This one's a little less pristine, but I'm still pleased to have a vastly improved rip of Testcard F's first 7'', released in 1983. I originally uploaded an inferior (and potentially out of phase) version of the single back in 2008, with the remaining discography and several tidbits about the UK band. Unfortunately, it was the best copy of the tracks kicking around, and it's taken me years to track down a better copy without paying a small fortune for it.
There's a few cracks and pops on this copy (the a-side seems fairly well loved) but I hope you'll all agree that it still makes for a cleaner, clearer, and more solid listen. Here's the rundown:
Here's a fun little gem for you folks today... Below lies the first album by Family Fodder, an idiosyncratic London-based synth band active from 1979-1983 (though they officially formed in 1975). The four piece act consisted of Media Fodder and her three brothers Tod, Rod, and God, obviously a clever lot of pseudonyms, as their discogs.com page reveals a sizeable lot of collaborative members, far more than four, with Alig Pearce being the only consistant member.
Family Fodder released two full lengths and several quirky 7'' singles to a sizable cult following. Their fellowship with experimental post-punk act This Heat also helped bring the band to a bit of underground prominence.
Their music was generally playful, a hint of dub and reggae mixed with absurd, blissful pop, with synthpunk and sometimes experimental instrumentation. Most of the lyrics were also sung in French, courtesy of original vocalist Dominique Levillain, a combination rumored to be of some significant influence over Stereolab. Over the years, the band reformed several times over, recording and releasing sporadically since their initial demise in 1983. A handful of greatest hits collections have also appeared over the years, attempting to collect the band's initial singles and best moments.
I've uploaded their first proper LP, 1980's Monkey Banana Kitchen, which features 'Savior Faire,' an infectious little tune I can't get enough of these days. Here's the details and download information for the LP:
Family Fodder- Monkey Banana Kitchen LP 1. Darling 2. Symbols 3. Savoir Faire 4. Cold Wars 5. Monkey 6. Wrong 7. Organ Grinder 8. Love Song 9. Bass Adds Bass 10. Philosophy 11. Cerf Volant 12. Banana
The only in-print Family Fodder disc seems to be one of the more recent compilations, a 42 track anthology that seems to include several of the band's hits, including alternate versions and more recent recordings. A definite must-have for fans of the band! Here's a link to purchase the collection, entitled More Great Hits!
Seems to be a myspace page available as well...Is it official? I can't tell you at the moment due to work-related securities, but take a peek and decide for yourselves:
Another request from down under, ladies and gentlemen...This time for UK post-punk/synth act Aerial FX, and their lone full-length, 1982's Watching the Dance.
There's little proper information to be found about Aerial FX, who has only three other 7'' releases; 1980's So Hard 1981's Take It From Here, and 1982's Instant Feelings. Seems that they split soon after releasing this full-length. The only solid information I can dig up mentions their involvement with Radiohead, arguably the biggest band in the world these days. Members Chris Hufford and Bryce Edge caught wind of the band through various demo tapes, liked what they heard, and got in touch. They still manage Radiohead to this day...
That said, it's a shame their own outfit didn't turn more heads during their tenure...Without any further ado, here's the details for Watching the Dance:
Aerial FX- Watching the Dance LP 1. Out Of The Window 2. Who Is Down There 3. Hold Me 4. 5.15 5. Instant Feeling 6. Servitors 7. Accident 8. Where Is Tomorrow
While scouring the local record bins this past week, I came across the final Shoc Corridor LP tucked away in the 'new arrivals' section. Naturally, I clutched it tight and brought it to the register, and am pleased to be able to share it with you after giving it the digital transfer treatment.
See last week's post for the band's first LP. This one is a different creature...The same template is retained, yet the sound is infinitely brighter and less gloom-ridden, a rather incredible progression in just two years time. I do like this record less than their debut, but there are some gems hidden on this one, especially during the latter half of the record.
Without any further ado...
Shoc Corridor- Train of Events LP 1. Garden Of Eden 2. The Legendary Gertie 3. My Secret In The East 4. Nightshift Moves 5. Holding Treasure 6. Green Silence 7. Almost In Walking Distance 8. Fever
*In all my haste to upload this record, I forgot to take a photo of the cover sleeve to upload, but thanks to an anonymous comment for a quick cover link.
Shoc Corridor are a very recent discovery of mine, and a pretty damn enjoyable listen. The band is a London based darkwave/minimal synth outfit who formed in 1982 and split only two years later, leaving behind two LPs and a handful of 12'' singles.
Though the band had several rotating members, it was mainly a studio project, core consisting of Andy Garnham and Paul O’Carroll. Original members Nogi Prass and Chris Davis left the band after their first 12'' due to visa problems. However, tracks these two recorded appeared on their first proper LP, 1983's Experiments in Incest (6 tracks long, it could be argued that it's a mini-LP, though each track is on the long size). The band would record one more LP in 1984, but split soon after the suicide of then current bassist Paul Humphries. An anthology of the band's material appeared on CD in 1993, but all of the band's output seems to be very much out of print.
Without any further ado, here's the information for the Experiments in Incest LP:
Shoc Corridor- Experiments in Incest LP 1. Khartoum 2. On Reflexion 3. Artificial Horizon 4. Iceberg 5. In A Empty Room 6. Travelling By Hand
I've had several requests this year for the remaining discography of Norwich minimal band Testcard F. Firstly, here's my previously quoted entry on the band, with download information following:
"Testcard F formed in 1981, and reconstructed and built their own synthesizers throughout their tenure. Unlike some synth-punk and minimal wave acts of the time, this band near-completely utilized electronic instruments, drum machines, and backing tapes; the only organic instrumentation appearing in the form of trash cans, coat racks, and other assorted bits of debris. Oftentimes, their live performances would be slagged viciously by heckling attendees, anxious for guitars. One particular gig in their hometown of Norwich ended in a small riot.
The band split immediately on the brink of success after winning a Norwich battle of the bands and recording their two singles and Peel Session in 1984."
Sorry for the delay here, folks...but to make up for it, here's another one of those 7'' grab bag posts, in which i've zipped up four singles for your listening pleasure, including one request from an Australian chum. Here's the information and a quick blurb about each 7''.
SPK- No More 7'' (1979) 1. No More 2. Contact 3. Germanik
This is the very first release by Australian industrial collective SPK, and certainly one of their most primitive and direct. This one was a limited run of 200 copies, and the a-side has yet to appear on a proper CD release, though both 'Contact' and 'Germanik' are featured on their Auto-Da-Fé LP.
Metal Urbain- Panik 7'' (1977) 1. Panik 2. Lady Coca Cola
One of the very first synthpunk bands...French origins. This is their first 7'' single, but most of their earlier work has since been collected on the Anarchy In Paris compilation.
Lars Falk- TV Eye 7'' (1985) 1. TV Eye 2. Doors
Lars Falk is one of the ex-contributing members of Swedish coldwave act Twice a Man, who's previously featured here. Though it shares the name with the Stooges classic, the a-side is an original number.
Where's Lisse?- Talk Takes Too Long 7'' (1981) 1. Talk Takes Too Long 2. You Stole My Gun
There's something charming about this otherwise rickety and rough record from this British four piece. This is one of two releases (they followed this with an equally scarce 12'' single), and is chock full of early post-punk energy. EDIT: cover scan provied by Rudeboy Noah! Thanks a ton!
Sorry for the duplicate post here, ladies and gentlemen. If you happened to download the I'm So Hollow zip file yesterday, delete it! I've since uncovered a vastly superior rip of the Emotion/Sound/Motion LP with all bass intact. If you happened to nab this record from Mutant Sounds in the past, delete that version too, as it's a similar rip to the one I posted yesterday. This one's the way to go. Otherwise, I also neglected to include the band's exclusive appearance on the Hicks In the Sticks compilation, so the lone track, 'I Don't Know' has also been included in the new zip file to complete the discography!
For today's post, I've uploaded the entire discography for Sheffield post-punk band I'm So Hollow, which is admittedly not a whole lot. The four piece band formed in 1978 and only lasted three years, splitting up after recording one 7'' single and one full length record. The band wet their feet opening up for the likes of Clock DVA, and have since developed a bit of a cult following due to their involvement in the Sheffield music scene, their peers including the Human League and Artery, among others. I'm So Hollow also managed to cut a John Peel session before disbanding. One exclusive song, also included below, has been compiled several times over since the band's demise.
I'm So Hollow- Dreams to Fill the Vacuum 7'' (1980) 1. Dreams To Fill The Vacuum 2. Distraction
I'm So Hollow- Emotion/Sound/Motion LP (1981) 1. Entrance 2. Which Way..? 3. Unbroken Line 4. Touch 5. Collisions 6. Excitement = Change 7. The Triangular Hour 8. Emotion / Sound / Motion 9. Nosferatu/Distraction
Various Artists: Hicks In the Sticks Compilation(1980) 13. I Don't Know
For your viewing pleasure, here's a live performance of 'Touch' taken from the Made In Sheffield DVD:
Lastly, a request for the peanut gallery: if anyone has a recording of the I'm So Hollow Peel Session, please send it my way! Pretty please with cherries?
Today's rain-soaked upload features seminal industrial/electronic act Clock DVA's most solid record, 1983's Advantage.
The band originated in England in the late 70s, taking inspiration for their name from Anthony Burgess' dystopian nightmare novel A Clockwork Orange. Clock DVA originally consisted of two members, Adi Newton and Steven Turner, who worked with both Cabaret Voltaire and early members of the Human League before forming the band. Their first recordings were released on Throbbing Gristle's own Industrial Music label, and quickly, Clock DVA grew to prominence in the budding industrial scene with their experimental tape loop and synthesizer treatments. However, by the time the band recorded their follow up records, they had lost and gained members and shifted to a more structurally sound lineup, blending their experimental electronic techniques with some more conventional rock instruments.
Over the course of the 80s, the band split several times over, Adi Newton remaining the only consistent member with each reformation. The band shifted styles with each lineup change, eventually settling on a more EBM sound. Though the band never "officially" split, the last Clock DVA album was released in 1993...Meanwhile, the most current members have persued solo projects.
The 1983 LP uploaded below is the perfect hybrid of Clock DVA's experimental and more conventional sound. I've attached a few bonus tracks from a CD reissue, but have left off the extended and alternate remixes that grace the end. Without any further ado, the details:
Clock DVA- Advantage LP 1. Tortured Heroine 2. Beautiful Losers 3. Resistance 4. Eternity In Paris 5. The Secret Life Of The Big Black Suit 6. Breakdown 7. Dark Encounter 8. Poem 9. Noises In Limbo 10. Black Angels Death Song
*REMOVED PER ARTIST REQUEST*
Click below to watch the full length video for 'Resistance.'
Lastly, here's what seems to be an official myspace page, with photos, discography, and more. Click click!
A request fulfillment for my first of the year, folks... This is UK wave act Basking Shark's full length record Shark Island, released in 1983. Upon second look, I am still unable to find information about this band aside from a scant discography, but if you want to hear more from them, check my previous post on the Diamond Age 7'' here.
Details:
Basking Sharks- Shark Island LP 1. Red Rose 2. Starusfa 3. Friends Of Bill 4. Charm 5. View From The Hill 6. Back To Africa 7. Forget 8. Blue Cross 9. The Dive 10. Put It Off 11. Croatia 12. Little Death
To purchase the band's best of, Back in the Deep Water, according to a comment left in my last Basking Sharks post, feel free to email baskingsharksnet@hotmail.com for more info. Also, though it hasn't launched yet, seems as if there will be an official web-hub coming soon at baskingsharks.net.
Sorry for the delay, ladies and gents...I've had computer trouble for a few days, and as of this morning (fingers crossed) I've gotten things back up and running, with only a few gigs of music completely lost. That said, here's a quick Friday treat.
Shox were a British wave trio comprising Mike Atkinson, Jaqui Brookes and John Peters. They released only two tracks in 1980, comprising one of the first four Axis 7'' singles, just before the label rechristened itself as 4AD that same year.
Not at all sure what happened to the three Shox members after this lone recording appearance...but without any further ado, here's both sides of the No Turning Back 7''.
Stay tuned next week for more resumed activity (*fingers crossed*), including an album request, a post on NYC locals Bell Hollow, and a bit of new material from the legendary Bush Tetras!
Just last week, influential bass player Paul Raven passed away, and today's post pays tribute to one of his earlier bands, Neon Hearts.
A few years before Paul would co-form Killing Joke, he would join the ranks of fellow UK punk rockers to form Neon Hearts in 1977. The band would embellish upon the bare-bones punk structure, complimenting it's furious rhythms with blaring saxophones, a precursor to the sonic experimentation that would soon birth the post-punk movement.
The band gigged regularly, saving up cash to record their first single, Regulations, released in December, 1977. After more relentless touring, the band gained a relatively large following and signed to Satril Records. However, the glory of a recording contract did little to stop the band from splitting at the seams far too soon, mostly thanks to Satril Records' constant meddling in the band's creative process. The band split just before their first full length, Popular Music was released in April of 1979.
I've uploaded both sides of their debut Regulations single for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!
Though the band's records are tough to come by in their original form, Overground Records has compiled their discography (both singles and their full length) into one collection, also entitled Popular Music. Click below for a purchase link.
Today's band is a lesser post-punk classic, UK act The Sound. The band formed in 1978 as the Outsiders, switching up their name in 1979 after a quick lineup shift.
Their sound was akin to the likes of the intitial wave of post-punk, and the band toured with the likes of friends and cohorts the Chameleons, Echo & the Bunnymen, Au Pairs, and the Comsat Angels. Singer Adrian Borland's lyrics would often ruminate on existentialist affairs and paranoid observations, while the music would mix synthesizers and horns with fast-paced rhtyhms and guitars.
Throughout their tenure, the band recorded five full length records, a few peel sessions, and a slew of EPs and singles before their split in 1987, just after a canceled European tour. Adrian would persue a solo career, but the band would never reunite, as keyboardist Colvin "Max" Mayers would pass on in 1993 and Adrian Borland would commit suicide in 1999. However, the band lives on- several reissues of the Sound's catalog and tributes to their material have since materialized, and the band's influence can be heard in many modern post-punk acts.
I've uploaded two tracks- the first from their second record, 1981's From the Lion's Mouth and the second a track from their 1980 debut Jeopardy.
For your viewing pleasure, here's a video of the Sound performing 'Sense of Purpose' (From the Lion's Mouth's lead-off single) on the Old Grey Whistle Test:
Even though most of the band's material was released for the first time on CD earlier this decade, those copies are still hard to come by. Keep your eyes peeled for them!
A large group of cohorts and I just caught the NYC premier of Anton Corbijn's Control this weekend, a biopic about the life and times of Ian Curtis. Though today's post doesn't feature Joy Division OR New Order, it features one of their contemporaries, fellow Manchester based Factory records outfit Crispy Ambulance, whose singer would fill in for Ian Curtis during one ill-fated night, culminating in an audience riot.
The band, formed in 1977 by Alan Hempsall and Robert Davenport, was unfairly dismissed as Joy Division knockoffs during their short recording tenure. Despite these accusations however, Crispy Ambulance had their own innovative style to add to the budding post-punk movement, and often incorporated a more minimal and dreamy sound to their compositions.
The band would flesh out their lineup and record a handful of singles in 1980 and play shows alongside the likes of prominent bands such as Killing Joke. Upon Factory's request, the band would sign to record the full length record The Plateau Phase and a few assorted singles. Unfairly written off (along with fellow label mates Section 25, previously featured on these pages), the band would split in 1982, releasing a collection of unreleased tracks soon after.
Despite their demise, the band would reunite in 1999 to record two more records into the new millenium, and are together to this day, playing sporadic gigs in their native Manchester.
I've uploaded a handful of tracks...The first, a personal favorite from the 1982 record The Plateau Phase and the second, a lone 1984 single compiled on a resissued version of said album.
We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Going to Use It formed in Birmingham in 1985 as an incredibly raw, all female post-punk act with a knack for outrageous dress and catchy hooks. Their initial style, a devil-may-care attitude fostered on punk rock fury and a dose of playful sexuality, initially caused a controversial buzz upon their debut.
After a double-a side single for the songs 'XX Sex' and 'Rules and Regulations' reached number 41 in the British charts, the band took to the studio and recorded their first full length record. Released in 1986, their self-titled record hit the charts, airwaves, and dance floors in England, but failed to make much of an impact outside of Europe, where their name was truncated simply to 'Fuzzbox' and the album retitled to Bostin' Steve Austin.
Their second record, 1989's Big Bang! featured a revamp of style and sound, the band trading in their punk rock ethics for a sound more in line with slick dance pop. Despite an attempt to adapt to the times, the band split almost immediately after the album's release, and lead singer Vickie Perks would form Vix And The Kix after a failed solo effort.
After a few listens, I'm not too keen on their second record, so with that being the case, I've instead uploaded two of the singles from their debut record, Bostin' Steve Austin for your consumption.
The video for 'Love is the Slug' may very well be one of the most amusing, fun, and strange videos I've ever seen, so approach below with caution and perhaps a love for sheer wackiness.
Most of their output is seemingly out of print, but available on LP via various auction and second-hand sites. If you like it, seek it out!
Scouring the usual channels, I've come up with very little information about today's band, UK minimal wave act Basking Sharks. Origins and history otherwise undocumented, the band's output consists of two singles and a full length record, all three released in 1983.
I've uploaded both sides of the Diamond Age 7'' for your listening pleasure.
If you dig these tracks and are interested in Shark Island, their follow-up full-length, comment here and I'll happily zip it up for the weekend. Also, if readers have any more in-depth information to add about these guys, don't hesitate to post it below.
Formed in 1979 in the UK, the Au Pairs attacked gender, sexuality, and politics with their funk-based blend of female fronted post-punk.
More in line with James Brown than with Bauhaus, Au Pairs would record two full length records, a series of singles, and a handful of BBC Sessions before breaking up in 1983, just before they were slated to record with legendary post-punk producer Steve Lillywhite. Despite their brief splash, the band's gender-charged lyrics, scathing guitar hooks, and catchy dance rhythms would serve as a major influence for the Riot Grrrl movement in the 1990s.
After the band's demise, lead singer Lesley Woods would form an all-girl band called the Darlings, who split quickly. Lesley would leave the music industry all together soon after, and now practices law. Other members of the band joined jazz and funk outfits after their Au Pairs tenure.
For your listening enjoyment, I've plucked a track each from the band's two studio records. The first, 'We're So Cool' kicks off their first record, 1981's Playing With a Different Sex and the slower, more atmospheric dub track 'Sex Without Stress' hails from their sophomore effort, Sense and Sensuality, released in 1982.
Though the band remained a cult-classic before and after their run, they enjoyed a bit of buzz from the post-punk/underground music documentary Urgh! A Music War, featuring a series of captivating live performances. Here's their spot from the film, performing 'Come Again' live in London.
The Snake Corps formed in 1984 after the original demise of British psychedelic post-punk act Sad Lovers & Giants. In the wake of the band's split, guitarist Tristan Garel-Funk formed a new five-piece unit, collecting a few more like minded-fellows, and set out under this new name.
The band was not unlike it's predecessor, exploring a dreamy, atmospheric soundscape alongside a driving post-punk edge. The band would tour heavily outside of the UK, developing a slight cult following for their curious blend of dreamy effects and hard punk rhthyms. The band, though hard-working, had a very distanced approach to their affairs and had alienated the British record industry, rejecting potential superstardom as a new shoegaze movement was taking hold of Britain towards the end of the decade.
The band would take a hiatus around 1990 after recording a handful of poorly distributed records, never quite achieving the success or recognition as many of their contemporaries would shortly. In 1993, a long-since recorded final record hit the market alongside a career retrospective, but though a bit of buzz was finally on their side, members of the band had already parted for keeps and the band officially called it a day.
I've uploaded two tracks by the Snake Corps for your downloading pleasure. The first, 'Animals All' hails from their debut record, 1985's Flesh on Flesh. The second song, 'Seagull's Eye' is a more catchy number, featured as the opening track on 1990's Smother Earth.
The Snake Corps formed in 1984 after the original demise of British psychedelic post-punk act Sad Lovers & Giants. In the wake of the band's split, guitarist Tristan Garel-Funk formed a new five-piece unit, collecting a few more like minded-fellows, and set out under this new name.
The band was not unlike it's predecessor, exploring a dreamy, atmospheric soundscape alongside a driving post-punk edge. The band would tour heavily outside of the UK, developing a slight cult following for their curious blend of dreamy effects and hard punk rhthyms. The band, though hard-working, had a very distanced approach to their affairs and had alienated the British record industry, rejecting potential superstardom as a new shoegaze movement was taking hold of Britain towards the end of the decade.
The band would take a hiatus around 1990 after recording a handful of poorly distributed records, never quite achieving the success or recognition as many of their contemporaries would shortly. In 1993, a long-since recorded final record hit the market alongside a career retrospective, but though a bit of buzz was finally on their side, members of the band had already parted for keeps and the band officially called it a day.
I've uploaded two tracks by the Snake Corps for your downloading pleasure. The first, 'Animals All' hails from their debut record, 1985's Flesh on Flesh. The second song, 'Seagull's Eye' is a more catchy number, featured as the opening track on 1990's Smother Earth.
Today's band is one that became a household name in the mid-1980s based on a one-off hit, but hasn't made any commercial impact since, lost in the hearts of 80s nostalgia and easily dismissed as a one-hit wonder. Truth is that today's band, Modern English, were more than capable of writing a myriad of other amazing songs, and a handful of seminal records in an emerging post-punk scene, even if they went mostly ignored by all but the impassioned.
This Essex-based band originally began in 1977, originally christened the Lepers. The band released a one-off single before changing their name to Modern English and signing to a budding 4AD records, the band being the first that Ivo Watts-Russel approached after creating the label. Both stylistically, and commercially, Modern English helped put the label on the map.
Musically, the band originally drew heavily from the doom and gloom of fellow contemporaries Joy Division and Bauhaus, a rude awakening for fans who stumbled across them after the perfect pop song 'I Melt With You from their 1982 sophomore record, After the Snow.
Pressured after such a large success, the band fell apart after one more record, two of the original members departing for greener pastures, but instead of a side-project, the band revamped and kept pushing forward, occasionally releasing records into the 90s. Though they remained a college favorite, the band never again broke the US or UK charts. Despite sporadic output, Modern English remain together to this day, playing gigs from time to time. The band has a new recording contract with A.P.G. as of 2001, but there's no clear word as to when to expect new material.
I've uploaded a handful of tracks from their debut record, 1981's Mesh & Lace. The first was also their second single, while the second is a deeper cut and favorite from the record. Here they are, for your listening enjoyment:
and for a nice dose of 80s nostalgia, here's what seems to be the official video for 'I Melt With You.' Let's hear it for the M&Ms theme song, ladies and gentlemen:
and if you want to toss some bucks around and pick up some of their records, here's an Amazon link, which though some of their earlier material is out of print, still features a few used copies:
Here's a fun little gem for you folks today... Below lies the first album by Family Fodder, an idiosyncratic London-based synth band active from 1979-1983 (though they officially formed in 1975). The four piece act consisted of Media Fodder and her three brothers Tod, Rod, and God, obviously a clever lot of pseudonyms, as their discogs.com page reveals a sizeable lot of collaborative members, far more than four, with Alig Pearce being the only consistant member. 
Shoc Corridor are a very recent discovery of mine, and a pretty damn enjoyable listen. The band is a London based darkwave/minimal synth outfit who formed in 1982 and split only two years later, leaving behind two LPs and a handful of 12'' singles. 
For today's post, I've uploaded the entire discography for Sheffield post-punk band I'm So Hollow, which is admittedly not a whole lot. The four piece band formed in 1978 and only lasted three years, splitting up after recording one 7'' single and one full length record. The band wet their feet opening up for the likes of Clock DVA, and have since developed a bit of a cult following due to their involvement in the Sheffield music scene, their peers including the Human League and Artery, among others. I'm So Hollow also managed to cut a John Peel session before disbanding. One exclusive song, also included below, has been compiled several times over since the band's demise. 
Today's rain-soaked upload features seminal industrial/electronic act Clock DVA's most solid record, 1983's Advantage. 
Scouring the usual channels, I've come up with very little information about today's band, UK minimal wave act Basking Sharks. Origins and history otherwise undocumented, the band's output consists of two singles and a full length record, all three released in 1983. 
