MUSIC LIST
MIC
REVIEW
Cabaret Voltaire, They Might Be Giants and the Dundee and South Queensferry Jazz Festivals.
LISTINGS: ROCK 37 JAZZ 40 FOLK 42 CLASSICAL 43
Life’s
a cabaret
James Haliburton gets nagged by Richard Kirk of Sheffield’s ‘post-industrial’ duo, Cabaret
Voltaire.
Cabaret Voltaire, a duo comprising Richard Kirk and vocalist Stephen Mallinder, are set to release their umpteenth album, Groovy, Laid Back and Nasty, and embark on an all too rare British tour. The pair originally began working together in their native Sheffield as far back as 1972. and eventually came to prominence when the music press began to bandy about the ‘post-industrial‘ label in the early 805. While never making the Top 40, their influence is incalculable. Where would current dance music be, had it not been for their early experiments in repetition and sampling? Even the musicians and producers of Chicago, the home of House, acknowledge their importance. Kirk and Mallinder duly returned the compliment and travelled to America‘s industrial north, originally to work with Todd Terry, but ending up in the studio with House master Marshall Jefferson. To many, this would be like taking coals to Newcastle, but, Kirk explains, it was a welcome input of fresh ideas after an eight-month split from his partner. ‘Quite separately, we had both become very interested in House music, so it seemed like a good idea. People remembered us from the last time we played Chicago, so they were drifting in and out the whole time. The important thing we had to remember was that no matter who you work with, ultimately you have to take it from them, to keep true to your own ideas and remember it is they who are working for you.‘
The Cabs‘ influence has not been limited to Chicago, however. Last year’s Eurobeat explosion and even the current rock/dance crossovers seem to owe, to varying degrees, at
least some debt to them.
‘Some of it‘s good,‘ shrugs Kirk. ‘I quite like a few Front 242 tracks, but over a whole album I‘m not sure. I like Happy Mondays, I saw them live and they were brilliant, but overall I prefer the stuffthat‘s coming out ofChicago.‘
An important aspect ofCabaret Voltaire has always been their visuals, as anyone who has seen the dizzying camera angles for the ‘Sensoria‘ video will testify. but no matter how good they are, the band always run into the same problems.
‘lfyou spend a lot of money on videos, EMl start saying. “You can‘t do that. they‘ll never show it“. but they never show them anyway. so why bother? We‘d rather spend £5000 and go completely over the top. TV ignores us, so why
shouldn‘t we ignore them'."
The live dates, featuring support from A (iuy Called Gerald, will also retain that same sense of visual imagination. ‘lt‘ll be a balance between the music and the visuals. There‘ll be film and video projectors along with a drummer and percussionist — quite spectacular — so hopefully
people may dance.‘
Rumours suggested the band might be playing Glasgow Barrowland with Sun Ra, the heptagenarian avant—garde jazz guru. but unfortunately it is not to be.
‘There‘s always been a tenuous link with him from the days of our video company. Doublcyision, when we were going to release a video ofhis. It‘s an attempt to make the shows more interesting, but. whether more dates would be too much for him or whatever. it‘s only
happening in London.‘
Cabaret Voltaire play ('a/Ion Studios, Edinburgh.
on Thurs 7.
llSTEN!
I IAN STREFFOHD ot7 Woodlands Place, Drumpellier. Coatbridge MLS 1 L0, is in the middle ot organising a benellt tape to raise money tor Yorkhill Children's Hospital. with the secondary aim ot giving greater recognition to Scottish bands. The hospital treats more cases
per yearthan Great Orinond Street. and Yorkhill caters tor serious cases trom two-thirds of Scotland. Even such a prestigious institution, however, is not immune to health cuts, and Ian's tape is only one at many charitable endeavours aimed at helping the hospital.
Already contirmed lorthe tape, which is settor release in late August, are The Proclaimers, The BMX
Bandits, The Pastels, Unity
Express. Hollow Horse, The Liberties, Andy Thornton (ex-Big Sur), Parcel oi Rogues and Hearts and Minds. Sadly, bands with a somewhat higher prolile
, haven’t been so keen to get
involved. Consider your arses kicked, big boys. Anyone with a serious interest in appearing on the tape should write to Ian at the above address. N8:
Although money to produce the tape has been made available, lan is still looking for a sponsor.
I OUR OLD MUCKER Dave Massey called again. He does this occasionally, on his quests tor all that's best in Scottish music, and he's now with Hit and Run Music. a publisher that has Phil Collins, Genesis and Fish on their books, as well as Re-al trom Glasgow. Scottish talent without a publishing deal should send a tape to him at Hit and Run Music, 25 Ives Street.
London SW3 2ND.
l ARE YOU GROOVY. laid-back and nasty? You must be, oryou wouldn‘t be reading this page. lnthat case. you'll be yearning for the latest Cabaret Voltaire T-shirt. It's black, with CV in the middle and the legend ‘Groovy, Laid-back and Nasty' encircling it. We‘ve got live, lurking with intent in the corner at ourottice. and to win one you've got to tell us the name ol Cabaret Voltaire'slirst single— which is still shouted torto this day. Write to Listen!.
I The List, 14 High Street. ' Edinburgh EH11TE.
IAND MORE. . .Idon't know why we don't just make this a second
competitions page.World
Party are appearing atThe Mayfair, Glasgow 26 June and Network, Edinburgh 27 June. We have a pairot tickets lor each gig and a couple each of CDs, LPs and cassettes. Just tell us, at the above address, who the mainman otWorld Partyis and they could be yours. Rememberto tell us your
, preterred lormat.
The list 1 7 Hlune lWll31