Archive for the post-punk Category

Siglo XX- Re-Released ’80-’82 LP

Posted in 1980s, 1984, Belgian, coldwave, post-punk, siglo xx on March 3, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Fulfilling a request for today for Belgian post-punk/coldwave band Siglo XX. Siglo XX formed in 1980 during the fallout of the punk explosion, and the four piece outfit would drop a number of developmental DIY singles before recording their first record a few years later. Their sound was akin to the likes of the Factory Records crew, oftentimes hard-hitting and intense, while other times melodic, synthetic, and entrancing. Their name, which is Spanish for ’20th Century,’ stems from an anarchist movement and is representative of their gloom and doom sound, though the band loathed to be lumped in with their contemporaries.

Siglo XX disappeared from view as the eighties fizzled out, leaving behind a local legacy of singles, seven full-lengths, and several compilations. I’ve uploaded their 1984 collection, entitled Re-Released ’80-’82, which compiles their more formative (and in this author’s opinion, better) material.

Details:

Siglo XX- Re-Released ’80-’82
1. The Naked And The Death
2. Art Of War
3. Lines Of Hope
4. Youth Sentiment
5. Obsession
6. Factory
7. La Vie Dans La Nuit
8. Individuality
9. Autumn
10. Caraibian Nightmares
11. The Fall

*download it here*

I have a handful of their other releases lying around should anyone be interested in hearing more. Otherwise, click below for a Siglo XX myspace tribute page, and stay tuned for some treats, including a donated Marquis De Sade record and a third podcast.

Siglo XX tribute on myspace

Norma Loy- Romance 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1983, 2000s, coldwave, french, minimal synth, norma loy, post-punk on February 25, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Today’s post is the very first 12” single by classic French coldwave band Norma Loy, one of the first bands of the genre, and one of the few to get significant exposure outside of their home country. Though original members Usher and Chelsea first met and collaborated in 1977, Norma Loy properly formed in 1981, dubbed so by Alan Vega of Suicide. Heavily drawing on the intensity of post-punk, the cold buzzing synths of minimal synth, and the theatrics of performance art, the band released several singles and full lengths with various lineups before disbanding in 1993. Usher and Chelsea continued their collaborations sporadically while each explored solo projects and various other art experiments in alternate mediums. In the meanwhile, the band’s influence grew, as several compilations and reissues sprung up from the band’s ashes.

After a thirteen year hiatus, Norma Loy reformed for a series of hometown shows, original members Chelsea and Usher joined by Lol (bass), Yann Reversat (guitar), Guillaume (drums), and Helene (buto dance). The band is seemingly still active, most recently appearing in Prague, yet no new material has surfaced.

I’ve uploaded their very first release, 1983’s Romance 12”. Without any further delay, the details:

Norma Loy- Romance 12”
1. Romance
2. Crazy Soul
3. Glance In Your Eyes
4. Tragic Venus

*download it here*

For your supplementary viewing pleasure, here’s a video clip for the band’s most well known tune, ‘Power of Spirit.’

For more info on Norma Loy, please visit their myspace page below. Also, Infrastition has reissued several of the band’s classic records, including the four tracks above (as part of an early singles compilation). Pick ’em up if you’re hip to it!

Norma Loy on myspace
Infrastition dot com

Ellysgarden- Echoes CD

Posted in 1990s, 1994, coldwave, ellysgarden, french, post-punk, shoegaze on February 19, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Pardon the delay in posting, friends… Today’s band fulfills a request via email for French coldwave outfit Ellysgarden and their lone release, 1994’s Echoes. Their sound is more likens more to the shoegaze and dreampop movement as opposed to their country’s coldwave roots, most likely a product of the times. Further information about the three-piece band is scarce, though members of the band were previously active as Rosa Luxemburg, but if anyone has any more info regarding Ellysgarden’s whereabouts or history, feel free to send it my way. Otherwise, without any further ado, here’s the information for this gem of a record:

Ellysgarden- Echoes CD
1. Open Doors
2. Our Prayers
3. Over the Fancies
4. I’ll Know
5. Rise of Soul
6. Echoes
7. Muse (On My Own Face)
8. Velvet
9. King for a Day
10. A Boy Too Shy
11. Expiration
12. Her Face

*download it here*

End of Data- Sahrah LP

Posted in 1980s, 1984, art-rock, coldwave, end of data, french, minimal, minimal synth, post-punk on February 8, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

I promise this isn’t intentional anymore, folks, but today’s band also happens to hail from France. It’s a request of sorts from a new reader, and the band is End of Data, a four piece Coldwave outfit who formed in 1983 and split just a few years later. Live setups for the band included ex-members of Tanit and Orchestre Rouge.

The band’s discography consists of two solid records, 1984’s Sahrah and 1985’s Dans Votre Monde. As I’m unable to scour up a copy of the latter in an “acceptable” bitrate (if anyone wants a 128kps rip of the record, holler and I’ll post it), I’ve only uploaded their incredible debut. Alternately, if anyone has a more sufficient copy of said record, feel free to send it my way.

Details:

End of Data- Sahrah LP (1984)
1. End Of Data I & II
2. If I’m Not A Killer
3. Follow Me And So
4. Like A Succession I & II
5. Trottodaf
6. Sahrah / Symphonie Inachevée

*download it here*

During their tenure, the title track ‘Sahrah’ became a slightly prominent club hit, and has since been featured on several coldwave/French wave compilations. They made a video, to boot, and here it is:

Clint Ruin & Lydia Lunch- Stinkfist 12”/(Don’t Fear) the Reaper 12”

Posted in 1987, 1991, clint ruin, foetus, goth-rock, jim thirwell, lydia lunch, post-punk on January 29, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop


Today’s post features two collaborative 12” singles from two of NYC no-wave’s greatest. Clint Ruin (a.k.a. Foetus, Jim Thirwell) and Lydia Lunch (ex-Teenage Jesus and the Jerks) dated a spell in the late eighties/early nineties, and during the scuzz-punk romance of the century, cut two 12” singles. Aside from the covers that grace the second single, the original material is as dissonant and heavy-hitting as each of the pair’s own work.

Details:

Clint Ruin & Lydia Lunch- Stinkfist 12” (1987)
1. Stinkfist

2. Meltdown Oratorio

3. Son of Stink

4. The Crumb*

*feat. Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth on guitar.

Clint Ruin & Lydia Lunch- (Don’t Fear) The Reaper 12” (1991)
1. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper (orig. by Blue Oyster Cult)
2. Clinch
3. Serpentine
4. Why Don’t We Do It In the Road? (orig. by the Beatles)

*download both here*

Zero Le Crêche- Falling 12/7” and Last Year’s Wife 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, 1985, batcave, deathrock, post-punk, uk, zero le creche on January 16, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop


Today’s band is Zero Le Creche, a UK-based post-punk/deathrock outfit whose sound bridged a gap between the catchy drawl of Psychedelic Furs and the atmosphere of Bauhaus. The band appeared during the legendary Batcave era in the Britian’s early 80s scene and released only two singles during their tenure, each with a different singer (the second does resemble the Furs’ Richard Butler a fair amount.) They disbanded lickety-split, and for ages these two singles became sparse and cherished classics. However, there’s recently been rumors of a potential reunion, and the band is releasing both these singles and various outtakes on CD in the very near future.

I’ve uploaded both 1984’s Last Year’s Wife 12” and 1985’s Falling 12” for your listening pleasure. There also exists a 7” version of Last Year’s Wife with a slightly different recording of the title track, so I’ve included that too, to complete their original discography.

Details:

Zero Le Crêche- Last Year’s Wife 12” (1984)
1. Last Year’s Wife (12” version)
2. Women Say
3. Fall to Dust

Zero Le Crêche- Falling 12” (1985)
1. Falling
2. Beyond Westworld
3. Terminal Tracks

*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED* While the band’s website seems to have gone belly up, CD copies of their material are available via Cd Universe. You know what to do.

You can nab a CD-R version of various tracks through the band’s website, though as mentioned above, a proper collection should appear shortly. Here’s the band’s home page, for curious parties:

Zero Le Crêche dot com

7” grab bag

Posted in 1981, 1982, 1983, 7'', Belgian, france, grab bag, minimal, post-punk, synth, uk on January 14, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

A bit of an experiment to kick off the week, as I’ve uploaded four 7” records in one zip file. A few of these artists have next to nothing in their discography, so don’t necessarily justify they’re own unique post or have much information available, but these are excellent releases all the same. A brief blurb about each:

Après Demain- Arpakuutio 7”
1. Arpakuutio
2. Dans La Nuit

Finnish post-punk band, release from 1983. The band sounds like a female-fronted (Dirk Wears White Sox era) Adam & the Ants or a similar sounding Au Pairs, singing entirely in French. Funky, jerky, and abrasive.

Carol & Snowy Red- Breakdown 7”
1. Breakdown
2. So Low

Early Snowy Red release from 1981, collaborating with a mysterious singer named Carol. Smooth sounding minimal synth from Belgium. Though Snowy Red was a one-man project that ceased in 1989, it seems as if the project reactivated in 2004 as a duo for a few select shows in their home country.

Das Kabinette- The Cabinet 7”
1. The Cabinet
2. Fudge It

Synthpop of the classic variety- a three piece band from the UK whose only release was this Cabinet of Dr. Caligari inspired 7” in 1983, a classic slice of energetic wave music. The flip is a remix of the respective A-side.

Martin Dupont- Your Passion 7”
1. Your Passion
2. Lost And Late

First release by French electronic/coldwave act Martin Dupont, from 1982. The three piece band would release three full lengths and one rare cassette before disbanding towards the end of the eighties. The A-side is an atmospheric female/male fronted jam, whilst the flip is an energetic, bass driven electro-punk song, documenting the band’s split personality.

*download all four releases here*

Rema-Rema- Wheel In the Roses EP

Posted in 1980, 1980s, 4ad, adam and the ants, experimental, mass, post-punk, psychic tv, rema-rema, uk, wolfgang press on December 31, 2007 by Frankie Teardrop


Many pardons for the brief break. Many thanks to friends and readers for their support and encouragement this year! For the last post of 2007, I’ve uploaded an old favorite, a more experimental yet classic EP by UK outfit Rema-Rema.

Rema-Rema was a short lived 4AD outfit whose lone EP (4AD’s 5th release) served as a post-punk/experimental classic, and kicked off the careers of several other seminal acts. The band consisted of Marco Pirroni (ex-original Banshee), Gary Asquith, Mick Allen, Mark Cox, and Max. Wheel In the Roses appeared in 1980, a four track EP with one side’s worth of studio tracks and another consisting of live material.

Rema-Rema quickly disbanded, and most of the band’s members found success shortly. Marco Pirroni would join up with Adam & the Ants, Max would become a full time member of Psychic Tv under the name Dorothy, and Asquith, Allen, and Cox would form heavy-handed 4AD act Mass. Upon Mass’ demise, Cox and Allen would form the legendary Wolfgang Press, who became a signature post-punk act throughout the 80s and early 90s. Meanwhile, This Mortal Coil (4AD head Ivo-Watts Russel’s pet project) would recreate ‘Fond Affections’ for their debut record It’ll End in Tears, which featured several contributions by Rema-Rema’s original lineup. Big Black would also cover ‘Rema-Rema’, further cementing the band’s original impact.

Details:

Rema-Rema- Wheel in the Roses EP
1. Feedback Song
2. Rema-Rema
3. Instrumental
4. Fond Affections

DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED- Click here to purchase mp3/FLAC via the 4AD webstore.

Pink Military- Blood & Lipstick 12”/Did You See Her? 7”

Posted in 1979, 1980, 1980s, big in japan, pink military, post-punk, punk on November 29, 2007 by Frankie Teardrop

Today’s band rose from the ashes of short lived and seminal anarcho-punk band Big In Japan. Following their breakup in 1978, vocalist Jayne Casey formed post-punk outfit Pink Military.

Originally named Pink Military Stand Alone, the outfit focused on dance rhythms under a somewhat thrashy and hypnotic post-punk aesthetic. The band’s output consists of a few lone 12” releases and one full length record, 1980’s Do Animals Believe in God?. Though the core members of the group were Jayne Casey and guitar/keyboardist Nicky Cool, the band would revolve through a few different lineups before disbanding shortly after their full length saw the light of day. Jayne would continue on with another string of collaborators under the name Pink Industry, which was much more of a minimal electro project.

For your listening pleasure, I’ve uploaded two single releases…Both the 1979 Blood & Lipstick 12” and the slightly later Did You See Her? 7”.

Details:

Blood & Lipstick 12” (1979)
1. Spellbound
2. Blood and Lipstick
3. Clowntown
4. I Cry

Did You See Her? 7”: (1980)
1. Did You See Her?
2. Every Day

*download both here*

Rhythm and Faith- Time to Run 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1983, goth, goth-rock, ice the falling rain, post-punk, rhythm and faith, uk on November 20, 2007 by Frankie Teardrop

Today’s post is on one-shot UK act Rhythm & Faith. Another sparsely documented act, this female-fronted goth-rock band released but one 12” single in 1983 on Future Records, an offshoot of seminal punk label No Future (also home to early incarnations of And Also the Trees and Christian Death). One of the tracks from this 12” also appears on the killer The Invisible Frame compilation, which also features Ice the Falling Rain, Two, and Blitz.

The roots of Rhythm and Faith date back to 1980. Anna and Stefano originally played in a similar band in Italy called Style Sindrome. That band released one track on the legendary Gathered compilation before splitting. Anna and Stefano relocated from Rome to London in 1982, forming this band in the process. Style Sindrome’s other recorded material wouldn’t see the light of day until a reissue in 2012.

Rhythm and Faith’s sound is very reminiscent of Juju-era Siouxsie & the Banshees, so fans may want to especially check this one out.

Rhythm & Faith- Time To Run 12”
1. Time to Run
2. Young Too Young Girl
3. When the Wind Blows Love Will Die
4. Illusions

*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 8.17.17)

Starting tomorrow, I’ll be off and away for the holidays, so expect some more treats early next week!