Rema-Rema

Michael Allen, Gary Asquith, Marco Pirroni, Marc Cox, Max

I didn't made a 2015 best of list (but be sure it wouldn't be so replicating like all others, jesus, this is the easiest age to find new music by yourself and everyone seems to just get their taste from the same place) nor did I make an 2016's most anticipated, but if I would, Rema-Rema would be on the top of it.

Yap, you read good, Rema-Rema, 2016 ! Legendary short living London group is releasing on upcoming summer a new album, compilation of unreleased studio recordings recorded before Wheels In The Roses (during 1978-1979).
Just so you'll have any clue of what treats are coming up to you ears (not that you don't know it already if you've heard the EP) here are two live bootlegs


1979 - Live at Lyceum, London (not quiet sure it's really at Lyceum)

Marco Pirroni, Max, Mick Allen

1. Short Stories
2. Christopher
3. Feedback Song
4. Laurence Harvey
5. Why Ask Why ? (Cut in the end)


1979.04.26 - Live at Acklam Hall, London

1. Feedback Song
2. Laurence Harvey
3. Why Ask Why ?
4. Short Stories
5. Christopher
6. Entry
7. Rema-Rema


The last two years have already saw some unreleased Rema-Rema recording, released as 7" and 12" by Inflammable Material.

Ausweis

Guy Katz, Ant Weiss, Michael Gorodinsky, Sergey Engel
ZOA, Tel Aviv, 1998

Ausweis were a Jerusalem band, comprised of teens who did aliyah (google it) from the USSR to Israel among with many soviets during the 90's. As foreigners who don't speak the language, and coming out of different culture and education, they didn't fit in, and felt out of their place. So was their music. Ausweis didn't fit into any local scene and were very isolated musically.

Formed by vocalist Anton Weiss in 1994 after meeting guitarists Eddie Korshonsky (who passed away, died of a heart attack before the first rehearsal) and Sergey Stephanoff.
Sergey brought Gena Yashinsky (drums), and this line up was supported by Ilia Mazya (who was playing in another russian band called Peregrin Krol) on bass for a one show.
Sergey Engel joined later that year, as permanent bass player. Another thing he contributed was "punk terminvox", an electric device he created while being young, which makes noise once fingers touch it and electricity start to flow, the terminvox was mostly played by Anton.
Second guitarist, Jenya Hermatzki joined for a short time somewhere between 1994-95, and was replaced by Guy Katz, who eventually became only guitar player when Stephanoff left to Canada.
The band saw two more drummers during their existence, Ofer Melech (95-96) and Michael Gorodinsky as the last one.
Ausweis described their music as "Ambient Hardcore Jazz-Trash Band" and I'm not gonna argue, but if it was up to me I'd just said experimental funk metal and call it a day. Someone once said their music sounds like a blend of Helmet, Klaus Nomi and Rammstein, all I can add is you should put some more ingredients in the blender if you want the right recipe for what they sound like.

Comintern.com is their debut and only official release, recorded in December 1997, released a year later by local label Earsay, thanks to a guy named Michael Meresse (the stoner looking guy in the documentary below) who got the money to fund it and helped a lot to promote the band. Also contributed guitars was Dave K. of the band Rabies Caste

1. Comiraden (contains samples of Maria Ulyanova as vocals)

2. Inside

3. Carpenter

4. Twist

5. Hurt

6. Vint 2

7. Pain Killer

8. Trackrek

9. Working Class Hero (John Lennon Cover)

10. Vint 3

11. מוות (Death)

Get it here

Meanwhile, while the album slowly gets to your music library, you can watch this great short-documentary by Duki Dror, released in 1999, after Ausweis were already dead (english translation)

Now, here is their (very unofficial) "discography" for you rarities seekers

Daisuck & Prostitute - Daisuck & Prostitute

Those of you who were reading back in the days the legendary Mutant Sound are probably familiar with Daisuck & Prostitute, a psychedelic noisy rock group, which sounds like Friction jamming with James Chance & The Contortions in a Tokyo lunatic asylum.
This is their first self titled EP, released back in 1980, consisting the same line up you heard on the full length only with different drummer.
Contains 4 songs, 3 are early versions of the full length songs (Soshite Street will be titled そしてストリート・カーはゆっくり走る), with only one song unique for this one (Frogs)

    There it is, enjoy

Slab!

Mentioning Scott Kiehl's drumming on last post regarding Sweet Tooth, made me want to post some rarities by the band which caused him to move from Illinois to England, Slab!
This post is for Slab's enthusiasts.. if you don't know Slab!, just go listen to Descension before you check this.. and if you do know, and don't like, than just get the fuck out.

Dissatisfied with Robin Risso's unable to improvise, the one who drums on their maverick debut Descension, experimental industrial metal (which is the only way I can think which won't offend Stephen Dray to describe Slab!) decided to find a new fellow to join in. Chris Baker who also contributed drums before, suggested his friend Scott, saying he is the only man who can fit that job.
Eventually, Scott flew to Chicago just to come back with a native friend, Lou Ciccotelli, to record Slab's second album Sanity Allergy, which saw Scott playing bass, and Lou drumming.

Bill Davies, Robin Risso, Paul Jarvis
Stephen Dray, Dave Morris (Descension)

Only Slab recording to feature Scott on drums is their 3rd Peel Session, which was recorded between the two albums, included very heavy early version Sanity Allergy's Last Detail, a brutal-fierce version of Descension's Big Sleeper, and two unpublished songs

1988-02-21 - 3rd Peel Session

1. Last Detail
2. Bride of Sloth
3. Big Sleeper
4. Killer For A Country

Stephen Dray - Vocals, Saxophone
Paul Jarvis - Guitar
Dave Morris - Guitar
Bill Davies - Bass
Scott Kiehl - Drums
Hugh Rawson - Trumpet

Later on, after being not satisfied with Sanity Allregy due to some reasons (even though I think it's a great album), the band sort of fell apart, forcing Stephen and Paul too look for new members. This next line up is documented in single Death's Head Soup, and also in a live bootleg which presents some Sanity Allergy songs with a more psychedelic feel

Paul Jarvis, Lou Ciccotelli, Dave Morris,
Scott Kiehl, Stephen Dray (Sanity Allergy)

1989 - Live in Hultsfred, Sweden

1. Land of The Midnight Sun
2. Switchback Ride
3. You're Not Alone
4. Last Detail

Stephen Dray - Vocals
Paul Jarvis - Guitar
Nick Page - Guitar
Boleslaw Usarazewski - Bass
Rob Allum - Drums

Next up Nick left the band, to make place for Graham Sherman an NME journalist, which according to Slab's very informative and well written biography by Stephen Dray, was their finest era, and if by any chance you have recordings of this line up, please share.
I'm also looking for 2nd Slab! Peel Session, which was avilable through Head Heritage forums some years ago and now link's dead.

2019.03.06 Update: I present, 2nd Slab! Peel Session

Sweet Tooth

Dave Cochrane, Scott Kiehl, Justin Broadrick

So you like Head of David.. that's great, me too

Their last album ? yeah I don't like it either

What ?! Justin Broadrick leaving ? no he had nothing to do with the fact they gone crap, he's been drumming for HOD some months and nothing more.. It was their brilliant bass player-founder Dave Cochrane departure that led to such a bummer album.

And while his friends in HOD worked on that boring poppy industrial effort, he was releasing his first album with his new band, which also included Justin Broadrick, if that's what'll make you listen to this.

Sweet Tooth were really brilliant band in my opinion, a Birmingham trio of youngsters, not older than 21, who released a "mini-LP" and a live album during their short existence. Dave provided the same ferocious sludgy bass as he did in HOD, plus being in charge of the vocals, which is sort of whispers being shouted from the abyss of hell. This time they realized Broadrick will contribute much more to the sound if he'll get a guitar in his hands instead of sticks, delivering jarring metal tunes. And so the sticks were held by Scott Kiehl, who came all the way from Chicago circa 1987 to join other british heavy-sound band Slab!

Their sound can definitely be recognized as Post-HOD, but their approach to songs was different, instead of playing repetitive monotonous songs, Scott's jazzy-proggy drumming style leads the songs to a whole other level. And I got to add that's his drums, sound so heavy, and so freakin' good.

Soft White Underbelly, released in August 1990, was their debut, including only 6 "sonic attacks" (that's the promo sheet saying, and damn righteous) recorded at Falconer studios in london and produced by Grant Showbiz

1. Fat City
2. Kitty Fists
3. Sugar Cane
4. Ultimate Muscle Bible
5. Reducer
6. Soul Shark

Get it here (Lossless version can be found in comments, since I uploaded it for someone anyway)





Three years later they released a live album called Crash Live, recorded at Kilburn National Ballroom in London, live mix was done by John Gurney, and although bass is pretty unhearable in the noisy parts, the sound is pretty good, and I enjoy this album as it was their second one (it's even longer than the first)

1. King Carrion
2. Sandman
3. Crash
4. Fat City
5. Sugar Cane
6. Suckerpunch
7. Iceman (Kitty Fists' last part extract)
8. Dragnet

Get it here (Lossless version in comments below)


I am also aware of a live recording of Sweet Tooth in TicToc Club, Coventry, where they support Loop,
but never manged to find that bootleg, so if you have and willing to share with a brother, Shark Bless You

Live at TicToc Club, Coventry