Aleister, Mercury and Mephisto Walz

Mephisto Walz are/were (?) an interesting US band formed by Barry Galvin, a former Christian Death member, in 1985. We 'll talk extensively on them some other time.
In 2003 they released a single "Nightingale" as a forerunner of their 2004 album "Insidious" on Fossil Dungeon records.
The cd version of this release had printed in the inlay and on the cd itself this symbol.

This very one is a mixture of two well known glyphs in the world of symbolism.
The first is of course the symbol of planet Mercury but also of the element, an ancient symbol for what the alchemists refer to as First Matter. It has been very often been used in goth band imagery. See it here along other planetary glyphs.

The second is the unicursal hexagram, a symbol that represents "a high level of self-confidence and belief that one can achieve the highest of goals and become a divine figure".

It is one of the most used glyphs by Thelema, the spiritual philosophy -now turned official religion- that occult magician and philosopher Aleister Crowley, a very controversial personality indeed, created in the early 20th century...

To complete for today see the inlay spreads of Mephisto Walz's maxi cd and note the wonderful cover...

Stay tuned for more!

The Danse Society logo (part VII)

Danse Society was curiously an underrated act. They started as a Bauhaus influenced band only to display soon an array of great, dreamy sound-scapes that turned into great and haunting songs....
I repeat - they were great, they should have been BIG!
They formed in Barnsley, England around 1980 and through their short spanned early life (as they' ve reformed lately), they bore a strange symbol, that of a crown of thorns.

The crown of thorns was worn by Jesus on his final moments and in christian iconography it is often represented with the three nails of the cross. 
Danse Society used it from 1982 to 1985. The members of the band who reformed around 2010 decided apparently that this symbol represents them so it is again to be seen in their current websites, shows and releases.

Their first release to bear it was the 12" of "Somewhere" in 1983.
It was also the main motif on the cover of their splendid LP "Heaven is Waiting in 1984.

I recently discovered an a christian children's colorbook with this very similar depiction of the crown!





















See how it's used today by the band on their website: http://www.thedansesociety.co.uk/

Gothic Rock forefathers pt.I (Black Sabbath)

I almost completed a new upload on Danse Society's logo...
I was planning to upload it today when suddenly yesterday night as I was with friends at a local band's gig I overheard a discussion of some youngsters who debated over the origin's of our genre...
I won't produce here their sayings and arguments but... come on people get to know where you "come" from...!
Now this blogpage is not about lengthy argumentations. The term gothic in itself exists since the 13th century...
How can one though claim he "knows" gothic rock without acknowledging that they've been some bands and artists especially in the '70s, who "prepared" mostly aesthetically the ground for the original gothic rock era of the '80s.
The almighty Mick Mercer sites some in his books, now it's summer read a little bit... 


One of them was definitely Black Sabbath, whether you like it or not.  
Their imagery had it all. Gothic attire, crosses, black letters, crows, odd black-clad figures, dark moods, isolation, silence, weird landscapes, allusions about sex and death and the lot.
Here are but a few pictorial examples as a token...

1970's self titled LP cover spread

1976's "We sold our soul to R'n'R" comp LP back cover

1973's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" LP back cover

Anyone still believes that the Sisters and the Mission thought of cathedrals as perfect photo shooting scenery?

A remote island for Killing Joke

As known to older fans and mentioned also in the history page of KJ's official website, in 1982, Jaz Coleman under the influence of occultism and especially of the works of Aleister Crowley, got the idea that the Apocalypse was imminent. 
First him (on the day of the 3rd anniversary of Killing Joke's formation) and then other members of Killing Joke travelled to Iceland and remained there for several months.
The following press clippings depict the musical press reaction to this odd event...

Read more on this event by Jaz himself as he describes them in the Holland Park lectures:
http://www.killingjoke.org.uk/aid/odic/hp2.html


Thanks to S.Savage.G for the above clippings. 

Bauhaus clippings

Here are some Bauhaus magazine ad clippings I recently received from a friend.

The first is a magazine ad (Zig Zag?) concerning the release of their third single "Terror Couple Kill Colonel" from 1980. The song referred to Paul Bloomquist (a high ranking US Viet Veteran) who was killed by a bombing attack in Frankfurt in 1972.

Note at the bottom the 9 UK dates to promote the single.

The second is from their 1981's LP album "Mask". It reached no. 30 in the UK charts.

The illustrations on the cover were drawn by Daniel Ash. He later used this style also for purposes of "Tones on Tail" material. 

Check also here the live dates at the bottom and the vertical extract taken from the inner sleeve poem (first line) on the left.

The last one in colors that match their sixth single sleeve. As you can read initial 20.000 (!) copies contained a lyric sheet. 

This 7" reached no. 56 in the british charts back then. It's also notable that Nick Cave's band The Birthday Party were the opening act on the promotional tour...

"Dancing in catacombs

 dancing in Tuxedo drags..."

Walk away...

Hi, to all.
Have to travel for a week so I'm leaving you with a nice little photo of the Mission
circa "Children" (1988).
Note Mick's Misfits T-shirt with Pushhead's illustration from "Die, die my darling" single cover.
Will be back with new stuff towards the end of June...


Stay cool


Y

The Marionettes (Less known Bands)

Totally underrated band formed in England around 1986 under the initial name "the Screaming Marionettes". They released two singles under this name in 1987 and 1989, whose tracks appeared later in their first LP as "the Marionettes".

A quator revolving mostly around the eccentric looks of Sean Cronin (lead vocalist) and Baz Downes (bass) who wrote most of the music and lyrics. They released four LPs and a fistfull of 7",12"and EP's until 1998.

The first two albums, "Ave Dementia" (1990) and "The Book of Shadows"(1992) were an example of absolutely awesome gothic rock full of guitars, dark vocals and passion styled with a pinch of punk. Excellent goth-n-roll really worth listening to if you haven't yet! 

Like several other similar acts after enjoying some success in the gothic club realm, they moved towards a more metal sound with their last two LP's "Rise" (1995) and "Carousel"(1998).


Baz Downes passed a few years ago and Sean Cronin is out there somewhere... lost in the drift...


Check their discography on: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Marionettes%2C+The

Asylum (Less known bands)

Since we mentioned New Model Army...
Asylum was a band from Reading, UK. They formed ca. 1988 and released 2 albums. Just before the 3rd entitled "Vent", they split.
Their 1rst  LP "Suckling the Mutant Mother" - 1991, was a very promising start produced by former New Model Army drummer Robb Heaton, who passed in 2004 due to cancer...
Their second LP "Into the Web" - 1992, without being bad, leaned too much towards metal
but I think is worth listening too... 
Their former guitarist Dave Blomberg joined N.M. Army in 1993 and stayed for 12 years.
His playing can be heard on NMA's following studio LPs:
"Strange Brotherhood" (1997), "Eight" (2000), "Lost Songs"(2002), "Carnival" (2005)


Here's a pic of the band and their 2 LPs front sleeves.


Have a great week!

Zig Zag magazine poll ca.1984

Enjoy this clipping from a mid-1984 issue of the then, famous semi-underground magazine, ZIG-ZAG.
Mick Mercer user to write a lot of articles for it...
Interesting categories, no? My fav is "Best dressed single"!!!


Sheer joy!

Gothic bands and art vol.2 (Rosetta Stone)

In 1852 a british painter and illustrator, heavily influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, created "Ophelia" (one of many paintings of that era with this very subject).
His name is Arthur Hughes and his art was noted by radiant coloring and exquisite draughtmanship  on images of romantic love, passion and human fate .
This odd shaped painting was used by Rosetta Stone (a fantastic british band) to illustrate the cover of their excellent 1991 track "An eye for the main chance" on 12" and CD maxi single (Expression Records).
Here's the painting and bellow the cover in question.
Note the slightly smaller cropping on the semicircle and the greenish alteration of colors
on the sleeve...
Great song, Nice choice of image...

Gustave Doré and the Goths (Sex Gang Children)

Paul Gustave Doré (1832 – 1883) was a french artist with a gift for engraving. He made a career as an illustrator for books such as the Bible, Milton's "Paradise lLost", Dante's "Divine Comedy", Edgar A.Poe's "The Raven" e.a. He worked primarily with wood and steel engraving. The images he created are classic and timeless full of mood, tension and an uncomparable romantic approach. 
It's no wonder goth bands of the 1980's used his imagery on their record sleeves. The Sisters of Mercy are the most notable example but today it's Sex Gang Children's turn.
On their first 7" single cover "Into the Abyss" in 1982 the band used a Doré illustration from his work for Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" c. 1861-68.

The original illustration is entitled "Alichino and Calcabrina" after the names of two demons fighting over a lake in hell. Dante and Virgil are overlooking...
I'm telling you, if you like goth and moody dark imagery, Doré is your man...

Press material and gig ads 2

I'll start regularly posting clippings concerning gig ads and other material, from music papers of the '80s (NME, the Sounds, Melody Maker, Zig Zag e.a). It's quite interesting to see who played where and with whom before they became "big names".

OK, as promised, here's part 2. 

Stay tuned as there are many to come...

80's goth bands logos pt.V (Red Lorry Yellow Lorry)

While I'm scanning gig ads for the previous post, here's something else...
The Lorries were a great band and like Gary Marx, quite underrated! ;-)

They used this logo for almost four (4) years, that is from 1982 till approximatively, 1986.
The two (2) trucks appeared on the sleeve of "Beating my head" 7"single (in color as 
you can see).
The last time they used it on a record label, sleeve or other, was if my memory serves me  
well, for "The very best of" in 2000. But by 1986 it was abandoned from regular releases.

A great band, a not so great symbol...
Let alone the resemblance to the mighty Jamie Reid's "nowhere buses" for 
the Sex Pistols in 1976.

Press material and gig ads

I'll start regularly posting clippings concerning gig ads and other material, from music papers of the '80s (NME, the Sounds, Melody Maker, Zig Zag e.a). It's quite interesting to see who played where and with whom before they became "big names".
Enjoy!


1983: 

 

I'll soon upload more clippings...

Gary Marx is underrated!

Ok, I don't know how many of you knew this, but I just recently heard these excellent tracks and got aware of the following fact:


"Nearly 13 years after first coming into being Nineteen Ninety Five and Nowhere receives its first official release on the French independent label D-monic. 
  Recently completed and re-mastered the new 10 track album features songs originally written in 1995 by The Sisters of Mercy co-founder Gary Marx at the invitation of Sisters’ supremo Andrew Eldritch. The material was intended to represent the pair’s first collaboration since the landmark Sisters’ album ‘First and Last and Always’ of 1984, but the notoriously wilful singer pulled out of the project without uttering a single word.
  The backing tracks went unheard until relatively recently when Marx, convinced of the material’s obvious strength, decided to finish the songs himself, writing lyrics and adding his own distinctive vocals. The response on hearing the results among the Sisters fan-base was immediate and the clamour for the tracks prompted him to make 7 of the songs available via the internet.
  Despite continual pressure to make the songs more widely available Marx had refused to be drawn until the approach of the Paris based label. Now with all 10 songs included for the first time the album has been re-mastered and re-packaged and is due for release on December 1st 2007.
  Despite (or perhaps because of ) the twisted path the songs have had to walk these long years, the album works as much more than a mere taste of what might have been – it serves as ample reminder of Marx’s undoubted ability as a writer and guitarist and is essential listening for anyone who has followed his career to date or for newcomers looking for an introduction to his work."

The above excerpt was taken by the French label, D-Monic's website.

I recommend you listen to this album letting your imagination bring in Andrew's voice...

Poor guy, what an opportunity he missed...

Tune in...

80's goth bands logos pt.IV (Christian Death)

During this early period, goth bands -like most respectful to themselves bands of the 70's- developed a taste for not only a logo (which includes the font for writing in a distinct way the name of the band) but also for a symbol. I think it presents a certain interest, so lets see as many cases as we can...

This cross and bones logo was designed  -as rumored- by Valor in 1987. 
It first appeared on the cover of "The Scriptures" LP on that same year. So it belongs apparently on the post Rozz Williams era.
It got accepted immediately with enthusiasm by the fans. The band uses it consistently on every release ever since.


Stay tuned...

80's goth bands logos pt.III (Fields of the Nephilim)

During this early period, goth bands -like most respectful to themselves bands of the 70's- developed a taste for not only a logo (which includes the font for writing in a distinct way the name of the band) but also for a symbol. I think it presents a certain interest, so lets see as many cases as we can...

This early logo accompanied all their releases from “Returning to Gehenna” in 1986  till “The Nephilim” album in 1988. It’s a detail from the opening scenes at  the train station, just before the fight, of Sergio Leone’s 1968 movie “Οnce upon a time in the west”.

After that McCoy proved unable to make up his mind. 

A series of magic circles appeared only to be replaced by another shortly after 

in some other release.

"The Nephilim"  first magic circle was designed by the mighty Chris Bigg, a long time assistant to Oliver Vaughan who created the wonderful pictorial world of 4AD sleeves.

The others were designed probably both by Bigg and by in house Nephilim design studio Sheer Faith. 

Here are some...

(I'll) Keep talking...