Friday 28 February 2014

Nurse With Wound ‎– "Chance Meeting On A Dissecting Table Of A Sewing Machine And An Umbrella" (United Dairies ‎– UD 01) 1979



Without self released tapes and vinyl the Industrial scene would not have existed. Often dealing with unpleasant and offensive themes, it isn't everyone’s cup of tea. For example, Nurse With Wound's Début release , "Chance Meeting On A Dissecting Table Of A Sewing Machine And An Umbrella", and its artwork depicting women in various states of bondage, caused it to be banned from the Rough Trade co-operative for its politically incorrect images. Therfore it had to be distributed in other ways. Forming an alternative to the alternative!
The music is the usual tape collage of noise and found sounds, and was probably quite shocking back in 1979.Steven Stapleton was apparently offered some free studio time one weekend, and immediately called his record collecting buddies John Fothergill and Heman Pathak, persuading them to buy some instruments - none of them had played music before. The person who offered them the studio asked if he could play a little lead guitar over their "songs " and they couldn’t really refuse, hence the slightly santanaesque flourishes over huge cacophonous slabs of chaos The first release on Steven Stapleton's United Dairies label.
Have to say, the racket on these tracks do reek of a large smattering of over-cleverness; a trait that can get an artist on my Shit List, but i'll forgive them as this record, along with "Homotopy to Marie", are fine works;if this one does rather try that little bit too hard to be "weird" maaaan.
Nurse with wound are getting more famous nowadays for the "Nurse With Wound List" of "interesting" bands which was included, you would do well to check out. Read the full list here.
Don't think for one minute that Stapleton's taste is immaculate, because thaere is some absolute shite on this list as well as the great; at least PiL is on there,so that's no bad start.

(I didn't write this bit,inspired by NWW, i have cut'n'pasted it from somewhere):

"I doubt that any of Nurse With Wound realised it at the time, but the list that accompanied the first Nurse With Wound album, (and also the revised version, included with their second) has become almost like a bible for the intrepid musical adventurer. Sporting the enigmatic text: "Categories strain, crack and sometimes break, under their burden - step out of the space provided..." it has become legendary, as a reference list of revolutionary music, and a challenge to Nurse With Wound collectors around the world, who curious enough to want to hear all the music on it. Of course, this is not an easy task, as the full list nears 300 artists, and many are extremely obscure! As Steve once pointed out, some artists are listed for obvious reasons, some less-so, some are there just for one track!"

Hey check this out,the origin of the image on the sleeve is revealed:
And i thought Stapleton envisioned and  drew it himself ? I'm not the only one stooping to cut'n'paste afterall?...I suppose it fits in with the NWW cut'n'paste music style.....come oooon, what did you expect?) 

Tracklist:

A1 Two Mock Projections 6:20
A2 The Six Buttons Of Sex Appeal 13:13
B Blank Capsules Of Embroidered Cellophane 28:19

Various Artists ‎– "The Elephant Table Album" (X Tract ‎– XX 001) 1983


Companion album to "Three Minute Symphony" compiled, again, by Dave Henderson ,late of the now defunct Sounds newspaper.Full of great tracks, even the 400 Blows track is fantastic, i think they went downhill fast after this single.
Its not perfect, (which is perfection?), as The Legendary Pink Dots do only a mildly irritating version of their Syd Barrett fans play with casiotone keyboards and pots'n'pans stuff.....still made me wanna punch somebody though!
We also got a minimal Coil track which is virtually a slow TR808 solo; dare to be minimal!
SPK on the cusp of becoming total Shite,the excellent Lustmord, Portion Control transmuting into their nasty vocals phase(which i'm not too enamoured about).
To sum it all up, it has its faults, but  a classic old school Industrial compilation, and a great starting point for the Industrial virgin to catch the 80's underground In flagrante delicto! (I don't really speak Latin by the way!)

Tracklist :

A1 Portion Control Chew You To Bits
A2 Chris And Cosey Tears Of Blood
A3 Metamorphosis Muzak From Hawthorne Court
A4 Coil S Is For Sleep
A5 Nurse With Wound Nana Or A Thing Of Uncertain Nonsense
B1 400 Blows Beat The Devil
B2 Konstruktivits Andropov '84
B3 Lustmørd Boning Of Men
B4 Muslimgauze Melena Jesenska (Extract)
B5 David Jackman Edge Of Nothing
C1 SPK Despair
C2 MFH Vox Humana
C3 Nocturnal Emissions Suffering Stinks
C4 Attrition Dream Sleep
C5 Legendary Pink Dots Suprise, Suprise
C6 Paul Kelday Birth Of Planetesimals (Extract)
D1 Bourbonese Qualk Under The City
D2 Sirius B Build Your Children
D3 New 7th Music New Humanity Switchboard (Extract)
D4 We Be Echo Alleycat
D5 Bushido Modelwerk 

DOWNLOAD an elephant into your room part one HERE!

DOWNLOAD another elephant into your room part two HERE!

Various ‎– "Three Minute Symphony" (X Tract ‎– XX002) 1984




Classic compilation that skirts in and around the edge of the Industrial scene of 1984,the underground equivalent of 'Pillows and Prayers' but for weirdo's instead of foppish fringe wearing students.
Being a Sounds reader since the halcyon days of Punk Rock, Sounds contributor and compiler of this album, Dave Henderson, was writing increasingly about the burgeoning underground of there new music of 1984. Nowhere else could you read about such acts as Konstuktivists or Nurse with Wound; and of course, in these pre-internet days,obtaining these records was a stiff task, especially if you lived outside of London. This made these disc's and tapes even more desirable, and the moment one actually obtained one became an almost religious exercise. Slipping the artefact out of its sleeve and playing the messages contained within, which invariably would lead to friends, parents, and neighbours believing that you were either mad or insane, or a potential threat to their community as a whole.
Anything that is a threat to normality is naturally attractive to anyone with their eyes firmly open to this sham we call Civilisation; so that fact put these artists on the front line of consciousness change.
The works within this double album's grooves, span a virtual Who's Who of the underground in 1984, even the granddaddy of Industrial , Conrad Schnitzler himself, who contributes the title track, appears.
It also has probably my favourite German group, Die Tödliche Doris, amongst many other international favourites.
UK Diy is represented well, with Philip Johnson, Colin Potter (with an actual picture on the cover of the man himself!) and David Jackman, can't go wrong there?
The only groan factor was the inclusion of The Legendary Pink Dots, who, as many of you may know, are not one of my favourite groups; but!.....even their track is pretty good,despite that Edward K bloke failing to resist contributing some of his god awful warblings half way through it!
Apart from that sole criticism, this is pretty perfect! (mmm(thinks), doesn't that mean its NOT perfect?......but isn't perfection in itself, imperfection? Without imperfection we wouldn't recognise perfection, therefore by definition, perfection is imperfection is perfection.9999999 recurring?).


Tracklist:

A1 Kill Ugly Pop Let's Get Real Gone 3:45
A2 Ptose Waiting For My Soul 3:30
A3 Trax Trax Co Mix 1 3:12
A4 Die Todliche Doris Maria 2:45
A5 Van Kaye And Ignit A Slice Of The Action 3:30
A6 Bene Gesserit White Men 3:10
B1 Colin Potter The State 2:57
B2 Human Flesh L'Ultima Storia 3:20
B3 DDAA Your Mother With A Cake 3:10
B4 Point Of Collapse When Worlds Collide 3:10
B5 David Jackman Wolf (Part 2) 3:05
B6 Sema Untitled 3:20
C1 Hunting Lodge Tribal Warning Shot 2:58
C2 Roll Kommando Die Romantik Ist Tot 3:00
C3 Stratis I Fotia 2:58
C4 Merzbow Xa-Bungle 3:10
C5 Philip Johnson Always Behind You 1:58
C6 Conrad Schnitzler Three Minute Symphony No 1 3:00
D1 Nagamatzu Bird, Spider, Fly 3:05
D2 Hurt Money Matters 3:20
D3 Nurse With Wound Antacid Cocamotive 93 3:50
D4 Legendary Pink Dots No Bell, No Prize 3:52
D5 Asmus Tietchens Dahinter Industriegelande 3:10
D6 Smegma The Breathing Method 3:00

DOWNLOAD these 24 Three Minute Symphonies HERE!

Thursday 27 February 2014

Monte Cazazza ‎– "The Worst Of Monte Cazazza" (The Grey Area ‎– MONTE 1CD) 1992


A belated compilation of the very Non-prolific inspirator for Throbbing Gristle's Industrial records moniker, Monte Cazazza.
An excellent retrospective of Cazazza's work,from TG style echo laden recitals, sound collages, to some minimal electronics.Definitely a twin soul for Throbbing Gristle,and a fine body of work.

Tracklist:

1 Bart Alberti, M.D. Psychiatric Review 2:10
2 Monte Cazazza To Mom On Mother's Day 3:26
3 Monte Cazazza Candy Man 2:33
4 Monte Cazazza Rabid Rats (Vietnam) 2:09
5 Monte Cazazza Distress 2:21
6 Monte Cazazza Mary Bell 2:23
7 Monte Cazazza Kick The Habit Man 2:04
8 Monte Cazazza First / Last 5:14
9 Monte Cazazza Tiny Tears 1:39
10 Monte Cazazza Stairway To Hell 4:50
11 Monte Cazazza Sex Is No Emergency 2:59
12 Monte Cazazza A Snitch Is A Snitch 8:59
13 Love Force, The Six Eyes From Hell 4:45
14 Love Force, The Liars (Feed Those Christians To The Lions) 5:26
15 Atom Smashers, The A Is For Atom 6:10
16 Atom Smashers, The If Thoughts Could Kill 6:36
17 Atom Smashers, The Mark Of The Devil 6:19
18 Love Force, The Climax 8:00

Stuff for Trainspotters:

Track 1 specially recorded for this CD by a PhD in Psychology who presents his "clinical" analysis of Cazazza (1991).
Tracks 2 & 3 from Monte Cazazza - To Mom On Mother's Day 7".
Track 4 previously unreleased (1978).
Tracks 5, 6, 7 & 8 recorded at Industrial Records Studio, London, February 1980 and from Monte Cazazza - Something For Nobody 7".
Track 9 previously unreleased (1979).
Tracks 10 & 11 from Monte Cazazza - Stairway To Hell / Sex Is No Emergency 7".
Track 12 from Various - Pinpoints On A Nation compilation cassette.
Tracks 13, 14 & 18 previously unreleased (1990).
Tracks 15, 16 & 17 recorded at Oasis Recording, San Francisco and from Atom Smashers, The - First Strike LP.
Tracks 12 to 18 remastered to DAT at Garuda Records San Francisco 1991.
Tracks 2 and 3 taken directly from vinyl, as the original master tapes no longer exist. Both tracks digitally enhanced at The Exchange, London 1991.

DOWNLOAD the worst of HERE!

Various Artists - "The Men With The Deadly dreams" (White Stains Tapes WERK002) 1981


Ultra scarce compilation tape released by Geoff Rushton whilst producing his fanzine 'Stabmental' in 1981.
Produced by Chris Watson in May/June 1981, it includes two rare tracks from the long forgotten enigma that was Rema Rema.A droning bass driven dirge call "Why Ask Why", and 8 minutes of staccato Bass twanging with Kenny Morris style drumming(by Max aka Dorothy) that is called simply,"Christopher". Rema Rema were famed for the excellent "Wheel In The Roses" ep on 4AD, and more so for containing the infamous,or rather the Not famous,'Dorothy' in its ranks; the co-creator of the sublime Dorothy single on Industrial Records. Also contained within this group was one Marco Pironi,late of the Banshees and the Models, and later to find fame in Adam and the Ants.(Also credited with some stupid statement about how he lost interest in 'punk rock' when his little clique was infiltrated by 'us', and ruined it for him......ahhhh diddums; and here's me thinking it was elitism that ruined punk rock'....well, that and all the main bands selling out to the 'man!!)
There are two impossibly rare solo tracks from Cabaret Voltaire's Chris Watson and Richard H. Kirk. Watson's 'News Cut up 2/5/81 is an almost danceable industrial disco number, with relentless 808 deprogramming,and bubbling electronics, which point towards "2x45" era Cabs.
Whereas Richard H. Kirk's "Powermad" looks back to the proto-cabs sound of "Disposable Half-Truths", swapping clarinet for alto sax,improvising over a fuzzy rhythm-scape.
Throbbing Gristle's Chris Carter makes a rare solo appearance as well, with a rather creepy number called "climbing",complete with 'gristlised' electronics, merged with Diamanda Galas style screeching,and disembodied drum fondling.
Eyeless In Gaza go 'Industrial' with their track "Pale Saints",which sounds not unlike a combination of the Chris Carter and Richard H. Kirk numbers.
Culturcide, the crazily monikered M A Peacock and A House, all tread the same turf, with plenty of found sound cut up techniques a-plenty.
In all, a highly consistent compilation, full of lovely early industrial electronic experimentation.
If ever there was a K-Tel compilation of Industrial Music, it would have sounded like this. Mmmmmmm......nice.

Track Listing:

A1     Christopher R Watson –News Cut-Up 2/5/81     3:02    
A2     Rema Rema – Why Ask Why?                            8:25    
A3     Eyeless In Gaza – Pale Saints                            5:37    
A4     Culturcide – Land Of Birds                                4:32    
B1     Chris Carter  –     Climbing                                5:44    
B2     Rema Rema –     Christopher                             4:28    
B3     A House – Words From A Radio                        4:46    
B4     Richard H Kirk – Powermad                              4:29    
B5     M A Peacock –     Voices                                     2:56

DOWNLOAD these deadly dreams HERE!

Rema Rema - "Complete recordings" (1979/1980) + "Fond Reflections" (4AD 2019)



TrackListing for "Fond Reflections":

1-1 Feedback Song 7:36
1-2 Rema-Rema 4:25
1-3 Gallery/Oh Rock N Roll 6:39
1-4 Lost My Way 4:28
1-5 Short Stories 2:00
1-6 International Scale 3:43
1-7 Fond Affections 3:44
1-8 Why Ask Why 6:24
1-9 Instrumental 4:52
1-10 Entry 5:59
2-1 Feedback Song 6:32
2-2 Rema-Rema 4:34
2-3 Entry 6:02
2-4 Instrumental 4:02
2-5 Fond Affections 4:01
2-6 No Applause 4:22
2-7 Murdermuzic 4:23

Disc 1:
Tracks: 1,2,9,10 Live Rehearsal Recordings From 1979 @ Halligans Rehearsal Space
Track: 6 Recorded @ Halligans In Stereo On Quarter Inch Tape, 1979
Tracks: 3,4,5,7,8 Recorded In A Portobello Road Basement On A Teac Quarter Inch Four Track Machine, September 1978
All Tracks Licensed From Le Coq Musique (c) 2019
Disc 2:
Tracks: 1-3 Produced By Rema-Rema And Wally Brill. Recorded At Pathway Studio, London
Tracks: 4-7 Recorded Live At The Albany Empire, July '79

Yes, Dorothy was Max from one of thee great lost bands, Rema Rema. So here's a collection of everything that was captured on tape by said band.
It includes the beyond magnificent "Wheel in the Roses" e.p. on 4AD, the two live tracks they contributed to "The Men with Deadly Dreams" compilation(coming next here), and a live bootleg of a support slot at the Lyceum in 1979,containing a few tracks that I have no clue what they are called at all.
The band consisted of Gary Asquith (guitar/vocals), Marco Pirroni (guitar), Mick Allen (bass/vocals), Mark Cox (keyboards) and Max (drums). Their sole EP, Wheel In The Roses, featured one side of studio recordings and another of live material. Their songs ‘Fond Affections’ and ‘Rema-Rema’ were later covered by This Mortal Coil and Big Black respectively.
Rema-Rema split up shortly after the EP's release in April 1980. Pirroni later hit the big time with Adam And The Ants. Asquith, Allen and Cox formed the short-lived Mass with Danny Briottet. Asquith then moved on to Renegade Soundwave, while Cox and Allen stayed with 4AD as part of The Wolfgang Press.
Drummer Max, aka Dorothy,eventually joined Psychic TV full time.

Now with added Remastered.live and rehearsal recordings from back in the day in the form of "Fond Reflections", as released by 4AD in 2019. I've waited nearly forty years for a Rema-Rema album, and its finall here.....its brilliant.There are still a few tracks missing, but we have them here on the "Complete Rema Rema" download....now it really is complete!
Definitely a pivotal group in my long lost Youth.

DOWNLOAD fond reflections fondly HERE!

DOWNLOAD the complete Rema Rema HERE!