Thanks so much to Skippy for the interview! I wrote about his band The Autumn Teen Sound on the blog some weeks ago and was happy to get in touch with him. The band released just a 7″ and appeared on a few compilations but it is also worth noting that Skippy used to run the very good pop label March Records! So we talk a bit about that (hoping to interview him later on about the label) but mostly about his band!

++ Hi Skippy! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Are you all still in touch? Still making or releasing music?

Who is all? I keep in touch with so many people from the 90s March Records scene, but I’m not really releasing music. The whole AUTUMN TEEN SOUND thing was just me goofing around with my home studio.

++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

I remember my father putting huge 70s headphones on my head to listen to Roundabout by Yes. I learned piano early, we had one in the house and I often got bored and just taught myself. I listen to mainly 45s I’d pick up from the Bradlees. Anything Top 40. Gilbert O’Sullivan, Sweet, Seals & Crofts…

++ Was The Autumn Teen Sound your first band or had you been in other bands before that? What about the rest of the members? If so, how did all of these bands sound like? Are there any recordings?

I was in bands in high school, mostly cover bands, but I got into the music business when I was 18 and forgot about creating music until 10 years later when I started messing around with all the instruments I’d accumulated. Oh, when I played The Autumn Teen Sound live, maybe 2 or 3 times, I recruited a band I had put on Pop American Style called Igloo. They moved in next door to me in Chicago and helped me pull off shows at Lounge Ax and Empty Bottle. They were great, me not so much.

++ Where were you from originally?

The Jersey Shore but I lived in Chicago in summers and after high school.

++ How was your city at the time? Were there any bands that you liked? What were the good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

In high school I got addicted to WHTG, a local radio station that maybe reached a 40 mile radius. I loved local bands like Spiral Jetty and Private Sector and The Feelies and Screaming For Emily. All totally different, but local nonetheless. I would go to City Gardens in Trenton or the Green Parrot in Neptune almost every weekend. I was often the sole winner of the free tickets that WHTG would give away and those were for shows up at the Ritz in NYC, etc. I would say I spent the majority of my last year or two of high school in NYC, Hoboken, New Brunswick, there wasn’t anything going on in my hometown.

++ When and how did the band start? Was it a one man band? What about when playing live?

I just started writing and recording songs in my basement in Chicago in the 90s as a goof. I was releasing records on my label and at night, I would either go see bands or stay home and record. I only used what I already had. No guitars, maybe a real bass sometimes. Mostly Casios, Farfisas, Moogs, weird off brand string machines. It was just fun to discover what everything could do and to see if I could actually document what I was doing.

++ What’s the story behind the name The Autumn Teen Sound?

I saw it printed somewhere, some old magazine, maybe it was part of a 60s psych scene or something. I just liked the way it sounded, I didn’t think about it too much.

++ What about the name you used for the band members, Lord Butterscotch, Queen Josephine, Leo Con Brio and DJ French Toast? Where do these names come from?

THAT part was very intentional. Since I knew this was a one man band situation, I referenced the Silicon Teens’ Music For Parties LP. I wanted to hide behind a fake band so I just conjured some characters out of thin air. The funny part is that I still use DJ French Toast sometimes when I spin records at clubs.

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

I felt like I was really growing as a songwriter, the more I put myself into it. But, like I said, I had a 70 hour a week job, sometimes March, sometimes other labels concurrently. It was hard to find the time, it came in spurts. Practice? Hahahahaha.

++ You were around in the late 90s in the US and there was an ebullient scene of pop bands and labels. Why do you think that happened at that time? Did you feel part of a scene?

I think was happening way before I started my label in 1992 and I think there were labels that were much better at cultivating a scene. I adopted Cuddlecore after I heard Cub reference it, but to be honest, it was selling some of the bands on March short. Pee wasn’t cuddlecore, whatever that was. It was ambiguous, but it’s like twee, people tend to have opinions before they’ve heard the music. Even though it was a struggle, I look back on those days with fondness. I didn’t know I was part of any scene until much later when the label was sunsetting. It was a glorious time and I cherish the friendships I made even though no one made a great career out of it.

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

Mostly I used whatever I had, so Casio maybe, ha! In the beginning, I was actually covering Holiday, a band that I released on March. There was a 2CD set that the members of an indiepop list had all contributed to, regardless of musical talent. It gave me license to maybe put a song into the world without harsh judgment, the indiepop listers were fairly passionate and accepting people. Other than that, when I was creating music, I often was subliminally referencing A Broken Frame-era Depeche Mode, Silicon Teens, OMD, etc.

++ Aside from the band you were also involved running March Records, which would be a fantastic interview too if you are interested. Was wondering if you were to say how much time did you give the label and the band, what percents would that be?

99.5% March, .5% ATS. I ran that label for the better part of 12 years and tried my best to pull off some miracles, but in the end, it wasn’t meant to be. We never had that big Arcade Fire type break out that would sustain any employees or anything.

++ And how come you didn’t release yourself on your label?

I don’t like myself 🙂

++ Your only release came out on the Paris Caramel label. I have most of their releases but I must say I don’t know much about this label. Who were behind this label? How did you end up working with them? And how was your relationship?

This was Mario from Ciao Bella (a band I put out) and a friend named Mark, all pals from Oakland. They released an amazing Bart Davenport album. I remixed a Ciao Bella song for the album they released with me and after that I likely sent them some demos which they released as a 45. Bonkers really, who puts their money where their mouth is? You asked if I didn’t release myself on the label, but I sang on the Holiday record, remixed Ciao Bella, remixed Barcelona and I played live in Takako Minekawa’s band and Club 8, so there’s that!

++ This 7″ included a Poison cover on the B side. That must have surprised many popkids I suppose. Any particular reason you chose to include “Talk Dirty To Me”? Did you use to do other covers? Well, you did OMD in a Shelflife tribute compilation, right?

In hindsight, I would’ve picked something way more metal, but I thought it was appropriate. It’s bubblegum and silly, which I thought ATS was. I think I had a version of 18 & Life by Skid Row worked up, but this one ended up being so easy. Yeah, I think there’s an OMD cover out there. I didn’t release a version of “Shoe In” by Secret Stars and “Sight Of You” by Pale Saints, I guess I just loved those songs SO much that I didn’t have the nerve, even if the recordings came out kinda sweet. Oh, there was “Permission Slip” by Holiday which ended up being the first thing I ever let people hear I think.

++ There are also a few compilation appearances, “Seven Summers international Pop Volume 2”, “Pop American Style” (Japanese version), “Christmas in Stereo”, “Millefeille” and more. Did being in a label help people contact you? Or were they well aware of your band and requested songs?

I never really told people about ATS, they just already knew and some of the labels would just ask for a song, sight unseen(heard). I guess that was the way back then. We didn’t over A&R anything, we just accepted demos from our friends and released them. Some of those songs, I cringe, but….it was fun. Paris Caramel ended up doing a 4 song seasonal CD sampler and I wrote a ‘winter’ song, which I think I’m the most proud of. Sprites ended up covering it on one of their records which I thought was so fucking super cool.

++ What about the compilation “Dreams are Free (With Purchase)”? I have no clue whatsoever about the label Dark Beloved Cloud, who were they?

Douglas Wolk, the illustrious music writer. He put out a bunch of cool stuff in the 90s.

++ There is a compilation I’ve always been curious about, one you put together within the indiepop-list, “The Family Twee” compilation. Your band appears here too. I hope to listen to it in its entirety one day. How many copies did you make? And how long did it take to put together? What are your favourite songs on it?

From what I remember, everyone was asked if they wanted to contribute a song and if so, throw like $40 at the pot so we can press up the minimum (1000 CDs)? CDs were super expensive back then and I remember it being a bit of a fiasco because I was chasing down half the bands to actually pay. If PayPal had existed, man, that would’ve been great. I think it took over a year, members of that list were located EVERYWHERE around the world. Indonesia, Sweden! I think we finally pulled it off, but I don’t remember it being a fun project. What looks good on paper…. that said, I met my girlfriend through doing that thing, so that was nice side effect.

++ Do tell me a bit about The Tiger Trap studio. You mostly recorded there. How were these recording sessions?

I think that’s what I called my room in Hastings On Hudson. I used an old DMT8 for ALL the ATS recordings. I had no idea what I was doing to be honest and didn’t have a lot of outboard effects or anything.

++ It is hard for me to pick a favourite song but I really like “Say Something”, was wondering if you could tell me the story behind this song?

I think it was about an ex who didn’t really know how to tell me things until it was too late. I think it’s probably a common thing in relationships, one person or the other isn’t communicating for whatever reason or another. You have to change and/or say something otherwise it all stays the same, doesn’t it?

++ If you were to choose your favourite Autumn Teen Sound song, which one would that be and why?

Winter Coat. I just felt like it was the most mature version of ATS and likely the last song I recorded.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? You played a Popfest, right?

Maybe 2 or 3 in Chicago and yeah just that one in Athens. I had the Howard Jones thing going. Everything was tracked except a Moog and a Casio and vocals. Oh man. Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel were on those shows I think. What was I thinking??!

++ When and why did The Autumn Teen Sound stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?

I just didn’t have the time. After the label folded around 2002-2003, I didn’t know what to do. I opened a bar/music venue in Park Slope, Brooklyn which ended up being my calling really. The only band I’ve played in over the last 15 years was a cover band for my daughter’s parent-teacher talent show recently. I played bass on Surrender by Cheap Trick.

++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?

I’d love to know what Igloo are up to. Scott & Jenny. They were super nice.

++ Has there ever been a reunion? Or talks of playing again together?

I can truly say that won’t happen. There’s a better chance of getting me to sing karaoke.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio?

Wow, I really wouldn’t know, I don’t remember any radio play, but I imagine college radio?!

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

I think there was a review or two on the Paris Caramel 7″. It’s hard to know because the internet wasn’t a thing in 1998 and it seems like the indie 90s have long disappeared from the radar.

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

I think just being able to get ON a vinyl record was cool. I wouldn’t have done it for myself, so it was nice that other people were interested. There was a cool 7″ compilation of 4 bands on Motorway in Japan that I was on, that was cool.

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

Currently, I’m plotting a ski trip, a trip to see my beloved Chicago Cubs, finishing a pool, and helping my kids with their homework 🙂

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

I can’t believe anyone knows about the Autumn Teen Sound!

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Listen
The Autumn Teen Sound – Say Something

The Australian compilation is shaping up day by day. Every day there is progress and I’m getting excited as I start receiving assets from the bands. Hopefully very soon I can announce the tracklist.

Enids: last year I recommended their demo. Well, this year I recommend a 4-song EP titled “Worriers” which I believe is so far only available digitally. The songs included are “Jeanie’s Bueller’s Day Off”, “Worriers”, “Gutted” and “Take My Heart” and you can expect some punky pop influenced by the Fat Tulips by this Copenhagen all-girl combo!

Hobby Club: a song for a local hero called Maurice. The song is called “For Maurice”. But who are Hobby Club? It looks like a boy/girl duo from London. The song is superb, reminding me a lot of The Siddeleys. The first two minutes are pure jangle pop bliss, perfect pop. Then it gets slow, maybe it is another song? I’m not sure. I’m not that fond of the slow part, not that it is bad, but the first 2 minutes are just perfect. PERFECT. Really! Do listen to them!

Fuvk: this Austin, Texas, makes introspective pop band. The person behind the band seems to like to go nameless, anonymous. They have put a tape on the Slovakian label Z Tapes and it is already sold out. “Time Series” is the name of this 5 song EP and it sounds quite lovely, especially in songs like “Fkbdy” and “Calm Down”. It does bring to mind some Swedish bands from the noughties, right?

The Vapour Trails: “Godspeed It” is the name of the first song and also the name  of the 3-song EP that includes “The Inner Truth” and “Golden Sunshine (demo)” that this Scottish band have released on Futureman Records from Detroit, Michigan. I recommend checking this out for sure, there is some quality jangle here!

Strange Passage: 8 songs on a 12″ vinyl record, that’s what “Shouldn’t Be Too Long” is. The Somerville, Massachusetts band sounds great. Formed by Greg Witz, Ricky Hartman, Andrew Jackmauh and Renato Montenegro, they seem to know the right influences to put together a superb album. And a good thing is that they are not overpricing their record as many other people do, $12 is a good price I think. So yes, order it. It is pretty good!

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As it is the case with many of the records and bands I like to feature, the information is scarce. But as always, let’s try to find out as much as possible about them. So, what do we know from the get go? This Scottish band put out a 12″ single with two songs in 1987. On the A side there was “Next Time” and on the B side the superb “Clean Living”. It was released in 1987 by V Records. It seems it was a self-release. It doesn’t even have a catalog number.

Ok. That’s all we really know about them. But I was to find a connection on ReverbNation.

There was a band from Edinburgh in the mid 1980s called The Story So Far. They used to play gigs at venues like Nite Club, Astoria, Wee Red Bar, Potterrow, La Sorbonne and more. Their style was a bit eclectic, pop, punk, jazz, etc. The band would break up in 1985. After that, in 1987, two members, Jake and Allan, formed Five and released the 12″. You can listen both songs from the 12″ and a bunch of The Story So Far if you follow this link. Or you can check a few songs on their Soundcloud as well.

We know that Jake used to play vocals, trumpet, bass, guitar and more on the Story So Far. Allan was a drummer. What was their last name by the way? I believe Allan’s was Spence. What about Jake? We do know that in 2011 they reunited as The Story So Far to play charity gigs. But what about Five? was it just a side-project then? It does look though, from their Facebook page, that the band has added the two Five songs to their live repertoire.

Maybe doing a proper post about The Story So Far would give me more of a background of the band. Just focusing on Five seems to give me just little results. Not much information available. Perhaps they didn’t last long. I wonder. But I’m sure my Scottish readers remember them? Any information would be great! And if anyone has a spare copy of the record let me know! Would love to have it!

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Listen
Five – Clean Living

Thanks a lot to Boris, Dragan and Andrej! I wrote about the superb Serbian band Mizu some time ago and was lucky to get in touch with the band members afterwards. I knew very little about them then. I was aware they recorded and album with a bunch of great songs that for some reason or another it wasn’t available anywhere. I had so many questions. Happily today they all got answered!

++ Hi Boris, Dragan and Andrej! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Are you still based in Bečej? Still making music?

Boris: We have a half-and-half situation. Two of the four members of Mizu are still based in Bečej (Marko and Igor). Dragan moved to Novi Sad (some 50 km south).
I have uprooted and moved Becej>Novi Sad>Belgrade>Chester, UK. We are all still making music, more or less. And we all know that less is more.

++ How was Bečej in the late 90s? Where did the Mizu gang used to hang out? Were there any like-minded bands? Any good record stores? Has it changed much compared to today?

Dragan: Late 90s in Bečej, as in all backwater Serbian towns back then, were slow and dead. If you wanted something to happen, you had to make it happen. So, it just so happened there were a bunch of people liking pop music. Some instruments floated around along with a substantial amounts of zeal and dreams of youth, so various bands popped up, sparked by Eva Braun, of course, who proved you can actually make some good songs and record them. Noone really thought about a next step, it was just out of bounds for us; a song recorded was the ultimate goal.
Yes, it felt like something was going on, a movement of sorts. Bands were forming and evolving, people rehearsing in same rooms sharing equipment, gigging at the same places, writing songs, helping each other out in various ways. Looking back, it seems that the focal place where all the mingling happened was a pub-bookstore on a town square called Libero, where all the new music was played, where all the art and social and political issues were discussed, different views shared. A feeling that we were all part of the same torrent still remains vivid to this day.
In the meantime life happened, and I’m absent from Bečej for more that 15 years, so I really wouldn’t know what it’s like today. Rare visiting occasions are just not enough to get even a rough picture of what’s going on there.

++ What would you say are your earliest music memories? What sort of music did you hear at home while growing up?

Dragan: My older brother had EVERY Beatle album. Even ‘My Bonnie’ single with Tony Sheridan. I was marinated in them before teens even began. Later on it gets hazy, then there was a short punk period, and then The Stone Roses and Pixies and the likes emerged. It was then the music really got to me.
Boris: Rather than focusing on earliest music memories, I would point most inmportant one. Back in early 90s I’ve got cassete from my older sister, on one side it was Teenage Fanclub “Bandwagonesque” on the other Mazzy Star “She Hangs Brightly”.
I had that one on repeat for a long time and from that moment onwards I’ve been on amazing journey.

++ Had you been involved in any bands before being in Mizu? What was your first instrument and do you remember how did you get it?

Dragan: Yup, there was a punk band obnoxiously called Sniffin Glue, then there was Cricetus Cricetus which evolved into Vini Pu, later on it was My Melody Dreams. Somewhere in between was a band called Marry Popins.
I got my first drum set when I was 17. It was a yellow no-name set with make-shift and kludged parts which I bought for 400 Deutche Marks. I got them by convincing my dad it was a “very good investment in my future”. I still, to this day, don’t know how I pulled it off.

Boris: Yes, I’ve started to play with Dragan and my firend Vasko in the band we called My Melody Dreams, later evolved in Mizu. I’ve got first cccoustic guitar Melodija (copy of Ovation guitar) back in ’87 or ’88 and around ’93 I ‘ve got my first Squire Stratocaster guitar as birthday present from mom and dad.

++ When and how did Mizu start as a band? How did you all know each other? Was there any lineup changes?

Boris: As previously mentioned Dragan and I played in My Melody Dreams and later on our friend Srđan Čiplić (Čipa) joind us. Unfortunate event when Čipa suddenly passed away, My Melody Dreams stopped working.
It was quite some time later that Dragan and I joined some friends from Vini Pu (Igor Batinić and Saša Ajdanov) to form Mizu. Later on Marko Vujkov replaced Saša on bass and Saša remains spiritual guru of the band.

++ What’s the story behind the band’s name? Is it true that it comes from an Eggstone song?

Andrej: It is true. One of the early band members and one of the scene’s key protagonists Saša Ajdanov was always on the lookout for great new music. At the time we were all particularly interested in what was going on in Sweden, and Eggstone had a small cult following in Bečej. Saša got hold of the April and May EP and was instantly smitten by “Mizu”. He became so connected to the song that people around town even started calling him Mizu. After he joined the band — which was then in-between names — it somehow transcended his own persona and was imediately adopted by the four guys.

++ What bands would you say were influences in the sound of Mizu?

Boris: Eggstone obviously, but equally Ride, Stone Roses, Oasis, Supergrass etc. I am sure each of us would put a long list.

++ How did the creative process work for Mizu?

Boris: There were three songwriters in Mizu, each with a somewhat distinctive style and aproach. But we worked on each and every song collectively, arranging and re-arranging them until they seemed just right. I think that in the end we managed to make an album of seamlessly connected songs that reflected the inner dynamic of the band.
By the way, this is how Andrej describes it as being close to Mizu throughout it’s creative and recording phase.

++ What do you remember from the recording session for the self-titled album? Where was it recorded? And how much did Dušan Ševarlić from Eva Braun add to it?

Dragan: Looking back, I’d say we as a band didn’t know exactly what we were doing and were fortunate to have Ševa guiding us. He and Slobodan Misailović have recorded, tweaked the sounds and arrangements if needed, gathered additional equipment and people, took care of technical matters, even played on some of the songs. In a word, they performed one hell of a babysitting and had a tremenduous amount of patience with us.
Boris: to add to Dragan’s points above, it was really long recording, due to studio availability limitations. We also had a lot of friends joining/participating, so pretty cool party that lasted over a year.

++ Your album was supposed to be released in 2000 by the Automatik label. What happened? Why didn’t it come out?

Andrej: To be frank, the case of the lost Mizu album is still a bit of a mystery to us. Automatik Records at the time was a fairly successful label ran by the infamous Slobodan Nešović Loka. He played guitar in a couple of bands during the Belgrade New Wave but remained a bit of a footnote in the music history. During the 1990s he became an enterpreneur, and as it seems his enterpreneurship was of a specially exploitative kind. By the end of the millenium the indie pop scene in Serbia probably turned out to be less lucrative then he expected. And our album was recorded just as the time was ripe for him to start cutting costs. We’ve actually signed a contract with Automatik. Everything was ready for the publication. Then Loka insisted on minimizing the layout of the CD cover, to what we grudgingly agreed. And after that… It just never happened.

Boris: Once again, Andrej put quite good reflection of situation at that time, however I would like to add that in our case Loka was a proper prick. He was playing role of some record label mogul. He got fully recorded/produced album and video for the song 22 without investing single dinnar. Never understood why he did not release the album. if we only had soundcloud at that time.
Partly he done us a favour. By not releasing the album, it became rare piece of work not everyone could get hold of.

++ Some promo copies of it did get out, I guess thanks to them I got to listen to it in the early 2000s. Do you have any clue how many of those promo copies were made? And where did these copies go?

Andrej: The fact that the album had not been published was really painful. The band was practically shut down. There was the single (which in Serbia was the euphemism for the video), there were some gigs, some radio play, but this major thing that we worked on really hard was simply silenced. And we knew the album was good enough to be published. To hell with it, we knew it was much, much more than just good enough. So we took what we had – the CD of the album before the final mastering — did some in-house tweaking, digitally printed the covers and made some copies. Guerilla warfare it wasn’t, but at least a few people got the album in the form it was meant to be published in.

++ Eight years after, in 2008, the album was finally released as an MP3 release on Label Star. What made you make that decision? Who were Label Star? And how did it go?

Andrej: Label Star was a short-lived small label formed by Milan Glavaški, the man behind the band Rebel Star (and a former member of Eva Braun and Popcycle). We are friends (to say the least; I (Boris) played in Rebel Star for a while), but I think that his idea to publish the album was based on something else. It was an honest attempt to do at least some justice to this unfairly discarded product of our joint work, hopes and dreams.
Boris: Sptify just opened option to upload own albums. Finally in 2019 plan is to get in on spotify where it belongs.

++ And were the versions of the songs different from the Automatik album and the Label Star album?

Boris: No. Same songs. However we did not like post production of the album and left it with Dragan Bašić to do it again. Believe, only for us, music geeks to hear difference.

++ I love the song “Dobar Dan”, I think it is brilliant. If you don’t mind, care telling me the story behind it?

Dragan: THX. It was brought to a rehearsal, band gave it thumbs up. Igor surprised us with an excellent solo he came up with. While recording, Ševa and Vladimir Kolarić (Veliki Prezir) had an input with backing vocals; Ševa also pushed us in the right direction with the middle section; originally, it was ment to be more like one of the Dodgy Mid8s.

++ A song from the album, “Dvadeset i Dva“, had a promo video. When and where was it recorded? Did it take many days? And did it get much rotation on TV?

Andrej: The video was recorded in Belgrade, at the beautiful building of the department store of the now defunct textile manufacturer Kluz. Trivia says that the place is now a chinese store. Anyway, the focal point of the interior of the building is this huge crystal chandelier that you can see throughout the video. What is now obvious is the mercantile take on pop music that surrounded the scene at the time. We were filmed playing the song “Dvadeset i dva” inside a (stylishly post-socialist) department store, Mizu represented as a brand, there was even a female model stripped down to a bikini, for crying out loud. I guess that the whole commodification spiel perfectly represents the idea behind Automatik Records.

++ I notice that the band had a logo, which appears on the album cover as well as on your t-shirt on the video. Who made that logo? And were these t-shirts sold at all?

Dragan & Andrej: It was made by Dragan and Andrej Dolinka (who later designed the CD cover for the album in collaboration with Aleksandar Maćašev) at Saša Ajdanov’s home, on his PC, while waiting for a water to boil for their coffees. The approach was so hands-on that the logo was made with what was luying around. Believe it or not, it was designed in Microsoft Word! It was later applied in different ways. We only made a limited edition of the t-shirts and pretty much gave them away to friends and family members. OK, and some fans.

++ Do you think someday there will be a physical release for this record? I think it does deserve it!

Boris: I will make sure digital version remains available on Soundcloud &/or Spotify or similar. I would like to have an LP record of it one day. Who knows, maybe only few copies to keep it rare.

++ Did Mizu appear on any compilations?

Boris: Honestly, can not recall.

++ Are there any unreleased Mizu songs?

Boris: I do not think so, but there are unreleased My Melody Dreams songs that were later recorded on Mizu album.

++ From all the Mizu songs, what would you say was your favourite and why?

Dragan: I guess it is “Kraj”. Boris wrote it. I love it for a bunch of reasons, but the main thing is: it always came out right, from the first time we played it. Btw, I was always driven by the melody of Igors solo in it to hit cymbals and insert fills here and there; as I couldn’t be bothered to remember the pattern, poor Igor had to play a solo for me when drums were recorded. And that wasn’t done in a first take either.

Boris: Korpa Cveca, for the reasons that are difficult to explain apart from 2 chords song being my favourate structure.

++ Did you play many gigs? Do you remember which cities you played? And what would you say are the best Mizu gigs and why? Any anecdotes you could share?

Boris: We have played quite a few gigs around Serbia, mainly as opening band for Eva Braun, Popcyle or Veliki Prezir. Actually in my memory, travelling (Saša Ajdanov used to drive us in his Zastava 101 listening great music) and hanging before/after gigs with friends was the best part.
There was a live show at NS Plus TV (Andrej might be able to help as show is still available somewhere on the net) which I remember as great expereince.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio or music press? What about internationally?

Boris: We have mostly been present in local press, radio and TV stations. No international reach.

++ You appeared on TV on a live session for NS Plus. Who were NS Plus? How was that experience? Was that the only TV appearance by the band?

Boris: NS Plus was part of Radio Television Novi Sad and Nikola Šujica had his live show. We’ve been invited to play live and it was only TV appearance we had.
It was really kind from Nikola, we’ve been treated like stars.

++ Then what happened? When and why did you call it a day?

Boris: As Dragan previously mentioned, life happened. It was difficult to progress without having record out and we’ve invested everything in first album. It was just tiring.

++ What did you all do afterwards? Did you continue making music?

Dragan: Boris, Andrej Dolinka and me came together as Super Studio. I still feel I’m a Super Studio member, although this hiatus lasts a fair number of years. Generally, I get stuck at the first base, ie, fooling around with an instrument at home.

Boris: I’ve been playing with Milan Glavaški (ex. Eva Braun and Popcycle) in Rebel Star and as Dragan mentioned we started Superstudio (can be found on soundcloud) I am extremely proud of. As it is formed as very spontanious low fi music expression of 3 friends, I expect some ocasional, unpredictable surprises to continue form different parts of the world.

++ Are you all still in touch? Is there any chance of a Mizu reunion someday?

Boris: Every year around Christmas with few bottles of local spirit, there are big plans. I am more believer it was always meant to be music for family and friends, but who knows….

++ And today, aside from music, what do you do? What other hobbies do you have?

Dragan: You got me thinking now – I’ve got no other hobbies. Aside from making my own wooden shelves or some other simple piece of wooden furniture if I need one. It always turns out ugly, but gets the job done.

Boris: Taking advantage of living in the UK to see some great bands/gigs.

++ I’d love to visit Serbia one day, and why not Vojvodina and Bečej. Wondering if you could tell me what are the sights not to miss from your town, or the traditional dishes or drinks one shouldn’t miss? And if there is a good band there these days, recommend that too please!

Boris: You are more than welcome, but would suggest you plan/visit to Belgrade. In any case, I would be more than happy to organise you visit/stay and to meet/see some amazing bands.

++ One last question, looking back in time, what would you say was the biggest highlight for Mizu?

Dragan: Being interviewed by a fan from Peru, there’s no higher light than that.

Boris: nothing to add to Dragan’s point.

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Listen
Mizu – Dobar Dan

Another week. I have to say I will save Cloudberry news for later in the week. Today I want to go straight to some new finds I’ve stumbled upon!

Los Bonsais: “Hinoki” is the name of the album of Los Bonsais new album that will be released on February 15th on Elefant Records. To promote it the band has put together a lovely video for the song “¡No Quiero Salir!”.  As usual with them it is a great track. I can’t wait to listen to the whole album, to have it at home, and play it over and over. And I’m also crossing my fingers that when I go to Asturias (it seems that will happen in July) I can catch them live!

The Pariahs: this terrific jangle pop band from Germany that I once interviewed will be included in The Sound of Leamington Spa German Edition that Firestation is releasing on February 22nd. Because of this the label has shared on Soundcloud the great track “Going Down Niagara Falls”. This is a record no one should miss.

The Golden Rail: “Sometimes When” is the latest release by the all-star Melbourne band. 10 songs of terrific jangle pop that is now available on CD digipak on the label’s own Candlestick Records label. This one you shouldn’t miss!

Tsuchiyamakoto: “Amaoto Memo” is the name of the latest effort by this Tokyo band. It is a 9 song album of lovely J-pop with all the right ingredients, chiming guitars, sweet melodies, and lyrics that are a mystery to me but sound just right. I want to guess that this project is a one man band fronted by a Makoto Tsuchiya. Is that a good guess?

Tennis Club: in the past I had featured this Missouri band. The song I reviewed was in English. Well now they have a cool sounding song in Spanish called “Mexico City (Rich Girls)” that is out as a digital single on the Mexican label Stupid Decisions. Good stuff!

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Another fine sounding Irish band I discovered through the superb blog Fanning Sessions was The Summerhouse. There I was able to find one track, “The Prize”, which was a great guitar pop song. This song wasn’t included in their one and only record they put out, but it was a demo that at some point Dave Fanning played in his show. Were there any other songs recorded at the same time as this demo? Probably, I mean, that’s usually the case. Will I have the chance to listen to it? I hope so.

I still haven’t heard the tracks on their 7″. They were two. On the A side there was “Until the Light Comes”, and on the AA side there was “Colour”. It seems that it was a self-release as the label is also called Summerhouse. The catalog number is L18306/18307… it is not very creative I must say. The songs were recorded at The Recording Co. and Aigle Studios. The producer was Donal Lunny, an Irish folk musician with lots of releases under his belt, and the engineer was Johnny Byrne who had been in bands like the Zen Alligators and that sadly passed away in 1997 in New York where he was also working as an engineer.

The 7″ had some matrix runouts, the A side had “Summerhouse” and on the AA side they wanted to be funny and wrote “Smokehouse”.

On Discogs there is a scan of the back of the sleeve. I can see that:
Alan Redmond – vocals, acoustic guitar
Kieran McEvoy – lead guitar
Steven Dempsey – keyboards
Tom Rooney – drums
Jean-Marc Soule – bass

The sleeve design is credited to the bassist, Jean-Marc. He was from Paris, France, by the way. How do I know that? Well, there is a live performance of the band on Youtube, at the Borderline tv programme, on its 1987 competition. On it they play the song “Colour”.

The band appeared on the “Comet EP One” 12″ comp that I have mentioned in the past on the blog. That’s how I was aware of them really. I had written about this compilation on posts about Cypress, Mine!, Cliff Edge Panic and lately on the Slowest Clock. The comp was released by Comet Records (COME1T) in 1986. The song The Summerhouse contributed was “Everything I Wanted”.

Irishrock.org this time doesn’t have much info on them. Just that Kieran McEvoy played before in Redeemer and also in the band Civilians.

That’s all there is on the web. It is odd. It is a band that appeared on TV. But seems as if not many people remember them. I would love to listen to the single. To the song on the compilation too. If there are more demos, that too of course. Did they play in the UK perhaps? Who remembers them?

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Listen
The Summerhouse – The Prize

I know, I know, I said I was going to announce a new release this week! It is all ready but just waiting for the mastering of the songs. I want to share a song at least when I announce the album, right? So that’s what is keeping me. I am crossing my fingers I get something over the weekend so I can share and announce this. On the other hand I have already contacted 20 bands (hoping all of them say yes) to be part of the first volume of the Australian indiepop compilations I hope to start releasing this year. I am aiming for summer, no later than that, for the first release. I am very excited about this and I hope it works out well!

Now, what have I found lately?

Corduroy: this was a very cool surprise! I wasn’t aware that Paul from Expert Alterations had a new band until I got an invite on Facebook to like this band’s page. Then I listened and I immediately fell in love with this TVPs ramshackle pop influenced band from Baltimore, Maryland. THe band has released a demo back in May 2018 and their latest is the “Corduroy EP” that came out a week or so ago. It is a 6 song EP and it is available on tape. Of course I’m hoping a vinyl record or a CD in the near future, but in the meantime I’m enjoying these top songs!

She Sir: this very good band that had released previously in Japan and the US seems to have signed to Austin Town Hall Records to release their latest effort, a 6 song EP titled “Ways a Season”. It will be available on March 22nd on 12″ vinyl and so far we can only preview one of the songs, “OK Tono Omepo”.

Funeral Advantage: I’ve been a fan of this Boston band for a while. This year the band is releasing a limited cassette mini-album called “Nectarine” which is coming out on February 22nd. Only one of the songs is available to preview now and it is called “Black Horse” and it sounds great!

Dream, Ivory: Christian Baello and Louie Baello are Dream, Ivory, a band who has just released a tape on the San Francisco label Blind Love Tapes. Their self-titled 8 song mini-album sounds terrific. Dreamy, jangly, blissful, evocative. The interesting thing is that these 8 songs seem to have been originally released in 2016. I didn’t hear them then. I don’t really know where or how they were released at that time. But I’m glad all these songs are available one more time even if it is on tape.

Elna Rae: and of course I decided to explore more releases on this label which is new to me. And I found Elna Rae who have released a lathe cut that is limited to 20 copies! So hurry up I suppose? Because it is pretty good, 4 lovely guitar pop tracks, “Ultra Lord”, “Marmalade” “Turkish Silvers” and “Sonic” make up the “Dexter EP”.

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I must say that the first song I ever heard by this Norwich early 80s band I really liked. It was poppy, fun, kind of a proto-Anorak Girls kind of song. Then I went to check out their other songs and I wasn’t that into them. They were darker, less poppy. I suppose that makes sense as the band is normally categorized as a synth-wave band. But still I thought recommending the one song I loved,”Life’s Not Worth It (yeah)”. I think it is a great slice of indiepop if I may say so.

At first I thought the song I liked was an earlier track. You know this happens a lot. The band is first quite poppy and then they develop a different sound. But it might not be the case this time as this song, “Life’s Not Worth it (Yeah)” was included in a 1984 compilation called “Reel Number 3″, whereas their first 7” came out in 1983. Or it could have been a song they had saved from their early days?

This compilation actually included two songs by them. The other song was “Bandwagon Tango (Edit)”. This song was actually the A side of their first single. I’ll get to that in a bit. But what else do we know about this compilation? Well it was released by Backs Records, the label and shop based in Norwich, and didn’t have a catalog number. There were some great bands on it like Vital Disorders, Mad About Sunday, Kamikaze Sex Pilots and The Farmer’s Boys among others.

As I said “Bandwagon Tango” was their first 7″ and came out also on Backs (NCH 004). The B side was “Unfamiliar Room“. Actually both of these songs have promo videos and I’ve linked to them. And you’ll notice that the sound is much different to “Life’s Not Worth It (yeah)”.

The 2nd and last 7″ was “Third Stroke” with “If Only If it Wasn’t”. Again the sound is heavier, and darker. Perhaps “Life’s Not Worth It (yeah)” was the only song of theirs in that style, with that pop sensibility. I wonder. This single also was released by Backs Records (NCH 010) and came out in 1984.

There are a few more songs by the band. There was one called “Damp Hands and Breathlessness” that appeared on the 1984 cassette comp “The Norwich Tapes Vol. 1” that was released by Nationsounds (STN 09). This same song also appeared with a remix version on a 1985 tape called “A Street Tape Named Desire” that was released by Venue One. Then the song “Blanket Expression (Peel Session Version)” was included in the 2013 tape “Pap Smear Tears – Cindy’s HitszTape” that was released by Grovl. It seems only 19 songs were made of this tape. Is it an official release?

Their B side “If Only if it Wasn’t” was also included in an unofficial CDR comp called “None Night of Flexipop Vol. 4”. Flexipop being a bootleg label from Germany.

Now we know a thing or two. And we know they did a Peel Session. When was that? What songs were recorded? The answer is easy to find. It was on December 18th 1982 and they played the songs “Bandwagon Tango”, “Blanket Expression”, “Ransom” and “Unfamiliar Room”. I find too the lineup of the band on the BBC site.
Sue Hope – vocals
Pete Roberts – synthesizer
John Hartwell – electric drums
Vince Rogers – organ

Keep looking. I find an article on the website Sofacom. Here it mentions that the band formed in 1981 and had recorded an early demo that was supported by Radio Norfolk. What songs were on that demo? The writer, who seems to be familiar with the “Testies”, describes the bands gigs as shambolic. I like that. That they had a very primitive drum machine and that they played gigs at places like The Big Apple in Great Yarmouth where they had some issues with the police! We also know the band supported OMD and SPK, and won a Battle of the Bands. Then the band was over.

The Battle of the Bands gig is actually on Youtube. The TDK Battle of the Bands Norwich, October 30th 1982 were the band played “Desire is My Downfall”, “Suburban Life”, “Blanket Expression”, Unfamiliar Room” and “Unfamiliar Room (Encore)”.

It also tells us a bit about the band members. Pete Roberts used to call himself Pete Casio. Vince Rogers after the demise of the band went on to Gee Mr. Tracy and at worked at the BBC in the Soutth East. Sue Hope seems to have been replaced by Angie Thornby Burt in July 1984 and later by a Rebecca Slater. John Hartwell is/was a technical guru at Norwich Arts Centre. The article mind you was written in 2004!

It is also safe to assume they took their name from the tuning signals test card that were broadcasted by the BBC. Test Card F seems to be the most famous one and even has its own Wikipedia article. It was the longest-running test card and it featured Carole Hersee and Bubbles the Clown.

Lastly the website Music from the East Zone – East Anglian Music Archive can give us in which other bands the members were involved with.
Vince Rodgers had been as mentioned earlier in Gee Mr Tracy but also in The Browning Version.
Susan Hope (also known as Susan Flynn) had been in Count Lorenzo and Funk Turkey.
Rebecca Slater had been in The Browning Version.
Angie Thornby Burt (also known as Angie Nee Dixon) had been in Egotism, The Kamikaze Pilots, Children of the Revolution and Garden of Delights.

And that’s about it. It is true that I’m not loving all of their songs. They are not what I normally listen to. But the one song I like, I think it is ace. I hope you like it too. Also if anyone know if they had more poppy songs like this, perhaps on their demos? Or if they have any other details about the band, please share!

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Listen
Testcard F – Life’s not Worth it (Yeah)

Thanks a lot to Angus and Richard for the great interview!! The Relationships hail from Oxford if you didn’t know them. Their band members have been in classic indiepop bands like the Razorcuts and The Anyways. They’ve been around since the 90s and have produced 4 top albums of jangle pop. They are still going and they have 4 new brand new songs on their Bandcamp. Now, if you want to learn more about them, which I think is a good idea, read this interview. Also make sure to visit their website!

++ The Relationships continue making music till this day. What is coming up in the future for the band? Is there a new release under way perhaps? Gigs?

Angus: Yes, if we’re spared! We’ve had so many interruptions and problems the last couple of years, with people being ill and parents dying. I’m not saying that we’re cursed or tragic, these are the sorts of issues everyone goes through when they get a bit older. But we still love playing and have so many great new songs to play you. Hopefully a new album and some gigs and festivals over the next year or so.

+ How much would you say has the band changed since the late 90s when the band was formed?

Angus: That’s a good question. Maybe I could say that we’ve come to sound more and more like ourselves! I don’t think you could tell in which year our more recent stuff was recorded. Richard’s songwriting has created a mythical Surrey of the 60s and early 70s.

++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

Angus: My first rock memory was seeing David Bowie doing Starman on the TV show Top of the Pops – the one where Mick Ronson puts his head on Bowie’s shoulder. So many people have this as their first musical impression! I was just too young to have been a hippy or prog fan and so was just starting to find out about that music when punk happened, which made for an interesting mix. Then I was really into new wave and post punk, and early indie like Orange Juice and Postcard records. At the same time I was going back and finding out about the 60s, the Byrds, people like that, which of course led naturally into the C86 indie thing. That was one of the few times when my tastes coincided with what was going on at the time!

Richard: Beatles on the radio. First instrument: keyboards. 60s pop, psychedelia and early prog

++ Prior to The Relationships you had been in the Razorcuts. What were the highlights for your time in the Razorcuts and how would you compare both bands?

Angus: I was so excited to join Razorcuts and it was wonderful meeting all the other bands of the time like Primal Scream, Felt, and Hurrah, playing some pretty good gigs, being interviewed in NME, and of course doing proper recording for the first time. It was what I wanted to do and I’m so glad I got the chance. But really I don’t think Razorcuts were a very good band when I was with them. They had some decent songs but we never practised and everything was always done in a rush.

++ And what would have been your first band? And what other bands had you been involved with other than the Razorcuts and The Relationships?

Angus: Before Razorcuts I was in Here Comes Everybody with Richard, original R’ships member Pete Lock and also Pete Momtchiloff, who formed Talulah Gosh and then Heavenly, the Would-Be-Goods, and many others. Richard and Pete Lock then became The Anyways who were together for a few years and were kind of local heroes. Here Comes Everybody were one of the first indie bands in town, I think – there had been a punk scene but Oxford was mainly just blues and covers bands by then. Since then the scene has exploded and of course all the bands like Ride, Radiohead, and Supergrass have appeared.

++ Were there any lineup changes at all?

Angus: Me and Richard are the ever presents. We’ve had two drummers and a few exploding bass players, but current bass player Andy is the new boy and he’s been a member since about 2001! Our drummer Tim is an original punk but is also a top sound engineer who loves Frank Zappa. Andy was in a band called The Bigger the God that did two albums in the 90s.

++ What’s the story behind the name The Relationships?

Richard: Shorter than The Meaningful Relationships (original, not entirely serious suggestion)

+ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

Richard: Beatles, Byrds, Love, Syd Barrett, Yes, Stranglers, Kevin Ayers, Caravan

++ Your first releases didn’t come out in the UK but in the US on the Twee Kitten label. How did this connection happen? Did you ever meet the people behind the label?

Angus: We didn’t meet them. I think I just sent a tape out, actually. It was great to have a release out on a label from California!

++ After your album “Trend”, also on Twee Kitten, “Scene” came out. This was released by Trailer Star Records. Who were they?

Angus: a mad beatnik poet we knew, who had done cover art for the Weather Prophets. Great guy but sadly not really a businessman or promoter!

++ Afterwards your next two album, “Space” and “Phase” were released by Big Red Sky, I am guessing this is your own label? Or who were behind it?

Angus: Big Red Sky is a guy we know in Oxford, he’s a great musician and engineer who has put out quite a few local releases and does a lot of promoting and recording in town. We’ve not had much luck with the more established indie labels, maybe because we don’t have a sound that is easy to categorize – it’s not the classic Sarah or C86 sound. At one point we were going to sign to Vinyl Japan but then the main guy came to see us and was put off by how loud and raucous we were!

++ I start to notice that you like album titles that are just one-word, is that right? Why is that?

Angus: At first it wasn’t deliberate but then we noticed it and decided to stick with it! They’re all one-syllable words with five letters. I guess we were maybe influenced by the way the Go-Betweens’ album titles always had a double ‘l’.

++ I read someone describing your music in this album (though I think it can be said of all of your records) as a mix of sixties and c86 inspired pop nuggets. You think that’s a good way of putting it?

Angus: Yes, those are among our influences, but we also have post punk and early prog threads! C86, not really so much – we listen to some of the same stuff as the C86-ers such as the Byrds and Love, but don’t really do the ‘twee’ thing. We’re mature men and Tim is the loudest drummer in town, and covered in tattoos! We feel we have stuff in common with people like XTC and Robyn Hitchcock, which people don’t generally pick up on. Richard went to the school that Robyn had been at and we once supported him.

++ On the “Scene” album you can find “Mediaeval Day” a song I’ve always been curious of as I love all sorts medieval I must say. I am wondering what inspired you to write this song?

Richard: A walk on Port Meadow, cathedral bells, swifts

++ One of the songs from “Space” got a promo video for the song “Space Race”. It was made by Jon Spira. Where was it made? Was it your first promo video that you made? How was that experience?

Richard: Yes, first and to date only R-ships promo. Various band members had featured in Jon’s Oxford music scene film, Anyone Can Play Guitar. He offered to do a vid for us.

++ I got “Phase” just a few days ago and it sounds gorgeous. So many good songs in it. How was recording this album? Did it take long? Where was it recorded? Any anecdotes you could share of these sessions?

Richard: Thanks! Glad you like. We did it at Evolution Studios, which was new at the time. (We were the first band in!) . It’s run by Nick Moorbath who’s been in a million bands and sometimes plays keyboards live with Ride. One day we ran out of studio snacks!

++ I found on Discogs a few compilation appearances, on the “Eine Kleine Nightshiftmusik” tape, “Pop Goes the Weasel Vol. 2”, “Popular World” and “I Am a Victim of this Song” CDs. Are there any missing that you can remember?

Angus: You probably know more about these than we do! Eine Kleine Nightshiftmusik was an Oxford thing, there’s a music magazine called Nightshift that put this together. The others were random and worldwide! Japan, France, maybe more. I think people heard us because we were on Twee Kitten. We’ve always had more appreciation from outside the UK, for some reason, which is odd since people often say we are so ‘English’.

++ And what about these four songs that are available to stream on Bandcamp? Care telling me a bit about each of them?

Angus: Yeah these are our latest recordings. They are getting deeper into Richard’s childhood and the mythical world of old Surrey, where guitar heroes like Robin Trower and Gordon Giltrap play golf with each other. Soundwise maybe they’re simpler, more direct than some of our earlier stuff, but at the same time quirkier, more individual. Someone once said we were ‘tweedy psychedelia’ and we like that. Also we like the chord of ‘M’ which Richard discovered, or maybe invented. Or perhaps Edwyn Collins or Arthur Lee could have first constructed that. For me personally I am very happy to play the twelve string guitar which is very jangly and not something you hear enough of. I hope these songs will be the basis for our next album which would be number five.

Richard: Mike Oldfield is about an unnamed (but real) band recording at The Manor studios near Oxford in 1973 [this was the first Virgin studio, owned by Richard Branson – before our time!]. Angus invented some new notes for the instrumental of this one.

Fairgrounding is set at St Giles’ Fair, which happens every September in Oxford

Guitar Heroes at the BBC takes its title from a long-running music clips series on BBC4, and lists various favourite guitarists from the 1970s who might have appeared on The Old Grey Whistle Test.

Strange Archaeology involves a stretch of Surrey countryside which was dug up for the North Sea Gas pipeline during Richard’s childhood

++ If you were to choose your favourite The Relationships song, which one would that be and why?

Angus: I like Well, from the first album, and English Blues from the second. Also Medieval Day is up there.

Richard: Clockwork Toy and Victorian Séance from Space, Ghost Child from Phase… plus the four Bandcamp ones (newest recordings!)

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? All over England?

Angus: Not enough! Mainly just around Oxford

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have? Do you follow any football team?

Angus: yes, Oxford United, they’re a sort of ‘indie’ team who never get too mainstream or successful. I go with original R’ships bassist Ian.

++ I’ve never been to Oxford, so I’m hoping to hear from a local for some recommendations! What are the sights one shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try?

Angus: just take a walk around the centre, the ancient university buildings are all around you. Then head up north to the historic Jericho Tavern where the Relationships and so many bands started, have a traditional English pie and a pint, then go for a walk on the wide open spaces of Port Meadow.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Angus: thanks very much for having us!

Richard: Yes, thanks and take care!

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Listen
The Relationships – Mediaeval Day

Back from 9 days in Peru. Not re-energized to be honest, quite tired!  But that doesn’t mean I won’t be updating the blog… you know I just did yesterday with an interview! And today I have a new post and tomorrow a new interview as well. There were no indiepop news in Peru, but I did have the time yesterday to find some good new music!

Chestnut Bakery: one of my favourite Chinese indiepop bands is back with a wonderful 7″ on the superb Boring Productions label. Well, it was also available on tape, but it seems the tape is already sold out. The band formed by Rye, Leo and Sango presents us two new fine songs here, “Dust” and “To Sylvie”. Check it out!

Dayflower: one of the best guitar pop bands for some time have put up a new album on their Bandcamp. Titled “Honeyspun”, the 9 song album, is a treat to all indiepop fans. I only wonder why it is not released on a physical format. From jangly guitars to dreamy wall of guitars, there’s a little surprise here for everyone.

The Reds, Pinks and Purples: again and again this lovely band fronted by Glenn Donaldson gives us jangly demos that I can’t stop wondering when will the album be released. Or something else. Anything at all. Why not put 4 of them on a 7″ EP for example? I think it would be fantastic. “Dead End Days (demo)” is his latest song. And once more I’m liking it a lot!

Dreams of Empire: this duo formed by Andrea and Jane, who met in the 90s indie band Luminous, are based in Brighton. They plan to release a series of singles and an album in 2019. So far two songs are on their Bandcamp, “Skinny Dipping” and “Drive On”. Let’s keep an eye on them.

Kings and Queens of the Do It Now!: this is the name of a wonderful compilation the Arizona based label Emotional Response has put out as a sampler of releases that are due in 2019! There are tracks by favourites Mick Trouble, Boyracer, The Ocean Party and more!

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While writing the Ronnie Can You Hear Me? post I was wondering about many of the related bands I mentioned. I had no clue about them. And because they were all, most probably, in the same scene as the Farmers Boys, I thought that they must be good. Poppy at least. So I decided to investigate.

I started with Terminal Fun. Why? Because I knew it had Carole Bush, the vocalist of Ronnie Can You Hear Me? That was important of course because I like female vocals a lot. Why not, right? So, I found out that they did have one release, a 7″ released in 1982. I tracked it down and just ordered it from Discogs. Not too cheap, but it has been a while since I bought myself an obscure record like this.

The 7″ that included “Great Moments” on the A side and “Twist and Survive” on the B side, was released by two labels, Projected Image (PRIM 4) and Backs Records (same catalogue number). I suppose Projected Image was just created for this record as it is the only record listed on this label. Or maybe not? About Backs Records we know much more. We know they were from the same area of the band, Norwich, and was actually a shop too (which closed in the early 90s).

The 7″ was engineered and recorded at Spaceward Sudios in July 1982. These studios were not in Norwich, but actually in Cambridge. The songs were produced by Joe Bull who also produced “Whatever is He Like?” by the Farmers Boys.

The back sleeve gave us that information and more. We know the band members too:
Paul Rayner – bass
Pete Sparrow – drums, synthesizer, vocals
Paul Day – guitar, vocals
Carole Bush – vocals

Something interesting about the back sleeve is that it has ads. Yes. Like stores where Terminal Fun shop at. For example Quality Shoe Repair, Cookes band instruments, Audiotime (Anglia) and Urry Video from Norwich, and Benkson personal stereo radio and cassette players from London. They thank these sponsors for helping get the record funded. Each of these stores have some illustrations which are credited to Pete Siree.

Looking at the same website that gave me lots of information the other day, the Music from the Eastzone, East Anglian Music Archive, I notice they list other band members that doesn’t appear on the record, Jacqui Brown and Steve Smith. Who were they? At what time were they in the band? Also now we know that the band was active between 1981 and 1982.

Let’s check what other bands were they involved with:
Carole Bush: we already knew she had been in Ronnie Can You Hear Me?
Paul Day: he was also in Cultural Collapse
Peter Sparrow: was in Running Dogs
Steve Smith: he was a drummer and he had been in The Funk Police, Giant II, The Fire Thieves, Cultural Collapse, La Host and Pendragon
Jacqui Brown: was a vocalist and only seems to have been involved in Terminal Fun

I look for more information about them on the web and I stumble upon a website called Futures and Past which is run by Erika Elizabeth. On a post dating from January 23rd, 2018, she posts a column she wrote for a the Maximum Rock’n Roll magazine in their December 2017 issue where she reviews the 7″ by Terminal Fun. Thanks to it I find out that there are another 3 songs the band recorded in 1983 for a scrapped EP! I need to find them!

So I end up on Paul Day’s website Luv Music. I start reading his biography. On the biography I learn that Jacqui and Steve were actually part of an earlier incarnation of the band, from a time they were not yet named Terminal Fun. I also confirm that Paul Day was the main songwriter. They got a manager called Steve Jackson who had been a radio DJ in London. Then something odd. He mentions that the songs were recorded at Spacewood Studios in Suffolk. But the sleeve has Spaceward. Maybe there was a typo? Which one was it?

Other interesting details was that the Projected Image name of the label was actually called like that because of a Paul Day song of the same name. It got a bad review in the NME by Danny Baker. And John Peel played it several times. The band played gigs throughout East Anglia supporting Screen 3, The Farmers Boys and more. The 3 songs that were supposed to be released in the scrapped EP were called “Lucifer”, “Something Must Break” and “The Sun is Cold”. You can listen to this song plus many more recordings by Terminal Fun on his website. The other songs the band recorded were: “Growing Inside”, “Shine”, “Demise”, “Hello”, “Shout!”, “I’m Different to You”, “Tear Down the Barricades”, “The Things We Said”, “Running From the Dogs” and “Who are You?”.

And that’s all I could find about the band on the web. Not little for sure. Especially as I could find audio bits on Paul Day’s site. It’d be great if we could get in touch and do an interview and fill in the blanks the story of Terminal Fun. But maybe you can help too, any of my Norwich area readers remember them?

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Listen
Terminal Fun – Great Moments

Thanks to Dan so much for the interview! After writing about the Japanese band Peatmos, who released a 7″ on his label, Dan got in touch with me. I didn’t know much about the label aside from the few releases they put out in the 90s, mostly featuring Japanese bands, so I thought it was a great opportunity to learn more about his label and his love for pop music. Was very lucky indeed that he was up to answer all my questions!

++ Hi Dan! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! We got in touch through the Peatmos post and the Pop Jingu releases but there’s a lot of questions I have!  But let’s start with “today”. Are you involved in any music projects at the moment?

I haven’t been involved in any music projects since the Sonorama Records label wound down in late 1997.

++ You were active in the mid 90s with Sonorama Records. I wonder though how did you get into music, into indiepop in the first place?

In the late 80’s, I did a radio show for four years at KCSB, the college radio station at UC Santa Barbara.  It was probably in late 1987 that I was introduced to the C86 compilation and all the music that was later known as indiepop.  Unfortunately, there was only so much we had available in the stacks of records at the station and available in L.A. record shops.  So when I ended up in London for a week in the Summer of 1988, I had a great time stocking up on so much great music on labels such as Sarah, Creation, Subway Organisation, 53rd and 3rd, etc. Among my favorite bands at the time were McCarthy, Pop Will Eat Itself, Close Lobsters, This Poison!, Sea Urchins, Groovy Little Numbers, etc.  

++ Were you ever in a band?

No — I’ve never had any musical talent whatsoever!

++ Your first release was a 7″ by the band Kactus. I don’t know much about this band, so was hoping you could tell me who were they and how did this relationship start?

My friend Rich, who I knew from my time in college radio, was living in Japan at the time and was part of Kactus.  Masato, the drummer for Kactus (and guitarist for Peatmos), ran Clover Records.  So when I decided to start the label, I asked Rich to send along a Kactus demo tape.  He sent me a handful of cassette releases from Clover, which included earlier versions of some of the tracks included on both the Kactus and Peatmos 7”s.   

++ What inspired you to start a label? Would you say there were any other labels influence in Sonorama?

1995 was a great year for me, very successful with my IT consulting company I had started the year before. Despite all that, during that time, I had a handful of friends doing work that looked more exciting than mine, one running a small label and a fanzine, another working at a larger indie label, etc. In early 1996, when I had more free time available between consulting jobs, I thought I could to that, too, and it would be something more exciting than my real job.

++ Something that strikes me when seeing the records you put out is that it seems you had a lot of interest on what was going in Japan. Why was that? How did that interest come about?

A year or so before I started label, I knew almost nothing about music in Japan. I was into indiepop and a lot of the lo-fi music that was happening at the time. I probably became aware that there were some interesting Japanese indiepop bands after hearing releases I picked up on the Sugarfrost and Por Supuesto labels. I also had a few friends who were really into the whole Shibuya-kei scene in Japan, so I learned a lot about Flipper’s Guitar Cornelius, Pizzicato Five, etc. from them.

++ Before you started Sonorama, had you had any experience working in a label? Or perhaps putting out any releases?

I had a couple internships, each lasting a couple months, one at a major label and another at a larger indie label.

++ And yeah, why the name of the label?

Here’s the answer that I had on the Sonorama website back in 1997:

…the name Sonorama was lifted from Esquivel, the brilliant lounge bandleader from the 50’s and 60’s. It was Esquivel that Stereolab was paying homage to when they named their 1993 ep “Space Age Batchelor Pad Music”. Sonorama was the term he used to describe his own music and some of his records were released as “Juan Garcia Esquivel and His Sonorama Orchestra.”

++ What about the infrastructure for the label? Was there perhaps an office? A deposit? Or was it a bedroom label? How many copies did you use to press more or less?

It was definitely a bedroom label.

For the 7”s I pressed 500 and for the CD’s I pressed 1000. I think I recall pressing an additional 2500 for distribution of the Pop Jingu CD in Japan.

++ Where in the US were you based? California? How was it back then in the mid nineties? Were there any good bands you liked in town? What about record stores?

Los Angeles. I wasn’t so focused on local bands at the time, though Aberdeen, who were on Sarah, were from L.A. At the time, we had some great record stores that I spent far too much time at: No Life Records, Rhino Records, Aron’s Records and Tower Records on Sunset.

++ And how come no American bands in your catalog?

There were a lot of labels doing American indiepop and doing it very well. In fact, when I envisioned the Japanese pop compilation that later became Pop Jingu, I was thinking I wanted to do a Japanese version of “Pop American Style,” which had recently been released on March Records.

++ What about the artwork for the label? Did you take care of that part as well?

For the Kactus 7” and the Jordans CD, the artwork was handled by the bands. For the Peatmos 7” and Pop Jingu CD, I was sent the photos and I handled the rest, including liner notes.

The Sonorama label art was based on the design from some really thick 80rpm (not 78!) records from the 1920’s on the Edison Records label I found at a thrift shop.

++ And was it easy to distribute your records?

No, that was one of the downfalls of the label. Distributors would pick up 5 or 10 copies, which never seemed to move.

++ Did the label get much support from the press or radio?

Yes, somewhat. I mailed the releases out to college radio and also to numerous magazines and fanzines and there were a number of reviews both online and in print. I would say I was somewhat successful, with Pop Jingu charting on the CMJ Top 200 as high as 96 in July 1997, which, for me as a former college-radio DJ, was pretty exciting and an accomplishment since I was running the whole label out of my apartment.

++ Your second release was a 7″ by Peatmos. You were telling me the band had to change their name to Pervenche for some legal reasons. What happened?

I won’t mention the individual’s name or record label here, but in December 1997, I received a call one evening from someone who ran a label and claimed he was completing a major label distribution deal for the American band Peatmoss.

He threatened me with a lawsuit if I continued to advertise for the Peatmos 7” or continued to include them on the website.

By the time this happened, I had already decided not to continue with the label, so it was easiest just to pull them off the website and not risk a lawsuit over a 7” that cost a few hundred dollars to produce. In the end, the bulk of the remaining 7”s were shipped off to Japan, which is why, when you look for people selling used copies, they are all outside the U.S.

In 1998, the band began using the name Pervenche. By 2002, when Pervenche released their “Subtle Song” CD, most of the band members had changed since the releases on Sonorama. Subtle Song is worth checking out, it includes updated versions of a number of songs that were released earlier as Peatmos and a nice cover of the Field Mice’s “September’s Not So Far Away.”

++ Afterwards you put out the fantastic Australian band The Jordans, who I have actually interviewed in the past. I believe he sent you some songs hoping to put out a 7″ and then you wanted all of them and ended up putting out an album! How did this contact with a rather obscure Australian band happened in the pre-internet days?

Well, it wasn’t pre-Internet days for me and for a lot of people I knew, but then again, my day job at the time was building corporate email systems. I subscribed to the Indiepop mailing list in October 1994, soon after it started up. I knew about Adam from the Sugargliders “Trumpet Play” single on Sarah and also the first Steinbeck’s album, both of which were among my favorites at the time. So when Adam posted on the Indiepop list in 1996 about having some songs he recorded as The Jordans, I asked him to send me a tape.

I loved the music and couldn’t decide on 2 or 3 songs for a 7”, so after he recorded a few more songs, they were released as a CD from The Jordans, katydid.

++ Then the “Pop Jingu Volume 1” compilation was released in 1997. This was a co-release between you and Clover Records, right? What relationship did you have with Clover and what was the deal? Was it as simple as you got the US and they Japan?

I recall it at least starting off primarily as a Sonorama release (with a lot of help from Clover) and I sent each band 5 copies of the CD and additional copies were sent to Clover Records that they could sell to record shops and at gigs. Just a couple months after the initial release, it became more of a co-release since Clover was able to secure distribution by a company associated with Sony in Japan and the CD made it into stores like Tower Records in Japan.

++ And are the Japanese CDs and American CDs the same?

Yes, all the copies of Pop Jingu Volume 1 were produced by Sonorama in the U.S. The ones with a Japanese wrapper were printed in the U.S. without a cellophane wrapper and sent to Japan so they could finish the packaging.

After Sonorama Records shut down, Clover Records continued with volumes 2 and 3 of Pop Jingu, both of which are worth checking out.

++ On the credits I see that the record was compiled by Masato, Rich and you. How was the process to compile these bands? Were there any bands that you would have wanted and didn’t end up in it?

It was pretty straightforward. Masato and Rich got the word out to the bands. Due to language issues, they handled most of the coordination, though a few bands that had members who felt comfortable communicating in English coordinated via email directly with me. The tapes were sent over to me and I coordinated everything else.

Bands that didn’t end up on it? My absolute favorite album that year was Cornelius’ 69/96 album. I remember asking a bit how we could get in touch with the band, but I had no clue where to start and knew the chances would be slim. Forget that the sound wouldn’t have necessarily fit with the rest of the CD.

++ So as far as I know these were the only four releases on the label. Why didn’t you continue putting out records? Were there any plans for other releases?

Bands from Sweden and Japan were in contact with me, there was some great music, but the talk was always around US-only album releases. In one situation, I was asked to provide a hefty outlay of money to fund the recording, which a real label would have had no problems with, but I still viewed Sonorama as a fun hobby. With the exception of the scene in Japan, much of the excitement around Sonorama was with people on the Indiepop mailing list (who were scattered all over the globe). US distribution being as challenging as it was, it didn’t make sense to do US-only releases.

I could have fallen back and just done a bunch of 7”s, but with the amount of money I was spending and not being very successful with distribution, I was increasingly asking myself “why am I doing this?” At that point, in late 1997, I was making a lot of changes in my life and it made sense to end it at those 4 releases.

++ You have recently added all songs of your catalog to Youtube. And that’s not all, you have also transferred from VHS live footage by many Japanese bands like Kactus, Drum Solo, Lucy Van Pelt and Peatmos! How cool! Where do these recordings come from? Did you record them? Will there be more of these in the future?

The live recordings were on VHS tapes I had been sent while the label was active. Everything that I have is now out there.

++ Looking back now, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the label?

The biggest highlight was easily when I visited Japan a few weeks after the Kactus 7” was released. I was at the club where the Kactus, Peatmos and Drum Solo sets were filmed in the September 1996 video clips that are now up on YouTube. The gig started after midnight Saturday night and went until 5am, when the trains started running again. It was a small club and the crowd was tiny since a typhoon rolled in during the evening. Fortunately, I had gotten into Japan a couple days earlier and my body was still on L.A. time, so midnight to 5am felt like daytime to me!

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

Bike rides to the beach, trail running up in the mountains, skateboarding along the beach bike paths.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks for your interest in Sonorama, it’s been a long time since anyone has asked me about it and it’s also reminded me how much fun some parts of running the label were.

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Listen
Peatmos – D’yer Wanna Dance With Kids?

Well, later tonight I’m heading to Lima, Peru, for a week. I’ll be back to blogging, not next Wednesday but the following. During this time you can catch up with the blog. Also any orders placed during this time that I will be out of town will be shipped on that same Wednesday, January 23rd. I promise to come with lots of news then!

Cristina Quesada: one of my very good friends is back with a new 7″ on Elefant Records. Four brand new songs, “Hero”, “Mona Lisa”, “Think I Heard A Rumour” and “Into You” will be on it! To promote this record a promo video has been made for the first track, and that’s what I’m linking to here because it is awesome. You’ll notice that Cristina’s music has changed a bit here! It is an electronic song, in the vein of St. Etienne! And I must say I do like this new direction!

Axolotes Mexicanos: looking at other Elefant news I notice this punky song called “Nacida para Sufrir” which is included in their album “Salu2” which I don’t have it yet! I guess I need to hurry up because this track has taken me back in time, it is like Juniper Moon are back! And that’s a good thing in my book!

Parsnip/The Shifters: there is a new 12″ split on the French label Future Folklore Records. It includes the Melbourne band Parsnip which I recommended some time ago and The Shifters, also from Melbourne. Each band contributes 3 songs. On the label’s Bandcamp you can preview 1 song each, Parsnip’s “Counterfeit” and The Shifters’ “Photo Op”. I will say that I really like Parsnip’s song which is superb and catchy, but I couldn’t listen to more than 10 seconds of the second song.

The Crystal Furs: is my memory wrong? I thought the Crystal Furs were from Texas. I see now on Bandcamp that they list Portland, Oregon, as their hometown. They have a new album which will be released on January  28th and is called “Pseudosweet”. Two songs are available to preview, the title track “Pseudosweet” and “Dysfunctional Mythology”. I wasn’t liking much the first track sadly, but the second is pretty good! So I’m hoping the record includes more sweet and jangly songs like this instead of the rockier style of “Pseudosweet”.

Estudiantes: lastly this new release on the very prolific Mexican label Stupid Decisions. Estudiantes are putting out their self-titled EP which is also available on very limited cassette on January 25th. There are 5 songs in it and you can preview three of these lo-fi shoegazy tracks “Mejor No”, “Es Verdad” and “Es Tarde”. There are more new releases on the label, so I’ll be keeping an eye on what to recommend.

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An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather that sometimes occurs in autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Indian summers are common in North America and Asia. The US National Weather Service defines this as weather conditions that are sunny and clear with above average temperatures, occurring September to November. It is usually described as occurring after a killing frost.

Arno Kammermeier, Claus Brandenburger and Walter Merziger were Indian Summer. They were German. Released two records, which I’ve listened but don’t own. And then, it seems, were kind of forgotten. Knowing very little about them, and thinking they could be included in the German version of the sound of Leamington Spa, it is time for me to dig out any details I can find about this late 80s band.

Both their records came out on Blue Cue Records. This label was as sub-label of Blue Clue Musikverlag that released some big names in Germany like Culture Club for example. They must have money?

The first release was a 7″ with two songs, “Faceless” on the A side and “Golden City” on the B side. Catalog number BC 78801. The front sleeve mentions that the record includes the hit “Golden City”. Was it a big song in Germany at some point? Something interesting is that for each song the band lists the beats per minute. “Faceless” is 132bpm and “Golden City” a slower 120bpm. Both songs were produed by Peter Hayo. They were recorded and mixed at Blue Cue Studio in Bexbach. The guitars on “Faceless” were played by Thomas Blug while the art is credited to Axel Tams. Then there’s an address for Arno Kammermeier, an address in Hamburg.

Ok, so that would mean that the band was based in this beautiful city. A city I’ve visited many times and which I’m missing these days. I need to return to Germany sometime soon. It’s been like 3 or more years since the last time! But what about the label? Bexbach? Where’s that? Never heard about this town.

Bexbach is a municipality in the Saarpfalz district, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated on the river Blies, approximatively 6 km east of Neunkirchen, and 25 km northeast of Saarbrücken. The Saarland Mining Museum is located in the town.

That is quite far from Hamburg!

Their second record was “Wonderland” which was released on 7″ and 12″ formats. IT came out on Blue Cue Records with the catalog number BC 78807. The 7″ had “Wonderland” on the A side and “How Many Times” on the B side. We see that the record was edited by Peter Hayo and Stefan Mayer. Hayo also produced it. The writing credits are for Arno Kammermeier and Walter Merziger. Keyboards were played by the three band members, percussion by Arno and Claus while the guitar was played by Walter Merziger. Additional guitar on “Wonderland” by Thomas Blug. The photo on the front was taken by Bernd Merziger.

The 12″ version was a bit different. The A side had “Wonderland (Edit the Wonder)” and “How Many Times (Fourtyfive Mix)”. The B side had “Electric Kiss (Pure & Simple Mix)” and “Wonderland (Acoustic)”.

Something interesting is that there are no compilation appearances listed. On the other hand I do find that the band members were involved in more than a few bands.

Arno Kammermeier was on among others Avenue, Planet Claire, Parade, Sitara, Subtopia, Temple of Light, Lanyx, Tony Travolta, etc. etc.

Claus Brandenburger was involved in Avenue who released a 7″ in Blue Cue Records in 1989.

Walter Merziger was in Planet Claire, Booka Shade, Temple of Light, Trashbox, Sugar Sisters, Mos Eisley, etc, etc.

There is a very good find I stumbled upon on Youtube. It is a life performance of the band in Hermeskeil sometime in 1990. The band is playing the song “The Horror You Sent Me“.

Not much more about Indian Summer on the web but there is an interview on Youtube (Part 1 and Part 2) with Arno and Walter by Face Culture from the Netherlands. On it the band mostly discusses about their current band Booka Shade but also about their other bands Planet Claire and briefly about Indian Summer.

From this interview I know that “Golden City” reached the charts in Germany. Oddly that song is not available on Youtube. It seems the band members gained popularity when they were in Planet Claire. But about Indian Summer very little is known. Were they really from Hamburg? Did they record any other songs? Why did they split? Many questions, nothing written, at least on the web.

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Listen
Indian Summer – Wonderland

Wednesday! Two more days and I’m off once again, this time to Lima, Peru. Please do let me know if you’d like me to bring any records to Peru. I will gladly do so so you can save on postage.

Not much news today (but do come back in two weeks exactly for new releases announcements) so I will go ahead and recommend 5 new bits of music I’ve found out on the web!

Love Dance: very excited about this news! Our friends at Kocliko are releasing the “Cul-de-sac” EP by Love Dance that I believe was available digitally in the past. As I love physical releases this is fantastic! Especially by this band that I saw live at Indietracks once and thought they were wonderful, whose discography I do own at home, and who I would have loved to work together too! There are 5 songs here that are just PERFECT. I do hope there will be new songs by them in the near future! Do run, this release is very limited!

Tullycraft: two more songs by the band, not new as they are from recording session of their previous album, “Lost in Light Rotation” but still new to my ears! “Touch Me, I’m Sick (over you)”, “Bad Connection” and “Lost in Light Rotation (demo)” are now available to stream on their Bandcamp. As a big fan of Tullycraft any new music by them makes me terribly happy!

Bridal Shower: the Scottish label Common Records are putting out a 6 song tape of this band. The EP is titled “Documentary Footage” and I’ve only been able to preview one of the tracks, “Mirror Maze”, a top lo-fi shoegaze track. This is their second ever release after their album “Negatives” on Gold Mold Records.

Castlebeat: “VHS” is the name of the album this New Yorker put out last March. I’ve only discovered them now. The record is available on vinyl, CD and even tape. There are 10 songs in total, 9 of which you can preview on Bandcamp. Jangly and chiming songs here that are quite a surprise to me. Does he play live? I’d love to go see him play.

En mi Mente: time for 8 songs (only 4 available to preview) by this Mexican shoegaze band. This digital mini-album is in the prolific label Stupid Decisions that in the last year has surprised us with many quality releases. If only they would come in physical format! Good stuff.

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Just found out about this 80s UK band on the Messthetics CDs that I got some months ago and also what I’ve heard online was really good. How come I’ve never heard them before?

Maybe they are pretty obscure. Or maybe indiepop fans haven’t really noticed them. Discogs lists them as a new wave band. Could that be it? They are listed with two records in the 80s. So why don’t you join me in finding out more details about them?

Their first 7″ dates from early in the 80s, from 1981. It was a 7″ with 2 songs, “No Next Time” on the A side and “Removal” on the B side. It was released by My Death Telephone Records (TEL 001). This might have been the band’s own label. Probably it was a self-release too. Both songs were recorded at RMS Studios in London. The recording was coordinated by David Trevor-Jones and engineered by Andy Le Vien. The art is credited to Ryan Baptiste and it came out as a fold-out sleeve that came in a plastic bag with sticker.

We also find the names of the band members.
Ian Sturgess – bass
Mike Barnes – drums
David Parker – guitar
Colin Parker – organ
Malcolm Harris – vocals, guitar

Their second record is a 12″ that came out 6 years later, in 1987. It included 4 songs, “Despatches” and “Black Point” on the A side and “Taking Off Again” and “When a Stranger Calls” on the B side. It was released by Primitive Records (Prime Cat. 14), the same label that put out some stuff by Mega City Four and The Trudy. The engineer was Julie-Ann Jones.

Their song “If I Could Turn the Clock Back” appears on a few compilations: in 1981’s LP comp “We Couldn’t Agree on the Title” which was later remastered and re-released as CDR in 2004 and on the 2006 “Messthetics #102” compilation that Hyped to Death put out. They also appear on another Messthetics comp, on the “Messthetics Greatest Hits” from 2006, the band had “No Next Time”.

There are two other Messthetics comps that are not easy to come by anymore. On the “Unreleased Messthetics Vol.1”, which looks like a bootleg, and unofficial release, the band has “Last Telegram (Demo)”. And then on the “Messthetics #4 UK ’78-81 DIY Punk/Postpunk Bands V-to-Z” that was released as CDR the band has “No Next Time” and “Removal”.

Lastly on the tape compilation “Seven Tiny Heads” that Acid Tapes (TAB 030) put out in 1988, the band appears twice with “Somebody Told Me” and “There’s Still Time to Go”.

I look for information about the members. Mike Barnes seems to be these days a music journalist, a regular contributor to The Wire and Mojo. He has published too a book called “Captain Beefheart, The Biography” in 2000. He has also been involved in bands like Lemon Kittens and played drums for Paul Goodwin. Ian Sturgess has also been in Lemon Kittens, played on some recordings of the Jazz Butcher, and Danielle Dax.

Time to check out what the Messthetics comps! The Walking Floors took shape in the punk-deprived climes of Basingstoke –originally as The Brothers K. The five of them first played together rehearsing Malcolm Harris’ songs at the home of David (guitar) and Colin (organ) Parker in 1978. In August of 1980 Mike Barnes (drums) and Ian Sturgess (bass) helped out the Lemon Kittens on their Cake Beast EP, and in payment they got a day to record their own songs including: “If I Could Turn The Clock Back” Within a matter of weeks the ‘Floors had their own 45 out as well (“No Next Time”). “Last Telegram” is from a December ’81 demo (unreleased). After the Floors split, Ian recorded with Danielle Dax, The Jazz Butcher and others, Mike wrote Captain Beefheart, a biography (Quartet Books, 2004), and David became a premier chronicler of the life and times of the late Syd Barrett with his Chapter 24 fanzine and Random Precision (Cherry Red Books, 2001). Harris, Barnes and Sturgess now play together as The Swinging Signs, whose double album is Lime (2007).

Last.fm has some interesting details on their bio. It tells that it was when Ian Sturgess joined the band that The Brothers K changed their name to The Walking Floors. Or that the band  supported The Diagram Brothers and also supported The Lemon Kittens at Reading University in 1980. Malcolm Harris and Mike Barnes were lately recording as Lewis Lear and the Jets.

Something funny I found on the web is that The Walking Floors were heckled by U2 at their debut London gig in 1980. It seems there was an article written by Mike Barnes about it on Mojo but it seems that piece has been deleted or something. Can’t find it.

And that’s about all the information I could find. It is not little for sure. We know the names of the members, bands they’ve been involved with, where they came from, their releases, and more. But still would be great to get in touch, interview them, and fill in the blanks! Does anyone remember them?

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Listen
The Walking Floors – Despatches