Now Shipping: February Releases February 05 2016
Our first batch of 2016 releases has finally arrived. We have the stunning soundtrack to Chris Marker's La Jetée, a rare outtakes collection of Ornette Coleman's legendary Atlantic period and two essential CDs by Steve Reich and The Flesh Eaters. In stores everywhere on February 26th. Pre-orders shipping immediately.
La Jetée is the classic French sci-fi film which inspired Twelve Monkeys. While Chris Marker creates some of the most hauntingly beautiful imagery in cinema, what animates the film's frozen pictures is its sparse and unsettling soundscape. This first-time release features gatefold jacket and 10" x 6.5" film still. Get it here
Originally released in Japan only, To Whom Who Keeps A Record features the classic quartets with Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, Billy Higgins and Ed Blackwell – recorded during the crucial years of 1959 and 1960. This first-time vinyl reissue includes liner notes by Byron Coley. Get it here
Four Organs / Phase Patterns is one of the most highly regarded avant-garde recordings of the past 50 years. Originally released on Shandar in 1971 and featuring Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Steve Chambers, Art Murphy and Jon Gibson, this CD release is recommended for fans of Neu!, Glenn Branca and Tim Hecker. Get it here
On Forever Came Today, The Flesh Eaters' third full-length album originally released in 1982, the group dives deeper into full-throttle rock demonology, bluesy primeval swagger and obsessive imagery. This first-time reissue is highly recommended for fans of X and The Gun Club. Get it here
Upcoming Concert: faUSt February 02 2016
faUSt / Heron Oblivion / Bill Orcutt
with DJ sets by Paul Costuros / Darragh Skelton
Saturday March 19th, 8pm
at The Chapel, San Francisco
"There is no group more mythical than Faust." Thus wrote English musician and eccentric Julian Cope. Which says it all really. Neither the habitus nor the music of this Hamburg group is easy to grasp. While some laud Faust as the best thing that ever happened to rock 'n' roll, others dismiss them as shameless dilettantes. Their collage of Dadaism, avant-garde rock and free improvisation has radically divided opinion for decades. When their first LP was unleashed on the world in 1971, Faust were very much the prophet in his own land, as the saying goes: few were interested in listening to their music in Germany. Not so across the Channel – where the band's career really took off and British critics first applied the semi-derogatory term "krautrock" to try to get their collective heads around Faust's revolutionary sound. This rare San Francisco performance – featuring original members Werner "Zappi" Diermaier and Jean-Hervé Péron – is a can't miss event.
Upcoming Concerts: Fullman and Niblock January 18 2016
Ellen Fullman: Resonance Is Harmony
with Kyle Bruckmann (oboe) and Luciano Chessa (dan bau)
Saturday January 23rd, 8pm
at The Lab, San Francisco
Ellen Fullman: Harbors and Past the Angels
with Theresa Wong (cello)
Sunday January 31st, 8pm
at The Lab, San Francisco
Ellen Fullman began developing her installation The Long String Instrument in 1981, in search of tonalities that could not be achieved with traditional instruments. For the month of January 2016, the composer will be artist-in-residence at The Lab where she has installed an expanded version of her instrument – over one hundred strings, spanning 53 feet in length. Last year Superior Viaduct reissued The Long String Instrument album, the first document of Fullman's acoustic explorations.
Phill Niblock
Saturday February 13th, 8pm
at The Lab, San Francisco
Phill Niblock is a New York-based minimalist composer, multi-media musician, and director of Experimental Intermedia Foundation. Since the mid-1960's he has performed at venues around the world from the Museum of Modern Art to Akademie der Kunste, Berlin. His densely layered drones have inspired a younger generation including Glenn Branca and Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo. Niblock says, "What I am doing with my music is to produce something without rhythm or melody, by using many microtones that cause movements very, very slowly." His landmark debut album, Nothin To Look At Just A Record, was reissued by Superior Viaduct in 2013.
For this special performance at The Lab, Niblock will perform recent compositions and screen footage from his breathtaking "Movement of People Working" series. Co-sponsored by Stranded and The Lab.
Photo by Robert Szkolnicki.
Photo by Katherine Liberovskaya.
Just Announced: Conrad, Burroughs, Bender January 15 2016
As promised, 2016 is getting off to a crazy start with classic debuts from Tony Conrad, William Burroughs and John Bender.
In the 1960s, Tony Conrad was a member of legendary NYC group the Theater of Eternal Music, alongside John Cale, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela and Angus MacLise. His debut album, Outside The Dream Syndicate, came out in 1973 and features semimal German avant-rock band Faust. No other record captures – so completely and instantly – the intersection of avant-garde and rock forms. This first-time vinyl reissue and long out-of-print CD release include liner notes by Jim O'Rourke and Branden W. Joseph. First 500 copies on clear vinyl with special poster. Mail-order exclusive. Pre-order on vinyl or compact disc.
William Burroughs has had pervasive influence on counterculture in the past 50 years – from the Beats to punk rock and even hip hop. Originally released in 1965, Call Me Burroughs marks the author's recorded debut and features readings from his best-known works. An eerie, deadpan drawl guides the listener through sci-fi innerscapes, narcotic nightmares, reports from the edge of the apocalypse. This first-time vinyl reissue is recommended for fans of Hunter S. Thompson, Patti Smith and Throbbing Gristle. Pre-order here
John Bender recorded voraciously between 1978 and 1980 at his home in Cincinnati, Ohio. I Don't Remember Now / I Don't Want To Talk About It, his first album from 1980, is the holy grail of minimal lo-fi electronics. Layers of fractured melodies, distorted synthesizers, hollowed-out rhythms and claustrophobic vocals reflect a distinct punk-meets-experimentalist sensibility. This first-time standalone reissue is recommended for fans of Pere Ubu, Brian Eno and Robert Ashley. Limited to 1,000 numbered copies. Red vinyl with hand-stamped jackets, each one unique. Pre-order here
Early 2016 December 11 2015
If you thought this year was badass, just wait for 2016 ...
Chris Marker is (hands down) our favorite filmmaker. We are honored to present the first-time release of the soundtrack from La Jetée, which features both French and English voiceover narrations, sparse and unsettling soundscapes along with Trevor Duncan's impressionistic score. Pre-order here.
Steve Reich remains one of the most important figures in 20th century music and Four Organs / Phase Patterns is one of the most highly regarded avant-garde recordings of the past 50 years. Pre-order on compact disc or vinyl.
Ornette Coleman's name is synonymous with artistic freedom. To Whom Who Keeps A Record is a collection of outtakes from his legendary Atlantic period (Change of the Century, This Is Our Music, etc.). Liner notes by Byron Coley. Pre-order here.
Forever Came Today is the perfect introduction to The Flesh Eaters' dark sense of humor and positively bleak form of rock 'n' roll. This first-time reissue is recommended for fans of X and The Gun Club. Pre-order here.
Cyber Monday 2015 November 29 2015
We are having a sale! 20% off all catalogue titles and t-shirts.
It's the perfect time to catch up on our past releases. Plus, we'll throw in a free tote bag with orders of $150 or more.
(Sorry, discount does not apply to Black Friday releases, pre-orders, and non-SV titles.)
Simply apply discount code CyberMonday2015 during check-out.
Offer ends November 30th at midnight, Pacific time.
Now Shipping: Avengers LP November 20 2015
First and only album from classic '77 San Francisco band, The Avengers' self-titled LP fuses incisive guitar hooks, explosive rhythms and adolescent venom. "The Pink Album" (as it's known) remains their definitive statement – collecting the seminal Dangerhouse EP, sessions recorded with Sex Pistols' Steve Jones and a half-dozen revelatory demos.
"The Avengers were a no-hyphen-required punk band of the most basic and brilliant variety." – Byron Coley
Record release party on Friday December 4th at Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles. Buy tickets | Share
Now Shipping: Our Fall Releases (Part 2) November 06 2015
Ending the year strong with a diverse set of massive beginnings.
Scientist has been a pioneering figure in the world of dub for nearly 40 years. His debut LP, Introducing Scientist - The Best Dub Album In The World, was originally released on JB Music in 1980. Ten classic tracks featuring Sly & Robbie, recorded at Channel One Studio and mixed at King Tubby's. The very best indeed.
Harry Pussy emerged out of the Florida swamps in 1993. Originally released on Siltbreeze, their self-titled debut album is an absurd and devastating statement. Twenty-plus years later, rock'n'roll's collective ears are still ringing. Recommended for fans of The Dead C, Royal Trux and Mars. New liner notes by David Keenan.
Ilitch is the moniker of Parisian multi-instrumentalist and NWW-list inductee Thierry Muller. His 1978 debut, Periodikmindtrouble, was a shot across the bow for the French underground scene. 10 Suicides, Muller's art-damaged follow-up with distorted guitars and androgynous vocals, still sounds years ahead of its time. Recommended for fans of Fripp/Eno, Heldon and Chris & Cosey. First-time vinyl reissues.
Pre-orders shipping immediately. In stores everywhere on November 27th.
Now Shipping: Our Fall Releases (Part 1) October 02 2015
Shipping this week, an overlooked minimalist masterpiece and a trio of outsider pop essentials.
Ellen Fullman's debut LP is the first document of her self-made instrument. The Long String Instrument conjures an enchanting drone and dissolves into organ-like overtones and otherworldly textures. This first-time reissue is recommended for fans of Pauline Oliveros, Charlemagne Palestine and Harry Bertoia.
L. Voag recorded his 1979 solo debut during the waning days of his time in The Homosexuals. As Steven Stapleton from Nurse With Wound states perfectly, The Way Out is "a classic of bric-a-brac nonconformity." This first-time vinyl reissue is recommended for fans of Desperate Bicycles, This Heat and Mark Perry.
Milk From Cheltenham released their sole album on famed UK DIY imprint It's War Boys in 1983. Drawing from basement tapes and studio sessions, A Triptych Of Poisoners runs the gamut from jerky post-punk to cut-up collage. This first-time vinyl reissue is recommended for fans of Swell Maps, The Faust Tapes, and LAFMS.
Departmentstore Santas' only release is an elusive '80s cult classic. Originally pressed in just 500 copies, At The Medieval Castle Nineteen 100-Year Lifetimes Since features quirky sing-alongs, wide-eyed lyrics and echoey instrumentals. This first-time reissue is recommended for fans of Television Personalities, Guided By Voices and Cleaners From Venus.
Fall 2015 Releases (Part 2) September 18 2015
Our last batch of releases for the year is our most diverse yet! Spanning minimalism, dub, noise, electronics and punk.
Recorded during Ellen Fullman's 1985 residency at Het Apollohuis, The Long String Instrument LP documents the composer's self-made instrument of long strings and remains a major contribution to the histories of sound sculpture and minimalist composition. Recommended for fans of Pauline Oliveros, Charlemagne Palestine and Harry Bertoia. Pre-order here.
Scientist's 1980 debut LP, Introducing Scientist - The Best Dub Album in the World, lives up to its boastful title. Recorded with Sly & Robbie at Channel One Studio and mixed at King Tubby's, the album features hypnotic basslines, reverb-drenched keyboards, and fluid, start-stop rhythms. Ten classic tracks showcasing the very best of the dub form. Pre-order here.
Obliterating the lines between hardcore, noise and free jazz, the unclassifiable Harry Pussy were at once all of those things and none of them. Originally released on Siltbreeze in 1993, their self-titled debut LP reveals an antagonistic and visceral approach to music: Adris Hoyos' self-taught, wild-style drums and shrouded screams tangling with Bill Orcutt's high tension blues guitar. Pre-order here.
In the mid-1970s Parisian composer and multi-instrumentalist Thierry Muller began operating primarily under the Ilitch moniker. His debut album, Periodikmindtrouble, features gritty tape-loops, analog synth swells and angst-ridden guitars, while 10 Suicides explores a more art-damaged pop sensibility. These first-time vinyl reissues are recommended for fans of Fripp/Eno, Heldon and Chris & Cosey. Pre-order the first album here and the second album here.
San Francisco's The Avengers are classic '77 punk. As Byron Coley writes, "The Avengers were a no-hyphen-required punk band of the most basic and brilliant variety." Their first and only LP (better known as The Pink Album) remains their definitive statement – collecting their Dangerhouse EP, sessions recorded with Sex Pistols' Steve Jones and a half-dozen revelatory demos. Pre-order here.
Now Shipping: Liquid Liquid August 14 2015
Liquid Liquid emerged from New York City's vibrant Downtown scene in 1981. Their three EPs, all originally released on the legendary 99 Records, would heavily influence dance-oriented indie rock of the early aughts (LCD Soundsystem, DFA Records, et al.)
Superior Viaduct is honored to present these first-time vinyl reissues of Liquid Liquid's classic records (self-titled, Successive Reflexes, and Optimo) in their original 12-inch format as well as an archival LP of rare recordings by the pre-LL bands, Liquid Idiot and Idiot Orchestra. Get all four records in our special-priced vinyl bundle.
Also, we made a limited run of Liquid Liquid t-shirts. Get the shirt here (while supplies last).
Now Shipping: Avengers CD August 10 2015
Originally released in 1983, four years after the band's dissolution, The Avengers' self-titled LP is often referred to as "The Pink Album" for its magenta-hued cover design. Frontwoman Penelope Houston's iconic voice and razor-sharp lyrics resonate on anthems "We Are The One" and "The American In Me." This CD release features the original album tracks and 16-page booklet of photos and ephemera with new liner notes by Byron Coley. Get it here
Also, if you are in UK or Germany this Summer, be sure to check out The Avengers on tour. Dates listed here.
Fall 2015 Releases (Part 1) July 23 2015
Our first batch of Fall releases revels in the fractured, outsider pop of the late '70s and early '80s.
The Way Out, 1979 solo debut from the Homosexuals bassist Jim Welton (a.k.a. L. Voag), attempts to cross over "obscure, nigh impenetrable" pop music with "best-selling, chart-topping" avant-garde. This first-time vinyl reissue includes a bonus 7-inch of the rare Move EP and is recommended for fans of Desperate Bicycles, This Heat and Mark Perry. Pre-order here.
Milk From Cheltenham hailed from Deptford (South-East London). Their sole album, A Triptych Of Poisoners, originally released in 1983 on famed DIY imprint It's War Boys, mines basement tapes and studio sessions, intersplicing a cornucopia of exotic instruments with a pastiche of truly bizarre samples. This first-time vinyl reissue is recommended for fans of Swell Maps, The Faust Tapes and LAFMS. Pre-order here.
Meanwhile in La Mesa, California, some five-thousand nautical miles away, Departmentstore Santas were recording their sole LP. Self-released by this mysterious band in 1984, At The Medieval Castle Nineteen 100-Year Lifetimes Since is an underground rock classic of the highest order, uncannily anticipating the 4-track movement of the '90s. This first-time reissue is recommended for fans of Television Personalities, Guided By Voices and Cleaners From Venus. Pre-order here.
Now Shipping: Alice Coltrane's Universal Consciousness June 26 2015
Originally released on Impulse! in 1971, Universal Consciousness is a major turning point in Alice Coltrane's momentous career. While her previous albums pushed the limits of spiritual free jazz and featured much of her late husband's band, Universal Consciousness expands the harpist / pianist's compositional palette with organ and strings (working with Ornette Coleman).
Coming Soon: The Avengers' Pink Album June 22 2015
In the late '70s, The Avengers established themselves as one of the US's preeminent punk bands. Fusing incisive guitar hooks, explosive rhythms and adolescent venom, the group forged some of the most in-your-face songs of the era.
The Pink Album remains The Avengers' definitive statement – collecting their classic Dangerhouse EP, sessions recorded with Sex Pistols' Steve Jones and a half-dozen revelatory demos. While much has been written about The Avengers in the past three decades, rock critic Greil Marcus puts it succinctly, "The word I always come back to is mystical, and that remains almost theirs alone."
This CD release features the original album tracks and 16-page booklet of photos and ephemera with new liner notes by Byron Coley.
Free Shipping Until June 30th June 19 2015
2015 is either half gone or half started, depending on your point of view. SV has definitely reached the halfway point: 15 releases so far this year and another 15 or so to come. Now is your chance to catch up on our catalogue.
Until the end of June, our site has free shipping on all orders within the US. (Sorry, international friends.) Just enter coupon code June2015_FreeShipping during checkout.
Enjoy the Summer and safe travels!
Upcoming Concert: Jon Gibson June 01 2015
Since the mid-1960s, Jon Gibson has played a key role in the development of American avant-garde music. His expertise on woodwind instruments made Gibson a go-to collaborator in Steve Reich's, Philip Glass', and La Monte Young's ensembles, but less known are his remarkable contributions as a composer and visual artist. In support of the recent reissue of his 1973 debut album Visitations, Gibson performs the title piece along with percussionist William Winant.
Saturday, June 27th
at The Lab, San Francisco
Doors 8:30pm / Music 9pm
21 and over, $20
Pre-sale tickets sold out. More tickets available at the door.
If you purchased advance tickets, we have a Will Call list.
Photos by Roberto Masotti.
Now Shipping: Areski / Brigitte Fontaine and ZNR May 15 2015
Shipping this week, two mid-'70s French albums that couldn't be more different, yet equally divine.
Originally released in 1973, Je Ne Connais Pas Cet Homme is the first record billed under both Areski and Brigitte Fontaine. Mercurial and remarkably intimate – as if listeners are beckoned into their strange and beautiful world.
ZNR's 1976 debut, Barricade 3, is an anti-pop masterpiece with Erik Satie-esque compositions, gorgeous electronics and genuinely bizarre vocals. Original gatefold design includes illustration by Don Van Vliet.
Coming Soon: Liquid Liquid May 01 2015
Liquid Liquid emerged from New York City's vibrant Downtown scene in 1981. The group cut their teeth in underground clubs and street art circles before solidifying their trailblazing style – a fusion of irresistible basslines, junkyard percussion and urgent, free-flowing lyrics. Their three EPs, all originally released on legendary 99 Records, would heavily influence dance-oriented indie rock of the early aughts (LCD Soundsystem, DFA Records, et al.).
Rarely are bands so completely of their era and, at the same time, truly ahead of it. Superior Viaduct is honored to present these first-time vinyl reissues of Liquid Liquid's classic records (self-titled, Successive Reflexes, and Optimo) in their original 12-inch format as well as an archival LP of rare recordings by the pre-LL bands, Liquid Idiot and Idiot Orchestra.
Photo by Kishi Yamamoto.
Now Shipping: Jon Gibson's Visitations April 22 2015
Jon Gibson has played a key role in the development of American avant-garde music since the mid-1960s – as a frequent collaborator with Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and La Monte Young. Visitations, his debut album, originally appeared on the Chatham Square imprint in 1973. Two side-long tracks span organic field recordings, ambient flutes and synth, and free-flowing textures.
This first-time vinyl reissue is recommended for fans of Cluster, Harold Budd and Phill Niblock.
Shipping Next Week: Punk Singles April 10 2015
Shipping our punk singles next week! All are limited edition color vinyl and quickly selling out.
We have THE RESIDENTS' "loose, belligerent, violent and truly fucked-up" take on the Stones' "Satisfaction" as well as debuts by the inexplicably brilliant GERMS and the perfectly punk DILS. First versions of "Adult Books" and "We're Desperate" reveal X's raw talent for sincere songwriting and stripped-down rock n' roll, while FLIPPER's chorus-less and catchy-as-hell debut will make you "all gushy and wet."
Buy individual titles right here or get them all in our special-priced vinyl bundle.
Now Shipping: MINGUS March 12 2015
We here at Superior Viaduct are super excited to be reissuing two classic albums by CHARLES MINGUS, one of the most radical figures in American music.
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady is without question MINGUS' magnum opus. Balancing delicate Spanish modes and Ellingtonian themes, the ensemble breaks into a divine cacophony of group improvisation on par with free jazz giants Ornette Coleman or Cecil Taylor.
On Mingus Plays Piano, the only album to feature MINGUS on his instrument of choice for composing, trance-like solo piano musings reveal a tenderness rarely associated with the man and his music.
Pre-orders shipping immediately. In stores everywhere on March 17th.
PS/IBC Release Party Thanks March 06 2015
We had a blast at the PINK SECTION and INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS release party last weekend. It was packed with great performances by both bands – their first-time playing together in 34 years! – that included original members Matt Heckert, Judy Gittelsohn, Stephen Wymore, Carol Detweiler, and JoJo Planteen.
Special thanks to the Steven Wolf gallery for hosting, Peter Conheim for handling sound duties, and everyone who came out.
If you didn't pick up the limited edition t-shirts that were made just for this event, we have a few leftover.
Get them here (while supplies last).
PINK SECTION live at Steven Wolf Fine Arts, San Francisco.
JoJo and Judy from INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS performing "I'm Sorry."
Carol and JoJo from INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS.
2015 Punk Singles February 20 2015
Superior Viaduct is releasing five limited edition singles on the same day. All from California in the late '70s / early '80s and each devastatingly unique. Pressed on color vinyl and available this April.
We have THE RESIDENTS' unhinged take on "Satisfaction," THE GERMS' inexplicably brilliant first single, THE DILS' melodic and perfectly punk "I Hate The Rich," early versions of "Adult Books" and "We're Desperate" by Los Angeles' mighty X, and (last but not least) FLIPPER's art-damaged mocking of suburbia.
Get them all in our special-priced vinyl bundle.
Release Party: PINK SECTION / INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS February 06 2015
Celebrating the release of PINK SECTION and INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS records, we are having a listening party in SF.
With a live performance by PINK SECTION! Plus, special guests.
Free and all ages.
Saturday, February 28th @ 7pm
Steven Wolf Fine Arts
2747 19th Street, San Francisco
Now Shipping: Our First Releases of 2015 January 30 2015
During one of WIRE's extended hiatuses, B.C. GILBERT / G. LEWIS joined forces for a series of experimental projects. Originally released on 4AD in 1980, their album 3R4 takes the "studio as instrument" concept to cinematic heights. They return to more song-based territory on the single Ends With The Sea. These first-time reissues provide a vital glimpse into the creative forces that even a band as daring and inventive as WIRE could not contain.
PINK SECTION and INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS emerged from the vibrant San Francisco art punk scene of the late ’70s and early ’80s. While PINK SECTION produced an unusual brand of off-kilter post-punk (collected on this first-time retrospective LP), INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS recorded one of the greatest all-female art punk records ever made, a wrongfully obscure five-song double 7-inch EP reissued here for the first time.
Records Records Records January 16 2015
A couple years ago SV opened a brick-and-mortar store in Oakland, called Stranded. To kick off the new year, we decided to start selling some of our favorite LPs released on other labels in our online shop. This is just a small selection of what we have in stock. Every month we will add more, so keep your eyes open.
And be sure to visit us at Stranded the next time you're in the Bay Area!
Now Shipping: La Planète Sauvage OST December 10 2014
For animated sci-fi masterpiece La Planète Sauvage (a.k.a. Fantastic Planet), composer ALAIN GORAGUER creates a hypnotic score from a palette of effects-laden guitars, flutes, Fender Rhodes and strings. While the lush arrangements are reminiscent of GORAGUER's collaborations with Serge Gainsbourg in the 1960s, space-age synth flourishes suggest a more psychedelic era.
We still have the limited edition translucent blue vinyl plus 24" x 36" poster (while supplies last).
Now Shipping: ELECTRIC EELS December 05 2014
Cleveland's electric eels (all lower case in homage to poet e.e. cummings) is America's quintessential proto-punk band. As Jon Savage writes in the liner notes, "There is something heroic about the eels' isolation and uncompromising attitude: a fierceness that you can hear in these songs that still resonates in a different time and world."
Die Electric Eels collects their best material from 1975 including their classic Rough Trade single Agitated which blazed a trail for high-art, low-concept rock. Superior Viaduct also presents a first-time reissue of the group's second single, Spin Age Blasters / Bunnies, in a limited edition of 1,000 copies. Get the LP here and Get the 7-inch here.
Cyber Monday Sale December 01 2014
Hello viaduct-ologists!
SV has 20% off all releases today! That's for any orders of vinyl, CDs, t-shirts, etc. (Sorry, discount does not work for pre-orders.) Offer expires tonight at midnight (Pacific time zone).
Simply apply the discount code SV20141201 during check-out.
Go to our latest releases right here.
Now Shipping: PIP PROUD LPs November 20 2014
In the late '60s, PIP PROUD recorded two of the oddest records ever to come out of Australia – Adreneline & Richard and A Bird In The Engine – before vanishing into obscurity for the better part of three decades. Often called the "Australian Syd Barrett," yet PROUD actually released his second album in 1969, a year prior to The Madcap Laughs, and developed his indigenous psychedelia in virtual isolation.
While other compilations of PROUD's music have been released in recent years, this is the first time Adreneline & Richard and A Bird In The Engine have been reissued in their original format.
Recommended for fans of outsider and lo-fi pop from US, UK, NZ and beyond.
Now Shipping: BRANCA's The Ascension November 14 2014
Originally released in 1981 on 99 Records, GLENN BRANCA's first full-length album The Ascension effectively tears down the genre-ghettos between 20th century avant-garde and ecstatic rock 'n' roll. Chiming, shimmering tones unfold into sinister drone-territory à la Tony Conrad, while abrasive guitars and repetitive beats retain the raw primitivism of No Wave.
With artist Robert Longo's stark front cover that depicts BRANCA battling an unidentified man, The Ascension is a must-have record not only for fans of early Swans and Sonic Youth, but also of Steve Reich or Slint’s Tweez.
New Records for the New Year October 31 2014
It's only Halloween, but we're already excited about next year. Our first batch of 2015 releases comes out in February and they have a nice mirror-image of LPs vs. singles / black-and-white vs. color.
During one of WIRE's extended hiatuses, B.C. GILBERT / G. LEWIS joined forces for a series of experimental projects. Originally released on 4AD in 1980, their album 3R4 takes the "studio as instrument" concept to cinematic heights. They return to more song-based territory on the single Ends With The Sea. These first-time reissues provide a vital glimpse into the creative forces that even a band as daring and inventive as WIRE could not contain. Pre-order LP here and Pre-order 7-inch here.
Named after San Francisco Chronicle's pink-hued arts and entertainment guide, PINK SECTION came out of SF's rich and fleetingly art punk scene, producing an unusual brand of off-kilter post-punk against a backdrop of Dadaist aesthetics. This first-time retrospective LP collects the group's rare 1979 single, the self-titled EP, unreleased demos and live material. Preorder LP here.
More of a performance art troupe than a traditional rock band, INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS recorded one of the greatest all-female art punk records ever made, a wrongfully obscure double 7-inch EP which has garnered a cult following ever since its initial release in 1981. This first-time reissue is co-presented by Superior Viaduct and Subterranean Records. Pre-order double 7-inch here.
Announcing THE FLESH EATERS Mini-Tour October 27 2014
THE FLESH EATERS just announced a mini-tour to celebrate the reissue of their era-defining statement A Minute To Pray A Second To Die on vinyl and CD.
The shows will feature the A Minute To Pray line-up with Chris D. on vocals, John Doe on bass, Dave Alvin on guitar, Bill Bateman on drums, DJ Bonebrake on marimbas and drums, and Steve Berlin on sax. This line-up played only a handful of shows, all in Los Angeles, in the spring and summer of 1981. They reunited in 2006 for All Tomorrow's Parties and played three shows in California. Nine years later, in January 2015, they have once again gotten back together to perform four shows in California.
Tour Dates:
- January 8th - Santa Ana (The Observatory)
- January 9th - San Francisco (Great American Music Hall)
- January 10th - Los Angeles (Echoplex)
- January 11th - San Diego (The Casbah)
- January 13th - Seattle (Neumos) - with Mudhoney
Photo by David Arnoff.
Now Shipping: Youth In Mourning October 15 2014
PHILIP JOHNSON, a lost figure in the dark waters of early industrial music, self-released over 25 tapes starting in the late '70s. As a part of the "cassette culture" in the UK, he produced ethereal soundscapes, damaged electronics and undanceable drum patterns, along with homemade j-cards.
For his first and only LP, 1982's Youth In Mourning, JOHNSON further refined his approach with mesmerizing audio collages and Mark-E-Smith-ian vocals to make one of the most unique documents of the era.
This first-time reissue comes from the original master tapes. Recommended for fans of CABARET VOLTAIRE, John Bender and THE SHADOW RING.
Fall 2014 Releases (Part 2) September 19 2014
Our second batch of Fall releases is all over the map ... in a good way.
For animated sci-fi masterpiece La Planète Sauvage (a.k.a. Fantastic Planet), composer ALAIN GORAGUER creates a hypnotic score from a palette of effects-laden guitars, flutes, Fender Rhodes and strings. While the lush arrangements are reminiscent of GORAGUER's collaborations with Serge Gainsbourg in the 1960s, space-age synth flourishes suggest a more psychedelic era.
First 500 copies on translucent blue vinyl plus 24" x 36" full-color poster. Mail-order exclusive. Pre-order here.
Originally released in 1981 on 99 Records, GLENN BRANCA's first full-length album The Ascension effectively tears down the genre-ghettos between 20th century avant-garde and ecstatic rock 'n' roll. Chiming, shimmering tones unfold into sinister drone-territory à la Tony Conrad, while abrasive guitars and repetitive beats retain the raw primitivism of No Wave. Pre-order here.
Cleveland's electric eels (all lower case in homage to poet e.e. cummings) is America's quintessential proto-punk band. Die Electric Eels collects their best material from 1975 including their classic Rough Trade single Agitated which blazed a trail for high-art, low-concept rock. Superior Viaduct also presents a first-time reissue of the group's second single, Spin Age Blasters / Bunnies, in a limited edition of 1,000 copies. Pre-order LP here and Pre-order 7-inch here.
