Bleak Bliss: October 2018

Institut Für Psycho-Hygiene - Rudolf Eb.er - Lieder Zur Anal.ytischen Selbstverkrüppelung

"Songs for Analytical Self-Crippling", and you can sing along to every last one of them! Released in 1991 as an LP by Schimpfluch, of course, in a paltry edition of just 70 copies in the label's well-known handmade art packaging. Mostly consists of Eb.er talking to himself, with occasional intrusive raspberries.

Institut Für Psycho-Hygiene/Rudolf Eb.er - Lieder Zur Anal.ytischen Selbstverkrüppelung

Sudden Infant - Sudden Infant DVD

What better than the corporeal excellence of Joke Lanz?

DVDr issued forth upon Freak Animal Records in 2007.

Sudden Infant DVD

G*Park - Geopod

His second CD, exactly as hermetic and seductive as what came before it. Released by Zabriskie Point in 1995.

G*Park - Geopod

Rudolv Eb.er - Die Läuse Zerfressen Mich ... ... Die Säue Erbrechen Sich

Strange (duh) double cassette from 1990 on the inscrutable Schimpfluch imprint. Only the first tape had recorded sound on it. The second was a tape-less shell with doodads inside that you could shake around, though heck knows why anyone would. The edition of 30 copies must have more than satisfied "demand" when it came out, though it fetches high prices from collectors nowadays. Surely the object is as impressive as the surgically-precise grunts, barks, flatulence and pregnant pauses that greet a listener upon playback. Title translates (roughly) to "The Lice Eat Me, The Sows Vomit". You know... for kids!

Rudolv Eb.er - Die Läuse Zerfressen Mich ... ... Die Säue Erbrechen Sich

Sudden Infant - SICV

Triple LP concept albums? My arse! Oh and Michael Bay, pay attention you talent-less money-burning waste of energy. Why even bother when you can nail it in five minutes and eighteen seconds on a business card CDr released on Audiobot in 2005.

SICV

Sudden Infant - Cut-Up's

A superior 22 minutes created by Joke Lanz and reproduced in 2013 as a Japanese tour CDr on his own Soja-Sauce Bolognese.

Cut-Up's

Various - Motion. Movement In Australian Sound

Just look it up.

Quality double disc released on Preservation in 2003.

Movement In Australian Sound

Anthony Guerra & Joel Stern - Stitch

Looped found sound making verse chorus verse old hat.

CD released on Impermanent Recordings ‎in 2004.

Stitch

Arek Gulbenkoglu - Points Alone

Improvised inverted sculpture.

CD released on Impermanent Recordings in 2005.

Points Alone

Rudolv Eb.er ‎– KSK Dokumentation N° 01: Hünchen-zerdresch-(a)akctionsjodlertum / … (Erbrechend - [Und] Abreaktiv)

Recorded between 1987 and 1990, spliced with yellow teeth and some dirty Scotch tape in 1990 and promptly released on vinyl in an edition of 100 copies the same year. You can hear Eb.er's blood-boiling passion and urgency spilling out like rotted pigmeat and scrotal filth from these grooves. G*Park, Sudden Infant and a cast of other strangely-named Schimpfluch-aligned miscreants get diced up and ground into the stew.

Rudolv Eb.er ‎– KSK Dokumentation N° 01: Hünchen-zerdresch-(a)akctionsjodlertum / … (Erbrechend - [Und] Abreaktiv)

Dworzec - Wednesday

Dworzec were an unfortunately short-lived Antipodean adventure courtesy of Antony Eagle, Arek Gulbenkoglu, Henry Krips and Louise Conroy.

An ultra-dark LAFMS scripting soundtracks for Gaspar Noé?

CD released on Metonymic in 2001.

Wednesday

G*Park - Yack Park

This little chunk of what-the-fugg was my introduction to G*Park. We fell in love instantly. Released as a CD by the Zabriskie Point label in 1993.

G*Park - Yack Park

Brett Larner / Toshimaru Nakamura - After School Activity

Brett Larner on Koto with Toshimaru Nakamura's No-input Mixing Board adding the grit into the spaces left behind.

CD released on Impermanent Recordings in 2003.

After School Activity

G*Park - Seismogramm

Swiss artist Marc Zeier was one of the earliest members of the Schimpfluch crew, yet he remains one of the least prolific (Inzekt and Merz-Jazz beat his minimal output record, but after a couple of excellent recordings the former went on to produce inconsequential techno, and the latter was merely a one-off improv group document). His G*Park recordings make clear right away why there aren't many of them. Each album is meticulously produced, with careful and highly detailed compositions of utterly baffling origin. Fans of The Hafler Trio, Hands To, or irr.app.(ext.) will enjoy this stuff, as will anyone with working ears and a soul. After a run of cassettes between 1986 and 1988 (all compiled onto a 6xCDr boxset released by Tochnit Aleph), "Seismogramm" was the first LP. It came out as an LP on the Schimpfluch label, and was then reissued on CD by Blossoming Noise. If you like this (and there's no reason why you wouldn't), check out "Corpse", a tape released by Banned Productions or "Sub", a double CD released by 23five, both of which are still available and totally necessary.

G*Park - Seismogramm

Peter Blamey - Salted Felt

A mainstay of the Sydney sub-underground with mixing board pulses and intricately looped contact mic fuckery to create electronic music for disco dancing electrons (probably).

CD released on Impermanent Recordings in 2002.

Salted Felt

Runzelstirn & Gurgelstøck - Bei Abwesenheit Jeglicher Genussempfindungen

This one-sided LP from 1989 is, as far as I'm aware, the first appearance of Rudolf Eb.er's work as Runzelstirn & Gurgelstock. He was already recording noise-collage radio programs as Psychic Rally and had made one LP/tape as Wash Your Brains, but this is where the Eb.er we know today first planted its offal-encrusted foot on the world. The title may translate roughly as "In the Absence of All Pleasure Sensations", but little did we know in 1989 that he was only getting started. Edition of 200 with sandpaper label on one side and odd-sized jacket.

Runzelstirn & Gurgelstøck - Bei Abwesenheit Jeglicher Genussempfindungen

Matt Earle / Jason Kahn / Adam Sussman - Draught

Adam and Matt also record as the virtually imperceptible Stasis Duo. Luckily, Jason appears to lively up the proceedings and make the excellent electronic compositions audible to more than an exclusive group of bats and dogs.

CDr released on Consumer Waste in 2012.

Draught

Sudden Infant - Rare Noise

Double CDR released by Tochnit Aleph in 1999, collecting out of print early noise by Schimpfluch-affiliated artist Joke Lanz/Sudden Infant. The first disc contains his self-titled cassette from 1989 and also a compilation tape called "1989-1991", both originally released by Schimpfluch. The second disc contains the Sudden Infant sides of his split tapes with tac, Brume and Aube, all of them first released on Lanz' own Soja-Sauce Bolognese label,

Your Intestines - Untitled (Pink)

... and much more of the same.

CDr released on Black Petal in 2008.

Untitled

Your Intestines - Untitled (Green)

Anthony Guerra and Matthew Earle (aka Muura) on guitars, Adam Süssmann on bass and Peter Blamey on drums. Great high-wire Aussie noise rock that just manages to stay upright.

CDr released on Black Petal in 2008.

Untitled

Vodka Sparrows - Death A Thousand Times Over

Two longer tracks that allow the drones to unfold much more effectively ...

CDr released on Anthony Guerra's Black Petal in 2009.

Death A Thousand Times Over

Vodka Sparrows - No Title / Self Title

Delicate and strung out twin guitar drones courtesy of Anthony Guerra and Mark Leacy.

C32 released on Melbourne-based Albert's Basement in 2013.

No Title / Self Title

va - As Yet Untitled

I love this compilation! Even though they released it before thinking of a title. All killer, no filler: AMK, Architects Office, The Haters, PBK, Tom Dimuzio, Illusion of Safety, Arcane Device, Hands To, Static Effect, Randy Grief, and more. Released in 1991 as a CD by Realization Recordings.

va - As Yet Untitled

Merzbow - Lowest Music & Arts 1980 - 1983

A massive pile of utterly necessary remastered tapes that were originally released on Masami Akita's "Lowest Music & Arts" label. You get a special Bleak Bliss prize if you can guess when they were released! There is some crossover with the Merzbox but these are the full tapes. Not that one is better than the other, they are different. I'd assume that most of you have this already ... this is for the ones that didn't.

Ten LPs and a 7" released on the inestimably important Vinyl-on-demand in 2012.

Lowest

Music

Arts

Richard Lainhart - Ten Thousand Shades Of Blue

Beautiful electro-acoustic drone music recorded between 1975 and 1989. It's all great, but the big hit is "Two Mirrors Face One Another", the 40-minute mammoth of audio codeine made from bowed Japanese temple bells on the first disc. Fans of Eliane Radigue, John Grzinich, Murmer., and Jim Haynes take note! Released in 2001 by Experimental Media Foundation.

disc 1
disc 2

Merzbow - Kibbutz

Some people don't even know that Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani only had guitars, drums, keyboards and the most rudimentary effects to pursue the Merzbow mission.

Once a tape that was originally released on ADN in 1983 and then an LP released on Urashima in 2012.

Kibbutz

G*Park - 15

Recorded live in Berlin in 2009, released in 2010 as a 100-copy CDR by Rumpsti Pumpsti Edition (aka Tochnit Aleph's record shop and gallery) in 2010.

G*Park - 15

Merzbow - Collection 009

Remastered reissue of the 1981 tape released as an LP on Urashima in 2013.

Whilst we are here: over the past few months, スローダウンRECORDS have released a whole raft of Merzbow covering new material and a host of 1979-83 ish reissues (most of which we hadn't heard before). We have all of them and they are all great. Even though they are still available from the label and there are effective distribution networks (Soleilmoon, for instance), there are some Japanese speculators listing these for sale at many multiples of the release price. You have been both informed and warned. Get them at the real price whilst you can.

Collection 009

Merzbow - Collection 007

Self-released C44 from 1981 that is different to the one presented on the Lowest Music & Arts box-set.

Collection 007

Merzbow - Antimonument

Originally a picture disc LP released on ZSF Produkt in 1986. Five years later, it was remastered and re-released with a bonus track. This is another that's now considered to be unofficial as the label kind of forgot to pay anybody. The packaging for these is really quite good ... maybe that's where all of the money went. However, there were only supposed to be 225 released but I suspect there were a lot more. I can't remember which box mine is stashed in (and I'm too lazy to go and find it) so can't confirm my edition number. 000872 is shown on discogs. Given I'm firmly in "allegedly" territory, let's move on ...

CD released on Art Directe in 1991.

Antimonument

SCUM - Steel Cum EP

In spite of a small number of these getting a Japanese release, it's officially an unofficial release given that Vertical Records remixed material from the original Steel Cum tape without permission. It's still good tho'.

7" released on Vertical Records and ZSF Produkt in 1992.

Steel Cum

Allan Bryant - Spaceball (Powrfl Nu Electric Gtarz N Nu Sounz)

Early 1990s self-released CD of guitar noise by genuine oddball Allan Bryant, who was a member of the great oddball ensemble Musica Electronica Viva along with heavy weirdos Richard Teitelbaum, George Lewis, Alvin Curran, Fred Rzewski, and more. Bryant's most glaring peculiarity is his singular method of spelling. See, he believes that rules of spelling are too rigid and take too much time to earn, so he spells everything in a few characters as possible... he thinks this makes communication more direct. Note that on the over of this, his first solo album, he helpfully lets you know (via parenthesis) that "Aln" is how he will spell his name from now on. He dsnt bthr abrevtng t wrd "electric" fr sum rzn. Hu noz y? Nt me.

Allan Bryant - Spaceball (Powrfl Nu Electric Gtarz N Nu Sounz)

Recycled Body Programm / Vidna Obmana / S.C.U.M. - Statue Series

Classy set of tapes that has Bart Hanselaar's Recycled Body Programm, Dirk Serries' Vidna Obmana (just in case you don't know, Dirk morphed into the excellent Fear Falls Burning) and S.C.U.M. (Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani).

The third tape is the great "The Scan Has Undergone Several Minor Revisions" that was released in Japan on Masami's ZSF Produkt label in the same year. I doubt that many in "the west" would have got to heard this otherwise. The fourth tape is a compilation (that has most of the Steel CUM tape) with some great collaborations and reworkings from the European chaps.

Four C60 set released on Seiten Sprung Aufnahmen in 1989.

Statue

Series

Merzbow - Merzbuddha Variations

This pushes the beats to the back of the room and lets the crawling escalation take the main stage. I reckon my name still isn't on the list. Bastards!

C32 released on Duenn in 2012.

Merzbuddha Variations

Merzbow - Merzbuddha

The kind of menacing beat driven techno-noise that plays in my favourite imaginary discotheque. Knowing my luck, they wouldn't let me in.

CD released on Important Records in 2005.

Merzbuddha

Merzbow - 1633

Simply gorgeous example of Masami Akita's early 2K work.

LP released on En/Of in 2004 in a tiny edition of 100 copies.

Nothing else to say really.

1633

Wolf Eyes & Merzbow - Live Frying

A collaboration made in heaven! The first track is from a gig at Kings in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2013. The second track is certainly studio and might be Mr Olson playing with source material.

CDr released on American Tapes in 2014.

Live Frying

nEGAPADRÉS.3.3. - Untitled

Yet another strangely unpronounceable alter ego of a;GRUMH..., this one turned out to be the longest lasting. Similar to Theee Rebearth Corporation, nEGAPADRÉS.3.3. was the Belgian duo's outlet for abstract noise, but with less silliness. The LP came out on Circle Records in 1987, but they've revived it for albums as recent as 2011, making it outlast even their "main" band.

nEGAPADRÉS.3.3 - Untitled

Wolf Eyes - Clock Warden Vol. 1

... and then there is this to complete a brilliant quartet.

Clock Warden Vol. 1

Theee Rebearth Corporation - Verses

A one-time-only noise/ambient alter ego of Belgian industrial band à;GRUMH..., this LP came out in 1988 on their own Circle Records label.

Theee Rebearth Corporation - Verses

Wolf Eyes - Clock Warden Vol. 2

Psychedelic shamanism for the noise generation.

2016 tour gear.

Clock Warden Vol. 2

à;GRUMH... - Rebearth

Phillippe Genion & Jacques Muerrens were a Belgian industrial band whose work was usually pretty goofy. They were fairly active in the early 1980s cassette-culture scene, with lots of short-lived pseudonyms on compilation tapes before they settled on the unpronounceable à;GRUMH.... for their main project. I enjoy à;GRUMH...'s albums of synth-pop tunes, but they're all marked by a refusal to take themselves too seriously. This record from 1986, though, is different. Noisy and dark with groaning and chanting, it sounds almost as if they tried to make a Psychic TV album. Maybe it's also all a joke? But maybe not. Hard to tell.

à;GRUMH... - Rebearth

Wolf Eyes - Clock Warden Vol. 3

Jazz sax space electronics with slurred Vega vocals ...

Another great self-released CDr for sale on tour in 2016.

Clock Warden Vol. 3

Polar Praxis - Fireworks

The second Polar Praxis LP came out a year after the first one, with a confusingly similar title.

Polar Praxis - Fireworks

Wolf Eyes - Clock Warden Vol. 4

Sinister guitar orchestras on this tour CDr from 2016

Clock Warden Vol. 4

Polar Praxis - Music For Fireworks

Following several cassettes in 1983 and 1984 (yet unheard by me) and compilation tracks, Phillippe Genion's 1986 LP as Polar Praxis came out on Scarface Records in Belgium. Sounds like he'd been listening to a lot of "Phaedra".

Polar Praxis - Music For Fireworks

Wolf Eyes - Strange Days

CDr that was for sale in the the Audio Social Dissent tour in 2016 and subsequently backed up by Strange Days II.

Strange Days

Wolf Eyes - Live At Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto

Excellent live recording that manages to remind me of early Psychic TV sex magick disco.

Promo CDr put out by Sub Pop to warn the little hipsters what they were in for if they bought the Human Animal LP.

Live At Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto

Steel CUM - Steel CUM

Otherwise known as S.C.U.M. or the Society for Cutting Up Merzbow (and many other variations). Kiyoshi Mizutani and Masami Akita slicing and dicing their own materiel for your personal delectation.

C60 released on their own ZSF Produkt in 1990.

Steel CUM

Merzbow - 9888a

Funny you should mention these Merzbow people Mrs. Inside ... this was recorded in 1988, so maybe (just maybe) they are related in some way? Someone on discogs is trying to sell this for one hundred and five English pounds. Guess it must be popular ... no idea why, it just sounds like a load of old noise to me!

C44 released on 905 Tapes in 2010.

9888a

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