MuhMur Radio Broadcast March 30 2023

 

This is the 259th instalment of the MuhMur Radio Broadcast on SoundArt Radio (102.5 FM).

The programme kicks off with another excellent release from the mind of Thomas LaRoche. "Ever More Precise Accounts Of The Cave" is a forty or so minute swirling mismanagement of dead air time, corrupted piano and voices on the (new to me) 'Drowned By Locals' label. 

The main influences on these recordings are : Heroin Use, 'Ether, God And Devil And Cosmic Super Imposition' book by Willhelm Reich, Neil Diamond, Porcelain Eggs and various phosphates. Thomas has been operating the Research Laboratories label for about ten years, releasing his own sounds as well as other artists such as Mark Vernon, The New Blockaders, Duncan Harrison and The Rebel. He also records / releases under the names of CREEP Of Paris, Pavlov's Children, Active Denial and Generic White Male. The label Drowned By Locals is based in Amman, Jordan. The cassette came packaged reeking of tobacco. Opening the jiffy, it felt like I had smoked twenty woodbines and a packet of Camel! The cassette is now hermetically sealed to stop the other tapes stinking of fags .... 'Drowned By Locals is an independent record label in search of the faces and the voices of the marginalised brutes, misfits, savages, but the delicate at heart. Founded in 2020 to a world plagued with disease and the impending perils of mass surveillance. Based in Amman, Jordan, but anchored outside the territorial limits, somewhere in uncharted virtual waters, with no plans to return' ...  Drowned By Locals can be contacted at : https://drownedbylocals.bandcamp.com. 

In 1983 the Sounds Musical Weekly ran a column called "Wild Planet". It was a cutout and keep column that featured some of the premier exponents of DIY electronic music. Avant Gardeners and concret mixers. Bands and artists that did not regularly feature in the music weeklies except in the classifieds section where they would be selling their cassettes and LPs. The column run for a couple of months or so and at the end of 1983 the soundtrack to the column came out compiled by Dave Henderson - the author behind it all. "The Elephant Table Album ... A Compilation Of Difficult Music" was released on the X Tract label. The double album included (amongst others) SPK, Chris & Cosey, 400 Blows, Portion Control, We Be Echo, Lustmord, David Jackman and Nurse With Wound. The Lustmord track is from this album. "The Boning Of Men" was also included on the 1991 CD "A Document Of Early Acoustic & Tactical Experimention" on the German Dark Vinyl label. "Wild Planet" can be read here ~ thanks to Brian Duguid. http://media.hyperreal.org/zines/est/articles/wplanet.html.

It truly was one of those strange occurrences. I was just thinking that Astral Social Club (aka Neil Campbell) hadn't had a 'physical' release in years, I had been playing some ASC for a couple of hours or so here at MuhMur Radio HQ and I thought .... 'not heard much from Astal Social Club for a year or two, I wonder if Neil has knocked the project on the head?'. I turn on the 'pooter to find a message from Chocolate Monk advertising their release of "Starballs" the new CDR by Astral Social Club. Spooky,eh? 

As it says on the Chocolate Monk website : "This One arrived with a frantic hand scribbled note ' Blown-out fuzzed out ragged sister to the shortly forthcoming prolongs OCCULTICS CD / Machine flicker, celestial scrota, no mind / 'make-out music for hermaphrodite Venusians floating through the zero gravity pleasure palaces of Alpha Centuri' / Tangerine Fucking Dream more like / Feedback, the only good thing ever to happen to guitars / The Return of The Electric Mistress / There's probably a tune buried under there somewhere / I once met a guy from Stoke who was tripping and dancing like a bastard at the front to a Russell has well free noise set - hope he gets to hear this one / It's all variations on a theme, isn't it? / pennine exotica bionica erectronica (sciatica) / Long-ass final track, you know the score". "Fulcrum" is that long-ass final track. Being an ex-Fork Lift Truck driver (another thing I have in common with Gary Numan) fulcrum has become one of my favourite words. This CDR and the aforementioned "Occultics" CD can be got at : https://astralsocialclub.bandcamp.com/merch. After playing one of ASC's latest I thought I'd spin one of their earliest from the 2005 CDR Astral Social Club "#2". 

"Sex Unter Wasser" is the single pulled from the album "Gold Und Liebe". Following on a Deutsche wasser theme ... Mark Boombastik and his 7" single "Wasser". 

I know very little about Mark Boombastik. He is based in Hamburg and is also known as Mark Leyrer. Mark has also collaborated with Eduardo Delgado-Lopez the brother of DAF singer Gabi Delgado. Mark has also collaborated with Felix Kubin, which is where I first came across his name. Techno Punk (?). For the On This Day feature (Part One) ... The Birthday Party released the album "Prayers On Fire" in 1981. 

August and September 1978 was a great time to be alive and to be 16 / 17 years old living in Lincoln. Some excellent bands came and played live at venues like AJ's, The Drill Hall and Tech College. One night 999 came on the "Separates" tour and played a venue called The Regency Ballroom. A strange venue for a punk band to play, but hireable and cheap. In later years both The Nightingales and The Gist played there and also Crass with Annie Anxiety & D.I.R.T. The venue was owned by the Lincoln Co-Op Society. 

Anyhoo ... the support for 999 was the Australian punk band Razar. 

I enjoyed Razar, they introduced a song as 'their latest single' and played "Stamp Out Disco". The following 40 odd years or so and I couldn't find that single, there were none for sale that night. It was the days before merch' stalls etc .. and even if there were I wouldn't have bought one as I found out that I looked old enough to buy lager at the bar! Twenty years ago and the age of the internet I started to look for this single. I misremembered the title as "Death To Disco" ... and there are lots of bands, old and new, called Razar (I never knew they were Australian). Earlier this year I found the 7" I had been looking for for over forty years. Punch the air! Razar only released two singles "Stamp Out Disco" (self released) and "Money" on HMV Australia. In 2012 the American label Sing Sing Records re-issued "Stamp Out Disco". 

Two slices of Dan Johansson. Dan is probably best known for his work as Sewer Election and/or being a member of Neutral. Between 2007 and 2011 Dan performed and released as White. "Sex Carcass" is a C20 cassette on the Vita Kassetter label. Belgian label Aguirre Records have just re-issued the debut album by Enhet För Fri Musik. EFFM are Dan Johansson, Sofie Herner, Hugo Randulv and Gustaf Diksson. "Der Ordnar Sig Ska Du Se" is from the LP "Inom Dig, Inom Mig". (Inside You, Inside Me). The LP was originally released on the Forever United label, a label run by Hugo Randulv, in 2015. 

On This Day (Part Two), a track from the Pere Ubu album "390 Degrees Of Simulated Stereo. Ubu Live : Volume One" from 1981. "Real World" was recorded live at Disasto 2 WHK Auditorium, Cleveland on

February 18th 1978.

This programme's cover version ... yes, it is still my promise to play at least one cover version per broadcast ... is Scars' cover of the David Essex classic "Silver Dream Machine". I have always had a soft-spot for David Essex. As a 10 year old in 1973 I bought his singles "Rock On" and "Lamplight" with my pocket money. Great singles. "Silver Dream Machine" was originally released in 1980, a single to promoted Essex's latest film "Silver Dream Racer". A watchable film, well, any film with Harry H. Corbett in it is a watchable film but it's not as good as "That'll Be The Day" or "Stardust". The Scars version can be found on the three CD box set version of "Author Author" on Cherry Red Records. 

I recently found a copy of the compilation album "Neue Deutsche Post Avantgarde (Uma Amostragem Da Música Alemã Pós Moderna)" on the Goethe-Institut Brazil label. The album is compiled by Asmus Tietchens and legend has it that 2800 copies that were shipped to Brazil were 'lost at sea' leaving only 150 copies of the original pressing existing for sale in Germany. 

This story was told to me by the person selling the LP, but after research etc it turns out to be a myth. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, eh? The album features pieces by H.N.A.S., P16D4, Gerechtigkeits Liga, Werkbund and Graf Haufen amongst others. Both the Cranioclast and Swimming Behaviour Of The Human Infant pieces are from this album. Regular listeners to MuhMur Radio will be familiar with both projects, as they will be with the sound of Francisco Meirino. "Massacre Of the Innocents (2)" is from the 12" lathe-cut release by GerauschManufaktur. "Massacre Of The Innocents" is a live (surround) performance for 10 speakers performed and recorded at The Screamscape Exhibition at FRi-Art Fribourg, Switzerland, 06.06.2015. A stereo line and binaural room recording. The album does remind of a performance I witnessed in 2012 by Dave Phillips at The Arnolfini in Bristol. Two artists working in the same areas. The lathe-cut is limited to only 18 copies and part of the GeraischManufaktur lathe-cut series. https://geraeuschmanufaktur.bandcamp.com.

Chapman is the project of Paul Harrison. Paul has been creating noises under a variety of disguises over the past thirty years or so. He has been part of Smell & Quim, Beardtax, Hairs Abyss and Feral Copse as well as releasing as Expose Your Eyes, Naked Tramp and Paradox Encounter Group. "Snarl" is a six track CDR on the Xemporium label, packaged in an abused shower curtain. Xemporium can be found at : https://xemporium.bandcamp.com/album/snarl. 

Thanks for listening / reading ... the MixCloud archive for this broadcast can be found here : 

https://www.mixcloud.com/tamsin-jane-cammack/muhmur-radio-broadcast-30032023/

Playlist :

01: Thoms LaRoche : "Ever More Precise Accounts Of The Cave (A)" (Drowned By Locals) 2023.

02: Lustmord : "The Boning Of Men" (X Tract) 1983.

03: Astral Social Club : "Fulcrum" (Chocolate Monk) 2023.

04: Astral Social Club : "#2 (Track 6)" (Astral Social Club) 2005.

05: Deutsche Amerikanische Freundschaft : "Sex Unter Wasser" (Virgin Records) 1982.

06: Mark Boombastik : "Wasser" (Sozialistischer Plattenbau) 2020.

07: The Birthday Party : "King Ink" (4AD Records) 1981.

08: Razar : "Stamp Out Disco" (Sing Sing Records) 2012.

09: White : "Sex Carcass" (Vita Kassetter) 2009.

10 Enhet För Fri Musik : "Det Ordnar Sig Ska Du Se" (Aguirre Records) 2023.

11: Pere Ubu : "Real World" (Rough Trade Records) 1981.

12: Scars : "Silver Dream Machine" (Cherry Red Records) 2020.

13: Cranioclast : "... And Even When They Are Shadowing The Skies" (Goethe-Institut Brazil) 1988.

14: Francisco Meirino : "Massacre Of The Innocents (II)" (GerauschManufaktur) 2018.

15: Chapman : "Snarl #6" (Xemporium) 2023.

16: Swimming Behaviour Of The Human Infant : "Meio 2" (Goethe-Institut Brazil) 1988.

Modelbau 7" on Haemoccult Recordings.

 

Very pleased to say that the Modelbau test pressings for the 7"EP 'Metal & Motif' have arrived at MuhMur Radio HQ and have been approved. The EP will be released by Haemoccult Recordings soon with full colour artwork + postcard. Limited to 100 copies only ~ if you are interested please get in touch with me at muhmur.radio(at)gmail.com.

MuhMur Radio Broadcast March 16 2023.

 

The Broadcast starts with the whole of Side B from the latest album by Geography Of Hell. The album came from a recommendation as I had never heard of the project before ... but a kind of if you like Genocide Organ, Anenzephalia, Soldnergeist etc ... you'll love this album, so I bought the album and it is one of those great albums that I play again and again. Never dull, a pleasure every listen. 

Information about who are the members of Geography Of Hell is limited, they are an anonymous trio combining French and American artists. "Verdun 1916 is full of Ghosts. The voices of survivors now departed and the vacuum of the dead. Members of Geography Of Hell are rumoured to have relatives who fought in the hills, trenches, and bunkers where the longest battle of WWI was campaigned. .... Verdun 1916 expands heavily into the precise combination of martial sound collage and cold mechanical noise fog, supposedly created through archival interviews with veterans. Members of GOH travelled to the old battlefields for field recordings, scraping war objects along the side of old bullet holed pill boxes and collected fragments of shrapnel, helmets, belt buckles, rations, castings etc. Creating hand-made metal percussion and crude art brut electrical conductors that follows in the tradition of the early avant-garde while expanding further into chemical ambience delivered with the neutrality of a doomed soldier's field side doctor". Released on Dominick Fernow's Hospital Productions label, more information on the project and their activities can be found here : http://geographyofhell.free.fr.

Controlled Bleeding were a New York based sound project formed in 1978 and ceased activities in 2020. There founding (and constant) member was Paul Lemos. For their 1986 album "Headcrack" Controlled Bleeding were Paul Lemos and Joe Papa. 

Who are The Rights Of Sleepers? And what about their rights? I don't know ... this cassette was produced by Robin C.,  mastered by Thorsten Soltau and released by GerauschManufaktur. Any further information can be found here : https://geraeuschmanufaktur.bandcamp.com/album/and-what-about-the-rights-of-sleepers. Seah is the solo project of Chelsea Heikes. Chelsea is also one half of Post Doom Romance, the other half being Mykel Boyd and it is on Mykel's Somnimage label that Seah's new album is released. The track here is from "Conduits Of The Hydrosphere". 'All sounds created by Sean using manipulated field recordings from worn hydrophones and cameras while interacting with bodies of water; as well as instruments made by Tim Kaiser'. Available as a CD from https://www.somnimage.com. 

"Bid'Ah" (roughly translated means 'innovation') is from the 2020 7" "Juhayman Al-Utaybi" by Genocide Organ. It is part three of their Religious Extremism (Alternativism) series. 

On This Day in 1980 The Pop Group released their second album "For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder". The Pop Group were formed in 1977 by vocalist Mark Stewart, bassist Simon Underwood and guitars John Waddington. Later joined by Scottish guitarist Gareth Sager and drummer Bruce Smith. Simon left in 1979 to be replaced by Glaxo Babies bassist Dan Catsis. They released two albums "Y" and "For How Much Longer ..." before splintering in 1981. Off-shoot bands include Rip Rig And Panic, Maximum Joy, Pigbag and Playgroup. Mark Stewart moved to On-U Sound and formed The Maffia and appeared in the On-U Supergroup New Age Steppers. 

The Pop Group reformed in 2010 ... but we don't really talk about that ... back in 1979 and the release of their "Y" album prompted me to join CND. (I didn't stay a member for long). I mentioned in the first broadcast of 2023 that I would attempt to include a cover version in each programme. This programme's cover version is "Why Can't We Live Together" by Maximum Joy. Originally released in 1972 by American soul singer Timmy Thomas on the Glades label. As mentioned Maximum Joy were formed after the break up of The Pop Group by John Waddington and Dan Catsis along with vocalist Janine Rainforth. Ex Glaxo Babies drummer Charlie Llwellin was also added. Maximum Joy released one album and four singles between 1979 and 1983 before disbanding. "Why Can't We Live Together" was their last single. A few months ago I bought the single from a secondhand record shop in Exeter only to find it was a mis-press. What came out of the speakers was what sounded like a demo track by a fifth rate Fields Of The Nephilim band so I bought a copy from a seller on Discogs who sent me the wrong single! I thought I would never get to own this single again .... I luckily found a mint copy earlier this year. Maximum Joy reformed in 2015 for a few gigs. Janine know fronts the band MXMJoY with Charlie Llwellin. 

Daruin's "Follow Blindly For Masochistic Education" is from the 2009 CD "Follow Blindly" on the Japanese Final Scato Records label. Daruin is the noise-project of Japanese composer (and no stranger to MuhMur Radio) Kazuya Ishigami. 

Whilst compiling tonight's broadcast I was reading "Conform To Deform : The Weird And Wonderful World Of Some Bizzare" by Wesley Doyle. I don't consider myself as a 'fan' of the label but was interested in the birth of the label as I know it all started with B Movie. Mansfield's finest and a favourite at MuhMur HQ. 

                                                                            B Movie

The book tells the story of Some Bizzare through old press interviews, press reviews and phone calls / statements from over the years. It's a rollercoaster story of a label fuelled by ignorance and drugs from humble beginnings to becoming (thanks to the global hit "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell) one of the world's best selling labels. I remember B Movie well. Before signing to Some Bizzare they were on the Lincoln based label Dead Good Records and played live in Lincoln a few times .. usually the Cornhill Vaults. Steve Hovington (Bassist) recalls the days of starting out and setting up by the fag machine in the 'Vaults and being worried about the menacing crowd and skulking skinheads. Ahh the memories. I used to frequent The Porterhouse in Retford in my youth and remember seeing B Movie there, I seem to remember Stevo being the DJ that night dressed as Robin Hood ... but years have passed, alcohol has been drunk and  drugs have been taken since so I could just have dreamt it. I defiantly saw Stevo introduce B Movie at Futurama 3 and getting cans thrown at him ... I was quite tempted myself. So ... I dug out a few records I have that are on Some Bizzare or licensed through them. The Soft Cell track was recorded at The Porterhouse (by my friend Tim) ... what a time for the tape to run out! "Remembrance Day" by B Movie was their first single after signing to Some Bizzare and released by Deram Records. The Test Department tracks are from the 1984 box set "Beating The Retreat". "Cold Witness" features FM Einheit of Einsturtzende Neubauten on tapes and "Stolen Kisses" is from the first Psychic TV album "Force The Hand Of Chance". I recommend the book, there's some great stories and the talking heads include Jim Thirlwell, Stephen Mallinder, Steve Hovington, Matt Johnson, Martin Patton (Dead Good Records), Dave Ball, Gavin Friday and Alaura O'Dell (aka Paula P-Orridge) and Stevo (of course) to name but a few. Available from all good book shops, published by Jawbone Press. http://jawbonepress.com. 

Sensory Leakage Jas been a label to keep an ear on for the past two or three years. Sensory Leakage and it's off-shoot label Remote Viewing. With releases by the likes of Tippex Christ, Grey Frequency, Mark Waldron-Hyden, Mollbury Medical Research Centre, Andreas Brandal and Oscilloscope to name but a few. Sensory Leakage is a London (UK) based label. They do sometimes operate an "only available for 24 hours' sales policy on Bandcamp ... which I do not like ... but their catalogue is worth a listen. Go to their Bandcamp page at :https://sensoryleakage.bandcamp.com/music. In January this year they released "Zener_42" by Bloxham Research Group. (All Sensory Leakage cassettes are titled 'Zener'). Bloxham Research Group on this release are Henderson Downing and his daughter Evie. 

"...'Zener_42', field recordings compiled by the BRG during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020-21 while documenting the minor triangulation of churches around the village of Middleton Cheney on the Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire border. Acts of sonic trespass allow the BRG to record unexamined affinities in the memories and the histories of this rural landscape where access and ownership has been persistently concentrated into the possession of a minority. These field recordings are accompanied by 'MINOR TRIANGULATION' - a record of psychogeographical field notes from the BRG archive - available as an A5 16pp booklet". 

"Field Notes In Yellow" is from this cassette. Joshua James Wittman is the main man behind Shady Ridge Records based in Hutchinson, Minnesota. "Black Body Noise" is from the album "Orbital Patterns", recordings based on the theme of radio, satellite and wireless technology. The CD is available from Joshua at : https://shadyridgerecords.bandcamp.com/artists. The programme ends with a bit of BºTong.

The programme ends on a track from the new album by BºTong. "A Fleeting Moment Of Superabundance" is a joint release by Force Majeure and Les Nouvelles Propagandiese. BºTong is Basel based sound artist Chris Sigdell. The pieces on this album were recorded in 2020 / 2021 and sees Chris taking a more vocal direction, a sort of progression from his last album "The Eradication Of The Individual". https://forcemajeure.bandcamp.com for further information. 

Playlist :

01: Geography Of Hell : "Verdun 1916 (Side B)" (Hospital Productions) 2022.

02: Controlled Bleeding : "Headcrack #1" (Sterile Records) 1986.

03: The Rights Of Sleepers : "And What About The Rights Of Sleepers (B)" (Gerauschmanufaktur) 2023.

04: Seah : "Dinosaur Piss Runs Through Our Veins" (Somnimage) 2022.

05: Genocide Organ : "Bid'Ah" (Tesco Organisation) 2020.

06: The Pop Group : "Forces Of Oppression" (Rough Trade Records) 1980.

07: The Pop Group : "Blind Faith" (Rough Trade Records) 1980.

08: The Pop Group : "For How Much Longer" (Rough Trade Records) 1980.

09: Maximum Joy : "Why Can't We Live Together" (Garage Records) 1983.

10: Daruin : "Follow Blindly For Masochistic Education" (Final Scato Records) 2006.

11: Soft Cell : "Memorabilia (Live At Retford Porterhouse. March 1981)" (Not On Label) 1981.

12: B Movie : "Remembrance Day" (Dream) 1981.

13: Test Dept : "Inheritance" (Some Bizzare) 1984.

14: Test Dept : "Cold Witness" (Some Bizzare) 1984.

15: Psychic TV : "Stolen Kisses" (Some Bizzare) 1982.

16: Bloxham Research Group : "Field Notes In Yellow" (Sensory Leakage) 2023.

17: Joshua James Wittman : "Black Body Noise" (Shady Ridge Records) 2022.

18: BºTong : "Zerreissprobe" (Force Majeure/Les Nouvelles Propagandes) 2023.

Thanks for listening. The programme has been archived here : 

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

Back on March 30 with tracks by Thomas LaRoche, Astral Social Club, White, Francisco Meirino, Razar, Chapman and much much more .... 

MuhMur Radio Broadcast March 02 2023.

 

Anenzephalia's "23" album was originally released in 2012, the year that marked Anenzephalia's 23rd year of existence. Tesco Archive Documents have re-issued the album on vinyl limited to 250 copies. All tracks were recorded in 1989. 

Copies are available from Tesco Organisation at : https://tesco-germany.com. Another re-issue out this year is the fantastic double cassette "Korm Merz x Merz - Infection". Originally released (separately) in 1987 and 1988 (respectively) by Korm Plastics. The Staalplaat label's side project Korm Plastics D have put out this version. "Korm Merz" is a homage to the work of Kurt Schwitters and features Swimming Behaviour Of The Human Infant, Merzbow, Luis Mesa, Prilius Lacus, Richard Franecki and Paul Hurst & Mark O'Brien. The "Merz - Infection" cassette is a C34 of Schwitters inspired sounds performed by Spanish industrialists Merz. (Luis Mesa and Alfredo Alvarez). I totally missed these releases first time round and this re-issues marks the 75th anniversary of Kurt Schwitters passing. Limited to only 100 copies

it comes in a plastic case with a booklet with art from the projects involved and a new essay by Vittore Baroni. https://kormplasticsd.bandcamp.com/album/korm-merz-merz-infection. I don't usually play Dieter Müh tracks ... modesty forbids ... but playing the Anenzephalia album made me dig out "Cari Saluti" the album Müh put out on Tesco Organisation's re-issue label Functional Organisation back in 2002. I first met Michael (Anenzephalia) in 2002 when he was part of a Tesco Organisation evening at The Slimelight in London and again in 2003 when Dieter Müh supported Genocide Organ at Das Kantine in Augsburg. In June 2005 we supported each other at The Full Moon in Bristol as part of the City's 'Venn Festival'. (I revisited the venue last month when I popped up to Bristol to go record shopping, and visiting old comrades).

I last saw Michael when, once again, we shared the stage in June 2013 at the Marie-Antoinette Club in Berlin. At the time Anenzephalia were on a hiatus (I think) and he was part of Ke/Hil. Anyway, the track "Haemotomania" was recorded in 1999 and features the voice of Maureen Long. 

Earlier this year Gustaf Dicksson of Blod and Matthias Andersson of Arv & Miljö played at the Discreet Music Festival held at the Folkteatern in Gothenburg. Whether or not they played as Blod & Miljö I don't know but they did release a cassette to coincide with the festival. A follow up to their 2019 self titled 7" on I Dischi Del Barone. When the cassette arrived at MuhMur HQ I was put in mind of the artwork / sleeve of Current 93's "All The Pretty Horses" album from 1996. 

                                                                 Blod & Miljö cassette

                                                                  All The Pretty Horses

The track played here is there whole of Side B and as ever the piece is called "Untitled". The Guido Möbius track "Windjammer" is from his excellent "A Million Magnets" album. I have been playing this album a lot of the past few months. Released on Guido's own Emphase Records label it is available from Superpolar Taips at https://superpolar.bandcamp.com. 

Pere Ubu. From the sleeve notes of the album "Terminal Tower : An Archival Collection". "'The Book Is On The Table' was an outtake from the 'New Picnic Time' sessions & is built up around a cassette recording of a woman practising a French lesson Scott Kraus found". Playing the "Korm Merz" cassette put me in mind of this song, to me it is 'Schwitteresque' in construction. 

The mid to late 1990s was a great time for new sounds coming out on cassettes from Germany. Labels such as Terminal-Tape-Prod, Raum 312, Fich-Art, Nauze Muzick, Drahtfunk-Products to name a few (not forgetting Drone Records and the start of their 7" project). Projects such as Anemone Tube, Dronæment, Yggdrasil, Y Ton G, Telepherique, Maeror Tri and Doc Wör Wirran to name a few. In 1998 Dieter Müh appeared on a compilation album with Dronæment called "Ambient Intimacy Volume 2" released by the wonderful Belgian label EE Tapes. Dronæment was th project of Marcus Obst. Marcus also went under the name Das Rhythmische Ornament. I don't think Marcus or Dronæment are active now but I dug out, played and enjoyed his CD album "Ezoterick Muziek" from 2006. "Yamuna" is from this album.

                                   

The Anji Cheung track is from the compilation cassette album "Optical Resonances" released six years ago on the Audio, Visuals, Atmosphere label. I was chatting with Andrew Fletcher (aka fellow SoundArt Radio DJ Solomon Tump) and he told me he was doing an interview with O Ratel Ratel for an upcoming "Intrusive Signals" publication. I knew I had some O Ratel Ratel and dug out this tape. The Anji Cheung piece stands out ... the tape is long gone and sold out from the label, but it is still available as a download at : https://audiovisualsatmosphere.bandcamp.com/album/optical-resonances.

Talking of interesting German labels, over the past few years David Leutkart's Grubenwehr Freiburg label has been at the forefront releasing interesting sounds. Releases by the likes of Modelbau, Star Turbine, Fabio Orsi, Vomir, Flutwacht, Thenokirch and Sylvain Van Iniitu to name (but) a few. A favourite which I have yet to play on MuhMur Radio is the mini CDR by Rym Nouioua called "Swarming". Raw and treated bat sounds, a great listen. In January this year Grubenwehr Freiburg released the mini CDR "Lied Für Georg Elser" by Gerald Fiebig & William Rossi. Four pieces in dedication to the man who 'almost killed Hitler'. https://grubenwehrfreiburg.bandcamp.com for copies. The Aaron Dilloway track is from the vinyl version of "Concealed". Released in 2007 on No Fun Productions, it was re-issued on Aaron's own Hanson Records in 2013 on cassette. No Fun Productions was the label run by Carlos Giffoni, copies of both cassette and vinyl LP are floating about still on t'internet. 

On This Day in 1981 Gang Of Four released the 7" single "What We All Want". Here I play the LP version from "Solid Gold" because my 7" has more snap, crackle and bop than a bowl of Rice Krispies. 

The following year, 1982, Gang Of Four released one of my favourite singles "Call Me Up". Also in 1982 and On This Day Do It Records released the 'cash-in' 12"EP "AntMusic EP". Antmania had spread amongst the tweenies by this point. It's a great EP with a remixed version of the "Cartrouble (Parts 1 & 2)" track from the "Dirk Wears White Søx" LP. There's also unreleased versions of "Friends" and "Kick". I am one of those people who disowned Adam & the Ants when they went to CBS. I didn't even go to the "Kings Of The Wild Frontier" tour when it came to Lincoln. I was speaking about this not so long back with an old friend who came out with 'Kings Of The Wild Frontier has some good songs on it' .. the conversation ended there. 

"Mystic Quarks" is from the "2006 EP" by BBBlood. Self released and essential. Last year saw the 20th anniversary of BBBlood. http://bbblood.blogspot.com for more information. 

A few programmes ago I played C Cat Trance's version of the Phil Spector classic "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" and at the time mentioned to Chris (Booth, SoundArt Radio mandarin who assists me on each broadcast) that I preferred the Human League cover version. Chris (despite being a distant relative of Phil Oakey) said he'd never heard it ... so I play it here. 

It is from the 1981 album "Reproduction". The Human League were (of course) from Sheffield so staying in South Yorkshire the programme ends with Shy Tots. Formed in 1980 in Doncaster, Shy Tots feature ex The Fall keyboard player Yvonne Pawlett and future Jayne County & The Electric Chairs drummer Colin Rocks. The band centred around guitars Denis Hardcastle and went through many line-ups before their demise in around 1984.

I have a strange feeling that I went to see Shy Tots when they played live at The New Penny Club in Lincoln ... maybe 1981. It was around that time that the venue started to put on bands from outside of Lincoln, I defiantly saw Mansfield's finest Bikini Atoll there, and just have the feeling Shy Tots played as well. If anyone can confirm this it would be much appreciated. Sinking Ships used to play The New Penny Club around this time too. Great venue with a free pool table. Long gone now. 

Thanks for listening, the programme is archived here : 

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

Playlist :

01: Anenzephalia : "23 (#1)" (Tesco Archive Documents) 2022.

02: Merzbow : "Anna Blume '87" (Korm Plastics D) 2023.

03: Dieter Müh : "Haemotomania" (Functional Organisation) 2002.

04: Blod & Miljö : "Untitled" (Not On Label) 2023.

05: Guido Möbius : "Windjammer" (Emphase Records) 2022.

06: Pere Ubu : "The Book Is On The Table" (Rough Trade Records) 1985.

07: Swimming Behaviour Of The Human Infant : "Schnitterlinge, 2. Wahl" (Korm Plastics D) 2023.

08: Dronæment : "Yamuna" (Are Records) 2006.

09: Anji Cheung : "It Was Easier When I Just Imagined You" (Audio, Visuals, Atmosphere) 2017.

10: Gerald Fiebig & William Rossi : "Lied Für Elser" (Grubenwehr Freiburg) 2023.

11: Aaron Dilloway : "Concealed (#1/B)" (No Fun Productions) 2007.

12: Gang Of Four : "What We All Want" (Jugoton/EMI Records) 1981.

13: Gang Of Four : "Call Me Up" (EMI Records) 1982.

14: Adam And The Ants : "Cartrouble (Parts 1 & 2)" (Do It Records) 1982.

15: Merz : "Infection Part 1" (Korm Plastics D) 2023.

16: BBBlood : "Mystic Quarks" (Not On Label) 2006.

17: The Human League : "Morale/You've Lost That Loving Feeling" (Virgin Records) 1981.

18: Shy Tots : "English Industrial Estate" (Not On Label - Self Released) 1982. 

Back on the 16th .... 

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.