MuhMur Radio Broadcast 16 February 2023.

 

With the plan to include a cover version in each programme throughout 2023 I decided to dig out my copy of X-TG's "Desertshore" album and play a track from it. The broadcast opens with "Desertshores" which is not a cover version per se but a 're-imagination' of Nico's work. I didn't know this, apparently the track "Desertshores" is not on Nico's "Desertshore" album. Perhaps I should have known this? 

I have met Nico twice. Once in the backstage area of Deeside Leisure Centre during 'Futurama 4' in 1982. I wasn't playing (ha!), I just bumped in to Lawrence Diagram, who was in Nico's backing band at the time and he invited me backstage for a drink and a chat. Then, a few years later, I went for a game of pool in The Spinners pub in Hulme (the one at the end of William Kent Crescent) and Nico was sat alone in the pool room waiting for her man (as it were). Strangely enough I was friends with 'her man' and managed to sit next to her so in years to come I could say 'I sat next to Nico once' ....   I (honestly) could not remember when 'Futurama 4' took place ... what year, and I was surprised to find out it was in 1982. Looking at the list of bands. artists that played ... 

I forgot that China Crisis played. On the first night Blancmange headlined because they 'turned up late', but I guess I had become a little tired of New Order by then. Dalek I Love You played in the foyer at the same time as The Durutti Column were on in the Main Hall. (I opted for the latter). Naafi Sandwich were good and I think The Wake played on the first day too. Punching Holes and The March Violets were great on the Sunday. Southern Death Cult started playing on stage 2 whilst Nico was still playing on Stage 1. Nico was turned off but refused to leave the stage. I don't remember seeing The Famers Boys or The Room. The Damned were, by this time, pure 'Music Hall' ... they even did "Happy Talk". Dead Or Alive and Dance Society were awful, as was Sex Gang Children who had a 'dancer / fire eater' wearing a skeleton suit and rasta wig which he accidentally set on fire .... Oh how we laughed. 

The Mark Vernon track is from "Everywhere Is A Negative Mirror" on the Greek label 'Granny Records'. https://grannyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/elsewhere-is-a-negative-mirror. To me it has a hint of Rimbaud (Robin not Arthur). I have no idea who the Mollbury Medical Research Centre is or are. What did lean me towards this cassette was that it is on the Sensory Leakage label, and I always find their releases fascinating. In the past Grey Frequency, Tippex Christ and Andreas Brandal. have put out outstanding sounds on this label, and their 'sister label' Remote Viewing. Discover great sounds at : https://sensoryleakage.bandcamp.com. Blood Rhythms is the project of Arvo Zylo. 

For the past fifteen years or so Arvo has been operating the 'No Part Of It' label. Blood Rhythms is Arvo's project of collaboration and participation. "Horror Pilations" is a series of six albums with artist and musician Leslie Keffer. Released as download, vinyl LP and CD. I love the sounds, like drifting sand across the desert, always moving, changing directions. The series was one of the highlights of last year. More details about the project can be found at : https://nopartofit.bandcamp.com. I am a collector of Drone Records 7" singles. Spiarcle's "Exusiai" was released in 2010. Spiracle is the solo project of Japanese sound artist Hitoshi Kojo. Hitoshi is based in Switzerland.

The Spiracle project seems to have ceased with the lat releases being a re-issue of the 2006 album "Ananta" by Helen Scarsdale Agency in 2009 and this 7" on Drone Records in 2010. Hitoshi can be contacted through his website at : https://www.omnimemento.com/kojo/. 

Lu is the project from Italian musician Gianluca Porcu. Gianluca also goes under the alias of LU-PO. The two tracks here are from the 2002 album "B-Interrail" on the lovely Italian label Small Voices. The voice on "Inter Rail 5" brought in to mind the voice of René Halkett and his collaboration with Bauhaus's David Jay. René was a founder member of 'Staatliches Bauhaus Weimar' in (I think) 1923. He died in Camelford, North Cornwall in 1983. 

I was (and still am) a big fan of Bauhaus 1979 to 1982. Anything and everything up to the third album "The Sky's Gone Out", and the "Press The Eject And Give Me The Tape" live album. I saw them a few times up and down the country and rate the gig they did at Nottingham Rock City in October 1982 as one of the best gigs I have ever been to. It did help that The Birthday Party and Vic Goddard & The Subway Sect were supports. Rather like Nico's "Desertshore" album, Brian Eno's "Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)" is an album I have never heard and is where the track "Third Uncle" comes from. I have no idea if the Bauhaus cover version is close to the original. Bloody good song though.

'On This Day' in 1980 Swell Maps released the instant classic 7"EP "Let's Build A Car". 

The Kneecapped track is from the Swell Maps tribute album "Deconstructed / Reconstructed (Slicing, Slabbing, Fuzzyfying)" released on cassette by UK label Industrial Coast in April 2022. "Robot Factory" originally appeared on the LP "...In 'Jane From Occupied Europe'" in 1980. 

The cassette album also features Hauras, The Prestidigitators, Nigel Ayers, Stalingrad and Graphic Varispeed amongst others. Kneecapped are from Bradford, they are the experimental side project of members from the hardcore punk outfit Stalingrad. About 30 years ago I came in to contact with Stalingrad as one of their members, Richard, was setting up experimental evenings at the 1in12 Club in Bradford and I got in touch asking to play (as Dieter Müh). Richard started the 'Fifth Circuit' nights with his friend Jamie. Dieter Müh played two Fifth Circuit evenings alongside Zoviet*France and Scorn. I have a memory of Jamie moving down South and starting the World Feedback label sometime in the mid 90's. 

On the day we played live with Scorn we turned up early to play pool and have a walk around Bradford and we caught Stalingrad rehearsing on the stage at the 1in12. I still I have a demo tape of Stalingrad from that period. The Fall track is another "On This Day" entry. "Hip Priest" first appeared on the LP "Hex Enduction Hour" LP released on February 16 in 1982 on Kamera Records. I don't own a copy of the LP so I play the live version from "A Part Of America Therin, 1981". The track was recorded live in Chicago. 2022 was a busy year for Love Rosenstrom's Ochu project. In May Hatband released the cassette "Amoknagen / Abgangsgenom" followed in August with the cassette "Lähmung Des Wartens", a C26 on the Verlautbarung label. A 12" vinyl version appeared in December. The track played here is from the cassette version of "Lähmaung Des Wartens". Love operates the Millstone Vinyl mail order service where you can pick up Ochu : http://www.millstonevinyl.se/verlautbarung/

Two pieces extolling the talents of Alice Kemp. I dug out my copy of the excellent compilation album "Appliance 3" released on Appliance Japan in 2004. The album features Germseed (Alice's sound project) alongside artists such as Freiband, Dual, Rudolf Eb.er and Brown Sierra amongst others. The LP was limited to 100 copies and probably sold out by now. Dual were formed in the 1990's, a splinter movement from the band Spleen, by Colin Bradley and Julian Coope. "Casein" is from the 2001 album "Keimar Sty" on Coombe Records and features music constructed by Alice Kemp. Dual material can still be gotten hold of at : https://dual.bandcamp.com/album/fall although I think the project has ceased to exist. 

Another artist who released a cassette and a 12" of the same tracks is The Haxan Cloak. In December 2010 Aurora Borealis released "Observatory" on cassette followed a few weeks later (in 2011) on 12" vinyl. The Haxan Cloak was the short lived project of Bobby Krilic. Since 2016 Bobby has been working as a soundtrack artist including the great film "Midsommar". 

Thanks for listening:

https://www.mixcloud.com/tamsin-jane-cammack/muhmur-radio-broadcast-16-february-2023/

Playlist :

01: X-TG : "Desertshores" (Industrial Records) 2012.

02: Mark Vernon : "Answers To Questions That Don't Need Asking" (Granny Records) 2022.

03: Mollbury Medical Research Centre : "The Dissemination Process" (Sensory Leakage) 2022.

04: Blood Rhythms : "Horror Pilations #5 (Side A)" (NO PART OF IT) 2022.

05: Spiracle : "Exusiai" (Drone Records) 2010.

06: Lu : "Consapevolezza Della Riouzione" (Small Voices) 2002.

07: Lu : "Inter Rail 5" (Small Voices) 2002.

08: René Halkett & David Jay : "Nothing" (4AD Records) 1981.

09: Bauhaus : "Third Uncle" (Beggars Banquet) 1982.

10: Swell Maps : "Let's Build A Car" (Rough Trade Records) 1980.

11: Kneecapped : "Robot Factory" (Industrial Coast) 2022.

12: The Fall : "Hip Priest (Live)" (Cottage Records) 1982.

13: Ochu : "Spuren Am Ufer : Entfernt, Verwischt" (Verlautbarung) 2022.

14: Germseed : "Skin, Eyes And Clothing" (Appliance Japan) 2004.

15: Dual : "Casein" (Coombe Records) 2001.

16: The Haxan Cloak : "Observatory" (Aurora Borealis) 2011.

17: The Haxan Cloak : "Hounfour (Temple)" (Aurora Borealis) 2012.

MuhMur Radio will be back on the air on March 2.

MuhMur Radio Broadcast February 2 2023.

 

This programme is topped and tailed by The Lonely Bell, the project of sound artist / musician Ali Murray. The Lonely Bell is from the west coast of the (remote) Isle Of Lewis, off the Scottish mainland. The first two pieces are from the release "The Broken Heart Of Man", a 7" square lathe-cut single on the US label Somnimage. The single is limited to 33 copies only. https://somnimage.bandcamp.com for further details. 

The final two pieces in the programme are taken from The Lonely Bell's latest album "Kingdoms Of The Deep". Released last October on the Minnesota based Shady Ridge Records label "'Kingdoms Of The Deep' is a deep sea ambient concept album - a dark underwater journey into a cold watery abyss. In this album, The Lonely Bell experimented with various synths, guitars and organic oceanic sound recordings to create murky underwater sounds / frequencies, which eventually morphed and evolved into an interesting atmosphere and foundation for a cold ambient / drone album. This is the story of a tragedy at sea, and a vast mysterious unexplored world .. but it's also a metaphor for something much more deep and personal to the artist". Discovering the sound of The Lonely Bell / Ali Murray (thanks to David Warmbier) has made this a great start to 2023 and I'm looking forward to hearing what is produced over the coming months. Contact Ali at : https://thelonelybell.bandcamp.com or via Shady Ridge Records at : https://shadyridgerecords.bandcamp.com/artists. 

The Current 93 track is from the triple LP "I Am Last Of All The Field That Fell (A Channel)/My Name Is Nearly All That's Left" released in 2014 on The Spheres. 

The first Memotone track is the B-Side of the "Kota" 7" single released in 2013. Memotone is William Yates, a sound artist / musician from Bristol (UK). The second piece from Memotone is from the 2020 LP "Invisible Cities". All things Memotone can be found here : https://www.memotone.co.uk.

U.V. Pop were / is John K. White from Sheffield. (U.V. standing for Ultra-Violent). Well ... that's what is says on t'internet, I always thought U.V. Pop were from Doncaster. I met John once, back in May 1982 at a 23 Skidoo gig at The Porterhouse in Retford. We were both at the front awaiting to here the bass line from "The Gospel Comes To New Guinea" come from the speakers ... chatting .. and John mentioned that his band (U.V. Pop) should have been support as they were more compatible than the band that had just played. If I remember right, they were called 'Or Was He Pushed'. John had travelled from Doncaster to see 23 Skidoo. Anyway ... later in the year I bought the first U.V. Pop 7" on Pax Records (the Sheffield label run by there infamous Marcus Featherby) and kind of agreed ... they should have been support! 

Internet searching and I discover that U.V. Pop are still active, recording, releasing and performing all over the world and Or Was He Pushed appeared on the 1981 compilation LP "Owt Fer Nowt". John and U.V. Pop activities can be found here : http://www.uvpop.co.uk. 

Regular listeners to MuhMur Radio will be no stranger to the sounds of Anla Courtis. I have been 

meaning to play a side of the wonderful "Live In Reykjavik" cassette album that Anticipating Nowhere Records released in March last year. It arrived at MuhMur HQ at a time we were 'off-air' for three months or so, and I've never got around to playing it on the radio .... maybe I should do an 'On This Day' next month? In October last year the Berlin based label I Shall Sing Until My Land Is Free released the split Edward Sol / Anla Courtis CD "Askanian Virgin". I Shall Sing Until My Land Is Free supports Ukranian resistance by donating profits to self-defence and humanitarian foundations. The label is dedicated to all fighters for freedom and independence. The label has releases by Merzbow, Muslimgauze, Ilpo Väisänen and Zavoloka amongst others. Support the label - buy the albums (physical or download) here : 

https://ishallsinguntilmylandisfree.com. 

This broadcast's cover version comes courtesy of C Cat Trance. Their version of the Phil Spector/Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil classic is on the LP "Zouave" released in 1986. I am liking this new 'feature' of cover versions, expect a few more in the next programme.

"Contact" by Column One is from the 5xCD box set "W.Transmission 1-5" released in October last year by the Polish Zoharum label. It appears on the alternative version of "W.Transmission 1". Copies can be bought from Zoharum at : http://zoharum.com. Last month I did a live 'End Of The Year' 4 hour broadcast which included "Variation B" by Cei Hill. This programme I play "Variation A". Cei Hill is the project of Benjamin Hallatt and is the new moniker for his Kay Hill project. Ben is based in Nottingham (UK). Copies can be found here : https://kiksgfrlabel.bandcamp.com/album/variation. 

"Nādalaya" is the latest release by London based artist Anji Cheung. I hadn't heard any new releases by Anji since the 2018 split cassette with Burial Hex so jumped at the chance of getting a copy of this CD. "Nādalaya is an ataraxic drone soundscape, exploring the movement and quality inner states during pānāyāma". It's a 23 minute CDR available from : https://anjicheung.bandcamp.com/merch. Guido Möbius is a German composer / artist based in Berlin. "A Million Magnets" is Guido's eighth album since 2002's "Klisten" released by Klangkrieg Produktionen. It's released on Guido's own Emphase Records. 

There is a supplementary release of the album, the cassette version is titled "A Million Magnets (And More)". It's a co-release with Superpolar Taips. Guido has a great website : http://www.guidomoebius.com

Well worth a visit. The Schwund tracks are from the excellent ""Dieezer Tübe" cassette which came out in November last year. Schwund are also from Berlin. https://derschwund.bandcamp.com/music for more details. 

'On This Day' in 1978 Stiff Records released "Lucky Number" by Lene Lovich. Back in 1978 Stiff Records were still a label to collect, along with Rough Trade Records, Fast Product, Factory Records and later Mute Records with excellent records by the likes of The Damned, The Adverts, Wreckless Eric, Devo and Ian Dury & The Blockheads. "Lucky Number" originally appeared on Lene's debut single as the B-Side to "I Think We're Alone Now" but months later got re-released as an A-Side and became a chart topping hit all over Europe. About 15 years ago I found myself in Toronto and out record shopping and found the Canadian pressing for Lene's "Stateless" album (which includes the single), it's a treasured possession. 

The Mothmen were a great group from Manchester. In 1979 they released their first 7" single on the Absurd Records label, another one of those labels that ... at the time .. were essential to collect with singles by Bet Lynch's Legs, Gerry & The Holograms, Cairo and Naafi Sandwich to name but a few. They then put out an LP on the emerging On-U Sound label before signing with Do It Records. The Mothmen were formed by ex-Durutti Column guitarist David Rowbotham and ex-Durutti Column bassist Tony Bowers. Keyboardist and ex-Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias member Bob Harding and ex-Pink Military drummer Chris Joyce made up the quartet. Both Bowers and Joyce went on to join Simply Red, Chris Joyce now plays with Suns Of Arqa. David Rowbotham was murdered in 1991. More information on The Mothmen can be found here : http://www.skysaw.org/onu/artists/mothmen.html. 

Just to prove that MuhMur Radio is (just) me playing my old records and tapes ... and whatever has landed on the doormat at MuhMur Radio HQ in recent weeks, I play one of my favourite singles "Living On The Ceiling" by Blancmange. This is the remastered version that Electronic Sound Magazine released last year. 

Please take a listen here : 

https://www.mixcloud.com/tamsin-jane-cammack/muhmur-radio-broadcast-february-02-2023/

Playlist :

01: The Lonely Bell : "Centuries Of Guilt" (Somnimage) 2022.

02: The Lonely Bell : "The Burden Of Shame" (Somnimage) 2022.

03: Current 93 : "Those Flowers Grew" (The Spheres) 2014.

04: Memotone : "Goldair" (Black Acre) 2013.

05: U.V. Pop : "Just A Game" (Pax Records) 1982.

06: Anla Courtis : "Askanian Virgin Ritual Part Two" (I Shall Sing Until My Land Is Free) 2022.

07: C Cat Trance : "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" (Ink Records) 1986.

08: Column One : "Contact" (Zoharum) 2022.

09: Cei Hill : "Variation (A)" (KIKS/Girlfriend) 2022.

10: Anji Cheung : "Nādalaya" (Oakseer) 2022.

11: Guido Möbius : "Abayanga" (Emphase Records) 2022.

12: Guido Möbius : "Schlucht" (Emphase Records) 2022.

13: Schwund : "Gameboy Freak" (Nachschlag/Flennen) 2022.

14: Schwund : "Interlude" (Nachschlag/Flennen) 2022.

15: Lene Lovich : "Lucky Number" (Stiff Records) 1978.

16: Mothmen : "Wadada" (Do It Records) 1982.

17: Blancmange : "Living On The Ceiling" (Electronic Sound) 2022.

18: Memotone : "Wrapped One Within The Other" (Diskotopia) 2020.

19: The Lonely Bell : "Kingdoms Of The Deep" (Shady Ridge Records) 2022.

20: The Lonely Bell : "The Dancing Seagrass" (Shady Ridge Records) 2022.