No Fun - No Fun

Carty Bledsoe
Live at Galt House, Louisville, July 1978

Way before common people (like me) heard of a place called Louisville thanks to some fine bands growing there, the roots to that scene were engraved by a few art school students who played in a raw queery art punk band for a short period in 1978, called No Fun. 
Their sole recording known to moi is this demo recorded at Gary Falk's Studio, in August that year. Three of those were released in 2007 in a local compilation called Bold Beginnings.

1. Dog Age

2. Answer/Consummation 

3. Evasive Measures

4. She

5. Space Visitor

6. Breaking Glass (Missing track!)

7. Minimum Security

Right after recording, band members Tony Pinotti (Guitar, Vocals) and Bruce "Future" Witsiepe (Guitar, Vocals) moved to New York City and formed one my favorites acts, Circle X, who'm I posted here before (Various Unreleased). You can definitely hear they picked up right where they left.
Drummer Dean Thomas also left Kentucky and joined Levi And The Rockats when those were in the States. 

Tara Key (Guitar, Vocals) formed another great group called Babylon Dance Band (I'll probably post them somewhen) while bassist Carty Bledsoe got back to her art.

No Fun Indeed

Carty Bledsoe, Bruce Witsiepe, Dean Thomas, Tony Pinotti, Tara Key
 Live at Galt House, Louisville, July 1978

If one can hook a brother with the missing track, or any other material by the group, please do !

Bambara

Bambara have based themselves as one of my favorite groups in the recent years, with a dazzling Three of a Kind incredible albums. I've talked about my admiration for them at least once here before, when they started to gain some more fame with their 2006 Swarm.
Most of their releases are available through bandcamp, except two early albums, for whatever the reasons are, and this post joins in the series of posts I now title "clearing albums I will never listen to off my PC, and are recommended for groupies/curiousity only". Already done this kind of posts before so I'm repeating myself here- If you by any chance never heard these guys, these albums are not where you should be starting, not because they're bad or something, but just far from representing what this band is capable of, and doing today.

If you haven't looked it up, you probably won't have a clue how long this trio is active. Reid brothers and Brookshire are working together since 2001, when they where young teens in Athens. Their perseverance is something I truly admire, they worked hard for many years and now I believe fruits are being paid off. I also love the fact you can hear through their music the process of them growing up and gaining musical influences, style changes, maturity, evolving their sound.

Debut release (actually, they've released in 2006 an album under the name 23Jinx, never heard it though) was this self titled, released when they were only 20 I believe. By far the most different one from today's Bambara, but you can still hear some glimpses. Recorded when they were still in Georgia, this one has much more alternative rock/21st century emo post hardcore vibes to it. Not bad at all, considering the young age and all.

2008 - Bambara

1. Clouds Around Our Feet

2. Shake

3. Lullay

4. Someone's Ghost

5. In The Palace Of TVs And Chairs

6. Ferocious Beasts At Play

7. Snakes In Our Hair

8. Rattling On The Cusp

9. Morning Dye

10. Native Tongue

Next came the last EP, before moving to New York City. Making the move towards post punk, pretty bad production.

2010 - Dog Ear Days

1. Repeat After Me

2. Drag Hesitation

3. Stay Gray

4. Feed The Pigs

5. Swim With The Trees

6. Chiromancy

As said, if you wanna listen to Bambara, check Swarm-Shadow On Everything-Stray 'trilogy'. 

And give them your full support, these guys deserve it.
They had a pretty good momentum, hope that virus won't stop them.

D-Smile - Kiss

Short lived group formed by two sisters and three other guys who've been in and out a few more known groups around that time. Nothing too shabby here, very 90's, catchy grungy noise rock, if you're really in need for more of this kind, go ahead.
Probably some (not more than five) people are looking for this, so.. enjoy.

1. Come On
2. Oh Lover
3. Come On The Bird
4. Spiritual Whore
5. Peace Time
6. Vitamin See
7. Don't Leave Me
8. Streets Of N.Y.
9. Turn The Light
10. T.V Song
11. Calling To The Child

Join The Kiss Army

Friction

Just two live sets by フリクション some might have trouble finding online.

1996 - Friction Live 1980

Recorded by the classic trio at Kanagawa University (Kanagawa, Japan) on 1980.05.25.

160kbps but audio is pretty good for 1980's live recording. The better show between the two.

Re-released in 2007 under Friction Live, Pass Tour '80.

1. Time Smoke

2. Big-S

3. A-Gas

4. Cycle Dance

5. No Thrill

6. 100 Nen

7. Ikigire

8. Automatic Fru.

9. Out

10. Kagayaki

2006 - Live At "Ex Mattatoio" In Roma

Recorded by the second incarnation at "Japan Japan Festival" in Rome on 1984.08.28.

Lossless rip. This was previously released back in 1985, with shorter setlist, this release includes as far as I know the full show.

1. Intro

2. Ikigire (Out of Breath)

3. Pick Up

4. New Baby's

5. New Sensation

6. Defence

7. Easy

8. Cushion

9. Crazy Dream

God

Tos Nieuwenhuizen,
1987.09.13 (I think)

Before Kevin Martin's, God has revealed himself upon the earth in the form of a dutch power trio. I'm not gonna expand many words about this, mainly cause I'm not the biggest fan of this group, just cleaning some stuff off the computer, so thought I'll upload it here first for whoever.
Don't get me wrong, all three of them are highly technichal, talented players for sure, and the music is a bizzare mix of progressive art-y heavy thrash metal jams, something like Gore-Black Sabbath-Black Flag-someone, but I just never come to listen to any of the albums, never struck me as memorable ones. Someone will enjoy it more for sure.
First line up was responsible for first two albums (their semi-primitive debut Sweet Life is undoubtly my favorite) included Tos Nieuwenhuizen (guitar), Daan van der Elsken (drums, vocals) and Michael Cavanaugh (bass). Tos left on and the last album saw the addition of Björn Warning (guitar, vocals) and Joszja de Weerdt (guitar), with them the sound became a bit more "90's alternative" thing.

If you're looking for more God, be sure to check this '87 radio session up at Brob Tilt's tapes, it's even claimed to be better than their studio, for me it's all the same. Brob also scanned an interview with them at his Zine-World if you care.




1988 - Sweet Life (as said, their best)

1. See Smoke, Smell Fire
2. The Finger
3. Settling Down
4. Lust
5. Wimps
6. Teste Marce
7. Stomping Ground
8. Sack B.
9. So Be It!
10. The Asset of Punishment

1989 - The Shametree

1. Risk of Regrets
2. Blessed
3. Wordsworth
4. Stuck
5. Can You Take It
6. Medicine
7. What Climax
8. Brainstorm

1991 - Headrush

1. Image Down
2. Fooler Of Fools
3. You Know Me Not
4. When Time Is Present
5. Zero Sicks
6. Taste
7. Horizon The Liar
8. Drink Deep
9. Black Balled
10. Chicken Song
11. Who'll Decide
12. Child
13. Classic

Various Artists - Haifa Point

Here's a compilation of local Haifa-Krayot bands in the late 80's, I don't have much info about who and what, all are pretty anonymous, but I have a fine gut feeling that all the artists here circle pretty much the same participants. There's plenty of uncertain info coming ahead.

I think this was compiled by "Marcelino" aka "Mr. Chello" (probably Israel Dotan), who joined the latter incarnation of the more known group among these no names, called שרמוטה מעופפת בהרים (Sharmuta [Slut] Flying In The Mountains). They were somewhat a "cult" band in Israel (even though few are the people who heard them and you can count on two hands the amount of shows they did between '87-'90), playing their own version for music, which came as what one might call avant garde industrial music, known for incorporating bizarre self made instruments and for playing a gig at a mental asylum in Tirat Carmel (at least one of the members was hospitalized there during the years).

M.I. Dotan - pretty sure is just the aforementioned Israel Dotan.

Both songs presented by Katherina And Patricson, were later recorded by a band called איוב (Eyov), so I guess this is just an early incarnation of Eyov which included, surprise, former members of Sharmuta (Yuval Hillman who played bass, Mor "Matt" Romi on guitar).

Jem Boom Jem's track is also called "You Have To Look For", it was recorded in 1987, in Kiryat Motzkin.
Zohar Leshetz (aka Bionic Shultz, of Sharmuta) doing the vocals, both Doron Reubens and the aformentioned Yuval Hillman on bass, Keren Alon on guitar.

Honestly, this tape doesn't represent the most amazing music you'll hear today, it's far from being something I'd strongly recommend, but some might enjoy some tracks here, and if not, it's here for the sake of documentation. You can find here a lo-fi blend of industrial/electroncis/synths/post punk/acoustics.
Personal favorite is the D. Zonder Men's track.

Hebrew readers who might amuse themselves with Yoram Bar's bashing review over here, should also take notice for the comment by Boris "Swisa" Svirsky (founder of Sharmuta F.I.T.M.) claiming these two tracks by his band absolutely don't represent their true sound.

What's the point.. (lossless tape rip)

Many thanks once again for Rani Zager who opened up his ZazBenDoom tapes vault.

If you happen to have the sole Sharmuta official release, 1991 "Classic Hits Compilation", and willing to share, no one here will stop you, be sure of that, nor will anyone prevent you from shedding light on the other obscure artists here. Info, photos, etc.. are always more than welcome (I can contribute some more info, pics and audio regarding Sharmuta if anyone cares).

Mefageret

מפגרת ([she]-retard) were a hardcore punk band active in a town called Yehud between 1993-1997, somewhat "the golden era" for punk in Israel. Even though they were pretty well known among the scene at the time, everytime I ask someone to tell me their story, it always end up with a short answer filled with disinformation (some spread by themselves, using pseudonyms for instance) and rumors. I know they were pretty likened by inner circles, but also heard they had some bashes because one of them seemed to rat out, or cause they were just acting weird.  Some  of the members are said to become religious in the next following years, rumors which are also explaining their disappearance and are cited for irony due their highly extreme anti-religion lyrics. They were even said to be connected Uzi Meshulam's group.

Musically both of their demos are considered pretty cult, and both stand as my all time favorite Israeli punk releases.
First one is much more raw, featuring fuol noisy hardcore punk. This rip is taken from the 2002 bootleg discography release. This means this rip does not include some sketches that were between the songs, also missing are three last songs, which were recorded live*.
The full artwork I've included within the link is of the first, original tape !

1994 - Carpe Diem

1. חופש בקופסא (Freedom In The Box)
2. שחררו את וענונו (Free Vanunu)
3. אשכנאצים (AshkeNazi'm)
4. D.D.T.
5. כשיגיע המבול (When The Flood Will Come)
6. פעולה ישירה (Direct Action)
7. מפגרת (Mefageret)
8. תקנות חירום (Emergency Regulations)
9. המתנחלת כאישה (The Settler As A Woman)
10. צנזורה  (Censorship)
11. מדור עסקים (Business Section)
12. אלצהיימר (Alzheimer)
13. שחררו את וענונו (Free Vanunu) [Live]*
14. כשיגיע המבול (When The Flood Will Come) [Live]*
15. חופש בקופסא (Freedom In The Box) [Live]*
X. שחררו את וענונו + צנזורה + חופש בקופסא [Live video above, bonus I've edited from Isvey Pere video compilation]

By the time their second release came, one of their two guitar players has joined the army, and was usualy replaced live by others from the scene like Shmulik Perry (Oi Va'avoi, Riot 94), Santiago Gomez (Nekhei Naatza, USF and many more).
This release saw them injecting metallic hardcore riffs with smart and tasteful ska bits. The lyrics for the brilliant 5 seconds opener are translated "Atom-Bomb", read the track's title and you'll figure what this is all about. Also within the link, the original tape full artwork, including catalogue for the fake (and if not very ultra-rare) distro of their own Media Spread Disease records.

1996 - Pulsa De Nurra

1. איך לפרק התנחלות בלי לאבד חיי אדם יקרים (How To Dismantle A Settlement Without Losing Precious Life)
2. דוסים לאוגנדה (D.O.S.S. To Uganda)
3. 21 פסיכיאטרי חיות (Twenty One Psychiatric Animals)
4. Khaki Nightmares
5. More Than Imagination
6. Cynigog (Israel Belongs To Me)
7. PCP Revelation
8. גראפיטי בכותל המערבי (Spray The Western Wall)
9. Free Vanunu!
10. Wrong Answer
11. 11 הצבא צועד על מוחו (ואח''כ מנסה להשתמש בו) (Thee Army Marches On Its Brain (And Tried To Use It))
12. Evacuate Or Die!
13. 100 Gates of Stupidity
14. Never Trust A Vegeterian

As usual, if you have better rips, original tape rips, stories, corrections, thoughts, share with us.

Xanadu - Blackout In The City

After the Destroy All Monsters Putsch where Cary Loren got sacked of his own creation, he was joined by DAM's members Rob King and 2/3 Miller brothers, Ben and Laurence (who are also about to get kicked by Asheton and Niagara's boots.. guess they weren't made just for walkin'), all together recording the only release for Xanadu, creepy dirty lo-fi garagey fuzzed art rock, nice hybrid between contemporary Cleaveland and Michigan musical aesthetics. A lot of nods for all the band memebers past resume, via Sproton Layer and first experimental incarnation of DAM, all evident in four songs only.

1. No Change
2. Time Bomb
3. Switch The Topic
4. Blackout In The City

Trip to Xanadu

Also released by Loren at the time, was a compilation of recordings he did with DAM, called Days of Diamonds. Now usualy when we get to this part where I request stuff, you all vanish after downloading the link, but I'll never stop trying, so.. If anyone has a rip of Days of Diamonds, please share with a brother.

Rabies Caste ‎- Children Can Fall Into Bucket And Drown

Russell, Dale Rabid, Dave K.

Dear nature, thank you for bringing upon us a new virus, to help us reduce and balance our unthoughtful and selfish overbreeding, and for what seems to be an amusing upcoming socio-economical chaos to break the boring life routine, thanks to the hysterical morons. I only wish that instead of those lame flu symptoms, perhaps you could have made it a bit cooler ? some kind of nerve system-hard to trace virus, something brutal and violent.. something like, I donnu..

Rabies Caste are showing signs of life lately (you can follow on their facebook page) and updated that they are re-releasing their '98 debut magnum opus, For The Vomiting Tractor Drivers, for the first time on vinyl (suppose to happen this May, through Dada Drumming).
In order to celebrate all of the above, here's one of their long sought early demos, provided straight from the personal cassette collection of Mr. Rani Zager, a mentor and guidance for the musical education of me and many other local miserable bastards. We all thank you Zazbendoom.
Done my best to rip it lossless, but the source quality ain't high to begin with. Sounds pretty fair though, and contain great material, another superb release by sludge lords.

1. Neon
2. Horse
3. TRP-P-2
4. Instilling
5. Goddamn
6. Inch

SPREAD THE DISEASE!!!

One Two Four Nine - TV Dog

David Opp's Cadaver Eyes are touring the UK this coming March, plus I've recently heard Nada Surf's Popular after a long long time. Those are two reasons to make this post.. besides I know a few people are seeking it and it's a damn solid album so..
How the hell do I link Israeli industrial doom noise psychos to that forgotten surprising one hit wonder, you might ask yourself ? now there's a question.. let's dig in a bit lads.

After the break of 3Het, both bass player Reem Hareuveny and drummer David Oppenheim moved to New York City, Teaming up with a British guitarist named Robert Randall under them name One Two Four Nine, as Robert and Reem shared vocals duties. Now Robert here, was formerly in a group called Because Because Because with Daniel Lorca & Matthew Caws, both will continue to... drum roll.. yeah, Nada Surf. Yes, that's it, here's the useless piece of information I wasted my time to write about.
Back to business shall we ? I can't say TV Dog is a one in a kind masterpiece or anything like that, you've all heard things like that, pretty generic for it's time. But, nonetheless, this 1994 release is a top notch slowcore/indie rock/alternative creation. If you're suckers for any of those (and why wouldn't you be ?) that's a good damn one to know and brag your hipster friends about.
Self produced by the group and the aformentioned Matthew Caws, released via Toastheadman (their own label ? proto-Heart and Crossbone ?).

1. Fourteen
2. Sixteen
3. Eight
4. Nine
5. Three
6. Four
7. Six
8. One
9. Seven
10. Fifteen
11. Thirteen
12. Twelve
13. Ten
14. Eleven
15. (0:09)
16. Five

1249 OneTwoFourNine - tv dog 10551355 (lossless)

CE March, 2020, UK

Soon after their most "commercial" release, the pair of Reem and David continued with many other projects together and apart, doing the Scott Walker thing (as in going more extreme and more experimental), among their projects are Barbara, Mildew and Cadaver Eyes.

The latter as I said are touring this March in the UK and if you happen to live there, do yourself a favour and drop by one of their shows. I'd personally recommend going to Brighton one, where another group called 72% are also performing, and that's what they call killing two stones with one bird, cause 72% are responsible for one of the best albums of last year, and I do mean that.

Upsidedown Cross - Witchcraft +

Witchcraft

This was requested in Hate comments section, so not gonna expand many words here, harder stuff to find will be uploaded on next posts as usual.
Link includes Witchcraft ep, plus Vampire In The Mirror, a track taken from UDC / Sloth split released 2002, though the track was appearently recorded way before in 1995, during Hate demo sessions (you can find it's final version on the album). Line ups are pretty much the same as far as I know, might be different guitar player but not quite sure about it.

1. Fire
2. Power of Satan
3. Witchcraft
4. I Hear Voices
5. Sands of Time
+
1995 - Vampire In The Mirror

Enjoy the madness

Pineal Ventana

Kim Chee, Travis Kotler, Clara Clamp, Brian Cook, Mitchel Foy
1993

Someone told me it became hard to find Pineal Ventana's stuff online, so I thought that's a good reason for a PV mega post.. besides, it's PV, that's a fine damn reason for it's own.
This post is including everything I could lossless rip, and every other release I could find in highest quality possible. Still some tapes are missing, if you have, please share.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the group, do some google work to understand more how interesting these guys were. Probably my all time favorite Georgia band, Ventana weren't following any rules and did exactly what they wanted to, both live and on record. Live they were at times a mix between the art exhibitions of Circle X and the chaotic insanity of Butthole Surfers (including the winning elements of every family show- urine, fire, female organs constructions, etc..), while their music was so diverse I'm not gonna even try and describe it, let's just say that it's mostly free-form, heavy, tribal and noisy, just like the stuff you usually get here. I could long list comparisons to every free thinking 80's industrial/noise rock/goth/post punk groups existed, so let's just not go there.
Both line up changings and the fact that the staying members kept expanding their instruments variety, helped the band on their continuous evolution while always staying fresh, pushing new ideas.
Make sure you check some videos on youtube, The Point shows are few of my favorite ones.
Honestly I've no idea how not even one album has been re-issued by now, PV deserves one of those complete discography fancy box set, and since no such thing exist, catch your breathe, here comes the thunder..


1993 - Stagnancy Is Revolting [varied high bit rate]


Second PV was this self released 7", in the end of their formation year, featuring founding member Mitchell Foy (percussion, vocals) and Clara Clamp (Danette Haser, vocals), Kim Chee (guitar, percussion), Travis Kotler (guitar, replaced Doug Herring) and last to join as the first line up was initially without bass guitar, was Brian Cook.

1. Pathfinder
2. Umbilical Operator
3. Quince Minutos

1994 - Philosopher's Stone [partially, low quality]

1. Philosopher's Stone
2. Golden Return (missing track)
3. Cheese of The Month Club
4. Sour Sheet (missing track)
5. Attack of The 50Ft. Cannibal Clownz





1995 - Living Soil [lossless]

And than came the saxophone. Shane Pringle joined turning the beast to a twelve arms six headed monster with one common twisted mind. Debut full length came on local Half Baked Records showing more improv nature than prior releases. When you see their photo in the booklet, you realize these nightmarish sounds are made by the most odd looking weirdo geeks.

1. Indica
2. Uzi Does It
3. Big Dick Roast
4. Colon Caddy
5. T.L.T.
6. Abre La Ventana
7. Every Beast
8. Ode To Tetsuo
9. Descending Reminder
10. Do It
11. Mark Of Zero
12. Coming On
13. The Negate of Want
14. Kitty Katz On Dope (hidden track)


1996 - Let Them Fuck [partially, low quality]

1. Let Them Fuck
2. Vacant Twat
3. The Screen (missing track)

Clara Clamp, Jason LaFarge, Mitchell Foy, John Whitaker, Kim Chee, Shane Pringle
Breathe As You Might photo session, 1997 . By Laine Harris

1997 - Breathe As You Might [lossless]

By the time their second full length was released, PV saw some more line up changes, Jason LaFarge came instead Kotler, while on bass Cook was replaced by Ron Bon-> Leigh Jeffrey->Ryan Taylor (who is featured in track 13)->John Whitaker at last.
Featuring some old material by prior line ups and newly written stuff, this one is considered by some to be the best PV release, I believe it's just another blast one in a kind album by them, like the other three..

1. Untitled
2. Waterlogged
3. Dellamorte
4. Spatial Consequence
5. Spindlewick
6. Intrinsic
7. R
8. Deadlands
9. Leyner Notes
10. Parched Mind
11. Shauna Doll
12. Man Lies
13. The Slow Shock of Recognition
14. Cities In Linger



1998 - Expel [192kbps]


Three outtakes from the Breathe As You Might sessions and two more recently recorded at their rehearsal space at Black Box.

1. Walks Alone
2. New Spirits (For Old Rituals)
3. Dark Cloud
4. Effigy Burns
5. Calling Ø/Rid Rot



1999 - Malpractice [lossless]

First of two to be recorded and produced by Martin Bisi at his B.C. Studios, sure brought a level up sound-wise and brought the group towards bit more recognition. This one sounds more like a one complete unit, even though like both predecessors, it also contains few improv tracks recorded outside the studio. Was completed (probably even pressed) already in 1998.

1. Hollow
2. The Hooded Mirror
3. Crack In The Light (Crack In His Eye)
4. Taenia Solium
5. Dora's Deliverance
6. Rats For Belmer
7. Flesh That Moves
8. They Hide Life
9. Ruin
10. A Hollow Margin Forgotten
11. Practice


2000 - Axes To Ice [lossless]

PV's swan song and the second one involving Bisi saw the departure of Pringle, but as a quintet they still kept the bombastic exploding sound, and even draw a bit further into experimentation than previous one. Some of the music was acting as soundtrack for short film by Chad Rullman called Kotoran Jiwa, with PV's member acting in it, and stills from it portraying as the album's art. On one hand I really wanna watch this film, but on the other I'm scared to death..
Post release Whitaker and Chee left, and even though new players were joined (Brian Ginn and Lindell Todd) for a couple of live shows, 2001 saw the group's demise.

1. incarnia
2. Breach Denial
3. Control?
4. hark
5. S'vreem
6. Divide
7. One Held The Key - One Held The Sleep
8. SSS (The Land With No Heads)
9. Axes To Ice

Travis Kotler, Leigh Jeffrey, Clara Clamp
At Dottie's, Atlanta, 1996.09.13 . By Steve Pomberg

199X - Compilation Tracks [varied high bit rate, some lossless]

1. 199? - Flowers For The Dead (Unreleased ?)
2. 1993 -  D.yUle I. (Perimeter Records - Christmas '93 Compilation)
3. 1993 - Philosopher's Stone (Early version or just live ?) (Red Neon Tapes - Made In U.S.A. Vol. I)
4. 1995 - Alimentary School (Half Baked Records - Quadruple Felony!)
5. 1996 - For Christmas I Want A Way Out (Outer Loop Productions - First Annual Christmas Tape)
6. 1996 - Mended (Silber Records - Alleviation)
7. 1997 - Angel From The Realm of Glory (Outer Loop Productions - Second Annual Christmas Compilation)
8. 1998 - He Said "She Won't Dance With Me" (Scuss Media - Our Heat (Your Moisture))

That's all boys and girls, as usual, you have anything to add please do so, comments are more than wanted.. info, memories, missing tracks, missing releases, rarities of any kind, whatever..
Stagnancy Is Revolting !