Art Failure

Another band I know little about. There is a great track they do, Gimmick, which is on the sampler Hicks from the Sticks, posted by Curious Guy. I was prompted to track down their sole single, which you can grab here. Indie styled release distributed by Rough Trade. The gate folded sleeve has a stapled flap to hold the record. A-side is not so hot, though the B-side has a little promise. Oh well. I'm still glad I have it. Sometimes the satsfaction comes in the completion of a discography, even if there is little else of merit.

Art Failure were:

William Redfern, Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

Graham Lees, Lead Guitar

Pat Allen, Keyboards, backing vocals

Tim Fenton Ward, Bass guitar

Rob Dakin, Drums

Scream of Pain 7", 1979.

Tracks:

01. Scream of Pain

02. In Vogue

As a bonus I have included the song Gimmick in the folder.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Weekend is upon us. My busy season is drawing to a close, and I hope to post some stuff soon. Meanwhile, grab the original version of a song that 45 Grave covered: Riboflavin Flavored, Non Carbonated, Polyunsaturated Blood.

Years ago I commented to Don Boles how brilliant the song was. I was surprised when he said it was a 1960's Monster Pop song. The band is Don Hinson and his Rigormorticians. I have not shared the full album, just because that would get me posting more Monster Pop than I really should, and ghet me collecting it again, which is cool but also a big hassle....

Get the song here.

is it better to love someone dead?

The internet has introduced me to some great people. One in particular is a consumate Post-Punk fan, tuning me in to many Portugese and Brasilian bands for a few years now. I have been fortunate to grow an internet friendship with Paulo Martins, and have been quite negligent in getting his music posted here. When you feel a loyalty to a friend whose music you admire, it becomes a question of whether you can do justice to the post. For that, I have let this falter, and want to rectify that.

Rather than have a bias, I'll have to let the music speak for itself. There is more, and I am excited about the prospects of a forthcoming studio album.

Paulo Martins (guitars, vocals, programming)
António Macedo (guitars, programming)
Pedro Fonte (bass)
Pedro Morcego (from Phantom Vision) (bass)
David Reis (from In Tempus) (percussion)

Two track promo, 2007:
1. Angels Fall
2.Heartache And Death

Grab the two song Promo CD here.

First Whispers: Live at PlanoB, Porto, 20/03/08
Line up:

Paulo Martins (portuguese and electric guitars; vocals)
António Macedo (portuguese and electric guitars; computer)
Pedro Fonte (bass)

1. Why?
2. New Sun
3. Dance
4. Heartache And Death
5. Now
6. Drifting
7. Nothing To Lose
8. Seduction
9. Too Much
10. Angel's Fall
11. Angel's Fall (Instrumental)

Here you will download the live set.

Friend them on MySpace: Archétypo 120

Ave Maria - New Maps of Hell

There is something odd about posting music by someone you have met online. Someone whom you consider a good friend despite never hanging out all day, or hunting thru dusty old record shops together. I have several friends like this--all people I will likely never meet in person. In this case a kindred spirit across the pond, with the same or more of a passion for obscure music. Michael has worked with some well known musicians to produce some Gothic sounds. I'll let him tell it in his words. I really like his work. I hope you will too.:

The timeline is : 1989 -1992 Ave Maria / The Joan Of Arc Family with multiple line-ups. The main line up though was:
Michael - Voice
Christopher Harry - Bass and Noises
Pete - Guitars
Billy - Drum Machine

There was SolanasSolanas between 2001 I think and then 2003 ... other musicians were Jasper on guitars and programming, and Andraz Aurelie on bass guitar .. we played twice.

The Joan Of Arc Family : 2004 : with Matthew and Karl from Sex Gang Children on guitar and Bass, and Jose handling the drum machine and sequencer , we played live with Sex Gang Children and Tuxedomoon, and I recorded a few demos ... Smash His Head To Bits being the noticeable one.

Then White Car Pet (original line up) with Karl from Ulterior. We released a 50 copy edition of EP with Scanners Blow, Speed, Magic Simon, and Margaret. Split up after headlining gig in London at Being Boiled.

Then the Joan Of Arc Family again ... played some shows with Sixteens and headlined Behind Bars in London, with guest vocals from Cinders (Gordon Sharp) from Cindytalk. I recorded some more stuff which you have .. a lot of it rough and experimental and extremely dark by other standards. Then .. we will see.

Ave Maria - New Maps of Hell
A PARIAH PRODUCTION: PARIAH 001
Tracklist:
1. Desperate Measures
2. Dance On the Wire
3. Mecca's Dead

Recorded September 1990 At IC Studios, North Yorkshire.
Engineered By Colin Potter, M. and Christopher Harry.

Well, there you have it. Michael mailed me one of the original cassettes, and I have scanned the cover. The rip was provided by Michael. You can get it here.

Blue Kremlin CD is out, at long last!

I am very pleased to announce that Catastrophe Ballet Records brings a great retrospective of Hamburg band Blue Kremlin to collectors. The story is a little long how this comes about, but basically Wayne Hopkins, from Cleveland, USA band Garten Kirkhof, traded me some BK recordings that were without song titles. Being a bit obsessive at times, I tracked down Olaf a year ago asking about the band. He has been very gracious and generous sharing BK information. He was excited about the prospect of a CD reissue.

Now here is where your part comes in. Buy the CD. Buy two. Do all your Hexmas shopping at Catastrophe Ballet Records. Get Garten Kirkhof's music. Support these small labels who put out releases of music that needs to be shared with the world. Do it, and more music you should love but have never heard will be made available at long last. Thank you.

Olaf, Markus, Tatjana, Stefan, Horst

Storming The Tombs

In the 1980's I was well known for making and giving out mix tapes. By 1989 they were done on a mixing board with blends and edits. I am back to a format much closer to my earlier tapes--just a string of songs without fancy overlaps. And, well, at least it is not broken into two 45 minute sides, with a short song or excerpt to fill up the dead space at the end of a side. Just what can fit on a CD.

This compilation stems from a desire to throw a certain few bands together to share here. I needed this image of a dead German soldier from World War I to grace the cover. The result can be heard after you get this.

It was not my intention to send a message in the sampler, but a theme evolved as I went thru releases--the rise of power, war, anti war, death & the dead and the rising dead. Some songs were just a natural fit, while a desire to share a certain band I like may have led to their inclusion. Some of it works well, and some is a little push, but I like it, and hope you will too. Music leans mostly to Goth-Punk, Post-Punk and the like, with the overall feel boiling down into Deathrock.

01. Runners From 1984 - For The Cause (UK--pre Death in June)
02. Under Two Flags - Land Of The Rising Guns (UK)
03. Cyan Revue - I Give The Gun (Germany)
04. Gargoyle Sox - Evil Exhibition (USA)
05. A Touch Of Hysteria - The Rulers (UK)
06. Vex - World In Action (UK)
07. Mask For - Deaf! Deaf! (Germany)
08. Ads - Waiting For The War (Denmark)
09. Brain Eaters - Death Dream (USA)
10. Leningrad Sandwich - Marching (Germany)
11. Geko - Mary Loves The War Zone (USA)
12. Effigies - Body Bag (UK)
13. UK Decay - Rising From The Dead (UK)
14. Scratch Acid - Cannibal (USA)
15. Actifed - Exit (UK)
16. No More - Too Late (Germany)

Stadt in Grau

Anothor band of whom I know or can learn very little. Matthias had it on his Want List, leading me to find it. The Scarlet Letter are a German Goth/Post-Punk band active in the 1980's. "Friss oder Stirb" appears to be their one release, featuring recordings made during 1981-1987. For me the whole album is an experience, but most notably I love their German language cover of the Yardbirds "Still I'm Sad." Get the album here.

The Scarlet Letter were:
Hella Streicher: Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Synthesizer
Andreas Schröder: Guitar, Bass

Tracklist:
1. Friss Oder Stirb
2. Tanz Der Vampire
3. In Memoriam
4. Nachtfrost
5. Psychedelischer Sommer
6. Die Schwestern Der Gnade
7. Gloria
8. Blaue Ballerina
9. Gesucht Und Gefunden
10. Stadt In Grau
11. Nordlicht
12. Traumbilder

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Still hunting for the tape by Italian Goth act Schwarzwald, "Allein in der Schwarzwald" and the first album by German Goths, Marilyn's Army - Golden Paradise.

~65 years ago today, my Dad was a gunner on board a ship delivering troops to the beaches of Normandy. He was one of the fortunate to survive, despite his ship cracking right down the middle forcing all to evacuate. Bow your heads in memory to the fallen and the unsung heroes who gave their lives on all sides.

Iður Til Fóta

Here is Þeyr's 10" record Iður Til Fóta (1981). This has been requested a few times, and was originally posted for Phoenix Hairpins in June 2007. I re-upped the share and moved the entire post to the top of my blog, and am adding their 1982 7" Lunaire as well. Get that here. Enjoy!

Iður Til Fóta Tracklist:
1. Bás 12
2. Maggasýn
3. Teðrukkin
4. Aríareggae

Lunaire Tracklist:
1. The Walk
2. Positive Affirmation
3. Lunaire

The sleeve images were found online. Look to my earlier post for more Þeyr info.

Your Face Against The Stone Is Warm

Autumnfair is a side project featuring Thom Furmann of Savage Republic and Val Haller, from Wayne County. Much in the 4AD label sound, this is a great record for any collection. You can grab it here. Better yet, go buy the CD release 1986-1989. This 10" MLP, Glaciers & Gods, is dated 1991 and features recordings made in 1988. Released on the stellar Independent Project Records.

Credits: Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Percussion - Thom Fuhrmann , Val Haller

Tracklisting:
1. Collide
2. So Far From God
3. Novy Mir
4. Cascade
5. She Only Smiles
6. Arterial

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There is a German band that released 2 12" records in 1987 on Überschall Records. The Jayhawks purportedly had a big sound change between the two releases. I would like to hear both recorsds. I have heard a couple of songs on home-made compilations. Additionally there is a V.A. LP called Bremen-Deutschland that features some bands I'd like to hear .