Friday, 3 March 2023

MuhMur Radio Broadcast March 02 2023.

 


Anenzephalia's "23" album was originally released in 2012, the year that marked Anenzephalia's 23rd year of existence. Tesco Archive Documents have re-issued the album on vinyl limited to 250 copies. All tracks were recorded in 1989. 


Copies are available from Tesco Organisation at : https://tesco-germany.com. Another re-issue out this year is the fantastic double cassette "Korm Merz x Merz - Infection". Originally released (separately) in 1987 and 1988 (respectively) by Korm Plastics. The Staalplaat label's side project Korm Plastics D have put out this version. "Korm Merz" is a homage to the work of Kurt Schwitters and features Swimming Behaviour Of The Human Infant, Merzbow, Luis Mesa, Prilius Lacus, Richard Franecki and Paul Hurst & Mark O'Brien. The "Merz - Infection" cassette is a C34 of Schwitters inspired sounds performed by Spanish industrialists Merz. (Luis Mesa and Alfredo Alvarez). I totally missed these releases first time round and this re-issues marks the 75th anniversary of Kurt Schwitters passing. Limited to only 100 copies


it comes in a plastic case with a booklet with art from the projects involved and a new essay by Vittore Baroni. https://kormplasticsd.bandcamp.com/album/korm-merz-merz-infection. I don't usually play Dieter Müh tracks ... modesty forbids ... but playing the Anenzephalia album made me dig out "Cari Saluti" the album Müh put out on Tesco Organisation's re-issue label Functional Organisation back in 2002. I first met Michael (Anenzephalia) in 2002 when he was part of a Tesco Organisation evening at The Slimelight in London and again in 2003 when Dieter Müh supported Genocide Organ at Das Kantine in Augsburg. In June 2005 we supported each other at The Full Moon in Bristol as part of the City's 'Venn Festival'. (I revisited the venue last month when I popped up to Bristol to go record shopping, and visiting old comrades).


I last saw Michael when, once again, we shared the stage in June 2013 at the Marie-Antoinette Club in Berlin. At the time Anenzephalia were on a hiatus (I think) and he was part of Ke/Hil. Anyway, the track "Haemotomania" was recorded in 1999 and features the voice of Maureen Long. 

Earlier this year Gustaf Dicksson of Blod and Matthias Andersson of Arv & Miljö played at the Discreet Music Festival held at the Folkteatern in Gothenburg. Whether or not they played as Blod & Miljö I don't know but they did release a cassette to coincide with the festival. A follow up to their 2019 self titled 7" on I Dischi Del Barone. When the cassette arrived at MuhMur HQ I was put in mind of the artwork / sleeve of Current 93's "All The Pretty Horses" album from 1996. 

                                                                 Blod & Miljö cassette

                                                                  All The Pretty Horses

The track played here is there whole of Side B and as ever the piece is called "Untitled". The Guido Möbius track "Windjammer" is from his excellent "A Million Magnets" album. I have been playing this album a lot of the past few months. Released on Guido's own Emphase Records label it is available from Superpolar Taips at https://superpolar.bandcamp.com

Pere Ubu. From the sleeve notes of the album "Terminal Tower : An Archival Collection". "'The Book Is On The Table' was an outtake from the 'New Picnic Time' sessions & is built up around a cassette recording of a woman practising a French lesson Scott Kraus found". Playing the "Korm Merz" cassette put me in mind of this song, to me it is 'Schwitteresque' in construction. 

The mid to late 1990s was a great time for new sounds coming out on cassettes from Germany. Labels such as Terminal-Tape-Prod, Raum 312, Fich-Art, Nauze Muzick, Drahtfunk-Products to name a few (not forgetting Drone Records and the start of their 7" project). Projects such as Anemone Tube, Dronæment, Yggdrasil, Y Ton G, Telepherique, Maeror Tri and Doc Wör Wirran to name a few. In 1998 Dieter Müh appeared on a compilation album with Dronæment called "Ambient Intimacy Volume 2" released by the wonderful Belgian label EE Tapes. Dronæment was th project of Marcus Obst. Marcus also went under the name Das Rhythmische Ornament. I don't think Marcus or Dronæment are active now but I dug out, played and enjoyed his CD album "Ezoterick Muziek" from 2006. "Yamuna" is from this album.

                                   
The Anji Cheung track is from the compilation cassette album "Optical Resonances" released six years ago on the Audio, Visuals, Atmosphere label. I was chatting with Andrew Fletcher (aka fellow SoundArt Radio DJ Solomon Tump) and he told me he was doing an interview with O Ratel Ratel for an upcoming "Intrusive Signals" publication. I knew I had some O Ratel Ratel and dug out this tape. The Anji Cheung piece stands out ... the tape is long gone and sold out from the label, but it is still available as a download at : https://audiovisualsatmosphere.bandcamp.com/album/optical-resonances.


Talking of interesting German labels, over the past few years David Leutkart's Grubenwehr Freiburg label has been at the forefront releasing interesting sounds. Releases by the likes of Modelbau, Star Turbine, Fabio Orsi, Vomir, Flutwacht, Thenokirch and Sylvain Van Iniitu to name (but) a few. A favourite which I have yet to play on MuhMur Radio is the mini CDR by Rym Nouioua called "Swarming". Raw and treated bat sounds, a great listen. In January this year Grubenwehr Freiburg released the mini CDR "Lied Für Georg Elser" by Gerald Fiebig & William Rossi. Four pieces in dedication to the man who 'almost killed Hitler'. https://grubenwehrfreiburg.bandcamp.com for copies. The Aaron Dilloway track is from the vinyl version of "Concealed". Released in 2007 on No Fun Productions, it was re-issued on Aaron's own Hanson Records in 2013 on cassette. No Fun Productions was the label run by Carlos Giffoni, copies of both cassette and vinyl LP are floating about still on t'internet. 

On This Day in 1981 Gang Of Four released the 7" single "What We All Want". Here I play the LP version from "Solid Gold" because my 7" has more snap, crackle and bop than a bowl of Rice Krispies. 


The following year, 1982, Gang Of Four released one of my favourite singles "Call Me Up". Also in 1982 and On This Day Do It Records released the 'cash-in' 12"EP "AntMusic EP". Antmania had spread amongst the tweenies by this point. It's a great EP with a remixed version of the "Cartrouble (Parts 1 & 2)" track from the "Dirk Wears White Søx" LP. There's also unreleased versions of "Friends" and "Kick". I am one of those people who disowned Adam & the Ants when they went to CBS. I didn't even go to the "Kings Of The Wild Frontier" tour when it came to Lincoln. I was speaking about this not so long back with an old friend who came out with 'Kings Of The Wild Frontier has some good songs on it' .. the conversation ended there. 
"Mystic Quarks" is from the "2006 EP" by BBBlood. Self released and essential. Last year saw the 20th anniversary of BBBlood. http://bbblood.blogspot.com for more information. 

A few programmes ago I played C Cat Trance's version of the Phil Spector classic "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" and at the time mentioned to Chris (Booth, SoundArt Radio mandarin who assists me on each broadcast) that I preferred the Human League cover version. Chris (despite being a distant relative of Phil Oakey) said he'd never heard it ... so I play it here. 


It is from the 1981 album "Reproduction". The Human League were (of course) from Sheffield so staying in South Yorkshire the programme ends with Shy Tots. Formed in 1980 in Doncaster, Shy Tots feature ex The Fall keyboard player Yvonne Pawlett and future Jayne County & The Electric Chairs drummer Colin Rocks. The band centred around guitars Denis Hardcastle and went through many line-ups before their demise in around 1984.



I have a strange feeling that I went to see Shy Tots when they played live at The New Penny Club in Lincoln ... maybe 1981. It was around that time that the venue started to put on bands from outside of Lincoln, I defiantly saw Mansfield's finest Bikini Atoll there, and just have the feeling Shy Tots played as well. If anyone can confirm this it would be much appreciated. Sinking Ships used to play The New Penny Club around this time too. Great venue with a free pool table. Long gone now. 

Thanks for listening, the programme is archived here : 

Playlist :
01: Anenzephalia : "23 (#1)" (Tesco Archive Documents) 2022.
02: Merzbow : "Anna Blume '87" (Korm Plastics D) 2023.
03: Dieter Müh : "Haemotomania" (Functional Organisation) 2002.
04: Blod & Miljö : "Untitled" (Not On Label) 2023.
05: Guido Möbius : "Windjammer" (Emphase Records) 2022.
06: Pere Ubu : "The Book Is On The Table" (Rough Trade Records) 1985.
07: Swimming Behaviour Of The Human Infant : "Schnitterlinge, 2. Wahl" (Korm Plastics D) 2023.
08: Dronæment : "Yamuna" (Are Records) 2006.
09: Anji Cheung : "It Was Easier When I Just Imagined You" (Audio, Visuals, Atmosphere) 2017.
10: Gerald Fiebig & William Rossi : "Lied Für Elser" (Grubenwehr Freiburg) 2023.
11: Aaron Dilloway : "Concealed (#1/B)" (No Fun Productions) 2007.
12: Gang Of Four : "What We All Want" (Jugoton/EMI Records) 1981.
13: Gang Of Four : "Call Me Up" (EMI Records) 1982.
14: Adam And The Ants : "Cartrouble (Parts 1 & 2)" (Do It Records) 1982.
15: Merz : "Infection Part 1" (Korm Plastics D) 2023.
16: BBBlood : "Mystic Quarks" (Not On Label) 2006.
17: The Human League : "Morale/You've Lost That Loving Feeling" (Virgin Records) 1981.
18: Shy Tots : "English Industrial Estate" (Not On Label - Self Released) 1982. 


Back on the 16th .... 

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