Expendables – In Between Gears [LP] (1985, Flying Nun Records)

 

Formed in Christchurch around singer, songwriter and guitarist Jay Clarkson, The Expendables grew directly out of They Were Expendable, the group Clarkson had started in 1982 after her earlier involvement with The Playthings. When David Toland, Donna Sheen and Nick Strong left They Were Expendable in late 1983, Clarkson rebuilt the group with bassist Michael Kime and drummer Robert Key, shortening the name to The Expendables. This trio recorded 'In Between Gears', following the earlier 'Big Strain' EP and the 1984 single 'The Flower / Man With No Desire'. 

'In Between Gears' appeared on Flying Nun in 1985 as a mini-LP, catalogue number FN029. The record contains eight tracks: “Say Cheese”, “Doesn't Matter”, “Caine”, “No Blame”, “Wrong Key”, “Cargo”, “Head For The Hills” and “Inbetween Gears”. The recordings were made at Progressive Studios in Christchurch, with “Say Cheese” recorded at The Lab in Auckland. Terry King handled the engineering, while Rex Visible and The Expendables were credited as producers. 

The record belongs to a particularly active period in Christchurch's underground. By the middle of the 1980s, Flying Nun had expanded beyond its original Christchurch base and was documenting a broad network of New Zealand guitar, post-punk and experimental groups. The label's catalogue was growing quickly, linking Christchurch with Dunedin, Auckland and other local scenes and giving groups such as The Expendables a way to release music without relying on the country's larger record companies. 

The Expendables were also involved in the touring network that was developing around Flying Nun. In 1984 Clarkson, Kime and Key joined The Chills, DoubleHappys and Children's Hour for the Looney Tours Roadshow, taking the groups around New Zealand. Their Christchurch activities were connected with venues such as the Gladstone, Star & Garter and Hillsborough, while Progressive Studios provided a regular recording base for musicians from the local scene. 

Jay Clarkson remained the central figure through the different versions of the group. Her subsequent projects included Breathing Cage, The Containers and a solo career, making the mid-1980s Expendables period an important stage in a much longer sequence of musical projects. The line-up was already changing around the time of the record. 'In Between Gears' documents Clarkson with Michael Kime and Robert Key, while Chris Matthews later took over on drums and Anthony Nevison joined on guitar. The album therefore captures a specific three-piece version of the group during its short run in the Christchurch scene. 

Flying Nun had been founded in Christchurch in 1981 by Roger Shepherd, initially concentrating on small-scale releases from local and South Island musicians. Its early records were made with limited resources, often using inexpensive studios and involving the artists closely in the artwork and production. The label remained based in Christchurch until 1988, and 'In Between Gears' comes from this formative period, when its catalogue was expanding rapidly while still maintaining close connections with the city's independent music community. 

 

Label: Flying Nun Records – FN029 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: New Zealand 

Released: May 1985 

Style: Indie Rock, New Wave, Pop Rock, Dunedin Sound, Folk Rock 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Say Cheese 

A2 A Different Matter 

A3 Cain 

A4 No Blame 

B1 Wrong Key 

B2 Cargo 

B3 Head For The Hills 

B4 In Between Gears 

 

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Doom / No Security – Bury The Debt Not The Dead / No Security [LP] (1989, Peaceville)

The split LP 'Bury The Debt Not The Dead / No Security' brought together two bands from different corners of the late-’80s hardcore underground: Birmingham/Leeds crust pioneers Doom and Swedish kängpunk outfit No Security. Released by Peaceville Records in 1989, the album contains seventeen tracks, with ten from Doom and seven from No Security. 

Doom had started out as The Subverters, with Bri Doom on guitar, Jon Pickering on bass and vocals, and Jason “Hog” Hodges on drums. Around the time Hog was replaced by Mick Harris, the drummer who would soon become known through Napalm Death, the band changed its name to Doom. They quickly became closely associated with the British crust scene around Peaceville, recording the 'War Is Big Business' demo in 1987 and the 'War Crimes (Inhuman Beings)' LP in 1988. Their fast, abrasive combination of hardcore punk, D-beat and heavier guitar work became a defining part of the developing crust sound. 

By the time of this split, Doom were working with a line-up centred on Bri, Jon Pickering, Pete Nash and Stick. Bri was already preparing to leave because of personal commitments, but remained long enough to record 'Bury The Debt Not The Dead', as well as the 'Police Bastard' EP during the same period. The split therefore captures Doom at an important point in their initial run, shortly before Bri's departure in April 1989 and the line-up changes that followed. 

The Doom side runs through ten short, furious tracks, beginning with “No Thought” and “Black Monday” and continuing through “Nazi Die”, “Agree To Differ”, “War On Our Doorstep”, “Bury The Debt”, “Life In Freedom”, “Days Go By...”, “Sold Out Scene” and “Free Yourself”. The material was later collected on 'Total Doom', giving these songs a much wider circulation. The recordings have a clearer and heavier character than the rougher 'War Crimes' production, while retaining the relentless D-beat attack that had become Doom's trademark. With songs such as “Nazi Die”, “Agree To Differ” and “Bury The Debt” in the set, much of the material became firmly established within the British crust and hardcore repertoire, with several of the tracks remaining part of Doom's live history. 

No Security came from Eskilstuna, Sweden, where they formed in 1985. They belonged to the Swedish kängpunk current that developed around the country's hardcore and D-beat underground, alongside groups such as Rövsvett, Totalitär and Svart Snö. Their approach was raw, fast and stripped down, with Swedish-language vocals and a strong connection to the abrasive punk sound circulating through the Scandinavian tape-trading network. 

The group's early line-up included vocalist Harri Mänty, guitarist Tommy “Smebbe” Smedberg, bassist Robert “Finn-Robban” Eriksson and drummer Jari “Jallo” Lehto. Mänty would later become known as a member of Kent, while Lehto went on to play in several important Swedish D-beat and hardcore groups, including Disfear, Totalitär, Krigshot and Kvoteringen. No Security had already built up a catalogue of demos before the split, while their 1988 '40-Talisterna' 7" and other recordings helped establish their place within the Swedish hardcore scene.

 
Their seven tracks on the LP -“Märkt För Livet”, “Masskontroll”, “Sydafrikafrågan”, “Den Eller De”, “Stämplad”, “Trångsynt” and “Fegis”- are delivered with the same raw urgency found in their earlier material. Compared with Doom's side, the Swedish lyrics and harsher Scandinavian hardcore character give the record a distinct second half, while the basic ingredients remain the same: fast tempos, distorted guitars, pounding drums and a deliberately rough punk sound. 

The album appeared on Peaceville Records, the label founded by Paul “Hammy” Halmshaw. Originally developing through Peaceville Tapes, the label had become an important outlet for British anarcho-punk, hardcore and crust during the second half of the 1980s. Its catalogue included releases by Deviated Instinct, Electro Hippies, Axegrinder and Doom, with the label gradually moving towards heavier and more extreme forms of music. This split belongs to the period when Peaceville was still deeply connected to the British crust underground. 

 

Label: Peaceville – VILE 11 

Format: Vinyl, LP 

Country: UK 

Released: 1989 

Style: Hardcore, Punk, Crust, D-Beat

 

Tracklist: 

Doom Side 

A1 No Thought 

A2 Black Monday 

A3 Nazi Die 

A4 Agree To Differ 

A5 War On Our Doorstep 

A6 Bury The Debt (Not The Dead) 

A7 Life In Freedom 

A8 Days Go By... 

A9 Sold Out Scene 

A10 Free Yourself 

No Security Side 

B1 Märkt För Livet 

B2 Masskontroll 

B3 Sydafrikafragan 

B4 Den Eller De 

B5 Stämplad 

B6 Trangsynt 

B7 Fegis 

 

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Comic – Ojos De Cristal [7''] (1984, Epic)

The short-lived Canarian synth-pop group Comic appeared in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 1984, bringing together Aurea Luisa Caballero “Auri” and María José on vocals, Antonio Santos on guitar and programming, and Kaelo del Río on keyboards and programming. Their songs fitted neatly into the Spanish synth-pop climate of the mid-80s, although the lyrics were deliberately strange and often difficult to make sense of. Their musical references included contemporary Movida names such as Golpes Bajos and Radio Futura, as well as their fellow Canarians Moral Femenina. 

Comic were also very much part of the visual side of that mid-80s “modern” culture. Their carefully styled image placed them close to groups such as Betty Troupe and Video, two important names associated with the synth-pop current coming out of Valencia. Before they had a proper record, the group made a demo that included “Ojos De Cristal”, the song that would become their best-known track. 

“Ojos De Cristal” was eventually taken into the CBS orbit at a time when the label was heavily involved in promoting the new Spanish synth-pop. In 1984 Comic recorded a self-titled 12-inch maxi-single for Epic/CBS, produced by Jorge Álvarez and photographed by Javier Vallhonrat. The record contained “Ojos De Cristal”, “Güira” and “Gozos En El Astral”. Álvarez was one of the important figures behind CBS's Spanish pop output during the period, having worked with artists including Mecano and Olé Olé. 

There was also a promotional 7-inch version, with “Ojos De Cristal” backed by “Gozos En El Astral”. A separate one-sided promotional pressing of “Ojos De Cristal” also circulated. The artwork makes for an interesting variation on the maxi-single sleeve: whereas the 12-inch cover shows two members seated, the promotional single leaves the chairs empty.

 
The record appeared at a time when CBS was developing the commercial possibilities of Spanish electronic pop, following the breakthrough of acts such as Mecano and Olé Olé. Jorge Álvarez's involvement connects Comic with that production environment and with the wider effort to bring new Spanish pop and electronic sounds into the mainstream. 

Comic managed to get considerably more exposure than their extremely short existence might suggest. They opened for Alaska y Dinarama at a concert at the Canódromo in Las Palmas, received airplay on Los 40 Principales and appeared on television on El Gran Musical. “Ojos De Cristal” also made an appearance in the Los 40 chart during June 1984, placing Comic alongside several of the better-known Spanish and international pop acts of the period. 

The group split in 1985, leaving behind only a small recorded legacy. Apart from the original maxi-single and promotional pressings, an unofficial CD subsequently circulated containing “Ojos De Cristal”, “Gozos En El Astral”, an instrumental version of “Güira” and the original demo of “Ojos De Cristal”. 

Kaelo del Río was the member whose musical career continued most visibly after Comic. After moving to Madrid, he became a versatile keyboard player, arranger, musician and recording technician, working with artists including Luis Eduardo Aute, Suburbano, Cómplices, Manolo Tena, Mercedes Ferrer and Malú. His work also extended to recording and arranging for La Frontera, David de María, La Bruja Gata and Brenga Astur, among others. 

Del Río also developed a career in audiovisual music, composing for films, television shows, documentaries, theatre and advertising. His work in the recording studio and his involvement as a musician, arranger and mixer allowed him to move between pop, rock and soundtrack projects, continuing the combination of electronic instruments and studio-based production that had already been part of his work with Comic. 

 

Label: Epic – EPC A-4263 

Format: Vinyl, 7", Single 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1984 

Style: Synth-pop 

 

Tracklist: 

A Ojos De Cristal 

B Gozos En El Astral 

 

Other Versions: 

'Ojos De Cristal' (12", Maxi-Single) - Epic [EPC A 12.4263] (Spain, 1984)

 

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Brume – Apocalypse At 6.AM. [Cass] (1992, Tapes For Masses)

 

The cassette 'Apocalypse At 6 A.M.' belongs to the remarkably prolific early-1990s period of Brume, the long-running project of French composer and sound artist Christian Renou. It was issued in 1992 by the Portuguese label Tapes For Masses, catalogued as TFM 003, and takes its place among a long sequence of Brume cassettes that circulated through the international cassette-culture and industrial underground. 

 
Renou had already been working with sound manipulation for more than a decade when 'Apocalypse At 6 A.M.' appeared. His first experiments went back to the late 1970s, when he was involved with a large jazz-rock group called Uria, initially providing unusual effects and noises rather than functioning as a conventional musician. He began working independently around 1981, experimenting with synthesizers, tape loops, cassette players and crude recording equipment. He eventually developed a very personal approach based on cutting, looping, layering and physically manipulating recorded sound. 

 
The name Brume emerged in 1985 with the self-released cassette 'Frikture', followed by 'Le Jour Du Cochon' and a steady flow of releases through the international mail-art and cassette networks. Renou became extremely prolific, issuing dozens of cassettes through small labels in France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the United States and elsewhere. By the time of 'Apocalypse At 6 A.M.' he had already accumulated releases on labels such as Organic Tapes, Old Europa Cafe, Tonspur, Audiofile, Corrosive Tapes and SPH. 

 
Brume's music is difficult to reduce to a single genre, although musique concrète, industrial noise, electroacoustic experimentation and sound collage are useful starting points. Renou treated recordings almost as raw physical material, chopping them into fragments, extending them, combining unrelated noises and building dense layers from percussion, electronics, mechanical sounds and manipulated environmental recordings. Descriptions of his work from the period frequently emphasize rapid montage and collage, with the abrasive side of industrial music sitting alongside more atmospheric and textural passages. 

 
'Apocalypse At 6 A.M.' sits within an especially busy year for Renou. The 1992 discography includes several other Brume releases, among them 'I'm... I Come... I Was...' on Tonspur, the collaborative 'Lisza-Lisza' with Bovoso, 'Soulscape' with De Fabriek, and 'Sperm + Egg' with Sudden Infant. There was also 'Battery Hens Sabotage', while the following year brought releases such as 'Xeros' and further collaborations. 

 
The cassette also fits neatly into the catalogue of Tapes For Masses, a Portuguese underground label that operated in the early 1990s and concentrated on the sort of international experimental, industrial and noise material that was circulating through cassette networks at the time. The label's releases were generally small-scale affairs: another 1992 title, Telepherique's 'Music In Pictures', appeared on the same label, while De Fabriek's 'Trabbi Music' was catalogued as TFM 001 and reportedly limited to only 50 copies. The numbering gives 'Apocalypse At 6 A.M.' a particularly nice place in that tiny catalogue: De Fabriek's 'Trabbi Music' was TFM 001, a Kapotte Muziek release appeared as TFM 002, and Brume's cassette followed as TFM 003. S·Core's 'Deformation' subsequently appeared as TFM 004 in 1993.

 

These releases show how Tapes For Masses connected Portuguese cassette production with artists from the wider European industrial and experimental network. The cassette format was central to this whole scene rather than merely a cheap alternative to vinyl. Renou himself regarded cassette exchange as an important part of his development, allowing him to communicate with musicians, labels and listeners internationally while keeping production extremely flexible. He recorded some Brume material in remarkably short sessions, sometimes over a single weekend, and the sheer number of releases reflects that very DIY working method. 

 
Renou continued using the Brume name through the 1990s, with releases on labels including Staalplaat, Old Europa Cafe, Ant-Zen, Bandaged Hand Productions, Realization, Nuit et Brouillard and Intransitive. Around the turn of the millennium he began releasing more material under his own name; 'Zona Ventille' appeared in 2001, followed by further electroacoustic and musique concrète projects. Brume then went into a period of inactivity before Renou revived the project in 2008, after noticing that the musical approach he had developed under his own name was gradually returning towards the characteristic Brume aesthetic. 

 

 

Label: Tapes For Masses – TFM 003 

Format: Cassette, Limited Edition, C60 

Country: Portugal 

Released: Jun 1992 

Style: Abstract, Tribal, Experimental, Tape Music, Sound Collage 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Untitled 5:33 

A2 Untitled 3:11 

A3 Untitled 1:25 

A4 Untitled 4:12 

A5 Untitled 1:30 

A6 Untitled 0:49 

A7 Untitled 3:49 

A8 Untitled 8:14 

B1 Untitled 3:50 

B2 Untitled 5:26 

B3 Untitled 6:43 

B4 Untitled 13:00 

 

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The Anti Troppau Council – A Way Out [LP] (1986, Pegasus Records)

 

The Anti Troppau Council came together in Athens in the aftermath of Psychomafia’s split in 1984. Guitarist and singer Giannis Drenogiannis and bassist Tolis Maragos carried on together, initially joined by singer Nancy and drummer Aris Labridis, formerly of Γενιά Του Χάους (Genia Tou Haous, aka Chaos Generation). That line-up was short-lived, though, and Nancy and Labridis were soon replaced by vocalist Vasilis Tzavaras and drummer Takis Kanellos, the combination that would record 'A Way Out'. The rather unusual name came from Maragos’ interest in the 1820 Congress of Troppau, where European powers discussed suppressing revolutionary movements; the band turned the historical reference around with the deliberately provocative “Anti” prefix. 

The group quickly became part of the busy Exarchia underground circuit, playing regularly at venues such as Pigasos and Point. Pigasos was particularly important, operating as both a live venue and a meeting point for the Athens alternative scene. Their February 1985 appearance at Kyttaro was documented on the 'Live at Kyttaro' cassette, while that same year the band contributed two tracks to the 'Outsiders' compilation issued by Di Di Music. They were also sharing bills with groups including Femmes Fatales, Moist Device and Villa 21, establishing them within the loose network of Greek punk, post-punk and alternative rock groups that was developing around Athens during the mid-1980s. 

By the time they made 'A Way Out', The Anti Troppau Council had moved beyond the straightforward punk approach of their earliest material. Drenogiannis later described the band's development as moving through an initial punk phase, a period with stronger new wave elements, and finally toward the direction represented by the album. American underground groups such as Hüsker Dü, Minutemen and Wipers were particularly important reference points, alongside the post-punk sounds circulating through the Athens scene. 

'A Way Out' was recorded in 1986 at Agrotikon, the Thessaloniki studio associated with musician and producer Nikos Papazoglou, who also worked as the album's engineer. The record appeared on Pegasus Records as catalogue PEG 001 / CP 91026 and contained eleven tracks, beginning with “The Last Poet On The Road” and “The Diver” and moving through “Insanity”, “In The City” and the title track before reaching “I Believe”, “Contract With The Devil”, “Into The 7th Sky”, “Scream A Song”, “Cartoons” and “When The Saints Go...”. 

The record's stylistic range was already apparent to listeners outside Greece. Maximum Rocknroll, reviewing the LP in issue #40 in September 1986, described the group as moving between early punk rockers, psychedelic punk and slower melodic material, with changes of pace and mood across the album. That contemporary review is useful context because 'A Way Out' was reaching the international underground press at a time when very little Greek alternative music was being exported beyond the country. 

“I Believe” became the best-known track from the album and was already a highlight of the band's live set. The song is a direct tribute to Roky Erickson, with its lyrics built around the singer's fascination with the idea of Erickson arriving from outer space and the alien imagery associated with his music. “When The Saints Go...” takes the album in a completely different direction, turning the traditional gospel standard “When the Saints Go Marching In” into a short, punk-styled closing number. 

The album also has a particularly strong connection with Pegasus itself. The label was established by Petros Koutsoumbas, who was associated with the Pigasos club. According to an account by Drenogiannis, Koutsoumbas offered to finance the recording after seeing the band playing at the club, putting up 100,000 drachmas for the project. That investment resulted not only in 'A Way Out' but in the creation of Pegasus Records as an outlet for underground Greek music.

 
Pegasus subsequently became involved in documenting the wider Athens and Greek underground. In 1987 it issued 'Cicadas – An Electric Guide to the Greek Underground', featuring Anti Troppau Council alongside groups such as Villa 21, The Mushrooms, Blue Light and Human Grape. The Anti Troppau Council contributed two tracks to the compilation, “Horizons” and “Shine”. Their earlier contributions to 'Outsiders' also circulated outside the album, with “Contract With The Devil” appearing there in a different mix from the version used on 'A Way Out'.

 
The line-up continued to change after the LP. Following a June 1986 appearance at the Theatre of the Forest in Thessaloniki, Maragos was replaced on bass by Gerasimos Gatzelias. The new line-up recorded the two 'Cicadas' tracks, while the band was also working on material intended for a second album. That record never happened: tensions within the group resulted in Drenogiannis leaving before they could enter the studio. Kanellos subsequently became associated with Mode Plagal, while Drenogiannis went on to form Yeah!. Tzavaras and Maragos later joined Kostas Anagnostopoulos and Nikos Kassavetis in the short-lived Angeldrops.

 

Label: Pegasus Records – CP 91026 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: Greece 

Released: 1986 

Style: New Wave, Post-Punk, Garage Rock, Noise Rock 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 The Last Poet On The Road 

A2 The Diver 

A3 Insanity 

A4 In The City 

A5 A Way Out 

B1 I Believe 

B2 Contract With The Devil 

B3 Into The 7th Sky 

B4 Scream A Song 

B5 Cartoons B6 When The Saints Go... 

 

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'68 Comeback – The Annex Sessions Volume One [7''] (1996, Sympathy For The Record Industry, Old Age / No Age)

 

‘68 Comeback’s 'The Annex Sessions, Volume One' is a two-song 7" single issued in 1996 by Sympathy For The Record Industry, with Old Age/No Age also credited on the release. The record appeared as SFTRI 450, and pairs “I Want My Mule Back” with “Painter Of Sadness.” A second volume followed in 1997, carrying “Whistle Bait” and “Modern Don Juan.” 

By this point, ’68 Comeback had already established itself as a particularly scruffy and energetic part of the early-’90s garage-rock revival. The group had been formed in Memphis in 1992 by Jeffrey Evans, the singer, guitarist, blues-harp player and music obsessive who had previously been involved with the Gibson Bros. Evans was the only permanent member of a constantly shifting line-up, and the original band brought together musicians from several corners of the Memphis underground, including Peggy O’Neil of the Gories, Darin Lin Wood of the Red Devils, Dan Brown of Gloryhole and Jack Taylor of Monster Truck Five. 

The idea behind ’68 Comeback was pretty direct: Evans wanted a band that could hit hard in a live setting and reproduce that rough, immediate feeling on record. The early line-up even featured three guitarists, giving the group a dense, battered rock’n’roll sound that connected the Memphis garage tradition with blues, rockabilly and primitive punk. Their first singles appeared on a string of independent labels including Sugar Ditch, Sympathy, In The Red, Sub Pop and Get Hip, while Sympathy became one of the most important homes for the group’s records during the decade. 

The personnel around the 'Annex Sessions' was somewhat different from the original line-up. For these recordings, Evans was joined by Darin Lin Wood on guitar, George Reyes on electric bass and Jeffrey Bouck on drums. The same combination was used for a number of recordings around this period, including material that eventually appeared on the 1998 album 'A Bridge Too Fuckin’ Far'. 

The two tracks on 'Volume One' fit neatly into the band’s fascination with the rougher, older side of American music. “I Want My Mule Back” and “Painter Of Sadness” are preserved as compact pieces rather than stretched-out studio productions, which makes the 7" format particularly appropriate. The sessions were part of a very productive period for Evans, with the 'Someday My Prince Will Come…' double 7" also appearing through Sympathy in 1996, alongside a steady stream of singles and the group’s earlier albums. 

Sympathy For The Record Industry, usually shortened to SFTRI, was one of the key American independent labels of the period. Based in Long Beach, California, it built an enormous catalogue around garage rock, punk, blues, noise, rockabilly and other forms of underground rock’n’roll, often releasing short runs of 7"s and EPs alongside LPs and CDs. Its catalogue around 1996 included records by artists as varied as Billy Childish, Destroy All Monsters, The Spaceshits, Los Cincos and El Vez, with ’68 Comeback appearing repeatedly in the label’s programme. 

The second label credit connects the single to Mike “Rep” Hummel’s Old Age/No Age, a particularly important piece of the Columbus, Ohio DIY underground. Hummel had developed the label out of his earlier New Age Records operation, initially using it to issue cassette-based material by musicians such as the Gibson Brothers and Tommy Jay. Through the ’80s and ’90s, Old Age/No Age became associated with the rough-edged, home-recorded side of American underground rock, and Hummel was also active as a musician, producer and engineer around Columbus. That connection makes sense in the wider ’68 Comeback story. Evans had longstanding links with musicians and labels operating outside the more polished end of the garage revival, while the group’s records regularly moved between different small labels and regional scenes. 

 

Label: Sympathy For The Record Industry – SFTRI 450, Old Age / No Age – none 

Format: Vinyl, 7" 

Country: US 

Released: 1996 

Style: Garage Rock 

 

Tracklist: 

A. I Want My Mule Back 

B. Painter Of Sadness 

 

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Dan Curtin – Dream Not Of Today [12''] (1994, Peacefrog Records)

 

'Dream Not Of Today' is a four-track 12" by American producer and DJ Dan Curtin, issued by the London label Peacefrog Records in 1994 as PF 024. The record contains “Track 17”, “Spliffed”, “Wind And Water” and “One Evening At Mrs. Applebees”. 

Curtin came out of the Northeast Ohio scene, working from the Cleveland area at a time when techno was still developing outside its better-known Detroit and Chicago strongholds. He had already been producing and DJing before setting up Metamorphic Records in 1992, a label that became an outlet for his own material as well as early work from producers including Morgan Geist and Titonton Duvante. Curtin also spent time working in Detroit with Carl Craig and released material on 33 RPM Records, connecting his Cleveland background with the wider Detroit techno network. 

The Peacefrog connection was particularly important in this period. Founded in London in 1991 by Pete Hutchison and Paul Ballard, Peacefrog quickly developed into one of the UK labels closely associated with the more adventurous end of early-'90s techno. Its catalogue brought together British and American producers, with releases from artists such as Luke Slater, DBX, Stasis, Eddie “Flashin” Fowlkes and Planetary Assault Systems appearing around the same period. The label's own description traces its name to a lesser-known musical reference by The Doors and describes its original purpose as an outlet for interesting, relatively underexposed electronic music. 

'Dream Not Of Today' arrived during a particularly busy period for Curtin. His 'The Silicon Dawn' album was also released by Peacefrog in 1994, while 'Parallel / Population 2' followed later that year. 'The Silicon Dawn' was among Peacefrog's early full-length techno releases and shows the same combination of Detroit-inspired structures, melodic passages and intricate percussion that runs through Curtin's work of the period. 

The four tracks on PF 024 sit somewhere between Detroit techno, early Chicago house influence and a more individual kind of tech-funk. Contemporary descriptions of the record point to fast-moving rhythms, acidic bass lines and a distinctly funky edge, while “Wind And Water” in particular has been singled out for its combination of driving percussion and melodic elements.

 
There is also an interesting geographical angle to Curtin's music. Cleveland was hardly the obvious place to emerge as a techno production centre in the early '90s, yet Curtin developed a sound that was clearly in conversation with Detroit while retaining its own character. His records were often faster and more rhythmically restless than straightforward deep house, with complex drum programming, distorted textures and melodic material working together rather than simply following the functional conventions of club techno. 

 

Label: Peacefrog Records – PF 024 

Format: Vinyl, 12", 33 ⅓ RPM 

Country: UK 

Released: Dec 12, 1994 

Style: Acid, Deep House, Techno, Detroit Techno 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Track 17 5:16 

A2 Spliffed 6:00 

B1 Wind And Water 6:48 

B2 One Evening At Mrs. Applebees 5:17 

 

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Various – Earcom 1 [LP] (1979, Fast Product)

 

'Earcom 1' was a 12-inch compilation issued by the Edinburgh independent label Fast Product in 1979, catalogued as FAST 9A. It was the first instalment in the label’s 'Earcom' series, followed later that year by 'Earcom 2' and 'Earcom 3'. Rather than simply collecting previously released material, the record was used to introduce several newer and less established acts working around the emerging post-punk and DIY scenes. Contemporary advertising described it as a “Giant EP” featuring “24 minutes of mutant pop.”

 
The record opens with The Prats, the young Edinburgh group made up of Paul McLaughlin, David Maguire, Greg Maguire and Tom Robinson, who contribute three tracks: “Prats 2”, “Inverness” and “Bored”. Their primitive, deliberately awkward approach fitted perfectly with Fast Product’s interest in bands that could make something distinctive without conventional musical polish. The Prats had been influenced by groups such as The Slits and The Mekons, and their appearance on 'Earcom 1' was followed by a John Peel session in 1979. 

The Blank Students appear twice with “Fun At The Fair” and “Background Music”. The group came from the same loose Scottish experimental/post-punk environment that Fast Product was documenting, and their contributions sit somewhere between punk minimalism, primitive new wave and deliberately eccentric performance. John Peel played “Background Music” on his BBC Radio 1 programme in May 1979, shortly after the compilation appeared. 

Graph contribute “Drowning”, one of the more experimental pieces on the record. The group were associated with Sheffield and used electronics and treated conventional instruments in their performances. Contemporary coverage placed them alongside Cabaret Voltaire, noting their use of films and slides during live shows and describing “Drowning” as part of Fast Product’s 'Earcom 1' project. 

The remaining tracks come from The Flowers, another Scottish group who contribute “Criminal Waste” and “After Dark”. John Peel picked up both the band and the compilation very quickly, playing “Criminal Waste” in May and June 1979 and “After Dark” in July. The final track, “(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures”, is credited to Simon Bloomfield and Tim Pearce, giving the record an additional experimental element beyond the four main groups.

 
Fast Product had been established in Edinburgh in December 1977 by Bob Last, Hilary Morrison and Tim Pearce. The label's first release was The Mekons' Never Been in a Riot' single in January 1978, and its catalogue quickly expanded to include 2.3, The Human League, Gang of Four, Scars and other artists who were helping shape the transition from punk into the more fractured sounds of post-punk. 

Last and his associates approached the label as something broader than a conventional record company. Fast Product combined records with fanzines, unusual packaging, photography, graphics and deliberately unconventional promotional ideas. The label used terms such as “mutant pop” and “difficult fun” to describe its approach, while its releases reflected the DIY attitude that had developed around punk but pushed it towards electronics, experimental music, conceptual presentation and new forms of pop.

 
'Earcom 1' also fits into Fast Product's numbering system in an interesting way. FAST 8 had been the 1979 Scars single 'Adult/ery', while FAST 9A was 'Earcom 1', followed by FAST 9B for 'Earcom 2' and FAST 9C for 'Earcom 3'. The second volume featured Joy Division, Thursdays and Basczax, while the third came as a double 7-inch set. 

The physical presentation of 'Earcom 1' was also part of the project. Original copies came with a four-page booklet and an embossed circular insert, while some editions were associated with an additional pink flexi-disc featuring material by Jo Callis. The combination of unusual packaging, new groups and deliberately limited presentation was very much in keeping with Fast Product's way of treating the record as an object rather than just a carrier for songs. 

 

Label: Fast Product – Fast 9a, Fast Product – F9Ax/1, Fast Product – F9AX/2 

Series: Earcom – 1 

Format: Vinyl, LP, 45 RPM, Compilation 

Country: UK 

Released: 1979 

Style: Lo-Fi, Punk, New Wave, Minimal, Synth-pop, Experimental, Post-Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 The Prats – Prats 2 2:02 

A2 The Blank Students – Fun At The Fair 2:08 

A3 Graph – Drowning 5:03 

A4 The Blank Students – Background Music 2:03 

B1 The Prats – Inverness 1:50 

B2 The Prats – Bored 1:17 

B3 The Flowers – Criminal Waste 3:47 

B4 The Flowers – After Dark 3:45 

B5 Simon Bloomfield / Tim Pearce – (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures 1:30 

 

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Borbetomagus – Coelacanth [7''] (1993, Butt Rag Records)

 

The 7" 'Coelacanth' by Borbetomagus came out in 1993 on the American independent label Butt Rag Records. It contains two versions of the title piece, both performed by the core trio of Jim Sauter and Don Dietrich on saxophones and Donald Miller on electric guitar. The recordings come from two different sessions, with “Coelacanth 6.27.92” on the A-side and “Coelacanth 5.9.93” on the B-side. The record was issued in a gatefold sleeve and has the compact, confrontational character typical of Borbetomagus releases from this period.

 
By the time 'Coelacanth' appeared, Borbetomagus had already spent more than a decade pushing free improvisation into increasingly abrasive territory. Sauter and Dietrich had originally come together with guitarist and radio DJ Donald Miller in New York in 1979, after the saxophonists became interested in Miller's WKCR radio programme. Miller was already active in the city's experimental music scene and had played with the cult group Sick Dick & the Volkswagens, while his later work included collaborations with free-jazz drummer William Hooker and numerous other improvisers. 

The Borbetomagus approach was based on improvisation without a conventional rhythm section, with the two saxophones and Miller's amplified guitar occupying the entire sonic space. Their performances could become extremely dense, using feedback, extended saxophone techniques, distortion and sustained noise rather than conventional riffs or melodies. 'Coelacanth' fits neatly into this period, presenting two short live performances recorded almost a year apart and showing the trio working in the stripped-down format that had become central to their sound.

 
The title also has an interesting connection with another Borbetomagus project. In 1991, the group had recorded 'Coelacanth' with The Shaking Ray Levis, Dennis Palmer and Bob Stagner, for a limited-edition 10" picture disc on Agaric. The Butt Rag 7" is a separate release, documenting the Borbetomagus trio rather than the larger collaboration. The band's own discography lists the 7" specifically as 'Coelacanth' (Butt Rag BR006), with Sauter, Dietrich and Miller credited. 

Butt Rag Records was an American underground label with a distinctly independent approach, operating around the margins of alternative rock, experimental music and the American underground. Borbetomagus had already appeared on the label with the 7" 'The Original Chirping Chicken / Choking Olga' (BR004), issued in 1992, making 'Coelacanth' the second Borbetomagus single associated with Butt Rag. Contemporary collector listings also place releases by artists such as Timber and The Biggest Square Thing in the label's catalogue. 

The label's placement of Borbetomagus alongside underground rock and experimental acts is significant because 'Coelacanth' wasn't packaged as a conventional jazz release. The 7" format, tiny independent label and deliberately rough presentation put the group into the same vinyl underground inhabited by noise, punk and experimental rock releases. The record has subsequently become a relatively scarce Borbetomagus item, with specialist dealers describing it as a rare early-'90s 7" containing two live versions recorded a year apart. 

Donald Miller remained an important part of Borbetomagus well beyond the period covered by this single. Alongside his work with the group, he maintained a broad experimental practice, recording solo material and collaborating with musicians from the New York improvisation scene. After moving to New Orleans in 2001, he formed The Death Posture with guitarist Rob Cambre and Butoh dancer Vanessa Skantze, continuing to combine improvised music with performance art. Miller died in 2024 at the age of 66. 

The name Borbetomagus had a slightly accidental beginning. It was originally intended as the title of the quartet's first album rather than the band's permanent name. The word referred to the ancient Celtic name for the German town of Worms, while the album artwork played with the idea of a “city of worms.” Reviewers treated Borbetomagus as the name of the group, and the musicians eventually accepted the name. 

 

Label: Butt Rag Records – BR006 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM 

Country: US 

Released: 1993 

Style: Free Jazz, Noise 

 

Tracklist: 

A Coelacanth 6.27.92 4:49 

B Coelacanth 5.9.93 2:57 

 

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Zones – Stuck With You [7''] (1978, Zoom Records)

The 7" single “Stuck With You / No Angels” was the debut release by Glasgow new wave and punk group Zones, issued by Edinburgh-based Zoom Records on 17 February 1978 as catalogue number ZUM 4. The two tracks capture the band at their most immediate and punk-leaning, before their sound became more polished and distinctly new wave on their later Arista releases.

 
Zones had emerged in late 1977 from the remains of PVC2, which itself had grown out of the earlier Scottish pop group Slik. When Midge Ure left PVC2 for London and the Rich Kids, bassist Russell Webb, keyboard player Billy McIsaac and drummer Kenny Hyslop remained together and brought in guitarist and vocalist Willie Gardner. Gardner had previously played with Glasgow group The Hot Valves, and was also a cousin of Scottish rock singer Alex Harvey. With Gardner replacing Ure, the new line-up became Zones.

 
“Stuck With You” is a compact, energetic number that still carries some of the rough-edged momentum of PVC2, while “No Angels” on the B-side shows the group beginning to move towards the sharper, more melodic new wave sound that would develop over the following year.

 
The record also benefited from the attention of BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who played “Stuck With You” repeatedly. Peel's support helped put Zones on the wider British new wave radar and led to the band recording two sessions for his programme in 1978. The first was recorded in May and included “Sign Of The Times”, “Away From It All”, “No Sense Of Humour” and “Tough At The Bottom”; a second session followed in September. 

 
There was plenty of activity around the band during this period. Zones played alongside groups such as Magazine, and by 1979 they had also supported Iggy Pop. A contemporary review of their eventual album noted that the group had already built an audience through these support slots and Peel sessions. 

 
The single also marked an important moment for Zoom Records, the small Edinburgh label founded in 1977 by Scottish music entrepreneur Bruce Findlay, who was also behind the Bruce's chain of record shops. Findlay established Zoom as an outlet for the emerging Scottish punk and new wave scene, with the label's early catalogue including The Valves, PVC2, Zones, The Questions and Nightshift. “Stuck With You” was the fourth Zoom single, following releases by The Valves and PVC2. 

 
Zoom was operating right in the middle of the burst of independent British labels that appeared around the punk explosion of 1977. By July 1978, Arista had moved in with a licensing deal for Zoom's catalogue, giving Findlay's label considerably greater distribution while allowing him to retain involvement with the artists and their promotion. A contemporary Record Business report described Findlay as an unusually active record dealer running his own label and quoted him describing Zoom as an unapologetically pop-oriented label whose repertoire was intended to follow what was happening around it. 

 
The Arista connection quickly changed Zones' recording career. Their next single, “Sign Of The Times / Away From It All”, appeared on Arista in July 1978, followed by “Looking To The Future / Do It All Again” in May 1979. Their only album, 'Under Influence', was issued by Arista in June 1979 and was produced by Tim Friese-Greene. A final Arista single, “Mourning Star / Under Influence”, followed in July. The band also contributed “New Life” to the soundtrack of the film "That Summer!". 

 

The Zones story was short-lived. After the 'Under Influence' period the group split in 1979, with the members moving into several different Scottish musical circles. There is a small correction worth making to the usual shorthand description of their later careers: Russell Webb and Kenny Hyslop joined The Skids, while Hyslop subsequently moved into Simple Minds, replacing Brian McGee and playing on the group's 1982 single “Promised You A Miracle.” Billy McIsaac later continued working as a pianist and bandleader, while Willie Gardner pursued solo work and subsequently became associated with Endgames. 

 

 

Label: Zoom Records – ZUM 4 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single 

Country: UK 

Released: Feb 1978 

Style: Punk, Power Pop, New Wave 

 

Tracklist:  

A Stuck With You 2:33 

B No Angels 3:01 

 

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