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"...Release The Bats..."
Not really aimed at your Pot Pourri Laura Ashley marketplace for sustainably sourced Moccasins – there is more disruptive, lurid and rowdy musical noises on this fabulously dark and doomy 83-Track 5CD Digibook of Remasters than you can shake a UK House of Commons Happy Hour stick at (let me at the subsidised bar boys).
Compiled with serious gusto by RICHARD ANDERSON whilst phone and e-mail hogging help from Genre knowledge fountains like NATASHA SCARF and JOHN REED - "Silhouettes & Statues: A Gothic Revolution 1978-1986" does what it says it will do on yet another brilliantly compiled Cherry Red Records tin.
I know/knew about half of this stuff – but the rest is the kind of bonkers deep dive digital firsts into late Seventies & mid Eighties Punk, Worldwide New Wave, Indie, Goth Rock and Alternative that turns up the collectors volume button to eleven. 45-single A&B-sides, rare stand-alone twelve-inch singles, mini LPs and cassette compilations, unappreciated album cuts (the Hula song "Ghost Rattle" from their 1984 LP "Murmur" is a typically clever choice). All the labels famously associated with Goth and its environs are here – 4AD, Red Rhino, Situation Two, Factory, Jungle, Fiction, Virgin, In Phaze, Statik and of course, oodles of brave Indies. Hair, make-up and double-barrel fangs at the ready...here we go...
UK released 30 June 2017 - "Silhouettes & Statues: A Gothic Revolution 1978-1986" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Cherry Red Records CRCDBOX34 (Barcode 5013929103405) is a 83-Track 5CD Hardback Digibook Set of Remasters that plays out as follows:
CD1 (69:16 minutes):
1. Shadowplay – JOY DIVISION (from the June 1979 UK LP "Unknown Pleasures" on Factory Records FACT 10)
2. Release The Bats – THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (September 1981 UK 45-single on 4AD Records AD 111, A-side)
3. Rema-Rema – REMA-REMA (from the April 1980 UK "Wheel In The Roses" 12-inch single EP on 4AD Records BAD 5)
4. Shattered Glass – PARANOIA (from the June 1984 UK LP "Shattered Glass" on Rot Records ASS 11)
5. Charnel Ground – SECTION 25 (October 1980 BELGIUM 45-single on Factory Benelux BN 3-006, A-side)
6. Floorshow – THE SISTERS OF MERCY (November 1982 UK 45-single on Merciful Release MR 015, B-side to "Alice")
7. The Female Mirror – CLOCK DVA (from the 1981 UK LP "Thirst" on Fetish Records FR2002)
8. The Black Cat – UK DECAY (February 1980 UK 45-single "U.K. Decay" on Plastic PLAS 002, Track 1 on Side 2 of a 4-Track EP)
9. Dead And Buried – ALIEN SEX FRIEND (August 1984 UK 45-single on Anagram ANA 23, A-side)
10. Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven – LOVE AND ROCKETS (from the October 1985 UK LP "Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven" on Beggars Banquet BEGA 66)
11. Q Quarters – THE ASSOCIATES (July 1981 UK 45-single Situation Two SIT 4, A-side)
12. Carnival Of The Gullible – IN EXCELSIS (November 1983 UK 4-Tracks 12-Inch single "Carnival Of Damocles" on Jungle Records JUNG 9, Last Track on Side 2)
13. Feels Like Dancing Wartime – NEVILLUXURY (from the 1984 Mini-LP "Feels Like Dancing Wartime" on Red Rhino Records LP 46)
14. Vaguely Human – FLESH FOR LULU (from the November 1985 UK LP "Big Fun City" on Statik Records STAT LP 28)
15. Crow Baby – THE MARCH VIOLETS (May 1983 UK 45-single on Rebirth Records RB 18, A-side)
16. D For Desire – ALL ABOUT EVE (July 1985 UK 12-Inch Single on Eden Records 1 Den, A-side)
17. Beautiful Monsters – FOLK DEVILS (from the September 2016 UK 2LP set "Beautiful Monsters: Singles And Demo Recordings 1984-1986" on Optic Nerve Recordings OPT 4.022)
CD2 (70:03 minutes):
1. Flowers Of Romance – PUBLIC IMAGE LTD (March 1981 UK 45-single on Virgin VS 397, A-side)
2. Bed Caves – DANIELLE DAX (from the April 1983 UK LP "Pop-Eyes" on The Initial Recording Company IRC 009)
3. Moya – SOUTHERN DEATH CULT (December 1982 UK 45-single on Situation Two SIT 19, Double A-side with "Fatman")
4. Caged – 1919 (June 1982 UK 45-single on Red Rhino RED 14, A-side)
5. The Hanging Garden – THE CURE (July 1982 UK 45-single on Fiction FICS 15, A-side)
6. Solitary Habit - S-HATERS (May 1984 UK 45-single on Midnight Music DING 6, A-side)
7. The Arcane – DEAD CAN DANCE (August 1984 UK Debut 4-Track 12-inch Single EP "Garden Of The Arcane Delights" on 4AD Records BAD 408, First Track Side 2)
8. Saving Face – YEARS ON EARTH (from the 1982 Self-Published Cassette-Only Album "Site" on Years On Earth Records YOE 2)
9. Breach Birth – IN THE NURSERY (October 1985 UK 4-Track 12-Inch single EP "Temper" on Sweatbox SOX 008, Side 1, Track 1)
10. The Tenant – PLAY DEAD (from the April 1983 UK LP "The First Flower" on Jungle Records FREUD 3)
11. Ghost – PART 1 (October 1982 6-Track 45-single EP "Funeral Parade" on Paraworm Records SRTS 82 CUS 1452 (Played at LP Speed))
12. Cuts Of Love – 13th CHIME (1981 UK 45-single on Ellie Jay Records EJSP 9700, A-side)
13. Ice Cold In – THE TEMPEST (from the June 1984 UK LP "5 Against The House" on Anagram Records GRAM 15)
14. Night Creatures – SCREAMING DEAD (September 1983 UK 5-Track 12-Inch single on No Future Records 12 OI 25, Track 1, Side 1)
15. Among The Ruins – BUSHIDO (November 1984 UK 12-Inch single on Third Mind Records TMS 02)
16. Friends – PORTION CONTROL (November 1982 UK LP "I Staggered Mentally" on In Phaze Records CP007)
17. Creation – ACTIFIED (August 1983 UK 12-Inch single "Dawn Of A Legion" on Jungle Records JUNG 7, Track 1 on Side 1)
CD3 (76:19 minutes):
1. Tabletalk – ADAM AND THE ANTS (November 1979 UK LP "Dirk Wears White Sox" on Do It Records RIDE 3)
2. The Darklands – BALAAM AND THE ANGEL (March 1986 UK 12-Inch single on Virgin VS 842-12, Track 2 on Side 2)
3. Love Puppets – THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS (August 1983 UK LP "Curse" on In Phaze Records PHA 2)
4. Into The Garden – ARTERY (September 1982 UK 7-Track Mini-LP "Oceans" on Red Flame RFM 4)
5. Girlsoul – SALVATION (October 1983 UK 45-single on Merciful Release MR 025, A-side)
6. In Shreds – THE CHAMELEONS (February 1985 UK 45-single on Statik Records TAK 29, A-side)
7. Fugitive Kind - SCHLEIMER K (1982 UK 4-Track 12-inch single on Glass Records GLASS 028, Track 1 on Side 1)
8. By The River – THE BOLSHOI (October 1985 UK 5-Track Mini-LP "Giants" on Situation Two SITUM 15)
9. Screaming (For Emmalene) – GENE LOVES JEZEBEL (April 1983 UK 12-inch single on Situation Two SIT 20T)
10. Gallery Of Shame – LOWLIFE (1985 UK Mini-LP "Rain" on Nightshift Records LOLIF 1)
11. Out Of The Moving Life Of Circles – AND ALSO THE TREES (February 1984 UK LP "And Also The Trees" on Reflex Records LEX 1)
12. Is Still – Siiiii (Recorded in 1984 but unreleased at the time, finally issued 2006 on the CD album "Ancient" on King Sol Records KSR001)
13. Heroin (Live) – TABATHAS NIGHTMARE (October 1985 UK 45-single Privately Pressed on Be-wicked Label – First CD on "Silhouettes & Statues..." 5CD Book Set)
14. Angel Of Vengeance – BRIGANDAGE (from the 1986 UK 7-Track Mini LP "Pretty Funny Thing" on Gung Ho GHLP 001)
15. Stone Heroes – PENETRATION (from the October 1978 UK LP "Moving Targets" on Virgin V 2109)
16. L.A. Rain – THE ROSE OF AVALANCHE (1985 UK 12-inch single on Leeds Independent Label 12 LIL 01)
CD4 (71:46 minutes):
1. Andante - Legacy – FURYO (October 1984 UK 12-inch single EP "Furioso" on Anagram Records 12 ANA 24, Track 1, Side 1)
2. Stay With Me – THE MISSION (from the December 1986 UK debut album "Gods Own Medicine" on Mercury 830 603-1)
3. Saēta – NICO (September 1981 UK 45-single on Flicknife Records FLS 206, A-side)
4. Fragments Of Fear – IN CAMERA (December 1980 UK 12-inch 4-Track EP "IV Songs" on 4AD Records BAD 19, Track 1, Side 2)
5. Anonymity – DANCE CHAPTER (December 1980 UK 45-single on 4AD Records AD 18, A-side)
6. Sink Into You – AUSGANG (1984 UK 4-Track 12-inch EP "Head On!" on Criminal Damage Records CRI 12-124, Track 1 on Side 1)
7. In Our Angelhood – COCTEAU TWINS (from the October 1983 UK LP "Head Over Heels" on 4AD Records CAD 313)
8. Morbid Silence – SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK (1984 UK 4-Track 12-inch single on Anagram Records 12 ANA 20, Track 1 on Side 1)
9. Trees Come Down – FIELDS OF NEPHILIM (1985 UK 4-Track 12-inch single "Burning The Fields E.P." on Tower Release N1, Track 1 on Side 1)
10. Tracey’s Burning – ANOREXIC DREAD (1984 UK 12-inch single on Criminal Damage Records CRI 12-114, Track 1 on Side 1)
11. Take It All – RED LORRY YELLOW LORRY (April 1983 UK 45-single on Red Rhino Records RED 28, A-side)
12. Burning Skies – TONES ON TAILS (May 1983 UK 4-Track 12-inch single "Burning The Skies EP" on Situation Two SIT 21T, Track 1 on Side 1)
13. Spit Upon Your Grave – BLOOD AND ROSES (from the 1985 UK LP "Enough Is Never Enough" on Audiodrone Records SIN 1)
14. High Cost Of Living – THE THREAT (1980 IRELAND-Only 45-single on One Web Records 001 WEB, B-side of "Lullaby In C")
15. Storm Pause – I’M DEAD (Self-released 1982)
16. Last Year’s Wife – ZERO LE CRECHE (May 1984 UK 45-single on Flicknife Records FLS 029, A-side)
CD5 (74:12 minutes):
1. Stigmata Martyr – BAUHAUS (from the November 1980 UK debut LP "In The Flat Field" on 4AD Records CAD 13)
2. Patrol – THE WAKE (from the October 1982 UK LP "Harmony" on Factory Records Fact. 60)
3. Returning (From A Journey) – SPECIMEN (1983 UK 45-single on London Records LON 24, A-side)
4. Original Sin – THEATRE OF HATE (November 1980 UK 45-single on SS Label SS3, Double A-side with "Legion")
5. Birthrite – ATTRITION (from the 1982 Various Artists UK Cassette-Only Compilation "Ruptured Gut" on Twisted Tapes TWISTED 1)
6. Things We Never Did – SAD LOVERS AND GIANTS (October 1981 UK 45-single on Last Movement LM005, B-side of "Colourless Dream")
7. Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde – THE DAMNED (from the November 1980 UK 2LP set "The Black Album" on Chiswick Records CWK 3015)
8. The Hill – GLORIA MUNDI (from the February 1980 UK LP "The Word Is Out" on RCA Victor PL 25244)
9. His Box – DALI’S CAR (from the November 1984 European LP "The Waking Hour" on Paradox Records 206 709 – featuring Mick Karn of Japan and Peter Murphy of Bauhaus)
10. The Diseased Stranger's Waltz – INCA BABIES (from the January 1985 UK Debut LP "Rumble" on Black Lagoon Records INC LP005)
11.Ghost Dance – DEATH CULT (July 1983 UK 4-Track 12-inch single "Death Cult" on Situation Two Records SIT 23T, Track 2 on Side 1)
12. Euthenics – MODERN EON (March 1981 UK 45-single on Dindisc DIN 30, A-side)
13. Mind Disease – RITUAL (October 1982 UK 45-single on Red Flame RF 712, A-side)
14. She Cries Alone – SKELETAL FAMILY (January 1984 UK 45-single on Red Rhino RED 41, A-side)
15. Jack – BONE ORCHBARD (September 1984 UK 45-single on Jungle JUNG 18, A-side)
16. Ghost Rattle – HULA (from the November 1984 UK LP "Murmur" on Red Rhino RED LP 53)
17. Twister – RUBELLA BALLET (from the 1985 UK LP "At Last It's Playtime" on Ubiquitous Records DAYGLOW 2)
In its Hardback Digibook stood-tall presentation, the front and rear glossy artwork makes this superb Cherry Red outing something of a looker. After two pages of introduction on the genre entitled "Stepping Out Of The Shadows" by NATASHA SCARF (she tries to go past the clichés of black clothing, vampirism lore and I-like-my-head-in-the-oven landscapes) – the first two CDs are slid into attached hard card pages with lipped entries – the final three at the rear.
From Page 4 to the final credits list on Page 48 – Natasha pours on the factoids. And scouring the attached 48-page booklet for the historical lowdown, a very cool thing happens as you read the liner notes to each song – you begin to notice that without too much ballyhoo, some of the entries have blurbs from the band themselves or the song’s principal writer. Included are Danielle Dax (all hair and glorious make-up), Years On Earth, Balaam And The Angel, Gene Loves Jezebel, Attrition, Penetration, Into the Garden and The Mission, Ausgang, Blood And Roses, Anorexic Dread, Inca Babies and more. Those entries are high on personal reminiscences and are fascinating – the others ramp up the Discography facts as they set out their place in Goth history. Either the rare 45 or twelve-inch single or mini LP is pictured alongside Promo photos of these lesser-seen artists – and as you can imagine – the music is by its very nature both rare and an acquired taste.
NICK WATSON at Fluid did the Mastering (he has done loads of work for Universal, Ace Records and others) and given the topic involved that practically screams DIY Punk Attitude, as you can imagine the Audio Quality rambles from good production values to Indie lo-fi. But I must admit, at least 80 to 90% of this stuff is kicking anyway (jam-packed CD paying times too) – hammering at your speaker stack like a demented banshee outside the suddenly foggy window on a sea-view cottage off the coast of Cornwall (the less populated part). To the music...
I have to admit that listening to Nick Cave pre solo material in The Birthday Party (over 42 years old now in 2023) - "Release The Bats" on CD1 – is not exactly a joyful dip into the soothing waves of a Third Eye Oasis of Zen Wonderment. But then that is the point (or was) – a lot of the time. Super smart choice in The Sisters Of Mercy B-side "Floorshow" (brilliant) while I have to don a cap at Love And Rockets – a group I kind of ignored – and their edgy "Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven" is a forgotten wunderbar. Great production values for The Associates spacy "Q Quarters" – cuckoo never sounded so good. In Excelsis give it some Siouxsie in the shouted sneer of "Carnival Of The Gullible" – such a cool guitar break too – almost King Crimson dare we say it. Tremendous choice in terms of Goth and Cult-type-rocker with the Flesh For Lulu cut "Vaguely Human" – someone absorbed a lot of the Velvet Underground. We cruise to a manageable ending on CD1 with a cool trio - "Crow Baby", "D For Desire" and "Beautiful Monster" by The March Violets, All About Eve and Folk Devils – the shadow of Joy Division looming so large (love those phasing guitars complimenting singer Julianne Regan in the All About Eve angst ridden cut).
For CD2 we bring on the public menace in the Public Image Ltd. – don’t you just love their sound - "Flowers Of Romance" – and again I have not listened to it in decades and wish I had (give us a wobbly vocal John). Darling Danielle Dax gets all Buzz Bass and Ants In My Pants drum patterns with the truly excellent "Red Caves" – bring your spitting camel to the Morris Dance dear. Would not be a Goth set without some Death Cult – Southern or otherwise – and their "Moya" has all those sonic culprits – off-kilter guitar and that huge build-up to even bigger drum whacks and cavernous vocals. Speaking of genre defining spectres – The Cure give us "The Hanging Garden" – caged and trashing – how many teens did their bedroom carpet some damage pogoing around to this. Have always held a candle for the magnificent Dead Can Dance – Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard dreaming of Gladiators and W.B. Yeats flaying sinners with sustainably sourced whips oh shiny black leather. Both Years On Earth and In The Nursery are new to me – spooky floating synth notes punctuated by treated guitars, an unyielding echoed bass drum and a singer who seems to be channelling Latin at an all-are-welcome-to-try-the-dips witch-hunt. Fantastic rapido-rhythms audio on the Screaming Dead contribution "Night Creatures" – little fuzzy though on the strangely beautiful piano-plink of Bushido and their "Among The Ruins" (where we first made love)...and on to the hard-to-like Portion Control cut...
Perfect sound for the Adam and The Ants "Tabletalk" – his vocals even then barely controlled pirate meets Steve Harley. Balaam And The Angel go channelling Patti Smith, The Velvet Underground and Ennio Morricone driving home for Christmas - "Darklands" being so very Cure let loose in the studio with authentic sleigh bells. Set on their path by the sound of Korg MS-10 synth, The Legendary Pink Dots give us widows-and-wives in "Love Puppets" that also talks of too much therapy. There is almost a slick UK New Wave professionalism permeating the taught Bass lines and Hi-Hats of "Into The Garden" – Artery shuffling towards some sort of more grungy New Order. Despite its rather nonplussed reception at the time by the UK musical press – Salvation and their "Girlsoul" has stood the moody test of time. And what a great debut 45 "In Shreds" is – The Chameleons rocking it out but in a very British Band Goth kind of a way. Other highlights on CD3 include the clever strummed Acoustic Guitars meets treated Electric Guitars of The Bolshoi – their "By The River" sounding not unlike an early Icehouse – the melodious racket made by Lowlife and "Gallery Of Shame" – lyrics only appearing after a long hummed intro. That genre-defining strummed electric guitar opening starts "Angel Of Vengeance" – when a young person has got a gun, and now that she is all grown up, has decided to use it in the defence of waylaid maidens.
CDs 4 and 5 continue the river of broken glass moments – The Mission wanting you to lay with me "Stay With Me" – possibly the most commercially applicable sound on here. Always a blast to hear the distinct whine of Nico – obsession with shuffling beats – the line of choice turned into a song (forgotten how good this 45 was). Love that ethereal piano opening to "Anoymity" before it goes (without warning) into the most brilliant guitar flicking riffage and doubled vocals – Dance Chapter doing the business here. There is an early-years-hedonism to the Cocteau Twins entry "In Our Angelhood" that unfortunately drowns out Elizabeth Fraser and her angel voice – and yet you can still so hear the magic is there in this most special of 4AD groups. Love the doomy distorted guitars of "Trees Come Down" – Fields Of The Nephilim feeling their pain – while Red Lorry Yellow Lorry grunge up that sound even further with their cleverly arranged "Take It All" (so many good ideas here). And again the long musical shadow of Robert Fripp and his Frippotronics-guitar-sound haunts "Burning Skies" – Tones On Tails anchoring the doom with a note-sliding Bass before it launches into a full on treated guitars assault.
You can actually a tiny Metallic inside Bauhaus as they get all bleeding Stigmata while the genre-defining Specimen up the musicality a huge amount with their brilliant "Returning (From A Journey)" – riffage, catchy chorus, hell – it might even be a hit (say it is not true). Theatre Of Hate re-arrange their hair for "Original Sin" where they sound not unlike a raw U2 circa 1980 – all postures and big produced guitars and Bass. And you have heard (or will hear) the harmonic pings of "Things We Never Did" by Sad Lovers And Giants in a Stranger Things episode coming to you in an Upside Down soon. Amnd on it goes...
Late Seventies and mid Eighties GOTH and its lippy musical babies fit into a very specific genre of Alternative Music that will not be for everyone – that's for damn sure. But the converted will drool over "Silhouettes & Statues: A Gothic Revolution 1978-1986" like it's a day pass to the catacombs of Gomorrah. And the doom-curious will finally know why mama warned you about dead-eyed boys with smeared blusher and posters of arachnids that eat their partners after making love by a grave-digger's shovel...
