The Operating Tracks started in the autumn of 2014. On a foundation of energy from the era when machines seriously made their debut into music. When DAF and The Normal were revolutionary and when we, for the first time, heard about Orwell's future theme. In late 2015 and early 2016 the band released their only official songs: “Testify” that featured Rein before her breakthrough in 2016 and the EP “Colliding Bodies” with main track “Daniel” as well as “The Collider” and “Human Blood”.

After that everything went quiet. Carl Nilsson moved forward with Lucifer´s Aid and released a number of very hard electronic albums. Carolina Lindahl re-appeared in 2020 with the new project The Brides of the Black Room. Andreas Jismark, who stayed in the shadows 2014-2016 but still was a part of the band, has since managed and worked with acts like Rein and The Lovers of Valdaro.

In late 2018 The Operating Tracks were special guests to Nitzer Ebb in their first show in Stockholm to which they invited some special guests. That would have been the end of it. But as things turned out the band reconnected in 2021 due to a question from Progress Productions if it would be interesting to release “Testify” and “Daniel” as a 12” vinyl. As the parts of The Operating Tracks began to look at this possible release it seemed more interesting to work with some other old songs as well.

“1000 Ways to Die” and “1001” were two songs that the band recorded in early versions and played at the first live shows (with Youth Code in Stockholm) back in 2014. With two brand new versions of these the 12” turned into an album.

After that things moved forward quickly which also meant some brand new songwriting with some brand new guests vocals on the record: Emma Anitchka from the duo The Guilt and the secretive Ghostheart.

www.progress-productions.com

This month, 39 years ago, British EBM/Industrial act Nitzer Ebb recorded their first eight songs which were featured on the A-side of their first ever release/demo tape Basic Pain Procedure (August 1983). On the B-side they put a live recording of a concert in Chelmsford from 9th December the same year. Initially it was meant to attract the attention from record labels but the tape was also sold at their live concerts. Two years later they would meet producer, Phil Harding, who produced their 1985 debut single ‘Isn't It Funny How Your Body Works?’ and helped them set up their own label, Power Of Voice Communications.

Besides ‘Crane’, which was re-recorded and placed on the B-side of their first 12”, and the song ‘Home’, which was re-worked into K.I.A. for the 1988 Belief album, it seemed all other tracks where archived, never to be heard again...

Luckily, for NEB fans around the globe, Basic Pain Procedure was officially re-released in it’s entirety, to celebrate it’s 30th anniversary, on CD, USB and tape in June 2013. The vinyl re-issue version however, only features the eight original studio recordings and thus not the live 1983 performance.
Basic Pain Procedure - Tracklist

A1 Faded Smiles
A2 Tradition
A3 The Home
A4 Star
A5 The Passage
A6 The Book
A7 Crane
A8 Trust Ran In Colours

B1 Tradition
B2 The Home
B3 Star
B4 The Book
B5 Crane
B6 Violent Playground
B7 A Whiter Shade Of Pale
B8 Smear Body

Check out the unique live footage of the song Crane performed in the early 80s...

This month, 40 years ago, Killing Joke released their third studio album Revelations (July 1982). It was recorded in Cologne, Germany and produced by Conny Plank, making it their first album not to be self-produced. This is also seemed to be their last album with the original line-up, featuring Youth on Bass, until Youth rejoined Killing Joke for their 2010 album Absolute Dissent.

At the time of its release the album got very mixed reviews, while some music critics rated it with 'only' 3 out of 5 stars, others gave it a full 5 out of 5 star rating.

Revelations reached number 12 in the UK Albums Chart.

Two singles were released from the album: 'Empire Song' and 'Chop-Chop'.
Funny fact, 'Empire Song' was performed on Top Of The Pops without singer Jas Coleman, who apparently had fled to Iceland in order to survive a potential nuclear world war

Revelations - LP

A1 The Hum 4:58
A2 Empire Song 3:18
A3 We Have Joy 2:59
A4 Chop-Chop 4:18
A5 The Pandys Are Coming 4:09

B1 Chapter III 3:12
B2 Have A Nice Day 3:13
B3 Land Of Milk And Honey 2:36
B4 Good Samaritan 3:30
B5 Dregs 4:52

2005 CD bonus track
We Have Joy" (Alternate Mix) 4:21

DISCOGS

Killing Joke:

Jaz Coleman – vocals, synthesizer
Kevin "Geordie" Walker – guitar
Martin "Youth" Glover – bass guitar
Paul Ferguson – drums, vocals

On this day, 31 years ago, the Scottish electro band The Shamen conquered the fist position on the UK independent single charts (27 July 1991) with “Move Any Mountain”, where it stayed for 5 consecutive weeks. Although initially released under the title ‘Pro>gen’, in 1989 the song was re-released in the UK on 15 July and got remixed by numerous various artists. It also became The Shamen’s first top-ten single, in the regular UK Singles Chart reaching as high as number 4.

Move Any Mountain (Pro>gen 91)

Move any mountain, move any mountain
I will not fail nor falter, I shall succeed
My perception is altered, I do believe
Faith is so strong now nothing shall bar my way
Firm conviction is no fiction
This is my day

I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain
I walk so tall, ascending I stand so high
Earth below me revolving above the sky
I feel no fear to be here is oh so fine
Shining brightly, like sunlight inside my mind

Well you know that any mountain is capable of moving
The Shamen and the new generation who are proving
You can be what you want to be
Let your soul and your body and your mind be free
Well never mind, we all are that
And going all the way is where I'm at
With delivery smooth like water from a fountain
That's why I can move any mountain

Move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain

Move any mountain
Move any mountain

Future feeling, new sensation
Body is rocking and the mind is reeling
And rolling race changing motion
Flowing like a river into the ocean
Better get yourself ready for the new vibration
My vision, one nation, one tribe
One day'll come the might to move any mountain

Move any mountain
Move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain

I walk so tall, ascending I stand so high
Earth below me revolving above the sky
I feel no fear to be here is oh so fine
Shining brightly, like sunlight inside my mind

I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain
I can move move move any mountain

I can move move move any mountainSongwriters: Colin Gilbert Angus / Richard West / Will Sin

Pro-Gen © Tairona Songs Ltd

DISCOGS

In July 1980 Cabaret Voltaire, initially composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk, and Chris Watson, released their second studio album ‘The Voice Of America’ following their 1979 ‘Mix-Up’ LP. Influenced by the dada movement, which is where they got their name, Cabaret Voltaire once again displays their craftsmanship of magnetic tape manipulations and how noisy, abrasive, and unpleasant an album can be. Many consider them as one of those bands who invented the industrial aesthetic. Sonically, although somewhat similar, it doesn't pack the same punch as the all-out assaults on 'Mix-Up', but there's this persistent creepy atmosphere.

Nevertheless The Voice Of America was an interesting progression from 'Mix-Up' and a precursor to what came later.

'Voice Of America' was reissued by the Grey Area of Mute Records on Vinyl, CD and Cassette in 1990. In 2002 the album was re-mastered and re-released by Mute.

The Voice Of America - LP/CD ROUGH 11

DISCOGS