This record is at the literal end of the line on the shelf. So, I’m always staring at it, but it’s been a long time since I’ve heard it. That’s too bad because Bird Wood Cage by The Wolfgang Press is a great album. Someone reviewed it on Amazon with the title “Industrial-Strength Bootie Quake.” In addition to being funny that’s also accurate. Sure, it’s late ’80s alt music on 4A.D., the record label synonymous with “gothic” music, and no self-respecting art school student at the time would be without it. But these songs are also a lot of fun, and dance-able! My favorite is probably the last one, “Shut That Door.”
I don’t know where I got T.V. Sky (1992) by The Young Gods, but it’s always been a favorite. These guys can be called “industrial” but the sound on this record is really more hard rock or metal with plenty of sampling, loops and tricky time signatures. I love the whole thing, even the 20 minute Doors-y “Summer Eyes.” My favorite is the album opener, “Our House.” The lyrics sound like something from Sesame Street, maybe because these guys are ESL. But they’re perfect juxtaposed with the minimal and ultra-heavy jackhammer riff that finally kicks in for the last minute of the song, after two minutes of almost ambient loops, with when singer Franz Treichler yells “Hey Friends!”
Another great song is “The Night Dance.” Listen for the deft sampling and looping of Guns and Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” guitar riff.
Fans include The Edge (U2) and David Bowie.(?) Those geezers are cooler than I thought.
From the looks of it they’ve gone acoustic more recently. You can check the acoustic version of “Our House” at the Young Gods’ MySpace page.
Our house… is a house… that moves…
Just like the ocean, just like the ocean, just like the ocean
Hey friends!
If you wanna come by
It’s easy to find, it’s easy to find
Hey friends!
It’s front of the sky, it’s in front of the sky
I have the perfect Halloween soundtrack for you: Einstürzende Neubauten’s Strategies Against Architecture 80-83. These guys are the uncrowned kings of noise and experimental music. This early compilation is particularly eerie, and metallic, in the literal sense of the word. Typical “instruments” listed for each song include “hollow metal object”, “metal plates”, “scratching metal”, “air conditioning duct” and so on. What vocals are there, are, how you say… distressed? And check out a few of these Halloween-ready titles: “Tanz Debil (A Dance of Mental Illness)”, “Schmerzen Hören (Listen with Pain)”, “Draußen ist Feindlich (Outside is Hostile).”
Of course, the band expanded beyond this type of music over the years. And they have put on some noteworthy live performances in their time. I have never seen them in person, but I did get to see leader Blixa Bargeld once with Nick Cave.
They have a MySpace page. The two songs there are very pretty, and not at all like what this album is like.
You should read this Wikipedia article about Einstürzende Neubauten. No self-respecting art school student should be without some of their music.
Acquired: 1988 – Probably at our store RIP Records
Keeper: Maybe
The Saveana Mixes is an EP by Head of David. There are three songs that were previously released on the excellent Dustbowl and one “new” one, “Bad Times.” The other three are “Bugged”, “108” and “Adrenicide.” According to this guy these were earlier recordings, that were released later. To be honest I can’t tell much difference from the Dustbowl versions save for some combat samples at the beginning of a couple songs, I think. Of these four “108” is my favorite, but I like “Bad Times” so maybe I’ll keep it.
Etched in the vinyl run off margins:
A – To Chief Medicine Wolf
B – Welcome to the New Prior Generation
Also etched in the margins (and in many other records in our collection) is “A Porky Prime Cut” on side A and “Porky” on side B. You can find out what that’s all about if you’re interested.
I was introduced to Head of David by the 7 inch records that use to come attached to Sounds magazine (RIP). Of the big three British music mags it was always my favorite. I still have that four song 7 inch, but I can’t remember the other three bands. I’ll post that one if I live long enough. The HOD song was “Roadkill” (maybe it was live version) and I knew immediately that I had to get some more of that. That song is also on Dustbowl, which wasn’t their first release but it was the first for me. It’s produced by Steve Albini, which is usually a good thing, and this record is no exception. The sound is huge and heavy and still unlike anything else I’ve heard. The earlier stuff is good, maybe the later too, but Dustbowl is essential. My favorite songs are “Dog Day Sunrise” and “Cult of Coats.”
Etched in the run off margins:
SHADOWS side: “Many fine Budgie riffs”
RAYS side: Tortoise enthusiasts all
Tracy says it’s all about emotional attachments, and I have ’em to this LP. My logical grown-up self says, “This record screams early ’80s pretentious goth rock”, but my inner teenager says “I remember when I was in art school, the 9:30 Club played ‘Collapsing New People’ between band sets (a Fad Gadget song not on this LP), and I went to poetry readings.” Poetry readings? I must of had a lot of free time.
The music consists of keyboards, some neat sound effects, a drum machine, and topped with arty lyrics in a Bauhaus vocal style. Like the kids say (said) on American Bandstand, “it’s got a good beat and it’s easy to dance to”, or at least to brood to.
I bought this in Washington in early 1984 or late 1983 in that store on Dupont Circle, Olsson’s? I want to keep it. And why is it in the middle of The Fall records, and shouldn’t it be before Faith even? F-A-D. Oh Well. I also didn’t see the 12″ of Collapsing… If I had to choose between the two, I’d keep the 12″ over this. Oh, I’ll rate it a 5.
Acquired: 1988 – Bought at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA
Keeper: No
God Bullies music is not for everybody. I know I got “Fear and Pain” when my brother and I had a record store, and I think I may have bought from our guy at Sub-Pop, which I realize seems unlikely since this is on another label, Amphetamine Reptile Records, and the band is from Michigan. Maybe I got it somewhere else… Anyhow, the cover art reminds me of engravings or wood cuts that I saw in a book I read about Vlad the Impaler. Fun. The song “Fear and Pain” is another number I would describe as more metal than metal. Whereas the other side, “Kick it to Sleep”, has a more familiar indy dirge feel. Kinda interesting, but I don’t need to hear it again. This one is number 304 of 600.
I was already a fan of Head of David (Trouser Press) when I found this in a small record store called Vinyl Solution in London. This record is titled simply ‘LP’ with single quotes as I’ve typed it here. I didn’t even know it existed so I snapped it up.
If you agree with the expression “if it’s too loud, you’re too old” then be prepared to age significantly before getting through both sides of ‘LP’. No matter how young you are now, with the passing of each grinding, noisy, layered, psychedelimetallic dirge you will feel life leaking away. They are more metal than metal. If you want to hear it again then you are more metal than metal. I’m not sure how metal I am, but I guess I’ll keep it. The later stuff is better.
Etched in the run-off margins:
A — Kill ugly ron. A porky prime cut.
B — Clean up the filth.
This is the song folks, Killing Joke’s “Eighties” that Nirvana famously ripped off for their own hit “Come As You Are.” It’s pretty much note-for-note the same song, just a little slower and less intense when Nirvana does it. At this point Killing Joke was kinda weirding out, but this is one my favorite songs ever. There are also a couple remixes on this 12 inch single. They’re interesting enough, but I love the original just the way it is. Every time I hear it I want to start a band just so we can play a cover. Even the video is cool, in an eighties sort of way.
Acquired: I really don’t know when or where, but it was a long time ago.
Keeper: Yes
Yes, the name of this live Killing Joke EP is “HA”, in quotes. It’s in an oddball format, 10 inch vinyl. I have only a handful of 10 inch records, and I have no idea why they ever bothered making them this size. This was recorded at what sounds like a small to medium sized club, Larry’s Hideaway, Toronto. Somehow Killing Joke manage to produce their usual heavy and dense sound, even out of the studio, and I think the excellent drumming is a big part of that. Overall, it’s OK, but it is Killing Joke.
The six songs are:
“Pssyche” (not a typo!)
“Sun Goes Down”
“The Pandys Are Coming”
“Take Take Take”
“Unspeakable”
“Wardance”
Want to know what it's like to have brain surgery? Well here's the long version of my experience. Complete with pictures and videos! Read all about the Brain Surgery Experience.
![Killing Joke -- \"HA\"](http://imheavyduty.heavydutyincorporated.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/killingjokeha.jpg "Killing Joke -- \\"HA\\"")
