Heading Off to the Old Hunting Lodge

Hunting Lodge was an industrial/experimental band formed in Port Huron, Michigan in 1981 by Lon C. Diehl – vocals, bass, drum programing, Richard Skott - guitar, & Karl Nordstrom - keyboards as a platform to experiment with harsh, dark electronic-based music. Diehl had played synth/bass with the industrial post-punk band HATE/GREY. Skott had been self-releasing guitar noise experimentations under the name Screw Machine. The two started S/M Operations for the purpose of publishing a music ‘zine. The name S/M Operations comes from the two creators former projects: Lon C Diehl was already putting out a small publication called Smarm ‘zine & Richard Skott was releasing his cassettes under the name of Screw Machine (thus the name is read Ess Emm Operations, not S & M). The two bonded over their interest in the music of Throbbing Gristle, Dome, & SPK, as well as the plethora of post-punk musical experimenters of the time. In May 82 they released a single issue of S/M Operations. By that time they were collaborating on making music together.

Their first live appearance took place in September 4, 1982 at the Harrington Ballroom inside the Harrington Hotel. The event was recorded on a portable cassette player. It would become their first cassette-only release, Harrington Ballroom. After this first live event, Karl Nordstrom left the band, although he played on several tracks on their next cassette-only release Exhumed (re-released July 2014 by Exoteque Music – check out their Facebook page for ordering info) as well as their 1983 debut LP Will.

On their next LP, 1984s Nomad Souls, the band's earlier experiments with pure noise were now being combined with strong rhythms, using synched digital delays/early samplers & tribal drums. Following a U.S. tour (October 23 – November 18) in 1984, Skott moved to San Francisco while Diehl finished up the recording of the 12" EP Tribal Warning Shot. The title track off the 12" single of the same name released by Normal Records in Germany became a minor club hit.

Their final album 8-Ball was released in 1986. It has them pushing further into traditional song structure. For the uninitiated, the compilation Necroplolis covers many of their more well known songs. For their rawer style, I recommend their early work (pre-Tribal Warning).

Hunting Lodge – Harrington Ballroom cassette, S/M Operations, 1982.
all decryption codes in comments

Side 01 –

Icepick Method

By the Blood of Others

Ecce Qui Tolis Peccatta Mundi

Sonderkommando

Four Hoursemen

Side 02 –

Astral Ball

Mrs. Hagar

Simulation/Stimulation

Gone the Way of All Flesh

Lon C. Diehl, Richard Skott, & Karl Nordstrom. Edition of 150 cassettes.

Hunting Lodge – Will, S/M Operations SM01, 1983.

Side A –

Na Vilavilairevu

We are They

Hand of God

Shugendo Gyozha / You are of Me

Side B –

Icepick Method

Sounds like a Picture

S/M Operations

Will

Banishing Dirge

Lon C Diehl, Richard Skott with Karl Nordstrom – keyboards on “Icepick Method”. Edition of 500 LPs.

Hunting Lodge – Night from Night 7”, S/M Operations SM02, 1983.

Side A –

Night from Night

Side B –

Untitled

Hunting Lodge – Nomad Souls, S/M Operations SM03, 1984.

Side A –

Nomad Souls

Beautiful Ugly

Born of Force

Side B –

The Wolf Hour

Rhythm Cage

God Loves the Rock Stars

Becoming a Commercial – Interrupting

Nomad Souls

Lon C Diehl, Richard Skott with Richard Kinnee & Steve Kish – percussion, Roselle Williams – vocals, & John Steinborn – drums. Edition of 1000 LPs.

Hunting Lodge – The Harvest cassette, Inner-X-Music XXX-16, 1985.

Side A –

Astral Ball

Tribal Warning

Is That Right

Rhythm Café

Born on Fire

Night from Night

Side B –

Voodoo Eclipse

God Loves the Rock Stars

Learn to Will

E.Q.T.P.M.

Banishing Dirge

Lon C. Diehl, Richard Skott with Karl Nordstrom – keyboards B4, & Roselle Williams – vocals A6-B2. Live performances from 1984 tour – A1-A5, B5 950 Club, Chicago; A6,B1-B2 Composite Lodge, Detroit; B3 Johnny D’s, Boston; & B4 somewhere in Kansas City.

Hunting Lodge – Tribal Warning Shot 12" EP, S/M Operations SM04, 1985.

Side A –

Tribal Warning Shot

Soul-Vac

Side B –

Commerce

Tribal Warning Shot (live)

Lon C. Diehl, Richard Skott with Helmut Robison & John Steinborn – drums, Trish Damon – vocals, & Paul Steinborn – guitar.

Hunting Lodge – 8-Ball cassette, S/M Operations SMC5, 1987.

Side A –

8-Ball

May This Meat Kill Me

Kick up Some Dust

Rip ‘N’ Tear

Dodge the Steamroller

Side B –

Dark Night of the Soul

This is Truth

Pressure Press

Broken Gardens

Hourglass

Lon C. Diehl, Richard Skott with Helmut Robison – drums.

Hunting Lodge – Carnivora! 12” EP, Permis De Construire Deutschland PPP102, 1989.

Side A –

Carnivora (pts 1 & 2)

Side B –

Born of Fire

Feedback

Night from Night

Lon C. Diehl, Richard Skott, & Helmut Robison.

Hunting Lodge – Necropolis, Dark Vinyl Records DV#17, 1993.

Tracklist –

Tribal Warning Shot (studio version)

Nomad Souls

Beautiful Ugly

Born of Fire

The Wolf Hour

Rhythm Cage

God Loves the Rock Stars

Become a Commercial-Interrupting

Nomad Souls (Never Ending version)

Tribal Warning Shot (live version)

There is also a cassette from 1983 that contains unreleased material.

Hunting Lodge – At the Lodge cassette, unreleased, 1983.

Side A –

Untitled material

Side B –

Untitled material

Here’s something I found that might be of interest to completists. It was intended as an inside joke on Radio Station WLBS & DJ Mike Halloran. In the spring of 83, using the yet to be released track from Nomad Souls "God Loves the Rock Stars", Lon put together this track. WLBS was the first 'new music/new wave/dance' station in the Detroit area. The track aired on the first edition of its Garage Tapes show that featured local Michigan acts. It features DJ Hank Williams (seriously) reading Lon's letter that accompanied the tape. It is totally hysterical & William’s delivery is well worth the listen.

Enjoy,
NØ