Thursday, November 22, 2007

One Year of The Burning Flame Blog

Today is exactly one year since this blog started on Wordpress. I really enjoyed working on it and hope I managed to deliever some useful info about some lost bands. Here is the line up of the bands that were featured here:

The Associates, Josef K, I Start Counting, Nits, Blue Zoo, D.A.F., Fiat Lux, Fay Ray, Dalis Car, Tik And Tok, Thick Pigeon, Pink Industry, Images In Vogue, Stockholm Monsters, Terry Hall, Fra Lippo Lippi, Ronny, UV POP, Polyrock,
Do Re Mi, Dark Day, Mydolls, Intaferon, Snowy Red, The Beloved, Vitamin Z,
Leisure Process, Alison Statton, Mathematiques Modernes, Foreign Press, Black, Winston Tong, Little Nemo, Max and Malcolm, Seppuku

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Box Of Toys

Box of Toys, a British New Wave group, was formed in 1983, making a notable impact during their brief tenure. Under the Inevitable Records (UK) label, they released the singles "I'm Thinking Of You Now" and "Precious Is The Pearl." The band's lineup comprised Brian Atherton (Keyboards, Vocals), Andy Redhead (Drums), Roy Campbell (Bass), and Phil Martin (Alto and Soprano Saxophones, Oboe, Flute). Despite utilizing synthesizers and a drum machine, Box of Toys stood out from their contemporaries in the New Wave scene due to their unique musical approach.

The band's distinct sound was evident in their use of synthesizers and drum machines, setting them apart from their peers. In 1983, they also recorded a Peel session, but shortly after, the band disbanded. Following the split, the members ventured into different musical projects, with some forming bands such as 3D and The Light.


Sunday, November 18, 2007

Radiohead- In Rainbows Artwork

Few weeks ago 'In Rainbows' was released as a digital download on the internet for which users chose their own price. The cover artwork for the physical release, which is scheduled to be released later this year, has been revealed.


Here are some expressions of the 'In Rainbow' theme and how some people saw it.







More themes here:
http://www.hicksdesign.co.uk/journal/cover-art-for-in-rainbows

Retrovision: Polyrock- Romantic Me

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Seppuku

Seppuku was a Swedish New Wave band which was formed by friends Rasmus, Ronny and Fredric in 1984. The trio started to experiment with music, which was the result of their common interest in spy flicks, electronic music, Asian culture and space-age futurism.

“Under Your Control”/”A New Illusion” was released in 1984 which brought some line up changes and a tour in Swedish metropolises as Varnamo, Norrkoping, Ljungby and Oskarshamn, through Germany and the BeNeLux countries and ends up in Le Havre, France. Back home again, the latter city is sung about in one of the new songs; “Assignment France”, which is part of another successful recording session. The other two tracks on this session are; “Man Utan Moral” and the still unreleased; “Hon Gav Mig Allt”.

After these few releases the band disappeared into the blue. Three of the members are still in the music business while the other two became professional football players. Two of their songs appeared on the compilation Reminiscent which was released in 2004.


Thursday, November 15, 2007

Instant Hit: This Island Earth- Take Me to The Fire

"Take Me To The Fire" was one of the two singles released by the five-piece band This Island Earth during their brief existence in the mid-80s. The single was available in both 7" and 12" formats and featured "Pearl of Love" as its B-side. Released in 1985 by Magnet, the track received regular airplay on WLIR radio during the summer of 1985.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Max and Malcolm

Max and Malcolm is one of the most obscure records I ever found on the internet. It was recorded by two former members of the group Metabolist. They recorded this LP back in 1982 on Dangerous Rhythms. There is not much info available about this record apart that the A side was named Max and the B side was Malcolm's. Both sides featured a great mix of Post punk, minimal synth and avantgarde.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Steve Strange and Visage Mark II

Steve Strange the vocalist of the band Visage has a new Visage. Most people remember him thanks the New Romantic anthem "Fade To Gray". Steve Strange performed this song two years ago with a new line up and now there are romours about a new song "Diary of a Madman". There is a clip for this song on their official website which will hopefully offer more info and content in the future.

The Devastations Yes, U

Following the success of The National, Beggars Banquet has another notable release with the third album from the Australian group Devastations. This album, released worldwide in September (excluding the United States), boasts ten tracks characterized by a minimal downtempo sound. Accompanied by striking cover art, the album showcases the artistic depth and musical prowess of Devastations.



Saturday, November 10, 2007

Little Nemo

Little Nemo was a French music group who released several albums in the late 80’s and early 90’s. There sound was clearly influenced by early 80’s sound of the Cure and Joy Division as well as by the French groups Taxi Girl and Marquis De Sade.

The founding members of the group were Oliver Champeau and Vincent Gallo. They named the group after a comic strip dating back to early 20th century and telling adventures of a little boy during his sleep.
Little Nemo released their first tape as a very confidential edition, while 1987 saw the release of their ten-title tape ‘Past and Future’ which was meant to be conceptual. As the title already says Past and Future confronted, A side telling about passing time, B side looking into the future. They release a mini LP ‘Private Life’ after becoming a trio in 1988. The theme of the passing time is taken again.

‘Sounds In The Attic’ is their third album, released in 1989. It features more diversity and energy as we were used to hear on the previous ones. The opening title, "New Flood" and its devastating bass in the Sisters of Mercy's style is an indication of this change of tone.

After few more albums and style changes the beautiful adventure ends with the bankruptcy of the label Single Ko. Vincent's solo album will not be released and Little Nemo splits after 10 years of existence.

Retrovision: Nits- In the Dutch Mountains

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Instant Hit: Leningrad Sandwich- Deadline

"Deadline" was the second track on Leningrad Sandwich's second album, Heat, released in 1982. While no singles were taken from this album, "Deadline" encapsulates the post-punk beat that characterized the overall sound of the album.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Next Wave: Hotel Motel

Hotel Motel is an interesting trio whose sound is a perfect combination of soulful vocals, nice synth lines and raw guitar riffs. Recently I discovered them on MySpace. Currently they are recording their debut EP which is going to be released soon. Below you can check their first single "Sucker Man."


Monday, November 5, 2007

Winston Tong

Winston Tong is a San Francisco-based performance artist and singer, celebrated both for his solo work and his collaborations with the cult group Tuxedomoon.


In late 1977 Tong met an early incarnation of Tuxedomoon, then comprising Steven Brown, Blaine Reininger and Victoria Lowe, after Lowe invited Tong to perform at a self-organized salon, Chez Dada. Afterwards Tong agreed to perform with the band as and when time allowed, a flexible arrangement which would remain in place until he finally ceased working with the band in 1985. At about the same time Tong met Bruce Geduldig, who would take on responsibility for visuals and staging with both Tong and Tuxedomoon.


Tong's first record appeared in the spring of 1979 and is a Tuxedomoon release in all but name. Featuring TM members Brown, Reininger, Peter Principle and Paul Zahl, "The Stranger" paid homage to the existential classic by Albert Camus, while the flipside "Love/No Hope" offered spiky angst-rock at one with the first two Tuxedomoon EPs, "No Tears" and "Scream With a View".
A second Tong solo release appeared in early 1983 through Les Disques du Crepuscule. In its original form 'Like the Others' was a handsome cassette and book package, featuring several oblique monologues with sympathetic backing by Tuxedomoon. The title track appeared as a single in France, while an expanded CD edition later added an improvised live track, Last Words at the Scaffold, on which Tong is backed by members of Tuxedomoon and Cabaret Voltaire.

At the beginning of 1983, Blaine Reininger quit Tuxedomoon for a solo career, and although he would return in 1987, this setback left the band inactive for much of the next two years, so Tong released another solo album. This next album was produced by Alan Rankine (ex Associates) and Dave Formula (ex Magazine), 'Theoretical China' featured a stellar cast of guest musicians including Jah Wobble, Simon Topping (A Certain Ratio) and Steven Morris (New Order), although despite the exceptional pedigree of the supporting players the track doesn't quite gel as a funk-dance cut. 'Theoretical China' appeared on Crepuscule in November 1984, backed by The Hunger on 12" format, yet the single was credited to Tong alone. For whatever reason, Mono found herself frozen out of the project, and recording of the album continued with Persian born singer Sussan Deyhim on backing vocals and Alan Rankine handling all production, arrangements, instruments and sequencing. It's worth noting that a number of early Tong/Mono songs were dropped for the album, including To You, Incubo, Zimbabwe and Dream Assassins, although the latter did get as far as a formal recording.

The Winston Tong 'pop' album eventually appeared as 'Theoretically Chinese' in October 1985. It's an album of peerless electronic dance pop, the sound expansive and expensive, and a million miles from the angst, night and fog for which Tuxedomoon were renowned. Lush ballad "Reports From the Heart" was the deserved second single, while "Big Brother" and a cover of "Broken English" by Marianne Faithfull proved on the money as sophisticated disco. The album sold well enough in Europe, although Crepuscule must have been galled that there were no live dates in support, and that Tong had already donated his best solo composition, "In A Manner of Speaking", to Tuxedomoon.
Today, Winston lives in San Francisco and is working on new projects. He appeared with Tuxedomoon for their 25th year reunion concerts in the city in March 2005.

http://www.ltmpub.freeserve.co.uk/wtbio.html

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