Category Archives: Post Punk

Dub, Findings, Gothic, Post Punk

Spaghetti Western Dub

As I really can hardly remember when a review led me to record buying in the last few years contrary to my own research I think it’s worth to share this discovery I stumbled upon thanks to post-punk monkr’s feature. After reading this you need no more words added, just listen to yourself.
Here is the video to the 2nd single “Blood, Tears & Thunder” which I clearly envision on ltd. colored 7″ on RSD in a few years.

Find a chance to order your copy direct from Ratchet Blade Records at the Heathen Apostles bandcamp. The singer is Mather Louth from the Apostles, Scott Choper Franklin’s main project of southern goth rock.

Bu if you can’t get enough of this style I advise to get hold of the heavily instrumental ‘Return To Gringo’ by Mutant HiFi & Prince Fatty from a few years back which sadly beared never a follow up until now…

Anarcho, Post Punk

Savage Republic – Exodus

While Bruce Licher’s Independent Project Records jumped back into live during the last years with impressive actions involving all social media channels and publishing new material in famously handcrafted and printed designs the 2nd incarnation of Savage Republic which started back in 2002 after regrouping to promote the Complete Studio Box Set Reissue of the Albums and Singles up to Customs seems to be fizzling out now.. a mere 20 years and and another 4 Studio Albums later.

A new live album is annocunced via Gustaff Records from Poland recorded during their last European tour which ended as recent as of this January while a recording of the first incarnation as Africa Corps was already issued via IPR in late 2022.

Alongside this video of the title track from their most recent album Thom Fuhrmann announced that he quit in early August.

This leaves Ethan Port of Mobilization and F-SPACE as the longest serving member (since 1985) together with Kerry Downling and Alan Waddington most likely in an unfortunate position as Thom F. had taken over most lead vocals and guitars during the last years.
We’ll see if there will be more to come or not. Any incarnation of the band had a good run and an impressing output over the years so for now: thanks a lot guys.

Dub, Post Punk, RIP

High Ideals & Crazy Dub – Mark Stewart R.I.P.

Thanks for all the hints, inspiration, quotes, music and points of view to Mark Stewart who sadly passed away. Many words have been written about The Pop Group, The Maffia and his collaborative works with others. His influence can hardly be understated from Bristol to the rest of the world. From Nick Cave to Gary Clail, Massive Attack to Nun Gun, Adrian Sherwood to Daniel Miller. He never stopped exploring, experiencing and questioning the status quo.
Find some of his musical legacy via Mute, On-U Sound or via Mark Stewarts own page and associates.

MARK STEWART – 10/8/60 – 21/4/23 Rest in peace

DIY, Electronic, Post Punk

Dark Days (Full Lenght) – Thomas Leer (to good to be forgotten on a harddrive)

“Sometimes it seems Human progression is a myth. We move forward only to be dragged back by the stupidity of individuals who infect with misinformation & false promise. Their numbers seem to grow & So…..
Dark Days are Here Again.”

Leer.

Released September 6, 2019 / Synthesizers, Sampler & percussion / Thomas Leer.

Dub, Electronic, Experimental, Findings, Post Punk, Sheffield

Free Agent : Eric Random

Video

Eric Ramsden from Manchester was one of a handful of early electronic post punk pioneers, unique and uncompromising not completely unlike Robert Rental, Fad Gadget, . He was involved with early Factory acts, the New Hormones label, Buzzcocks’ Pete Shelley as The Tiller Boys and maybe best documented with Cabaret Voltaire (as guest musician on record, as opening act on tour and fully absorbed on the Pressure Company live LP). From solo output up to putting a band together (The Bedlamites) and getting recruited for the then Manchester based femme fatale junkie legend Nico as tourband member – with additional stints in the Suns Of Arqua, Psychic TV and the Durutti Column.
This short bio shows a lot unknown facts, thankfully supported by the man himself about his whereabouts and his surprising return to electronic music starting with ‘Man Dog’ in 2014 on Klanggalerie after a 18 years hiatus and continuing until the present day. Find his latest Album ‘No-Go‘ here as CD and DL and a live recording from 2019 promoting the ‘Wire Me Up‘ 2*12″ on soundcloud.

An incredible find, many, many thanks to Hugo Ball.

Gothic, Post Punk

14 Years On : bauhaus still undead

“Drink The New Wine” was recorded last year during lockdown with the four members sharing audio files. The track employs the Surrealists’ ‘Exquisite Corpse’ device whereby each artist adds to the piece without seeing what the others have done. Bauhaus have used this technique in the past to great effect. The title refers to the very first Cadavre exquis’ drawing rendered by André Breton, Marcel Duchamp, Jacques Prévert and Yves Tanguy which included words which when strung together made up the sentence, ‘Le cadavre exquis boiara le vin nouveau’ (‘The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine.”) For the recording, the four musicians each had one minute and eight tracks at their disposal plus a shared sixty seconds plus four tracks for a composite at the end. All done without hearing what the others had laid down. The only common link being a prerecorded beat courtesy of Kevin. The final playback came as synchronistic revelation.

[Release Statement]

Written and Produced by Bauhaus

Art Direction and Video Design by
-Regan Catam
-Adrian Burke (Awen Studios Ojai)

© 2022 Bauhaus Music

Experimental, Findings, Post Punk

Don’t Bring A Dog – Bring Your Cat

Video

I’ve read about this documentary when it came out (or at least was shown in some selected places a few times) but could’nt go to watch it. It never appeared on DVD as far as I know but today I stumbled upon it – so yeah – here are just 24 years later some interesting tidbits from the New York scene in glorious youtube quality. Thanks to the uploader.

–

DONT BRING A DOG, 1997
Hi8/75 min

“It´s not like writing a popsong and have it played on the fucking radio!”
Aurelio Valle / Factory Press

“A lot of these alternative rockbands seem to be more into Kiss than into Duchamp!”
Kid Congo Powers / Ex-Cramps, Ex-Gun Club, Ex-Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

“Suddenly we became part of the mainstream and that´s still disconcerting!”
Thurston Moore / Sonic Youth

CREDITS:
Regie/Buch/Kamera: Oliver Schwabe
Kamera(Interviews): Dirk Lindner
Schnittregie: Rita Schwarze
Schnitt: Oliver Schwabe
Ton Remix: Thomas Arntz
Produktion: Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln

–

And a little Kid Congo bonus from 2016… He just turned 62 and lives happily with his man & cat!

Electronic, Post Punk, Sheffield

Shadows Of Funk : Cabaret Voltaire Now & Here and Everywhere

2020 was also the return of a mighty shade from the Past; Richard H. Kirk’s Cabaret Voltaire Album on Mute did stir up the desired wave of attention, raised eyebrows and startled collectors inclusive.

“Shadow Of Fear” was simultaneously released as purple double Vinyl album, CD in cardboard wallet, digital files and (gasp) Cassette via long time reissue / archive alley mute. Also a free ltd. 7″ with an Electronic Sound magazine (thankfully not with exclusive tracks only edits) appeared.
This is the first fully worked out CV release after several live appearences from Richard H. Kirk as Cabaret Voltaire starting in 2015 at Berlin Atonal (and two tracks on the accompanying compilation triple 12″). His first reclaim of the groups name for current works where the remix albums “Kora Kora Kora” and “National Service Rewind” for Amrik Rai’s Shiva Records already back in 2009/10, reportedly not being well received by Stephen Mallinder.
So, after an stream of archive, live and studio, remastered and redesigned releases with some excellent results (Johnny YesNo Redux, Drinking Gasoline, Live From London, Chance Vs. Causality) there was finally a new album.
Well, almost. The 8 tracks published where recorded between July 2014 to April 2020, an endless process for someone like RHK who used to drop up to 3 or 4 albums a year in different monikers for several years. Two of these had already been on the Atonal Compilation in diffent versions. So I guess the main effort was to get the balance right between RHK’s own style, expectations coupled to the CV name / brand and proper marketing. As a whole this is good, but not extraordinary and if it had been sold to me as a new RHK album under whatever moniker I had had no problems with it. Seeing it as a continuation of the last Cabaret Voltaire albums – Plasticity, International Language and The Conversation does not really work for me as he plays it safer than needed.

When he published his excellent solo album “Dasein” on his own Intone label after a long silence back in 2017 this felt to me more like his mind had wandered through the different approaches and phases of the past and making a stand for the future.

Dasein

Of course besides a little press and his die hard followers the waves stirred up for this one where foreseeable smaller and the bleak b/w image did not attract occasional listeners in the first place too.

While excitment was still allover the place 3 (!) more new releases had been announced in January; a limited 12″ EP (in funky curacaou Vinyl) for February

…and two one track Drone derivates for March and April. The later again as Double Vinyl Album (in white), CD and digitally available for pre-order.

All design / photography / layout by Richard’s long time allies Phil Barnes and Phil Wolstenholme, mastered to perfection by Denis Blackham.

Rewind : Here as a recent mix of the last years of CV active as the duo Kirk / Mallinder:

Low Cool
The Message (An Original Hollywood Theme)
Searchin’
Colours (Thunder Mix)
Easy Life (Jive Turkey Mix)
Brutal But Clean
Ride Baby Ride (Acid)
Hypnotised
Smooth
Don’t Walk Away
Keep On (Clubbing)
Keep On Pushin’
No Resistance
Afterglow
What Is Real
Alright
Rescue Me (City Lights)
Resonator

Computer Blue, Daily Life, Post Punk

An American Dream

And I was dreaming in my sleep
Saw through you all
And I was dreaming still on my feet
Saw through you all

And I saw what you could be
And you just don’t feel free

And I saw what you could be
But you just won’t be real to me

So let’s blame this excess
On an American dream
So let’s blame the success
Of an American dream

Are you confused by the chaos
In everyones wandering eyes
Do you dream of running naked
In warm rain
Are you confused by the chaos
It’s no, it’s no surprise
We all stand next to Jesus
Close to Satan we’re both the same

These birds can’t fly away away
These birds can’t fly away

So let’s blame this excess
On an American dream

So let’s blame the success
Of an American dream (x4)
Feeling so high and low
It’s the American dream (x4)

Daniel Ash / David J. Haskins / Kevin Haskins 1986