weekendrecords

Sexual Harrassment - If I Gave You A Party, 1983 First heard...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:00:40 -0600

Sexual Harrassment - If I Gave You A Party, 1983

First heard this on Gomma’s incredible Anti NY compilation from 2001 - holy jesus nearly ten years ago already, and nothing short of a revelation for me at the time. Along with the shamelessly under-produced name-dropping festivities of LCD’s “Losing My Edge”, I’m pretty certain this double vinyl comp basically triggered my no-wave addiction. I’ve been searching for the originals of all the tracks ever since. Sexual Harrassment was part of the music that came out of New York’s early 80’s hip hop & graffiti Mudd Club scene. This must rank among some of the weirdest dirtiest electro out there of the time, it doesn’t get any better. Especially love the party scene at the end of the track.

Soft Cell - Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go, 1981 After...

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:26:00 -0600

Soft Cell - Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go, 1981

After the chart failure of their previous single “Memorabilia” - actually an underground club fav produced by Mute Records founder Daniel Miller - Phonogram Records allowed Soft Cell to record a second and final single in an attempt to score a chart success. The band opted to record a radically minimalist cover version of “Tainted Love”, a northern soul classic originally sung by Gloria Jones.

Soft Cell’s version was recorded in a day and a half with singer Marc Almond’s first vocal take being the version ultimately used on the record. They left the recording sessions with only modest expectations that the track might break into the UK Top 50. Further, Almond wrote that his only significant contribution to the song’s instrumentation (besides the vocals) was the suggestion that the song begin with a characteristic “bink bink” sound which would repeat periodically throughout.

J.J. Fad - Supersonic, 1987 Produced by The Arabian Prince....

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:27:26 -0600

J.J. Fad - Supersonic, 1987

Produced by The Arabian Prince. Just wait for the electro edits after the beat drops 4 minutes in. Dope.

The Bollock Brothers - Harley David (Son Of A Bitch),...

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:38:00 -0600

The Bollock Brothers - Harley David (Son Of A Bitch), 1987

British punk band formed in 1979 by Studio 21 club dj Jock McDonald who turned out some killer left-field covers, notably this one originally by Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot as well as an elctro version of The Sex Pistols album Never Mind The Bollocks.

Ultravox - Mr. X, 1980 A beautifully crafted minimal new wave...

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:27:39 -0600

Ultravox - Mr. X, 1980

A beautifully crafted minimal new wave electro track produced by Conny Plank at his studio near Cologne Germany, very much in the same vein of Juan Atkins’ seminal detroit tech “Alleys Of Your Mind”, mostly due to the mechanical drumming of I believe a Roland CR-78 drum machine.

Playgroup - Euphoria, 1985 (Factory Benelux) The only single...

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:22:00 -0600

Playgroup - Euphoria, 1985 (Factory Benelux)

The only single from this little-known New York outfit, not not to be confused with Trevor Jackson’s electroclash Playgroup project. Released in ‘85 on Factory Benelux alongside two other 12” singles, Playgroups’ sound fits in perfectly along side the likes of New Order, but unfortunately suffered from a lack of promotion.

The Benelux label was the result of an informal arrangement made in 1980 between Factory Records and Les Disques du Crépuscule in Brussels, whereby the latter released ‘spare’ recordings by Factory artists. However most of the Benelux releases have proved to be jewels in the Factory crown - The Key of Dreams (Section 25), Everything’s Gone Green (New Order), Shack Up (A Certain Ratio), Calcutta (The Names) and The Plateau Phase (Crispy Ambulance). Now defunct as a political entity, the term Benelux referred to the pre-EU customs union formed by Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

He Said - Watch-Take-Care, 1989 One of the many experimental...

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:08:00 -0600

He Said - Watch-Take-Care, 1989

One of the many experimental electronic side projects of Graham Lewis, bassist of Wire, beginning with the release of Hail in 1986 on Mute. Take Care is his last album to date.

I’ve pretty much had the entire album on repeat since picking this up last week from Zzz’s. It covers a lot of ground, spanning from industrial noise to moody new wave, electro ballads, and even a bit of acid house. The dystopian video-collaged album art, credited to Sven, certainly doesn’t disappoint either.

Bauhaus - She’s In Paties, 1983 Their tenth and final...

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:28:00 -0600

Bauhaus - She’s In Paties, 1983

Their tenth and final single, released on Beggar’s Banquet shortly before the band split up. Apparently Peter Murphy’s modeling career as the guy sitting in the Le Corbusier LC2 armchair for all the UK Maxell cassette ads had something to do with that.

Wasted Youth - Rebecca’s Room, 1981 Produced by Martin...

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:53:33 -0600

Wasted Youth - Rebecca’s Room, 1981

Produced by Martin Hannett and released through Bridgehouse Records, a label set up by the bassplayer’s father in the pub he owned in East London. A combination of early goth and post-punk with dark acoustic strains of the sort associated with Nick Drake and Syd Barrett.

Fay Ray - Family Affairs, 1980 Debut 7” single recorded...

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:20:00 -0600

Fay Ray - Family Affairs, 1980

Debut 7” single recorded at Surrey Sound Studios, Leatherhead, Surrey, England.

Fay Ray - Heatwave, 1981 Unexpected awesomeness from one of the...

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:28:00 -0600

Fay Ray - Heatwave, 1981

Unexpected awesomeness from one of the great secrets of the British New Wave, fronted by singer Sheila McCartney, whose quivering voice is a close resemblance to Siouxsie Sioux’s. Their only album was released on WEA International and a total flop. Fay Ray faded into obscurity after the label pulled the plug on their second album and locked the masters in a vault, refusing to release it once the group was dropped. The band split shortly after. Don’t miss the video.

Chromagain - Satisfied, 1985 Rare dark wave, minimal electronic...

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:20:00 -0600

Chromagain - Satisfied, 1985

Rare dark wave, minimal electronic group from Turin, Italy formed by Luca Pastore, Silvio Ferrero and Davide Bassino. Aside from appearing on a few compilations, I believe their only release was this mini-lp ‘Any Colour You Like’ from 1985.

Download: WKNDRCRDS - Another Heart Breaks (47:36) Synergy -...

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:06:00 -0600

Download: WKNDRCRDS - Another Heart Breaks (47:36)

Synergy - The Final Alignment/ Yello - Call It Love (Dub)/ I Start Counting - Lose Him/ Colour Box - Just Give ‘Em Whisky/ Propaganda - Jewel/ Depeche Mode - Strange Love (Blind Mix)/ New Order - Don’t Do It/ Revenge - State of Shock (L’Pool Edit)/ Nitzer Ebb - Join In The Chant (Lies!)/ Hula - VC1/ Click Click - I Rage I Melt/ Electronic Light Orchestra - Another Heart Breaks

Ike Yard - NCR, 1982 Experimental minimal electronic group...

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:33:36 -0600

Ike Yard - NCR, 1982

Experimental minimal electronic group founded in 1979 post-punk New York by Stuart Argabright (Dominatrix, Death Comet Crew), Kenny Compton (bass/vocals), Fred Szymanski (synthesizers/ programming) and Michael Diekmann (guitar), named after the record shop in A Clockwork Orange. Together they recorded for labels like Disques du Crépuscule and Factory. NCR is off their eponymous album on Factory, often confused as ‘A Fact A Second’ due to the catalog translation of “a Factory America second release” in the cover design.

Red Zebra - I’m Falling Apart, 1981 Belgian post-punk...

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:29:43 -0600

Red Zebra - I’m Falling Apart, 1981

Belgian post-punk group from Bruges, formed in the late 1970’s and still active today. This is the follow up single to their punk classic I Can’t Live In A Living Room from 1980. Band website here.

Visage - Fade To Grey, 1980 Formed in 1978 by Steve Strange and...

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:27:00 -0600

Visage - Fade To Grey, 1980

Formed in 1978 by Steve Strange and Rusty Egan with members from Ultravox, Magazine, and Siouxsie and the Banshees, Visage were at the center of the burgeoning British New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s. Fade To Grey is an amazing track and the band’s most relevant and successful single; the lyrics and melody were actually composed by Midge Ure and Billie Currie who would both eventually leave the band for Ultravox. The French vocal was performed by Brigitte Arendt, a young student from Luxembourg who was Rusty Egan’s girlfriend at the time.

Absolute Body Control - Figures, 1983 Having previously played...

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:03:00 -0600

Absolute Body Control - Figures, 1983

Having previously played in minor punk and new wave bands, Dirk Ivens formed Absolute Body Control in early 1980 Belgium as a project more influenced by the prototype synthpop sound being produced by the likes of Suicide and D.A.F. The project, which soon settled as a duo with Ivens and Eric van Wonterghem, released a number of cassettes, but only one 7” (Is There An Exit?) and no studio albums during its brief lifespan.

This track features alongside Ruth and several others on Angular Records’ forthcoming release of Cold Waves and Minimal Electronics, another great compilation chronicling the underground cult cold wave and minimal wave mostly originating from continental Europe between the years 1981-1985. Visit the Coldwaves tumblr here.

Mark Lane - Who’s Really Listening? 1984 Going back to...

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:31:00 -0600

Mark Lane - Who’s Really Listening? 1984

Going back to the early dawn of the new wave and punk movements, Mark Lane began his electronic music and tape splicing experiments in 1981. His first release was a vinyl 7” entitled “Love is So Aggravating” and although it was well received, it was the release of his 1984 mini-LP entitled “Who’s Really Listening?” that garnered him critical acclaim and cemented his place historically as one of the early pioneers of minimal electronic synthpop.

This track features on a promotional split 7” with Oppenheimer Analysis in celebration of the recently released Minimal Wave Tapes, the first official anthology of underground electronic music from North America and Europe from the excellent Minimal Wave label, remastered from analog source tapes and compiled by Minimal Wave’s Veronica Vasicka and Stones Throw’s Peanut Butter Wolf.

Buy it here.

Alan Vega - Jukebox Babe, PVC Records 1980 One half of the...

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:40:00 -0600

Alan Vega - Jukebox Babe, PVC Records 1980

One half of the seminal electronic duo Suicide, Alan Vega began his career as a visual artist, gaining notoriety for his light sculptures and eventually opening his own lower Manhattan gallery space which he dubbed the Project of Living Artists. The Project served as a stomping grounds for the likes of the New York Dolls, Television and Blondie as well as the 15-piece jazz group Reverend B., which featured a musician named Martin Rev on electric piano. Rev would later join Vega to form Suicide.

After Suicide disbanded in 1980, both Vega and Rev undertook solo careers, with Vega continuing to explore the fractured rockabilly identity he had established in his earlier work. His self-titled 1980 debut record which contained “Jukebox Babe”, one of his best known songs, defined the kind of rockabilly style that he would follow for some years.

Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The U.S.A. (Live at Winterland San...

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:31:00 -0600

Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The U.S.A. (Live at Winterland San Francisco, January 1978)

The Sex Pistols arrived in New York on January 4, 1978, where an appearance on Saturday Night Live was canceled at the last minute. The U.S. tour began in Atlanta on January 5 and continued through Memphis, San Antonio, Baton Rouge, Dallas, and Tulsa. It ended just ten days later with what would be their last show together at Winterland in San Francisco, with Johnny Rotten leaving the stage after “No Fun” saying “Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?”

Aside from a few unofficial bootleg recordings, both tracks were previously unreleased until this 1980 mail order compilation from Warner Brothers.