Saturday 29 August 2015

The Cardiacs ‎– "The Seaside" (Alphabet ‎– ALPH 0001) 1983


Is this the only cassette with a Sea side, geddit? I'm almost as clever as The Cardiacs? ie too clever by 'arf.
This is a polished up version of early Cardiacs herky jerky time signature shifting alternative showbiz tunes. Containing the definitive version of "Is This The Life"; Ironically the least complicated tune they did,and predictably their 'Hit'......top ten I believe?

Tracklist:

A1Jibber And Twitch
A2Gina Lolla Brigida
A3Hello Mr Sparrow
A4Its A Lovely Day
A5A Wooden Fish On Wheels
A6Nurses Whispering Verses
B1Is This The Life
B2A Little Man And A House
B3Hope Day
B4Dinner Time
B5Ice A Spot And A Dot On The Dog
B6R.E.S.
B7To Go Off And Things

DOWNLOAD into the sea HERE!

Friday 28 August 2015

The Cardiacs - "Toy World" (Self-released C-60) 1981



More 'Pronk', or more accurately , more Post-Punk in a style originated by XTC and Talking Heads. Nevertheless a rather interesting,well constructed tour around various rock time signatures ,littered with a smattering of dysfunctional melodies.
I am informed that The Cardiacs actually got in the charts once in the mid-eighties(1988),with a polished up version of track 4 on side B, "Is This The Life?"; and what a stadium anthem it is too. I could just imagine Bono's mullet and pixie boots doing a fairy dance on the monitors while The Edge chopped out these er....anthemic chords, at Live Aid. But, alas no, we got "I Will Follow",which was around,strangely at the same time as this monster.The difference being that U2 are now wanted for crimes against humanity and The Cardiacs are forgotten. Another glaring difference is that the Cardiacs did a good line in Spazz dancing, whereas,we all know what kind of abysmal pixie dance Boner used to do during 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'......style bypass = success apparently. 

Message to Cardiacs obsessives;
I'm saying that I think The Cardiacs are quite GOOD, and not implying that they are a poor man's U2,and are probably at least the equals of XTC. So no trolling plz?
(Aww that nasty man didn't like my favourite pop/pronk group!?)


Tracklist:

A1Aukamacic
A2Over (Outtake)
A3Icky Qualms
A4Over + Over + Over + Over
A5Dead Mouse
A6A Big Noise In A Toy World
A7Trademark
B1Scratching Crawling Scrawling
B2As Cold As Can Be In An English Sea
B3...Verses (Outtake)
B4Is This The Life?
B5Nurses Whispering Verses
B6A Time For Rejoicing

DOWNLOAD the joy of a toy HERE!

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Cardiac Arrest - " The Obvious Identity"(cassette) 1980 + "A Bus For A Bus On The Bus"(EP) 1979



I dunno if it was the head trauma I suffered during my recent much publicised car accident, but I've found myself listening to The Cardiac's a lot,and actually liking them. Previously, I found them tiresomely over-clever,trying too hard to be quirky,and more than a tad irritating.Post brain injury, I now love them!? But, above all, I love the Cardiacs when they were called Cardiac Arrest.
I had a Brain scan, and they told me that despite my memory loss,my brain appeared 'Normal', contrary to previous observations from other, unqualified, sources. They (the 'experts'),never warned me that I would have an insatiable desire to listen to The Cardiac's,but I do?!
Some cheeky chappies have referred to this music as "Pronk"(a melange of Punk and Prog!),as an attempt to elevate this group to a 'special' place inhabited by the quirky undefinable's like Sun Ra and The Residents etc.....this is pure shite of course. This is no more progressive than the whole of the post-punk scene,which was in fact nothing more than a prog revival in short song format,without the solo's or sparkling capes.(I never understood what was actually wrong with a good sparkling cape?) 
If the Cardiac's were the only band that appeared to mix prog and punk together, then what was XTC,Magazine, Talking Heads, and countless other 'Pronk' bands?......Post-punk will do nicely thank you.
Yes it's all very 'clever',and complex,in a herky-jerky kind of way.
This era of the bands progression showcases a  jagged edge that later incarnations hid away too much.
I'll keep taking the pills,and maybe one day i'll hate them again?...but for now.......


"The Obvious Identity" Tracklist:

A1The Obvious Identity2:11
A2Visiting Hours4:50
A3Pip As Uncle Dick But Peter Spoilt It4:35
A4To Go Off And Things2:25
A5Rock Around The Clock1:53
A6Leaf Scrapings3:13
B1A Game For Bertie's Party7:02
B2Cameras1:02
B3Bite 3/a2:37
B4Pilf3:22
B5Let Alone My Plastic Doll4:06
B6A Balloon For Bertie's Party8:02


EP Tracklist:

AA Bus For A Bus On The Bus4:33
B1A Cake For Bertie's Party3:10
B2Food On The Wall

DOWNLOAD this heartily arresting early incarnation HERE!

Monday 24 August 2015

Esmectatons - "Bene Gesserit Science" (Year Zero Records YEAR034) 2015

Ah yes, Brazil, home to the mellow vibes of the Bossa Nova beat,scantily clad girls from Ipanema playing beach volleyball,immense shanty towns, showboating footballers,and the intense cultured prog noise of Esmectatons? 
This reminds one of the kind of European improv prog band from Bravaria  that you find on that list included with Nurse With Wounds first album.The  honking squealing of saxophones surf on a whitewater tumult of Swirling noise,and improvised drumming that just keeps its head above the surface.
There is more to Brazil than disappearing rain-forests and poncy footballers; Germany may have beaten them 7-1 in the last world cup,but now they are doing what our favourite disciplinarians did best in 1972, progressive improvised avant rock.
Somebody described this (from memory) as 'Post Everything Progressive Noise',with which I wholly concur!......and ,yes,as if you didn't guess,this is the sound of modern Brazil! 

Track Listing:

01 A Place Where Dreams Come From
02 Hypnerotomachia Poliphili or Poliphilo's Strife of Love in a Dream

DOWNLOAD it scientifically HERE!

Saturday 22 August 2015

Public Image Limited - "New York Ritz,15/05/1981" (Bootleg)

The infamous 'Riot' show at the Ritz theatre,which involved the remaining members of PiL mark one,augmented by 60 year old jazzer Sammy Ulano the drummer,and Jeanette Lee, performing,or not, behind an opaque video screen.
The ultimate in lazy, contemptuous, 'Bad Attitude' performance from the ultimate 'Bad Attitude' band.
For the full story check it out here.

Tracks:

1- Flowers Of Romance (Recorded Version)
2- Instrumental 
3- Four Enclosed Walls 
4- There's A Hole In My Heart
5- Go Back
6- Band Introductions... 
7- Go Back 
8- Happiness...

DOWNLOAD your very own riot HERE!

Friday 21 August 2015

Public Image Limited - "Russell Club,Manchester,18th June,1979" (bootleg)

One of the first gigs to feature a standing Jah wobble,arranged at short notice after appearing on Granada TV. Tony Wilson being the producer of the programme,and known to put on nights at the Russell Club,aka 'The Factory'; was asked by Lydon if  he 'still had that club of (his)',and they 'might as well do a gig then'!
Through word of mouth alone a decent crowd turned up,and A Certain ratio supported.
The 'new' drummer,referred to throughout the performance was one Richard Dudanski,late of the pub rock legends, the 101er's.
A good quality soundboard recording of a very rare PiL appearance in 1979.

Track listing:

1. Chant
2. Death Disco
3. Memories
4. Public Image  [False Start #1]
5. Public Image  [False Start #2]
6. Public Image
7. Annalisa
8. No Birds Do Sing


download it HERE!

Wednesday 19 August 2015

Public Image Limited - "Live,Rainbow Theatre 12-26-1978" (Bootleg)

This gig already exists earlier on this blog,in a much inferior form.So you can read the blurb for that ,and this HERE!
This version is a much improved version sound quality wise.

Anyone got the mythical christmas day appearance on bootleg?

Track Listing:

1 Theme
2 Low life
3 Belsen was a Gas
4 Annalisa
5 Public Image
6 Sod In Heaven
7 Attack
8 Public Image (Encore)

DOWNLOAD a pil for a boxing day hangover cure HERE!

Wednesday 12 August 2015

Public Image Limited - "Theatre 140, Bruxelles, 20/12/1978" (Live Bootleg)

Hi kids, they've let me out of Hospital now,so i will continue my recuperation with a PiL to cure all ills.......yes, more PiL.The perfect pop group. 
What was really unique about PiL, was that they were one of the very few pop groups who had the opportunity to unleash uncompromising and challenging music to a mass audience.Very few pop stars have had the intelligence and power,or the guts, to use their position to unfurl such a monster of avant rock as Public Image Limited. We've had the "Tomorrow Never Knows" era Beatles, maybe bits of Bob Dylan, but nothing really matched PiL performing "Death Disco" on Top of The Pops. A cacophonous scream of anguish and grief beamed into 12million living rooms at dinner time; this will never happen again. 
Another thing I loved about this band is that they never looked like they wanted to be in any kind of group,or even be here at all.An admirable bad attitude,probably the worst attitude in pop history.No intelligent human being should ever want to be the public's performing monkeys......something John Lydon is now very good at;but we can forgive him that for he burnt so brightly,that his star burnt out completely around 1982.
This performance was the second set of the day from PiL's first ever live appearance,and one of only four the original line-up did,so god knows what the audience were expecting to see?Most of them wanted The Sex Pistols mark 2,but for the most part seem relatively appreciative.
We also get to hear two attempts at "The Cowboy Song" ,which quickly disappeared from the set after this.

Tracklist:

1-Soundcheck 1
2-Soundcheck 2
3-Theme
4-Belsen was a Gas
5-Low Life
6-Sod In Heaven
7-Attack
8-Cowboy Song 1
9-Cowboy Song 2
10-Public Image(instrumental)

DOWNLOAD some aural pharmaceuticals HERE! 

Monday 10 August 2015

PiL :“Public Image Limited,Live at Le Stadium,Paris 22/12/1978” (Bootleg)

As you may,or may not have noticed,I have been conspicuous by my absence of late. This is largely due to me and my daughter being the victims of a near death car smash on a French auto-route approaching Normandie. Landing on its roof my car spun upside down,with your author still belted and bleeding in the drivers seat. Miraculously,my daughter escaped almost unharmed through the window,as did my unsecured Dog! Alas, I only suffered,a collapsed lung,three broken ribs, one smashed into three bits,a broken collar bone, broken nose,two black eyes, eight stitches worth of gashed forehead and brow,and various minor cuts and bruises. I write this Morphine fueled nonsense from some French Hospital in Abbeville,where I can't seem to get out of until my Lung is fully recovered .I'm chewing my arms off in between bouts of 'Stockholm Syndrome'.It's very much like being kidnapped. And the best bit is,my daughter is not covered insurance wise and its only costing me 800euro's a day to stay here.
The cops(who kindly refer to me as the 'Victim') have recovered most of my stuff,and brought it to me,including my lap-top,so I can alleviate the crushing boredom by writing something for Die or DIY?
The theme has to be vaguely French,but most French music is either profoundly Naff or pretentious beyond normal decency. What better excuse is there to listen to my favourite pop group than this?:
Public Image Limited,Live at Le Stadium,Paris 22/12/1978”
(Avec 'Johnny Rotten',it says on the ticket,and it cost 30 Francs,also know as three quid in proper money,bonne affaire!)
This may have been their second or third live show, and one could only imagine the proportions of estrangement achieved by the crowd splitting squeals of “Theme”.The definitive anti-pop manifesto,and best ever opening album track ever made? You can feel the relief when the vaguely 'Punky' Low-life follows it in the set list to stop some of the attendees from running for the metro.
Although this is an audience recording,its surprisingly listenable,with all instruments and voice sitting equally in the mix,along with some amusing French banter from the audience also features the only time they played “Problems”;a cover version apparently?
This stuff is not so much Do It yourself music,it's Do What You Like music,and something that has no real equivalents,remaining totally unique up to today and beyond.

Track Listing:

1 – Theme (12:21)
2 – Low life (4:51)
3 – Annalisa (9:07)
4 – Sod in Heaven (4:59)
5 – Public Image (3:59)
6 – Belsen Was A Gas. (4:21)
7 – Attack (3:25)
8 – Problems(4:00)
9 – Public Image (Encore) (3:02)
10- Annalisa (Encore) (7:41)