Litany: Music News Covering Skinny Puppy, Download, ohGr and Related Projects

The DJ dates keep coming in! Arizona fans will get to hear Key's DJ set live in Scottsdale at the Mardis Gras Bar on August 15th. For more venue info go here.

On July 11th, the night after cEvin Key's Austin DJ set, Key will be DJing at Neo in Chicago. If you're anywhere near that city you best find yourself there that night or else suffer the eternal ridicule of the voices in your head that will taunt you for having missed such an event. I hear that Afra Ahmad, who not only provides the hosting for Litany.net but is also just a generally fantastic guy, will be in attendance, so please thank him for everything he does to make this site possible.

For those who might have been interested in my aforementioned interview with Robyn Hitchcock, you can now download it in podcast form by clicking http://www.litany.net/butisitart.rss or cutting and pasting that url into iTunes or your RSS reader. With any luck, we should have a more directly Litany related podcast coming soon.

cEvin Key and Steven R. Gilmore's recent Vancouver DJ gigs were a smashing success. But take heart, if, like me, you missed it and were stuck in New Jersey. They've both posted their full playlists online for perusal and SRG's set is now available for download.

cEvin Key's set:

1 Messages OMD
2 voice of buddah /Being Bolied human league
3 For Germans IIV
4 Rickys hand/Rickys Hand dub Fad Gadget
5 Burning Car John Foxx
6 warm leatherette the normal
7 far too frail skinny puppy
8 public image public image
9 forest cure
10 transmission joy division
11 quiet life japan
12 same old scene roxy music
13 fade to grey visage
14 film 2 grauzone
15 empire state human human league
16 dOA disco sucks
17 twist and crawl english beat
18 Frustration 4" Be 2"
19 turning Japanese Vapors
20 we are glass gary numan
21 dreaming of me depeche mode
22 knowhere GIRL B-movie
23 everythings gone green new order
24 state of shock PT 2 silicon teens
25 electricity OMD
26. Breaking glass bowie
27. Shack up certain ratio
28 fascist groove thang heaven 17
29. Secret life Material
30. Dream baby dream suicide
31 tainted love soft cell
32 Is Vic There Dept s
33. Blue Monday New Order
34. Jezebel Spirit david Byrne/ ENO
35. Lucinda certain ratio

SRG's set:

01 The Mekons - Where Were You?
02 Dead Kennedys - Police Truck
03 Killing Joke - Pssyche (Malicious Single Version)
04 Wall Of Voodoo - Two Minutes Till Lunch
05 Madness - One Step Beyond...
06 The Specials - Gangsters
07 Musical Youth - Pass The Dutchie (12" Mix)
08 Captain Sensible - Wot (12" Mix)
09 David Bowie - Heroes
10 Gina X Performance - No G.D.M
11 Fad Gadget - Lady Shave
12 Devo - S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain)
13 The Human League - Almost Medieval
14 The Normal - T.V.O.D.
15 Cabaret Voltaire - I Want You (Album Version)
16 Alan Vega - Ghostrider
17 The Cramps - Human Fly
18 The Slits - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
19 Pigbag - Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag
20 Basement 5 - Silicon Chips (10" Extended Version)
21 P.I.L. - Death Disco (12" Mix)
22 Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
23 Sex Gang Children - Dieche (Short Version)
24 Bauhaus - Stigmata Martyr
25 The Cure - A Strange Day
26 Siouxsie And The Banshees - Christine
27 New Order - Ceremony (Original Version)
28 Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (12" Mix)
29 Simple Minds - This Fear Of Gods
30 OMD - 2nd Thought
31 Joy Division - Atmosphere

To download SRG's set click here or go here to snag some artwork.

Ogre's popping up in some interesting places these days. A new documentary film on Vancouver's intertwined music culture and economic issues called No Fun City features some commentary from Ogre. It looks like a fascinating movie. You can see portions of his interview in the film trailer here.

Joe Moe, whose CD features an Ogre guest vocal, mentioned here back on April 15th, has written an article about cleaning the museum/mansion of his late boss, Forrest J. Ackerman. Included is a short text piece written by Mr. Ogre himself. Read it here.

In 100% unrelated news, but mentioned here as an emotional tribute to the great Scott Graham, I'll be interviewing Robyn Hitchcock on the radio tomorrow. If anyone's interested you can hear it Saturday 4-6pm EST online at WRSU.org. With luck I'll have it posted as a podcast shortly after.

Mark Spybey (Download, Beehatch, Reformed Faction) has a slew of new releases on the way of interest to Litany readers. Here's a bit of a conglomeration of the news he posted on our forum and his myspace.

Coming from Lens Records on July 14th is the download-only collaboration of Mark and Richard Sanderson. Here's a presskit quote:::

Richard and Mark have been friends for nearly 40 years and have collaborated together episodically. One such episode took place in London in 1992, shortly before Spybey moved to Canada. The duo revisited some of the songs they had played together in Drop and within the space of 24 hours had assembled a hastily mastered cassette tape of diverse material. Over the years both spoke of releasing the material but for a number of reasons, it just never happened. Spybey mastered the material from the cassette tape weeks before it was destroyed in a flood in 2005. He subsequently manipulated some of the music and finally, it will be released via digital download only courtesy of Chicago’s Lens Records.

The Setland L.P features a number of sings written by Sanderson dating back as far as 1978. On the recordings, Richard played guitar, bass, keyboards, sax and sang. Mark played drums, trumpet, keyboards, backing vocals and toys. The songs are short, staccato and spiky. It’s no wave, it’s textured, minimal ambience, it’s an homage to some of the bands who inspired the duo and it’s an album born out of the beauty of the industrial landscape that they grew up in; of deserted docks, redundant remnants of the once proud iron works and the piercing cold of the wind blowing in from the North Sea. Moreover, it’s a record of the duo’s friendship, one that has weathered relationships, time, hairstyles, continents, movements, the poll tax and fads. It is a relationship that continues to be rooted in their love of music and the capacity that they have to inspire each other.

Read more about Sanderson / Spybey here.

Then in August, Lens Records releases the online exclusive Beehatch Live in Bratislava album, recorded on Mark and Phil Western's tour last year.

Dead Voices on Air returns in december with a double CD release, Fast Falls the Eventide. The new album is paired with Abrader, a long-demanded reissue of Spybey's first cassette-only release from the Japanese GROSS Tapes label in 1994. The original album has been expanded with two new previously unreleased tracks from the time featuring a certain musician named cEvin Key.

Mark is also working on a collaboration with Simon Fisher Turner known for his soundtrack work for the films of Derek Jarman and others. The project's working name is mzmz lalalala and it also features Phil Western.

Finally, Mark is contributing to new releases by Download and Beehatch.

One more time for the world, cEvin Key's big old school homecoming DJ set extravaganza galore with Steven Gilmore happens Thursday night at Celebrities. I'm thoroughly frustrated and jealous that I can't be there myself to hear the set, wander the city, and drink with Litany's favorite street punk, Andrew Gowans. If you're going, please raise a glass for me and make sure Litany is represented to it's fullest. I'll be at home shedding a solitary, envious tear, playing Fad Gadget and Thomas Leer records in an embarrassingly desperate attempt to pretend I'm there.

Visit here for info and tickets.

Here's a quick and dirty cut and paste job about Key's appearance on the radio today promoting the upcoming Vancouver DJ gig (it says tomorrow below cos the promoter posted this yesterday, the broadcast is Friday):::

SCHEDULED For tomorrow afternoon:

At 4:15PM tomorrow CEvin KEY will discuss LUVAFAIR MAY 28, SKINNY PUPPY, SUBCONSCIOUS RECORDS, CEvin's other projects etc! Dont miss out on this rare interview!

Tomorrow: Friday May 22: NARDWUAR live Interview w CEvin KEY (!) CITR 101.9 FM @ 4:15PM ( win 2 Luvafair tickets!)
Click on this link to listen: http://citr.ca/listen.php
PODCAST LINKS CITR: http://citr.ca/schedule.php


ALSO NEXT WEEK:

ANOIZE Wednesday May 27 CITR ANOIZE w LUKE MEAT: Dedicated to Luvafair May 28 and Skinny Puppy. It will be an Hour and a half(!) ( win 2 Luvafair tickets!)
Click on this link to listen: http://citr.ca/listen.php
PODCAST LINKS CITR: http://citr.ca/schedule.php


PLUS:

Next week"The GEORGIA STRAIGHT" will have a LUVAFAIR/CEvin KEY/STEVEN R. GILMORE ARTICLE Preview Article by the one and only JOHN LUCAS!


7 DAYS LEFT & LAST CHANCE FOR ADVANCE TICKETS!!!!!!:

Purchase the last bunch of Luvafair pre-sales Tickets available! ( they've gonefast already and they will be going up to $25 when the advance ticket sell out)

Other locations for ticket sales outlets are: Zulu, Little Sisters/Priape/Clubzone or call me ( Vernard) at (604) 374-5610!) Online at http://www.luvngraceaffair.com
CLUBZONE ( VISA, MASTERCARD, AMEX) : http://www.clubzone.com/events/Vancouver/127156/Luv-a-Fair-CEvin-Key-Steven-Gilmore-DJ-Set

Here's the listen link.

On the heels of Key's Japanese sojourn and after the Vancouver set at the end of this month comes a DJ set in Austin, Tx. He'll be spinning at Elysium on July 10th. Once again I'm mighty jealous and wishing I could make it. I haven't been to Austin since SXSW '06, which remains a majestic time in the wilderness of my memory. How I miss that town! If you're lucky enough to live there, don't miss this set.

For more info, see the flyer above or the club's site here.

Mish, owner of Dhatt, pointed out that Phil Western has released a new downloadable EP, Red Eyed Stalker. Included are a studio version of the track Red Eyes, previously heard in a live version on 1221, and both the original version and a new remix of Stalker. The EP can be downloaded from Beatport right here.

My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult has a new album coming out called Death Threat. They will be touring the western half of the country to support the record with none other than Justin Bennett, live drummer for Skinny Puppy and ohGr, returning behind the kit. Were I west of the Mississippi, I'd be there in a heartbeat. Justin says they hope to tour the other side of the continent in later in the year.

Here is the word from cEvin on the next series of exclusive albums on Subconscious. These will be new material and for the first time feature some new artists being released on the label.

A tidbit on Beyond the Vault

It's exactly that. A new movement from the future. A group of earthlings and aliens form a bond for a new concept. Over 25 years in the making, these are the offspring and the inspired. Children of BRAP.

Download // PlatEAU // Tear Garden // 3 NEW releases.

-BANANASLOTH // shimokitazawa Japan has bred a new monster. The album 2 years in the making is a collaborative between the sloth + cEvin Key with guests: baseck,otto von schirach, and others with Ken Marshall on the mix.

- DJOTO // from Koenji Tokyo has been sending subcon CDs for nearly a decade. These disks are always a fresh journey from a technical communications engineer, who reallys knows his phase. He sites Download as an influence but has opened the door to a new hybrid. He has been collaborating with cEvin on all of the recent Japan Dj sets. DEBUT CD

- OTTO Von SCHIRACH // Magic triangles promises to be the spaceship of a CD. With a new pile of old analogs we locked Otto in there for several months and the result is MIAMI's greatest noise terrorcore event. OTTO Von SCHIRACH represents the SouthEAST for this world in this magic triangle. Prepare yourself.

- SONIC DEATH RABBITT/ BASECK from the southwest region known as Los Angeles, we knew there had to be something living that represents this region, and consistently rips us a new perspective on what a gameboy a turntable and a couple of brilliant freaks this Dark MATTER team represents. Never officially released any CD, they have played around the world and already have a reputation that is fully backed by just witnessing their performance. DEBUT CD

On pre-order you can get the set and get a limited edition free gift or choose one free title you're missing from the other sets (including encore or rare CD).

There also may be some special surprises in store for the set subscribers...

Imagine a tour of this ? Or did you.............................

More specifics will follow here shortly as they become available and when the set is open for pre-order.

Vancouver's own Left Spine Down have just released a remix album entitled Voltage 2.3. Featuring remixes from their album Fighting for Voltage as well as covers of Joy Division and Nirvana tunes, the album includes the track Policy in remixed form by Phil Western and cEvin Key as Download. Other remixers include Revolting Cocks, Chris Peterson, KMFDM, and Tim Skold. In further Puppy relations, the record was mastered by Greg Reely and the band's keyboard player, Jeremy Inkel, also plays for Front Line Assembly.

The band was recently interviewed by Fango Musick, discussing the remix album and Download's participation in particular. Read it here.

For more info visit the band's site here.

This short clip of Key's Japan trip just hit Youtube:::

cEvin Key has given a new interview with the website for Elektron Music Machines. In it he discusses plans for future Subconscious releases and the new Skinny Puppy album. Read the whole thing here. Below is a clip on the new SP record:::

We've actually been using methods and techniques similar to those we used when we made Remission, our first record. The new album will contain a lot of crunch and a lot of rhythms that don't sound so much like those on Mythmaker, our previous album. Everything will be more mechanical and 12-bit sounding. We've been using the Elektron gear a lot for this.

Everyone's been wondering what's going on regarding new Skinny Puppy. Ogre was recently asked about this in an online Repo! chat and mentioned some tentative plans. This, of course, hit our forum and resulted in some wild speculation. So here's the scoop straight from Ogre to you, the Litany home reader:::

i just wanted to extinguish any fires by giving you the skinny. i was asked through an impromptu chat re: repo what was going on at present. i stated we are moving towards a late oct. 2009 release and tour. i realize there is a lot of information floating around regarding release dates and previews of music. to the best of my understanding we are working towards this date. the nature of the chat was repo so i was not expecting to be asked by darren (director) anything re: SP.

So the current plan (repeated for emphasis) current plan is for an October release and tour. This fits in well with my personal goal of having an excuse to roam around the continent again taking pictures of a hat in odd places. New Orleans, I will be back!

William Morrison will presenting the American Memory Project in 3D HD this Friday at MassArt's Pozen Center in Boston, MA. The showing will be part of a presentation called Dark Arts: A Look At Uncompromising And Controversial Works of 5 Artists.

Here's the info as cut & pasted from Facebook and sent in to me by SPtravel:::

Dark Arts: A Look At Uncompromising And Controversial Works of 5 Artists
Art & Mysticism are one. The art world is a world of magic - All artists are occultists.
Host: Doug Mesner: Process.org
Start Time: Friday, April 24, 2009 at 7:00pm
Location:
MassArt's Pozen Center
621 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA

Description
Dark Arts Offers A Look At Uncompromising And Controversial Works of 5 Artists

The artists presented here are some of the uncompromising few in America today, each has taken a road of creativity and ritual, each has stayed the course no matter the bumps. These artists have travelled diverse routes to this destination and chosen a myriad of mediums for expression, but they have one thing in common, they take their art as life, as ritual and as important as the air they breathe, they take their work as their career whether it is popular or not, whether it makes money or not, whether there is a market waiting for it or not. These artists offer the strength, vision, and commitment that few in this world of disposable goals and apathy of mind.

In our over civilized world man has become detached from ritual and from creativity, yet both are required for very survival of the human race. Magic and art are one and the same, different sides of the same coin, artists are magicians, occultists are creatives.

On April 24 meet five incredible American artists and experience their method, their madness, and their vision, as they share the hows and whys of their work. This will be a multimedia event that includes video, audio and visual art displays, as well as advice and explanation.

William Morrison is the long time video artist for the innovative band Skinny Puppy, he will be presenting his new video work, the 'American Memory Project' in 3D HD.

Dave Archer the elder of the group has created "Glamour Art" for some 50 years, he paints with a Tesla Coil, sculpts, and writes, his new book is called 'Survival Art' and though his name may not be familiar nearly every American has seen his art, which has even appeared on Slurpee cups and his paintings have decorated Star Treks Starship Enterprise.

Steven Leyba is a Native American painter whose mixed media works include his own blood and semen, he is also a controversial performance artist, author, and spoken word artist. Art critic Carlo McCormick called Leyba "The father of Sexpressionism".

Shane and Amy Bugbee have been a creative team and married for over a decade. They collectively publish banned books, make short films, created their own soda pop and were literally run out of town on a rail for the way they think. The couple recently spent over a year of their lives traveling America during the election year, trying to figure out if America and it's free speech is all it's cracked up to be. A documentary and book of their travels is in the works.

Many people call their various works "Dark" or even "Satanic", but these artists understand that all art is mystical in nature, it is all about selfishness, self expression, and the individual. All art is ritual, and ritual and creativity are vital for our survival.

Creativity is part of survival, and surviving as a creative is possible if one is willing to work tirelessly, think in non-typical ways, and sacrifice for the sake of a bigger picture. This presentation is a must for anyone planning to pursue a career as a true non-commercial artist.

To my knowledge, this is the premiere of William and Justin's project in it's 3D incarnation. If the teaser we got on the ohGr tour is any indication it will be an impressive and immersive experience. If you're in the area, don't miss it.

Mark Spybey (Download, Beehatch, Dead Voices on Air) and fellow former Zoviet-France member Robin Storey are releasing a new boxed set of material from their Reformed Faction project entitled I Am the Source of Light, I Am Not a Mirror. The three disc set is available in two different editions, both lavishly packaged in a unique metal box.

I haven't heard it yet myself, so rather than cut and paste the standard press kit info, I thought I'd ask Mark to summarize for you guys. Here's what he has to say about the release:::

Dear Litanists,
'I am the source of light, I am not a mirror,' is the third album from Reformed Faction, Mark Spybey and Robin Storey's post zoviet-france ensemble.

You are likely familiar with the work of both Mark and Robin. If you are not, then this album will give you a fairly clear indication of their desire to evolve.

Some of you have commented that this album has taken a long time to be released. When you hold the metal box in your hands and take out the three CDs containing 3 and a half hours of music, including appearances from David 'Not Breathing' Wright, the Dresdeners 'Scatology' (including Beehatch live bass player eNni_w) and Tommy Grenas (living legend, Nik Turners Hawkwind, Anubian Lights, Lydia Lunch, Farflung, Damo Suzuki et al); when you look at the ridiculous lengths Soleilmoon Records have taken to create a unique package, working with the acclaimed East German artist Ira Tannhauser and when, when, when...

If you drop this box it will not break.

We have some modest exclusive goodies available to celebrate this release but you will have to go to www.myspace.com/reformedfaction to find out how you can get your mitts on them.

Watch this and that space.
We are Reformed Fraktion.

I Am the Source of Light, I Am Not a Mirror is available now. to listen, get more info, or order visit their myspace or Soleilmoon Records.

So, in case you're wondering what you missed out on by not being at Key's Tokyo Dj gig, here's a shot he sent in of himself with some crowd members:::

He also had this to say:::

Tokyo Decadence could teach a thing or 2 to the world's Goth scene. The shows have been very cool. Still one more at Trump Room on the 25th. Also possibly an improv at Bullets this week.

And don't forget about the Vancouver gig coming up next month.

Let's take a moment from our usual updates for something I thought was cool and tangentially related enough to share. Here's a pair of video clips I shot at last night's Throbbing Gristle show in Brooklyn:::





If they're coming near your way, make sure you catch this show.

Also, here's wishing cEvin Key well on the first of his Japanese DJ gigs tomorrow night! Hopefully some of the Litany readers from the east will report backwards in time from the tomorrow that lies just across the dateline to tell us about the gig.

Todd Zachritz, former steward of the grand vessel that is the SP Discography and official holder of the last-name-most-often-mistyped-by-Corey award, pointed out that Ogre makes a guest appearance on a new CD by the artist Joe Moe. In addition to the Hawaiian music heritage in his blood, Joe Moe was the assistant to Forrest J Ackerman, father of the much beloved Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. The album, Mainland, includes Ogre on the song Mosque of Bones. It also features a guest appearance by the legendary Van Dyke Parks and, from the small world file, was co-produced by Brian Woodbury, who a few years ago sent me his (quite good) CD after seeing some playlists for my radio show online. The Joe Moe CD is available here.

In other Ogre stalking news, our favorite frontman will be appearing at Fangoria's Weekend of Horror convention in LA this Sunday along with fellow cast and crew members from Repo! the Genetic Opera. For more details visit here.

off topic blog-worthy addendum::: I'll be at Thursday night's Throbbing Gristle show in NYC. If you're there, feel free to say hello to the guy that looks like me. Hell, feel free to say hello even if you're not there.

In advance of their upcoming DJ set at Celebrities in Vancouver, cEvin Key and Steven Gilmore (the man responsible for designing most of Puppy's artwork over the years) have been interviewed for Alt: Rock Culture and Lifestyle magazine.

After some folks on the forum inquired about how to get a copy, the editor posted this:::

I am the Owner The Seventh Wave Network (Publisher of ALT:) and Editor of ALT: Rock Culture and Lifestyle Magazine. I was forwarded this thread by AphexVancouver from Luv-A-Fair, and would like to give you a little more information on the Issue featuring Steven R. Gilmore and cEvin Key with photography by Brion Topolski.

The Article is 8 pages long, and features the cover, and 6 more pages of images, with a stunning set of photos of cEvin and Steven by acclaimed photographer Brion Topolski, with 4 samples of Stevens fine art.

The issue is currently available at Flaming Angels Boutique (644 Seymour Street Vancouver), Deadly Couture (317a Cambie Street Vancouver BC Canada) and Central City Comics (103 and King George Highway Surrey BC Canada).

By the end of the month we are aiming to have broken the provincial boundary with our expansion of retailers, and are committed to the idea of having retailers in the US.

You can also get a copy at select club nights in Vancouver: Luv-A-Fair @ Celebrities, FutureShapes @ Lick Club, Sanctuary @ Club 23 West, and Descent @ The Red Room Night Club

We will be setting up our online store today, and it will have all the available issues of ALT: Rock Culture and Lifestyle Magazine, including our previous issue where we featured exclusive photos from the recent OhGr show at The Red Room Night Club in Vancouver, a performance that was 13 years in the making.

The TSWNET/ALT: online store will feature prints and posters as well of all of our covers, and you will be able to by multiples at a discounted rate. We currently accept PayPal money transfer as our primary method of payment, and are actively seeking solutions for other payment forms.

When our online store is functional (within the next 24-48 hours) I will post another reply on this thread.

Feel free to message me here, or through our websites for additional information. Thank you for your interest in our magazine and we hope you like Vernard and Max's awesome Interview!

Visit their site here and don't forget about the DJ set on May 28th. And while we are covering upcoming Key DJ appearances, take a look at this flyer he just sent over for one of the Japanese dates:::

In case it isn't obvious already, yesterday's update was an April Fool's Day prank. No, that was not a rare Pigface video (though if I burned a few copies of it I might have gotten rich on Ebay).

If you're wondering where that video came from, it's actually footage from just outside of my cubicle at work. A few days ago I was there minding my own business, fingertips clattering away at the keyboard while the strains of Asphole poured out of my computer speakers, bathing my vomit-beige cube walls with the sweet rockoutitude of aural escape. Just then I heard someone call my name. I peaked my head up to discover the scene that you, dear viewer, have been gifted enough to witness via the strange mysticism of streaming internet video: two of my co-workers engaging in an explosion of spontaneous dance to Pigface of such grandeur and stirring spectacle as to rival Turbo's from Breakin' (not to mention putting Ogre's own legendary moves from the Smothered Hope video to eternal shame). In the space of that one minute and change my world was demolished and reconstituted anew. Since then, sweets taste far more sweet, the air around me breathes cleaner, and I no longer feel the need to spend my evenings huddled in the corner of the shower weeping into a bottle of scotch.

It's things like this that make a work day survivable, so I decided to share it (with the gracious permission of the performers) with the Litany populace in the form of our quasi-annual-if-I-get-around-to-it type prank. Think of it as my virtual toast of a margarita to Mr. Scott Graham as well as my public service announcement to never stop making your own fun.

Relive this moment of soul edifying beauty here.

THE FOLLOWING UPDATE IS NOT REAL. IT IS AN APRIL FOOL'S DAY PRANK

I've long held this video in the secret confines my vast private collection of Skinny Puppy related rarities, oddities, and lightly soiled garments. But I've decided to share it with you, the Litany readers, as a thank you for all the positive energy and sheer joy I've received from you over the years at shows and via the magic of email. So here, for your viewing pleasure, is a hitherto unseen video clip produced for Pigface's 1994 classic, Asphole, featuring the vocal stylings of Puppy's Ogre. It's a bit of a conceptual piece involving a dance troupe. I'm only sharing a segment of the song, because, after all, I don't want to devalue my collection by sharing the whole thing, now do I?

But this segment is my gift to you. Enjoy it here.

On the Scaremeister myspace cEvin Key recently posted this announcement of a retro-style May 28th DJ gig in Puppy's original haunt of Vancouver:::

The Luv-a Fair Cabaret was a "perfect club". Amazing sound system and it was the place you heard everything for the first time. In those days having a new single by Joy Division or Fad Gadget was worth its weight in gold. Hearing them played loud with a crowd straight out of a comic book, was how i remember the Luv-a Fair. I found myself running to the Dj booth so many times to ask who was playing that I decided I had to work there. Even if for free. I started working with Michael Wonderful as his lightman. Michael was really the person who had the most knowledge of the Punk/New wave scene as it was unfolding. One night I showed up for work and Michael had quit over a dispute. I found myself with a new DJ, who was kind enough to endure my barrage of what to play next suggestions. (the club had a very particular set list of favorites). This was my first meeting with Steven R Gilmore. We went on to make many projects together with Steven as the graphic artist with Images in Vogue, then one day Steven said" I made a cover for your first album for Skinny Puppy".
At which time he showed me the artwork for Remission. This was long before we made the record, so in some ways Steven helped us to create the band by being that enthused. To date he has done nearly all the artwork for Skinny Puppy and we've known each other for 29 years.

The one thing we do discuss alot, is the period of 1980-1984 music from the Luv-a-fair. We decided to write down what we thought were some of the classics, and what we remembered fondly from the club. Steven came up with a list of 150 songs, and myself 55 songs. I was kind of surprised. What a amazing period of time that so many classic songs came from ( ie The Normal Warm Leatherette) We both live in Los Angeles now, and unfortunatly the original club is long gone, but thanks to Facebook, Rick Forde and VErnard, who run the monthly Luv-a Fair parties at Celebrities in Vancouver, we worked out a night where we plan on playing all 200 songs as they were played in the day 1980-1985.!!

Steven and I are both very excited about this concept. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE if you love this era of music, you will LOVE this night.

Sounds like a fun time. I'm quite tempted to try and get there myself. It's been a little while since the ohGr tour and I do need an excuse for a new adventure.

But wait! There's more. Key has added more DJ sets to his Japanese sojourn in April:::

APRIL 18th Tokyo Decadence
April 19th Super Deluxe/ Roppongi
April 25th Trump/ Tokyo