Coldwave/Post-Punk

[frankie teardrop]

ok, i've been flirting with the idea of a coldwave/post-punk thread for some time now but wasn't sure if there'd be sufficient interest... but what the hell.

let's talk about classic post-punk and coldwave here- generally music from the late 70s-early 90s though if a revivalist act is to your liking, there's certainly room for that too.

for those not in the know- coldwave is essentially the french and belgian response to bands like joy division/the cure/siouxsie and the banshees with heavy inspiration from factory records (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/threads/1356-Factory-Records) as well. it generally started in 1981 and was at its peak in 1990 with the lively art label (mary goes round, asylum party, little nemo) etc. a lot of this music has reached a new audience through wierd records (a label and party i worked at for several years, RIP VR 2013) and blogs... including one i run at www.systemsofromance (http://www.systemsofromance/), often with the blessing of many of the original artists.

we can rap about post-punk that isn't joy division or the cure in here too, since there isn't a thread for that (though see the synthpop (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/threads/944-Synthpop-Italo-etc?highlight=synthpop+italo), shoegaze/dreampop (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/threads/510-shoegaze-dreampop?highlight=shoegaze) and jangle (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/threads/996-Jangle-pop-paisley-underground) threads for more things that might fall under the umbrella, too.)

links and videos in the next post!

[frankie teardrop]

a few coldwave favorites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WvvROig50o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnHetlXDRJw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4bYqCUmH4g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6uBw1qK6ZM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ9BuvKRl1g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XsQ0fgTToM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wAvj4p1_F0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bb3DCGae-A




other notable tracks (don't want to flood with videos):

siglo xx- the art of war
opera de nuit- ami-amant/invitation
martin dupont- inside out
kas product- tina town
little nemo- city lights (long way)
lucie cries- peste de cristal
mary goes round- clouds & clouds
excès nocturne- l'or a (a MUST for cocteau twins fans)
tanit- can an actor bleed?
neutral project- head in the sky
baroque bordello- today (produced by lol tolhurst of the cure!)
bonaparte's- the battle of iena (produced by lol tolhurst of the cure!)

[frankie teardrop]

& last post for a bit-- for anyone looking for a perfect coldwave sampler to check out without being overwhelmed by 100+ albums and singles, try this compilation:

http://s.pixogs.com/image/R-430644-1142693176.jpeg

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Transmission/release/430644

[henryeatscereal]

I did not knew about the "Coldwave" scene, you've made me feel like a total ignorant thanks!!! LOL

The first post punk band i liked was WIRE and i went on from there...
Me and my girlfriend are totally obsessed with the "Post-Punk" scene so we came up with a list of records that in our opinion are "essential post-punk listening", I know it's mostly "known names" and we may have missed various groups and records, still it works:

- PIL - Public Image First Issue
- PIL - Metal Box / Second Edition
- Iggy Pop - The Idiot
- Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
- Joy Division - Closer
- Bauhaus - Mask
- Devo - Q: Are we not men? A: We are Devo!
- Devo - Duty Now for the Future
- Devo - Freedom of Choice
- Wire - Pink Flag
- Wire - Chairs Missing
- Wire - 154
- Killing Joke - Revelations
- Killing Joke - Night Time
- Alien Sex Fiend - Who's Been Sleeping in my Brain
- The B52's - The B52's
- The Birthday Party - He Haw
- The Cult - Dreamtime (Their only post punk album in my opinion)
- Echo & The Bunnymen - Crocodiles
- Echo & The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain
- Nina Hagen - Nina Hagen Band
- Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime
- New Order - Movement
- Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party
- Psychedellic Furs - s/t
- R.E.M. - Murmur
- Television - Marquee Moon
- The Cure - Three Imaginary Boys
- The Fall - Dragnet
- The Fall - Grotesque
- The Smiths - Meat is Murder
- The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always
- Siouxie & The Banshees - The Scream
- Siouxie & The Banshees - Join Hands
- XTC - Drums and Wires

All awesome albums!

[frankie teardrop]

hah- sorry about that, @henryeatscereal (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=1572) . though i love a lot of various music, a lot of this is among my favorite so i go down the rabbit hole deepest with it. let me know what you make of it--- it's a bit darker and more skewed towards the atmospheric side over the arty/jerky side, but if you like sisters/the cure, you should like it.

that's definitely a great list of solid post-punk classics. i'd also add the sound's jeopardy/from the lion's mouth and the chameleons- script of the bridge to that list as essentials. underrated, and very much in the vein of early echo & the bunnymen (ps- my favorite of theirs is by far heaven up here).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3kQPJZPBN8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXfxqM__hwk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nay2N2dnfzk




ps- if you like killing joke, check out peyr. if you dig siouxsie, check out tanit/baroque bordello. if you're into REM, i suggest the jangle thread above, but also wild flowers/mighty lemon drops, etc. can't recommend bands like section 25/the names/a certain ratio/crispy ambulance enough if you're already into the joy division template. if you're already hip to factory, there's always the early albums by death in june/in the nursery as well as bands like de press ('the fatal day'), diaframma (siberia LP & early 12''s), & the first fra lippo lippi record that pretty much jock joy division entirely.

[frankie teardrop]

and another underrated favorite in the vein of the chameleons/the sound/joy division: SAD LOVERS AND GIANTS


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHRvak30iEs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7faYObi57s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDtqJLqHh2c

[xmd 5a]

Throwing out a blanket " + 1 " to everything mentioned in the thread thus far. If I had to pick an overall favourite "genre", post-punk would be it.

As well as Systems of Romance, this Last.fm group is a treasure trove of good stuff: http://www.last.fm/group/Obscure+Post-Punk+and+New+Wave/connections

Some lesser-known favourites:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpMf7iwMAZo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdSL3C3NhEA
Love the debut Icicle Works album, but their demos/rarities collection Lost Icicles is where it's at.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWy9jWfAJTc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g0E5ZMvT-4
Overlaps with the shoegaze/dreampop thread but For Against are one of the awesomest bands ever. Their debut LP is one of my top-ten favourite 80s albums. The In the Marshes EP and Black Soap/Dark Good Friday single are boss too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRHWA1El_9M
Another overlapper. Great band. The brooding guitar/bass on this track is so fucking addictive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8DCzEOhQ4k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssLpr9JO55o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwPnTLTapVI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_01T9uFgew

Better stop here or I'll be going all day...

[frankie teardrop]

glad you dig that weeping messerschmitts 12'', xmd 5a! and yeah, icicle works slay... i LOVE the 7'' version of nirvana. and we've talked about for against a bunch, great guys, great band, etc.

lowlife = cocteau twins bassplayer from garlands and second layer = adrian borland pre-the sound, for those playing at home :)


one of my favorite all time bands:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNN90Lmx7T8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdT928rXM2w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BZrkBfkh6w

[frankie teardrop]

and a more recent favorite. the bass/synth combo here KILLS me:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwO1Xcsc3oc

[xmd 5a]

Haven't actually heard much from And Also The Trees beyond an acoustic album they've got on Spotify/Last.fm. Will make teacking down more stuff a priority.

Some other misc. favourites:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVokN8kq8dQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEsy_pgDc_4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29OEMQIVEw4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2B6eeSaAO8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw3Q_oepdcA

[henryeatscereal]

hah- sorry about that, @henryeatscereal (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=1572) . though i love a lot of various music, a lot of this is among my favorite so i go down the rabbit hole deepest with it. let me know what you make of it--- it's a bit darker and more skewed towards the atmospheric side over the arty/jerky side, but if you like sisters/the cure, you should like it.

that's definitely a great list of solid post-punk classics. i'd also add the sound's jeopardy/from the lion's mouth and the chameleons- script of the bridge to that list as essentials. underrated, and very much in the vein of early echo & the bunnymen (ps- my favorite of theirs is by far heaven up here).

ps- if you like killing joke, check out peyr. if you dig siouxsie, check out tanit/baroque bordello. if you're into REM, i suggest the jangle thread above, but also wild flowers/mighty lemon drops, etc. can't recommend bands like section 25/the names/a certain ratio/crispy ambulance enough if you're already into the joy division template. if you're already hip to factory, there's always the early albums by death in june/in the nursery as well as bands like de press ('the fatal day'), diaframma (siberia LP & early 12''s), & the first fra lippo lippi record that pretty much jock joy division entirely.

I've heard about the Chameleons and how Interpol is almost like a "cover band" from them (at least that's what i heard...), i do like Interpol so i always wanted to check them out...

Im also checking some of the stuff you posted, great music!...artsy, moody and cool! i do love The Sisters, Killing Joke, Joy Division and Siouxie and i can see that "Coldwave vive" they got going on...
I also forgot to include on the list "Pornography" by The Cure which is my favorite album from them and i also consider it a defining Post -Punk masterpiece, now that im listening i can see the influences that made this album possible!

By the way... what's your opinion of "Public Image Limited"?
They are always called the first "formal post-punk band" and they represent better than anyone that experimentation and rage post punk should have, still they went in various directions even experimenting with dance and synth-pop, i really love them and im buying the whole catalog, when im finished im going to complete my Killing Joke collection too!!!

[frankie teardrop]

hope you love the chameleons, @henryeatscereal (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=1572) - the first two records are flawless and strange times is pretty solid, too. i had the pleasure of touring with mark for two years on bass, and playing those songs was surreal.

as for PIL, while i like the sex pistols just fine for what they were, they were next level, for sure. my favorite is flowers of romance though happy? is an awesome record for a summer road trip. and of course, metal box/second edition is flawless. my old band accidentally re-wrote 'order of death' once, too @halo33 (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=376)

speaking of synthpop, coldwave is often lumped in with minimal synth, which is a separate though no less european movement of bands in the early mute records/throbbing gristle vein- low budget primitive electronics. some is danceable, some is not. maybe i'll bump the synthpop/italo thread for more of that. some bands i've listed (kas product for example) walk a fine line between post-punk and minimal synth, and it's easy to enjoy one if you enjoy the other. i like my minimal synth with guitars more than the pure electronics, but exceptions to all rules.

@xmd 5a (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=335) - i just reuploaded modern eon at a better bitrate. god damn, i love that record. snake corps are great, too. while i like sad lovers and giants more, snake corps had a trashier sort of sound that hits the spot sometimes. danse society also slay, really the early stuff through heaven is waiting is great.

also, i've mentioned in another thread how much i prefer march violets/red lorry over the sisters of mercy (though they're fine, too):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pLxOMgbO1w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K68G__KcdUM

[Highly Psychological]

I think Post Punk era is like the beginning of the last modern era of rock music it pretty much influenced and changed everything from its inception in 1977 all the way through to Grunge/Britpop. And then again with the revival with The Strokes etc.
I see Wire's Pink Flag which came out end of 77 as the beginning of the Post Punk era.
Was a teenager during Post Punk new wave era was at its peak and Public Image Ltd were probably seen as the coolest most innovative band at the time. They had everything, charismatic singer, unique bassist and innovative guitarist i think Keith Levene was probably the most influential guitarist of this era and maybe Andy Gil from Gang of Four. But PIL's Metal Box album sort of was seen as the holy grail. The production was unlike anything. It was very popular with the Jamaican crowd in London they really crossed boundaries. A lot of it from uk anyway was influenced by reggae and huge ever growing Jamaican population and influence.
Looking back i think Wire Gang of Four and Joy Division and Sandinista Era Clash were probably most influential.
Throbbing Gristle, PIL, Wire, Magazine, Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire, Tubeway Army, ESG, A Certain Ratio, Raincoats, Pop Group, Young Marble Giants, XTC, Killing Joke, Scritti Politti, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Slits, Bow Wow Wow, The Fall, Specials, Dead Kennedys, Bauhaus, Cure, Pigbag, Only Ones, Fire Engines, Altered Images, Crass, The Jam, Birthday Party, Teardrop Explodes, Associates, early Simple Minds, the Banshees, Stiff Little Fingers all hugely influential on a wide variety of genres. It changed everything.

[frankie teardrop]

Associates, early Simple Minds

YES to both. simple minds were AMAZING from empires and dance through new gold dream. really should be explored past that breakfast club song they didn't even write. associates were also great, very bowie-ish.


another all time fav band (first three records and my mind's eye especially)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2-S5a0r7TY

(some of you may recall this via the martin gore counterfeit album- @Ryan (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=67) , @DVYDRNS (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=132) , @slave2thewage (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=89))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXw7a3FdBL4

also, paging @Miss Baphomette (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=11) as well, since you were hip to cindytalk, in the nursery, xmal, etc.

[october_midnight]

For someone that's always been wanting to get in to Wire but hasn't yet (I know... :( ) what's the album to jump in to?

[frankie teardrop]

you like synthier things, right? try 154 or for a mix of cold synths & great tunes, and the ideal copy for something a little catchier, but still arty. those are still my two favorites to date. i never got on the pink flag trolley as much as the other albums.

[DVYDRNS]

LOVE the Gone track. I didnt know that was them originally.

[xmd 5a]

Easy answer for Wire is the On Returning compilation (which is comprised of material from the first 3 albums). Chairs Missing is my favourite of that lot, but any of the classic 3 are as good an introductory point as any other. Ideal Copy and A Bell is a Cup til it's Struck are great too. As for their more recent stuff, Send is decent.

The Interpol/Chameleons comparison is really apt (especially with Turn On the Bright Lights). It actually wasn't until I fell in love with the Chameleons that I really "got" Interpol.

[frankie teardrop]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrjpsE76ZUk

[xmd 5a]

New Chameleons reissues:
http://www.blueapplemusic.co.uk/chameleondetails/chamREF1301.html
http://www.blueapplemusic.co.uk/chameleondetails/chamREF1302.html

The rarities compilation looks especially essential.

[frankie teardrop]

New Chameleons reissues:
http://www.blueapplemusic.co.uk/chameleondetails/chamREF1301.html
http://www.blueapplemusic.co.uk/chameleondetails/chamREF1302.html

The rarities compilation looks especially essential.

yeah, that's pretty much the fan & the bellows collection and the final, underrated tony fletcher walked on water EP on one collection. i never got into the latter-day stuff (the other link), which is funny as i was going to help mark write some new stuff before he moved back to england. i was always pushing for us to play 'turn to the vices' or 'everyday i'm crucified'--- some of my favorite stuff comes from before the first record...

[henryeatscereal]

Cool, im ordering asap!

[frankie teardrop]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gjysst1ku4

real humdinger, this one.

[xmd 5a]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gjysst1ku4

real humdinger, this one.

Love it! I'll need to track this down ASAP.

[frankie teardrop]

LOVE these two as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZzAjwbmHQg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLMoDU9Tl_E


and i just got the debut 1987 by a baltimore band called the unknown- very much a cross between unforgettable fire-era u2, the grapes of wrath (jangly), and early for against. essential, if but amateur!

[xmd 5a]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncuxoVhFV9I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMJwMv3xuCk
This album is probably my favourite recent discovery. So much awesome.


the unknown- ... unforgettable fire-era u2, ... (jangly) ... early for against

Sold! Where do I sign? :D

[frankie teardrop]

This album is probably my favourite recent discovery. So much awesome.

yeah, stranger to stranger are RAD! i like the first album more, but that second one is pretty good too. less strong, but more dynamic, if that makes sense.

as for the unknown, check your PMs.

[xmd 5a]

Kind of the opposite for me. Darkest Dreams is full of stormers. Love "In Your Eyes", "Voices Calling" and "Cry to Dream" from the debut though.

In any case, this band should've been massive. I guess that's the case with a lot of the obscure/forgotten bands in the genre from the same era though.

[frankie teardrop]

story of my life.

here's another all time fav:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sup-BPR7ZBo

guitarist left after this LP to form the mighty lemon drops...

[frankie teardrop]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YSr40K_xe4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjW3MT8D9RY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrJLw8Rtlws

[frankie teardrop]

and if you ever wanted to hear what the cure + cheap trick sounded like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pERcZetwM_g

[henryeatscereal]

Weird mix of groups, yet it makes sense!

Recently i bought this album in Vinyl, a lot of people consider it a "New Wave" record but in my opinion this album is pure post punk goodness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAl3hMHzjTU

[frankie teardrop]

not that they sound like this anymore, but i'm really looking forward to seeing death in june in brooklyn next week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myRf7RQ2M9k

[xmd 5a]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btHNCRxp1Ug

I wish DIJ stuck with the post-punk vibe a bit longer. I like the neofolk stuff just fine but the first album is much more up my alley.

[frankie teardrop]

for siouxsie fans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoU5H-XnnaA

[frankie teardrop]

for those interested in classic, but sorely under-rated post-punk bands that fall on the gothier side of things (march violets, sisters of mercy, red lorry yellow lorry, xmal deutschland, etc.) i highly recommend danse society. on a big kick with them today, and their first two LPs and related singles are damn perfect.

though they're one of the bigger "goth" names, there's a lot of arpeggiated synths and dance grooves, hugely influenced by new order. danse society and clan of xymox are pretty close in sound.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Y7asgIXCE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XyELyu18NI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO_pXRwrk8c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASRRumngNlo

[aggroculture]

really looking forward to seeing death in june in brooklyn next week

How were they? I love me some DIJ, though the last couple of albums haven't really made much of an impression on me.

[frankie teardrop]

How were they? I love me some DIJ, though the last couple of albums haven't really made much of an impression on me.

the show was great. pretty much douglas p. on guitar and chimes and drums, and another percussionist pounding on toms. they played 30 songs, spanning the catalog. while i would have liked to have seen the early material performed as it was recorded (joy division + club beats), it was still great, if but a little repetitive at times.

here's the setlist:
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/death-in-june/2013/the-bell-house-brooklyn-ny-13c79d69.html

i don't love the newest material either, but it translated rather well live.

[frankie teardrop]

polish post-punk, heavily influenced by killing joke. these guys were the biggest punk band in poland, immensely popular, but seldom known outside of their native land. one of my favorite lps of all time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8Vq8uh3Poc

[xmd 5a]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAQf8htPBUg

Was recently turned on to this gem by an unrelated band's Facebook page. I especially dig the synth part after the choruses.

[henryeatscereal]

Is it ok to bump this thread just to say that this is one of the greatest songs ever written?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnpwuRlXbhk&list=FLVgf7DV0e3s8686SkDlBEAQ&feature=share&index=335

[Shadaloo]

Since I don't see much point in a Sisters of Mercy thread I'll just leave this here (http://www.treblezine.com/23713-sisters-of-mercy-vinyl-box-set-reissue/).


GAAAAAAAWWWWWFFFFFFFFFF

[Camille]

Since I don't see much point in a Sisters of Mercy thread
Really? Why not? I think ETS needs ​a Sisters thread.

[Camille]

Love this thread, as usual Mr Teardrop drops some essential names and names that have me checking for more.

[Camille]

Christ! Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and Cranes were two bands I seen live a few times over the years........memories!!

[Shadaloo]

Really? Why not? I think ETS needs ​a Sisters thread.

Well, I'd say most of the topics hereabout seem to concentrate on active bands and the current events happening with. The Sisters are usually dormant until Andrew Eldritch aka Von decides he needs some money every few years and puts on a tour (there's a small 5-day one announced for the UK, with another announcement to come on Monday supposedly).

I mean, I could ramble about Bauhaus for days, but I know there's really not much to say that hasn't been said except every day I wake up hoping it'll be the day they announce one more reunion...

Wondering if a thread for occasionally active or dead bands wouldn't be a bad idea.

[Camille]

Wondering if a thread for occasionally active or dead bands wouldn't be a bad idea.
LOL! Go for it.

[ljubicasta]

http://i65.tinypic.com/6jdhsl.jpg

DOBRI ISAK - "We Cry Behind Dark Glasses" LP (PMK030)
ex-Yu dark postpunk 1983-1986 (cassette 1986 + 3 Bonus Songs)
https://dobrisak.wordpress.com/

Street Side
A1 Ona Se Igra Nožem
A2 Sinoć Si Sanjao Da Si Pas
A3 Mi Plačemo Iza Tamnih Naočara
A4 Dozvoli Mi Da Ostanem U Tvome Krevetu
A5 Čekamo Te (Na Istom Mestu)
A6 Ja Znam Da Ću Propasti

Room Side
B1 Helen Keller
B2 Plakati Su Ikone
B3 Mrzim Te
B4 I Isus Nosi Vunene Rukavice
B5 Tu U Uglu (Tada Sam Te Poslednji Put Video)
B6 Filmovi

Limited to 500 copies
Including insertsheet with lyrics & over 20 bandphotos
Remastered at aBOX Studio, Ljubljana, Aprile 2015

Bandcamp:
https://pmkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mi-pla-emo-iza-tamnih-nao-ara
Orders:
http://www.pmkrecords.com/products-page/releases/dobri-isak-mi-placemo-iza-tamnih-naocara-lp/

http://oi58.tinypic.com/358tpci.jpg

[ljubicasta]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0bDth4Jpr0