My Government is My Soul

This post was re-uploaded 11/04/2017.

When I was posting up the cassette-only release The Last Supper, I was re-listening to it & was reminded that Bourbonese Qualk is an extremely excellent band that I haven't revisited nearly enough as of late. I am remedying that situation now, by listening to all of their material that I have.

After Julian Gilbert & Steven Tanza left the group (to pursue writing & form the band The State, respectively), Simon Crab, original founding member & musical mastermind of Bo-Qu reformed the group with Miles Miles (guitar & other instruments) & Owen 'If' Rossiter (drums). The re-formed Bourbonese Qualk trio spent the next 3 years (1987-90) in a recording silence constantly touring Europe. Out of these years came the highly acclaimed LP My Government is My Soul released in 1990 on their own New International label. My Government Is My Soul is a more polished live-sounding album which occasionally hints at a rockier, slightly more commercial-edged sound than their earlier releases. It's a collection of hauntingly quiet passages, broken by unusually emotive angst, filled with sequenced bass rhythms, endless percussion & wonderfully noise-ridden synthesized voice.

You can read about the early years of Bourbonese Qualk & the infamous Ambulance Station over at Simon Crab's great site, The Stalker. You can also download the entire Bo-Qu back catalogue at their Archives, which documents their work from the beginnings in 1980 until the end in 2002, when, following the untimely death of guitarist Miles Miles in October of that year, the remaining members decided to disband the group.

Bourbonese Qualk - My Government is My Soul,
New International Recordings/FünfUndVierzig 34, 1989.

Featured on this release: Simon Crab - voice & electronics; Miles Miles - guitar & saxophone; Owen If (Rossiter) - drums & percussion; & Kif Cole - live sound.

Side A:
Guilt
Let It Go
Ton Ton Macoute
Know Your Enemy
Eist
Knock

Side B:
Murmur
Keep Pushing
Forget The Past
Decide
The Last Thing We Have Is Choice

Enjoy,
NØ