Clock DVA #2

Have just spent a pleasant while listening to the latest release from Clock DVA, a six album and 7"EP box set called "Horology" released by "the masters" Vinyl On Demand.
The last time there was a release of early DVA material was 1992 and the CDEP that came with "Black Words On White Paper" the DVA lyric book printed by Contempo Records, now there is over six albums worth released all in one go....I've had to send the wife and kids out for the weekend to get my head (and ears) around this!
The set (which also includes a booklet and DVD) retails at over £100 so you'd have to either be a DVA fan or collector of late 1970's industrial music to get a copy...or both (like me).
I have a few early Clock DVA tapes already. I have mentioned "Agony" earlier on this blog, I also have the cassette "The Alternative Soundtrack To The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and odds and sods on various compilations, but this set brings them all together. Classic.
The transfer quality of the tapes is excellent. I know a lot of hard work went in to getting the highest possible quality through baking of masters and digitization processes...but it hasn't been a thankless task....the tracks sound great (thank you).
The works are presented in chronological order beginning with "Lomticks Of Time", the 1978 cassette which features just Judd and Adi Newton. This album also includes the track "Oedipus" which also appears as "Free Form Fetish" on the Konstruktivists LP "Psykho-Genetika" (Third Mind Records). I thought Glenn Wallis was an "early member" of Clock DVA, but he does not get a credit on the box set, so I have been mis-informed. There was certainly some Wallis / Prior To Intercourse collaboration with the tape "Heute" by NKVD...but my mind is slowly losing information...I have the cassette (somewhere).
The next two albums in the set are made from a C90 release called "2nd" and features early DVA classics such as "1958", "Edge", "Le Viol", "Otto M" (13+ min version), "Constructivists" and "Now Haag". After a couple of plays of both albums I can say that these are probably the best two LP's I have ever heard. Ever. Adi's voice through WEM CopyCat, Space Echo effects, the EMS Synthesizer and fuzz tone guitar. The cheap Dr.Rhythm beat box and concrete wall bass-lines...I'm in heaven.
Album #4 in the set includes the "missing" Small Wonder Records 12"EP called "Sex Works Beyond Entanglement". A joy to hear. It includes the track "7 Day Cycle" that was on the CDEP that came with "Black Words On White Paper" (minus the Martin Fry writing credit), and a wonderful DVA discovery "The Pop Hell 2". A cause to dance around my gimp room. I was surprised to hear the tracks as it would have been so out of place with the Small Wonder Records catalogue in 1979. (Cockney Rejects, The Wall, Bauhaus, Patrik Fitzgerald etc).
The early sound of DVA is abstract synths and lyrics, chunky fuzz tone guitar (lead and rhythm) and a beat box. Of its' time, yes - but still relevant.
Everybody loves a history.
The final two LP's are probably the most well known. DVA Demos that floated around on "bootleggers" lists in 1979/1980. "Deep Floor" and "Fragments". The 7" features a small section of live recording from Halifax 1979. "One Minute Silence For The Death Of Sid Vicious Followed By White Noise". Classic - Not as good as "Don't Listen To Mother" (Unfortunately not featured on this box set) but a classic nonetheless!

I have yet to watch the DVD, but whilst spinning the discs I indulged (between sing-a-long moments and dancing) in reading the accompanying booklet and reacquainted myself with Mick Fish's "Industrial Evolution" book and Martin Lillekar's "Beats Working For A Living" both of which give Adi a hard time.
As mentioned - this set is one for the fans....It is worth buying, and if you do not have a turntable - go out and buy one especially for this release. As ever Frank and his Vinyl On Demand have delivered the goods.

Pictures.
1: "Black Words On White Paper" Book Cover.
2: "Horology" presentation. (From VOD Website).
3: "Lomticks Of Time" LP Cover.
4: "Horology" Box Set Cover.
5: "Sex Works Beyond Entanglement" LP Cover
6: "Flowers Of Evagination" 7"EP Cover
7: "Sex Works Beyond Entanglemant" Label.

Blind Amongst The Flowers

Earlier this week, for the first time in over ten years I was listening to the gravelly Mancunian growling voice of John Everall. A joy. Albeit over the 'phone and not in a local hostelry, but still a joy. Last year I revisited all of my Tactile albums and most of my Sentrax Corporation releases (John's label from the 1990's) so to celebrate the fact that we spoke across the wires I dug out my copy of "Dementia Americana" 7" by Blind Amongst the Flowers.
Blind Amongst The Flowers were from Crewe. John was their bassist. "Dementia Americana" should have appeared on the Malicious Damage label but instead it was released on their own Snarling Red imprint (Catalogue SFP 858) in 1987. The single was re-issued by Eyas Media, the label run by Sixth Comm in the same year.
Blind Amongst The Flowers sound like Killing Joke, but then again so did Red Beat and Ski Patrol and they are two fine bands. "Dementia Americana" has the chanting style vocal the chopping guitar and Glitter Band drums to make it a great "romper-stomper" classic. "Back In The South" still has the KJ vocal style (this time with speeded up, whispered and slowed down vocal effect floating around the ears) and guitar but this time with Joy Div. drums overdubbed to the max. It all ends on some great effects and tape looping which makes me think John probably had a hand in the production of this beauty.
"Dementia Americana" is a great track..is a great single and if seen buy! It has a strange sleeve of a Lee Harvey Oswald "look-e-like-e" getting a blow job and sleeve notes on the reverse that wouldn't be amiss in a Sotos novel.

Now....has anyone got any Vaginal Sponge tapes I can listen too?

Dieter Muh #47 (#2)

BBBlood #5

I recently took advantage of the exchange rate between the pound sterling and the dollar and searched cyberspace for some US sounds and came across a 25% discount deal with US distributors Small Doses. I ended up buying no US artistes but a fine package including a Ecka Liena/A Death Cinematic CDr, a Textured Bird Transmission CDr, an Andreas Brandal CDr (which has since broken because the wife went over my bag with the pram...anyone with a spare copy of Andreas Brandal " The Familiar Stranger" please get in touch) and the 3"CDr "BBBlood" by BBBlood. I also got a cracking Praying For Oblivion 7" from Carbon and a Six Heads cassette from Black Horizons but maybe more on those beauties at a later date.

I like BBBlood. I first came across this London based project by buying a split 7" he released with American noise merchants Al Qaeda. I had to buy a record by a band called Al Qaeda, an excellent name - imagine that on some live gig poster...excellent. Anyway, any chance of buying BBBlood product and I am there.
This eponymous 3" is comprised of two tracks. The first; "Flowers Of Flesh & Blood" is one of the most conventional pieces I have heard from BBBlood. Imagine "IBM" and "Medicine" by Throbbing Gristle and "Voice Of the Angel" by Organum mixed through a variety of effects pedals and the result is a soundtrack to an abstract action painting. Perle Fine / Albert Kotin. Beautiful. The track does wander off somewhat with the introduction of synthesized electronics, a harsh noise wall is created and it becomes a piece that wonders whether or not it should have some shouty-shouty vocals before (what sounds like The Baron) losing interest. Despite the title sounding like an out-take from a Rose Of Avalanche LP this track is a great air way cleaner. Crystal clear recording too.
"October 1966" follows. A short piece. A sketch, sound built around an excellent electronic loop. This track reminds of the one and only time I saw BBBlood live in London and it evokes the noise of Putrefier. Is the title remembering the death of Alma Cogan? The track sounds "live".

A great little EP, and for some reason a release that The Baron. The Baron Bum Blood. Paul Watson; is not happy with...he gives it a 4 / 5 on Discogs!
If spotted buy!

Amph

"Let me tell you about Sweden. Only country where the clouds are interesting. Big Brother says it's the place to go. Too much time to think, too little to do". As the great Stranglers once said.
I got a couple of tapes through this week from Malmo based project Amph. Thank you Peter. I have spent a few days listening to "Oar Under Vatten" (An Island in the water), a C30 cassette released by the Swedish Jartecknet label. The label could be Amph's own, but I'm not too sure. The sound of "Oar Under Vatten" is certainly of experimental / industrial music of twenty or so years ago. Amph know their history...which makes this cassette great to listen to. The two sides are different, side A having a "Ritualistic Meditative Drone Wall" (RMDW) feel. The sound of tape looping experiments, amp noise and space awareness...very evocative of early Psychic TV live "jam" works...think Themes 2 0r 3. At points I was almost expecting the sound to break into some sub-Velvet strings and (heart beat) drums. Instead the sound builds to a deep and (audio) enthralling cacophony of RMDW. Side B is more acoustic, another 15 minute aural sculpture built of tape sampling, synth waves, metal, acoustic ephemera, synth key drones, and is more "aquatic" than side A. (If the title fits....use it). Again, think old Soviet France or Klangkreig or Maeror Tri and you are in the area of Amph.
A great cassette that will be played many times. Luckily I received the follow-up cassette "Rapport On Blinda" (Report on the blind) released by Sprachlos Verlag at the same time .. the future looks promising. Sprachlos released a Pestdemon cassette a few years back...the only Pestdemon I am missing.
Amph "Oar Under Vatten" can be purchased for a few euros through www.jartecknet.se it really is good stuff.

Also received a Dusa 7" through the post last week..Sweden is getting interesting again.

Pictures.
1&2: Amph Sleeve.
3: Amph tape.

Castle Drogo

In my role as unpaid and unrecognised tourist information guide to Devon may I recommend a day out at Castle Drogo. Castle Drogo is situated half an hour or so from Torquay (on the Moretonhampstead route) and about 20 minutes from Exeter. Castle Drogo is known as "The Last Castle In England" due to the fact that...it is the last castle to be built in England...situated on the North East corner of Dartmoor. It is not a ruin, part of the castle is still lived in by members of the Drewe family, but some old stately rooms and chapel are open to the general public. Victorian art aplenty...or is that Victoriana?
One of the joys of Castle Drogo are the gardens, the views (over Dartmoor) and the walks through the Teign Valley. Loads of open and run-a-round places for the kids to get lost in an adventure for an hour or so. The walks are dog friendly too.
If you don't fancy the castle you can just park up in the (free) car park and go off on the walks around the valley and castle grounds - there's a cafe too, with Children's play area and a shop that sells...Castle Drogo Ale. I bought a bottle (steep at £3.25 a bottle, but the castle does have a £11,000,000 repair bill on its' hands).
If in (or passing through) Devon, Castle Drogo is worth a visit.

Pictures.
1: Outside the Castle's Main Entrance.
2: The Drogo Sound System.
3: Oscar & Julius Drewe.
4: Tamsin, Oscar & Isabel F outside the "Bunty House" in Drogo's Gardens.
5: Drogo Ale.

Secondhand Records Shops #16 : Nottingham

There used to be a catchphrase, a slogan, a saying used by the HMV Music Store chain here in the UK in the 1990's, it went something like "HMV, Serious About Music"...sometimes there would be a question mark at the end and I used to think "yes I am actually and that is why I shall never buy owt from your fucking shop"!
Nottingham has always been serious about music. I began buying vinyl (new and secondhand) from little independent record shops situated down small, dark piss smelling alleyways in the late 1970's. Even today the city is littered with small secondhand vinyl emporiums - my time in Nottingham this weekend was being kept busy by others but I did manage to catch some time to explore a couple of old favourites.
Robs Records is situated in an alleyway known as Hurts Yard. Go to the centre of Nottingham aka Market Square and head towards Yates pub. Once there start walking out of the centre and you will discover (on your right) a small alleyway called Hurts Yard. It is easy to miss....if you make it to the Dragon you have gone too far! Rob's shop is a collection of rooms stacked with vinyl. Tens of thousands of records packed in to racks and in to boxes. There is some form of cataloguing - Northern Soul, Reggae, 50's Rock N' Roll, New Wave, Rock etc...but I do recommend digging in the "80's" sections and "New Arrivals".
Robs is always busy. Be prepared for a bit of frottage amongst the ten inchers! Rob also has a lot of unpriced vinyl, so be prepared to barter...always good fun! In the past 20 plus years I don't think I have ever left Robs' shop without some vinyl in my bag. This time it was a couple of Bill Nelson double 7" EP's for 30 bob a piece. (£3 the pair to you youngsters).
Serious about music? Get yourself to Robs!
If you return back on to Market Square and carry on walking out of town...towards the Dragon pub you will see the West End Arcade. There are a few secondhand vinyl / book shops in here. A couple of dance specialists and a 50's/60's records, posters, books type shop...but also in here lies Big Apple Records. Big Apple used to be in the "trendy part" of Nottingham known as Hockley but now is more central...thank goodness. Cheaply priced vinyl and a good selection of punk and new wave - this visit I bought the Lurkers "Fulham Fallout" LP (1st issue) for a great £7.00!

And for this weekend that was it unfortunately. A real sad site to see empty shops where Selectadisc once were. There are secondhand shops on Mansfield Road if you are heading towards the BoHo area of Nottingham. Forest Fields. I have shopped in Anarchy Records before, bought a Portion Control 12" for a pound, but alas (for me) was shut on Sunday. There used to be good secondhand record shops on the Derby Road and Sneinton Market...but I haven't been to those places for a while.

Pictures.
1: Robs Records. Hurts Yard.
2: Big Apple Records. West End Arcade (off Chapel Bar).
3: Anarchy Records. 213 Mansfield Road.