June Mix CD-R

Enjoy.

Vëllezrit Gashi - Lavdi Dëshmorëve të Kombit

Vëllezrit Gashi - Lavdi Dëshmorëve të Kombit
Gashi Brothers - Glory to the Martyrs of the Nation

Vëllezrit Gashi are one of the few purveyors of Albanian Epic Poetry still being performed in the Drenica region of Kosova. This particular style of music is locally regarded as Këngë Burrash - men's songs.

The choice of musical instruments on this recording are a mixture of west and east - the piano accordion and violin, with the more typical Sharki (5 stringed lute), Qifteli (2 stringed lute) and Def (skinned tambourine). Line-ups of this sort are most common in the Drenica and Dukagjini regions, though many don't use the accordion as a melodic instrument for one reason or another.

The nature of Albanian epic poetry is a songster tradition that's brought down from generations through a telling of stories regarding the heroism against oppressive regimes from the Ottoman Empire though to the more recent Serbian antagonism in post-war Yugoslavia.

In previous posts, I have regarded this style of Kosovar music as Gangsta-Folk out of its sheer aggressive tone, and a subject matter which relates to war and survival in a threatening rural landscape. This 2007 CD is another example of Gangsta-Folk at its finest, though without the gunfire that's common in their live bootlegs of which are readily available in street markets throughout Kosova.

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One Head's Guide to NZ Post-Punk Vol 1 CDR80

25 songs in under 80mins. Was making an attempt to not go for the obvious acts, or of the AK79 variety etc. The sad omissions will appear on Volume 2. 95% of these acts are from Christchurch, Dunedin or both. Oldest track here is the Vacuum from 1979 and most recent is Minus 2 from 2009. If you're hoping to find further works from any of these artists, then prepare to look hard and carry a healthy wallet, as many of the songs found here are from out of print albums or singles.

Quick liner notes:

THE VACUUM - early Bill Direen with Peter Stapleton and Stephen Cogle who make up part of THE VICTOR DIMISICH BAND and THE TERMINALS. Peter also played in SCORCHED EARTH POLICY and THE PIN GROUP with ROY MONTGOMERY, who in turn played in THE SHALLOWS with Mick Elborado who played in THE TERMINALS , MINUS 2 and SCORCHED EARTH POLICY who feature Brian Crook of THE TERMINALS and THE MAX BLOCK, as well as Mary Heney played in THE SHALLOWS, 25 CENTS, THE TERMINALS and THE VICTOR DIMISICH BAND. THE CLEAN features Robert Scott who once played in THE MAGICK HEADS and David Kilgour who formed a band called THE GREAT UNWASHED in the mid 80s, and STEPHEN in the later part of the decade. THE DEAD C features Bruce Russell who formed A HANDFUL OF DUST with ALASTAIR GALBRAITH of THE RIP and PLAGAL GRIND respectively. Robbie Muir played in both bands and PETER JEFFERIES from THIS KIND OF PUNISHMENT played in PLAGAL GRIND. THE ALPACA BROTHERS features a guest appearance by PETER GUTTERIDGE from SNAPPER and the GREAT UNWASHED.

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Prewar Blues Mixtape Vol 1

Although it does contain a Bascom Lamar Lunsford tune recorded for Smithsonian Folkways in 1953 (thus not making this prewar in the strictest of sense), here's 27 handpicked tracks dating all the way back to 1898 with Cousins & DeMoss doing a reading of Who Broke the Lock?

The bulk of these recordings are from the mid 1920s to the early 30s - the golden era of recorded American folk music. And there's not just blues on this mix of course. I'm just throwing up a blanket term, really.

Enjoy

Stars in the Sky

A classic slice of mid-70s power pop, courtesy of Dan and David Kessel under the moniker of Stars in the Sky. The Kessel brothers are the musical sons of Barney Kessel, the tasteful postwar jazz guitarist (Pete Townshend is a giant fan) who was a fine band leader and an in-demand L.A. session musician who famously played on the classic Brian Wilson productions of the mid-60s and was a member of Phil Spector's Wrecking Crew.

Rumour has it that Spector himself produced this record - but who's to say?

Notably, Dan and David played guitar on all of Phil Spector's sessions from John Lennon's 1974 Rock & Roll album onward excluding Spector's work with Starsailor.





As producers (using the names Dan Phillips and David Scott), they've worked with legendary artists with names like the Shangri-La's, the Ventures and American Spring to name a few. Sadly the bulk of these recordings have never surfaced, or are available on bootlegs.

A lot of the Kessels's work outside (and sometimes in) Spector's sphere involves the New York punk identity Blake Xolton (who in turn will get his name in lights in a future offering from this blog). It's been told that Xolton sings backing vocals on this 45.

Through the late 70s and early 80s they ran Martian Records, releasing 45s by Cheri Gage and the Wigs to name but two. In fact, Baby Hold On was released as the Martians on various Bomp! compilations, including Straight Out of Burbank.

The bottom line is the Kessels story is somewhat mysterious - hidden under veils of pseudonyms which are proving hard to get around. A Kesselography will follow once the paper trail's sorted.

What's most important is the music and their obvious respect and unfaltering admiration for Phil Spector's music, and you really can't argue with that.

Hear it.

Late April Mixtape

find it here

Phantoms of Brisbane #1 - BIRDS OF TIN

BIRDS OF TIN (1981-1982)

PETER LOVEDAY - VOCALS, GUITAR
MICHAEL ELLIOTT - BASS
KERYN HENRY - DRUMS
TONY HAYES - PERCUSSION





Brisbane's post punk musical landscape is dotted with forgotten artists. Some get mentioned in reference books or in historical overviews, and others get left behind for one reason or another. Like many cities across Australia and the world, the direct influence of the punk and new wave scene of New York and London resonated strongly within the inner-city Brisbane music scene up until late 1982.

In the case of Brisbane, the Cure's 1980 tour and the Talking Heads tour a year earlier resonated among Brisbane musicians in the same way the Saints influenced a tiny pocket of groups to pick up their instuments and get out of the garage in '76. Subsequently, single guitar bands began popping up around town, and Birds of Tin are one of those bands.

Much like the Go-Betweens of 1980-82 and the Four Gods, Birds Of Tin explored unusual, jerky rhythms housed within well-written three minute pop songs; existing long enough to create a cassette EP housed in a 7" record sleeve.

Peter Loveday (guitar, vocals) and Michael Elliott (bass) played in Mute 44, a short-lived pop band who performed at such venues as the Silver Dollar and Pinocchio's around 1980. Loveday had previously played with The Supports, an early pop band who famously traveled on a double-decker bus alongside an infant Go-Betweens and friends up through the North Queensland coast in late 1978.

The Supports made up the basis of Antic Frantic, Loveday's post Birds Of Tin group who played a small handful of shows around Brisbane before relocating to London as Tiny Town, releasing a full-length LP a mini LP and a bunch of 45s. More about these groups in a future posting.

Loveday and Elliott with the addition of Four Gods drummer Keryn Henry played around town in early-to-mid 1981 as the Sea Bees, and with the addition of percussionist Tony Hayes became Birds of Tin. Their only release is a four track cassette, recorded by Repairs neé FX guitarist Colin Bloxsom. Artwork by Peter Loveday.

Same Both Sides

1. Slothy Tank
2. Think of the Future
3. Rain
4. Day at the Beach

Shortly after the cassette release, sound recorder and photographer Gerry Teekman captured the band at the Valley Practice Room in February 1982 featuring multiple takes of the following songs: Shed the Skin, Blasting Radio*, Absurd Overcoat, High Road Low Road, Dust, Slothy Tank, Day At The Beach, Pleasure In Parcels, Raindrop.

* A cover by the DIY English punks the Desperate Bicycles, from the album Remorse Code (Refill Records RR-6; February 1980) featuring former Supports drummer Geoffrey Titley who later returned to Australia to join Antic Frantic.

Below is a complete list of their known live performances:

05/06/81* AHEPA HALL El Salvador Benefit [with the Go-Betweens, Xero and Four Gods]
25/07/81 279 CLUB [with the Four Gods and the Hostages]
07/11/81 279 CLUB [with Systematics and Scattered Order]
04/12/81 AHEPA HALL El Salvador Benefit [with Xero and Party Ice]
19/12/81 HOTEL BRISBANE
10/01/82 NEW YORK HOTEL [with The Birthday Party and Xero]
05/02/82 CPA ROOMS Pregnancy Control Benefit [with Bix Pieces]

* as the Sea Bees

"The short-lived Birds of Tin created some excitement for a while. Rumoured to be "just like the Go-Betweens, only better," they did lend to credence to that band's theory that there is a "Brisbane sound" and that they (the Go-Betweens) are it. Unlike the Go-Betweens, however, Birds of Tin did not have any driving ambition or talent for self-promotion. Their talent lay simply in their musicianship and the quality of their writing, although faced with the problem of having to come up with a set of material quickly, they did sound a bit repetitive at times."

X-Change: A Fanzine about modern music, Brisband people and other nonsense, Issue 4.


Peter Loveday has since relocated to Spain, making wonderful solo albums. His music can be found here: http://peterloveday.com/