For two decades during the 80's-90's, the international mail system fostered a network of underground artists, exchanging cassette tapes of music and homemade a...
With pile of scrap metal and a disused railway tunnel nearby, unemployed youths Dave Kirby and Rob Maycock began recording sounds that they’d use as material for their Throbbing Gristle-inspired noise project, Psychopath. Forty years later, on the eve of his international tour we speak with Dave about his early cassette scene releases and continued artistic evolution in Satori. Touching on his motivations, artistic confidence… and his sample library of road drill sounds. His early meeting with Justin Mitchell of Cold Spring Records led to his music finding a worldwide audience. Hosted by Martin Franklin & Hudson Graham. Music: “Pressing Down” Satori, The Woods (Cold Spring Records)‘The Kill”“Post Mortem”“Heavy Sadist” Psychopath, The Final Bow “The Entity” Satori, Kanishibari (Cold Spring Records) ”This Is Concrete” The Happy Citizen The recording "How things used to be in Margate" at 0:51 used by kind permission of Stuart Fowkes/Cities And Memory. (https://citiesandmemory.com/) LinksCold Spring Recordshttps://coldspring.co.uk/ Satorihttps://satori-industrial.bandcamp.com/Mindscan Tapeshttps://www.discogs.com/label/18022-Mindscan-Tapes "Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989-90" cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com Podcast Produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studio (http://eastcoaststudio.com.au)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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19:36
The British Library Calls
We share the news of the preservation of the Cassette Culture podcast by the British Library and talk about some upcoming interviews. Coming Next: Psychedelia in the Home Counties with Richard Allen of Delerium Records, and Texas' ND fanzine and label with Daniel Plunkett, plus the evolution of experimental/Industrial music with Davie Kirby of Satori. Our new "Cassette Culture" stickers get unboxed ready for distribution to anywhere we can get them. Hosted by Martin Franklin & Hudson Graham Links "Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989-90" cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com Podcast Produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studio (http://eastcoaststudio.com.au) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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10:57
Underground 'Zines And The Hunt For Lost Music
The Vital fanzine evolved from hand typed, xeroxed pages to pioneering online distribution, and connected artists from the USA and Europe. We dive into an interview with Frans de Waard, creator of the Dutch fanzine Vital and the Korm Plastics label to talk about his journey of collaboration in the underground cassette scene. Covering his early zine projects like Nul Nul, growing his label network, work with renowned record store and experimental music label, Staalplaat, and steps into authoring books about experimental music and zines. Our final segment follows the next steps of Discogs Detective, Tom Gibbs as he travels the UK South Coast to track down members of enigmatic ’80’s improvisors, Omega Ensemble. Hosted by Martin Franklin & Hudson Graham.Guests:Frans de Waard (Vital/Korm Plastics)Tom Gibbs (Infinite Expanse)Theme Music: "This Is Concrete" The Happy Citizen Featured Music: The Haters, “Performance 12 01 1989”, PuinhoopBlackhumour “Weeds in Barren Soil”, PoetryJohn Hudak “The Talk”, BrainboxArcane Device “Live at the Clocktower 27 04 1989” SixIos Smoulders “Composition Nr121”, Abstract ArtBig City Orchestra “The Smart Thing”, Everyman is a Volume. All music released on cassette by Korm Plastics (https://www.kormplastics.nl/) “Piece 2” by the Omega Ensemble, Sil Lim Tao LinksVital Weekly (https://www.vitalweekly.net/)Vital: The Complete Collection book (https://www.kormplastics.nl/vital-the-complete-collection-1987-1995/) "Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989-90" cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com Podcast Produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studio (http://eastcoaststudio.com.au) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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25:10
The Package From Steve Arrives
Unboxing a Cassette Time Capsule sent to us from Steve Gears in the UK. We find a treasure trove of rare cassette culture artifacts from the 1980s and 90s. From handmade fanzines and photocopied flyers to quirky cassette releases, this episode transports you back to the DIY underground music scene of the pre-digital era. Martin and Hudson unpack the goodies sent from The Happy Citizen's Steve Gears in Manchester UK and talk through the flyers, tapes and letters inside this amazing time capsule. This is a must-listen for anyone fascinated by music history and the evolution of independent music distribution. Hosted by Martin Franklin & Hudson Graham. Featured Music: "Incision" Sirius B, (Steve's compilation cassette)"Track name" Remarimba, (Cordelia Records)"Church Of Pain" Media: Premonitions, Bad News Bible, (Premonitions Tapes) "Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989-90" cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com Podcast produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studio (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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26:59
Tape to Tape Tête-à-Tête: The Network Gets Physical
1980’s cassette networking branched out into independent radio shows, physical meet ups and gigs. For 14 years Sandy Nys ran his radio show on Antwerp's Radio Centraal, amplifying and connecting the scene. Through these connections, he ran his 3RioArt label, launched Belgian EBM influencers, The Klinik and later, electronic ritual collective, Hybryds. Mindscan Tapes label owner Rob Maycock talks about quickly building international networks and collaborations with Treble King in the USA and Nostalgia Eternelle in France, plus his connection to a 1988 release on the fledgling Cold Spring label. Discogs stalker, Internet Detective and Infinite Expanse founder, Tom Gibbs makes progress in his contemporary search for the elusive Omega Ensemble members. Hosted by Martin Franklin & Hudson Graham. Guests: Sandy Nys/HybrydsRob Maycock/Mindscan TapesTom Gibbs/Infinite Expanse Featured Music: Remarimba "B Bag" (Cordelia Records Sampler 4th Ed.) 1989Omega Ensemble "Piece 1" (Demo) 1988"Intro" (Aural Augasm #7)Attrition "Beast Of Burden" (International Audio Communication Vol#1) 1983Satori "23 Voodoo" (Mindscan Tapes) 1988 "Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989-90" cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com Podcast Produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studio (http://eastcoaststudio.com.au)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For two decades during the 80's-90's, the international mail system fostered a network of underground artists, exchanging cassette tapes of music and homemade artwork - all under the radar of main stream media.
Taking the DIY message of Punk as a jumping off point, our travel through the network departs from the bleak 1980's Thatcher-era UK, community radio and fanzines and all points in a journey to a thriving self sustaining culture.
We track down some key figures in the cassette scene, and follow the web of connections outward from the UK around the world, mapping the impacts and their ongoing effects.
We speak with musicians, label runners, and fanzine writers, who share their experiences of connecting through the mail system and its ongoing effects on their lives.
New Zealand