On Tape

Rip It Up, Issue 87, 1 October 1984, Page 12

On Tape

Wreck Small Speakers On Expensive Stereos World Falls Apart (Big Bright Thing C6O) (From M. Morley, 134 St David St, Dunedin) Two Dunedin people called Richard and Michael release their 38th cassette! And have you heard of them? I had, but only by mi.stake, through reading about them in Robert Scott's extremely famous Every Secret Thing magazine. It's good. The cassette, I mean. I was led to believe by normally disreputable and anonymous sources that it wouldn't be. But it is. So there. They’ve even

pinched a guitar thingy from one of the all-time great under-rated classic weirdo discs ( Songs For Cleaning Guppies, C. Knox) which either shows how they’ve got immaculate taste or how everyone gets round to that riff when they're not very good yet. Even the live stuff and the rubbish between tracks is valuable listening fodder. I can't wait to hear their next project; (and I quote) “The Psychedelic Sounds Of A Revamped 30-Piece Orchestra’’. For those who need facts, there’s 12 songs, keyboards, guitars and rhythm machine (mostly) and the recording quality is good, given that you lurve lotsa background hum 'n' hiss. I’d buy it. CK Cult Maniax

Live Leeds (Rites) ($6 from Box 25-004, St Heliers, Auckland) I had a great 45 called ’Blitz’ by these guys until some creep nicked it. It's not included here but you do get 13 hot songs by this British pub act with a strong cult following. Energetic and creative, slightly raw but definitely some good ideas, excellent vocals and you can be sure that none of the band have mohicans. That’s a recommendation in itself. NC Various Artists I Just Flew In From Invercargill and Boy Are My Arms Tired! (TV Eye,s6) The Picnic Boys Crumbs, It’s A Pterodactyl (TV Eye, $6) (506 Queen’s Drive, Invercargill) I Just Flew 1n ... is the second TV Eye compilation, born from the ef-

forts of The Only One In the Whole Thing With Any Sense, Steven Watson. Like its predecessor, Wierdicats, it features various groups, some “real" and some (like Netherworld Dance Exponents, Blank Sabbath and the Rhythm Doktor) studio combinations of Teev personnel and amigos. Variety is the keynote, we’re taken from the psychedelic punkapocalypse of the Kefflins’ 'Datura! through four gentle but affecting songs by the Janet Thompsons, a live ‘TV Eye’ from Say Yes To Apes, some profound eccentricity and some actual shit. Fascinating and don't be put off by the first track. I was reminded in the covering letter to this one that last year’s Pterodactyl hadn’t been reviewed and strangely enough I'd been rediscovering it just last week. It’s a wonderful recording, made in late 82 before all the traces of schoolboy had disappeared. My favourites are mostly on the first side, with ’Underground Christmas’ and the neat bracket of three that is 'Joke For Fishes! 'Citizen Hair’ and the glorious Catholic Boy anthem Sam the Prismatic Beagle! Any three young men who could produce a tape like must be a damn fine product. Maybe you could buy the range...

Intravenous De Milo RB (Rites, $4.50) More Palmerston Northery from a competent sounding buncha blokes who sound better live than otherwise, judging from this tape. They’re not great but

maybe I’m biased because they do a version of the Velvet Underground’s 'Sister Ray’ on the live side and that’s pointless unless it’s the best thing you’ve ever heard. Don’t get me wrong though, some of you will like this a lot. CK