Day 406
Farnborough Groove Vol. 12: I’ve discovered so many bands thanks to the series of tapes, and now digital, Farnborough Groove. They have just released the 12th volume marking too the 30th anniversary of these legendary series. I am not very familiar with most of the bands, I think the only one I know is Kodiak Island, but I am discovering some nice songs here. Worth a listen!
Blue Ocean: No, not the Ocean Blue, but Blue Ocean from Oakland, California. They have an album out now on Paisley Shirt Records with 9 songs that sound fun. It is a ramshackle feast of pop songs. Crash pop, lo-fi, a sound that is endearing to me. This self-titled album is actually a compilation of the band’s two previous EPs, “Summer of Hands” and “Fade”, and I recommend it!
Las Ligas Menores: Yay! A new song by my favourite Argentinean band of the last few years. “La Nieve” is classic Las Ligas Menores. Brilliant as always. Perfect pop music. I really hope there’s a new album in the way!
Lunation Fall: here is a cool shoegaze project from Lyon, France. They just released a mini-album titled “Near” on tape and vinyl LP. The cassette is already sold out but copies of the 12″ are still available. The 6 songs in it are dreamy and really enjoyable especially when Célia Broch takes lead vocals.
The Castle Forever: this is such a blast from the past. I love The Cavalcade and the band that came after, The Castle Forever. I wanted to release a single by both of these projects. Now I see the great Indonesian label Shiny Happy Records mentioning they planned to release the “Gathering Dark” album that came out many years ago. A classic in my book. I hope the Indonesian people can put it out, so those who missed out on this record can have a copy!
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Remember the Brisbane Music Graveyard Bandcamp? I discovered this Bandcamp when I wrote about the band Who’s Gerald? I have been little by little discovering the music that was recorded in Brisbane during the late 80s and early 90s that is available in this great archive.
One of the bands that caught my attention was the Fugitive Microbes. Not that much by the A side of their own and only 7″ which is called “Mad Dave”. The one song that I think is a piece of pop genius is the B side, “Living with a Schizophrenic”. What a slice of pure p!o!p!
The band released this 7″ back in 1992 on Sundown Records which may or may have been their own label. The artwork is sort of strange, it has a Jesus Christ sort of figure walking over water and a duck. On the back of the sleeve there’s a woman on top of a wombat (?).
Luckily, on the Bandcamp we get more information.
So we know that the band was formed by Kristin Black on guitar and vocals, Tony Kneipp on guitar and vocals, Colin Barwick on drums (who was the drummer in the early days of Died Pretty), Patrick Kneipp on lead guitar and Peter Fergusson. Safe to think that Tony and Patrick were brothers? Then the A side, “Mad Dave” was written by Tony while “Living with a Schizophrenic” was written by Kristin. That makes sense. Whoever wrote the song was to sing it.
Both songs were recorded at Burbank Studios, in Brisban, between January and February of 1991.
Tony also reminisces about the band. He mentions that he met Kristin at the Kelvin Grove campus while he was studying to be a secondary teacher. That was 1989, and by the end of that year they were playing gigs. Their first performance was at the Bye Bye BCAE Breakup Bash. During those early days the band had other members like Oscar on drums and Irena Luckus from Xero and Airborne Toxic Event on synthesiser and vocals.
Irena would leave. Then soon after Colin Barwick joined the band and then in 1990 Oscar would leave. He would return to his native Netherlands. Peter Fergusson who was Kristin’s boyfriend at the time, now his husband, and who was playing in the band Splat Acrobat, replaced Oscar. Then he mentions that his brother Patrick never played live with the Fugitive Microbes, but helped with recording sessions. Actually Tony and Patrick had played together in bands like Ronnie Reebit and the Toadettes.
On Soundcloud I find some more songs by the band. Here is “Fuck Fashion“, “Blackest Heart“, “Alice (from the Brady Bunch)” and “Six O’Clock Lies“. My favourite from these group is “Alice (from the Brady Bunch)”. I really enjoy Kristin vocals and pop melodies.
Also on Soundcloud there are live recordings. These date from 1989 when they played live at the BC Club in Queensland Uni of Technology. They are “Living with a Schizophrenic” and “Mad Dave“. Then there is “Blackest Heart” when they played at the BC Club in Gardens Point Campus Club at the Queensland Uni of Technology in 1989 supporting the Celibate Rifles. And from 1990 at this same venue there’s “Fuck Fashion“.
I know that Tony Kneipp was at least on another band, The Parameters. I don’t know about the other members. I am curious what happened with Kristin, was she in other bands afterwards? About Splat Acrobat, Peter Fergusson’s band, I should write a post sometime. They had some great songs.
Anyhow, some great music from Australia as always. Again, how come there was no chance to make a compilation with obscure Australian indiepop. I still hope one day I can make it!
Edit: I’ve been told that Kristin is/was an announcer on 4zzz radio on Saturday nights.
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