I miss love
One true love
To feel my mind
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þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
SZEKI KURVA
by.Krzysztof Sadza
The name SZEKI KURVA (the whore of Szeki town)
came about when a famous Hungarian cultural figure
accused the people of Szek Town in
Transylvania,that's ethnic Hungarian and a bastion
of traditional culture,of "prostituting Hungarian
traditional music ".It is also a name guaranteed
to offend the maximum number of Hungarians... I
think,the genesis of the band's name says a lot of
them and their music - rude and uncompromising
treatment of different musical styles (including
Hungarian folk music) that were just handy,gave
dazzlingly weird (and abusive for many) effect,
excitingly sounding even to that non-techno fan as
myself.Answers with touch of Che Guevaras by Ludas
Matyi!!!
° °
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ed. : "The technopunk variant of Hungarian music"
- who struck upon the crazy idea to roll
Hungarian folk music and modern Western trends
into the one,and what cante first then: the idea
of playing this kind of music or the band itself?
Waddya mean,crazy idea? Doesn't everyone do
this kind of thing? Was ELVIS crazy when he
rolled together hillbilly music and black
music?Actually,it was an accident.Two of us
used to know,wach other before we were in the
band becausce we ran market stalls in Esceri
market,in Budapest.One day we were there
trading and we had a radio playing hip
hop.Another stall used to sell Hungarian folk
music and the two sounds just drifted together
and formed something new.After that we used to
make tape loops up of hip hop and folk
music.This was the first crude attempt at the
Szekimuffin sound. So the idea of plaing this
kind of music came first.Then we had to form a
band around the sound,with the right people.
ed. : What is useful and needful in your
song-writing process? How much input
have, producers had in the final shape of your
records?
You wouldn't believe how slapdash our
songwritig process is! Most times we throw some
breaks and music loops together on our Amiga,
play it on car stereos while cruising
around,then take iy down,the studio and put
guitar etc.over it and some poetry.That's it
Sometimes it only takes 24 hours.All the time
we've been recording,we've only had one
engineer/producer, knowm as The Man Like
Grant.This is good because he knows our style
inside out.There's a lot of stuff on our tracks
that we would never thought of,that he came up
with.The man's a genius. We don't want to work
with anyone else ever.It's funny really because
he's not into our musical style at all he's
more a ballads man.
ed. : Are there sounds/styles that you would
never incorporate in your music for some reasons?
Yeah,African sounds music and didgeridoos,cause
that's all bollocks.It reminds us of middie
class hippy wankers at festivals.Other than
that why restrict ourselves? Back to people
like ELVIS again,and EDDIE COCHRANE:those guys
fused an unbelievable number of styles
together,till it became unrecognisable and
new.Our ideal would be maybe to totally fuse
any number of styles into one track so it
became indefinable new music.Modern,late 20th
Century music.This would be the final point of
the Szekinmuffin style.
ed. : Was the choice of Essex known also as the
raveland for the place to live in, accidental? Do
SZEKI KURVA's proposals get across to the local
public?
Not really accidental three of us in the band
have lived here,on and off,for all of our
lives.We're only about 30km from London,so it's
almost suburban Anyway,we're a London band.An
Anglo-Hungaran band living in London.You're
right,though.It is the Home of Rave.People here
love energetic,jump-up dance music they can
play in their cars.That stereotype of the Essex
Boy or Girl in their custom car playing
Jungle:it's true! That's us and our mates!
Does our stuff get across to the local public?
Absolutely.It's hard, aggressive dancey music,
y'know, lots of jungle beats and harcore and
ragga and hip hop.We make music for working
class hoologans and refugees and au pair girls.
That's our fanbase. Within 5 years you've built
a solid base in order to become independent
from the music industry; what are the pros and
cons of this situation? Tell us more about your
radio station, record label and other project
you're involved in.The cons first: It's tucking
hard because you can only trust yourself,and it
take AGES to build up that base. The pros:
Everything is yours.No-one tells us what to do,
and no-one fucks with SZEKI KURVA,cause they
know our security will come round their house
and cut their face off It's all about building
a reputation and getting respect.That's all we
want, R.E.S.P.E.C.T., means to me! Buying a new
more powerful transmitter so that we can piss
off more of Essex and London. Our, record
label,FGZ we now run it mainly as mail
order,and also for publishing our stuff Oil the
Web.
ed. : What does all this major labels involvement
in the underground scenes mean for you? Is the
underground movement today that healthy
alternative music for offical music as it used be
a decade ago,let's say?
It's scary and insidious what the major labels
are doing.Basically they wait till a small
underground label is on its knees,then they buy
it and run it,to give themselves some "Indie
credibility".You can count the number of true
independent labels here on one hand,I reckon (I
think,the number is much bigger -ed).We're
happy to say,though,that everyone we work mith
is truly independent.All our partners our
affiliated label Iris Light, who were signed
with and the distributors,are all true
independents.We won't work with anyone else.As
for "the underground movement",there is only
one true underground movement,and that's
underground dance.As represented by pirate
radio stations etc.It was called hardcore rave
then,and it's mutated into jungle,happy
hardcore etc.For years,the majors and the music
press ignored ut cause it was the music of
lower classes.Now they're all desperately
trying to buy into Jungle and breakbeat
music.Every other so-called underground music
scene is bollocks.Rough words !!!...
ed. : Does your fight with music indrusty go way
beyond aggressive destroying the system...
We are different from absolutely ever other
band the made pronoucements like this,in that
we FUCKING MEAN IT.Everyone else -
MANICS,BIS,PUBLIC ENEMY = sellout
nuthafuckas.No-one knows how far we are gonna
go,but keep watching, cause it'll get bloody.An
example : we bugged the offices of Melody
Marker this week.Next week wr're gonna crash a
remote-controlled plane into the BPI
building.The idea is that we are meant to be
the example to you. Follow our lead!
You,Krzysztof run a fanzine,therefore you have
power! Obviously we can't do it on our own.But
if we can convince enough people in
bands,fanzines,record labels to turn round and
say - hang on we could do it all ourselves! We
don't need sponsorship or advances or part
overship ! We don't need to sing away our work
to some blood-sucking fuckers in EMI ! If you
printed our Manifesto,well you never know,it
could wake some people up.
ed. : No problem. (Look at down -zenial) What
about the large amount of releases you have
recorded to date?
What abut them ? Actually,a lot of those on our
label,FGZ,are single cuts from our 2 EPs and
album.At the moment,we're doing remixes of all
the singles so you get value for money when you
buy a single cassette.We want people to get lot
of entertainment for their money.If anyone is
wondering "what should I order from FGZ ? "
then it should be "The Sound of Dead Goats"
EP,then the albumn"Music For Joyriders", then
"The Fearless Vampire Killersn" in that
order,'cause that's the order we did them in
and you can hear how we're coming along.
ed. : I heard SZEKI KURVA live blows out WHITE
ZOMBIE,MINISTRY and that ilk off the scene,is it
true?
You heard right,it's true. Apart from the
PRODIGY,we are best live band in Europe.Name us
any band,however "metal" they think they are,we
could go on before them and blow them out of
the arena.The audience knows they're seeing
something different because for us,there is no
"stage" and no "audience".It's all the Theatre
of Senseless Jungle Hate! We play in the
audience,and,the audience gets up on stage if
they have the guts:when it works,it kicks off
like a block party.We get so fed up watching
audiences standing there thinking they're
watching TV.Well,we remind them that they're
not and that's real life.
ed. : Will you ever go back to Hungary?
We sneaked over the border at Christmas! It was
great,we did some DJing of jungle and happy
hardcore,and played a Sound System on Tilos
Radio. Basically what we were doing was SZEKI
KURVA Sound System,which is band members
improvising over turntable breakbeats.We're
going back in August to play at the Pepsi
Sziget festival,which will be fantastic,being
able to get up on a Pepsi-sponsored stage,and
show them our Pepsi ripoff logo,and say
"personally we prefer COKE!". We're gonna fuck
their shit up and give them a bad name.Maybe
it'll make the Hungarian youth think about all
these corporations pimping bits of their
country.
ed. : What will be different about the upcoming
SZEKI KURVA records ?
More experimental,more styles in the mix,more
risks.More like film themes. More pop! Some of
it's gonna sound like WIGHGFIELD meets LAIBACH.
It's that constant lension, of trying to be as
extreme as possible,and as pop as
possible.Sometimes it works, sometimes it
doesn't. Check out "The Fearless Vampire
Killers" which we're sent you and you'll see
where we're going.
ed. : Do you think people can still follow the
current changes in the music, nowadays?
Funnily enough,it's getting quite good here,
because so many youngers DJs have moved into
Radio One.You're hearing stuff in the
afterenoon that wouldn't have been played a
year ago real hardcore stuff. So people are
being exposed to these new underground
styles.Some stuff by the CHEMICALS and
PRODIGY,or even the latest PRIMAL SCREAN stuff
that's truly experimental shit to be playing at
lunchtime! So we're optimistic!
ed. : Anything in closing?
An advertisement! To get hold of any SZEKI
KURVA releases, send an envelope to:
FGZ PO BOX 9806 London SE 10 9ZD ENGLAND
and tell us what you want, what you really
really want. And last of all : thank you very
much for your time and support - you can make a
difference! Dziekuje bardzo i do zobacziena!
ed. : Ja rowniez dziekuje bardzo i do zobaczenia
! Rengeteg koszonet,Luddas ezert az interjuert !
--------------------------------------------------
Attention all you Massive! Szeki Kurva was wrapped
up a couple of weeks ago, and we are now The
Fighting Cocks. Stand by for a new album, Come And
See - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, out on
AAS (www.aas.mcmail.com) in July. Meanwhile, check
out: www.mp3.com/fightingcocks and www.ubl.com for
free downloads and stuff.
our new homepage will be up and running in the
week. hold tight all massive and kru!
*http://www.f-cocks.demon.co.uk
The Fighting Cocks @ FGZ Records
*look out for all Fighting Cocks releases
first thru FGZ on cassette and on the web at
http://www.mp3.com
The Fighting Cocks are affiliated with Artists
Against Success Records
http://www.aas.mcmail.com
--------------------------------------------------
[ SZEKI KURVA ]
Read This First!
Our Manifesto
Why We Are Fighting
Do You Remember When It Was Still About Music?
Join Up And Help Fight The Beast!
Those of you who know the music industry will have
realised by now that a couple of multinationals
have a stranglehold on it. Between them, Sony,
EMI, Polygram and the like have bought up just
about everything and are sucking the life out of
it. Our research has shown that these corporations
are headed by VAMPIRES and THEY MUST BE STOPPED!
Know Your Enemy/NME
Our fight back starts here. We in Széki Kurva can
spot these undead and their minions- the crap,
coke-snorting whore A&R men, the dead-eyed
'indie' label bosses, the BPI gestapo, the hordes
of accountants and lawyers, the bland
transatlantic commercial radio people, the PRS
informers, the bourgeois music press ghouls- and
we are going to hunt them down one by one.
COMMUNIQUE NO. 1:
BEHIND THE BANNER OF THE GRINNING FOX HAVE
GATHERED MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE NO FEAR STOP WHOSE
VIOLENT FORCE WILL DESCEND IMPLACABLY UPON THE
FILTHY BLEATING HERD STOP
Strike At One To Educate A Hundred
Kill A Chicken To Scare The Monkeys
We exist, not to wait for some distant musical
revolution, but to reinvent everyday life here and
now. We intend to construct situations which
disrupt the ordinary in order to jolt you out of
your frame of thinking. We exist to say: don't go
along with the music industry consensus that
you've been baby-fed; construct the situation of
your own life. The way we live our lives, our
music and our inevitable deaths will be our own
statement to you.
Fight Back Electromagnetically!
Arm yourselves! Follow us! Our tools are our own
record label FGZ; our affiliated record company
Iris Light and its network of independent
distributors; our fanzine; our pirate radio
station KRR; the Web; and our army of zealous
fans. With your help, we are going to wound the
music industry so badly it will hopefully never
recover, and then we can all start to hand pop
music back to the people who make it and buy it.
Bite And Run
Don't get any of this confused with politics. We
are above all ideology. Get this into your head
and ditch all sixth-form political preconceptions.
Most important of all, understand this- we don't
exist, but we're more real than anything you've
ever seen before.
Take A Music Industry Executive To Dinner
Label bosses take record shops to dinner with
two-for-one deals. Music PR staff take journalists
to dinner with free coke. The music press takes
record companies to dinner with blanket coverage.
Music journalists take themselves to dinner with
ego trips in print. The whole industry takes
itself to dinner with blatant chart-rigging
marketing and fixed awards ceremonies.
Start A Pie Fight In Virgin Megastore
Our manuals are: The Techniques of Revolutionary
War by Guido Giannettini; the writings of the
Situationist International; US Army Field Manual
30-31B; CIA Psychological Operations In Guerrilla
Warfare; Operation Vampire Killer 2000; The
Cultural Terrorist Manifesto of the Grey Wolves;
the Doctrine of Leaderless Resistance; The
Thoughts of Chairman Mao. (And nothing at all by
Bis). Do yourself a favour- read these. You might
learn something.
COMMUNIQUE NO. 2:
SZEKI KURVA WILL USE ANY MEANS NECESSARY TO
DESTROY THE SYSTEM FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE STOP
SZÉKI KURVA WILL ENTER THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE
RECORD INDUSTRY ESTABLISHMENT IN ORDER TO DIRECT
THE MASSES TO DESTROY- FROM WITHIN- THE WHOLE
BOURGEOIS SYSTEM STOP
Free Goulash For Everyone!!
Basic Social Facts
Part 1
Parades, bank robberies, fires and explosions
focus public attention. A crowd is an audience for
an event waiting to happen. Release of crowd
spirit can accomplish social facts. Riots are an
audience reaction to bad life theatre.
Part 2
Your existing music media theatre is bogus and
safe, a sham action-reaction, your 'shock'
reaction to MTV action as predictable as a
marketing executive's shoes. We are the Real
Thing. Our art is going to liberate ground held by
the self-appointed consumer wardens and establish
territory without walls. Our art is going to shock
you, the patient, right out of the window.
COMMUNIQUE NO. 3:
SHAKE IN YOUR SHOES BUREAUCRATS STOP THE
INTERNATIONAL POWER OF THE SZÉKI MASSIVE IS COMING
TO WIPE YOU OUT STOP HUMANITY WILL NOT BE HAPPY
UNTIL THE LAST MUSIC JOURNALIST IS HUNG WITH THE
GUTS OF THE LAST A&R MAN STOP
Stand By For Leaflet Drops!
Stand By For Sabotage!
Stand By For ACTION!
HELP US DESTROY THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
(in 12 easy stages)
-
Po naszemu :
Tlumaczenie wywiadu z Szeki Kurva znalazlo sie w
Dementia#3, a zupelnie nowy wywiad z Szeki Kurva
jest w Anxious#2
http://anxious.topnet.pl
http://www.alter.pl/tne
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þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
THE 4th IS ELIGOR
by Zenialowski
It may sounds like banality, but music of THE 4th
IS ELIGOR is receiving by me, as musical pictures
to the master of terror tales H.P. Lovecraft.
Made up of mysterious and haunted sounds from
esoteric worlds, the very first release When the
purity is raped by this duo should attract
people of dark nature... I have spoken to
Krzysztof Azarewicz- the leader and founder of THE
4th IS ELIGOR and Moonwheel Rec.
Zenialowski
Hello Krzysztof , I got the chance of listening
to a sample of your upcoming material hard to
pigeonhole indeed !
- Hello Zenial! Yes, you're right.
"When the purity is raped" was edited in 1995.
What do You think about this record now, are you
satisfy ?
- Yes and no. When I come back to period when
this tape was recorded, Im satisfied. "When
the purity is raped" reflects very well that,
Time of our life. But the prospect of today I
think that I'd play many things differently.
The sound is too synthetic. I became a lover of
more analogue, not electronic ways of creation.
If I see reactions I must say that Im very
impressed. I didnt suppose that this tape
would cause such a big interest of our project
and acknowledgement. So from perspective of
time it was not so bad.
Who is the "essence" of THE 4th IS ELIGOR ?
- Two men. Me and my friend, Piotr Weltrowski.
You're inspirited by group of really gloomy
individualities , this in my impressions after
listening this music and reading tape jacked.
Why?
- Well, as you know this tape was recorded a
few years ago. Our personalities have changed,
developed. Some years ago we were under the
influence of such people like Hannibal Lecter,
and so on. Today Im not interested in mass
murderers, for example. I'm still fascinated in
trangression but in other form. But if by "dark
person" you mean figures like H.P. Lovecraft,
they inspire us till today.
What Can You say about QUADRIGA SEXUALIS , any
details abut this project? When we will hear
this sound?
- Quadriga Sexualis is my new musical
incarnation, which is created with my friends
from Warsaw and Wroclaw. Its ritual ambient
music. Emanations from The Unknown, sonic
landscapes which lead towards transcendental
nature of every man and woman, every star which
is manifested on the earth. Its the
soundtrack to utilise all aspects of human
beings, to realise that we have hidden
powers, which lives in our souls and bodies. We
can use this strength by our carnal vehicles.
God Power is a Sex Power. We recorded many
rehearsals inspired by Waites Ceremonial Magic
and sexual mysteries of O.T.O and Hermetic
Brotherhood of Light. I suppose that in next
year well record professional material on
debut LP. I dont know yet for whom.
Moonwheel rec.- what is the purpose of this
works? What about DECEMBER'S FIRE?
-Moonwheel rec. won't release any new stuff. I
published debut demo of The Fourth is Eligor
and 7'' EP of Decembers Fire. These positions
are still available. Why did I decide to stop
activity of my label? Its mission ran to the
end. Decembers Fire has split up and my
project looks for bigger label. Also I
haven't got the time to act in such a form.
The new millennium is coming. Everybody asks me
about it, and what do You think about this?
-Yes, Ragnarok is coming. But Im ready to look
in the eyes of wild wolf Fenris and melt my ego
in chaos with love and understanding of this
process. I think that apocalypse means change
the world paradigm, nothing more. Newtonian-
Cartesian way of thinking is dying and for many
Westerns and Catholics it will be really pure
Armageddon.
H.P. Lovecraft any impressions about his
novels, stories ? I feel the connection between
them and your music....
-H.P. Lovecraft... as I told you when our tape
was recorded we were impressed by his
creativity. He showed me some ways how to
perceive some aspects of life. I think that he
is one of the best writers on this planet. His
works are something more than incredible
stories. Believe me. Hes the explorer of dark
and unfathomed levels of our psyche. Results
that he reached are at least distressing.
Today, in our music you wont feel many of his
influences as in the past.
What do You think about Polish scene. Do You plan
collaborations?
-Why not? Polish scene is interesting. Obuh
rec. is the best label. Wojcek Czern who is
founder of this label makes good work. Also
Fluttering Dragon is growing in strength. For
me the best magazine is Anxoius Axe. I think
that Polish experimental scene will be
strongest from throughout years. Time shall
tell.
Do You believe in destiny,Providence ?
-Yes, I believe in destiny. When I look at my
past I see many pictures which showed what
would happen to me. But for me destiny has two
ways; we can meet it in halfway and change it
under our Will.
What about life,about the elements playing in
your soul ?
-Wind leading me towards dreams, fire inflaming
my lust and passions, water which purifies my
soul and thoughts from weakness and earth which
makes that I can feel joy of existence.
Anything to close it?
-Thanx for interesting questions. Everybody
interested in our activity, buying materials
released by Moonwheel rec. - please write. Also
I take up distributing of CD's and vinyls from
World Serpent. I think that would be all for
now. Best wishes, Zenial and good luck. Love is
the law, love under will.
KRZYSZTOF AZAREWICZ
UL.CHROBREGO 60/7
80-423 GDANSK POLAND
e-mail : thelema@friko.sos.com.pl
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þÜÜ Ü Ü ELD RICH PALMER zine ÜÜÜ Ü ÜÜþ
ZIDSIC rec./Mr.Zan
by.Krzysztof Sadza
Zan Hoffman is the name-institution, whom embraces
many dimensional actings in musical field i.e.
recordings distribution, publishing, performing
and collaborating with other artist. In the
below, detaled answers, you will find the essence
of rules that should prevail in underground
movement, I'm always dreaming of! Definitely, the
best interview, i've ever got!
1) Mr. Zan, many musicians from experimental
electronic and even noise scene have started
their musical adventure, just like you, as the
classical musicians playing on the piano, violin,
etc., So could you tell us why are the electronic
music forms so much attractive for classically
educated musicians?
I think there are a number of interesting and
different forces at work here. I'll speak in
general terms and then I'll describe my own
experience here. By the middle of this century
a fair number of experimenting classical
composers were longing for a way to break free
from the tyranny of being beholden to
orchestras to perform their advanced works. It
was the inventions of electronic equipment and
recording devices (recordable records, reel to
reel machines, etc.) That was the liberation of
composers who felt held back by traditional
arrangements and techniques. It is this legacy
which I inherited via John Cage, Pierre Henri,
etc. The desire to see around the traditional
foundation of ones training. For me it is
clearly important to have training to
understand tradition, convention and rules of
classical music before branching out into
experimentation. The understanding of
considerably more complex structure and
arrangement of classical versus rock and roll
and other popular musics trains ones ears and
mind to be able to create and understand
extended compositions. Learning the violin,
playing in orchestras and such gave my ears a
hunger to hear and it is those same open ears,
opened even wider by some coy and clever
ideas of John Cage, that I use to create the
sonic works that are in my zidsic catalog. So I
think it is valuable from a musically educated
sense to understand that sounds and noises can
benefit from some of the features of classical
music.
2) When and in what circumstances did you run
across "the cassette culture"?
Starting from the top, when I got accepted to
Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa in 1982, I
was lured largely by the amount of mail they
sent me. I'm convinced this gave me a
mail-fixation/bug that lead me to write not
just friends, but different people and to
trading mail art. I was making one-of-a-kind
postcards I'd send out in late 82 and I started
some raw recordings in 83. So I was sending out
postcards to different mail art contacts whose
I'd addresses gotten. From Option Magazine's
Castanettes section I found out about home
taping cassette culture. I was reading this
magazine my friend John
McBride had bought and given to me because he
couldn't make heads nor tales of it since it
reviewed only independent label works. Eric, my
college roommate at the time, and I wrote a
number of labels asking for catalogs. We are
both eager for new music, being in a veritable
backwater of culture in the middle of Iowa, so
the post office could relive the boredom and
inaccessibility of this isolation. Sometime in
1984 I noticed that certain people in the
Castenettes section offered recordings in
trade, and in the fall of 84 I set up the label
zidsick to release my original recordings and
those of friends. Al Margolis [sound of
pig/pogus] sent me my first tape in trade
"Sombrero Galaxy-Where Next?"
It was very exciting for me, new and thrilling,
the knowledge that you could listen to only new
music that you traded for. Eric had given me
the bug of wanting to hear new music all the
time and burning out on new stuff real quickly.
When it dawned on me that through the mail I
could satisfy my hunger for original and new
music out of the mainstream I eager started
writing every one I could and recording as much
as I could, witness 1985's productivity for
instance - 45 new releases. I needed to have
stuff for people to trade with and I eagerly
set forward to make it, a process that has
never stopped!
3) As many facts from the history of this
movement ain't known to our readers, could you
throw light on this matter?
The home taper movement emerged in the late
Seventies and early Eighties when people who
were doing home studio and live recordings of
their original music began informally
exchanging music by mail, set up small labels
to house and represent ones own works. The
motivation for this was multi-fold and I'll
touch on a few currents that existed. One
motivating force is an ongoing frustration a
recording artist has with large labels and
success. Unlikely to be signed, these people
record for themselves, for friends and fans,
and for posterity. Unable or uninterested in
waiting for a Warner- Bros recording contract
they create their own labels, promote
themselves, and have a chance to do 'right'
what is deemed 'wrong' about the way the major
labels operate. Next in many people the whole
'do-it-yourself'(DIY) nature of the home
recording process extends naturally to a
release-it- yourself process, with never a care
for someone else interfering. Home tapers can
do it all themselves and find a pleasure in
not relying on others to do something for them.
Think of it... I sing, I play, I record, I mix,
I master, I dub, I package, I distribute and
promote. Today's idea gets recorded today,
mixed today, mastered today, dubbed today and
sent tomorrow, gets there in a few days, and
nobody else held me up from doing so. There is
also a mindset with some home tapers that is
the rebellious type which is 'F*#k Warner-Bros
et. al. I'm doing this all myself and they can
go to hell'. There is a 'fed-up with all the
dreck on the airwaves, can't stand popular
styles and trends and posing and marketing and
falseness I'm doing my own thing' that is a
real lively attitude that infects home
recording artists. Most people one runs across
in home taping have been recording in their
homes long before they were aware of the
existence of a postal trade network. It took me
a year or two to figure it out. It almost seems
like too good to be true. The exciting option
to only trade for new recordings, never buy
another new major label release ever
again...this has a lot of allure to people who
are hungry music consumers, who would otherwise
be spending a lot of time and money hunting
down new recordings.
Some people want to credit Throbbing Gristle
and their postal networking in the mid to late
70's w/ the birth of tape networking. Certainly
labels that were tape-only started in the very
late 70's and a sense of an informal network,
with dedicated zines, contact lists and
presence of hundreds if not thousands of
contacts was available in the early 80's. You
just had to know it was there. Every now and
then it would bubble up in local newspapers or
national magazines, but it was not in the
interest of large labels to acknowledge the
existence of so it was confined to a perceived
marginal status. Often these efforts would just
be marginalized to 'demo tape' status if
noticed at all.
The beauty of DIY home release for some artist
is also in the control of limited edition
designs and packaging. Some of the most twisted
and interesting packaging arrives by mail in
limited edition productions.
One would say by 86-88 the network had been
around long enough for a new generation of home
tapers come, and some older ones fade away.
Another generation also by the early 90's and
yet another in the mid-late 90's, this one
informed by digital options and morphing
production out of exclusive tapes to tapes and
cds, cdrs, mp3, real audio, etc. Finally it is
difficult to refer to it has home taping since
lots of peoples studios are their computers
nowadays. Taping was a convenient title for it
anyway because some contact have been doing
stuff on reel to reel in the 60s or 70s and
then in the 80's they stumbled into hometaping
networking. I'd suggest most people are
recording long before they are networkers and
rarely vica versa.
In my recollection home tapers appeared from
Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, Italy,
Spain, England, America, Canada, Japan and
Australia initially. It took me a while to find
people in other countries besides these.
Scandanavia and Austria appeared in the mid
80's. In the late 80's second world countries
of Eastern Europe poured in: Poland then
Chezchoslovakia earliest. It took into the 90's
for contacts to appear in Portugal, Iceland,
South Africa, Phillipines and South America.
These are all my own observations over the
years and I could be wide of the mark at times,
but this should give you much of what I know on
the subject which is unknown to your readers.
4) How do you characterize zidsic and the rules
the system of your work are based on?
Rules are important in that they place
parameters of allowable behavior. At zidsic the
rules are as often ignored as they are
implemented. Therefore my behavior is not
completely under control. One rule is to never
be too polished. Perfection is tedious. I'm
driven to release works which show what I'm
capable of at any given time. Sometimes I'll
listen back and think, 'oh, i'm not too fond of
that work', but that's not a reason to take it
out of my catalog.
The rules that work are the ones that make life
easier for me. Rules about having covers in
stock. If I run out of a cover, I'll hand
produce a limited number to ensure one is in
stock next time. By rule all master tapes have
numbers marked in ink on the tape physically
and the location of each work is stored in a
Filemaker database. Numbers are also marked on
the spine of the case and that is how they are
organized. I established a rule early on that
all zidsic releases would be either 15, 30 or
60 min. Only rare 45s and 90s crop up. The
preferred length is half an hour.
I also go by the rule of crediting everyone
involved on each recording. I try to send
contributor copies to each person on a tape,
but at times I've not been able to keep up with
this. Of the last 15 years my label has been
running, only the last few have seen largely
stable finances to keep up with basic postal
and blank tape costs. I try, as a rule, to have
a few new tapes dubbed off in advance so when I
receive something in trade I can speed my
response by not having to dub something before
the mail goes out. And mail that doesn't go
quickly out can get shuffled aside and
accidentally ignored for 6-12 months
sometimes! The way I work with new recordings
on my label is to drive forth original ideas
and techniques, push them out without massive
premeditation, but allow the thick of the
moment to make major decisions, thus having a
spontaneous approach. In fact I'm not
altogether fond of rehearsing songs into
perfection. I'd much rather play it by ear, so
to speak, and let things go as they will,
maybe try a few takes on an idea before moving
on. I can be found setting equipment up to try
out different ideas, always on the lookout for
taking advantage as things go awry or askew
when least suspected. Always looking out for
360 degrees of possibilities, and looking to
use equipment and instruments in ways not
intended by the manufacturer/maker. I'm really
not into having things appear particularly
'normal', because people can and will do things
tons 'better' than I ever want to do. It is
sometimes intimidating, but I feel secure that
I have my own way of doing things and things
will sound like their mine and that is clearly
more important than being just as good as some
band or composer I idolize. I'll always miss
that mark and then beat myself up for not being
'good enough'. I don't shy away from being
intense, but I don't want to be uptight in my
recording actions. I think intensity and a
certain amount of anxiety is important in my
recordings as it improves the individuality and
challenging quality of my works.
So if you follow along these lines of thought,
you'll see there are rules that I don't call
'rules' per-se but, a whole line of thinking
that dictates how my works are. I do my work,
and sometimes a lot of it, because I'm inspired
by everything I hear, what I love and what I
hate all inspires me to be more like one thing
or less like another, but all the way, striving
to report back in my own way on what I think is
valid, what I think can be better stated. Plus
I strive to get at these things that nobody
has ever touched specifically. In the last few
years especially I've been enthusiastically
letting one experiment lead me to the next,
taking lessons I learn forward into the next
project, and so on. So it is possible to follow
my works and see where I'm going and where I've
been while keeping it all available for anyone
who cares. Often I'm exploring a way out of
traditions that I know into something
interesting and new to me and the world. So
many of the experimental recordings that I do
are for me to see what happens when I do
something in a certain way that I have thought
out in my head. I'd say much of far-out
multi-track work is recorded without listening
to the accompanying tracks as I lay down new
ones. I don't see it necessary to orchestrate
the points of intersection, I let the sounds be
themselves as much as necessary, and let the
combinations occur as they will. I'd say that
going in for the kill and meticulously matching
things up, and planning and executing perfect
compositions produce, for me, no more
satisfying result than a loose and unexpected
process.
5) Could you mention all projects you're involved
in and describe them stylistically?
Must start with the most prolific projects and
work backwards for a way to manage the enormity
of this request (omitting projects that feature
only a few releases as otherwise I could go on
for pages!).
*=*KEY*=* Band [inception date: number of
releases] description *=*KEY*=*
Zanstones [1984: 66.1 K7s] is my longest
standing project which is my sound on sound
experiments, usually quite personal. A
sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek, bittersweet
attitude is often used in the intention behind
some assaults.
Bodycocktail[1993: 55 k7s] started as my first
music project on my own after I picked up my
very first electronic musical equipment: an
Ensoniq Mirage keyboard. For a while I had
other people besides cbc3 standing in on
different instruments. I did a few live shows
w/ Chillson on guitorgan and Bobby Douglas on
bass/drums. Did one show just with Greta on
bass. But after a year or so it became
exclusively solo. This group explores various
styles from new wave to experimental music
using a wide array of instrumentation starting
with keyboard, strings, horns, winds, accordion
and such. Tho there are some instrumentals,
there are lots of songs with vocals vocals
vocals!
Elevation of Anxiety [1986: 47/57* k7s]
features recordings for 10 years or so with the
mighty Min¢y from Torrance, California.
Min¢y\Zann¢y being a major group within this
section. Releases vary from spacey to extremely
intense, be scared!
*10 Releases in this series are Min¢y mixes. A
full 146 zidsic releases feature min¢y.
Zanoisect [1985: 40 k7s] takes on more obscure
and austere causes. Ranging from noise to
austere, this project often explores dense
obscure scenarios full steam ahead.
Grandbrother [1989: 38 k7s] The exploits and
escapades of Beau Castner and myself while
roommates at 'the Grandbrother lounge'. Various
studio and live projects lasting until we moved
apart in 1992. Grandbrother started live with
cbc3 on 12 string [soon to be 6 because strings
broke so frequently] and me singing home-taper
songs. The interesting proposition of
performing works by home recording artist that
nobody has heard of, transcribing all the music
down to acoustic guitar and one vocal with
rarely a lyric sheet to go by, was compelling.
We covered Mans' Hate [uk] Lawrence Salvitore
[usa] Don Campau [usa] Lord Litter [berlin]
Selves without Shells [Hol] Al Perry [usa] and
others in live shows at coffee shops and
artist nights, roaming wildly through the
crowd, never 'on stage', belting out wild songs
we'd never have the gall to write, but will
perform. Later on Grandbrother performed our
own studio works live on stage w/ bass and
drums too. I always fought plugging in tooth
and nail. cbc3s tendencies to noodle when
presented w/ electricity is legendary and when
focused on acoustic guitar he's a madman.At
once show he did a forward somersault while
playing a song and didn't miss a note!
Grandbrother also became a studio project for
cbc3 to overlord a studio situation and Zan try
to disrupt it as much a possible. The studio
recordings range from drum machine based songs
espousing our whacked outlook to side-long
experimental musical works.
Masters of the Ungentlemanly Art [1985: 24 k7s]
has been my vehicle for multi-collaborative
recordings using tapes sent for zidsic collab.
by a wide range of contacts in Europe, N.
America and Japan. Since this project has gone
on for so long, there is a wide range of styles
and contacts that appear on these releases.
Creamy Porn Stars [1997: 17 k7s] a desperately
needed loop project lasted just as long as it
was needed... 365 days. Loops and loops and
more loops done in ever inventive and
persistent ways. Wouldn't say any two are alike
as I was trying to go for something different
in each one.
You, Me, Us & Them [1987: 12k7s] Intended to be
dense and thick and overloaded projects, like
'masters' gone awry. Lasted two years and
involved lots of interesting mixes.
Memphis [1986: 12 k7s] I've had up to five
contact down in Memphis at a time. none of them
have their phone numbers listed, a strange
town...is that home cooking I smell? It's only
the river, it's only the river. Done some
really interesting and intense live and studio
works, radio shows, road trips, and more with
Mike Honeycutt, Roger Moneymaker and Richard
Martin. The Larb project with the former
(Mystery Hearsay) is the most active project
since we still keep in touch and keep
remixing different things we've done that still
hasn't seen the light of day.
Agog [1987: 12 K7s] A number of acoustically
interesting and diverse tapes I done with Agog,
from North Ridge, California. He sends me very
interesting things to work with and I've done a
variety of things with it. 78 zidsic releases
feature him!
Here Be Monsters [1990: 9 k7s] is four track
multi-collaborative works on fostex machines of
varying quality. These are nicely arranged and
layered home taper collages for the most part.
Tom Furgas [1986: 8 k7s] Tom and I have done
collaborations over the years that are very
distinct in the zidsic catalog. The good news
is they are all quite
different, some of them
from EnDuration... Tom's 'Masters of the
Ungentlemanly Art' brilliant works...To the
newest 'All Points Forward' by ToFuZaHo, are up
with the finest works on zidsic. Others, like
'Orchestraccordianza', a breathtakingly obscure
work for orchestra and accordions, are
distinctly weird and works together. 35
releases feature Tom Furgas.
Embarrassing & Regrettable [1988: 6k7s] A
series to catch all obscure and tragically
ignored material. Ken Clinger had Winnie &
Friends compilation series that's point (from
1984 or so) was to celebrate regrettable and
amateur material, and this wondrous quality of
this attitude has never escaped me. Some
material didn't make it on to releases due to a
variety of circumstances, so this series
rescues a wide variety of rarities.
6) The enormous amount of your items shows how
fast tempo of your writing process is, and then I
wonder why do you think, all you've written and
recorded is worthy to be released?
When I started out making tapes one of my
overarching concerns was to have enough
releases to trade with people who had sizable
tape labels. Not just quantity, but variety has
been quite important for me. I want to write a
wide range of people, and I need an extensive
variety of works to offer accordingly. When I
set forth to record I'm interested in
expressing myself in a variety of guises to
suit the intention or condition, what comes of
it is applicable to be sent out only to a
certain range of people I trade tapes with.
There are very few zidsic releases that I'd
send out to all my contacts, some tapes are
general to a music crowd, some are specific to
a certain few people I know are attuned to
different things I'm working with. So, for
instance, I'll be inspired by some esoteric and
austere work of, say, Francisco Lopez, and I'll
set forth to express a sonic event based on his
aesthetic. This itself limits the number of
people I'm willing to send this tape to.
So some releases are broad enough in scope that
I'd send them to 50% of my contacts, and some
are only going to be appreciated by 3 or 4
people. Although I'd say that peoples ears are
a lot more open nowadays than they have ever
been to experimental recordings and techniques
so that bodes well for zidsic works to have a
broader audience in the future as compared with
their accessability contemporaneous with their
release.
Many releases I do are important for me to do
as a stage in development, and accordingly one
can trace all sorts of progress through my
tapes. Even if a work is not the greatest part
of a series, I'm uninterested in censoring
things historically speaking. Many groups
delete old things that don't reflect a newer
'enlightened' stage and I've long found this
distasteful.
At some point around 100 tapes, I shrunk the
zidsic catalog so as to concentrate on my more
important stuff, but this made it back into the
catalog later when having too many releases no
longer bothered me. So, I'm cutting out an
entire part of zidsic history here by not
reporting the fevered trials and tribulations
about having a label that grows from 100 to 200
and onward and upward. With only one cat here
to run it all, what a trip trying to be on top
of covers, master tapes, lists of who has what
tape, catalogs, packaging, letters, artwork,
etc. 1989-1991 were the crux of the crisis, and
by the mid-90's I developed systems to handle
the continued production of new works. Systems
that make it a joy to keep on top of an
unlimited number of new works. Now I can
release works with impunity again, making it a
joy to record and make my statement for today.
Another thing that has continually driven me to
record as much as I do, is that all of this is
documents of where my head is at any given
place and time, and the more I record, the more
I document conclusively my sonic state of mind.
This alone is a valuable service to me, if not
others.
I can't deny that running my label and
networking has been a major sanity device over
the years. This has kept things in line and
viable when the rest of my life was going
through its gyrations. My 20s were turbulent
and the tapes reflect the process
wonderfully. My 30's have been sublime and the
tapes are stretching out in many directions
accordingly. Many of these releases that I
continue to put out are important, as mentioned
before, as part of a larger process of getting
somewhere new and interesting with what I know
from the previous experiment. As I let one odd
plan lead to another, one compositional idea
beg further development, and I think it should
be exciting to follow along some of the chains
of events.
Sincerely, I'm not waiting for the rest of the
world to catch up with me. I'm not hanging
around thinking someone is going to 'find' me
and make me famous, hanging onto a few great
tunes or ideas to play out to the world. I'm
doing contemporary audio documents, whatever I
can, whenever I have the time or inclination to
do so. I should decide later who to send it to,
not if I was going to release it or not. In my
mad scheme of things as it goes, I'm trying to
send at least 5 copies of every zidsic tapes
out to various people. This seems modest, but
with nearly 600 releases, it is quite a task.
I'm a bit behind in places, I'll admit, but I
try at least to keep the newest works out.
7) That's why all your recordings are on the
cassettes, and on zidsic? What about the other
mediums then? Will you publish anything on CD or
vinyl or whatever?
First of all the letter C at the end of zidsic
stands for cassettes and thus every release on
zidsic will always be available on cassette. I
am planning, perhaps this year, to purchase a
cd recorder to explore the archival and
commercial potential of having zidsic works
available in digital format both CD and MP3,
internet-friendly format. When one grasps the
enormity of this task you'll see why it hasn't
been done yet.
Second, the nexus of the cassette culture,
underground home taping movement is the
democratic media of the cassette tape.
Anybody, in any country, can have a cassette
deck long before they can afford a turntable,
cd player or other stereo unit. Cassettes:
portable, recordable, re-recordable, cheap,
versatile, available, universal... we're still
waiting for the competition to show up. Even in
the commercial music world cassettes still
outsell every other media in america and
beyond... The compact cassette has been used
for 2, 4 and 8 track recording devices,
computer backup, video storage (pixelvision),
and in a physical, hands on way, is
manipulatable, flip it over it plays backwards,
splice it and create a loop tape, etc.
Cassettes afford and allow for limited
production also.
Vinyl never was a democratic media as it was
way to expensive for anything but the most
serious home recordings, in edition of 1000 or
more. CD's until the mid/late 1990's were not
economical home duplication format. Now that cd
units are as expensive as a cassette deck, and
the media is under $1/60+min recording, the
playing field, as a duplication unit evens
out. Glory be to the underground
revolution...home made cd's and mp3s on the
internet today are the children and
grandchildren of the home-taping movement from
the 80's.
8) Usually musicians say to record anything, they
need to be prompted by various sorts of emotion,
or they need to experiment with new areas, what
promotes you?
Those are good examples of inspiration I use to
which I can add the multi-collaborational
nature of my works...That I receive recordings
from people I trade with which are intended for
collaboration... will sometimes push projects
along. I feel a need to work with someone
sources in a certain way or time-frame. Yes
emotional states drive recordings...Min¢y is a
fine role model for that tendency. Lately lots
of my inspiration comes from a desire to
experiment in new areas using specific rules
and equipment to give new life to sound
experience.
I am often just as curious and unknowing as the
listener as to what the final result of an
experiment will actually 'sound' like. What
experience the sound in space and time will
give...i.e. if the work is fairly contained in
the range of elements used over half an hour,
what does it feel like to be subjected to such
an experiment? When the tape finally stops and
there is some silence...what is your head
feeling like? I'll also say their is a certain
desire to express myself in a unique manner
never heard by the rest of the world which
promotes me to make new works. I also feel that
I don't want to sit around at any time and
think I've already done my best stuff and it's
time to rest. I've got a lot of rocks to lift
up and look under yet. Don't you fret, I'm not
done discovering all the sonic potentials in
life yet. You'd think that after over 300 hours
of original recordings I'd run out of things to
express. Ah, it is hard to find the time to
record ENOUGH.
What's more of a question than what promotes
me, is what holds me back from DOING MORE!?!
Long ago it was equipment, now that I'm set up,
it's time and a desire not to burn myself out
and lose touch with what I'm up to, and what
I've done.
9) I wonder, how do you find time for working,
and personal life, being so in-depth in music
affairs?
Lets see, in the past fifteen years sometimes
I'm as manic as you can only imagine, recording
like there is no tomorrow and other times I'm
laid back and only do a tape or two in a few
months. Occasionally this is at the expense of
a social life. Most importantly of all there is
drive. The drive I have to mark my place in
time by rendering a new recording. Second is I
am a spaz with lots more energy than most
people and I pour it into networking, recording
and artistic projects. Third I watch NO TV and
am thus left with that much more time left to
record. How much time I have to record is also
base on, fourth, my
DATING situation. I can also credit the
momentum of the whole exercise of being a
recording artist for keeping a ball rolling. In
addition I think often in a historic sense in
my own works... how many tapes did I release
last year or per month, or whatever and I let
that drive me to prolific states.
I still spend the same amount of time that most
people do working and hanging out with friends,
but also my lifestyle revolves around how I fit
everything else around the inevitability of
zidsic's continued activities. I never knew
what I'd be doing 10 and 15 years after I
started my label, but I've felt for a long time
that it is a thing I should keep on doing. It's
often a sanity device, an emotional outlet
option extrordinaire, a way of feeling
strongly, on tape, and then using that as a
exorcising of the need to feel that way about
whatever hurt, or inspired by negative force,
the recording.
10) Returning to zidsic that tends to be
"exclusive" for your projects...does it mean
there's nothing interesting going around?
Ah just the contrary, there is lots of
interesting work out there that needs to be
distributed by the people responsible and most
in touch with its purpose. I have a hard enough
time mustering the energy and effort to
distribute the hundreds and hundreds of zidsic
releases that I put out. I will release works
that feature my sounds and are composed/mixed
by a mail music contacts of mine. I do
collaborative work with people whose stuff
impresses me and in that way I promote other
peoples stuff. And importantly, the fact that
other interesting stuff is out there, available
for trade, is why I put out as much stuff as I
do, for trade to keep things moving.
The good stuff that impresses me has gotten to
be because somebody else does it and/or
distributes it. Even if I could, should or
would distribute works of others, I've only got
a hundred people I write at any given time I
could give the stuff away to.
11) With how many projects do you play alive? Who
helps you usually in doing performances?
Conqueror worm -> Universal Will To Become My
very earliest stuff was keyboards and then
violin for an experiential band 'The Universal
Will To Become' that played live a dozen times
or so in 1986-7. I worked for the guy who was
the bass player who put the band together. I
worked in his record store, which grew out of
his excellent record collection. Altogether way
too advanced for Des Moines, and Iowa and not
tight enough to fly anyplace serious. Masters
of the Ungentlemanly Art Alive before I left
des moines I did my first solo show, mixing
tapes from home 27 different home tapers, plus
live vocals and sounds. This was at the
botanical center in des moines, opening for
Henry Rollins only a few years out of black
flag at that point in 1987.
Grandbrother.
I was a roommate with and formed a band with an
old neighborhood friends older brother cbc3.
For most of our existence we played out live
doing acoustic guitar and vox (me) roving
troubedor cover songs of home taper songs.
cbc3's wild guitar virtuosity and our
combined hijinx made us quite a thing to be
recorded with at that time 89-91. Later on we
performed some of our original studio tunes
with friends like Bobby Douglas (drums/bass),
Kurt Bendl (bass)...but this was not as
satisfying or interesting as far as most people
were concerned.
Memphis
I've done a few live things in Memphis while
stopping through. A few live radio things at
WEVL-fm with Mike Honeycutt and Roger
Moneymaker in the late 80's. I also did a live
VOW hall (Veterans of Foreign War) gig, playing
snow shovel with all the local legends, Mike
Honeycutt, Mike Jackson, Richard Martin, Roger
Moneymaker and Chris Phinney in 1986. Twisted
in a word!
Paco
I've done live works in Louisville and in Spain
with Francisco Lopez which were excellent,
memorable, and well documented.
Bodycocktail
Fresh out of Grandbrother and out on my own for
the first time with new songs I did some live
works with chillson on guitorgan, guitar, etc.
And me on vox, keys, horns. One show or so with
Miko too. A show or two with Bobby Douglas too.
Then after Bodycocktail 10, I did my first solo
live Bodycocktail show. Ended up doing 3 of
them in all. Keyboards and horns, clarinet and
voice. Oh yeah, did a show with the lovely
Greta Harding on bass too.
12) OK, I finish here, wanna add something to it?
It is an interesting freakin' world to be alive
in today. To create and document is an artistic
imperative. Here are a few artistic concerns
for artist and musicians at this late part of
the 20th century.
The world could care less about ambiguous and
obscure statements. Even if ambiguity and
obscurity are part of your art, you have to
reach out and give the audience a reason to
give a shit. There an ever increasing number of
artists and musicians creating new works, think
about ways you can make sure your statement is
not lost amongst the noise.
Document, if only for yourself, any relevant
data about your artworks/musicworks. This
becomes increasingly difficult to do on older
works as time goes by, so try to document while
you still remember what you did.
Label everything you send out clearly so if it
becomes stranded from the rest of your mail,
someone will know whose it is.
We can't climb into your head and find out why
you did something, so any clues you care to
leave us are welcome. Creating can be a
hermetic and isolated experience sometimes, so
if you provide ideas and hints as to your
intentions we'll have a reason to care and be
interested in your works. (See first part)
The personal touch is always rewarded. In this
late day in the game of art/music marketing
many things have become impersonal and
commercially slick. Your works can stand out
from the crowd if you supply a personal touch.
Then the person who 'consumes' your art/music
knows there is actually a 'person' not a
corporation behind it all. Study your field
well. Find out all you can about 20th century
arts as they apply to what you do. Ignorance of
history is no longer a valid excuse. Avoid
repeating, poorly, what someone has already
done before by being well informed. Dada,
surrealism, music concrete, cubism, etc. Have
all changed the landscape of the twentieth
century irrevocably and to know the antecedents
to todays' artistic works is crucial if you are
to not just repeat in another guise, something
that has come before.
contact
zidsic at post box 4730
louky 40204
usa
http://www.tool.net/zidsic
e-mail zan@tool.net
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E L S I E A N D J A C K R E C O R D I N G S
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________________________________________________________
Yukiko Ohishi and Kazumoto Endo has split
Yukiko has disbanded in sep 98
Yukiko Ohishi is now working on ambient noise
under the name of Yama-Akago
She is still doing excellent works
Yama-Akago
c/o Yukiko Ohishi
1-5-28-205 Hiyoshi, Kohoku, Yokohama
Kanagawa 223-0061 Japan
http://www3.justnet.ne.jp/~kazumoto/yukiko
thanks
kazumoto endo
kazumoto endo
kazumoto@ma3.justnet.ne.jp
http://www3.justnet.ne.jp/~kazumoto
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Reviews
Outsight brings to light non~mainstrean music,
film, books, art, ideas and opinions.
Published, somewhere, monthly since July 1991.
Please, keep Outsight informed!
248/ 544-7179 or (NEW ADDRESS!!) c/o Tom Tearaway,
POB 1500, Royal Oak MI, 48068-1500.
Outsight appears, in part, regularly in Campus
Circle (LA, CA), Rock Love
(http://www.rocklove.com), Carbon-14 (Phila.),
Slug (Salt Lk City, UT), Madman's Diary (Hazel
Park, MI), Reptilian Maximilian (Detroit), Skratch
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The Outsight web site is
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Email Outsight at outsight@usa.net
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ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN DOWN UNDERGROUND
American blues and jazz finds better reception in
Europe. Will American punk rock go overseas too?
Electric Frankenstein put out their new album
ROCK & ROLL MONSTER on Australia's Au-Go-Go
Records on CD and vinyl. The New Jersey group
starts off paying respect to The Germs with "A
Singer's Blood/Naked Heat" features the "Sex Boy"
rhythm. Our nation's premier riff-punk group also
covers fun Things, Misfits, Negative Trend and
F-Word. The fact that EF is tuned in to
Australia's Fun Things show these savage rockers
are tuned in to the rich downunder punk scene.
Au-Go-Go is too and they just put out A ROOT AND A
BEER from The Chosen Few of the late 70s
Melbourne punk scene. Having started out as a
heavy metal act named Deathwish, the group allowed
the sounds of America's The Stooges, MCD and
Blue Oyster Cult seduce them into something meaner
and heavier that eventually became very rowdy and
punk. So it all goes full circle and know you can
enjoy the beer-spewing antics of the originals and
choice covers from The Sonics, and Australia's
Coloured Balls and Radio Birdman.
ONCE TAINTED, TWICE SHY
About ten years ago I auditioned to sing for a
band. They passed me over and went on to
California. As far as I know, at least some
members of that group (The Meanies) are rocking
and rolling out on the West Coast and I am just
here writing about it. That's just as well because
the songs they asked me to sing has been a guilty
pleasure of mine and now is out on CD. Soft Cell's
"Tainted Love" is a quirky but giant step into 80s
keyboard skinny tie rock. And now NON-STOP EROTIC
CABARET, the album that housed that chestnut (and
such other memorable ditties as "Sex Dwarf" and
"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye") is out as a mid-priced
CD reissue. Also out on the Chronicles/Mercury
(but purely for obsessive completists) is their
succeeding titles NON STOP ECSTATIC DANCING, THE
ART OF FALLING APART and THIS LAST NIGHT IN SODOM
along with (and much more interesting) THE TWELVE
INCH SINGLES COLLECTION of each and every 12" A-
and B-Side issued by the group.
HOT LIKE BRIMSTONE
Scanner is the alter ego of Robin Rimbaud, a man
who took the hobby of electronic eavesdropping and
made it a recording career. Since early this
decade, Scanner has picked up on phone
conversations using his radio scanner and added
them to compositions o f ambient electronica. He
has now started his own label, Sulfur Inc., and
secured North American distribution through
Beggars Banquet. Robin promises "music that is
outside the traditional electronic sphere that I
have been historically associated with." The
inaugural release is a 20-track remix project by
Future Pilots AKA entitled VS. A GALAXY OF SOUND.
Scanner, Kim Fowley and Cornershop are among the
artists remixed on this album.
ARCHAEOLOGY
Having fooled some Beatles scholars, the mystery
of supposed missing Beatles songs is now exposed
as the work of a prankster. The four pieces,
"Colliding Circles," "Pink Litmus Paper Shirt,"
"Deckchair," and "Left Is Right (And Right Is
Wrong)," were a 1 971 teenage prank perpetrated by
Hollywood-based British humorist and TV
personality Martin Lewis, a Beatles authority
(http://www.martinlewis.com/beatles.html). Lewis
initiated the ruse as a London music journalist by
inserting the titles of his own Be
atles-inspired songs into a story on the Fab Four
in Disc & Music Echo. Since then, lazy journalism
gave life to the joke, as one piece referred to
another. Also, Lewis admitted to even planting
further clues as recently as two years ago. As a
producer, Lewis was responsible for the Secret
Policeman's Ball flicks and Monty Python albums.
Python songster Neil Innes (Bonzo Doo Dog Band)
references the song titles in "Unfinished Words"
recorded by his Beatles parody group, The Rutles.
CAN MUSIC
Mute (http://www.mutelibtech.com/mute/) celebrates
Can's 30th Birthday with the May 18 release of the
CAN BOX. Formed in Cologne, Germany in 1968 the
feckless sound experimenters went on to reach the
lofty cult and seminal status of The Velvet
Undergroun d, Mothers of Invention, etc. The
three-item box contains a double-CD of live music
recorded from 1971-1977, a book of history,
interviews, reviews and photos as welll as a video
fo a 1972 concert and a previously unreleased
documentary made in 1988 and 1997. The CD is
compiled from cassettes and other
non-profressional fan recordings with professional
sound processing and mastering applied. Four the
of the pieces are extemporaneous jams that have as
heretofore not seen the light of day. The tome
proves to be of just such rare and personal
content. The concert was a free event attended by
over 10,000 when Can had placed "Spoon" (available
on BOX' album) into the number one chart position.
The footage was made with help from Wim Wenders'
film editor Pet er Przygodda.. The group is on a
small German tour where each member is presenting
a solo project as I write. There are no plans for
a reunion.
MOBFEST
With the motto "No Distractions, Just Music"
Chicago's new music festival MOBfest 1999 ("Music
Over Business Festival") happens June 24-26. Both
signed and unsigned bands as well as seminars are
offered at this event. Music industry types will
staff pane ls covering the business side of music.
A $50 pass gets a weekend of music and access to
the seminars and panels, if nothing else. MOBfest,
1608 West Belmont, Suite 203, Chicago IL 60657 or
call 773/327.2529.
MORTIIS SIGNS WITH EARACHE
Earache Records announces the signing of Mortiis
(Emperor) to a worldwide, multi-album deal. Two
albums are to be released this year. One album is
a new project entitled THE STARGATE while the
other is a CD issue of his limited edition 12"
series to be t itled CRYPT OF THE WIZARD. Emerging
from the 'extreme Norweigan' death metal scene,
Mortiis should now see his synth compositions and
vampire-theater reach an audience much greater
than his solid cult followindg.
NXNE
Toronoto's North by Northeast (NXNE) music
festival and industry convention now enters its
fifth year. The dates for this year's event are
June 10, 11 and 12. The deadline for showcasing
opportunities is already past, but have enjoyed
myself at NYNE more than once and can attest to
the fact that is good fund and excellent chance to
network in one of North America's most fun cities.
Check out the facts online at http:/www.nxne.com.
NXNE is also moving to new location this year. As
such, that daytime acti vities are now going to be
held at the Canadian Broadcasting (250 Front St.
West, Toronto). Apparently, this is a spacious and
comfortable location. More info can be had through
its parent organization, SXSW by sending e-mail to
sxsw@sxsw.com or surfing to http://www.sxsw.com.
BIBLE LAUNCHER
The purposefully obscure, publicity shy Residents
are embarking on a rare, national tour. They are
touring to support their new album WORMWOOD -
CURIOUS STORIES FROM THE BIBLE (East Side
Digital). This is a rare and blessed event indeed.
Here are the dat es of this rare occurrence:
April 1-3 Copley Theater, Boston, MA --
http://boston.sidewalk.com/detail/57291
April 4 Pearl Street, Northampton, MA --
http://www.virtual-valley.com/pearl-street/
April 5-7 Irving Plaza, New York, NY --
http://newyork.sidewalk.com/detail/11049
April 9 The 9:30 Club, Washington DC --
http://www.930.com/
April 12 First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN --
http://www.first-avenue.com
April 13-14 The House of Blues, Chicago, IL -
http://www.hob.com/
April 17 Showbox, Seattle, WA
April 18 La Luna, Portland, OR
April 20 Zellerbach Auditorium, U of C Berkeley, CA --
http://sanfrancisco.sidewalk.com/detail/20179
April 23-24 The House of Blues, West Hollywood, CA
-- http://www.hob.com/
For ticket ordering details, see the Smelly
Tongues website at
http://www.smelly-tongues.com/tour.html. Further
show dates may be announced. A European tour
begins in June.
LIVE THROUGH THIS
Phoenix Media Group is a new corporation formed by
NYC music industry insiders. The company is
composed of three divisions: Phoenix Rising
Records, Phoenix Gems Records, and Internet radio
station Radio Phoenix which is to offer live music
24 hours a day , 7 seven days a week. As if this
was not ambitious enough, one of the founders
explains, "Phoenix Media's focus is to provide a
recording and multimedia forum for musicians who
actively embrace live performance as the
foundation of their art. We plan to release
recordings of both new studio projects and classic
rock concerts on CD." Initial releases of this
roots rock label that emphasize live performance
include the first studio recording in 20 years by
Kingfish (a Grateful Dead offshoot of Matthew Ke
lly, Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia) and The Dude Of
Life's new CD featuring Trey Anastasio (Phish),
Mike Gordon, and Jon Fishman. The Phoenix Gems
label is prepared to release classic concert from
a 425-recording vault recorded from 1972 to 1985
by bands ran ging from Aerosmith to Frank Zappa.
These CDs feature the artwork of poster artist
Mark Arminski. Upon launch, Radio Phoenix can be
found at http://www.radiophoenix.com.
A NEW TWIST FOR THOSE THAT STAYED HUNGRY
The legendary Twisted Sister reunites for a
limited number of live appearances in the fall and
summer of 1999. Original members Dee Snider, Jay
Jay French, Marc Mendoza, Eddie Ojeda and A.J.
Pero will perform together, in full make-up and
costume, for th e first time in twelve years.
Twisted Sister performed for 15 years, logging
more than 3,300 live shows between 1973 and 1987.
The band received Gold and Platinum certifications
after attaining an amazing amount of fame with
precious little involvement o f the music
industry.
ZINES ********************************************
Turning The Tide: Journal of Anti-Racist Activism,
Research & Education People Against Racist Terror,
POB 1055, Culver City CA, 90232 Part2001@usa.net
Turning The Tide is a zealous tabloid doing its
'part' to expose the criminal existence of
organized racism. Articles in this Summer 1998
edition include spotlights on Hawaiian and Peurto
Rican independence movements and a fascinating
historical look at homosexuality in the early Nazi
ranks. In what has now become an obligatory
inclusion of an article on the Y2K bug, Turning
The Tide sees as threatening greater encroachment
by the dangerous Christian Right.
Citizens of Xee
POB 45636, Seattle WA, 98145-0636
http://www.speakeasy.org/~gotee
gotee@speakeasy.org
vox@speakeasy.org
Being alien beings themselves, the publishers of
this photocopied zine are privy to
extraterrestrial motivations and secrets. Giggling
along the way, they let drop some of this
knowledge along with comics, poetry and interviews
with their friends. My fav orite piece examines
the latent homosexual subtext in Star Wars.
Mutant Renegade
POB 3445, Dayton OH, 45401
http://www.mutant-renegade.com
This is Mutant Renegade's special High School
Issue. The hard-working staff here is living
formaldehyde for preserving the special humor of
those teen years. Letters to the editor, many
reviews, poetry and high school remebrances round
out this bit of ba throom reading.
BOOKS ********************************************
We Rock So You Don't Have To: The Option Reader #1
Scott Becker, Editor
Incommunicado, POB 99090, SD CA, 92169
http://www.onecity.com/incom
Scott Becker, editor of Option magazine, compiles
in this volume articles on the glowing stars and
unsung heroes of "alternative rock." Reading the
book from beginning to end, we are going back in
time from Sonic Youth (January 1998) to The Mekons
(July 1991). The story begins with a group at
times awkwardly thrust into the mainstream
limelight meanwhile acting as an admitted
inspiration to most chart-climbers better capable
of commercial success. The story ends with The
Mekons, unequaled pop craftsmen working largely
unnoticed putting out albums craved by those in
the knows and obtaining a paucity of recognition
in return. Along the way we encounter anarchist
mass-marketers Chumbawamba, icon Patti Smith,
Aberdeen, Washington originators Melvins, Beast
ie Boy Mike D, grunge globalizers Nirvana, the
monks of musical hardcore Fugazi and many more.
Surprising to me, all the articles regardless of
age reflect insight and serve to contribute to a
telling, overall picture of today's self-loathing
Top 40 and their unacknowledged inspirations.
The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova and the
Popular Music of Brazil
Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha
Temple University Press
This is new, updated version of the book that
brings into view the big picture of Brazilian
music. Brazil has been crossbreeding European,
African and indigenous sounds for a century longer
than the U.S.A. It is no wonder, then that
especially in the rea l of jazz, Brazil has had as
much or influence on America than vice versa. Ten
chapters of a volume that includes a glossary,
bibliography and discography take a largely
geographical view of Brazil's music map. Six of
these chapters deal explicitly with regions; Rio
the home of samba and birthplace of bossa nova,
the pop sounds of MPB and more in Minas Gerais,
Bahia's African pride and the dirty dancing of
lambada from the northeastern coast are covered in
these chapters. Chapter one puts five centuries
of history into perspective. The final three
sections measure the width of Brazil's intricate
spectrum. Anyone short of a Latin American
musicologist will walk away impressed with the
genius, innovation and experimentation, especially
in jazz idioms, by national artists related toward
the end of the book.
VIDEO ********************************************
Richard Kern
THE FILMS OF RICHARD KERN:
HARDCORE PLUS, VOLUME 1 & 2
Video Music Inc., POB 1128, Norristown PA, 19404
http://www.richardkern.com
Richard Kern has a rare film talent. A rare talent
for obtaining sultry women that look like a heavy
metal headbanger's wet dream. A rare talent for
involving these 'women of questionable character'
in violent, sexual and challenging scenarios. Each
package assures also all actors are over the age
of eighteen. Sometimes we even get to see Kern
exact the age statement signature on film. Five
films are contained on each separately packaged
volume. VOLUME 1 features Henry Rollins as a
younger man with longer hair and Lydia Lunch as
his furious fellatio date. Violence, especially in
forsaken or urban locations, is constant
throughout. The one oasis of passivity is when
Kimbra Pfahler (The Voluptuous Horror of Karen
Black) shaves her vagina as the subject of a
short. In VOLUME 2 we get more of another punk sex
symbol, Lung Leg. Especially harsh are these final
flicks in the gritty series. Two previously
unreleased pieces, "My Nightmare" (1993) and
"Horoscope" particularly up the ante. (4)
The Tempest
Derek Jarman, Director
Kino on Video, 333W 38th St. #503, NYC NY, 10018
http://www.kino.com
Derek Jarman's adaptation of Shakespeare's The
Tempest is a surreal world of Fellini-esque
characters and uncovered madness. Typically
Jarman, this opus is unforgettable, powerful and
weird. The gist of Shakespeare's magical island
where a ruling spell c aster wreaks revenge on his
shipwrecked is wholly intact. Like a 40s Hollywood
spectacle, this version winds its way toward
homoerotic floor show or dancing sailors as
Elisabeth Welch emerges from a history of black
musical comedy's to deliver a renditio n of the
aptly chosen "Stormy Weather." The location for
this film, first released in 1979, is the
mysterious and ancient Stoneleigh Abbey. The
script to this gorgeous and otherworldly film is
delivered in Shakespearean English. But, you do
not even need to know who Shakespeare is in order
to appreciate its strange grandeur, a pageant of
seductive power and bizarre, enchanted beings. (5)
Apt Pupil
Bryan Singer, Director
Columbia Tristar Home Video
Bryan Singer's (The Usual Suspects) direction of
Brandon Boyce's screenplay based on a Stephen King
novella is one of the better treatment of that
author's works. While it is no The Shining, Apt
Pupil is up there with Misery. Chivalrous, opaque,
manipula tive and morally degenerate is Sir Ian
McKellen (Gods and Monsters) as Nazi war criminal
Kurt Dussander hiding out. Brad Renfro stars (The
Client) as 16-year-old with an over active
imagination that tracks Dussander down. Staring
into the abyss for too l ong in this Nietzchean
psycho-drama, Renfro as Todd Bowden plummets the
cesspool depths of Dussanders soul until it almost
too late to climb out. As Sam Peckinpah's films
(Straw Dogs, etc.) toyed with the idea of a
resident evil ready to be awakened in e ach man,
so Singer's efforts seem to cener around human
spiders that keep their black thoughts close and
patiently await gullible prey. Apt Pupil is often
obvious (no one has to figure this film out), but
it is interesting in how it exploits the inneffab
le fact that behind every voice of indignation
against evil there is a traffic jam of
rubber-necked gawkers that just want to have a
look. (3)
Dark Obsession
Nicholas Broomfield, Director
Kino on Video, 333W 38th St. #503, NYC NY, 10018
http://www.kino.com
This is the first feature film from British
director Nicholas Broomfield known for his
controversial shorts Chicken Ranch, Heidi Fleiss:
Hollywood Madam and Kurt and Courtney. Nietzche
said, "Man is the animal which can get used to
anything." Dark Obsess ion tells us that man is an
animal that can find something wrong in any
situation. Living comfortably, even luxuriously,
and with a markedly beautiful wife is only a
chance for paranoia to set in. Vehicular
manslaughter urged on by a hallucination is the
first major ethical sacrifice brought on by the
main character's (Gabriel Byrne as Hugo Brockton)
fostered belief in his wife's infidelity. The
shallow thoughts of self-preservation and
masculine comradeship from Brockton's macho
buddies in the Guards a re negative reinforcement
to his reactionary mindset. So effectively does
Broomfield convey the widening gulf between
husband and wife that when Hugo kisses her
(actress Amanda Donohoe) late in the movie it a
disgusting, forced act, almost rape, by one s
tranger upon another. (4)
Conspirators of Pleasure
Jan Svankmajer, Writer and Director
Kino on Video, 333W 38th St. #503, NYC NY, 10018
http://www.kino.com
Food items and sexual obsession combine in a
bizarre, very bizarre set of theatrically
elaborate scenarios staged by the quirky
characters portrayed in Conspirators of Pleasure.
Sets of inter-related characters are enmeshed in a
web of surreal sexual act ivity. Common themes of
repression and lengthy, detailed pre-production
lead to such extravagant displays as a five-armed
entertainment center for self-pleasure and
costumed bondage passion plays where two neighbors
act out their unspoken desires for eac h other.
Unspoken nearly everything is because this film,
told in movements and facial expressions, is
bereft of dialogue. It does not need any dialogue
because motive identification is made through a
candid acknowledgement of the lengths to which the
hu man animal will go for unique sexual
gratification and the common, neurotic desire
(fueled by a very real desire to avoid
persecution) to keep bedroom doors shut.
Svankmajer throws open these gateways into a land
of common hang-ups and grandiose solution s.
Frequent lapses in Svankmajer's trademark
stop-action treatment serves to animate these
character's freakish dreams. Also included in this
volume is a 14-minute 1993 short entitled Food.
Food includes the same elements the culinary and
uncanny in an e ternal round robin. (4.5)
Wittgenstein
Derek Jarman, Director
Kino on Video, 333W 38th St. #503, NYC NY, 10018
http://www.kino.com
Derek Jarman's biographic portrayal of the
influential Austrian philosopher Ludwig
Wittgenstein (1889-1951) is witty, surreal and
entertaining. At one point, Wittgenstein proclaims
that the lion, for instance, has language but we
can not understand it be cause we do not know the
lion's world. Jarman opens up to us Wittgenstein's
word as a precocious boy born into means, a
contemporary of Freud, eager philanthropist,
decidedly not highbrow, struggling philosopher and
bold iconoclast. Typical of Jarman's s tyle, we
are taken into a bizarre land charged with depth
and symbolism. Vignettes of Wittgenstein's life
are portrayed in a theater-like set up of black
background, minimal props and quick character
studies of Wittgenstein and the people of his
life, bo th real and imagined. Distinctly Jarman,
this rich display of metaphor and imagination
succeeds as a completely telling portrait of a man
of powerful
insight and overt absurdity.
Afterwards, we feel we know Wittgenstein. This
success makes the film perha ps the most
accessible of Jarman's oeuvre. (3.5)
REVIEWS ******************************************
Wimme
GIERRAN
Northside, 530 N 3d St. #230, Mnpls MN, 55401
http://www.noside.com
chill@noside.com
Wimme (VIM-may) is a Finnish Sami yoik master.
That is, he is an adept in the peculiar,
traditional chant style of aboriginal Finns that
is strikingly similar to Native American chants.
Whether from Wimme's own style, or inherent in
this Scandinavian for m, I do not know, but his
delivery is particularly expressive. Wimme's
chants, some of which are spoken and some of which
are sung, vary from harsh ejaculations to sad
wails to fearsome growls. On this recording he is
backed by Finnish electronica projec t RinneRadio.
RinneRadio's additions are thoughtfully programmed
to enhance the mood and intensity of Wimme's
passage, whether delicate or forceful, and add
much to a sense both of mystery and power to these
exotic, charged vocalizations. The name of thi s
recording itself is a word for "enchantment" and
the verse here feel as if they are imbued with the
power of the sorcerous word, conjuring familiars
from studio technology. The musical element,
regardless of the fact that it arises from cold
circuitry, serves to place Wimme in his natural,
sylvan setting. In "Enchantment" we hear the sound
of electric birds and in "Arvedavgi" the strong
snorts of a reindeer. GIERRAN is a techno-charmed
travelogue through an enchanted, sub-Arctic
forest. (4)
Various Artists
A MARIA TERSA VERA
Nubenegra
On A MARIA fifteen tracks present mostly updated
versions of songs sung by legendary Cuban vocalist
Maria Teresa Vera (1895-1965). Entirely
self-taught, this mulatto woman faced racist and
sexist obstacles in making a name for herself in
Cuba during the age of radio. As such, she as much
a heroic figure as talented icon. The handsome,
eighty-page booklet that accompanies the CD in a
slipbox tells the entire, rich story of her life.
As such, such tracks as the wailing ballad/bolero
"Por Que Me Siento Tri ste? (Why Do I Feel So
Sad?)" seems suited to this triumphant figure that
faced her share of adversity. Noted Galician
vocalist Uxia joins Cuban sensation Pavel for a
spirited duet. This characterizes the entire disc,
which gathers artists from both her home country
and Iberia to celebrate this first lady of Spanish
song. The scholarship that went into this project
unearthed previously unknown material that
constitutes a third of the album. One such track,
"Dime Que Me Amas (Tell Me That You Love Me)" i
s, as presented by Cuba's Argelia Fragoso, a
tender acoustic guitar ballad drawing on both the
bolero and son traditions. The piece is
periodically ornamented with percussion, vocal
chorus and saxophone. The accompanying text, in
Spanish and English, inc ludes lyrics. (4)
Gianluigi Trovesi
AROUND MANY SMALL FAIRY TALES
Soul Note
Italian music, even of the pop variety, often
references the country's rich orchestral and
operatic tradition. Rarely do I find such a fusion
as effective and grand as in this 'chamber jazz'
concoction of Italy's small town saxophonist and
clarinetist Gi anluigi Trovesi. Every jazz bar
follows with an allusion to Baroque or Renaissance
forms before returning to something 'trad.' The
effect is wondrous and magical; a translated jazz
combo visits an enchanted castle. The prevalence
of vibraphone maintains this air of Django under a
symphonic spell. Symphonic it is, because while
the album is a collection of separate pieces,
conductor Bruno Tommaso scores the entire opus for
conceptual continuity. A prevalence of strings and
a beautifully understated parti cipation from the
jazz percussion (a knockdown exception is royal
rhythms of "Dance for a King") gives TALES an
airy, free and lighthearted feel. Nembro is the
name of that small town that Trovesi is from, and
his daughter and son-in-law play in its Cham ber
Orchestra, chosen for use on this recording. The
eighteen-member ensemble is bolstered by Trovesi
himself, vibes, a very subtle electric bass, drums
and percussion for jazz flavoring of this
exquisitely arranged meeting of Western Society's
two most intellectual musics. Liner notes to this
genre are in Italian and English. (4)
Frifot
SUMMERSONG
Northside, 530 N 3d St. #230, Mnpls MN, 55401
http://www.noside.com
chill@noside.com
Frifot is a trio from the Swedish folk scene that
is the core of ECM's Nordan Project. The
instrumentation is two fiddles and a mandola
player. A mandola is an alto mandolin, giving it
the pitch of a viola. The multi-instrumentalists
in this group also t hrow in viola, bagpipes,
hammered dulcimer, folk harp, flutes and whistles.
One of the fiddle players, Lena Willemark, is the
main vocalist. The two other gentlemen in the band
also contribute on vocals. Lena is a living
warehouse of traditional folk son gs with a
strong, expressive lyric. She manages to include
in her performance a substratum of jazz, which is
large part of other projects she is involved in.
The disc opens with a spirited original by Lena,
as appropriate for the members of a living, dyn
amic folk scene. Deeper in the disc is
"Gyrissviten (The Gyris Suite)." Here, two polskas
of East European inspiration are joined to the end
of a pastoral song, sung mostly a cappella by
Lena. The result is lively and similar to Klezmer
fiddle instrument als. A Swedish hymn, rich in its
thick dialect, is present as a three-part harmony
with plenty of trilled R's and no instrumentation.
SUMMERSONG covers a wide spectrum of Swedish folk
music and is throughout executed with high-caliber
musicianship and gr ace. (4)
Jacques Tremblay
ALIBI
DIFFUSION I MeDIA, 4580 de Lorimier, Montreal QC,
H2H 2B5,Canada
http://www.cam.org/~dim/
dim@cam.org
Ned Bouhalassa
AEROSOL
DIFFUSION I MeDIA, 4580 de Lorimier, Montreal QC,
H2H 2B5,Canada
http://www.cam.org/~dim/
dim@cam.org
Yves Daoust
MUSIQUES NAIVES
DIFFUSION I MeDIA, 4580 de Lorimier, Montreal QC,
H2H 2B5,Canada
http://www.cam.org/~dim/
dim@cam.org
DIFFUSION I MeDIA celebrates fifty years of
musique concrete with eight special releases in
the genre of manipulated tapes and recordings.
These three titles are the most recent of that
series to reach my ears. The simple surrealist
experiment of sliding across radio bands forms the
introduction to Tremblay's excursion toward "an
Alibi...a deferred elsewhere." That piece, Heresie
Ou Les Bas-Reliefs Du Dogme and its fellows
(recorded 1990-1995) are fascinatingly
otherworldly and rather bizarre sonic crea tions
from an expansive imagination. Unintelligible and
distorted voices intrude upon a world of overtly
mundane environmental sounds (birds, water
running, etc.) for a unique intrusion of the alien
into the comfortable. Daoust of Montreal was
Tremblay's first instructor in the arts of audio
alchemy. His MUSIQUES NAIVES covers roughly the
same years and is a more pure reflection of the
sounds we hear. However, as when restrained
electronic roars and eerie whispers are used as
sorbets to segue from traff ic to the playground
to cartoons, etc., (Il Etait Une Fois...(Conte
Sans Paroles)" these visitation of the weird onto
the banal are more contrasting and vivid. Ned
Bouhalassa takes cues from current techno culture,
as well as past musique concrete master s.
Bouhalassa's trippy visions are odd and
intelligent dreams from the chill-out room. As the
album's title summons images of fluorescent
graffiti, so do his sonic collages tap into the
sci-fi lands of hip electronica. (Tremblay 4.5,
Daoust 4.5, Bouhalas sa 3.5)
Charline Arthur
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
Bear Family Records, POB 1154, D-27727 Hambergen,
Germany
http://www.bear-family.de
Charline Arthur is a country voice of immense
talent and powerful technique. Her clarion songs
recalls Rose Maddox for fresh, rural charm, Wanda
Jackson at her most secular and Patsy Cline for
vocal refinement. No one matches Charline for
bold, brassy te mperament, though. Cruelly
unacknowledged is Arthur's pioneering role in
bringing vim and verve to the female country
singer personality. A regular honky-tonk siren in
the late 40s and 50s, Charline sings or fierce
independence ("Burn That Candle"), touc hing,
drawled ballads ("How Many Would There Be?") and
humorous novelty number loaded with innuendo ("He
Fiddled While I Burned"). The constant throughout
is Arthur's strident voice and saucy spirit.
Included on this collection of mostly original RCA
Vic tor recordings, is her first single "I've Got
The Boogie Blues." This piece shows her sultry and
raucous side was evident from the start. Prevalent
in songs of this admitted Ernest Tubb worshipper
like "Dreaming Of You" is a Western Swing feel.
The instr umentation often includes electric
guitar, steel guitar, mandolin and/or fiddle along
with percussion and double bass. Tracks like "I
Was Wrong" and "Anything Can Happen" evidence an
R&B touch which has been compared to Ruth Brown.
The 26-page booklet he re includes several
photographs, detailed biography, session notes and
a discography. (4.5)
Auburn Lull
ALONE I ADMIRE
Burnt Hair, POB 5519, Dearborn MI, 48128
BurntLarry@hotmail.com
The ethereal, organic immersion sound of Auburn
Lull has been compared in print both to Mahogany
and Slowdive. Auburn Lull shares members with that
group and Mahogany's Andrew Prinz supplied samples
and production to ALONE I ADMIRE. Prinz further
appears on piano and bass synth besides doing some
singing. Drum machines (augmented by kit drumming
and other percussion) provide a stable background
to a dense swirl of guitars and singly mostly by
Sean Heenan. Additional instrumentation provides
valuable tex turing as in the cello featuring
space oddity of "Old Mission." The constant
expansive, slow tempo paints the picture of a
dozing giant in autumnal repose passing from one
dream of monstrous bliss to another. (3.5)
Jonas Hellborg
ARAM OF THE TWO RIVERS: LIVE IN SYRIA
Bardo Records, 532 La Guardia Pl. #421, NY NY,
10001
http://www.hellborg.com
When I close my eyes and imagine myself sitting on
the porch and playing an instrument, that
instrument is the acoustic bass guitar. The warm,
versatility and sonority of the instrument have
always beckoned to me. This is the same instrument
journeyman b assist Jonas Hellborg (John
McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Tony Williams,
Ginger Baker, Bernie Worrell, Bootsy Collins, Bill
Laswell, Trilok Gurtu, Glen Velez, Shawn Lane,
etc.) is using here. This Swedish virtuoso summons
the religious and secular m usic of the Middle
East to fuse with stunning jazz playing on this
peerless live album. The 1996 recording opens with
subtle, hypnotic solo bass for several bars (we
could be even in a New York City jazz club) before
the appearance of Hellborg's two derb uka
percussionists. Now, we are definitely in historic
Syria. One can hear the audience applaud loudly
when Hellborg is joined on stage by ney player
(its an oblique flute) young, rising star Mased
Sri al Deen to trade long, languid passages. The
crisp r hythms of the riqq (tambourine) from Nabil
Khaiat (known worldwide for work with oud player
Rahib Abou Khalil) join this pair on "Akkadia."
The most stunning guest is acclaimed master
violinist Hadi Bakdounas who employs a vast array
of electronic effect s to his improvisations that
mark the second half of the recording. (4.5)
The Church
MAGICIAN AMONG THE SPIRITS PLUS SOME
Thirsty Ear, 274 Madison Ave. #804, NYC NY, 10016
http://www-cgi.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/vernon/www/séance.html
http://www.rucc.net.au/church
bb@peg.apc.org
The Church initiate their aspiring parishioners
into a haunted cathedral of delicate beauty (like
stained glass) and lofty, vaulted poetry. The
aptly named opener "Welcome" ushers in a panoply
of living and dead names, both famous and obscure,
before ann ouncing "you're like astronomy - you
see everything, astronomy a part of me" and then
descends into sparse, Bauhaus-like creepiness.
There is a fascinating connection between the
Gothic to Baroque philosophies of architecture and
worldview and what The C hurch is saying,
lyrically, here. That is, there is infinity both
in side and outside and infinite connections
between everything in between (inviting all to be
welcome). This theme can be picked up elsewhere in
their invocation of gateways ("Lady Boy"),
multiple lives ("Why Don't You Love Me?") and
universality ("Could Be Anyone"). Beside the
textual depth that resides here, what cannot be
overlooked is that the Church fastens this lyrical
art to a solid wall of entirely accessible pop and
ear-catching experimental guitar. For instance,
"Comedown" is a beautiful example of symphonic
guitar pop that is more 'bittersweet' than
anything by The Verve and containing majestic and
poignant metaphor (nearly apocalyptic) in its
images of monuments, flotsam and ominous clouds.
An example of their art rock prowess that will
sound great next to your most over-the-top ELP or
Curved Air cuts is "Grandiose," their instrumental
brew of violin, guitars and closely miked drums.
The Church's MAGICIAN is that rare treas ure that
is an album full of songs both to hum and ponder.
(4.5)
Mike Nolan
VENUS
Carbonfourteen Music
This collection of Mike Nolan's music, garage
recorded from 1996 to 1998 in an unadulterated
'dry' sound. Closely miked acoustic guitars belie
the texture of plectrum on wound string. As such,
VENUS bares the broken-armed, statuesque beauty of
frozen mom ents of lost love ("In Your Arms
Again"), identity crisis ("Sea") sad nostalgia
("Jeanee's Come Back") and other such personal
topics with honesty and alacrity. VENUS is an
example of that contemporary pumped up folk rock
that can entertain from a stage in either a
coffeehouse or a bar. The arrangements of this
fine recording contain both acoustic and electric
guitars. VENUS is a solid and impressive
collection of rockers and ballads from an
obviously talented singer songwriter. (3)
King Missile III
FAILURE
Shimmy Disc/Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard, NYC NY,
10013
http://www.shimmydisc.com
http://www.knittingfactory.com
Ever known one of those people given to
repulsively absurd, detailed personal attacks of
venomous cynicism? Well, that's the whole King
Missile shtick. The current trend for professional
therapy and "owning your shit" is exploited for
comic purposes in the self-help-tape voice of
"Failure." While it may be as strongly worded as
Jonathan Swift (read A Modest Proposal) and
exaggerated as Voltaire (compare Pangloss'
philosophy to track one), listen to the
examination of the penis complex in "A Good Hard L
ook" and you will have to agree that King Missile
is the literary satire of crude 'toilet talk.'
Aside from such language games, King Missile also
provides imaginative, surreal stories like that of
the ultra-brittle Bone China Boy, "The Adventures
of Pla nky" (Planky is a lump of plankton) and, my
favorite, "The Little Sandwich That Got A Guilt
Complex Because He Was The Sole Survivor Of A
Horrible Bus Crash." All this bathos is delivered
in a casual, conversational, story-telling mode
with there is litt le singing. A notable exception
is the "ZIP-A-DEE-DOO-DAH"-on-Prozac piece
"Despair." The background is mostly collages of
'cool,' hard rock distorted guitar and drum
phrases with a heavy rhythm and no melody. Plenty
of variety is added here, too, like t he Asian
exoticism of Oriental instrumentation on in
"Monks" and the cheesy-churchy organ one of many
decidedly un-PC pieces, "Gay/Not Gay." FAILURE is
story time for jaded scenesters. (4)
Kodo
IUBKI
Tristar Music
Various Artists/Kodo
SAI-SO: THE REMIX PROJECT
Red Ink
The Kodo group is Japan's global ambassador's of
Taiko drumming. This fanatical group arose in 1981
from an island colony of traditional Taiko
drummers that sought nothing else but perfection
of their art. The religious intensity and
single-mindedness of this small (pop. 40) thorp
clearly comes across on the mighty percussion
forays contained here. Consider the powerful drum
exchange on "Nobi." Beats are thundered in one
channel, to be answered by drums of another timbre
in the other channel. Impercepti bly, the piece
slows in tempo until the sound of a muffled
heartbeat emerges. "Heartbeat" is one possible
translation of "kodo" and after this exposition
the group returns to a potent swell of rhythms
accompanied by frenzied and ecstatic shouting.
"SAI-S O" means "reborn" and as such this album is
a rebirth into electronica of the Kodo material
midwifed by some of the genre's most important
names. Experimentalist Bill Laswell (Material),
producer of IUBKI, contributes two tracks to this
compilation which mostly finds in Kodo the
possibilities of ambient, chill-out vibes. A
notable exception is the vigorous "Wax Off."
Sampling three different Kodo pieces and written
by Kodo, David Beal, David Baron and Lindsay Jehan
the urgent and layered "Wax Off" makes an
excellent soundtrack to highway travel. Other
interpreters include Strobe, DJ Krush, Kevin Yost,
Metronome B, My Name Is Myron, and Killer Whale.
(IBUKI 5, SAI-SO 3)
Beth Capper
COMPLIMENTARY MOOD ENHANCER
Win Records, POB 26811, LA CA, 90026-0811
http://www.winrecords.com
winrecords@aol.com
Ms. Capper (SFTRI's Oiler, Fleabag) can't get
enough of vocal effects. Dense with distortion,
reverb and sonic mutation, she is rough-toned
siren calling hauntingly through a sea storm of
clashing guitar waves beating out a rhythm against
solid drumming which goes lustily on, in spite of
all the commotion. On some cuts, like track ten
(can anybody tell me where a track listing is on
this sample of cardboard origami!?) she comes
through, singing naked as it were. The result is
as honest and non-musical a s a wanna-be pop start
teen singing in her bedroom into a jambox. But,
the meat on this plate is laced with the gristle
of tortured sounds and transmogrified guitars.
Feel the rough texture of every note and ruminate
hard on the accompanying comic book ( by Capper)
where one woman circles the drain at the bottom of
a cesspool. Music? Commentary? Both? You decide.
(3)
Brazzaville
BRAZZAVILLE
South China Sea Records, 1849 N Berendo S. #6, LA
CA, 90027
What do Fiona Apple, The Blasters, Cibo Matto, The
Creatures, Divinyls, Jewel, Ben Lee, Sean Lennon,
The Lemonheads, NOFX, Michael Penn, Lou Reed, Tom
Waits and Victoria Williams have in common? Well,
besides being a representative sample of the most
inf luential projects and artists of the last two
decades, all these names are on the collective
resume the septet Brazzaville. Put together by
saxophonist David Brown (Beck), Brazzaville
boasts, slinky, spy-at-the-beach sounds that
suggest exotic, tropical vacations courtesy of the
Federal Witness Protection Program and invitation
into dangerously cool, Yakuza hangouts where no
body knows your name until all the doors are
locked. World traveler gathered together his
journeyman musician friends together to create
music fusing his Far East and South America. In
the result, which has room to reconcile both West
Coast cool jazz and New York City hip-hop flavors,
there is even room for some vivid spoken word in
the gritty "Sewers of Bangkok" and the now-I-am-b
ecome-Kali "Ocean" featuring Joe Frank (National
Public Radio). Eclectic arrangements successfully
synthesizing a multiplicity of genres rich in
percussion and incorporating organ, turntables,
piano and more give every track a unique and
exotic feel. Thi s self-titled debut is one of
those rare albums that more than fulfills its
promise. (4.5)
XTC
APPLE VENUS VOLUME 1
TVT Records
The success of High Llamas HAWAII, the Beach Boys
PET SOUNDS reissue, Verve's "Bittersweet
Symphony," etc. proclaims that vivacity and
universal appeal of art-rock with strings, or
"orch-pop." Opening their album delicately with a
subtle crescendo in piz zicato, the duo of
vocalists Colin Moulding (bass) and Andy Partridge
(guitar) that is XTC announce their emergence from
a seven-year absence from music in general into
chamber pop. While they missed the chance to ride
the crest of this wave, XTC's APPLE VENUS is, with
its dulcet harmonies based on pop music's perhaps
most recognizable and mellifluous falsetto,
destined to be one of the most enduring landmarks
in chamber pop. Says Partridge that "the
orchestral thing was something I really wanted to
do, but I think I've gotten it largely out of my
system now." So, expect VOLUME 2 to be markedly
different and this meeting of pop rock and strings
featuring water droplets, clapping rhythms and
symphonic horn solos to be a unique and
luminescent start in o f music's brightest
discographies. The emotion inducing arrangements
here are mated with highly personal lyrics. "I
Can't Own Her" is insightful commentary on the
ephemeral nature of relationships and "I'd Like
That" is an accurate translation of pure, s
pontaneous joy. APPLE VENUS is a conceptual
concerto of rosined heartstrings. (4)
The Saints
EVERYBODY KNOWNS THE MONKEY
Amsterdamned Records, POB 862558, LA CA, 90086-2558
http://www.guavajelly.com
jelly@uavajelly.com
Australian ur-punk rockers continue on with
original front man (Chris Bailey) and original
soul (vicious individualism) and continue to move,
musically toward more rock and less punk. The
horns showed up on sophomore release ETERNALLY
YOURS and now the p resence of Nugent-like guitar
leads sets the transformation up for completion.
But, change is good, right? The Saints certainly
are not whiny Top 40 'indie rockers' as perhaps
they point out in identifying the "welcome guests
in the corporate zoo" in "Wo rking Overtime."
Their rock-n-roll is honest, pure and mature.
There's even a ballad, "Fall of an Empire." The
Saints have feet in both camps, though. Consider
the Sex Pistols descending guitar progression in
"Playboy of the Western World." So, let the p
urists battle for stagnation, as this solid rock
band points out in "Everything Turns Sour,"
"When every new invention feels like yesterday's
news
Remember, somebody sold you a lie
But you don't have to buy it this time
There's more to life than standing in line."
And this delivered in a rock and horns arrangement
with a voice like if Joe Jackson was a heavy
smoker, which is not a bad thing if you like rock.
(3.5)
The Trashmen
BIRD CALL!: THE TWIN CITY STOMP OF THE TRASHMEN
Sundazed, POB 85, Coxsackie NY, 12051
Over half of this collector's four-CD box set is a
previously unissued studio, demo, rehearsal or
live recording. No material is duplicated in this
material originally recorded 1961-1967. The
Trashmen are an amazing summary of contradictions
when looked at from afar. In pictures, even live
ones, they are four clean-cut chaps in suits.
Their nationwide 1963 hit "Bird," the 1965 version
of which is included here, is a deliriously silly,
primitively noisy and utterly infectious gem. It's
like playing a Bla ck Sabbath album and showing
pictures of the Bee Gees and trying to get someone
to believe they are one and the same. The T-men
arrangements are two guitars of clarion twang and
garage crunch with harmony with lead vocals often
moving from one member to another. While some of
their covers are saccharine (for example, Buddy
Holly's "Tell Me How") they offer such glorious
trash rock as the cartoonish analysis of Bo
Diddley's signature sound in "Bird Diddley Beat."
The Trashmen tap straight in to a democra tic and
transforming American spirit that celebrates the
Universal Goof, a sort of holy fool spreading pure
joy through music. There you have the
entertainment recipe of The Trashmen; surf,
doo-wop, blues and rock-and-roll motifs swirled
together for eit her devastating hilarity or
smooth, slow dancing ballads. (5)
Rocky Horror Band (England)
ROCKY HORROR SHOW: SOUNDTRACK FROM THE EUROPEAN
TOUR 98/99
Lava Records/Polymedia
Originally recorded in 1996, this stage production
of the ultimate midnight classic The Rocky Horror
Picture Show is still touring Europe with this
soundtrack. The cast, and thus the singers, are
mostly Americans with impressive stateside stage
experienc e. So, not only can they sing in tune
with impeccable English, but they deeply
understand every syllable of innuendo and make
that manifestly plain with strategic pause and
inflection. I spent a couple years going to see
RHPS religiously and this is the fifth collection
of RHPS material I have acquired. I point that out
because as any RHPS fanatic will agree these songs
are durable war-horses and you couldn't mess up
even if you tried. Still, this Rocky Horror band
manages some superior renditions, incl uding a
scorching Hammond solo for "Intro + Overture."
Rocky (David Velarde) performs "Sword of Damocles"
with rare gusto with exaggerated pronunciation and
great leaps of pitch. The band line up is a rock
combo with tenor sax and piano. The test of the
sax portion of any RHPS collection is "Hot
Patootie" which Geoff Driscoll carries out
admirably though the focus on this version is more
on the group chorus. Portions of relevant dialogue
precede most of the tracks. (3)
Zgen
DAY 1
Zgen United, B.P. 137, 84007 Avignon Cedex, France
http://www.zgen.com
celine@zgen.com
Zgen is an eight-member project that includes
cello in its arrangements and has one female
vocalist to sing in English and another for
French. One member, Archisound, is listed as being
responsible for "sampler, keyboards." This belies
what is perhaps th e most important part of the
Zgen sound, the studio. Each song sweetly sung and
cleverly if simply arranged to include a chorus of
child-like charm, is festooned with such sound
samples as rasping, dripping, rattling and more.
Everything is blended toget her in production,
especially with echo. The result is rich and
textured, a real treat for the attentive ear. As
each song builds from and ends in a cloud of such
corralled sounds, there is a de facto cleansing of
the aural palate by sorbets of audio col lages
before each song "course." (3)
Vienna Art Orchestra
TANGO FROM OBANGO
Extraplatte, P.O. Box 2, A-1094 Vienna, Austria
Extraplatte@blackbox.at
info@extraplatte.at
http://www.extraplatte.at/homepage
The Vienna Art Orchestra is a fifteen-member jazz
orchestra that features the avant-garde
arrangements and compositions of its leader,
pianist Mathias Ruegg. This is a reissue of their
1980 debut, an important document in the
post-modern jazz movement. The opening, title
track is a joyous, folk-like tango cartoonishly
toyed with and featuring three solo sections. The
marimba section is also ornamented with vocalise
from Lauren Newton. This is followed by a horn
lead that is extremely playful and sounds like a
toy instrument. The solo offering, from violin
(Rudi Berger) has an electronically effected,
fusion sound. A tight, a lot sax solo (Wolfgang
Puschnig) ties everything together neatly with a
lengthy, unaccompanied solo. This leads right into
a mel low, tenor sax and marimba introduction to
"Polish Contrasts." The lead here is eventually
taken by a bright, cosmic soprano sax (Harry
Solkal). For a short piano piece, background
singing and clapping recorded on the tour bus
serves as backdrop. Lauren' s brings back her
playful scatting, in clear imitation of a
squawking free jazz sax solo for an a cappella
intro to "The World of Be-Band & Big Bop." After
about three minutes, the instrumentalists slowly
materialize behind her until the mad marimba poss
esses her. After a full six minutes of amazing
scatting, the song itself is introduced and six
more minutes follow of cross-genre pollination.
This special box set includes a four-song Ruegg
disc deceptively entitled TWO SONGS FOR ANOTHER
LOVELY WAR. The Vienna Art Orchestra members are
featured on this recording. A further, third CD is
an Extraplatte sampler of two-dozen tracks, among
them one by Vienna Art Orchestra and two solo
tracks by their figurative marimba and vibes
player Werner Pirchner. (5)
Lechner / Puschnig / Tang / Youssef
HOT ROOM
Extraplatte, P.O. Box 2, A-1094 Vienna, Austria
Extraplatte@blackbox.at
info@extraplatte.at
http://www.extraplatte.at/homepage
HOT ROOM captures four players, four
instrumentations, and four concerts in a Vienna
tepidarium. The tepidarium is part of a system of
variously heated rooms from classical bathing
culture. Extraordinary acoustic qualities are
attribute to this certain room. This situation
resulted in a rather peculiar concert series
sampled here in recording. Otto Lechner
contributes three tracks. Two of these are with
melodica, one with accordion. Lechner seems
tentative, in each selection, particularly in "Der
Plubu tsch"), he stretches out inquisitive fingers
into the reverberating corners of this indeed
lively room. Lechner himself has a solo album out
on Extraplatte (ACCORDEONATA) applying his
accordion virtuosity to a plethora of genres.
Wolfgang Puschnig (Vienn a Art Orchestra) tackles
the room first with alto sax which results in a
distinctly Middle Eastern sounding wail of a horn
in an ancient grotto shrine. His second experiment
is with flute and chants, which elicits a subtle,
enlarging resonance. The most textured, physical
sound is that of Achim Tang who brings a double
bass into the "hot room." Akin to William Parker,
he alternately bows and scrapes his instrument
sending sonorous scrapes and trebly squeaks into
this unique chamber. The final two cuts o f this
hour-long CD come from Dhafer Youssef. Youssef
sings in a mournful, clarion, Qawaali-like style
and plays oud (lute) in the room, like Puschnig's
"Sharing" sax solo, he summons an antique,
religious performance of great depth and feeling.
(5)
Alegre Correa
INFANCIA
Extraplatte, P.O. Box 2, A-1094 Vienna, Austria
Extraplatte@blackbox.at
info@extraplatte.at
http://www.extraplatte.at/homepage
Alegre Correa is a vocalist and acoustic
guitarist. Here on this recording he also performs
percussion, and the one-string, bow-like berimbau.
Ten other musicians join him in performing his
compositions celebrating the wide-eyed joy that is
infancy (inf ancia). The airy jazz arrangements
feature nimble flute, cheery guitar lines and
smiling harmonica all supporting each other an
uplifting melody line. Occasional rattles,
whistles and the light scat from vocalist Denise
Fontoura complete a picture that r elates both to
the easy jubilance of childhood and the sunny
pleasures of Spring in full bloom. Thus it is
especially fitting that the cover is decorated in
flowers and butterflies drawn by Alegre's
daughter, Gabi, to whom this CD is dedicated.
Slightly tropical in feel, this recording is not
only for children. The trombone work of special
guest Christian Rodovan on "Grajau" decorating
delicate vocalise harmonies will satisfy many a
jazz fan. As for vocal, this basically
instrumental album, featuring "O pequeno cigano"
sung by another special guest, Timna Brauer.
Backed by guitar, drums and electric piano she
moves beautifully from moderately fast verses that
could be from a Semitic folk dance to clarion
upper register reaches to silence the idle chatt
er of a downtown night club. There is also a
fascinating "Tanog" that grows out of the contrast
of coversation, a sleeper's respitation and the
timbre of different instruments. Two bonus tracks
are included in this reissue of Alegra's 1993
album. (4.5)
Trio AAB
COLD FUSION
Cabral Music, 47B Bridge St., Musselburgh,
Scotland, EH21 6AA
http://www.cabermusic.com
feedback@cabermusic.sol.co.uk
A generous grant of funding from the open-minded
Scottish Arts Council and now drummer Tom Bancroft
is now living a personal dream; releasing the best
and most unnoticed jazz-based experimental music
of Scotland. Trio AAB contains Tom on drums and is
a f orward thinking the future's egg-stealing
mammal onslaught on the ungainly major label
dinosaurs. Less that 10% of Cabral's start-up
capital netted Tom his most expensive and most
crucial bits of technology, the CD duplicator.
With no money tied up in un sold stock, Cabral can
sign groups on artists' merit alone as it markets
through mail order and the Internet, basically
creating CDs as they are ordered.
Tom is joined in this band by his twin brother
Phil on saxophones and Kevin MacKenzie on guitar
and guitar synth. While "Untitled" is an example
of ECM-style reflective jazz and "Gotta Decide" is
fun and funky dynamism, this trio even stretches
further t o cover Ornette Coleman ("When Will The
Blues Ever Leave?") and finds a lazy, contemporary
R&B feel in 2pac Shakur's "I Ain't Mad At Cha."
Guest vocals on this subtly and sweetly delivered
track are from Columbia Records' Gina Rae. Put it
all together an d Tom Bancroft is a man with a
head for business and music and a lot more style
than Herb Alpert or Madonna. (4)
What We Live
QUINTET FOR A DAY
New World Records, 701 7th Ave., NYC NY, 10036-1596
newworldrecords@erols.com
What We Live's QUINTET FOR A DAY is superior and
compelling example of collective improvisation.
There is nothing here of the cacophonous
collisions of multi-note contemporary free jazz.
The approach of the members of this quintet is
thoughtful and coope rative. The result is that
while each person's extemporaneous performance
adds color, the total collaboration equates to a
unique sum, not an anonymous blast that would be
similar from any matched instrumentation by jazz
cats in an anarchist jam. Note, t hese are not
structured pieces containing interludes of
improvisation (like Don Cherry or Sun Ra), but
pieces wholly created on the spot. And as the
success of Miles Davis' explorations is based on
what he does not play, so the strength of these
group co nstructions is similarly based on the
fact that they are listening as much as they are
playing. Consequently, much dynamics and texture
is afforded by the fact that rarely do all the
musicians play at once and instruments come in and
out of the mix const antly varying the sonic
qualities and melodic direction. Conceptual
continuity is largely due to the reliable and
clear foundation laid by Lisle Ellis. On QUINTET,
the core trio of Larry Ochs (saxophones, Rova
Saxophone Quartet), Lisle Ellis (bass, Glenn
Spearman) and Donald Robinson (drums) is augmented
by the addition of two trumpet players. Separated
in to different channels, these horn players are
Wadada Leo Smith, a pioneer in new improvising
composition techniques, and Dave Douglas (Masada).
(4.5)
Swirler
SWIRLER
Cabral Music, 47B Bridge St., Musselburgh,
Scotland, EH21 6AA
http://www.cabermusic.com
feedback@cabermusic.sol.co.uk
Sounding like a new Rickie Lee Jones in embryo,
Columbia Records' Gina Rae is the guest vocalist
for two tracks on this self-titled debut from
Scotland's Swirler. Both her selections, "EZ4U"
and "In Your Arms" are laid back hip ballads with
the flavor of contemporary R&B. Swirler swirls
together heady jazz passages like the edgy jazz
passages from saxophonist Phil Bancroft in
"Mythology" and funk-based dance grooves that
share a common derivation with hip-hop,
drum-n-bass, etc. Interesting new hybrids a re
produced as this group packs this six-song,
f6rty-two minute release. "Switch," for instance
is a heavy between keyboards, bass, drums and sax
that sounds like ELP goes fusion. I feel the meat
here is the seven-minute "Wrinkle." "Wrinkle" is a
brashly funky Frankenstein built up of 70s jazz
saxophone and organ, a fat bass line, and a lot
hi-hat. The temperature rises as the piece
progresses into an incendiary funk-jam sparked off
by the late arrival of some showy lead guitar.
Swirler's album is hip e nough to sip cognac to,
but still not too cool to get down like
rock-n-roll rehearsal in the rec room. Most of the
players here are in some serious, experimental
jazz projects and one can tangibly feel them
cutting loose merely for the fun of it time and
time again here. (3)
The Blaster Master
SKANGA!
Megamania, Johanna Justannus Oy, Hameentie 6 A 4,
00530 Helsinki, Finland
The Blaster Master is a ska band from Finland. The
European roots of the ten-member ensemble lend a
natural affinity for the European/English face of
ska, The Two-Tone movement. By combining Western
rock and Jamaican ska a new sound was forged and
spearh eaded by such groups as The Specials. The
influence here is obvious. Also, by performing any
form any form of rock-based music with horns
suggests a link across the chasm of history back
to the 50s and 60s when a horn section was an
expected contribution to popular music. The
Blaster Master makes an overt acknowledgement of
this connection in the Motown introduction to
"Solidarity," through the chorus is very reggae.
They go even further in choosing for the only
cover, "Chapel of Love" sung sweetly by t he
group's third vocalist and only female vocalist,
Miss Mama. These feisty Finns espouse an escapist
adoration for America's Hollywood images in the
energetic "Johnny Depp," one of the many pieces
taking full advantage of their three-person horn
section (sax, trombone, trumpet). Just as even
Queen, Alice Cooper and the Rolling Stones felt
compelled to put disco-flavored tunes on their 70s
albums, so The Master Blaster is seduced by
techno. Placed at the end of the album, "Ska Trek
- remix" gives the ho rn section a break as the
drums and keyboards get electronic. (3)
Maximum Coherence During Flying
MAXIMUM COHERENCE DURING FLYING
In-Phase Records, 3302 Hemlock, Austin TX, 78722
http://www.maximumcoherence.com
myy@maximumcoherence.com
Maximum Coherence During Flying is large enough
ensemble to produce an impressive variety of
sounds; three vocalists, two guitars and bass,
keyboards, percussion, synth and saxophone. Still,
outnumbering are their eleven guest musicians.
Including cello, bass, voice and percussion, these
guest musicians give Maximum Coherence eight wind
instruments to work with from flute to tuba.
Still, the arrangements tend to be spacious and
airy, evocative of the island-spotting air flight
depicted on the cover. As such, the recording
recalls the early atmospheric Pink Floyd (ATOM
HEART MOTHER, METTLE, etc.) and due to the
inclusion of female vocalists Sonya Shaw and Jenny
Parker there is a connection to that criminally
under-acknowledged 70s art rock project Curve d
Air. The combination of these diverse sounds and
integrity-laden referents alone is enough to make
the album worth listening to. But, Maximum
Coherence does not stop there and adds to the mix
samples and sound bytes that adds continuity
("coherence") t o this story-like overview of a
strange land. Flying over this odd locale, we are
invited to consider a metaphor of flight ("Zoom"),
lethal demons ("Piggymossum," "Primogenitaur") and
apocalyptic visions that question the nature of
God ("Crusade IV," "St erile Hands"). MAXIMUM
COHERENCE is a weird, dangerous and uncanny
journey that makes maximum use of dark, poetic
lyrics and intelligent, economic and
soundtrack-like use of basically a small rock
orchestra. (3.5)
Tom Varner
THE WINDOW UP ABOVE: AMERICAN SONGS 1770-1998
New World Records, 701 7th Ave., NYC NY,
10036-1596
http://tomvarnermusic.com
newworldrecords@erols.com
Tom Vaner's interpretations from that rich mine
that is American Music is, quite simply, one of
the most ear-opening and singular recordings I
have heard in too long. The Missouri-bred horn
player looks out over two centuries of diverse and
inspiring cre ation. He chooses to take great
liberty with some of the most hallowed themes from
the land of liberty, like drunken, faltering
deconstruction of "When The Saints Go Marching
In." But for anyone having strolled down Bourbon
street that this version, whic h begins strong and
"straight" to end a bleary recollection is closest
to the spirit of New Orleans. Partitioning this
recording into a beginning and an end is two
classic, country chestnuts given a compelling
voice by Thirsty Dave Hansen, the title trac k
(George Jones) and then Hank Williams' "Ramblin'
Man." Before "The Window Up Above" is a single
track, a treatment of the Revolutionary War-era
"Stone Grinds All." This lone song (largely a
fiddle solo by Mark Feldman) expresses both
Varner's plain lov e for this music and the
ability to throw in stunning jazz treatment from
the horn. Between Jones and Williams are
spirituals, a weeping "Over The Rainbow," Gershwin
and more. After Williams are three more spirituals
and two interesting additions to the collection.
First, Bruce Springsteen's "With Every Wish"
'sung' as all but Hansen's contributions are, by
the horn with all the necessary gospel-soul to
contain it in the greater picture. This is also
where we find the one original, "The Best Thing,"
an expansive summary by the horn, encompassing the
sounds of America, especially jazz, and upheld by
double bass and percussion treatments. (5)
The Cardigans
GRAN TURISMO
Mercury Records
"Paralyzed" opens The Cardigans new album, GRAN
TURISMO and confronts the listener with bliss and
blasts. As poetical metaphor for being 'crazy in
love,' this fusion of smooth pop tones and surly
cacophony is an apt combination. "This is where
you sanity ends/and love begins" says the song.
The sweet, mellifluous portion here is courtesy
vocalist Nina Persson, a Swedish Blondie, and the
harsh side from guitarist Peter Svensson, a Craig
Scanlon (The Fall) for our usually spineless
'modern rock.' Svennson writes all the music
melodies, though the fact that these unforgettable
combinations of the dulcet and dissonant is, at
time, hard to believe. Persson contributes a
seducing voice; tender and touching. Persson wrote
most of the lyrics, so it is to be ex pected that
she delivers each song as a personal confession.
The Cardigans made their name global with
memorable pop melodies produced on vintage
equipment and now they up the ante with slow,
programmed percussion for guitar-based beat music
led by Perss on. While the production is decidedly
more modern, there is still a pleasant fur of
warm, nostalgic hiss enveloping each track. That
is because The Cardigans' formula is about tunes
that move you and also present a tangible texture,
songs that massage th e soul with a vigorous,
knitted rub. (4)
Friendly Rich
MUSIC FOR RETARDED CHILDREN VOL. 1
Scabba Studios, 16 Peachwood Pl., Bramalea ON, L6S
3Y9
http://www.scabba.com
friendlyrich@hotmail.com
Friendly Rich has a predilection for innocuous
keyboard ditties and samples from movies and
captured conversation. The over-all effect is the
inside joke of dweeb production by dweebs for
dweebs. It comes as no surprise that dweebs are
featured prominent ly on the artwork. MUSIC is
fifty minutes of home-produced goofiness that is
noteworthy for its unabashed immaturity,
simplicity and weak sense of humor. Undoubtedly,
then, Friendly Rich is destined to become a cult
hit of great longevity. (2)
The Gone Orchestra
NO PRICE TOO HIGH
Gone@kspace.com
http://www.kspace.com/gone
The eleven-member Gone Orchestra of Portland,
Oregon provides the listener with a fascinating
mix of improvised instrumentals and singular
arrangements of thirties-era jazz and blues songs.
Jamie Price sings these songs sweetly and
delicately. This svelt e brunette is posed in the
booklet clad in a flapper's apparel, smiling wanly
and clutching herself in a manner that appears
pensive. She delivers three songs on the ten-song
release. They are the playful "Miss Brown to You"
(A musical piece by Robin/Whi ting/Rainger), an
oddly charming "Honeysuckle Rose" (Fats Walker)
backed by piano and theremin, brass and other
squelching electronics, and "Solitude"
(Ellington). It is in the piano-backed "Solitude,"
much of which is largely uncluttered and marked by
a languid tempo, that Ms. Price seems to take on
the song with most honey-voiced, melancholy ease.
The album, improvisations and songs, is marked by
the inclusion of such quirky tone-benders as the
theremin and vibraband. The Gone Orchestra comes
across a s the soundtrack to a sci-fi speakeasy.
Looking both backward and outward, they are most
definitely "gone." Thus, The Gone Orchestra
presents two different faces, one that bears the
voice of Ms. Price and one that is an amorphous
collective improvisation of rock combo, trombone,
bassoon, theremin, trumpet, samples and more.
(3.5)
The Metalunas
X-MINUS-ONE
American Pop Project, POB 2271, San Rafael CA,
94912
http://www.infoasis.com/people/ampop/amp.html
One may not identify the snowy shores of Canada as
home to much surfing,
let alone surf music, but it
is the home to surf guitarist Mark Brodie. He made
a name for himself in Beaver Patrol before taking
surf sounds to Japan where he formed The
Saboteurs. Back now in The Great White North,
Brodie put together The Metalunas to fuse the
sound of 40s and 50s science fiction radio dramas
to instrumental surf guitar. Theme-enancing sound
bites for this golden age of radio theater are
sampled and imitated in t his story of antennaed
aliens with Beatle-doos. All but three of the cuts
are originals with one of the covers being a
particularly damp rendition of "Twilight City"
(The Vulcanes). While the line-up is a trio led by
Brodies reverb-drenched guitar, the s ound on this
album is thickened by allowing Brodie to accompany
the group on Farfisa organ. (3.5)
Mary Jane Leach
ARIADNE'S LAMENT
New World Records, 701 7th Ave., NYC NY, 10036-1596
newworldrecords@erols.com
Drawing clear inspiration from the medieval choral
traditions that grew out of the resonant
cathedrals of Europe, Mary Jane Leach arranges for
voices pieces that sound both holy and exotic.
Calling on the nine-member all-female New York
Treble Singers an d the Cassatt String Quartet
(resident Quartet for New York's "Bang on a Can"
Festival"), "O Magni Vasti Creta" is stunning
opening for the disc. Waves of harmonization, tone
color from the strings and angelic solos are
encountered in the nine-minute pie ce. The piece's
half-dozen refrains are in ancient Cretan, Italian
and Greek. Thus Leach reaches into her toolbox of
the antiquities for phrases and verses of fitting
content and tonality. The album also contains one
instrumental. "Windjammer" is a langu id rhapsody
of incomplete, suggested themes shared in
conversation between oboe, clarinet and bassoon.
Leach began her work as a composer accompanying
herself to an eight-track recorder. She revisits
this technique with magical effect in "Tricky
Pan." Ta king its lyrics from sources in the
1300s, this is a piece for solo countertenor and
tape beautifully executed by David Lee Echelard
(The Blue Heron Consort). This work, actually
pieced together from recordings made 1993-1997,
builds on layers of sadness to he title track,
Ariadne's wailing in the round from Monteverdi,
and the closes with Leach's own work on the same
theme, "Song of Sorrows," a powerful hymn of the
forsaken majestically performed by the
thirty-plus-member mixed Rooke Chapel Choir.(4.5)
Missing Persons
LATE NIGHTS EARLY DAYS
Designer Fruit/Sumthing Distribution, 1650
Broadway #1201, NYC NY, 10019
http://www.sumthing.com
In one of the more surreal comings together of
music history, 1980 saw four Frank Zappa alumni
join with keyboardist Chuck Wild in forming
Missing Persons. The other members are drummer
extraordinaire Terry Bozzio, his wife Dale (who
says the words "Warr en Cuccurullo" in "Catholic
Girlz"), current Duran Duran guitarist Warren
Cuccurullo bassist Patrick O'Hearn. More indie
than most indie bands today, this group wrote
their own songs, designed their own clothes,
booked their own shows, promoted their own debut
release and built their own stages. This hard work
paid off, along with the fact that they wholly
bought into the 80s pop of keyboards, simple
melodies and big hair. You know that vixen singer
Dale Bozzio knows what boys want, but you won't
hear t hat song here. Instead this collection of
1981 live material contains other signature tunes
such as "Destination Unknown," "Walkin' in L.A."
and a unique, over the top, pop-psychedelic
version of the Doors' "Hello I Love You." This is
also the part of th e set where Dale starts ending
more and more lines high-pitched squeaks
culminating in "Walkin' in L.A." This important
document of 80s pop proves that modern rock is 80s
nostalgia minus the keyboards. The album also
contains a previously unreleased 1980 demo song
entitled "Action Reaction," the heaviest thing on
this record. Paraphrasing Solomon, this song says
"you might think its new, but its not." (4)
Dusty Springfield
STAY AWHILE: I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU
Mercury/Chronicles
English pop singer and Nashville recording star
Dusty Springfield was a human jukebox in an era
when talented voices were used to incarnate the
songs of hit factories. Dusty wrote very little
material for her albums and had little to do with
the vocal arrangements on the numerous
contributions. Still, her technique and style
cause much of her output to ascend to memorable
heights. Five of her albums are reissued on to CD
by Mercury's Chronicles imprint. Each contains an
album of about one half an hour in length with
three bonus tracks each. Foremost in this
collection is STAY AWHILE (July 1964). STAY AWHILE
opens with the "I Only Want to be With You," and
includes other Motown-era songs that are typical
of the era's production and are delivered cheerily
and with female backing vocals. These pieces
include "Mama Said," When the Lovelight Starts
Shining Through His Eyes," "Wishin' and Hopin'"
(Bacharach/David, all but one of these albums
has one) and the saxophone-fueled bonus track
"Standing in the Need of Love." More compelling
and along the lines of blue-eyed soul is "Will You
Love Me Tomorrow" and "You Don't Own Me." Also in
this series is DUSTY (October 1964) with a
gospel-strong "Can I Get A Witness" and
OOOOOOWEEEE! (March 1965) which leans on her
natural charms for a set of songs of unrequited
love and promising pronouncements like the pair
"I'll Love You for a While" and "I Wanna Make You
Happy." YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME has, of
course a strong title track majestically preceded
by horns and chorus. Also on the eclectic album is
a vivacious rendition of "La Bamba" and the simply
arranged, bluesy "I Had a Talk With my Man."
Finally, THE LOOK OF LOVE (December 1967) returns
to the same approach as OOOOOOWEEEE!, but with a
more mature and sensual approach. (STAY 4, THE
LOOK 3.5, all others 3)
Fred Frith Guitar Quartet
UPBEAT
Distribution Ambiances Magnetiques Etcetera, 4580
avenue de Lorimer, Montreal QC, H2H 2B5, Canada
Dame_cd@cam.org
http://www.cam.org/~dame_cd/
The four guitarists in the Fred Frith Guitar
Quartet are not about the synergistic effects of a
riffing guitar army, instead they are about tone
texture, unexpected counterpoint and dissonance.
These four electric guitars run the gamut of what
is possible with the instrument and then, by
group association, take it to the fourth power.
The project has been quietly at work for a solid
decade and celebrates that ten-year association
with this collection of live material from their
1997 European tour. Since his days with Henry Cow,
Frith has, like Robert Fripp, Snakefinger or Mike
Keneally, advanced the guitar as a tool of
stunning improvisation and experimentation. The
tracks are angular, mathematical and
extemporaneous. Selections represent group
performance, and solo showcases from each
member. Fred is exhibited in a 12:38
"Antaeus/Rosali's Song." Beginning with a slowing
oscillation between bass and high end plucking,
the piece has a middle section of electronic hum
before a syncopated solo is patched in from
another venue. "Rosali's Song" is a gentle melody,
almost Nashville, that continues the introduced
theme of alternating notes widely separated by
octaves. From Nick Didkovsky we get "Stinky Eye/To
Laugh Uncleanly at the Nurse" another study in
contrasts, this piece features Oriental, Koto-like
stylings with highly distorted guitar. From Rene
Lussier there is "Tour de Suite" an unpredictable
tour of the fretboard that recalls Michael Hedges
but with more seriousness. The final member,
Mark Stewart steps out on "Speedy Feety" for
quickly paced runs that quote "Hot Rod Lincoln"
and more. (4.5)
Astor Piazzolla / Thomas Fortmann (Accademia
Amiata Ensemble)
TANGO CATOLICO
Amiata Records, Villa Gaia, I-58038 Seggiano (Gr),
Italy
http://www.amiata.media.it
amiata.records@agora.stm.it
The tango compositions, impressionistic extensions
of the art, by Astor Piazzolla (Argentina) and
Thomas Fortmann (Switzerland) are mixed here to
wondrous effect. Actually, two of Fortmann's
compositions bookend seven pieces from Piazzolla.
The first piece, is the eighteen-and-one-half
minutes title track by Fortmann. Strings, sad and
plaintive, are supported by cello in this piece
for string quartet. The quartet here is the Tirana
String Quartet. The coda is a bit of Weimar
Germany sung auf Deutsche by Bruno Ferrari. The
first piece from Piazzolla is one of my personal
favorites, "Libertango," wherein a running piano
rhythm is the foundation for an enlarging, freeing
melody for the two saxophones. The Tuscan
Academia Amiata Ensemble comprised of three
award-winning instrumental soloists on piano and
two Saxes performs these Piazzolla pieces. Toward
the end, the piano breaks from into the liberty of
a succinctly stated, but sweetly composed melody.
A somber contrast is provided by the following
wind instrument reflection, "Oblivion."
Piazzolla's "Adios Nonino" is so lyrical and
mellifluous as to one of those rare instrumental
pieces that summons a humming audience with the
strength of an infectious song. "Close Your Eyes
And Listen" is another Piazzolla piece that is so
compelling and emotionally powerful as to need not
a single syllable to express the most tender and
sincere of human feeling. Soprano saxophone leaps
are featured in the final, Fortmann piece as Steve
Potts joins the Ensemble in the Stravinskian,
twelve-tone "Catholic Blues." Notes to this
recording are in Italian, English and German.
Dave Douglas
CONVERGENCE
Soul Note/EuroJazz
Trumpeter Dave Douglas continues to converge on
excellence with the same quintet that appeared on
his first major work, PARALLEL WORLDS (Soul Note).
The unusual fusion of a trumpet-led jazz trio with
violin and cello allows for fascinating, dynamic
encounters of timbre. These meetings can take the
shape of conflict and resolution as in "Joe's Auto
Glass" or exquisite sonic cooperation as in the
somberly reflective "Tzotzil Maya." This piece,
written for the indigenous peoples of Chiapas,
Mexico, is a reflection and reaction of the
December 1997 Acteal massacre. "Collateral
Damage" is a requiem and well. Humanely dedicated
to the tragic losses on both sides, "Collateral
Damage" is another island of quietude. Following
it is the rambunctious race between trumpet and
violin "Goodbye Tony" in remembrance of Tony
Williams. Preceding it is a suite of four short
pieces entitled "Border Stories," Fragmented and
skeletal, these sparse bits largely feature the
cello and trumpet sharing the primary role in
front of a background of edgy percussion and
pizzicato. The presence of pieces by Weill
("Bilbao Song") and Messaien ("Desseins Eterenls,"
from an organ work) made lead one to believe this
is "chamber jazz," but what Douglas is promoting
is a modern jazz vision with traditional roots
that are more jazz than classical and more
impressionistic than symphonic. (4.5)
Various Artists
MOVIE KILLERS
Telstar
Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has remarked that
going through his personal record collection
looking for good songs is an important part of his
creation process. Consequently, each of his movies
has included excellent soundtracks, so it comes as
no surprise that a half-dozen extracts from his
films Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs are included
in this twenty-track compendium of "20 direct hits
from cult movies." Who having seen Pulp Fiction
can forget when Uma Thurman puts on "Son of a
Preacher Man."? Such moments are ready to be
relived or imagined on MOVIE KILERS. While these
"cult movies" tend to be from some hardly hidden
productions (Casino, Trainspotting, Carlito's Way,
etc.). Whether or not the movies are strictly
"cult" the collection of songs is noteworthy,
regardless of how the context is defined. Such
exceptional moments are made by the cool
confidence of Nina Simone 'starring in' "Feeling
Good" (Assassin), the forward flirtation of The
Staple Singers 'in' "I'll Take You There" (Casino)
and the smug hipness of Ramsey Lewis 'in' a live
recording of "The 'In' Crowd" (Casino). Some
composers noted for writing directly for film are
represented, like Lalo Schifrin ("Mission:
Impossible") and David Lynch's Angelo Badalamentti
("Laura's Theme (Instrumental)" from Twin Peaks.
So, cult or not, this crowd of cuts 'in' films is
solid entertainment in rock, jazz, blues and more.
(4)
The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs
LIVE ON KXLU
Triple X
http://www.members@aol.com/aytab/cheetah.hmtl
The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs of California are keep
the Motor City punk tradition alive and well out
in the environs of Los Angeles. Some time back
when I saw them on the stage of a West Coast dive
I saw the spirit of Detroit rock at its most
self-destructive, i.e. Iggy Pop in METALLIC K.O.
and The MC5 KICK OUT THE JAMS. LIVE ON KXLU
captures that energy spiraling out of control
through original songs that channel the same
demons and nods to the masters on "Looking At You"
(MC5) and "Funhouse" (Stooges). Solid, Cheetahs
originals like the visceral opener "None of Your
Business" and the singular anguish of hard rock
love unrequited in "Durango" proves the Cheetahs
to be true members of the pack. They are adding to
the genre, not merely celebrating it. All this is
synthesized in "Motor City Rock n Roll," a
Streetwalkin' manifesto of "punk rock and soul."
Punk and soul also in that this group likes to get
down with a saxophone. Vince Meghourni joins the
group on just that instrument on the last two
tracks. All this activity is bound to get the
attention of icons themselves, and appended to
this blistering, 12-song live set are three studio
cuts produced by MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer (Dodge
Main, etc.). Historian of punk Legs McNeil pens
the liner notes for these inductees into American
punk royalty, worthy of the crowns shared by the
Stooges, Dead Boys, etc. (3)
The Saexophones
FROM GESUALDO TO STING
Amiata Records
http://www.amiata.media.it
amiata.records@agora.smt.it
The Saexophones are a sax quartet formed in 1988.
The group covers the sonic ranges through the
instrumentation of the high-end soprano saxophone,
the seldom-heard contralto, the tenor and a
foundation of baritone sax. The Saexophones take
their unique interpretations to the masses through
regular appearances with European orchestras. On
this recording, an overview of popular music is
taken from C. Gesualdo d'Venosa (popular in the
late 16th Century) to Sting (popular in the late
20th Century). The arrangements are conservative
and light, almost airy. Pieces are arranged
chronologically on this disc, from the late 1500s
to today. Often, only an identifying theme from
the original work is provided, as in Gervaise's
jolly Bransle Gay and Praetorius' similarly bouncy
Courante and Springdance. Given somewhat more
attention are the Classical icons Bach (Bourrees,
one of the most intricate pieces here), Mozart
(the pastoral Andante from K138) and the
"Hitchcock theme" "Marcia funebre d'una Marionetta
(Funeral March of a Marionette"). Faure's Pavane
Op. 50 and Gershwin's "Visit" are two excellent
keyboard melodies presented by The Saexophones.
Bits from three dances by Shostakovich from Dances
of the Dolls are also here. The inimitable Astor
Piazzolla sees his imaginative accordion melody
"Night Club" translated into the brass arena. The
modern song also is adapted well. The chosen
examples are the very emotional "Yesterday" (The
Beatles) and Sting's "Moon Over Bourbon Street."
Notes are in English, French and Italian. (4.5)
Andrea Parkins
SLIPPAGE
Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St., NYC NY, 10013
http://www.knitting factory.com
Andrea Parkins is an accordion witch. She has used
her cataclysmic magic in association with John
Zorn, Jim Black and others of the modern No Wave
pantheon. Her cohorts on SLIPPAGE are Briggan
Krauss on clarinet as well as alto and baritone
saxophones along with percussionist Kenny
Wollesen. Sometimes Krauss sputters spastic free
jazz runs of notes while Parkins furious works the
accordion as in "Early TV." Sometimes the three
lock in to heavy groove as in the grand fantasy on
"Row, Row, Row Your Boat" entitled "Local
Cosmography." At times playing to the
accompaniment of a sampler, Andrea sometimes frees
a hand and plays a bit of piano, too. On "Lost
Lure," the album's most sparse selection, she
provides a segmented keyboard melody sonorously
backed by low-end horn. SLIPPAGE is a raucous
ride of avant-jazz performed by a trio sometimes
fused and directed, sometimes reckless in their
wild abandon. The result, as it slips from
control to chaos, is a memorable episodic trip.
(3.5)
Maggie Sansone
A TRAVELER'S DREAM: CELTIC EXPLORATIONS
Maggie's Music, POB 4144, Annapolis MD, 21403
http://www.maggiesmusic.com
mail@maggiesmusic.com
Master of the hammered dulcimer and mistress of
the Maggie's Music label, Maggie Sansone proves on
CELTIC EXPLORATIONS, her sixth solo album, that
this head of a largely traditional Celtic label is
one of the roster's most expansive artists.
Sansone reaches out both geographically and
musically. The music of Ireland, Scotland, Sweden,
Northumberland (England) and Cape Breton (Canada)
are encountered in this Gaelic travelogue. Sweden
is a largely unrecognized trove of Celtic sounds
chooses to introduce the listener to "Bjorndansen
(Bear Dance)." Surprisingly, this is a very light
and airy piece played on dulcimer, acoustic
guitar, clarinet and supporting instruments. I
guess they have very delicate, nimble bears in
Scandinavia. Canada's Cape Breton is a region
known for its fiddle virtuosos. Award-winning
fiddler Bonnie Rideout steps in two showcase the
set of "Gaelic Reels" that are also arranged for
hammered dulcimer, soprano saxophone, accordion,
bamboo flute, clarinets, acoustic guitar and
Celtic and East Indian percussion. Sansone
contributes a pair of original tunes. One of
which, "Samhain Set: All Hallow's Eve/The Seeker"
is a magical and mysterious piece where a mournful
harmony from bass clarinet supports the sylvan
bamboo flute and the sorcerous E-Bow, a hand-held
electronic device that produces a bowed string
effect. Each track is patiently and beautifully
developed incorporating skill and tradition in an
immensely memorable treatment of these ancient
styles. (4.5)
Epperley
SOPHMORE SLUMP
Triple X, Box 862529, LA CA, 90086-2529
http://www.triple-x.com
I have been a closet pop rock fan since the
"modern rock" of the 90s managed to both make the
rock of the 70s sound dated while itself being
devoid of melody and shallow. What is left for a
rock fan to hear? Not much, except when an album
like Epperly's SOPHOMORE SLUMP arrives on the
scene. SLUMP contains cheery, upbeat lines
delivered with a Pixies guitar sound. Instead of
drowning in 80s nostalgia, Epperley is solidly
rooted in today, aware of the past but not
overawed. In "You're So 1988" the band
announces, out of frustration, "It's something I
hate / You're so 1988
If I could only wish, I'd
make you rock harder." And rock harder they do,
while still being more joyous than serious. In
"She's A Marine" Epperley reminds us you can be
un-PC and honest and still be more fun than rude.
Epperley songs boast hooks and the band can even
occasionally play without distortion. Tracks like
"Crystal" and "Breakups and Shakeups" ring truer
then any chart-topper today.
Various Artists
UNITED STATES OF PUNK
Music Club
In my day job, I sit across from a fellow name
Adam who is in a band named Elemental Groove. The
other day we got into a discussion about bands we
liked with heavy, distorted guitars. Then he told
me that he was choosing a Sex Pistols cover for an
upcoming show. Somehow, this all did not sit well
in my mind. Then, listening to this compilation, I
hit upon it. The Dead Boys' "Sonic Reducer" is a
real punk rock song, with the emphasis on rock.
The Sex Pistols is punk too, but watching footage
of English punks pogoing up and down to "Anarchy
in the UK" makes me think more of a dress-up
birthday game for kids then the faster and louder
American punk. This brings me to "Faster and
Louder" by the Dictators. Included in this
compilation, it is the live track that I suggested
he cover. Even Devo "Mongoloid" is heavier than
anything on NEVER MIND THE BULLOCKS. But, is
Devo punk? Suicide's chestnut "Rocket USA" is also
here, but I think those
guitar-and-programmed-beats groups are more
seminal for industrial and No Wave than punk.
Whereas the Pistols-led punk movement of England
has a 'hate-love' relationship with pop music,
American punk is largely a subculture of 70s rock.
This collection also includes demo versions, "Judy
is a Punk" (Ramones), "Mongoloid," "Might he I.D."
(DMZ) and live tracks from New York Dolls
("Personality Crisis"), Johnny Thunders ("Chinese
Rocks"), Flipper ("Ha Ha Ha") and Bad Brains ("Pay
to Cum"). Also here is Richard Hell & The
Voidoids, Real Kids, Weirdos, Zeros, Dead Kennedys
and Misfits. (3.5)
Kim Carnes
THE MISTAKEN IDENTITY COLLECTION
Razor & Tie, 214 Sullivan St. #4A, NYC NY,
10012-1354
http://www.razorandtie.com
Kim Carnes formed her style on the folk-rock
circuit, where a dulcet, technical pop voice is
not required. Her husky, full voice signifies for
me early 80s radio and is still unforgettable. The
sixteen-song collection starts with her 1981
single "Bette Davis Eyes." This song's initiated a
string of hits that kept her on the world's charts
through 1986. I always thought she should do a
duet with Rod Stewart, their voices are remarkably
suited. As far as I know this never happened, but
there is here a duet with Kenny Rogers, another
gravel-voiced legend. This is a sparse, piano
introduced ballad from Rogers' 1980 GIDEON, a
concept album on a modern cowboy. Basically, this
collection is an album reissue with six bonus
tracks The MISTAKEN IDENTITY (1981) album
contributes the first ten tracks of bouncy
synth-pop such as its title track and "Don't Call
it Love." Other songs, like the acoustic
guitar-led "When I'm Away From You," the hard-rock
"Break the Rules Tonite (Out of School)" and the
piano and mandolin lament "My Old Pals" expose
different facets of this pop talent. Kim Carnes
drew on resources of country and folk to bring
grace and individuality to the 80s charts. (3)
Wendy Mae Chambers
122
New World Records, 701 7th Ave., NYC NY,
10036-1596
American composer Wendy Mae Chambers likes to do
things big. Her 1993 Mass for Mass Trombones
featured 77 of the horns and 1989 Symphony of the
Universe required one hundred timpani, among other
instruments. She has several other compositions
with numerous instances of an instrument along
with such unexpected appearances as automobiles,
TVs, crib toys and vacuum cleaners. That love for
grand percussion comes across in a more varied
arrangement executed here by a dozen
percussionists. Drums, mallet instruments and
other percussion bounds, slithers and clangs with
such odd cameos as a hand cranked siren. Eleven
parts comprise the whole and each has its own
flavor. In "Hoodoo Root Doctor" a suspenseful
clock-like rhythm is mated with what could be the
knocking of bones. This goes along with a
general theme of ecstatic and pagan rites that can
be imagined in subtropical jungle clearings or
behind closed New Orleans doors. For instance,
Wild Ride is a direct reference to bizarrely
costumed Fat Tuesday riders that act as a prelude
to Mardi Gras. The chime sounds of implicit
magic radiate from "Shango," a piece about the
"master for magic." A night charged with
expectancy and the judgement of fate and the
poignant stress of prolonged silence is the
setting given to "corpselike woman" seer "Manman
Brigitte." Chambers' work is powerful and
fantastic, a singular and memorable adventure of
sorcerous rhythms. (4.5)
The Mulchmen
GREETINGS FROM PLANET STUPIDER
Big Beef Records, POB 303 WBB, Dayton OH, 45409
Mulch@bigbeef.com
http://www.bigbeef.com
In my flightbook, your best bet for guitar-based
entertainment is most often instrumental rock
regardless of the planet of origin. The Mulchmen
surf from the top of a compost heap of rock
history that penetrates the stratosphere. Solid
throughout, The Mulchmen's peat-genius is at its
most pungent in tracks like the ominous, andante
surf of "Backscratcher." It is also apparent from
a listening here why the group has fit just as
well opening for such acts as surf legends Los
Straitjackets and rockabilly guitar god Ronnie
Dawson. The Mulchmen are about the primacy of a
succinct, clever guitar melody traversing the
middle- and low-ends over a reliable march beat.
Like another band they have shared the stage with,
Man
Or Astroman?, the Mulchers feel the allure of
space references through simple effects and
reverb. On "Delta Velocity" the employ this
approach while incorporating a Western feel and
theremin in their patented unrushed tempo. The
power trio opts for a two-guitar approach on
"Ripchord." Put it all together and you have an
instro-rock band that owes as much to Link Wray
and Duane Eddy as they do to Dick Dale. On the
final track we get to hear "Dr. Cyclops/Danger
Todd Robinson," the two-part scorch-relax-scorch
show closer that only the live audiences have
previously been privy to. Compared to prior
releases, GREETINGS is an excellent synthesis of
The Mulchmen's fertile blend. (3.5)
I'm Being Good
POISONOUS LIFE
Infinite Chug, 14 Worcester Close, Langdon Hills,
Essex, SS16 6TW, United Kingdom
Inchug@hotmail.com
http://www.inchug.force9.co.uk
The seemingly harmless phrase "I'm being good" is
pregnant with the impending misdeed. Similarly,
the band I'm Being Good lulls the listener into a
defenseless torpor before exploding with sound and
fury. The main elements in this maelstrom are
drums and guitar. At least one horn strikes at the
ripe moment, as does a cheap keyboard. Most of the
pieces are instrumental. If I'm Being Good were in
American they would probably be signed to
Skingraft. (3)
Diane Labrosse / Ikue Moir / Martin Tetreault
ILE BIZARRE
Distribution Ambiances Magnetiques Etcetera, 4580
avenue de Lorimer, Montreal QC, H2H 2B5, Canada
Dame_cd@cam.org
http://www.cam.org/~dame_cd/
Labrosse, Mori and Tetreault combine a variety of
metallic percussion and electronic sounds in
ragged, monstrous rhythms that seem a jumble of
both industry and technology referents. These
gritty collages are a sonic junkyard of robot
assemblers gone awry and computer death rattles.
These pieces tend to be not so much unsettling as
eerie and dislocated. Hearing ILE BIZARRE is to
take an audio ride holding the turbulent reins of
chaos. (4)
John McEntire
MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE REACH THE ROCK
Hefty Records, 1658 N Milwaukee #287, Chicago IL,
60647
http://www.heftyrecords.com
hefty@heftyrecords.com
Drummer and composer John McEntire's (Tortoise,
The Sea and Cake) exquisite score for the John
Hughes film Reach The Rock is of beautifully
crafted textured instrumental music for which
McEntire did all programming as well as playing
all bass, guitar and keyboard parts. Also
collected are five songs by like-minded bands. One
such group is Tortoise and their guitar, bass and
percussion rumination "In A Thimble" leads off the
album. This takes us into McEntire's incidental
music such as "Criminal Record." This piece is a
study in implications; implied angelic chorus and
implied techno DJ effects. We are suggested their
uplifting harmonies and the DJ's analog
turntable without really hearing it. Beside
Tortoise, there are two other Thrilljockey artists
present on this recording. Bundy K. Brown and The
Sea and Cake frame the central piece here, "Quinn
Goes to Town." "Quinn" is another fine example of
McEntire's finesse for combining such a kit drum
rhythm with such percussive effects as guido or
shekere sounds and the tone coloring of a
metallic, electronic ebb and flow. Then comes Sea
and Cake with the only lyrics on the album. "I
hardly could stay awake/the window lies mostly
open." Certainly one could be in the Dream State
by now, and McEntire's compositions and recordings
of these sound shapers is a ready springboard for
vivid, if languid, fantasies. Polvo contributes a
solo piano piece that while tranquil sounds almost
jarring for the percussive mechanics if offers in
the pleasant caress of this soundtrack. McEntire's
"The Kiss" in the later third of the album is
percussion, crisp guitar and a very warm double
bass that sings a sonorous melody before the
piece's sudden ending. McEntire's genius for
arranging and recording mood setting music is
replete throughout this album. (4)
50 Tons of Black Terror
DEMETER
Beggars Banquet, 580 Broadway #1004, NYC NY, 10012
http://www.beggars.com
Demeter was the Greek goddess of agriculture,
marriage and fertility. Don't let such homely
associations let you expect a cover of "Going to
the Chapel" here. 50 Tons is about agriculture the
way Children of the Corn is. Before Cain the
agriculturist killed Abel the butcher have gotten
pumped up listening to DEMETER. Marriage? 50 Tons
of Black Terror is about the marriage of the Jesus
Lizard and Birthday Party. Their sound is brutal
and undeniable as in the peeping tom's lament
"Voyeur's Blues" and just as liable to come on as
sinister cave lounge as in "La Grotte D'Amour."
Fertility? DEMETER is so potent it gave birth to a
remix EP included in this package. These four
remixes serve through hammering repetition to
drive the rhythmic point home, through its walls
across the backyard and buried deep in reinforced
concrete wall across the alley. I listened to
DEMETER's harsh message three times before I came
to appreciate its difficult gospel. By that time,
they came through town and someone else raved
about the disc to me. Don't let yourself miss out
on the rich soil where blood cries out from the
ground, the joining together of able-bodied
musicianship with fierce delivery and the seedy
abundance of such panting excess as the "Voyeurs
Blues (Kris Needs)" remix. (4)
Various Artists
OF THING TO COME
BYO Records, POB 67A64, LA CA, 90067
http://www.byorecords.com
Produced in association with Strength magazine,
this collection is the soundtrack to a "snowboard
film." It also one of the best compilations of
contemporary punk and power pop that I have heard
in quite a while. Dillinger Four is great riffs
and those non-technical male harmonies, all in
overdrive. Keeping the punk sounds of G.B.H. and
The Exploited alive contribute a primer in under
two minutes entitled "Punk By The Book." An
ornery live clip is stapled onto the front of the
album version of SuperSuckers' "Mudhead." The
contribution from ErrorType: 11 is a
Nirvana-styled ballad to dislocated youth
obviously for the poignant part of the movie.
Pinhead Circus hits closer to home with a ripping
rocker that goes "we used to skate all fucking day
and drink the southern nights away
somehow we
ended up okay." Sounding like an outsiders'
drinking song, Bouncing Souls contributes "Born To
Lose." Another highpoint is "New Day Rising" from
Swingin' Utters as Pogues for punks. Pegboy throws
a vote back in the direction of with "Fade Away"
as does Pezz when they ask "how long 'til you
crack up?" The remix of "Ugly Stick" form Voodoo
Glow Skulls could be out of the Beastie Boys
songbook. Also included post-punk compendium is
Good Riddance, an incongruous doom metal piece
from Hatebreed, H2O, and Zeke.
The Wedding Present
SINGLES 1989-1991
Manifesto Records, 740 N La Brea Ave., 2d Fl., LA
CA, 90038-3339
http://www.manifesto.com/manifesto
manifest@manifesto.com
wedpres1@aol.com
Beside the RCA singles released by The Wedding
Present 1989-1991 explicitly referred to in the
title, this 2-CD package also contains non-single
material. CD 1 contains the group's first five RCA
sings. CD 2 is a compilation of radio versions,
tracks from compilations, live material, a
previously unreleased song "Crushed," and extra
tracks that only appeared on 10" versions of the
singles. Britain's The Wedding Present is a
jangly, power pop band that is diverse enough to
recall The Pogues ("Cumberland Gap") and The
Damned ("Blue Eyes"). The group also has an
excellent sense for selecting material to cover.
On SINGLES is their versions of such indie songs
as Pell Mell's instrumental "Signal" and The Jean
Paul Sartre Experience's "Mothers." Then, they
also interpret such more widely known groups as
The Velvet Underground with an acoustic "She's My
Best Friend" and "Box Elder" from Pavement. On
"Box Elder" and often elsewhere here I am
reminded of The Fall by the voice of vocalist
David Gedge (Cinerama) and the group's rollicking,
noisy pop arrangements. Still touring, even the
United States, The Wedding Present eight albums in
their discography and SINGLES is an excellent way
to obtain an overview of their oeuvre or fill in
the gaps in a fan's collection. (3.5)
Of Montreal
THE GAY PARADE
Bar/None Records, POB 1704, Hoboken NJ, 07030
http://www.bar-none.com
The strange, the curious and the humorous motions
by in a colorful display created by listening to
Of Montreal''s THE GAY PARADE. Seventeen
musicians, not counting the huge chorus on "Nickee
Coco and The Invisible Tree," are employed in
bringing Athens, Georgia songwriter Kevin Barnes'
visions to fruition. Many of these musicians are
form the Athens Elephant Six group of Neutral Milk
Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power and Music
Tapes. Beside standard instrumentation they add a
carnivalesque atmosphere with melodica, penny
whistle, bells, organ, musical saw, vibes and
more. Barnes' is a pianist/singer with an
undisciplined falsetto and a cartoonish
imagination. His realized pieces are a delightful,
unpretentious meeting of Ben Folds and The
Beatles' WHITE ALBUM. The cartoon artwork
decorating the CD booklet serves a map to the
quirky universe declared from the tracks on THE
GAY PARADE. The peculiar characters, like "The
Miniature Philosopher" and "The Autobiographical
Grandpa," that populate this album come to live
in the dense texture of circus sounds and melodies
that are simple and sweet. While a cursory listen
may cause one to judge THE GAY PARADE to be
sophomoric, paying more attention serves as an
introduction to a Seussian world vividly portrayed
and radiating pure, child-like, instantaneous
emotions both sad and beautiful. Like Brian Wilson
and Syd Barrett, Barnes has composed his way into
a fantasy world we can enjoy visiting. (3.5)
Angela Berann
GROOVY WOMANN
Extraplatte, POB 2, A-1094 Wien, Austria
Extraplatte@blackbox.at
Aided by a couple of keyboardists and a guitarist,
Angela Berann performs all of the varied drums and
percussion on GROOVY WOMANN. The album certainly
is groovy, because it is about a primacy of rhythm
and beat. On "Back to the Roots" she contrasts a
dull bass drum with the snap of bongos and steel
percussion. "Ambience" treads into the coloring
area of things that rattle, shake, rasp and
scrape. Angela calls them in as excellent
arrangement to more roots funk. "Cuban Affairs" is
the most spacious of Berann's compositions. The
terse percussion phrases are disparate in time
and stereo location while the keyboard suggests
eerie, sci-fi effects. This Cuba is an island
afloat in the ocean of space. The last half of the
piece takes on the aura of a voodoo ceremony
soundtrack recorded in a reverberating high school
gym, complete with whistles. On "Bubbles of
Spirit" the sound of a horn in lament is summoned
from the keyboards to accompany rainstick and
rattles in introduction to cymbal- and
snare-accompanied bongos. Angela Berann's GROOVY
WOMANN is an impressive cornucopia of upbeat and
engaging rhythms summoned from eclectic
instrumentation. Not only should this be of
interest to percussion enthusiasts, but also all
those that seek vital instrumental music. (4)
All The Miserable Times
I LOVE YOU LOUDLY
Fish of Death, POB, 93206, LA CA, 90093
http://www.fishofdeath.com
Fod@earthlink.net
All The Miserable Times is a husband and wife duo
that has a quirky and appealing penchant for
simplistic, downbeat and charming songs. Their wry
pieces become observations on the
commercialization of beauty as in "Whore
(Whore)" (the vocalist is a former Miss Memphis)
or on the ephemeral nature of love, as in
"Sailor." Through such content and the mix of
basic, acoustic guitar and odd samples the
approach sometimes comes near to that of Kramer
and Ann Magnuson's Bongwater (e.g., "Rudy"). While
there is plenty of cynical humor here, some
pieces, like the sad longing of "Dear Bird" stand
alone as personal and moving accounts. Such is
nearly the same with another nature-lover's piece,
"June Bug." Combined with a background of analogue
hiss and backyard environmental sounds, this ode
to a bug shares with "Dear Bird" an outsider's
longing for the freedom enjoyed by Nature's more
humble constituents. The hopeless love expressed
in "Glamorous" suggests their me past scars that
have caused vocalist Miss Terri to be able to so
poignantly express this yearning to get away, far
away. While I LOVE YOU LOUDLY purposefully offers
no flashy musicianship, it does it offer itself as
a stylized if not surreal vision of a woman with
a lot of problems and a lot of visions putting it
all together in a weird coffeeshop setting. (3.5)
Hank Dogs
BAREBACK
Hannibal/Rykodisc, Shetland Pk, 27 Congress St.,
Salem MA, 01970
http://www.rykodisc.com
Britain's Hank Dogs debut on Hannibal with a disc
of Americana better than most of Americana. Well,
it only figures such it would sound to our ears
because our folk tradition is derived from older
traditions of the British Isles. In "18 Dogs" they
add a new gem to one of the most enduring and
vivid of the Western folk themes, that of the
murder ballad. Much of the material on BAREBACK is
open to similarly dark interpretation. Such seems
to be the fertile ground that has caused a cultish
following to surround this South London band
before their debut even reached our ears. Another
hook here is the dulcet and sweet harmonies of
vocalists Piano and Lily. Lily offers the subtle
tone coloring in the background and she is
daughter to the group's third member, guitarist
Andy (yes, they just use first name) who has been
in scores of groups, including the Sex Pistols.
These key duets at the core of nearly every track
enhance a superbly produced album sprinkled with
guest players on piano, cello, trumpet and more.
Hank Dogs' combination of stunning vocal
technique, sparkling acoustic guitar and cryptic
lyrics makes for an unforgettable, instantly
classic and compelling album. (5)
Amber Asylum
SONGS OF SEX AND DEATH
Release, POB 251, Millersville PA, 17551
http://www.relapse.com
Kris Force is the alluring siren of Amber Asylum.
She seduces the listener into a dark but inviting
world of drawing on wells of ambient, Goth and
Classical musics. Force's music is ambient in that
it is an ethereal, floating world of patiently
phrased lines backed by a comfortable wall of
electronic drone. Amber Asylum waxes Gothic in
that they can introduce a Bauhaus-like meeting of
plodding bass line and ultra-distorted guitar into
this delicate mix ("Devotion") and other times
summon angels of the night with hymns that are
downbeat, Medieval and haunting. The Classical
reference is made valid by Kris' own violin (often
effected) work and her mezzo-soprano songs.
Acoustic bass and cello are also featured
prominently on this recording. Often, as in
"Luxuria," they provide the sonorous melody. Also
employed in this rich recording are e-bow, organ,
synth, accordion sounds and more. As the
arrangements often reach back into a deeply
historical well of sounds from chamber works to
ancient chants, so the content reflected in the
title SONGS OF SEX AND DEATH pulls from an even
more ancient source. Herein are melodiously if
eerily sung reflective and personal approaches to
the most and fleeting and sought human
experiences of live and love. (4)
Hazeldine
ORPHANS
E-Squared/All Swoll Music, POB 4224, Albuerquerque
NM, 87196
http://www.morebarn.com/Hazeldine
morebarnm@aol.com
This is a band hip enough to cover Merge's East
River Pipe band ("Here We Go") and Radiohead's
"Luck" but country enough to be distributed by
Steve Earle's E-Squared label. This band from
Athens, Georgia decided to relocate to the cowboy
haven of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They employ a
roots rock sound to interpret "Wild and Blues" by
the Mekons, a group that understands the lure of
Americana well, just like X (Hank Cochran's "It's
Only Love," covered by X, is also covered here).
Very non-country material from Neural Milk Hotel
and Peter Gabriel is transformed here as well as
more expected fare like traditionals ("Whiskey in
a Jar" popularized by Thin Lizzy and "Mining Camp
Blues") and Gram Parsons ("A Song For You").
Tumbelweed Telecaster leads and sweet, down-home
harmonies from guitarists Shawn Barton and Tonya
Lamm. This album of the band's personal favorites
was enthusiastically recorded in only two days and
each track bears the fresh and feeling stamp of an
instantaneous rendition of a personal anthem.
ORPHANS exudes a prairie sexuality and a unique
experimentalism that ranges from joyous to
melancholy in recreating this material. Hazeldine
showcases on ORPHANS their musical ability, the
diversity of their inspirations and the way good
vocal harmonies enhance any song. (3.5)
Various Artists
DANCING WITH THE DEAD
Ellipsis Arts, 20 Lumber Rd., Roslyn NY, 11576
http://www.ellipsisarts.com
Death is common to all mankind and, consequently,
music to acknowledge that event arises in all
cultures. The opening track here is a gospel
eulogy of the type where speech erupts into sung
passages, peculiar to the religious institutions
of the American South and Black America. The
message is one, not for the dead, but for the
living. For them the pain is real and is they
that need the hope that death is only a passage to
something better. As a result of this need for
hope and distraction from the loss, a great
percentage of the pieces are jubilant, in the
manner of a Crescent City jazz procession. Such an
example, take from the Eureka Brass Band's NEW
ORLEANS FUNERAL AND PARADE album is present.
"Lanhua Mei," the contribution from the Tianjin
Buddhist Music Ensemble comes from another
approach to songs on death. That is the requiem,
the sacred observation of death's spiritual
significance. Most of these recordings are rough,
field recordings. This is suited to the content,
as it marks each track as representative of an
event, not a session. As with all Ellipsis Arts
releases, this is a beautiful package. The CD is
slipped into a small, hardcover book of sixty-four
pages. Extensive track notes, essays on death
(from religion to food) and more make DANCING a
detailed and eye-opening document on the music of
death rituals from the world over. (4.5)
Various Artists
A MEDITERRANEAN ODYSSEY: ATHENS TO ANDALUCIA
Putumayo World Music, 1516 5th St. #B, Berkeley
CA, 94710
http://www.putumayo.com
Do Athens, Greece and Spain's Andalucia region
really seem similar? Diverse regions such as these
give birth to music styles of a surprising
affinity as exemplified here on a new Putumayo
compilation. Putumayo did a fantastic job of
associating similar music from geographically
remote areas through channels of cultural
exchange. MEDITERRANEAN ODYSSEY is a personal
favorite of mine from the series. The peoples
along the north coast of the Mediterranean (Athens
to Andalucia) celebrate their sunny shores and
temperate clime with a guitar-based music that is
bouncy, upbeat and bright. The guitar, because of
its range, is an instrument of song. Excellent
songs of Spain, Gypsy Flamenco, Italian folk and
more are here. For its portability, the guitar is
the instrument of the outdoor gathering and each
track here brings to mind a vivid scene of a
seaside soiree. (3)
Mekons
I HAVE BEEN TO HEAVEN AND BACK: HEN'S TEETH AND
OTHER LOST FRAGMENTS OF UNPOPULAR CULTURE VOL. 1
Quarterstick Records, POB 253432, Chicago IL,
60625
Mekons heaven is one of ethical socialism,
something they idealize but feel has never been
realized. The reality is a thin barely held
together, level of entropy that is on the verge of
the cataclysmic. The Mekons live shows exude that
frantic urgency. Every performance is has the
sudden importance of apocalyptic religion. The
Mekons destruct on stage in a last-ditch effort to
save you with guitars and charged lyrics. The
cover of this live rarities collection is a
photograph of just such a charged moment.
Guitarist and vocalist Jon Langford (Bloodshot
Records, Waco
Brothers, Three Johns, etc.) is
lifted from the stage and twisted around by a
power chord he just launched. Vocalist Sally Timms
beams with an electric, revival-like ecstacy,
tambourine overhead. Another Mekon caught up in
his fallen shorts, crashes to the floor. Smugly,
accordion player Rico Bell smiles over all. This
brings to mind one of the most unforgettable
concerts I ever experienced, Mekons at the Howling
Wolf, New Orleans, 1993. Mekons gigs have an
indelible effect on their attendees. Outtakes from
sessions for previous albums are jumbled in with
unexpected covers ("Oranges and Lemons" and Rod
Stewart's "You Wear it Well"), audience tapings
and more rarities. Called VOL. 1, Mekons actually
first rewarded their fans with such a detailing
hodge-podge in 1982 with THE MEKONS STORY and on
NEW YORK (1987). These originally English
post-punk rockers deliver a fair amount of
Americana in their ragged anthems and every line
is a closely held belief or personal revelation.
On "This Funeral is for the Wrong Corpse" (never
before available in its full length) Langford
espouses his political ideals. In "The Ballad of
Sally" Timms shares her own insecurity. Mekons
offers their fans powerful, Americanized post-punk
British rock that is a channel for beliefs on fire
and active honesty. (5)
Mojo Nixon
THE REAL SOCK RAY BLUES
Shanachie Entertainment, 13 Laight St., 6th Fl.,
NY NY, 10013
Shanach@idt.net
Mojo Nixon is an unabashed redneck maniac that
once drove a tank to the very doors of Geffen
Records to sing his oddball classic "Don Henley
Must Die." This recording takes an aim at
contemporary topic like previous Nixon discs have
at people. The hyper-nostalgic, backwoods
troubadour writes of the Internet and modern
technology on "I Don't Want no Cybersex." The
embarrassing similarity of much of electronica to
disco is loudly and pointedly announced in
"Machines Ain't Music/I Got my Mojo Working."
"Honorary Team Captain 1998 U.S. Olympic Luge
Team" targets shiny edifices of popular culture on
"Disney is the Enemy" and "Rock n' Roll Hall of
Lame." Even an unabashed iconoclast like Mojo has
some heroes and eulogies here is American punk
architect Country Dick Manitoba (The Dictators).
After a "Redneck Rampage" even winds down to a
heartfelt country ballad "When Did I Become My
Dad" to conclude the disc. This is more like the
folk and Americana that comes from Shanachie and
the album's instrumentation of harmonica, piano
and guitars is not far from the Shanachie formula
either. But THE REAL SOCK RAY BLUES is soaked in
whiskey from an Appalachian still and much, much
to crude to share with your parents. (3)
Man
or Astroman?
EEVIAC
Touch and Go Records, POB 25520, Chicago IL, 60625
http://www.astroman.com
coco@astroman.com
Continuing on from MADE FROM TECHNETIUM and 1000x,
MoA takes a sci-fi surf sound positively drenched
in reverb to the inter-galactic regions. Space
monster B-movie sound bites populate the disc,
orbiting between the tracks. The artwork of EEVIAC
is of the old, towering magnetic tape drives. MoA
previously has espoused and affinity for out-dated
technology, but there is something more relevant
in the suggestion of weighty hardware. This is a
heavier sound for MoA. The drums and bass smash
along like something more out of their albums of
former labelmates The Jesus Lizard. Adding in the
contrast of the trebly, effected guitar sounds and
the group's peaking voices and the result is a
larger, more substantial sound. While MoA is
still the same old geeks in love with 50s NASA and
B&W extraterrestrials, they now have steroids. The
precipitous build of these beefier songs is
suddenly cut for another odd movie clip and of
these adds to a greater tension and sense of drama
than previously available on MoA recordings.
EEVIAC is the sound of dancing mainframes and the
deadly whine of meteor tracers. (3.5)
******************************
"Don't be normal, be natural!"
Outsight Radio Hours Cybercasts
Fridays 6pm-9pm EST
http://www1.collegemusic.com/index1.asp?url=3Dcontent/
Livecasts/tearaway.asp
Tom 'Tearaway' Schulte
POB 1500, Royal Oak MI, 48068-1500
248/ 544-7179
http://www.detroitmusic.com/outsight
outsight@usa.net
Now playing/showing: 'Camille Claudel'
Current reading list:
Memoirs of a Revolutionist (Kropotkin)
'Screams from the Balcony' (Bukowski letters)
'Object-Relational DBMSs' (Stonebraker)
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