Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 205
October 29, 2024
THE LAST POETS share 'Two Little Boys' taken from forthcoming album ft. Tony Allen, Courtney Pine, Joe Armon-Jones + Kaidi Tatham
Stream/share 'Two Little Boys'
On the 29th November, the two remaining Last Poets, Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan, will present ‘Africanism’, the first Last Poets’ music since 2018’s critically acclaimed album ‘Understand What Black Is’, which earned favourable comparisons with their seminal works of the past. Released via Africa Seven, the album features guest appearances from the king of Afrobeat Tony Allen, British jazz legend Courtney Pine, Joe Armon-Jones from Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective and acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Kaidi Tatham. The Last Poets and friends breathe fresh energy, fire and outrage into some of the most enduring landmarks of the Last Poets’ career. Considered by many to be the godfathers of hip hop, the Last Poets formed over 50 years ago, blending politically charged raps with tight Afro-centric rhythms, bringing Black consciousness to the fore. “The Last Poets’ mission was to pull the people out of the rubble of their lives,” wrote their biographer Kim Green. “They knew, deep down that poetry could save the people – that if black people could see and hear themselves and their struggles through the spoken word, they would be moved to change.” You only have to look artists such as Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest and Kendrick Lamar to hear their influence and they have been sampled by NWA, Biggie Smalls, Digable Planets, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Madlib and more. The project started when the late Tony Allen, the Nigerian master drummer whose unique polyrhythms had driven much of Fela Kuti’s best work, dropped by Prince Fatty’s Brighton studio and laid down a selection of drum patterns. The sessions lasted just two days, with the hip hop godfathers exchanging the conga drums of Harlem for the explosive sounds of authentic Afrobeat. Guitarist Akinola Adio Oyebola and bassist Kunle Justice were called on to fill out the rhythm tracks, resulting in a perfect fusion of Nigerian Afrobeat and revolutionary poetry. However, their vision for the album was not yet complete. The Last Poets wanted to create a new kind of soundscape – one that reunited the Poets with the progressive jazz movement they’d once shared with musicians like Sun Ra and Pharoah Sanders. It was at that point they recruited some of the most important figures in British jazz. Opening with an explosive re-working of ‘This Is Madness’, initially penned by Umar for the Poet’s second album of the same name in 1971, the track is a call for freedom “by any means necessary,” and paints a feverish landscape peopled by prominent black leaders but quickly descends into chaos. “All my dreams have been turned into psychedelic nightmares,” he wails, over a groove now powered by Tony Allen’s ferocious drumming. The sinewy rhythms of ‘Two Little Boys’ meanwhile, was inspired after seeing two young boys “stuffing chicken and cornbread down their tasteless mouths, trying to revive shrinking lungs and a wasted mind.” They’d walked into a restaurant in Harlem, ordered big meals, bolted them down and run out the door. No one chased after them, knowing they’d probably not eaten in days. Fifty years later and children are still going hungry in major cities across America and elsewhere. Abiodun’s poem hasn’t lost any relevance at all, and neither has ‘New York, New York.’ “Although this was written in 1968, New York hasn’t changed a bit,” he admits, except “today, people just mistake her sickness for fashion.” It was many black people’s acceptance of the status quo that inspired ‘Just Because’, which like ‘Niggers Are Scared Of Revolution’, were included on that innovative self-titled first album released in 1970. Along with their revolutionary rhetoric, it was the Last Poets’ use of the “n word” that proved so shocking, but it would be wrong to suggest that they reclaimed it, since it never belonged to black people in the first place. There’s never any hiding place when it comes to the Last Poets. They use words like weapons, and that force all who listen to decide who they are and where they stand. Oyewole, who was one of the original Last Poets who’d gathered in East Harlem’s Mount Morris Park in 1968 to celebrate Malcolm X’s birthday in May 1968, when he wrote the pioneering ‘When The Revolution Comes’ aged twenty, whilst living in Jamaica, Queens. “We were getting ready for a revolution,” he told biographer Kim Green. “There wasn’t any question about whether there was going to be one or not. The truth was many of us still saw ourselves as “niggers” and slaves. This was a mindset that had to change if there was ever to be Black Power.” A longing for purity and time-honoured spiritual values underpins ‘Related to What’ while ‘Gash Man’ is inspired by a deep conversation Obiodun, and writer Amiri Baraka were having when they became distracted by a pretty girl walking by. “You’re a gash man,” Abiodun told him. Originally recorded for the Last Poets debut album, the poem inspired by that incident, is revisited on ‘Africanism’ and exposes the heartless nature of sexual acts shorn of intimacy or affection. As global politics becomes more and more turbulent, The Last Poets’ rhymes and beats are more relevant than ever before. It's not just race or religion that hold us back, but an economic system that keeps millions in poverty and living in fear – a system born from political choice and that’s now become so entrenched, so bloated on its own success that it’s put mankind in mortal danger. Tracklisting ‘This Is Madness’‘Two Little Boys’‘Just Because’‘New York, New York’‘Niggers Are Scared Of Revolution’‘When The Revolution Comes’‘Related To What’‘Gash Man’
Pixies Announce Special 2025 N.A. Headline Tour
PIXIES ANNOUNCE
SPECIAL 2025 NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE TOUR
Band To Perform a Two-Night Residency Set in Each City
LOS ANGELES, CA - Tuesday, October 29, 2024 -- Acclaimed as the most influential, pioneering band of the late 80s alt/rock movement, today, Pixies announce its 2025 North American Tour set to launch on June 13, 2025, at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. The tour is in support of Pixies’ new album, The Night The Zombies Came, released on Friday, October 25, via BMG, and will see the band - Black Francis/guitar, vocals; Joey Santiago/guitar; David Lovering/drums, and new bassist, Emma Richardson - performing two different sets over two consecutive nights in 12 U.S. and two Canadian cities — the entire Bossanova and Trompe Le Monde albums on night one, and on night two, classics from the band's deep catalog, plus songs from the new album. Support across all shows will come from Kurt Vile + The Violators. The full itinerary is below. Tickets will be available for purchase on Friday, November 1 at 10AM local at https://www.pixiesmusic.com/
Pixies Live, 2024 L-R: Joey Santiago, Black Francis, David Lovering, Emma Richardson
Photo Credit: Liam Maxwell
Produced by Gil Norton (who also produced Pixies’ Platinum-selling Doolittle), Bossanova was released in 1990 and featured the singles “Allison” (a tribute to jazz and blues pianist Mose Allison), “Dig for Fire,” and “Velouria,” that reached #4 on Billboard’s Alternative chart). Bossanova showed a less primal side to the band, with surf and space rock rising to the fore. Lyrically, Black Francis is even more cryptic with recurring sci-fi theme running throughout, which in turn influenced Vaughn Oliver’s classic planet design for the cover.
Pixies’ 1991 album, Trompe Le Monde, bookended a golden run of landmarked records. Translated from French to mean “fool the world,” Trompe Le Monde showed the band still restless to push their sound forward. Recorded between Burbank, Paris, and London with producer Gil Norton again at the controls, Pixies' fourth album is arguably their most playful, with Black Francis’ lyrics on UFOs and conspiracy theories keeping things weird while power pop creeps in to amplify the space rock established on predecessor Bossanova.
Featuring the singles “Planet of Sound,” “Alec Eiffel,” “Letter to Memphis,” and a flawless cover of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Head On,” Trompe Le Monde goes full throttle with 15 tracks coming in a quickfire 40-minute salvo. Receiving critical praise at the time and being supported by a massive tour that included playing stadiums with U2, it also proved to be the end of act one for the band, with them taking over a decade before returning to the stage together. A brilliant record, Trompe Le Monde sounds just as fresh as it did 32 years ago.
The itinerary for Pixies’ 2025 North American “Residency Tour” is as follows:
JUNE 2025
13-14 Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas
16-17 The Van Buren, Phoenix, AZ
20-21 Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA
23-24 Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA
26-27 Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, BC
JULY 2025
8-9 MTELUS, Montreal, QC
15-16 Brooklyn Paramount, Brooklyn, NY
18-19 MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Boston, MA
22-23 The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA
25-26 The Anthem, Washington, DC
28-29 The Fillmore, Detroit, MI
31 Palace Theatre, St. Paul, MN
AUGUST 2025
1 Palace Theatre, St. Paul, MN
Cover artwork for Pixies’ album, "The Night The Zombies Came"
Punk icons the Dead Boys recorded live in San Francisco, 1977, gets its first ever official release
Punk icons the Dead Boys recorded live in San Francisco, 1977, gets its first ever official release Los Angeles, California: From New York out of Cleveland, the Dead Boys were the most incendiary of Manhattan’s first wave punk bands. Louder than the Ramones, faster than Patti Smith, more feral than Television, and fronted by Stiv Bators, an unholy cross between Iggy Pop, David Johansen and all the Sex Pistols put together, the Dead Boys were also responsible for one of the all-defining anthems of the CBGBs era, “Sonic Reducer.” Not to mention two full albums that remain untouchable in terms of punk’s finest. And if they were monstrous on record, they were almost brutal on stage. Touring relentlessly, the Dead Boys were a seething, dizzying blur of dynamic action and brain-charring volume that left audiences wilting and music critics gaping, powering through a repertoire that simply dripped with future classics… “Caught with the Meat In Your Mouth,” “Flame Thrower Love,” “Down in Flames” - they even immortalized one of New York City’s most feared serial killers, the Son of Sam, even as his reign of terror unfolded. Another Dead Boys classic, “What Love Is,”is out as the band’s latest single. SINGLE: https://orcd.co/deadboys_whatloveislivesanfrancisco All these and more (to paraphrase the title of yet another Dead Boys masterpiece) are included on Live in San Francisco, a raw, verité recording of the band’s legendary November 1977 appearance at that city’s historic Old Waldorf - a gig later immortalized as one of the crucial landmarks in local punk rock lore. Approved by guitarist Cheetah Chrome, this is the first ever official release of this wild and thrilling recording, an unforgettable firestorm that captures every drop of sweat, fleck of spittle and burst of crazed energy that made Dead Boys the kings of American punk rock! And it wraps up with the Dead Boys’ signature slam through the Stooges’ “Search and Destroy,” a version that makes even the original sound tame. CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=dead+boys+live+in+san+franciscoDIGITAL: https://orcd.co/deadboys_liveinsanfrancisco Track listingSonic Reducer All This And More Caught With The Meat In Your Mouth I Won't Look Back Not Anymore What Love Is Flame Thrower Love Son Of Sam Down In Flames Search And Destroy In addition to this fantastic live album release, Ignorance In Action (The Rarities) is a treasure trove of Dead Boys rarities, including previously unreleased vintage demo sessions and live recordings; the rare 1987 reunion 12" single; plus sessions from Kirk Yano's After Dark studio in Cleveland from 1978! Ignorance In Action CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=dead+boys+ignorance+in+actionIgnorance In Action DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/q0dvqer
Sunroof (Daniel Miller & Gareth Jones) Share New Track "Brotherly" || Electronic Music Improvisations Vol. 3 Out 11/29 On The Parallel Series Of Mute
SUNROOF [DANIEL MILLER & GARETH JONES]
SHARE NEW TRACK “BROTHERLY”
OUT 11/29 ON THE PARALLEL SERIES OF MUTE
photo credit: Paul Heartfield
Today Sunroof [Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones] have shared a new track, “Brotherly”, from their forthcoming album, Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 3, set for release on vinyl, CD and digitally via the Parallel Series of Mute on November 29, 2024.
Listen to it HERE.
Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 3 is a collection of nine improvised tracks, recorded using the duo’s Eurorack modular systems, and builds upon the self-imposed parameters laid out on their 2021 debut. With nothing pre-planned or rehearsed, each of the nine tracks were recorded using four channels (two each) with no overdubs. Explaining, “Our practice is more abstract than thematic. Every time we meet, we attempt a fresh start,” Miller and Jones arrived at each recording session with the spirit, energy and discipline of improvisation and recorded the tracks as live performances, with very little post-production work done once they were recorded.
Pre-order it HERE.
Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones’ collaboration began in 1982 when Miller asked Jones to work with him on what became Depeche Mode’s Construction Time Again. After Depeche Mode had gone home for the day, the two would stay on to work on their own sessions, a practice that continues to this day. By the mid ‘90s Sunroof had become a remix project, reworking the likes of Can, MGMT, To Rococo Rot, Kreidler and Goldfrapp, amongst others.
In 2019, Miller and Jones were heading to a György Ligeti concert at the Barbican and beforehand the pair spent a couple of hours improvising with modular systems. Unusually, this time they decided to record the session and over a pre-concert meal, Gareth asked, “Are we actually going to make a record together before we die?”
The resulting album, Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 1 (2021) was followed by Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 2 (2023). Since 2021, Sunroof have been performing select live shows, at venues such as Café OTO (London), the London School of Economics, the Museum of Modern Electronic Music Frankfurt, Silent Green in Berlin, Ombra Festival (Barcelona), Oslo Cathedral, Golden Pudel (Hamburg), DG Kunstraum (Munich), and IKLECTIK (London), allowing their live performance to feed back into their recordings. Some of these recordings were released last year as a Bandcamp exclusive, Electronic Music Improvisations Live in London and Frankfurt.
Track listing:
1. Splendid2. Brotherly
3. Ensnare
4. Stratum
5. Freezer
6. Earthen
7. Second Thoughts
8. Link
9. Conspiracies
Pre-order the album HERE.
Full of Hell + Andrew Nolan Share “Sphere of Saturn” feat. Justin K. Broadrick
Full of Hell + Andrew Nolan Share “Sphere of Saturn” feat. Justin K. Broadrick
Their collaborative LP Scraping The Divine is out November 15
Photo by: Jake Ballah
"...a true meeting of the industrial minds, with Full of Hell and Nolan’s uncompromising sonics colliding head on." - Consequence
The collaborative new album from grind/noise rockers Full of Hell and Toronto-based industrial artist Andrew Nolan— Scraping The Divine — delivers a sonic exploration unlike any of their prior endeavors. Crafted throughout recording sessions spanning from 2019 to 2023, the album captures the raw energy and relentless spirit of both artists. Andrew Nolan says of the partnership: "The relationship with Full of Hell began in the very early days of the band when Dylan wrote me asking for feedback on a Full of Hell noise tape and a breakdown of The Endless Blockade’s live electronics. Over a decade later, several remixes, guest appearances, tours, session bass, and live electronics a full collaboration album is finally complete."
Scraping The Divine also features an impressive lineup of guest appearances, including Taichi Nagura (Endon), GxCx (Contagious Orgasm, BBVGC, ex-Guilty Connector), Intensive Care, Alex Hughes (Hatred Surge, Holy Money), and prolific experimental musician Justin K. Broadrick (Godflesh, Jesu, JK Flesh). Today, they share their collaboration with the latter— the cacophonous new single "Sphere of Saturn."
Andrew Nolan shares: "On 'Sphere of Saturn' voltage controlled motors on amplified springs and sheet metal beneath Dylan’s harsh vocals give way to classic Justin Broadrick discordant guitar and hazy vocals. Despite the melancholy of the song the underlying message is on the futility of pessimism."
Stream / share "Sphere of Saturn" feat. Justin K. Broadrick
Incoming November 15th on Closed Casket Activities, Scraping The Divine was recorded by renowned producers Seth Manchester of Machines with Magnets and Kevin Bernsten of Developing Nations, with mixing and production led by Andrew Nolan and mastering by Nick Townsend.
This album pushes boundaries and challenges perceptions, making it a must-listen for fans of both Full of Hell and Andrew Nolan, as well as anyone seeking an immersive auditory experience. Pre-order here.
Scraping The Divine , track listing:
Gradual TimeslipHeat Death from the PyreBurdened By Solar MassSphere of SaturnHemlock GnosisBlessed AnathemaFacing the DivideApproaching the MonolithExtinguished GlowCommon MiraclesIrradiated SandsParalytic LineageFull of Hell, on tour:
Nov. 03 Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
Nov. 04 Charleston, SC - Music Farm
Nov. 05 Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
Nov. 06 Orlando, FL - The Abbey
Nov. 08 Charlotte, NC - The Underground
Nov. 09 Richmond, VA - Canal Club
Nov. 10 Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
Nov. 11 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Nov. 13 Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls
Nov. 14 Toronto, ON - Opera House
Nov. 15 Ottawa, ON - Bronson Centre
Nov. 16 Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount
Nov. 17 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
Nov. 19 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
Nov. 20 Chicago, IL - Metro
Nov. 21 Minneapolis, MN - The Lyric at Skyway Theatre
Nov. 23 Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall
Nov. 24 Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
Nov. 26 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
Nov. 27 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
Nov. 29 Berkeley, CA - UC Theatre
Nov. 30 Santa Ana, CA - Observatory
Dec. 01 Los Angeles, CA - Regent Theater
Dec. 02 Mesa, AZ - The Nile
Feb. 05 Oberhausen, DE - Turbinenhalle
Feb. 06 Utrecht, NL - Tivolivredenburg
Feb. 07 Leer, DE - Zollhaus Gastro
Feb. 08 Meisenthal, FR - La Boite Noire
Feb. 09 Stuttgart, DE - Im Wizemann
Feb. 11 Hamburg, DE - Markthalle
Feb. 12 Malmö, SE - Plan B
Feb. 13 Leipzig, DE - Felsenkeller
Feb. 14 Berlin, DE - Astra Kulturhaus
Feb. 15 Nürnberg, DE - Lowensaal
Feb. 16 Prague, CZ - Sasazu
Feb. 18 Warsaw, PL - Progresja
Feb. 19 Košice, SK - Collosseum Club
Feb. 20 Budapest, HU - Dürer Kert
Feb. 21 Linz, AT - Posthof
Feb. 22 Padova, IT - Hall
Feb. 23 München, DE - Backstage
Feb. 24 Pratteln, CH - Z7 Konzertfabrik
Feb. 26 Barcelona, ES - Salamanda
Feb. 27 Bordeaux, FR - Salle Des Fêtes Bordeaux Grand Parc
Feb. 28 Angoulême, FR - La Nef
Mar. 01 Vauréal, FR - Le Forum
Mar. 02 Antwerp, BE - Trix
Mar. 04 Dublin, IE - Academy
Mar. 05 Glasgow, UK - SWG3 Garden
Mar. 06 Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK - Newcastle University Student Union
Mar. 07 London, UK - Electric Brixton
Mar. 08 Liverpool, UK - 02 Academy
Mar. 09 Birmingham, UK - 02 The Institute
October 28, 2024
KOKOROKO @ The Fonda Theatre // 10.27.24 // THE PORTABLE INFINITE
All photos taken by Martin Worster
Beak> announce final North American tour w/ Geoff Barrow in the band
Bristol, UK trio Beak> announced earlier this year that drummer/singer Geoff Barrow (also of Portishead and Invada Records) would be retiring from the group following their 2025 North American tour. Those dates, which surround their appearance at Knoxville’s Big Ears Festival, have now been announced, and the tour is with Litronix (who toured with them in 2022). All dates are below.
The tour includes shows at Tubby’s Kingston on March 26 and Brooklyn’s Elsewhere on March 27. Tickets for all dates of the tour go on sale Wednesday, October 30 at 10 AM local time.
Beak> released their fantastic fourth album, >>>>, earlier this spring and you can listen to that below.
BEAK> – 2024/2025 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Wed 30 October – UK Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
Fri 01 November – UK London, The O2 Forum Kentish Town
Sat 02 November – UK Brighton, Concorde 2
Wed 06 November – UK Manchester, New Century Hall
Thu 07 November – UK Glasgow, Saint Luke’s
Fri 08 November – UK Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Mon 11 November – FR Lorient, L’Hydrophone
Wed 13 November – FR Paris, Élysée Montmartre
Fri 15 November – FR Lyon, L’Epicerie Moderne
Sat 16 November – FR Nantes, Le Lieu Unique
Sun 17 November – FR Tourcoing, Le Grand Mix
Tue 19 November – BE Brussels, Orangerie, Botanique
Wed 20 November – NL Amsterdam, Melkweg – Oude Zaal
Thu 21 November – NL Nijmegen, Doornroosje
Sun 23 November – CH Winterthur, Salzhaus
Mon 25 November – DE Munich, Hansa 39
Wed 27 November – DE Berlin, Gretchen
Fri 29 November – DK Copenhagen, Pumpehuset
Thu 12 December – IE Dublin, The Button Factory
Sat 14 December – UK Bristol, SWX
Mar 22 – Montreal, QC, Theatre Fairmount*
Mar 23 – Toronto, ON, The Great Hall*
Mar 26 – Kingston, NY, Tubby’s*
Mar 27 – Brooklyn, NY, Elsewhere*
Mar 29 – Knoxville, TN, Big Ears Festival
Apr 1 – Los Angeles, CA, Zebulon*
Apr 2 – Los Angeles, CA, Zebulon*
Apr 4 – Seattle, WA, Neumos*
Apr 5 – Portland, OR, Polaris Hall*
Apr 7 – Vancouver, BC, Hollywood Theatre*
* with Litronix
Throbbing Gristle Share Previously Unreleased Track "Scabs & Saws" || Announce 'TG Berlin' Box Set Out 12/6 On Mute
THROBBING GRISTLE
ANNOUNCE TG BERLIN BOX SET
CHRONICLING UNRELEASED WORK FROM BERLIN, RECORDED AROUND A SERIES OF LIVE EVENTS AT THE VOLKSBÜHNE
OUT 12/6 VIA MUTE
LISTEN TO PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACK,
“SCABS & SAWS”
Photo Credit: Paul HeartfieldToday Throbbing Gristle have announced TG BERLIN, a lavish box set chronicling their previously unreleased work in Berlin around a very special series of live events at the Volksbühne in 2005/2006, set for release on December 6, 2024. The event, curated by Throbbing Gristle, saw the band perform a live set on New Year’s Eve and an improvised live soundtrack to a new 16mm print of Derek Jarman’s In The Shadow of the Sun (1981) on New Year’s Day. While the band were in Berlin, they also recorded two final songs alongside a 48-minute piece of new music.
The box set, which is comprised of 4 CDs, a Blu Ray, a 10” vinyl and a booklet featuring unseen photographs from the time by Paul Heartfield as well as new sleeve notes by the award winning Scottish visual artist Lucy McKenzie, collates both of these performances, alongside the TG Berlin Studio Session, which includes the final Throbbing Gristle single (two unreleased tracks, “Scabs & Saws” and “Wotwududo”,) and an unreleased 48-minute piece titled ‘TG Berlin Studio Session 2005 - 2006’, recorded at Planet Roc studios during the time they were in the city.
Listen to the previously unreleased track “Scabs & Saws” HERE.Pre-order TG Berlin HERE.
TG Berlin will also include the “rehearsal” for In The Shadow of the Sun, recorded on New Year’s Day at the iconic Volksbühne (“people’s theatre”). The performance of In The Shadow of the Sun was improvised, so the two documents offer a different perspective on the soundtrack to Jarman’s work.
The New Year’s Eve show previewed five songs from the band’s first album in 27 years, Part Two: The Endless Not, several years before its release, on a set list that included “Convincing People”, “Slug Bait”, and “Hamburger Lady” (their first encore in 25/26 years, and what an encore!), tracks that had lost none of their potency in the intervening years, plus the released track, “Splitting Sky” and more. The performance is also included as a Blu-ray.
In 2004, Throbbing Gristle, Chris Carter, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (1950-2020) and Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson (1955-2010), regrouped and the following six years became a period of renewed creativity for the band. Back in the studio after 20 years, they found group intuition when performing was intact, and their ability to break down barriers and forge connections with an audience was more powerful than ever.
This new box set, the latest release in an ongoing collaboration with Mute, is a compelling document of Throbbing Gristle performing and recording as a four-piece with a renewed vigor. From the opening beats and serrated electronics of one of their final tracks recorded together, “Scabs and Saws”, it’s clear that TG are not revisiting ground already tread, but bringing two decades of individual experience back into the studio to create a new exploration of sound. The vocals have a different depth, the groove is deeper and the atmosphere has lost none of its potency.
Throbbing Gristle formed in 1975 and for the next six years they fully delivered on punk’s failed promise to explore extreme culture as a way of sabotaging systems of control. During that time, they released crucial records such as The Second Annual Report Of Throbbing Gristle (1977), D.O.A The Third And Final Report Of Throbbing Gristle (1978), and 20 Jazz Funk Greats (1979) and were infamously named “wreckers of civilisation” by the Conservative MP Nicholas Fairbairn in 1976.
From 2004, they embarked on a series of live performances that included the Coachella and Primavera festivals, Tate Modern, and Heaven, and returned to the studio to produce several albums, including TG Now (2004), and Part Two: The Endless Not (2007), as well as a 3-day “studio installation” at the ICA before disbanding in 2010. Their impact on music, culture and the arts has been immeasurable and is still felt today across music, film, theater and fine art.
TG Berlin album art
TG Berlin Box Set Track listing:
CD1 - TG Berlin
Live at the Volksbühne Berlin, New Year’s Eve 2005
2. Convincing People
3. Splitting Sky
4. Slug Bait
5. Rabbit Snare
6. Almost A Kiss
7. Greasy Poo
8. Endless Not
9. Vow of Silence
10. PA Destroyer
11. Hamburger Lady
CD2 - In the Shadow of the Sun
Live at the Volksbühne Berlin, New Year’s Day, 2006
CD3 - In the Shadow of the Sun
Rehearsal at the Volksbühne Berlin, New Year’s Day 2006
CD4 - TG Berlin Studio Session (2005 - 2006)
1. TG Berlin - 48:222. Scabs & Saws 11:02
3. Wotwududo 7:07
Recorded late December 2005 to early January 2006 at Planet Roc (Funkhaus), Berlin
10” vinyl - The Final Throbbing Gristle single
Side AScabs & Saws 11:02
Side B
Wotwududo 7:07
Blu Ray
Throbbing Gristle Live at the Volksbühne Berlin, New Year’s Eve 2005
2. Convincing People
3. Splitting Sky
4. Slug Bait
5. Rabbit Snare
6. Almost a Kiss
7. Greasy Poo
8. The Endless Not
9. Vow of Silence
10. PA Destroyer
CONNECT WITH THROBBING GRISTLE:
WEB | TWITTER
CONNECT WITH MUTE:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | TIK TOK | INSTAGRAM
Cloakroom sign to Closed Casket Activities. Release "Unbelonging" single/video. Tour kicks off this week. Album coming 2025
Cloakroom Sign To Closed Casket Activities
Release New Single / Video “Unbelonging”
Tease New Album Coming 2025
Tour w/ Full of Hell Kicks Off This Week
Photo By Vin Romero
Cloakroom return today with new single “Unbelonging” – their first new music since 2022’s highly praised full-length, Dissolution Wave and label debut for Closed Casket Activities. “It’s a pop song wielding 140 bpm of optimism that can fall apart and dishearten just as quickly as it captivates – Cloakroom meets Psychedelic Furs,” the band tell.
Raised on well water, and born off the handgun highway, it almost seems too easy to slap the label “shoegaze” on the Indiana three. The band’s aesthetic at first seems far more primitive than the likes of a third-wave shoegaze band in 2024, but upon further inspection Cloakroom almost seems intellectual, at least pseudo-intellectual.
Be it the fool’s errand of traveling 3,000 miles in six days of touring or tracking an entire LP in a marathon 72-hour recording session, Cloakroom has found success operating in severe circumstances. When the human mind begins to break down from exhaustion, the three-piece works in a desperate harmony. The pressure keeps Cloakroom alive.
The visual for “Unbelonging” was filmed over the course of their recent European tour and gives listeners a glimpse into the daily operation of the enigmatic unit. “Similar to a Crowelian ceremonial dagger, all the lyrics to the new record were crafted under the cover of darkness, predominantly in a moving vehicle; predominantly leaving any number of border town bars. That’s why we chose to do a ‘found footage’ kind of delivery method for the video.”
Watch / Listen “Unbelonging” Official Music Video
Playlist / Share / Purchase Here
“Unbelonging” and the rest of their forthcoming studio album, due next year on Closed Casket, were recorded in December of 2023 with engineer Zac Montez at Electrical Audio in Chicago and Rec Room Recording in Des Plaines, Illinois.
Cloakroom kick off their extensive North American tour with labelmates Full of Hell this Saturday in Nashville. The run crosses both coasts, see below for a full list of dates. Tickets are on sale here.
Cloakroom Live Dates:
Nov 02: Nashville,TN - The Blue Room at Third Man Records
Nov 03: Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
Nov 04: Charleston, SC - The Music Farm
Nov 05: Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
Nov 06: Orlando, FL - The Abbey
Nov 07: Savannah, GA - Graveface
Nov 08: Charlotte, NC - The Underground
Nov 09: Richmond, VA - The Canal Club (Upstairs)
Nov 10: Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
Nov 11: Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Nov 13: Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
Nov 14: Toronto, ON - The Opera House
Nov 15: Ottawa, ON - Bronson Centre
Nov 16: Montreal, QC - Théâtre Fairmount
Nov 17: Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
Nov 19: Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
Nov 20: Chicago, IL - Metro
Nov 21: Minneapolis, MN - The Lyric at Skyway Theatre
Nov 22: Iowa City, IA - Gabe's
Nov 23: Denver, CO - Summit
Nov 24: Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
Nov 25: Boise, ID - Shrine Social Club Basement
Nov 26: Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
Nov 27: Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
Nov 29: Berkeley, CA - The UC Theatre
Nov 30: Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
Dec 01: Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater
Dec 02: Mesa, AZ - The Nile Theater
Dec 03: Albuquerque, NM - Sister
Dec 04: Dallas, TX - Studio at The Factory
Dec 05: Oklahoma City, OK - Beer City Music Hall
Dec 06: Lawrence, KS - The Granada
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Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame® Inductees Alice Cooper Expand Muscle Of Love With Robust Deluxe Edition Out Now
Includes 11 Previously Unreleased Tracks & Alternate Mixes & Brand New Liner Notes
GET IT HERE
“TEENAGE LAMENT ‘74” (ACOUSTIC DIVERSION)
(October 25, 2024 - Los Angeles, CA) Today, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductees, the iconic Alice Cooper, unveil a brand new Deluxe Edition of their 1973 classic Muscle of Love. It arrives in multiple configurations, including a 2LP Vinyl and a 1CD/Blu-ray. It’s available exclusively at Rhino.com and select international WMG stores. A digital deluxe edition will be available on November 20.
Listen to “Teenage Lament ‘74 (Acoustic Diversion)” HERE.
The definitive version of the band’s seventh and final full-length offering encompasses 11 previously unreleased tracks, spanning recently unearthed Early Versions and Alternate Mixes of staple songs. The CD/Blu-ray set features the original 192/24 resolution quadraphonic mixes making their debut on Blu-ray.
Additionally, the liner notes feature an in-depth and immersive track-by-track account of the story behind MUSCLE OF LOVE, as told to renowned music journalist Jaan Uhelszki. She spoke extensively to Cooper, guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway, drummer Neal Smith, and additional guitarist Nick Mashbir to compile the most comprehensive discourse on this record ever published thus far.
Check out the full tracklisting below.
Muscle of Love saw the band double down on their rock ‘n’ roll roots, delivering an uncompromising body of work buoyed by impeccable playing, massive hooks, and good old-fashioned Detroit grit. Produced by Jack Richardson and Jack Douglas, it cracked the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 and scored a Gold certification from the RIAA. This uncompromising body of work includes the famed title track “Muscle of Love” as well as “Teenage Lament ’74,” “Big Apple Dreamin’ (Hippo),” and “Hard Hearted Alice.” It would also be the final album recorded by the original band, and they definitely went out with a bang, to say the least.
Stay tuned for more from Alice Cooper soon.
Experience the ultimate version of Muscle of Love now.
TRACKLISTING
Alice Cooper – Muscle of Love (Deluxe)
Disc 1
Big Apple Dreamin’ (Hippo)Never Been Sold BeforeHard Hearted AliceCrazy Little ChildWorking Up A SweatMuscle Of LoveMan With The Golden GunTeenage Lament ’74Woman MachineDisc 2
Big Apple Dreamin’ (Hippo) (Early Version)Never Been Sold Before (Early Version)Hard Hearted Alice (Alternate Mix)Crazy Little Child (Early Version)Working Up A Sweat (Alternate Mix)Muscle Of Love (Alternate Mix)Man With The Golden Gun (Early Version)Teenage Lament ’74 (Acoustic Diversion)Woman Machine (Alternate Mix)Teenage Lament ’74 (Single Version)Muscle Of Love (Single Version)
BluRay Disc
Big Apple Dreamin’ (Hippo)Never Been Sold BeforeHard Hearted AliceCrazy Little ChildWorking Up A SweatMuscle Of LoveMan With The Golden GunTeenage Lament ’74Woman Machine
Alice Cooper – Muscle of Love (Deluxe) Vinyl
LP 1
A1. Big Apple Dreamin’ (Hippo)
A2. Never Been Sold Before
A3. Hard Hearted Alice
A4. Crazy Little Child
B1. Working Up A Sweat
B2. Muscle Of Love
B3. Man With The Golden Gun
B4. Teenage Lament ’74
B5. Woman Machine
LP 2
C1. Big Apple Dreamin’ (Hippo) (Early Version)
C2. Never Been Sold Before (Early Version)
C3. Hard Hearted Alice (Alternate Mix)
C4. Crazy Little Child (Early Version)
D1. Working Up A Sweat (Alternate Mix)
D2. Muscle Of Love (Alternate Mix)
D3. Man With The Golden Gun (Early Version)
D4. Teenage Lament ’74 (Acoustic Diversion)
D5. Woman Machine (Alternate Mix)
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