Bleak Bliss: 2010

Gnod

Gnod are "an ever evolving creature that sheds its skin and grows anew, it’s hard to pin down precisely who, or what, Gnod are. This bleeds into their music as well; steeped firmly in psychedelia but drawing from influences as disparate as Afro-beat, krautrock, drone, jazz and dance music, their recent release with White Hills, Drop Out, is a deeply immersive illusion of repetition whereby its motorik rhythms underpin a myriad of hypnotic textures. As a band they’re always creating, hours and hours of jams of which they occasionally see fit to release to the wider world. I say occasionally; since their formation in 2007 they’ve had at least twelve full-length releases and claim to have had many more. These appear out of nowhere though, with no fanfare or attention; Gnod aren’t wilfully elusive, but there is a mysticism that surrounds them nonetheless, an ever changing cast and a lack of information about them ... they keep themselves to themselves mainly, in a collective residency at Salford’s Islington Mill – a creative arts space where they live and rehearse." Quietus

Quite concise really. Gnod often get tarnished with the label of space rock and get compared to Hawkwind. I really don't get that at all. This is Kosmiche inspired psychedelia all the way down! The freak 'n' roll of Ash Ra Tempel, the motorik beat of Neu! and the groove of early Can. Add the punk-funk of, say, the MC5, the repetition of Suicide or Spacemen 3 and garnish with the psychotic theatre of Sunburned Hand Of The Man and you're closer to the truth. However, this isn't meant to date them or bind them in cultural reference points...Gnod are quintessentially Gnod!

I've listened to Gnod for ages and love them. However, I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't seen them live. That is until this year's Supersonic Festival. That's when it all fell into place for me! They were a quite literal revelation. That's when the collective spirit and joy really shone through. Completely inspirational. Gnod seem to be constantly touring the UK and have started to branch out into mainland Europe. Whenever you get the chance, go and see Gnod live! Which brings me to Islington Mill, the spiritual home of Gnod and a shining beacon in the mainstream sludge of Manchester. If you are anywhere nearby...keep an eye on this place! Gnod play here all the time but you will get to see everyone from Melt Banana to Sun Araw, Dieter Moebius to Acid Mothers Temple, Sunn O))) to Chris Corsano.

Gnod have just released a split lp (with A Middle Sex) on Blackest Rainbow. There are only 400 of these so I'd grab it now if I were you.

Thanks go to Gnod for being very supportive of this post going ahead!!!

Goodbye 2010. Hello 2011.

2011 belongs to Gnod!

2007 - Gnod - Abstehen Der Ohren & Live Birth [self-released]
2007 - Gnod - Lord Fear's Dream, Bulletproof Awareness & Pixiedust
2007 - Gnod - Never Nothing Ever (Volume III) [self-released]
2008 - Gnod - The Somnambulist’s Tale (s-sided C100) [sloow tapes]
2008 - White Hills & Gnod - Aquarian Downer (tour cdr) [white hills music]
2009 - Bong & Gnod - Split (cdr) [box records]
2009 - Gnod - Gnod (lp) [pariah child]
2009 - Gnod - Sex, Drones & Broken Bones (or secret pathways to hidden lands)
2009 - Gnod - The Crystal Pagoda (C40) [sonic meditations]
2009 - Gnod - Wuste Zeremonie (cdr) [reverb worship]
2009 - Gnod White Hills - Drop Out (tour cdr) [drug space records]
2010 - Gnod - Full Moon Ritual (C45) [cabin floor esoterica]
2010 - Gnod - Science & Industry (C60) [not not fun records]
2010 - Gnod & Robedoor - Bored Fortress (7'') [not not fun records]
2010 - Gnod Drop Out With White Hills II (2xlp) [rocket recordings]

Gnod plus Fonik - Supercluster (net release) [electronic musik]
Gnod vs Noise Research - Galaxy Being (net release) [electronic musik]

Sure 'Nuff 'N Yes I Do

Captain Beefheart - Under Review

Apparently, because this dvd is bigger than a gigabyte you need to have an account with MU. To quote Flava Flav..."fuck that shit"...

Under Review.part1
Under Review.part2
Under Review.part3

The Artist Formerly Known as Captain Beefheart

BBC documentary first broadcast in 1997, narrated by the late, great John Peel.

The Artist Formerly Known as Captain Beefheart

Anton Corbijn / Don Van Vliet - Some Yoyo Stuff - An Observation Of The Observations Of Don Van Vliet

Anton Corbijn / Don Van Vliet - Some Yoyo Stuff

The Greatest Album Ever Made!

Trout Mask Replica

Kousokuya - Live At Shinjuku JAM, 2006

You already know who they are...

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Boredoms - SUPER SEEEEEE!!!!!!

Obviously (the) Boredoms are one of the finest finest fine things. Ever wanted to buy this one?

SUPER SEEEEEE!!!!!!

Butthole Surfers - Blind Eye Sees All

Between 1983 and 1989 the Butthole Surfers were the finest band in the world (apart from the times when I thought somebody else was). I want Human Cannonball played at my funeral. I think they disappeared up their wormhole after Hairway To Steven...

it's a VHS rip

Blind Eye Sees All

Satan Rides The Media

I have very little time for black metal...I find it rather lame, theatrical and self-absorbed. However, this doc is pretty good. Tools dressing their ultra-far right racist xenophobic shite as a war against the establishment. An education is a good idea...

Satan Rides The Media [Satan Rir Media]

American Hardcore

American "punk" had a rather tortured history...blemished in a rather major and unforgivable way by the Orange County knuckle heads and the sub-metal meatheads who jumped on their local bandwagon and then showed their true colours by the second album...show me an American punk band post 86...go on I dare you!

part 1
part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5
part 6
part 7
part 8
part 9

Don Van Vliet

Don died today.

He coloured my thoughts...

...and today, I am devastated.

Amps For Christ

Amps For Christ is largely the project of Man Is The Bastard and Bastard Noise veteran and metal/noise pioneer Henry Barnes. Beginning in 1996, when Henry met the like-minded Enid Snarb the project (which has also included Joel Connell and Tara Tavi) has largely operated out of Claremont, California ever since. Barnes decided that he wanted to combine his experience with experimental noise and extreme metal with his love for traditional folk music, classical composition, and jazz. Henry has been building odd stringed instruments, pre-amps and amplifiers for years and used them occasionally in his previous outfits. With Amps For Christ he really began to focus on chasing down these new sounds. The warp in the harmonic scale, experimentation with waveforms and beat-tones are matters of great intrigue in this project. Amps For Christ is about combinations of many styles of music, emphasising the multi-cultured, multi-layered, and multi-genre composition as well as broadly ranged themes. Many tracks deal with love, peace, warmongers, rampant corporate capitalism, and Barnes' relationship with God all with a similar mystical honesty. Even if I suspect there may be a tongue implanted in a cheek somewhere down the line...

There hasn't been any new AFC releases for years although I think that there have been some recent tours...so hopefully there will be some new releases soon!

1997 - Amps For Christ - Thorny Path [vermiform]
1997 - Amps For Christ & Two Ambiguous Figures - The Beggars Garden [shrimper]
1998 - Amps For Christ - Songs From Mt. Ion [total annihilation]
1999 - Amps For Christ - Circuits [vermiform
1999 - Amps For Christ - Electrosphere [shrimper]
2001 - Amps For Christ - The Oak In The Ashes [shrimper]
2003 - Amps For Christ & Bastard Noise - Split [helicopter, kill frank lentini]
2004 - Amps For Christ - The People At Large [5 rue christine]
2006 - Amps For Christ - Every Eleven Seconds [5 rue christine]

People Who Do Noise

From the IMDb website: 'People Who Do Noise' is a film about the experimental music of Portland, Oregon. Extensive interviews and intimate performance footage provide an intense portrait of the motivations, emotions, and methods that go into this uncompromising, sometimes brutal musical form. Unwavering in its focus, the film brings to light an art form unfathomable to many, with only the words of the musicians themselves providing any explanation for the pulsating sonic chaos they create. The unflinching cinematic style defies any trend-setting or commercial representation, opting instead for a stark portrayal of a musical underground at its most genuine and vital.

There's a couple of other reviews here and here and you can buy it here and check the makers here.

Request from the shoutbox. This was posted on Terror Noise Audio a while back but the links are dead...no evidence that the post was pulled...so here it is again.

Part 1
Part 2

Kousokuya

Kousokuya are a Tokyo-based underground dark psychedelic rock group. They were formed in 1978 by guitarist Jutok Kaneko out of the ashes of an older group called Kokugaiso. The classic trio line-up that recorded the first album, and reformed in recent years was: Jutok Kaneko (guitar, vocals) Ikuro Takahashi (ex-High Rise, Fushitsusha) (drums) Mick (bass, vocals). Other members have included Hiroshi Yokoyama (synth, 1978-1979), Toshiko Watanabe (drums, 1979), Asahito Nanjo (bass, 1982-1983), Munehiro Narita (drums, 1982-1983), Atsushi Ishiguro (drums, 1983-84), Hibari Nagao (drums, 1994-1997), Emily (bass), Sachiko (vocals, synth, bass, 1995-2003) and Michinobu Matsubashi (drums, 2000-).

The group were heavily associated with the Minor scene in the late 70s and early 80s but released only a handful of recordings internationally, and scant more in their local Tokyo underground scene. As far as I am aware, Kousokuya only released one studio album in their 28 years as a trio with the rest of their output being live recordings. Even these were largely unavaiable outside of Japan until recently. This goes a long way to explaining why bands like High Rise, Mainliner, Fushitsusha et al are legendary and rightly lauded whilst Kousokuya slipped under the radar...

Kaneko passed away on January 24th 2007, but the group has since continued as a duo.

1990 - Kousokuya - 1st (2003 reissue) [p.s.f. records]
1995 - Kousokuya - Ray Night 1991-1992 Live [forced exposure]
1997 - Kousokuya & Masayoshi Urabe - The Dark Spot [p.s.f. records]
2001 - Kousokuya - Live Osaka 09.21.01 [bootleg]
光束夜 - Live 逆流虚空 (Live Gyakuryu Kokou) [p.s.f. records]
2006 - 光束夜 - First Live 1979 (Kichijoji Minor) [p.s.f. records]
2007 - 光束夜 - Echoes From Deep Underground [archive]
Echoes From Deep Underground cd
Echoes From Deep Underground dvd
2007 - Kousokuya - Ray Night [ray night music]

Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje

Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje is a Norwegian avant-garde composer and performer. She, of course, releases a wide variety of music but also performs music for films, installations, theatre, dance and performance art. Maja is a member of the Norwegian free improv group Spunk with Lene Grenager, Kristin Andersen and Hild Sofie Tafjord. She performs and records with Hild Sofie Tafjord as the brilliant electronics/noise duo Fe-Mail, and performs as Agrare, with Hild Sofie Tafjord and the Swedish dancer Lotta Melin. She has also played with the Oslo Industrial Ensemble, No Spaghetti Edition with Evan Parker and Rhodrie Davies, Paal Nilssen-Love, Masami Akita (Merzbow), Zbigniew Karkowski, Gino Robair, Jaap Blonk, Oslo Sinfonietta and Lasse Marhaug. She has performed a chamber opera by Dagfinn Rosnes, especially written for her voice, among many other things such as Icelandic film music by Hjalmar Ragnarsson and performing her own music for Ibsen's play "Ghosts" at the Northlands festival in 1999. Maja briefly describes her music and motivations here:

Most of Maja's work is (surprisingly) still available if you look hard enough. I've not included some of the most recent releases. Hopefully, you will find this music as enthralling as I do and start to search it out for yourself!

Maja S. K. Ratkje

2002 - Maja Ratkje - Voice [rune grammofon]
2002 - Maja S. K. Ratkje & Jaap Blonk - Improvisors [kontrans]
2004 - Maja S. K. Ratkje & Lasse Marhaug - Music For Loving [bottrop-boy]
2005 - Maja S. K. Ratkje & Jaap Blonk - Post-Human Identities [kontrans]
2005 - Maja S. K. Ratkje & Lasse Marhaug - Music For Faking [clu clux clam]
2006 - John Hegre & Maja S. K. Ratkje - Ballads [dekorder]
2006 - Maja Ratkje - Adventura Anatomica [semishigure]
2006 - Maja S. K. Ratkje - Stalker (lp) [important records]
2008 - Maja S. K. Ratkje - River Mouth Echoes [tzadik]

Maja S. K. Ratkje - Fra Websiden

Fe-Mail

2004 - Fe-Mail Featuring Lasse Marhaug - All Men Are Pigs
2004 - Fe-mail - Syklubb Fra Hælvete [important records]
2005 - Fe-Mail - live @ wooden octopus skull festival 2005.09.10 flac
2005 - Fe-mail - Voluptuous Vultures [psychform records]
2006 - Fe-mail - Blixter Toad [asphodel]
2006 - Fe-Mail & Carlos Giffoni - Northern Stains [important records]

Spunk

1999 - Spunk - Det Eneste Jeg Vet Er At Det Ikke Er En Støvsuger
2001 - Spunk - Filtered Through Friends [rune grammofon]
2002 - Spunk - Den Øverste Toppen På En Blåmalt Flaggstang
2005 - Spunk - En Aldeles Forferdelig Sykdom [rune grammofon]

Doktor Kettu

Finland's Doktor Kettu is Petri Hagner, Jussi Lehtisalo, Tuomas Niskanen, Alpo Nummelin and Jouko Salenius. Jussi Lehtisalo is probably best known for being part of the tightly structured krautrock of Circle and the stoner doom of Pharoah Overlord. With his side-project, Doktor Kettu, we're given formless and improvised soundscapes made by three guitars, bass, and drums.

There really are some great attempts to capture the experience of a Doktor Kettu release: "True caveman rock, but under heavy sedation. Like a bunch of semi-comatose zombies letting their guitars feedback deep in a tunnel while the drummer sometimes wakes up, stunned, hitting the skins a few times and then succumbing to the world of the undead once again"; "a Finnish drug thing you wouldn't understand"; "imagine a cross between Circle and Thuja" or "imagine Hawkwind or Acid Mothers Temple locked in a cave with broken instruments"; "installments from some massive on-going jam still happening right now"; "slow, meandering, very stoned ambient psych jamming to the max" and quite possibly my favourite..."imagine if you had neighbors who lived below you in a WWII bunker and all they did all day was listen to certain Fushitsusha albums...this is what you might hear through the floor." Basically, Doktor Kettu sounds like a rock'n'roll band being thrown down a well in low gravity.

The Kettu project appears to have been born simply because five friends wanted to get together to enjoy themselves! No info, no publicity and no tours that I'm aware of. The first five cdrs were all released simultaneousy with no fanfare and very little information in editions of a 100 a piece and quickly disappeared. The sixth arrived quickly after in an edition of 50. The recently released cd appears to have been recorded quite some time earlier, so who knows if we will ever get any more fresh Kettu...I hope so!

Jussi himself has described Doktor Kettu as being an "apocalyptic drone-free-psychedelic-low-fi-massacre.....three guitars, bass and drums"

Go on! You know you want to.....

2003 - Doktor Kettu - Black Zenith [super metsä]
2003 - Doktor Kettu - High Revolution [super metsä]
2003 - Doktor Kettu - I Really Like Diamonds [super metsä]
2003 - Doktor Kettu - Kriegsphilosophie [super metsä]
2003 - Doktor Kettu - Yksi Miekka Yksi Kirves [super metsä]
2004 - Doktor Kettu - Gobmi Kalansikov [haamumaa]
2009 - Doktor Kettu - Soft Delirium [super metsä]

Overhang Party

Overhang Party were at the forefront of the highly influential Japanese psychedelic rock scene. The original line-up was Rinji Fukuoka (vocals, guitar), Koji Nishino (bass) and Iwao Yamazaki (drums). The line-up changed frequently with Rinji the only constant feature. The cast list is a long one but notably includes (at points)drummer Ikuro Takahashi who has played in Fushitsusha, High Rise, Kousokuya, LSD March and Maher Shalal Hash Baz amongst many others.

The band initially self-released the first LP in an edition of 200 before Rinji set up Pataphysique Records to release Overhang's output along with a wealth of other important works. The band's studio recorded material was limited but thankfully they made up for this by releasing a number of live slow burning psychedelic blow outs. 2003's "Out Takes..." was given away by the band at gigs at the time so I would imagine is pretty rare!

As usual with the Japanese underground, information is pretty hard to come by but there is a pretty good source here. The group folded in 2008 with Rinji going on to form the excellent Majutsu no Niwa. "High tension music results in a high voltage reaction," reckons Rinji Fukuoka and who am I to argue.

1993 - Overhang Party - Overhang Party lp [self-released]

1994 - Overhang Party - Overhang Party 2 [pataphysique records]

1995 - Overhang Party - Live 1994.8.22 At Showboat [pataphysique records]

1998 - Overhang Party - Overhang Party 4 [pataphysique records]

2000 - Overhang Party - Otherside Of (2xcd) [pataphysique records]

Otherside disc 1

Otherside disc 2

2002 - Overhang Party - Untitled

2003 - Overhang Party - Out Takes From 1996 To 2003 (cdr)

2006 - Overhang Party - Live Before And After 2004-2006 [there, musik atlach]

Live Before And After disc 1

Live Before And After disc 2

Hanatarash

Hanatarsh is the work of Yamatsuka Tetsurō (better known as Yamatsuka Eye). Almost art terrorism in nature, it makes his work in UFO or Die and Boredoms look pedestrian by comparison. Early audiences were made to sign disclaimers waiving responsibility for any injuries caused during shows. Infamous examples of the mayhem include launching oil drums at the crowd, throwing molotov coctails, and driving a mechanical digger through the back wall of a venue as part of the performance. Now that's what I call making an entrance! He even carved into his own leg with an electric saw during one show, although that was probably an accident. Not surprisingly, the virtual (and sometimes literal) destruction of venues meant that nobody in Japan would allow him to play. When Hanatarash resurfaced during the mid '90s, it was without the extreme violence...which is either a good or a bad thing depending on whether you like wearing crash helmets at gigs!

1985 - Hanatarash - Cock Aktion vhs [condome cassex, marz]
1985 - Hanatarash - Worst Selektion c60 [pcm/mars]
1985 - Hanatarash - ハナタラシ lp [alchemy records]
1988 - Hanatarashi - 2 lp [alchemy records]
1990 - Hanatarash - We Are Nuts c10 [? ltd.]
1992 - Hanatarash - Hanatarash 3 [rrrecords]
1992 - Hanatarash - Live!! 88 Feb. 21 Antiknock - Tokyo [mom 'n' dad productions]
1992 - Hanatarash - The Hanatarash And His eYe (7'') [public bath]
1993 - Hanatarash - Live!! 82 Apr. 12 Studio Ahiru - Osaka [mom 'n' dad productions]
1993 - Hanatarash - Live!! 84 Dec. 16 Zabo-Kyoto [mom 'n' dad productions]
1996 - Hanatarash - 5 [shock city, trattoria]
1996 - Hanatarash - Total Retardation 7'' [vinyl communications]
1998 - Hanatarashi & Kyōakukyōjindan - Jigoku No Komoriuta c60 [fujiyama]
1999 - Hanatarash - 4 (aka Aids-A-Delic) [public bath]
2002 - Hanatarash, Runzelstirn and Gurgelstøck & Eb.ersonna - Tiefpunk 12'' [tochnit aleph]
2005 - The Hanatarashi - We Are Hardcore (Early Tapes Of The Hanatarashi) 5xcdr [superman cha cha]
We Are Hardcore - Disc 1
We Are Hardcore - Disc 2
We Are Hardcore - Disc 3
We Are Hardcore - Disc 4
We Are Hardcore - Disc 5
2006 - Evil Moisture & Hanatarash - Fatanarchy On Airtube [harbinger sound, tochnit aleph]
2007 - The Hanatarashi - Born To Be Wild (C10) [skulls of heaven]

Various - Helter Skelter

A1 Le Syndicat & Merzbow - Untitled 10:37
A2 The Hanatarashi - Live Akme 3:57
B1 Null - Telesma Sicut Dei 7:18
B2 Hijo Kaidan - Live At 創造道場 11/3/1980 4:36

1986 - Various - Helter Skelter (C30) [beast 666 tapes]

Various - I'm Stupid

A1 Merzbow - Great Masturbator 4:35
A2 Masonna - Copoqusl Dakuptlk 2:52
A3 The Hanatarashi - I Like Slave 2:07
A4 TV Cherubs & Solmania - D.D.A.A. Makes You Dull 0:55
A5 The Gerogerigegege - デパゴル女 Destroyed 1:35
A6 The Boredoms - M 75 2:19

1990 - Various - I'm Stupid (s-side C30) [beast 666 tapes]

Various - Japan Bashing Three

A Hijokaidan - Theme Of The Taste Of Wild West 5:50
B Solmania - Highdrophobia Part 2 5:41
C Hanatarash - Galaxy Boost & Hanataradelic Planet Dub (Sore Diamond Remix) 6:44
D Masonna - Hot Licks From A Cunning Linguist 4:05

1991 - Various - Japan Bashing Volume 3 (2x7") [public bath]

Various - Snake Is Long, Don't Fall The Audio Hole (My Father Said) - A Tribute To The Hanatarash

01 Brently Pusser - We Eat
02 Dub Nazi JFK - We Bite Bollocks
03 Emil Beaulieau - Mind Dig
04 Faxed Head - Frog Girl 90000
05 Greg Freeman - We See
06 Lee Ranaldo - My Dad Is Car
07 Thee Bringdownzz - Detroit Rock City
08 Pork Queen - Vortex Shit
09 Miss Murgatroid - No Noise
10 Speculum Fight - Gag Nuts Gum
11 Glands Of External Secretion - Boat People Hate Fuck
12 Masonna / David Hopkins - We Can Kill
13 The Now Sound - Bad Sound For Bad Ear (Megatronix)
14 Faxed Head Roadies - Apartheid Fun Club
15 Macronympha - We Are Meat
16 Macronympha - California Sleep
17 The Double U - We Hook
18 Funharm - Pisshole Surfers
19 Unknown Artist - Untitled

Various - A Tribute To The Hanatarash [stomach ache records, 1995]

New BSBC

It always cheers me up when there is new BSBC in the world! This came out a few weeks ago...got my copy...go get yours!

"Blue Sabbath Black Cheer returns with a new long-player CDr, pro-pressed in an edition of 250, entitled "HN"; featuring 1 new song from the gruesome terror noise duo of Blue Sabbath Black Cheer, 2 collaboration tracks from the harsh noise projects of Stan Reed and wm.Rage (Dried Up Corpse & Nervous Corps, respectively), and a 30min crushing minimalist harsh noise deconstruction of BSBC by The Rita (the opening salvo in a 2-part collaboration between BSBC & The Rita). Edition of 250 copies in a jewel-case with appropriate harsh minimalist art."

Track 1. Blue Sabbath Black Cheer - Existence Distortion
Track 2. Dried Up Corpse & Nervous Corps - untitled
Track 3. Nervous Corps & Dried Up Corpse - Pure/Filth
Track 4. The Rita & Blue Sabbath Black Cheer - Drowning Witches I

Buy It!

Gravitar

Too tired to say much. If you know these guys, there won't be anything too surprising here. I've been searching for their more obscure tapes and the boxes on Enterruption for years but never got even close to being able to buy them.

There's a great interview with 2 of the band here if you want to know more. Shouldn't admit this but I never knew that Blue Sabbath Black Cheer took their name from a Gravitar song (Blue Sabbath) and that Geoff appears on some of the BSBC gear.

Gravitar were an American band who appear to be influenced by K.K. Null’s work in Zeni Geva, with similar dense walls of oppresive guitar but more expansive in it's approach. Self-proclaimed as the "world's loudest Jazz band" and described by WM. Rage as "Too noise for rock, too rock for noise...". Extreme music inspired by everything from Charlie Parker to John Zorn to the sound of breaking glass. Heavy and harsh walls of psychedelic noise!!!

1994 - Gravitar - Chinga Su Corazon [charnel music]
1995 - Gravitar - Gravitaativarravitar [charnel music]
1997 - Gravitar - Now The Road Of Knives [charnel music]
1998 - Gravitar & Universal Indians - Split (lp) [american tapes, am008]
1999 - Gravitar - Live at The Gold Dollar, Detroit 1999
1999 - Gravitar - You Must First Learn To Draw The Real [monotremata records]
2001 - Gravitar - Edifier [manifold]
2001 - Gravitar - Freedom's Just Another Word For Never Getting Paid [enterruption]
2007 - Gravitar - Trail By Fire (C48) [psychform records]

YBO²

YBO² (pronounced ee-boh ee-boh). A reckless, neo-progressive, psychedelic power troupe. YBO²’s predominantly self-released canon remains largely unavailable in the West. In a sense, the floating line-up represents an inverse supergroup...when they stopped playing in 1990ish (they reformed 10 years later but it didn't work out) it's members went their seperate ways and made some of the greatest music ever. Drummer Tatsuya Yoshida masterminded the hypercomplex duo Ruins (who originally featured another YBO² alumnus, guitarist-bassist Hideki Kawamoto) and is a member of Koenjihyakkei, Korekyojinn, Musica Transonic and various Acid Mothers' projects. Original YBO² guitarist Michio Kurihara abused his wah-wah in the esteemed White Heaven, played with Marble Sheep, currently participates in Ghost and has recorded and played with Boris. Kazuyuki Kishino has hammered out a host of avant-metal and noise works both on his own as K.K. Null and Null and with Zeni Geva and Absolut Null Punkt. Chu Ishikawa created the score to Shinya Tsukamoto's groundbreaking film Tetsuo the Iron Man. Hiroshi Hasegawa created Astro and C.C.C.C. It is even rumoured that, at times, the group included Masami Akita (yeah, that Merzbow bloke). I can not believe that there is a group that has ever spawned such genius!

Can't find any info on the Taiyou No Ouji lp, but here it is anyway. If anybody has any other YBO² releases...please share! Particularly the Yhwh....Black Omen II "Kingdom Of Familydream" lp

1986 - YBO² - Alienation (lp) [transrecords]

1988 - YBO² - Pale Skin, Pale Face (2xlp) [transrecords]

1989 - YBO² - Starship [victor musical industries]

1992 - YBO² - Greatest Hits Vol. 1 [sse communications]

1992 - YBO² - My Rest Place Live [sse communications]

1994 - YBO² - Greatest Hits Vol. 2 [sse communications]

2000 - YBO² - 大蜩琳 (Daejohw-Ling) [fractured sisters' secrets]

YBO² - Taiyou No Ouji.rar

Violent Onsen Geisha - Excrete Music

Just when I thought that I would never see another VOG release that I didn't have...this just landed out of the blue!

Released on the Japanese label Vanilla Records in 1991, compiled from various unreleased tapes to make one brilliant single track cd.

1991 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Excrete Music [vanilla records]

The vanishing Astral Social Club post...

A while back I was going to drop an ASC post. On my travels, I found an absolutely brilliant blog that had posted quite a few already. I have a lot more that aren't there but decided to give that blog some props and move on to something else instead.

But I forgot to give the blog the respect it deserves. Anyway...

Check out Flashing Light Will Blind Us and you will find a good healthy dose of ASC and a lot of other gems. Check out the Tokyo Flashback series she/he/they have up there! I was gonna post it but checked to see if it was already up somewhere (that's how I found the blog). Looks like I was beat to the Wheels Of Confusion post as well but I didn't lift it from there, it came from my own collection...great/simple minds think alike I guess! I might return to ASC and fill in the gaps...but might not.

Astral Social Club is the work of Neil Campbell by the way. Probably best known for his work with Vibracathedral Orchestra, he is a prolific solo artist, contibutor and collaborator. You really should check out his work! A lot is still for sale and he releases fresh material regularly and you can keep in touch here. Neil also uses Discogs to sell his gear here and is always helpful and takes time to answer any fanboy questions you might have.

Violent Onsen Geisha

In a world full of information overkill, Violent Onsen Geisha is a rare and mysterious thing! As in...there's very little info out there. Basically, Violent Onsen Geisha is the work of Masaya Nakahara although for years he created a history of VOG as a group whose members mysteriously died one by one (Spinal Tap drummer style, if you prefer). I suppose this provides the key to his work as Violent Onsen Geisha...sly and ironic, bizarre and sarcastic...creating a history which cloaks him in mystery so that he can enjoy himself in relative anonymity. Basically what you get is kitsch soundtracks and hippetty hop and blasts of disco and found sound and field recordings and spoken word and noise. You can see the smile all over his face...well I can! He has since moved on to work as Hair Stylistics which is more straight ahead blistering noise but with the same cheeky sensibilities leaking through.

What you get here is all that I have. There were two different versions of Otis (naturally you get both here), check Discogs for info. The U.S. Tour cd contains live collaborations with Smegma, Trumans Water and Thurston Moore respectively. Zashikionna Remix is half of a double cd by Minetaro Mochizuki & Violent Onsen Geisha that came with a magazine apparently. I have never seen that or I would have bought it and posted the full deal...if anyone can sort me out with the 1st disc I will love you forever (or at least for a bit). Sod And Sodie Sock comes with an additional disc...same deal. Dada Junk Spew! is a bootleg of the original tape on Chocolate Monk from 1995 which appeared from somewhere last year. It also includes the collaborative track 'Silver Afro Funeral March' which appeared on the 'Studies For Postal Orgies' cassette (which came with 50 copies of the first Prick Decay LP). Shocking Early Works 83-85 Vol. 1...who knows?

1988 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Black Lovers_Early Lost Tapes 1988
1989 - Violent Onsen Geisha & Masonna - Split (lp) [rrrecords]
1993 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Shocks! Shocks! Shocks! Remix '93 [ring music]
1993 - 暴力温泉芸者 - Otis [endorphine factory]
1995 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Balloon Collector In The Wilderness (7'') [japan overseas]
1995 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Que Sera, Sera (Things Go From Bad To Worse) [rail recordings]
1995 - Violent Onsen Geisha - US Tour '95 [japan overseas]
1996 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Nation Of Rhythm Slaves [rail recordings]
1996 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Otis [rail recordings]
1996 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Teenage Pet Sounds [polystar, trattoria]
1996 - Violent Onsen Geisha - The Midnight Gambler [pure]
1997 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Violent Onsen Geisha (3xCD & 3''CD) [bloody butterfly]
One Two Three Four
1997 - Violent Onsen Geisha - Zashikionna Remix
1998 - Mike Kelley & Paul McCarthy & Violent Onsen Geisha - Sod And Sodie Sock
2003 - Violent Onsen Geisha & Mike Kelley & Paul McCarthy - Comp O.S.O
2009 - Violent Onsen Geisha & Prick Decay - Dada Junk Spew! [studies for audio orgies]

Violent Onsen Geisha - Shocking Early Works 83-85 Vol. 1 (C60)

Throbbing Gristle - TG24

Throbbing Gristle. Progenitors. Transgressors. Wreckers Of Civilisation.

Lifted this from discogs as it tells you all you need to know at this point:

"The first real industrial group, the founders of Industrial Records and one of the most important electronic music innovators of all time. Growing out of the extreme performance art group COUM Transmissions, TG redefined music and laid a large part of the groundwork for all electronic music that followed. From their first performances in 1976 to their last gig in San Francisco in 1981 (recorded and released as "Mission Of Dead Souls"), they challenged and threatend so-called "normal" society - denounced from the floor of the House of Commons as "Wreckers of Civilisation" as the Coum Transmissions "Prostitution" art show in London's ICA (at which TG played their third show) came close to causing riots and set the stage for the punk revolution. Musically, they were extreme and uncompromising, using technology to make anti-music, which redefined music for all time. Their experimentation led them to pioneer sampling and looping techniques adopted by many of those who came after."

This material was originally released in 1980 as a set of tapes in a limited edition of 50, complete with a natty little briefcase. It was 49 really as Mike Wilkins of Industrial Records made #50 for himself. Staggeringly expensive at the time, but an essential document in that it catches Throbbing Gristle (and the attendant riots) in full on attack mode. Re-released on cd in 2002, this is the 25 disc version that was only available on pre-order from Mute. Whilst expensive, this was hoovered up by speculators so they could offer it back to you for five times the price.

Still staggers me that these were recorded 30+ years ago ... Throbbing Gristle were truly ahead of their time. If you want further info on Throbbing Gristle and Coum, there are two fantastic books out there (this one and that one) that I highly recommend.

As an aside, when I bought the Twenty Jazz Funk Greats book from Waterstones, a bosomly matriarch scanned the book and proclaimed "Ooohhh, Throbbing Gristle" at a volume that reverberated right across the shop ... still warms me cockles to this day!

01 Live at I.C.A., London, 18th Oct 1976
02 Live at Winchester and Air Gallery, London, 21st Aug 1976
03 Live at Nags Head, High Wycombe, 11th Feb 1977
04 Live at Brighton Polytechnic, 26th Mar 1977
05 Live at Nuffield Theatre, Southampton, 7th May 1977
06 Live at Rat Club, Pindar, London, 22nd May 1977
07 Live at Highbury Roadhouse, London, 29th Sept 1977
08 Live at Winchester Art School, 11 Nov 1977
09 Live at Rat Club, London, 17th Dec 1977
10 Live at Brighton Polytechnic, 25th Feb 1978
11 Live at Architectural Association, London, 3rd March 1978
12 Live at Goldsmith's College, London, 18th May 1978
13 Live at Industrial Training College, Wakefield, 1st July 1978
14 Live at Film Makers Co-Op, London, 6th July 1978
15 Live at Cryptic One Club, London, 11th Nov 1978
16 Live at Centro Iberico, London, 21st Jan 1979
17 Live at Ajanta Cinema, Derby, 12th April 1979
18 Live at Sheffield University, 25th April 1979
19 Live at The Factory, Manchester, 19th May 1979
20 Live at Guild Hall, Northampton, 26th May 1979
21 Live at Y.M.C.A., London, 3rd Aug 1979
22 Live at Butlers Wharf London, 23rd Dec 1979
23 Live at Fan Club, Leeds, 24th Feb 1980
24 Live at Scala Cinema, London, 1980
25 Live at Goldsmith's College, London, 13 Mar 1980

Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style

I have heard that there is a theory doing the rounds that there is such a thing as too much Wolf Eyes. Then again, some people believe in god and fairies at the bottom of the garden. Bah! Lunatics all!

Asylum Style is a series of 10 seperate releases on American Tapes dropped between 2003 and 2005.

Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 01 [American Tapes, AM 287]
Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 02 [American Tapes, AM 297]
Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 03 [American Tapes, AM 341]
Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 04 [American Tapes, AM 342]
Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 05 [American Tapes, AM 351]
Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 06 [American Tapes, AM 359]
Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 07 [American Tapes, AM 374]
Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 08 [American Tapes, AM 404]
Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 09 [American Tapes, AM 427]
Wolf Eyes - Asylum Style Part 10 (6xCDR) [American Tapes, AM 456]
Part 1 Part 2

Richard Ramirez (side-projects)

Have you ever felt that you have bitten off more than you can chew? This post has given me indigestion that you wouldn't believe.

"Identity Amnesia" seems kind of appropriate (although it's a recent Ramirez solo release ... but the picture's cute)! More prolific than you can imagine. The better known Black Leather Jesus and Werewolf Jerusalem have already been been featured here before. Here are some of his other issues. Master of the Harse Noise Wall but there is much more differentiation than the casual observer would imagine. Some have appeared elsewhere...some definately haven't.

Anal Drill

Anal Drill - Apple [deadline recordings]

An Innocent Young Throat-Cutter

2008 - An Innocent Young Throat-Cutter - Death on the Edge of a Razor (C20) [turgid animal]
2009 - An Innocent Young Throat-Cutter - Supply Nurse Could Self Destruct [lake shark harsh noise]

Baptist Skin Communiti

Baptist Skin Communiti - Inner Pollution (C60) [turgid animal]

Clinical Mishaps

Clinical Mishaps - Ask Your Doctor (C60) [worthless human flesh]

Femme Under Plastic

Femme Under Plastic - Primitive Means [recordings for the summer]

Four Flies

Four Flies - The Murderer Is Still With Us (C20) [turgid animal]

Last Rape

2008 - Last Rape - La Ragazza Che Sapeva Troppo (s-side C40) [gaping hole]
2008 - Last Rape - Last Rape [deadline recordings]
2008 - Last Rape - The Black Belly Of The Tarantula [pottersfield]
2009 - Last Rape - Maimed Left Arm [turgid animal]

Manplug

Manplug - Wish [dumping ground recordings]

MRAT

MRAT - MRAT's Meat Orchestra [deadline recordings]

Priest In Shit

2002 - Priest In Shit - No Room For Explanations [deadline recordings]
2003 - Priest In Shit - Disabled Senses_In Memory Of Luis Jimenez (2xbizcdr) [pacrec, troniks]
2006 - Priest In Shit - Touched By Decay (C20) [pain compliance]

Release Helen Rytka

2005 - Release Helen Rytka - Great Northern Street (C62) [dada drummimg]
2006 - Release Helen Rytka - Huddersfield [pitchphase]
2006 - Release Helen Rytka - Immigrant (C20) [pain compliance productions]

Slave Labor

Slave Labor - A Sick Cow? / Transvestite #1 [deadline recordings]

Honorary mentions go to these beautiful people:

Small Doses boxset
Harsh Purification
Vice Wears Black Hose III
Brick By Brick

Demons

Demons are Nate Young (Wolf Eyes, etc) and Steve Kenney (Hatred, Isis & Werewolves). Demons use synthesizers to explore near-epileptic fits of droning synth textures that elicit comparisons with earlier European electronic pioneers (such as Stockhausen and Cluster) whilst simultaneously bludgeoning forward with the grating and scraping atonal complexities of Whitehouse and Throbbing Gristle. Subterranean atonal analog rumblings compete with laser-sharp extraterrestial blasts and hums. Since forming in late 2005, Demons have evolved from a synthesizer duo to include video artist Alivia Zivich into a "Visual Music" trio to produce discomforting psychedelic multi-media performances. Working under the name “Video Madness” she often uses the music of Demons as soundtracks to her analog video experiments.

Most Demons output is released via Nate's AA Records (which you can reach here). The site appears to be in hibernation at the minute but you can still grab a few of their releases at Fusetron. You can also grab some of their fantastic dvd releases here.

Demons are touring with Sick Llama soon, so hopefully there will be new output in the near future.

Before you get too excited...the Life Destroyer box only has the audio rip of the dvd (with the cd and tape of course) and 080206 doesn't include the (extremely limited) 1-sided lathe cut locked groove 5".

2006 - Demons - Untitled (s-sided C30) [aa records]
2007 - Demons - Evocation [no fun productions]
2007 - Demons - Frozen Fog [aa records]
2007 - Demons - Invisible Darkness [aa records]
2007 - Demons - Life Destroyer (boxset) [aa records]
2007 - Demons - Live @ Les Instants Chavirés, Montreuil, France (10-8-07)
2007 - Demons - Live at No Fun Fest 2007
2007 - Demons & Dilloway - Demons Dilloway (C30) [aa records]
2007 - Demons & Thames - Split (C60) [wintage records & tapes]
2007 - Demons & Vertonen - Split (lp) [scratch & sniff, crippled intellect]
2007 - Demons with Zac Davis - Untitled (cass) [fag tapes]
2008 - Demons - Live @ Yoga studio, Northampton, MA (May 13, 2008) (flac)
2008 - Demons & Hatred - Split (lp) [troubleman unlimited]
2008 - Demons & Zac Davis - For Joy Rd [maim & disfigure]
2009 - Demons - 080206 [green records and tapes]

Bark Haze

Bark Haze is primarily a guitar duo of Andrew Macgregor (who also records as the wonderful Gown) and Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth etfuckingcetera). They are occasionally joined on drums by either Pete Nolan (Magik Markers, Virgin Eye Blood Brothers, Spectre Folk, GHQ, etc) or John Moloney (Sunburned Hand Of The Man, Howlin' Rain, etc). Their name came from a mis-hearing of theradical early 70s R+B group the Bar-Kays and from that moment the concept of mis-hearing and allegiance to presenting the mis-hearing as some open-ended musical course became The Bark Haze's identity. Their debut gig in the UK was at the 2006 Nightmare Before Christmas ATP event that was curated by Moore.

You should know what to expect: open ended effects pedal drenched free-guitar blow outs.

2006 - Bark Haze - Live & ATP, The Nightmare Before Christmas, UK (10th Dec 2006)
2007 - Bark Haze - Macannabis (C30) [arbor]
2007 - Bark Haze - Total Joke Era [important records]
2007 - The Bark Haze - Self-Titled (lp) [important records]
2008 - Bark Haze - Basement Psychosis (cass) [ecstatic peace!]
2008 - Bark Haze - One For Merz [three lobed recordings]
2008 - Bark Haze & Traum - Monolith Jupiter [music fellowship]
2009 - Bark Haze - Wild + Free [self released]
2009 - Bark Haze & Our Love Will Destroy The World - Split (7'') [krayon recordings]

...with John Moloney...

...with Pete Nolan...

The Broken Penis Orchestra

This is the post that, without a doubt, gives me the most pleasure to give to y'all! Dick Flick is the pseudonymous main brain behind the crazed kalaidoscopic world of the BPO. Hailing from Seattle, he is regularly joined by various incognito waifs and strays (especially live) to create delirious, crazed, perverted and sacriligious soundscapes.

Imagine a cartoon cut-up assault filled with rapid-fire samples, vertiginous switchback edits, lightning bolts of noise, loops spun inwards, outwards and upside down, and gratuitous FX abuse. Imagine Uncle Meat/Lumpy Gravy style Zappa/Mothers Of Invention, harsh electronics, porn flicks, televangilists, sex instruction manuals and public information docs shredded and turned inside out. Got it? You're not even close! I listen to BPO a lot. I find myself laughing my face off or dancing around the room or curled up in a corner, gently rocking, trying to convince myself "everything is gonna be OK". And that can be during just one track. It's a wildly ecstatic and nauseating ride!

It's live where the true hypnotic and hallucinatory genius works best of all. Check the dvdr that comes with Fuck Rockin' In American Airspace. The video cut-up meshes with the sound collage perfectly. And, check the 6 man "Fear God" dance troupe towards the end (...yup...you read that right). Absolutely hilarious!

Special thanks to Herr Flick for getting me into this in the first place a good while ago. And for ocassionally sending me the odd tape and vinyl treat. But especially for being so enthusiastic about me posting this. He's a good human! They definately put some crazy drugs in the water in Seattle...I wish I lived in Seattle!

2003 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - 3 Inch Dick (3'' cdr) [psychochrist productions]
2004 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - Oral Copulation (3'' cdr) [psychochrist productions]
2004 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - Organ Failure (7'') [hypnagogia]
2004 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - Plays With Itself [hypnagogia]
2004 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - Testicle Difficulties [psychochrist productions]
2006 - Crank Sturgeon & The Broken Penis Orchestra - Split (C20) [psychform records]
2006 - Nurse With Wound & The Broken Penis Orchestra - Natal Moonies [united jnana]
2006 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - Live @ The Electric Heavyland (R.I.P.) (04-15-06)
2006 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - Psychedelic Sex Show (C40) [enterruption]
2006 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - Vienna Sausage (3'' cdr) [psychochrist productions]
2006 - The Broken Penis Orchestra & At Jennie Richie - Split (2xC1) [psychform records]
2008 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - ...Sex & Drugs &... (C20) [enterruption]
2009 - Dick Flick - Cocktales From The Cutting Room Floor, Volume I... (C40) [soccer mom ebonics]
2009 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - Fuck Rockin' In American Airspace [debacle records] cdr dvdr
2009 - The Broken Penis Orchestra - Live @ Debacle Fest, Seattle (09-26-09)

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