Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Furious Apples - Belladonna/Engineering 7"


Here's the hard to find 7" of the Furious Apples. They were from Coventry and consisted of Gregory and Michael Crabb. Guess they are brothers.
They also appeared on the 'Something Stirs' comp. album.
And they also appear on a compilation that Nuzz recently posted on his blog. You can check it here.
This 7" was released on a small local label called Sonar Records. The other 2 releases I know of are 7"s of Armalite and Courtiers Of Fashion. Don't know if these are interesting.

Belladonna/Engineering 7" (Sonar Records-SON 2-1983)
1. Engineering
2. Belladonna

Furious Apples

Friday, April 25, 2008

DZ Lectric - Be Eclectic! LP


Another generous gift from Capa Nostra Syndicate.
Not that I know alot about DZ Lectric. It's the alter ego of French musician Christian Dezert.
'Be Eclectic!' is the only vinyl release of DZ Lectric. He was more involved in the 80's underground cassette scene and released quite some tapes on different labels like Grafika Airlines, Trax, Présence,... Many of them were collaborations with Anton Shield.
Before DZ Lectric, Christian used the name Magnétique Bleu and released one 7" on Scopa Invisible.
Capa Nostra Syndicate has a few of those tapes and he's planning to post them on his own blog in the future. One collaboration tape can be found on Mutant Sounds here. Another collaboration tape with Arnovah on my friend's blog The Thing On The Doorstep.
A list of Christian Dezert's output can be found here.

Be Eclectic! LP (Transformer Records-TRANS 01-1987)
1. Geister
2. All The Sad Young Men
3. Dreamcream
4. Melancolies
5. Hours And Years
6. Razorblades
7. Chant D'Electrons
8. Danse Rituelle Noire
9. Affrontements

Link removed. Buy the reissue CD (with 4 bonus tracks) on Infrastition.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Arch Criminals - Hang 12"


Another postpunk band who managed to get a release on Fight Back, sidelabel of Conflict's Mortarhate.
Can't find some info but they also appeared on the 'We Don't Want Your Fucking Law' comp. album on the same label. Their song is 'Poison Hate'.
This 12" was also released in Germany on Uberschall with different sleeve artwork.

Hang 12" (Fight Back-FIGHT 8-1986?)
1. Mr Kingdom Man
2. Twist My Way
3. Falling
4. End Of An Era

Hang

Saturday, April 19, 2008

V/A - No Big Business LP


As requested, here's the No Big Business LP. A bit more all over the place musicwise than the 2nd volume posted by Soundhead a while ago. Artwork is printed on the plastic outer bag.
This is the second release on Kleo Records which was the label that changed it's name to the more wellknown Antler Records.
The Scabs were strongly influenced by The Clash in their early days. They got more successful in the late 80's playing more mainstream (boring) rock.
Neue Sachlichkeit also released a 7" on Kleo Records, which is actually the 1st Antler release as well.
Cinema Rasch is the only Dutch band here. No further info to be found.
Siglo XX appear with a re-recorded track from their tape.
A Blaze Colour is Ludo Camberlin and brings a nice instrumental synth piece. More of A Blaze Colour can be found on No Longer Forgotten Music here and here.
De Minz: track recorded live in the studio. Another band I don't have any info of. Had Kloot Per W in the line-up who was also in Polyphonic Size.
The same for The Motives. Only appeared on compilations like the 2nd one on Kleo 'Fons Vermist In Bergbos'.
Suspects were friends of Struggler and released a very rare 7" on Struggler's Doggy Doo label as well. Would like to hear it.
Fizik is poppy wave and had two 7"s released back in the day of which the 1st one on Kleo as well. Their sound didn't age too well.
An early track of Luc Van Acker wellknown with his many collaborations. Shock poet Didi De Paris recites the 'Our Father' over and over again. Gets a bit tedious after a while.
Spermicide were a punk band from Brussels. Did a 7" back in the day with the tracks Belgique and Femme Prothèse. Some members later in Neo Arya.
The Underdogs were a punk band from Bruges. They recorded 2 tracks here but both can be found on their demotape as well.

V/A No Big Business LP (Kleo Records-KLEO 002-1981)
1. The Scabs - Is This Life?
2. Neue Sachlichkeit - Echoes
3. Cinema Rasch - Caught Entangled
4. Siglo XX - Obsession
5. A Blaze Colour - Fisk
6. De Minz - Adultery
7. The Motives - Plastic
8. Suspects - Misery
9. Fizik - History
10. Luc Van Acker & Didi De Paris - Onze Vader
11. Spermicide - Otage
12. Underdogs - Third World Image/Bobo

No Big Business

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Ausgang - King Hell 12"


Here's another Ausgang post to complete the collection. Only the title track made it on the anthology CD so here you have the other 2 tracks as well.
This was the 1st release on their own Shakedown label in 1986.
Dedicated to Highlander and his always interesting observations on today's world.

King Hell 12" (Shakedown-AUS12001-1986)
1. King Hell
2. Armadillo Man
3. Ten Year Old Bastard Children

King Hell

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Vendino Pact - Identical Twins/Niagara 7"


Requested by a visitor a while ago and donated by an anonymous visitor.
Here is the sole release of Vendino Pact from Sheffield. Couldn't find alot of info but they appeared on the classic 'Bouquet Of Steel' comp. album.
'Identical Twins' isn't really my cup of tea: uptempo poppy song with horns. Wonder why they chose this song, to get in the charts?
'Niagara' is 10 times better. Early 80's postpunk what one should expect from Vendino Pact.

Identical Twins/Niagara 7" (Manifesto-MAN1Y-1982)
1. Identical Twins
2. Niagara

Vendino Pact

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Vazz - Your Lungs And Your Tongues MLP


Vazz are one of those bands I always wanted to know more about. Stumbled on the Vazz MySpace a while ago and liked what I heard. Could finally manage to obtain the rare 'Your Lungs And Your Tongues' mini album from a nice Italian person (you know who you are!). To my surprise, I also got a message from Hugh Small with a link to the MySpace page which I forgot to bookmark and couldn't find again. I asked him if it's OK to post the album here and he doesn't mind. In fact he wants more people to know Vazz.
Vazz were Anna Howson (vocals) and Hugh Small (instruments) and were from Glasgow. They started in 1984, playing with bands from the Postcard scene although their sound as far off from bands like Orange Juice, Jozef K,... They were more inspired by the 4AD sound.
Robert King of Cathexis Recordings (formerly the Pleasantly Surprised tape label) was very interested in Vazz. All records were released on that label. First one is the 'Breath' 7" in 1986. Both tracks also appear on the mini album as the sound quality isn't so good on the 7" due to the length of the songs. After the mini album there were two 12"s released: the 'Feverpitch' 12" which is entirely vocals and guitar only, and the more uptempo 'Pearls' 12".
A final unreleased 7" single 'Everlasting' coupled with a dub version titled 'Neverlasting' was scheduled as CRV8406 but the Rough Trade UK distribution network folded in 1988 and the whole indie network collapsed ......... as did Vazz. Alot of indie labels collapsed in this period (Red Rhino, Ediesta,..) and marks the end of an era.
There's also a cassette called 'Whisper Not' which contains early demos. This was planned to be released as a 2x12" on Belgian label Les Disques De Crépuscule but never materialized unfortunately.
Well I hope you enjoy Vazz and I would like to thank Hugh for the extra info and support.
He's still busy with music as Reluctant Participant. Anna Howson moved to London in the late 80's and Hugh has lost contact with her since then.

Vazz

Reluctant Participant

NOTE: if any genuine person/label is interested in releasing a Vazz discography, please get in contact with Hugh. He would appreciate this alot.

Your Lungs And Your Tongues MLP (CATHEXIS-CRV 6402-1987)
1. Your Final Word
2. Silver
3. Bleached White Skin
4. Violent Silence
5. Breath

Vazz (new link)

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Third Circle - Cash Crop 12"


Third and last release of Third Circle.
There was a line-up change with this one and Third Circle went for a harder sound.
There were plans for a full album but it seems that this one never got released.
My copy is a promo pressing with white labels so I had to get the titles from somewhere else. If there should be a mistake, please let me know.

Cash Crop 12" (ROUSKA-PROFANE 63-1988)
1. Cash Crop
2. Cash Farming
3. Kola

Cash Crop

Monday, April 07, 2008

V/A Northern Lights Playhouse LP


Thanks alot to Julle for letting me post this comp. of Icelandic artists.
'Northern Lights Playhouse' was released in 1981 on Fálkinn in co-operation with Rough Trade to introduce the rest of the world of what was happening in Iceland.
Þeyr is the first band and one of the more wellknown ones. Both tracks are from the 'Life Transmission' 7".
Purrkur Pillnikk is also one of the better known bands. All tracks are from their 1st 7". They weren't around for a long time but managed to release 'Tilf' 7", 'Ehgjl En:' LP and Googooplex' 2x12", 'No Time To Think' 7" as well as a posthumous live album.
Fræbbblarnir is a punk band strongly influenced by The Clash, The Stranglers,... and released quite some records back in the day. They reformed and are still playing.
The other bands I know nothing about. But I found some Wikipedia entries:

Þeyr
Purrkur Pillnikk
Fræbbblarnir
Megas
Taugadeildin (Icelandic only)
Bubbi Morthens (member of Utangarðsmenn)

V/A Northern Lights Playhouse LP (Fálkinn-F1-1981)
1. Þeyr - Life Transmission
2. Þeyr - Heima Er Best
3. Utangarsðmenn - It's Easy
4. Utangarsðmenn - Where Are The Bodies
5. Taugadeildin - Her Longing
6. Purrkur Pillnikk - Tíminn
7. Purrkur Pillnikk - Slöggur
8. Purrkur Pillnikk - Læknir
9. Purrkur Pillnikk - Gleði
10. Purrkur Pillnikk - Andlit
11. Purrkur Pillnikk - Tilfinning
12. Purrkur Pillnikk - Þreyta
13. Purrkur Pillnikk - Grunsamlegt
14. Purrkur Pillnikk - Ást
15. Purrkur Pillnikk - John Merrick
16. Fræbbblarnir - Rebellion Of The Dwarfs
17. Fræbbblarnir - No Friends
18. Fræbbblarnir - It May Be Quoted
19. Megas - Paradísarfuglinn

Northern Lights Playhouse




Saturday, April 05, 2008

Third Circle - Goodbye To Yesterday 12"


Second effort of Rouska band Third Circle.
These are slower tracks of which 'Goodbye To Yesterday' is a brooding industrial ballad as stated on a promosheet.
The lyrics are observations on society. 'The Unwanted' deals with racism and the maltreatment of immigrants while politicians do nothing about it.
'Go South' deals with the media. 'Freewill And Farewell' is about the end of real socialism caring for the working class.

Goodbye To Yesterday 12" (ROUSKA-PROFANE 18-1987)
1. Freewill And Farewell
2. The Unwanted
3. Go South

Goodbye To Yesterday

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Some blogs worth of your attention

Music blogs exploded last year. Some of them already gone and new ones coming. I would like to grab your attention for some new bloggers. I would also like to mention to give some feedback from time to time as this makes blogging worthwile. New bloggers need it.

First one is Capa Nostra Syndicate. He already made us happy with some wonderful gifts here like Trop Tard, UV Pop and Paranoia. If you're still looking for the Trop Tard 'Photodramme' cassette, look no further.

Ghosts In The House is a fairly new blog and Squiggles entertains us with some very obscure Japanese Postpunk. Check out Gara. He also posted the very rare 'Medusa' 7" of UK gothpunk band Cold Dance.

Habit Of Sex is also very Japanese oriented although more on the Visual Kei side. But you can find the 'Lorelei' 12" of Madame Edwarda there.

Fantasmi Macchina posted both 12"'s of Of A Mesh, a violin-fuelled postpunk band from New York. Classic stuff!

Soundhead is already going for a while but is posting full albums now. More on the minimal synth side. Check out Iron Curtain to know what the fuzz is all about. Also Minny Pops, Palais Schaumburg and more.

Speaking of minimal synth. Seems to be the hype in record collecting these days. Most records are very rare 'cos not many were pressed. And once you had some synths and a rhythmbox, it was easy to create your own thing. Check out this eBay auction and drool!!

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Third Circle - Last Night Was The Best Night Of My Life 7"/12"


My next three posts will deal with Rouska Records band Third Circle from Leeds.
Not alot of info to be found on the band but it seems that Martin Kelly was the main member of Third Circle. He also worked with label founder Richard Rouska and his band W.M.T.I.D.
Third Circle's sound has been described as resembling early New Order and the heyday o' Factory.
Here's the band's first release. I posted the 7" version as well as the 12" version. To me both versions of the title track sound different and they chose different material for the B side. 'The Men Who Fell Apart' has a fast, punky rhythm. 'Silent For Too Long' was recorded live in Verviers, Belgium and the sound quality isn't that excellent.
Future posts will be the 'Goodbye To Yesterday' 12" and the 'Cash Crop' 12".


Last Night Was The Best Night Of My Life 7" (Rouska-COME 3-1986)
1. Last Night Was The Best Night Of My Life
2. The Men Who Fell Apart


Last Night Was The Best Night Of My Life 12" (Rouska-COME 3T-1986)
1. Last Night Was The Best Night Of My Life
2. Real Eyes
3. Silent For Too Long

LNWTBNOML-7"

LNWTBNOML-12"