Bleak Bliss: October 2016

Various - Introducing Teen Trash From Psychedelic Tokyo '66 - '69 in ... Monster A Go-Go: Volume One

Other than The Bunnys (aka Takeshi Terauchi And The Bunnys) all of the other groups here have also appeared on the previous two posts.

All three of these LPs are fantastic ... but to package these as "Psychedelic Tokyo" is particularly misleading.

Everybody here falls under the Group Sounds umbrella and this is where I apologise if I'm telling you how to suck an egg. In the mid-60's, massive Japanese conglomerates looked enviously at the mop-top types in the UK and the consequences of the "English Invasion" in America and thought that there has got to be profit in this. In an episode of The Monkees meets The Gremlims, there was an explosion of bands generally made up of session musicians and "nice looking lads" all dressed in uniformly sharp suits with uniform haircuts.

Other than cashing in, the intention was to replicate the music that was popular in the west (hence the number of covers). This was a perfectly reasonable thing to assume within the regimented (still) apologetic post-war culture of the times. What actually happened was that these groups started to deliver superbly fuzzed out blues / garage rock and sowed the seeds for the psychedelics to come once the shackles came off.

Fujio Yamaguchi of The Dynamites went on to play with Les Rallizes Denudes, Chito Kawachi of The Happenings Four, Hiro Yanagida of The Floral and Kimio Mizutani, Masaoki Terakawa and Toshiaki Yokota of The Beat Generation all went on to play in Love Live Life and on and on and on ...

"Unofficial" LP released on Planet X in 1990.

Monster A Go-Go

Various - Introducing Teen Trash From Psychedelic Tokyo '66 - '69 in ... Big Lizard Stomp!: Volume Two

The Golden Cups, The Spiders, The Mops, The Jaguars, D'Swooners, The Beavers and The Carnabeats.

"Unofficial" LP released on Planet X in 1990.

Big Lizard Stomp!

Various - Introducing Teen Trash From Psychedelic Tokyo '66 - '69 in ... Slitherama!: Volume Three

The Outcast, The Spiders, The Mops, The Savage, The Jaguars, The Sharp Hawks, The Sharp Five, The Voltage and The Golden Cups.

"Unofficial" LP released on Planet X in 1991.

Slitherama!

Ian Middleton, Neil Campbell, Late - Vatic Lamps

Exquisite layered drone from three UK subunderground legends!

This CDr was self-released by Ian and appeared in the early 2000's. The insert gives the construction date as "recorded via mail sometime late last century". Given that Late (Matthew St. Germain, who was responsible for the marvellous Freedom From label) appears to have stopped recording in 2002 ... ah, fuck it, who cares ... just listen.

Vatic Lamps

Ian Middleton - Broken Sounds

CDr full of spiking drone that was self-released in 2001.

Broken Sounds

Ian Middleton - Aural Spaces

Appropriately titled LP full of space-synth explorations released on Swill Radio in 2009.

Aural Spaces

Remora - Aggregate

Wonderful fluttering and stuttering drones from Ian Middleton on this C80 released on Freedom From in 1997.

Aggregate

Remora - The Clockwork Ammonite Shells

The aforementioned Ian Middleton delivering soaring analogue tape and synth explorations. If Omit floats your boat, you're in business.

CD released on Worry in 1997.

The Clockwork Ammonite Shells

World Downfall - Necessary Blood

More rough anarchist power-electronics violence, released as a CDR by Freak Animal in the mid-2000s.

World Downfall - Necessary Blood

World Downfall - Eat Work Shit Sleep

Four-song EP of Canadian power electronics with a hardcore anarcho-punk energy, released on CDR by Freak Animal.

World Downfall - Eat Work Shit Sleep

Metrocide / Pedestrian Deposit - Split

Clay Ruby with Jon Borges and Shannon Kennedy's wonderful Pedestrian Deposit. It's great.

CDr jointly released on Monorail Trespassing and 23 Productions in 2005.

Metrocide / Pedestrian Deposit

Metrocide / Mumber Toes - Untitled

Gloriously fucked up collaboration between the shared nom de plume of "Karen Eliot" and Clay Ruby.

CDr released on 23 Productions in 2003.

Hi, It's me, Steve

Metrocide - Ampex 45

Clay Ruby from Davenport, aka Burial Hex, Clay's Festering Lungs, and probably other pseudonyms, does the harsh noise thing for a label called Harshnoise. Released as a CDR in 2004.

Metrocide - Ampex 45

va - Soldering the Fuckin' Solitude Monitor

I don't post enough 7" singles here, so I'm going to try to correct that. "Soldering..." is an excellent compilation of late 90's British noise issued as a 7" on Phil Todd's Betley Welcomes Careful Drivers label. It includes tracks by the godlike Ashtray Navigations, Remora (aka Ian Middleton, whose music I would love to hear more of, if I can find any of it), Coits and Ghostdad (about whom I know nothing).

va - Soldering the Fuckin' Solitude Monitor

Craig Microcassette System - 03-14-03

Doctored dictation devices delivering decaying sound with interspersed feedback.

14 minutes recorded live in Nottingham and released as a 3''CDr on 23 Productions in 2003.

03-14-03

Craig Microcassette System - 4 & 5

Double 3"CDr by an offshoot of Davenport, released by Object Music in an edition of only 36 copies.

Craig Microcassette System - 4 & 5

Islington Mill Is The Bollocks!

I keep telling you people about the vital magnificence of Islington Mill.

Let's face it, if the roof caves in then it's pretty fucked. If you really want the North West of England to be sucked into the singularity of vacuous popular culture, then look away now!

If you care about the poor refugees that result from the wars of the cultural overlords then this is the time to stand up for the rights of the badgerstumps of this world! This is your time to do the right thing!

Support Islington Mill so that fuck ups like me actually have a reason to go out of the house!

Drunjus - Enceladus

Gorgeous alien drone.

CDr released on Peasant Magik ‎in 2008.

Enceladus

Drunjus - Driftin

Driftin is exactly the right word. The feeling of having the top of your head removed and the grey matter receiving a much needed massage.

C94 released on Tree Tapes in 2008.

one side

the other side

Drunjus - Drunjus

Killer double CDR by three members of Davenport, released by the mighty Foxglove in 2005.

disc 1
disc 2

Various - The Davenport Family Boxset

... and here's a rather splendid collection of the works of Davenport dynasty. Clay Ruby, Craig Microcassette System, Drunjus, The Grass Magic, Maths Balance Volumes, Pan To Scratch and many more.

Box set containing five 3'' CDrs released on Clay Ruby and Theresa Behnen's 23 Productions in 2005.

They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do.

They fill you with the faults they had. And add some extra, just for you.

Davenport - Maho Hanging Greyface

Another 2005 CDR of free noise jam by Wisconsin's Davenport, this time released by the French label Paha Porvari.

Davenport - Maho Hanging Greyface

Davenport Family - Field Tales

Double CDR of stoned improvised noise folk jam from rural Wisconsin, sort of in the same vein as Sunburned Hand of the Man, Jackie-O Motherfucker or No-Neck Blues Band but looser and more raw. Outside of Davenport, band members would individually record harsh noise, drone, and field recordings as Metrocide, Burial Hex, Endless, Craig Microcassette System, Leannan Sith and Maths Balance Volumes, among many others. All the "family" members plus James Ferraro and Spencer Clark (aka The Skaters) recorded these eclectic tracks in the woods, in barns, and who knows where else. Released in 2005 by 23 Productions and Haamumauu in an edition of 123 copies.

disc 1
disc 2

CJA - Dopey

The great Clayton Noone who was also a member of such Aotearoan explorers as Armpit and The Futurians.

CDr released on Digitalis Recordings in 2007.

Dopey

(VxPxC) - Live At Il Corral 2006

52 minutes of live recording from Grant Capes, Justin McInteer and Tim Goodwillie.

CDr released on Digitalis Recordings in 2007.

Live At Il Corral 2006

Brothers Of The Occult Sisterhood - Temicxoch (The Pulverized Wisdom Of A Thousand Forevers)

Ethereal epiphany from Ian McIntyre, Michael Donnelly and Pacific Soma.

CDr released on Digitalis Recordings in 2007.

Temicxoch

Keijo - Not With Normal Birds

The forest-dwelling circumpolar shamanics of Keijo Virtanen.

CDr released on Digitalis Recordings in 2007.

Not With Normal Birds

Alligator Crystal Moth - Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia

The fear of the number 666 expressed via the medium of the non-existent symphony of the Magdeleneberg henge by Brad Rose and Michael Donnelly.

CDr released on Digitalis Recordings in 2007.

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia

Thousands - Thousands

Wandering orchestral freak drone with a North African twist from Caitlin Mitchell, Grant Capes, Jake White, Justin McInteer, Tim Goodwillie and M. Geddes Gengras.

CDr released on Digitalis Recordings in 2007.

Thousands

Tarentel - Home Ruckus

Cinematic ceremony from Danny Grody, Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Jim Redd and Milton Cross.

CDr released on Digitalis Recordings in 2007.

Home Ruckus

Seht - Roadkill Echidna, Possibly Kiwi

Stephen Clover is another Kiwi legend. Prepare for ambient techno-bump and drone ...

CDr released on Digitalis Recordings in 2007.

Roadkill Echidna, Possibly Kiwi

The Futurians - Zombie Chew

The Futurians are genius! Retro-futuristic broken Kiwi scuzz. Listen to everything then buy everything.

CDr released on Digitalis Recordings in 2007.

Zombie Chew

Robedoor - Volume Oblivion

The excellent Robedoor were Alex Brown, Britt Brown and M. Geddes Gengras.

In 2007, Digitalis Recordings ran a nine disc Bottled Smoke series of subscription only CDrs. This is the tenth disc that was a bonus for the people that signed up at the time.

Volume ∞

David Payne - Real Too Real

Third tape of tape loops and challenging non-music by the fascinating David Payne, again released on Middle James Co in 2011 in an edition of 13 copies.

David Payne - Real Too Real

David Payne - Real 2 Real 2

C30 of incredible tape-loop anti-music by main Fossils instigator David Payne, of Hamilton ON, released in a puny edition of just 13 copies of his own Middle James Co label.

David Payne - Real 2 Real 2

David Payne - Reel To Real

Challenging, deeply personal/private non-music by the always amazing and under-rated David Payne (the only constant member of loose improv/noise group Fossils), using tape loops of incidental sounds. In a way, Payne is Canada's pre-Wolf-Eyes John Olson, compulsively producing uncompromising music in small editions with no particular audience in mind, just to satisfy his own unique aesthetic. The atmosphere on this excellent tape (and the two others that came out at the same time) is of overhearing something private and personal, made in such a small edition precisely because it's not for everybody. Yet, this shuffling incidental sound is oddly compelling in a Graham Lambkin or early Philip Corner sort of way. Released in 2011 on Middle James Co as a cassette in an edition of 13 copies. Listen to this, then head to Discogs and buy any tapes or CDRs you can find.

David Payne - Reel To Real

Martin Tétreault & Otomo Yoshihide - 21 Situations

CD released on Ambiances Magnétiques in 1999.

21 Situations

Martin Tétreault & Otomo Yoshihide - Studio - Analogique - Numérique

Triple 3" CD set released on Ambiances Magnétiques ‎in 2003.

Studio - Analogique - Numérique

Gnod / Islington Mill

People here should know how much I love Gnod. Previously, I have also said how important Islington Mill is to Manchester / Salford. It really is the most vibrant and culturally important venue / art space for the subunderground in this part of the world. In this city of dead-eyed capitalist cannon fodder, it is a shining beacon of hope!

Anyway, parts of the Mill are in a state of decay - namely the roof. For a while now, there has been a fund raising drive to repair the roof which will also present the opportunity to open up the upper floors and expand the creativity.

The mighty Gnod have teamed up with Anthony Child (aka the legendary techno DJ / producer Surgeon as well as one half of the brilliant British Murder Boys) and released ‘Behind The Lids’. Whilst that is great in itself, the beautiful thing is that every single penny of the profits go into the fund raising pot which brings everyone that much closer to sorting the roof out.

Clearly, everyone reading this should go here now and buy the CD. It would also be great if you could spare a quid (or your currency's equivalent) and hand it over to the Mill.

Macronympha & Mlehst - Macrosonic

More ugly noise on Labyrinth, this time a collaborative cassette by Macronympha and Mlehst.

Macronympha & Mlehst - Macrosonic

Martin Tétreault & Otomo Yoshihide - Grrr Tok Ahhh Hmmm

Between 2004 and 2005 Ambiances Magnétiques released four CDs that captured both men (across six gigs) on their European tour in 2003.

In 2005, they brought them all together in a four disc box set ... and this is what you have here. Totally great turntable noise.

Grrr

Tok

Ahhh

Hmmm

Les Rallizes Dé Nudés - Tripical Midbooster - Winter 1981-1982

It's been a while since we had a Rallizes box set ...

Four CD set released on Univive in 2009.

Hosei University Student Hall, Tokyo: November 6, 1981 (part one)

Hosei University Student Hall, Tokyo: November 6, 1981 (part two)

Yaneura, Tokyo: December 19, 1981

Keio University: October 2, 1982

Lasse Marhaug & Ferocious Dopes - Untitled

One side of fierce noise by the legendary Lasse Marhaug, the other by some dopes I know nothing about. Released as a cassette on Freedom From in 1998.

Lasse Marhaug & Ferocious Dopes - Untitled

Tom Carter & Robert Horton - Campfire

The sound of five friends sitting around a campfire making music. Gorgeous.

C34 released on Sloow Tapes in 2009 in an edition of 40.

Campfire

Drona Parva - Salvia Door

Tones and drones to cleanse your mind of all of the detritus that the outside world burdens you with.

Drona Parva is the work of Nemo Bidstrup and he also gave us the magnificent Time-Lag Records. You really should buy everything ... the music is always great and the attention to detail put into the artwork is simply perfect.

LP released on Time-Lag Records in 2005.

Salvia Door

Various - Wailing Bones Volume One

Tom Carter (who has made a ton of great music in bands like Charalambides, Sarin Smoke and Zaika), Keijo & The Free Players, Alligator Crystal Moth (who were Brad Rose and Michael Donnelly) and Nemo Bidstrup's Drona Parva.

CDr released on Foxglove in 2004.

Volume One

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)