MuhMur Radio Broadcast 23 November 2023

 

The cassette 'Memories' is my first introduction to the Japanese sound artist Kyohei Hayashi. 'Memories' has been released, in an edition of 23, by Neus-318. Neus-318 is the label operated by Osaka based musician Kazuya Ishigami. Kazuya has been releasing output on Neus-318 since the last 1990's.  Always fascinating sounds. The Kazuya Ishigami piece played later in the broadcast is from a split cassette, again limited to 23 copies, with the American nomad (noismad?) Praying For Oblivion. From Kyohei's soundcloud page "Born in 1984 in Fukui, Japan. Kyohei Hayashi is a sound artist, cartoonist and thinker". https://soundcloud.com/hayashikyohei. More information about the releases on Neus-318 can be found via Kazuya's bandcamp page. https://neus318.bandcamp.com/merch. Don't ask me why but the groove and texture of 'Violence Police Galaxy' reminds me Cabaret Voltaire's 1983 classic 'Gut Level'. 

Over the past few months there seems to have been quite a few re-issues and releases by Marien Van Oers Het Zweet project. Staalplaat, Klanggalerie and the Greek label Modal Analysis amongst the labels. All good quality releases and now add EE Tapes to the list. They have just put out the CD '2xLive88'. A recording from the 1988 concert in Elsloo, Holland and a live radio 'concert' for Dutch radio. The Elsloo concert was supporting Bourbonese Qualk and I have a feeling that Simon and Steve both assisted Marien on the evening. It's a great document of a great project. https://eetapes.bandcamp.com. 

On This Day in 1979 Simple Minds released their second, and in my opinion finest, album "Reel To Real' on Zoom Records. The two tracks in this broadcast are from this album. 

The other week I was chatting with Nigel Ayers and the name Philip Sanderson and Storm Bugs came up. I can't remember why, but Nigel said that he's played with Philip recently at a Klanggalerie Festival in Vienna. I knew nothing about this and then Philip posts the CD album 'Underneath The Underneath : A Vienna Souvenir' on the Klanggalerie label. The album contains rehearsals for and pieces from the 'Klang30' performance.

I am uncertain whether or not Storm Bugs are still active but Philip has been releasing solo work under his own name and Ice Yacht moniker quite prolifically over the past couple of years. More information on these can be got at : https://snatchtapes.bandcamp.com/music.

A future release on the American 'Love Earth Music' label is the first Modelbau vinyl album 'Inlets'. I did question Frans about the claim of first vinyl album after the 2018 LP "Xerox" on Des Astres d'Or but apparently that doesn't count as it was a lathe-cut and limited to only 25 copies. Copies of Modelbau's first (and at this point only) 7" vinyl EP can be bought via me. https://haemoccultrecordings.bandcamp.com. 

Local hero Soloman Tump appears on the Weston-Super-Mare based label Human Geography Recordings with the cassingle 'Bun Rights'. A C-15 limited to 15 copies only. 'Bun Barrow' is from this cassingle. 

https://human-geography-recordings.bandcamp.com/merch to grab a copy. 

Mort Aux Vaches was an interesting offshoot label of Staalplaat. It started in the mid 1990s and ended in the mid-noughties. (I do hate the phrase "noughties"). I have a feeling that Staalplaat started re-issuing some releases as downloads a couple of years back, but anyway, as far as I am concerned the project is over .... I don't have many of the releases, all on CD by the way, but I enjoy what I have ... Maeror Tri, Contrastate, Kapotte Muziek and John Duncan. All recordings were live recordings for the Dutch national radio station VPRO, although it has now been reported that some of the 'live' recordings were pre-recorded. Information thanks to the Internet. 'Mort Aux Vaches' translates in to English as 'Death To Pigs', an anti-police chant of the French. The John Duncan piece is from the 1997 CD 'Seen', part off the Mort Aux Vaches series. 

I first came across Andy Ortmann in 2008 and his LP "Provocative Electronics" on the excellent Pan label. The label run by Bill Kouligas (of Family Battle Snake fame). Pan have put out great records in the past 25 years or so, albums by Helm, Mark Durgan, Dilloway & Lescalleet and Sewer Election spring to mind. 'Provocative Electronics' is on Andy's own Nihilist label and is a TRIPLE ALBUM! Majestic. It was recorded and constructed between 2019 and 2023. 'Paranormal Underground' first appeared on Michael Esposito's Spectral Electronic label in 2020 and includes EVP recordings made by Michael. The version here has been drastically reworked. https://nihilistrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/psychoacoustic-electronics for more information and availability. 

Another release that was made for radio is Elen Huynh & Mark Vernon's new release "Mal De Débarquement". A cassette on the French Choses Contraires label. 

The programme ends with a '78 classic single by Scottish group Zones. Zones began on Zoom Records, the same as Simple Minds. I was tempted to play their "No Angels" track from their first 7" but opted for a favourite Zones track of mine ... 'Sign Of The Times'.

It's their first single for Arista and was followed by the album "Under Influence", although the single doesn't appear on the album. The first &' off the album was "Mourning Star". I saw Zones in 1979 at Lincoln AJ's, I had their poster on my wall. Zones were (basically) Slik without Midge Ure. The bassist Russell Webb joined the Skids and drummer Kenny Hyslop was in Simple Minds. The singer / guitarist Willie Gardner was a cousin of Alex Harvey and went on to be in Endgames. It's only information! 

Thanks for listening. The broadcast has been posted on Mixcloud here:

https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-23-november-2023/

Playlist :

01: Kyohei Hayashi : "Violence Police Galaxy" (Neus-318) 2023.

02: Cabaret Voltaire : "Gut Level" (Les Disques Du Crepusculé) 1983.

03: Hew Zweet : "Tribal Running (A Lot Of Sweat Mix)" (EE Tapes) 2023.

04: Simple Minds : "Veldt" (Zoom Records) 1979.

05: Philip Sanderson : "Line D" (Klanggalerie) 2023.

06: Kazuya Ishigami : "Anecdotes Of Parallel Realities, Another Version" (Neus-318) 2023.

07: Modelbau : "Inlets (Side B)" (Earth Love Music) 2023.

08: Soloman Tump : "Bun Barrow" (Human Geography Recordings) 2023.

09: John Duncan : "Untitled" (Mort Aux Vaches) 1997.

10: Andy Ortmann : "Paranormal Underground" (Nihilist) 2023.

11: Elen Huynh & Mark Vernon : "Au Ciel Sans Fin" (Choses Contraires) 2023.

12: Simple Minds : "Reel To Real" (Zoom Records) 1979.

13: Zones : "Sign Of The Times" (Arista) 1978.

                                             Tamsin & Edgar grooving in the SoundArt studio.

Joke Lanz in Cardiff

 

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" tour. Leaving the comfort of my seaside hutch and risking my sanity by travelling on CrossCountry trains I made my way to Cardiff. 60 years old ... and I've never been to Cardiff. I have hardly been to Wales. A night in a hotel in Fishguard on the way back from Dublin in 2003 and Futurama 4 in Queensferry (is that really in Wales?) back in 1983. So this year ends in a '3', I thought it to be tradition to go. 

The evening was at a venue called Shift. Shift is an art space beneath the Capitol Shopping Centre on Queen Street. It's a great space and quite unexpected ... beneath a cathedral of capitalism that is  ....           The venue reminded me of KAARST Gallery in Plymouth, similar white walls, random pillars, work in. progress art spread around the floorspace. A great venue despite there being no bar or toilets. (Bring your own booze and bucket). 

 Tonight there were three performances, the first by a local duo called Lightning In A Bottle. Freestyle jazz  drumming over improv. guitar. Loud. The guitarist reminded me of Jason Williams so I thought about Jason and how I hadn't seen him in years ... not since our day out on Beachy Head ... I miss Jase (ah well). I don't know how long L.I.A.B. played for, but for me it was too long. Simon Whetham followed. Simon deals with field recordings, found sounds, contouring sounds from everyday objects to create space and sonics. A fascinating intricate performance, delicate and precise. there was lots of space for manoeuvre and to think where the next sound(s) would come from. Think Cheapmachines / Phil Julian, think John Wiese, think Mark Durgan or Andrea Borghi, Simon is working in that area. Simon also filmed what was happening on his table of elements. A great visual. I have seen this 'done' before by Grey Park when they played at the Malmitalo in Helsinki back in 2011 .. it's a great idea.

 As mentioned, Joke is in the UK to promote his noises that are in his head. Thirty (+) years of noise compacted in to a journey with the use of microphones, samples, noise boxes, foot theremin and devices that made me think ... how the fuck and where the fuck did that noise come from. Rounded with poetry, politeness, a tandoori chicken scooter and (as always with Joke) great humour. 

Dressed as a ringmaster, a macabre master of ceremony the audience was held, there were dancers, head nodders and fist pumpers amongst the crowd, it was a delight to see. The venue suited the performance, Joke was part of the audience. Personal and intimate and the best gig I have seen in years. All credit to the sound man (the sound was brilliant) and the lights. Shift has great acoustics. 

I have known Joke for a few years now. It is always a pleasure to meet, chat and learn about the noises that are in his head .... 

Seeing (being), being (seeing) that this was my first trip / visit to Cardiff I spent the following day looking at record shops in the City. Forget the castle, museum of Welsh history and a trip to see the Royal Mint, I want vinyl. Cardiff City has two shops, both very poor so I took a long walk out to Roath to visit D'Vinyl. The shop is like a shop of old .. piles of VHS / DVDs and crates of records ... a lot of rock and pop and the new wave boxes are full of Boomtown Rats and Toyah. I did manage to find a B Movie (promo) 12" and a copy of The Transmitters "24 Hours" album so I left happy. Only six pounds down, I had to find Record Exchange. Heath is about a 40 minute walk from Roath. The Record Exchange turned out to be a goldmine and probably the only reason I'd visit Cardiff again ... that and if Shift booked Dieter Müh to play live and installed a toilet (!). There's great new wave / punk / electronic / avant garde / minimalist sections in both 12" and 7" sections. I managed to pick up albums by Deep Freeze Mice and Renaldo & The Loaf and singles by Home Service and ...And The Native Hipsters and the owner (Ed) rounded the price down. Lovely chap. 

                                                                          Joke's set up.

If this tour is coming near you. GO!

 

 

MuhMur Radio Broadcast 9 November 2023.

 'When The Cat's Away The Mice Will Play' is the B-Side to LiLiput's single 'Eisiger Wind' released on Off Course Records in 1980. Rough Trade re-issued it in 1981. 

Bianca Warlord is Nicolas Henry. The track here is from his latest tape on Le République Des Granges. https://larepubliquedesgranges.bandcamp.com/album/selection-de-8-moments. The cassette is called "Selection De 8 Moments" Information on Bianca Warlord and Nicolas is hard to find. I recommend the cassette. 

'Muuntaja' is from the album "Metri" by ∅ (aka Mika Vainio). It's an early release on the Finnish Sähkō Recordings label. The first ever live performance by Dieter Müh was in 1994 at the Bonding Warehouse in York. Fortunately the Sähkō Collective were in the UK at that time and inbetween gigs in Glasgow and London, their night off so to speak, the offered to come to York and be our 'support act'. The Sähkō Crew on the night were Ilpo Väisänen, Jarui Lehtinen (Jimi Tenor), Tommi Grönlund and a guy whose name I couldn't pronounce and can't remember. Mika was unfortunately ill back in Finland. The evening was filmed by an American film / documentary maker who was travelling with Sähkō at the time. Tommi handed me the CD. The outer card packaging of the CD was the inspiration behind Dieter Müh's "Black Square" CD and all MoUtH Recordings releases. 

*JOHN PEEL MOMENT*. I have one now and again. I play the first few seconds of the Alog 12" at the wrong speed. At least I played the right side! Alog were the Norwegian duo Dag-Are Haugen and Espen Sommer Elde. The piece played is from a split 12"EP with Astral Social Club.

'On This Day' in 1979 Scritti Politti released the 12"EP "4 'A' Sides" on Rough Trade Records. The final release Scritti Politti released as a three-piece, and in my mind their finest release. Another track from the EP 'Doubt Beat' ends the programme. 

Nigel Ayers is the man behind Nocturnal Emissions. He has also in the past been involved in collaboration work with the likes of Randy Greif, Robin Storey, John Everall, Mick Harris and Andrew Liles. September saw the release of 'This Home Stands On Ancient Bones' a new collaborative work with PBK (Phillip B. Klinger) and Allan Zane (Wyrm/The Haters). The album is on the Japanese VLZ Produkt label. https://www.vlzprodukt.com. 

I have been working on a playlist for the December 7 broadcast, it's what become known as the "birthday broadcast' as it falls on the eve of my 61st. Digging through a box of old releases I came across the excellent 4xCD + Book 'Infernal Proteus', released in 2002 by The Ajna Offensive. I was searching for tracks by Ah Cama-Sotz, the Belgian sound artist also known as Herman Klapholz. Herman was part of the Hybryds in the 1990's. 'Morning Glory' is from 'Infernal Proteus'. 

I recently read the book 'Neumusik', a collection of issues of the 1980's magazine. I wrote about here : http://remuhmuration.blogspot.com/2023/09/neumusik-book.html. In this piece I mentioned I had never seen a live picture of Metabolist before ... Metabolist in action as were. Reading about Metabolist also made me dig out their first vinyl album. 

Released in 1980 on their own Drömm Records label. Metabolist were a four piece that existed between 1978 to 1981. They were heavily influenced by Magma, inventing their own language. 

After writing that I hadn't seen a 'live' picture of Metabolist before Richard (The New Blockaders) kindly sent me the above piece. Shifts is the solo project of Frans de Waard. Shifts were created in 1995 to allow Frans to work with and discover 'guitar ambient' music. In the summer the German label Grisaille released the cassette 'What Remains' by Shift. All untitled pieces the track I play here is a remix (that nobody wanted) of The Stars Of The Lid. https://grisaille.bandcamp.com/album/what-remains for a copy. 

Eyeless in Gaza speaks for itself.

In September the Cafe OTO hosted an evening in memory of Jacques Beloiel. A friend and comrade. 

Jacques worked with Adi Newton, mastering the album 'Newtones' released in April last year. The piece 'For Those That Are Gone' is from this album and seems appropriate. I follow this with a Clock DVA classic from the 'Buried Dreams' LP. Staying in Sheffield with Hula and a track from their 1986 12" EP 'Freeze Out'. 

Aerosol Constellations are the Canadian duo Bill Batt and Jeremy Van Wyck. Based in Vancouver they also run the labels Isolated Now Waves and Thankless. The track here is from the split 12" with fellow Canadian Born Without Bones (aka Colin Kennedy of Money Money). I am uncertain whether Aerosol Constellations are still active but they have a bandcamp page https://aerosolconstellations.bandcamp.com/album/dark-side-of-the-sun.

Thank you for listening. The archive to this broadcast can be found at :

Playlist :

01: LiLiput : "When The Cat's Away" (Kill Rock Stars/For Us Records) 2001.

02: Bianca Warlord : "23022023" (La République Des Granges) 2023.

03: ∅ : "Muuntaja" (Sähkō Recordings) 1994.

04: Alog : "Every Word Was An Animal" (Fat Cat Records) 2009.

05: Scritti Politti : "P.A.'s." (Rough Trade Records) 1979.

06: Nigel Ayers/PBK/Allan Zane : "Cyngoroni" (VLZ Produkt) 2023.

07: Ah Cama-Sotz : "Morning Glory" (The Ajna Offensive) 2002.

08: Metabolist : "Alien On Sunday" (Drömm Records) 1980.

09: Shifts : "What Remains IV" (Grisaille) 2023.

10: Eyeless In Gaza : "Drumming The Beating Heart" (Cherry Red Records) 1983.

11: Adi Newton : "For Those That Are Gone" (Rizosfera) 2022.

12: Clock DVA : "The Unseen" (Interfisch Records) 1989.

13: Hula : "Not A Second Glance" (Red Rhino Records) 1986.

14: Nigel Ayers/PBK/Allan Zane : "Psychenkinetic" (VLZ Produkt) 2023.

15: Aerosol Constellations : "Tab Cabby" (Isolated Now Waves/Thankless) 2007.

16: Scritti Politti : "Doubt Beat" (Rough Trade Records) 1979.