Vitamin Z - Rites Of Passage

Vitamin Z

Rites Of Passage

1985

New Wave Synthpop

England

Tracklist:


01. Hi Hi Friend
02. Casablanca
03. Circus Ring
04. Something We Can Do
05. Burning Flame
06. Angela
07. Every Time That I See You
08. Anybody Out There?


     Vitamin Z were an English pop group, formed in 1982 by vocalist Geoff Barradale and bassist Nick Lockwood. Their lone hit "Burning Flame" charted well in the UK, but no further hits caught on. Geoff Barradale now serves as manager for the Arctic Monkeys.

     Vitamin Z founders Geoff Barradale and Nick Lockwood were born and raised in Northern England’s Sheffield. The group originally took shape around a loose-knit collection of local musicians who came together in a common rehearsal space.
     The band's debut album Rites Of Passage, was released in 1985. Its most prominent single, "Burning Flame," did well on the U.S. dance charts and the band toured England with Tears for Fears. Vitamin Z also made news when its video for the song "Circus Ring (We Scream About)" filmed in Istanbul, making them the first Western Europeans to be allowed to film in Turkey since Midnight Express prompted government officials there to close the border to foreign film units.
     A year or so further on and the follow-up album was ready to go. "But we sat down and listened to it and it didn't do anything," recalls Barradale. "If it didn't move us, it wasn't going to move anybody else. The songs were good, but the treatment was wrong, contrived, plastic. We see ourselves as far more edgy, spiky. It was the wrong marriage with a producer."
While they awaited the results of a lawsuit that would hopefully allow them to re-work the songs, they wrote a number of new ones. They liked what they were hearing so much that they paid for another demo out of their own pockets. "We knew," says Barradale, "that this was our moment. We had to take it." By the time the legal matters were settled, they were already in the studio working on Sharp Stone Rain, beginning with producer Pete Smith (Sting, The Adventures) but ended up co-producing tracks.
     Also seizing the moment, Lockwood decided to move from bass and keyboards to guitar. "In a songwriting sense, it's more creative being able to write on the guitar".
Barradale appeared on The Alan Parsons Project album Gaudi released in 1987. He sang lead vocals for the "Standing On Higher Ground" lead off single.
     Vitamin Z recorded demos for a third album, which was never released.
     Barradale continued to record and perform from his native Sheffield, teaming up with guitarist and songwriter Alan Smyth, later a producer based at his own 2-Fly Studios in the city. Their bands Fruit, Seafruit, were championed by Jeff Cooper (broadcaster)'s 'XS' show (now radio2XS) at the radio station Hallam FM, where they recorded two sessions in 1996 and 1997. Cooper also employed Barradale as the narrator of a 1995 radio documentary for the BBC 'Sheffield Music 1995', which also featured Pulp's Jarvis Cocker and others.
     Barradale is currently the manager of the city's Arctic Monkeys.

The Vyllies - Lilith / Sacred Games

The Vyllies

Lilith

1985

Darkwave Synthpop

Switzerland

Tracklist:

Whispers in the Shadow
Seventh Heaven
Bad Trip
The Food Prayer
La Nuit Des Vyllies
Give me a Name
Beautiful Diseases
The Black Raven
Desire (Repetition Desperation)
La Nuit Des Vyllies (instrumental)

The Vyllies

Sacred Games

1987

Darkwave Synthpop

Switzerland

Tracklist:

Now We Fall
Playing In The Sand
Silver Promises
The Amazon Archer
The Souls With Doors
Mary's Room
Can You Hear The Witches Laugh?
Is It?
Spiral House

     In the early 1980s, three young women of Lausanne, decided to form a band. This was the beginning of "The Vyllies". In December 1983 they recorded their first five tracks in Athens and published an EP. Only a few copies of this first record found their way into Switzerland , but enough to be detected by various radio stations. Especially the song "Whispers in the Shadow" was played frequently. Several concerts followed, including as the opening act for Minimal Compact , Anne Clark , Sex Gang Children , Les Rita Mitsouko and Gun Club .
     After the positive response to their unique music, the three women were given a recording contract with the Zurich Trade label. More elaborate record production in early 1985 resulted in the mini-LP "Velvet Tales" . The reactions were very positive on the disk and the piece "Ahiah" was heard frequently on various radio stations. In addition, the English TV channel "Music Box" produced a video clip of "Ahiah" in the Zurich Opera House.
     The end of 1985 was the most successful for the group album "Lilith" were produced. Through its worldwide appeal, the British label "Fun After All ' released their records in the United Kingdom , in France , the United States and other countries.
     In early 1987 the release of another album, "Sacred Games". The melodic production on the new album aims for a wider audience. Thus, the follow-up single "Now We Fall" was so far the most commercial piece of "The Vyllies".
     After some concerts in Switzerland in April 1987, the group embarked on a European tour.  During the year 1988, the group disbanded.

The Body Electric - Presentation and Reality

The Body Electric

Presentation and Reality

1983

Synthpop

New Zealand

Tracklist:


01 Imagination
02 Babies On Parade
03 Illusion
04 Interior Exile
05 Zanzibar
06 Dreaming In A Life
07 You Left Me Waiting
08 Night Pictures
09 Compelling

     One of the first electronic bands in New Zealand, and hugely influential, The Body Electric were formed in 1982 by Alan Jansson, although he was credited on first releases as Alan Jimson, and Andy Drey. During their initial rehearsals, they were then joined by actor-turned-singer Garry Smith. The group's debut single, Pulsing, was picked up by radio programmers and spent 27 weeks in the charts. Not entirely indicative of their sound, the track has a novelty quality to it. Following the success of Pulsing, Andy Drey was replaced by Spines bassist Wendy Calder and the group released two more minor hits (Dreaming In A Life and Imagination) and a full length album before splitting in 1984.

     Jansson went into record production in Auckland and had a global hit with OMC in the 1990s, and Smith was later the manager of The New Zealand Ballet Company.

Sleep Chamber - Musik For Mannequins (Cassette)

Sleep Chamber

Musik For Mannequins (Cassette)

1984

Experimental EBM

USA

Tracklist:


A1 Victmm
A2 Jungle Disease
A3 The Lantern
A4 A Distant Cry
A5 Conversations In Between Walls
B1 Left Side Of The Tomb
B2 Twenty Three
B3 The Last Fantasy
B4 Rite To Death


     Sleep Chamber is an American Industrial band fronted by John Zewizz. The band is known for using S&M, Bondage and Magick imagery on their art work, during their performances, and within their lyrics. Formed in 1981 by high school friends John Zewizz, Eugine Difrancisco, and Phil Brosseau. Over the years the Sleep Chamber line up has changed many times with John Zewizz being the sole permanent member. Previous members of Sleep Chamber have included, Thomas Thorn, Michael Moynihan, Jonathan Briley and Elaine Walker. Since the beginning John Zewizz has stated that the constant line up change is because Sleep Chamber is not a "band", but rather a "concept".
     From 1982 to 1999 Sleep Chamber put out a considerable volume of music (releasing over 70 recordings, and participating in over 35 various artists releases). After a extended absence, Sleep Chamber returned in 2008 with a new line up, a slew of new releases, and a new name, SLEEPCHAMBER.

Siouxsie and The Banshees - Dazzle 12'' / The Passenger 12'' / Wheel's On Fire 12''

Siouxsie and The Banshees

Dazzle 12''

1984

Post Punk New Wave Gothic Rock

England

Tracklist:

A Dazzle (7 Mins Plus Glamour Mix)      7:06
B1 I Promise 4:39
B2 Throw Them To The Lions     4:52

Siouxsie and The Banshees

The Passenger 12''

1987

Post Punk New Wave Gothic Rock

England

Tracklist:

The Passenger (Llllloco-Motion Mix) 8:00

She's Cuckoo 4:15

Something Blue 3:54

Siouxsie and The Banshees

Wheel's On Fire 12''

1987

Post Punk New Wave Gothic Rock

England

Tracklist:

A This Wheel's On Fire (Incendiary Mix)

B1 Shooting Sun

B2 Sleepwalking (On The High Wire)

     Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bassist Steven Severin. Initially associated with the English punk rock scene, the band rapidly evolved to create "a form of post-punk discord full of daring rhythmic and sonic experimentation". The Times cited Siouxsie and the Banshees as "one of the most audacious and uncompromising musical adventurers of the post-punk era."

     The group also became inspirational in the creation and development of gothic rock and their music also combined elements of pop and avant-garde. 

     Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin met at a Roxy Music concert in September 1975, at a time when Glam Rock had faded and there was nothing new coming through with which they could identify. From February 1976, Sioux, Severin and some friends began to follow an unsigned band, the Sex Pistols. Journalist Caroline Coon dubbed them the "Bromley Contingent", as most of them came from the Bromley region of Kent, a label Severin came to despise. "There was no such thing, it was just a bunch of people drawn together by the way they felt and they looked." They were all inspired by the Sex Pistols – from watching them, they realized that anyone could do it. When they learned that one of the bands scheduled to play the 100 Club Punk Festival, organized by Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, pulled out from the bill at the last minute, Sioux suggested that she and Severin play, even though they had no band name or additional members. Two days later, the pair appeared at the festival held in London on 20th September 1976. With two borrowed musicians at their side, Marco Pirroni on guitars and John Simon Ritchie later known as Sid Vicious on drums, their set consisted of a 20-minute improvisation based on "The Lord's Prayer".

     While the band intended to split up after the gig, they were asked to play again. Two months later, Sioux and Severin recruited drummer Kenny Morris and guitarist Pete Fenton. After playing several gigs in early 1977, the band realized that Fenton did not fit in because he was "a real rock guitarist." John McKay finally took his seat in July.

     The Banshees disbanded in 1996, with Siouxsie and drummer Budgie continuing to record music as The Creatures, a second band they had formed in the early 1980s. In 2004, Siouxsie began a solo career.

     Members

Siouxsie Sioux

Steven Severin

Budgie

     Past members

Sid Vicious

Marco Pirroni

Kenny Morris

Peter Fenton

John McKay

John McGeoch

Robert Smith

John Valentine Carruthers

Martin McCarrick

Jon Klein

Knox Chandler

Siglo XX- Fear And Desire

Siglo XX

Fear And Desire

1988

Coldwave

Belgium

Tracklist:



01. 35 Poems
02. Everything Is On Fire
03. Fear And Desire
04. Lost In Violence
05. My Sister Called Silence
06. On The Third Day
07. Silent Crowd
08. Sorrow And Pain
09. The Pain Came
10. View Of The Weird


     SIGLO XX (Antonio PALERMO, Dirk CHAUVAUX, Erik DRIES and Klaas HOOGERWAARD) hail from Genk, a depressed industrial city in Belgium. After the closing of the coal pits, Genk has now a painful present of unemployment, poverty, drug abuse and violence. In that context, there's nothing unusual in a "rock" group stamping their sound with a hard, dark, but also very personal and emotional philosophy. Their formative years were the years of Punk. And perhaps there you'll find a cause for their headstrong tenacity of doing it in their own way. SIGLO XX refuse to produce music that shys away from looking reality straight in the eye. They've succeeded in imbuing their art with a touch of impressionism that's sadly lacking in a world preferring to whistle only unaffected melodies. SIGLO XX have remained passionate and fascinated, following their own chosen way without losing sleep over fashion or trends.      Constantly evolving, the group attracts a growing number of commited fans all over Europe.
     In 1980 Siglo XX independantly released their first 7'' single ‘The Naked and the Death’. Things really got rolling two years later with the maxi-single ‘The Art of War’, still a classic and for instance included on a ‘New Wave Club Class.X’ volume. Later they signed to Antler Records which released a few of their albums and maxi’s. Their sound resembled Factory bands like Joy Division and Section 25: cold new wave, with dark basses, moody synths and depressive vocals. Siglo XX sounded probably even rawer than their more famous examples, with sometimes punky guitars. In the mid 80’s a move to Play it Again Sam followed, where three albums came out. The last was ‘Under A Purple Sky’ in 1989.

Shooting Party - I Go to Pieces 12''

Shooting Party

I Go To Pieces 12''

1989

Italo Disco Synthpop

????

Tracklist:


01 - I Go To Pieces (Extended)     5:54
02 - Things That You Do     3:31
03 - I Go To Pieces (Instrumental)     4:30

(IF ANYONE HAS INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTIST, LET ME KNOW!)

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - Los Angeles 26-04-1986

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry

Los Angeles 26-04-1986

1986

Post Punk Gothic Rock

England

Tracklist:


01 Blitz
02 Shout At The Sky
03 Last Train
04 Jipp
05 Which Side
06 Hold Yourself Down
07 Talk About The Weather
08 Walking On Your Hands
09 Hand On Heart
10 Mescal Dance
11 Save My Soul
12 Hollow Eyes
13 Strange Dream


Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
Studio A
Los Angeles, CA
April 26 1986

Chris Reed - Vocals, Guitar
Dave Wolfenden - Guitar
Leon Philips - Bass
Chris Oldroyd - Drums


     Red Lorry Yellow Lorry are a rock band that were formed in Leeds, England in early 1981.
     The band was formed by guitarist/songwriter Chris Reed and vocalist Mark Sweeney, along with bassist Steve Smith and drummer Mick Brown (who would later join The Mission). Sweeney left the band in late 1981 and Reed permanently took over as vocalist, with Martin Fagan joining as a second guitarist. The group's sound, featuring a numbing guitar drone, powerfully throbbing drums, and Reed's cavernous vocal tones, caused the Lorries (as their fans came to call them) to be quickly lumped into the then-developing gothic rock scene by pop journalists, although the band themselves preferred to cite Wire as an influence.
     In 2003, Reed revived the name Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and released four new songs in 2004, available via internet download only on the band’s website. The band toured frequently in the UK during 2004 and 2005, but no additional Red Lorry Yellow Lorry material has subsequently appeared to date. In 2005, the band released Thunder in the Black Cave, a live DVD recorded in Belgium during their 2004 European tour. In 2006, Reed released an acoustic-based album, Minimal Animal, under the name "Chris Reed Unit".


     Albums
Talk about the Weather (1985)
Paint Your Wagon (1986)
Smashed Hits (1987) Collection
Nothing Wrong (1988)
Blow (1989)
Blasting Off (1991)
The Singles 1982 – 87 (1994) Collection
Generation (1994) Collection
The Very Best Of (2000) Collection
Nothing Wrong / Blow (2001)
     Singles and EPs
"Beating My Head" (1982)
"Take It All" (1983)
"He’s Read" (1983)
This Today EP (1983)
"Monkey’s On Juice" (1983)
"Hollow Eyes" (1984)
"Chance" (1985)
"Spinning Round" (1985)
"Walking On Your Hands" (1986)
"Cut Down" (1986)
"Paint Your Wagon" 7” Only (1986)
Crawling Mantra EP, recorded and released under the one-time band name change "The Lorries" (1987)
"Nothing Wrong" (1988)
"Open Up" (1988)
"Only Dreaming (Wide Awake)" (1988)
"Temptation" (1989)
"Talking Back" (1991)

Mekanik Kommando - Dancing Elephants EP

Mekanik Kommando

Dancing Elephants EP

1982

Minimal Synth Post Punk

Netherlands

Tracklist:


A1 Stop And Play
A2 Beauty Of Language
A3 Window
B1 'A Swan In The Ocean'
B2 Miss B.


     Mekanik Kommando was a New Wave band from Nijmegen, The Netherlands. It was founded in 1980 by 2 members of Zelek. After their 3rd album which was released by EMI they started their own record label: Rosebud Records.
     In 1988 the band split up due to musical differences. Some of the members started Güler and later on Ulanbator. The others went on as The Use Of Ashes.


     Members
Peter van Vliet (1980-1988)
Simon van Vliet (1980-1988)
Lasika Panyigay (1980-1985)
Mirjam van Hout (1980-1985)
Jack Kaat (1985-1988)

Lorraine McKane - Let The Night Take The Blame 12''

Lorraine McKane

Let The Night Take The Blame 12''

1984

Italo Disco Eurodance

????

Tracklist:

01. Let The Night Take The Blame (Extended mix)
02. Let The Night Take The Blame (Instrumental)

 (IF ANYONE HAS INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTIST, LET ME KNOW!)

Leisure Process - Love Cascade 12'' (Vinyl US release)

Leisure Process

Love Cascade 12'' (Vinyl US release)

1982

New Wave

England

Tracklist:

Side A. Love Cascade
Side B. A Way You'll Never Be



     Leisure Process was a British New Wave duo formed in the early 1980s. They consisted of Ross Middleton, previously of post-punk Glasgow band Positive Noise, and session sax player Gary Barnacle. Four singles were released (one credited to 'Leisure Process International') before their split. They were signed to Epic Records and all singles were produced by Martin Rushent.

Leisure Process released four singles:
"Love Cascade" (1982)
"A Way You'll Never Be" (1982) (featuring Mark King and Phil Gould of Level 42)
"Cashflow" (1982)
"Anxiety" (1983)

Kids In The Kitchen - Shine

Kids In The Kitchen

Shine

1985

New Romantic New Wave Synthpop

Australia

Tracklist


Shine
Current Stand
Change In Mood
Place To Go
Cynical
Something That You Said
Bitter Desire
My Life
Not The Way
How Come?



     Kids in the Kitchen was a band from Melbourne, Australia that enjoyed considerable local success during the 1980s. The band stood squarely within the New Romantic movement that dominated mid-1980s pop, showing influences of "New-Rom" groups such as Ultravox in its use of synthesisers, its angst-ridden lyrics, and the tendency of frontman Scott Carne to pronounce words such as "too" and "do" as if these had two syllables.

     The band's original line-up when it formed in 1983 was:
Scott Carne (vocals)
Greg Dorman (guitar)
Craig Harnath (bass)
Greg Woodhead (keyboards)
Bruce Curnow (drums)

     The band's debut single, "Change In Mood", (produced by Ricky Fataar and Tim Kramer) reached No. 10 on the Australian national charts in November 1983. A second single, "Bitter Desire", hit No. 17 in May 1984, after which Dorman and Woodhead quit the band and were replaced by Claude Carranza (guitar) and Alistair Coia (keyboards).
     The first single released under the new line-up was "Something That You Said", another Top 20 hit in May 1985, and this was followed by a belated debut album, Shine, which was a big seller nationally and topped the Melbourne charts. Although the title track only reached No. 40 when lifted as a single, the next single release, "Current Stand", became the band's signature song and was a hit overseas as well as peaking at No. 12 in Australia.
     Carne joined as guest vocalist with The Incredible Penguins in 1985, for a cover of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", a charity project for research on Fairy penguins, which peaked at #10 on the Australian Kent Music Report in December.
     A second LP, Terrain, was released in 1987 with several accompanying singles, but the band could not repeat the success of their debut. They broke up the following year.
     Following the split, Carne formed a band called Priscilla's Nightmare, who released one self-titled album, then he embarked on a solo career. Carne's solo single "All I Wanna Do" was a minor hit in 1990. Curnow opened a Billy Hyde music store in Shepparton, Victoria in 2002. Harnath owns Hothouse Studios in St Kilda, Melbourne.

Koo De Tah - Koo De Tah

Koo De Tah

Koo De Tah

1986

Synthpop

Australia / New Zealand

Tracklist:

01 Too Young For Promises
02 Think Of Me
03 Missed You All Along
04 Over To You
05 Body Talk
06 Change My Ways
07 Meant To Be
08 Fun Girl
09 Drift Away (Don't Let It)
10 Into The Future


     Koo De Tah was a New Zealand/Australian pop music band of the 1980s. The core band members were Tina Cross (a native of New Zealand) and Leon Berger (Australian), who met in Sydney.
     They scored a hit in 1985 with their first single Too Young For Promises, which reached number 6 in the Australian charts and number 48 in New Zealand.
     self-titled debut album was released in 1986.


Tina Cross - vocals
Leon Berger - keyboards, programming, bass, vocals
John Bettison - guitars, violin
Capree Morris - keyboards
Roger Faynes - bass
Peter Radnai - drums


Discography

     Albums
Koo De Tah (1986)
     Singles
Too Young For Promises/Dancing (Towards The Stranger) (1985)
Body Talk/My Eyes Are Shut (1985)
Think Of Me/Love 'Em Never (1986)
Missed You All Along/Change My Ways (1986)
Too Young (To Know) /? (1988) (possibly a re-recording of Too Young For Promises)

Isley.Jasper.Isley - Kiss And Tell 7''

Isley.Jasper.Isley

Kiss And Tell 7''

1984

R&B Soul

USA

Tracklist:

01. Kiss and Tell
02. Kiss and Tell (Instrumental)



     Isley/Jasper/Isley was a splinter group of the Isley Brothers formed in 1984 by brother-in-law Chris Jasper (keyboards), Ernie Isley (lead guitar) and Marvin Isley (bass), due to creative differences that arose among the group.
     Jasper, a classically-trained musician and composer and the key songwriter, producer and arranger of the Isley Brothers music, became the lead vocalist on most of the trio's recordings, and was also responsible for the majority of the writing and production for the new group. The older Isley Brothers returned to their original vocal trio formation and continued to record, employing a number of musicians, producers and writers to fill the void left by Chris, Ernie, and Marvin.
     Isley/Jasper/Isley released three albums on their CBS Associated label, including Caravan of Love, which featured the #1 out-of-the-box title hit, written and sung by Chris and subsequently covered by English recording group, the Housemartins, who made “Caravan” an international #1 pop hit. “Caravan of Love” has also been used in the Dodge Caravan commercials, was recorded by Marvin Sapp on the WOW 2000 gospel album, and has become an anthem sung by numerous groups and individuals throughout the world who have made their unique version of the song available on YouTube.
     In 1988, Isley/Jasper/Isley disbanded and Ernie Isley and Chris Jasper continued as solo artists. Jasper formed his own independent record label, Gold City Records. The Isley-Jasper-Isley half of the group was inducted with the rest of the Isleys in 1992 to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Chalk Circle - The Great Lake EP

Chalk Circle

The Great Lake EP

1986

Post Punk New Wave

Canada

Tracklist:


EP
"April Fool" - 5:19
"Trains" - 5:05
"Big White Clouds" - 4:06
"Me, Myself and I" - 4:08
"The Great Lake" - 4:09
"Superman (Meets the Man of Steel)" - 5:16
CD
"April Fool" - 5:19
"Trains" - 5:05
"Big White Clouds" - 4:06
"Me, Myself and I" - 4:08
"The Great Lake" - 4:09
"Superman (Meets the Man of Steel)" - 5:16
"20th Century Boy" - 3:42 *
"Come with Me" - 3:54 *
"Believe in Something" - 3:45 *
     1988 CD reissue with three bonus tracks (tracks 8 and 9 feature as b-sides on "This Mourning" 12")

     Chalk Circle was a Canadian Post Punk, New Wave, Pop Rock band in the 1980s. The band consisted of lead singer and guitarist Chris Tait, bassist Brad Hopkins, keyboardist Tad Winklarz and drummer Derrick Murphy.
     Originally formed in Newcastle, Ontario, Hopkins and Tait were paired with Terry Miller and Stani Veselinovic in 1982 as "The Casualties". The band briefly changed its name to "The Reactors" and then to "New Edition" in 1984, and finally settled on the name Chalk Circle (taken from Bertolt Brecht's play The Caucasian Chalk Circle).
     The band recorded a demo single "The World" (b/w "Black Pit") on cassette and played the Toronto area, subsequently winning the CASBY Award for Most Promising Non-Recording Group in 1985. After signing to Duke Street Records in Toronto, their 1986 debut release was a six-song EP called The Great Lake. Produced by Chris Wardman, it was recorded at Manta Sound in Toronto and Quest Recording Studio in Oshawa. The lead single "April Fool" became a Top 10 single in Canada, along with another single "Me, Myself and I". The band produced videos for both tracks which were regularly featured on MuchMusic, and the EP went on to become Duke Street's biggest seller at that time.
     Their second release was a full length album entitled Mending Wall released in 1987, with the inspiration for the title coming from Robert Frost's famous poem. Recorded entirely on digital equipment, the crisp sounding album featured another Top 10 Canadian single "This Mourning", a blistering commentary about nuclear politics in the 'ray gun' (Reagan) era of the late 1980s. The album would later be reissued with a cover version of T-Rex's "20th Century Boy", which also became a Top 10 Canadian single.
     The band's final album was 1989's As the Crow Flies, which featured two singles, "Sons and Daughters" and "Together". Citing 'creative differences', the band broke up in 1990, and Tait went on to form the indie band Big Faith.
     In 2006, Universal Music Group released a Chalk Circle greatest hits compilation as part of its 20th Century Masters series. The release prompted the band to reconvene after 15 years and in February of that year, they began rehearsals at the Cherry Beach rehearsal studios in Toronto in anticipation of possible reunion shows.
     On June 17, 2006, Chalk Circle played a reunion gig at Lee's Palace in Toronto.


Discography

     Albums
The Great Lake (EP) - 1986
Mending Wall - 1987
As the Crow Flies - 1989
The Best of Chalk Circle - 2006

     Singles
"The World" (1985)
"April Fool" (1986) #21 CAN
"Me, Myself and I" (1986) #92 CAN
"This Mourning" (1987) #28 CAN
"20th Century Boy" (1987) #44 CAN
"N.I.M.B.Y." (1987)
"Sons and Daughters" (1989)
"Together" (1989)

Xmal Deutschland - Incubus Succubus 12'' / Incubus Succubus II 12'' / Qual 12'' / Schwarze Welt 7''

Xmal Deutschland

Incubus Succubus 12''

1982

Gothic Rock

Germany

Tracklist:

01. Incubus Succubus
02. Zu Jung Zu Alt
03. Blut Ist Liebe

Xmal Deutschland

Incubus Succubus II 12''

1983

Gothic Rock

Germany

Tracklist:

01. Incubus Succubus II
02 . Vito

Xmal Deutschland

Qual 12''

1983

Gothic Rock

Germany

Tracklist:

01. Qual
02. Zeit
03. Sehnsucht

Xmal Deutschland

Schwarze Welt - 7''

1981

Gothic Rock

Germany

Tracklist:

01. Schwarze Welt
02. Die Wolken

     Xmal Deutschland (pronounced: iks-mul doychlunt) was a musical group from Hamburg, Germany. Founded in 1980 with a completely female line-up, they became successful outside their native country. The lead singer of the band is vocalist Anja Huwe. Xmal Deutschland's last album was released in 1989.
     Xmal Deutschland (often written as X-Mal Deutschland) was formed in 1980 by Anja Huwe (vocals), Manuela Rickers (guitar), Fiona Sangster (keyboards), Rita Simon (bass guitar) and Caro May (drums) in Hamburg, Germany. Their first single, "Großstadtindianer" was released a year later on Alfred Hilsberg’s ZickZack label. The band also contributed the to the label compilation Lieber Zuviel Als Zuwenig (ZZ 45). Around this time Rita Simon was replaced by Wolfgang Ellerbrock.
     In 1982 the band released the Goth classic "Incubus Succubus". Drummer Caro May left the band and formed a new band, and the vacant drummer position was filled by Manuela Zwingmann the same year. While German audiences were less than receptive at first, a United Kingdom tour opening for the Cocteau Twins resulted in a label deal with independent label 4AD Records. Their debut album, Fetisch and the singles "Qual" and "Incubus Succubus II" were released in 1983, all 3 making the UK Independent charts, even though the band wrote and performed in German.
     Manuela Zwingmann left the band after one year, being replaced by Peter Bellendir. This lineup, Huwe/Rickers/Sangster/Ellerbrock/Bellendir proved to be the longest running. 1984 saw the release of the single "Reigen" and the album Tocsin, followed by a world tour through 1985.
     The Sequenz EP was essentially a remake of a John Peel session, which had been originally recorded April 30, 1985, and was broadcast May 13, 1985. The EP contained the tracks Jahr Um Jahr II, Autumn (the band’s first English lyrics, apart from brief snatches of English that appeared in Qual, Young Man and Tag für Tag) and Polarlicht but omitted Der Wind, which was played at the Peel sessions.
     1986 saw the release of Matador, produced by Hugh Cornwell of The Stranglers. Xmal Deutschland also opened for The Stranglers at a concert at Wembley Arena in London. Their follow-up album, Viva was recorded in Hamburg and was released in 1987, followed by the single "Sickle Moon". Viva contains a large number of English lyrics, among others a poem by Emily Dickinson. It was during this time that the band were interviewed by Jamie Meakes for the infamous underground Goth Fanzine 'House Of Dolls'.
     After the release of Viva, Manuela Rickers, Fiona Sangster and Peter Bellendir left the group. Anja Huwe and Wolfgang Ellerbrock continue to work with Frank Z. (Abwärts) on guitar. Producer Henry Staroste played keyboards, and German studio drummer Curt Cress completed the line-up that would record the 1989 LP Devils and the singles "Dreamhouse" and "I’ll be near you". This also proved to be the last release of Xmal Deutschland, showing a change of direction towards mainstream pop. 1990 saw a few scattered live appearances by the group, but eventually the group split up.


Discography

     EPs and singles:
1981 7" Großstadtindianer
1982 12" Incubus Succubus
1983 12" Qual
1983 7" Incubus Succubus II
1983 12" Incubus Succubus II
1985 7" Sequenz
1985 12" Sequenz
1986 12"/CD The Peel Sessions (30.04.85)
1986 7" Matador
1986 12" Matador
1987 7" Sickle Moon
1987 12" Sickle Moon
1989 12" Dreamhouse
1989 12" I'll be near you
     Albums:
1983 Fetisch
1984 Tocsin
1987 Viva
1989 Devils

UK Decay - For Madmen Only

UK Decay

For Madmen Only

1981

Punk Rock Gothic Rock

England

Tracklist:


•Duel
•Battle of the Elements
•Shattered
•Stage Struck
•Last in the House of Flames
•Unexpected Guest
•Sexual
•Dorian
•Decadence
•Mayday Malady
•For Madmen Only


     UK Decay are Luton-based positive punk (the precursory term for gothic rock) band, formed out of the ashes of another local band called The Resistors, who were Steven Abbot (Abbo) guitar, Steve Harle on drums, Paul Wilson vocals, and Martin (Segovia) Smith bass.
     The Resistors formed in 1978. After Paul Wilson left during the spring of 1979, the remaining band members changed their name and released the ‘Split Single’ 7” in partnership with local band Pneumania on their own Plastic Records label, under the new name UK Decay. There were two tracks from each band, with UK Decay contributing "UK Decay" and "Car Crash", and Pneumania "Exhibition" and "Coming Attack". The 'Split Single' sold extremely well, mainly thanks to a damning review in the NME, whose Danny Baker and Charles Shaar Murray described them as "one of the worst punk bands of all time". At the same time, some of the band produced their own monthly fanzine The Suss, and ran their own punk record and clothes shop, 'Matrix'. Guitarist Steve Spon was poached from Pneumania, allowing Abbo to concentrate on frontman duties.
     UK Decay were arguably a major influence on an emerging wave of bands such as The Sisters of Mercy, Sex Gang Children and Southern Death Cult. These bands together spawned the emerging postpunk and Goth movements that still resonate today. UK Decay had a major role in developing these scenes, but had ceased to exist by the time these other bands started getting serious press coverage and sales. CD re-issues of the band's music have recently become available through their official website.

The Wolfgang Press - Standing up Straight

The Wolfgang Press

Standing Up Straight

1986

Post Punk

England

Tracklist:

1.    Dig a hole  4:31
2.    My life  4:03
3.    Hammer the halo  5:09
4.    Bless my brother  1:21
5.    Fire-fly  4:17
6.    Ghost  4:22
7.    Rotten fodder  6:12
8.    Forty days, thirty nights  3:23
9.    I am the crime  6:03

     The Wolfgang Press was an English post-punk band, active from 1983 until 1995, recording for the 4AD label. The core of the band was Michael Allen (vocals, bass), Mark Cox (keyboards), and Andrew Gray (guitar), with many guest musicians.

     The group is best known for its 1992 international hit single "A Girl Like You (Born To Be Kissed)".

     The 4AD band profile describes Standing Up Straight as "an intense blend of industrial and classical tropes". Trouser Press describes it as "as challenging and inventive as the band's other work, adding industrial and classical instrumentation to the creative arsenal", "dark and thoroughly uncompromising" and "not for the easily intimidated". The AllMusic Guide to Electronica describes it as "a challenging, even punishing album, but a rewarding one as well".

Positive Noise - Charm 7''

Positive Noise

Charm 7''

1981

New Wave Post Punk Synthpop

Scotland

Tracklist:

01. Charm
02. ...and Yet again

     Positive Noise were a New Wave and Synthpop band from Scotland who had a number of indie hits in the 1980s. They released three albums and several singles and were together for over five years.
     The band was formed in 1979 by Ross Middleton (vocals), his brothers Graham Middleton (keyboards, vocals) and Fraser Middleton (bass guitar, vocals), Russell Blackstock (guitar, vocals), and Les Gaff (drums). Their first released material was two tracks ("Refugees" and "The Long March") on the Statik label compilation album Second City Statik in 1980, and they followed this with two singles on Statik in 1981, both of which were top-ten hits on the UK Independent Chart. Début album Heart of Darkness was released in May 1981, after which Ross left to form the short-lived Leisure Process, with Blackstock taking over on lead vocals. Heart of Darkness peaked at number four on the independent chart, and the band's second album, Change of Heart (1982), also charted, reaching number 21. They released a third and final album, Distant Fires, in 1985, now with John Telford on drums and John Coletta on guitar, but their earlier success was not repeated and they split up shortly afterwards.
     Ross Middleton went on to work as a music journalist, writing for Sounds under the pen name Maxwell Park.


Discography

     Albums
Heart of Darkness (1981) - came with a bonus 7-inch single: "Love Like Property"
Change of Heart (1982)
Distant Fires (1985)
     Singles
"Give Me Passion" (1981)
"Charm" (1981)
"Positive Negative (1981)
"Waiting for the Seventh Man" (1982)
"Get Up And Go" (1982)
"When the Lightning Strikes" (1983)
"A Million Miles Away (1984)
"Distant Fires" (1985)