Nothin' Sez Somethin': .44 Caliber Killer

23 May 2014

.44 Caliber Killer

Bet you never knew that Son of Sam serial killer David Berkowitz had recorded a cassette release. Well, I guess he didn’t. I guess this is another Son of Sam. Don’t know if they got their inspiration from the neighbor’s dog or not, but…to paraphrase Chris M Bishop:

Sometime during 1984, during a period of Orwellian mass unemployment, Chris Bishop moved into a house in Leeds that had a basement filled with the collective equipment of The Cassandra Complex, O Yuki Conjugate, & Tom Fazzini. His pathetic contribution was the first Korg drum machine which nobody used & which was eventually sold to Jez from Utah Saints, who probably didn’t use it either.

The music scene in Leeds at that time was largely devoted to guitar-oriented music, but this houseful of people had an almost universal mistrust of the fretboard. About that time Electro happened. The house got a Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer & Son of Sam was born. Chris first used the moniker when he needed a nasty name to scribble on a cassette. At first, Chris did all the vocal & instrument duty. As time went on, Razor Roobie & Mr. Cheese fleshed out Chris’ meanderings into a ‘real band’. They played a few dates around Europe, brought out some cassettes & vinyl, then logically destroyed themselves when Techno arrived.

I saw on bancamp Son of Sam has a 2014 re-release of The Collapse of Ancient Funk (1984-85 A.D.) that says: “The Collapse of Ancient Funk (Vol.1) is a record which gathers all the vocal songs included in the cassette-album The Collapse Of Ancient Funk (1984-85 A.D.), originally edited by Final Image (UK) in 1985.” That being said, there are only six tunes, one being a "Carnal Knowledge (Jack Plug's Sex Dub)" new mix by Chris Bishop, 2013.

Well, I have the original cassette which contains eleven songs that, as I will attest, offers a great deal more than what you find on bandcamp. Well, you can listen for free there or buy the physical 12” EP for 15,00 €, or you can check out the original & decide for yourself here.

If you like what you hear & want the vinyl, contact Domestica Records at www.domesticaorder.com. They state that it was: “digitally transferred from the original tape - The Collapse Of Ancient Funk (1984-85 A.D.). Remastered 2014 by Yves Roussel. I simply ripped the cassette to my computer & didn’t really manipulate the sound at all. Again, decide for yourself.

On The Collapse of Ancient Funk. Son of Sam are: Chris Bishop - mouth, machinery, & thrash; Andy Rodgers - throttle; Liz Hemmings – dogsax;, Razor Robbie – feet & fingers; Rob Stickes – bass twang; Sal Smmit – voice. Recorded at the War Room, Leeds, except A2 which was made at The Lion, Leeds. Tracks A1, A4, A5, & B5 are new mixes of The Golden Age Of Disco EP demixed by Spaceman (…Shoes…Hothouse!; Charmaigne; Not a Second Wasted; & Nature’s Made a Mistake).