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)