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elcome to the Digital Meltd0wn Music Blog. The aim of this blog is to introduce the readers to music that is out of print, commercially unavailable, released under a creative commons license, or with approval by the featured artist. The majority of the music posted here would be considered underground. Don't let that fool you into thinking that the music featured here might be any less enjoyable than that of the mainstream artists you hear on the radio, as this couldn't be further from the truth. Please keep in mind that the majority of the artists that appear on this blog, along with their respective record labels, are not wealthy and need your support. If you enjoy the material that you find here, please support the artists/labels by purchasing their material afterwards. If you are an artist/label that would prefer to have your material removed from this blog, simply leave me a comment, and I would be more than happy to promptly remove the offending post. In addition to running this blog, I also work on a few other projects during my spare time. You can find links to those, as well as a few other important links associated with Digital Meltd0wn in the menu bar above.

Monday, August 02, 2010

XXX Rated

This sucka is triple X rated.
& mostly 78rpms.
Well, really three entries under the letter X & two are from 1978, when punk rock was one year old (according to some...although punk mentality has been around in musick for much longer). So dust of your Doc Marten's & your pogo sticks, kiddies. (Yeah I'm kinda giddy, only two more letters in this alphabet soup.)


X-Ray Spex - Live at CBGBs March 17, 1978 bootleg cassette


Poly Styrene & X-Ray Spex were something of an anomaly, a female fronted band of the original British ‘77 punk movement with no real antecedent & no real parallel. Their sound, style & energy were strictly their own. They were always one of a kind. They never took themselves too seriously, yet had enough ability & unique attributes to make their own way. They were the epitome of the punk movement...start playing live shows after just one practice, release a few singles, one album, & have a personal point of view.

In March of 1978, X-Ray Spex played a short residency at CBGB's. This recording came from their March 17th show. Judging by musick levels & audience noise, this was probably recorded through the soundboard. 12 songs, 2 encores & pretty good sound for what it is.

“It’s 1978, & the crowd at CBGB’s are belligerent, maybe expecting Malcolm McLaren’s media demon juggernaut The Sex Pistols to fire off a trade mark drunken set. Poly’s on stage in a leather apron. She’s got her hair curled in 1950s schoolgirl ringlets, a couple of dominoes pinned to her lapel & a golliwog doll hanging round her neck. Into the chaos, over the puking & fighting she yells out, “Some people think little girls should be seen & not heard, but I think…” & there’s a pause, the crowd pull in closer & Poly yells again, “Oh Bondage, Up yours! One, two three, four". The Spex break into their furious sax driven hit. The place goes wild. For a moment it seems the kids are listening. It seems like somewhere in the nihilism & self destruction of late 70’s punk, there’s room for a young girl from Brixton with something important to say. Poly flaps her arms and bounces around the stage, hot & hip despite herself, leans into the mic, “Chain-store chain-smoke / I consume you all / Chain-gang chain-mail / I don’t think at all” . Stop, freeze frame. Hold her steady now. There she is on the right, mid-verse, iconic in black and white, twenty one forever.”

Year Recorded: 1978
Label: bootleg
Genre: Punk

Set List:
Artificial
I'm obsessed with you
Let's submerge
Identity
Plastic bag
I live off you
Germ free adolescents
I'm a poser
Genetic engineering
I'm a cliche
The day the world turned dayglo
Oh bondage up yours!
Artificial (encore version)
Identity (encore version)

Download: X-Ray Spex - Live at CBGB’s 17 March 1978 bootleg
Download Size: 107MB (ripped from audio cassette at 320Kbps)



X - Adult Books b/w We're Desperate 7" 45


Not much needs to be said here. The first single released by Los Angeles band X. Exene Cervenka on vocals, Billy Zoom on guitar, John Doe on bass & vocals, D.J. Bonebrake on drums. Essential.

Year of Release: 1978
Label: Dangerhouse D88
Genre: Punk, Indie Rock

Tracklist:
Side X -
Adult Books
Side Z -
We´re Desperate

Download: X - Adult Books b/w We’re Desperate 7“ 45
Download Size: 12.1MB (ripped from vinyl at 320Kbps)



Xmal Deutschland - Tocsin
Xmal Deutschland - Tocsin

Xmal Deutschland formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1980, originally an all-female band.Founding members included: Anja Huwe - vocals; Manuela Rickers - guitar; Fiona Sangster - keyboards; Rita Simon - bass; & Caro May - drums. Their first single, "Großstadtindianer" was released in 1981 on the ZickZack label. About this same time, Rita Simon was replaced by Wolfgang Ellerbrock. In 1982, a U.K. tour opening for the Cocteau Twins resulted in a label deal with independent label 4AD Records.

Xmal are masters of eerie, gothick musick sung in their native German, with beautiful bass driven melodies & searing, though icy, guitar lines.

Tocsin, Xmal Deutschland's second full-length album is arguably the bands creative high point. It is undoubtedly less bleak than their first record, but by no means saccharine. These songs are somewhere in the middle ground between the neo-psychedelic 4AD tradition & the more aggressive sound of Xmal’s earlier offerings. The tension created by the disparate styles serves the band well. This is some tasty blend.

The line-up here is as listed above with the exception of: Peter Bellendir - drums.

Year of Release: 1984
Label: 4AD CAD 407
Genre: Goth Rock, Synth-pop, Minimal

Tracklist:
Side 1 -
Mondlicht
Eiland
Reigen
Tag fur Tag
Side 2 -
Augen·blick
Begrab Mein Herz
Nachtschatten
Xmass In Australia
Derwisch

Download: Xmal Deutschland - Tocsin
Download Size: 85.5MB (ripped from vinyl at 320Kbps)


5 comments:

Zer0_II said...

All of these look great, but I'm really looking forward to the Xmal Deutschland album, which I haven't heard. Thanks for another great post.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for Spex & X!

Unknown said...

That was a great one, used to play that on local new wave disco nights of the alternative kind... THANKS !

Unknown said...

Great album ! Thx !

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this, I parted company with my old 4AD vinyl copy many years ago & really regret it now... great to hear it again.