Don't Touch That Stereo Part I

Millie & Andrea - Drop The Vowels (2014)
This is one of the dudes from Demdike Stare and some other bloke. For some reason I'm really enjoying this record which I didn't really expect to. I don't think anything much new is happening here. There a bit of post dubstep, some gamelan vibes, isolationist type ambience, a dose of Basic Channel, hardcore continuum styles, drum & bass pops its head up, tech-house (that was a thing wasn't it for a minute there in the 90s?) and I dunno it's all a bit zombie rave (that should so be a genre). Not really hands up in the air more like your arms fall off as you try to raise them above your waste. Is it undeconstructed or reconstuctured deconstruction or constructed unreconstruction? More to the point does anyone give a shit at this point? More nails in the coffin for rave in the best possible sense.

Clouds - Ghost System Rave (2013)
A bit late on this one. Ghost System Rave was only hipped to me in early January by Reynolds via Energy Flash. This is far and away the best album I missed last year, the only other contender being Holden's The Inheritors. It most certainly would have made my top 9. As far as album titles that describe their contents go this is perfection. Whilst the ingredients suggest the 90s, something pulls this away from mere retro-activity. Perhaps Future 1 is the only exception to that rule here as it soundz like an obscure 91 grimey 'ardcore gem that Blog To The Old Skool might have dug up. Ghost System Rave is not just techno micro-genres revisited. Its like you're hearing an early 90s rave through a ghost's ears. You feel like you've heard it before but you haven't, not like this. This is a delightfully askew musical experience. It sounds/feels like you've already dropped the drugs and you're occupying an inbetween dimension. This is an incredible musical achievement. Rave from the otherside. We just had Zombie Rave and now this is Ghost Rave.

True Detective - Part One

Smokin Rust

I think I've just watched the TV event of 2014. True Detective sounded boring to me and the poster was hardly sellin it to me either. It was only after watching Dallas Buyers Club (inspirational renegade movie in the vein of Milk & Erin Brockovich where Matthew McConaughey put in a sterling performance), that I became sufficiently motivated to finally watch True Detective. This show is pretty much a philosophical debate thinly disguised as a Cop Buddy/Southern Gothic Horror drama.

There's a fair bit of "I'm Marlon Brando!" "No, I'm Marlon Brando!" where the two leads McConaughey and Woody Harrelson try to out mumble one another. Talk about actors pushing each other to new heights; they both put in outstanding, career-best performances. The script is dense, funny, thought provoking and unlike anything I've seen or heard on TV recently. There's a definite southern Twin Peaks vibe happening here as the show opens with a dead girl in the middle of nowhere, followed by the ensuing murder investigation. Not to mention diaries and esoteric/occult themes. The academics and theorists must be loving it, as I can see a million essays on what the true meaning of all the chit chat between the two leads really means. Which philosophy wins and who do you side with, etc. Nihilism, existentialism, religion, atheism, some cosmic supernatural shit and everything inbetween all get a look in. I'm still getting my head around the flurry of concepts thrust at me during the eight, hour long, episodes. Oh and apart from all that, it's a really bloody intense, scary and thrilling show.

Watching Breaking Bad you could basically ignore any subtext and just dig on the propulsive, event-laden, minimal plot - which I think I did. That show for me was ultimately pure visceral entertainment in excellis possibly never to be rivalled. True detective sets out to make you think from the minute it starts but this doesn't detract from the unfolding dramatic plot. For those of you feeling bereft after the conclusion of Breaking Bad you will be able to find some solace here in True Detective, particularly around episodes three, four and five where it rivals the predecessor's edge of your seat thrills. Other parallels can be drawn here particularly with Bryan Cranston and Matthew McConaughey both transforming themselves into actors beyond what we could have ever imagined them becoming. Sure, now I look back at Malcolm In The Middle and realise that maybe Hal was genius too but I don't think I'll be going back to How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days and thinking similar things of McConaughey's performance. Then again I've been reliably told he has been building up to this since 2011 with his previous six films. This is all a moot point, as they are now the two best actors of their generation and seemingly peerless.

Horror Movie Soundtracks Need No Transformation

I've only just noticed this article from late last year where it is claimed that perhaps soundtracks are mere memorabilia and the vinyl reissue boom of horror soundtracks is not necessarily based in "the music's stand alone appeal." It is also claimed that the vinyl resurgence of OSTs of horror may have led to the live revival of certain acts.

Using me as an example lets have a look at these claims. DRG Records had this series of cds in the mid 90s Classic Italian Soundtracks. I have the first two volumes of the Goblin compilations, one on  Ennio Morricone's  trilogy of soundtracks for Dario Argento and 4 volumes of  of the Spaghetti Westerns compilations. Of the 17 soundtracks featured on those 2 Goblin comps I'd seen one of the films, Patrick, at the time. Since the mid 90s I have collected 9 individual scores by Goblin and even a couple from the solo Claudio Simmonetti. Now over 15 years later I've only seen one more of the movies that they scored Suspiria and I'm not even sure if that's worth watching. Three of my all time favourite Morricone scores (sure, I like a few others too) are the 3 he scored for Argento The Bird With Crystal Plumage, The Cat O Nine Tails and Four Flies On Grey Velvet. I've never viewed the movies and probably never will. But this music is some of the all time great music of the Twentieth century.

Now I will pick 10 of my favourite horror soundtracks off the top of my head not including any of the aforementioned.

• Christine - John Carpenter & Alan Howarth
• Maniac - Jay Chataway
• Zombie Holocaust - Nico Fidenco
• Porno Holocaust - Nico Fidenco
• Halloween - John Carpenter
• A Lizard In A Woman's Skin - Ennio Morricone
• Chopping Mall - Chuck Cirino
• La Coda Dello Scorpione - Bruno Nicolai
• The Wicker Man - Paul Giovanni
• Eraserhead - Alan Splet & David Lynch

These ten soundtracks I have listened to a zillion times (but only seen three of the films) and think the music is fantastic just as much as any other genre of LP I would listen to. In fact surely there is a case for John Carpenter to be considered one of 20th centuries great composers. I don't need some deluxe reissue for this terrific music to be transformed beyond memorabilia, do I Mr Reed? Perhaps your attitude to movie music needs to transform more than anything. I often think a lot of movies don't deserve the brilliant music they get to soundtrack their films. This all fits in with my 'music is a much more successful cultural artform than film' argument that has been mentioned previously on my blog. Sure you might think I'm just a music guy, so of course I'm going to say that. Once upon a time however I was a definite film guy and was going to go into professional movie reviewing.

For how serious and intense people are about soundtracks and sound design you may want to check out the three volumes published from Philip Brophy's Cinesonic conferences in 1998, 1999 & 2000 by The Australian Film TV and Radio School. Brophy also published the excellent 100 Modern Soundtracks which was part of the BFI Screen Guides series in 2004. Perhaps someone should publish (er... maybe me) a book on soundtracks that stand alone as musical artefacts considering I've just come up with 25 of them in this short article.

The live return of people like Alan Howarth, Fabio Frizzi, Goblin (Goblin have always been around in one form or another as far as I can tell) and another Goblin was inevitable as their cults grew bigger and bigger by the day. More than likely the internet has served as the main reason for these artists' growth in popularity. Having said that, if someone was cluey and cashed up enough in the 90s to promote these artists live I'm sure they would have sold out shows in capital cities across the world.

Don't get me wrong, beautiful new shiny packaging, special artwork and the fetishization of vinyl are all fine things but it's still all about the music innit? I mean Blue Jasmine is an excellent film but I'm not about to rush and buy that OST if its released with a bunch of extra bells and whistles on chunky vinyl am I?

Love the soundtrack & the poster.
I wonder what the film's like?

More On Soundtracks

I've only just realised there was a 1983 sequel to 1980s The Boogey Man and it is possible Tim Krog was responsible for the soundtrack to that as well as the original but information is thin on the ground. By the looks of things the soundtrack to Revenge of the Boogey Man aka Boogey Man II has never seen the light of day. Now that would be a coup if a record company could get a hold of both of these scores. Although perhaps the original score was just reused. If anyone has any information and can confirm or deny such rumours leave a comment.
                                                                                                                                                           

I've also discovered this brilliant mixtape of 70s and 80s horror soundtracks at SoundCloud called Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death from RFLX. Its got all your favourite composers Frizzi, Chattaway, Lynch and Splet, Shore, Fidenco, Korzynski etc. I know 95% of this music but it's mixed in such an exciting and propulsive manner that its a joy to listen to despite its familiarity. This is the biz.

Horror Movie Right There On Me Stereo

It's been a daily bonanza in the last few years for lovers of soundtracks with a vinyl fetish. Before that we already had the Trunk and Finders Keepers record labels releasing soundtrack esoterica for over ten years. More recently a bunch of new record labels have popped up to satiate your cult film score needs mainly in the vinyl format. Odd, obscure, cult and classic soundtracks are all getting the reissue treatment. What's incredible is how much of it is great stuff. Horror and electronic scores are getting some much deserved attention from labels such as Death Waltz, Waxwork and the new Belgian label One Way Static. These labels have definitely found a niche market for horror buffs who also love their vinyl. Bloggers (Inferno Music Vault, Digital Meltdown, Sleazy Listening, and, well the list goes on & on) are probably most responsible for the rise in interest in these sounds. Such blogs have been passionate about bringing classic and little heard, some even unreleased, horror scores into the public spotlight for many years. Of course many of these links are now dead as these new small labels are now reissuing the music. These labels are set up with a ready made audience wanting their product thanks to the enthusiasm and effort put in by the blogging fraternity. The ongoing cults of Morricone, Goblin and Carpenter have led to a trickle down effect for other lesser known but equally excellent film composers Bruno Nicolai, Giuliano Sorgini, Riz Ortolani, Nico Fidenco, Fabio Frizzi, Richard Band etc. The OSTs to Argento and Carpenter directed films have been exhaustively reissued. Its now the time for another bunch of directors films to get a look in: Fulci, Lenzi, Girolami, Ferrara, Deodato, Craven etc.

I've been searching for the Day Of The Dead (1985) soundtrack ever since I re-watched it 5 or 6 years ago. I couldn't find it in mp3 form, let alone a physical copy. Waxwork re-released it and I bloody missed out but now I think the MP3 is on sale so I guess I'll have to make do with John Harrison's classic 80s synth zombie score in diminished audio. If they get around to releasing Harrison's masterpiece Creepshow I will not be missing out on that! Waxwork were also responsible for one one of my favourite reissues of the 2013, Re-Animator by Richard Band from 1985 as well as the perennially creepy Rosemary's Baby by Krzysztof Komeda.

Death Waltz have covered the obvious ie Goblin and many titles from John Carpenter and Alan Howarth. But new or recent (read post '80's) scores aren't out of the question for their catalogue. Donnie Darko and Room 237 have been issued. Remake scores get a look in as well. Who even knew they remade Maniac or Evil Dead let alone had soundtracks worthy enough to be issued by such a quality label? A reissue of the scores to the original movies of those two wouldn't be unwelcome either. Death Waltz's three most exciting reissues for me have been House By The Cemetery by Walter Rizzati, The Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue by Giuliano Sorgini and De Masi's New York Ripper. Now they are set to reissue two of my all time favourite unheralded scores. I only have a crappy mp3 of Ralph Jones' soundtrack to Slumber Party Massacre so I'm looking forward to hearing this in its original glory. This is an exceptional score of melodic pulsating synthy creepiness and minimal mayhem. The other is possibly the cultiest soundtrack item of them all Susan Justin's electronic score to Forbidden World. This has been unavailable since its original release in 1982. Never seen the film (possibly not even strictly a horror flick) but love the soundtrack. '80's new wave synth disco, space age tones, squeaks, squelches, eerie melodies and even mini slices of power electronics make this one of the most unique and best soundtracks of the '80's if not the best. Some of it sounds like it was recorded yesterday and released on Spectrum Spools.

80s Masterpiece

One Way Static have twigged my interest with the imminent release of Roberto Donati's OST to Cannibal Ferox from 1981 although this was only released less than 2 years ago in digital. This is a classic funky disco psych gem with swathes of intense horror synth. One of Italy's great soundtracks. One Way Static's other releases have been two seventies Wes Craven titles, The Last House On The Left with a soundtrack from David Alexander Hess and Don Peak's score to The Hills Have Eyes.

On the more arthouse tip was last years sublime synthesiser score from Eduard Artemiev for the 1972 Andrei Tarkovsky film Solaris, which made it into my reissues of 2013 list. This was released on Superior Viaduct not really a Soundtrack label but worth a mention as Artimiev's scores have never been released for the western market before. This year the label plan on releasing two more of Artemiev's Tarkovsky soundtracks, the scores to the 1979 Russian cult movie Stalker and The Mirror (1975) will get a release. I recall Stalker having some of the most extraordinary and haunting drones I'd ever heard on celluloid.

There is so much happening in this little sector of the music world I don't know if I can keep up. I'm assuming somewhere along the line Wayne Bell & Tobe Hooper's experimental score to 1974's Texas Chainsaw Massacre will get a release as well as Joe Delia's bizarre soundtrack to Abel Ferarra's Driller Killer (Delia's score to Ferarra's Ms.45 was issued by Death Waltz recently). My wish list would include 3 horror soundtracks I've never been able to track down before. Madeleine-Anitomia Di Un Incubo (1974) composed by Maurizio Vandetti, Chopping Mall (1986) by Chuck Cirino and 1980's Roberto Donati score for Umberto Lenzi's Mangiati Vivi! (Eaten Alive). Oh and what about Tim Krog's fabulous Boogey Man score last issued in its year of release 1980? Finally, surely there is a bidding war going on now to see who gets the vinyl release for the (un)holy grail of Italian horror soundtracks Cannibal Holocaust. I've got that on cd though, so who cares?! What do you think I am, some kind of vinyl snob?

This was released on California's other SST label in 1980.

*Previous post here on Slumber Party Massacre and one here on The Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue.

Skrillex & Time

Had a very brief listen to the Skrillex album Recess and for all its atemporality it sounded very much 2011 to me, the best bits anyway. This had me thinking that perhaps time hasn't completely collapsed. Is there still hope that time will get back on track? Or is it just now we have different versions of the atemporal. Perhaps Skrillex just doesn't have the latest old influences. To be more now/not now (atemporal in 2014) i dunno maybe he needs a bit of disco, EBM, Gabba or_________(insert latest old trend) thrown in the mix. Then will that just date him to now though. Whichever way you look at it, it's still all dated. But it's more complicated than you think. Watch this space.....

Lamborghini Crystal's Better Than The New Stuff

After really diggin Helm's Silencer from last year I have to say Impasse their new reissue from 2008 is pretty disappointing. It just drones on in a very unoriginal manner. Where's the beats? Generic drone is happening now, well then and that was a while ago. Why? Who really cares? Clay Rendering's new 12" Waters Above The Firmament was described as recalling The Cocteau Twins, Cranes and Sonic Youth. Was this supposed to entice me or make me wanna throw up. How many more bloody bands are gonna sound like The Cocteaus or Sonic Youth? I think if I read an artist was influenced by Paul Young I'd be more likely to check that out. Hey I loved early Cranes, do I wanna hear someone rippin them off over 20 years later?

Is that JC Peavey in the corner?

I came across a couple of Lamborghini Crystal tapes I had not heard today. It's pretty easy to write off James Ferraro's work as ephemeral due to its abundance and his post Far Side Virtual slide into crapness. However there was once a time when it was very exciting to hear what his latest 5 albums were like. The releases from Lamborghini Crystal I already had 1992 Cool Runnings,  Alien Microwave, Draco Shop Bop Volume 1, Dial 747 Creepozoid and Roach Motel are all top notch. These were peaks in his ridiculous career that were the foretaste of his classic, probably greatest solo outing Night Dolls With Hairspray. Lamborghini Crystal was a duo though that also contained JC Peavey although he could very well be fictitious. Would I dig these two seven year old tapes now that his moment had passed and his reputation was dwindling? Fuck yeah because they're the biz.

Clock Tower Acid could have almost been released on GhostBox. Half of it sounds like early Belbury Poly crossed with later Advisory Circle. It's got a real Euro-library feel. Come to think of it, it might not even be him at all. It could be just some wholesale appropriation of a 70s synth artist. Anyway the other half is like a malfunctioning Ariel Pink robot attempting cartoon noise rock. To top it off it's all recorded on the world's most decrepit tape.

Smoking Out His Majesties UFO is an album that sounds like it was made by a band that only appeared on Z grade soundtracks of straight to video movies from the 80s.  This is a trip that is very not quite right, sounding like they'd dropped acid and recorded it in an amusement arcade. Side 1 is a particularly splendid slice of chopped up baby gonzoid electro space psych.

I am pleased to read on discogs there's 3 more tapes and that I'm still yet to hear. How long will it take to track these down?

Smoking Out His
Majesties UFO
(2007)

Ekoplekz - Unfidelity

It's always a good week when Nick Edwards aka Ekoplekz puts out a new LP or tape. This is probably Ekoplekz's most accessible record to date. His usual eerie electronic dub cluster-fuck is more restrained here, with a lot more space. His solo double LP Plezatoinz was perhaps the foretaste of this expansive direction but where those tracks were like 15 minutes long Unfidelity's are a third of the size and a lot more compact. His unpredictable clanky echoes and synth smears are mighty on this album. Melody is even lurking within some of these tracks. Atmospheres and tension are built to unprecedented soundtrack-like levels. It's still undoubtedly Ekoplekz though and his music is in no way diminished. In fact it is quite possibly more powerful. Wow you could even maybe dance to some of these tunes. Ekoplekz is still the sound of the wintry demise of capitalism, industry and time. Or is it just the sound of a man trying to manipulate his wayward machines? Analogue Twitch and the humidity of Coalpit Heath are pointing toward the day when Ekoplekz will make the perfect dystopian summer album. Unfidelity is the album of the year and it's only March.

It's Glam Party Time II....With Suzi Quatro

To be quite honest I don't recall this one from childhood. Maybe it wasn't a hit in Australia however I was only a toddler at the time. Actually it got to no. 4 here but the other 3 here were number ones. I think she was bigger in Australia than anywhere else, having hits long after this little run of gold.

To me these are the 4 classics that were released in succession. The next couple I didn't like so much (but others rate them). That's 4 classics though. The Buggles only managed one.

Mr & Mrs Z

I am so sick of having to desire Beyonce. Yeah Beyonce we know you're beautiful. Yep you've got a rockin bod there Beyonce. Very nice booty Beyonce. Yep junk, yep trunk, yep jelly. I see Beyonce's body more than I see my own wife's for Christ's sake. Maybe I won't have to desire her for much longer as her narcissism is starting to cloud my judgement of her external beauty. I pity her poor kids when they're older and they have to hear that Jay Z rap about movin Beyonce's knickers... sorry I should say panties to the side and something about her box. Come on Mr & Mrs Z your kids are gonna be in for a rough time if you keep this shit up. No matter how beautiful you are it doesn't matter you're someone's parents and hey that's gross.

Also Beyonce post Destiny's Child a little overrated? Yes.

Those Jay Z lyrics in full from Drunk In Love (Beyonce doesn't really strike me as a party girl. I can't really imagine her pissed)

[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
(I'm nice right now)
Hold up
That D'USSÉ is the shit if I do say so myself
If I do say so myself, if I do say so myself
Hold up,
Stumbled all in the house time to back up all of that mouth
That you had all in the car, talking 'bout you the baddest bitch thus far
Talking 'bout you be repping that third, I wanna see all the shit that I heard
Know I sling Clint Eastwood, hope you can handle this curve
Foreplay in the foyer, fucked up my Warhol
Slip the panties right to the side
Ain't got the time to take draws off, on site
Catch a charge I might, beat the box up like Mike
In '97 I bite, I'm Ike, Turner, turn up
Baby no I don't play, now eat the cake, Anna Mae
Said, "Eat the cake, Anna Mae!"
I'm nice, for y'all to reach these heights you gonna need G3
4, 5, 6 flights, sleep tight
We sex again in the morning, your breastases is my breakfast
We going in, we be all night

*Taken from AZLyrics.com

Child Z -  "Dad what did you have for brekky?"

Jay Z -  "I had yer mum's breastases."

Child Z -  "Of course you did dad."

Its Party Time With........Gary Glitter

This was originally a B-side dub!

The sound and vision here combine for a pop art masterpiece. The cameraman and director are unusually sympathetic to Glitter's art here.

What a run of hit singles. These were all released in a row starting in 1972 through to 73. What a nut job! Did people notice this at the time or just in retrospect? What about his hair? His dancing was fabulous. He comes across as very aggressive and quite unhinged really. I dunno if Gary was a laugh or   if people were scared of him. What more do you need from pop though? Fascinating. Outfuckingrageous! Gold!

*Up yours Sting.

I Like The Old Stuff Better Than The New Stuff

So far this year there's been 3 releases that have arrived but I hardly want to play them at all. Before I started my blog I had a renewed interest in all things current in music from like 2008 to pretty much the start of last year. The only things from the recent past still getting an airing are that Gesaffelstein album Aleph, which I just can't get enough of (the best album of 2013 I reckon) and the Logos album Cold Mission. My most played music of last year wasn't new at all it was Steely Dan in fact. This year its been T-Rex, post-Eno Roxy Music, 70s Bowie (is there any other?), Suzi Quatro singles, New York Dolls, The Runaways and The Dictators. Who can explain where your head is gonna go? Youtube is probably the most influential catalyst for my listening, not radio, tv or print media. In fact I haven't listened to the radio or bought a music magazine for six months. The occasional blog or website might put me on a path but its mainly my own brain that leads the way. Listening to Ultravox, Tubeway Army and the subsequent solo outings from John Foxx and Gary Numan makes sense. I can thank Genesis P Orridge for a renewed interest in The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter by The Incredible String Band and the discovery of Dr Strangely Strange's Kip Of The Serenes. He mentioned liking those recently on the interweb.

It's not lookin good for these 3 new records. I've skipped through Sun Araw's Belomancie and it seemed a little annoying so I dunno if I'll return to it? Sun Araw's Beach Head, Heavy Deeds, On Patrol and Ancient Romans are some of my favourite recordings of last few years. Cameron Stallones last LP under the guise of Sun Araw The Inner Treaty didn't really appeal but his collaboration with M Geddes Gengres and The Congos Icon Give Thank from 2012 was great.

I got a little excited by the arrival of Pye Corner Audio's Black Mill Tapes 3 & 4.  I dug the previous Volumes 1 & 2, Sleep Games and The House In The Woods (his side Project) LP Bucolica, but I don't even think I've played this new one all the way through yet and I've had it for over a month.

After these two underwhelming releases I wasn't expecting much from Kemper Norton's album Carn. Maybe there was no life left in the farmer in the city, gumboot industrial, rustic bunny blah blah but thankfully it sounds bloody great (after one listen) and this one I will be returning to right after listening to The Groundhogs Hogwash, Gary Glitter and DJ Extreme's Tom & Jerry Mix  of course....

Mommy Mommy Where's My Brain

Someone telling Nick Cave to shut-up, priceless. Who's this Johnny Public? I can't find anything about him, but I like his low fi Suicide-esque shtick. That AC/DC thing's good too. 

Toni, Alannis, Robin and Guy Chadwick

Where are they Now?

So it turns out Guy Chadwick can be added to the club that Toni Halliday (see previous post) belonged to. Guy was apparently some kind of failed new romantic before he gained credibility (whatever that means?) during the House Of Love's heady rise and quick demise in the late 80s/early 90s. I reckon Creation Records who the House Of Love were signed to probably tried to hush this up at the time.  I only heard about it the other day after watching that doco on Creation Records. This turned out to be mainly about Alan McGee. But I think one on Guy & Terry would be classic. Chadwick was terrible at drinking and drugs according to himself. One facet they failed to address in the film was all the unsuccessful artists (artistically and financially) McGee signed. That would make a very long list. Slowdive didn't even get a mention, I mean Noel Gallagher had to tell us one more time about all the drugs he's done and how awesome he is so what did you expect? Did anyone ever notice that Oasis were like a third rate version of the fabulous 60s band The Creation and that's what the label was named after? 

Here they are.

Shoegazers II - The Pale Saints

When I said in that shoegaze post that the Pale Saints had their moments that seemed a bit dismissive. I meant they had some superlative moments. The Pale Saints energy and dynamics were harvested to great affect on their recordings. Something about them was different from the Thames Valley bands. There was more to them than floppy fringes and stripe-y T-Shirts. They seemed just as informed by MOR and Wire as they were by My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus & Mary Chain. They had a vibe that was effortless and assured. Maybe they were just more talented than the rest and you felt like they could be stars because they were like real artists.

Hair Shoes with it's startling intensity, still sounds astonishing to this day. This is from their second album In Ribbons.

Sometime in my preteens I got my first tape recorder. It was a mono portable Panasonic thing. The first blank tape I ever bought was given to a friend and he recorded a handful Devo songs on it. I vaguely remember a live version of Freedom Of Choice. This may be it, I dunno. When I first heard The Pixies their guitar sound put me in mind of Devo and this tune in particular.

*PS (2 hours later)
It seems after some research that the tunes put to that tape must have been from the DEV-O Live EP. This had six tracks recorded in 1980 and released in 81. It spent 3 weeks at the top of the Australian singles charts.

These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

Ooh la la Nancy, at your age!

Shoegaze

I saw that Slowdive were reforming on a website. I thought I'll dig out those early Slowdive tapes (no one ever stole tapes) and cds. The first 3 EPs Slowdive (90), Holding Our Breath (91) and Morningrise (91) plus most of their debut LP Just For A Day (91) I always rated. Listening back to them the other day revealed that I was perhaps correct, well I enjoyed them anyway. They had some stellar tunes Celia's Dream, Catch The Breeze, She Calls & the amazing epic Primal. They were definitely the most Cocteau Twins influenced of the shoegaze brigade whereas say Ride, early on, were probably more influenced by 80s noise rock. The meeting point for all these bands was My Bloody Valentine, they would be the centre of your Venn diagram. On the outside would be girl groups, stadium rock, cutie, goth, fx pedal worship, ambient, psych pop etc. Of those Ride tunes I recall diggin the first four EPs Ride, Play, Fall (all from 90) and Today Forever (91) as well well as like three quarters of the debut LP Nowhere (90) but only a couple of tracks from the follow up Going Blank Again (92). I saw Ride play live a couple of times and they were a powerhouse wall of noise band (gee the drummer was good) compared to their more sedate recordings, I liked that dichotomy. What about the others? The Pale Saints and The Boo Radleys had their moments, Chapterhouse didn't. I didn't hate Lush I just didn't buy their records.

Then there was Curve whose first couple of EPs were terrific but I don't think you were meant to like them. They were the corporate machine co-opting the underground once again and perhaps signalling the end of the scene. The lead singer of Curve Tony Halliday was one of these Allanis Morrissette, Robin Thicke types who was signed to a major label, had a failed pop career then somehow got a second chance as a totally different type of artist. There was even a shoegazing band from Sydney called Jupiter who I saw once in a South Melbourne pub. They had a great tune Sense (note to self track down that EP). There was a time circa 90/91 when you thought this thrilling bliss would last forever. America even had a go with The Drop Nineteens whose record Delaware (92) was pretty good (I listened to it the other day) as was Medicine's Shot Forth Self Living (92) LP. Anyone remember Smashed Orange (very vague memory of them) or The Belltower's Outshine The Sun? Some kind of award should go to Lilys who sounded so much like My Bloody Valentine it was preposterous. They were so absurd you couldn't help but admire their commitment see their LP In The Presence of Nothing from 92. There were many more I don't remember but when a girlfriend at the time showed up with a record by Revolver (a C-grade Ride rip off) you knew the end was near. I never bought Slowdive's Souvlaki (93) or the follow up Pygmalion (95). Some people rate these highly maybe I missed out, maybe I didn't. Worth missing out on though were The Boo Radleys Wake Up (95), Ride's Carnival Of Light (94) and The Pale Saints had lost it by Slow Buildings (94). After the release of Loveless in 91 My Bloody Valentine went AWOL for the rest of the 90s and even Lilys changed their style mid decade. The spirit of MBV lived on with Seefeel, Third Eye Foundation, Moonshake and Flying Saucer Attack making excellent music in other genres during the 90s. There have been resurgences and revivals over the years....some current groups probably consider the original wave of shoegazers an influence.

Award winning genuine fake.

Too Hot part 2

This is Champagne comedy right here.

Skinny Puppy - Worlock (Rated R Version)

It's too hot to think up words to say about stuff........it's 43 degrees at the moment..... air con failing, sitting in the lounge with the curtains drawn watching things like this.......Uh oh.....this is the banned version of this classic 80s splatter video....great tune too.

Australia Day Part II

All of these tunes from 1980. A pretty fuckin good year for the Laughing Clowns wouldn't you say?

Australia Day

Australian garage classic. The Missing Links Wild About You from 1965 was their 3rd single.  Weird & wild. The Saints covered this on their first LP and there was a great rock book that used this title too. Sydney rocked.

More deranged garage from Sydney in the mid 60s. You're Drivin Me Insane was the 2nd single from The Missing Links. This has gotta be one of the greatest songs ever.

From the 2nd Saints album Eternally Yours (1978). Alright. Let's Shoot the professor. Yeah!

From The Saints 3rd LP Prehistoric Sounds released in late 1978. Rowland S Howard used to cover this live with his band These Immortal Souls. 

The haunting sound of urban summer in Australia. Even though this song is particularly about Brisbane under the Police State of Sir Joh in the 70s it has a universal sound of a lethargic, irritating, paranoid and unrelenting Australian summer. 

Reality Bath-Nice Strong Arm (1987)

Now here's a record that is truly lost. Nobody talks about it, it's forgotten. It's in my record collection and I've barely considered it as anything. I was reading a blog (sorry forgotten the name) the other day and there it was with a little spiel and a dead download link from like 7 years ago. In Melbourne in the early 90s I picked up a stack of records on the Homestead label for next to nothing in a bargain bin . Live Skull, UT, Great Plains etc. I'd heard or heard of those bands but I'd not heard of these guys, I bought it anyway (probably due to the cover). It sat alongside my Live Skull record as a good noisy LP but it couldn't really compete with you know...er... who could it? So it rarely got played. Well that's what I thought.

So I pulled out Nice Strong Arm's Reality Bath after over 20 years of ignoring it and guess what? It's a little lost gem from the 80s underground. They obviously loved their Joy Division and MX80 Sound. They didn't sound unlike their peers Flipper, Bailter Space etc. Nice Strong Arm also predate/influenced Pavement, Trumans Water, Unwound, Drive Like Jehu and in particular Polvo. Looking through what info I could find on the interweb, one common criticism aimed at the group was that their songs were directionless. Their songs are definitely not directionless. Like Throwing Muses circa mid/late 80s Nice Strong Arm's guitars just took a different route to the rest. The guitars turn down strange paths exploring uncharted nooks and crannies, then new harmolodic vistas open up seemingly out of nowhere. This is the most compelling aspect of the band. You get the feeling the critics and public alike (including myself) missed the point. Sure the name Nice Strong Arm has got to be one of the most pox names ever for a group, so that can't have helped their chances. They moved from Austin to New York after this album and recorded 2 more records before breaking up in 1990 which is all news to me. Reality Bath never got issued on cd and isn't even a cult record as far as I can tell.

Special Comments

I just recently had my 65 year old father in law from Wales come and stay at our house in the middle of an insanely hot Australian summer. Every night when he'd go to bed he'd grab a cd off my shelf to listen to on his DiscMan (no shit he had one). The following morning I'd get his thoughts.

The Insect Trust-The Insect Trust
"Ha haha ha ha ha yeah they're great musicians though"

Master Of Reality-Black Sabbath
"I listened to a very weak Black Sabbath album last night. It was poor. It wasn't heavy enough."

Pacific Ocean Blue-Dennis Wilson
"It went on and on and every time I thought it was over another song started. There was one fantastic song in the middle though, ahead of its time."

Funhouse-The Stooges
"I listened to the first 3 songs."

UHF-Hacker Farm
"I listened to an instrumental group last night. Hahaha it was just muffled noises wasn't it?"

Persona-Son

Persona-Son

Loving this cover from Brasil in 1975. 

Good record too, top shelf outre experimental psych.

New Wave Australiana Intros For The FM Airwaves

Here we go with atmosphere! I love a bit of Fairlight to get me goin. Then those synthy drums at 0.18 followed by that new wave bass just before Iva Davies goes into his Aussie Bowie/Numan shtick.

Now a bit of evocative didgeridoo before those cavernous drums kick in and that bendy bass. At 0.20 the best guitar lick Lindsay Buckingham never wrote enters before Shane Howard comes in with his right on lyrics at 0.32. Another song from my preteens that's a bit haunting. If I'd been older maybe I'd have found it cheesy but these songs stick with you.

Another one from 1982. Beautiful synth (I assume a Fairlight) soundz here that sets up the excitement for the rest of the song. Then that classic riff kicks in at 0.25 followed by some double snare hits and Hutch is at the mic at 0.48.

This ones a coupla years later and in a totally different class. Jill Burt on the oh so beautiful keys. Bass drums and high-hats from MacDonald. That "2, 3 ,4......" whisper from Dave McComb at 0.15 sends a a chill down my spine every time as does the accompanying  bass ever from the great Martyn P Casey. Then at 0.26 the drum rolls start and the song swells up with Dave's guitar, Jill's keyboards and Evil's pedal steel all chiming in just before the first verse at 0.39. Classic production from Gil Norton pre-Doolittle. The rest is awesome too.

Simon Says Intros

The new year's topic is intros see here. I'm just goin with my definition of an intro which is before the proper singin starts. First thoughts were Marquee Moon, The Stones, A Hard Days Night but I thought everyone would have those so here's my first one Teenage Riot from Sonic Youth. It starts so clean with just one guitar until 13 seconds in.  Then comes Kim's murmurs and whispers.  By the 45 second mark it sounds like about 5 guitars plus sporadic drums and I think Kim's chanting "speed desire." It's all very sensual until 1.22 when one of the great riffs revs up and by 1.47 it's in full flight along with Shelley's crackin drum beat. By 2.05 Thurston's at the mic and well the rest is pretty good too.

Then on the same record Daydream Nation there's Candle. This starts with some of the most lovely clean spidery guitar you are likely to ever hear. At 0.48 the drums kick in and the guitar takes an anxious turn down a dark lane. By 1.10 the vibe's picked up and the riff and beat's changed to a chug just in time for Thurston to step up to the mic.

Rock peaked here didn't it?

Can't Deny Mr Kim Kardashian

The Best Song of 2013 & The Worst
Which is which?........

And then there was the best thing on YOUTUBE this year. Cherry Moon On Valium was hipped to me earlier this year by a blog I've forgotten the name of now. Then FACT & Reynolds ran with it despite it being like 2 years old! I love the sound and vision. It's really hard not to watch the whole thing, I can't look away. So the soundtrack is a bunch of 90s Belgian hardcore and Gabba tunes but they are slowed right down. I think they got a bunch of original people from the Gabber community to do the old school moves, of course slowed right down to suit their age. Or were they dancing to the original speeds and the video's been slowed? The mum & dad dancers seem to have brought up their child with a healthy respect for gabber. This is a version of retro I can dig.

It's fucking gold innit?