England

Hopped a ferry from Belgium, thought I’d spend a few days in the balmy British Isles. I’ve been doing okay, language-wise so far, with my smattering of “Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch“, my „parle un peu français”, &  “hablo un poco español” (well, Mexican), plus most everyone so far has “English as a second language”, but I don’t know what I’m going to do in the UK (especially when I get to Scotland, damn). Might be a while before I meet anyone who speaks American.

Deciding what music to highlight from England could be like looking for some salt crystals on the strand. There are huge stars of the music world from England that don’t need any mention here. But since one of my favorites comes from jolly old Manchester, I know right where to start. Since Bryn Jones (17 June 1961–14 January 1999), a.k.a. Muslimgauze, was the kind of living-room artist who staked out his own place in the musical lexicon & didn’t really care about fame, rather concentrating on content & quantity as his forte, I will also post up some Woo, the brothers Ives who also worked from their home & valued quality & integrity above all else.

Since Bryn’s death in 1999, various labels have tried to make sure most of his output is still available. So I have tried to post up some material that is not currently in print.

I’m not really going into Muslimgauze very much. There is ample information around the Interweb if you’re interested. Four of the five releases I’m posting are from Bryn’s own Limited Editions label & Buddhist on Fire was on Bourbonese Qualk’s Recloose Organisation label.

I just wanted to comment on certain claims by ignorant people regarding Muslimgauze’s purported fascist ideology. Just because Jones decided to bring to light anti-colonialist issues , many Euro-centric anti-Muslim big mouths have railed against Muslimgauze’s music or album artwork. Jones has stated that Muslimgauze was formed in response to Operation Peace of the Galilee, Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon. OPG inspired Jones to delve into the conflict's origins. This research grew into a lifelong artistic focal point. Because of his gained insight, Jones became a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, often dedicating recordings to the Palestinian Liberation Organization & a free Palestine. Jones's research expanded to encompass other conflict-ridden, predominantly Muslim countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Chechnya, Iran, & Iraq. He concluded that Western economic greed for natural resources & strategic military/political gain were root causes for many of these conflicts. He hoped his music might bring this information to a new audience. He believed that if Western meddling halted, much of the Middle East would become more stabilized.

 Muslimgauze - Hunting Out with an Aerial Eye, Limited Editions - LIMITED 1, 1984. 

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A1 Under the Hand of Jaruzelski   

A2 Ensan Entehari  

B   Empty Quarter (Pt. I) 

 Muslimgauze - Buddhist on Fire, Recloose Organisation LOOSE 008, 1984.

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A1 Soviet Occupied Territories     

A2 Turkish Falaka   

A3 Priest    

B1 Reuters   

B2 Dissidents in Exile 

 Muslimgauze - Blinded Horses, Limited Editions LIMITED 2, 1985.

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A1 Byzantine Crucifixion    

A2 Zebra Slaughter    

A3 Palestine 

B1 Death of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale   

B2 Political Asylum

 Muslimgauze – Hajj, Limited Editions LIMITED 4, 1986. 

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A1 Charnel  

A2 Under Black Light

A3 Somnambulists    

B  X Ajza of Martyrdome  

 Muslimgauze - Jazirat-ul-Arab, Limited Editions LIMITED 5, 1987. 

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A1 Arms of the Koran    

A2 The Divine Cause  

A3 Sabra  

B1 Bourj-el-Barajneh    

B2 Mäiaz    

B3 Chatila

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Woo is an electro-acoustic/ambient group consisting of the brothers Mark & Clive Ives of South London. Their first album, Whichever Way You are Going, You are Going Wrong, was released in 1982. Into the Heart of Love is their third release, from 1990. Woo’s sound is a unique fusion of alternative, experimental, & electronic soundscapes. Their discography has changed genre gradually with each release. Initially they were more alternative, indie rock, lo-fi jazz, synth & nostalgic acoustic guitar music. As recording continued, the brothers Ives shifted to a more ambient, new age, spiritual, angelic, instrumental music created to aid in meditation, relaxation & healing.

Into the Heart of Love features Woo’s typical ethereal weirdness, seamlessly sheer yet strangely off-kilter: exquisite guitar layering; sighed vocals; & slithering clarinet lines.

 Woo - Into the Heart of Love cassette, Cloud Nine Music, 1990. 

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Side One –

Hopi

Taizee (traditional)

Make me tea (with Sue Amor)

A Little Long Way

The Frog’s Fandango

When you find your love

A Complex Art

Trish’s Return

Into the Heart of Love (with Davy Booth)

Love on Other Planets

Don’t delay

Side Two –

Woo-Woo

The Subtle Shadow

The Subtle Shadow (Instrumental with Julie Heaton)

Sarah

Are you Falling?

It’s Love

Mountains

Gentle Actions

The Return Journey

The Heart of Love/Lullaby

The Heart Sleeps

Spaces we breathe

Enjoy this please,

NØ