The Raincoats: Discography 1979 - 1983

 

All-female British band whose D.I.Y. approach and experimental sound defied categorization, influencing everything from indie rock to twee pop. The Raincoats are a British punk band formed

in 1977. They were founded by Ana da Silva (vocals, guitar) and Gina Birch (vocals, bass) while the two were students at Hornsey College of Art in London. Other prominent members have included Vicky Aspinall (violin, vocals, keyboards), Palmolive (drums), and Richard Dudanski (drums). Signed to the label Rough Trade, the band released three albums in their early incarnation: The Raincoats (1979), Odyshape (1981), and Moving (1984). They reformed in 1993 and released the album Looking in the Shadows in 1996. 
                                      

One of the more unusual bands to rise from the British punk explosion of the 1970s, the Raincoats were post-punk before punk's first act had fully played out; they had little interest in the speed or

velocity of the Clash or the Sex Pistols, instead embracing a more open and dynamic approach which incorporated purposefully chaotic arrangements that made the members' lack of instrumental experience a virtue rather than a drawback. They also occasionally employed acoustic instruments (particularly violin) as well as percussion that showed influences of reggae and world music, and sang lyrics that dealt with feminism and personal politics in a direct yet non-dogmatic manner. 
                                     

On 21 November 1979, Rough Trade released the band's self-titled debut album. Palmolive had left the band in September, shortly before The Raincoats came out, and teenager Ingrid Weiss joined the

band on drums. The Raincoats' second album, Odyshape, was released in 1981 and featured Weiss as well as drumming contributions from Dudanski, Robert Wyatt (Soft Machine), and Charles Hayward (This Heat). The Raincoats employed a diverse selection of cheap second-hand instruments such as the balophone, kalimba and gamelan on Odyshape, and the album incorporated British folk, dub basslines, polyrhythmic percussion and elements of free jazz among other world music influences. Its eclectic mix of musical genres has been described as one of the "great lost moments of women-in-rock".
                            

In 1994, Birch and de Silva assembled a new version of the Raincoats and recorded an EP, Extended

Play, which appeared on Smells Like Records (a label founded by Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley), and they followed with a full-length album, 1996's Looking in the Shadows, which was released by DGC in America and Rough Trade in Europe.
                   

 

                                                   

STUDIO ALBUMS 1979 - 1984
                                       

The Raincoats (1979, Rough Trade) – No. 5
Odyshape (1981, Rough Trade) – No. 5
Moving (1984, Rough Trade) – No. 5

01.  THE RAINCOATS - THE RAINCOATS 1979

                            

Picking the "best" Raincoats is more an intellectual exercise than it is a work of thoughtful criticism. So,

to make it easy for the benighted, all three studio releases are absolutely essential. Their live cassette is wonderful, but not the ideal entry point. Better yet, start with their debut, a soaring, daring, avant-garde-influenced folk-punk record. Don't let the words "avant-garde" scare you off; the Raincoats are not harsh or unapproachable. In fact, this music, even at its most dissonant, is stunning and captivating. There's a great cover of the Kinks' "Lola" that's so skewed and obtuse, Ray Davies probably never dreamed it could sound this way. Reissued by Geffen on CD with extra tracks in 1995. 

                                    

The Raincoats – The Raincoats
Label: Rough Trade – R3022
Format: CD, Album, Reissue
Country: UK
Released :1993
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, New Wave

TRAXS

                                  

01. Fairytale In The Supermarket    2:55
02. No Side To Fall In    1:46
03. Adventures Close To Home    1:52
04. Off Duty Trip    3:14
05. Black And White   2:28
Saxophone – Lora Logic    
06. Lola   4:01
Lyrics By, Music By – Ray Davies    
07. The Void   3:51
Lyrics By – Ross Crighton, The Raincoats    
08. Life On The Line    4:21
09. You're A Million    3:38
10. In Love   3:11
Lyrics By [From A Poem] – Jacques Prévert
Lyrics By [Translated And Adapted] – The Raincoats    
11. No Looking    3:16

LINE - UP

                            

Vocals, Bass – Gina Birch
Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards – Ana Da Silva
Vocals, Violin, Guitar – Vicky Aspinall
Drums – Palmolive

NOTES

This 1st CD edition includes one track (track #1) from the 7" 'Fairytale In The Supermarket' not included in the original LP released on Rough Trade Records in 1979.

Flac Size: 216 MB

02.  THE RAINCOATS - ODYSHAPE 1981

                           

It was the late Kurt Cobain (with some help from labelmates Sonic Youth) who initiated Geffen's reissue of the Raincoats' catalog. And listening to Odyshape, it's easy to see why Cobain loved them

so. There's an emotional directness about these songs that hooks you from the start. Mostly you hear about emotions and situations, sometimes indirectly, almost as if you are eavesdropping on a conversation. Then it hits you: it's almost like you're talking to old friends. That's the way the Raincoats' music works: it's deceptively simple, but extremely complicated. Also, as on this record, it makes demands of the listener. But songs like "Red Shoes" and "Dancing in My Head" say this far more eloquently. 
                                     

The Raincoats – Odyshape
Label: DGC – DGCD-24623
Format: CD, Album, Reissue Mar 1, 1994
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Post-Punk, Experimental
 
TRAXS

                             

01. Shouting Out Loud   4:54
Bass – Gina
Drums – Ingrid Weiss
Guitar [Guitars] – Ana, Vicky
Violin, Backing Vocals [Backing Vocal] – Vicky
Vocals [Vocal], Shruti Box [Scruti Box] – Ana
02. Family Treet   4:12
Bass [Bowed Bass] – Gina
Drum [Hand Drum], Claves – Ana
Drums – Charles Hayward
Vocals [Vocal], Violin, Piano – Vicky    
03. Only Loved At Night   3:32
Bass – Vicky
Guitar – Gina
Kalimba, Vocals [Vocal], Acoustic Guitar – Ana
Percussion – Ana, Charles Hayward    
04. Dancing In My Head   5:26
Bass – Ana
Cello – Georgie Born
Piano – Vicky
Shanai – Kadir Durvesh
Timpani [Timpanis], Percussion [Skulls], Claves, Balafon [Balaphon] – Richard Dudanski
Vocals [Vocal] – Gina    
05. Odyshape   3:37
Bass – Ana
Drums – Ingrid
Guitar [Guitars] – Gina, Vicky
Vocals [Vocal] – Gina
Voice [Unison Voices] – Ana, Gina, Vicky    
06. And Then It's O.K.   3:05
Balafon [Balaphon], Bass, Voice [Spoken Voice] – Gina
Drums – Robert Wyatt
Finger Cymbals [Finger Cymbal] – Ingrid
Guitar [Guitars] – Ana, Vicky
Words By – Caroline Scott    
07. Baby Song   4:54
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Vicky
Bass, Vocals [Vocal] – Gina
Drums, Percussion – Charles Hayward
Ektare – Dick O'Dell
Voice [Other Voices] – Ana, Gina, Vicky    
08. Red Shoes   2:51
Guitar, Bass, Vocals [Vocal], Percussion, Harmonica – Ana
Violin – Vicky    
09. Go Away   2:23
Bass – Gina
Drums – Charles Hayward
Guitar, Vocals [Vocal] – Ana
Violin – Vicky
Voice [Other Voices] – Ana, Gina
    

LINE - UP

                               

Gina Birch - Bass, Vocals
Ana Da Silva - Guitar, Vocals
Vicky Aspinall - Violin

NOTES

Reissue of LP originally released on Rough Trade Records in 1981.
Recorded at Bob's Berry St. Studio between 1980-81 "over a period of weeks."

Flac Size: 216 MB

03.  THE RAINCOATS - MOVING 1984

                         

What a wonderful cacophony of sounds! The Raincoats' last record (until their reunion EP of 1996) is a triumph of excitement and intensity equaling that of their previous studio work. Some of these songs are

from the live tape and are in sharper (and I'd say better) form here. Yet another important record by one of the most important bands of the post-punk era. Reissued by Geffen with extra tracks in 1995. When preparing the album for reissue in 1994, the group's core members elected to remove one song written by Vicki Aspinall, 'Honey Mad Woman', and two written and sung by drummer Richard Dudanski, 'Avidoso' and 'Dreaming in the Past'. The album was reissued in 1993 by Geffen Records, inspired by Kurt Cobain's public praise for the group.
                                           

The Raincoats – Moving
Label: Rough Trade – R3062
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1994
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave

TRAXS

                        

01. No One's Little Girl    4:28
02. Ooh Ooh La La La    3:06
03. Dance Of Hopping Mad    5:31
04. Balloon    4:34
05. Mouth Of A Story    3:13
06. I Saw A Hill    3:02
07. Overheard    4:29
08. Rainstorm    4:30
09. The Body    3:33
10. Animal Rhapsody    4:29

LINE - UP

                       

Vicky Aspinall - vocals, organ, bass, piano, violin
Gina Birch - vocals, bass, guitar, vibraphone
Ana da Silva - vocals, guitar, percussion

WITH

Harry Beckett - trumpet, flugelhorn
Richard Dudanski - percussion, drums, balafon
Michael McEvoy - synthesiser bass on "Animal Rhapsody", horn arrangements
Paddy O'Connell - bass, tenor saxophone, penny whistle
Derek Goddard - percussion, bongos, conga, drums
Roger Freeman - percussion
Chris "C.P." Lee - trumpet
Mgotse Mothie - double bass

Flac Size: 270 MB

Area: Discography 1973 - 1978

 

Area most commonly known as Area or AreA, are an Italian progressive rock, jazz rock, electronic, experimental group formed in 1972 by singer Demetrio Stratos and drummer Giulio Capiozzo.

They are considered one of the most respected, innovative and important bands of the blooming 1970s Italian progressive rock scene. Area's uncompromising blend of jazz-rock, ethnic folk, experimentation, and political philosophies made them a unique presence in Italy during the 1970s. Fronting the band's musical fusion was singer Demetrio Stratos, who embellished his own operatic technique with yodels and growls. Stratos died in 1979, and the remaining members disbanded after releasing one instrumental album. 
                            

Efstratios Dimitriou (Greek: Ευστράτιος Δημητρίου; 22 April 1945 – 13 June 1979), known professionally as Demetrio Stratos, was a Greek-Italian vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist

and music researcher, best known as the co-founder, frontman and lead singer of the Italian progressive rock band Area. Born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt, of Greek parents, he studied piano and accordion at the "National Conservatoire". In 1957 he was sent to Nicosia, Cyprus, and, at the age of 17, moved to Milan, Italy, to attend the Politecnico di Milano University at the Architecture Faculty, where he formed his first musical group. In 1967, Demetrio Stratos joined the Italian beat band I Ribelli, and in 1972, founded Area. 
                          

Vocal gimmicks aside, Stratos' mission was to free vocal expression from the slavery of language and

pretty melodies. From the observation of his daughter Anastassia, he concluded that humans have enormous expressive potential that is progressively reduced to just a few socially appropriate functions during verbal development, such as language and harmonic singing. He considered the exploration of vocal potential as a tool of psychological and political liberation. He, literally, wanted individuals and social groups to find their own voice.
                            

Stratos grasped the semantic increase produced by the voice. It is not only in function of the meanings but

it is its own primal mode of body expression. The voice has a communicative meaning by itself which deserves to be listened to regardless of the meanings it may convey. The signifier "voice" becomes semiogenetic, that is producer of new signification when verifying it in its bare essence, in its "phoné". The "magic" sound of voice is independent from meanings, so Stratos produces sounds without codified meanings, which yet create new possible worlds. 
                             

The band was formed in 1972 by various musicians who had experience in pop, avant-garde, and jazz groups. The band consisted of Demetrio Stratos (born 1945, Alexandria, Egypt; died June 13, 1979,

NY - voice, organ, harpsichord, percussion); Giulio Capiozzo (born 1946, Boretto, Italy drums, percussion); and Patrizio Fariselli (born 1951, Cesenatico, Italy - piano, electric piano, bass clarinet, percussion, ARP synthesizer). Guitarist Johnny Lambizzi and bassist Victor Edouard Busniello were soon replaced by Giampaolo Tofani (born 1944, Florence - electric guitar, EMS guitar synthesizer, flute) and Patrick Erard Djivas (bass). 
                        

Manager Gianni Sassi signed the group to the independent Cramps label, and their debut, Arbeit

Macht Frei, was released in 1973. The album's bold title, cover imagery, and lyrical content were packaged as a protest of fascism, and by declaring themselves an "International POPular Group," Area gave new meaning to playing music for the people. Musically, the album showed the early influence of jazz rock acts like Soft Machine and Nucleus, with hints of folk music of the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and the Middle East. 
                       

In April 1979, Demetrio Stratos was diagnosed with a severe case of aplastic anemia. On 2 April, he was hospitalized at the Milan Polyclinic, but his condition deteriorated rapidly and he was transferred to

New York City Memorial Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, in Italy, his friends organized a concert to pay for his medical expenses. Many musicians accepted the invitation to perform, and the concert was planned for 14 June 1979. It was to become Demetrio Stratos' memorial concert, where over a hundred musicians played in front of an audience of 60,000 at the Arena of Milan, the first great and spontaneous reunion of youth in Italy. He died in New York City Memorial Hospital on 13 June 1979 at the age of thirty–four, while waiting for a bone marrow transplant (the official cause of death was a myocardial infarction, more commonly known as heart attack).
                         

ALBUMS WITH DEMETRIO STRATOS

                                

1973: Arbeit macht frei
1974: Caution Radiation Area
1975: Crac!
1975: Are(A)zione LIVE
1976: Maledetti (Maudits)
1978: 1978 Gli Dei Se Ne Vanno, Gli Arrabbiati Restano!

01.  AREA - CRAC! 1975

                            

Area's masterpiece, along with Arbeit Macht Frei, is remembered this time for the spoken word of "La

Mela di Odessa," intricate instrumentals like "Megalopoli," and the beautiful "Elelefante Bianco." The culmination of their artistry and accessibility, and of course, the famous "Gioia e Rivoluzione."
                               

Area – Crac!
Label: Cramps Records – CRSCD 003
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 1990
Country: Italy
Released: 1975    
Genre: Jazz, Rock
Style: Prog Rock, Experimental, Jazz-Rock

TRACKS

                                

01. L'Elefante Bianco    4:33
02. La Mela Di Odessa    6:27
03. Megalopoli    7:53
04. Nervi Scoperti    6:35
05. Gioia E Rivoluzione    4:40
06. Implosion    5:00
07. Area 5    2:09

LINE - UP

Demetrio Stratos - Vocals, Organ, Harpsichord [Clavicembalo], Steel Drums, Percussion
Ares Tavolazzi - Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass, Trombone  
Paolo Tofani - Electric Guitar, Synthesizer [Sintetizzatore E.M.S.], Flute 
Patrizio Fariselli - Electric Piano, Piano [Piano Acustico], Bass Clarinet, Percussion, Synthesizer [Sintetizzatore A.R.P.] 
Giulio Capiozzo - Percussion, Drums [Drums Slingerland]  

Flac Size: 244 MB

02.  AREA - ARE(A)ZIONE 1975

                        

Great live album... This is a ventilation of magical ideas in a small Area!!! Yes, my intro sentende is a true truth! Certainly Area are one of the best live bands because the magic of their live album are too better

that the magic of their studio album. In this case 'Are(A)zione' (the title is a game between Area, ventilation and action) is a sort of the best of. The power is cloearly Rock with tons of arrangements, heavy arrangements, also if not invadents. It is sure that the Prog & Jazz elements are not simple to describe because the Rock part dominates the rest of musical elements. But the particular voice of Demetrio Stratos and the particular melodic/ writing structure of the songs is typical of Prog. Today Area is a myth. Also for me! 
                                  

Area – Are(A)zione
Label: EMI – 7243 8 57427 2 9, Cramps Records – 7243 8 57427 2 9
Format: CD, Album, Reissue
Country: Italy
Released: 1998
Genre: Jazz, Rock
Style: Jazz-Rock, Avantgarde, Prog Rock

TRACKS

                                

01. Luglio, Agosto, Settembre (Nero)    4:25
02. La Mela Di Odessa    11:10
03. Cometa Rossa    5:40
04. Are(A)zione    14:37
05. L'Internazionale    3:20

LINE - UP

Vocals, Organ, Steel Drums, Percussion – Demetrio Stratos
Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass, Trombone, Trumpet [Pocket Trumpet] – Ares Tavolazzi
Electric Guitar, Synthesizer [E.m.s.] – Paolo Tofani
Electric Piano, Piano [Acoustic], Bass Clarinet, Percussion, Synthesizer [A.r.p.] – Patrizio Fariselli
Percussion, Drums [Slingerland] – Giulio Capiozzo

NOTES

Recorded live in Milan (Parco Lambro)

Flac Size: 263 MB

03.  AREA - MALEDETTI (MAUDITS) 1976

                             

Area's songs here are fucking exceptional, on a level of Arbeit Macht Frei and Crac. They're truly a band from outer space, somewhere between jazz, prog, Balkan rock, and everything in between. The Fariselli/Stratos dual keyboards are splendid. Still going strong on this album whereas most other bands were on a

decline already. After a hardly impressive first short track, a slight change in the sound can be heard: funky rhythms and more danceable beats have come! The bass is strong, drums have been adjusted, too. Clavinet is present and the groovy mood replaced the former fusion heavy spirit. Temporarily. "Gerontocrazia" has inredible fusion moments in its second half with fast keyboard solo. "Scum" contains elements of free jazz, especially on the piano, and brings the band to a new dimension. "Giro Giro Tondo" is the closest track reminiscent of their past with jazz bass, electric piano and busy fusion drums. 
                                     

Area – Maledetti (Maudits)
Label: Cramps Records – CRSCD 005
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 1994
Country: Italy
Released: 1976    
Genre: Jazz, Rock
Style: Avantgarde, Fusion, Prog Rock, Jazz-Rock

TRACKS

                            

01. Evaporazione   1:45
Electronics, Drums – Paolo Tofani
Instruments [Kazumba] – Eugenio Colombo    
02. Diforisma Urbano   6:18
Double Bass – Ares Tavolazzi
Drums – Walter Calloni
Electric Bass – Hugh Bullen
Soprano Saxophone – Steve Lacy
03. Gerontocrazia   7:30
Double Bass – Ares Tavolazzi
Soprano Saxophone – Steve Lacy
Txalaparta – Anton Arze, Josè Arze    
04. Scum   6:30
Bells, Electronics [Voice Filter] – Demetrio Stratos
Piano – Patrizio Fariselli
05. Il Massacro Di Brandeburgo Numero Tre In Sol Maggiore 2:20  
Double Bass – Giorgio Garulli
Viola – Armando Burattin
Violin – Umberto Benedetti Michelangeli
Violoncello – Paolo Salvi
06. Giro, Giro, Tondo   5:55
Drums – Walter Calloni
Electric Bass – Hugh Bullen
Percussion – Paul Lytton
Piano – Demetrio Stratos, Patrizio Fariselli    
07. Caos (Parte Seconda)   9:00
Percussion – Paul Lytton
Piano [Piano Preparato] – Patrizio Fariselli
Soprano Saxophone – Steve Lacy
    

EXTRA TRACK        

    
08. Intervista Di Massimo Villa A Stratos, Tofani, Fariselli   2:01    

 

LINE - UP

Voice – Demetrio Stratos (tracks: 1 to 4, 6, 7)
Electric Bass – Ares Tavolazzi (tracks: 2 to 4)
Electric Guitar – Paolo Tofani (tracks: 2, 3)
Electric Organ [Organo Hammond] – Demetrio Stratos (tracks: 2 to 4, 6)
Guitar – Paolo Tofani (tracks: 6, 7)
Synthesizer [Sinth. A.R.P. Odissey], Electric Piano – Patrizio Fariselli (tracks: 2 to 4, 6)
Synthesizer [Sinth. Tcherepnin] – Paolo Tofani (tracks: 2 to 4, 6, 7)

Flac Size: 240 MB

04.  AREA - GLI DEI SE NE VANNO, GLI ARRABBIATI RESTANO! 1978

                             

Of all the Italian bands emerged in the 70s, AREA remains the one whose musical proposal better stands

the test of time. This album manages, perhaps more than others, to reconcile the melody with the typical experimentalism of the jazz avant-garde of that time, all seasoned in Mediterranean sauce.
                             

Area – 1978 Gli Dei Se Ne Vanno, Gli Arrabbiati Restano!
Label: Urlo – 9031 74033-2, CGD – 9031 74033-2
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1992
Country: Europe
Released: 1978    
Genre: Jazz, Rock
Style: Jazz-Rock, Experimental, Prog Rock, Avantgarde

TRACKS

                          

01. Il Bandito Del Deserto    3:13
02. Interno Con Figure E Luci    4:07
03. Return From Workuta    3:02
04. Guardati Dal Mese Vicino All'Aprile!    5:12
05. Hommage A Violette Nozières    3:18
06. Ici On Dance!    3:27
07. Acrostico In Memoria Di Laio    6:12
08. "FFF" (Festa, Farina E Forca)    3:49
09. Vodka Cola (Choir – Clito)  7:27

LINE - UP

Demetrio Stratos - Vocals [Voce], Ocarina, Organ [Organo Positivo Dei Seicento], Synthesizer [Sintetizzatori Arp, Omni], Electric Piano [Piano Elettrico], Organ [Organo Hammond] – (tracks: 1 to 7, 9)
Giulio Capiozzo - Drums [Batteria Gretsch], Percussion, Balafon [Bailophone] – (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 9)
Ares Tavolazzi - Electric Bass [Basso Elettrico], Mandola, Vocals [Voce], Trombone, Trumpet [Pocket-trumpet], Contrabass [Contrabasso Acustico], Acoustic Guitar [Chitarra Acustico]
Composed By – Tavolazzi (tracks: 8, 9), Stratos (tracks: 1 to 6, 9), Capiozzo (tracks: 8, 9), Fariselli (tracks: 2, 7 to 9)
Patrizio Fariselli - Synthesizer [Sintetizzatori Arp, Pro-Soloist, Polymoog, Odyssey, Omni], Piano [Piano Acustico], Organ [Organo Positivo Dei Seicento] – (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6 to 9)

Flac Size: 218 MB

Area:  1973: Arbeit Macht Frei on Urban Aspirinres HERE
Area: 1974: Caution Radiation Area on Urban Aspirinres HERE