Melancholy - goes "Tra La La" Cadence - goes "Blip Beep Blip and a little tra la la" Crimson - goes "Twing Twang Twing and a little tra la la" Raconteur - goes "a-b-c-d-e-f-g and a little twing twan twing" Porcelain - will always be a Toy
We couldn't quite explain who we were... but thanks to one of our fans, now we can: “A Rag Doll, a Tin Soldier, a Marionette, and a Shadow Puppet make up this independent band, appropriately named The Antique Toys. Armed with creative lyrics, a powerful vocalist, an electronic sound, live instruments, and a certain, anonymity, The Antique Toys is blending familiar sounds from bands of the late 80s and early 90s with a digital twist. Drawing from a healthy mix of eclectic music, the Toys have been influenced by a long list of bands such as OMD, Depeche Mode, the Cure, David Bowie, Shiny Toy Guns, Postal Service and Radiohead. From this collection to draw from, The Toys have developed a variety of sounds, but every one of their songs carry an emotion that is clear to many of their fans. They tell real stories from their past, and from their hearts. Their music has been inspiring to many, which as Toys, should be the case. We all had favorite toys growing up, and still have some now. The feeling of joy and hope they bring to us is what The Antique Toys brings to people in their music..." Thanks pg.
ROBO comment - "Fantastic, brave, original electronic experimentation. A hugely rewarding experience. Just take the time to explore the electronic world of ROY G AND INNER LIGHT".
Our electronic music is in the astral psychotronic style inspired by the Universal One as we continue on our path of illumination. Music is universal vibrations both physical and non-physical and we hope our music brings some peace, joy, and unity to the world.
Music is universal vibrations both physical & non-physical", (Roy G., 2007) The illuminating sounds of Roy G and Inner Light, categorized as astral psychotronic music, has embraced the ears of music lovers from all music genres since 2007. The group's unique style of music has transcended to music lovers of all ages and cultural backgrounds from Dallas, Texas based recording artist Roy G and Inner Light. The foundation of this universal sound derived from the group's genuine passion for music and even stronger passion to expand a legacy of music unifying people all over the world. Artistic influences include legendary greats Louis Armstrong, Frank Zappa, Marvin Gaye, The Beatles, George Clinton, and Pink Floyd. Having a strong Internet presence via Myspace.com and the Roy G and Inner Light website http://www.fourpyramids.com, has allowed the expansion of this music genre to appeal to listeners nationally and internationally. Selections from the latest CD release titled Telepathy have been featured on internet radio shows by Robo Cast NetRadio and Brumcast!! The Sound of the UK Midlands with others to follow. Released in April 2008, the group's latest CD titled Telepathy continues to travel creative heights with such songs as Scroll of Time, Deja Vu, and Vortex. Roy G and Inner Light is now showcased on iTunes, CD Baby and as always... http://www.fourpyramids.com. Currently, Roy G and Inner Light is reaching out to people around the world with plans of a European tour in late 2008 or early 2009. The group is pursuing avenues for its music for all types of media from independent radio shows on the internet to expanding into films.
Roy G and Inner Light are donate 10% from the sales of our latest release, Telepathy, to charity. They are looking at several charities and options now and we'll soon announce the charity that will receive the money. The money will be given at either 6 month intervals or on a yearly basis. They are open to your suggestions so please contact them via the website or MySpace page. Please purchase a CD and know that you are giving something back to the world.
REVIEW OF THE TELEPATHY CD
I was delighted to receive in the post from the U.S.A a new album by a band I first came across on the electronic podcast show put out by Robo Cast Radio and was fascinated with the use of sounds in their material. A very unique sound in which they draw on the influences of the likes of Pink Floyd & The beatles as well as others.
The album concerned is called "Telepathy" and is a myriad of some amazing sound structures quite unlike what I have heard before. They are a somewhat mysterious outfit and list of course Roy G, The Hermit and Deuce as their band members. So without further a do let's pop the CD in the stereo have a listen and see what we make of the album.
The album opens with the title track "Telepathy" which starts with some nice sound effects before an excellent sounding rhythm section kicks in. It is a nice laid back piece with some wonderful synth sounds complementing the drum sections. Track 2 "Mass Subconscious" is a link segment between the opening track & track 3 "U4IA" and is a collection of sounds which sound like they are reversed, it is a short piece and really is just an intro piece of music. The excellent drum sound of "Telepathy" continues with the albums 3rd track "U4IA" which again has some very unique sounds layered on top, already i'm impressed by the use of really unusual sounds on this album. When you listen to this track the link track prior to it makes a little more sense.
Track 4 "Imprint" has an excellent intro of a collage of strange sounds which do work very well. Ryhthm does tend to dominate this track. The track reminded me of the soundtrack to the computer game series "Myst", certainly the tracks so far would have fitted brilliantly with that game, very ethnic sound and haunting. Track 5 "Three Rings Of Light" is again an abstract piece with a driving bass line with the mid section being the best element with its superb synth sounds. The track is over 8 minutes long but has enough variation to keep you interested.
"Scroll Of Time" is up next and again makes excellent use of really unique sounds which has to be applauded. Roy G and Inner Light certainly produce a cacophony of unusual sounds. This track is very abstract and again would sit very nicely as a soundtrack piece of music, whether they have sent there material to the likes of TV stations and film companies I don't know, but if they have n't they should consider doing so.
Track 7 "Vortex" is introduced by the trademark unusual sounds and sound effects and has a small speech sample near the end which is a good idea as it breaks the track up a bit.
"Deja Vu is somewhat different as it is quite upbeat and has a bit of a "Jazz feel" to it and I suppose a hint of Reggae as well.
A vocal sample introduces the albums final track "Delusion" and has an orchestral soundtrack feel to it, totally different from what was heard on the first few tracks. I really liked the orchestral stings on this one. A very good track which had a feel of a horror movie soundtrack feel to it. The album closes with undoubtably it's best track - really excellent.
As mentioned in my review Roy G & Inner Light should definitely make noises in the direction of TV & Movie companies as this material is excellent and suited for that type of thing. It is not a mainstream album full of catchy melodies, it is very abstract, unusual and impossible to place it in any particular category. They have been bold with this album which has to be applauded.
Jon Baz is a songwriter, musician and pop futurist who has been producing and developing his own style of electronic music for a number of years. Not one to carelessly jump on the revival bandwagon he takes influences from synth pop past and present, injecting them with his own tastes in dance music. Over the last 2 years Jon Baz has been performing around the UK including extensive coverage of London..s alternative venues and Synth Pop clubs including Mark Moore..s Electrogogo and Being Boiled. Jon has released his Physical Attraction album and brand new EP titled Fortune Lies. Other material include a single of I Won’t Let You Down. For booking information contact via myspace or at JonBaz@yahoo.co.uk
Various CD's by JON BAZ are available on CDBaby included the Fortune Lies EP and the Physical Attraction album. Just click on the images.
Jon's new E.P titled "Fortune Lies" features 4 fantastic tracks including Fortune Lies which is a very catchy electro track, Breakdown - a bitter hate song, 3 Cars (Gary Numan Cover), and Physical Attraction Remix (by Trademark). The Physical Attraction album brings you 12 of the latest tracks by Jon Baz. Jon Baz is an Electro Pop artist and the CD includes the amazing hits of State of your Arm, Physical Attraction, Dependance, and the famous cover of I Won't Let You Down. With Jon Baz's robotic vocals and sometimes hard and sometimes soft new wave material. Electro is back!
From ROBO CAST 21 – Love Will Tear Us Apart
FINE TIME have been welcome regulars on the shows. Featuring their own fantastic blend of electro industrial output.
"We are no band in the usual sense, we see ourselves more as a project similar to the Swiss band "Yello". Beside live-gigs and events, mainly art-projects and sound recording are the centre of our work."
"We like best to tinker and puzzle on sounds, at which we focus to create special atmospheres. Therefore our affinity to art-projects or animations, which have a quite similar intention as we have: to send the viewer / listener to a different world. Songs like "Conflict" and "Infinity" take the disposed listener away like a great movie experience."
"Fine Time consists of the two chameleonic musicians Tom Time (Drums, Percussions, Synths, Sequencing a.o.) and Phil Fine (Guitar, Bass, Samplez, Synths and Vocs). From time to time some guest-musicians like the gifted young songstress Charlène and "Mister Bubbleizer" TooFaze from the band Last Equinox joining the band. To pigeonhole this band is an almost impossible mission. Their repertoire stretches across New Wave/Age, Electronic-Body-Music, Ambient Sounds to the point of Reggae-rhythms. A sound that has not been heard since the 80's. They mix modern sequencer-sounds with samples and conventional instruments like drums/percussions, guitar or bass-guitar. The musical results of this fusion are absolutly unique. The whole thing is rounded out by ambitious, political and sociocritical lyrics, which seemed to be extinct since the 70's. An innovative project, which clarifies the change of the music-biz."
The debut-album BIOSfear is now available to CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE.
You can also get the album from MP3.DE
and KAZZONG
From the band - "At this point we'd like to give sincere thanks to Mr. Thomas Polejowski from Tronicarts... great job my dear fellow... and to the guys from Sushiko-Music for their patience and the fantastic mastering work". The playlist : 1. Fine Time - 2. FuTourist - 3. Aquablub - 4. Conflict - 5. Homo Sapiens 2.0 - 6. Who changed the world? - 7. Guardian Flower - 8. Mothership passes by - 9. Don't go (Yazoo Cover) - 10. Deepest Hate - 11. Prophets - 12. Indian Muslim (Very Extended Version).
!!! OUT NOW: !!!
erhältlich als Promo-CD für Veranstalter und Radios ab mitte April 2008
Emerging from rich, melodic waves of synth washes & echo laden vocals the Colour of Time's signature sound is a cerebral, mood driven mixture of styles. The audible influence of Tangerine Dream, Cabaret Voltaire & early Ultravox blurs into shadowy reminiscence of Dead Can Dance defining a sound which falls somewhere between the early output of labels such as 4AD, ON-U Sound and Waxtrax. Between 1998 & 2006 Jamie O'Callaghan has embarked on a musical voyage embracing a legacy of electronic & classical influences ranging from Debussy to Kraftwerk. With a strong musical background rooted firmly in classical origins his first solo work came from a symphonic / progressive rock angle receiving accalim in the pages of dutch prog-rock magazine IO. Inspired to continue along similar lines Jamie enlisted the help of Hans Schepens and around 2001 The Colour of Time was formed in Eindhoven. An intitial 'Queen's Day' live performance was followed by their first recorded album 'Jazz, but not as we know it'. COT's next studio outing, 'Let the machine talk' maintained a progressive edge with a nod to the cold, mechanical rhythms of John Foxx. Evidence of another strong influence on COT's music is present here. Another native live appearance at the Muzenval Theatre in Eersel was followed by the third album 'Amber Skies'. Emerging idealogical differences between Hans Schepens & Jamie O'Callaghan lead to a split in 2003 leaving Jamie to pursue COT as a solo project. 2004 brought the recording of 'Neon', a collection of sparse instrumental offerings edging toward the dancefloor. After returning from a solo tour of the Czech Republic COT performed electronic renditions of Debussy & Satie pieces at a charity event organised for victims of the atrocities of Beslan. Encore performances of Ultravox classics Hiroshima Mon Amour & Just For a Moment were well recieved by all in attendance. After the loss of a friend to cancer in early 2005 COT ceased production until Jamie re-established contact with an old colleague in the UK, John Curry. They collaborated to record 'Long Ago' produced in the Netherlands & the UK. Maintaining the characterisitic COT sound Long Ago has a broader oulook offering upbeat energy & thoughful moments. It also marks a return to vocal territory with compliments of sitar, violin & lusher production all round. John Curry has since remained part of the COT Line up. 2006 has seen a fresh line up for COT and 2 new recordings. Neon Winds, recorded in February, is an ep awash with ambient panoramas of vintage synth & hypnotic, female vocal drones. A substantial taste of the mellower moments glimpsed in previous releases. Memories of Water, completed in August is the newest collection of compositions and alongside Neon Winds possibly COT's strongest to date. Jamie O'Callaghan has recently composed 'theremin concertos with Orchestra' for the Theremin soloist Lady Sayoko of Japan. He is also recording new material for another musical project A Better Blue. The Colour of Time are: Jamie O’Callaghan: Voice, Theremin, electric violin/viola, electronics Sitar Linda Swinkel: Voice Melanie Nijs: electronics, vocoder John Curry: Guitar, electronics (Collaborated from A Better Blue) Tjitse Letterie: Violins
Shawn Wynne, Aural Dynamics
Also check out our new dark ambient album!
It's a collaboration between The Colour of Time and LizaDee.
Club Robot Wednesday 23rd April 2008 Westbourne Studios, 242 Acklam Road, London W10 5JJ 22.00 pm Cost: £5 with flyer/ £6 on door Westbourne Studios
Synthetik – (Album) CD - CDSTUMM228 - Released 25th June 2007 Track Listing - 1. International Space Station 2. Headphones and Ringtones 3. Breathing 4. Like a Bird 5. Synthetik 6. Blackie 7. Rain 8. Gloopy 9. Tokyo (we want to go to) 10. Satin traffic 11. Liquid Gold 12. What We Do
ABOUT KOMPUTER - Komputer is the project of two London-based synth-meisters: Simon Leonard and David Baker. The band have been writing, mixing and producing for 11 years now, and show no signs of slowing down, as the release of their new album "Synthetik" attests. Their sound is rigorously electronic and their tracks deal with such diverse subjects as: Russian cosmonauts, rubbish compactors and mobile phone ringtones. Musical antecedents and influences include Kraftwerk, Georgio Moroder, Syd Barrett and Brian Eno. Komputer has played and continues to play live gigs at festivals and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Europe; most recently in Turkey and Sweden. All the band's releases have been on Mute records, and it is their pleasure to have such excellent stable-mates as the likes of Motor, Depeche Mode, Laibach, Nitzer Ebb and Wire.
Komputer's debut album, “The World of Tomorrow" came out in 1998 and was a glorious assemblage of top-notch electro songs, conceptually a reaction against Oasis’ glorification of The Beatles, with Kraftwerk as heroes. Due to the band’s strict quality control, a further 2 albums worth of material never saw the light of day. Eventually their second album, "Market Led" was released in 2002. It was a glitchy, crazy slice of mittel-european electronica and owed its depths to the likes of Murcof and Pole.
"Synthetik", the third album, gradually evolved over a long period of time, the tracks being tried out in live sets then discarded or reworked in the studio. It finally matured into a return to the more traditional Electro sound of the first album, with the incorporation of a more experimental and contemporary electronica approach throwing the genre a few curves along the way. Enjoy.
Synthetik (2007) 'electronica at its most optimistic' > Market Led (2002) 'the year's most brilliantly scintillant and earnestly playful electronic album', 'sounds like the kind of music Robby The Robot from 'Forbidden Planet' would make' > The World Of Tomorrow (1998) 'kraftwerk's illegitimate offspring', 'endless doppelgangin' pleasure'
CONTACT FOR GIGS AND PRESS:- komp@blueyonder.co.uk
Nash the Slash has been creating his unique concept of sound and vision for over twenty years. His first live presentation of music to film was a performance to the surreal silent film Un Chien Andalou at the Roxy Theatre in Toronto.
Nash the Slash was born of silent film. The name comes from a killer butler encountered by Laurel and Hardy in their first film, Do Detectives Think (1927). Nash the musician has gone on to create the music scores for such recent cult films as Roadkill and Highway 61, both directed by Bruce McDonald.
Between experiments with film and music, Nash the Slash became a familiar name to music fans through his association with the pop electronic group FM. Having co-written the hit songs Phasors on Stun and Just Like You, Nash established his credibility as a versatile artist. His talents have been recognized with a U-KNOW (later called CASBY) award for best instrumental artist as well as a Juno nomination for best new male vocalist. Nash's profile was raised on the international stage when he toured the world with the likes of Gary Numan and Iggy Pop. Other high-profile shows include opening for The Who at C.N.E. Stadium in Toronto to a crowd of 70,000 people and opening for The Tubes at a sold-out Maple Leaf Gardens.
Nash has recently recorded new music for the silent film classics The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919), The Lost World (1925), and most recently his highly successful soundtrack to Nosferatu (1922), which he performed at the SKIF Music Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia. Nash continues to do unique film scores for other silent film classics, such as the original Phantom of the Opera.
Nash has released numerous solo albums, the best known being Children of the Night with the hit single Dead Man's Curve. Other albums include Decomposing, the first record playable at any speed (reviewed in Playboy Magazine, 1982); and American Bandages, a collection of all-American classics such as We're an American Band, Who Do You Love, and Psychotic Reaction.
You can find a detailed biography (1975 - 1979 / 1980 - 1989 / 1990 – 1999 / 2000 - ????) on the website http://www.nashtheslash.com/news/
New CD was released in March 2008!
IN-A-GADDA-DA-NASH
A collection of old cover songs for a new generation! Nash won't say why he did these songs, and few people can name the original artists. Suffice to say, the songs all have that 'Nash Touch' that brings out the raw essence of each track.
Coming Soon - Re-mastered ‘Blind Windows’. Nash's first recordings (1978-79) pumped to the max!
Nash Is Hot For Cold Blood!
Nash is currently composing the music soundtrack for a new crime re-enactment TV show called Cold Blood'. There will be 10 one-hour episodes and this project will take at least six months to complete. The show premieres in Canada on Global and in the UK on Channel 5 in September 2008.
In October 2005 Michel started composing and producing his own music. In 2006 he started working on his first CD Aero Dynamics. It was just released by Groove Unlimited (http://www.groove.nl/cd/g/gr-146.html) on the 13th of October 2007.
ROBO CAST we luck enough to receive a copy of the CD and we can highly recommend it. Check it out and get your own copy!!
REVIEW - This release from 2007 offers 68 minutes of fleet electronic music. Synth.nl is Michael van Osenbruggen. Energetic electronics flourish here, creating engaging tunes peppered with sliding punctuations and chugging rhythms. A versatility is present in the electronics. Airy textures roil at the edges, evoking the impression that each song is zooming along. Crystalline chords swirl with jubilant resolve, generating a mood of amiable comfort. Sharper riffs are triggered by nimble-fingered keyboards, establishing an invigorating effervescence. Deeper tones are utilized to provide a grounding element for the rest of the sounds, enhancing the overall sense of determined movement. The snappy percussion helps to maintain the melodies constant motion, allowing no pause in the breathless flow. The rhythms are tastefully integrated into the mix in a manner that renders the beats into a contributory role rather than a driving force. This generation of this music was inspired by van Osenbruggen’s interest in racing cars and swift aircraft. A sense of velocity is dominant in the compositions. Bouncy melodies are established and then seasoned with sprightly embellishments that expertly communicate an aerodynamic quality to the listener. While speed plays a factor, the music is not hyperactive, transmitting rapidity through emotional impact instead of a frantic pace. Matt Howarth / Sonic Curiosity
Extract from SYNTH.NL website - I really love producing my own music as it takes me to another world every time. And the great thing is I can create this world myself and dream about it. I try not to immitate anyone and produce my own style, but I'm surely influenced by the 80's synthesizer music that I listened to so much. I just hope to sound a bit more moderner. Artists I really like and that have influenced me for sure are: Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Kitaro, Art of Noise, Kraftwerk, Jan Hammer, Hanz Zimmer, Alan Parson Project, Orbital, Depeche Mode, Eurythmics
My alltime big hero is Jean-Michel Jarre. I visited two concerts and the best one was the Aero concert in Denmark. I was really amazed by that. One of my wishes is to meet him one day and I would be really honored if he would listen to my CD even just once.
So what about the future? I hope to produce many more albums and improve myself in my music. I would also like to do work in surround so maybe a DVD with some visuals in the future. I would also love to do music for documentaries or movies. That would be my ultimate goal.
So do I have more fascinations? Yes a lot :) You will learn about my other fascinations through my future albums so keep track of them :)
KINETIK were formed in 1994, evolving from the remains of Elektro-Kinetik, a band who had made a name for themselves through some well received sets at the Blackpool Kraftwerk Conventions in 1993 and 1994 where they played a selection of the Dusseldorfer's best loved tracks and attracted much praise from the attendees and electronic music press.
Colin Jordan was born in London but moved to Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1984 to escape the big city bustle. Electronic Music had already made a big impression on him via the discovery of J.M. Jarre's 'Oxygene' in 1977 and soon discovered other influential artistes such T. Dream and Klaus Schulze. After purchasing a Korg MS10 synthesizer in 1980, Colin quickly built up an arsenal of (mainly analogue) gear and formed his first band 'Axxent Opaque' in the early 1980's.
In 1985 Colin met up with Shirleyann Davies, a Pembrokeshire based woodwind teacher at a local music club in Tenby, West Wales. Shirleyann at the time was a successful woodwind soloist often playing on both radio and Welsh T.V. The two surprisingly found they shared an admiration for Kraftwerk and electronic music (Shirleyann had also purchased a Korg MS10 in the early 80's !). Spurred on by this, the pair began to collaborate on their own brand of music which eventually led through Paul Wilkinson, a mutual friend to an invitation to perform a set of Kraftwerk material at the conventions in Blackpool.
Elektro-Kinetik was thus formed and was joined initially by David England (a much acclaimed artist who still contributes to Kinetik's CD artwork and computer graphics) as a guest on electronic percussion for the 1993 convention.
In 1994, Simon Darvell, a music technology student stepped into David's shoes playing percussion and electric guitar ( ! ) for the following year's convention which pioneered the band's technique of synchronising computer generated images to their live music.
After the conventions, the decision was then taken to move the band in a new direction, dropping the Kraftwerk covers and concentrating instead on original material. To emphasise this new course, the 'Elektro' part of the name as dropped and so Kinetik was born.
MAIL ORDER AVAILABLE - Click on the album cover image to access the Kinetik site for full details.
MODEM TIMES - (KCD10)
Kinetik's latest studio album. Based upon the themes of communication and Digital Technology.
1. MODEM TIMES 2:08 2. DIGITAL WORLD 6:11 3. SATELLITES 5:38 4. TUNING IN 0:41 5. MARCONI 5:49 6. TRANZ MISSION 5:13 (AS FEATURED ON ROBO CAST RADIO) 7. DATA PROTECTION 1:33 8. I.S.D.N. 7:02 9. SINE LANGUAGE 5:55 10. MODEM MUSIQUE 5:30 11. OVER & OUT 4:25
Track 8. is a new mixdown of the song I.S.D.N. and is different to the studio version presented on the I.S.D.N. EP.
A bonus CD - MODEM TIMES SUPPLEMENT (KCD11) and bonus DVD - MODEM TIMES VIDEO SUPPLEMENT is included free of charge with the first 50 copies of MODEM TIMES ordered directly from Kinetik.
Each CD costs £12.00 + £1.50 p+p (£2.00 for postage abroad). Cheques / POs / International Money Orders should be made payable to C. Jordan. N.B. We can now also accept cheques made out in your native currency (subject to a banking fee). If you wish to pay by foreign cheque, please add £5 to the total value of your order.
Send all orders to : KINETIK 2 SPRING CRESCENT WIDCOMBE BATH AVON BA2 4HZ UK
THE ROBO spies were lucky enough to catch the Johnny Normal phenomenon recently. An excellent show at The Cross in Moseley as part of the Connect Four night. The set including a couple of impromptu surprises after a little encouragement from the audience (OMD and ADAM ANT covers – Enola Gay and Car Trouble). I think they upset the DJ as JN were about to choose another song when the DJ intervened by moving those wheels of steel!! Shame, another song would have been fantastic. The set showed an air of confidence with strong song writing, quirky lyrics and easy of performance. This was by far the most relaxed and accomplished performance of the night. The JN Vocalist and guitarist/backing vocalist made it look easy which is a sign of a confidence performer. Top notch electronica with a sense of fun and humour. If you get a change to see Johnny Normal live don’t hesitate. Friendly blokes as well. Stop and have a cup of tea.
Johnny Normal creates a musical bag of 'Englishness' that finds its roots in pop, punk and electronic music from the 1980s onwards. Johnny's inspiration is drawn from the life he sees around him, the things people gloss over... everyday stuff like family, fried breakfast, relationships, fear, envelopes and being run over. In recent reviews Johnny has provoked the following ... "this is just fun and snide in a very Lydon-esqe manner" - "This is an ultimate alternative punk sound. This music is raw, new and very intelligent" - "The beat is very groovin'. Very danceable" - "Nice original sound but with an 80's electro feel" - "It makes me want to jump around until I have a heart attack" - "It got me craving tea!" - "English, original and Barking Mad at times". The style of Johnny Normal is very much what electronic 1980 England should have been together with a an oddly modern edge. Grab a bunch of Gary Numan, Human League, The PetShop Boys, The Sex Pistols, OMD, Adam & the Ants and Ian Dury...stick them in a mincer and look what comes out...loverrrly! YOU CAN LISTEN TO JOHNNY NORMAL's ELECTRO RETRO MUSIC AT: http://iacmusic.com/artist.aspx?id=36602
A COUPLE OF REVIEWS FROM THE CUSTARD FACTORY GIG OCTOBER 2007
Johnny Normal gave a wonderfully tongue-in-cheek synthesized performance, accompanied by a really fine guitarist, these guys looked as though they had played together for years, but apparently it was their first gig together.
(5.00 / 5) - Trevor Horn[4th October 2007]
Johnny Normal belted out songs like 'Happy Birthday', 'How You Destroy Me', 'Feel', 'Hate' and afew more originals. Why haven't we seen him before in Birmingham? Pure electronic class on stage. A certain kind of awkwardness that I felt quite charming, and a very cool and original sound. Great stuff!
(5.00 / 5) - steve jones[4th October 2007]
Johnny Normal @ The Eve Club, Piccadilly, London 3rd Nov 2007
This was ANTLIB 2007...the 30th Anniversary celebration of Adam and the Ants. 250-odd goths crammed in to the basement club in London's West End to witness some of the finest indie/electro/post-punk acts available. An eclectic collection of wonderfully exotic acts including Dead Heaven, AntFlavour, The Autons and the enigmatic Johnny Normal entertained the noisy and expectant Ant People at the all day event in between Ant-themed activities, competitions and Ant videos. Johnny Normal stood out as something very different. A two-piece made up of Johnny himself on synths and blippy boxes and also Nigel on guitar. The juxtoposition of these men somehow worked and they looked very cool together. The songs were obviously influenced by the electronic scene in Britain circa 1981, but had a very fresh and biting edge to them, punctuated by some dry wit and humour. A gamble to have an electronic act at an Ant gig? Yes...but it did pay off. The first song 'How You Destroy Me' was a heavy synth dance anthem, which left the audience silenced. The boys must have wondered what they had let themselves in for....But after the second song the crowd were really loving the synthetic set, and made Johnny and Co feel very much at home. A nice touch too...Johnny Normal mingled with the crowd after his show, and gave away (yes, GAVE AWAY) free albums to anyone that wanted them...Over 100 from what I could see. Remarkable! A wonderfully original sound, and some great lyrics, combined with catchy choruses and some good fun all round. Watch out for Johnny Normal...he's going to be big! Venue: The Eve Club, Piccadilly, London Review by: Trevor Horn Artist: Johnny Normal [score 5/5]
Band members are Dryden Hawkins and Zeb Yek. Creating a unique brand of experimental music from the early 80's, but not a lot of people seem to know The Loved One.
THE LOVED ONE have appeared on the show several times in the past and the track 'Paradox Zn' made a welcome appearance on SHOW 14 - ROBOTS IN DISGUISE
'Paradox Zn' is from the 1982 album 'Futher Observations. The re-mastered album is due to re-release in Jun 2008. My first taste of 'The Loved One' came from the 1981 compilation release called 'The Some Bizarre' album. A new version of this album is due out in 2008.
The back catalogue from 'The Loved On' is being re-mastered for a rolling release in 2008.
ADDITIONAL SELECTED INFORMATION
Radio Fantazia No. 3’ by The Loved One is number three in a collection of eight Radio Fantazias of which there are nine! Recorded in 1988 it is taken from the 1994 album ‘The Radio Fantazias’ by The Loved One. All of the Radio Fantazias were composed from one set of shortwave radio passes recorded from 1981 to 1986. The electronic music was composed using the shortwave as a source material. “The Radio Fantazias” by The Loved One is being digitally remastered and should be available on re-release in 2008."
Locate And Cement LP (Metaphon-M1-1985) 1. A Diet Of Nitro-Glycerine 2. Isomorphism IV 3. Phoenix Hairpins 4. Crashless 5. Through The Hollow Reed... 6. ...Down The Pollen Path 7. The New Semaphore 8. Bad Archery 9. F.M.R.L. 10. A Sheet Dances The Tango 11. Something For The Weekend
Gary has recently completed the immence task for recording his own tribute CD to the wonderful Kraftwerk. Robo Cast Radio have lucky enough to hear the album in full and it's fantastic. Due to copyright "potential" problems we do not play any cover versions on the show. In some respects this is a shame as the album is fab.
Below is a quick summary review of the album from Gary Wright of NEON (another Kraftwerk expert).
I was lucky enough to be one of the few to recieve a copy of Gary Hunter's "Music By Design" CD a tribute to Kraftwerk. Being a huge fan of the dusseldorf maestros since 1975 I am always excited to hear other's interpretation of their music, so when I heard Gary was to do a cd I was hoping to get to listen. So now I can get to review it in all it's glory.
In conclusion then. Gary's tribute to Kraftwerk is a fine piece of electronic music done by someone who is clearly a real fan of the Menshe Machines. His love of the original comes through in every one of these tracks and he should be very proud of what he has achieved here, I know I would be if it was me.
10/10 - Well done Gary......(Robo Cast Radio seconds that!!)
