Saturday 26 January 2019

Ashtray Navigations ‎– "Bicycle Glue Blues" (E.F. Tapes ‎– Echo Fixation #11) 1994



As i'm getting a bit bored with posting minimal synth albums, maybe its time to go into the chill out area and absorb some strange noise.......from the 'Nineties'!!!???
Yes, Color Disc wasn't the only means of escape from the mind mushing beat of Club culture and the bowel-flushing absurdity of Britpop in the UK. Look hard enough and there were a hardcore of creative non- musicians who probably didn't even realise that the world had moved on. Just like back in 1977 when the Prog groups returned from the padded cell of the United States of Awful, to discover that they were now roundly hated. However, in my school there was always a clique who still donned denim jackets, shoulder length hair, with Genesis written in biro on their adidas bags.......I now envy them. Like most Punks, I was always a secret Progger, and was secretly relieved when Rotten came out as a Van Der Graaf Generator fan, and Howard Devoto's new group was basically Progressive Rock with sneery vocals.
The same happened in the mid-Nineties, as one was deeply interested in Jungle and Drum'n'Bass, but in the chill out room, one could rediscover Krautrock , Italian Prog, and Van Der Graaf again. Never really looked back from there. These were traditional 'No-Go' areas for a long time.
While Oasis and Blur (Whoops,I'll admit to seeing Blur in a packed pub in Leicester....missed Oasis at the same venue thankfully,-only five people there apparently?), were making themselves out to be another new Beatles and Kinks, Phil Todd from Cheshire, was creating a world of his own on his "Betley Welcomes careful Drivers" cassette label. Like a Gary Ramon of the nineties,except the emphasis was more on the noisey rather than melodic, or pop, avenue.
This early cassette, is a demonstration of how to make a recording with no musical ability or technique whatsoever. Just get a load of cheapo instruments and budget effects,twist knobs press go, and just do it.A lazy way to explain this music is "Experimental"....other people, the normals...the ones who like Blur and Oasis, would describe it equally lazily as "Crap".....one begs to differ.

DOWNLOAD this bicycle repair kit addiction HERE!

10 comments:

Double Dubz said...

Yay, thx. Keep the AshNav coming? :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks!

More early Ashtray cassettes would be great...

By the way, this is MP3/320 version?

badgerstump said...

Phil was from Stoke. Once he realised that fact, he wisely moved out. Although he did end up in Leeds ... ah well!

Jonny Zchivago said...

yes its 320k version....if thats wat yous askin'?

Jonny Zchivago said...

I drove thru Stoke once....thats a scar that will never heal.That and a visit to the Victoria Ground. ugh!

badgerstump said...

Wasn't lucky enough to drive through Stoke ... no chance to accelerate. I did go to the Victoria ground a few times. Generally speaking, it was nice to see them let out in public for some fresh air. However, one occasion involved being chased all over the surrounding wastelands by the local knuckle-draggers (very 28 Days Later) but everybody needs a hobby I suppose.

Jonny Zchivago said...

I wrote a song about Stoke in my teenage years...well it was called 'Stoke' anyway:

https://youtu.be/YrmKeKdnZaY

kevinesse said...

are you vd scabs around the mouth?......that was a fab song and inspiring vid.

Jonny Zchivago said...

No Kevin......I am mr Vas Deferens.
I'm sorry to inform you that Mr VD Scabs 'Round The Mouth has now left this mortel coil. He threw himself under an oncoming train at Leicester Station,in true rock'n'roll stylee......either that or it was the Drugs and Depression.

Also i notice a lot more Barron Balls videos have appeared....nothing to do with me I may add.Just search Barron Balls.

Not forgetting the Barron Balls movie "Diamonds To Be", on youtube in 7 parts.
Heres part 3:
https://youtu.be/ygUeRhZ-CmE

kevinesse said...

Oh! I'm sorry to hear that. Forgive my ignorance. I really like that stuff lots! Thanks, and well done!