Muhviertel

There is a small rumour going around; and I should know because I am starting it now, that Haemoccult Recordings are about to start on the project 12"EP by Muhviertel.
It is highly unlikely that you have heard (of) Muhviertel, perhaps you have heard their name mentioned in relation to Dieter Muh - but in 2010 to have heard them is nigh on an impossibility. But some old recordings have been remastered by Tim Bayes at his Unity Studio in Perth, Australia and two of the three ex-members involved are keen to see a document released before we die or go deaf (or in my case very blind). The third member might be keen too but I haven't spoken to them.

Muhviertel began life back in 1986. Symbiotic with Dieter Muh they were only to be in existence for one live performance, but the idea seemed somewhat unfinished after the live event and Muhviertel fleshed out......
At the start of 1986 Sean Rorke and Gary Warmington (representing Carnifex Recordings) decided to hire out the PSV Club in Manchester and put on a benefit gig (I think it was for the "Stonehenge Bust Fund). Both Sean's project Systemlaw Violator and Gary's Kava Kava were down to play as was IBF (Ideas Beyond Filth). Tim of IBF was not keen as we had played the venue in November 1985 and Greg Rorke of SLV wasn't too keen either, so Sean and I collaborated on a live set.
Using a Roland Space Echo, two amps (Vox Valve and Roland Jazz Chorus) and a battered old keyboard left in the Carnifex Rehearsal Space by Tim Gane (who was then in the Ingrid Slugs) we began to make exploratory sounds. Feedback tones, Oscillating tones all thrown about and at each other..it was exciting stuff. Slowly other folk drifted in and added to the sound. Gary came in and drummed, as did Andy Wright (the local Hulme drummer for hire - he was in Landishkrill, Systemlaw Violator and Kava Kava).
Sean chose the name Muhviertel, the name lifted from a Hunts Sabs leaflet, and our performance was called "Kugel Aktion". By the evening we were a five-piece group. And, as of the time, we all had pseudonyms.....
Sean / N.T.R.A. (Bass Guitar, Vocals, Tapes)
Steve / A:A:K (Guitar, Vocals, Metal, Tapes)
Andy / Rite (Drums)
Gary / (The Norse runic symbol = Leben-Rune) (Drums / Hunting Horn)
Tracy / CTG (Hunting Horn).
So enjoyable was the evening that on my return to Lincoln I decided to fold IBF, leave Lincoln and move back to Hulme, Manchester to concentrate on Muhviertel. Sean, likewise, folded Systemlaw Violator and Andy became a full time member. Gary also folded Kava Kava and began a solo project as The Secret Cinema. It was a catalytic gig.
In the ensuing months Carnifex became Muhvertelcentric as we concentrated on recording an album. We first went into The Kitchen Studios (then run by the guy from Dub Sex) and recorded an 8 Track piece called "Morsjusti", but an 8 Track studio did not suit Muhviertel. We got our hands on a Fostex mini 4 Track portastudio and did most recordings on that.
In a year we had an albums worth of material and released the album "Morsjusti" as a 3xC30 cassette package with 8 page booklet. It sold a handful mail order and a couple in the then growing Eastern Bloc Record Shop in Affleck's Palace.
All the masters for these tapes have now disintegrated but Tim has managed to extract quality recordings from his copy of "Morsjusti".
1987 - 1989 we recorded and recorded. We recorded live, we went to Lincoln to record on Tim's TEAC 244, Tim even brought his TEAC 244 to Hulme to record us but the project was never as full of purpose as it was 1986 - 1987.
I do remember (affectionately) trying to record a sample from a vinyl album of Inuit throat singing and it taking three hours or more to get the perfect 2 second loop only for Sean to say afterwards "Nah, don't like it anymore"...Tim, Andy and I could've killed him! Also we used to have drum sessions where we would cover our insides with drugs and turn on the dream-machine in Sean's flat, sit in a circle and drum on African / Indian drums. Good memories.
Muhviertel never "officially" split we just dissolved. Andy moved to Tokyo to become a DJ, Sean stayed in Manchester and I moved to the small Yorkshire village of Thorganby.

So - 2011, a Muhviertel 12"EP will (Hopefully) appear. I am not taking pre-orders.

Pictures:
1: "Morsjusti" book cover.
2: "Morsjusti" advertising poster.
3: "Morsjusti" review by Dan Plunkett from "ND #9".