17 March 2013

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. 
decryption code in comments

A1 Under the Hand of Jaruzelski   
A2 Ensan Entehari  

B   Empty Quarter (Pt. I) 

 Muslimgauze - Buddhist on Fire, Recloose Organisation LOOSE 008, 1984.
decryption code in comments

A1 Soviet Occupied Territories     
A2 Turkish Falaka   
A3 Priest    

B1 Reuters   
B2 Dissidents in Exile 

 Muslimgauze - Blinded Horses, Limited Editions LIMITED 2, 1985.
decryption code in comments

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. 
decryption code in comments

A1 Charnel  
A2 Under Black Light
A3 Somnambulists    

B  X Ajza of Martyrdome  


 Muslimgauze - Jazirat-ul-Arab, Limited Editions LIMITED 5, 1987. 
decryption code in comments

A1 Arms of the Koran    
A2 The Divine Cause  
A3 Sabra  

B1 Bourj-el-Barajneh    
B2 Mäiaz    
B3 Chatila

############################################




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. 
decryption code in comments

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,





 










8 comments:

  1. many thanks for all this work. This looks dope!

    ReplyDelete
  2. to brown beard,

    Thanks for the comment. I have to admit my feeble goatee
    is more white than brown, but I still dancin'.
    Much more to come, hope you're along for the ride. Welcome.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Could u please tell me the decryption code?

    thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You didn't specify which decryption code, but all of them are in the last comment, (MEGA decryption codes have 43 characters)
      just cut the code you want & paste where asked.

      If you have any problem, read April 1, 2015 post MEGA MESS
      (http://nathannothinsez.blogspot.com/2015/03/mega-mess.html) on this blog.

      Check all suggestions & all comments.

      If you're still having issues, contact me here.

      Delete
  4. Gracias & merci & thanks for Woo !!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks so much from Argentina!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Any chance of re-up?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All files re-upped. Thanks for letting me know the links were dead.

      Hunting
      jUv3dqGCcl5cudCzzb9YsgG6fPeo9MYjNeGT6fJADSw
      Buddhist
      si9anmShh0bv5Zon2Q1MMlGD16R2K2ILFKCFSFewDQo
      Blinded
      UUiVMs0JeGO5ybwBZMs64YHGvMjBEGI8pKwRPb2Y3lI
      Hajj
      7cslPoPfTiCkSLTQuc0M9OMRsdlS2GrH50q6BheuF98
      Jazirat
      16m8bd9rjV7HE-R0cQIRV2h2rJ92cL63MudOSKjPo5s
      Into the Heart
      cH1FKCdd4TZJ2VxxC5sZq6uyVj0ylg5qNGx-9g9GLaE

      Delete