The 49 Americans ‎– "Too Young To Be Ideal!" (Choo Choo Train Records ‎– CHUG 2) 1980

Blimey! In the space of less than a year the next 49 Americans EP cost a whole One Pound and fourteen new pence more than the first one. Now's thats galloping inflation on a Zimbabwean scale!?

And what do you get for your extra expenditure? 

A lousy extra six minutes of The 49 Americans in action!

The cover states that this is a Twelve-Inch Single......so its the extra five inches of plastic that gets the blame for the increase in entry fees is it? And I thought these guys were a bunch of communists?

Can't trust anyone these days,even back in the 1980's it seems?

Well before Facebook and post-truth we had Post-Punk.So if we applied the same criteria as applied to alternative facts, that means that Post-Punk is actually Punk that wasn't Punk......it's all so clear to me now.At the time I thught all Punk was Punk,and that, there being a time when the term Post-Punk had yet to be coined,I thought stuff like Gang Of Four, The Pop Group,and Wire were actually 'Punk'.Then some bright spark Journalist,either Jon Savage or Paul Morely, came up with this pigeon hole around 1980-ish,meaning bands who didn't sound like The Ramones or look like The UK Subs;when before the term used to mean everything after 1976.

The first genuinely Post-Punk bands were stuff like Siouxsie and The Banshees,Wire,and PiL;but bizarrely there were Post-Punk bands before Punk too,like Pere Ubu,and Talking Heads...proto-post-punk anyone?

This is the true spirit of Punk Wok, moving forward,striving to be an individual,and not being a UK Sub doing 'Stranglehold' for the upteenth time in your seventies.

Punk Wok is The 49 Americans,doing it yourself,and not copying the Womones and the Thex Pithtols, that's....Wunk Pock.....as in the last post I used a 'Palindrome'event,now is the chance for me to use a Spoonerism.....and I'll do it again,watch....Wunk Pock. Ta Daaah!

I'm too old to be an Idealist!

Tracklist:

A1 Theme
A2 Woe Ballad
A3 Yucky Nightclub Job
A4 Love At First Sight
A5 Don't Sing The Blues
B1 I'll Make You A Star
B2 Love Has Solved My Problems
B3 Successful Wonder Glory / Success Turns Sour
B4 Big Decision
B5 Should Be More Ideal

DOWNLOAD the lost ideals of youth HERE!

The 49 Americans ‎– "The Hit Album" (NB Records ‎– NB 4) 1980

Radio Free Europe may have asserted that 'All Americans Are The Same', but there were at least 49 of their compatriots who were certainly NOT the same......mainly because 48 of them were made of pasty faced English wimps,the types who'd get sand kicked in their collective faces by those real American boys who all look like Henry Rollins, while berating them as a bunch of Fags. Which of course, in England-land is a packet of Cigarettes,or ciggies. 'Fag' was also a Public School term,used by the sixth form,for their 1st year servant boy,who would invariably end up being abused violently and sexually by their adolescent masters. ...."Come here Blenkensopp,I'm going to give you a damn good bumming,you snivelling little Turd!"

This is what the British Empire was built on,alongside Tea, and a leaky raft of 'Good Intentions';and we all know the road to hell is paved with these good intentions"(C.S.Lewis)...don't we? 

A deadly accurate portrayal of British Public school life can be viewed here,Episode 1 of "Ripping Yarns"...."Tompkinson's School Days"

Using Rape as a weapon is the time honoured way of creating generation after generation of traumatized and suggestable future leaders.Most of the British Govenment have been through it....I mean just look at Boris Johnson!?......its a system that seems to work,keeping everything just fucked up enough to function, yet dangle a distant unattainable carrot of hope to aspire to,dangling on the far side of the pit of dispair. I'd love to know for whom Johnson fagged for at Eton,he does,after all come from 'New Money',so he probably got an extra special bumming in the 'Boot Room' at Eaton.

You Americans don't know how good you've got it....yep, it's that bad!

The 49 Americans were recruited from the J-Arthur ranks of the London Musicians Collective by the sole American in the group, ex-pat Andrew "Giblet" Brenner.This included such improv luminaries as David Toop, Steve Beresford, Max Eastley, Lol Coxhill and Peter Cusack, as well as Nag and Bendle of The Door And The Window ,Vivien Goldman and 'Slit' Viv Albertine (I somehow doubt that her time with 49 Americans will make it into the proposed cinema biopic of her life).

This amateurish, no-fi, non-pop...er...pop(?), is about as far as one can get from a standard rollicking,rocking,or Rawking, American Group as you can get.All that for 85 new-pence,with each mini-symphony lasting 58 seconds, which is a numerical palindrome of 85.Those krazzee kidz!

Tracklist:

U.S.A. Side:
A1 American Wonder Song 0:58
A2 Newton's Law's 0:58
A3 What We Want 0:58
A4 Gail Was A Victim 0:58
A5 Move Around All Day 0:58
A6 Is This Rock And Roll? 0:58
A7 Julie Andrews (A Tribute) 0:58
U.S.B Side:
B1 One Germ 0:58
B2 Intelectuals On Parade 0:58
B3 Pigs 0:58
B4 The Uncertainty Principle 0:58
B5 Architecture Stops 0:58
B6 Missionairies 0:58
B7 Stupid Boy 0:58

DOWNLOAD all the hits HERE!

Bendle / Dustdevil and Crow - "Discography" (2008-2013)

1. 
   jesus
2. 
   accidental music
   dustdevil & crow
3. 
   ...and chuang tzu dreamed that he was me
   dustdevil & crow
4. 
   while speaking softly you can hear the insects sing
   dustdevil & crow
5. 
   while walking slowly you can see the grasses grow
   dustdevil & crow
6. 
   tattered tongues 
   
   
7. Well,as we have been posting all thing Bendle related for the last week or so,its only fitting to remind y'all that the great man is still at it today,mainly with the Experimental ambient metal Neo-folk psych digital doo wop drone hybrid combo, Dustdevil and Crow.
8. So, pop along ,via the approved links above to the relevant Bandcamp page and download his complete oeuvre,for any price you care to volunteer,including nought pounds. I'm sure he's worth donating few quid to after all these years of hovering under the radar of the counter culture?
9. BENDLES BANDCAMP LINK  where you'll find even more stuff.

The 49 Americans ‎– "E Pluribus Unum" (Choo Choo Train Records ‎– CHUG 1) 1980

DIY, Avant garde underground,post punk sooper groop, the 49 Americans consisted of 1 american and at least 48 collaborators of UK origin(some of whom apparently never met each other!). A 'Pop' version of Gavin Bryars Portsmouth Symphonia,where largely every member plays an instrument he/she isn't too comfortable with,frequently swapping around after each twee tune. At least one member ,David Toop, was in both collectives.

There is a bizarre 'prog' influence ,with a UK DIY version of a Rick Wakeman prog opera on side two, complete with Knights of old,and jesters. DIY's only concept album,and one of thee definitive records of DIY culture.

(apparently this has been reissued with bonus tracks)

Tracklist:

A1	Beat Up Russians
A2	That Man
A3	Involved In Local Chaos
A4	Doubt
A5	Edible
A6	Should Be More Ideal
A7	All The Fun
A8	Sounds Like Ska
A9	Architecture Stops
A10	Don't Sing The Blues
A11	Heritage
A12	Pledge Of Allegiance
	The Musical
B1	Overture
B2	Song Of The Peasants (Chief Peasant)
B3	Tralala (Eldest Prince)
B4	Dragon Eating Peasants Instr.
B5	I Don't Want (Royal Children)
B6	Let Yourself Go (Impulsive Knight)
B7	Digestion Instr.
B8	Fairy Tale (King)
B9	What You Need (Equipped Knight)
B10	Digestion Instr.
B11	Intellectual Yodel (Theoretical Knight)
B12	Pain In The Belly (Friendly Knight)
B13	Digestion Instr.
B14	Ha Ha Ha (Jester)
B15	Aye, There's The Battle (Dreamy Knight)
B16	Digestion Instr.
B17	Yodel Again (Theoretical Knight)
B18	Digestion Instr.
B19	Fairy Tale (Reprise) (King)
B20	Contradictions - The Finale (Jester)

DOWNLOAD to become the fiftieth american HERE!

Hent Petty Glock ‎– "Pent Hetty Gloch" ( E.T.C. ‎– E.T.C. 003) 1984

By any other name this is The Casual Labourers (redux),as it opens with The Casual Labourers' recording of "A Lapse is Due",and a few other tunes credited to them,and Bendle;there's even a Door and the Window tune. A Bendle supergroup? Classic anti-commercial name change made sure this wasn't gonna earn a gold record from E.T.C. records,in fact one isn't too sure which spelling on the insert is the band and which is the title of the album. Sound wise,its a fairly expected mixture of The Door and the Window,Casual Labourers, and the 49 Americans......and a whole lot of Bendle. Do not file under Rock!

Tracklist

A1	A Lapse Is Due
A2	Waiting For A Certain Set Of Rules
A3	Stepping Out Of Worry Town
A4	Narziss + Goldmund
A5	Jack Bishop Imitators
A6a	Skips
A6b	Feeding The Cat
A6c	More Glock (Wedding)
B1	Badger + Squirrel
B2	What Will They Do To The Isle Of Dogs?
B3	Several Painted Pages From My Analytical Journal

DOWNLOAD some digitized glock HERE!

Bendle And The Casual Labourers ‎– "Optimism/Squirrel/Absurd" (self-released cassette) 1981

 Bendle's (the door and the window) more tuneful project,with shades of proto-indie to the fore, otherwise known as the Casual Labourers. Casual it certainly is,and the Labour probably refers to the extra effort put in to the songs. A hint of musical competence is prevalent throughout,but doesn't detract from the,still present, child like stream of consciousness-ness of Bendles better works.Lovingly produced by Kif Kif at the legendary Street Level studios.Another UK DIY milestone.
Check out Bendles Bandcamp page here!

Tracklist:

A1	Empty
A2	Pokerville
A3	The Ways And The Walls
A4	Masks
A5	The Next Step
A6	Movement In M
A7	Red Squirrel
B1	Moment
B2	Faces
B3	Untitled
B4	Eana's Returning
B5	Grey Squirrel

DOWNLOAD casually HERE!

The Door And The Window ‎–"Dr. Egg - Live Recordings Of The Door And The Window 1983-1987"(self released cd-r) 2003

Of course you've probably already got this,but if not, these live tracks include better quality versions of some of the tracks from "Squeakybop Jugband", plus other unheard live appearences from as late as 1987!
Apparently you can get this for nowt at Bendles Bandcamp site,hidden amongst his more recent works, but you can download it here if you can't be arsed to go there. Naturally its a jolly wheeze,and well worth taking into yer ol' shell-likes.

Tracklist

1	Valerian	2:21
2	World / Wall / Wineglass	3:11
3	Green Blob	6:22
4	We Are The People	3:39
5	Shark	1:59
6	We Are The Other People	1:57
7	Besancon	4:07
8	Redjumper	2:56
9	Rain	4:25
10	Rainbow Coloured Dreams	3:14
11	Bedlam	5:24
12	Red Sash	9:24
13	Ship	1:55
14	We're Better Than	5:35
15	One Time In Rome	3:37

DOWNLOAD some dr. eggs for your dr. bacon HERE!

The Door and the Window - "Squeakybop Jugband" (Conventional Tapes) 1983

Well, it has to be The Door and the Window time again,surely? One of the godparents of UK DIY,who's name is synonymous with everything DIY in the UK from the end of punk rock into the 1980's.
You've got it all here, improvisation, faux-naivety, actual naivety, child like musical ability, shit-fi recording, almost total lack of ambition, a sense of humour,and that essential Picasso angle on pop music. Featuring the core members Bendle and Nag, with appearences from Protag (RIP) in various guises, and several other affiliate members. This is as far away from Meat Loaf as you can imagine......but then of course you are familiar with the works of TDATW?.......if not why the fuck not?......Change this immeadiately.....they're "better than Jesus" (quote from "We're Better Than...." just,in case you wanna start burning something).

PS..thanks be to Nigel Bendle for donating this tape.(Yes he's a close relative of the other Bendle.)Check out his website: steelcitystatic.wordpress.com

Track Listing:

1 We are the people
2 Lionel the tramp
3 Riff
4 Lionel the metaphor
5 Red sash
6 Cars bang
7 4/4 Car
8 Everything is falling apart
9 Green Blob
10 Boys/Girls/Wineglass
11 The architect
12 We're better than......
13 Hope Resides
14 we are the people too

DOWNLOAD the squeakybop 320k  mp3 files HERE!

Various Artists ‎– "What Happens When We Sing A Song?" (Music For Midgets/ LMU ‎– M.F.M.14 / Free 001) 1980

The Glitteratti ,or, the Shiteratti, of the London Musicians union take us through the paces of their roughly hewn semi-improv styles, for free,on this free cassette of live recordings of free music.

The london Musicians Union, was the UK capital's equivalent of the Manchester Musicians Collective, and The los Angeles Free Music Society.

And what an array of UK DIY prime movers we have captured on tape; The Door and the Window, David Toop, Bendle, nag,Giblet,Mark Perry, Dennis Burns,and much more; definitely not available in shops.

Worth the zero pence price of admission alone, are the two exclusive tracks from ATV's Mark Perry, which were probably improvised specially for this performance.

A sense of humour is always present with any UK DIY release, a proud national trait, and its most evident with Nag's ,unrecognisable,solo covers of “Oh Bondage! Up Yours” and “Why Don't We Do It In The Road?”. Mischievously slaying two sacred cows with one performance, The Sixties and the New Wave. Rip it up and start again, in practice.

As it says on the cover:

"This Tape may be copied,swapped,or sold(at cost price) by anyone."

Now in 320kbps lo-fi hi-fidelity!

Tracklist:

A1	–Door And The Window	Pokerville
A2	–Nag	Why Don't We Do It In The Road?
A3	–Nag	On Bondage Up Yours
A4	–Casual Labourers	Eanna's Returning
A5	–Casual Labourers	Out Of Control
A6	–Casual Labourers	Something From Nothing
B1	–Mark Perry	Death Looks Down
B2	–Mark Perry	Sound Of Music
B3	–Mark Perry	Sorrow Cried Blood
B4	–Door And The Window	Lust
B5	–Door And The Window	Swinga

Find out what happens when we download a song HERE!

Various Artists - " The WEIRD NOISE E.P." (Fuck Off Records FEP 001) 1980

This is the record that really sucked.....(not 'sucked'!)..... me into the vortex of the glamorous and frightening world of the U.K. d.i.y. scene, which began roughly with a "Spiral Stratch" (Buzzcocks) and then got philosophised by some Desperate Bicycles in 1977; "It was easy,It was Cheap,Go and do it!".
(It was only 60p, so i went and bought it.Best 60p i ever spent).
This slogan was taken on board by a vast legion of bedroom dwellers across the land ,frustrated by their lack of ability to play or afford the mega expensive Gibsons and fenders played by so-called "punks" like Strummer and Steve Jones. The Sex Pistols had become another untouchable Rock Groop which the average kid had no chance of emanating.
The answer? Simple, buy that cheep organ from the junk shop instead of an American guitar. Plastic bins,cardboard boxes and tin cans replace the drum kit. That crap mono cassette recorder can be your recording studio, and then you can start your own record label and advertise in Sounds or the NME's D.I.Y. corner.
This was/is the REAL punk.
The EMI of the genre was of course Kif KIf le Batteur's profoundly titled FUCK OFF RECORDS, and his Street Level recording studio was the Abbey Road of ,what they regularly referred to as the "Weird Noise " scene. Hence the title of Fuck Off records first vinyl release from 1980, The "Weird Noise E.P". This collected a few of cassette culture's leading lights together in one 33rpm 7 inch diameter work of art, worthy of display in place of the mona lisa in the louvre of D.I.Y.
It contains my personal favourite tune from the genre by the untouchable Danny and the Dressmakers, the fantastic "(Don't make another Bass Guitar) Mr. Rickenbacker". That closes Side Awful, side Bad, I assume is the B-side? Although conventions like side A and B rarely existed in this basement world.
Danny and the Dressmakers included Graham Massey ,of 808 state fame, and Alan Hempsall of Crispy Ambulance, amongst their other more dubious side projects( some dodgy prog included).
We also have those blues masters of the Humber delta themselves, The Instant Automatons, who headed the prolific cassette label Deleted Records. Fuck Off Records chief rivals, but we were all friends in the world of DIY, had morals etc.
Also featured are Kif Kif's (Keith Dobson) 012, which featured members of Hippy improv combo Here and Now.

SIDE A
1 The Door And The Window - The Number One Entertainer (3:39)
2 Danny And The Dressmakers - Legalize Vimto (3:33)
3 Danny And The Dressmakers - Hey Ho Hey Ho My Cholestrol Level Is Low {0:25)
4 Instant Automatons - Electronic Music (3:10)
5 Danny And The Dressmakers - Don't Make Another Bassguitar Mr Rickenbaker (2:05)

SIDE B
1 The 012 - Fish From Tahiti (4:02)
2 Danny And The Dressmakers - Cathy And Claire (1:42)
3 The Sell-Outs - The Ballad Of Fuck Off Records (3:17)
4 Danny And The Dressmakers - The Truth About Unemployment (0:07)

Sleeve notes: "The Sell-Outs, The 012, The Door + The Window, and The Instant Automatons recorded at home on 4 track and 2 track tape machines. Danny + the Dressmakers get that unique "Dressmakers white noise" effect with 3rd generation cassette recordings. Whole thing got together by Kif Kif, Nag, Bendle and Protag and dedicated to the Street Level organisation. 60p maximum price."

Download this black slab of hissy ineptitudinal majesty HERE!!!!!!!!!

Mark Perry - "Snappy Turns" (Deptford Fun City 1980)

The fabled 'solo' lp from Mark Perry.Recorded at Street level in the summer of 1980 has several of the known Perry associates helping out with the recording. Dennis Burns, Nag, Tyrone Thomas, Anno and Grant Showbiz. The tracks are great, although ‘The Object Is Love’, ‘You Know’ and ‘At War’ are the stand out tracks.
But its another brave example of Perry's anti-rock stance of the time. He must have endured a tumult of slagging for these records, which makes them sound even better for it.
A Superb ramshackle glorification of amateurism,topped off with perrys brand of faux-naive poetry which is both at once endearing and challenging. Another classic!

Tracklist: 

A1	Snappy Turns
A2	The Object Is To Love
A3	You Know
A4	Inside
A5	At War
B1	Death Looks Down
B2	The Game Is Over
B3	Quagga's Last Stand

DOWNLOAD some snappy turns HERE!

Mark Perry ‎– "Whole World's Down On Me / I Live - He Dies" (Deptford Fun City ‎– DFC 12) 1980

Everybody from 1977 to 82 did it, so why not Mark P?
That's correct, White boy punky reggae makes an appearance in the Alternative TV camp. Its a pretty honest attempt , and at least there's no mention of 'Jah', or mastering of those loose Jamaican rhythms like The Clash or The Ruts. It retains that essential naïveté that sets Mark Perry's projects apart from those awful musician types.I love the way the beat count wavers like a stretched tape,almost losing syncopation with the superb non-reggae reggae drumming of Mr Bendle.Someone should have played this to the Police to teach these fake-punkers how to do White Boy Reggae properly (although that means Gordon and the boys wouldn't have had any hits.......Oh what a wonderful dream?)
The B-side, however is quite splendid, classic Perry-esque poetry set to a classic "Vibing up the Senile Man" ,free for all, improvised backing.Excellent scraping violin provided by Anno (Androids of Mu, and Here and Now), and great falling apart drums from the one and only Bendle (Door and the Window).
All recorded at the Abbey Road of DIY, Street Level, under the auspices of the George Martin of DIY, Grant Showbiz.

Tracklist:

A	Whole World's Down On Me
B	I Live - He Dies

DOWNLOAD and the whole world will go down on you HERE!