Chris Cross

 

                                                       Billy, Robin, John, Chris & Warren.

I have said it before and I'll say it again. I love Ultravox! Probably my favourite band, but then there's Throbbing Gristle, Alternative TV and Column One all vying for that position. Back in 1976 my (older) sister went to see Ultravox! play at Lincoln Technical College. She came home professing she'd seen the best band in the world ... and an A0 poster for the gig with a picture of the first LP cover. Not long after "Ha! Ha! Ha!" came out, I bought it and was hooked ... 

It was sad to read about the passing of Chris Cross, the bass player of Ultravox! I only saw them live once. Lincoln AJ's, September 1978. Its was a magickal time when The Stranglers, The Skids, Ultravox!, 999 and Razor (the Australian punk band) all played live in Lincoln within days of each other. Ultravox! was the most exciting though, by September 1978 and the release of their third album "Systems Of Romance" they were my band. I had become a regular at AJ's. Although only 14 years old. I used to hang around, early doors and when the band arrived I would offer to help unload the van, carry the equipment up the three flights of stairs etc, then just hide away in the dark recesses during the set up + soundcheck. Great fun, free entry to bands like Cyanide, The Lurkers, The Rich Kids, UK Subs and Slits. Ultravox! was no different, I carried Robin Simon's guitar cases up those stairs. After the gig I managed to get in to the (small) dressing room for a chat and Chris Cross offered me a bottle of Holsten Pils. I took it then asked where the bottle opener was and Chris just took it from me, smashed the bottle top against the corner of a table and Voila! an open bottle of Holsten Pils. My hero! We chatted, I can't remember about what ... but we chatted. My memories of Chris Cross. He was probably thinking ... why is this spotty 14 year old kid in our dressing room? The only other time I'd been in the AJ's dressing room was to see Jenny Darren after her gig there. 

I lost interest in all things Ultravox! when they dropped the ! and Midge Ure replaced John Foxx. The first single "Sleepwalking" was such a disappointment. Everybody knows what kind of followed. There's a good interview with Ultravox here : https://www.electronicsound.co.uk/features/long-reads/ultravox-ooohhh-vienna/?mc_cid=5a87d6fa3f&mc_eid=82c4a9c535

Safe passing Chris ... 

MuhMur Radio Broadcast March 31 2024.

 

Finally, after a long winter break MuhMur Radio returns for the spring, now a monthly four hour live broadcast ... 

Whilst away a few things have arrived at Hartop Towers, including the double CD "Samling" by Arv & Miljö on the Irish Krim Kram label. The album is a collection of tracks / pieces that have appeared on compilation releases from 2010 to 2015. The album was originally released back in 2016 on the Italian / German noise label Archivio Diafònico label. There are two tracks included that are from the Arv & Miljö album released on cassette by I Dischi Del Barone in 2017. Marked (*). 

1: Hur Altin Sjöonk I

2: Hur Altin Sjöonk II

3: Mästerligt Bruk Knölpäk

4: Hur Altin Sjöonk III

5: Någonting Har Gòtt Förlorat

6: Bellevue I

7: Bellevue II

8: Bellevue III

9: Förnimmelse I

10: Tag Som Aldrig Släpps (*)

11: Balanskonsten I Att Överleva Här Nere (*)

12: 2415 Dagar

All things Arv & Miljö can be found at : https://discreetmusic.se/arvmiljo.html "Samling" can be found at : https://www.krimkram.com. It's really good to be back with some exclusive sounds from The Dead Mauriacs. Exotique Musique Concret & DaDaesque sounds from Le Havre based sound artist Olivier Prieur. Also a joy to play as March 31 is Olivier's birthday. The exclusive piece is called "An Italian Garden, With A Spy In The Background" and is delivered in four parts. Two sides of The Hafler Trio & B.C. Gilbert double album "Idiots" follow. I read somewhere that somebody said that 'this album was thought of, therefore, it had to be made'. I like that. I like that a lot. Has a salon approach feel. The album, I think, is a bad pressing it is awfully quiet in parts and probably not good for the radio .... but it is SoundArt! 

Who is Manuel Padding? Undoubtedly a pseudonym and probably Dutch. Earlier this year I managed to get a copy of Steffan de Turck / Manuel Padding split cassette 'The Weights Of Babylon' on the Dutch Silver Ghosts label. Since hearing the Steffan de Turck's 'For Charlie Mopps' cassette (a collaboration with Howard Stelzer) I have tried to get all his releases. There's a Manuel Padding cassette on Silver Ghosts called 'We Don't Live Here Anymore' released in 2013 that sounds essential! "Fighting Weakness With Perseverance" is from the split with de Turck. Last month saw the release of "D-Generation", issue one of a magazine and CD dedicated to the work of Genesis P-Orridge and all that orbited around him. 

The magazine and CD is the work of Frank (Vinyl On Demand) and Yuen (Ultra Mail Prod). I found the magazine interesting with great writing by Lawrence Burton, Jordi Valls, Jack Sargeant, Chris Low and Carl Abrahamsson, the album surprised me too with tracks by artist I didn't think I liked. Retirement Community is Lawrence Burton. "Friendship Is Magic" is their only release to date (as far as I am aware). Jordi Valls writes a piece on the making of the Psychic TV video for "Catalan" directed by Derek Jarman. It's not on the CD, but I thought I'd play it anyway ... it's a favourite PTV track of mine. Val Denham is one of those artists I have never been able to get my ears around but the track "Grey Rabbit" (on the CD) is fantastic. Instant hit. I don't know if the magazine is still available (limited to 400) but I think there's a digital version available. https://ultramailprod.bandcamp.com . To celebrate a gig in Stockport in December last year Regional Bears and All Night Flight released the cassette 'Lambkin, Walker, Harrison". "Brightonian Vistas" is from this cassette. I have said it before and I will say it again, Duncan is a genius ... as is Francisco Meirino. "Fathers (Purgatory-Causality-Self)" is an example. It's from the CD 'A Perpetual Host' on Misanthropic Agenda. Whilst playing this in the studio, Alice Kemp and myself swapped Francisco stories, of nights in Lausanne and visiting the Librarie Humus. Cranioclast sandwich two pieces by Grey Frequency. "Panopticon I + II" are from the cassette of the same name on Human Geography Recordings. A South-West label operated by Andrew Burge. The sounds are created from field recordings taken at, in, on and around the Panopticon wind sculpture in Burnley. The Cranioclast pieces are from the recent release 'Artic Salon' on Aug Abwegen. 

Nurse With Wound follow. "Sappho 1900" is a 3" CD on the Lenka Lente label and comes with the book 'Le Christ' by Renée Vivien. 

Alice Kemp popped in to the studio and brought a copy of her latest album 'Skinned Alight', a collaboration with Rudolf Eb.er. Two tracks "Skinned Alight" and "Head Skin Stretched Over Stone" are played here. When MuhMur Radio was live between 2012 and 2020 Alice would be a regular at the studio ... it was great to see her again. 

The broadcast ends on "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" by Am Not. 

The programme is split in to two parts for easy consumption.

Part One: https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-31-march-2024-part-one/

Part Two: https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-31-march-2024-part-two/

Again thanks to Chris for being there and producing the programme, to Tamsin for the transport and to Alice + Dave for popping in and supporting the show. It was like having the old gang back together!

                                                           Myself, Alice, Dave and Chris.

MuhMur Radio returns on April 28th at 18:00 hours GMT. 

MuhMur Radio Update (Part Deux) ...

 

MuhMur Radio will be back on air on MARCH 31 at 18:00 GMT for the first monthly 4 HOUR LIVE Broadcast. Please make a date with the radio. 102.5FM if you're in and about the Totnes area of the South Hams, otherwise listen live via the SoundArt Radio website at : https://www.soundartradio.org.uk.

At last!

MuhMur Radio Update ...

 

I have just been to see the new SoundArt Radio Studio. It is looking very impressive ... and so big! The plan is for MuhMur Radio to now be broadcast live on a Sunday evening for four hours (6pm - 10pm) and then be repeated as two 2 Hour broadcasts over the coming weeks ... 

This is very exciting as it gives me space to play longer pieces, albums in full and to profile artists, projects, labels etc. There's also a performance space so (hopefully) I can invite folk in to do a live session / performance. The possibilities are there.

Hopefully the studio will be ready for a March 2024 MuhMur Radio Broadcast ... I will announce the first MuhMur Radio Broadcast of 2024 on this blog shortly ... also SoundArt radio will announce on their website : https://www.soundartradio.org.uk

Stéphane Merenne

 

I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Stéphane Merenne. Stéphane alongside Sylvie Cartiaux were Nuit et Brouillard, an excellent label and promotions project based in Lille. (France). I knew he was unwell, but I never thought .... 

Stéphane was always encouraging, passionate and enthusiastic towards Dieter Müh. I consider him a good friend. 

.... I first met Stéphane in 1998. Nuit et Brouillard had a stall at an event called "The 11th Independent Music & Arts Festival" in Saint-Niklaas, Belgium. He was there to see Troum + LD50, and also sell records and tapes. We immediately formed a friendship that has lasted 26 years. When I heard the news yesterday I played the Nuit et Brouillard release Temple Garden's / Asche cassette 'Trance / The Older Stuff'. It was the first release I bought on their label, and it is still sounding superb. Stéphane had an ear for sound. Nuit et Brouillard is also a distribution outlet and would happily take Dieter Müh releases. The joy of getting a Nuit et Brouillard catalogue with a description (written by either Stéphane or Sylvie) of Müh was an honour. The catalogues were a joy in themselves. Stéphane would appear at Dieter Müh live shows whenever he could. He came to see us at the WGT Treffen Festival in Leipzig in 2006 where we played with Propergol (also released by Nuit et Brouillard), Novy Svet, Land:Fire and Apoptose. Both Stéphane and Sylvie came to London to see Dieter Müh play at The Conway Hall in 2009. Always supportive, always a pleasure. A pleasure to talk to and share information with. In 2014 Stéphane and Sylvie invited me to play in Lille. I stayed with Stéphane. The evening before the gig he and Sylvie entertained me with fine food and wine. We stayed up until almost daylight talking and drinking, drinking and talking, ever the enthusiast Stéphane was pulling out vinyl and putting on 'demo' cassette tapes asking for thoughts and opinion. And as a perfect and polite host my glass was never empty (it was always ... 'just one more'). It was this evening that Stéphane suggested he re-issued the Dieter Müh album 'The Bjorn Tapes' on vinyl. It was his favourite Dieter Müh release and a cassette and subsequent CDR release "did not do the sound any favours". How could I say no? The album came out in 2018 on Stéphane's 'side' label Force Majeure. 

In 2010 Stéphane invited myself and the family to stay at his apartment in Lille. This was pre Air B&B! He just gave his apartment over to myself, Tamsin and (at that point) my two young children. All free of charge and he stayed at a friends house whilst we were there. I shall never forget his kindness, his friendship and love. 

The last time I saw Stéphane was in November 2014. I was at the 'Harbinger Soundclash II' event at De Kreun in Kortrijk, Belgium. I was working at the event so didn't have much time but we did sit and chat and laugh and drink. To be with Stéphane was always a pleasure. Like I said, I knew Stéphane was unwell, he never told me and I don't think he told many people, but I never thought ... 

Gone too soon. 

From The Archives #5 Irgun Z'wai Leumi

 

 Whilst waiting for the restart of MuhMur Radio broadcasting and building playlists I have taken the time to sort out some old boxes of tapes and CDs and re-arrange some of the records and listen to some releases I have not heard in years ... 

In 2012 I played at The Fylkingen in Stockholm. It was an evening called 'Sweetness Overdue' also featuring White, Dusa, Kristian Olsson and Contrastate. It was a lovely evening and it was where I met the guy behind Proiect Hat. (Unfortunately I can't remember his name ... but I think he might thankful of this as he likes his anonymity) .. anyway, at some point in the evening we were drinking and chatting and he gave me a handful (hatful) of tapes on his Hatband label. They were mainly Proiect Hat and Wintheer  releases and 'Tracks That Go Nowhere' by Irgun Z'wai Leumi, a precursor to their / his 2008 LP "Kirrfaktor" on Verlautbarung. 

Nine tracks on side one and four on side two, subtitled '13 Tracks That Go Nowhere'. Released in 2002 the sounds are from the days before computer and laptop programmes, the sounds are from analogue synthesisers and sequencers. A sound which I prefer. Most of the tracks on side one are short and sound (sometimes) like a Whitehouse soundcheck from 1983 a couple of exceptions are 'Sanctions' and 'Everflowing Charges Of Nitro' which have a more Soviet France feel, drone, soundscape feeling. The stand alone track on side two is 'Razorback Override' with its scrambled messages from space through a broken FAX machine vibe building to a throbbing pulse, metronomic gristle with loose live wires. 'Shooting Stars' sounds like it is recorded in sensurround and 'Racket' is another drone piece constructed with low frequency rumble. It's a great cassette. 

I do remember asking is it Project or Proiect Hat? It was supposed to be Project but the person who printed the sleeves mis-read the name so they / he stuck with Proiect. I really enjoyed rediscovering this tape ... 

From The Archives #4 Modelbau

 Whilst waiting for the restart of MuhMur Radio broadcasting and building playlists I have taken the time to sort out some old boxes of tapes and CDs and re-arrange some of the records and listen to some releases I have not heard in years ... 

Ten, twelve or so years ago the 3" CDR was the zeitgeist with labels such as SoundHoles, Sheepscar Light Industrial and Small Doses leading the way. I always wanted Dieter Müh to be released on 3" CDR and was grateful when SoundHoles proposed a release on that format back in 2015. "Live At Gängeviertel" is part of their 'Sound Holes Live Editions' series. But, even more extreme than a 3" CDR was the CDR Business Card. The card contains somewhere between 5 and 7 minutes. A fetishtic item. One of my favourite Modelbau releases is the 2015 business card 'Keynotes'. Released on Record Store Day. 28 November 2015 in The Netherlands. 

From Frans de Waard's "X" book on the history of Modelbau : "I'm probably the last person who picked up on the notion that besides 'Record Store Day' and 'Cassette Store Day', there was something called 'CDR Store Day'. As an early adopter of CDRs (I started Bake Records in 1999 while working for Staalplaat), I thought I'd better not miss the opportunity. I think you had to sign up to participate 'officially', but I never did and made a small number of copies of a business card CDR that was only available on the 28th of November 2015". 'Keynotes was limited to 17 copies only. 

'Keynotes is six minutes and seven seconds long, it begins very (a)tonally. A single pitch before the voices start to enter the head (through the ears ... of course). Inuit chanting, Mongol-Tuvan throat singing, Yodelling, Moroccan singing and the Bulgarian women's choir all sonically blend into a hypnotic state fading to thirty seconds of insects riding across the tundra. Beautiful. I have no idea how I have come to own this masterpiece, this piece of audio-art, I was nowhere near The Netherlands on the 28th of November 2015 (and I have papers to prove it). I'm glad I have it though ... 

"X" can be got by contacting Frans via : https://fransdewaard.com

From The Archives #3 Francisco Meirino

 

Whilst waiting for the restart of MuhMur Radio broadcasting and building playlists I have taken the time to sort out some old boxes of tapes and CDs and re-arrange some of the records and listen to some releases I have not heard in years ... 

One of the boxes of tapes is of tapes released in boxes (if that makes any sense?). I have a couple of tape releases from the label Research Laboratories that came in little black boxes. Leif Elggren's 'Only Criminals In Crowns Find Sanctuary' and Francisco Meirino's 'Something Always Remains'. Both releases are from 2021. The Meirino release also comes with an A5 booklet of Francisco's collage art, postcard, sticker and badge. An impressive release.

'Something Always Remains' begins with the sound of the zither played percussively alongside a build of radio static and found percussion. Throughout the piece there is always the radio, creating space. The use of roaches and or other insects and running water turns the piece mesmeric, fixated and waiting for the next sound. A return to the zither, single string, acoustic and treated with delays. The toll of the bell. After the event something always remains either physical or in memory.

'There Is Nothing For Us Here' is a search for life. Not necessarily post-apocalyptic but very much in the here and now. A desolate sound of unconnected electricity, radio silence and a bed of insects, at times this sound out nurses the wound. The 15 minute piece ends in a drone,  harmonious harmonium drone and a cacophony of bicycle bells and worn cowbells. Beautiful. Both pieces have been 're-edited' and paper on the latest Francisco Meirino album "A Perpetual Host" on the American Misanthropic Agenda label. https://www.misanthropicagenda.com. After playing this tape I dug out the only Francisco Meirino 7" I have, 'Visible/Invisible' and the sound is very similar.

Francisco can be found at ... http://www.franciscomeirino.com. And if you are in Lausanne pop in to the Librarie Humus ... you might bump in to him there. 

From The Archives #2 Dave Phillips

 

Whilst waiting for the restart of MuhMur Radio broadcasting and building playlists I have taken the time to sort out some old boxes of tapes and CDs and re-arrange some of the records and listen to some releases I have not heard in years ... 

"Burn", a C20 cassette by Dave Phillips was released in 2014 on Aaltra Records. It comes packaged inside a black plastic bag (which over the past ten years has slowly lost its glue) with a booklet on the five levels of mobility by Swiss author Benedikt Loderer and a badge. Two ten minute pieces over two sides. 'Exorcise Your Demons' is a series of erratic (car) crash and burn electronics over a variety of vocals, some orgasmic, some playful and frantic. Choirs of heavenly angels make an attempt but are hidden by the duck calls and squeezed balloons. I don't know why but the word 'Hörspiele' came to mind whilst listening to this piece ... very loud. 'Walk Out' is partially built around field recordings made in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in 2006. Totally different in sound and construct to side A. Dogs bark, bells toll and voices lost in limbo float around an acoustic piano accompaniment. 

"Burn" is in memoriam of Zbigniew Karkowski. I am uncertain as to whether Aaltra Records are still active. I know I've said it before ... but I will say it again. Dave Phillips live is one of the most life affirming and sonically challenging experiences I have had. 

From The Archives #1 Shiver.

 

Whilst waiting for the restart of MuhMur Radio broadcasting and building playlists I have taken the time to sort out some old boxes of tapes and CDs and re-arrange some of the records and listen to some releases I have not heard in years ... 

Shiver is the solo project of Genova based sound artist Mauro Sciaccaluga. Mauro also operates the label Diazepam on which 'They Will Feed Us" was released. A C30 cassette in two parts running over side A and side B. "They Will Feed On Us" was the second release on Diazepam in 2011. The cassette is packaged in a hessian pouch with two inserts and two bones, my guess is chicken and/or turkey. 

Part one begins in a lo-fi manner with Dillowayesque looping, voice and speed manipulation. Stop. Start. Varispeed which slowly builds in to a wall of noise. Dense and powerful, power electronics in command. A sudden drop in power leaves with the sound of ritual / tribal percussion. Cymbals, bells hit and scraped. 

Part two begins on the ground level. Ground level lo-fi. Rising from the floorboards, the slow rumblings of bass and six-string guitar building to a canter, an easy 'groove' to travel with. Again, as with Part One, the sound builds to a wall of noise including manipulated undecipherable masked vocals and like Part One the sound drops, this time to scraped (violin) strings. It's a great sonic effect and leaves the listener in an isolated space. The floorboard frequency returns with a bass drone surrounded by escaped electricity which accelerates in to a separate wall of noise. 

"They Will Feed On Us" is a great tape, released in 2011 and a follow up to the Shiver CDR "Born To Lose". I do have the 2013 Shiver cassette "Shiver" but have yet to come across the box that one is in ... I look forward to (re)discovering it. I was uncertain to whether Mauro and Shiver were still active / releasing but a search on the internet I discovered there is a 2023 cassette on the Italian label Angst called "The Unquiet Grave". There's also a Regosphere & Shiver split tape on Diazepam I'll have to hunt down. Mauro is contactable via : http://shivernoise.blogspot.com or http://dzpm.blogspot.com. 

MuhMur Radio will be returning to the airwaves sometime in March 2024. 

MuhMur Radio Update ..

 

Still no date for the first MuhMur Radio broadcast of 2024. The studio move is going well, so hopefully programmes will return to air by the end of February.

Thanks for you patience ... 

Steve.