This day 36 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]
The following statement made by both core members Douglas McCarthy & Bon Harris was recently posted on the official Nitzer Ebb websites and socials. Douglas might have left the band physically, for now, but he will still be on the stage in all our Hearts & Minds!
Meanwhile we wish him lots of strength and a speedy recovery!
Today it’s exactly 34 years ago that Nitzer Ebb released their third studio album Showtime!
Today it’s exactly 34 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
Wave Gotik Treffen 2024 tickets on sale now! EBM Warm-up line up complete!
In case you missed it you should know the tickets for the 2024 Wave Gotik Treffen (17th to 20th of May) are already available!
For € 170 you get acces to the full 4 days, well actually 5, because the festival wristband grants one also acces to the official and already traditional WGT EBM warm-up party at the Felsenkeller that precedes the actual festival on Thursday, May 16th. On this night band like SIIE (D), Bang Electronika (CAN), No Sleep By The Machine (ZW), NTRSN (B) and Sturm Cafe (ZW) will be performing on the Felsenkeller’s main stage. In addition to the main stage, there is also a 'noise' stage where you can have your ear obstructions blown out by acts like World Dryer (D), Grodock (D), Spherical Disrupted (D), Rumpeln (D) and Cent Ans De Solitude (FR).
Meanwhile also the following artists have recently been added to the already amazing 2024 Wave Gotik Treffen line-up:
Ladytron (UK) exclusively in 2024 for Germany, Nemuer (CZ), ARABROT (NO), Camerata Mediolanense (It) , Bloemketen (UK) and Hoop (D).
With theses and the before confirmed and announced artists the band count is now set to 154!!!
Take your pick!
12 Illusions (D) - Abu Nein (S) - Agent Side Grinder (S) - Agnis (PL) - Agonoize (D) - Almara (D) - Amduscia (MEX) - Andi Sex Gang (GB) solo - Angels & Agony (NL) - Anneke Van Giersbergen (NL) Heavy Strings - Årabrot (N) - Artwork/Belladonna (D) - Ashbury Heights (S) - Aska (IS) - Ausgang (GB) - Automelodi (CDN) - Backworld (USA) - Banane Metalik (F) - Barnacle Boi (USA) - Basscalate (D) - Batboner (N) - Blackbook (CH) - Blitzkid (USA) - Bloodsucking Zombies From Outer Space (A) - Bon Harris (GB) "Songs from the lemon tree" - Brigade Enzephalon (D) - Brothel (USA) - Camerata Mediolanense (I) - CASHFORGOLD (USA) - Chain Of Flowers (GB) - Christian Death (USA) - Circuit Preacher (USA) exclusive european premiere - Clout Blued (D) - Cumulo Nimbus (D) - Dalriada (H) - Dancing Plague (USA) - Dead Astronauts (USA) european premiere - Death Loves Veronica (USA) Europapremiere - Deloraine (CZ) - Derniere Volonte (F) - Deus Vult (D) - Die Habenichtse (D) - Die Kammer (A/D) - Dive (B) - Dorsetshire (D) Farewell-Show - Echoberyl (F) - Eihwar (F) - Emmon (S) - Enemy Inside (D) - Esplendor Geometrico (E) - Extize (D/F) - Fixmer & McCarthy (F/GB) - Flawless Issues (D) - Frozen Plasma (D) - Gast (D) - Gossenpoeten (D) - Gothminister (N) - Haunt Me (USA) european premiere - Hope (D) - In Strict Confidence (D) - Irdorath (BY) - Keep Of Kalessin (N) - Klez.e (D) - Klutae (DK) - Knight$ (GB) - Kollaps (AUS) - Kontravoid (CDN) - Ladytron (GB) exclusive show in Germany in 2024 - Lament (D) - Lili Refrain (I) - Lisieux (F) - Maerzfeld (D) - Martial Canterel (USA) - Martin Dupont (F) - Maschinenkrieger KR 52 (D) - Massiv In Mensch (D) - Megaherz (D) - Mia Morgan (D) - Mila Mar (D) - Miranda Sex Garden (GB) - Model Collapse (D) Livepremiere - MorphiuM (E) - Mr. Irish Bastard (D) - Neila Invo (I) - Nemuer (CZ) - Night Club (USA) - Nils Keppel (D) - Nitzer Ebb(GB) - Nürnberg (BY) - Omnimar (RUS) - Orphx (CDN) - Ostara (AUS) - Other Day (D) - Plantec (F) - Plastikstrom (D) - Position Parallele (F) - Primordial (IRL) - Principe Valiente (S) - Psyclon Nine (USA) - Public Memory (USA) - Reaper (D) exclusive band-reunionshow - Rendez-Vous (F) - Rosa Anschütz (D) - Rose Of Avalanche (GB) - Rroyce (D) - Safi (D) - Saint City Orchestra (CH) - Schattenmann (D) - Schwarzer Engel (D) - SDH (Semoitics Department of Heteronyms) (E) - Sex Gang Children (GB) - Sextile (USA) - She Hates Emotions (D) - Sidewalks and Skeletons (GB) - Sierra (F) - Sirenia (N) - Skeler (AUS) - Social Station (USA) - Soviet Soviet (I) - Sowulo (NL) - Spiritual Front (I) - Statiqbloom (USA) - Stoneman (CH) - Strikkland (S) - Suono (D) - Tanzwut (D) - The Beauty Of Gemina (CH) - The Bellwether Syndicate (USA) - The Cassandra Complex (GB) - The Cemetary Girlz (F) - The Feelgod McClouds (D) - The Foreign Resort (DK) - The Secret French Postcards (S) Livepremiere - Theatre Of Hate (GB) - This Morn Omina (B) - Tiamat (S) Clouds & Wildhoney-Set - Topographies (USA) - Tourdeforce (I) - Tragic Black (USA) - Traumatin (D) - Twin Noir (D) - Twins In Fear (UA/CH) - Two Witches (FIN) - Umbra Et Imago (D) reunionshow/european premiere - Vanaheim (NL) - Vanguard (S) - Veljanov (D) - Walt Disco (GB) - X-RX (D) - Xeno & Oaklander (USA) - Years Of Denial (F) - Zombeast (USA) - Zombiesuckers (S) - Zweite Jugend (D) -
Although there is no detailed program with the side festivities yet, but you can count on the the Agra gothic market, the Pagan village, many museums, film and theater, walks on the Süd Friedhof and so on.
For a complete overview, tickets and all other practical information (don't forget the Umwelt sticker when cruising through Leipzig by car), only one address, the official website of the Wave Gotik Treffen!
(Kurt Ingels)
22 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]
