Recent - September 30, 2002
(Apologies for the long delay in updating this site.)
Die Stadt has recently issued an archival New Blockaders / Organum 7" entitled
"Der Graben" (DS45) and an archival 10" of two rare early cassette tracks
"Terrain/Adrift" (DS47), with "Terrain" being a previously unavailable version of
the Snatch Tapes recording. Also, another Scratch Orchestra piece is now available
on a double CD compilation entitled "Not Necessarily 'English Music'".
In the upcoming months, it looks like Die Stadt will also be releasing a new 10" by
David Jackman entitled 'Flak' (DS53), which they describe as "featur[ing] two
diverse pieces. Side A consists of a harsh multilayered mix of sounds while side B
is a straight field recording." The series of vinyl releases based on gun noises from
the Imperial War Museum London will make it onto CD (with bonus tracks) as
"The Machine Gun Collection" (DS51). Also coming up is a new Organum 10"
('Maus' - DS57) early next year and a CD release of "Vacant Lights".
Older - October 16, 2001
Robot Records has issued the next in its line of CD re-issues of the back Organum
catalog, entitled "Pulp" (RR26). This CD collects a variety of Organum/New Blockaders
collaborations -the initial "Pulp" 7" (AR07) (and three previously unissued versions),
the "Wrack" 12", the "Raze" 7" and another previously unreleased track. Along with
"Salute" (previously re-issued on Robot), this
compiles all of the Organum/TNB pieces.
Older - July 31, 2001
Die Stadt (in cooperation with Robot and Siren Records) has issued the first new
Organum 7" in three years, entitled "Feldzug" (DS33). It is pressed in an edition of 333
on standard black vinyl, large hole, and no picture sleeve (just a thick white cardboard
diecut sleeve). The music is of the high metallic grind / low acoustic drone combination
used in other Organum works, including "Crusade". The Die Stadt CD re-issue of
"Verhalt Dich Ruhig" is also available at this time
Older - April 11, 2001
Robot and Siren Records have co-re-issued
Organum's "Ikon" on a
CD-EP. According to
the press release, this version is remastered and
includes an alternate mix of the title track.
Departing slightly from their
previous minimalist sleeves, this CD-EP seems to include a grey
on black
picture of Mr. Jackman (looks to be from about the same period as the passport
photo
in the "Elephant Table" compilation (and about as clear)).
Older - February 21, 2001
Die Stadt has released another of David
Jackman's 10"ers - "Eisen". Still
staying in the style
of his previous releases (using multiply looped found
sounds), this slightly less minimal release
mines a Germanic vein - both in
sound sourcing and typography. Perhaps suited for a La Monte
Young inspired
Black Mass, or as a way of tweaking fans of neo-death-folk power electronics.
We've been promised only one pressing on this - 500 on black vinyl. Die
Stadt has also indicated
that the CD re-issue of "Verhalt Dich
Ruhig" will be out in time for their next catalog, early in
March.
Older - December 19, 2000
Die Stadt has finally released "Machine Gun
Fighting", the third of David Jackman's Imperial
War Museum sound source
releases. The final delay was caused by a lack of proper polyvinyl
sleeves.
You should be seeing this picture 10" showing up in mail order houses pretty
soon.
(Still no release information for the "Verhalt Dich Ruhig" CD,
though.)
Complacency has repressed the "Submission" CD, so that should be
available again.
There has also been a re-issue on Cortical of the original
Scratch Orchestra LP (the earliest
Jackman-related material, as he was an
active member of the S.O. at the time the piece was
recorded). " The Great
Learning", originally available only in the DG Avant-garde Vol. 4 box set,
the CD re-issue includes a bonus track originally released on the Cornelius
Cardew Memorial
Concert double LP
Older - July 12, 2000
The latest Organum archival release is out on
Robot Records, a CD re-issuing of the cassette
collaberation with The New
Blockaders (and one of the oldest Organum pieces to see the
digital light of
day - 1984!), "Salute" (RR25).
Here's the spiel from the label press release:
"Early collaborative
material from 1984. Originally only available as a cassette (released
initially by the UK's Frux label, then later on David Jackman's Aeroplane
label) in very small
editions. Salute is comprised of 8 parts and can be
viewed as the first full-length collaboration
between Organum and The New
Blockaders following the release of the legendary 'Pulp' 7" in 1983.
These
pivotal sessions, as the title suggests, were landmark recordings. The result
was in essence
an appreciative 'salute' amongst the collaborators with
respect to their individual as well as
collective work. This remastered
edition is a massive improvement in sound over the rare cassette
versions.
Not only do the intense tonal textures finally blaze through in their truly
maximum form,
but the CD edition also allows for an uninterrupted running
program. Each disc is minimally
packaged in a clear jewel box."
The
paired 7"s (from Die Stadt and Robot) based on gun sounds from the Imperial War
Museum in
London are out and selling fast. The Robot picture 7" is in an
announced edition of 400, and
the Die Stadt 7" has been released in two
pressings (of 400 & 200) so far. Still waiting on
the picture 10"
("Machine Gun Fighting") and the "Verhalt Dich Ruhig" CD re-issue, both from
Die Stadt.
Older - February 29, 2000
The black vinyl versions of the archival
Scratch Orchestra 10" - London, 1969
are now available from the usual
suspects. The clear vinyl pressing (of 100)
are also available. There has
even been a third varient pressing mentioned -
with a b/w cover (edition of
300)
Die Stadt is still planning a limited vinyl 7" from David Jackman
called
"Machine Gun" and a picture 10" titled "Machine Gun Fighting"
A new picture 7" from David Jackman should be coming out soon on Robot
Records,
entitled "Gun, Machine, Vickers, .303-inch, MK1"..... I think I see
a theme
developing here.......
Robot Records has also recently
re-issued the Andrew Chalk cassette 'Crescent'
on CD in both regular (430
copies) and deluxe (70 copies) editions. There
is also some of the material
from 'Harvest' (based on the Kanal 7" done
with Organum) in the form of a
collaberation track with Jackman.
Older - February 9, 2000
Robot Records has released the next in their
series of Organum CDs - "Volume Two",
which along with the New Blockaders
collaberation from "In Extremis", features a new
version of "Horii" and a
previously unreleased track in the LAYLAH style.
Siren Records of Japan
has re-issued the Mixed Band Philanthropist LP - "The
Impossible Humane" on
CD, in an edition of 500. Buried somewhere in the mix
is a source tape
supplied by David Jackman.
Anomalous Records has come across a few
new-old-stock copies of Organum's -
"Kammer" - hurry over their website and
order up one before they all
evaporate.
The CD re-issue of the
limited cassette "Verhalte Dich Ruhig" is still in
the works from Die Stadt,
with no fixed release date known at this point.
In (slightly) related
news, the Gnome CDR label in Britain has shut down.
The catalogue of
material is now out of print, with no plans for re-release.
These items
were:
- GNOME : Ora / Lol Coxhill - "Live" (ed of 50)
- GNOME 001: Ora - "The Toper" (#ed of 50, 25 w/orange cover, 25 blue)
- GNOME 002: Ora - "Distances" (4 editions of 50 each)
- GNOME 003: Ora - "New Movement in G" (1st ed of 50? w/lichen cover, 2nd of
50 w/blue forest cover, 3rd of 50 w/red cover)
- GNOME 004: Michael Northam - "Fibers" (unreleased)
- GNOME 005: Ora - "Radio Daze" (1st #ed of 100? w/handmade cover, 2nd of 50
w/printed covers)