Love and Rockets, the English trio that Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins started after Bauhaus split, released their second album “Express” on 15 September 1986 through Beggars Banquet. The album turns 40 this year. John A. Rivers produced it with the band at his own Woodbine Street Recording Studios in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and played additional keyboards on the sessions.

The record arrived eleven months after the debut, “Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven”, and pushed the pop side of the trio’s guitar rock further forward.

How Love and Rockets recorded ‘Express’ at Woodbine Street

The original UK LP on Beggars Banquet ran eight tracks: “It Could Be Sunshine”, “Kundalini Express”, “All in My Mind” and “Life in Laralay” on side one, then “Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)”, “Love Me”, “All in My Mind (Acoustic Version)” and “An American Dream”. Ash sang and played guitar and saxophone, David J played bass and sang, Haskins played drums and synthesiser. A choir closed the album on “An American Dream”, with Allan Baker as choir master and Alan Brookes, James Lowry and Robert Willey singing. The band designed the sleeve themselves from photography by Mitch Jenkins, and first UK copies came with a single-sided 35 x 24 inch poster carrying the lyrics.

Three singles came off the album. “Kundalini Express” led on 2 June 1986, more than three months ahead of the LP, and later turned up in the 1986 Italian horror film “Demons 2” and in an episode of “Miami Vice”. “Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)” followed on 8 September, a week before release day, and “All in My Mind” closed the run that November. The American edition, issued by Big Time Records, differed from the British one: it added the band’s cover of “Ball of Confusion”, the Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield song they had already put out as a single in 1985.

Beggars Banquet remastered and expanded the album in 2001, adding two single remixes, contemporaneous B-sides including a reading of Pink Floyd’s “Lucifer Sam”, and two short experimental pieces found on the studio tape masters labelled “B Side #1” and “B Side #2”. The USA mix of “Ball of Confusion” was appended to that edition as well, since it would not fit on the reissue of “Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven”. That 15-track version is the one now streaming.

About Love and Rockets

Love and Rockets formed in Northampton in 1985, two years after Bauhaus broke up. Daniel Ash took vocals, guitar and saxophone, David J bass and vocals, Kevin Haskins drums and synthesiser. Ash and Haskins had already spent 1982 to 1984 in Tones on Tail, the project Side-Line looked back at in 80sObscurities presents: Tones on Tail – ‘Christian Says’. The three took their name from the Hernandez brothers’ comic series, and moved away from the gothic rock their previous band was known for towards a brighter, pop-leaning sound.

Their first release was a cover of the Motown song “Ball of Confusion”, which reached number 18 on the Canadian singles chart in January 1986. The debut album “Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven” came out on Beggars Banquet on 11 October 1985, “Express” followed on 15 September 1986, and “Earth, Sun, Moon” on 9 September 1987 with a more acoustic arrangement and the single “No New Tale to Tell”. In 1988 the trio issued “The Bubblemen Are Coming” under the alias The Bubblemen, backed on its various formats by “Bubblemen Rap”, “Bubblemen Rap (Dub Version)” and “Bees”.

The self-titled fourth album arrived on 7 March 1989. Its second single, “So Alive”, reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, a chart placing no other Bauhaus-related act has matched. RCA dropped the band after they turned towards electronics, and they signed to Rick Rubin’s American Recordings, releasing “Hot Trip to Heaven” on 26 September 1994 and “Sweet F.A.” on 19 March 1996. In April 1995, during the “Sweet F.A.” sessions, fire broke out at the label-owned house where the band were living and recording. No member was hurt, but their visiting friend Genesis P-Orridge of Psychic TV was injured escaping, and the band lost their equipment along with months of work. A photograph of a burnt guitar became the album cover. “Lift” came out on Red Ant Records on 13 October 1998, and the band split after a Toronto show in April 1999.

They reunited on 22 December 2007 to play the Joe Strummer tribute “Cast a Long Shadow” at the Key Club in West Hollywood, then appeared at Coachella on 27 April 2008 and at Lollapalooza in Chicago on 3 August 2008, before stopping again. The tribute album “New Tales to Tell: A Tribute to Love and Rockets” was released on 18 August 2009 with contributions from The Flaming Lips, The Dandy Warhols, Monster Magnet and others. On 23 January 2023 the trio announced a return for Cruel World Festival in Pasadena on 20 May, their first concert in fifteen years, and expanded it into a North American tour. A 2024 run supporting Jane’s Addiction was announced that May and cut short mid-tour.

Each member has kept a separate line of work running. David J has been the most active on record in recent years, covered here in David J (Bauhaus/Love and Rockets) announces decade-spanning retrospective new album, David J (Bauhaus) to release career-spanning triple album: ‘Tracks from the Attic’, David J (Bauhaus) rebuilds attic demos for new album ‘Tracks From the Attic Revisited’ and the conversation in David J Opens the Attic: old ghosts, new bloom, and songs still in motion. Haskins turned archivist for the book reported in Founding Bauhaus member Kevin Haskins to release coffee table book on Bauhaus: ‘Bauhaus – The Archives’. Forty years on, “Express” is the album where the trio settled the sound they carried through the rest of the decade.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Love and Rockets released its third studio album, “Earth, Sun, Moon”, on 9 September 1987 through Beggars Banquet in the UK, with Big Time Records handling the US release. The album turns 39 this year. Love and Rockets produced the record themselves, assisted by Derek “Guru” Tompkins, with Ted Sharp engineering. A recording studio or location is not documented in the sources checked.

The album followed 1986’s Love and Rockets’ ‘Express’ turns 40 on 15 September and continued the band’s move away from its gothic rock origins toward a more psychedelic, folk-influenced sound. Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins formed Love and Rockets in Northampton, England, in 1985 after the breakup of Bauhaus.

What is on Love and Rockets’ ‘Earth, Sun, Moon’

The original LP runs 12 tracks: “Mirror People”, “The Light”, “Welcome Tomorrow”, “No New Tale to Tell”, “Here on Earth”, “Lazy”, “Waiting for the Flood”, “Rain Bird”, “The Telephone Is Empty”, “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven”, “Earth, Sun, Moon” and “Youth”, with a total running time of 49:55. The CD edition added a slow version of “Mirror People” as a bonus track. Mel Thorpe played flute on “No New Tale to Tell”, credited on the sleeve as “‘Monkey Man’ Flute”.

Five singles followed the album’s release: “The Light” (June 1987), “No New Tale to Tell” (September 1987, which reached number 18 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart), “Waiting for the Flood” (December 1987), a remixed “Mirror People” (March 1988) and “Lazy” (June 1988). The album was remastered in 2001, and outtakes from the sessions later appeared on the 2013 box set “5 Albums”.

About Love and Rockets

Love and Rockets formed in Northampton, England, in 1985, when guitarist Daniel Ash, bassist David J and drummer Kevin Haskins regrouped after the 1983 split of their previous band, Bauhaus. Ash and Haskins had also recorded together as Tones on Tail between 1982 and 1984 before David J rejoined them. The new trio signed to Beggars Banquet and released its debut album, “Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven”, in 1985, followed by “Express” in 1986.

“Earth, Sun, Moon” in 1987 gave the band its first US chart entry with “No New Tale to Tell”. The band’s commercial breakthrough came with the 1989 self-titled album “Love and Rockets”, carried by the US top-10 hit “So Alive”. Further albums followed with “Hot Trip to Heaven” (1994), “Sweet F.A.” (1996) and “Lift” (1998), the band’s final studio album before splitting in 1999. Love and Rockets has reunited periodically since, including runs of live dates in the late 2000s and again from 2023.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Dark alternative / post-punk project …And We All Die, based between Texas and D.C., returns to celebrate Halloween with their new 4-track single / EP, “Static Age”. Musically the release blends hardcore, post-punk, noise-rock and industrial influences. “Static Age” by …And We All Die is available from 31 October 2024 via download from Bandcamp, and streaming from Spotify and all the usual digital music platforms.

You can however already catch an exclusive streaming of the …And We All Die feat. Gost track “TV Casualty (Industrial Mix)” right here on Side-Line!

The single is centred around covers of the Misfits’ “Static Age” and “TV Casualty”, augmented with two industrial-infused reworkings of the tracks featuring Metal Blade synthwave artist Gost. The Misfits are an American punk rock band often recognized as the pioneers of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery.

Founder Raymond Burton Estes, says: “We chose these Misfits covers because they’re great songs from the band’s early era that lend themselves to interpretation. We leaned into their heavier elements but chose a more post-punk or noise-rock approach, rather than a straightforward punk or metal one. Our releases usually come out in the Spring, but Halloween is a more appropriate time to share these songs and celebrate the Misfits.”

This release features Raymond Burton Estes on vocals and bass; joined by longtime friends and fellow East Texans, Walter Lee (Rockett Queen) on drums, and guitarist Guillermo Murillo (The Half Guided Hearts). Adding extra spice to the title track, the core trio is augmented by Shelby Cinca (catbeats) on additional guitar.

Both Estes and Lee play in Texas hardcore band Eleventh Hour together, while Estes has also been a touring bassist for Pop Unknown and Total Chaos. Cinca, now based in Sweden, previously played with D.C. post-hardcore outfit Frodus. Estes says: “…it was great having members of ‘90s hardcore bands collaborate on a Misfits song. Perhaps it’s a taste of what to expect with some …And We All Die in the future.”

James Lollar (a.k.a. Gost) has in turn been enlisted for synths on industrial versions of each song; with further synths and programming provided by William Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate).

About …And We All Die

…And We All Die first took shape around the year 2000 as an effort to collaborate with a diverse group of friends and artists; and with the idea of fusing heavy music in the vein of UK82 punk rock, US hardcore, and industrial bands (Exploited, Integrity, Ministry) with darker, melodic post-punk music (The Cure, New Order, The Sisters of Mercy).

From their self-titled debut in 2016, to the “Modern Day Privateers (Remixes)” collection in 2018, …And We All Die in 2024 continues to develop a rather distinct combination of hardcore, post-punk, dark alternative, noise-rock, and industrial music.

Asked what …And We All Die has been up to since 2018, Estes says: “We have been busy recording songs and have several releases in the works, including a dark industrial rock album; an EP of Cure covers; a rock record; and at least one new punk rock song. Our next release will be this dark album with a broad range of influences – post-punk, industrial, and noise rock. John Gable of post-punk revival band Knifight did the bulk of the
production, and it’s headed to William Faith for post-production and mixing. We hope to get this record finished and released in 2025.”

“Static Age” is the first new release from …And We All Die since 2018’s “Modern Day Privateers (Remixes)”, which featured such acts and musicians as Daniel Ash (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, Tones On Tail), Assemblage 23, Gost, Ego Likeness, The Gothsicles, and others.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Eric and Jeremy Hanes set up Spankthenun in 2019. The duo released an impressive number of top notch singles, albums and remixes. Dealing with a powerful mix of EBM and Dark-Electro the Hanes-brothers never stopped improving their work. The last year self-released album “The Bunker Tapes Vol.III” was a new masterpiece driven by solid bass lines, icy sound treatments, danceable rhythms and harsh vocals. I asked a few questions to Eric Hanes to get a bit more details about Spankthenun.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Let’s traditionally start by asking you about the background of Spankthenun? How did the project saw the daylight and what  brought you together?

Eric: Spankthenun began as an idea between my brother and I. We knew we wanted to do something with music but the original idea was more of a Love And Rockets meets Joy Division, with a full band. We experimented with that format for a while and had fun with it. We had trouble holding onto the guitar player and the drummer and stopped playing but kept writing. A number of years later I started experimenting with drum machines, DAWs and synths and started putting a new concept together. Writing a bunch of tracks, but with no plan for release. In 2019, I sent a few demos out to different producers looking for help with mixing and mastering… we ended up with a bunch of tracks, including a collab with Claus Larsen; he really helped us see the potential of what we had. He helped explain a few things to us that really set us on our journey. We worked with Scott Fox (iVardensphere) on mixing the album; he taught me the basics, and we pulled together the first album, which we released as Spankthenun.

Q: I think you set up Spankthenun in 2019 and already released an impressive number of works featuring three albums. How comes you’re that prolific and what means music vs. Spankthenun to you?

Eric:The first artist that agreed to work with us on a remix or production was Zoog Von Rock, he really gave us the confidence to push things forward and do it for real. Next, Claus Larsen agreed to work on “Rotting Meat” and took the time to help us understand songwriting better. We knew how to get what sounded good to us, but we didn’t really understand the concepts of melody and choruses and repeating what worked. Claus helped us understand that in a way that never made sense to us. The original “Rotting Meat” track we sent him did not have a chorus, he identified a hook in a random bridge we did and turned that into a chorus with a very strong hook that is powerful in the live shows and the club.

I also believe in being creative every day. As soon as I wake up I go into the studio and work for an hour on something new. I also like to end the day in the studio, especially if I am dead tired. I find that time to be a super creative time. I often create a complete track in an hour if I start on it at 2 am and in bed by 3 am. Other times, I get two or three good sketches down, and I forget about them until a few days or weeks later when I discover them again. There is something about being tired and being creative. I rarely get ‘writer’s block’. I subscribe to the David Lynch way of combating it. Keep your space you work in conducive to creativity and ideas. Have different things to work on when something isn’t working out. So, if I get stuck on a track or can’t come up with a good hook to get started. I’ll switch over to another artist’s track and remix, or I’ll switch over to the graphic side of things and design an album cover.

Q: Can you give us details about your perception of sound? Do you’ve a specific way of working together and references plus sources of inspiration when writing your music?

Eric: I have to have a hook in our songs; I put a hook in every song. Usually, it’s a bassline. Our basslines are often the melody of the track, too. I start with the bassline and kick and get a hook that works. if it works on that basic level, I keep working on it. I spend about 10 minutes doing that; if it doesn’t work in 10 minutes, I dump it and move on to a new one. Industrial music gives you some liberties to use more noise and unconventional sounds, so sometimes I like to take the bassline and transpose to a weird glitch or white noise or machine sample and bury the hook in there. 

My brother and I write many of the tracks independently; he will send me the tracks he is working on, and I will finish them. We can write separately but write tracks that still work together. I will create a set of sounds that we both use. I create a template with a kick and percussion, snares, a bass, and a lead sound. So we are working with the same template many times.

Q: Your newest album “The Bunker Tapes Vol.III” is the last part to a trilogy dealing about ‘a fictitious 30 year career of a band that never really existed, covering influences from 1994 – 2024.’ What is it all about and how did you transpose the concept of this trilogy into music?

Eric: I have a strong affinity for the 1994 Industrial club music, something about that era really speaks to me, but I also am really hooked on modern new music and pushing the boundaries on what is labeled Industrial or Dark-Electro music. We came up with the concept at the beginning of Covid in early 2020 right after we released our first album. My brother sent my 8 tracks in less than a week that nailed that 1994 sound. We had about 20 songs within a month and realized we needed to split these up. That is when it occurred to us not just to focus on 1994 but to make something that transcended eras and moved us into the modern world of Industrial-Bass, Cyber-Punk, and EDM.

Q: All songs from the new album have been first released as singles. What’s the idea behind it and how important is it today to releases singles versus albums? Do you’ve favorite songs and remixes from the new album?

Eric: In the scheme of things the ‘music industry’ has been around for the blink of an eye. Less than 100 years and even those 100 years we have seen it dramatically shift; the last big shift was with smartphones and putting any music we want to listen to at our fingertips. When our kids group up, they will never know about record stores and physical media; it won’t make sense why you would have those. In reality, those existed for a very short amount of time. But many people grew up with that and still want that, and it’s nostalgic, and it’s how they know things work. Streaming is here to stay, anyone can upload music. The reality is that 60% of uploaded music is never listened to. You still have to put in the work to get your music heard. We have opportunities to reach more people than ever before. Right now, releasing one track at a time makes the most sense. More people want a single bite than the whole album. Fewer people want 12 songs than 1 or 2 songs at a time. I am fascinated by the marketing side of things and enjoy solving that challenge.

When we switched from an album release strategy to a single release strategy, we went from less than 500 to 20,000 streams a month within three months. With singles, we get added to new playlists and saves every week; with an album, it’s one and done. The old release strategy doesn’t make sense to most new artists. We still do make physical media for the fans who really want it. With this album, we added some exclusive tracks to the physical media that are not on the digital stuff. This world we live in has always been an adapt-or-die world.

Q: I think the artwork must be very important as well. Tell us a bit more about this aspect and what did you want to express?

Eric: The artwork is also important to me; I like seeing that cool, dark, weird image pop up on the phone or the display in the car when listening to something new; it adds to the atmosphere of the track. Early on we worked with different artists on art concepts. We worked with a now very popular fantasy artist known for his work on Magic: The Gathering and D&D. Then we started seeking out more obscure artists that were just getting started. But the reality is we are finishing a new track every week, and we need so much art that it is just easier for me to do it most of the time. I do enjoy doing it and it gives me another way to explore the vibe of a track while I am working on it. Many artists I do remixes for will tell you I also do a remix of the artwork.

Q: I noticed you already announced new live dates in the US. What kind of live band is Spankthenun and how does a live performance looks like? 

Eric: We did some shows earlier this year and are locking in dates for the summer. We just played a show with LEATHER STRIP, which was something we have wanted to do for a long time. Bring things full circle for us. The crowd at that show was great and energetic. Our goal is to have fun, get the crowd shouting the lyrics back at us, jumping up and down, and going crazy. We are very interactive with the crowd. We bring a very high-energy show. We played a show with Piggy D (Rob Zombie, Manson Fame), and his crowd was made up of ROB ZOMBIE fans. When we walked out on stage, people were yelling, ‘Where are the guitars?!’ within 10 seconds of starting the show with our track “Dominate”, the crowd was moshing and dancing and completely forgot about us not having guitars.

Most of the crowds we play for have never heard of us, yet we get them chanting along the whole time. We pride ourselves on a high-quality professional show that sounds as best as it can at any venue.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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David J, known for his work with Bauhaus and Love and Rockets, is set to release a career-spanning triple album titled “Tracks from the Attic” on May 3. This release will be available in digital format, on CD, colored vinyl LP, and as a super deluxe box set art edition.

The album, which was initially released as part of Record Store Day’s RSD Black Friday 2023, comprises home demos recorded between 1984 and 2004. These tracks were personally selected by David J from his archives.

The super deluxe art edition, limited to 70 copies, will include triple colored vinyl and CD box sets, autographed artworks by David J, and original source cassettes. This special edition is exclusive to the Independent Project Records (IPR) store.

To celebrate the album’s release, a west coast tour will kick off on May 3 with an event at the Bodecker Foundation in Portland, OR, titled “Enter the Attic: an Evening with David J.” The evening will feature an interview, Q&A session, live performances, music video screenings, and an art gallery showing. The event will also be available via ticketed live streaming.

The album “Tracks from the Attic” features a variety of songs spanning David J’s career, showcasing his solo work outside of his contributions to Bauhaus and Love and Rockets. The full track listing (see below) includes titles such as “Punishment by Roses,” “The Dream Collector,” and “Oh No! Not Another Songwriter!” among others.

The triple album will be out on Independent Project Records. The label was founded in 1980 by Bruce Licher and is known for its distinctive hand-printed record covers. It has been relaunched to release new and archival content. The label is based in Bishop, California.

Tracklisting

1. Punishment by Roses
2. The Dream Collector
3. Blackmail
4. The Murders in the Rue Morgue
5. My Soul Was Still Shouting, ‘MORE!’
6. I Wish Those Spacemen Would Come
7. Badge of Lead (A Western)
8. Small Death Of a Broken Doll
9. She Calls the Morning Cruel
10. Lady Bureaux
11. Is There Anybody There?
12. The Wolf Knows
13. Castles of Limburg
14. If Muzak Be the Junk Food of Love
15. Homo Sapien Blues
16. This Town
17. Vincent In the Flames
18. They’ve Murdered Christ Again
19. Lucky Dog
20. Old Man in the Rain
21. Conspiracy of Shadows
22. The Long Ride Home
23. Cruel Britannia
24. All the Pilgrims
25. It’s Got to Be the Angels
26. I’ll Put Off Thinking About You for Awhile
27. Or Do I Speak Too Soon?
28. Oh No! Not Another Songwriter!
29. Diamonds, Black Eyes and Valentines Blues
30. The Most Beautiful Girls in the World
31. Before the Positive Was Negative
32. At Paradise
33. New Year’s Day
34. Leaning Towards the Falls
35. Dying Embers (Bonus Track – Digital Only)
36. The Rattler (Bonus Track – Digital Only)
37. The Wrecking Ball is Coming Down (Bonus Track – Digital Only)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Synical, the dark wave industrial act, is set to release their fifth album, ‘This Will All Happen Again’, today on Cleopatra Records. The album promises a unique blend of goth, dark-wave, and post-punk genres.

Based in Los Angeles, California, Synical draws inspiration from a diverse range of artists, including Depeche Mode, New Order, The Cure, Prince, Joy Division, and Kraftwerk.

A string of collaborations on new album with members from Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, …

Synical was founded in 1989 by singer/songwriter, producer, and engineer, Brian Haught, after his departure from the electronic funk band AC Black, which was signed to Motown Records. Since its inception, Synical has evolved significantly, featuring a variety of band members and transitioning through numerous sounds over the years. What started as a solo act for Brian eventually expanded into a duo, then a trio, and finally a full five-piece band.

For their latest album, Brian Haught split his time between LA and Atlanta, writing new songs and recording in both cities. Collaborating with David Black, Jimi Echo, Eric Griffin (Muderdolls), and former Synical drummer Cheney Brannon (Collective Soul), the band also welcomed Noel Page during the recording sessions.

Over the years, Synical has collaborated with a host of musicians, including John Fryer (NIN, Love & Rockets, Depeche Mode), Ivan De Prume (White Zombie), Roy Mayorga (Ministry, SoulFly, Stone Sour), Alex Carapetis (NIN, Julian Casablancas), Robin Finck (NIN, Guns N’ Roses), Cheney Brannon (Collective Soul), and Racci Shay Hart (Dope).

The new 10-track album features guest appearances from members of Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Mary My Hope, Faster Pussycat, Genitorturers, and Murderdolls.

Guns N’ Roses demos for “Chinese Democracy”

In the late nineties, Brian Haught collaborated with Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails/Guns N’ Roses Guitarist) on some of the Guns N’ Roses album demos for “Chinese Democracy”. This collaboration led to the recruitment of new band members to continue his vision for Synical. Joined by guitarist Eric Griffin, bassist Brent Ashley, and Ben Graves, they released their third album “Synical Forever” in 2004 and their fourth “Quit While You’re Behind” in 2012. Following a tumultuous tour of Italy, Brian decided to further reconstruct and update Synical’s members, leading to the current lineup.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Chicago’s post-punk pair Bellhead is set to return with their new EP, “Good Intentions”, on 5th May. This release aligns with their U.S. East Coast tour alongside New York’s Clay People, kicking off on 6th May.

Following a busy 2022 supporting their second release “Dead Lights”, Karen and Ivan are back with their third offering. For “Good Intentions”, they’ve reunited with their trusted production team, including audio engineer Neil Strauch (Iron and Wine / Counting Crows / Owls / Joan of Arc / Walking Bicycles / Slow Mass), mastering engineer Carl Saff (Acid Mothers Temple / Smoking Popes / Red Fang / Guided by Voices), and management led by David Schock (WTII Records).

The six-track EP delves into a fresh “pop” direction, nodding to New Order and giving a subtle salute to Jesus and Mary Chain. Alongside the lead single “Valentine”, the EP features “Bad Taste” and “Into the Deep”, which address unsavoury stalkers, unreliable narrators, and bloodthirsty sirens at sea. The duo also present their rendition of Love and Rockets’ hit “No Big Deal”.

“Good Intentions” comes after a standalone single, a cover of Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U”.

Pre-orders are available now on Bandcamp.

Bellhead 2023 Spring dates

• 3/19 Eastside Bowl – Nashville, TN w/ Clan of Xymox / The Bellwether Syndicate
• 3/23 Cactus Club – Milwaukee, WI w/ Clan of Xymox / The Bellwether Syndicate
• 4/15 The Ruin – Fort Wayne, IN w/ Vazum / Observer
• 4/21 Blockhouse Bar – Bloomington, IN w/ Pilgrims of Yearning / Freeze Etch
• 4/22 Mag Bar – Louisville, KY w/ Gentleman Pig / Star Guided Vessel / Village Elder
• 5/6 Livewire Lounge – Chicago, IL w/ The Clay People / Melter
• 5/7 Mac’s Bar – Lansing, MI w/ The Clay People / Zombie Apocalypse / No Skull
• 5/8 Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN w/ The Clay People / Broken Nails
• 5/9 The Foundry – Lakewood, OH w/ The Clay People / Bonded by Darkness / Temple Witch
• 5/10 The Runaway – Washington, DC w/ The Clay People / High Horse Cavalry / Raw Dawgs
• 5/11 Bar Freda – Queens, NY w/ The Clay People / The Amatory Murder / Chroma
• 5/12 Darq @ Koto – Salem, MA w/ The Clay People / Acheron
• 5/13 Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center – Harrisburg, PA w/ The Amatory Murder, Faux Fear, Goth Goth, Sugar Hysteria
• 5/14 Buzzbin – Akron, OH w/ Night Goat / Bonded By Darkness / Temple Witch
• 5/26 Reggie’s – Chicago, IL w/ Night Club / Iron Years / Plasmata

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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We are still getting quite a few questions regarding this, so here it is again. The “Celebrating David Bowie” tour has been postponed to the fall due to headliner Peter Murphy undergoing “an unexpected medical procedure that prevents his ability to travel as planned,” as announced by the his management. The Bauhaus frontman is recovering well and is expected to be fully fit to tour the U.S. in the fall.

The tour, which also features guitarist Adrian Belew and members of Spacehog and A Perfect Circle, was initially scheduled for April and May. The rescheduled dates now begin in October and continue through late November. The tour itinerary remains largely unchanged, albeit in a different order, and has expanded from 26 to 27 dates with the addition of a concert in Chicagoon November 21st. The planned San Antonio, Texas, stop has been moved to nearby Austin. More information can be found at celebratingdavidbowie.com.

The assembled musicians will highlight David Bowie’s greatest hits during the tour, with a strong emphasis on Ziggy Stardust, the Berlin trilogy (“Low”, “Heroes”, and “Lodger”), and his later Trent Reznor-inspired years. Murphy and Belew, who have both played with Bowie and Nine Inch Nails, will be joined on stage by guitarist Scrote, Spacehog frontman Royston Langdon, A Perfect Circle members Matt McJunkins (bass) and Jeff Friedl (drums), saxophonist Ron Dziubla, and guitarist Eric Schermerhorn, who played with Bowie’s Tin Machine.

Murphy had been touring with the reunited Bauhaus last year, but the journey fell apart when Murphy entered rehab in late August. The other members of Bauhaus have since agreed to reform as Love and Rockets.

Initial Rescheduled Appearances are:

• 10/10 Tacoma, WA Temple Theatre
• 10/11 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
• 10/14 San Francisco, CA The Regency Ballroom
• 10/16 Anaheim, CA City National Grove of Anaheim
• 10/17 San Diego, CA Music Box – San Diego
• 10/18 Phoenix, AZ Celebrity Theatre
• 10/20 Austin, TX ACL Live at The Moody Theater
• 10/21 Tulsa, OK Tulsa Theater
• 10/22 Grand Prairie, TX Texas Trust CU Theatre
• 10/24 Houston, TX House of Blues
• 10/25 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
• 10/26 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
• 10/29 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Broward Center – Parker Playhouse
• 10/31 St. Petersburg, FL Mahaffey Theater
• 11/03 Chattanooga, TN Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
• 11/05 Virginia Beach, VA Sandler Center for the Performing Arts
• 11/06 Washington D.C. The Hamilton Live
• 11/10 Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre
• 11/11 Ridgefield, CT Ridgefield Playhouse
• 11/12 Westbury, NY NYCB Theatre at Westbury
• 11/14 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Center for the Arts
• 11/15 Englewood, NJ Bergen Performing Arts Center
• 11/16 Lynn, MA Lynn Auditorium
• 11/17 Staten Island, NY St. George Theatre
• 11/20 Munhall, PA Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
• 11/21 Chicago, IL Copernicus Center %
• 11/22 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre

% – New Confirmed Performance – On-Sale 4/14

About Peter Murphy

Born on July 11, 1957, Peter Murphy is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist for the post-punk goth rock band Bauhaus. When Bauhaus initially split up, Murphy collaborated with Japan’s bassist Mick Karn to form Dali’s Car, releasing one album titled “The Waking Hour” (1984). Subsequently, Murphy embarked on a solo career, releasing several albums, such as “Should the World Fail to Fall Apart” (1986) and “Love Hysteria” (1988).

In 1990, Murphy found mainstream success with his hit single “Cuts You Up”, which topped the American Modern Rock Tracks for seven weeks, and the album “Deep” also achieved commercial success. In 1992, he released “Holy Smoke” along with the lead single “The Sweetest Drop”.

In 2002, Murphy collaborated with Turkish-Canadian composer and producer Mercan Dede on the – excellent – album “Dust”, which showcased a departure from his previous pop and rock styles. The album incorporated traditional Turkish instrumentation and songwriting, blending elements from progressive rock, trance, classical music, and Middle Eastern music with Dede’s signature atmospheric electronics. In 2014, Murphy released “Lion”, produced by Killing Joke’s Youth.

With his thin frame, striking cheekbones, deep baritone voice, and affinity for dark poetry, Murphy is often referred to as the “Godfather of Goth”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by Anarchic Apertures) Hot on the heels of their “Nothing As It Seems” single featuring remixes by Stabbing Westward and Dean Garcia of Curve, Chicago’s post punk act Bellhead is featured on 2 compilations this summer. You will certainly know Bellhead from their industrial track “With Guns (Afterbirth Remix)” on our free charity download “Face The Beat: Session 6“.

The first track is the band’s version of “No Big Deal”, originally written by Love and Rockets. The track is featured on a comp released on Coitus Interrruptus Productions and is a Bandcamp exclusive. The band also offers new original song, “No Dead Horses”, on “This Is Deathpop” from Give/Take Records that is out now as a limited edition CD and as a digital release.

In addition, the band is touring heavily this summer, including opening for 80’s new wave band China Crisis, Al1ce, Bellwether Syndicate, Hate Dept., and Chant.

Here are the tour dates.

• 07/20/22 – East Room – Nashville, TN w/ Stoneburner / Chant
• 08/07/22 – Liar’s Club – Chicago, IL w/ Chant / Stoneburner
• 08/13/22 – TBA
• 08/26/22 – Sk8bar – St. Joseph, MO w/ Hate Dept. / Torn Asunder
• 08/27/22 – Sinkhole – St. Louis, MO w/ Gary Robert / The Cult Sounds / Captain SpaceTime
• 08/28/22 – TBA
• 08/30/22 – X-Ray Arcade – Cudahy, WI w/ The Bellwether Syndicate / Then Comes Silence / Dance Commandr
• 08/31/22 – Empty Bottle – Chicago, IL w/ The Bellwether Syndicate / Then Comes Silence
• 09/01/22 – Crucible – Madison, WI w/ The Bellwether Syndicate / Then Comes Silence
• 10/06/22 – TBA
• 10/07/22 – TBA
• 10/08/22 – Al’s Bar – Lexington, KY w/ Leaden Verse / Corporate Mascot
• 10/14/22 – Wolf Hollow – Rockford, IL w/ The Funeral March
• 11/04/22 – Liar’s Club – Chicago, IL w/ Hate Dept. / Won’t Stay Dead
• 11/05/22 – Da Bar – Milwaukee, WI w/ Hate Dept. / Lockjaw / Am.psych

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Out via Cop International is the 2nd single for the industrial / goth metal act Suicide Queen: “She Haunts You”.

Suicide Queen is an act from San Francisco featuring Kay Dolores on vocals, programming and guitars, Tony Havoc on drums, and Scarr Kevorkian on keys. The trio was assisted on the track by producer and engineer John Fryer (Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Love And Rockets).

The single holds 3 tracks, “She Haunts You”, “The Reaper” and “She Haunts You” in a Stabbing Westward remix. You can check the single below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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David J’s latest album, “What The Patrons Heard”, will be a storied collection of originals and covers recorded over the timespan of 34 years. These 10 songs were originally only available digitally to David J’s Patreon subscribers.

The founding member of Bauhaus was one of the first of Bauhaus’ members to actively release music outside of the band. He went on to put out solo work and collaborations with various authors, poets and indies such as 4AD. In 1985, David regrouped with two former Bauhaus members to form Love and Rockets.

“What The Patrons Heard” includes a rendition of Neil Young’s “Vampire Blues”, the John Lennon classic “Gimme Some Truth” and the folk punk track “Lay Over And Lay” plus 7 other tracks.

The release will be available as download, on CD and on vinyl, a limited numbered edition snow white vinyl that is. The CD and digital formats will be available worldwide on March 25th, 2022 with the vinyl shipping as soon as it becomes available.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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To be released March 18, 2022 via COP International Records is Stabbing Westward’s first new album, in 20 years: “Chasing Ghosts”. The release is produced by John Fryer, who was also a collaborator on the band’s best-selling early releases. The album will hold 10 tracks that have the industrial rock band’s characteristic sound with a modern touch that picks up right where they left off.

But right now you can alrready enjoy the band’s newest single “I Am Nothing” and its lyric video. Note there is also a limited edition physical copy of the single.

A number of limited-edition physical copies for “I Am Nothing” are available for sale on Bandcamp.

Back with a winning team

“Chasing Ghosts” will feature brand-new songs as well as re-workings of the band’s 2020 reunion EP “Dead And Gone” that finds original founding members Christopher Hall (vocals/guitar) and Walter Flakus (keyboards/programming) working together with legendary producer John Fryer. Fryer, whose production credits include Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, 4AD, Cocteau Twins and Love and Rockets, originally worked with Stabbing Westward on their best-selling early releases “Ungod” (1994) and “Wither Blister Burn + Peel” (1996).

“Chasing Ghosts” was mastered by Tom Baker who, like Fryer, worked with Stabbing Westward on their early releases and is part of the reassembled production team on the latest album. The current Stabbing Westward band lineup includes Carlton Bost (guitars and programming) and Bobby Amaro (drums).

Presales for “Chasing Ghosts” will begin in early January. The album, featuring artwork by David Seidman (an artist who has also worked with Coheed And Cambria and is known for his ethereal and surrealistic imagery) will be available in digital, CD and vinyl formats, with full details and exclusive, limited-edition merch to be announced soon.

Stay tuned for more news!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Courtesy Attasalina) Black Needle Noise’s first release on COP International Records is a fact. Out now is a new single “Machine” featuring vocalist Attasalina and violinist Meredith Yayanos. The “Machine” EP features remixes from Christopher Hall (Stabbing Westward), Mark Hockings (Mesh/Blackcarburning), Sick Jokes, Soman and (London DJ) Samantha Togni.

Says Fryer of “Machine”: “It’s taken a while to find the right song for Attasalina so we could collaborate again. She did an amazing job on ‘Messages By Dreams’ and she has done an exceptional job on ‘Machine.’ It’s always a pleasure working with Attasalina, and it’s been great having Meredith Yayanos on board this time around playing violin on the track, adding another dimension.”

Attasalina, best known for her collaboration with Daniel Ash (The Soldiers of Everyday), has also released music with her band The Seraphim Rising and is currently working on her first solo record in collaboration with John Fryer, to be called Freed From Rage and Sorrow. She previously collaborated with Fryer on the Black Needle Noise track “Messages By Dreams.”

See the video for “Machine” below.

About John Fryer

John Fryer started his career in 1979 at London’s Blackwing Studios (London) and soon began working with seminal bands on 4AD, Mute, Rough Trade and Beggars Banquet, including Depeche Mode, The Wolfgang Press and Cocteau Twins. His achievement in helping develop the latter’s pioneering ethereal and ambient sound ultimately led Watts-Russell to recruit Fryer as his partner for This Mortal Coil.

Since then, Fryer has produced many iconic artists, including Love and Rockets, HIM, Cradle of Filth, Clan of Xymox, Nitzer Ebb, Dead Can Dance, Yaz (Yazoo), Xmal Deutschland, Fields of the Nephilim, De/Vision, Stabbing Westward and many others. Fryer has also produced many film soundtracks, such as Seven, Clerks, Johnny Mnemonic, Mortal Kombat, Faust and Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

Currently Fryer also works closely with COP International and its roster and this debut Black Needle Noise release on the label is being hailed by COP founder Christian Petke who says, “I know how much this project means to John and I think it represents some of his finest work. Black Needle Noise is his vehicle to execute his artistic visions. It is not bound by style or fashion but represents the distilled essence of a man honing his craft for 40-plus years. To say it is an honor to represent Black Needle Noise on COP International is an understatement.”

Fryer recently celebrated a #1 entry on the German DAC Charts with the Chiasm & John Fryer album “Missed The Noise”. Good to know, Fryer acts as an A&R and a producer at COP International Records, helming the work of artists such as Stabbing Westward, Azam Ali, Chiasm, Stoneburner, Blackcarburning and more.

For more on John Fryer, see A Cloud Of Ravens release remix EP feat. remixes by Clan of Xymox,… on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Wayne Hussey, frontman of The Mission, will soon have a new single out in support of key workers dealing with Covid-19 globally. He has remade the classic Mission anthem “Tower Of Strength”, joined by members of The Cure, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Slowdive, Bauhaus / Love and Rockets, The Smiths, The Twilight Sad, Depeche Mode, The Cult, The Wonder Stuff, Gary Numan, Evi Vine, Midge Ure (Ultravox), Spear of Destiny / Theatre Of Hate, Beauty In Chaos, The Soft Cavalry, All About Eve, Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails and Gene Loves Jezebel.

The actual collaborators include: Andy Rourke, Billy Duffy, Budgie, Evi Vine, Gary Numan, James Alexander Graham, Jay Aston, Julianne Regan, Kevin Haskins, Kirk Brandon, Lol Tolhurst, Martin Gore, Michael Aston, Michael Ciravolo, Midge Ure, Miles Hunt, Rachel Goswell, Richard Fortus, Robin Finck, Steve Clarke, Tim Palmer, Trentemøller

Produced by Wayne Hussey, this release features mixes by Tim Palmer and Trentemöller. This is also the first time brothers Jay and Michael Aston (of Gene Loves Jezebel) have recorded anything together since parting ways many years ago.

Here’s a preview of the song featuring for instance Martin Gore.

The single itself will be out on August 28 on all digital platforms followed by a 12” vinyl and CD on October 2.

Wayne Hussey: “When Covid-19 hit I started receiving messages asking ‘why don’t you re-issue Tower Of Strength for the front line workers?’ The song had apparently been adopted as an anthem by some NHS workers, and it got me thinking that I would like to contribute something to the greater cause at this unprecedented time and the only thing I could really contribute is music. So in conjunction with my good friend Michael Ciravolo, I came up with the idea of recording a new version of Tower Of Strength for charity by enlisting the help of musician friends and acquaintances. Tower Of Strength was first released by The Mission as single in 1988 and then again in 1994. It charted twice in the UK top 40 and has proved to be probably our biggest song and the one we generally close our shows with. It is anthemic. I wondered if recording a more well known song might have a greater reach but neither Michael or I could come up with any suggestions that seemed to fit lyrically without getting too corny. So Tower Of Strength it was then.

Usually I detest things that are done for charity that are also self-serving, but I came up with a plan that satisfied my conscience. I spoke with my fellow Mission band members who co-wrote the song – Craig Adams, Mick Brown and Simon Hinkler – and we agreed to give up any publishing income generated by the new version to nominated charities, including mechanical and performance royalties and 100% of any revenue raised by sales. TOS2020 has been renamed to divert funds from the original version, and the charities will all be personally nominated by the people involved in its recording and release. Because the musical contributions are global our idea is that the proceeds will be divided and distributed equally among all the beneficiaries.”

Tracklist for the vinyl:

Vinyl Side A

1. TOS2020 (Beholden To The Front Line Workers Of The World mix)
2. TOS2020 (single)

Vinyl Side B

1. TOS2020 (Trentemøller remix)*
2. TOS2020 (Albie Mischenzingerzen remix)**

Tracklist for the CD:

1. TOS2020 (Beholden To The Front Line Workers Of The World mix)
2. TOS2020 (Trentemøller remix)*
3. TOS2020 (Albie Mischenzingerzen remix)**
4. TOS2020 (single)

Tracklist for the digital bundle:

1. TOS2020 (single)
2. TOS2020 (Beholden To The Front Line Workers Of The World mix)
3. TOS2020 (Trentemøller remix)*
4. TOS2020 (Albie Mischenzingerzen remix)**
5. Tower Of Strength (original new remaster) – The Mission (free bonus track with bundle only)

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘s Martin Gore launches new solo track ’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by Pharmadiver/Kim Hansen Photography) Good news from Stabbing Westward, the band has inked a deal with COP International for a brand new album called “Wasteland” to be released later this year alongside at least one new single. In January, the industrial rock band already released the EP “Dead And Gone” with all new material.

It will be the band’s 1st LP in nearly 20 years. The other good news is that they joined up with John Fryer for the production of this new album. Fryer, whose production credits include Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, 4AD, Cocteau Twins and Love and Rockets, was behind the boards on Stabbing Westward’s seminal early albums “Ungod” (1994) and “Wither Blister Burn + Peel” (1996). “It’s grand to be working with Stabbing Westward again,” says Fryer. “The first two albums we made together were some of my finest work as a producer.”

Stabbing Westward frontman Christopher Hall adds, “I was so excited to have the opportunity to go back to the very roots of Stabbing Westward by working with John again. John really helped us develop our sound on our first album and then helped us take a huge leap forward with our second album. Even though this is our fifth full length, after such a long break it feels like a new beginning and it’s very cool to have John at the helm once again.”

Anno 2020 the band consists of original founding members Christopher Hall (vocals/guitar) and Walter Flakus (keyboards/programming) as well as longtime bandmate Carlton Bost (bass) and newest member Bobby Amaro (drums).

New production company for COP International

Good to know also, this won’t be the only work Fryer will do for COP International. The label teamed up with producer John Fryer last year to form a production company under the COP International umbrella. Fryer is producing and engineering the majority of the forthcoming COP catalog and also working as A&R in helping to select appropriate acts.

Side-Line also covered John Fryer’s ‘Away EP’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by by Dan Santoni) David J (Bauhaus, Love And Rockets) has a new single coming out, “I Only Hear Silence Now” featuring Emily Jane White an American singer and songwriter from Oakland, California. The single is released together with an accompanying video which you can view below. The single is taken of his latest album “Missive To An Angel From The Halls Of Infamy And Allure”, which is out now.

David J has also kicked off a series of performances – some as solo shows and some as part of Bauhaus, recently reformed and taking their show on the road.

Tour dates:

• FEB 18 Santa Rosa, CA – The Lost Church
• FEB 19 Live interview on KRCB, Sonoma County (1pm)
• FEB 21 San Francisco, CA – The Lost Church (sold out)
• FEB 22 Oakland, CA – Private Event
• MAR 13 Ciudad De México – El Sótano de La Roma (Book signing 7pm)
• MAR 13 Ciudad De México – Venas Rotas Discos (9pm)
• APR 08 London, UK – Alexandra Palace (as Bauhaus)
• APR 28 Ciudad De México – Fronton Mexico (as Bauhaus)
• APR 29 Ciudad De México – Fronton Mexico (as Bauhaus)
• MAY 17 Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery
• JUN 05 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound (as Bauhaus)
• JUN 12 Kallithea, Greece – Release Athens Festival (as Bauhaus)
• JUN 26 New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall (as Bauhaus)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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This year marks 40 years since the formation of Bauhaus. To mark this occasion, David J will play two exclusive solo UK concerts, wedged between world tour dates with Peter Murphy.

Before beginning a lengthy junket with Murphy across the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, David J will play a special live acoustic concert at Beck Studios in Wellingborough on Sunday, August 26. The Beck Studios was where Bauhaus recorded “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” in 1979 in case you had forgotten. It was that single that, released via Small Wonder Records, led to a John Peel session, two years of charting in the British independent charts, and being signed to 4AD Records and, subsequently, Beggar’s Banquet.

As part of this event, Andrew Brooksbank, author of “Bauhaus – Beneath The Mask”, will also be conducting an interview with David, which will be followed by a Q&A with the audience. The concert will be both recorded and filmed for later release. The day before that, on August 25, David J will perform in London at The Islington with special guests.

Since Bauhaus disbanded in 1983, David J was the first of the Bauhaus’ members to actively step outside of the comfort zone of his original band, releasing his debut album “Etiquette of Violence” that same year. He has since released numerous solo albums, founded Love and Rockets, produced and played bass with The Jazz Butcher, and joined the reformed Bauhaus again twice for world tours. David J’s latest (2017) release is “Vagabond Songs”, his ninth studio album.

As for the joined tour with Peter Murphy, the duo will bring Bauhaus classics, as well as playing their debut album “In The Flat Field”.

Later this year, a series of coloured vinyl Bauhaus reissues will be released.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Here’s a release series available via Artoffact Records which will please many: the Brave New Wave radio sessions! But first some background. Brave New Waves was a Canadian radio program which aired on CBC Stereo, later known as CBC Radio 2, from 1984 to 2007. Airing overnight five nights a week, the show profiled alternative and indie music and culture. The show was created after Augusta La Paix submitted a demo tape for a show on avant garde culture, featuring music by Laurie Anderson, Brian Eno, Klaus Nomi and Nina Hagen.

In 1988, the program also began recording live in-studio sessions (next to studio live-to-air) curated by producer Kevin Komoda. And that’s exactly where it gets really interesting as the show featured a lot of homegrown and foreign electronic.

Available now for pre-order (next to many other sessions – a complete list can be found here) are the sessions recorded by Psyche, Severed Heads and The Jazz Butcher, all on vinyl and CD. Here’s a rundown of what you can expect.

Severed Heads – “Brave New Waves Session” (Purple vinyl)

Available for ordering right here. Recorded in CBC’s studio live-to-air in 1986 while on tour with Skinny Puppy, Severed Heads’ “Brave New Waves Session” includes never-before heard versions of songs from “The Big Bigot” and “Dead Eyes Open”, including the band’s hit, “Harold & Cindy Hospital”, as well as commentary by Tom Ellard.

First formed in 1979, Severed Heads is an Australian electronic and experimental project led by Tom Ellard since 1981. In the mid- to late-80s, the project saw its biggest commercial successes with releases on Nettwerk and huge European and American tours. The band’s 1986 tour with Skinny Puppy resulted in this now infamous Brave New Waves recording, which to date has never been released commercially. The recording is taken from CBC Archives reels and remastered at Grey Market Mastering in Montreal, by Harris Newman.

The Jazz Butcher – “Brave New Waves Session” (Blue vinyl)

Available for ordering right here. The Jazz Butcher’s fabulous Brave New Waves session is one of the only sessions that ever got an official release, as the b-side of an EP called “Spooky” in the late 80s. Now hopelessly out of print, the session gets new life as part of the Brave New Waves series from Artoffact Records. This release includes a never-heard bonus track, a download card with bonus interviews, and completely updated and revised artwork, partially modified from the original Spooky sleeve art.

Led by Pat Fish the project featured an array of collaborators (including David Jay of Love And Rockets and Bauhaus fame) and recorded some 15 albums since its founding in 1982. The Jazz Butcher’s Brave New Waves session was recorded on June 5th, 1988 in CBC Studio 13 in Montreal. The recording features cameos by both Kevin Komoda (Rational Youth) and Brent Bambury (the Brave New Waves host). The rendition of “Sex Engine” also includes a memorable dig at Skinny Puppy, as well as at other Canadian icons. Also this recording is taken from CBC Archives reels and remastered at Grey Market Mastering in Montreal, by Harris Newman.

Psyche – “Brave New Waves Session” (Yellow vinyl)

Available for ordering right here. Recorded in 1988 and never before released, this session from Psyche includes songs that the band never recorded, as well as alternative takes with different lyrics that never appeared on any Psyche release.

A rare moment of uncertainty after Psyche’s final performance with Stephen Huss, Eric Klaver joined the band to create a trio on stage and produce the most obscure recordings of Psyche’s career. In 1988, Darrin and Eric found themselves in the studio with Kevin Komoda for a Brave New Waves session with only sketches of material they had improvised in between shows in Montreal and Quebec City.

The set is available on black vinyl, limited edition yellow vinyl, as well as CD digipak and digital formats.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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