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2nd February 2012
REVIEW. THE ART OF THE 12", VOLUME TWO
ZTT / Salvo
SALVOMDCD27 / ELEMENT 21
Release date: 20th February
The front page of the New Musical Express dated 13th October 1984 read “ZTT-Warriors Of Pop Or Theatre Of Hype?” The answer to both of those questions in 2012 is a simple yes. The hype was justified as once you listen the latest in “The Art Of The 12”” series it all becomes very clear why. As you may know “The Art Of The 12”, Volume Two” is number SALVOMDCD27 in Salvo’s catalogue and number 21 in ZTT’s Element Series. What you may not know is that it’s also number 19 in the Pre-order charts (at the time of writing) proving that since the label’s heyday in the early to mid 80s that there is still a huge interest in the ZTT catalogue and this latest entry does not disappoint.
Like all of the previous Element Series releases this addition contains the familiar and the previously unreleased. Unlike those others elements, it is not just the ZTT vaults that have been raided. Godley & Creme appear with Scritti Politti, remixed by JJ Jeczalik and Gary Langan respectively along side a unique remix of Paul McCartney’s “Spies Like Us” by their group Art of Noise that only appears on this compilation. In turn, two previously rumoured to exist remixes of Art of Noise’s “Moments In Love” by 808 States’s Graham Massey finally see the light of day after spending two decades locked away in the archives. Frankie Goes To Hollywood continue to surprise with two recently discovered remixes of “Relax” and “War”. We are given the chance to hear how they would have sounded in an alternative reality, but then, they always were ‘the alternative’, with the hype that took them to the top of the singles charts three times in 1984 and these mixes to not detract from that fact. Propaganda are true to form with the 12” mix of “Sorry For Laughing” making its debut here and asks the question ‘why this was never released as a single?’ Like all record companies, ZTT have a treasure trove of the overlooked and the forgotten. Cuts from Instinct, Mint Juleps, Nasty Rox Inc., Thomas Leer, Act, and Das Pyscho! Rangers are all included here along with the enigmatic Ann Pigalle. As for OMD’s appearance, you will have to read the detailed booklet that accompanies this collection.
In 1984 Frankie and ZTT once said to each other: “Hey, Zang.” “Yes, Frankie?” “Let’s Make It A Double.” “It’ll be a pleasure.” That really sums up this album, a double CD and a pleasure to listen to. It has a soul, and is almost sentient from the very start as it becomes alive like life itself, and like life itself, it is full of surprises.
"elements are very big"
10/10
KM Whitehouse
16th January 2012
TREVOR HORN TO MAINTAIN SPIRIT OF SARM DESPITE MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT
Revered producer, composer and musician Trevor Horn has insisted
that the spirit of his legendary Sarm studios will not be lost, despite a
major redevelopment to take place this year, Music Week has reported.
The redevelopment will see the studio undergo a series of physical
changes, which will include the loss of Studio 1, made famous as the
venue for Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas’ back in 1984.
However, Horn is certain that the studios’ unique essence will not be
lost when the building work takes place. He stated:
“The new Sarm, hopefully, will just reflect all of the experience
we’ve had. It will have at least one proper music studio, but then it
will have programming rooms and a communal area. That’s always been one
of the good things about Sarm. The number of people that bump into each
other here means there’s a social element and I think it’s important to
keep that.”
It is this attitude that has led to Sarm providing the platform for a
number of high-profile collaborations over the years, with an array of
musical heavyweights converging upon the studios during its 40-year
history. “In the 80s, when the studio business was really big, Sarm was
always your more high-end bespoke studio,” Horn explained. George
Michael was in Studio 2 for years. He’d just be in there month after
month, and so would the Pet Shop Boys when he wasn’t there.”
9th January 2012
ART OF THE 12", VOLUME 2
The sequel to 2011's Art Of The 12" compilation is due out on the 20th February 2012.
Zang Tuum Tumb, the Big Beat Colossus and a battalion of Fairlights and
Synclaviers, equipped with light pens and 8-inch floppy disc drives,
return to present the sequel to the highly successful and critically
acclaimed Art of the 12 , which was released one year ago. In fact this
is the first ever ZTT compilation to run to a second volume. Like its
predecessor it explores the ZTT aesthetic and the atmosphere of fearless
experimentation at Sarm Studios where almost every track was recorded
as applied to 12 singles and remixes. Once again, it s a treasure trove
for fans of the label and its biggest acts (Frankie Goes To Hollywood,
Propaganda, Art of Noise , 808 State...), as it contains some of their
rarest and most accomplished remixes. And in addition we ve spiced
things up by featuring some sterling production and remix work by Trevor
Horn and members of Art of Noise for Paul McCartney, Godley &
Crème, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Thomas Leer, Scritti Politti
and Mint Juleps. Celebrations / revelations / extrapolations of the
extended remix do not come any better than this. Why quit now? A
fantastic 80s-based 12 remix collection from the label that defined the
era. Features 11 previously unavailable tracks and eight that have never
before been issued on CD. Including superb re-workings of songs by Paul
McCartney, OMD, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Godley & Creme and
Propaganda. Digitally remastered from the original master tapes by Fine
Splice for superb sound quality. Deluxe digipack comes with
beautifullyillustrated 24-page colour booklet.
Disc: 1
1. you are warmly invited to come inside
2. Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Two Tribes (Keep The Peace)
3. Paul McCartney - Spies Like Us (Art of Noise Remix)*
4. Godley & Creme - Cry (Extended Remix)*
5. Instinct - Swamp Down (12 Mix)
6. OMD - Julia's Song (Extended Version)*
7. 808 State Vs. Art of Noise - Moments in Love (Massey Mix One)
8. Thomas Leer Heartbeat (Extended Mix)
9. bassline interlude
10. Act Chance (Whammy Mix)
11. Frankie Goes to Hollywood War (Coming out of Hiding)
12. Propaganda - Dr Mabuse der Spieler (An International Incident)
Disc: 2
1. Scritti Politti Absolute (Version)*
2. Art of Noise Close Up
3. Propaganda Sorry for Laughing (12 Mix)
4. Das Psych-Oh! Rangers He He Radical (Episode 2)
5. piano interlude
6. Nasty Rox Inc. What It Is (Live Instrumental Wonder)
7. Mint Juleps Every Kinda People (Parts I, II and III)
8. Anne Pigalle Hé Stranger (Parts I, II and III)
9. 808 State Vs. Art of Noise Moments in Love (Massey Mix Three)
10. the flash forward
11. Frankie Goes To Hollywood Relax (Man Has a Sense for the Discovery of Beauty, Part I)
12. zang tuum interlude
13. Art of Noise Close Up (Hop)
14. Propaganda Dr. Mabuse (Special Instrumental Mix)
15. cadenza
Tracks marked * are not ZTT releases
22nd October 2011
SHORT NOTICE - SURPRISE GIG The British Music Experience is proud to present The Buggles:
Reunited, an exclusive evening showcase this coming Tuesday, 25 October
2011.
Original founders Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Paul
Robinson will be joined by Steve Lipson and Lol Creme to take part in a Q&A followed by a rare live performance from the band.
An intimate audience, an age of plastic, an adventure in modern recording, a night to remember.
More info: www.britishmusicexperience.com
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.co.uk
23rd August 2011
GARY LANGAN TAKES TO THE AIRWAVES (27/08/11)
The Art of Noise co-founder member, record producer & engineer will be on Absolute Radio - Cafe 80's on Saturday 27th August 2011 between 9am - 12 noon. You can also listen to Gary talking about his time as the assistant engineer on Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" to the birth of the Art of Noise in the BBC Radio Scotland series "Edith Bowman's Album Show" that goes out in the next few weeks by clicking here.
ALBUM REVIEWS
ART OF NOISE - (WHO'S AFRAID OF?) THE ART OF NOISE! (DELUXE EDITION)
ZTT/Salvo SALVOMDCD22 / ELEMENT 17
The 2011 deluxe edition is the 9th version (15th if you include the 6 variations of "Daft") of the Art of Noise's groundbreaking debut album "(Who's Afraid Of?) The Art Of Noise!" that have been issued around the world since the original in 1984.
The sound quality is much better than the 2008 Japanese edition as the album has been remastered from the mastertapes and expanded. Unlike the previous AoN archive releases "And What Have You Done With My Body, God?", "Influence..." and "Into Battle..." no demo tracks have been included and the extra tracks from the Japanese CDs have been ignored to include some rare live BBC
Radio 1 live sessions of "Close (To The Edit)", "Moments In Love", "Beat
Box", "From Science To Silence", along with interviews with the group themsleves: Anne Dudley, JJ
Jeczalik, Gary Langan & Paul Morley, and yes, Art of Noise really do play
"Video Killed The Radio Star"!
A DVD replaces the standard deluxe edition 2nd CD in the form of "A Feast Of Reason" a compilation of ZTT's video archives from "Beat Box" to "The Seduction Claude Debussy". It includes all 4 versions of "Close (To The Edit)", 2 versions of "Moments In Love" & "Beat Box" and TV/Cinema commercials, live perfomances from 1999/2000. There is also footage from the infamous "Value Of Entertainment" show at the point where Art of Noise and ZTT parted ways. In addition to the 60 plus minutes of video archive, there are easter eggs featuring Anne Dudley, Trevor Horn and Paul Morley. The majority of material here has never been released on DVD and is a must for any Art of Noise fan.
10/10
808 STATE - BLUEPRINT
ZTT/Slavo SALVOCD051 / ELEMENT 20
Regarded by some as ZTT's replacement act for Art of Noise and the only real rival to The KLF, 808 State took the sound of the Manchester club scene to the top ten in both the singles and album charts. "Blueprint" revisits some of those classic tracks including "Pacific State", "In Yer Face", "Olympic" and "Plan 9" amongst others with previously unreleased tracks and remixes of old favourites. From the opening track "Flow Coma (AFX Remix by Aphex Twin)" to the closing track "Metaluna/Compulsion (Revisited)" show 808 State at their very best and why they influenced people from the Prodigy's Liam Howlett, Brian Dougans and Moby.
10/10
KM Whitehouse
20th August 2011
(WHO'S AFRAID OF?) THE ART OF NOISE! RELEASE DATE PUSHED BACK
Due to an arson attack on the SonyDADC distribution centre the release date of the deluxe edition CD + DVD has been postponed until 19th September 2011.
27th July 2011
WHO'S AFRAID OF THE ART OF NOISE? (DELUXE)
Zang Tuum Tumb and Salvo Music are proud to present Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise? the Deluxe CD + DVD Edition.
The fearful audio disc: features the classic 1984 album remastered and the first release ever of AoN's BBC Radio 1 live sessions. The first, for Saturday Live in November 1984, includes studio interviews with JJ Jeczalik, Gary Langan, Anne Dudley and Paul Morley and live renditions of Close (to the Edit), Moments in Love and Beat Box (which morphs, only this once, into Video Killed The Radio Star). The second, recorded for Janice Long in March 1985, includes the From Science to Silence rendition of Donna.
The afraid DVD: features Anton Corbijn and Zbigniew Rybczynski's classic videos for Beat Box and Close (to the Edit), a documentary in two parts ('so what happens now?' and ‘so what happened next?’), nine TV adverts including Kenneth Williams' legendary spoken word sessions, previously-unseen live recordings including AoN 4.0 live at Coexistence, the full-length, made-for-cinemas Closer (to the Edit), and cinema trailers voiced by Patrick Allen.
Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise? (Deluxe) is released on 05 September 2011. Click to the Catalogue section for the full track list, and click to to the Zang Tuum Shop to pre-order.
15th July 2011
MAKING TRACKS
Broadcast: BBC Radio 4, Tuesday 19th July at 13:30 (BST)
Critic and cultural
commentator Paul Morley returns to the Basing Street Studios, home to
Island Records and then his own ZTT label. These were the very rooms in
which everyone from Led Zeppelin, Cat Stevens and Bob Marley through to
Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the Art of Noise and Grace Jones recorded
some of their most iconic albums. In the company of Island's Chris
Blackwell and ZTT's Trevor Horn, as well as legendary engineer Tony
Platt, Paul attempts to find out what it was about this particular space
that led to some of the most memorable recordings of the 70s and 80s.
Producer: Paul Kobrak.
BRASS ON THE BRIDGES
Anne was commissioned to compose a fanfare for massed brass players
by the South Bank Centre for the opening of the Light Fantastic weekend,
June 2011. The piece was designed for 4 Brass Bands positioned across
Hungerford bridge, gallery trumpets high up on the Festival Hall and a
mass band on the terrace by the river. Brass players of all abilities
were asked to download their parts for a performance early evening.
"Brass on the Bridges" became "Brass on the balconies" owing to constant rain!
Anne says: "The challenge was to write all the parts for various
levels of players. Each part had hard, medium and easy versions that all
worked together. It was good to see such a mix of abilities and ages
making music together. I hope someday we get a chance to perform it
outside!"
Tuesday 26th April 2011
ELECTRONICA III with the BBC Concert Orchestra
Thursday 09 June 2011, 7.30pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall (South Bank Centre), South Bank Centre Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
BBC Concert Orchestra
Charles Hazlewood conductor
Jarvis Cocker presenter
Programme includes:
Graham Fitkin K1
Pulp arr. Anne Dudley This is Hard Core
Javier Álvarez Overture & Pyramid
Nico Muhly Seeing is Believing
Patrick Nunn Fata Morgana for electric cello, orchestra & live electronics
Aphex Twin arr. Patrick Nunn Nannou
Eduardo Miranda Sacra Conversazione
Andrew Poppy Revolution No. 8: Airport for Joseph Beuys
Edward Williams The Sex Life of the Fern
Hearing is believing – Jarvis is your host, and plays Pulp’s This Is Hard Core with the BBC Concert Orchestra…
Hearing is an illusion – Andrew Poppy’s Revolution No. 8: Airport for Joseph Beuys
wires the orchestra inside a box of electric delights designed to
scatter sound to the outer limits. Patrick Nunn connects an electric
cello into shape shifting electronics that manipulate instrumental
sounds into shimmering reflections in his Fata Morgana and gives Aphex Twin's Nannou
an acoustic-twist. From South America, Eduardo Miranda and Javier
Álvarez demonstrate the alchemy of transmuting acoustic tones into
electric gold…
Hearing is not believing what you see – Graham Fitkin’s Kaplan reminds us of the menacing antihero of Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller North By Northwest, a man who definitely doesn’t want you to know who he is. Also hiding in the acoustic undergrowth, Edward Williams’ The Sex Life of the Fern, music conceived for David Attenborough’s Life on Earth…
And Seeing is Believing: the title of young New
York superstar composer Nico Muhly’s concerto for electric six-string
violin and orchestra – electronica evoking celestial clouds and
telescopic, foraging insects….
Saturday 26th March 2011
INTO BATTLE WITH THE ART OF NOISE
(ZTT/Salvo: Release Date: 4th April 2011)
The latest addition to ZTT/Salvo's Element Series (ELEMENT 16) is the first of Art of Noise's Deluxe Edition re-issues. Into Battle With The Art Of Noise was
never an album, until now! The original was an extended play 12" (ZTIS
100) with a shorter play on cassette (CTIS 100), that replaced the 10
minute version of Moments In Love with the 5 minute one.
This 2011 album edition includes the aforementioned cassette version with Worship, the original unreleased debut album, that would later get re-worked and be released as (Who's Afraid Of?) The Art Of Noise! (ZTT IQ2).
Into Battle... acts as episode one in an
Art of Noise rebooted series of albums, but also as a prequel to what
has gone before, along with being an alternative version of the 1986 CD
compilation "Daft" (ZCIQ 2) and condensed version of the 2006 box set And What Have You Done With My Body, God? (ZTT201CD).
As a fan I never really felt that "Daft" worked as the tracks taken from Into Battle... didn't really fit that well together with the material taken from (Who's Afraid Of?)... as
the latter was a more structured body of work. This CD hits the mark
with all of the tracks blending in perfectly together, giving the
listener a chance to hear what Art of Noise may have sounded like if
they hadn't have restructed the material for their released debut long
player.
After 27 years, fans can now get to listen to the original version of what many call the definitive Art of Noise album!
10/1/0
KM Whitehouse
Saturday 19th March 2011
INTO BATTLE EXPANDED ON 4TH APRIL 2011
The first of ZTT and Salvo's
expanded Art of Noise re-issues kicks off with their 1983 debut 12"
"Into Battle With The Art Of Noise" being increased in length from a 9
track EP into a 27 track album. A lot more thought has gone into this
version than the 20th Anniversary Edition that was released in Germany
in the early 2000s. This is a must for all AoN fans and fans of
electronic music as it broke away from the conventional sound of
electro-music that had been dominated by the likes of Kraftwerk.
KM Whitehouse
Monday January 31st 2011
OPERA
As part of the Royal Opera House "OperaShots series" Anne was
commissioned to write a short opera for their Linbury Theatre. She
teamed up with Terry Jones who produced a Pythonesque story about a
doctor. This doctor is well loved by all his devoted patients and is a
brilliant GP, but, he is a dog! Prejudices abound, he is called up
before the GMC but then things take a turn for the worse!
The opera "The Doctor's Tale" is written for 8 performers and scored for
a small orchestra and will be performed in April together with a
project by Stewart Copeland.
Saturday 1st January 2011
POP PRODUCER TREVOR HORN APPOINTED CBE
Trevor Horn, who has been made a CBE in the New Year Honours, is one of
the most influential record producers of the last 30 years.
During his career his epic pop treatment has graced hits by Frankie Goes
to Hollywood, the Pet Shop Boys, Grace Jones, Seal and Robbie Williams.
A classically
trained musician, Horn began as a session musician and in the house band
at the Hammersmith Palais nightclub in London.
It was this apprenticeship, he claims, that taught him "the dynamics of
the dance floor". It was not until he reached 30, in 1979, that his
career began to take off. His big break came when he donned a pair of
giant spectacles, formed The Buggles and wrote the the hit that was to
make his name. The duo's Video Killed the Radio Star reached number one
in 16 countries. Two years on, it achieved immortality as the first
track played on MTV.
Horn then briefly fronted progressive rock band Yes, though he
received dire reviews as its bassist and lead singer. Moving behind the
mixing desk, Horn made his name as a producer with girl-boy duo Dollar.
He then moved on to mastermind The Lexicon of Love, ABC's masterpiece of
1980s pop. Horn's ability to combine emerging synthesiser and sampling
technology with rhythm and drama gave even the cheesiest tunes a sense
of adventure and futuristic allure.
There was also an unlikely collaboration with punk maestro Malcolm
McLaren on the Duck Rock album, not to mention work with innovative
electronic group The Art of Noise. The producer returned to Yes in 1983
for the album 90125, single-handedly reinventing the ageing rockers with
chart-topping anthem Owner of a Lonely Heart. In the same year he
signed Liverpudlian group Frankie Goes to Hollywood to his new label,
ZTT. Horn used drum machines and sampling to create the symphonic dance
tracks Relax, which topped the charts in January 1984, and Two Tribes,
which stayed at number one for nine weeks that summer.
Horn dominated '80s orchestral pop, scoring hits with the Pet Shop
Boys, Tina Turner, Simple Minds and Grace Jones's mesmerising Slave To
The Rhythm. He was named best producer at the Brit awards in 1983, 1985
and 1992, and won a Grammy in 1995 when Seal's Kiss from a Rose was
named record of the year. His eclectic outlook has also seen him lend
his polish to such indie acts as Belle & Sebastian, Kid Harpoon,
Captain and Delays.
Most recently he produced Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow's duet
Shame - recorded, along with part of Take That's reunion album Progress,
at his Sarm West studios in west London. He was also at the controls
for guitar legend Jeff Beck's album Emotion and Commotion, up for seven
Grammy awards in February.
Horn received a standing ovation from his peers in the music
industry when he was bestowed with an outstanding contribution honour at
the Ivor Novello songwriting awards in London last May. A few months
later, the Buggles reformed for a one-off gig to raise money for the
Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in London. It was, he said, "a very
special cause, one that's close to my heart".
His words hinted at a family tragedy five years ago when his wife
and business partner Jill Sinclair was accidentally shot in the neck
with an air rifle by their son, leaving her in a coma. "You soon
discover that the things money brings aren't important," he told a
newspaper last year.
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