beautifulnoise/skin

Current 93's IMPERIUM II by Beautifulnoise/skin

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000Z

Happy Winter Solstice

We have changed our musical name to beautifulnoise/skin as we enter a new phase of creation and sound and literature. Jowonio will be my artist's name now when working with noise/sound/music/aether.

As in every art this begins with honouring the past. We have been working to restore our original releases, and have set up a bandcamp page so you can acquire them, by paying what you feel you would like to for them, you can even have them for free if that is how you tick. Money is only a symbol for an exchange of energy, we welcome other ways of exchange and creative living and gratitude from you too.

In celebration of this newness we are sharing our version of Current 93's wondrous Imperium II which has been restored for this new digital release phase.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://beautifulnoiseskin.bandcamp.com/track/imperium-ii"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Imperium II by beautifulnoise/skin&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

VISION II by beautifulnoise/skin

2011-12-27T20:13:00.004Z

Earth, Air, Fire, Water - What can we do to wake ourselves from the drug of sleep & delusion? How do do stop buying into greed and wake into the tender steps of authenticity in our own lives?

Taken from the album SKYCLAD

Music by beautifulnoise/skin
Film by Chris Robinson
Filmed on Super 8 & Hi8

The Christmas Post - Part Three

2011-12-25T21:00:00.000Z

A bit of night music from the muchly missed Peter & Geff of COIL.

A good night to you, we're going to slip out with this in our earphones and have a look at the night, walk away from the town for a while and forget Christmas and all that. Be human again..

Night Night.

and a Christmas PS from our old friend and collaborator on The Meat & Bread Variations, Mr Merzbow Himself saying Silent Night

The Christmas Post - Part Two

2011-12-25T12:00:00.000Z

Here is a bit of whimsy from The Enid, part of their series of 'silly' singles. The B side is Jessica - one of their most beautiful pieces of music. It is a different recording to the one that finally ended up on Something Wicked This Way Comes, the 'Oh Wonderful World' leitmotif isn't there and the guitars sound a little differently done. I don't know who is playing on this as it comes between the fourth and fifth lps during which time there were huge shifts in the band. It's your typical Enid conundrum an unbearably camp/twee/insane track on one side, and heart stopping beauty on the other..

Side A - When You Wish Upon A Star

Side B - Jessica

Taken from my own vinyl copy. ENJOY

There will be Another Christmas Post at 9pm UK time - To give you something to do and to listen to after Dr. Who and when you need a bit of beauty, space, life and awareness for yourself.

The Christmas Post - Part One

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000Z

Happy Christmas great beans. Three posts for you today. Continuing the trawl of the upper shelves of our house for vinyl treasures here is Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No.1 conducted by Hermann Rohdenas part of the Great Composers Series. This was a series of magazines with a 10" record inside.. Love things like that. Nothing says Christmas to me like The Brandenburgs, they are guaranteed to lift the spirits - brilliant for Christmas morning when you're beadling about.

ENJOY

The second post will be at noon the A side of which should make you smile, and the B Side remind your heart what music can really do in the scheme of things.

Children of The Sun

2011-12-24T14:12:00.000Z

beautifulnoiseskin's version of the Hawkwind classic
recorded high on whisky and for the love of a great song.
Available from our bandcamp page for our album BLACK TREES.

Jowonio - Vocals & Lead Guitar
Simon Rennie - Bass, Balalaika, Acoustic Guitar
This track is available as as free download, as we have no wish to steal from The Hawks.

Video is taken from an ancient concert vhs, & various home movies recorded on Solstices over the years. The Stonehenge footage is from 1984, and yes that really is me right at the beginning of the film all long haired and loping along.

The Enid - Early Demos

2011-12-22T12:13:00.000Z

For those of you who are fans of the band's earliest work we've dug out the proto-sessions of what would eventually become their first two albums. Recorded at the legendary house on Cranbrook Road, and at Abbey Road studios these raw demos give us a taste of the creation of two of the finest English rock albums in development. Though short, there is a great deal here to enjoy, especially The Magician which is basically many of the key elements of Aerie Faerie Nonsense in miniature.

For those of you who are interested in this period - Francis Lickerish, one of the original two guitarists in the band is writing up a personal history of these times in serialised chapters over on his facebook page. I've been lucky enough to meet Francis a couple of times and he is a very lovely genuine person, and it is fascinating to go through the doors of Enid history and join the band in those times with him.

The Enid - Early Demos

The Tower (Cranbrook)
The Magician (Cranbrook)
The Loved One (Abbey Road)
Death The Reaper (Rough Mix)
The Devil (Cranbrook)

DOWNLOAD link is in comments
Don't Snatch & Grab - Leave A Comment.

Black Trees

2011-12-21T09:00:00.000Z

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://beautifulnoiseskin.bandcamp.com/album/black-trees"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Black Trees by beautifulnoise/skin&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Black Trees is the new album from beautifulnoise/skin. Recorded over many years, the guitar forms the heart of this lp, and we have had some amazing friends drop by to contribute.

If we did singles 'I Am You' would be out there rocking the airwaves for us, and we'd follow that with our whisky driven version of Hawkwind's 'Children of The Sun.' If it something more thoughtful you're after the progressive suite 'World World World' or the warm but cool title track should touch those deep places.

The solstice is the right day to put this work into the world. Put this on your headphones and enjoy these days of ours. If you can help get the word out by playing, reviewing, gifting this music you would be helping a lot.

BN/S now have a facebook page, please stop by and tell us your thoughts.

COIL - Winter Solstice 7"

2011-12-21T06:00:00.000Z

Happy Solstice to you.

Coil - Winter Solstice
A Side - A White Rainbow
B Side - Christmas is Now Drawing Near

Taken from our own vinyl copy ENJOY

Captain Beefheart - Lick My Decals Off, Baby

2011-12-20T23:59:00.000Z

It took me a long time to like Beefheart, a friend had tried playing me some maybe twenty years ago, and as open headed as I was I couldn't take it at the time, then John Peel decided to play 'Trout Mask Replica,' one track a night on his show, and hearing it in this bite sized way made me love it and buy a copy. Then one day in the early 90's in a record shop in Belfast just up from Queen's I found this in the racks, and something moved me buy it, though I'd never even heard of it. I couldn't play it until I got back to England, but when I did I fell head over heals in love with it. - It had all the experimental qualities of 'Trout,' but somehow more compressed and accurate, and there were these little instrumentals that touched the heart with their angular notes, for we have angular parts that don't always get much light shining into them.. I am constantly amazed that this album isn't available on CD, so here you go, if you don't have it, sit in a good armchair, in good two dollar room, with a good two dollar broom and give it 39 minutes of your two dollar time.

Lick My Decals Off, Baby
Doctor Dark
I Love You, You Big Dummy
Peon
Bellerin' Plain
Woe-Is-Uh-Me-Bop
Japan In A Dishpan
I Wanna Find A Woman That'll Hold My Big Toe Till I Have To Go
Petrified Forest
One Red Rose That I Mean
The Buggy Boogie Woogie
The Smithsonian Institute Blues
Space-Age Couple
The Clouds Are Full Of Wine (Not Whiskey Or Rye)
Flash Gordon's Ape

DOWNLOAD (mp3)

DOWNLOAD
(Apple Lossless)

Don't Just Snatch and Grab
A Few people have been kind
enough to comment how about you???

banned ad for 'Lick my decals off, baby'

John Coltrane - Cosmic Music

2011-12-19T05:59:00.000Z

Ripped from my own vinyl copy, for my own use - but thought I'd share it here as well. I like this album a lot especially the chanting of 'om mani padme hum,' and 'may there be peace' on the second side - but the whole lp has a meditative quality even through the exploration and some of the dissonant sections. I've rarely played this lp, probably as it is a bit of a rarity. Now I have it on my hard drive I can listen to my ears and hearts content.. enjoy..

John Coltrane - Cosmic Music
Manifestation
Lord, Help Me To Be
Reverend King
The Sun

Download

Nine Drive by Beautifulnoise/skin

2011-12-17T07:05:00.001Z

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://beautifulnoiseskin.bandcamp.com/track/nine-drive"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Nine Drive by beautifulnoise/skin&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;
A Few Minutes of Beautiful/NoiseVisit the BN/S Facebook Page

Reggae 7s

2011-12-03T12:50:00.000Z

Digging through an old box of reggae, dub and ska vinyl we thought it might be fun to share our finds as a series which builds into a compilation album. Each upload will be the A & B side of a single. Tracks are in Apple Lossless (cos that's what we use).

Part One
Hot & Cold Version 1 - Augustus Pablo

Lick The Pipe Peter - Jah T & Augustus Pablo

Part Two
Freedom Fighter - Bunny & Ricky
Iron Wolf - The Upsetters

Part Three
Money Is Not All - Mikey Brooks
Money Dub - Remixed by Jammy

Part Four

Two Face Rasta - Cornell Campbell

Two Face Rasta – King Tubbys

Part Five

African Roots – Johnny Clarke

Dub – King Tubby & The Aggravators

Skyclad - A New Album from Beautifulnoise/skin

2011-11-29T16:01:00.000Z

An Album For Night Drivers, Headphone Soundtrackers, Dreamers, Dancers, Smokers & Moon Viewers...

Pay What You Like (even free) or Listen OnlineRebuilt with extra tracks, a flowing mix and a Bonus hidden track for downloaders of the Album

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://jowonioproductions.bandcamp.com/album/skyclad-2"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Skyclad by Jowonio Productions&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Dulce et Decorum Est

2011-11-12T07:21:00.001Z

Yew Moon - 'We Are Russian Dolls To Ourselves'

2011-11-10T10:05:00.003Z

'We Are Russian Dolls To Ourselves'

Written & Spoken by John Siddique
Music by Katie Chatburn
Animation by Lawrence McWilliams
Produced by Walter Santucci

Taken from Recital - An Almanac. This is the final full moon film. You can enjoy all 13 films on our channel, or using this webby widgety thing below.. Thank you so much for being a long for an amazing year of full moons. We Did It! ..... and Now

Ivy Moon

2011-10-12T01:00:00.000+01:00

'Let it be dark, and it was dark'

A bold rewrite of the opening verses of the King James Bible

Written & Spoken by John Siddique
Music by Katie Chatburn
Paintings by Dania Strong
Animation Supervision by Walter Santucci

Full Blood for Kindle on very special offer

2011-10-07T07:52:00.002+01:00

Dear beautifulnoise/skin visitors & friends
Excuse this slight lapse into self-promotion. My most recent book is now available for Kindle both in UK and US, and I guess anywhere else that can buy from these stores. My publisher is doing a Kindle promotion this October with their top selling books by putting out the e-versions as loss leaders to help spread the word around the globe.

I know many of you really enjoy the music on these pages, I'm a slow blogger, but we do good stuff here. If you were of the inclination to help spread the word about my lovely book (even lovelier in paperback by the way), or if you felt moved to buy or gift a copy that would be stunning. My publisher is an indie press and we have no huge budgets or machines behind us. I know books are risky things, but so is music and look how open and adventurous you are with that. Full Blood is available for around a dollar in the U.S. and about a pound in U.K.

Of course it is available as a physical book too
Please support your local independent bookstore by ordering from them.
Online you can get it here:
Ordering UK
Ordering USA
Rest of World

Two wonderful reviews of the book
One from Bina Shah in The Dawn (A Leading Pakistani Paper). This review compares the spirit of the book to the Hendrix song Bold As Love.

And a very deep review at Writing Without Paper from Maureen Dollas

Maureen has also been moved to pen an essay on two poems from the book about the war in Afghanistan. These poems name with equal weight British soldiers and Afghan civilians killed in the seemingly endless war raging there.

The collection now has its own Facebook Page. Please drop by, 'Like' us & participate in the chat.

Thank you - NUFF SAID

John

Glen Baker - Brief Encounter

2011-10-03T04:30:00.000+01:00

I've ripped this from my vinyl of this mega rare lp released on The Enid's 'The Stand' label in 1985. So now all you enidphiles can get remembering those wonderful shows when Glen would be the band's support act, and if you don't know The Enid, or Glen Baker, it's only some downloads - g'wan give it a listen...

Here is a review especially for beautifulnoise/skin
from Mark Lammas who inspired me to post this lovely lp in the first place... thanks Mark...

'If God, one day, knocked me up at six in the morning and said he couldn't make up his mind which musician to bring back to life and could I suggest somebody, my immediate reply would be "Glen Baker...!" Not that Beethoven wouldn't be a good choice, but he got to write plenty, and Glen, tragically, didn't. Talent like Glen's deserves a second chance.

The quality of performance in Glen Baker's one recorded opus, "Brief Encounter", is exceptional. His music doesn't brag; it simply speaks eloquently, and it is not rooted in any established commercial style. The first three tracks show a classically influenced musician; "La Fille Aux Cheveux Blancs" is simply the best arrangement of this famous piece that I can ever recall, then comes "Saucy Sailor", a haunting remake of the Steeleye Span arrangement of this very traditional folk song, followed by an apparent lampooning of German punk rock style, "Ich Bin Das Bee". Glen was nothing if not versatile.

One of the characteristics of this album is that Glen's personal angst is there, hidden in some tracks, but occasionally communicated, peeping up above the wall mentioned in his song "The War Within". I can almost see him curling up into a foetal position, as the song comes to an end.

Colour, (I see lots of gold and electric blue in this album) complex and interesting harmonies, and some very different textures ("Chorale") are this album's main strengths, plus his genius for sensitive dynamics and impeccably played solo guitar work... In the middle of "The War Within" a guitar solo suddenly breaks out in pure joy, contrasting with the song's angst, but not sounding in any way out of place. Indeed, that solo makes the track. The dreamscape of the final track "Starlight" is a blaze of colour, despite the nocturnal theme.

His death in 1992 was a tragedy for music; he could have been one of the greats. This album does not deserve to die with him. It's only available now on second-hand vinyl; get out on the Net and buy one, or download the archive from the link on this site. Like right now, folks.'
Mark Lammas

Glen Baker - Brief Encounter

Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Prelude
Le Fille aux Cheveux
Saucy Sailor
Ich Bin Das Bee
The Forest of Atholl
Brief Encounter
Chorale
The War Within
Cheryl
Starlight

Download

Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Hung Over As The Queen At Maida Vale

2011-09-25T09:18:00.000+01:00

Back in the day, my friend Mike and I would listen to John Peel at night on the radio, We'd tape the shows and then make compilations for ourselves of new and exciting things. Peel was responsible for my getting into Beefheart, and I also discovered stuff like The Black Dog and Bongwater through him, and in latter days clouddead, and some very strange death metal bits and bobs. I don't remember if it was Peel who introduced me to Godspeed You Black Emperor! yes it was in the days before the shifted !
In another one of those record browsing magic moments I stumbled upon their first LP, the one with all the free screenprints and the flattened penny, (Think it was Piccadilly Records in Manchester this time,) well it blew me away, suffice to say. One night peel played this session, 18 minutes long, and never properly released in this form, it was raw, and the speech sample in the middle, on top of the beautiful but simple music just took my head, I caught it on tape, and I listened to it often (Still Do). It is probably my favourite thing by GYBE!.. along with the ‘slow riot ep’

Download

Beautifulnoise/skin - The Meat And Bread Variations

2011-09-25T09:00:00.000+01:00

Our collaborative ep featuring Merzbow & Big Block 454 can now be downloaded for free (or for any price you wish to pay from the Beautifulnoise/skin bandcamp page.

STOP BY & GET SOME BEAUTIFULNOISE IN YOUR EARS

The Enid - Farnborough 1978

2011-09-25T05:00:00.000+01:00

Sometimes the most amazing things happen, I got a message a while back from Hans Antonsson who wanted to send me a copy of a recording he had transferred from tape of The Enid live in 1978, a gig he had been at. I had been longing to hear them doing 'pretty vacant' for a long time, and here at last it is, along with a brilliant set with much Enid humour and madness thrown in. There is also a wicked 'wild thing,' a bizarre rendition of 'born free,' an iconic leitmotif from 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind,' and scorching versions of some Enid faves. Dear Hans, Thank you so much for this... Enjoy

National Anthem
Mayday Galliard
Judgement
In the Region of the Summer Stars
Born Free
Albion Fair (Part 2)
Dambuster's March / Land of Hope & Glory
Wild Thing
Pretty Vacant

DOWNLOAD

The Enid - Live 23rd November 1980

2011-09-25T04:30:00.000+01:00

Here is a real treat for you.

Recorded 23 November 1980 at Reading's Hexagon for Radio. This is one of the most involving live Enid recordings I have heard, and it contains not only the tunes from this era that one would expect but also '665 - The Great Bean,' and 'Golden Earrings,' I never knew they had performed these pieces live, so Download this, Shut the curtains, Sit in the best chair you have for listening to music and be in reverie.

Tracklist:
The Last Judgement
In The Region Of Summer Stars
665 - The Great Bean
The Hall Of Mirrors
The Dreamer
Mayday Gaillard
Humoresque
Cortege
Fand
Golden Earrings

Download (Apple Lossless)
Do leave us a message as you pass through

Thirst - A Poem For Who We've Become Since 9/11

2011-09-11T10:08:00.000+01:00

When The Light's Go Out Once More

2011-09-10T13:06:00.000+01:00

The Enid would issue very limited editions of stuff on tapes, specially recorded albums, and live sets, just for members of their fan club - The Stand, I have maybe six of these tapes sitting in a box, so I thought rather than just doing a straight copy of some of the tapes, I would compile a very special collection for myself, and to share with you. Leaving out the standard lp tracks on are on some of the tapes, I've centred this set centred around very rare live stuff (they were a brilliant live band,) and some demos and alternate tracks. My Personal favourite track on this is the second demo from 'The Seed and The Sower,' which is one of the main melodies of the album, but it never got a release in this form apart from on this tape. The Salome ballet music is also very intense. Enjoy my hearties

The Enid - When The Lights Go Out Once More
01 Salome (Live at Hammersmith Odeon 30/10/87)
02 Then There Were None (Live at Hammersmith Odeon 30/10/87
03 In The Region .... (Live at Hammersmith Odeon 30/10/87)
04 Untitled Demo from 'The Seed and The Sower'
05 Reverberations (Live at Hammersmith Odeon 30/10/87)
06 Untitled Demo from 'The Seed and The Sower'
07 Something Wicked This Way Comes
(Live at Hammersmith Odeon 30/10/87)
08 Salome Dance Music (Live at Hammersmith Odeon 17/10/86)
09 Evensong (Alternate Version)

DOWNLOAD

The Enid – When The Lights Go Out Once More – VOLUME 2

2011-09-10T04:00:00.000+01:00

1984 was a big year in music for me, we travelled around to many gigs that year. Often we would hitchhike to festivals following our hearts and noses. One of the biggest nights of 1984 was 20th June, my mate Dave and I were at Stonehenge. We went over to the stage area in the afternoon and plonked ourselves right up front. What a day that was, Roy Harper blew us away (I was too out of it to tell you whether Jimmy Page turned up to play with him or not, some say he did, i just don't know... Did He? Hawkwind performed the Earth Ritual, with dancers, fire artists and a whole space tribe of extras. And.. The Enid, now paired down to Robert John Godfrey and Steve Stewart, but supported by some of their regular people on drums and bass etc performed a barnstorming set. Most special though is that they played a new song called Summer from what was to become ‘The Spell’ and I’m really pleased to have this proto version on here for you.

A few months later The Enid threw one of their famous parties at Claret Hall where they lived and worked and again we had a mighty fine time with them, so I have put together a best of set from those two shows for you, as as a memory for myself. Enjoy.

The Enid – When The Lights Go Out Once More Volume 2
Improv (Claret Hall Farm - August 1984)
Raindown (Claret Hall Farm - August 1984)
Jessica (Stonehenge 20 June 1984)
Then There Were None (Stonehenge 20 June 1984)
Letter From America (Stonehenge 20 June 1984)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (Claret Hall Farm - August 1984)
Judgement (at Stonehenge 20 June 1984)
Flood (Stonehenge 20 June 1984)
Under The Summer Stars (Stonehenge 20 June 1984)
Adieu (Stonehenge 20 June 1984)
Summer (Stonehenge 20 June 1984)
You'll Never Walk Alone (Claret Hall Farm - August 1984)
Wild Thing (Stonehenge 20 June 1984)
DOWNLOAD

Full Blood Recordings - Now Available

2011-08-19T16:49:00.002+01:00

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://johnsiddique.bandcamp.com/album/full-blood-poems"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Full Blood Poems by John Siddique&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Holly Moon

2011-07-15T15:55:00.001+01:00

Family

2011-07-03T07:39:00.000+01:00

'Family is so much more than blood'

Written & Narrated by John Siddique
Animation & Direction by Walter Santucci
Music by Cecilia Suhr & Walter Santucci

Based on a poem from the children's book
'Don't Wear It On Your Head' (Salt 2010)

13 Moons - Films From Recital by John Siddique

2011-06-15T12:46:00.000+01:00

A monthly series of films based on the full moons of the year. A new film is added each month.

SKYCLAD

2011-03-15T16:33:00.001Z

Skyclad by JohnSiddique

A homage to 70's & 90's Electronics referencing spAce & Ultramarine, and hinting at Pink Floyd (if you know your stoner surf movie references)

The Enid - Touch Me

2011-01-09T13:04:00.000Z

Charades:
(i) Humouresque
(ii) Cortege
(iii) Elegy (Touch Me)
(iv) Gallavant

Albion Fair (Part I)
Albion Fair (Part II)

My first ever exposure to The Enid was when a friend of mine, Mick Davis, who I was in a band with played me this one Sunday afternoon when we were having band practice. I say band, but we were a strange outfit - electronic noises and guitars... and we used to hang out every Sunday making strange noises, drinking tea, watching his parent's stash of naughty videos, and listening to music. I was so taken with the track 'cortege' on first hearing. Mick also had 'six pieces,' and suggested we go and see them live as they were playing in Manchester in a few weeks.. that gig was recorded for the first stand lp.
be happy..

Download

Elder Moon

2010-12-21T00:36:00.008Z

Elder Moon is one of a series of 13 animated films based on a sequence of poems from Recital -- An Almanac (Salt). The poems are based on the Full Moons of the year and the Celtic mythology which names each moon after a letter in the ancient tree alphabet. Elder Moon is a Shamanic poem in that it seeks though the meaning of the text and the rhythm of the poetry to create a space in which awareness can evolve and healing can take place.

The film was created when I was British Council Poet in Residence at California State University in Los Angeles. Made with determination, love, and goodwill - animation director Walter Santucci, his students, friends and myself set to work before passing the pieces to composer Katie Chatburn. I gave each artist a free hand in what they came up with in response to the poems, interjecting as lightly as possible.

A new film will be released each full moon over the coming year.

We'd love it if you'd share this film far and wide. If you would like to use this work for a screening, festival or TV broadcast - please get in touch as we are keen for the work to be seen.

Please visit my website, for lots more information.

The Enid – Golden Earrings (Vinyl Rip)

2010-08-15T13:05:00.000+01:00

Now here’s a thing of strange beauty! The Enid and the singles they put out were always naughty little beasts………. And this just about takes the biscuit when it comes to all that. Robert John Godfrey camping and vamping it to high heaven, the band rocking out good style, and you can even join in with the manly chants of ‘EARRINGS, EARRINGS,’ at the end. A total joy.. backed with the very rare Enid track Omega which is made of lovely floating guitars and sample and hold synths – very atmospheric – oh yes..
This is the original single version which is a different mix and doesn’t have the false start which the version on ‘Anarchy on 45,’ or ‘Stand 2’ has.
enjoy!!

The Enid – Golden Earrings
side 1 – Golden Earrings
side 2 – Omega

DOWNLOAD

The Enid – Dambusters/Land of Hope & Glory (Vinyl Rip)

2010-08-14T12:05:00.002+01:00

Here is the legendary Enid single of The Dambusters March/Land of Hope & Glory, it is backed with their beautiful version of The Skyeboat Song. - This is own my vinyl rip

If you ever were at an Enid show and they broke into Dambusters/Land of Hope & Glory, the place would literally erupt with joyous bouncing up and down.. Ah they don’t make them like that anymore..... Although I went to see Francis Lickerish’s new band Secret Green a while back, and he played some old Enid tunes, and some of his new stuff, and Oh Boy!! He’s still doing it. I’d forgotten that music can be so uplifting.

The Enid – Dambusters March/Land of Hope & Glory

Side 1 - Dambusters March/Land of Hope & Glory
Side 2 – Skyeboat Song

DOWNLOAD

Soul Jazz Love Strata East

2010-08-13T13:16:00.004+01:00

I bought this on a whim years ago (1994 I think) when I wandered into the brilliant Decoy Records on Deansgate in Manchester and it was on the shop's sound system. Gill Scott Heron was singing 'Peace go with you brother,' over that panning electric piano and I was hooked.
Decoy Records is long gone and this album is now sadly long out of print. It introduced me to some of the best artists and music I have every heard, it is one of the few albums that has never gone out of my favour over the years. This is a true essential, and a perfect introduction to this type jazz even if you haven't really got on that well with jazz before..listen..be in wonder..go out and buy some records, each individual artist on this comp is worth checking out in their own right..

..Ripped from my own beloved original CD copy

1. Peace Go With You Brother - Gil Scott-Heron
2. Well You Needn't - Larry Ridley
3. Prince Of Peace - Pharaoh Sanders
4. Changa Chikuyo - Larry Ridley
5. John Coltrane - Clifford Jordan
6. Hopscotch - Charlie Rouse
7. Bottle - Gil Scott-Heron
8. Travellin' Man - Stanley Cowell
9. First Impressions - Shamek Farrah
10. Dance Of The Little Children - Billy Parker
11. Eddie Harris - Clifford Jordan
12. Smilin' Billy Suite - Heath Brothers

Download and please leave a comment while yr here

peace go with you...

Robert John Godfrey - Reverberations

2009-11-06T13:09:00.001Z

On the 17th October 1986, a bunch of us headed off to London in my mate 's Mum's car to see The Enid perform their Salome Ballet show at the Hammersmith Odeon. An astonishing evening, Salome Being one of my favourite Enid LPs. I loved the rhythms of it, the sexuality of it, and the sheer beauty of the ballet section. The place was full, and everyone was quite blown away, my friend was moved to tears, it was the first time he'd seen The Enid, they were my favourite band in those days, so I followed them around a bit. I'd been lucky enough to be at the infamous Liverpool Beerkeller gig earlier in the year, which was hot and close and in your face, this night at Hammersmith they were cool, intense, as playful as ever, but the majesty and loveliness of it. During the proceedings Robert played a solo spot, where he played 'Reverberations,' of course we all bought copies of the tape in the foyer afterwards and listened to it in the car on the drive back north, over and again. I have long loved this piece of music, and like even more the very rare second side, 'The Voice Within,' which to my mind goes deeper then the title track, it has a really lovely main melody, so 'Enid' in that heart-touching way. So here then for your pleasure is the full tape, long deleted now, share and enjoy... and please leave some comments if you are passing though, as it is good to know you have been by, and it is good to share such fine music, so please introduce others to the magic of The Enid

Robert Godfrey - Reverberations

Side 1) Reverberations
Side 2) The Voice Within

The Music of William Arkle

2009-11-05T13:10:00.000Z

Throughout The Enid's life, they looked for ways to create a mutually beneficial relationship with their fans, realising that it was their core fanship that kept them going. This took a few incarnations, firstly there was the Enid Society, which then morphed into The Stand. Some of the lovely things about being in The Stand, was that the band put on parties for us in their own home. They played gigs, and issued exclusive albums of material, in return we supported 'our band,' and both were nurtured and inspired by this sense of kinship. The Stand's tagline was 'Members of one another,' which if we considered and lived by today, I think would make the world a whole lot more liveable. One of the albums produced was Robert John Godfrey's realisation of the music of philosopher, poet, painter and composer, William Arkle. His paintings had graced some Enid covers in the past, and he painted sound. Here you will find all three tracks from the tape, pastoral, searching, and connective, spiritually uplifting. The same qualities of The Enid, yes they could get you going deep in a Bierkeller in Liverpool, or they could reveal your soul to yourself in contemplation at home. William Arkle and Robert Godfrey are good companions. Enjoy, and remember we are 'Members of one another.'

1) Seascape

2) Somerset Sketches

3) Snowdonia

DOWNLOAD

William Arkle's Website

Comments are welcomed as ever

Clifford Jordan - Glass Bead Games

2009-09-23T14:26:00.000+01:00

aside from the first Strata East compilation, this super soulful spiritual jazz album from saxophonist Clifford Jordan, might just be my favourite artist album from that might label. for me this is up there with Coltrane's A Love Supreme, or Davis' Kind of Blue a very deep and wonderful album. This is ripped from my own CD, but I borrowed the pic above from somewhere as I'm too busy to scan, got books to write you know. For me music has always been part of life, cannot envision life without music of all kinds, and it is part of writing too. The right music can extend my concentration when writing by quite a long time. This is something I'll talk about more soon. Music like Glass Bead Games, I tend to listen to in the afternoons, when I do the more normal part of my job, admin, filing, sorting out manuscripts, doing press and marketing, it keeps me solid. In the mornings I'm in creative mode so if I'm at the desk I'll be working on the novel, or one of the new poetry collections, I may have music on, but quite different stuff - more reflective, or I may be in silence and cocooned in that.

peace

John

Glass Bead Games - Clifford Jordan

Powerful Paul Robeson
The Glass Bead Games
Prayer To The People
Cal Massey
John Coltrane
Eddie Harris
Biskit
Shoulders
Bridgework
Maimoun
Alias Buster Henry
One For Amos

Download

Strata 2 East

2009-09-20T14:17:00.000+01:00

Well I've been after a decent rip of this for an age, and thanks to Simon666 we now have this to listen to in shiny 320, yes Simon ripped his cd especially for us and now here it is for you, a vast improvement on what we had before, lovely.... see I never got into this lp much before as the rip I had was so thin sounding, now I'm grooving round the room to it.. Thanks Simon!.. Do visit his blog at http://neverenoughrhodes.blogspot.com where there is more strata east goodness to grab, and lots of other stuff. I've uploaded the 320 version to megaupload, link is below. Simon's rapidshare links are in the comments.. take yr pick

enjoy...

1 Keno Duke - Too Late, Fall Back Baby
2 Charles Sullivan - Field Holler
3 Dick Griffin - Jakubu's Dabce
4 Stanley Cowell - Travelin' Man
5 John Betsch Society - Ode To Ethiopia
6 Harold Vick - Senor Zamora
7 Stanley Cowell - Trying To Find A Way
8 Piano Choir - Barbara Ann
9 Weldon Irvine - Turkish Bath
10 Oneness Of Juju - Freedom Fighter
11 Billy Parker's Fourth World - Get With It
12 The Descendants Of Mike And Phoebe - Chick Chick
13 Cecil McBee - Tulsa Black
14 Shirley Scott - Keep On Movin On
15 The Descendants Of Mike And Phoebe - Coltrane

Download

Balil - Parasight

2008-11-01T16:00:00.000Z

Back in the dim and distant, I had a real falling out with music, just stopped listening to most things, this was sometime like 1990, maybe 91. One night a mate of mine wanted to go to a wee club called parliament next to Manchester Apollo, a DJ he liked called Alex Paterson was playing there, so we went and doing at some point in the night three guys set up an 808, and some synths - they were called Black Dog Productions, Chris and I were propping the bar, and they started playing, and my head nearly came off, they played a lot of what was to become their Bytes album, the music was electronic but it had real soul and depth. over the next few years I bought any black dog record I could find. Then on a trip to Berwick Street in London sometime in 1993, I found this on cd, well I had to have it. Electronica or IDM as they then called it hasn't produced many records of any longevity, but the classic black dog line up made so many records I still listen to even now. Along side Bytes and the Black Dog Productions EP, this is one of my favourites, it is pretty much flawless, deep, soulful music, and the fourth track Island is without compare.. when it goes dark tonight, give this a spin…as a very special bonus I’ve added a fifth track ‘Island Praise,’ this track has never been released properly, it appeared on a cassette with a magazine back in the day, and an excerpt of it appeared on the ‘trainer’ compilation, but here is the full track, lifted from the original DAT by myself and my friend Stuart, who was brazen enough to write to the magazine who first put the track out and ask to borrow the master, and they lent it to us. It was transfered using my trusty Sony TCD8 for you gearspotters, so this is the best version of this track you are going to hear.. go for it..

Balil – Parasight

Rosery Pilots
Avidya
Parasight
Island
Island Praise

Download

Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison A Message From The Tribe

2008-06-23T15:59:00.001+01:00

a wonderful album on the tribe label from Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison, not to be confused with the sampler compilation of nearly the same name on soul jazz records, also featured on this blog. if you would like to explore more tasty tribe goodness I would recommend you explore the wonderful Pharaoh's Dance blog where so many wonders await your delectation.

Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison
A Message From The Tribe

what we need
angela's dilemma (instrumental)
angela's dilemma (vocal)
how do we end all this madness (instrumental)
how do we end all this madness (vocal)
wife
merciful
beneficent

Download

Hawkwind - Roadhawks

2008-06-07T13:36:00.001+01:00

My favourite Hawkwind record ever.. never available on CD. This comp takes stuff from the early part of their career and mixes it into a wonderful unified trip. the segued 'wind of change/golden void' is just a perfect few moments of rock music..

Ripped from my own vinyl, it's a bit crackly at times, but it's all part of the atmosphere, of course you don't have the sleeve there to skin up on, but put this on and go deep.. man.. yeah..

Dear Hawkwind
a remaster and a cd issue of this would be wonderful.. please consider putting this out again..

Hawkwind - Roadhawks

Hurry On Sundown
Paranoia
You Shouldn't Do That
Silver Machine
Urban Guerilla
Space Is Deep
Wind Of Change
The Golden Void

Download

Clifford Jordan - In The World

2008-06-05T12:59:00.000+01:00

Another lovely Strata East album from Clifford Jordan, very different from 'Glass Bead Games,' the tunes are freer, not as instantly hummable. It is a bit of a meandering slowburner on the first two tracks, then it gets brighter and more lively and somehow deeper on Ouagoudougou and 872 .. It's honestly worth giving anything on Strata East a go.

Enjoy

Clifford Jordan - In The World

Vienna
Doug's Prelude
Ouagoudougou
872

Download

Message from the tribe

2008-04-05T08:33:00.001+01:00

Another one of my treasures discovered through the mighty, but now lost, Decoy Records of Deansgate, Manchester. In an age of HMV, Amazon and iTunes, I don't think it is possible to browse and stumble upon things as I once did anymore. The Blogging world helps, and there are some great music blogs out there, but nothing beats being in some funny record shop, the wanky aficionado types pretending they're knowledge means something on a bigger scale, puffing themselves up to the guy behind the counter. Browsing the albums, and something catching your eye, or as in this case ear, as it plays on the shop hi-fi.

spacey in parts, 1970's cop show music style in others, with turns of spiritual jazz, this is an almost flawless album, great for driving to, chilling at home with.. yeah man it is deep.. enjoy

David Durrah - Space 2
Phil Ranelin & Tribe - Vibes From The Tribe
Phil Ranelin & Tribe - Sounds From The Village
Doug Hammond - Moves
Tribe - Beneficent
Tribe - What We Need
Marcus Belgrave - Space Oddysey
Phil Ranelin & Tribe - For The Children
The Mixed Bag - La Margarita
Doug Hammond - Wake Up Brothers
Wendell Harrison - Tons And Tons Of B.S.

Download