New Ministry music video from the soon to be released album entitled “AmeriKKKant”!
Monthly Archives: February 2018
Kevin Haskins – Bauhaus – Undead (Cleopatra Records 16 March 2018)
Bauhaus’ co-founder Kevin Haskins to release ‘Bauhaus – Undead’ Art Book via Cleopatra Records
Bauhaus‘ member Kevin Haskins will be releasing ‘Bauhaus – Undead: The Visual History and Legacy of Bauhaus’ on March 16via Cleopatra Records. While this is an elegant and tasteful deluxe coffee table art book, it is also a historical and intimate trip through the development of this groundbreaking band from the perspective and memorabilia of one of the quartet’s founding members.
Carefully curated from a largely unseen collection of memorabilia and combined with personal recollections by original member and author Kevin Haskins, this beautiful high end coffee table book (10’’ x 13’’ in 316 pages) takes readers on a visual journey from the bands inception in late 1978 to their breakup in 1983, through to their very successful reformation in 1998 and eventual legendary performance at The Coachella Music Festival in 2005.
Bauhaus is one of the few groups of the post-punk era to achieve truly mythic status with a savory legacy of artful, timeless, dark rock and theatrical performances. Bauhaus has always been, and continues to be a pivotal link in the evolution and revolution of contemporary music.
‘Bauhaus – Undead’ features original stories penned by Kevin Haskins about poignant and sometimes amusing moments throughout the band’s hallowed career, as well as largely unseen materials, such as photographs from Kevin’s personal collection, band artwork and sketches, DIY flyers made by the band members themselves, backstage passes, show posters, set lists, contracts, tickets stubs, fan club material, pins, their recording schedule, vintage gear photos, tour itineraries, letters, a Bauhaus comic strip | and hand-written lyrics.
Kevin has worked with the impressive design team of Jeff Anderson of Artist In Residence and Donny Phillips and Kaylee Carrington of KIHL Studio. The unique design reflects the bands stripped down aesthetic and art school origins. This is a fitting tribute and celebration of the legacy created by this revolutionary group.
Bauhaus was formed by Daniel Ash in the small industrial town of Northampton, England in the Winter of 1978. Plucking Peter Murphyfrom his dead end job at the printing works, remarkably, he had no idea if he could sing and just recalled that he was the most charismatic looking one among his high school friends. His intuition was dead on! Following a couple of rehearsals in his parents living room, Daniel recruited the two brothers, Kevin and David Haskins, who would make up the band’s formidable rhythm section.
After being together for only five weeks, the band recorded their legendary and timeless nine-minute single ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’, which remained at number one on the British Independent chart for two years. Three years later, the band performed the song for the dramatic opening scene of Tony Scott‘s sensual vampire movie ‘The Hunger’. Seminal and groundbreaking, the group was too busy following their own muse to chase after fly-by-night-trends. The pioneering spirit that fueled their work established Bauhaus as one of the most important and influential artists of the past three decades.
Their eclectic influences ranged from Psychedelia to Punk, Dub Reggae to Glam, the latter surfacing most notably in their audacious cover of David Bowie’s ‘Ziggy Stardust’, which earned them their first national chart hit in October 1982. The band went on to record four critically acclaimed albums before disbanding in 1983.
In 1998, the band reformed for an extremely successful ‘Resurrection’ World Tour, attracting a much larger audience than they originally enjoyed back in the day. They sold out three nights at The Palladium in Los Angeles in a record breaking fifteen minutes, attesting to the timeless quality of their music and their ever growing fan base. During its last decade, Bauhaus released a new studio LP ‘Go Away White’, toured with Nine Inch Nails, and played a legendary headlining performance at The Coachella Music Festival in 2005.
Many Artists have name-checked Bauhaus as influences, including Radiohead, Bjork, Massive Attack, Sigur Ros, Nine Inch Nails, Tricky, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Flaming Lips, The Horrors, Jello Biafra, Marilyn Manson, Janes Addiction, Tool, Jarvis Cocker, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hole, Interpol, Skinny Puppy, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Nirvana, to name just a few.
To mark its release, On March 16, Lethal Amounts and Cleopatra Records will present ‘UNDEAD ~ A Bauhaus Book Release and Signing Party’. While the doors at Lethal Amounts open at 7 pm, the book signing with Kevin Haskins takes places from 8 to 10pm. Books will be sold at the gallery or guests can bring your own copy to be signed, but no records, CDs or other outside merchandise will be signed. Exclusive and limited edition merch is also expected to be available at the event, which will also feature a special guest DJ set.
In the meantime, copies of the book are now available signed and unsigned via Cleopatra Records at http://bit.ly/2qk1vzu. Signed copies will no longer be available after the street date of March 16.
Keep up with Kevin Haskins / Bauhaus – Undead
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Keep up with Cleopatra Records
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Mark Stoermer – Filthy Apes and Lions (St. August Records 2017)
By the end of 2017, Mark Stoermer released his album “Filthy Apes and Lions”.
From its very opening, “Filthy Apes and Lions” sounded interesting and I thought “nah… as it happens most of the time, it’s just the first song that sounds good…”
The video of the song is directed by Lee Hardcastle known for The ABCs of Death (2012), GUNSHIP: Tech Noir (2015) and An Alien Claymation (2013)
On the second track, “Beautiful Deformities”, things developed even more interesting and it became obvious that there was a kind of experimentation and psychedelia in the air…
Lyrically the songs were surreal but… still very interesting…
When “Racing In the Rain” started I said “ha! A Beatlesque track” but when the chorus came in things turned more Pink Floydish…
Ok, now Mr Stoermer got my attention, so, as mainstream bands are not my cup of tea, I had to look up to find who he is…
Bass player Mark Stoermer was on the original line-up of the American rock band The Killers but a couple of years ago he announced that he would stop touring with the band, which of course was news to me…
So now, this “Filthy Apes and Lions” album that came out through his own record label, was becoming an even more pleasant surprise.
The surreal lyrics continue on “Dwarfish Trumpet Blues” that follows and the song ends in a typical 60’s psychedelic spirit…
One more animated video was made for this song, directed this time by Rafael Bonilla. (If I got the right one, he directed the documentaries La Carta and La batalla de las cruces)
Classic music influences appear on “The Perennial Legend of Dr. Mabuse” about the fictional character created by Norbert Jacques in the novel Dr. Mabuse der Spieler.
As we all know Dr. Mabuse from the three movies that Fritz Lang did about this character, the music video directed by Yoshi Sodeoka and Mark Stoermer himself, is flirting with a 1920’s cinematographic spirit.
“Mica Rae” is a metaphor about modern life decay and a crazy rich woman.
Musically it returns to the Beatlesque feel and to the 60’s pop music forms…
The next one opens with a church organ bringing out to light another creature taken from the era of German expressionism: “Nosferatu Blues”.
The song takes an unexpected psychedelic turn with a Middle Eastern flavor while Stoermer sings “Look at me I’m a real vampire / I just wanted to live forever” and vanishes into thin air…
What follows is a 9 minute jazz-rock epic.
An instrumental piece titled “Muju’s Revenge” full of great piano, guitar and electric piano improvisation in a very 70’s sense…
The video is again directed by Rafael Bonilla
“People Take Pictures of Each Other” is the playful tune that closes the album…
As I said, “Filthy Apes and Lions” was a surprise for me.
It made me want to listen to the other two solo albums that Mark Stoermer put out…
It is a delightful album and in combination with his videos and the themes of his lyrics, it shows that he has an interest in art in general…
A job well done Mr. Stoermer…
HERE is the link if you want to place your order for the album…
Heligoland – Coriallo (Commission 45, Soleil Après Minuit 4 December 2017)
Over the course of three albums, a series of EPs and singles, and nearly two decades of existence split between Melbourne, Australia and Paris, France,
Heligoland have established and refined a distinctive sound and style awash with texture and emotion.
Working at the margins of dreampop, slowcore, shoegaze, folk, and ambient pop, Heligoland’s music is characterised by expansive, layered arrangements
and the soaring vocals of Karen Vogt.
In one sense, Coriallo marks the end of a journey for Heligoland.
This new release is the final instalment in a series of EPs, each of which was written and recorded at different locations in the French countryside.
The series began, almost by accident, when a week-long trip to a tiny village at the foothills of the Pyrénées turned into a writing and recording session.
Heligoland’s most introspective, minimal, and atmospheric release, Bethmale (2012), was the result.
The band subsequently traveled to another small town, this time amidst the rolling hills and farmland of central France.
Recorded during the early days of spring, Sainte Anne (2013) is vibrant, vivid, and multi-layered.
Coriallo brings the journey to a close.
Written and recorded at a former semaphore station on the windswept north-western coast of Normandy, this new EP is the most expansive release in the series.
The immersive opening track “Ełk” and “Three” embody the fusion of “post-rock soundscapes with ambient textures and drone laced melodies”, as
Drowned in Sound ‘s Dom Gourlay has put it, that characterise the band’s best work.
The shimmering “Orion” is dream pop at its most alluring.
Vocalist Karen Vogt scales new heights on Coriallo, contributing her most assured and captivating performances to date. EP highlight “Trust” and the
delicate, hushed late-night atmospherics of “Anavo” provide the perfect platform for Vogt’s soulful ruminations and affirmations.
The recordings from Pointe de Jardeheu in Normandy were produced and mixed by Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins/Violet Indiana), with whom the band
are currently recording a new album scheduled for release in the second half of 2018.
Tracklist
1. Ełk
2. Orion (single)
3. Anavo (single)
4. Three
5. Trust
Keep in touch with Heligoland
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Youtube
A Devil’s Din – One Hallucination Under God (Island Dive Records 29 September 2017)
A Devil’s Din is 3 musicians born across the ocean, who found each other in Montreal, drawn by a mutual love of melodic, innovative, inventive and progressive rock music. Fusing the colourful sounds of Syd Barrett‘s Pink Floyd & the psychedelic-era Beatles with the adventure of Yes, Gentle Giant and King Crimson, A Devil’s Din is a truly unique modern musical hybrid.
A Devil’s Din is the brainchild of UK born David Lines (Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards).
Based in Montreal he is joined by Tom G. Stout (Bass, Guitar, Backing Vocals) and Dominique Salameh (Drums, Backing Vocals).
By the end of September 2017 their third album titled “One Hallucination Under God” came out through their our own label, Island Dive Records.
Following “One Day All This Will Be Yours” (2011) and “Skylight” (2016) they create now a trans-dimensional triptych.
“One Hallucination Under God” is a great album that holds 9 tracks that cover a soundfield between 60’s garage and psychedelic rock.
My fave tracks are “Home”, “Where Do We Go?” and “One Hallucination Under God” but the A Devil’s Din catches your attention by the first note of the opener “Eternal Now”.
Recommended for fans of psychedelic rock.
Keep in touch with A Devil’s Din
Website | Bandacmp | Facebook | Youtube
New Candys – Bleeding Magenta (Little Cloud Records 27 April 2018)
Venice, Italy’s dark psych rockers New Candys have just announced the dates for their first ever tour of the U.S. (check their artist tour page for dates).
The U.S. tour will take place shortly after their first tour of Australia.
The original pressing of Bleeding Magenta has already sold out and in preparation for their upcoming U.S. tour, New Candys asked Little Cloud Records if they would be interested in repressing and releasing the record in the U.S….
Of course, they said yes!
If you missed out on the Fuzz Club initial pressing, now is your chance to snatch up a copy on Opaque Magenta vinyl w/ full color UV gloss jacket & full color 2-page insert HERE
Mary and The Ram – The Cross (Anonymous Records 21 February 2018)
Mary and The Ram Unveil Video for Debut Single ‘The Cross’, Mixed by Legendary Producer John Fryer
British post-punk two-piece Mary And The Ram have unveiled the new video for ‘The Cross’, shot and directed in York by the duo’s frontman Kiran Tanna. It was produced by VIAPERFORMANCE with visuals designed by Harold and Arthur’s Horror Show. Tanna himself starts in the video, along with fashion model Gemma-Louise Keane.
“It’s a surreal and neon fever-dream; a vivid, drunken reflection of its creators. We wanted to create something extremely intimate. I decided to work one on one, with fashion model Gemma-Louise Keane. There was no crew and no cast involved in the final shoot… Only participants… Two bodies. Very little costume. Mostly skin. Surreal. Neon. Closeups. Full of occult sexuality. NSFW,” says Kiran Tanna.
“This document a process that we would participate in, ourselves: a coming together and a falling apart into something new. In this void, it remains an examination of the individual as a sexual, fragile, subject. Or something like that. I won’t talk much about the cube. Or the bodies. Or mist. At it’s heart it’s a lament… A eulogy. A cry. And, I think, an omen.”
‘The Cross’ is one of two tracks, along with b-side ‘The Dream’, presented as the duo’s debut single via Anonymous Records. Produced by the legendary John Fryer, who is credited for work with a massive number of seminal artists, including Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, HIM, Love and Rockets, and Cocteau Twins, this new single delivers passionate, cathartic, concept driven electronic rock.
Based in York, Mary And The Ram is Kiran Tanna (The THING) on vocals, guitars, keys and programming) and drummer Dom Smith(Seep Away, The THING). Kiran’s background is mainly in dance, poetry and performance art, having founded the internationally-touring dance company VIAPerformance. Dom is involved in numerous musical projects and is also a potent force in the music community as editor of Soundsphere Magazine.
With influences that include Nine Inch Nails, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Sisters of Mercy, The Dresden Dolls, Death From Above 1979 and Placebo, their love for these bands show through.”We’ve known each other for years,” says Kiran Tanna. “It took a few years for our schedules to align but eventually I started programming and playing synths with one of Dom’s existing bands – a far doomier act called The THING! It wasn’t long until we realised that our shared love of old-school industrial, arty-punk and dark, gritty electronic rock needed another outlet.”
“There’s nothing new under the sun – but that’s part of the challenge. And ultimately it doesn’t matter. With Mary And The Ram we’re trying to find uncommon territory and to work there – to do something innovative if we can, and to make something that you can come back to over and over again – we hope – and each time find something new. We want you to feel. And we want to feel with you. In a room. Your room or ours. On stage. In the pit. Wherever. The increasing digitisation of our lives binds us more and more closely together… But in so many ways we are growing farther apart. This stuff comes from a place that is drifting and uncertain and perhaps a little doomed.”
‘The Cross’ is available via Bandcamp. Mary and The Ram also plans to release their debut EP later in 2018.
CREDITS
Vocals, guitars, programming by Kiran Tanna
Drums by Dom Smith
Drums by Dom Smith
Produced by John Fryer
Art direction / design / cover artwork by Scot Greenwell of darC Artz
Keep up with Mary and The Ram
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