Red Lorry Yellow Lorry ...for MAJ
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry (named after a vague tongue twister [try Unique New York] ) were a Leeds, England quartet, formed in 1981 by vocalist Chris Reed & joined shortly thereafter by guitarist Dave "Wolfie" Wolfenden. These two would be the Lorries core-lineup through their fourth album, Blow (1989). Red Lorry Yellow Lorry have often been lumped into the British Goth Rock scene, much to their dismay & confusion, as they were so not goths. (& they have been relegated a 'minor players' status in the Goth pantheon to make matters worse.) The Lorries released a slew of crucial early singles released almost entirely on the British Red Rhino imprint. Though overtones of Joy Division are fairly evident, the Lorries busier, more guitar heavy, more robust arrangements sonically put them more in line with the post-punk sound of Killing Joke or the Chameleons UK. The band themselves preferred to cite Wire as an influence. Try "Jipp", its jangly, & tastee!
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - Walking On Your Hands 45rpm 12" ,Red Rhino Records REDT 66, 1986.
Side 1:
Walking on Your Hands
Side 2:
Which Side
Jipp (Instrumental Mix)
Laika & the Cosmonauts ...for Mike
In 1957, Laika the Soviet space dog, became the first earthling launched into orbit, paving the way for human spaceflight. She is shown here in her flight harness. Laika died a few hours after launch from stress & overheating, probably due to a malfunction in the thermal control system. The true cause of her death was not made public until decades after the flight. The original Laika...She never came back, no she never came back.
Laika & The Cosmonauts was founded in 1987 in Finland by Mikko Lankinen (guitar), Janne Haavisto (drums), Matti Pitsinki (organ, guitar) & Tom Nyman (bass). Their first album, C'mon Do The Laika was released in 1988. The group has since released five more studio albums, all with the same line-up.
Their popularity in Finland & the rest of Europe began, surprisingly, only after they had made themselves a name among the surf/garage/punk/alternative fans in the U.S. There the foursome had released three original albums: Instruments of Terror; The Amazing Colossal Band; & Absurdistan as well as a compilation of their early material from C'mon do the Laika & Surfs you right!. With these records the Cosmonauts got rave reviews, a good amount of airplay on the college & alternative radio & won over the hearts of many famed musicians from "the king of surf guitar" Dick Dale, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell & Benmont Tench, Mike Palm from the surf-punk band Agent Orange & John Jorgenson from The Hellecasters. In US they have done six nationwide tours, one of which was as a supporting act for Ministry on their Filth Pig tour. Al Jourgensen of Ministry wanted Laika & The Cosmonauts to join the tour because, in his words; "They are the best fucking band in the world!"
By the way, did I say Finnish Surf musick?
Their musick relies heavily on the Finnish rautalanka tradition, a Finnish style of instrumental music played mainly by a quartet (lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar & drum kit). The word rautalanka literally mean 'iron wire', which refers to the strings of the electric guitars. The heyday of rautalanka was in the early 1960s. Typical features of rautalanka are: sharp, clear melodies; fast tempos; & extensive use of echo (tape echo & reverb), but little or no overdrive or fuzz. What distinguishes rautalanka most clearly from other twangy guitar genres is that the melodies tend to be in minor keys.
Cover design & art work by Alvar Gullichsen
Laika & the Cosmonauts - The Amazing Colossal Band,
Upstart Records 010, 1995.
Side 1:
Delayrium
Floating
Tantrum
The A-Treatment
The Ipcress File
Global Village
Side 2:
The Avengers
Exposé
Aztec Two-step
The Downwinders
Café Equator
O.C.C.C. (Oahu Community Correctional Center)
Get Carter
The Man From H.U.A.C.
Azure Blue
To MAJ, Mike & everyone,
Enjoy,
NØ
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