CXXXV. Rose McDowall | Cut With The Cake Knife

ROSE McDOWALL

Cut With The Cake Knife

©Bad Fairy Productions. UK, 2004.

‟McDowall’s first venture into music was in The Poems, an art- punk trio formed in 1978 with her then-husband Drew McDowall. She formed Strawberry Switchblade in 1981 with Jill Bryson. After signing with Warner Bros. Records they enjoyed chart success with their single “Since Yesterday” in 1984, however later singles and an album did not sell as well as expected. This and internal problems lead to an acrimonious split in 1986. 

For the next six years Rose was primarily a guest vocalist or “floating member” of several different alternative bands. She contributed backing or lead vocals for Coil, Current 93, Death in June, Felt, Alex Fergusson, Into A Circle, Megas, Nature and Organisation, Nurse With Wound, Ornamental, Psychic TV, and Boyd Rice on recordings as well as singing or playing guitar for live appearances. In 1993 she collaborated with Boyd Rice under the band name Spell producing 2 singles and an album of 1960s style pop, country and psychedelia covers for Mute Records .

At the same time she formed a folk rock band called Sorrow with then-husband Robert Lee. Between 1993 and 2001 they released two albums and one EP through World Serpent Distribution and performed in Europe and the U.S. During this time McDowall continued to record and perform with Current 93 and Coil, including the short lived group Rosa Mundi. Robert Lee left the band in 2002. Rose and her remaining bandmates continued to perform under the name until 2005 when she began performing under her own name.

McDowall is best known as a vocalist but also plays guitar, keyboards, melodica, and drums. Her signature instruments are a Washburn 12 string acoustic guitar, a Fender Coronado electric 6 string guitar, and an electric harmonium.‟

Creepyinsight

 

CXXXIII. Current 93 | Earth Covers Earth

CURRENT 93

Earth Covers Earth

©Durtro. UK, 1992.

‟As most of you know by now, I'm a wee bit of a C93 obsessive.  Well this album is to blame for that I'm afraid, this was my introduction to their warped and twisted world.  Not an album I'd recommend as a starting point, but a damn fine listen nonetheless, this album was released when C93 were still trying to find their folky feet, and David Tibet was trying to discover his true voice.

The original release is only 6 tracks long, starting with versions of "The Dilly Song", a simple nursery rhyme, sung unaccompanied.  "Hourglass" makes two appearances, one narrated/sung by David Tibet, one narrated by a child's voice.  The lyrics are from a 17th century poem by John Hall, showing that Tibet yet wasn't really confident in using his own poetry, but also using Hall's words perfectly to deliver his message.  The only genuine C93 classic from this original set of tracks, is "Rome (for Douglas P)", a live favourite still, a folky singalong of a song, which would have graced an album such as Thunder Perfect Mind.

The additional tracks on the CD version, really make this release the 5 star release that it is.  The two versions of "At the Blue Gates of Death" are both essential, beautiful recordings.  One version is a shorter, paranoid vision of a song, with grinding backwards bass, the other, a gorgeous happy ode to a life well lived, you can feel the sun shining on your face as Rose McDowall's backing vocals perfectly complement Tibet's relaxed delivery.  "God Has Three Faces and Wood Has no Name", "She is Dead and all Fall Down" are two more slightly bonkers tracks, which would both fit perfectly on TPM.
Final track "The Dream Moves of the Sleeping King" really has no place on this, or any other C93 album.  That's not to say it's worthless, far from it, but it really is a Nurse with Wound style track, a long surreal melange of sounds, I can't see Tibet having had much input on it, it sounds practically all Stapleton to me.‟

DarknessFish



 

CXXVII. Sorrow | Under The Yew Possessed

SORROW

Under The Yew Possessed

©Piski Disk. UK, 1993.

‟Sorrow is an English-based band that is the brain child of Rose McDowall, once known as one half of the 80s pop duo, Strawberry Switchblade. Rose's first band was called The Poems, an experimental three piece based in her hometown of Glasgow. While still with The Poems, Rose also joined with Jill Bryson as Strawberry Switchblade. The Poems released one EP entitled Achieving Unity, but they broke up shortly after its release, when Strawberry Switchblade began to gain popularity. Switchblade's top-five hit, "Since Yesterday," is featured on many 80s compilations, and still receives considerable club and radio play. Switchblade disbanded in 1986.

Since 1985, Rose has worked with many other bands, including Current 93, Coil, Death In June, Felt, and Psychic TV. Through the years Rose has carried on working in a more experimental vein, and ultimately formed SORROW, releasing their first LP, "Under The Yew Possessed", in 1993. They have since produced: "Sleep Now Forever" (1999), "Final Solstice" (1999), and "Let There Be Thorns" (2001).‟

Wassonii

CXXIII. Boyd Rice And Friends | Music, Martinis, And Misanthropy

BOYD RICE AND FRIENDS

Music, Martinis, And Misanthropy

©NER. UK, 1990.

‟I’ve been amused, confused and infused with the works and ideology of Boyd Rice. I’ve never been able to decide if Mr. Rice was as dark as the character he presents himself or if he was simply playing devil’s advocate, but I’d like believe that within all his proclamations that he was being honest, and that I wasn’t wrong for agreeing with him. I’ve always enjoyed his spoken-word messages because it wasn’t free-love hipsters preaching socialism. Combined with the moody, beautiful guitar ambience of Douglas P., Boyd Rice is given the chance to  really bring sense of calmness to the ears, allowing full hypnosis while his gentle voice encourages you to indulge on hate, take notice at life’s ugliness and except that most people are useless. The perfect example of this method at use is the track people. As well as being a ‘Boyd Rice and Friends’ classic, this song really exemplifies the subject matter, the intent, and the methods of this instigating poet. Along with help by Michael Moynihan, and the angelic vocals of Rose McDowall this is truly an intriguing record with infectious sounds capes, provocative commentary, and a sense of taboo enjoyment that anyone can love to hate. Boyd Rice and Friends is a classic example of what happens when you bring together a bunch or angry men sporting facist wardrobes, dark music and apparently hate everybody.‟

Deathmetaltyler