MuhMur Radio Broadcast 28 March 2019.

As far as my diary is concerned, on the 28th of March 1981 SPK released their debut LP "Information Overload Unit" on their own Side Effekts Imprint. It was Dave Mutch's idea to dedicate the whole two hours of this programme to the sound of S.P.K.

The album has been a great inspiration for us both. I remember hearing SPK for the first time and it being exactly the sound I was looking for. Back in 1979 I was listening to a lot of electronic / D.I.Y. music ... steering away from the bass/drums/guitar 'punk + new wave'  bands (although I still had time for them) and listening to more electronic stuff. Ultravox's "System Of Romance", Cabaret Voltaire's "Extended Play", Tubeway Army's debut LP, Throbbing Gristle, The Door And The Window, Rough Trade Records releases etc. I used to write to bands/labels back in those days too and I remember getting a letter from Industrial Records recommending I wrote to a chap called Graeme T'uatara who had just moved over (from Germany I think) and was about to release a single on their label. He was living with Peter Christopherson at the time and his band were called Surgical Penis Klinik. I wrote and there started a correspondence with Graeme. He mailed me a copy of his "No More" 7" EP and that was it! The sound came from nowhere, I had never heard such power, such noise before. The rhythmic pulsing noise generators, the swirling guitar, the German vocals ... just what I needed to hear at that point in time. A year or so earlier I had bought a copy of Throbbing Gristle's "Second Annual Report" ... the sensation was the same.

I never got to see SPK live until 1983 and their UK "Metal Dance" tour. The classic line-up of Graeme, Sinan, Derek Thompson and John Murphy. Dave Kenny was the live engineer on the tour. It was after the gig at Manchester Hacienda that I decided I was going to follow the tour and Graeme invited me to be their 'roadie'. (Saving on admission and buying beer).
The same happened again the following year on the "Junk Funk" tour, this time I did a lot of babysitting whilst SPK sound checked. The last time I saw Graeme and Sinan was in 1984 at the 'infamous riot gig' at the ICA in London. It was a very tense evening and it was my job to look after the equipment (Fairlight Synthesizer) whilst the riot was taking place.

So here is two hours of SPK. "Information Overload Unit" in full and side one of "Leichenschrei". Also "Germanik", the first SPK track I heard (I think) and "Slogun" from their debut EP "Factory".
Please take a listen :
https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-soundart-radio-broadcast-28-march-2019/

Playlist :
01: SPK : "John" (Theraputic/Adverse Recordings) 2012.
02: SPK : "Emantion Machine R.Gie 1916" (Side Effects) 1981.
03: SPK : "Suture Obsession" (Side Effects) 1981.
04: SPK : "Macht Schrecken" (Side Effects) 1981.
05: SPK : "Berufsverbot" (Side Effects) 1981.
06: SPK : "Slogun" (Side Effects) 1979.
07: SPK : "Ground Zero:Infinity Dose" (Side Effects) 1981.
08: SPK : "Stammheim Torturkammer" (Side Effects) 1981.
09: SPK : "Retard" (Side Effects) 1981.
10: SPK : "Epilept:Convulse" (Side Effects) 1981.
11: SPK : "Kaltbruchig Acideath" (Side Effects) 1981.
12: SPK : "Germanik" (Side Effects) 1981.
13: SPK : "Genetik Transmission" (Side Effects) 1983.
14: SPK : "Post-Mortem" (Side Effects) 1983.
15: SPK : "Desolation" (Side Effects) 1983.
16: SPK : "Napalm/Terminal Patient" (Side Effects) 1983.
17: SPK : "Cry From The Sanatorium" (Side Effects) 1983.
18: SPK : "Baby Blue Eyes" (Side Effects) 1983.
19: SPK : "Israel" (Side Effects) 1983.
20: SPK : "Internal Bleeding" (Side Effects) 1983.
21: SPK : "Chamber Musik" (Side Effects) 1983.
22: SPK : "Culturcide" (Side Effects) 1983.
23: SPK : "A Heart That Breaks (In No Time Or Place)" (Walter Ulbricht Schallfollen) 1983.
24: SPK : "Invocation" (Nettwerk) 1987.
25: SPK : "White Island" (Nettwerk) 1987.
26: SPK : "Kambuja" (Nettwerk) 1987.
27: SPK : "Flesh & Steel" (Elektra) 1985.
28: Graeme Revell : "Balinese Twilights" (Musique Brut) 1986.

Tracks #2-#5 + #7-#11 from "Information Overload Unit" LP.
Tracks #13-#21 from "Leichenschrei" LP.
Track #22 from "Dekompositiones" 12"EP.
Track #23 from "Auto Da Fe" LP.
Tracks #24-#25 from "Gold And Poison" LP.
Track #26 from "Off The Deep End" 12"
Track #27 from "Machine Age Voodoo" LP.

MuhMur Radio Broadcast 14 March 2019.

This broadcast starts with a twenty four minute ambient sound construction by Kazuya Ishigami + Boban Ristevski. Regular listeners to MuhMur Radio will recognise the sounds of Kazuya. I have played many of his sounds before and back in November 2015 he provided an exclusive piece for the programme. (Worth checking the MixCloud archive for that one). I have very little idea who Boban is  although my guess is that he is a Russian sound-artist. The tape is released by Asemic Sound Letters and they are based in Russia. The tape is also limited to 30 copies and (I believe) sold out from source. It's a great piece that puts me in mind of early Organum.

                                                    Artwork for Ishigami/Ristevski tape.

Last week I received a copy of "Death Of The Bull", a new release from Cumbrian based label Aurora Borealis. "Death Of The Bull" is a collaboration between Latvian artist Darja Kazimira and Russian artist Dagmar Gertor.

  "Darja Kazimira (Latvia) & Dagmar Gertor (Russia) are engaged in experimental art practices based on the research of various funeral and initiation rituals of the peoples of the world, with emphasis on the territory of the Balkans and Ancient Greece. With a solid foundation of musical and classical archaeology, religious studies, mythology, philosophy and thanatology, they have sought to create an entirely new ritualised imaginal space. Through improvisation and glossolalia, a new mythic realm is born.
  "For us, music is an opportunity to articulate a myth, to make tangible imaginary space, to deform the environment through sound, shifting its stable temporal and local criteria".
  "With a mix of various ethnic vocal traditions, extreme and academic vocal practices, and a radical approach to traditional notions of folk music in its truest sense, "Death Of The Bull" is undoubtedly highly demanding of the listener. While many albums can be termed immersive, the mythic-space and otherworldliness of "Death Of The Bull" holds the listener to it's rough hide and drags them into the underworld."

The CD is available from March 20 at https://aurora-b.com

Regular listeners to this programme will be no strangers to the sound of The Dead Mauriacs. This is their second 'exclusive' piece for MuhMur Radio. "Les 418 Numáros Du Vice-Consul" is 14 minutes of classic French surreality. Also in the programme is a track from the recent CDR "Tension + Hypnose" released on their own L'Art Penultieme label. Cromlech Shadow are a new (to me) project comprised of Belgian artist Chadnor Gloomy and ex Dogliveroil and Vile Plumage member Andy Jarvis.

Their latest (could be debut) release is the eponymous mini CDR on Coma Kultur. 4 tracks comprising of concrete sounds, tape manipulation, scrapings and restraints. It does have the 'air' of Vile Plumage in the sound but I suppose that is to be expected. I think the CDR is sold out but is available for download : https://comakultur.bandcamp.com/album/c-r-o-m-l-e-c-h-s-h-a-d-o-w?fbclid=IwAR0mZE3lBcVPo4slI4mcd8H5kA3ZpKvnvxUk8sXKlhIUpK3bgMbTKmIdH2E

I have said it before and I will say it again, one of the greatest 7" singles ever released is "Work" by Blue Orchids. "Work" was released 'on this day' in 1981. I was fortunate to see Blue Orchids live back when they were performing "Work" and other greats like "The Flood", "Disney Boys" and "Low Profile". (For those who don't know) Blue Orchids were formed by Martin Brahmah on his exit from The Fall, he also recruited ex-The Fall keyboardist Una Baines and Invisible Girl Rick Goldstraw. They released a trio of great singles and a classic LP on Rough Trade Records before disintegrating. For a brief period afterwards Martin and ex-The Fall drummer Karl Burns formed Thirst. I remember going to see Thirst at their debut gig at Manchester PSV Club. Eric Random and a street dance crew from Moss-Side that featured future Take That star Jason Orange were support. I sat on a table watching this all pass by drinking cheap Jamaican lager with Tony Wilson, Bob Geldof, Pete Shelley and ex SPK/The Cure bass player Derek Thompson. This was not a dream! Thirst released one single (also on Rough Trade Records) before Martin reformed Blue Orchids in the early 1990's. The A and B side of "Work" are sandwiched by a track from Sporten Är Dōd. Sporten Är Dōd were an all girl trio formed in Kungälv, Sweden in the early 1980's. Inspired by the sound of John Peel and the British 'new wave' the three girls grabbed instruments taught themselves the rudiments and started writing and playing songs. They played a handful of gigs and released one cassette before splitting and got on with their lives.

The LP is a straight copy of the cassette plus some live material. It has been released by Fordämning Arkiv, a side label to I Dischi Del Barone. It's a great LP, really refreshing with some catchy tunes. It does take me back to the late 70's/early 80's when bands were formed to fill 3 TDK C60's perform one gig and then on to the next project. It was something I did myself with (good friend) Dave Uden. We would form a band with another friend - Mark Collins, Rose Ingleton, Drew Cormack - write and rehearse a dozen or so songs, do a gig locally (Lincoln + Newark) then disband and on to the next. Great fun. Innocence. No trying to record demos in 8 track studios or get a record deal or tour support - just playing for the fun of it. All this is in the sound of Sporten Är Dōd.
Another re-issue this time from Belgian label EE Tapes is "Nothing Subtle (About Psychotic Demon Karaoke)" by Psych Krist Kastrator. The tracks on the CD album are culled from tapes released between 1992 - 1997.

Psych Krist Kastrator was the brainchild of Belgian artist Marc Ceulemans. Marc was also the creator of the project Brainquake. All information on EE Tapes is here : http://www.eetapes.be. Staying in Belgium, it was sad to read that Ant-Zen is ceasing as a distribution / mail order outlet. Their latest releases of Michael Idehall and Trepaneringsritualen and staple diets here at MuhMur HQ.

Please take a listen : https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-14-march-2019/

Playlist:
01: Kasuya Ishigami & Boban Ristevski : "Collaboration (B)" (Asemic Sound Letters) 2019.
02: Darja Kazimira & Dagmar Gertor : "Pisn Ouroch" (Aurora Borealis) 2019.
03: The Dead Mauriacs : "Les 418 Numáros Du Vice Consul (Not On Label) 2019.
                                             (exclusive piece for MuhMur Radio).
04: AmPh : "Control (B)" (Verlautbarung) 2019.
05: Cromlech Shadow : "Invoice Eyes Multiply" (Coma Kultur) 2019.
06: The Dead Mauriacs : "Tension Pop" (L'Art Penultieme) 2019.
07: Blue Orchids : "Work" (Rough Trade Records) 1981.
08: Sporten Är Dōd : "John Peel" (Fordämning Arkiv) 2019.
09: Blue Orchids : "House That Faded Out" (Rough Trade Records) 1981.
10: Darja Kazimira & Dagmar Gertor : "Smrt Do Zimnego Zilncu" (Aurora Borealis) 2019.
11: Anji Cheung : "Luma Black Luna White" (Oakseer) 2014.
12: Psych Krist Kastrator : "Thee Wardome" (EE Tapes) 2019.
13: Michael Idehall : "Snake Messiah" (Ant Zen) 2015.
14: Trepaneringsritualen : "Decoupage De L'Orme" (Beläten) 2012.

Next programme is on March 28 and will feature a lot of <<SPK>>.

MuhMur Radio Broadcast 28 February 2019.

It has been a great start of the year for new sounds and classic (re) releases. This programme starts with a new cassette from Kiev sound artist and MuhMur Radio regular, Edward Sol. The track here comes from the new cassette "Strayed From The Herd" on Village tapes.

                                                                        Edward Sol.

Village Tapes is operated by Edward and describes itself as a 'Non ambitious private label for contemporary Avantgarde music and art'. This tape is limited to 23 copies only. There is little internet presence but try contacting Edward here: https://www.discogs.com/Edward-Sol-Strayed-From-The-Herd-/release/13110132 .
Another MuhMur Radio regular are the releases from Gothenburg based label I Dischi Del Barone. In  2016 they released the 7" "Käre Jesus" by Blod. That's Blod the Swedish experimental project run by Gustaf Dicksson not Blod the Swedish power electronics duo who released some fine records on Segerhuva Records back in the late '90's. Now in 2019 Blod joins with IDDB mainman and all of Arv & Miljö, Matthias Andersson to produce two slices of untitled avant-mayhem, edits from past rehearsals and recordings when Gustf and Matthias were both part of Enhet För Fri Musik. Copies are still available here: https://iddb.bigcartel.com It was through a 7" on I Dischi Del Barone that I discovered and fell in love with the sound of Sarah Mary Chadwick. "We Jack" is from the cassette "This One's For Me (B Sides + Demos Volume 2)".

Last year Frans de Waard mailed out CDR business cards to friends and associates. It is all very vague as to who received, how many copies there are and if all copies sound the same. Anyhow .. I play the copy that came through my letterbox here!

                                                                       Modelbau.

A couple of weeks back I got in touch with Neil Campbell. I was playing some 'old' Astral Social Club back at Hartop Towers and got round to thinking that I hadn't heard any new ASC/Campbell sounds for a while ... Neil kindly mailed a package of new releases of which "Silent Pocket Endless Feeling" was one. Originally released as a download on the Glass Miniature label a few CDR copies have escaped. Thirty minutes of psychedelic loop-swirl madness that only Astral Social Club can produce. Also in the package was the CDR "I Must Have My Manias" from which the Neil Campbell track is pulled. Recorded in October last year and released by Neil's own imprint Music Mundane. Go to https://neilcampbell.bigcartel.com/products for all things Astral and Campbell.

The Matar and The Anti Group tracks come from a new 7" Flexi Disc (white vinyl) on Adi Newton's Anterior Research Media Comm label.

                                                                     The Anti Group.

One of the finest labels over the past ten years has been Verlautbarung. With strong releases by Trepaneringsritualen, Clew Of Theseus, Irgun Z'wai Leumi, Tusen År Under Jord, Dieter Müh and th excellent "Stein" compilationation already under the belt, 2019 sees new albums by AmPh and Ochu. Two projects that are regular sounds on MuhMur Radio. AmPh are from Malmo (Sweden) and are the duo of Andreas Malm and Peter Henning. "Control" is their first release since 2014 and the excellent 12" "Terry" which was taken from a MuhMur Radio 'session'.

                                                                           Ochu.

The Ochu track comes from the album "Unproduktiw", the follow up to 2014's "Tvärsnitt" LP. Ochu have been in operation since 2002 first appearing the Hatband compilation tape "HTW". Starting out as a "noise" project (by SegerHuva boss Love Rosenström) the Ochu sound has developed into a more complex beast with long pieces of industrial soundscapes and field recordings. As always Verlautbarung releases are available through Stockholm based distributor Millstone Vinyl. http://www.millstonevinyl.se/verlautbarung/
The Thorsten Soltau piece is from the cassette "Catalogue Ov Debris" and the A Tent track is from the Cherry Red Records compilation "Close To The Noise Floor". Originally released in 1981 from the LP "Six Empty Places". A Tent was Gavin Povey formerly in pub rock band Lew Lewis Reformer and power pop punk band The Edge (which also had John Moss and Lu Edmonds as members). I used to love The Edge single "Macho Man".

Please take a listen : https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-soundart-radio-broadcast-february-28-2019/

Playlist :
01: Edward Sol : "Scent Of The Black Dog" (Village Tapes) 2019.
02: Blod & Miljö : "Untitled (A)" (I Dischi Del Barone) 2019.
03: Sarah Mary Chadwick : "We Jack" (Comfortable On A Tightrope) 2018.
04: Modelbau : "You Really Have No Idea, Right?" (Not On Label-Modelbau Self Release) 2018.
05: Astral Social Club : "Silent Pocket Endless Feeling" (Glass Miniature) 2018.
06: Matar : "Sculptures Of Daedalus" (Anterior Research Media Comm) 2018.
07: AmPh : "Control (A)" (Verlautbarung) 2019.
08: The Hair & Skin Trading Company : "Brighton" (Aquese Recordings) 1996.
09: The Anti Group : "Spiritual Psychosynthesis" (Anterior Research Media Comm) 2018.
10: Ochu : "Segments Of Destination" (Verlautbarung) 2019.
11: Blod & Miljö : "Untitled (B)" (I Dischi Del Barone) 2019.
12: Neil Campbell : "I Have Separated Out The Brown" (Music Mundane) 2018.
13: Thorsten Soltau : "Drill Servant 1975" (m.m. Label) 2013.
14: A Tent : "No Way Of Knowing" (Cherry Red Records) 2016.

It was really good to have company for this programme. Dave Mutch is back after missing the Valentines Day broadcast. The old romantic. Also along for the ride was model and artist Alice Kemp, Tony 'as seen on TV' Whitehead and Mr. ExtraStereo Nathan Carter. Not quite Steve Wright and his 'posse', but fun all the same.
Next broadcast is on March 14. Same time, same channel just a whole new bag of records ...

                                                               Tony, Dave & Nathan.

                                                                 MuhMur & Alice.