My summer read has been (and still is, I am a notoriously slow reader) the book "Shock Factory" by Nicolas Ballet. The book has the subtitle 'The Visual Culture Of Industrial Music'.
"An exploration of the multidisciplinary creative culture encapsulated by the industrial scene, spanning musical, visual, multimedia and performance arts. Shock Factory introduces the visual and aesthetic elements of the 1970s and 1980s industrial culture to a general history of contemporary art. Nicolas Ballet analyses the different approaches taken and topics addressed by the primary protagonists of the movement, who perceptively anticipated current discourse concerning the media and their collective coercive power"
The book (a very hefty tome) is split into three parts. Part One is titled "The Last England: Post-Industrial Trauma And A Tradition Of Subversion". Part Two is titled "Nothing Short Of A Total War: Industrial Dissidence And Shock Tactics and Part Three is "Body And Soul" Industrial Occulture. In addition to the words, the pages (587 of them) are filled with fantastic pictures, photographs, artworks, posters etc of all those discussed. Naturally the internet has reviewed the book. One of the best I have seen (so far) is by Alan Rider at https://outsideleft.com/main.php?story=shock-factory. Alan used to operate the label and 'zine 'Adventures In Reality' in the early 1980s and was a member of the bands Stress and Attrition.
There is nothing more enjoyable than sitting in the 'gimproom' at MuhMur Radio HQ reading a book and playing sounds from my library. Whilst reading "Shock Factory" I have been (re) discovering artists I haven't played in quite a while and for MuhMur Radio Broadcast #287 I have attempted to create a soundtrack for the book.
A relic of the past .. my old TG 'Gary Gilmore Memorial Society' shirt from the 70s. I wore it until it fell apart!
If 1977 was year zero, then 1978 was year zero 2.0. 1977/78 was the year of punk for me, the spotty 15/16 year old, my bands were XTC, Ultravox!, The Lurkers, The Stranglers, The Vibrators etc (you get the picture). Evenings listening to John Peel on the radio and watching TV programmes like The Old Grey Whistle Test and Rock Goes To College. I have mentioned before how I chanced upon Throbbing Gristle, but just to recap ... It was a rainy day in Doncaster. I had travelled there with my parents from Lincoln, they had business there and I wanted to buy some white baseball boots from the outdoor market. We parted company and arranged a pick-up time and location. I was early for the rendezvous, it was raining, I spotted a shop called 'Fox's Music' and went in to dry off ... Fox's music mainly sold musical instruments, pianos, hammond organs, acoustic guitars, that kind of thing but there was a record rack, a small selection but 12" vinyl all the same. Back in those days I'd go into any place that sold records, Rediffusion, C.R. Spouges and Rumbelows in Lincoln all sold records and they were secondhand TV & electrical repair shops. It was all Pickwick, Hallmark and (going back to an earlier post) Top Of The Pops compilation albums. Vinyl is vinyl and you never know what might be hiding in the racks. Amongst the Tangerine Dream and Jean-Michel Jarre I saw a copy of Throbbing Gristle's "Second Annual Report". The Fetish Records edition with insert and questionnaire. It was some daft price like £3 so I bought it. Curiosity got the better of me. Back then I was discovering new music all the time and would often buy a record (or cassette) on the strength of the artwork, song title(s) or band name. (To be honest, I still do). So I filled in the questionnaire and posted off to Industrial Records, probably with a bit of teenage 'fan mail' inside the envelope too ... and shortly afterwards I received a copy of "Industrial News" the TG/Industrial Records magazine packed full of information, contacts and direction.
Industrial News 1979.
Inside the magazine was a list of artists / bands / projects that had mailed in cassettes and mail-art to Industrial Records with contact details, a whole new world of fascinating names producing fascinating sounds with fascinating ideas was now upon me. Cabaret Voltaire had a release on Industrial Records, their cassette "1974-1976" (1980) followed their first album "Mix-Up" on Rough Trade Records. '4th Shot' is from this album.
Club Moral are Danny DeVos (DDV) and Annie-Mie Van Kerckhoven (AMVK). Club Moral began in 1981 in Antwerp, Belgium. "Hendrik De Man" first appeared on the compilation album 'L'Enfer Est Intime - Volume Général' on the French VP 231 label, the version I play here is from the Club Moral eponymous cassette released by Staalplaat in 1985.
Nocturnal Emissions track is from the 1981 LP "Fruiting Body". The album has recently been re-issued as a double CD, a deluxe edition by Klanggalerie.
http://www.klanggalerie.com.
Zero Kama and the works / art of Michael / Zoe DeWitt features in the book. The role of Nekrophile Records and DeWitt's projects (Zero Kama / Korpses Katatonic). "Prayer Of Zoe" is from the 10" EP 'The Goatherd And The Beast' originally released on Athanor in 2001. There is a beautiful 3 LP (or 3 CD) available of collected Zero Kama works available via Infinite Fog Productions in Austria. Well worth tracking down.
https://infinitefog.bandcamp.com/album/zero-kama. The Reed Ghazala and Psy 23 tracks are from the cassette "Anti White Bastards" released in 1991 on Korm Plastics.
"This compilation is directed against racist tendencies in the network in general and the activities of AWB/Terre Blanche in particular. Musicians from the USA, Europe and South Africa have joined in the struggle against what we think is a mis-use of the network system of audio information exchange. Available from us is an article from the Chemical Castration magazine which gives an insight in the ideas of AWB. USA side compiled by PBK, European side compiled by Korm Plastics".
Psy 23 is a collaboration between Psyclones (Brian Ladd and Julie Frith) and Pierre Jolivet of Pacific 231.
The two Soviet France tracks are from the 1983 12"EP "Norsch" on Red Rhino Records. At this point Soviet France were Ben Ponton, Robin Storey and Peter Jensen. The Diamanda Galas track is from the 1986 LP "The Divine Punishment". The Einstürzende Neubauten track is from the 1981 double 7" EP "Schwarz" on ZickZack and the NON track is from the 1982 12"EP "Rise" on Mute Records. I know (I have been told) that Steve Stapleton does not like Nurse With Wound being associated with '
Industrial Music'. Which for his sound and approach is quite understandable. "Shock Factory" uses Industrial music as an umbrella term rather than focus directly on the works of known industrial musicians. I think Nurse With Wound belong in the book. 'Summertime Belongs To Me' appeared on the 1983 cassette compilation "Bethel" released by German label Datenverarbeitung. (also on the cassette are pre-Skullflower project Pure, You've Got Foetus On Your Breath, Coil and Virgin Prunes amongst others). The version I play here is from the "Flawed Existence" box set on Vinyl On Demand.
https://www.vod-records.com.
A name that features throughout the book is Frans de Waard and his activities through Kapotte Muziek and Korm Plastics. On October 18 this year Kapotte Muziek appeared at the Dead Mind Festival in 'S Hertogenbosch, Netherlands celebrating 25 years of Dead Mind Records alongside Alice Kemp. Organ Of Corti, Ricardo Mazza and Truus de Groot amongst others. For the occasion Kapotte Muziek released a cassette given to the first 50 people through the door. "Den Haag I & II" is from this cassette.
"
I was a teenage S.P.K. roadie" will not be the title of my memoirs ... mainly due to the fact that I was in my twenties. I remember writing to Throbbing Gristle, probably telling them my thoughts and tastes. And I got a letter back suggesting I would like the upcoming 7" on Industrial Records by S.P.K. They suggested I write to Graeme T'uatara who had just moved to London from Paris to restart the project in the U.K. He was staying with Peter Christopherson at the time. So I did, it's what I did back then and Graeme wrote back with a copy of the "No More" 7". I finally met with Graeme when S.P.K. played at The Haçienda in Manchester. 1983. It was the S.P.K. 'Metal Dance' tour and I was invited to join in and help out. S.P.K. at the time were Graeme, Sinan Leong, John Murphy and Derek Thompson. Dave Kenny was doing the live sound. I reprised the role in 1984 on the 'Junk Funk' tour. Lustmord and Howard Hughes had replaced John and Derek. This tour ended at the ICA and the (in)famous 'riot gig'. The S.P.K. track I play here is from the August 1983 John Peel Session. Just as an aside Sinan has a track on the new D-Generation compilation CD that comes with the latest edition (magazine). I got my copy from Cold Spring Records in the UK.
https://www.coldspring.co.uk. I shall be playing the Sinan track on the next MuhMur radio broadcast.
The Test Dept "Compulsion" is from their first 12"EP. Le Syndicat formed in Paris in 1982 by Jean-Marie Onni. The track here is from the 1986 compilation cassette "6x10=60 Volume 3" on Korm Plastics. The cassette also features Irritant, Mauthausen Orchestra, Kapotte Muziek, Controlled Bleeding and Chavez. In 2022 the cassette was reissued by Korm Plastics D and is available through Staaltape.
Esplendor Geometrico are from Spain, formed in 1981 their name is inspired by "Geometric And Mechanical Splendour And The Numerical Sensibility" by the Italian futurist Fillipo Tommaso Marinetti. Originally a three-piece but now just the core members Arturo Lanz and Saverio Evangelista remain. The track here is from the 1982 album "El Acero Del Partido/Héroe Del Trabajo" originally released by Tic Tac, remastered and reissued on CD by Geometrik Records in 2000. Arturo now lives in China, all Esplendor information is here :
https://www.rotordiscos.com/sellos/geometrik/1/.
Arturo (EG), Graeme (SPK) + Adi (Clock DVA). 2025.
Cranioclast, sometimes spelt Kranioklast, were formed in 1982 in Hagen, Germany. Comprising of two members ; Sankt Klario and Soltan Karik all their releases are anagrams of their name. The piece here is from the 7: "Can I Talk Or S....".
Otto Muehl was part of the Austrian Artists Kollective (AAK), sometimes referred to as the Viennese Aktionists formed in the 1960s. Also in the group were Hermann Nitsch, Günter Brus, Rudolf Schwarzkogler, Anni Brus and Valie Export. Their works and influence are heavily studied in 'Shock Factory'. The Current 93 tracks are a couple of my favourite releases. "I Have A Special Plan For This World" has lyrics by Thomas Ligotti and also features Steve Stapleton and Colin Potter from Nurse With Wound. "LAShTAL" was the debut 12"EP on the Belgian L.A.Y.L.A.H. Antirecords label and features Fritz from 23 Skidoo and John Balance of Coil.
The Laibach track is from the compilation album "Vhutemas Archetypi" released in 1984 on Side Effects Records. The Hermann Nitsch piece is from the triple album box set on Vinyl On Demand. "Dornenkrönung" is part of the "Die Geburt Des Dionysos Christos" trilogy recorded on the 9th December at Linz, Austria.
"Boy In A Wheelchair" by Sudden Infant is from the CD album "Psychotic Einzelkind" on the now defunct Blossoming Noise label. "Elias In The Mirror" is on the latest cassette release by Himukalt. Ester Kärkkäinen's project are mentioned alongside Puce Mary, Vomir and Prurient (amongst others) as artists carrying the industrial banner in the 21st Century. "Katoptronophilia, Part One" is available as download via :
https://himukalt.bandcamp.com. Also available via this site is Ester's book "Sex Works", a collection of statements and interviews (including Andrew Fletcher's piece in Intrusive Signals Magazine) and photographs / artwork. Recommended.
There's a lovely 4xCD release by Cherry Red Records called "Third Noise Principle (Formative North American Electronica 1975-1984)" This features a lot of sounds by projects / artists discussed in the "Shock Factory" book. The Boy Dirt Car track is from this compilation.
I played the Whitehouse track "Great White Death" at 45rpm on purpose!
Sleep Chamber formed in 1981 by John Zewizz, Eugene Difrancisco and Phil Brosseau. At some points Jonathan Briley and Michael Moynihan (Coup De Grace) were also members. "Sleep In Morocco" is from the 10"EP "Sonorous Invokations Ov Brian Jones". The Metgumbnerbone track is from the self-released double CD "Anthropological Field Recordings Of The Dispossessed". For more details please visit :
https://metgumbnerbone.bandcamp.com/album/anthropological-field-recordings-for-the-dispossessed. G.X. Jupitter-Larsen track is from the 7xCD box set "Old Europa Cafè" the 100th release by this great Italian label.
"Candy Man" is the B-Side to "To Mom On Mother's Day" by Monte Cazazza, released on Industrial Records in 1979. It was Monte that coined the phrase "Industrial Music For Industrial People" back in 1977.
The John Duncan track is from the split 7"EP on Die Stadt. Relaesed on 26th September 2003 in conjunction with a live performance by John, Leif Elggren and Carl Michael Von Hausswolff in the Bremen Lagerhaus. The broadcast ends with Con-Dom's "Right To Be Her" part of the '8 Sermons' 7" series ....
As mentioned all sounds are pulled from artists / projects that are featured, mentioned and reviewed in Nicolas Ballet's book "Shock Factory". I guess the book is still available from all good bookstores, I bought mine from Waterstones (in the UK). Please don't buy from Amazon.
The broadcast is available on Mixcloud, split in to two two-hourly parts for easier aural digestion.
Part One.
Part Two.
Playlist:
01: Throbbing Gristle : "Industrial Introduction" (Fetish Records) 1978.
02: Throbbing Gristle : "Slug Bait (ICA/Southampton/Brighton)" (Fetish Records) 1978.
03: Throbbing Gristle : "Maggot Death (Rat Club/Studio/Southampton)" (Fetish Records) 1978.
04: Cabaret Voltaire : "Fourth Shot" (Rough Trade Records) 1979.
05: Club Moral : "Hendrik De Man" (Staaltape) 1985.
06: Nocturnal Emissions : "Smear Campaign 7" / Legs" (Sterile Records) 1981.
07: Zero Kama : "Prayer Of Zos" (Athanor) 2001.
08: Reed Ghazala : "Maelstrom In The Dust Of Ages" (Korm Plastics) 1991.
09: Psy 23 : "The Fourth Reich" (Korm Plastics) 1991.
10: Soviet France : "Norsch Tauss" (Red Rhino Records) 1983.
11: Soviet France : "Norsch Ballmaen" (Red Rhino Records) 1983.
12: Diamanda Galas : "Sono L'Antichristo" (Mute Records) 1986.
13: Einstürzende Neubauten : "Kalte Sterne" (ZickZack) 1981.
14: NON : "Rise" (Mute Records) 1982.
15: Nurse With Wound : "Summertime Belongs To Me" (Vinyl On Demand) 2009.
16: Kapotte Muziek : "Den Haag I & II" (Dead Mind Records) 2025.
17: S.P.K. : "Metal Dance" (SAT Records) 2014.
18: Test Dept : "Compulsion" (Some Bizzare) 1983.
19: Le Syndicat : "Sorry" (Korm Plastics) 1986.
20: Esplendor Geometrico : "Héroe Del Trabajo (I)" (Geometrik) 2000.
21: Cranioclast : "No Caveman Bites The Dog" (Sonaria) 1997.
22: Otto Muehl : "Untitled" (Play Naked) 2005.
23: Current 93 : "I Have A Special Plan For This World" (Durtro) 2000.
24: Current 93: LAShTAL" (L.A.Y.L.A.H. Antirecords) 1984.
25: Laibach : "(Overture) To..." (Side Effects Records) 1986.
26: Hermann Nitsch : Dornenkrönung" (Vinyl On Demand) 2008.
27: Sudden Infant : "Boy In A Wheelchair" (Blossoming Noise) 2008.
28: Himukalt : "Elias In The Mirror" (EK Verlag) 2025.
29: Boy Dirt Car : "Catalyze (Subject To Catalyst)" (Cherry Red Records) 2019.
30: Whitehouse : "Great White Death" (Come Organisation) 1985.
31: NON : "Romance Fatal Dentro De Un Auto" (Mute Records) 1982.
32: Sleep Chamber : "Somewhere In Morocco" (Manhood Records) 1995.
33: Metgumbnerbone : "Black Middens" (Not On Label-Self Released) 2020.
34: G.X. Jupitter-Larsen : "Norge Om Polybelge" (Old Europa Café) 2008.
35: Monte Cazazza : "Candy Man" (Industrial Records) 1979.
36: John Duncan : "The Gossamer Dispatch" (Die Stadt) 2003.
37: Con-Dom : "The Right To Be Here" (Tochnit Aleph) 1996.
There are interludes between some of the tracks by Vagina Dentata Organ (from the new CD "Concrete Music"), Peter Sotos CD "Buyers Market" and the voice of Henry Lee Lucas ( from the 2x7" "Murder" on Alamut Records).
Again, thanks for listening. Thanks also to Chris Booth and Tamsin. Next broadcast will be the last of 2025 on December 21. 18:00 gmt.
https://soundartradio.org.uk
A relic of the past .. my old TG 'Gary Gilmore Memorial Society' shirt from the 70s. I wore it until it fell apart!
