Luxembourg

Reuploaded 12/04/2025

Well, when I posted up the list of countries, I said I had probably forgotten some. I haven’t even got through Europe & realized I had forgotten Luxembourg. I know it’s small, but they have a thriving music scene. I decided I could hit Lux between France & Monaco. 

The one band I really wanted to showcase some of their work was Birdbone from Fischbach, Luxembourg. It is hard not to be mesmerized by Deborah Lehnen’s voice. She is from Mauritius. She worked with Dan Kramp - guitar & Erik Stein - drums through correspondences (physical & digital) for two years before moving to Luxembourg in 2010 to sing for Birdbones.. Her move to Luxembourg & the adding of bassist Jonah Neuser made it possible for Birdbones to develop into a full-fledged band, completing their lineup with Sid Mysore on the keyboards. They worked on material & toured extensively. But recent postings on the band's website & facebook page state that the band is now a three-piece, with Deborah & Sid no longer with them. Good luck I say, but that sucks, to me. I really dug Deborah’s voice.

I’ve included a few songs by other artists that feature Deborah on vocals. She sings on a track from vwaz. You might not have heard of him yet, but he's been part of the Luxembourgish music scene since 2007. He is mainly inspired by the sounds of 80s. 

 Deborah Lehnen – A Compilation.

Tracklist –

Streamline

Feel (from Birdbones EP)

Léiwen Kleeschen Gleew Mir  (Birdbones demo)

He Waits for Me - feat. Deborah Lehnen (Sun Glitters – It’s Snowing & the Girls are Singing)

Turn Around – feat. Deborah Lehnen (vwaz – 1984)

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Rome is a martial folk act founded in November 2005 as a main output for the songs of Jérôme (Rome) Reuter of Luxembourg. Fans of the likes of Death in June will find suitable pleasure yet Rome is very distinctive & his song writing is quite original. Reuter’s music is a somber affair, delving into the follies & frailties of humanity. His most recent release continues to focus on this dark territory.

Die Æsthetik der Herrschaftsfreiheit spans three CDs over some 150 minutes. Each CD explores different musical realms. The first CD deals with the birth of revolt. The second CD contains ballads from the history of European revolution. The third tackles Art & its connection within freedom.

 Rome - Die Æsthetik der Herrschaftsfreiheit, Trisol ‎– TRI 424 CD, 2011. 

Disc 1: Aufbruch / A Cross of Wheat

The Chronicles of Kronstadt

The Angry Brigade

The Spanish Drummer

To Teach Obedience

The Death of Longing

Our Holy Rue

The Night-Born

The Pyre Glade

In Cruel Fire

A Pact of Blood

The Merchant Fleet

A Cross of Wheat

Disc 2: Aufruhr / A Cross of Fire

The Brute Engine

Seeds of Liberation

To Each His Ground

Sons of Aeeth

August Spies

To Be Governed

Families of Eden

Red Years, Black Years

Little Rebel Mine

The Breaking Part

Eagle & Serpent

A Cross of Fire

Disc 3: Aufgabe / A Cross Of Flowers

The Conquest of Violence

All for Naught

You Threw it at Me like Stones

Automation

Time & Tide

Dawn & the Darkest Hour

Years of Abalone

Petrograd Waltz

Disbandment

Ballots & Bullets

Appeal to the Slaves

A Cross of Flowers

Enjoy,

NØ

 

France

Reuploaded 12/04/2025

What is it with the French? You know they actually think Jerry Lewis is funny, right. So I guess they just have that Gallic humor that I don’t always get. Now Rockets, that’s some humor I do get…

France-1972.  

Music producer Claude Lemoine came up with an idea for a single called “Future Woman” for a band called Crystal. The single shot up the Euro-charts, so the band decided to see what fame might have in store for them. They changed their name & became The Rocket Men (or Rocketters in France). They shaved their heads, wore matching "space age" outfits & painted themselves with silver make-up. This wasn’t quite the ticket though, so in 1976 they changed their name to Rockets. They did a dancier, spacier remake of their hit “Future Woman” once again brought them popularity throughout Europe. Their live shows added to their appeal, featuring lasers, lotsa smoke, exploding cannons of fire & a tripped out light show.

That year they released their debut self-titled album. That album brought them to the attention of America's premier disco label, Salsoul. Salsoul signed them onto their offshoot label Tom 'n' Jerry Records for Rockets only American album, On The Road Again. 

This album has some amazing cheese! The Canned Heat cover, “On The Road Again”, lays down a tight blues/funk with a propulsive mix by Tom Moulton. Vocoder lyrics & talk box guitar riffs accentuate the feel of aliens out on a road trip. This stuff gets plenty surreal. The b-side hit “Space Rock”, also mixed by Tom Moulton, is a tripped-out guitar-inflected synth song that’ll get yer ass shaking. 

Rockets consisted of: Christian le Bartz – vocals; Alain Maratrat - guitars & synths; "Little" G. l'Her – bass; Fabrice Quagliotti – syths; Zeus B. Held - vocoder & Alain Groetzinger - drums.

 Rockets - On the Road Again, IPG 170.008, 1978.

Face 1 –

On The Road Again   

Cosmic Race  

Venus Rapsody          

Face 2 –

 Space Rock    

Astrolights

Electro-Voice

Sci Fi Boogie  

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Alain Goraguer is a French jazz pianist born August 20, 1931 in Rosny-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. He has preformed solo, been a sideman of Boris Vian & Serge Gainsbourg, also working as an arranger & composer for cinema. He is perhaps best known for having composed & recorded the soundtrack to the film Fantastic Planet.

Here’s the soundtrack from one of my favorite sci-fi movies of all, La Planète Sauvage or as it was known in the US, Fantastic Planet. Released in France in 1973.

I’m not going to go into detail about the movie. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. If you have, watch it again, it’s always great. The film takes place in the future in which human beings, known as "Oms" (from the French word hommes, meaning men), have been brought to the Draags' home planet, where they are kept as pets with special collars. The Draags are an alien race, humanoid in appearance but a hundred times larger than humans, with blue skin, fan-like earlobes & protruding red eyes.

The music is by Alain Goraguer, who created music for other French films, including several other animated ones including The Dead Times (Les Temps Morts)[1964] & The Snails (Les Escargots) [1965], both by René Laloux & Roland Topor, who are also responsible for La Planète Sauvage. The music features synthesizers, flute, Hohner clavinet, guitar (with lots of wah-wah effects), bass, & drums. The music to La Planète Sauvage is a progressive funky score, like Pink Floyd meets Shaft.

Alain Goraguer - La Planète Sauvage, Pathé Marconi EMI 2C 066-12698, 1973.

decryption code in comments

Side 1 –

Déshominisation II
Déshominisation I
Générique
Le Bracelet
Ten et Tiwa
Maquillage de Tiwa
Course de Ten
Ten et Médor
Ten et Tiwa Dorment
Ten Est Assomé
Abite
Conseil des Draags
Les Hommes - La Grande Co-Existence

Side 2 –

La Femme
Mira et Ten
Mort de Draag
L' Oiseau
La Cité des Hommes Libres
Attaque des Robots
La Longue Marche
Les Fusées
Générique
Strip Tease
Méditation des Enfants
La Vieille Meurt

Enjoy,

NØ

Andorra

Reuploaded 12/04/2025

Nestled in the eastern Pyrenees. we’re in the sixth smallest country in Europe, the land-locked micro-state of Andorra, also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra. What’s that mean in US lingo. Well, Andorra is about 181 square miles & Rhode Island is 1545 square miles, so about 1/8 the size of li’l ole Rhode Island. The population is about, 85,000. That’s about the size of my cow college neighbor to the north, Chico,CA. Good luck finding bands in some of these little burgs.

This one I’ve had since it came out five years ago. Always really enjoyed it. It’s a nice set of self-released musick from Escaldes, Andorra musician Lluis Martinez Carrera. Some celestial electronica ambient trance. Carrera enjoys music & astronomy, so combines his two loves to create this work of the heart. He has a website, In Space where you can find more of his aethereal music, Borealis & A New Light.

 In Space – Pulsar, Radio Bunker, 2008. 

Tracklist –

Sunrise on Venus              

Pulsar                                        

Comet Trail (original mix)     

Seeking the Voyager 2            

Path to he Moon                   

Comet Trail (short mix)

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Hailing from Andorra, a small country located between France & Spain, Nami play there own personal version of progressive metal. Originally formed by Jonathan Lemos – guitarist & Sergi Verdeguer – drummer, the rest of the band’s lineup was quickly filled out by: Roger Andreu – vocalist; Bernat Argemi – guitarist; & Ricard Tolosa – bassist. Shortly before they began work on their debut album, Lemos was replaced by Filipe Baldaia (although some of Lemos guitar work appears on the album). 

So I guess Fragile Alignments aren’t really so fragile, as the story told by the songs, the adventures of ‘The Man’ & his journey through life, can be played in any random order, each time creating a new life story or narrative of ‘The Man’. It may be too much of a concept for me.

In 2011, Nami signed recording deals with Year of the Sun Records, Canada/USA, Kaiowas Records, Spain, & Season of Mist/Klonosphere, France for world-wide domination. To promote the album, Nami toured the first months of 2012 through Spain & France, playing in Bilbao, Bordeaux, Madrid, Barcelona, & Valencia. At the beginning of the tour, Bernat Argemi – guitarist quits, & Carlos Lozano (of the band Persefone) fills in during the whole tour. After the tour ends, Nami recruit Ivan Marín as the new guitar player.

 Nami – Fragile Alignments, 2010. 

Tracklist:

Awakening from Lethargy

The Inner Man: Materia

The Growing – Earth

Oppression & Understanding – Fire

Loop of Truth (The Link)

Cosmical Beginning – Air

Conscience of the Void (from Oblivion to the Renew) – Water

The Inner Man: Antimateria

The Pattern

Enjoy,
NØ

Spain

Reuploaded 12/04/2025

So here’s where stuff starts getting sticky. What’s up with Spain?  I’m searching for musick from España & everything is lawyered up or corporate cheese. I mean shit from the 50s that’s been outta print so long there aren’t even copies on eBay or GEMM. “There's unlimited supply & there is no reason why. I tell you it was all a frame.They only did it 'cos of fame. Who?  E.M.I. E.M.I.  E.M.I.” Either E.M.I. or BMG have everything under contract, whether the groups are still around or whether the artists are already dead. I wanted to post up some Spanish flamenco or rumba. Yeah, right. I haven’t really had any DMCA or copyright problems so far, but this time I feel like I’m skating on thin ice. So here’s what I decided…

Diametrically opposed. I’ll pick a punk band that hasn’t been around since the mid 80s (sure, some of the members recently recorded these song along with their other material on a tribute album & of course these two songs are on a live club recording, but I know the Rombos brothers went bankrupt rather than pay the band back in the 80s, so…) & probably the most successful Spanish rock band, HdS (I know all their product is under the E.M.I. thumb & although I try to be open about most types of musick, I’m not really a big fan of RAWK). Diametrically opposed. We’ll see how this flies…

(las) Vulpess were a great all-female punk band from Bilbao, Spain, 1980-83. In all there were more than 10 girls in the lineup before they solidified into their final four by the time they recorded their infamous video on state-run TVE. Loles Vázquez, guitarist, lyricist, & founder had been joined by Begoña Astigarraga, the bass player, about 3 weeks earlier. Loles’ sister Lupe played drums & Mamen Rodrigo sang. These two had been in the band for about more or less 2 months.

It was the song “Me Gusta Ser una Zorra”, which loosely translates into “I Like Being a Slut” that got them a lot of attention/trouble. A guy named Carlos Tena was preparing a new TV show called Caja de Ritmos (Rhythm Box) with only Spanish bands. Somebody told him that in Bilbao there was a girl’s only band. Carlos contacted them & everything happened extremely quickly. They recorded “Me Gusta…”. They were told that the video that aired would be edited, that every time they cursed there would be a "beep".  But TVE didn’t edit the video & that’s where the trouble began. An article appeared in the front page of ABC (a popular Spanish newspaper). It was election time & the article was written for political reasons. ABC printed the lyrics in the article. This landed the band in legal hot water, especially Loles, as author of the lyrics. It took 3 years until the case for public disturbance was finally dismissed but the damage to the band was done.

They only released this 7″ during their short career. It is legendary among fans of Spanish punk.

The reunited band recorded their only studio album, Me Gusta Ser in 2006 as a tribute to their drummer Lupe, who died in 1993. Punk Away Records released an album in 2012 of Vulpess recorded live on May 20th, 1983 at the Barbarela Rock hall in Palma, Majorca. Limited edition of 800 copies on180 g vinyl.

 (las)VULPESS – Me Gusta Ser una Zorra, Dos Rombos Discos DOS-002, 1983. 

Side 1 –

Me Gusta Ser una Zorra

Side 2 -

Inkisicion

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Héroes del Silencio was a Spanish rock band from Zaragoza (Aragón, Spain) formed by Juan Valdivia in 1984. Héroes (or HdS) started out as a band named Zumo de Vidrio. They consisting of Juan Valdivia, his brother Pedro Valdivia & their cousin Javier Guajardo Valdivia. Some time later Enrique Bunbury joined the line-up. Bunbury was originally a bass player but after Juan Valdivia heard him singing a David Bowie song & told him that he had a great voice, Bunbury became the vocalist.

The band changed their name to Héroes del Silencio in 1986. At first they played in public places & made demos but their break came when they participated in a music contest in Salamanca. They won second place. An EMI producer, Gustavo Montesano of the band Ole Ole, saw them in the contest & was impressed. Some time later, at a concert in Sala En Bruto, he signed the band.

The band split in 1996. In 2007 the band announced a ten-day reunion tour that would take them to Guatemala City, Buenos Aires, Monterrey, Ciudad de México, Los Ángeles, Sevilla, Zaragoza & Valencia.

The bands style has metamorphosed throughout their history. Their first album was really kinda pop. As they have progressed, their sound has gotten progressively harder. Also, Bunbury’s vocals & lyrics have become one of the hallmarks of the band. His voice is a rich baritone & his lyrics are cryptic & expressively dark.

This CD consists of music from several concerts. The notes indicate that it was recorded in South America, but it seems to be from Amsterdam, Netherlands 2 April 92, Munich, Germany 13 April 92 & Munich, Germany 7 May 93. The sound is good. The cover is The Scream (El Grito) by Eduard Munch, expressionist, same title as this bootleg.

Héroes del Silencio – El Grito bootleg, MMR 9311, 1993.

Tracklist –

Al Saber le Llaman Suerte

Hace Tiempo

Despertar

Oración

Entre dos Tierras

Mar Adentro

Hechizo/Olvidado

Decadencia

Maldito Duende

El Camino del Exceso

Tumbas del Sal

Entre dos Tierras

Los Paceres de la Pobresa

Enjoy while they last,
NØ

Portugal

Reuploaded 12/04/2025

Buraka Som Sistema (Buraka is from the Buraca parish in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area & Som Sistema means Sound System in Portuguese) is an club dance band playing tight electro-ghetto-tech fashioned after the sounds of Angolan kuduro musick. They formed in 2006 with João Barbosa (Li'l John, Branko), Rui Pité (DJ Riot), Andro Carvalho (Conductor) & Kalaf Ângelo. 

Currently they consist of: Branko; DJ Riot; Conductor; Kalaf; & Blaya.

 Buraka Som Sistema – From Buraka to the World, Enchufada ENCD002, 2006. 

Tracklist –

Intro                                  

Buraka Entra!                    

Yah!                                  

A Morte Do Sonic             

Com Respeito                    

Coozi O Mambo                

Wawaba                              

Sem Makas     

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Begun in 1989 by: David Maranha – vocals, guitar, bass (picked & E-bowed), synthesizer & sampler; André Maranha – sampler & electronics (mix table); & Patricia Machás - vocals, mandolin, tambourine, accordion, & marimba; Osso Exótico is Portugal’s premiere avant garde ensemble. 

I was recorded on the 18th June 1990 in a testing room of the Geotechnical Department of the Laboratório Nacional Civil. Also appearing on I are: António Forte – rototoms & percussion; & Bernardo Devlin – vocals, glass harmonica, synthesizer, & sampler.

Osso Exótico – I, Multinational MN 1, 1990.

Side A –

Osso Exótico

Side B –

The New Stone Age

“ “

Lunar Circus Maximus

Osso Exótico -VII EP, Drone Records DR-37, 1999 (individually # to 300 incorrectly (only 250)).

Side A –

Untitled 1

Side B –

Untitled 2

Untitled 3 (???)

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Riding Pânico, formed in 2004 are an instrumental, post-rock experimental band that build intricate electric landscapes successfully blending the two Muses of tragedy & comedy. They create thick layers of sound using melancholy layers of guitar loops. Riding Pânico are: João Nogueira – guitar; Jorge Pereira – guitar; Mike Correia – guitar; Makoto Yagyu – bass; Shela – keyboards & ambient noise; Angelo Lourenço – sound; & Carlos Antonio – drums.

Riding Pânico– self-titled three song demo, self-released, 2006.

Tracklist –

I See Nineteen

Untitled

Street Walkers

Enjoy

NØ

 

Ireland

Reuploaded 12/04/2025

I have Ireland here, but I’m posting up some bands from both the Republic of & Northern, just to be democratic & catholic (non-capital letter meanings).

Nobody’s commenting on any of this, so why am I wasting my time writing up a bunch of stuff no one reads. If you want to find out more about these bands or releases, look for the information elsewhere. As I wrote on the first country post (Greenland):

“…having the honor of being the first country in our amazing quest around the world searching out musick from every nation, you’ll  have to pardon me & excuse any problems you may perceive with my style. I am as of yet in awe of this whole project & I will probably ramble on way too much at first here…”

In 1972, one Philip Parris Lynott & his mates Eric Bell & Brian Downey teamed up with Benny White – singer & Dave Lennox – keyboards, from the band Elmer Fudd, to do an album, a tribute to Deep Purple. They called this one-off band Funky Junction.

Funky Junction – Play a Tribute to Deep Purple, Stereo Gold Award MER 373, 1973. 

Side 1 -

Fireball (original D.P song)

Dan

Black Night (original D.P song)

Palamatoon

Strange Kind of Woman (original D.P song)

Side 2 -

Hush (original D.P song)

Rising Sun

Speed King (original D.P song)

Corina

Then some Rare & Unreleased (2003) tunes from Phil’s other band.

Thin Lizzy - Rare & Unreleased (bootleg), 2003.

Tracklist -

Going Down (Rare RTE 1973 live)

Blues Boy (Rare)

Leaving Town (Rare unreleased)

A Tribute to Sandy (Rare)

Rocklila (Rare)

A Ride in the Lizzy Mobile (Rare)

Here I Go Again (Rare)

Rock 'n' Roll with You (Rare BBC live)

Are You Ready? (Rare studio version)

Cold Black Night (Rare unreleased)

Beat of the Drum (Rare)

Hate (Rare unreleased)

Leaving Town (Rare unreleased)

One Wish (Rare unreleased)

Toughest Street in Town (Rare alt. version)

Song for Jimmy (Rare)

The Farmer (Rare)

Got to Give it Up (demo - different lyrics)

Please Don't Leave Me (Rare)

Romeo & the Lonely Girl (Rare Cleveland 1976 live)

Somebody Else’s Dream (Rare)

Please Don't Leave Me (Rare feat. John Sykes)

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Do you need some Belfast Therapy? Well, I say you do.

While attending a charity gig in early 1989, Andy Cairns saw Fyfe Ewing playing drums in a punk covers band. They met for rehearsal in Fyfe's house in Larne with Andy playing guitar through a small practice amp & Fyfe playing his kit with brushes. First they borrowed a bass guitar from Fyfe's classmate Michael McKeegan & then deciding to play live, they borrowed McKeegan. 
“With keen pop sensibilities, a skewed sense of humor & a willingness to draw inspiration from diverse sources, Therapy? came to attention in the early 1990s rise of alternative rock, & have endured for more than two decades”: critic Johnny Loftus writes.

Therapy? – Babyteeth, Southern Records 18507-1, 1991.

Inside -

Meat Abstract

Skyward

Punishment Kiss

Animal Bones

Outside –

Loser Cop (w/Keith Thompson – saxophone)

Innocent X

Dancin’ with Manson

Enjoy,
NØ