Deutscher Kaiser- Halli-Galli Tanzmusik

Zweiunddreißigster und letzter Teil der Plünderung des Archivs von Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt-Blog, April 2007:

Deutscher Kaiser- Halli-Galli Tanzmusik 7" 1980


From the southern Ostalb region of Germany came Deutscher Kaiser, a rather obscure New Wave group that found local distribution in their home city of Aalen for their gothic minimal klang sure to wet the appetites of a few analogue synth fetishists out there. Mannschreck pressed the first edition of this EP, the band funding a second batch themselves, so there's white and black label versions of the vinyl. I'm also told the group were big fans of Mute artists, Fad Gadget and Depeche Mode especially, as their label name is a nod to DM; this is more apparent on Tempo! Tempo! (for their Mode label), a less remarkable but chart-friendly 10" followup with various coloured vinyl editions. I'm particularly fond of this earlier effort. In general, I'm fond of the way such cold and dry musings from these years were still packaged up like pop singles on a 45 and left to rub shoulders with the indie hits of the era.
Other rarities that relate to this group include a one sided clear vinyl mystery disc entitled Arm & Hand, a single by Didi & Die Herzschrittmacher, and an EBM smasher called Follow The Rainbow by Joe Machine. Vinyl On Demand gave away free copies of the two DK records as bonus to membership in 2004/05 and one of the members is now a huge success in the business world. For the NDW archives (posted in full recently at Ezhevika Fields).

Der Anfang.. Das Ende.. Danke/Weltenhyme (download)
[data383]

Nico - These Days

Im aktuellen 2001-Katalog wird eine neue Nico-CD namens "These Days" von dem obskuren Label "Woodstock Tapes" angeboten. Die Trackliste stimmt überein mit der des "My Funny Valentine"-Bootlegs. Dieser Bootleg war eine Zusammenstellung der 6 Stücke der "Live Heroes"-Mini-LP von 1986 (auf der auch nur 2 Live-Aufnahmen neu waren, die anderen 4 waren vorher auf der "Procession"-12" sowie auf der "Behind the Iron Curtain"-Doppel-LP (die übrigens entgegen dem Cover nicht in Warschau, Budapest und Prag, sondern in Rotterdam aufgenommen wurde) erschienen), sowie von 8 Stücken von "Chelsea Girl", die - laut einer älteren Internetrecherche - durch Hintergrundgeräusche zu Live-Aufnahmen verfälscht wurden.
Eigentlich mag ich Nico, aber muß ich mir das antun?

The Petticoats- s/t

Einunddreißigster Teil der Plünderung des Archivs von Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt-Blog, April 2007:

The Petticoats- s/t BLA BLA BLA 7" 1980


I'm not quite sure where Steff Petticoat was from. Where British groups such as Surplus Stock had strong connections with various labels and distributors in West Germany (you can tell by the sleeve info), judging by what I've read on the net for Stef Petticoat, I think she travelled to London from Bonn and managed to put out a record. And it's a real do-it-yourself humdinger of an ep. It may read The Petticoats on the front but she couldn't be doing with a backing group; she played all the necessary instruments herself in what I'd imagine was a pretty no-fuss kinda session at Street Level. Perhaps I should've uploaded I'm Free (sounding like a very claustrophobic idea of freedom) when Adam Curtis' The Trap was airing on the BBC, but here's the whole thing, all sounding like it's made out of cardboard:

Normal/ Allergy/ I'm Free (download)

The split single on ZickZack with Robert Crash from the Maniacs is quite different to this. I'm more interested in hearing a sampler the Petticoats were on called Scaling Triangles or better still the Peel session from the same year as Normal (same recordings?).

While I'm at it, can anyone recommend Jam Today's Stereotyping EP, an all-girl feminist group, on their own label Stroppy Cow Records?

Unhappy New Wave

Irgendwann im Sommer 2007 entdeckte ich über ein Link den "Planet New Wave"-Blog, der allerdings zu diesem Zeitpunkt schon wieder gelöscht war. Doch über den Google-Cache konnte ich den Betreiber des Blogs namens "King of Fools" ermitteln und so entdeckte ich Anfang Januar, dass der Betreiber, der sich jetzt "Bunk" nennt, einen neuen Blog namens "Happy New Wave" gestartet hatte (über das Google-Cache habe ich auch jetzt bemerkt, dass viele seiner Postings bereits Ende 2008 online waren, dann aber auf Januar 2009 umdatiert wurden).
Anfang Februar postete Bunk folgendes:

"THE STATE OF HAPPY NEW WAVE
Posts = 108
Downloads = 1,614
Comments = 9

Equals out to 1 comment every 179.33 downloads or 1 comment every 12 posts.

Why bother? You tell me."

Okay, das Phänomen ist bekannt, und vielleicht lag es auch einfach daran, dass die Postings so ganz nackt ohne irgendwelche eigenen Kommentare kamen, was sich danach etwas änderte. Aber jetzt ist der Blog zwar nicht verschwunden, aber doch geschlossen, und kein Kontakt mehr möglich. Das finde ich schade. Es ist okay, einen Blog aus Frust zu beenden, aber dann könnte man doch entweder die bisherigen Postings stehen lassen, oder zumindest ein abschließendes erklärendes Posting machen (wie hier). Den Blog ganz zu löschen ist dagegen keine gute Idee, weil der Name sonst von irgendeinem anderen Arschloch für kommerzielle Zwecke entführt wird wie es "Roy Black" mit seinem "Germans Under Cover"-Blog passiert ist.
Okay, welche Alternative gegen zu wenig Feedback/zuviel stumpfen download-Konsum gibt es? Vielleicht die download-Links so 1 Monat nach dem letzten Kommentar löschen? Oder das Passwort nur auf konkrete Anfrage mitteilen? Was denkt ihr?

Summary: Sadly the "Happy New Wave"-Blog closed down, probably because of too much downloads without comments. Just remember, most people blog for free, it's a labour of love, and if "in the end the love you take ain't equal to the love you make" (thank you Beatles) so why bother continuing blogging? On the other hand disappearing or closing down without any explanation is not considered cool...
PS: Are the download-links still available?

Partner Der Welt/Pascal/Quick Culture, Residenz, White Christmas

Dreißigster Teil der Plünderung des Archivs von Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt-Blog, 3 Postings vom September, Oktober und November 2006:

Partner Der Welt/Pascal/Quick Culture


The Partner Der Welt 7" (catalogue: 280855) was the second release for Günther Mannschreck's Schreckschuss Records from Stuttgart, following the first Mannschreck EP (catalogue: 280854) from 1980 posted here some time ago. Both tracks were recorded at the Mannschreck studio in November 1980 and rushed out on vinyl in January 1981. Five group members are listed, though the names don't ring any bells. All production, text, and music is shared equally by P.D.W. and comes in the standard Schreckschuss fold out with the record tucked in, lyrics supplied. Here's the b-side:

P.D.W.- TV-Serie - Fortsetzung Folgt (To Be Continued)


This is Pascal Renaudat's record, possibly the same Frenchman currently offering a French wine riposte to New World supermarket brands, I don't know. Günther Mannschreck helped produce it and also lent a synth for the mess about Warten auf den Walkman on the flip. Slightly further down the Schreckschuss catalogue line at number 280859, Rendez-Vous Europe was released in September 1981, and I assume everyone wanted to put out a record by that late stage, what ever the quality. No Wave style chops on this one:

Pascal- Rendez-Vous Europe

(…)


There must be more that qualifies as French post-punk but recorded outside the country. There's obvious stuff like the Euroman Cometh LP by JJ Burnell recorded during a Stranglers London session 'after-hours', various mutant disco sung in French but with either NYC, Canadian, or Italian origins, and then NDW groups such as Kein Ahnung, Liaisons Dangereuses and Quick Culture ditching the German every so often or altogether. I finally got my own copy of this recently & feel like doubling up with the Brotbeutel post. For those that love their cult 80s dance music there's two tracks on here that should not be overlooked:

Quick Culture 1
Quick Culture 2

What I like about this one: the name, the pace, the occasional noises of what sound like car horns, and especially the nudge-nudge wink-wink factor of its creators knowing its style would soon be hastily dismissed as old news in no time by some media twit. The rest of the 12" was linked via the Cubs entry not so long ago. I must thank Martin for resurrecting this one!

(…)

+

Residenz- Albert Hilsberg Ist Ein Schwein RONDO FIT 7" 1980


This one acts as a swift cane whack and tip of the top hat to some likely candidates in the firing line at the time (er, I assume), all in the style of Pinky & Perky (and maybe a bit of Stockhausen, er). It's a charming record.

Albert Hilsberg Ist Ein Schwein

FM SHADES said...
Only 1 track?

+

White Christmas- s/t MARAT 24 7'' 1980


Time to wrap things up with the Deutschland No Wave adventures here at Mein Walkman with an Xmas NDW record. In December 1980, the subscribers of the German Sounds magazine got this free, the line-up being one Frieder Butzmann, two Mania Ds, and a Die Tödliche Doris (Tabea Blumenschein) in einem Birnbaum! They at least make the point that Christmas records are clumsy, a bit of a drag but even so I'll spare anyone reading their version of Irving Berlin's White Christmas, it's well gloomy. In fact, Stille Nacht Goes Disco is no better. It was originally a German Christmas carol (Österreich) written by the Austrians Franz Gruber & Joseph Mohr. This may or may not be the same version by Mania D at the end of the Ghosts Of Christmas Past (Remake) LP put out two years later on Les Disques Du Crépuscule. Of course, in punk a traditional hymn would be ripped through and spat on ("Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!") a la Yobs, but in post-punk terms they'd throw paint and turn the song upside down, inside out. Silent Night then ends up sounding completely left of centre, off key, and out of time. Amateurs!

Stille Nacht Goes Disco
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Anonymous said...
What is the name of the artist? Is it "white christmas"? Give us more NDW, i am re-energised! GOOD BLOG!

P.D.W.- TV-Serie - Fortsetzung Folgt (To Be Continued)/Pascal- Rendez-Vous Europe/Quick Culture 1/Quick Culture 2/Albert Hilsberg Ist Ein Schwein/Stille Nacht Goes Disco (download)

Alles, was Sie schon immer über Punk wissen wollten

(BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK)

Update: Artikel über gefälschte Punk-Textilien hier!
Song-Poem-mp3s available again - also some are available here and there at WFMU


PS: Nein, das Bild hat nichts mit dem Link zu tun, nur ein Wortspiel, daß endlich mal raus aus meinem Kopf musste: Marschmusik = Arschmusik.

New Information Overload

Information Overload ist jetzt unter der bisher etwas untergenutzten Adresse www.highdive.de zu finden, bisher sind aber noch nicht alle Inhalte übertragen - und einiges wird wohl auch wegfallen, oder interessiert sich noch jemand für die Öhsen Bonkelz?

Information Overload

... is closing down :-(


Wer die Webseite information overload mit Informationen zu 39 Clocks/Jürgen Gleue, Alexandra, The Bodines, Can, Dexys Midnight Runners, The Fall, Flying Lizards, Joy Division, Minutemen, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, Nico, Nirvana, Stina Nordenstam, Pylon, Kevin Rowland and Dexys Midnight Runners, Shelleyan Orphan, The Swell Maps, Tom Waits, XTC (Chain Of Command), Neil Young, Young Marble Giants, Alboth!, Blind Idiot God, Glenn Branca, Earth, Etron Fou Leloublan, Kronos Quartet, The Pop Group, Erik Satie, Sonny Sharrock, This Heat, 3Klang Records, Blumfeld, Aggressive Rockproduktionen, Atatak/Warning Records, Das Büro, Frostschutz Records, GeeBeeDee, Good Noise, Heimat Records, Iron Curtain Records, Klar!80, Konkurrenz Schallplatten, Konnekschen, Moderne Musik/Neuland Tonträger, Monogam/Exil System/People's Records, No Fun, Pogar/Korea, Pure Freude, Rock-O-Rama/Erazerhead Records, Rondo, Schallmauer, Image Factory - Punk und ndW in der Presse (Artikel: Die häßliche Revolte, Punk-Rock, Mit Sicherheitsnadeln gegen Langeweile, Keine Angst vorm bösen Punk, PUNK - Kultur aus den Slums: brutal und häßlich + Leserbriefe, Die Revolution ist vorbei - wir haben gesiegt!, Krautpunk - Rodenkirchen is burning, Erlöser Marx mit der Hakenkreuzkrone, Punk-Schlacht an der Mauer + Deutsch-Punk im Winter '78/'79 + Punk bis zum Untergang + Geräusche für die 80er, Französischer Rock - käske ssäh???, Französischer Rock - käske ssäh??? Teil 2‚ Lyon Roque, Französischer Rock - käske ssäh??? Teil 3‚ Punque Adieu!, Endlich ist was los mit dem Punk in Hamburg, Neue Deutsche Welle - Aus grauer Städte Mauern, Drum leben wir heute so wie wir es wollen, Interview Male, Mittagspause auf dem langen Weg nach Derendorf, Interview Katapult, Dicke Titten und Avantgarde - Aus grauer Städte Mauern (Teil 2), Macher? Macht? Moneten? - Aus grauer Städte Mauern (Teil 3), Frauen machen Musik. Zwei und zwei sind nicht mehr vier - alle Mauern stürzen ein, Swiss Wave - Die Eidgenossen rüsten auf, Wir sind der letzte Dreck!, Untergrund und Unternehmer (Teil 1), Untergrund und Unternehmer (Teil 2), Untergrund und Unternehmer (Teil 3 und Schluß), Das Solinger Gefühl. Harry Rag / S.Y.P.H., Die neue Welle in der BRD, Slime - Der Staatsanwalt als Werbeträger, Punks in der DDR, Die Wahrheit über Hamburg!, Kid P. war in Berlin! Rentner, Türken, Commies und Versager, Die Wahrheit über München!, NDDW. Neue Musik aus der DDR - die real existierende Welle (Teil 1), NDDW. Neue Musik aus der DDR - die real existierende Welle (Teil 2), Hardcore'82 - Ein Führer durch die deutsche Punk-Szene, fünf Jahre danach, Die Wahrheit über WIEN will wieder Weltstadt werden, Wenn du unten bist, tauchst du ab, Slime - Guten Morgen Deutschland), Spargel/All Roads Lead To Beatown, Tausend Augen/Ink Records, Verschwende Deine Jugend (Discografien von Abwärts, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, S.Y.P.H.), Weird System/Mental Decay Records, Welt-Rekord/Sneaky Pete Records, Welt-Rekord/EMI Electrola, ZickZack, Dead Popstars (Rachid Baba Ali Ahmed, Lila Amara, Cheb 'Aziz, Cheb Hasni, Matoub Lounès, Miami Showband, El Potro, Soeur Sourire, Imre "Jimmy" Zambo, Dead und Euronymous (Mayhem), Urmas Alender (Ruja), Rodney "Rodd Keith" Eskelin, Selena Quintanilla Perez, Brenda "MaBrrr" Fassie, Rob Pilatus (Milli Vanilli), Wendy O. Williams (Plasmatics), Hideto "hide" Matsumoto (X-Japan), Yutaka Ozaki, Cornelius Cardew), Janosch, Kathy Acker, H.P.Lovecraft, Boris Vian, gelesen (Reviews von Büchern, die mir etwas bedeuten...), Warum eigentlich sind Plattensammler und Listenschreiber "analfixiert"?, audiatur et altera pars/die etwas andere böhse onkelz-seite (Anlagen: Dicker Stefan, gutes Kind, Was ist rechtsradikal?, Antiquierte Krieger, einsame Wölfe, Nazi-Terror & taz-Angriffe, Die Position der Böhsen Onkelz, Schriftsatz der taz an das Landgericht Berlin, Übersicht über die Anlagen, Urteilsbegründung in der Sache Böhse Onkelz ./. taz, Böhse rechte Onkelz, umstritten - das Image der "Böhsen Onkelz", Betrifft Presse, Wirklich böse Onkelz, Indizierungsbericht zu "Der nette Mann", von Onkelz-Fans kommentierte Version, Übersicht über die indizierten Platten, Indizierungsentscheidung vom 20.10.1998) und Die Geschichte der Datenmüllhalde von Martin Fuchs besuchen will sollte sich beeilen, denn gestern bekam ich folgende E-Mail:

Betreff: Kündigung Ihres Tripod Accounts und ihrer kostenlosen Tripod Homepage

Sehr geehrte(r) Nutzer,

wie unser Unternehmen am 26. November 2008 angekündigt hat, werden wir die Geschäftsaktivitäten der Lycos Europe GmbH einstellen. Hierzu gehört auch der kostenlose Hostingservice Tripod. Aus diesem Grunde kündigen wir hiermit mit Wirkung zum 15.02.2009 Ihren Tripod Account.
Bis zum 15.02.2009 können Sie Ihren Tripod Account sowie Ihre Homepage wie gewohnt nutzen. Nach diesem Zeitpunkt werden wir Ihren Account schließen und all Ihre bei Tripod gespeicherten Inhalte und Zugangsrechte im Rahmen Ihrer Homepage unter Berücksichtigung der gesetzlichen Vorgaben löschen.
Es wird dann für Sie auch nicht mehr möglich sein, Ihre Homepage im Internet zu betrachten oder per FTP ein Backup Ihrer Seite zu machen, da die Inhalte dann definitiv und unwiederbringlich gelöscht sind. Deshalb möchten wir Sie bitten, in der kommenden Zeit alle wichtigen Daten von Ihrem Tripod Account zu sichern und - falls gewünscht - zu einem anderen Homepage Anbieter zu wechseln.
(...)
Wir bedauern diesen Schritt sehr und möchten uns bei Ihnen für das entgegengebrachte Vertrauen in der Vergangenheit bedanken.
Wir versuchen momentan, eine Lösung für den Weiterbetrieb des Dienstes durch einen anderen Anbieter zu finden. Sollte dies in den nächsten 4 Wochen gelingen, setzen wir uns umgehend mit Ihnen in Verbindung. Da dies zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt jedoch noch nicht absehbar ist, gehen Sie bitte von der Einstellung des Dienstes aus. Trotz dieser unschönen Nachrichten wünschen wir Ihnen und Ihren Lieben ein gutes und erfolgreiches Jahr 2009.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Ihr Lycos Tripod Team

Möge der heilige Isidor zumindest Brotbeutel und Not My Cup Of Beer weiter beschützen.

Croox- 'A'

Neunundzwanzigster Teil der Plünderung des Archivs von Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt-Blog, November 2006:

Croox- 'A' INK RECORDS 01 LP 1980


Croox, a New Wave group from Düsseldorf, recorded this album on a 4-track Teac between December 1978 and November 1979. In that time, the first cheaply recorded documents of D.A.F. and Der Plan had hit vinyl and were labelled up as ‘Art Attack’ product. Both were strictly independent releases and both sounded like a train derailing. Some were obviously inspired. Of course, Art Attack/ Atatak was the label borne out of Moritz "R" and co's own gallery space called Galerie Art Attack, located in the Wuppertal suburb of Düsseldorf. Judging by the name, the more obscure Ink Records had a similar founding in the arts. Mike Schmidt, head of Ink Studios, set up Ink Records in Kreuzstrasse, Düsseldorf in 1980 to release the Croox album I presume he had just finished arranging, producing, recording, and penning the artwork for. 'A' has turned out to be one of the more accessible new wave records from Düsseldorf for 1980, and whether in its time it had any success or not I’ve no idea, I doubt it very much in fact, but out of my NDW buying spree this year this record will certainly end up in the keep pile (priced at 5 EUR, you can’t really go wrong). This is essentially a pop album with some English sung lyrics and an upbeat tempo, but it qualifies for its inclusion on these strange pages with its slight clunky engineered sound and odd bits, suggesting one really needs to get hold of an old Volkswagen Beetle to play this out in to get the full effect.

Side 1:
The Croox Opera/ Scotch
Ain't Got Time To Leave/ Commercial No.1
A Ska
Oh No!/ Commercial No.2
Nifty Cube/ Commercial No.3

Side 2:
Commercial No. 4/ Mon Dieu!
Backyard Rats/ A Dub
Lonely
City Lights
Commercial No.5/ I See You!
Stiff Beach (download)

More from this record later.

Anonymous said...
where are the other tracks? :(
nice stuff by the way!

Anonymous said...
Anonymous read the post. It says "More from this record later".
Rich this is a great record from the sound of it, thanks for posting it. Your NDW choices are excellent and have introduced me to this fantastic genre.
Cheers,
Ben

Aufräumen (mal wieder)

Update: Materialschlacht, Defunkt, Lounge Lizards, James Blood Ulmer, Michael Gregory Jackson and The Bodines re-upt in small quantities.

Okay, augenblicklich fehlt mir so etwas die Inspiration für neue Beiträge. Soll ich noch mehr alte Sachen aus untergegangenen Blogs recyclen? Musik aus Namibia? Überflüssige NDW-Rips? Taucht doch alles irgendwann mal bei Happy New Wave auf, warum soll ich mir da noch Arbeit machen, oder braucht jemand Isolierband oder II. Invasion? The Maniacs, die auf Blubber Lips, nicht die auf Mülleimer? Die Flexi-Pop-Idee zu Weihnachten ist auch in die Hose gegangen, da nur ein Angebot auf Beteiligung kam, dem ich aus Frust über "konsumieren, Verstand verlieren, sein ein braver Bürger und kauf den Schokoladen-Würger" bisher nicht geantwortet habe (sorry!). Ich wage auch gar nicht Fragen zu stellen wie "Kennt jemand die Verbindung zwischen Metallica und Albert Ayler", weil das in Zeiten von Google vermutlich schnell zu lösen wäre (Try it!). Derweil betreibt Hollow Skai 3 Blogs mit neudeutschem Häppchenjournalismus, und tausend Blogs melden sich zum Tod von Lux Interior zu Wort. Nein, in Blogland ist die gleiche Seuche ausgebrochen wie in den kommerziellen Portalen: content ist nicht mehr king, sondern nur noch Füllmaterial für ein leeres Leben. Ganz schlimm: Blogs mit LP- und CD-Rips ohne irgendeine eigene Meinung dazu wie hier oder hier. Klar, dass man dann Kommentare nur noch kriegt, wenn man die Leute mit Rips von Nazi-Musik vollkotzt. Davon gehen dann leider die Blogs mit wirklich eigenem Inhalt völlig unter. Deshalb an dieser Stelle ein ganz ganz großes Dankeschön an RVD für Kraut Mask Replica und Prae-Kraut Pandaemonium 16. Vielleicht kann ich mich für diese Großtaten erkenntlich zeigen mit einem Live-Mitschnitt der 39 Clocks vom Altstadtfest in Hannover 1979? Sag einfach Bescheid.

Aber ich wollte ja (in meinem Kopf) aufräumen, deshalb an dieser Stelle folgender Hinweis:
Hi Leute,
die Lese-Show unseres Buches KEINE ZUKUNFT WAR GESTERN geht weiter auf große Fahrt! Nach den vier Terminen im Herbst 2008 stehen nun demnächst 8 weitere Auftritte an:

19. Feb.2009, 20:00: Sturmglocke, Hannover
20. Feb.2009, 20:00: AJZ, Bielefeld
21. Feb.2009, 20:00: Lichtmess Kino, Hamburg
22. Feb.2009, 20:00: AZ, Wuppertal

13. Mrz.2009, 20:00: Gladhouse, Cottbus
14. Mrz.2009, 16:00: Leipziger Buchmesse, Leipzig
14. Mrz.2009, 20:00: Brückenkopf, Torgau
15. Mrz.2009, 18:00: Chemiefabrik, Dresden

Schaut doch mal drauf, ob auch eure Stadt/Region vertreten ist, und vielleicht sehen wir uns dann mal wieder bzw. erstmals!
Wer von euch noch Lust hat, Flyer mit zu verteilen, darf sich gern bei mir melden.
Weitere Booking-Anfragen bitte direkt Yvy und Gaffer an unterwegs@jugendkulturen.de!
Liebe Grüße schon mal und ggf. bis bald!
(Ich werde nicht bei allen, aber bei einigen Terminen mit dabei sein.)
Andi.
Keine Ahnung, ob ich da hingehe. Das Buch hatte ich ja hier schon mal erwähnt und leider you can judge a book by its cover, einigen Blödsinn hab ich schon angestrichen und von der Gestaltung ist das Buch im Vergleich zu Hot Love aus der Schweiz einfach nur bieder und langweilig, weshalb ich mich erst zu einem Drittel durchgequält und hier noch keine Besprechung gepostet habe. Lieber blättere ich dann noch mal die Seiten von The Terrible Album Art Showcase durch, der leider seit einem halben Jahr nicht mehr aktualisiert wurde. Deshalb nachfolgend kommentarlos ein paar eigene Vorschläge für schlechte Plattencover. Und während ich nach den entsprechenden Bildchen im Web suchte stieß ich auf die sehr hübsche Seite Album Cover Parodies, in der die hier beiden abgebildeten CDs von Hart und Zart (noch) fehlen (die Nirvana-Parodie hatte ich vor über einem Jahr in einem Münchner Musikinstrumenteladen gesehen, aber es hat Monate gedauert, das Bild dann auch im Internet zu finden. Vielleicht kann mir jemand sagen, ob die Musik der CDs okay ist?).


Jetzt aber los mit dem Wahnsinn und danach rasch in die Heia:
























Translation: No, I don't have any of these records and therefore I don't have any rips for you to download. So don't ask!

PS: Einen ham wa noch:

C.U.B.S. s/t

Achtundzwanzigster Teil der Plünderung des Archivs von Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt-Blog, August 2006:

C.U.B.S. s/t 7" 1981


Unfortunately I didn't get my Quick Culture prediction in quick enough. I was going to use Cubs' music to take a stab at what that strange and elusive mini-album might sound like. Because the auction at Popsike listed some brass on the 12", I thought it might be slightly more aligned with the Deutsch ska-punk school (wrong on nearly all accounts here), like what Family 5 or maybe Die Radierer were up to, but with Dokoupil's presence suggesting enough weirdness to deserve its place in the NDW canon. Or perhaps it might be similar, I hoped, to the sort of concoction that Croox came up with for Ink, one of my favourite NDW records, or at least will be once I find the vinyl (mine's a taped copy)...

Croox did a track called Ska on that LP, though rather difficult to take seriously a Two Tone influence, let alone an original Jamaican one coming from an NDW group. This is all well and good considering there's a whole side to German post-punk that's difficult to take seriously, especially when a group comes across completely humourless, only adding to the humour in the process (not with Croox, Cubs, or Quick Culture thankfully). But there's something about the quirks of New Wave that makes German New Wave work, and most of the time the groups with a bit more flare played up to this knowingly. As for a kind of ska-punk cross over, any wacky attempt at a ska rhythm in New Wave was merely used to fuel the erratic dance and pogo moves of the white punk crowd, and further the silliness no doubt. Luckily Quick Culture sound nothing like this, but I'll continue...

I wouldn't have blogged this Cubs 7", but it's a nice example of a strange mixture of styles brewing around 1981, none of them quite adding up, and all the better for it. The only real connection with Cubs from Koblenz and Köln's Quick Culture is that both were short-lived group ensembles of sorts (Cubs a relatively small one judging by the cover), as opposed to synth acts. Dokoupil's name is also associated with both. His job here was to remix Cubs' work previously recorded as a C-20 demo. This 45 was entirely self-produced (aside from Dokoupil's involvement) and self-released (not even with a label name), but there's little interest for it nowadays, so you should be able pick it up second hand with change to spare. As for its awkward blend of juxtaposed styles, once Bone Shake Ska does the job, Kurz Und Bündig ends the first half with a sudden bout of Zappa/Magma inspired nonsense. Without warning or explanation, we're then transported into 23 Skidoo territory on the second side with Böse Stimmen, featuring snippets of those signature Pinky & Perky treated vocals that often show up unsuspectingly like acne on many an NDW record, for reasons best left unknown. Naturally, Akut + Praktisch finishes the show with some rather surfed up faux-Western twang. Not one of the best, but there's rarely a masterpiece to be found amongst the DIY 45's from this period, but a bunch of unsuccessful gems to discover nevertheless.

Well then, my Cubs prediction was slightly out! Quick Culture takes the biscuit, and is far madder, with electronic flourishes and wonky rhythms galore; the QC track itself is blinding. The record's ready for getting a good earful of at Brotbeutel (see sidebar), and pretty much completes my NDW adventures. It started off at 2 EUR and went for 82 EUR on that Popsike auction a couple of years back, never shown up anywhere else since, and a few other collectors will want this now I'd imagine. Still, a worthy download and one of the best examples of the genre I've been studying.

I should probably do one of those bunk Top 10 lists by the end of this, not that any of the records are available anymore, but it might inspire someone somewhere higher up than me to get on the blower and discuss a reissue with these groups. I think I fancy heading off to explore some underground New Wave from other countries now...

Bone Shake Ska/Kurz Und Bündig/Böse Stimmen/Akut + Praktisch (download)

Felix Kubin- Idiotenmusik

Siebenundzwanzigster Teil der Plünderung des Archivs von Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt-Blog, August 2006:

Felix Kubin- Idiotenmusik ULTRA ECZEMA 7" 2005


Well it might all just be a case of the Emperor's new clothes, but 20 Jazz Funk Greats quite rightly pointed out Felix Kubin as the real titan of the Deutsche Weirde Welle a few weeks back, and though I can't compete with that fine service to the man, I almost forgot, I do have one of his records I can plug.

Apparently Kubin grew up in health spas quietly telepathising his Die Egozentrischen Zwei project before a barter with an extraterrestrial lifeform set him up on a stairway to Idiotenmusik? That's if his website is anything to go by. Well I don't know anything about Felix Kubin really, but I do know if you compose your own story, cut out every word, and pull 'em out of a hat, you've probably got the whole Kubin lowdown sussed out better than anyone. However, I reckon that Deutsche Weirde Welle crown seems like a better fit for Harry Merry's bonce these days.

Dennis Tyfus did the artwork here, and Ultra Eczema the name of the label. I'll have to pull these mp3's down in a week, and possibly, later on, the whole Mein Walkman mp3 archive shebang (that stuff's been available for ages - not my musical creations remember). There might be a File lodge sound promotion these days in one of these, I'm not sure (just refresh the link)!

Idiotenmusik 01/Idiotenmusik 02/Harry Merry- Piss Off, Pete//Bonus-tracks (not with original posting): Felix Kubin & Coolhaven - Suppe Für Die Nacht (excerpt)/Harry Merry - Village Life in 1905/Moody Bus-Driver/Piss Off, Pete!/Betta, Elisabetta/The appetite gets satisfied each bite (download)

NDW curiosities, Der Mußikant, Anlieger Frei, Andi Arroganti

Sechsundzwanzigster Teil der Plünderung des Archivs von Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt-Blog, 4 reine Text-Postings vom Juli und September 2006:

NDW curiosities

"The coin-operated telephone at the Ratinger Hof. A piece of art in itself."

Thanks to Ralf Zeigermann for kindly letting me duplicate his photography here. Palais Schaumburg's Telephon would be the obvious soundtrack of choice, I feel...

So, this post is here to drum up some information/ opinions on the following records, all German, and from those experimental years before mainstream hits and other inconsequential pop took over. These are the last few bits of early Neue Deutsche Welle related vinyl I'm interested in, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Given my taste for minimal synth and the more bizarre, my question is: are any of these Mein Walkman worthy? Anyone can comment, and in any language, as long as the Google translator accepts it (you can email if you'd prefer). I might have to leave the blog hanging on this one to get the replies...

PLASTIKTANZ- Wir Sind Rein 7" 1981
Worth the £40-50 it now goes for? Obviously not, whatever it sounds like, but I wouldn't mind knowing how good it is, or even hearing a sample would be nice...

QUICK CULTURE- s/t 46 RECORDS 12" 1982
Another expensive rarity someone must have (Tom Dokoupil involved). Actually any good?

KOTZEN UND ERHÄNGEN- Kotzen/ Erhängen 7" 198?
Interested to hear if anyone knows anything about this one. Very mysterious all black p/s, with just the name in white on the front and a full stop on the back. Very ooh er...

WOLFGANG LUTHE + ROLF MÖLLER- Jupheidi im Morgengrauen (Tonträger) 12" 1982
If it's a Die Tödliche Doris industrial style thing, I'll cross it off my list...

HOLGER HILLER/ WALTER THIELSCH- Konzentration der Kräfte 7" 1981
I know these two collaborated as Ha't Vo'i for ZickZack but I've never heard this one, so does it sound similar?

SCALA 3- Gefühl und Härte TELEFUNKEN LP 1981
A Klaus Schulze production and I'm guessing a New Wave/ poppy record, not particularly memorable, shoot me down if you know otherwise.

METARMORPHUS- Nex LP 1983
A privately pressed Kurt Dahlke and Frank Fenstermacher project, apparently. If it's anything like Wunderland I'll forget all about it, but I'd still like to know...

ORIGINALTON- Mein Leben ist ein Werbespot NEUE WELT LP 1982
Anything special?

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Der Mußikant- Distanz (1980-1982) GENETIC MUSIC 23 CD 2005


Distanz collects various Der Künftige Musikant, Der Lustige Musikant, and Der Zünftige Musikant tapes, together with the infamous Veitstanz 7" on one handy CD release of last year. It's certainly one of the best if not the best Kassettentäter reissue yet, partly because the distinctive Der Mußikant sound gained such a wide cult following, firstly with the chosen ones and secondly with the boot camp, and partly because the originals are now long gone and deteriorating. What's more, if you grew up on ZX Spectrum cassette games, you'll love this! Unfortunately the CD can only restore to preserve, in this case, giving little sense of how the original packages and products were tantamount to the original recording medium; neat, bouncy, electronic keyboard rhythms (Korg MS20, MS10, Minimoog, perhaps a Casio) put to tape and complimented by cute, pocket-sized Xeroxed package designs, both done on the cheap, with this slight threatening air of menace in mood and lyric to reflect that rather illusive, freakish nature of its own recorded medium (plus the fact it becomes a punk artefact, product of the underground, scrap, the German underground). But now digitally remastered for CD, all cobwebs now cleared.

I believe the Musikant output was predominantly the work of one Rolf Schobert, also a fanzine writer and in various punk groups, one of them called Heute with Georg Alfred Wittner. GAW looks to me a man who, judging by his website, plays some very wacky film and TV roles indeed, even maybe showing up on Eurotrash once or twice with a face like that, I don’t know (did Antoine De Caune really write Magma's biography?). Anyway... all the Musikant releases were on Schobert's and GAW's Bu Bu Musikverbreitung mailorder label. Certain moments sound like alternative soundtracks to Hammerfist, Turricane, Paradroid 90, or those rehearsal moments in Rock Star Ate My Hamster on the Amiga, where you'd manage a pop group in order to score a number one and win the game, but programmed an impossibility, which of course no one knew at the time. Last of all, I’ve heard there's even some video footage, like 4-6 minutes worth from 1983, of GAW and Der Künftige Musikant in Heute, directed by Thomas Balzer, but tied up in Frigo's video vaults in Lyon, I think.

CD still available from Genetic Music. A few soundclips at Flexx.


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Anlieger Frei/ Haushaltswaren- s/t 5TE GANGART 01/ DAUERBLUMEN 01 CDR 1981/ 2001


In the same way cultural landmarks like the Dom cathedral were subverted by Radierer and Siluetes 61, partly as a means to get Limburg's alternative music scene on the map, it ended up being the sleeve designs for the Beethovens Rache samplers from the late 80s doing the same for groups from the University city of Bonn, with their tasteless depictions of Beethoven as punk caricature, or the famous Beethoven-Haus being ransacked by toerags in cartoon. See Gaukeli's old page for the scenes in Bonn and Cologne, further north. Again, it's the man behind Blechluft and the Gaukeli tapes to introduce the old and new generations to these overlooked regions and the groups they spawned, particularly from the cassette underground, which is seen as either a small contribution to an already overcrowded underground post-punk, or on a separate plane altogether. To assume this was almost exclusively students hammering away on cheap Casios and selling their unfinished, half-baked, warts and everything music via mailorder, fresh off the 4-track, is a safe bet too. I think this lot were Bonn's main culprits, all aliases by the looks of it:

Stiev A, Tesa Films, Cliff, Shunt, Non-Eric Spector, Georgie D, Dieter Duck, Lisardo Rivas, Steff Petticoat and Robert Crash etc.

I learnt that the first two set up the Datenverarbeitung tapes and fanzines. They were also involved in a number of other groups and projects. For Stiev, two of these were Anlieger Frei and Haushaltswaren, and the recent Dauerblumen reissue (firstly a limited edition in 2001 and now a CDR) is another piece of digital remastering I've been enjoying as of late. These two originally shared a side each for a split LP on Stephan Werner's 5te Gangart label in 1981, a Tom Dokoupil production, apparently (everything he's been involved with adds up to a sizeable chunk of material that could take on Holger Hiller any day of the week). I think Hilsberg raised a Zappalike arched eyebrow over this in Sounds when it first came out ("New-Wave-Kabarett-Avantgarde?"). This does sound like it was cooked up from an old Dadaesque recipe book, and it's clear from the start what an acquired taste it is, especially when Anlieger Frei begin to swipe bits off the riff from Joy Division's Shadowplay for their own amusement. In fact, when it comes to Haushaltswaren, they have their own puns on the usual journalist expressions at the ready, like the one about such-an-such that packs in everything including the kitchen sink, which of course Haushaltswaren did, quite literally, sound wise.

If you search for this on Discogs, you'll find Stiev's contact address if you wish to secure a CDR copy. An original on vinyl costs an arm and a leg, like the rest of the 5te Gangart releases, unless someone can kindly sell me Pension Stammheim's LP at a nicer price? Bonn appetite.

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Andi Arroganti/ Duotronic Synterror/ Synthenphall


My final recommendation this month: any of the OOP WSDP reissues of old cassette releases that involved Andi Arroganti with Synthenphall, as one half of Duotronic Synterror, or under his own name/alias. Kernkrach seem to have copies of the former still available. I found the Duotronic Synterror material the most stupidly enjoyable (or enjoyably stupid), especially if your main point of entry into this stuff is with the electronics. The LP is called Zerstoer Die Welt (Destroy The World) and it's German analogue-synth superhits all the way! Actually, Arroganti looks as if he could have been the poster boy for the whole Kassetten underground. Some of the solo material sounds like pop demos with potential. Mono collects these, originally published by the Wartungsfrei tapes & fanzines in Saarbrücken, and are now available online:

http://www.andiarroganti.com

Whilst on the subject, I did see the Populäre Mechanik tapes from Berlin in Franck's database and thought they'd make a nice reissue. Also, a Klar!80 sampler is currently over at Dorf Disco (see sidebar).