Robert Rental - "Solo Works 1978-1980" (Self Released/Regular/Mute)

Robert Rental, (I'm devastated that that wasn't his real sir name!) made unheralded electronic DIY at the very beginning of the Synth revolution in 1978, and died relatively young and releatively unknown and forgotten. You don't see miserable youth's wearing Robert Rental T-shirts moping around on street corners,whilest listening to "Live at west Runton Pavillion" on their iPod mini's, do you|? Why?......do you really want me to answer that?
He mainly stuck to collaborative efforts with scotch Buddy Thomas Leer,or The Normal.Only releasing two singles and a self released cassette (Mental Detentions) in his short and obscure career.
The very DIY single "Paralysis"(1978) is a wobbly, processed, after the pub kind of  understated bedroom classic; as is the B-side "ACC", both including some almost competent disco guitar strumming.
The legendary "Mental Detentions" cassette (1979), contains a far more exploratory electronic set, betraying a krautrock/kosmiche influence in glorious lo-fi.A dark and mysterious collection of intriguing instrumentals. 
The "Double Heart" single is the weakest thing here, surrounded by Mute label starlets,its some kind of attempt to make a pop record,but thankfully fails.Still a strange beast, which sounds a bit like three different tunes playing at the same  time, with Rentals weak wobbly vocals atop.
Robert Donnacie was heard from no more after 1980.This is how a career in pop should be.
(check out "The Bridge" with Thomas Leer Here; and "Live at West Runton Pavillion" with Daniel 'The Normal' Miller Here)

Track Listing:

Paralysis (Regular Records) 1978:

1- Paralysis
2- ACC

Mental Detentions (Self Released cassette) 1979

Tracklist

A1	Untitled
A2	Untitled
A3	Untitled
B1	Untitled
B2	Untitled
B3	Untitled
B4	Untitled
B5	Untitled

Double Heart (Mute 010) 1980

1- Double Heart
2- On Location

DOWNLOAD the lot HERE!

THOMAS LEER AND ROBERT RENTAL – “The Bridge” (Industrial Records IR0007) 1979

What made electronic music from 1978 to 1983 so great was the restrictions. It was minimal out of necessity, monophonic because only Tangerine Dream and other Germans could afford polyphonic synthesisers. This fit in with the ethics of the time, and especially with Industrial Records, no chords, no Rock’n’Roll. Once technology became more affordable, we got crap like Howard Jones, Pet Shop Boys and Thomas Leers “Contradictions” album. Robert Rental (R.I.P.!)had the foresight to disappear after this album, doing what many artists fail to do on so many occasions , that is, ‘Going out on a high’.(except when enforced by unavoidable interventions like choking on ones own vomit or suchlike!) Recorded on the infamous Industrial Records eight track recorder (no, not those tape players which became the truckers weapon of choice in the early 70’s, but the reel to reel variety), which was kindly lent to our intrepid duo by the lovely Genesis P. Orridge. The result was a minimal wave classic, up there with Gary Numan’s “Pleasure Principle” and John Foxx’s “Metamatic”, but maybe a little more left field, and lacking an obvious hit single. The nearest being the opening track, “Attack Decay” (mp3 sample-click here!).The majority of side two is very much a homage to the enviably great Eno, with some creepy ambient numbers, nailing the coffin firmly shut from the evil clutches of commerciality, Forever!...... Let’s not sell-out to the ‘man’ boys.....very good.

Tracklist:

1. "Attack Decay" - 3:45
2. "Monochrome Day" - 4:02
3. "Day Breaks, Night Heals" - 4:03
4. "Connotations" - 4:05
5. "Fade Away" - 6:25
6. "Interferon" - 7:58
7. "Six A.M." - 3:12
8. "The Hard Way In & The Easy Way Out" - 4:44
9. "Perpetual" - 5:05

DOWNLOAD THE BRIDGE HERE!

ROBERT RENTAL AND THE NORMAL – “Live at West Runton Pavillion 6-3-1979“ (Rough Trade ROUGH 17) 1980

The Normal , aka Daniel Miller, Mute Records impresario, and the genius behind the “Warm Leatherette/TVOD” single mentioned earlier in this blog; teams up with Robert Rental, aka Robert Rental, genius behind the great “Paralysis” single also mentioned earlier in this blog. Wait, it gets weirder, as they played and recorded a live performance in the West Runton Pavillion???? Where the Hell is West Runton? I’m not sure I want to know, it may ruin my fantasy of Robert Rental and The Normal playing avant garde electronic music to the West Runton Octanegerian Knitting and Glee club in some broken down pier theatre in a forgotten seaside town in Kent.

And the icing on this very special cake is completed by its release on one-sided vinyl; side two was smooth and grooveless.....a bit like Brian Ferry.

What were guaranteed to bring out the contempt of the beer swilling Status Quo loving general public were less than three persons on a stage with no guitars or drums in sight. Suicide had made brave advances into no-mans land with their support slot for the Clash European tour in 1978. Frequently being bottled off stage after ten minutes, usually half way through “Frankie Teardrop” (they don’t like being confronted with the truth don’t the ‘Rock’ audience!), an occurrence documented on the great bootleg “23 minutes over Brussels”, supporting Elvis (Costello).

Though one doubts Robert and Daniel were anywhere near as confrontational as Alan Vega, the music alone could make the average ‘Punk’ implode with rage! I’ve never understood this reaction, having pigeon-holed myself as a ‘Punk’ at the time. I think I may have grabbed the wrong end of the stick or something, ‘cus I thought that the attitude of records like this WAS ‘Punk’. Stuff I thought were ‘Punk Rock’ are now labelled things like Post-Punk, Minimal Wave, Cold Wave, Industrial etc..etc. And Punk rock is something very Stupid, in a Leather jacket, with UK Subs spelled out in studs on the rear, and topped off with a Mo-fucking-hican (or if you’re American Mo-fucking-hawk!).

Back to the record!..... Minimal electronics, doubtlessly backed up by pre-prepared tapes played in full view on a Revox B-77 (how honest is that?). There are even some slightly unhinged vocals from, I assume, Robert Rental. This is the golden age of electronic music, before everything became possible, and as a result too many choices leads to shit music; by 1984 it was all over, and electric guitars began to regain lost ground again. But we do still have the recorded proof that synthesisers were once exciting and creative instruments; see “The Pleasure Principle”, “Metamatic”, “ The Bridge” and this one-sided slice of history.

DOWNLOAD a taste of downtown west runton  HERE!