Zephyr In The Swamp was formed by ex-members from the Wirral electronic band GamesBrendan Coyle and Colin Hughes that continued from 1981-1983 recording instrumental synth music.
After these recordings Brendan continued forming Some Detergents... releasing the 7" 'Moderne Problem'. Brendan disbanded Some Detergents... and continued in session work with China Crisis, Scritti Politti and The Blue Nile. Some Detergents... was renamed Sense Of Vision, released the 7" 'Destiny / Dream'. [SOURCE: DISCOGS]
Even within the eclectic world of alternative rock, few bands were so brave, so frequently brilliant, and so deliciously weird as The Flaming Lips. From their beginnings as Oklahoma outsiders to their mid-'90s pop culture breakthrough to their status as one of the most respected groups of the 21st century, the Lips rode one of the more surreal and haphazard career trajectories in pop music. After years in the underground, a major-label deal scored during the early-'90s alt-rock craze gave them a bigger platform for their mix of psych, noise-rock, and bubblegum melodies, and their 1993 album 'Transmissions from the Satellite Heart' spawned the unlikely Top 40 hit "She Don't Use Jelly". At the turn of the century, they delivered a pair of lush and heartfelt masterpieces with 1999's 'Soft Bulletin' and 2003's Grammy-winning 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots'. Later, they took their experimental and pop impulses in wildly different directions as they collaborated with Miley Cyrus and Kesha and issued an expression of existential dread with 2013's 'The Terror'. Throughout it all, their off-kilter sound, uncommon emotional depth, and bizarre history firmly established them as true originals.
The Flaming Lips formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1983, when founder and guitarist Wayne Coyne enlisted his vocalist brother Mark and bassist Michael Ivins to start a band. Giving themselves the nonsensical name The Flaming Lips (its origin variously attributed to a porn film, an obscure drug reference, or a dream in which a fiery Virgin Mary plants a kiss on Wayne in the back seat of his car), the band made its live debut at a local transvestite club. After progressing through an endless string of drummers, they recruited percussionist Richard English and recorded their self-titled debut, issued on green vinyl on their own Lovely Sorts of Death label in 1985.
When Mark Coyne departed to get married, Wayne assumed full control of the group, becoming the primary singer and songwriter as well as lead guitarist. Continuing as a trio, the Lips released 1986's 'Hear It Is', followed a year later by 'Oh My Gawd!!!...The Flaming Lips'. While touring in support of the Butthole Surfers, they played Buffalo, New York, where they were befriended by concert promoter Jonathan Donahue; after a jam session with Donahue's nascent band Mercury Rev, he and Coyne became close friends, and Donahue eventually signed on as the group's sound technician.
After recording 1988's difficult 'Telepathic Surgery', English exited, reducing the Lips to the core duo of Coyne and Ivins; after adding drummer Nathan Roberts, Donahue adopted the name Dingus and became a full-time member in time to cut 1990's stellar 'In a Priest Driven Ambulance' while simultaneously recording the brilliant Mercury Rev debut 'Yerself Is Steam'. 'In a Priest Driven Ambulance' also marked the first time the band worked with longtime producer Dave Fridmann, and highlighted the more experimental, expansive side of the Lips' music. Warner Bros. signed the Lips in 1991, and their major-label debut 'Hit to Death in the Future Head' arrived in 1992 after clearing a sample from Michael Kamen's score to "Brazil" for use in the song "You Have to Be Joking (Autopsy of the Devil's Brain)" delayed its release. Donahue soon left to focus his full energies on Mercury Rev, followed by the departure of Roberts.
With new guitarist Ronald Jones and drummer Steven Drozd, The Flaming Lips cut 1993's sublime 'Transmissions from the Satellite Heart', which they supported by playing the second stage at Lollapalooza and touring the nation in a Ryder truck. Initially, the album stiffed; however, nearly a year after its initial release, the single "She Don't Use Jelly" became a grassroots hit, and against all odds, The Flaming Lips found themselves on the Top 40 charts. They took full advantage of their 15 minutes of fame, appearing everywhere from MTV's annual Spring Break broadcast to an arena tour in support of Candlebox to a memorable, surreal, lip-synced performance on the teen soap opera "Beverly Hills 90210", where supporting character Steve Sanders (portrayed by actor Ian Ziering) uttered the immortal words, "You know, I've never been a big fan of alternative music, but these guys rocked the house!" After the 1994 release of a limited-edition sampler of odds and ends titled 'Providing Needles for Your Balloons', the Lips returned in 1995 with 'Clouds Taste Metallic', a diverse collection highlighted by the singles "Bad Days" (also heard in the film "Batman Forever"), "This Here Giraffe", and "Brainville".
In 1996, the Lips' world went haywire. Jones left the band; Ivins was the victim of a bizarre hit-and-run accident after a wheel came off of another vehicle and slammed into his car, trapping him inside; Coyne's father died, and Drozd's hand was almost needlessly amputated due to an abscess. But by the following year, the band was back in the studio as a trio, recording 1997's 'Zaireeka', a wildly experimental set of four discs designed to be played simultaneously. A previously unreleased track, "Hot Day", also appeared earlier that year on the soundtrack to Richard Linklater's film "SubUrbia". 'A Collection of Songs Representing an Enthusiasm for Recording...By Amateurs', a retrospective of their Restless label material, followed in 1998.
In 1999, The Flaming Lips returned with 'The Soft Bulletin'. Featuring co-production by Fridmann, its lush arrangements and heartfelt songs made it a breakthrough for the band. After a three-year absence from the shelves, 2002 brought several new releases, including a two-volume retrospective of the Restless years and the group's tenth album, 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots'. Named after and featuring Boredoms' Yoshimi P-We, the album won the group even more popular and critical acclaim than 'The Soft Bulletin'. The band won a 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for the album's final track "Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia)". The release was certified gold in the U.S. in 2006, and later spawned a Broadway musical. The Lips kept busy over the next two years by touring and working on their movie "Christmas on Mars".
They returned to the studio in 2004 and spent much of 2005 recording; that year, The Flaming Lips documentary "The Fearless Freaks" and their 'VOID' video collection arrived, whetting fans' appetites for the band's 2006 album, 'At War with the Mystics', which boasted a more guitar-oriented sound and more political lyrics than the Lips' previous albums. Once again, the band won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance as well as a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, and were nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Album. One year later, the band's seven-years-in-the-making film "Christmas on Mars" made its debut at the Sasquatch Festival in George, Washington; late that year, the movie and its soundtrack were released as a CD/DVD set. During 2007 and 2008, the Lips began working on the follow-up to 'At War with the Mystics', taking a looser, rawer approach than they had in years. The results were released as 'Embryonic' in October 2009, which became the band's first album to debut in the Top 10 of the Billboard Albums chart. That December, the band released its remake of the Pink Floyd classic 'Dark Side of the Moon'. The Flaming Lips worked with several different artists on the latter album, which was billed as The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing the Dark Side of the Moon. That year, Oklahoma made the band's hit "Do You Realize??" the state's official rock song.
The band continued to shy away from full-length releases for the next couple years, opting instead to work with a number of collaborators on various limited-edition EPs. Working with artists like Neon Indian, Prefuse 73, and Lightning Bolt, the Lips released tracks over the next couple of years in various non-traditional formats including USB keys embedded in gummy skulls, limited-edition vinyl, and candy fetuses. In 2012, the band collected songs from their previous collaborations as well as new material recorded with Kesha, Bon Iver, and Erykah Badu on 'The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends'. The Lips' releases that year also included their version of King Crimson's "In the Court of the Crimson King".
For 2013's bleak 'The Terror', the Lips reteamed with Fridmann, recording in a matter of days and using their collection of vintage synths as the album's musical focus. They worked with artists including Poliça, Foxygen, and Stardeath and White Dwarfs on their reworking of the Stone Roses' debut album, which arrived that November. The following year, the band issued a 45-minute edit of their 24-hour song "7 Skies H3" as a Record Store Day release, as well as 'With a Little Help from My Fwends', an album that found the band teaming up with collaborators like Miley Cyrus and Maynard James Keenan to re-create The Beatles' iconic eighth album 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'.
The Lips collaborated with Cyrus on a full-length album, 'Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz', which was released for free online in August of 2015. Following the album's digital release, the artists toured together, and a limited vinyl pressing of the album was sold exclusively on these tour dates. In November of 2015, the Lips released 'Heady Nuggs 20 Years After Clouds Taste Metallic: 1994-1997', a three-CD/five-LP compilation including the 'Clouds Taste Metallic' album, the 1994 odds-and-ends EP 'Providing Needles for Your Balloons', a further rarities collection titled 'The King Bug Laughs', and a previously unreleased concert recorded in Seattle in 1996. For 2017's 'Oczy Mlody' (which means "eyes of the young" in Polish), The Flaming Lips reunited with Fridmann on a more melodic set of songs that included a cameo from Cyrus. That year, they also issued 'Onboard the International Space Station Concert for Peace', an EP that reimagined several 'Oczy' tracks as performed at an imaginary Flaming Lips show. In 2018, the band issued a pair of archival releases. 'Scratching the Door: The First Recordings of the Flaming Lips', a collection of their earliest material remastered by Fridmann, appeared that April. The six-disc box set 'Seeing the Unseeable: The Complete Studio Recordings of The Flaming Lips 1986-1990', which included demos and rarities along with the band's first four albums, followed that May. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
The Workdogs consists of Rob Kennedy (bass, vocals) and Scott Jarvis (drums), who have provided the backbeat for Half Japanese, Velvet Monkeys, and a number of other bands over the years (Jarvis also produced and engineered The Beastie Boys' 'Pollywog Stew' EP and served as their tour manager when they hooked up with Madonna's 1985 "Like a Virgin" tour). The only Workdogs' constant is change as they've operated under a different lineup for most every release and/or live performance. Jon Spencer (Pussy Galore, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) and Jerry Teel (Honeymoon Killers, Chrome Cranks) have played with the duo so often, however, that they would almost qualify as permanent members. A variety of other New York and New Jersey-based indie rock and avant-jazz artists have joined in throughout their career to back them up on guitar, saxophone, and other instruments. The Workdogs' debut single, 'Funny $', was released in 1986 on the band's own King Dog Biscuit label and featured Rudi Protrudi (The Fuzztones) and Mark Dagley (Hi Sheriffs Of Blue). Their debut full-length, the bluesy 'Roberta', was issued by Okra a couple of years later. In 1990, they released another 45, 'Haunted House of Love' (Vital Music), featuring Bond Bergland and Malcolm Riviera (Gumball, Velvet Monkeys), and teamed up with Ohio's Gibson Bros for the 18-wheeler hoedown 'Punk Rock Drivin' Song of a Gun'. 1992 brought forth 'Electric Mutt', a single on In the Red featuring Spencer and Teel. In 1993, they released self-described "blues opera", 'Workdogs in Hell', featuring Moe Tucker, Lydia Lunch, Jad Fair, J.G. "Foetus" Thirlwell, Gibson brother Jeffrey Evans, and underground filmmaker Richard Kern (in turn, Kennedy and Jarvis played in Tucker's road band). The next year, they signed up with Sympathy for the Record Industry for 'A Tribute to Sonny Boy Williamson' with Spencer and Marcellus Hall (Railroad Jerk). Sympathy reissued 'Roberta' (plus bonus track) in 1994, followed the next year by the surprisingly accessible 'Old' (compared to previous efforts, at any rate). The album track "Robert Kennedy Blues" was also released as a single that year. 'One Night Only!', a live-in-the-studio release featuring Spencer and Teel, hit the streets in 1996. After that flurry of activity, the Workdogs went on recording hiatus, taking up a residency as house band at Max Fisch in New York City where, for several years, they would meet on the first Sunday of each month to jam with a variety of guitarists (over 24 different players in two years). [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
La Bambola Del Dr Caligari were a short-lived minimal synth trio from Bologna, Italy. The group's nucleus consisted of Judy Asquith (voice), Aurelium Spitty (sound engineer, synth, drum machines, effects) and J.R. Ewing (keyboards, effects), all pseudonyms. They recorded their first demo tape in early 1984.
The group sporadically played live in 1985/86 and also arranged the soundtrack for an installation at the art gallery Number Zero (Bologna) in Feb. 1986. Several self-produced tapes were recorded over the years but were never properly released. La Bambola very rarely used multi-track recording techniques, preferring to record live, resulting in numerous takes trying to get that perfect one. [SOURCE: DISCOGS]
During the the '80s, Glasgow's post-punk duo Vazz crafted an ethereal sound that foreshadowed dream pop. Featuring multi-instrumentalist Hugh Small and vocalist Anna Howson, Vazz debuted with the 1982 cassette-only release 'Whisper Not', a seven-track demo that they recorded at the Hellfire Club. Though it was intended for release by the Belgian imprint Operation Twillight as part of the compilation 'Antelopes & Alligators', it never came to pass, and only 100 copies of the cassette were made. Two years later, the duo's song "Silver" appeared on the compilation 'Dreams and Desires' (which also featured songs by the Cocteau Twins and Wolfgang Press) from the Glasgow label Pleasantly Surprised. Over the next few years Vazz issued a string of releases on Cathexis, including the 1986 mini-album 'Your Lungs and Your Tongues'. In 2011, six of 'Whisper Not's tracks were released on vinyl by Forced Nostalgia, with the seventh track and a previously unreleased song arriving as a digital single in 2012. The following year, Forced Nostalgia gathered all of Vazz's songs on the compilation 'Chronoillogical'. Small continued making music, releasing electronic instrumentals as Reluctant Participant in the 2010s. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Tone Set was a synth-pop duo formed by musicians Galen Herod and Greg Horn in 1981 from Tempe, Arizona, who first met each other by working at the local station KAET. The duo's early sound was very minimalist in style, as evident by their instrumental 1982 debut 'Cal's Ranch'. Later on, their music became increasingly pop-oriented, as shown by their follow-up 'Calibrate', which was released by self-released in February 1983 through their own Pegna Records imprint.
Although the band received local radio airplay, as well as having the music video for the track "Life Is Busy" played on MTV and Cinemax, the band met little to no fanphair. Tone Set would eventually cease to exist later in 1983, with both members going on to work on other projects. Galen Herod began a solo career and started the band Galen Herod and the Skin People. The duo would eventually work together again in the band Dumb But Happy, but they too broke up.
During their existence, Tone Set performed shows under names such as Life Is Busy, The Art Farmers, and The Special Eds. They also contributed the track "Out! Out!" to the Placebo Records compilation 'Amuck' and with "Happy People" under the name Happy People. The group utilized synthesizers and electronic drum kits for their music, and audio samples taken from films and radio ads were used frequently as well.
In 2016, Vinyl On Demand issued a four-disc discography vinyl boxset titled 'Such Heavy Conviction: Recordings 1981-1983' that included every single recording made by the duo, including unreleased material. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Possibly the least appreciated of Seattle's early grunge pioneers, Skin Yard never broke out of the deeper levels of the underground. Unlike most of their peers, they never made it onto the Sub Pop roster, nor did their key personnel go on to breakout stardom with other bands. They did, however, contribute drummers to acts like Soundgarden and The Presidents of the United States of America, and guitarist Jack Endino became the local scene's pre-eminent producer and engineer, helming records for nearly every Sub Pop luminary. Endino and bassist Daniel House formed Skin Yard in 1985, at the dawn of the grunge era. They were joined by vocalist Ben McMillan and drummer Matt Cameron, the latter of whom had played with House in a group called Feedback. Skin Yard made their live debut in June 1985, and first appeared on record later that year with their contribution to 'Deep Six', a C/Z Records compilation that marked the vinyl debut of other important early grunge artists, including Green River, the Melvins, Malfunkshun, and Soundgarden.
Initially tabbed as something of a sister band to Soundgarden, Skin Yard's early sound shared the thick, molten, psychedelic sludge of Chris Cornell and company's formative years. The two also boasted relatively complicated arrangements, which in Skin Yard's case would later give way to a more straightforward heaviness. Their self-titled debut album, issued in early 1986 by C/Z, landed on the artier end of the spectrum, however, with the deliberate tempos leaving plenty of room for vocal and guitar dramatics. Matt Cameron subsequently left the group, and joined Soundgarden two months later. Replacement drummers Steve Wied (later of Tad) and Greg Gilmore (later of Mother Love Bone) played with Skin Yard for two gigs apiece. That fall, the band settled on Jason Finn as a permanent member, but he too left after a few months to travel to Europe; he would later go on to work with Love Battery, The Fastbacks, and The Presidents of the United States of America.
Scott McCullum (aka Norman Scott) came onboard as Skin Yard's new drummer for their sophomore LP, 1988's 'Hallowed Ground', which appeared on the Toxic Shock label. By all accounts, the supporting tour was a trying experience; upon returning to Seattle, the band cut one more album, the heavier 'Fist Sized Chunks', which was released on Cruz Records in early 1990. Meanwhile Skin Yard went on hiatus; by this time, Endino's career as a producer and engineer was picking up steam, and he'd already worked on landmark records by bands like Mudhoney and Nirvana (who had, at Endino's request, played their first Seattle gig opening for Skin Yard). House, meanwhile, had been working as a sales manager for Sub Pop, and had also acquired the C/Z label from founders Chris Hanszek and Tina Casale, which he built into a fairly successful indie enterprise.
Skin Yard's hiatus lasted for over a year, during which time McCullum departed and the band fully expected to call it quits. However, the band was revitalized by the arrival of Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin, who made his debut on what many considered the most fully realized Skin Yard album, 1991's '1000 Smiling Knuckles'. Following its completion, Daniel House left the band to spend more time with his new family, and was replaced by Pat Pedersen. Pedersen debuted on 1992's 'Inside the Eye', a slightly more metallic record that also proved to be Skin Yard's swan song; they disbanded not long after. Pedersen and Martin both played on Endino's solo project Endino's Earthworm. Ben McMillan, meanwhile, reunited with Scott McCullum in Gruntruck, which got some attention from metal audiences; the two later reteamed in Mona Diesel. House continued to run C/Z into the new millennium, and Endino continued his production career. In 2001, C/Z issued a limited-edition collection of Skin Yard rarities and outtakes, titled 'Start at the Top'. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Ramleh are a British experimental music group formed by musician Gary Mundy in 1982. The current line-up of the band includes Gary Mundy, Anthony di Franco and Stuart Dennison. Originally a part of the English power electronics and industrial music scene in early 1980s, which included artists such as Whitehouse and Sutcliffe Jügend, Ramleh experimented with a more traditional rock format in their later releases.
After releasing 'Hole in the Heart' cassette and a few records under the Ramleh alias in 1987, Mundy reformed the band in 1989 with Best. The reunion was followed by 'Grudge for Life' LP in 1989. Inspired by Mundy's experimental rock band Skullflower, the band began to incorporate rock influences in their records, starting with 'Blowhole' in 1991. After releasing 'Caught From Behind', a split with Italian artist Mauro Teho Teardo, and 'Crystal Revenge', the band added Skullflower members Anthony di Franco on bass and Stuart Dennison on drums to its line-up. The new line-up released 'Homeless' in 1994. The band continued releasing rock records in late 1990s, which included 'Adieu, All You Judges' and 'Be Careful What You Wish For' in 1995, and 'Works III' in 1996. After releasing 'Boeing', Mundy disbanded Ramleh for the second time. In 2009, Mundy and di Franco reformed Ramleh with drummer Martyn Watts. In that year, the band also returned to its original power electronics aesthetics with 'Valediction' LP. In 2015, Stuart Dennison returned to drum with Ramleh and played on the US west coast tour in January 2016.
Early recordings of Ramleh were labeled as power electronics and noise music. Nevertheless, in 1990s the band started experiment with more traditional rock music structures. The band's more traditional works were commonly labeled as "noise rock." Frances Morgan of The Quietus described the band music during this era as "a brutal, abject strand of dark psychedelic rock", while albums such as 'Works III' and 'Boeing' were labeled as "heavy psych-noise rock". Skullflower and Butthole Surfers were influences on these works. Ramleh's first album after 2009 reunion expressed a revival of the band's original power electronics genre and was compared to the works of Japanese noise musician Merzbow, while the band retained its rock music instrumentation during this era, performing on both genres.
In its early days, Ramleh flirted with Nazi and fascist imagery for its shock value, like other bands in the industrial music scene. Nevertheless, Mundy and Best since discontinued this practice and disavowed it, denying any affiliations with hate groups. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Thessalonians began in 1986 as an electronic improvisational ensemble inspired by the work of the British project AMM. Its members: Kim Cascone, Larry Thrasher and David James constructed various instruments from obscure electronic equipment, toys, tools and anything else that made noise. Using techniques of "accidental imbrication", a spontanous narritive was created: a highly-original melange of electonic, metallic and barely ecognizable sounds.
In the spring of 1986, Thessalonians performed throughout Colorado on their "Level The Rockies" tour. Returning to San Francisco, they performed around the Bay Area at venues such as The Farm and the ATA Gallery.
After releasing three cassettes ('Denver/Boulder '86', 'Untitled', 'The Unwinding') and a full-length LP ('The Black Field'), the original Thessalonians lineup dissolved in 1986 as the members needed time to pursure individual projects.
The band reformed in the fall of 1990, incorporating new members and new musical elements. Larry Thrasher has spent several years studying tabla at the Ali Akbar Khan School of Music in Marin and traveling to India to acquire instruments. His percussion is an intregal part of the sound of the second incarnation of Thessalonians. The band has evolved over a period of months into its current lineup: Paul Neyrinck and Kim Cascone on samplers, David James playing bass and guitar, Larry Thrasher on tabla, Don Falcone on synthesizer, Pejman Hakimi on MIDI drums and Doug Murdock playing addional percussion. Though their sound has become more rhythmic and structured, sampled sounds and electronic noise still play an important role in their music.
Paul, Larry and Kim recorded a piece in October 1990 called "Absolute Equinox", for the 1991 Japanese compilation 'Altered States of Consciousness' on U.P.D. Organization featuring Merzbow.
After four long years, performances were reinstated. One such show was at the benefit for Oracle Unlimited at Dominican College October 4, 1991 with guests Zakir Hussain, Geosonic and Obiba. That, however, was not to last.
For the next few years Thessalonians evolves yet again into a studio-based musical unit and their music broadens. Thessalonians stuns the world with their first full-length CD 'Soulcraft', with Kim Cascone, Don Falcone, Larry Thrasher, David James, and Paul Neyrinck andwas released in 1993 on Silent Records.
Between the springs of '92 and '96 Thessalonians worked in Larry's Berkeley studio and Paul's San Francisco place to create their next full-length CD. Its genesis came from Paul by way of a favorite s/f film "Solaris" by Andrei Tarkovski. After the CD's completion, though, the label underwent major changes. In the spring of 1996 Thessalonians member and label founder Kim Cascone sold Silent Records. The new owner passed on the CDs release; other offers were not forthcoming. Though not forgotten, the CD, was to languish for years.
The fall of 1997 saw the nascency of Noh Poetry Records founded by Thessalonians synthesist Don Falcone. The label struggled to produce four releases over the next 7 years. Finally, the time came for 'Solaristics' to arrive. Don contacted Kim who has since had a thriving career doing sonic works worldwide. He and the other musicians were warmed to hear of its pending release May 1, 2005. And straight from the vaults with no modifications to the original 1996 recording 'Solaristics'. [SOURCE: THESSALONIANS]
The Offenders were formed in 1978 in Killeen, and after relocating to Austin in 1980, became known worldwide as one of the premiere hardcore bands out of the Lone Star state. Raw and rabid but more than proficient in the delivery of their musical rebellion -alongside friends and scenemates DRI and MDC-, Offenders completely ruled the hardcore scene throughout the infamous Reagan-era.
Anthony Johnson, a.k.a. Tony Offender, was a founding member of the Offenders. Inspired by the hardest rock the ’70s offered, Tony took it to the next level with his high-speed style of shredding on the guitar. Following the disbanding of the Offenders in 1986, Tony continued to play in bands until he lost a long battle to lung cancer in 2012. Tony was also a dedicated Civil War re-enactor and member of Sons of Confederate Veterans, Past Commander of Camp #59.
Rickenbacker-raging Mikey “Offender” Donaldson also performed with MDC regularly in the early 80s, in addition to laying down the bass on MDC’s 'Millions of Dead Cops' and DRI’s 'Dealing With It'. After the demise of the Offenders, Mikey relocated to San Francisco to play and record with Gary Floyd (Dicks) in Sister Double Happiness, and in recent years recorded with MDC again, among other live and studio actions. He died in his sleep from unknown causes in a Barcelona squat in 2007. JJ Jacobson performed with MDC and provided vocals for their seminal 'Millions Of Dead Cops' LP. Pat Doyle continues to lay down percussive havoc with Austin metallurgists, Ignitor. [SOURCE: SOUTHERN LORD RECORDINGS]
The Noyes Brothers were Steve Miro and Steve Solamar, and 'Sheep From Goats' was their double and only LP from 1980, released on the Object Music label. This is all fairly uncategorizable stuff, harnessing the vitriol of new wave guitar and angular, Dick Dastardly-alike vocals and the 'brothers' unique take on electronics. The twenty-five minute drum machine overdose "It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time" is a particular standout and a decent example of the duo's strangeness. Wildly detuned oscillations flail around the mix while piano noodlings take up space, all to the dogged accompaniment of coarse drum machine patterns. The appeal of the piece stems from just how bizarre and unnecessary it all seems. It has to be one of the least essential, yet most intriguing twenty-five minutes in all of electronic music. Interesting electroacoustic experiments arise on the second disc, with the like of "Pneumonia Bridge" making a link between Doctor Who-style Radiophonics and more conventional concrete sounds. Possibly weirdest of all, songwriting normalcy is in effect on the slightly hippyish sounding pseudo psych balladry of "It Must Be Vibration", or the driving post-punk of "Pointless" (both of which are fronted by vocalist Jae Boyer). [SOURCE: BOOMKAT]
Meat Whiplash was an alternative rock band from East Kilbride, Scotland, that were amongst the first to be signed to Creation Records.
The line-up was Paul McDermott (vox), Stephen McLean (guitar), Edward Connelly (bass guitar) and Michael Kerr (drums). They took their name from a B-side track by The Fire Engines. They then became The Motorcycle Boy when female singer Alex Taylor (of The Shop Assistants) joined the group in 1987.
They only had one record released, 'Don't Slip Up', which spent 19 weeks in the UK's independent music chart, where it reached the No. 3 position following its release on 14 September 1985 as a 7" single, (which had a sleeve featuring actor Robert Vaughn, printed up by Bobby Gillespie and hand-folded by their record label's owner, Alan McGee). They are notorious for being the opening band at The Jesus and Mary Chain's infamous "riot gig" at the North London Polytechnic on 15 March 1985, where they threw a wine bottle into the crowd and were, according to The Jasmine Minks, the next band set to play, then beaten-up on-stage by members of the audience who later rioted when the controversial main act performed. They also had a session in the Maida Vale studios for John Peel's show on BBC Radio 1 on 15 October that same year. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Look Blue Go Purple was an alternative pop / rock band from Dunedin, New Zealand, together from 1983 to 1987, recognised as part of the Dunedin sound. Their first official show was at The Broome Valley Festival on March 5, 1983. It was formed by members: Kathy Bull (bass), Norma O'Malley (keyboards, flute),
Lesley Paris (drums), Denise Roughan (guitar), and
Kath Webster (guitar).
After the band split up, Bull went on to Cyclops, and has since recorded a solo album, 'Some From the Sky', under her new name Francisca Griffin. Lesley Paris went on to Olla, and now works as station manager for community radio station Otago Access Radio in Dunedin. Denise Roughan went on to play with The 3Ds and Ghost Club. Norma O'Malley was a founding member of Chug. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Australian rockers the Kryptonics were a band that brought together two common threads of Aussie rock -the garage-influenced sounds of such acts as the Hoodoo Gurus, The Triffids, and The Scientists, and the harder, Detroit-centric approach of bands like Radio Birdman and The Celibate Rifles. The Kryptonics were the brainchild of Ian Underwood, who was a high school student in Perth when he assembled the first lineup of the group. Underwood (no relation to the one-time Frank Zappa keyboardist of the same name) had previously appeared in three memorably named but short-lived bands (Satanic Menswear, Puddle, and Froot Loops), and the Kryptonics was his first project to play more than three shows.
In 1984, Underwood, still learning to play guitar, joined forces with school chums Cathy Webb on bass and Michael Reynolds on lead vocals to form the Kryptonics; drummer Shakir Pichler was recruited through an ad in a local music paper. After months of rehearsals, the Kryptonics played their first gig opening for The Stems in August 1985, and soon developed a devoted local following. The Perth-based indie label Cherrytop Records issued the Kryptonics' first single, 'Baby b/w Plastic Imitation', in January 1986, but the record release show for the disc also proved to be the last show with the original lineup. Four months later, a new version of the Kryptonics surfaced, with Underwood taking over on lead vocals from the departing Reynolds, drummer Brett Ford replacing Pichler (who joined The Bamboos), and new lead guitarist Peter Hartley. After extensive local live work, the second lineup cut a single, 'The Land That Time Forgot b/w She's Got Germs', which appeared on Easter Records in early 1987. A successful tour of the Australian East Coast followed, but after a disastrous return to Sydney some months later, Ford and Hartley left the Kryptonics to form Lubricated Goat, and Webb quit music after receiving a degree in physical therapy.
Undaunted, Underwood's next version of the Kryptonics was up and running three months later, making their debut in December 1987; joining Underwood were guitarist Greg Hitchcock (who had been in The Bamboos with Pichler), drummer Russell Hopkinson, and bassist Jeff Halley. This edition recorded the band's first full-length album, '69', but they failed to click with fans as a live act, and splintered in July 1988; Hitchcock later worked with The Neptunes and The New Christs, Hopkinson would drum for Cremator and the reunited Radio Birdman, and both were members of You Am I. Underwood and Halley recruited guitarist Tony Rushan and drummer Andrew Robinson for the Kryptonics 4.0; after recording a few tracks for a compilation album, Robinson bailed just a month after joining, and Peter Kostic was behind the drums for the belated tour supporting '69'.
The group's fifth lineup cut a single, 'Oedpius Complex b/w When It's Over', which sold well, but when a tour was scheduled for late 1989, bassist Halley was unable to join them and quit the act; he would later join The Chevelles. Ken Bland replaced Halley for the end of 1989 tour, but didn't get on with his bandmates, and in January 1990, Greg Brennan became the Kryptonics' bassist, who in typical fashion left due to personal reasons in April. Richard Corey, who had been in Front End Loader with Kostic, became the new bassist for the group, and it proved to be the Kryptonics' most stable lineup, lasting over two years.
In the summer of 1990, the Kryptonics left Perth to set up shop in Sydney, and soon cut another 7", 'Bad September', which had to be mastered at 33 instead of 45 due to its six-minute length. A five-song EP, 'Tonka Tuff', was released by Zero Hour Records in 1991, but the group had failed to win the larger audience they'd hoped for in Sydney, and when Kostic announced his decision to leave the group, Underwood decided to dissolve the Kryptonics and booked a stretch of final shows, a few of which were billed in tongue-in-cheek fashion as performances by "69," Australia's leading Kryptonics tribute band. The Kryptonics played their final shows in June 1992, though in 1995, Underwood formed Challenger 7, which featured three former Kryptonics in the lineup, Hitchcock, Corey, and Kostic. In 2008, Memorandum Records released 'Rejectionville', a complete collection of the band's recordings. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Weltklang was the first electronic project of the communist Germany (DDR) and was formed in Schwerin in 1980. Current members are Thomas Voburka and René Steuns. Thomas Voburka is also the founder of the Berlin based electronic music label Exil-System, one of the first DIY-Labels of NDW, also known as Neue Deutsche Welle (German New Wave). Inspired by the fast rise of NWD and by the Punk subculture's DIY attitude Weltklang's main principle was to remove all dispensable ornamentation and polish from their music, and to use the simplest and most minimalist structures. Weltklang is particularly noted for the innovatively sparse and yet classic Minimal wave track "VEB Heimat", which was originally released in 1980. Not hugely successful at first, the unique and futuristic sound of Weltklang managed to equal an international cult status over the following years, particularly within the Minimal wave and Electro music scene. [SOURCE: LAST.FM]
Berlin-based drummer Wolfgang Seidel left influential '70s German band Ton Steine Scherben after becoming disillusioned with rock & roll. He collaborated with Conrad Schnitzler at his Zodiak Free Arts Lab, and sought out musicians who were similarly interested in a free approach to creating music. The group, dubbed Populäre Mechanik, took inspiration from new wave bands such as Devo and XTC, and weren't interested in punk's aggressiveness. Instead, they created abstract post-punk heavily influenced by jazz and dub reggae, and released two cassettes and a 7" single in the early '80s. The group's material finally saw widespread CD and vinyl release in 2015, when Bureau B released 'Kollektion 03', a compilation of the group's material chosen by Holger Hiller of Palais Schaumburg. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
P1/E were an early Neue Deutsche Welle outfit from the heart of Berlin. Though the band has very little recorded output (a handful of songs, a few assorted remixes, and some live recordings at best), the songs they constructed were catchy, influential, and memorable in an emerging synth-scene.
Most well known of the band’s contributors is Alexander von Borsig, an avant garde musician most reknowned for his work in avant-industrial act Einsturzende Neubauten under the name Alexander Hacke. Other projects of Borsig’s include early solo cassette recordings (which will more than likely be featured here in the future), work with Crime and the City Solution, material recorded under the name Sentimentale Jugend, with famed heroin-addict cum-superstar Christine F, and most recently a stage production with dark-humored English trio The Tiger Lillies.
P1/E were an ephemeral band and after disbanding in 1981, many of the other members joined various other outfits, none of which managed to make as much of an impact as P1/E (Hacke excluded, naturally). [SOURCE: SYSTEMS OF ROMANCE]
Formed in December 1980 in Berlin as a solo project by Kiddy Citny, who credited himself in the early years as Inri Intrigo. Later the project evolved and included several other people as well. Sprung Aus Den Wolken was part of the "Geniale Dilletanten"-movement in the early 80's along with Einstürzende Neubauten. They made a couple of records on their own Faux Pas and Les Disques Du Soleil Et De L'Acier. Their song "Pas Attendre" was used on Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire" movie and became some kind of underground hit. Founder Kiddy Citny is also a painter. His paintings on the Berlin Wall have been exhibited through the world and are now in private collections in the USA, France, and Japan. [SOURCE: DISCOGS]
The Fast was an American glam / punk band formed in New York City in the mid 1970s by brothers Paul Zone, Miki Zone, and Mandy Zone.
In 1975, The Fast was an integral / influential part of the Max's Kansas City / CBGB scene alongside Blondie and the Ramones, with their blend of power pop and garage punk. As the New York punk rock scene was in its infancy, The Fast were a headline act at Max's Kansas City and CBGB in New York City.
The Fast's first single, "Boys Will Be Boys" (CBS Records) was released in 1976 and was produced by Peter Crowley. The Fast's sound and style was developed with 1960s mod pop elements and the use of synthesizers just before the instrument became a staple of the new wave genre.
Their second single "It's Like Love" (Ram Records) was released in 1977 and produced by Richard Gottehrer (Blondie / Go-Go's / Strangeloves / Raveonettes). "It's Like Love" was a blending of electronic synth sounds and bubblegum pop. The B-side was "Kids Just Wanna Dance".
In 1978 / 1979, The Fast toured the United States. Ric Ocasek brought them on a stadium tour with The Cars. Ocasek produced half of their first LP 'The Fast For Sale' (Recca Records), which was released in 1980. Mandy Zone left the band in 1978 to form Ozone.
In 1981, their second LP, 'Leather Boys From The Asphalt Jungle', (Recca Records) was released. This would be the last time Paul and Miki Zone recorded with a live band. In 1982, The Fast went electronic, Paul and Miki tour the U.S. East Coast with two back-up keyboard players. In 1983, they began performing as a duo at New York City's Harrah, S.N.A.F.U., The Pyramid Club, and The Mudd Club, using keyboards, electronics and backing tapes. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Christiane Vera Felscherinow (born 20 May 1962) is a German actress and musician who is best known for her contribution to the 1978 autobiographical book "Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo" ["We Children of Bahnhof Zoo"], and the film based on the book, in which her teenage drug use is documented. In the early 1980s, Felscherinow's boyfriend was Alexander Hacke, from the German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten, and together they released music under the moniker Sentimentale Jugend, including a cover version of The Rolling Stones song "Satisfaction", on the Das Cassetten Combinat label. They also appeared together in the 1983 German film "Decoder", which also featured William S. Burroughs and Genesis P-Orridge. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
