Frans de Waard published Vital, a fanzine for electronic and electroacoustic music, from 1987 to 1995. It was a low-budget, Xeroxed publication, bearing the revolutionary instruction: ‘No Copyright Publication. Reprint Now!’ It featured interviews with Asmus Tietchens, O Yuki Conjugate, Merzbow, P16.D4, Pierre Henry, Jim O’Rourke, Brume, Döc Wor Mirran and many others, hosted discussions on copyright, plagiarism and plunderphonics, house music, ambient music, cassette culture and noise, and included contributions from musicians such as Leigh Landy, Godfried Willem Raes, John Duncan, and GX Jupitter-Larsen. Every issue included reviews of cassette releases, LPs, CDs and books. A total of 44 issues were published. Vital moved online in 1995, where it appeared every week since as Vital Weekly.
Frans de Waard has played with Kapotte Muziek to Beequeen (with Freek Kinkelaar), Goem (with Roel Meelkop and Peter Duimelinks, both of whom are also a member of Kapotte Muziek), Zebra (with Roel Meelkop) as well as solo projects under the moniker Freiband and Shifts, and under his own name. De Waard worked for Staalplaat (1992-2003) and since 1986 as a reviewer for his own independent zine publication Vital. VITAL zine is a lively record of the heyday of cassette culture and industrial music, but also of developments in the wider field of electronic music.
Frans de Waard published Vital, a fanzine for electronic and electroacoustic music, from 1987 to 1995. It was a low-budget, Xeroxed publication, bearing the revolutionary instruction: ‘No Copyright Publication. Reprint Now!’ It featured interviews with Asmus Tietchens, O Yuki Conjugate, Merzbow, P16.D4, Pierre Henry, Jim O’Rourke, Brume, Döc Wor Mirran and many others, hosted discussions on copyright, plagiarism and plunderphonics, house music, ambient music, cassette culture and noise, and included contributions from musicians such as Leigh Landy, Godfried Willem Raes, John Duncan, and GX Jupitter-Larsen. Every issue included reviews of cassette releases, LPs, CDs and books. A total of 44 issues were published. Vital moved online in 1995, where it appeared every week since as Vital Weekly.
Frans de Waard has played with Kapotte Muziek to Beequeen (with Freek Kinkelaar), Goem (with Roel Meelkop and Peter Duimelinks, both of whom are also a member of Kapotte Muziek), Zebra (with Roel Meelkop) as well as solo projects under the moniker Freiband and Shifts, and under his own name. De Waard worked for Staalplaat (1992-2003) and since 1986 as a reviewer for his own independent zine publication Vital. VITAL zine is a lively record of the heyday of cassette culture and industrial music, but also of developments in the wider field of electronic music.
Frans de Waard published Vital, a fanzine for electronic and electroacoustic music, from 1987 to 1995. It was a low-budget, Xeroxed publication, bearing the revolutionary instruction: ‘No Copyright Publication. Reprint Now!’ It featured interviews with Asmus Tietchens, O Yuki Conjugate, Merzbow, P16.D4, Pierre Henry, Jim O’Rourke, Brume, Döc Wor Mirran and many others, hosted discussions on copyright, plagiarism and plunderphonics, house music, ambient music, cassette culture and noise, and included contributions from musicians such as Leigh Landy, Godfried Willem Raes, John Duncan, and GX Jupitter-Larsen. Every issue included reviews of cassette releases, LPs, CDs and books. A total of 44 issues were published.
Frans de Waard has played with Kapotte Muziek to Beequeen (with Freek Kinkelaar), Goem (with Roel Meelkop and Peter Duimelinks, both of whom are also a member of Kapotte Muziek), Zebra (with Roel Meelkop) as well as solo projects under the moniker Freiband and Shifts, and under his own name. De Waard worked for Staalplaat (1992-2003) and since 1986 as a reviewer for his own independent zine publication Vital. VITAL zine is a lively record of the heyday of cassette culture and industrial music, but also of developments in the wider field of electronic music.
Released with a 60 page booklet, stapled to a slighly larger cardboard cover that has styrofoam glued to the inside of the back cover. A part is cut out to accomodate the cassette. That is packed in sturdy aluminum and features a printed paper o-card that appears like a chocolate bar. Clear tape with b/w label stickers.
Dumb and the Ugly were a truly iconic Australian avant-garde metal band. Forming in 1987, it consisted of Michael Sheridan (No, Max Q) on guitar; John Murphy (Whirlywirld, Orchestra of Skin and Bone, Max Q) on drums and synthesisers; and David Brown (Bucketrider, Candlesnuffer) on bass guitar and guitar.
Dumb and the Ugly originally released Atmospheres of Metal in CD format on the Dr Jim's label in 1992. Now, for it's 30th anniversary, Trash Cult Records together with Zenith Wa Records are extremely proud to present Atmospheres of Metal in a 12" Gatefold LP, completely remastered for vinyl, complete with an insert of information and images. This release is an integral piece of Australian musical history.
The seminal work of dark rock & ambience from 1992 includes the guest appearances of: vocalist - Mia Stone (Stone Circus), turntablist – Olly Olsen (Psy Harmonics), and vocalist - Jason Vassallo (Christ Bait).
A limited edition run of 200 copies only. Re-mastered for vinyl by Simon PolinskiI was a late teen and, like many my age, a regular visitor to all that Brunswick Street in Nth Fitzroy had to offer. Cheap rents and creative community made for a scene bubbling over with innovative and artistic purpose. Polyester books was a mainstay for the freaks and oddballs, a badge most perverts and bohemians confidently wore with pride. Polyester presented a space where you could easily waste the better part of half a day trying to choose from a shop choc full of rare and obscure bootleg VHS tapes, books and other underground oddities.Literally only a block further up the road, the same crowd of subversives would gather to drink and watch live music upon the soiled carpets of the Punters Club. The Punters Club was one of the great Melbourne pubs of the thriving 90’s scene...arguably the best. This is also where I first happened upon Dumb and the Ugly.Dumb and the Ugly’s live show, in my opinion, placed them among the top tier of the Melbourne music scene of the time. Although musically they had a different sound, their live show was equal to, or better than the more well-known bands, such as the bands around the Dog Meat or Au-go-go labels. Michael Sheridan, Dave Brown and John Murphy, playing together as Dumb and the Ugly, had already released a debut 12” mini album, as well as a 7” single on the now legendary ‘Dr Jim’s Records’ label by 1991. Also, by 1991, the entire music industry, including Dr Jim was moving toward CD releases in favour of the outdated vinyl format. By 1992, the trio of Brown, Murphy and Sheridan had recorded their new Long Player and were ready for its release. CD allowed for longer track time than they would have been able to squeeze onto a vinyl LP, which the trio used to their advantage, stretching out some of the droning noisier tracks into the 8 minute zone. The Dumb and the Ugly trio were long-time friends and came together out of an incredibly fertile musical scene. They recruited some friends to help out on the new recording including long-time friend and collaborator Ollie Olsen, as well as Christbait vocalist Jason Vassallo, and local renowned front-woman Mia Stone.Certainly, “Atmospheres of Metal” made its way into my top 10 Australian albums list, and still does. I spoke to Dave and Michael early in 2023, and the opportunity arose of doing a split label release of AOM. We knew that this was a no brainer. Atmospheres of Metal still holds its own even 30 years after its initial release and rightfully deserves a top-notch vinyl re-issue.If only we could so easily do the same thing for the early 90’s Brunswick Street scene…
Mick Derrick – TRASH CULT (Eaglehawk, 2023)
MERZBOW 'Venereology' Vintage short sleeved T-shirt 1994
Ultra rare Merzbow Tshirt. Printed for the release of the Relapse album, Venereology.
Ultra thick plastic print that stinks like crayons, you know what we mean?
All Sport Pro Weight Preshrunk Made in US 100% Cotton
Ultra rare self released limited edition (numbered) from 1986
Swans are an experimental rock band formed in 1982 by Michael Gira. Initially part of the no wave scene, Swans have, through various iterations, contributed to the development of noise rock, post-punk, industrial, post-rock and more.
Real Love is the fourth live album by American experimental rock band Swans. It originally appeared as an official bootleg in 1986,[2] then was reissued on Atavistic Records in 1996.[3]Real Love was recorded from European shows on Swans' Greed and Holy Money tour between February and April 1986.[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Love_(Swans_album)
Rare self-released 2 x LP 1986
Swans are an experimental rock band formed in 1982 by Michael Gira. Initially part of the no wave scene, Swans have, through various iterations, contributed to the development of noise rock, post-punk, industrial, post-rock and more.
Midnight Oil are one of the most 'Australian' rock bands this country has produced.
Born from the Australian pub rock scene that gave us AC/DC, Cold Chisel and INXS, the Oils were able to break out of that scene without compromising themselves in any way. Indeed, their breakthrough overseas record was the most Australian album they made.
But it wasn't just the subject matter that made them fiercely Australian; it was their stubborn independence, and their refusal to play the rock'n'roll game and respect its rules and masters. But more than any of this is the adrenaline rush of an Oils show. Performances so intense that witnesses swore they had seen the greatest Oils gig ever! Such was the belief that something so powerful could surely not take place regularly.
When they took this overseas, audiences could often not understand a word they were saying, but musically they recognised a common language: powerful, unadulterated live performances.
There is no band whose live shows are spoken of with the same awe as the Oils.
Author: Paul Drummond
Before the hippies, before the punks, there were the 13th Floor Elevators: an unlikely crew of outcast weirdo geniuses who changed musical culture. Through a rich and diverse array of primary materials – including previously unseen band photographs, rare artwork, items from family scrapbooks and diaries, new and archival interviews, dozens of press accounts, (and many Austin Police Department records!) – this impressive volume tells the complete and unvarnished story of the band. Born out of a union of club bands on the burgeoning Austin bohemian scene and a pronounced taste for hallucinogens, the 13th Floor Elevators were formed in late 1965 when lyricist Tommy Hallasked a local singer named Roky Erickson to join up with his new rock outfit. Four years, three official albums, and countless acid trips later, it was over: the Elevators’ pioneering first run ended in a dizzying jumble of professional mismanagement, internal arguments, drug busts, and forced psychiatric imprisonments. In their short existence, however, the group succeeded in blowing the lid off the budding musical underground, logging early salvos in the countercultural struggle against state authorities, and turning their deeply hallucinatory take on jug-band garage rock into a new American institution called psychedelic music.
