On this day, 43 years ago John Foxx released the second 7” single taken from his debut and electronic music cult album Metamatic (released 18 January 1980). ‘No-One Driving’ (21 March 1980) was released in various versions, as a limited edition double 7" disc with three accompanying tracks, and as a single 7" singles a two track and three track version.

The single version is slightly different from the album version in sound mix and lyrics; the line "..someone's gone liquid in the sheets.." on the album version is replaced by "..someone's gone missing in the sheets..".

The single entered the UK Singles Chart at no. 32, remaining at the same position for a further week.

No-One Driving (Original 7” Releases)

7" single disc (two track version)

1. "No-One Driving"
2. "Glimmer"

7" single disc (three track version)

1. "No-One Driving"
2. "Glimmer"
3. "Mr. No"

7" double disc (gatefold sleeve)

1. "No-One Driving"
2. "Glimmer"
3. "This City"
4. "Mr. No"

7" German release (different sleeve artwork)

1. "No-One Driving"
2. "Metal Beat"

All three B-sides were released together for the first time on the 2001 CD re-issue of the Metamatic album.

DISCOGS

No-One Driving (Lyrics)

Seems like you were lit inside
I feel like fog beside the shine
Figure fades away
Someone takes my place
Meshing with the pictures on the pages

There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one

The family's back from long ago
The voices burnt, the voices gold
Vapour trails go by
Voices on the lines
Nothing to come back to can't we fade?

There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one

Someone's gone liquid in the sheets
A sudden smell of burning leaves
The old streets overgrown
Somewhere else to go
It's just another switchback can't we fade?

There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving

This day 35 years ago, The Pixies released their debut long-player, the sublime Surfer Rosa. The very beginning of the postmodernist, alternative rock movement started with the kick drum of ‘Bone Machine’. A deep-drenched surrealistic track of singalong pre-grunge, with former member Kim Deal echoing the direct screamed vocal of Black Francis.

A brutal mix followed with themes from voyeurism to mutilation, all wrapped in sonic bursts of finely constructed melodies. The sound of Surfer Rosa is a cross of-surf-rock, punk, psychedelic-a mixed with torrential noise and the very twisted lyrics. It slapped in the face more taboos than the Velvet Underground. It is no wonder then that The Pixies were the band which would ignite the flames of Nirvana, Blur, Radiohead and The Strokes. They became the most influential band of the nineteen-eighties, in a very short space of time. And Surfer Rosa was where it started.

The magic of Steve Albini (Nirvana, PJ Harvey ) captures perfectly the raw-assault of The Pixies, whilst the song may be simple in construction, the abstract way in their creation makes them further complex.
This is the album which will remain a classic of the twentieth century, The Velvet Underground And Nico movement of modern times.


Surfer Rosa - Original 1988 Track List;
1. “Bone Machine”
2. "Break My Body"
3. "Something Against You"
4. "Broken Face"
5. "Gigantic"
6. "River Euphrates"
7. "Where Is My Mind?"
8. "Cactus"
9. "Tony's Theme"
10. "Oh My Golly!"
11. "Vamos"
12. "I'm Amazed"
13. "Brick Is Red"

DISCOGS

Gigantic (Lyrics)

And this I know his teeth as white as snow
What a gas it was to see him
Walk her everyday into a shady place
With her lips she said
She said, "Hey Paul, hey Paul, hey Paul
Let's have a ball
Hey Paul, hey Paul, hey Paul
Let's have a ball
Hey Paul, hey Paul, hey Paul
Let's have a ball"
Gigantic, gigantic, gigantic
A big, big love
Gigantic, gigantic, gigantic
A big, big love
Lovely legs there are
What a big black mass, what a hunk of love
He'll walk her every day into a shady place
Like the dark, but I'd want him
"Hey Paul, hey Paul, hey Paul
Let's have a ball
Hey Paul, hey Paul, hey Paul
Let's have a ball
Hey Paul, hey Paul, hey Paul
Let's have a ball"
Gigantic, gigantic, gigantic
A big, big love

[Kevin Burke]

Today it’s exactly 33 years ago that Nitzer Ebb released their third studio album Showtime on Mute Records (STUMM 72 / 20 March 1990).

The album has a whole has a very cohesive, uniform sound, despite each song being very unique, ranging from the more EBM-like Rope to the almost Industrial-Rock-ish Getting Closer. Three singles were taken from this album and released separately, Lightning Man, Fun To Be Had and Getting Closer.

Showtime - Tracklist

Getting Closer
Nobody Knows
One Mans Burden
All Over
My Heart
Lightning Man
Rope
Hold On
Fun To Be Had

3 years ago today, Ministry released their live album Sphinctour, a collection of tracks recorded on their 1996 world tour in support of the album Filth Pig. This was Ministry’s third solo album, while not their most popular, it does provide a time-capsule moment into the live performance of a band at the height of their powers.

This live performances is absolutely precise and perfectly represents the Ministry full, vast sound of chaos and noise. It is thoroughly un-dubbed, no studio tinkering in the process aftermath.

Recorded direct to the two-track system, this is the sound of Ministers naked and raw, spitting fire under the glare of a spotlight.

The collision of industrial intensity and thrashed- out guitar cranks is enough to unsettle the nerves as the listener is pulled into the world of Al Jourgensen. The real magic to this release is how much better the Filth Pig tracks sound in a live setting, at times transcending the studio release. It may not be for everyone but Sphinctour has become an essential Ministry release.

Track List;
(Complete)

1. "Psalm 69" (Elysée Montmartre, Paris) 5:04
2. "Crumbs" (Congress Center, Stuttgart) 3:54
3. "Reload" (Convention Center, Albuquerque) 2:33
4. "Filth Pig" (Varsity Arena, Toronto) 6:30
5. "So What" (The Warfield, San Francisco) 9:45
6. "Just One Fix" (Aragon Ballroom, Chicago) 4:38
7. "N.W.O." (Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles) 6:04
8. "Hero" (Gaswerk, Hamburg) 2:38
9. "Thieves" (Mercer Arena, Seattle) 5:14
10. "Scarecrow" (Jesolo Beach Festival, Venice) 7:56
11. "Lava" (Dour Festival, Brussels) 8:43
12. "The Fall" (Brixton Academy, London) 8:02
13. "Stigmata" (Roseland Ballroom, New York) 9:14
Track 5 and 13 not included on CD release

Al Jourgensen - vocals, mandolin ("Reload"), harmonica ("Filth Pig"), guitar ("Just One Fix", "N.W.O."), production
Paul Barker - bass guitar, keyboard bass ("The Fall"), production
Rey Washam - drums
Louis Svitek - guitar
Duane Buford - keyboards
Zlatko Hukic - guitar

[Kevin Burke]

Today, 39 years ago, Joy Division released "Licht und Blindheit" (Light and Blindness). Originally released on 18 March 1980 by the French label Sordide Sentimental as a France-only single release. It was limited to 1578 copies and featured the tracks Atmosphere (A-side) and Dead Souls (B-side).

Following the death of Ian Curtis in May 1980, "Atmosphere" was released as a single along with She’s Lost Control.

The single was re-released in 1988 to coincide with the release of the Joy Division compilation album Substance. The video that came with this re-release of Atmosphere was directed by Anton Corbijn.

Copies from the one and only original numbered limited edition pressing have been traded for prices well over €1000 on the internet. So, if you happen to come accros this record on a recordfair, it's more likely you found one of the nine bootleg pressings that have surfaced in the following decades.

Atmosphere - Lyrics

Walk in silence
Don't walk away, in silence
See the danger
Always danger
Endless talking
Life rebuilding
Don't walk away
Walk in silence
Don't turn away, in silence
Your confusion
My illusion
Worn like a mask of self-hate
Confronts and then dies
Don't walk away
People like you find it easy
Naked to see
Walking on air
Hunting by the rivers, through the streets, every corner
Abandoned too soon
Set down with due care
Don't walk away in silence
Don't walk away

(Bernard Sumner / Ian Curtis / Peter Hook / Stephen Paul David Morris)

DISCOGS