A genuine hero of "cassette culture" days & D.I.Y. aeshtetics, KEN CLINGER, has created since early 80's tons of homemade keyboard pop and experimental music, working either solo or in collaboration with other similarly spirited, unknown musicians and obscure poets. His contributions to rare, home-taping and weird music compilations (Total Recess cassette compilations, for instance) have invited the attention of a small circle of listeners but, generally, his work remains quite invisible.
KEN CLINGER nowadays runs Bovine Productions music label and gives a big part of his work for free. Self-introduced as "a one-man sound module band", he counts among his influences The Beatles, The Kinks, Brian Eno, Momus, King Crimson, Algebra Suicide and others. Sometimes he is strongly reminiscent of Edward Ka Spel. As he characteristically says: "Ken Clinger actually exists".
Leaving Manchester's New Hormones label, THE DECORATORS did two LPs for London's Red Flame. "TABLETS" (1982) is the first of them and it is posted here by request.
Check also our previous post about their other Red Flame LP, "Rebel Songs" (1983) and the older single "Twilight View" ( 7'', 1980).
RAINIER LERICOLAIS is a composer and visual artist from Paris. As a musician he has released several works and has contributed to many collaborative projects. One of his most notable collaborations is with Simon Fisher Turner ("Lana Lara Lata" album). He has also composed music for films and other visual events. LERICOLAIS compositions are characterized by a personal way in selecting and combining sounds, ideas, forms from many territories ranging from glitch electronica, acoustic, modern classical, noise, field recordings, vocal exploration, even pop culture. The innovative and unexpected sound qualities of his music draw the "lost and found" of things, the "revealed and obscured" of a fragmented and multi-layered reality where the human presence is in fluid distances between the familiar and the strange and where some kind of mystery seems to derive from the silent corners of daily life.
Selected music works: "Copie"(cd, 2006), "My Song Exaggerated To Dilate Horizontally"(cd, 2007), "No Image" (with Simon Fisher Turner, recorded 2005-07)
Rainier's artwork for the magnificent " Myths" compilation
Visit RAINIER at my space: http://www.myspace.com/lericolaisrainer
See RAINIER visual art at: http://www.galeriefrankelbaz.com/wp/artists/rainier-lericolais/rainier-lericolais-images/
En Plo was a group for which ghostly behavior was a (in my opinion partly inevitable, due mainly to their attitude, but also due to the epoch’s general mood) choice. In spite the good criticisms by the media, and in spite their work’s acceptance by the public, they didn’t bothered publishing more, or investing to live performances; instead, it is as if their general attitude was driven by (and targeting to) self-destruction.
They appeared in the late 80’s greek rock scene without wanting to achieve what they could (or better deserved) to have accomplice. Just one LP published in a 1000 copies ( plus one 7’’ single published with fanzine “ΣτιςΣκιέςτουΒ' 23” [In The Shadows of B’ 23] ) and some songs contained in Ntino’s Sadikis (En Plo vocals) personal LP “ΜολυβένιεςΙστορίες” [LeadenStories] were enough to make this group a point of reference for the greek rock scene.
Rock sounds combined with native folk music, at a time that these music was, in the perception of many (in this country and for reasons that it is not in my intention to explain now - an interesting matter that may be an other post - ), almost repulsive, is at least a daring action. All though En Plo didn’t ever achieve to have the effect that other groups in greek rock scene managed to have, they at least achieved to combine things that by many are perceived (at their time, but mostly now) as precious; urban myths in a freshly developed urban environment, the presence of electric sounds along with the echoes of old-fashioned folk tradition, poetical experiments and connection with the subculture and, finally, and above all, the ability to balance between these things in a harmoniums way.
Life in the spectrum of meta-punk, heavy influences of traditional folk music (rebetika), the use of native (greek) lyrics and a mood harmonizing with the general pessimist (or better claustrophobic) attitude of the 80’s are the elements that characterize their music; maybe typical up to a point yet (in their way) originally prototype, and, to many of us, almost magical.
Returning to my initial question, I would dare to respond in this way: sometimes ghosts, even rotting in their forgotten tombs, can definitely be alive.
Founding members of En Plo were Dinos Sadikis [vocals] and Dimos Zamanos [guitars, vocals].
(Dimos has left this world deliberately some years ago).
This short-lived project of MATTHIAS SCHUSTER (member of Gesterfahrer, Bal Pare a.o.) came recently out of obscurity thanks to hamburgian label NLW which released on vinyl the 7'' EP "Im Namen Des Volkes" (2006) and the LP "Volksmusik" (2007). The material of these releases originally recorded between 1979-82.
A CD version of "Volksmusik" album, including the "In Namen Des Volkes" EP plus new "Electrofu*k" EP came out last year from Suboptimal Records.
WORLD SERVICE and THE RELATIVES were the two STEVE LAKE's outfits acted for a short time after ZOUNDS disbandment. THE RELATIVES made an LP called "Jim Morrison", while STEVE continued with some solo works.
Homemade funny/melancholic synth-new wave by duo of pop humourists influenced by the "kindergarden" aeshtetics of Cordelia Records, Alan Jenkins, and the likes.
Also released as a 12'' EP with two bonus tracks.
LOVE OF LIFE ORCHESTRA was a NYC no wave band formed in late 70's by saxophonist, composer Peter Gordon and percussionist David Van Tieghem, two artists who became later more known through solo works and various collaborations. Arto Lindsay, David Byrne, Bill Laswell, and other important NYC musicians have participated to LOLO albums. The 12'' EP "CASINO" released in 1982 from italian label Expanded Music.
Debut EP from german band fronted by duo of MATTHIAS ARFMANN & musician and writer KATRIN ACHINGER. Under several line up changes they developed a sound of many styles ranging from post punk, experimental, psychedelic rock to hip hop, trip-pop, dub and electronic. Disbanded in 1997 with both artists following solo orbits, forming new bands, or involved in other artists' works.
Four-track mini cd with MARTYN BATES avant pop-folk plus booklet. Released in 1989 from eclectic avant label SORDIDE SENTIMENTAL, a french micro-record company focused on "promoting experimental music in every form".
MARTYN BATES: voices, guitars, harps, flageolet, melodica PAUL SIMPSON: bass, assorted percussion, snare-drums, strings on track 2
booklet's texts by Muriel Quoniam & Sordide Sentimental founder J.P. Turmel cover art by J.P. Turmel
GO BETWEENS-influenced first LP from the band of australian songwriter RANDALL LEE. That period LEE was splitting his time between U.S. and Australia, and "...The Honeymoon Suite" was recorded at Chicago in summer of 1992, with Liz Phair adding vocals on two tracks.
I used to know someone who was finding shelter in this album during the times ROBERT & GRANT were on hiatus... and since the GOs went gone, i have also caught myself seeking strangely the company of this small gem...
RANDALL LEE voc/guitar/bass
JUSTIN NIIMI drums/percussion
DAVID TRUMFIO double bass/citar
LIZ PHAIR vocals
THE TRYFLES were, along with THE FUZZTONES, one of the most important 80`s NY psych garage revival bands. Famous for their live performances, they released only one LP, while their bassist, PETER STUART appeared later with HEADLESS HORSEMEN.
LESYA CARPILOV - guitar, voc, piano, percussion PETER STUART - bass, voc, guitar, percussion JOHN FAY - guitar,voc, harp CELIA FARBER - drums
AD HOC Records founded in 2004 as a U.S. based ReR Megacorp sublabel. Their catalog includes experimental music from important R.I.O. related artists, avant folk, etc. Many of their releases are reissues of rare and forgotten 80`s material. The entire back catalog of MCCB Records (Mass Culture Control Bureau) - the dutch label Geoff Leigh (Henry Cow) formed in 1978 - has been also issued by AD HOC. Our file contains some samples of these reissues.
Second LP from romantic, atmospheric and slightly dark Dutch new wavers. Released from Enclosure Productions label alike their first LP"Fragments of Truth". Posted here by request.
For listening to more GENTRY music...+ lyrics and infos go to : http://www.thegentry.nl
Poznan`s REPORTAZ is one of the most historical and best art-jazz-improv and R.I.O. influenced bands of eastern Europe. Active since 1982, they went through many line up changes around mainman ANDRZEJ KARPINSKI. UP THE RIVER recorded in 1988 and appeared originally on extremely limited cassette edition. ReR Megacorp released it later on vinyl. It comprises two long with plethora of diverse ideas tracks, ranging from complex composing to free improvisation. Very strong stuff.
The avant art-folk outfit IL GRAN TEATRO AMARO formed in 1990 by italian and dutch musicians. After a few concerts in continental Europe they attracted the attention of Swiss label RecRec and finally they released in 1991 their first album "Port Famine". Diverse influences are detected in their music: italian and french song traditions, Jacques Brel, poetic-theatrical atmosphere and some experimentation create a very interesting "european" sound.
Dead links replacing is in (slow) progress. Inevitably, some files will stay off for long. Some others will be back perhaps for a short time. So please comment for quicker resurrection!
