Il Y A Volkswagens – Kill Myself [7''] (1981, Mechanical Reproductions)

 

The obscure 7" single 'Kill Myself” by Il Y A Volkswagens is one of those rare artifacts from the early-1980s British underground that continues to intrigue collectors of post-punk and minimal synth. Though the project left behind only a small recorded legacy, its connection to influential producers and the broader experimental scene of the era has given the record a lasting cult reputation. 

Released in 1981 on the small independent label Mechanical Reproductions, 'Kill Myself' features the title track on the A-side and “American Dream” on the B-side. Its stark, lo-fi production and repetitive structure reflect the raw aesthetic that defined many DIY post-punk releases of the period. Despite its limited distribution, the single became a minor underground curiosity and has since been rediscovered by collectors and DJs interested in early minimal synth and experimental post-punk.  

"Kill Myself" is built around a minimalist arrangement: rigid drum machine patterns, skeletal synth lines, and detached vocals that emphasize the bleak humor of the lyrics. The song’s repeated phrase -“I’m gonna kill myself / And watch it on television”- captures the dark irony and media-obsessed paranoia typical of the early-1980s post-punk mindset. The track’s hypnotic repetition and rough recording style give it a confrontational quality that feels closer to performance art than to conventional pop songwriting. 

Behind the project were Eric Radcliffe and John Fryer, two figures who would later become respected producers and engineers within the British alternative music scene. Radcliffe would go on to run the influential Blackwing Studios in London, while Fryer became widely known for his production work and for being one of the core members of This Mortal Coil. Their collaboration under the name Il Y A Volkswagens appears to have been a short-lived studio project rather than a conventional touring band.

The project is often associated with the wider Leicester post-punk scene, which produced a number of experimental groups in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Members of that scene later formed or participated in other bands, including The Apollinaires, illustrating the fluid, interconnected nature of the UK’s underground music communities at the time.

 

Label: Mechanical Reproductions – MR 001, Mechanical Reproductions – 001 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM 

Country: UK 

Released: 1981 

Style: New Wave, Post-Punk, Art Punk, Noise Rock, Indie Rock 

 

Tracklist: 

A Kill Myself 3:16 

B American Dream 3:00 

 

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The Hook 'N' Pull Gang – Pour It Down Yer Throat / Gasoline [7''] (1987, Bitch Hog Records)

 

The Hook ’N’ Pull Gang were a short-lived indie/garage rock band from Edinburgh, Scotland who briefly surfaced in the mid-1980s UK underground scene. Like a lot of small bands from that era, they left behind only a tiny recorded footprint, but the little that exists has become a curiosity for collectors of obscure British indie singles. The group mixed raw garage-rock guitars with a surprisingly soulful vocal approach, giving their sound a slightly unusual edge compared to the jangly indie bands that were dominating the UK at the time.

 
The band reportedly grew out of a friendship between drummer and vocalist Eileen MacMullan and bassist Alan McDade, who started writing songs together before bringing guitarist Rita Blazyca into the lineup. Early press coverage described their music as loud and gritty, with a “wall of sound” guitar attack and vocals that leaned more toward soul than punk. Their songs also carried a streak of dark humour and slightly macabre imagery, something that was reflected in the band’s name. According to contemporary interviews, “Hook ’N’ Pull” was a reference to the notorious body-snatchers Burke and Hare, whose crimes in 19th-century Edinburgh became part of local folklore. 

 
Their only widely known release is the 7-inch single 'Pour It Down Yer Throat / Gasoline', which came out in 1987 on their own tiny DIY label, Bitch Hog. The record feels very much like a product of the independent cassette-and-demo culture of the time: rough around the edges, loud, and unapologetically raw. The A-side, "Pour It Down Yer Throat", is a snarling, swaggering track driven by thick guitars and a vocal performance that sits somewhere between garage rock attitude and deep soul phrasing. On the flip side, "Gasoline" leans into the band’s heavier side, with a darker, slightly more aggressive feel.

 
Around the time the single appeared, the band were starting to get a bit of attention from the UK music press and were playing occasional showcase gigs in London. Some reviewers picked up on the unusual mix of styles, describing the band as pairing big, thrashing guitar backing with vocals that sounded almost like they belonged in a soul band. Despite the early buzz, the momentum never really turned into a full breakthrough, and the group faded from view not long afterwards. 

 
Today the single survives mostly as a small oddity from the late-80s indie underground. Because it was self-released in small numbers, copies don’t turn up very often, though when they do the price usually isn’t extreme. For collectors of obscure UK garage or DIY indie records, 'Pour It Down Yer Throat / Gasoline' remains one of those fascinating little artifacts from a scene where dozens of bands briefly flared into existence, pressed a record or two, and disappeared again.

 

 

Label: Bitch Hog Records – BITCH 1 

Format: Vinyl, 7", Single 

Country: UK 

Released: 1987 

Style: Goth Rock, Punk, Indie Rock, Girl Group 

 

Tracklist: 

A Pour It Down Yer Throat 2:16 

B Gasoline 2:36

 

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Generation Waste – Another Alternative? [Cass] (1987, Not On Label)

'Another Alternative?' is a super obscure cassette released around 1987 by Generation Waste, a punk band out of Chicago. Like a lot of underground releases from that time, it was most likely self-produced and circulated through tape trading and fanzines rather than any formal label. One of the few traces it left behind is a review in Maximum Rocknroll, which praised it as a “damn hot first tape,” highlighting its mix of fast, aggressive punk energy with a surprising sense of melody and thoughtful lyrics. 

Listening to it (or even just going off descriptions), the sound seems to sit somewhere between hardcore punk and thrash, but not in a totally chaotic way. There’s a drive and intensity, sure, but also structure and hooks that make it stand out from more raw, one-dimensional demos of the era. That balance between speed and melody hints at where punk would go in the following years, especially with the rise of more melodic hardcore styles. 

As for Generation Waste themselves, they’re pretty much a mystery. There’s barely any documented history, which usually means they were a small, local band that didn’t stick around long or didn’t put out many recordings. That wasn’t unusual at all in the 80s punk scene -tons of bands would form, record a demo or two, play some local shows, and disappear. Still, those short-lived projects were a huge part of what made the scene feel alive and constantly evolving. 

In the end, 'Another Alternative?' isn’t just interesting because of the music -it’s a snapshot of a whole DIY culture. Back then, you didn’t need a label or big distribution. You just needed a tape, some copies, and a way to get it into people’s hands. Even if Generation Waste never became a well-known name, this cassette captures that raw, self-made spirit that defined underground punk in the 80s.

 

 

Label: Not On Label (Generation Waste Self-Released) – none 

Format: Cassette 

Country: US 

Released: 1987 

Style: Hardcore Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Hate 

A2 Figure It Out 

A3 Here Today Gone Tomorrow 

A4 Painless suicide 

A5 Unity 

B1 Shades Of Grey 

B2 Broken Glass 

B3 Another Alternative? 

B4 Blue Collar Victim 

B5 We're Gonna Fight 

 

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feedtime / King Snake Roost – Buffalo Bob / More Than Love [7''] (1988, Aberrant Records)

 

The split single 'Buffalo Bob / More Than Love' from 1988 is one of those great little artifacts from the Australian underground, the kind of record that perfectly captures how tight and collaborative that scene really was. It pairs up feedtime and King Snake Roost, two bands who shared stages, influences, and a general love for loud, stripped-down, no-frills rock.

 
What makes the record especially cool is the concept behind it. Instead of just contributing their own tracks, each band covers the other. feedtime takes on “Buffalo Bob,” originally by King Snake Roost, while King Snake Roost returns the favor with their version of “More Than Love,” a feedtime song. It’s less of a split in the usual sense and more like a conversation between the two bands, each one filtering the other’s material through their own sound. 

The feedtime version of “Buffalo Bob” leans hard into their signature style -slow, pounding, repetitive, and almost hypnotic. There’s a kind of blunt-force groove to it, like a blues riff that’s been dragged through mud and distortion until it becomes something raw and primitive. On the flip side, King Snake Roost’s take on “More Than Love” is rougher and more chaotic, pushing the song into noisier territory, with a sharper, more aggressive edge that hints at the direction noise rock and early grunge would take in the following years. 

Both bands were central figures in the late 80s Australian underground. feedtime had been around since the late 70s and built their reputation on a minimalist, blues-infused take on punk that felt completely out of step with trends at the time. Their music was repetitive in a deliberate way, almost trance-like, and later on it would be recognized as a major influence on the grunge and noise scenes that exploded in the US.

 
King Snake Roost, coming out of Adelaide in the mid-80s, were a bit more abrasive and chaotic. Their sound had more in common with the harsher end of American noise rock, but they still shared that same DIY spirit and obsession with raw texture. They even made their way over to the US and worked with Butch Vig before he became a household name, which gives you an idea of how connected these scenes were becoming. 

There’s also a live element to their relationship that adds another layer to this record. The bands played together often, and it wasn’t unusual for members to jump on stage with each other. At times, King Snake Roost’s Peter Hill would even perform “Buffalo Bob” live with feedtime, blurring the lines between the two groups even further. 

In the end, this split isn’t just a couple of songs pressed onto vinyl -it’s a snapshot of a moment where a small, noisy scene was cross-pollinating in real time. You can hear the shared DNA, but also the subtle differences in approach, and that’s what makes it such a satisfying listen, especially if you’re into the roots of noise rock and grunge.

 

 

Label: Aberrant Records – MORETHAN1BOB 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM 

Country: Australia 

Released: Feb 19, 1988 

Style: Garage Rock, Grunge, Punk, Pigfuck 

 

Tracklist: 

A feedtime – Buffalo Bob 

B King Snake Roost – More Than Love 

 

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Exhibit A – Distance [7''] (1980, Irrelevant Wombat Records)

 

"Distance" is one of those tracks that feels like it slipped through the cracks of music history. Released in 1980 by Exhibit A, it sits right in that fascinating moment when punk was mutating into something colder, moodier, and more experimental. You can hear that shift clearly in the song -it trades raw aggression for atmosphere, leaning into tension, space, and a kind of emotional detachment that defined a lot of early post-punk.

 
The track itself is pretty minimal on the surface, but that’s part of its charm. The guitars are sharp and a bit jagged, the rhythm feels steady but slightly hypnotic, and the vocals come off distant, almost deliberately disconnected. It’s not trying to be catchy in a traditional sense -it’s more about creating a feeling, a kind of sonic mood that lingers rather than grabs you immediately. There’s a quiet intensity to it that rewards repeat listens, especially if you’re into that darker, stripped-back sound. 

As for Exhibit A, they’re one of those bands that never quite broke through but still managed to leave a small imprint on the underground scene. Like many groups operating in the late ’70s and early ’80s, they were part of a wave of artists experimenting beyond punk’s limitations, pulling in influences from art rock, dub, and early electronic music. They didn’t have a long or particularly high-profile career, and documentation about them is pretty scarce, which only adds to their mystique.

 
What makes Exhibit A interesting is how representative they are of that era’s DIY ethos. Bands like them often released singles on small labels, played local circuits, and disappeared before getting any real mainstream attention. But that doesn’t mean the music wasn’t compelling -if anything, it’s often more raw and exploratory than what was happening in the charts at the time. “Distance” is a perfect example of that: understated, a little eerie, and very much a product of its moment. 

Over the years, tracks like this have found a second life among collectors and fans digging deep into post-punk’s lesser-known corners. It might not be a classic in the traditional sense, but it captures a specific mood and time so well that it feels like a hidden gem waiting to be rediscovered.

 

 

Label: Irrelevant Wombat Records – DAMP 2 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, EP 

Country: UK 

Released: 1980 

Style: Punk, New Wave, Minimal Wave, Post-Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A Distance 

B1 Platform 6 

B2 Bollards 

 

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Doo-Dooettes – Look To This [LP] (1982, The Solid Eye, Los Angeles Free Music Society)

 

'Look To This', the elusive 1982 release by Doo-Dooettes, stands as a curious artifact from the fringes of the early ’80s American underground. Issued as a private pressing on the Solid Eye label, the record emerged from the orbit of the Los Angeles Free Music Society, a loose and prolific network of artists operating in Los Angeles who embraced lo-fi production, irreverence, and total creative freedom. Like many LAFMS-related releases, the album feels less like a polished statement and more like a snapshot of a moment -raw, strange, and defiantly unconcerned with convention.

 
The record drifts between fragments of pop structure and bursts of chaotic experimentation. Hints of melody and rhythm surface briefly, only to be interrupted or reshaped by tape manipulation, found sounds, and a playful sense of absurdity that keeps everything slightly off balance. This constant push and pull -between something almost familiar and something entirely unhinged- gives the album its peculiar charm. At times it brushes against the spirit of no wave; elsewhere it leans into collage and musique concrète, never settling long enough to be easily defined. 

What makes the album particularly compelling is how it reflects the ethos of its scene. The Doo-Dooettes weren’t aiming for mass appeal or even coherence in a traditional sense; instead, they were part of a broader conversation about what music could be when stripped of industry expectations. The rough edges, abrupt transitions, and flashes of randomness feel deliberate, forming a quiet rejection of polish in favor of immediacy and experimentation. 

Over the years, the record has remained a collector’s curiosity, circulating mainly among those drawn to underground and outsider music. Beyond its rarity, 'Look To This' offers a vivid glimpse into a creative community that thrived on limitation and unpredictability, capturing a moment when making music meant pushing boundaries simply because they were there.

 

 

Label: The Solid Eye – A1, Los Angeles Free Music Society – L.A.F.M.S.#14 

Format: Vinyl, LP 

Country: US 

Released: 1982 

Style: Art Rock, Modern Classical, Experimental, Free Improvisation, Free Jazz, Jazz-Rock 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Zombie 

A2 I Got Right To Sing The Blu 

A3 The Flying Eyes 

A4 Baby 

A5 Bird And Bee Orchestra 

B1 Schlagerzeit (Tolstoy's Anemic) 

B2 Dr. Phibes Visits Chicago 

B3 Scrapyard 

B4 Red Wrec. Said 

B5 That Latin 

B6 Yurei 

 

Notes: 

Elaborations: 

A1 - this is the music from an Italian film entitled "Zombie", this version is the 'Ettes testimonial to horror. 

A2 - recorded live on KCRW, Los Angeles; 3AM, April 4, 1982, on Brent Wilcox's "FRGK" program.

A3 - this is an excerpt from a longer piece, presented here is the first ten minutes; no overdubs or edits. 

A4 - no comment. 

A5 - environment created live entirely by mouth and limb. 

B1 - this piece grew out of an annoying song Dennis used to play incessantly whenever he encountered a piano, by recording it in the studio and making it a big number we hoped we would cure him of the habit. It worked. 

B2 - after working on "Zombie" in the studio and dealing with all that structure, we had to flex our improving muscles. "Dr. Phibes" was the result. If you listen carefully you can hear him speak as he arrives in town. 

B3 - a condensation of 20 minute piece down to about three. A random sampling with flavor enhancers by Tom. 

B4 - excerpt of a piece used by Doug Henry in his film of the same name. Title courtesy Doug. 

B5 - our version of "Nights in the Gardens of Spain"? 

B6 - is not listed on the cover or labels, only on the insert. this tracks starts at the end of the side and run into the lock groove. Recorded at The Sound Chamber in November 1981 except track A2 which was recorded at KCRW Radio, Los Angeles. Mastered at Kendun. Pressing by KM. Thanks to Kevin Laffey, Erling and Dagmar Nilsen, Dave Nold, Jan Paulhus, Paul Sanoian, Tom Potts, Mark Takeuchi and LAFMS. 

 

Includes single-sided 11.5" square insert with credits. 

 

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Coma = コーマ – In A Coma.... [7''] (1985, ADK Records)

 

Released in 1985, 'In A Coma….' is a rare 7-inch single/EP by the Japanese underground band Coma (コーマ). Issued on the independent label ADK Records, the record stands as a small but intriguing artifact from Japan’s mid-1980s post-punk movement. Like many releases from that era’s DIY scene, it was pressed in limited quantities and circulated primarily within underground networks, which helps explain its scarcity today. 

'In A Coma….' reflects the darker, mood-driven aesthetics that defined much of the global post-punk sound during the early to mid-1980s. Contemporary commentary, including mentions in the influential punk zine Maximum Rocknroll, noted the band’s resemblance to the tense, brooding style of Killing Joke. That comparison places Coma within a lineage of bands that fused punk’s raw urgency with heavy, atmospheric guitar textures and a brooding rhythmic foundation. While reviewers at the time considered the record competent rather than groundbreaking, its sound captured the restless experimental spirit that characterized Japan’s underground rock scene.

 
The mid-1980s Japanese independent circuit was vibrant and diverse, with small labels like ADK Records documenting a range of punk and post-punk acts. Bands such as GISM, Cobra, and The Stalin are often cited as defining figures of the era, yet many lesser-known groups -Coma among them- contributed to the broader sonic landscape. These artists experimented freely, blending Western influences with local sensibilities and creating records that now serve as time capsules of a fiercely independent cultural moment.

 

Label: ADK Records – ADK-25E 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Stereo 

Country: Japan 

Released: 1985 

Style: Goth Rock, Post-Punk, Deathrock 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Isolation 4:23 

A2 Cyinder 3:04 

B1 Coda 3:01 

B2 In A Coma.... 3:50 

 

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Broken Paws – Broken Paws [Cass] (1986, Broken Paw Music)

The 'Broken Paws' cassette from 1986 is one of those fascinating artifacts from Canada’s underground home-taping era that seems to hover just outside mainstream documentation. Released as a self-titled tape, Broken Paws emerged from Calgary, Alberta at a time when independent musicians were embracing cassette culture as an affordable and creatively liberating format. Rather than pursuing traditional label routes, artists in this scene often recorded, duplicated, and distributed their music themselves, resulting in small runs that have since become rare collector’s pieces.

 
Behind the project was Richard Reynols, who used Broken Paws as a personal outlet for experimentation. The cassette captures the spirit of mid-1980s DIY electronic music: minimal synth textures, drum machine rhythms, and analog synth explorations woven together with a distinctly homemade aesthetic. There’s a rawness to the production that reflects both the limitations and the charm of home recording technology at the time. Unconventional touches -such as the inclusion of clarinet or even music box sounds- add a layer of unpredictability that makes the tape feel exploratory rather than polished. 

Clocking in at over an hour, the cassette follows the generous runtime typical of the format. Tracks such as “It’s All Made Sound,” “Slander,” “Closed Eyes,” and “Street Life” suggest a mixture of introspective mood pieces and rhythm-driven synth sketches. Like many releases from the cassette underground, official documentation is scarce.

 

 

Label: Broken Paw Music – bP1 

Format: Cassette, Limited Edition 

Country: Canada 

Released: 1986 

Style: Minimal, Experimental, Minimal Wave, Industrial, Post-Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 It's All Made Sound 5:16 

A2 Sleeping In Surveilance 1:12 

A3 The Drive 3:31 

A4 Closed Eyes 4:05 

A5 My Sins 5:03 

A6 Movement One 1:42 

A7 Slander 5:05 

A8 So Frail Your Wings 3:25 

B1 Street Life 4:28 

B2 Watch 6:12 

B3 A Rising Soul 3:00 

B4 Water 3:15 

B5 Transition 3:52 

B6 Demensions From The Crib 3:54 

B7 Making Films 4:30 

B8 Red Sky (Short Version) 1:58 

 

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Another Green World – Adjusting The Mirror [Cass] (1992, Not On Label)

'Adjusting The Mirror' is a fairly obscure cassette release from 1992, issued in the UK under the name Another Green World. It was self-released, which usually means it was produced independently and likely in a small batch. In the early ’90s, that kind of DIY cassette culture was still very much alive, especially within experimental, ambient, and underground electronic circles. Artists would often duplicate tapes themselves or in very limited runs, distribute them by mail, or sell them at small gigs and through niche record shops. Because it wasn’t put out through a major or even well-known independent label, there isn’t a huge amount of documentation available. That scarcity is part of what gives releases like this a certain mystique. They tend to live on through collector databases and word of mouth rather than mainstream music archives. 

Stylistically, the project is generally associated with electronic and ambient sounds, with touches that have been described as downtempo and possibly influenced by folk or world textures. That suggests something atmospheric and layered rather than song-based in a traditional pop sense. Early ’90s ambient and experimental electronic music often leaned toward mood and texture -synth washes, field recordings, minimal rhythms, and introspective tones- so it likely sits somewhere in that sonic territory. 

The name "Another Green World" can definitely cause confusion, since most people immediately think of Brian Eno’s 1975 album of the same title. However, this cassette is completely unrelated. The shared name appears to be more of an artistic nod or coincidence rather than a direct connection to Eno’s work.

 

Label: Not On Label (Another Green World Self-released) – AGW 003 GWM 

Format: Cassette, Album 

Country: UK 

Released: 1992 

Style: Downtempo, Ambient, New Age, Progressive Electronic

 

Tracklist: 

A1 The Pilot's Mirror 

A2 Polestalk 

A3 Elephant Eye 

B1 Shaman 

B2 Swipesy 

B3 Sakanaaji I 

B4 Sakanaaji II 

B5 Eau D'Erik 

 

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Various – Catalogue Issue [LP] (1984, IRA)

 

'Catalogue Issue' is a 1984 Italian various-artists compilation that holds a special place in the history of Italy’s alternative music scene. Released on vinyl by the independent label I.R.A. Records, it wasn’t just another compilation -it was actually the very first release by the label, making it something of a manifesto pressed to wax.

 
I.R.A. Records (often expanded as Immortal Rock Alliance or Immortal Record Alliance) was founded in 1984 by Alberto Pirelli along with Anne Marie Parrocel. The label had a clear mission from the start: to promote a new wave of Italian underground bands who sang in Italian at a time when many alternative acts felt pressured to perform in English. 'Catalogue Issue' perfectly captures that spirit. It was designed not only as a sampler of the label’s roster, but as a bold statement about the future of Italian independent music.

 
The LP features eight tracks split between four bands that would go on to become key names in the scene: Diaframma, Moda, Litfiba, and Underground Life. Diaframma appears with “Siberia” and “Delorenzo,” Moda contributes “Nubi d’Oriente” and “La Voce,” Litfiba shows up with “Onda Araba” and “Versante Est,” and Underground Life rounds things out with “India” and “Glasarchitektur.” All tracks were recorded at the Global Art System Studio in Florence, a place closely tied to the early development of this movement.

 
The release also had a strong visual identity. The cover artwork, designed by Fabio Galavotti of Moda Graphic Studio, played on the idea of a debut or launch -fitting for what was essentially the birth announcement of I.R.A. Records. The label even pushed the slogan “La nuova musica italiana cantata in italiano” (“the new Italian music sung in Italian”), underlining its cultural stance.

 
Never officially reissued, 'Catalogue Issue' remains a vinyl-only release, and original copies are now quite collectible. Some promotional versions were distributed as “Campione gratuito” (free sample) copies, which adds another layer of interest for collectors. Today, the record is seen as a landmark of the Italian new wave and post-punk era, capturing early material from bands like Litfiba and Diaframma before they became major names in Italy’s alternative rock history. 

 

Label: IRA – IR-LP2001 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation 

Country: Italy 

Released: 1984 

Style: New Wave 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Litfiba – Onda Araba 

A2 Litfiba – Versante Est 

A3 Moda – Nubi D'Oriente 

A4 Moda – La Voce 

B1 Diaframma – Siberia 

B2 Diaframma – Delorenzo 

B3 Underground Life – India 

B4 Underground Life – Glasarchitektur 

 

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Yoshinori Motoki / Junji Hirose – Chi-Chi-Chi-Nngacah [LP] (1984, Cacoon)

 

'Chi-Chi-Chi-Nngacah' is a collaborative album by Japanese experimental musicians Yoshinori Motoki and Junji Hirose, released in 1984 on the Cacoon label. Issued as a vinyl LP, it comes out of Japan’s early-1980s underground scene, where free improvisation, avant-garde jazz, and noise-based experimentation often blurred together. Today, it’s mostly known among collectors and listeners drawn to obscure and exploratory Japanese records. 

The record is built around long, open-ended improvisations rather than songs in a traditional sense. The title piece, “Chi-Chi-Chi-Nngacah,” takes up most of one side of the LP and unfolds in several connected parts. Sounds shift constantly, sometimes sparse and fragile, sometimes dense and chaotic. Instead of clear melodies or steady rhythms, the focus stays on texture, interaction, and the energy of the moment. 

Yoshinori Motoki brings in a wide range of instruments and sound sources. These include reed-altered flutes, electric guitar, tapes, Casio-Tone keyboards, percussion, and toy instruments. His contributions move between playful, almost childlike sounds and rougher, more abrasive passages. Very little detailed information about Motoki is available, but this album places him clearly within Japan’s improvised and experimental circles of the time. 

Junji Hirose was already an important presence in Japanese free improvisation by this point. Starting out as a saxophonist, he later became known for using self-made and heavily modified instruments, along with found objects and unconventional noise sources. On this album, he works with junk materials, altered string instruments, percussion, and other nonstandard tools. His playing emphasizes physical sound and texture rather than technique in a conventional sense. 

The album feels less like a finished statement and more like a captured encounter between two curious and risk-taking performers. It reflects a period when Japanese experimental musicians were actively questioning what instruments, structure, and performance could be. For listeners interested in free improvisation, early Japanese noise, or raw avant-garde recordings, 'Chi-Chi-Chi-Nngacah' remains a striking and uncompromising document from that era. 

 

Label: Cacoon – CACOON-003 

Format: Vinyl, LP 

Country: Japan 

Released: 1984 

Style: Free Improvisation 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Chi-Chi-Chi-Nngacah (Parts 1 - 3) 19:26 

A2 Solo I (To Motoki) 3:00 

B1 To Apeiron 3:01 

B2 IRc2 3:13 

B3 Facing The New Morning 6:35 

B4 Raise Your First! 7:34 

B5 Solo II (To Hirose) 2:33 

 

Notes:  

Recorded at :- 

Kid Ailack Art Hall, Tokyo, June 23, 1983 (Side A). 

Akasaka International Artist Center, Tokyo, December 11, 1982 (B1 to B2). 

Terpsichore, Tokyo, June 25, 1983 (B3 to B4). 

Takoyaki-Ya, January 12, 1984 (B5). 

 

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Zones – Sign Of The Times [7''] (1978, Arista)

'Sign of the Times' is a 1978 single by the Scottish band Zones, a group that emerged from the late-1970s punk and new-wave scene. Zones were formed from the remains of PVC2, a band that once featured Midge Ure before he moved on to Rich Kids and later Ultravox. By the time this single was released, Zones were developing a sound that mixed punk urgency with melodic power pop and early new-wave influences.

 
The single came out in 1978 on Arista Records in the UK as a 7-inch vinyl release, with "Sign of the Times" on the A-side and "Away from It All" on the B-side. It followed their earlier single 'Stuck with You', which had gained them attention on BBC Radio 1 thanks to support from John Peel. That exposure helped the band secure their deal with Arista and brought them a bit more visibility within the UK underground scene. 

Although 'Sign of the Times' didn’t chart or achieve mainstream success, it’s often seen as a solid example of the band’s transition from raw punk toward a tighter, more polished new-wave style. Around this period, Zones recorded sessions for John Peel and built a modest reputation as a strong live act, even if wider commercial success remained elusive. 

Zones would go on to release their only album, 'Under Influence', in 1979, along with a few more singles, before splitting up later that year. Today, 'Sign of the Times' is remembered mainly by collectors and fans of late-1970s punk and new wave as a small but interesting snapshot of that era’s restless, fast-moving music scene. 

 

Label: Arista – Arist 205, Arista – ARIST 205 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single 

Country: UK 

Released: 1978 

Style: New Wave, Power Pop 

 

Tracklist: 

A Sign Of The Times 3:12 

B Away From It All 2:28 

 

Other Versions: 

'Sign Of The Times' (7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo) Arista, EMI Electrola [1C 006-61 598] (Germany, 1978)

'Sign Of The Times' (7", Single, 45 RPM) Arista [5C 006-61598] (Netherlands, 1978)

 

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Yard Trauma – Music [LP] (1986, LSD)

'Music' is an LP by the Tucson, Arizona garage-psych band Yard Trauma, released in 1986. It’s not a standard studio album, but more of a compilation that pulls together singles, rarities, and tracks from the band’s early years. Because of that, it feels like a snapshot of where the band was at between roughly 1982 and 1986, rather than a single, cohesive recording session.

 
The record captures Yard Trauma’s raw, jangly garage-rock sound, with strong psychedelic and punk influences that fit right into the mid-’80s underground scene. Songs like “See Your Face,” “City of People,” and “I Got a Girl (Ours)” show their loose, energetic style and DIY attitude. The material on 'Music' mostly comes from non-LP releases and lesser-known recordings, which is why it’s especially interesting to fans and collectors. 

In the band’s discography, 'Music' sits between their 1985 studio album 'Must’ve Been Something I Took Last Night' and later releases like 'Face to Face' and 'Lose Your Head'. While it might not be as polished as their full albums, it’s often seen as an important release because it rounds up a lot of hard-to-find material and gives a fuller picture of Yard Trauma’s early sound and evolution. 

 

Label: LSD – TRIP ONE 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation 

Country: Germany 

Released: 1986 

Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 See Your Face 

A2 City Of People 

A3 I Got A Girl (Ours) 

A4 Cry A Little Longer 

A5 You Don't Tell Me 

A6 Way It Will Be 

B1 Try It 

B2 I've Got A Girl (Dearly Beloved) 

B3 Some People (Cave Mix) 

B4 Little Girl Who Left 

B5 I'm Not Like Everybody Else 

B6 Music 

 

Notes: 

"The songs on this LP were written, played and recorded in various living rooms, bedrooms, and even a couple of recording studios throughout Hollywood California, Tucson and Phoenix Arizona between early '83 and early '86" 

 

Other Versions: 

'Music' (LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Multicolor Vinyl) LSD [TRIP ONE] (Germany, 1988)

 

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Wasted Lives / Big Black Puppets – Divorce / False Hopes [7''] (1979, Spoken Records)

 

This 7″ single, Wasted Lives / Big Black Puppets – “Divorce” / “False Hopes,” is a split release from the very early Vancouver punk scene. It came out in 1979 on Spoken Records and is a classic example of the DIY, small-run singles that were popping up around Canada at the tail end of the ’70s punk explosion. Copies are scarce today, which has helped give it a bit of cult status among collectors of early Canadian punk.

 
On one side is Wasted Lives with the track “Divorce.” The band was short-lived but packed with people who would go on to play important roles in the Vancouver scene. Members were connected to bands like D.O.A., Modernettes, UJ3RK5, Corsage, and Private School, making Wasted Lives something of a brief but intense crossover project. “Divorce” is raw, fast, and straight to the point -very much in line with late-’70s punk energy. 

The flip side features Big Black Puppets with “False Hopes.” They were also part of the same Vancouver punk and new wave ecosystem, contributing to a scene that was energetic but not always well documented outside the region. Their track balances aggression with a slightly more angular, art-punk feel, fitting right in with what was happening locally at the time. 

Overall, the single is a snapshot of Vancouver punk in its formative years, before many of these musicians became better known in other bands. It’s historically interesting, musically rough around the edges in the best way, and now considered a pretty desirable piece of Canadian punk history. 

Label: Spoken Records – none 

Format: Vinyl, 7" 

Country: Canada 

Released: 1979 

Style: New Wave, Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A Wasted Lives – Divorce 

B Big Black Puppets – False Hopes 

 

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Vee VV – Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness [LP] (1988, Payola)

Vee VV were a New Wave/indie rock band that came out of Blackpool in the early 1980s and stayed active through to around 1990. They sat firmly in that rough-edged UK underground scene where bands mixed jangly indie guitars with post-punk tension and a bit of noise. Their sound wasn’t polished or radio-friendly in the mainstream sense -it was sharp, urgent and very much part of the late-80s independent spirit. The lineup shifted a lot over the years, but Martin Reynolds and Mark Ormrod stuck around for most of the band’s life. One of the founding members, Ian Butterworth, left toward the end of the decade, around 1988.

 
They built their reputation mainly through live gigs rather than big commercial releases. Around the North West and across the UK they developed a cult following and ended up sharing stages with some seriously important bands of the era -Jesus and Mary Chain, New Order, James, My Bloody Valentine, A Certain Ratio and others. That gives a pretty good idea of the musical territory they lived in: noisy, independent, intense and slightly left-field. 

Their mini-album 'Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness' came out on vinyl in 1988 on the Payola label. It’s a six-track release and feels very much like a snapshot of that raw, scrappy indie moment. The first four songs actually came from a Piccadilly Radio session recorded in Manchester, which adds to its live-in-the-studio energy. The remaining tracks kept the same gritty feel. Production was handled by Nick Garside at Out of the Blue Studio, and the artwork was done by Rachael Ball. Over time the record became a bit of a collector’s piece, especially since the vinyl has been sold out for years. 

Musically the mini-LP captures Vee VV at their most direct -loud guitars, tight rhythms, slightly abrasive textures and that restless late-80s indie urgency. It isn’t glossy or carefully layered; it sounds like a band pushing hard in real time, which is exactly why fans of that era love it.

 
Years later, interest in the band resurfaced and a retrospective called 'Payola' was released in 2019, pulling together recordings from 1982 to 1989 and showing how the band evolved through different incarnations. More recently, a 2024 release called 'Crackerjack!' appeared under the Vee VV name, suggesting the project (or at least the name) carried on in some form with newer recordings and a cleaner modern production style.

 

 

Label: Payola – PAYLP1 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mini-Album 

Country: UK 

Released: May 8, 1988 

Style: Post-Punk

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Red Shelley 

A2 Fish On Friday 

A3 Better The Devil 

B1 Shoot The Moon 

B2 Romance Is Over 

B3 Love Canal 

 

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Untamed Youth – Untamed Youth [7''] (1979, Hard Core)

 

The Untamed Youth 7-inch single from 1979 is one of those really obscure late-70s DIY punk-era records that mostly lives in collector circles today. It was released under the name 'Untamed Youth', but it’s important to know right away that this has nothing to do with the better-known garage/surf band from Missouri that used the same name in the late ’80s and ’90s. This is an entirely different, earlier act.

 
The record came out in 1979 on a tiny independent label called Hard Core, with what’s believed to be the catalogue number HAR 001. Like a lot of small punk and post-punk pressings from that time, it seems to have been produced in very limited numbers and never had wide distribution, which explains why almost no mainstream music databases mention the band at all. 

 
The single has two tracks. The A-side is a song titled “Untamed Youth,” credited to J. O’Keefe, and the B-side is “Runnin’ Wild,” credited to J. Loveday. Beyond those songwriting credits and the label info, there isn’t much solid documentation about who the band members were or where exactly they were based, which is pretty typical for ultra-small independent releases from that era. 

 
Because the pressing was so limited and the band didn’t go on to wider recognition, most of what we know about this single comes from vinyl collector communities rather than traditional music history sources. It’s basically one of those records that hardcore collectors stumble across and treasure, but casual listeners almost never hear about. 

 

 

Label: Hard Core – HAR 001 

Format: Vinyl, 7" 

Country: UK 

Released: Dec 1979 

Style: Mod, Punk Rock, Mod Revival

 

Tracklist: 

A Untamed Youth 

B Runnin' Wild 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE