The Manchester Mekon ‎– "No Forgetting (The Album)" (Discos Transgénero ‎– TRANS-3) 2017

Sticking in Manchester,we got the Manchester mekon,who,as members of the manchester musicians Collective, appeared on the "A Manchester Collection" compilation,on Object Music....as previously featured on these pages.
During the 'Punk Rock Revolution',there was always the visible prescence of flare wearing long-hairs who seemed to carry on as if nothing had changed.....which made them more 'Punk' than the legions of denim and leather clad sheeple that destroyed it all.

The Manchester Mekon was made up of several of such persons,who preferred King Crimson to Eater, and Frank Zappa to Slaughter and the Dogs.

Prog tendancies are indeed revealed on a few of these mostly unreleased tunes;but also a nod in the direction of fey 'indie' style songs that wouldn't have been out of place in the 'C-86' era.

Be yourself, was the mantra during the 'Punk' years,but so few actually did.

Over a period of five years (1977 - 1982) the Manchester Mekon played about fifty gigs in and around Manchester, released seven tracks on local labels and rehearsed once a week. This album covers their entire career, contains the full range of music they played and includes live recordings, studio recordings, home recordings and even rehearsals. Two tracks were previously only available on Manchester Musicians' Collective compilation albums. Some were never released, until this Cd surfaced a couple of years back.

(Check their sole EP HERE!)

"A small but brilliant body of home-spun, humbly-recorded pop and experiment that feels, to these ears, like one of the ultimate representations of the warmth and generosity of the UK DIY era."
- Jon Dale(the bloke who wrote the sleevenotes)

Disco Transgenaro bandcamp link for more stuff click here!
They 'work hard' apparantly!?..see comments

Tracklist:

A1 The Note 3:17
A2 The Idle Gnome Expedition 3:58
A3 The Cake Shop Device 4:57
A4 San Sebastian 2:46
A5 No Forgetting 2:54
A6 Approaching A Russian Caravan (Part I) 1:38
A7 Girl Games 2:31
B1 Book Of Toads 3:30
B2 Must Have More -> Wheels 3:19
B3 Film Music 5:06
B4 Soft Soap 3:00
B5 Ignorance Of The Crunds 5:15
B6 Jonathon Livingston Seafood 3:25

Don't forget to DOWNLOAD it HERE!

Joy Division - " The Band On The Wall, Manchester, 13/03/1979" (Bootleg)

By 1979,as I have nothing from 1978, Joy Division were fully formed. This is the earliest evidence I have of that,hidden within the static. It's a very ropy recording from one of the Manchester Musicians' Collective nights at The Band on the Wall pub.
They stood out like a sore thumb alongside the other DIY bands,that played on these evenings,many of which are featured earlier on this blog .Joy Division were a unique and powerful unit,who played with a rare intensity and focus that was generally lacking among their peers.
Even on this atrocious recording one can detect that something rare and special was brewing.

Tracklist:

01. Walked In Line
02. She's Lost Control
03. Shadowplay
04. New Dawn Fades
05. Day Of The Lords
06. Insight
07. Disorder
08. The Only Mistake
09. I Remember Nothing
10. Sister Ray.

DOWNLOAD some early Joy HERE!

Various Artists - "A Classic Slice Of Teenage Angst (Volume 1)" (A Classic slice of teenage angst fanzine) 1979

I never thought I'd ever hear anything else from the 'From Chorley demo taaape',as made famous on fast Product's "Earcom 3", with the DIY classic "Tablecloth".Behold!There's another track on this fanzine compilation tape,and they stick faithfully to the kitchen theme with the very similar sounding, "Hate the Kitchen"; sung in that familiar Chorley accent,like a post punk Billy Casper (Kes). DIY gold!
From Chorley's appearance is worth the entrance fee alone, but we have others; the abstract musique concrete of Coventry ZZZ, the radio four play for today indie of Paul Cookson and Lerraine Hickey (absolutely love 'isn't it Strange', kinda like that Sudden Sway peel session,but without the humour); There's White Steel, who sound like a meatier From Chorley; The Manchester Mekon needs no introduction to followers of this blog; Restless Day were on the Camouflage Nebula tape,think northern krautrock tradition;Anthrax for the People and a couple of other half competent beat combo's make up the numbers nicely.
All this interspersed by sixth form poetry delivered in an monotonous apathetic Kevin the Teenager style,all designed to introduce the bands to the punters. A muffled splash of interviews complete the picture, making this a fascinating insight into the foggy world of DIY land in 1979.The monotone compare/sixth form poet,even alludes to Earcom 4 style ambitions,which isn't far off the mark.

NB :For those retro tech fans, there's even a computer programme for your C64 or ZX,so prime your play and record fingers,and get this onto a cassette and tell us all what the fuck it is!

Track Listing:

1- The Mysterons - Intro theme
2- Unknown - Intro
3- Mr Domestes & The Bok-Mystery Band
4- Mr Domestes & The Bok - Uri Geller Song
5- Mr Domestes & The Bok - Happy Birthday
6- Unknown - Manchester Mekon Intro
7- The Manchester Mekon - Ignorance of the Crunds
8- About the Manchester Mekon
9- The Manchester Mekon - Filmusic
10- More about the Manchester Mekon
11- The Manchester Mekon - The Idle Gnome Exhibition
12- Unknown - Blond Hair and Acne
13- The Manchester Mekon - Cadiz
14- Talking
15- The Manchester Mekon - the Impossible Air-Sea rescue
16- Restless Day Intro
17- Restless Day - Autopilot One
18- Restless Day - Zone
19- Anthrax for the People intro
20- Anthrax for the People - OK man ,its your world
21- Coventry ZZZ  intro
22- Coventry ZZZ - Sub Lead
23- Coventry ZZZ - Rediscovered Idealism no.3
24- Les Weebs Intro
25- Les weebs - Hooray For Hollywood
26- Les weebs - Pratfall
27- The Mysterons Intro
28- The Mysterons - On The Beach
29- Bryan Talbot Intro
30- Bryan Talbot - Alternative comix
31- From Chorley Intro
32- From Chorley - Hate the Kitchen
33- Computer Programme
34- Paul Cookson and Lerraine Hickey intro
35- Paul Cookson and Lerraine Hickey - To Ashes
36- Paul Cookson and Lerraine Hickey - Isn't It strange?
37 - Paul Cookson and Lerraine Hickey -the Monk
38 - White Steel intro
39- White Steel - The little Green men have Landed
40- White steel - God's gift To mankind
41- Outro

DOWNLOAD a classic sliced up mp3 file HERE!

The Manchester Mekon ‎– "No Forgetting" (Newmarket Records ‎– NEW 102) 1979

Formerly just, The Mekon; The Manchester Mekon were obviously a bunch of ex-proggers who were never good enough to play yer actual progressive rock/folk, and took the opportunity offered them by the Manchester Musicians Collective, to have a music career of sorts.

Here's the proof:

All the male members look like they were failed auditionees as the fourth member of Egg;and the two girlies must have been in a progressive Folk outfit at some stage in 1973?
But.......this e.p. is fairly entertaining, it even includes a prog/folk number, 'Jonathan Livingstone Seafood', which ends the B-side.I like a nice bit of Flute does I,topped off with some slinky work on vibes. These fellows know their way around a varied selection of instruments so they do!
'No Forgetting' is a classic limp-wristed proto-Indie cheapo organ led classic, the kind that's so popular with the Messthetics crowd.
Out comes a honking saxophone,and a fiddle, for the dance classic 'Have a Go-go',which includes a free jazz section to complete this short trip through the genres.
Probably added the prefix,Manchester, to avoid confusion with their namesakes from across the Pennines, in Leeds; namely the far more successful, Mekons.

Tracklist :

A		No Forgetting
B1		Have A Go-Go
B2		Jonathan Livingstone Seafood

DOWNLOAD and don't forget to unzip it! HERE!

Various Artists ‎– "Unzipping The Abstract (Bands Of The Manchester Musicians Collective)" (MMC Records MMC1) 1980

As Promised here is the second compilation, from the Manchester Musicians Collective,and this does include The Marvelously Monikered, Bathroom Renovations; featuring Armitage Shanks and someone called Bidet?
More of the same wonderfully amateur and ambitionless outsider punk.What more can I say to recommend this collection of sub-genius.
Its almost as good as its companion comp, 'A Manchester Collection'.

As the slogan on the back of the sleeve says, 'File under: Only a bit bleak and arty'.
I'll just say it again: The Bathroom Renovations.
That's the kind of band we should all want to be in? Isn't it?

Track Listing:

1. The Bathroom Renovations - Intensely Henna’d
2. Cajun Cutie - Black Man’s Hat
3. Dislocation Dance - You Can’t Beat History
4. The Enigma - Play With Fire
5. Gods Gift - Creeps In
6. The Hoax - World War III
7. If Only - If Only
8. The Liggers - Pretty Girl
9. The Manchester Mekon - Must Have More Wheels
10. Outter Edge - Old Wives Tales
11. Performance - Natural Equilibrium
12. The Spurtz - Boyfriends Or Your Money Back
13. The Still - 9.5
14. Undercovermen - Of No Fixed Abode
15. Vibrant Thigh - Walking Away.

DOWNLOAD and unzip the abstract mp3 file HERE!

Manchester Musicians Collective - " A Manchester Collection" (Object Music OBJ 003) 1979

One of thee Best compilations EVER,if not one of thee best albums EVER, is this; from The Famed Manchester Musicians Collective, the home of the group with the best band name EVER!....The Bathroom Renovations!
Unfortunately they do not feature on this volume, one must wait for the post of the second Manchester collective collection, "Uzipping The Abstract".
The north west rival organisation to the even more imaginatively named "London Musicians Collective", home of The Door and The Window and Here and Now (Kif Kif et al).

The tracks that follow are a symphony of naive ineptitude and unspoilt musical innocence, that urinate on the corpse of corporate "rock". This is how "rock should" sound like, end of.....!

01.GROW-UP.You Are The One
02.GROW-UP.Night Rally
03.I.Q. ZERO.I'm In Love
04.I.Q. ZERO.I Must Obey
05.FAST CARS.Why
06.FAST CARS.What Can I Do
07.MEDIATERS.Monotony
08.FIREPLACE.Fireplace
09.FIREPLACE.Dutchman
10.PICTURE CHORDS.First Floor Exercises
11.PICTURE CHORDS.Levitating Ladies
12.The MANCHESTER MEKON.The Cake Shop Device
13.PROPERTY OF.Property Of...
14.VIBRANT THIGH.Wooden Gangsters
15.F.T. INDEX.Working On The Line
16.SLIGHT SECONDS.Double Face
17.SLIGHT SECONDS.New Me

DOWNLOAD an instant manchester collection HERE!