Piston Damp and Ray Noir, two acts that hadn’t played in Oslo before, booked the final day of August for an evening of electro-metal/goth and synthpop tunes at the club Revolver. Then a surprise dropped the day before the show, announcing that Apop (Stephan Groth’s solo version of Apoptygma Berzerk) would kick off the evening with a set of analogue-modular music!

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange. Photos by Halvor Bodin, Tarjei Krogh and Jan Ronald Stange)

We had to get more info and reactions from all involved, so the week after was spent interviewing by Messenger and e-mail, starting with Apop.

Side-Line: Tell us how this gig came about, seemed a bit surprising for most since your participation was announced just the day before? 

Stephan Groth: Ray Noir and Piston Damp were going to be playing a show in Oslo on August 30, so I asked if I could play support since I have not played live in Oslo for a long time. It was already a sold out show, so I just tagged along. We all had great fun, and it felt good to show the Oslo crowd a side of APOPTYGMA BERZERK that they have not experienced before. 

 This is the 3rd time I have played live under the name “APOP”. It’s been just me alone on stage, improvising and tweaking modular synths and FX in the style of “Exit Popularity Contest”.

S-L: Is there any improvisation live, or all planned beforehand?

 STP: Oh yes, lots of improvisation. I have planned beforehand what songs to play, and for how long. 

Then I have preprogrammed 3 sequencers who are controlling the modular rig, so I arrange and mix the first half of the show live. 

The other half of the performance I play a few APOPTYGMA BERZERK songs with vocals. This last part is less improvised.

S-L: As mentioned you’ve done some of these sets before, will there be more in the future?

STP: I’m having a lot of fun doing this, and it seems people are enjoying it as well. It is also a great way to test out new material and new ideas. It is quite different from what I have done earlier in my career, and therefore also very refreshing and exciting for both the audience and myself. The first time I played this kind of concert was in Jönköping, supporting Swedish synth pop legends PAGE.
Will there be more of this in the future? I hope so 🙂

The prize for being most energetic went to the second act of the night, Ray Noir, who filled the club with beats as he used every inch of the stage – and some of the floor interacting with the audience too!

S-L: First time with a live show in Norway – what’s your impression?

Ray Noir: Heyy! Thank u so much for coming 🙏🏽 It was an awesome night. Playing a hometown show for the first time was nothing but amazing! Really cool to see so many beautiful faces there, and being supported by one of my all time favourite bands Apoptygma Berzerk was nothing but surreal. And doing this co-headline show with Piston Damp was a dream.

S-L: Anything else brewing with more releases or gigs?

RN: I’ve finished some new tracks, hopefully there will be one more release before the end of the year, there’s also some London shows planned before the year is over.

Piston Damp, the duo Jonas Groth and Truls Sønsterud, were the final act, making people dance and really enjoy their set. Top notch vocals and synth, and their surprising cover of The Cure’s “The Walk” was the show’s icing on the cake. Release that track ASAP!

S-L: First time in Oslo, how was the gig for you?

Piston Damp: Our first gig in Oslo was really cool. Super small – and sold out – venue, but awesome nonetheless. When we announced it from the stage, someone yelled out: “About time!!!”, which was hilarious although quite flattering.

Jonas has known Ray Noir since he was a very young guy behind the counter at Body Map in Arcaden, Oslo. Great guy, and so much fun to be with.

And for the third time, we’ve been able to bring along Stephan with his plip-plop-instrumentals, which we adore. Having him there adds a dimension to the evening.

S-L:  More releases or gigs planned?

PD: We most definitely have releases coming in the near future. We’re working on the follow up album to Making The World Great Again, which is exciting since we are no longer inventing Piston Damp. We are now developing Piston Damp. It’s really amazing to discover how alike we are. We really don’t seem like we would be able to get along style-wise, but we really do. Every single time.

We have about twenty songs in the can now. Now we’re trying to figure out how to sort them. Which goes where?

We are old-timers who love a good album with strong songs, singles with unforgettable b-sides and extended remixes, and live versions of songs, which give the songs more feet to stand on.

Watch out for our upcoming album. It’s going to be a great volume. Hint hint…

jrstange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Sub Culture press release) “Hard To Love You”, the fourth single from the upcoming Piston Damp album, is out today on streaming platforms. The sophomore album is due later this autumn.

“Hard To Love You” takes us back to the early 80’s with analogue synths, modular f/x and beautiful vocal harmonies, and Piston Damp’s love for Vince Clarke’s early songwriting really comes to fruition here. 

With their own unmistakable touch and sound mixed in, this makes for a nostalgic summer outing fit for a day on the beach or late night radio listening.

Piston Damp have played an impressive amount of gigs in Germany, Sweden and Norway in the past 3 years, and their live escapade will continue in August with their first ever gig in Oslo on the 31^st at Revolver, sharing the stage with Ray Noir. More info and tickets here.

“Hard To Love You” is written by Jonas Groth who’s also providing the vocals, and the synthesizers and modulars are by Truls Sønsterud. On this single, Stephan Groth, the brother of Jonas and known from Apoptygma Berzerk, has stepped in as co-producer. The single was mixed by Magne Johansen, and mastered by Ole-Espen Kristiansen. In addition to the instrumental and extended versions of “Hard To Love You”, you’ll get a live version of “Something In Me” included on the single.

Check out their bio and photos at www.pistondamp.com while listening to the tracks here:

jrstange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

(Photo by Esme Bones) To celebrate hitting the 100.000 streams milestone London-based alt.goth and electro-metal act Ray Noir will release his mixtape “Scorpio” in a deluxe edition this Thursday.

The deluxe edition holds the bonus track “All Alone” featuring Mariann Rosa from Surferosa and a brand new remix of “Double Trouble” by alt.rockers TOVA. Additionally, it includes remixes by Gothminister, Corlyx, Tension Control, and others, along with the track “You, Me & The Devil” featuring Tom Saint.

Ray Noir will be playing some shows in August with Combichrist at Underworld and a headline show in Oslo, Norway.

• 7th of August – London, UK – Underworld, supporting Industrial Core legends Combichrist
• 31st of August – Oslo, Norway – Revolver, co-headlining with Piston Damp

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.

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Metropolis Records welcomes the legendary 16volt on its roster. The new release “NegativeOnArrivals” features a selection of tracks from the band’s two self-released albums, “The Negative Space” and “Dead on Arrivals”, that have been selected by the band themselves.

In addition 16volt’s founder, songwriter, lead vocalist, programmer, and rhythm guitarist Eric Powell, is working on a new album that is slated for release later this year, to be released under the title “More of Less”. “NegativeOnArrivals” is available today via Metropolis Records on CD and through all digital and streaming platforms.

About 16volt

Eric Powell signed his first record deal in 1991 at a very young age and subsequently delivered three albums: “Wisdom” (1993), “Skin” (1994), and “LetDownCrush” (1996). On those albums he worked with several co-producers including David Ogilvie (Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy), Keith “Fluffy” Auerbach (Ministry), Jeff “Critter” Newell (Ministry, Angels & Airwaves, Blink-182), and special guests William Tucker (Ministry), Marc LaCorte (Schecter Guitars), and Bryan Black (Black Asteroid).

16volt then brought on producer Bill Kennedy (Nine Inch Nails, Megadeth, Sepultura, Mötley Crüe) to make the album “SuperCoolNothing” (1998, Mercury/PolyGram) featuring film composer and musician Joseph Bishara (Insidious, The Conjuring, Marylin Manson, Danzig), Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails), Mike Peoples (Skrew), and Kraig Tyler (Crazytown). With Polygram being acquired by Seagrams shortly before the album release, 16volt found themselves in the middle of a legal battle while Mercury lost all funding and moved the album to Island Records as a catalog item.

In the end the band bought the rights to the album in 2000 and signed an agreement with Sony Entertainment to feature the album within the Playstation game “Primal” as well as being a double release in Europe with the game on one disc and the album on another. The band was also skinned into the game as characters and included in interviews as in-game bonus material.

In 2007 16volt signed a multi-album deal with Metropolis Records and released “FullBlackHabit” (2007), “American Porn Songs” (2009), and “Beating Dead Horses” (2012) with guests such as Paul Raven (Ministry, Killing Joke, Prong); Steve White (KMFDM); Bildeaux (Lance Herbstrong) and mix engineer Shaun Thingvold (Strapping Young Lad, Lamb of God).

In early 2016 16volt entered the recording studio in Portland, Oregon to begin writing and recording a new album with producer Marc Jordan (Velvet Revolver, The Cult, Stitched Up Heart, The Mowglis, Hyro Da Hero, Bleached, Die Antwoord). The new album titled “The Negative Space” was released independently on September 14, 2016. In early 2017, 16volt entered the studio to begin work on their 10th album effort “Dead On Arrivals” which was self-produced and released in October of 2017.

During the summer of 2021, Eric began working on material again in his private studio. In the Fall of 2022, 16volt announced resigning with Metropolis Records and began work on a new album titled “More of Less” slated for a 2024 release. In addition, Metropolis now re-issues a combined version with select tracks of the albums “The Negative Space” and “Dead On Arrivals” titled “NegativeOnArrivals”.

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.

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Portland’s Federale presents “Heaven Forgive Me”, featuring The Black Angels’ Alex Mass on backing vocals. The single is the lead track of their sixth album “Reverb & Seduction”, out this summer via Jealous Butcher Records.

Their sixth studio album, “Reverb & Seduction” marks the band’s twentieth anniversary. Comprised of 10 tracks, the new album was recorded at Revolver Studios in Portland and engineered by Collin Hegna, Matt Thomson and Andrew Joslyn. Mixed by Jeff Stuart Saltzman (The Black Keys, The High Violets), Matt Thomson and Collin Hegna, this album was mastered by Adam Gonsalves at Telegraph Mastering.

The lineup includes some well-known Portland vets, including The Shivas, Roselit Bone, Dandy Warhols, Rogue Wave and Delines. The band will be touring the West Coast to coincide with the new record’s July release. A European tour will follow in late fall 2024.

As of April 24, “Heaven Forgive Me” is available everywhere digitally, including Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and Bandcamp. The full “Reverb & Seduction” album, which can be pre-ordered now, will be released on July 12, available on CD and vinyl.

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.

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Out on May 3rd via Metropolis Records is the release of the 16Volt album”NegativeOnArrivals”.

It holds condensed versions of the two most recent albums are being reissued on 3rd May as the single disc “NegativeOnArrivals”, with Powell stating: “I am excited to get this material out to a larger base through Metropolis! The collection of tracks was created during a hard time in my life and to feel them set free together is a great exorcism, I hope everyone enjoys them as we get warmed up for our new album.”

You can pre-order the album right here. Below is the artwork.

In further news, after a period of inactivity that saw 16Volt unable to tour, Powell began working on new material in his studio and re-signed with Metropolis Records for a brand new album entitled “More Of Less” to be issued later in 2024.

Here’s already the video for “The Last Time” featured on the new album.

About 16Volt

With roots dating back to the early days of the industrial rock genre, 16Volt have been successfully crossing over into multiple related genres for over three decades and retained a healthy worldwide fanbase while doing so.

Group founder, songwriter, lead vocalist, programmer and rhythm guitarist Eric Powell actually signed his first record deal in 1991 while still in his teens and delivered three albums in swift succession – “Wisdom” (1993), “Skin” (1994) and “LetDownCrush” (1996) – that saw him working alongside co-producers such as David Ogilvie (Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy), Keith ‘Fluffy’ Auerbach (Ministry) and Jeff ‘Critter’ Newell (Ministry, Angels & Airwaves, blink-182), as well as guest musicians like William Tucker (Ministry), Marc LaCorte (Schecter Guitars) and Bryan Black (Black Asteroid). Earning both critical praise and pole positions on the US Alternative Chart and at College Radio, the band also built a significant live following as they toured extensively around North America and eventuallly signed a major deal with Mercury Records.

Producer Bill Kennedy (Nine Inch Nails, Megadeth, Sepultura, Mötley Crüe) was hired to help make “SuperCoolNothing” (1998), which featured appearances from film composer Joseph Bishara (Insidious, The Conjuring, Marylin Manson, Danzig), Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails), Mike Peoples (Skrew) and Kraig Tyler (Crazytown), but the group soon found themselves in the middle of a legal battle shortly before album release when their label was bought by Seagram and its funding was cut. However, in a genius move, Powell was able to buy back the rights and made a deal with Sony to feature it within the Playstation game “Primal” as well as a two-disc European release that included both the album and the game with the band skinned in as characters and utilised as in-game bonus material.

The mid-’00s saw 16Volt sign to Metropolis Records and release the albums “FullBlackHabit” (2007), “American Porn Songs” (2009) and “Beating Dead Horses” (2012), which featured guests such as Paul Raven (Ministry, Killing Joke, Prong), Steve White (KMFDM) and Bildeaux (Lance Herbstrong), as well as mix engineer Shaun Thingvold (Strapping Young Lad, Lamb of God).

Meanwhile, an extensive touring schedule was maintained that included stints with KMFDM, Korn, Filter, Chemlab, Orgy, Prong, Stabbing Westward, Revolting Cocks, Fear Factory, Front Line Assembly, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Front 242 and more, as well as multiple successful headlining tours in their own right.

2016 saw the release of “The Negative Space”, produced by Marc Jordan (Velvet Revolver, The Cult, Hyro Da Hero, Die Antwoord), with “Dead On Arrivals” following a year later.

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.

side-line.com

Out via Trisol Music Group on the 25th of August 2023 is the all new Rome album “Gates Of Europe”. And as you will notice Jerome Reuter’s musical project Rome again connects to its Ukrainian audience apart from the occasional live appearance.

Since 2015, shortly after Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity and Russia’s covert invasion of the Donbass, the Luxembourgish singer-songwriter has regularly been including various Ukrainian cities on his European tours. Furthermore, Rome happened to give solo performances in Kyiv and Odesa only a few days before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022; a time at which foreign residents and visitors were urged most strongly to leave the country at once.

A few months later, after having played several online charity shows in support of Ukraine, he returned for a solo appearance and thus was the first foreign artist to play a full-set show on Ukrainian soil since the beginning of the war. This appearance in July 2022 was used to gather donations for a refugee shelter in Lviv. In addition to that, one year to the day after Reuter’s last appearance in Kyiv, Rome played two already legendary full band shows in Lviv and Kyiv to commemorate the first anniversary of the beginning of the war.

Below are some videos that documented Jerome Reuter’s support for Ukraine.

“Gates Of Europe” starts off with a burst of the sounds of February 24th, 2022, the beginning of the full-scale invasion and proceeds almost chronologically through the first year of war. The 14 songs offer a glimpse on the inner life of a country that against all expectations is facing the storm with absolute resolve and courage.

Rome will also be hitting the road throughout the remainder of 2023 (including 3 dates in Ukraine). Dates include:

• 29.07.2023 UA-Lviv / Faine Misto Festival
• 25.08.2023 UA-Lviv / !FESTrepublic
• 26.08.2023 UA-Kyiv / Volume Club
• 01.09.2023 DE-Deutzen / NCN Festival
• 08.09.2023 PL-Aleksandrów L. / Summer Dying Loud Festival (solo)
• 16.09.2023 IE-Dublin / Wheelans (solo)
• 28.09.2023 FI-Helsinki / TBA (solo)
• 29.09.2023 SE-Stockholm / Bar Brooklyn (solo)
• 30.09.2023 NO-Oslo / Revolver (solo)
• 01.10.2023 SE-Gothenburg / The Abyss (solo)
• 06.10.2023 CH-Aargau / Musigburg
• 07.10.2023 DE-Frankfurt / Nachtleben
• 08.10.2023 DE-Cologne / Yard Club
• 10.10.2023 DE-Münster / Gleis 22
• 11.10.2023 DE-Hamburg / Nochtwache
• 12.10.2023 DE-Berlin / Frannz Club
• 13.10.2023 PL-Gdansk / Dizzly Grizzly
• 14.10.2023 PL-Krakow / Poczta Glówna
• 26.10.2023 DE-Dresden / Bunker
• 27.10.2023 DE-Nuremberg / Stereo
• 29.10.2023 DE-Munich / Backstage
• 01.11.2023 HU-Budapest / Dürer Kert
• 02.11.2023 RO-Cluj Napoca / Form Space
• 03.11.2023 RO-Bucharest / Fabrica
• 04.11.2023 BG-Sofia / Live & Loud
• 05.11.2023 RS-Belgrade / TBA
• 07.11.2023 AT-Vienna / Viper Room
• 08.11.2023 SI-Ljubljana / Orto Bar
• 09.11.2023 IT-Milano / Arci Bellezza
• 10.11.2023 DE-Freiburg / TBA
• 11.11.2023 BE-Aarschot / Porta Nigra Festival
• 18.11.2023 NL-Utrecht / Tivoli Vredenburg

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.

side-line.com

(Photo via Raison d’Être) Out via Old Europa Café on December 3rd are 3 re-prints on double CD with bonus-tracks of long unavailable c albums.

The first is “In Sadness, Silence and Solitude” which was first released in 1997. It was the fourth full-length album of Peter Andersson aka Raison d’Être. This new 2021 expanded edition is an updated version of the long sold-out expanded edition from 2014. It contains the same tracks but with a fresh new K-14 level mastering.

Next is “The empty Hollow unfolds”, originally released 2000 on Cold Meat Industry. This new 2021 expanded edition is an updated version of the long sold-out expanded edition from 2014, now being a double CD release. Disc one contains the same tracks as the previous expanded edition. The additional disc contains session-related compilation tracks (also available on the “Collected Works” album) and a selection of live tracks from the special expanded edition of “The Empty Hollow Unfolds” from 2014. All material has a fresh new K-14 level mastering as well. The artwork is, as the earlier editions, styled with the somber industrial photos by Martín Pels.

The 3rd release is “The Stains of the embodied Sacrifice”. This expanded 2021 edition is an updated version of the long sold-out expanded edition from 2012. It contains four bonus live tracks recorded at Club Revolver, San Dona di Piave, Italy, 2011 in occasion of the VIII Congresso Post Industriale (OEC’s festival) and again a fresh new K-14 level mastering.

Below are the covers of the re-issues.

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.

side-line.com

The Leeds based post-punk act Klammer are releasing a new single on Revolver Records imprint Heavy Metal Records on 19th Nov. The track, “Broken Dreams In A Crashing Car”, is taken from their upcoming 4th album “The Day Before Yesterday”, which will be released in February 2022.

The band released its first album in 2013, “Auslane”, on Under Dogz Records. The same label released the 2 following albums, “Klammer” (2016) and “You Have Been Processed” (2018).

In between they released the singles “Everything Depends Upon The King” (2016) and “Spiral Girl” (2018).

Here’s the video for the newest single.

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.

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Minimal-electro, experimental, tribal, ambient.

Background/Info: Italian duo Marco Ragni – Birgan Valentin has already been active for a few years now, but this year they struck back joining hands with Avian for this 12” featuring five tracks.

Content: It’s not an easy job defining the sound of this project, but there clearly is a crossover between different influences. It has something ambient-like creating an abyssal effect. Plants Army Revolver next explores minimal electronics while injecting approximate tribal elements to the work. But they also remain driven by techno influences, their ‘heaviest’ cut (cf. “Borneo Memories”) being more technoid.

+ + + : “Yguana” has something original and refreshing for mixing different styles together. The minimal approach appears to be the cohesive element between the songs. I have a preference for the techno driven “Borneo Memories” while the more minimal-like “Annapurna Ritual” is also worthy of examination.

– – – : The songs are easy listening-like, but missing a climax.

Conclusion: I see this project as an interesting ‘techno-variant’; holding on techno ingredients, but still walking on other sonic paths.

Best songs: “Borneo Memories”, “Annapurna Ritual”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/PlantsArmyRevolver

Label: www.a–v–n.com / www.facebook.com/AvianUK

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.

www.side-line.com

Finally available on CD is the Ennio Morricone album “Paura”, which is a collection showing the darker experimental side of Ennio Morricone with pieces that have accompanied such films as “The Cat O’ Nine Tails” (Dario Argento), “The Devil In the Brain”, “Il Serpente”, “Drammi Gotici”, “The Infernal” and many more.

The CD version (available here) comes in a digisleeve and features the tracks of both the “Paura” vinyl plus 3 bonus for a total of 24 tracks, namely “Seq.12”, “Anif” and “Il Fiore delle Mille e una Notte (Tema del Demome Quinto)”.

Here’s a preview.

In further news, the second part of “Paura” can already be purchased on transparent vinyl.

This second collection holds pieces that have accompanied such films as “Revolver”, “900”, “Barbablu”, “Una Pura formalita”, “Un tranquillo posto in campagna” and many more. This collection of songs is appearing for the first time ever on vinyl and is available right here.

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.

side-line.com

Scott Weiland, former frontman Stone Temple Pilots, is no more, he died yesterday December 3. He reportedly passed away in his sleep on his tour bus around 9 PM just before he was to go on stage in Minnesota (USA) with his band The Wildabouts.

No details are known regarding the cause of death although it’s widely known he had a history of illegal substance abuse. For the Weiland family it’s another tragedy after Scott’s younger brother Michael died of cardiomyopathy (which causes the deterioration of the ability of the heart muscle) in early 2007.

During his career Weiland was best known as the frontman for the Stone Temple Pilots from 1986 to 2013, as well as the supergroup Velvet Revolver from 2003 to 2008. Velvet Revolver was a project by former Guns N’ Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum plus former Wasted Youth guitarist Dave Kushner with Weiland on vocals.

Our condolences go to his family and friends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDP6TQXFefY

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.

side-line.com

From time to time we at Side-Line want to know what goes on behind the scenes. So, this time we went to talk with the man behind the record shop Spiral Archive Records in Northampton (UK): Alex Novak which you might know as the man behind Venus Fly Trap. Novak set up his business at the end of 1999 as an alternative to the mainstream stores.

Spiral Archive Records is one of the few remaining independent record shops left in the area and can be found at 26 St.Michaels Road, Northampton (UK). It’s open Wednesday till Friday from 11 till 4PM and also on Saturday between 11 and 5PM. You can contact them by phone at +0044(0)7974-885450 or alternatively via their online mail order.

The shop stocks new and used CDs and records covering a lot of genres including indie, goth, electronic, industrial, punk and new wave, but also rock, metal, psychedelic, ska, mod, funk, soul, reggae, psychobilly, rock n roll, soundtracks, etc.. Alongside the shop Alex DJs at Voodoo Amplifier/Mix Tape/Revolver/Blitz/Alphabeat and has been involved in promoting at various Northampton venues including Soundhaus(RIP), Racehorse, Labour Club, Grinder (RIP), Roadmender, Monkeys Head (RIP), Bantam, Lamp Lighter, Bradlaugh, etc.. You can find an overview here.

SL: What drew you to the decision to set up a shop?

Alex Novak: I been involved in various bands over the years including Isaws, Religious Overdose, Tempest, Attrition and Venus Fly Trap alongside DJing and promoting. Part of the DIY ethic was to set up your own mail order distros and. So I started with selling my own bands material and then developed on from that moment, ending up opening a shop.

I have been involved in bands for many years and I have always had an interest in music. It was a way of making a living out of my interest, just relying on a band can be difficult.

SL: How do you try to stay different and keep your head above the water in the ‘hostile’ environment which the music business has become?

Alex Novak: The shop stocks mostly vinyl, so I do a lot of sales to collectors, but I also stock CDs although I concentrate on more specialist areas which you won’t find in more mainstream stores. Of course I sell online, usually rare, obscure or unusual items. Also I get material directly from bands, get them signed with posters and badges so I have something different alongside instore events.

Others are using the internet to their advantage where they can. Both Spiral Archive and Pied Piper are both expanding their sales online. But rather than selling downloads, they’re selling their usual stock to a wider, global audience.

SL: Vinyl is a big part of what you offer I see, is this a trend that will stay according to you or just one that is good for the second hand market?

Alex Novak: I’m starting to get more new vinyl releases as there are some nice items limited editions, colour vinyl with good packaging… Anything that has that little extra.

Below you can see a video for Venus Fly Trap’s “Human Fly” (a Cramps cover) which is taken from a Metamorphosis best of but which originally appeared on the album “Nemesis” (Big Blue Records).

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.

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