martedì 30 novembre 2010

The Metronomes reissue on Mannequin OUT NOW!!! FACT MAG free download track



















We’ve written at length in these pages before about our love of Mannequin Mailorder.

The Italian label has brought us some extraordinary reissues culled from the margins of 80s synth wave, goth, post-punk and electro-pop, as well as treating us to new releases from modern day standard-bearers like Frank (Just Frank) and Led Er Est.

Their latest offering is a lavish reissue of hard-to-find music by The Metronomes, who formed in Melbourne in 1979. Comprising members Al Webb, Andrew Picouleau and Ash Wednesday, the latter these days a member of Einsturzende Neubauten, The ‘Nomes recorded two classic minimal synth albums, Multiple Choice (1980) and Regular Guys (1985); both these albums feature in Mannequin’s lavish new triple-vinyl collection. The albums are pressed across two 12″s and housed in a gatefold cover with rare pictures and an insert with notes by Al Webb. As if that weren’t enough, a 7″ featuring tracks from the band’s ‘Saturday Night’/'Sunday Morning’ and ‘A Circuit Like Me’ singles is thrown into the bargain.

We’ll let Mannequin tell you more about the music and its provenance:

“Their first 7’’ single “Saturday Night’/'Sunday Morning’ came out in 1980, and featured a real metronome as rhythm section with instrumentals layered over. The second, ‘A Circuit Like Me’/'Closed Circuit’ from 1980, is more experimental in terms of drum machines and rhythm sections. Both sides were recorded using a borrowed Roland CR 78. It was the first time that they had used a vocal in their compositions, courtesy of a lady called Talking Judy.

“The first full-length, Multiple Choice, was recorded in the winter of 1980, using Roland Strings, a mini-Korg, some ARP synthesizers and a Boss DR-55, a drum machine that was intensivly used by many minimal synth bands during the 80s and by legendary bands like Sisters of Mercy or New Order in their first songs.

“The second album Regular Guys, published in 1985, was recorded after a break in which all the members’ various lives and careers took left and right hand turns. It was surely more premeditated, as most of the songs arrived in studio already written. Each writer had creative control over their respective songs, a long-standing Metronomes road rule; only one track had what you might call a spontaneous birth. The LP featured the next wave of synth toys like the Oberheim synth, Oberheim drum machine and Prophet 5. Once the programming was set up, the instrument tracks were bounced via a PCM box direct to video tape, a pioneering process which almost entirely eliminated tape hiss.”

Mannequin’s exquisite package is entitled The Ballad Of The Metronomes, and is being released in a hand-numbered, limited edition of 500. The first 100 copies will also include a self-explanatory bonus CD-R, The Metronomes Play Their Favourites. Find more information and pre-order the collection here, and download ‘A Circuit Like Me’ below.




The Metronomes - A Circuit Like Me by factmag

lunedì 22 novembre 2010

Art Boulevard S/T Demo Tape 1986













Art Boulevard, born in 1985 in Bergamo (northern Italy), immediately stood out from the pack for their aesthetic and existential attraction to post-punk combined with a musical vision that was straight out of the late sixties: “rock as art” and not merely as an urgent expression of adolescent rebellion.

Here's their self-titled demo tape from 1986.

Music & Lyrics by Art Boulevard
Production A.B. and Kiccobeni
Recorded at Suono Vivo studio (Bergamo, IT)

Enrico Colombo - voice + guitars
Roberto Mazzola - keyboards
Marco Azzerboni - bass
Alfredo Cucchi - drums

Tracklisting

A1 Destroyed
A2 Return Journey

B1 Dawn Is Death
B2 Take The Gun

Download

mercoledì 10 novembre 2010

The Metronomes - A Circuit Like Me (from Mannequin MNQ 015)



Mannequin is more than enthusiastic to announce the re-release of both the LPs (“Multiple Choice” from 1980 and “Regular Guys” from 1985) plus the 2 singles seven inches “Saturday Night / Sunday Morning” and “A Circuit Like Me” from this legendary minimal synth band from Australia.

The group was an integral part of the early electronic music scene in Australia and their releases have become a collector’s item in Europe, as they are mostly impossibile to find.

The Metronomes first appeared in Melbourne in 1979, initial members were rock journo-synth player Al Webb, the bass player Andrew Picouleau (Secret Police, Sacred Cowboys) and the synth-pioneer Ash Wednesday, nowdays a live tour member of Einsturzende Neubauten. Al himself will admit later that Ash’s ingenuity in creating something out of very little was the key to the Metronomes sounding as ‘produced’ as they did.

This track is an extract from their second single ‘A Circuit Like Me / Closed Circuit’ from 1980, addice more to experimentation with drum machines, in fact the rhytm sections for both sides were recorded using a borrowed Roland CR 78. It was the first time in their compositions that a vocal had been used, courtesy of a lady called Talking Judy.

Pre orders: orders@mannequinmailorder.com

domenica 7 novembre 2010

Kleist - Mains Mannequins 7'' 1982










French New Wave band, not so cold..but well :-)

Tracklist

A Mains Mannequins
B Mannikin

Disc'Az AZ/1 951

Download

sabato 6 novembre 2010

The Ghost Train - Killing Time 7'' 1986













The Ghost Train formed in 1985 playing their first official gig as The Ghost Train at The Skittle in Kirkcaldy in August 1985 and played their final gig at Anthonys Hotel in June 1990.

Personnel of The Ghost Train 1985 - 1990 Graham Scott - Vocals and Keyboards John Lessells - Bass Mark Nicol - Guitar Andrew Sinclair - Guitar Euan Slorach - Drums Dave Brown (Chas B) - Guitar/Keyboards Jez Flynn - Guitar Colin Usher - Drums George MacArthur - Guitar

As well as the numerous gigs they played up and down the land and in Europe, they released two pieces of vinyl which were; 7" DOUBLE A- KILLING TIME/HOPE AND GLORY (Kingdom Come Records) 12" EP - PURE IMAGINATION/THE SNOWMAN/WAITING FOR MADNESS (ISM) Sideway Look-Dusty Bedrooms - Porta Studio 8-track demo - 1985 , St. Andrews Church Hall, Kirkcaldy - Video for Sideway Look recorded, Autumn 1985, Ravenscraig Castle, Kirkcaldy. Not released Killing Time - Hope & Glory - Top of The Wall - Palladium Studios, Loanhead, Mid-Lothian - (February 16th 1986) - Engineered by Keith Mitchell and Jon Turner. The former two tracks were released on Kingdom Come Records in Spring/Summer 1986. (1000 copies and 150 mis-pressed copies went on release)

Videos of Killing Time & Hope and Glory were recorded in Manchester in June 1986, but after fruitless searches, no copy exists of this. Killing Time reached No 4 in a listeners poll on Colin Somervilles show on Radio Forth in December 1986. Wicked, Wicked - (Waiting for) Madness - Barricade - Being There - Dusty Bedrooms - DikGees Studio, Carnoustie, Angus - (June 22nd 1987) - Engineered by Richard Gibson & The Ghost Train. Not released, but two tracks were released on 'Stupefied'.... Pure Imagination-(Waiting for) Madness-The Snowman - Palladium Studios, Loanhead, Mid-Lothian. Again, engineered by Keith Mitchell and Jon Turner. Released on ISM records, an independent record label, based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

This was released in the US only as a 12 inch single. 250 further copies were released in the UK on import only. Now deleted. Further 'live' video performances and interviews were recorded at 'The Lido' and 'Glenrothes College'. No copies appear to exist of either performances.

Tracklist

A Killing Time
B Hope & Glory

Kingdome Come Records KCR 1

Download

Fotostat - Fotostat 7'' 1983













Robotic dance duo consisted of twin brothers from the early 1980's. Following on from the Shock and Tik and Tok type synthetic electronic sound this was the pair's only release.
Robotic duo also appeared in major National UK Technics audio TV advertising campaign in 1984.

Tracklist

A Fotostat
B Fotostat II

Sour Grape SG 112

Download

European Toys - I Am Creator 7'' 1983













Dark wave band from Norfolk, UK, this is their first single, the title track featured also in the double LP compilation "Dream Sequence".

They released also a 12'' "Korea" in 1984 and a full-lenght "Nine Men Applauding" in 1985.

All music written by Andy & Sean, lyrics by Liam.

Produced and engineered by Joe Bull, European Toys.

Recorded at Spaceward Studios, Cambridge on 5-1-83.

Front drawing by Robin Elvin.

It includes an insert with lyrics.

Tracklist

A1 I Am Creator
A2 Keep It All
B1 So Look At Me Now

Subversive Records SUB 008

Download

Colour Moves - Trees 7'' 1986













Only few words: this is one of the best italian wave 7'' single and, as every record ripped, it comes directly from my collection.

Colour Moves were from Milano and their guitar player is nowdays playing in a very famous indie italian band...

Apart their impossible to find demo tape, i know that the track "Cloudlike" was included in a vinyl compilation in the magazine "Vinile N°1" from 1987.











Tracklist

A Trees
B Over Falling Skies

The Eternal, Supporti Fonografici TE, SF 1.02

Download

Danse Macabre - Angel 7'' 1983












Danse Macabre were a dark wave band from Liverpool/UK

Members:
Peter Carroll (vocals) (also at same time in Visual Aids and Dark Continent)
Paul McNeil (guitar)
Karl Anthony (bass) (later Cair Paravel)
Pete Chegwin (keyboards) (ex Ex Post Facto, Oceanic Explorers, Innervision)
Graham Gallant (drums) (left 1983 to Straight Cuts) replaced by Perry Leach (later Dream Theatre).

Not to be confused with Belgian band with same name.

Changed name to Innervision.

A Angel
B Oh No Not!

Hexagon Records TREK 101

Download

Balkan Air - Ia Stoy Milo Slatze 7'' 1986













Italian new wave band from Bologna, as far as i know this is the only single they released later in 86, co-released by the historical label and record shop Supporti Fonografici, home of Weimar Gesang and Faded Image.

Tracklist

A1 Ia Stoy Milo Slatze
B1 Il Primo Volo Di Wright

The Eternal, Supporti Fonografici TE, SF 1.01

Download

Afterimage - The Long Walk 7'' 1981












Started like most bands, by a bunch of idealistic if somewhat wary musical adventurers, Afterimage came out with a roar on the burgeoning Los Angeles music scene in 1980. Guitarist A Produce answered a local ad from Rich Evac (bass) and Holland de Nuzzio (drums) and found a dynamic rhythm section. When he brought vocalist and saxophonist Daniel Voznick (aka Alec Tension) the chemistry was right and a sound was forged. Afterimage used its "thunderous rhythm, threatening bass, wailing bursts of sax and haunted vocals” to create powerful brain and body music that tore through the Los Angeles music scene.

Afterimage was one of the first of L.A.'s psychedelic/art/mystery bands to be committed to vinyl. Their threatening bass, wailing bursts of sax and haunted vocals pick up on the brief flurry of experimantal ominousness of English groups like Wire, Joy Division and Magazine.

Here ripped their first seven inch single.

Tracklist

A The Long Walk
B Strange Confession

Contagion Records CON 001

Download

Artery - Unbalanced/The Slide 2x7'' 1980













In September of 1980, Artery released their debut single, "Unbalanced". It was backed by "The Slide". The B side appeared on their debut album, Oceans. The A side was a non-LP track. This is the early edition, with a second 7 inch that had live versions of "Perhaps", "Turtle", "Toytown" and "Heinz". The Sheffield, England post-punk band disbanded in 1985 after four albums.

Tracks A & B recorded at Graveyard Studio, Manchester
Tracks C1 - D2 recorded live at Rotherham Arts Centre by INPUT, February 1980

Tracklist

A Unbalanced
B The Slide
C1 Perhaps
C2 Turtle
D1 Toytown
D2 Heinz

Aardvark Steel 3

Download

mercoledì 3 novembre 2010

The Metronomes - The Ballad of The Metronomes (Mannequin MNQ 015)













Mannequin is more than enthusiastic to announce the re-release of both the LPs (“Multiple Choice”) from 1980 and “Regular Guys” from 1985) plus the 2 singles seven inches “Saturday Night / Sunday Morning” and “A Circuit Like Me” from this legendary minimal synth band from Australia.

The group was an integral part of the early electronic music scene in Australia and their releases have become a collector’s item in Europe, as they are mostly impossibile to find.














The Metronomes first appeared in Melbourne in 1979, initial members were rock journo-synth player Al Webb, the bass player Andrew Picouleau (Secret Police, Sacred Cowboys) and the synth-pioneer Ash Wednesday, nowdays a live tour member of Einsturzende Neubauten.

Release date: 20 November 2010