What PostPunk has RIU&SA make you drolly over?

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nonightsweats

Active member
WOEBOT said:
actually though i've been very disappointed by australian post-punk (philT is gonna be furious with me) its very rockist (as opposed to Rockist ;))
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ah, i don't mind. i suppose you mean it's all rock oriented instead of funked up?? there were a few bands who tried it but, really, we were just abunch of suburban kids from down under and the funk just passed this part of the world by when it was invented.

not sure if you'd like some of the more expermiental things... let me know if you'd like to try some more anyways.

also - try the post-cow post-punk (+ one dancerama) at my blog : http://nonightsweats.blogspot.com/2005/05/some-things-that-simon-didnt-mention.html
 
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puretokyo

Mercury Blues
Just picked up Tales from the Australian Underground - after looking for months, I found it for twelve aussie bucks in JB HiFI! - yeah, obviously the focus is garage, 'cause thats what Australia made mostly, with the exception of young Nicky C and his mates. But there was one standout track for me - THUG's "Dad" from about '86. A band formed by Tex Perkins from Beasts of Bourbon and the Cruel Sea... just electronic beats/feedback and voices commanding "do it... fuck your father... fuck your father..."
 
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jwd

Well-known member
Yeah the THUG records are classics - "Electric Woolly Mammoth" and "Blind Idiots Parade" (I think that's what it's called, working from memory here) are both fantastic albums. Also absolutely worth checking out the "Waste Sausage" compilation LP on the Black Eye label if you're after that kind of stoopid, pig-fuck w/gnarled electronics kinda thing that THUG perfected. (I remember Ben @ Load asking me to keep an eye open for a copy of that record for him & it is quite close to the Load aesthetic at times.) "Dad" is the classic though. Perkins lost it soon after, though the Beasts of Bourbon's "Axemen's Jazz" IS a cool record, and I even don't mind bits of "Black Milk". I think Tex may be giving that 'side' of his personality another go, what with his 'Bumhead Orchestra' playing at the Sydney What Is Music. But I didn't see it so can't be sure.
 
subvert47

subvert47

I don't fight, I run away
interesting book, and nostalgic since I'm pretty much the same age as Reynolds and followed pretty much the same musical trajectory.

things I disagreed with...

Section 25 were not a Joy Division influenced band. They were actually a lot better, live anyway (the records were never very good). Section 25 gigs were always different, whereas Joy Division (and especially New Order) just turned up and went through the numbers (supposing they hadn't taken too many drugs to play at all).

Fear of Music is the worst (of the first four) Talking Heads LPs, not the best. There's only really one good track on it (I Zimbra).

Gang of Four are vastly over-rated. Though having said that, I recently heard Solid Gold again and it's much better than the lame Entertainment. Massive crang-fest in fact :)

The Associates were never a good band :p

also...

Subway Sect went down the pan really fast; Vic started doing lounge. Rather than the singles anthology (which only has a few good tracks), Retrospective or 20 Odd Years are better (if you can find them).

other records worthy of mention...

Blurt - In Berlin
Essential Logic - Beat Rhythm News
Eric Random - That's What I Like About Me
Metal Urbain - Les Hommes Morts Sont Dangereux

records I've checked again since the book...

The League Unlimited Orchestra - Love and Dancing
I always hated the post Marsh & Ware League, but this is surprisingly good. Probably because they're only used as a soundsource for Martin Rushent's sound editing.

Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material
a truly embarrassing record, apart from the superb Bob Marley cover

This Heat - This Is
which has finally been reissued!!!! :D

Tubeway Army - Replicas
the famous tracks are the only good ones; but they're pretty good :)
 
subvert47

subvert47

I don't fight, I run away
jwd said:
Martin Carthy, umm, try the second solo album, w/Dave Swarbrick. And for mid-70s period Carthy, I always really enjoyed "Crown of Horn". I haven't got RIU&SA yet but I'm sure Simon would have mentioned Steeleye Span's "Hark the Village Wait" which is a must-have, ditto its follow-up "Ten Man Mop". But you've heard me go on about those records before. I imagine those four would make for a good starting point w/Carthy, but it's mostly all great. Simon knows lots about this era so hopefully he will swoop and tell all.
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Martin Carthy's not on Hark the Village Wait. And it's not that good anyway. Maddy Prior hadn't taken over the main vocals by then. Below the Salt is probably the best. Or Parcel of Rogues; i.e. the ones before Nigel Pegrum joined.
 
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D7_bohs

Well-known member
subvert47 said:
Martin Carthy's not on Hark the Village Wait. And it's not that good anyway. Maddy Prior hadn't taken over the main vocals by then. Below the Salt is probably the best. Or Parcel of Rogues; i.e. the ones before Nigel Pegrum joined.
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you're all wrong! Please to see the King is the best Steeleye Span record by a mile -and Carthy is on it
 
subvert47

subvert47

I don't fight, I run away
D7_bohs said:
you're all wrong! Please to see the King is the best Steeleye Span record by a mile -and Carthy is on it
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nah, I disagree :p

Martin Carthy is great, but I think Robert Johnson is better for Steeleye Span, and Rick Kemp than Ashley Hutchings. They really toughened up the sound for Below the Salt, and even more for Parcel of Rogues. If only they hadn't gone and got a drummer in.

Or perhaps, if they'd got an imaginative rock drummer, someone like John French or Chris Cutler. Mmmm :)
 
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jwd

Well-known member
Haha yeah true my fuck up, 'Hark the Village Wait' is the first (w/the Woods), Carthy on 'Please to See...' the second, and 'Ten Man Mop'. That three-record run by far the greatest Steeleye. I rate this period Steeleye so much more than anything else. Though I was surprised by how much I enjoyed "Thomas the Rhymer" (sp?) when they played it live!

'Hark the Village Wait' is pretty superb actually! You can't deny "Lowlands of Holland" and "Copshawholme Fair"... I agree w/D7_bohs though - 'Please to See the King' the best, it's all about Carthy innit.
 
subvert47

subvert47

I don't fight, I run away
jwd said:
Haha yeah true my fuck up, 'Hark the Village Wait' is the first (w/the Woods), Carthy on 'Please to See...' the second, and 'Ten Man Mop'. That three-record run by far the greatest Steeleye. I rate this period Steeleye so much more than anything else. Though I was surprised by how much I enjoyed "Thomas the Rhymer" (sp?) when they played it live!

'Hark the Village Wait' is pretty superb actually! You can't deny "Lowlands of Holland" and "Copshawholme Fair"... I agree w/D7_bohs though - 'Please to See the King' the best, it's all about Carthy innit.
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OK I've gone back and listened to the first five LPs again and I have to say Below the Salt really is the best. Comparing it with Please to See the King:

Maddy Prior's vocals are stronger, Tim Hart suits her more in duet than Martin Carthy (who sounds better with Norma Waterson), and the ensemble singing is great. The arrangements are more interesting, both harmonically and rhythmically, with lots of nice time switches. Overall the playing is tighter and the band sounds more of a whole. And driven by Robert Johnson and Rick Kemp, the music moves right along, making the earlier records seem comparatively pedestrian.

It's all about Below the Salt! :D
 
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D7_bohs

Well-known member
sorry but Maddy's singing on Prince Charlie Stuart trumps everything for me - 'my love was six foot two/ without stocking or shoe/ in proportion my true love was built' that and the mutant venus in furs fiddle and guitar does it for me each time
 
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vache

Well-known member
I managed to pick up the first two Pylon records on the 'bay for really cheap and have been enjoying them both immensely (although "Gyrate" is superior). Of course, the first two 12"s are even better especially the incredibly rocking tracks "Cool" and "Dub."

I've been on the Thomas Leer tip too, but those records are just impossible to track down. I did find some passable quality mp3s of the "International" single though.
 
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dannyDMX

Member
I've been on the Thomas Leer tip too, but those records are just impossible to track down. I did find some passable quality mp3s of the "International" single though.


It's all pretty much in print...the Contradictions CD on Cherry Red and the Scale of Ten cd on Arista/BMI or something? The Bridge can be found cheap on the net as well...
 
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juliand

Well-known member
vache said:
I managed to pick up the first two Pylon records on the 'bay for really cheap and have been enjoying them both immensely (although "Gyrate" is superior). Of course, the first two 12"s are even better especially the incredibly rocking tracks "Cool" and "Dub."
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"Cool/Dub" is awesome, I agree...they were a great singles band. And I have to say that, while I understand why you would say so (the band agrees with you, I think) I like Chomp better--M-Train and Yo Yo! They're such an anomaly, Pylon; the singer's use of language and sense of rhythm is, to me, unique, sui generis.

It's a shame their records weren't taken up by the postpunk revival--"hits" at least, could use a repress
 
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baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Re-upping this because of a recent interest in all things p-p. league Unlimited Orchestra is off the scale, and for the first time I can feel myself 'getting' Metal Box...maybe it's the onset of winter? Martin Hannett-prodcued stuff like Section 25 and Invisible Girls too. And the original of OMD's Electricity on Factory!
 
Leo

Leo

Well-known member
been heavily into pink military ("do animals believe in god?")/pink industry ("low technology", "who told you you were naked?"). underrated group, featuring x-big in japan's jayne casey from liverpool, played at eric's during the same period as echo/wah/teardrops but not as rock'n roll as that lot.

also enjoying the rediscovery of the poison girls ("where's the pleasure?"), the sound ("jeopardy"), the associates and cabs (both early and later)
 
Slothrop

Slothrop

Tight but Polite
Does anyone else find it a bit odd the way that Reynolds is all big on people like Scritti Politti and GoF assaulting "common sense" and so on, but as soon as the post industrial crowd start getting a bit keen on Nazi imagery he basically falls back on a common sense argument about how they were going a bit far?
 
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