The Comsat Angels: 4 Albums 1980 - 1992

 

The Comsat Angels were an English post-punk band from Sheffield, England, initially active from 1978 to 1995.  They have been credited as being an influence on later post-punk revival bands such as

Blacklist, Bell Hollow, Editors and Interpol.  The Comsat Angels were one of the finest bands of the post-punk/new wave era. Often as moody if less dramatic than Joy Division, their first and best albums -- 1980's Waiting for a Miracle, 1981's Sleep No More, and 1982's Fiction -- featured abstract pop songs with sparse instrumentation, many of which were bleak and filled with some form of heartache. 
                        

The albums were almost unrelentingly sullen, but they were always transfixing. The band then fell prey

to various commercial pressures for several years. In the '90s they resurfaced with a pair of powerful albums that resembled logical extensions of their earliest work, and then they vanished again. Named after the J. G. Ballard short story "The Comsat Angels", the foursome's original lineup (lasting from 1978 to 1992) consisted of Stephen Fellows (vocals, guitar), Mik Glaisher (drums), Kevin Bacon (bass) and Andy Peake – (keyboards).
                   

They debuted in 1979 with the "Red Planet" three-track single. This release attracted Polydor A&R

man Frank Neilson and the band signed a three-album recording contract. These three albums – Waiting for a Miracle (1980), which included the single "Independence Day", probably their best known song, Trouser Press reported in a review that "Waiting For a Miracle" was hailed in one UK paper as the greatest debut LP of all time, it remains a stunning masterwork,Sleep No More (1981) and Fiction (1982) – are regarded by some as their best, but only sold modestly.
                      

The band found a fan and supporter in Robert Palmer (a fellow Yorkshireman), who was at the height of his popularity at this point in the 1980s. Palmer facilitated the Comsat Angels' signing to Island Records, and he served as executive producer for their  album, Chasing Shadows (1986) and even sang

on one song, "You'll Never Know". That album's music is viewed as the band's return to their dark, brooding roots. RPM released a new Comsats single, "Driving", and an album, My Mind's Eye, in 1992. (The album was released in the U.S. on Caroline Records, under the band name C.S. Angels, with two bonus tracks.) The music press praised the album, citing several current shoegaze-type bands (e.g., Curve, Catherine Wheel) who were influenced by the Comsats' sound.  
                       

From the mid-'90s through the mid-2010s, all of their albums were either issued or reissued on CD. Waiting for a Miracle, Sleep No More, and Fiction alone were expanded by RPM (1995), Renascent

(2006), and Edsel (2015). The last of those labels also combined Chasing Shadows and Fire on the Moon. The Comsat Angels disbanded in late 1995 following UK dates to promote The Glamour. The Comsat Angels' albums remained out of print for years, but RPM Records rereleased the first three Polydor albums on CD in 1995, while another British label, Renascent, reissued several of them in 2006 and 2007, adding outtakes and other tracks.
                   

THE COMSAT ANGELS - WAITING FOR A MIRACLE 1980 (2CD DELUXE EDITION 2015)

                     

Waiting for a Miracle is a sorcerous first album, at least once it sinks in, after short-to-long phases of puzzlement, bemusement, and fascination. Its songs of romantic ruin, paranoia, and doubt are spare,

inelastic, and ceaselessly on edge. Even when the songs are at their bounciest and most alluring, they have an insular and alien quality. This is a band that called itself "doomsteady" with a hint of seriousness, after all. While there are crucial differences that reveal themselves after deep listening, this album can be appreciated by anyone touched by other maverick post-punk albums released the same year, such as Joy Division's Closer.
                       

The Comsat Angels – Waiting For A Miracle
Label: Edsel Records – EDSK 7086
Format: 2 x CD, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered Nov 20, 2015
Country:UK
Released:
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Indie Rock, Post-Punk

CD1.

                    

01. Missing In Action    4:01
02. Baby    2:58
03. Independence Day    3:46
04. Waiting For A Miracle    2:57
05. Total War    3:47
06. On The Beach    3:41
07. Monkey Pilot    4:24
08. Real Story    3:44
09. Map Of The World    3:50
10. Postcard    4:08

BONUS TRAXS            

11. Home Is The Range    3:34
12. We Were    4:12
13. Ju Ju Money    4:15
14. Work    4:07

Flac Size: 322 MB

CD2.

                    

01. Red Planet    2:49
02. I Get Excited    3:03
03. Specimen No.2    2:29
04. Independence Day (Demo)    3:04
05. Real Story (Demo)    3:42
06. Target Talk (Demo)    3:40
07. Living In (Demo)    3:57

JOHN PEEL SESSION        

    
08. Total War    4:00
09. Independence Day    3:25
10. Baby    2:58
11. JuJu Money    4:20
12. Real Story    3:47
13. Monkey Pilot    4:24
14. Waiting For A Miracle    2:55
15. Home Is The Range    3:44

Flac Size: 341 MB

LINE - UP

Backing Vocals, Keyboards – Andy Peake 
Bass – Kevin Bacon 
Drums – Mik Glaisher 
Vocals, Guitar – Steve Fellows 

NOTES

CD1 ℗ 1980 Polydor Records. Licensed courtesy of Universal Music group Limited.
CD2 tracks 1 - 7 ℗ 2006 licensed courtesy of Comsat Angels. 
CD2 Tracks 8 - 15 ℗ 1979/1980 licensed courtesy of BBC Worldwide.
© 2015 Demon Music Group Ltd. Marketed by Edsel, a division of the Demon Music Group, London W12 7FA

THE COMSAT ANGELS - SLEEP NO MORE 1981 (2CD DELUXE EDITION 2015)

                     

Sleep No More, the second Comsat Angels album, is a confident follow-up that contains a tighter and more cutting version of Waiting for a Miracle's alluring insularity. Going by "Eye Dance," the torrid opener, one might expect a more aggressive affair, but that's not necessarily the case. The album turns out to be neither as pop nor as fast, with a majority of the material playing out at a dirge-like pace.

There were no singles. Like Magazine's Secondhand Daylight, or the Sound's All Fall Down, Sleep No More can be a trudge and quite bleak, perhaps even impenetrable at times. However, as with Waiting for a Miracle, the dynamics of the album become increasingly perceptible with each play, and the slowest, austerest passages begin to seem as intense as the few that slam and punch.  Sleep No More is certainly more powerful, and it's also a greater achievement. Here, the Comsat Angels became one of the era's most exceptional bands. 
                       

The Comsat Angels – Sleep No More
Label: Edsel Records – EDSK 7087
Format:2 x CD, Album, Deluxe Edition, Remastered Nov 20, 2015
Country: UK
Released: 1981
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave

CD1.

                 

01. The Eye Dance    3:42
02. Sleep No More    2:51
03. Be Brave    3:49
04. Gone    3:27
05. Dark Parade    5:08
06. Diagram    3:53
07. Restless    3:14
08. Goat Of The West    3:23
09. Light Years    4:24
10. Our Secret    4:10

BONUS TRAXS        

    
11. Eye Of The Lens    4:04
12. Another World    4:40
13. At Sea    4:26

CD2.

                        

01. Mass    3:47
02. Dark Parade 1 (Demo)    5:01
03. Goat Of The West (Demo)    4:08
04. Be Brave (Demo)    3:50
05. Gone (Alt. EP Version)    3:14

JOHN PEEL SESSION (RECORDED 03-02-1981)         

    
06. Be Brave    3:54
07. At Sea    4:10
08. Eye Of The Lens    4:00
09. Dark Parade      5:10 

RICHARD SKINNER SHOW 16-4-1981 (RECORDED 04-03-1981).        

    
10. Gone    3:25
11. Total War    4:57
12. Eye Dance    3:31
13. Be Brave    4:01

Flac CD1 + CD2 Size: 673 MB

LINE - UP

                        

Backing Vocals, Keyboards – Andy Peake (tracks: 2-6 to 2-9)
Bass – Kevin Bacon (tracks: 2-6 to 2-9)
Drums – Mik Glaisher (tracks: 2-6 to 2-9)
Vocals, Guitar – Steve Fellows (tracks: 2-6 to 2-9)
Written-By – Andy Peake, Kevin Bacon, Mik Glaisher, Steve Fellows

NOTES

Bonus second CD includes non album tracks from single releases, a clutch of demos, and two complete sessions from the Radio 1 one from the John Peel Show from 1981, and one from the Richard Skinner Show.

Tracks 1-11 to 1-13 and 2-5 originally released as The Comsat Angels - Eye Of The Lens
Track 2-1 is a Sleep No More outtake originally released on The Comsat Angels - Enz.
Tracks 2-2 to 2-4 are previously unreleased demos

THE COMSAT ANGELS - FICTION 1982 (2CD DELUXE EDITION 2015)

                

Fiction's lightness in relation to Sleep No More does not come as much of a surprise. Perhaps only a song-by-song cover of Nico's Marble Index would've topped Sleep No More in terms of bleakness, so it didn't really require a conscious effort on the part of the Comsat Angels to use some brighter tones and

leave a little room to breathe on their third album. In fact, Fiction begins with a song that's as much an affirmation in "After the Rain," a fragile, resilient opener that applies the band's long-established sense of economy with the kind of sprightful mallet work that could've been learned from Japan's Tin Drum. Fiction closes out a trilogy spread across three years that either matches or exceeds similar runs by any of the band's contemporaries. 
                  

The Comsat Angels – Fiction
Label: Edsel Records – EDSK 7088
Format: 2CD, Album, Reissue, Deluxe Edition, Remastered Nov 20, 2015
Country: UK & Europe
Released: 1982
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave

CD1.

                         

01. After The Rain    3:58
02. Zinger    3:30
03. Now I Know    3:58
04. Not A Word    3:44
05. Ju Ju Money    3:28
06. More    3:34
07. Pictures    4:27
08. Birdman    5:01
09. Don't Look Now    4:48
10. What Else!?    4:32

HIDDEN TRACK

11. Pictures 4:26

CD2.  BONUS TRAXS        

                   

    
01. (Do The) Empty House    3:31
02. Red Planet Revisited    3:31
03. It's History    3:41
04. Private Party    3:48
05. For Your Information    4:38
06. After The Rain (Remix)    4:00

JOHN PEEL SESSION 7/10/81        

    
07. Now I Know    4:18
08. Ju Ju Money    5:28
09. Our Secret    4:11
10. Goat Of The West    3:25

Flac CD1 + CD2 Size: 538 MB

LINE - UP

Bass Guitar – Kevin Bacon (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10)
Drums – Mik Glaisher (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10)
Guitar, Vocals – Steve Fellows (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10)
Keyboards – Andy Peake (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10)

NOTES

Fiction
(Originally released 1982)
Recorded at Strawberry 1 & 2 And Polydor Workshop Studios during May and June 1982.

BONUS MATERIAL

Track 2-1 "(Do The) Empty House" : single POSP359 / 2059425 A
Track 2-2 "Red Planet Revisited" : single b-side POSP359 / 2059425 B
Track 2-3 "It's History" : single POS432 / 2059489 A
Track 2-4 "Private Party" : single POSP513 / 2059562 B
Track 2-5 "For Your Information" : album out-take
Track 2-6 "After The Rain (Remix)" : single POSP513 / 2059562 A
Tracks 2-7 to 2-10 : John Peel Session 7/10/81 (recorded 28/9/81)

THE COMSAT ANGELS - MY MIND'S EYE 1992 - 1993

                     

           
After a failed record  Fire on the Moon (as Dream Command), the Comsat Angels were running dangerously close to diluting the excellence of their first three albums. By the early '90s, the group's battles with label and legal forces had snowballed into a daunting mass capable of ending the life of most bands. It would have been perfectly understandable if the Comsats called it quits at this point.

How many of the original fans are still paying attention? Surprisingly, My Mind's Eye is undeniably muscular in sections but welcomes back the subtle atmospherics that made records like Sleep No More so addictively haunting. For the time it was released, the record stood shoulder-to-shoulder with albums by young'uns like Catherine Wheel and Swervedriver. Moody, lush, and every bit as intensely consuming, the record has a cinematic edge the band wasn't able to capture at any previous point. File under "unexpected treasure." 
                  

The Comsat Angels – My Mind's Eye
Label: Renascent – REN CD 19
Format: CD, Album, Reissue Jan 29, 2007
Country: UK
Released: 1992
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Indie Rock

TRAXS

                 

01. Driving    4:30
02. Beautiful Monster    2:22
03. Shiva Descending    4:05
04. My Minds Eye    3:23
05. I Come From The Sun    6:08
06. Field Of Tall Flowers    3:12
07. Always Near    3:22
08. Route 666    3:15
09. Mystery Plane    4:12
10. And All The Stars....    4:29

BONUS TRAXS

11. Magonia (B-side)    3:26
12. Too Much Time (B-side)    3:59
13. There Is No Enemy (B-side)    4:42
14. My Minds Eye (The Wind, The Bass, The Drums) (B-side)    3:09
15. Field Of Tall Flowers (Original Mix)    3:15
16. Driving (Original Mix)    4:33

LINE - UP

Bass – Kevin Bacon
Drums – Mik Glaisher
Keyboards – Andy Peake
Vocals, Guitar – Steve Fellows
Written-By – Peake, Bacon (tracks: 3, 6 to 10), Glaisher, Fellows

NOTES

"If I had to choose a favourite from our albums this would be it. We've put on 6 extra tracks and slightly re-sequenced it as the original track order was meant for vinyl." 
Steve Fellows 

Flac Size: 423 MB

Various: Return Of The Creeps (The Singles) 2000

 

One of the first and most influential independent record labels in Greece, Creep Records, which was founded in Athens in 1982, played a major role in the circulation of music, counterculture, and ideas. Its short but rich catalog featured some of the most important bands of the domestic new wave, post punk, and dark wave scenes. In just four years, Creep released a series of iconic albums, which to this day remain works of priceless emotional and historical value. On the other hand, it is impressive that the bands have their own material, promoting this and not any possible covers, quickly gaining a foothold, playing regularly in the clubs of the time (Aretousa, Sofita, Kyttaro, Pegasos, etc.) and creating a small, but fanatical audience, which would support, to the extent possible, the discography, despite wider suspicion.
                                   

Various – Return Of The Creeps - The Singles
Label: FM Records – FM 8226, Ήχος & Hi-Fi – 49/323, Creep Records – none
Format: CD, Compilation, Reissue
Country: Greece
Released: 2000
Genre: Rock, Pop
Style: Post-Punk, New Wave 

TRAXS

                     

01. Metro Decay – Κειμήλια = Treasures   4:26
Performer – Αντ. Μανιάτης, Γ. Μανιάτης, Κ. Μάστορης
02. Clown – Κλόουν = Clown   3:5
Performer – Γ. Αναστασόπουλος, Ευ. Τσιπούρας, Η. Αναστασόπουλος, Πην. Λάππα
03. Yell-O-Yell – Imitation Of The Real   1:30
Performer – Ευάγ. Καζιλιέρης, Φιλώτας Βασκαλής, Χαρ. Κυρκιλής
04. Villa 21 – Move   5:44
Performer – Άννα Ποθουλάκη, Ανδ. Παπαδόπουλος, Κ. Ποθουλάκης, Μπ. Δαλίδης
05. Headleaders – Voices   2:15
Performer – Σπ. Φάρος, Ιωσήφ Μπασελιέ, Λάκης Χαλκιόπουλος, Φρανκ Βακούλας
06. The Reporters – I Wanna Know   4:03
Performer – Γ. Ρουμάνης, Κ. Ποθουλάκης, Χρυσ.Μουράτογλου, Π. Καραμικές, Σ. Σταθόπουλος
07. Clown – Λευκά Κελλιά = White Cells   4:35
Performer – Γ. Αναστασόπουλος, Ευ.Τσιπούρας, Ηλ. Αναστασόπουλος, Πην. Λάππα
08. Metro Decay – Σκιές = Shadows   3:25
Performer – Αν. Μανιάτης, Γ. Μανιάτης, Κ. Μάστορης
09. Yell-O-Yell – Crow's Complaint   4:30
Performer – Ευάγ. Καζιλιέρης, Φιλ. Βασκαλής, Χαρ. Κυρκιλής
10. Villa 21 – My Last Chance   3:35
Performer – Άννα Ποθουλάκη, Ανδ. Παπαδόπουλος, Κ. Ποθουλάκης, Μπ. Δαλίδης
11. Art Of Parties – Central Room   3:55
Performer – Αθαν. Οικονόμου, Κ. Κυριακίδης, Παν. Βασιλάκης
Performer, Music By [Uncredited], Lyrics By [Uncredited] – Δημ. Βασιλάκης
12. Headleaders – Her Ways Are Cold   2:50
Performer – Σπ. Φάρος, Ιωσήφ Μπασελιέ, Λάκης Χαλκιόπουλος, Φρανκ Βακούλας
13. The Reporters – Computer World   3:40
Performer – Γ. Ρουμάνης, Κ. Ποθουλάκης, Χρυσ. Μουράτογλου, Παρ. Καραμικές, Σόλων Σταθόπουλος
14. Art Of Parties – Last Time   4:30
Performer – Δημ. Βασιλάκης, Κ. Κυριακίδης
Performer, Music By [Uncredited], Lyrics By [Uncredited] – Αθαν. Οικονόμου, Παν. Βασιλάκης
15. Headleaders – I'm Living Like A Fool   4:00
Performer – Σπ. Φάρος, Ιωσήφ Μπασελιέ, Λάκης Χαλκιόπουλος, Φρανκ Βακούλας
16. Villa 21 – I See No!   5:05
Performer – Άννα Ποθουλάκη, Ανδ. Παπαδόπουλος, Κ. Ποθουλάκης, Μπ. Δαλίδης
17. Yell-O-Yell – Shoot The Truth   6:30
Performer – Ευάγ. Καζιλιέρης, Φιλώτας Βασκαλής, Χαρ. Κυρκιλής

NOTES

Track 1 title is not actually translated, but loosly transliterated. The correct word could be 'heirlooms" or "relics".
Track 3 title is incorrectly listed as "Immitation Of The Real".

METRO DECAY

New Wave group formed in Athens, Greece, in 1981. The group was founded by Costas Mastoris

(Κώστας Μάστορης, keyboards) and Yannis Maniatis (Γιάννης Μανιάτης, drums), with Maniatis' younger brother Antonis (Αντώνης Μανιάτης, vocals, guitar), as well as Yannis Rodites (bass) soon joining in. Their first public appearance took place at the Kyttaro club in the spring of 1982 in Athens. Their major break-through came in September, in the legendary 3-Day festival at Sporting Stadium, supporting The Birthday Party, in front of a very hostile audience. After that Roditis left the band, joining Magic De Spell. The group vowed to continue as a trio, writing completely new songs. Around

that time, Babis Dallidis of Creep Records (2) heard about them, and suggested they do a single for his label. In March 1983, the single "Κimilia / Skies" was released.  In 1984, their first and only full-length album was released, again by Creep Records, which had been recorded in November 1983. The first album by the band Metro Decay was titled ''Transcendence''. This is a landmark album in the Greek rock scene. The album includes eight tracks, three of which are instrumental. 

CLOWN

In 1983, their first and only album was released. It

was a 7'' vinyl "Clown / White Cells", with two songs ("Clown" and "White Cells"), which was released by the historic "Creep Records". In the song "White Cells", the lyrics conveyed the meaning of the white cells of Stammheim, in the isolation of everyday life. The band Clown was one of the most

distinctive bands of the underground Greek music scene. With their intelligent compositions, combination of new wave, post-punk and more general alternative elements, as well as their unique lyrics, the group still exudes mystery and interest to this day.

YELL-O-YELL

They formed in 1982 in Athens, Greece. One of the darkest band of the greek post punk scene . Later

the bassist of Headleaders (and also member of Rehearsed Dreams) participated at the band. They made a lot of appearances along with Headleaders and Villa 21. They were the first group that signed at the legendary Creep Records. Between 1982 and 1983 they released the 7" "Shoot The Truth" with three tracks and a mini lp titled "Funtime". In 1984 they released the lp "Hello Hell" again on Creep Records,

and in ' 86 the lp ΧΙΙ-13 from Smash Records. (The other greek post punk label which released only 3 Lp's). The drummer of the band on lp ΧΙΙ-13 was Andreas Ferdianakis. Ex member of punk band "ex humans" and later member of "south of no north" and be bop jungle (The other greek post punk label which released only 3 Lp's). Unfortunately the singer / guitarist Fill Scars died in early 90's from drugs overdose. 

VILLA 21

This is one of the greatest bands made in Greece... Αt the end of 1981 Kostas Pothoulakis (former

member of " Parthenogenesis " ) and Adda Labara formed Villa 21. The punk and the new wave experience of pothoulakis in "Parthenogenesis" and "The Reporters " along with the music influences of the rest of band's members created the final sound of Villa 21. Villa 21, Their first appearrance was at "sofita" club in 1982. In 1984 supported Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and in 1987 "Membranes" and "Wipers". At Creep Records released their first single (1982) called "villa 21", also the single "move"

(1983) and on the same year the Lp "A Ghost On The Move". Also in October 1988, "Wipe Out Records" will release an EP, in 1000 copies, with four songs, by the group Villa 21, entitled ''House Of The Damned''. The recording of the album ''House Of The Damned'' took place at Blue Moon Studios on July 9, 10 and 11, 1988. The album moves on more rock paths than what we were accustomed to from the band ''Villa 21'' in their early years and was one of the independent albums that crossed the

Greek borders and sold satisfactorily abroad (America and Europe), garnering significant reviews from the Greek and international press. Also participated in "World Class Punk" tape compilation of "Roir records" They released some more records but they changed gradually their music style to garage punk. The band disbanted in 1991. In 1993 Kostas Pothoulakis was killed in a car accident.

HEADLEADERS

Post-punk group formed in Kypseli, Athens (Greece), in 1981 by teenagers Lakis Halkiopoulos

(guitar, vocals, songwriter), Josef Bachelier (drums, vocals) and Frank Vacula (vocals). After a few months of rehearsing, they recorded 3 songs, with Spyros Faros joining in on bass. The single "Voices" was released in 1982 by Creep Records (2). After that Vacula had to leave the band, for his (mandatory) army service. The group frequently played in Athens underground club 'Sofita' alongside

fellow Creep bands, Yell-O-Yell and Villa 21. After releasing their debut album "What It Means To Me", they disbanded in late 1983. Faros went on to form Rehearsed Dreams (and also played with Yell-O-Yell), Bachelier played with Next To Nothing (2), and Halkiopoulos played in Fade (14) (aka Secondhand Daylights). Halkiopoulos and Bachelier also formed the project Folder#9 in 1999 (playing in a different style than before). Josef Bachelier died in 2006. Spyros Faros passed away in 2022.

THE REPORTERS

A few gems made it amidst the anemic Greek new-wave scene, like this debut by the Reporters,

offering a neat compromise between angst and accessibility. formed in early 80s. Band member kostas Pothoulakis also participated in other bands like "Parthenogenesis" (the first new wave band in greece) and Villa 21. They released a 7" in 1982 and the lp "Bare hands" in 1983. In true new-wave fashion, "Fear" combines tight danceable grooves along with tense, In true new-wave fashion, "Fear" combines tight danceable grooves along with tense, claustrophobic synthesizers. Their sound becomes even more

effective with "You And I" - which alternates between slow and fast tempos and is garnished with tormented sound-effects. "Bare Hands" is the best yet, built around a progressive structure: at first a slow-motion cold-funk, which then gets really tormented with a synthesizer deviation, before it embarks in a cyclonic journey of frozen agony. 

ART OF PARTIES

A band somewhere between new wave and new romantics, they formed in the early 80s in Athens, Greece, and took their name from a track out of the "Tin Drum" album by the British band Japan. In

early 1980, schoolmates Θανάσης (classically trained guitarist) and Παντελής (self-taught multi-instrumentalist) started jam sessions in the Athens suburbs of Nea Smyrni and Palaio Faliro, trying to indoctrinate each other into their favorite artists (Van Der Graaf Generator, Peter Hammill, & Peter Gabriel VS The Beatles, Bowie, & The Jam). About a year in, schoolmate Γιώργος Ορφανουδάκης, who was working at an Athens record store at the time, joined in on drums. His broad exposure to all kinds of new music (Talking Heads, Medium Medium, Echo and the Bunnymen, Japan, Roxy Music, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Specials, and many more) and the addition of Δημήτρης on bass were a defining influence to the band's aesthetic, an influence that followed them for years to come. They performed ~a dozen of gigs, mainly at outdoor mini festivals and private houses, before they were

approached by Μπάμπης Δαλίδης of Creep Records in 1983. Γιώργος was replaced by Κώστας Κυριακίδης, another Nea Smyrni native and the most experienced performer in the band at the time, as the rehearsals for the upcoming recording sessions were getting under way. There are no Art Of Parties recordings available with Γιώργος Ορφανουδάκης on drums. Γιώργος has since owned and operated various restaurants, exhibition spaces, and nightlife spots in Athens, including the famous Stavlos in Θησείον. He continued drumming with The Brush, a garage band, from 1985 to 1992, and then again from 2005 to 2012. He currently runs at Aplika in Nea Smyrni.

Flac Size: 812 MB

The Confederate Dead: Acetate 2013 + It Was Meant To Happen 2022 + Flamingo 2023

 

"The Confederate Dead" can refer to two things: the actual deceased soldiers of the Confederate States

of America from the American Civil War, and a band named The Confederate Dead. The band, active in the late 2000s and early 2010s, played psychedelic rock music. Their name is likely a reference to the historical concept of Confederate soldiers who perished in the war. 
                   

Formed in 2008 in Portsmouth by Butchy Davy, Tomas Clifford, Ashley Page, Tom Day and Vernon Grech, they made their mark on the London music scene. Their music, which draws influence from the

psychedelic movement of the 1960s, is a kaleidoscope of swirling guitars, eerie vocals and hypnotic rhythms. They have influences ranging from sixties psychedelia to Islamic prayer and back to neo/psych drone and you can hear hints of their eclectic influences such as Galaxie 500, The Asteroid No.4 and Joy Division.
                        

The listener is invited to explore this labyrinth of emotions, to follow the path from sadness to hope, despair to resilience. They read the environment, they are deeply aware of what is happening around

them and they try to convey it to the audience. Their lyrics want to shake, to provoke thought and reflection in an apathetic and indifferent world. They combine elements of rock with the sounds of psychedelia in a masterful way, which expands and awakens the mind.
They transcend the boundaries of the rock and psychedelia genres as well as the music industry and create exciting works by diving into uncharted musical waters. 
                     

Songs of color and death, with influences ranging from 60s psychedelia to Islamic prayer and Neo Psych/Drone as well as Galaxie 500, The Doors, Joy Division and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The

Confederate Dead are the epitome of psychedelic rock. The Confederate Dead's distinct fusion of rock and psychedelia produces a surreal aural experience that carries listeners into another planet. Their music is an auditory voyage that transports you to a surreal world of psychedelic sounds and alluring lyrics. The band distinguishes itself from its contemporaries by combining elements of rock with the mind-expanding sounds of psychedelia. 
                      

The Confederate Dead have made a name for themselves in the music business with their distinctive

brand of Psychedelic Rock and thought-provoking lyrics. Some of their best songs, such as "Where Flowers Grow," "You're So High (When You, Cry)," and "Acid Tongue," have won them praise from the critics and a devoted following. It is evident that The Confederate Dead's music had a lasting impact on listeners and will continue to do so for years to come.
                               

LINE - UP
                      

Butchy Davy 
Tomas Clifford 
Jessica Spencer 
Ashley Page 
Tom Day 
Vernon Grech

THE CONFEDERATE DEAD - ACETATE 2013

                          

Opening with "Tangerine Eye" they waste no time in asserting their intent for the record, with hazy

vocals that make you sit up and listen closer and an infectious guitar riff that hooks instantly, this will appeal to anyone with any kind of psychedelic inclinations. A haunting guitar comes into play and alongside the staccato accompaniment, they make a heady concoction. 
                       

The Confederate Dead – Acetate
Label: Not On Label (The Confederate Dead Self-released) – none
Format: CDr, Album
Country: UK
Released: 2017
Genre: Rock
Style: New Psychedelic, Alternative
    
TRACKS

                          

01. Tangerine Eye    3:37
02. Black Noise    3:47
03. She's Not Right    3:53
04. Say Goodbye    2:38
05. Take Your Time    3:44
06. Sartre    2:47
07. Get Out    2:49
08. Charun Pahul    2:26
09. Crimson Memory    4:38
10. No Need To Hide    6:25

Flac Size: 247 MB

THE CONFEDERATE DEAD - IT WAS MEANT TO HAPPEN 2022

                    

It Was Meant To happen  is aptly named, as the music it covers is far reaching. Anyone with any interest in psychedelia should listen to this LP, the way the genre is traversed could be messy, but The Confederate Dead do it with mastery. The Confederate Dead have enthralled audiences in the UK and

abroad with their contagious enthusiasm and untapped ability. The freedom and rebelliousness in their music invites listeners to embrace their inner hallucinogenic selves. Rock's potential to break down barriers and produce profoundly transcendent experiences is demonstrated by The Confederate Dead's music. This record goes from apocalyptic crunch on tracks like 'Man Ray' and '79,52…..' to cavernous swagger such as 'You're So High (When You Cry)' through to stoned afternoons amongst the flora on 'Where Flowers Grow'
                   

The Confederate Dead – It Was Meant To Happen (2022)
Label: Flower Power Records – FLOWER02D
Format: CD File
Country: UK
Released: Apr 29, 2022
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Indie Rock, Space Rock

TRACKS

                         

01. Already Dead    3:30
02. Lo-Fi    3:38
03. You're So High (When You Cry)    4:51
04. Need To Know    2:31
05. 79,52    4:33
06. Man Ray    3:07
07. Where Flowers Grow    4:22
08. How I Feel    5:08
09. Fascination    3:36
10. The Girl I Never Knew    2:48

BONUS TRACKS

11. Alteration    1:56
12. Have You Ever Thought    4:38
13. Someone Else Instead    3:04
14. Slip Inside    2:18
15. Daisy    2:33
16. She Low, She High    4:11
17. I know, It's Not Right    3:35
18. A Letter To You    2:34
19. The Lady Of Versaille    2:35
20. Fade    5:27

NOTES

The Confederate Dead debut album 'It Was Meant To Happen' contained only 10 tracks, originally released back in 2012
This is a new remastered version of the album released via Flower Power Records in April 2022, containing 10 new, never before released bonus tracks (20 tracks in total)

Flac Size: 422 MB

THE CONFEDERATE - FLAMINGO 2023

                    

Flamingo' is not just an album; it is a voyage through the labyrinth of heartache and healing. Each track resonates with the overarching theme of the album, yet each presents a unique interpretation of it. Every

song echoes the same meaning, the same core narrative, but from a different emotional lens. The listener is invited to explore this kaleidoscope of feelings, making their way from sorrow to hope, despair to resilience. The decision to name it 'Flamingo' was made long before the album cover was finalized. Fate, it seems, conspired to bring us to a picturesque Italian seaside town, Gatteo a Mare, where a hotel called 'Flamingo' stood as a beacon on the coastline. 
                      

As the azure waves lapped the golden sand, and the setting sun painted the sky with its warm hues, the

vibrant 'Flamingo' hotel became a spectacle to behold. Our dear friend and accomplished photographer Maximillian Hetherington was with us during this trip. Maximillian had also shot our debut album cover 'It Was Meant To Happen,' and once again, his lens captured the magic of the moment. 'Flamingo' is not just an album but a tes'mony of resilience, a testament to the human ability to stand tall amidst life's turbulence, embodying the graceful balance of the flamingo.

The Confederate Dead – Flamingo
Label: Up In Her Room – UIHR015, Little Cloud Records – LC-083
Format: Album, Limited Edition
Country: UK, Europe & US
Released: Jun 16, 2023
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Alternative

TRACKS

                  

01. Let Love Go
02. It's Too Late
03. Misery
04. It's Always You
05. Unhappy
06. Love Is What You Make Of It (When It Dies)
07. My Love, I Try
08. Something Neu
09. I Am Nothing (I Can Be)
10. See & Feel The Light

Flac Size: 236 MB