For some reasons ... better known for myself. I am re-cataloguing my records, tapes + CDs so I thought I would share it here : https://muhmurradiohq.blogspot.com. It'll take some time but hopefully you'll enjoy ... comments are always welcomed.
Friday 26 July 2024
MuhMur Radio HQ
For some reasons ... better known for myself. I am re-cataloguing my records, tapes + CDs so I thought I would share it here : https://muhmurradiohq.blogspot.com. It'll take some time but hopefully you'll enjoy ... comments are always welcomed.
Tuesday 23 July 2024
MuhMur Radio Broadcast 21 July 2024
Over the last few broadcasts I have concentrated on one (sometimes two) artists / projects, so I thought I would expand to four. Four artists in four hours. "Hit 'em on the head with a 4x4" to misquote the mighty Fall. With the release of the latest Sewer Election album 'Psychic Panorama II' an hour (or so) of the work of Dan Johansson was a necessity. I think it was early 00's that I first came across the sound of Sewer Election. Appearances on compilations such as "Sweetness Will Overcome" (Segerhuva Records) 2004 and "Krimkall" (Krimljud) 2003. A few years later and I discovered the sound of Ättestupa with their cassette 'Att Korsa Den Flod Som Kommer Dränka Osk Alla' on Tommy Carlsson's Abisko label. Then came a few releases on the now defunct Release The Bats label. In 2013 I played a gig with Dan. He was performing as White at The Fylkingen in Stockholm. A short sharp 15 - 20 minute set, films, noise, volume. It kind of blew me away (as did sets by Kristain Olsson and Dusa on the night). We sat and chatted on the evening but I had no idea I was chatting to Dan Johansson. It was only a couple of years ago that Love (Segerhuva / Ochu) told me that White and Dan Johansson were one and the same. Ah well.
In the past ten years and the arrival of (or at least the entrance in my world) the labels I Dischi Del Barone, Förlag För fri Musik and Discreet Music it has been easier to get hold of the works of Dan Johansson and his many projects. Amateur Hour, Neutral, Ordeal, Heinz Hopf, Enhet För fri Musik and most recently Organ Of Corti (to name just a few). Dan has his own Bandcamp page : https://sewerelectiongbg.bandcamp.com/music. And it is worth keeping an eye on Discreet Music. Based in Gothenburg, they release and distribute Dan's work : https://www.discreetmusic.se
About three years ago I started correspondence with soundartist, graphic designer and publisher André Coelho. He mailed some of his work to be played on MuhMur Radio. His projects were Metadevice, Sensor, Iurta and Sektor 304. André returns with a new label KHTHON with releases by Wolfskin and the intriguing NKISI. Sektor 304 have now ceased to exist but still sounding relevant so I play pieces from the CD 'Live Reaction'. Released in 2014 it features live recordings made in various locations between 2010 & 2012. Martin Bladh of IRM is on vocals on "Untitled Action I" and "Vultures". 2023 saw André start KHTHON with the release of the cassette 'Mangaaka' by NKISI. An anonymous project from the Democratic Republic Of Congo. These are recordings from 2007 made in Boma from tape s found in a tree cracked open by a thunderstorm in 1962. (the year I was born).
This year KHTHON released the CD album 'Despojos Do Sol-Posto' by Wolfskin. Wolfskin is the project of Johan Aernus. The album is a 2013 live recording of a performance at Fábrica Do Som in Porto (Portugal). André was part of Wolfskin for this performance. Thanks to André for the sounds. Get in touch at : https://khthonkatabasis.wordpress.com. KHTHON also publish a great fanzine called 'Khthonomorphs' and the art zine 'Rusted Gantries'. André also mailed his magazine "Katabasis" which features extended pieces on / interviews with Murmer, Junkyard Saman, Blunt Instrument and artwork by André himself and poetry by Jere Kilpinen. I think this available from KHTHON too ..
Speaking of books ....
July sees the release of the much awaited book 'America's Greatest Noise'. Written by Frans de Waard and published by Korm Plastics. It comes with an Anti-Record, a 7" Flexi Disc cut in half to use as a bookmark and available from Frans at : https://fransdewaard.com/2024/06/18/americas-greatest-noise/. It's a great book, a great read. One of those books that I read very slowly as I don't want it to end .. There's some fascinating stories and insights to the mind and operation of Ron (Lessard) and his RRRecords ethos and Emil Beaulieau project. So, ending the '4x4' theme I play a load of Emil Beaulieau and Ron's releases via RRRecords (pronounced RRRecords not R R R Records) and the subsidiaries Recycled Music, Pure and collaborative label work.
Tape Hiss, distortion, fluctuating levels etc - are inherent in all my recordings - probably because I like using 2nd hand Radio Shack equipment - no attempts were made to 'clean' the sound - the entire project was mastered on my home stereo to ensure proper RRR fidelity...... this is my solo work - all sounds self - generated. " This track first appeared on the 5xLP boxset "5th Anniversary Boxset Thing" in 1989.
'Abusing The Little Ones' is an LP on Self Abuse Records. On this LP Emil Beaulieau reworks and manipulates the material from the 'Murder' 7" series released in 1997 by Self Abuse Records. The track played here is a reworking of Hanged Man's Orgasm 'Frenzy'.
"Plan A : Destruction Of Output" was (probably) the first release I bought by Emil Beaulieau. (The name Emil Beaulieau comes from Emile Beaulieau, the mayor of Manchester when Ron was a child. It's like Ideal Fisher being a butcher in Cleckheaton). 1996 and I was collecting the releases of the German label Tochnit Aleph, back then they were releasing a lot of Column One material as well as sounds by Dachise, John Watermann and Con-Dom. This 7" is again Emil reworking the material from early releases on the label. The piece played here is a reworking of sounds by Con-Dom, Dachise and Column One. Tochnit Aleph is still an active label now based in Copenhagen. http://www.tochnit-aleph.com. I was fortunate to see Emil live in the UK a couple of times. In the early 00's (sorry year forgotten) he played the Red Rose in London along with The New Blockaders, Merzbow and Sudden Infant (there were others but memory fades) and a few years later when he played in Bristol with Onomatopoeia and Jessica Rylan. Again, there were others on the bill but I forget who ... Steve (Onomatopoeia) was self-harming on stage with a suitcase full of glass and contact mic's and that kind of took over the evening for me. Emil was great though. Emil was promoting his 'America's Greatest Noise' double LP on Harbinger Sound. I play a track from the test pressing version. Low friends in high places and all that.
Pure was a series of low-cost CD re-issues, a kind of carry on from the Statutory Tape releases. The label put out re-issues (early tape releases) by the likes of Consumer Electronics, Ramleh, AMK, Zone Nord, Smell & Quim and all at a budget bargain price. The Soldnergeist tracks are from the album 'Terror' originally released by Art Konktret in 1997. Classic 90's German Power Electronics. Another subsidiary label from RRRecords is the Recycled Music series. Lo-Fi recordings on used cassettes. The covers are wrapped in packing tape with Ron's writing on the sleeve and spine. Again, budget price. The Neil Campbell piece is from his RRRecycled release. I think there was about 300 tapes released in this series, I have 6, if anyone has any to mail / sell please get in touch. I have Neil Campbell, Smell & Quim, Masonna, Textured Bird Transmission, Modelbau and Duncan Harrison. The 'America's Greatest Noise' does not include a full discography of RRRecords and its offshoots and collaborations which I think is a missed opportunity. Ron can't remember everything he has released but I am sure there's some archivist out there who knows ... surely ... The Small Cruel Party track is from the 1994 compilation album 'America The Beautiful'. The broadcast ends with Aaron Dilloway and his contribution to the six album box set 'Michigan'.
The broadcast is split in to two halves for easy aural consumption. Part One ends on Sector 304 'The Prismatic Sun' and part two starts with Wolfskin. Thank you for listening.
Playlist :
01: Sewer Election : "Enskilt Rum 1-3" (Discreet Music) 2024.
02: Amateur Hour : "Seven Doors" (Appetite) 2022.
03: Ättestupa : "Pesten" (Abisko) 2009.
04: Sewer Election : "Sparvüga" (Discreet Music) 2024.
05: Sewer Election : "Landscape (For Manon)" (B.A.A.D.M.) 2020.
06: Organ Of Corti : "Halucinatio" (New Forces) 2024.
07: White : "Tears Of Piss" (Utmarken) 2009.
08: Sewer Election : "Mot Döden" (Fang Bomb) 2008.
09: Organ Of Corti : "Trauma" (Dead Mind Records) 2024.
10: Sektor 304 : "Untitled Action 1" (New Approach Records) 2014.
11: Sektor 304 : "Body Hammer" (New Approach Records) 2014.
12: Sektor 304 : "Voodoo Machine" (New Approach Records) 2014.
13: NKISI : "Vert Dévorant" (Leviatā/Khthon) 2023.
14: NKISI : "Nkondi" (Leviatā/Khthon) 2023.
15: Sektor 304 : "Vultures" (New Approach Records) 2014.
16: Sektor 304 : "Pulse Generator V2" (New Approach Records) 2014.
17: Sektor 304 : "Untitled Action II" (New Approach Records) 2014.
18: Sektor 304 : "The Prismatic Sun" (New Approach Records) 2014.
19: Wolfskin : "Terra De Serpentes" (Khthon) 2024.
20: Emil Beaulieau : "One Mans Buttocks" (Menstrual Recordings) 2012.
21: Emil Beaulieau : "Abusing The Little Ones #5" (Self Abuse Records) 2003.
22: Emil Beaulieau : "Plan A:Destruction Of Output (A)" (Tochnit Aleph) 1998.
23: Emil Beaulieau : "Any Moron Can Make A Noise" (Harbinger Sound) 2005.
24: Soldnergeist : "Introduction" (Pure) 2001.
25: Soldnergeist : "Schwarzer Orden" (Pure) 2001.
26: Soldnergeist : "Arsenverg Ftung" (Pure) 2001.
27: Soldnergeist : "Magic Weapon Fight" (Pure) 2001.
28: Neil Campbell : "Recycled #1" (Recycled Music) 1998.
29: Small Cruel Party : "1860-xii Birds Explore Trees 15-v-1960" (RRRecords) 1994.
30: Aaron Dilloway : "Untitled (Michigan)" (Hanson Records/Chondritic Sound/RRRecords) 2009.
Thanks to Tamsin and Chris. Next broadcast will be on Sunday August 18 at 18:00 GMT, I hope you can join me. ...
Saturday 20 July 2024
MuhMur Radio Broadcast #270. (4x4)
Just a reminder that the next MuhMur Radio Broadcast is tomorrow (21st July) at 18:00 GMT. Four hours of live radio featuring the sounds of Dan Johansson (Sewer Election, White, Organ Of Corti etc), André Coelho (Sektor 304, Iurta, Wolfskin etc) and to celebrate the release of the excellent book "America's Greatest Noise!" by Frans de Waard I shall be playing some Emil Beaulieau and releases by RRRecords, Pure and Recycled ... all in all an aurally fascinating and noisy four hours of radio.
Tune your dial to 102.5FM if you're hanging around the Totnes 'burbs or visit the SoundArt radio website and listen to the live stream. https://www.soundartradio.org.uk.
Thursday 4 July 2024
As Noise As Possible
A new radio broadcast from Thanasis (Electric Knife Records) starts today at 13.00 Hours (GMT). Lots of experimental sounds .. not music .. Greek chat and lots of drinking (today is Thanasis's birthday).
Go to https://locomotiva-cooperativa.org/radio/ to listen. I don't know if the programme will be archived anywhere ... so make sure to tune in!
Tuesday 25 June 2024
MuhMur Radio Broadcast 23 June 2024
Tonights MuhMur Radio Broadcast is dedicated to the sound of John Duncan.
'Heavy, Useless, No Sense Of Humour'.
I have been listening to the works of John Duncan for nigh on 40 years now. I forget how I came across his work. I thought it was via Dan Plunkett and his ND magazine but recently I heard a podcast featuring Dan and he said he came across John through the UK 'fanzine' called "Grok". "Grok" was run by Dave Minshull in Bristol in the early 1980's. I used to get copies of "Grok", so ... maybe Dan and I both discovered John Duncan through "Grok". In 1984 Dan mailed me a cassette (we exchanged tape letters back in those days) that featured an interview with Paul McCarthy for ND magazine where he talks about his collaborative work with John ... and extract appears in the broadcast. To listen to Dan Plunkett podcast : https://www.noisextra.com/2022/04/06/in-conversation-with-daniel-plunkett-nd-magazine/
Along with John's sounds I have incorporated some of his collaborative work with Michael Esposito. 'There Must Be A Way Across The River" is from the eponymous album shared with Z'ev. The Elgaland Vargaland National Anthem features vocals by Ingrid Engarås. In 2003 Ingrid released the album "Vibradisc" on the Firework Editions Records label. "Porch" is from this album. Recorded at The Fylkingen (Stockholm) on the 24th April 2002, it was engineered and produced by John Duncan. Ingrid is the only person I know with an Elagaland-Vargaland passport ... I know, she showed me it.
For information about John's work it's best to visit : https://johnduncan.org/home/. It says more than I can.
Playlist (Part One) :
01: John Duncan : "River In Flames" (Anckarström) 1991.
02: John Duncan : "Lock Groove" (Die Stadt) 2000.
03: John Duncan : "Untitled #2" (From the CD 'Seek') (Mort Aux Vaches) 1997.
04: John Duncan : "Lock Groove" (Die Stadt) 2000.
05: John Duncan + Michael Esposito : "There Must Be A Way Across The River" (Fragment Factory) 2011.
06: John Duncan : "Dark" (iDEAL Recordings) 2016.
07: John Duncan : "Creed" (AQM) 1981.
08: John Duncan : "Kokka 1 - 5" (Vinyl On Demand) 2012.
09: John Duncan : "The Elgaland-Vargaland National Anthem" (Die Stadt) 1998.
Playlist (Part Two) :
01: Ingrid Engarås : "Porch" (Firework Editions Records) 2003.
02: Joe Talia : "12th Exit" (Nice Music) 2016.
03: John Duncan : "Move Forward" (RRRecords) 1996.
04: John Duncan : "Stay Alive" (GeräuschManufaktur) 2015.
05: Paul McCarthy : "Extract From Interview With Dan Plunkett" (Not On Label) 1984.
06: John Duncan : "The Tell" (Not On Label) 2019.
07: John Duncan : "Power Love" (RRRecords) 1996.
08: Citipati : "Untitled (IV)" (Hypnogogia) 2024.
09: Citipati : "Untitled (V)" (Hypnogogia) 2024.
10: John Duncan : "Lock Groove" (Die Stadt) 2000.
11: John Duncan : "Psychonaut" (Robot Records) 1996.
12: Francisco Meirino : "The Mute Fortress (Side B)" (Vice De Forme) 2024.
The broadcast has been split in two for easy aural digestion.
Also in the programme are two slices of new arrivals here at MuhMur Radio HQ. Firstly the 'unofficial' vinyl LP release on Hypnogogia by Citipati. This release has caused a little upset between former members of the project. Here is the 'story' as I believe it to be.
In early 1983, Ian Dobson & Gordon Hope invited The New Blockaders to release an LP on Flowmotion. However, it was originally intended that 'Changez Les Blockeurs' wound be the one and only release by The New Blockaders. Richard & Philip Rupenus were invited to join Citipati. Ian and Gordon were then interested in releasing something by this project on their Flowmotion label. Two days of Citipati recordings took place (April 1983) at Morden Tower in Newcastle, the best bits were then edited at Spectro, but Citipati were not happy with the recordings so the release was abandoned. Citipati were Paul Coates, Sean Breadin and John Mylotte, soon after Richard & Philip joining Paul left and Citipati morphed into Metgumbnerbone. Citipati were semi-acoustic / semi-electric whereas Metgumbnerbone are totally acoustic.
In 2023 Paul discovered the original recordings from the Morden Towers sessions, and Old Europa Cafe label were interested in releasing the recordings on CD as a Metgumbnerbone album. The album was just about to go into production when John Mylotte discovered that Paul had already released the recordings as Citipati, a vinyl LP on his own Hypnogogia label. John Mylotte would like it to be known that this is an 'Unofficial' release. John originally intended to still go ahead with the proposed OEC CD but came to the conclusion that would only cause more confusion and "make a bad situation even worse". There will be a Metgumbnerbone release on the American Nihilistic label later in the year.
The broadcast ends with Fransisco Meirino's "The Mute Fortress".
MuhMur Radio returns in July.
Thanks, as always, go to Tamsin and to Chris (engineer / producer at SoundArt Radio).
Wednesday 12 June 2024
MuhMur Radio Broadcast #269 (John Duncan)
The next broadcast is on June 23. It is MuhMur Radio Broadcast #269 and subtitled 'Heavy, Useless, No Sense Of Humour'.
Four hours of sounds featuring the art of John Duncan and his releases from 1981 to the present day ... releases on labels such as Anckarström, RRRecords, AQM, Fragment Factory, Die Stadt and Robot Records amongst others. There will also be sounds from artists that have collaborated with John including Ingrid Engarås, Paul McCarthy, Joe Talia and Michael Esposito. I have also managed to sneak in some new sounds into the playlist from recent arrivals at MuhMur HQ by Citipati and Francisco Meirino.
SoundArt Radio is found at 102.5 FM if you are in the South Hams (Devon. UK) and can be streamed live via their website : https://www.soundartradio.org.uk Kick-Off will be at 18.00 GMT. The broadcast will be archived on my MixCloud page. (Link on the ReMuhMuration Blog).
Thank You.
Monday 27 May 2024
MuhMur Radio Broadcast May 26 2024.
MuhMur Radio Broadcast #268. This programme centres around releases and projects / artists from the Touch label. I have been in correspondence with one of the the labels operators Mike Harding for a few months now .. I first met Mike in Stockholm, a cold and wet November night at The Pelikan Bar (now sadly deceased). 2001 and the night before Dieter Müh played live at the Fylkingen. Mike came to that gig too and brought his pal Chris Watson along. Chris had an exhibition in Stockholm at the same time.
I started following / collecting the release of Touch around 1983. At the time they were putting out great cassette compilations, all beautifully packaged in an A5 wallet, usually with a small tract or booklet with artwork by Garry Mouat. Later the artwork was created / directed by label founder Jon Wozencroft. In 1982 there came "Feature Mist" featuring New Order, Robert Wyatt, Eric Random, Simple Minds, Flesh and TuxedoMoon amongst others. Followed in 1983 by "Meridians" featuring John Foxx, Test Department, Andrew McKenzie, S/Z, 400 Blows, Nocturnal Emissions, Pure and Bruce Gilbert (a.o). "Ritual : Lands:End" (1985) and "Magnetic North" (1986) followed featuring Renaldo & The Loaf, Camberwell Now, Nocturnal Emissions, Gilbert & George, Cabaret Voltaire, Soviet France, Suns Of Arqa, Lol Coxhill and Sudden Sway (a.o). I guess audio/visual magazines is the best way of describing them. There were other cassette compilations released around this time by Touch including "Touch Travel", "Touch 33" and "Islands In-Between", but I must admit to never having seen or heard these. Mid to late 1980's and Touch were quite prolific and essential. In 1986 they released the seminal Nocturnal Emissions album "Drowning In A Sea Of Bliss" and Last Few Days "Too Much Is Not Enough" perhaps the greatest 12" ever released ... Top 5 anyway.
In the early 1990's and my interest picked up again with Touch and their releases of The Hafler Trio and Touch's subsidiary label Ash International. In 2005 Touch Radio began with monthly broadcasts by Mike Harding and fellow Touch artists. https://touchradio.org.uk. Mike is also part of the project Dr∅ne along side Mark Van Hoen. Three pieces by Dr∅ne appear in this broadcast. Other artists / projects that are included in this broadcast have all released on Touch (and its' subsiduary labels) apart from Fletina, Column One and Diurnal Burdens & Opt Out but in my ears ... they could have. (If that makes sense)?
Touch can be contacted at : https://touch33.net. And of course the obligatory Bandcamp page : https://touch333.bandcamp.com. The Column One piece is from the CD album "Dream Time". The Fletina track is from the cassette "The Given Moment". This cassette was released in December last year and I recieved it just as SoundArt Radio were closing down and moving studio. It's a great ambient / drone release which I've been hoping to play for months .. Physical & Download copies are still available at : https://fortevilfruit.bandcamp.com/album/the-given-moment. Diurnal Burdens & Opt Out is Ross Scott-Buccleuch who operates the Steep Gloss label and James Wilson of Singapore Police Background. The track is from the cassette album "False Deceptions". It's on Kringloop Kassettes, a new label from Frans de Waard in Holland. All Kringloop Kassettes are on recycled tapes ... think Hyster, think Vacancy Records ... hell! think RRRon and his 'Recycled' series. So far Frans has released six cassettes in the series alongside Diurnal Burdens & Opt Out there is Roel Meelkop, Sick Days, Modelbau, Howard Stelzer & Modelbau and RNPno2. https://kringloopkassettes.bandcamp.com.
It was great fun compiling / playlisting this broadcast.
The programme has been archived in to two seperate parts for easy aural digestion ...
Playlist:
Part One:
01: Touch 33 : "Departing Platform 3" (Touch) 1988.
02: S/Z : "Greater Faith Cathedral" (Touch) 1985.
03: Soviet France : "Ram" (Touch) 1985.
04: Panni Charrington : "Silent Tongues" (Touch) 1985.
05: Nocturnal Emissions : "Metal Frames" (Touch) 1985.
06: Dr∅ne : "The Long Song (1)" (Touch) 2023.
07: Pinkcourtesyphone : "She Who Controls" (Helen Scarsdale Agency) 2022.
08: The Hafler Trio : "Fuck (Parts One & Two)" (Touch) 1992.
09: Last Few Days : "Too Much Is Not Enough" (Touch) 1986.
10: BJ Nilsen : "Smoothe Operator Final" (Edizioni Passarotto) 2015.
11: Colin Potter : "Melodius Thunk" (The Tapeworm) 2013.
12: Fennesz : "Fa" (Creation Books) 2009.
Part Two:
13: Column One : "Fat Finger" (Dossier/90% Wasser) 2005.
14: Dale Cornish + Phil Julian : "Laughing Out" (The Wormhole) 2016.
15: Dale Cornish : "My Geography" (The Death Of Rave) 2022.
16: Dr∅ne : "The Perfect Blind" (Pomperipossa Records) 2017.
17: C.M. Von Hausswolff : "Reset The Motor" (Disques La Carotte) 1997.
18: Fletina : "Obfuscate" (Fort Evil Fruit) 2023.
19: Chris Watson : "Oceanus Pacificus 10m" (Touch) 2007.
20: Diurnal Burdens & Opt Out : "False Deceptions (Psrt One)" (Kringloop Kassettes) 2024.
21: Dr∅ne : "The Long Song (2)" (Touch) 2023.
22: Philip Jeck & Chris Watson : "Oxmardyke" (Touch) 2023.
23: Philip Jeck & Chris Watson : Barn" (Touch) 2023.
24: The Hafler Trio : "Alternation, Perception & Resistance (B)" (L.A.Y.L.A.H. Anti-Record) 1985.
25: Touch Ritual : "Radio Cut-Up" (Touch) 1988.
I hope you enjoy listening.
I always thought that S/Z were Soviet France, especially as now they are known as Zoviet*France. Even when Horizon 222, a side project featuring Ben Ponton and Andy Eardley from Soviet France, used the "I was Jim Jones attorney" sample on the 12"EP 'Spirit Level' but since the days of t'internet I discover that S/Z were a trio from London.
Thanks again to Mike, to Chris at SoundArt and to Tamsin. The next broadcast will be on Sunday June 23rd. As always 18:00 gmt kick-off ...
Thursday 23 May 2024
MuhMur Radio 26 May 2024 : Touch Ritual
The next MuhMur Radio Broadcast will be this Sunday on SoundArt Radio. The programme will feature 'touchcentric' sounds, a playlist built around the releases of the magnificent Touch label and its offshoots : Ash International and The Tapeworm. There will also be non-touch projects, but sounds that fit in ... if you know what I mean? The broadcast starts at 18.00 GMT. Listen via the SoundArt Radio website or if you're in Totnes turn you dial to 102.5FM.
https://www.soundartradio.org.uk.
The programme will be archived on MixCloud.
Saturday 18 May 2024
From The Archives #7 Architects Office
One of the cassettes featured / pictured in the 'Tapeworks' book is "AO 353" by Architects Office. Released in 1986 on audioFile Tapes. I hadn't played this tape in over ten years so I thought I'd dig it out and give it a reappraisal. I bought the tape in 2010 from Jürgen Eberhard of Fiene Trinkers Bei Pinkels Daheim. Unfortunately it is sans booklet.
I was made aware of Architects Office through Dan Plunkett of ND Magazine. It was either reading about them and their work with filmmaker Stan Brakhage or the compilation cassette "A/aND : A Cross Cultural Collaboration Between A/a & ND Magazine" (1987). Whichever, I am a big admirer of their output. "AO 353" is a C60 with two very differing sides. Side A features six pieces beginning with abstract piano, improvised abstract piano, it's all very 'Klang-Klang' as a piano is attacked rather than played. The beating of strings and the framework. 'AO 262' (the third piece ... most Architects Office tracks seem to be documented by their number, the same approach is carried out by Japanese sound artist Takahiro Mukai) features tape sources provided by Stan Brakhage with floating (sci-fi) synth sounds and masked voices. The same sound can be found on 'AO 277' but without the Brakhage tapes and with the addition of a plinky-plinky (toy) piano. At this point the whole abstract + improvisational sound approach is reminding me of a Fluxus album I have by Joseph Beuys and Nam June Paik, it's all very similar. Are Architects Office fluxus music?
Still in the realms of experimental and abstract, Side B is more of a cognitive listen. 'AO 217' is a recording of a visual presentation. An audience watching a film. A child's voice says "Is This A Thing?". There's muttering, murmuring, laughing, coughing from the assembly, some folk make animal noises, maybe depicting what is on the screen (?). A whistling starts and builds. It's all very listenable. 'AO 301.5' is also a live recording. Subtitled "Shuke Anthem" from January 1986. A bass clarinet with synth keys and tape manipulations gives it a sort of sinister cabaret feel. 'AO 219' is a journey, we know this by the repeated train station announcements. It's a long piece featuring bass clarinet, random synthesiser and piano with field recordings and voices. The final piece 'AO 239' is a conversation between Lisa, Linda and Nancy with laughing and howling all to a backdrop of industrial style electronics.
After ten years or so this was a great listen, it brought back memories of Dan. I don't have much AO. "Soundtracks" a collection of AO recordings that Monochrome Vision released in 2014 on CD will go on the 'to play' list for sure. If anybody has a spare copy of the 'A/aND' cassette then please get in touch.
Pause & Tapeworks (Books about cassettes).
Only the other day I was chatting to a friend who said "books are coming back in fashion"! It's the first time I'd heard this one ... it now sits alongside the comment that I used to hear a few years ago that 'Vinyl' is coming back in fashion and 'cassettes ... do you still play them?'.
I may be an old man who is stuck in his ways but books, records and cassettes never went out of fashion.
I have 2000+ cassettes here at MuhMur HQ. I have been released on cassette, I have released cassettes. I love the K7. Equal to records (or vinyl as it is now called in the 21st Century) is the cassette tape. Thank you Mr. Ottens. Chapeau. So, when I find out that recently there has been two books written on / about cassette releases I had to get hold of them.
"Pause" is a mammoth tome. 350 pages of cassette releases. Artwork of hundreds of cassette releases, all from this century. The book is written in French with an English translation. As well as the hundreds of pictures of cassette releases there are interviews with the folk behind the labels as well as overviews of the labels releases. A great interview with Ron Lessard (of RRRecords) about his starting of the 'Recycled' series. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming book on Ron / Emil Beaulieau that Korm are putting out ... soon. Interviews also with Dylan Nyoukis of Chocolate Monk, Aaron Dilloway of Hanson Records and Mattias Gustafsson, the man behind Hästen & Korset. Also in the book are pieces on Lal Lal Lal, Falt Records, Ultra Eczema, Third Type Tapes and Quagga Curious Sounds. It was good to read about the activities of Héloïse and Olmo, the people who operate ZamZamRec. They used to be based in Bristol many moons ago putting on great gigs in Stokes Croft. I remember they brought MyTrip to the UK. They also performed live as Zohastre, I saw them a couple of times at the Exchange in Bristol, supporting (I think) Consumer Electronics and Sleaford Mods. Always great live. They are now based in the Loire Valley in France. Good to know that they are still active.
There's other labels and interviews too, labels of which I knew nothing but now I'm keen to discover. That's what the book does, and looking at the artwork it's like .... oooh, I didn't know that existed .... and ...... oooh, I've never seen that before, I need it!. That's what the book does. Dieter Müh's cassette release "Live At Gangerviertel" on the great SoundHoles label is on page 90. I was surprised and honoured to be included. https://stoo.noblogs.org/post/2024/03/09/nouvelle-sortie-pause/ gives more information. Grab a copy ... it's essential.
The subtitle of "Tapeworks" is 'Art & Design Of 80's Experimental Electronic Music'. It's a collection of 151 releases from that decade. 90% of which are cassette releases. There is no narrative, no history given behind the releases, just pictures of the art and design. Again, a fascinating book and a great document of the DIY cassette culture, of art in a pre-computerised domain. A small run through of bands / artists included : Ptôse Production, Architects Office, Graf Haufen, SPK, Kanker Kommando, Storm Bugs, Tom Ellard and Sleep Chamber. I would say the list is endless ... but it's 151 releases. Again, essential. The book is pocket-sized (A6) and collected by ReSampled. They are UK based and have an interesting blog : https://resampled.tumblr.com So. Two great books, both essential.
I have already said that I love cassettes. I always have, ever since the days of taping John Peel's radio programmes in the 1970's. The late 1970's and the birth of cassette culture via the classifieds of NME / Sounds and ZigZag magazine. Groups such as The Instant Automatons, The Dogma Cats, The Door & The Window and (of course) the Industrial Records releases of live Throbbing Gristle. In 1979 I started a label called "Don't Dance ... Collide". I put out a couple of cassettes (in 1980), one of my then project E.S.P. Disk-rd. An aponymously titled cassette. And a compilation of Lincoln bands simply called "Don't Dance ... Collide". This featured Collide, E.S.P. Disk-rd and The Exitz. I sold copies for a pound through the classifieds, I think it sold about 12 copies. When I restarted Haemoccult Recordings a couple of years ago I had to release cassettes again. The first is by Grey Park "Think Space Act Local (Volume One)". Sold out at source but still available by sellers via Discogs. Grab a copy and keep the cassette culture going!
Saturday 11 May 2024
Steve Albini
It is always sad to hear of someone passing as it was sad to hear of the death of Steve Albini. I am not au fait with his past music, although I think I have a couple of Shellac tracks on an old cassette somewhere. I knew of Albini's work through his collaboration with Whitehouse in the 1990's. Reading through his obituaries online and on YouTube, some with long lists of his production work ... this classic CD from 1992 never gets a mention. RIP Steve Albini.
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MuhMur Radio HQ
For some reasons ... better known for myself. I am re-cataloguing my records, tapes + CDs so I thought I would share it here : https://muh...
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Away from Sudden Infant and away from his turntables Joke Lanz takes time out to tour the United Kingdom with his "Noise In My Head&q... -
Unfortunately time has beaten me on this broadcast blog. There are reasons, personal reasons ... I have been away ... I thought I could...