LaDonna Smith, Davey Williams, Theodore Bowen – Folk Music [LP] (1978, Trans Museq)

LaDonna Smith has performed improvised music internationally since the 1970s as violinist, violist and vocalist, while also teaching music in Birmingham, Alabama. With long-time collaborator, guitarist Davey Williams, Smith has toured North America and Europe, and Russia, appearing at every major improvisation festival, and many new music festivals. The classically trained musician has also performed with such major improvisers as Peter Brotzmann, Anne LeBaron, Derek Bailey and Eugene Chadbourne. In addition to her work as a musician, Smith is co-editor of The Improviser, an international journal of free improvisation, and works as a visual artist, exhibiting her drawings and ceramics in the U.S. 

 
Evolving and setting forth the hypotheses in 1976 that free improvisation was indeed a folk music based on community friendships and the playground of musical explorations, thus the title of the recorded pieces on trans second album, 'Folk Music'. As a trio, Davey, LaDonna and Ted played weekly, but gigged together only once or twice. Side One features one of those rare gigs, live at Leigh Gallery in Birmingham, Alabama on Sunday January 1978. Side Two features four recordings recorded at the Trans studio in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (1977-78). [SOURCE: LADONNA SMITH]

 

 

Label: Trans Museq – trans museq 2 

Format: Vinyl, LP 

Country: US 

Released: 1978 

Style: Free Improvisation 

 

Tracklist:

A1 Untitled 6:33 

A2 Untitled 9:30 

A3 Untitled 1:20 

B1 Untitled 5:45 

B2 Ditches And Cheesecake 5:50 

B3 To Tristan Tzara 5:30 

B4 Mishum 1:30 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

The Zippers – A Six Song Mini Album [12''] (1981, Rhino Records)

 

The Zippers were a Los Angeles-based punk/pop band from the late 1970s and early 1980s formed by Lou Cammarata (guitar, vocals, and member in the 60's and 70's of the soul bands Nicky C & The Chateaux and CRYSTAL), Danielle Faye (bass, vocals, also a member of Venus & The Razorblades), Bob Willingham (guitar, vocals) and Bill Willett (drums, vocals, also in The Imperial Dogs). They debuted in 1977 with the 7" single 'He's A Rebel / You're So Strange' on the Californian label Back Door Man Records. In 1981, Rhino released the 'A Six Song Mini Album' EP, produced by The Doors' Ray Manzarek.

 

 

Label: Rhino Records – RNEP 601 

Format: Vinyl, 12", Mini-Album 

Country: US 

Released: 1981 

Style: Pop Punk, New Wave, Power Pop

 

Tracklist:

A1 I'm In Love 1:50 

A2 It Hurts 2:48 

A3 Some Pay The Price (Some Never Will) 3:10 

B1 Falling Off The Edge 3:13 

B2 Someday 2:41 

B3 Lock On My Heart 3:18 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Yard Trauma – Must've Been Something I Took Last Night [LP] (1985, Dionysus Records)

 

The opening self-titled track presents a different kind of Garage Rock Revival: epic, emotional and lyrical, with a fiery Latin touch. "You Don't Tell Me" though is decisively retro and fairly tame Garage Rock. "Cry A Little Longer" is more poignant, with scathing organ lines and lead guitar. The elliptical and menacing netting of organ lines steals the show in "I'm Invisible", while "You're My Style" abandons any theatrical pretense and unleashes a barrage of raw garage riffs. "Dreamt In Colour" though again offers a more mellow 60's sound. Fortunately, "Situations" steps on the gas and tosses another garage roar. The electrifying Freakbeat "I've Seen You Walking" is also first class. "Only Mistakes" keeps pounding, but "I've Got A Girl" again retreads to a harmless 60's imitation -though the guitar solo is adequately acidic. By the closing, gloom-laden, "Black And White" they finally show an awareness of the New Wave, namely the garage-ish Deathrock of 45 Grave et al. If you only ever grab one Yard Trauma record you should make it this one. It's something of an unheralded masterpiece of the second wave. Highly recommended! [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]

 

 

Label: Dionysus Records – ID8502 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: US 

Released: 1985 

Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock 

 

Tracklist:

A1 Must've Been Something I Took Last Night 

A2 You Don't Tell Me 

A3 Cry A Little Longer 

A4 I'm Invisible 

A5 You're My Style 

A6 Dreamt In Colour 

B1 Situations 

B2 I've Seen You Walking 

B3 Tighten Up 

B4 Only Mistakes 

B5 I've Got A Girl 

B6 Black And White 

 

Notes: 

A3 originally performed by The Grodes and B5 by Dearly Beloved

Special guest Rich Coffee keyboards and guitars (Courtesy of Thee Fourgiven) 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

X•S•Energy – Use You [7''] (1979, Dead Good Records)

 

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 

Format: Vinyl, 7" 

Country: UK 

Released: 1979 

Style: Punk, New Wave, Punk Rock

 

Tracklist:

A Use You 

B Imaginary 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Wow Federation – Yellow Telephone [7''] (1981, Rococco Records)

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.

 

 

Label: Rococco Records – ROC 001 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single 

Country: UK 

Released: 1981 

Style: Experimental, Art Rock, Dance-Punk, Zolo

 

Tracklist:

A Yellow Telephone 4:30 

B Tree Credibility 3:21 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Vorgruppe – Erste Auslese [7''] (1980, Monogram)

 

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

 

Tracklist:

A1 Menschenkinder 2:46 

A2 Liebe Oder Hass 3:37 

B Langer Abend 5:30 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Urge Overkill – Strange, I... [12"] (1986, Ruthless Records)

 

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

 

Tracklist:

Homo Side 

A1 All Worked Out 

A2 Art Of Man 

A3 My New Church 

Hetero Side 

B1 Snakemobile 

B2 Systems 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Tabea Blumenschein, Frieder Butzmann, Gudrun Gut, Bettina Köster – White Christmas [7"] (1980, Marat Records)

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  

 

Tracklist:

x Stille Nacht Goes Disco 3:30 

y White Christmas 2:55 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

The Snakes Of Shake – Southern Cross [7''] (1985, TBC Records)

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)

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Really 3rds – Everyday, Everyway [7''] (1981, The Really 3rds Record Label)

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]

 

 

Label: The Really 3rds Record Label – EJSP 9610 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM 

Country: UK 

Released: 1981 

Style: Power Pop, Indie Rock

 

Tracklist:

A Everyday, Everyway 

B Daptapper 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Picture Book – Laughing In My Hand / Reflex Action [7''] (1984, Crystal Records)

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".

 

 

Label: Crystal Records – Crystal 2 

Format: Vinyl, 7" 

Country: UK 

Released: 1984 

Style: New Wave, Synth-pop, Minimal Synth

 

Tracklist:

A Laughing In My Hand 

AA Reflex Action 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

The October Group – (first) [12''] (1987, Xcentric Music)

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]

 

 

Label: Xcentric Music – SRT6KL1022 

Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM 

Country: UK 

Released: 1987 

Style: New Wave, Synth-pop, Indie Rock 

 

Tracklist:

A1 Colours 

A2 The Quiet Beach 

B1 Persuasion 

B2 Sweet Hedda’s Grave 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Nord – L∴S∴D∴ [LP] (1984, L∴S∴D∴ Records)

 

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) 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Moist Device – Moist Device [7''] (1985, Enigma Records)

 

Funk / Post Punk band formed in 1985 in Athens, Greece. After the band Berlin 45 split, its members went on to form Moist Device and Black Balloon. Members of Moist Device participated also in Libido Blume, Χωρίς Περιδέραιο (Horis Peridereo), Venericna Bolest and Γενιά Του Χάους (Genia Tou Haous). On 22 and 23/10/1984 they performed live at Hima Club (Athens) along with Femmes Fatales and Anti Troppau Council. Members: Giannis Kostovasilis (guitar, vocals), Giorgos Pipinis (bass, vocals), Giorgos Drakopoulos (keyboards), Tasos Katsaris (saxophone) and Stefanos Larentzakis (drums).

 

 

Label: Enigma Records – ESP 107 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM 

Country: Greece 

Released: 1985 

Style: New Wave, Art Punk, Punk Rock

 

Tracklist:

A Youth Can Never Die 2:18 

B Six Days (Don't Make A Week) 2:32 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Landscape Of Sound – Live Forever [7''] (1983, Not On Label)

 

Landscape of Sound was an American post-punk / synth-pop band formed in Los Angeles by Adam Elesh (guitar, keyboards), Brett Smith (bass) and  Jessie Rodriguez (vocals). They only realeased this single before splitting.

 

Adam Elesh and Brett Smith formed Drowning Pool afterwards, an avant-rock ensemble that released extraordinary collections of eccentric songs: the double album 'Satori' (Nate Starkman and Son, 1987), the EP 'Nierika' (Viva Records, 1988) and the album 'Aphonia' (Nate Starkman and Son, 1989). Their music straddled the line between new wave, psychedelia, world-music, ambient and industrial. They changed name to Mumbles in 1990 and released the album 'Two Clouds' on Viva Records out of Italy. 

 

In 1996 original vocalist Andrew Crane released the album 'Sustenance' under the name Acorn and fellow Drowning Pool members Adam Elesh and Brett Smith appeared on various tracks as guest musicians. In 2011 Adam and Brett Smith formed a new project called KinderCrowdControl and released the album 'Selah' on Bruce Licher's Independent Project Records label.

 

 

Label: Not On Label – none 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM 

Country: US 

Released: 1983 

Style: Synth-pop, Post-Punk

 

Tracklist:

A Live Forever 5:14 

B On The Edge 5:12 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

King Snake Roost – Things That Play Themselves [LP] (1989, Aberrant Records)

Gifted with a rhythm section that sounded like a garbage truck's exhaust backfiring and a guitarist who rarely felt the need to play chords, Australia's King Snake Roost played the kind of noise rock that let them easily fit into the roster of Amphetamine Reptile Records. They also confirmed Australia as a hotbed of blues-punk -yes, the influence of the blues can easily be discerned beneath all the garbage truck backfiring and dearth of guitar chords, and their vocalist did his best Delta-blues-scorched-black growl. Can't really claim these guys as some unjustly obscure geniuses; after all, their path had already been pretty well-trod before them (question: is Nick Cave an Australian "national hero" like Springsteen is in the States? Just wondering). Still, when you want some down n' dirty, defiantly art-free noise rock, they're a damn fine cup o' disease. Inspirational lyric (from "Trogman's Buried"): "He showed my mom his circumcision scars / Then he drowned in his own blood." [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]

 

 

Label: Aberrant Records – 1THING 

Format: Vinyl, LP 

Country: Australia 

Released: Jan 25, 1989 

Style: Alternative Rock, Noise, Noise Rock, Punk Blues, Grunge

 

Tracklist:

A1 Worm's Eye View 

A2 D.T.'s 

A3 The Ledge Does Vegas 

A4 Everything Falls Apart 

A5 Hammerhead 

A6 Acid Heart 

B1 Fried 

B2 Trogman's Buried 

B3 Talking Turkey 

B4 Shunting Yard 

B5 That Again? 

B6 Gutterbreath 

 

Other Versions: 

Amphetamine Reptile Records (1989, US): LP (ARR 89168-1) + Cassette (ARR 89168-4)

Megadisc (1989, Netherlands): LP (MD 7906) 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Jonestown – Genetics For Your Future [7''] (1990, Skidmark Records)

 

Jonestown was an American noise rock band from Minneapolis originally consisting of Dan Gannon, Eric Miklasevics, Geoffrey Trelstad, Joe Trelstad and Tom Greenwood. They released one album and several singles in the early 90's. John Peel played a track from their debut single, 'Genetics For Your Future', on his radio programme in the spring of 1990. He would play further material from the group until 1992 on his radio programmes and mentioned on his 15 July 1991 (Radio Bremen) show that he would love to see the band perform. [SOURCE: JOHN PEEL WIKI]

 

 

Label: Skidmark Records – none 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM 

Country: US 

Released: 1990 

Style: Alternative Rock, Punk, Indie Rock, Noise Rock

 

Tracklist:

A Crusty Rug 

B Tri-State (Breeders Co-Op) 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

The Instant Automatons – Blues Masters Of The Humber Delta [Cass] (1980, Deleted Records)

 

The Instant Automatons were leading figures in the largely cassette-based U.K. Bad Music scene (a British DIY movement whose adherents made their music available on cassette, for free) of the late '70s. Between 1977 and 1982 , using a bedroom full of homemade gear plus some conventional instrumentation, core members Protag (later of Alternative TV, Blyth Power and Zounds) and Mark Lancaster (“somewhere between Cooper Clarke and Mark E. Smith”) forged a warped hybrid of traditional songcraft and lo-fi primitive post punk. Although cassettes were the band's native medium, they also appeared on several vinyl releases, including their own EP and various compilations featuring similar weirdos. 

 
The Instant Automatons mixed the experimental and the conventional, with relatively traditional song structures often lurking beneath the surface weirdness -unlike some of their post-punk contemporaries who deconstructed the concept of "the song" itself. Again, Lancaster attributes some of this to practical considerations: "We were only just learning to play our instruments and our equipment was deficient, so even our best efforts to play 'properly' sometimes turned out quite bizarre." The band was never short of skewed rock and pop oddities. [SOURCE: BFE RECORDS BANDCAMP]

 

 

Label: Deleted Records – DEC 010 

Format: Cassette, Numbered, C60 

Country: UK 

Released: 1980 

Style: Lo-Fi, Experimental, Post-Punk, Minimal Wave

 

Tracklist:

North Bank 

A1 All You Need Is Love 

A2 Laburnum Walk 

A3 Mr. MacPhee 

A4 Esoteric No. 2 - Blazing Pedals 

A5 Catacomb (MG) 

A6 Catacomb 

A7 Prisoner Of The Grapevine 

A8 I Think Somebody Must Have Poisoned Me 

South Bank 

B1 Then He Hit Me 

B2 Esoteric No. 5 - Brains Under Glass 

B3 Restless Night (LMC) 

B4 Ballad Of The New Things 

B5 Disillusion (LMC) 

B6 August '78 (LMC) 

B7 When The Pubs Close 

B8 Outro (MG) 

 

Notes:

(MG) -> Live at Meanwhile Gardens 

(LMC) -> Live at the London Musicians Collective 

"Live performances and bedroom recordings made by the Instant Automatons during February to October 1980." 

"The Instant Automatons; not published not copyright 1980 rip us off - see if we care". 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Hit Parade – Bad News [7''] (1983, Crass Records)

Hit Parade was basically a one man anarchist band, the brainchild of P. Checkoff (aka Rik O’che) a member of the Anarchist Collective in Belfast. Being a left-wing socialist Checkoff’s songs were highly political by nature and concentrated on life in Northern Ireland. Subject matter ranged from the evils of television to H Blocks; the RUC to housing problems, and of course unemployment. “I wanted to make people aware that there’s more than a tribal sectarian war here, there are a lot of problems. It’s a multi-problematic place" stated Checkoff shortly after the release of the 'Nick Nack Paddy Wack' album in 1986.

 
Unsurprisingly, Hit Parade signed to the Crass label. Hit Parade produced electronic music made up of samples, loops and noises and were helped out in the studio by the likes of Eve Libertine, Penny Rimbaud, Jane Gregory and Flux Of Pink Indians and a host of other musicians, Checkoff said at the time “All the structure of the songs is done by me here in Belfast. But when I go into the studio in London it becomes more of a collected effort with different people putting in ideas.” The first release was the 'Bad News' EP in ‘83. This was followed by the 'Plastic Culture' 12” single in ‘84 and finally by the 'Nick Nack Paddy Wack' album. The album was recorded in ‘84 but due to the financial crisis Crass were in at that time, it wasn’t released until ‘86. Penny Rimbaud and Paul Ellis produced the album.

 
Upon the release of the E.P. 'Bad News', an electro-rap rant on such evils as television, H Blocks, the RUC and so on the Crass label in 1982, copies were seized by Special Branch at retail outlets, along with everything else on the Crass independent label, it managed to reach No.4 in the independent charts.

 
Before the album was released, Channel 4 produced and screened a TV documentary on the health of women in Northern Ireland. The documentary was called "Under The Health Surface" and the programmes soundtrack featured the music of Hit Parade, which can be found on the 'Nick Nack' LP in slightly different forms. [SOURCE: SPIT RECORDS]

 

 

Label: Crass Records – 221984/12 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single 

Country: UK 

Released: 1983 

Style: Synth-pop, Experimental, Synth Punk, Minimal Synth, Anarcho-Punk

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Here's What You Find In Any Prison 

A2 More Faces 

B1 Bad News 

B2 H Block 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Games – Dance This Way [7''] (1982, Open Eye Records)

 

Games were a pioneering three-piece synth-pop outfit, formed in 1980 and consisting of Brendan Coyle (synthesisers, percussion, vocals), Colin Hughes (synthesisers, percussion, organ, vocals) and Steve Knott (synthesisers, guitar, vocals), from Wirral, UK. The same year, they self-released their first 7" single 'Childsplay' followed by a contribution of the two tracks "Unrest In The Real World" and "The Song" to the 'Street To Street Volume Two' LP compilation on Liverpool's Open Eye Records in 1981. Then the band fell apart with Steve moving on under the Games moniker including new band members. Their 7" single 'Dance This Way/Love Canal' still saw its release in 1981. Brendan and Colin moved on as Zephyr In The Swamp, Brendan also played in Some Detergents, and Colin in Sense Of Vision.

 
Games were truly ahead of their time and quite unique in that they played credible well-crafted pop songs in a purely electronic style. They did not ride the wave of synth-pop, they were the early creators. The stories of the band waiting outside Hessy’s famous music store in Liverpool waiting for their orders of the Roland SH-09 to be delivered, emphasised that they were the zealots of the synthesiser phenomenon which was to change pop music forever. Looking back their commitment enthusiasm and industry was truly remarkable. Ironically the songs were not dry and mechanical. The crude monophonic synths and very early Dr. Rhythm drum machine were used creatively to produce memorable, dramatic and emotional pop songs. Games truly were visionaries and pioneers. They never got the credit they deserved because they were not in the right place at the right time and lacked the contacts good management could have provided.

This single was recorded at Open Eye Studio, Liverpool in 1981 and released the same year. The tracks were recorded by Dave Hutchman and Steve Knott on a Studer A80 8-track machine. Wayne Hussey played guitar; Brian Rawling played drums; Dave Hutchman played trumpet on "Love Canal"; and Steve Knott played synthesisers, sang, and wrote the songs (published by BMG-Chrysalis). The tracks were produced and mixed by the band, and the single was mastered by Tim Young at CBS in London. The label graphic and typesetting were done by Alex Plain and the sleeve graphic was drawn by Steve Knott (based on dance notation). The Games logo is based on the Omni typeface. The track "Love Canal" is an edited version, the full version contains an extra verse (unreleased). [SOURCE: DISCOGS]

 

 

Label: Open Eye Records – OE 007 

Format: Vinyl, 7" 

Country: UK 

Released: 1982 

Style: New Wave, Synth-pop, Minimal, Minimal Wave, Minimal Synth

 

Tracklist: 

A Dance This Way 

B Love Canal 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE