PETER ASHBY - Hagiography

ARTIST: Peter Ashby

TITLE: Hagiography

LABEL: Six Armed Man

FORMAT: CD

SOUND QUALITY: Excellent / Studio

DATE: 2009

AVAILABLE FROM: http://www.dynamitevision.com/

TRACKS

1. Hagiography - Arrival
2. The Resonance Field
3. Disparity
4. Interjection
5. Sufferance
6. Prosody
7. Mistaken (version)
8. The Divergance
9. Hagiography 2 - Wishing
10. Final Deliverance
11. Intervention
12. Collide
13. Ghosts of the past
14. Hagiography 3 - Departing
    
    You can listen to some of these tracks on the following pages:
    Reverb Nation
    Official Peter Ashby website
    Record label artist page

Just received this hot off the press. I have been a fan of Ashby's music since his Frenzid Melon days and this brand new album is no letdown. It is a cunning melting pot of Krautrock and the Canterbury scene of the late 60's and early 70's with a strong post punk influence and attitude.

Evidence of Egg, King Crimson and Soft Machine work alongside diversions into New Wave style reggae and some slight industrial leanings. It's perhaps not as immediate and focused as "Disturbances in the ether" but there is plenty to explore here. It's a real grower.

Ashby is joined by long time collaborator Barry Lamb on wind synth, mellotron and saxaphone and the Bjork like Hilda Garman brings her vocal talents to the table on the reggae influenced "Mistaken (version)" which is one of the stand out tracks on the album. It is amazing to me that someone like Peter Ashby can deliver consistently adventurous music over a 35 year period and remain below the radar.

MARSHALL STAR - Uncontrollable

ARTIST: MARSHALL STAR
TITLE: Uncontrollable
LABEL: Furry Records
FORMAT: CD
SOUND QUALITY: Excellent / Studio
DATE: 2004
AVAILABLE FROM: http://www.dynamitevision.com/


TRACKS


1 Everybody
2 Fallen Angel
3 Wish I
4 My Love
5 Never Met a Man
6 Love Is All
7 Dream On
8 Will You (turn It Up)
9 Superstar
10 Sweet Sensation
11 Never Mind

Marshall Star are duo consisting of vocalist Mandy Sharp & multi instrumentalist CP. Their debut album "Uncontrollable" was recorded in "The Shed" in Tunbridge Wells. You could be forgiven for not expecting too much from what at first glance looks like another would be pop star duo, who lack self awareness and the counsel of good friends in an attempt at pop stardom. Album cover artwork from my perspective (having grown up in the 70's) is all part of the experience and sadly the cover image did nothing to draw me in but rather confirmed my suspicions as I began to wonder if this review might be a little bit of a chore. Before I put the disc in my CD player the best word I could use to describe the experience thus far would be innocuous. However, it would be unfair to judge a book by it's cover...

Once in the player, I was really quite stunned. Innocuous is far from it. This music is provocative and stirring. It is a unique blend of soul, electronica and alternative rock. Vocalist Mandy Sharp has a big, passionate, soulful voice and CP's instrumentation is a convincing mixture of well produced stadium rock and lo fi experimental attitude. Imagine the Eurythmics in a blender with Portishead and the Jesus & Mary Chain and you'll get some idea of what's going on.

Marshall Star create pop music that is uncompromising with a cool rhythmic pulse, intelligent instrumentation and larger than life vocals. Highly recomended.

PETER ASHBY - Incidentals

ARTIST: PETER ASHBY
TITLE: Incidentals
LABEL: Six Armed Man
FORMAT: CD
SOUND QUALITY: Very Good / Studio
AVAILABLE FROM: http://www.dynamitevision.com/

TRACKS

1. Incidental 1
2. Ephemeral piece
3. Incidental totality
4. Pruritis
5. Opposites combined
6. At any given moment
7. Joining piece
8. Disco go crazy smash smash
9. Synthesizer with echo
10. Incidental 2
11. Buckets
12. Analogue drop out

Peter Ashby is a multi instrumentalist who emerged through the diy cassette and fanzine scene of the early 1980's. He was a founder member and original bass player for Spasmodic Caress (an early signing to 4ad), he was also an original member of obscure cult band Frenzid Melon as well as the highly rated the insane picnic. These days he describes himself as an experimental composer / musician and he also works as a producer.

This CD has little information with it but it appears to be comprised of demo's and outtakes from his diy cassette days. It certainly has an early 80's feel to it especially the lightweight bouncy production, the drum machines, the slightly funky bass playing and the thin synthesizer sound that gave birth to synth pop. At times the music is experimental and perhaps a bit moody and at others you almost expect some vocals to come in and morph into Yazoo or Depeche Mode. There are a few yearnings for something of more significance with the occasional leaning towards prog rock or jazz. At one point I thought he was going to break into Jan Hammer (circa- Miami Vice). There's a real post punk atmosphere with some nice guitar that reminds me of the Monochrome Set.

Whilst the album is not a groundbreaking masterpiece it is worth some attention. The overall atmosphere is light and breezy and it's quite refreshing to listen to. It is also quite nostalgic for those of us who were part of the cassette culture era (or dare I say movement). It reminds me of the sounds, the attitudes and the sense of community we experienced at that brief and largely unrecorded juncture in youth culture and music history. If you are familiar with Peter Ashby's music today you will hear the roots of his work on this album. It's an interesting historical document in that sense.

Introduction

This blog is intended to be a celebration of a hidden recording industry from the obscure, unusual and experimental, to the myriad of private pressings, diy releases and the world of bootlegs and unofficial releases. If you are looking for a collectors corner to discuss value of rare pressings and limited editions then this is not for you but if you want to enter a world of musical discovery and hidden treasure where the music is more important than it's resell value then stay tuned because we are going underground. I will review music that has been sent to me over the years, music that I discovered through those who influenced my taste and my own misadventures into uncharted territory as well as my fascination for the experimental, obscure, unusual and the subversive world of bootlegs & traders. If you want me to review your music I will be more than happy. However, it's a risk that you take. I have a razor sharp tongue and am by no means a people pleaser. If you want flattery then I am not your man. I will give an honest review. Music is subjective but i will try and be as objective as I can. I will also produce the occasional radio show which you will be able to access via the blog, so you never know you may get an airing if I like it. I will also run the occasional competition and publish my very own festive fifty at the end of the year in appreciation of one of my great influencers John Peel.

Who am I? Well, I am not telling you but it's not that difficult to find out. I am passionate about music, I love all kinds of music. Being a serious collector of rock music and being a fan first and foremost I am constantly in pursuit of the musical "holy grail". I love unearthing stuff that falls below the mainstream radar, I love the sense of adventure and passion that goes into the diy music but equally I love some of the great music of our time. I am fascinated by the world of bootlegs and often wonder what drives people to be so obsessed by a particular artist that they are willing to endure countless hours of very poorly recorded, and sometimes badly performed live shows in search of that elusive diamond in the rough. Sometimes I share that journey, because, there are a few diamonds in the rough and these archive pages are designed to help you separate the wheat from the chaff. There are literally millions of music fans who trade these recordings on the internet and via record fairs. Some are genuine and honest and wish to propagate the merits of their rock 'n' roll heroes and do much to enhance the credibility of the artists and there are others who are scamsters wishing to rip anyone off who treads in their path. The rock bootleg is very much part of rock music culture. It is a fascinating part of rock music history and has done as much to enhance as well as undermine the established music business.

The recordings within these pages are a combination of bootlegs, private pressings, diy releases (old and new), obscure singles. Most of the stuff I review is not easy to find. If I know where you can find it I will let you know and I will create links to good hunting grounds.

Are you ready for the trip of a lifetime? Stay close to the wall kids, we're going underground.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It's probably not a good idea to buy and sell bootlegs. This steals revenue from the artists, you will usually end up disappointed with an inferior quality recording and you may well end up with equipment confiscated, a heavy fine and / or imprisonment.