Wednesday, May 25, 2005

In Debt

Mood: ill. I have a throat infection.
Music: Disco Inferno 'In Debt'

Disco Inferno tribute site: http://listen.to/discoinferno/

This week I've been listening to Disco Inferno's 'In Debt', the Che Recordings collection of their first two EPs and debut album. Every year I dust it down and spin it again; every year I'm reminded how excruciatingly derivative most contemporary bands really are. This was Essex way back in 1989, and whilst DI's roots were planted firmly in the icy Factory Records production aesthetic, the MIDI- triggered, hypnotic guitar textures pointed firmly to the future... a future that never really materialized, because few bands since have bothered to exploit the infinite musical possibilities technology has offered them.

Disco Inferno were exceptional; their music is startling, eerie and totally authentic, and are probably the greatest forgotten band of the '90's. Infected with nostalgia, the disease of Britpop swept the country, whilst a penniless DI, ensconced in a rat-infested railway tunnel, created something truly new, and no-one cared.. apart from some sections of the music press. Back then, higher sales allowed them to champion new and challenging music by bands with non-specific hairstyles. These two magazines introduced me to Third Eye Foundation, Movietone, Crescent and Flying Saucer Attack. Wooed by the enthusiasm of the reviews, I went out and bought records that changed the way I thought about music. I moved to Bristol, and Matt Elliot (TEF) himself introduced me to Disco Inferno.

“The best band on the planet.” Jamie T. Conway, Melody Maker.


"the seeds of failure are allready sown / in awe of evil you set about creating your own"
-Arc In Round


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This may be my last post for a while as we are moving house and offices so internet access will be limited. Thanks for all your posts and comments; for gig news and stuff visit the Gravenhurst and Bronnt sites.

Be seeing you....

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Bungle Fever

Mood: Rod, Jane and Freddy Kruger
Music: Manyfingers - 'Our Worn Shadow' - promo
Current Reading: Atomised - Michel Houllebecque
Why are We at War? - Norman Mailer

Lack of recent posts due to feelings of depressed post-election resignation. Everything turned out as predicted, except I had the naivety to get my hopes up that Blair might step down and Brown step up. The Liberal Democrats got a token number of extra seats. Pressing need for electoral reform insulted by Blair assuring us that there is currently 'no appetite' for it in the UK. Having just read Michel Houellebecq's 'Atomised' I can't help feeling that it would make little difference to the fate of humanity anyway. The future is female, or the future is fucked.

But hopefully not before I get my new album out, which I have just mastered.