X.S. Energy was a fine band from Lincoln producing two singles on Dead Good Records. The first one, '18 / Jennys Alright / Horrorscope' (1978) and the second from 1979 'Use You / Imaginary'. This is the pick: midtempo punk riffery with catchy chorus. Pop punkish with sung, as opposed to shouted or sneered, vocals. Worth getting. Members: Freddie Voltage (Guitar/Vocals), Max Headroom (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Nicky Teen (Bass/Vocals), and Mark Up (Drums). [SOURCE: PUNK 77]
Label: Dead Good Records – DEAD 3, Dead Good Records – DEAD THREE
Post-punk band formed in Oxford in 1978. The line up in 1980 was: Nick Horton (drums), Mark 'Mozart' Hughes aka Millree Hughes (guitar), Vicky Richardson (sax), James Rogers (organ), Andy Sizer (bass), Brian Warner (guitar) and Ian Royce Warner (vocals). Members prior to this include: Andy Mason (drums), Bill Buchanan (drums) and Carl (synth). Bill and Carl went on to be involved in the group Dum Dum Dum. Ian, Brian and Nick all used to play with the Dag Dag Bombers.
Vorgruppe was a
Neue Deutsche Welle band from Herne, Germany, with a sound ranging between the hypnotic motorik of Krautrock and the Teutonic synth atmospherics of Kraftwerk. Formed in spring 1979, they played their first proper live gig at Jugendkunstschule Wanne-Eickel (15 Feb 1980). They released three albums from 1981 to 1986.
Members: Bernd Schäumer (synths, also in Disque Omo), Detlef Ritz (vocals), Matthias Brauckmann (bass), Volker Stigge (guitar), Waldemar Hayduk (drums) and Wolfgang Hemprich (bass).
They changed their name to "The Vorgruppe" in 1986. [SOURCE: LAST.FM]
Label: Monogam – 004
Format:
Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Country: Germany
Released: Apr 1980
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop, Minimal, Neue Deutsche Welle, Minimal Wave
When Urge Overkill broke through to the mainstream with 'Saturation' in 1993, fans who rushed out to buy up the band's back catalog may have been rather surprised by their first EP, 'Strange, I...' In contrast to the cravat-wearing, rock-god image and slick, polished pop/rock sound of their later years, 'Strange, I...' is loaded with shrieking guitars, pounding drums, and howling vocals. The influence of Steve Albini, who produced the EP, is evident in tracks such as "All Worked Out" and "My New Church." There are hints of the later Urge Overkill to follow, especially Eddie "King" Roeser's vocals on "Systems," which sound similar, albeit roughly, to Roeser's later, more radio-friendly style. Similarly, there are brief snippets where the band's later songwriting prowess appears. But for the most part, this is generic, standard-issue Chicago noise punk, with little original to distinguish it from Big Black or Naked Raygun. An EP strictly for the diehards; casual fans need not apply here. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Label: Ruthless Records – RRU013
Format:
Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1986
Style: Punk, Indie Rock, Punk Rock, Alternative Rock
Best Christmas single ever, made by four stalwarts of the Berlin avant-wave scene: Tabea Blumenschein (Die Tödliche Doris, Liebesgier), Frieder Butzmann (Din A Testbild, Liebesgier, Nachdenkliche Wehrpflichtige, Wir Und Das Menschliche E.V.), Gudrun Gut (currently runs the Monika Enterprise and Moabit Musik labels, was an early member of Einstürzende Neubauten and founded Malaria!) and Bettina Köster (Liebesgier, Malaria!, Mania D., Mutabor!, Nachdenkliche Wehrpflichtige).
The pseudo-disco "Stille Nacht" (= "Silent Night") version is not quite a destruction, but a complete and utter deconstruction of Christmas songs. That old Irving Berlin classic, however, is turned into a slow, nightmarish, dissonant free jazz piece. Anyone who dearly hates this piece of fake Christmas sentimentality will be healed by listening to this version. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]
Label: Marat Records – 24
Format:
Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Country: Germany
Released: 1980
Style: New Wave, Avantgarde, Holiday,
Christmas Music, Minimal Synth, Experimental Rock
Snakes of Shake were a Scottish band formed in 1984, whose indie pop sound incorporated cajun and folk influences. They released two albums before splitting up in 1987, with some members subsequently forming Summerhill.
The band was formed in Glasgow by Seori Burnette. The group at the time of the recording of the first album consisted of the following members: Seori (vocals, guitar, harp), Tzen Vermillion (guitar), Sandy Brown (piano, accordion), Robert Renfrew (bass guitar), and Rhod "Lefty" Burnette (drums).
Their debut release was the 'Southern Cross' mini-LP in March 1985, the title track also released as a twelve-inch single. Vermillion and Rhod Burnette left to be replaced by Neil Scott (guitar) and Iain Shedden (drums, formerly of punk rock bands Jolt and The Saints), the band now moving to the Making Waves label. Another release of 'Southern Cross' followed in August 1986, the song also appearing on their second album, 'Gracelands and the Natural Wood', released in July 1987.
[SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Label: TBC Records – GOBS 1
Format:
Vinyl, 7", Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Style: Post-Punk
Tracklist:
A Southern Cross
B You Walk
Other Versions:
1. 12" single on TBC Records on 1985 with catalogue number GOBS 12-1 (UK)
2. 7" single on Making Waves with catalogue number SURF 116 (UK)
3. 7" single on Stiff Records with catalogue number 6.14519, 6.14519 AC, GOBS 1 (Germany)
4. 12" single on Making Waves with catalogue number SURF/T 116, SURFT 116 (UK)
From Pontypridd in Wales, Really 3rds were a trio comprising guitarist Neil Lawrence, bassist Paul Pember, and a drummer identified only as Philip. After the self-financed release of the single 'Everyday, Everyway', they changed their name to Shake Some Action in 1982 and became a mod revival band, but don't appear to have recorded in their new identity. [SOURCE: DISCOGS]
Picture Book were a synth-pop band from Portsmouth (UK). They released only this 7", 'Laughing In My Hand / Reflex Action' in 1984 on Crystal Records, engineered and produced by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. They also contributed on the 1986 'Against The Tide' Bite Back! compilation cassette with the song "Scarlett Everywhere" as well as in the 'Subtle Hints' compilation album with the track "Success".
Formed in Lytham, Lancashire, Divert Off Centre were the self-styled pioneers of alternative dance beat. The band was associated with the "Blackpool Rox" scene of the early eighties, however, their camped up performances and overblown lyrics set them apart from their punky/oi contemporaries.
Released a picture flexi disc in the spring of 1982 followed by the inclusion of one song on the Lightbeat Records' compilation, 'A Drop In The Ocean'.
After a couple of years of inactivity Divert Off Centre evolved into The October Group, moved to Amsterdam in '86 and put out a 12" single, '(first)' aka 'Colours'. "Colours" was favourably reviewed in the NME who described it as, "Compelling for it's subversive undertones." Although the band split up a year later their songs have turned up on the Messthetics compilations, and continue to receive airplay on alternative radio shows both in Europe and The States. [SOURCE: LAST.FM]
Nord is a Japanese noise project, originally formed in 1979 by Satoshi Katayama and Hiroshi Oikawa. This lineup released a self-titled LP on Pinakotheca in 1980. The duo split in 1983 and both members continued to use the name Nord. The group's name was derived from Louis-Ferdinand Céline's 1960 novel "Nord".Oikawa put out several releases on his L∴S∴D∴ Records, but didn't play live. He ceased activities in the late 80s.
'L∴S∴D∴' was issued in a limited edition of 200 copies. The ambiguity of the cover (is it "LSD" by Nord or "Nord" by LSD?) had a profound effect on Japanoise. A young Masonna purchased this album thinking it was a German psych rock band called LSD, so you can imagine that the shock of expecting a traditional album only added to the profound effect it would have on him. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]
Label: L∴S∴D∴ Records – LSDL-01
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition
Country: Japan
Released: 1984
Style: Noise, Industrial, Drone
Tracklist:
A1 序曲
- Jokyoku (Overture)
A2 L S D
B1 L S D
B2 ザ･ゴースト･サウンズ
- Za Gōsuto Saunzu (The Ghost Sounds)
