Radio Massacre International

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 1997
Being a recording of our appearance at the Klemdag Concert of October 1997 in Nijmegen, Holland, the recording, for a change, is from the band's own perspective rather than the straight-to-dat job that you usually've got. It's rough but captures the spirit of the event, sort of "fever pitch" rather than "high fidelity." Careful listening reveals the exchange of comments & c that our audience often see but seldom hear. Musically, there are three made-up-on-the-day pieces and a live preview of "Plastered In Paris," a piece which was first heard at Jodrell Bank on 30th August and which appears again on the "Organ Harvest" set, having finally been nailed down to our satisfaction.
 

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2008
Antisocial was recorded live at The Brudenell Social Club in Leeds in June 2005, and is released here for the first time. The title refers to the fact that we played at some volume, and for an uninterrupted hour and a half. The piece moved through several different sections which have been indexed and titled even though the piece is continuous. Other notable features of this performance were that one of Gary's speaker cabs had to be physically assaulted to calm it down, and Duncan managed to lose a filling mid-performance. The percussion set up included a baking tray full of pennies, all of which were subsequently donated to the Social Club's collection for much needed soundproofing.
 

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 1997
This is the accompanying CDR to their imminent Upstairs Downstairs album. As a pair they form a feast of live excerpts all beautifully merged together. The concerts on this CDR are all from the ‘95-’97 period when RMI were in prolific creative form and is a window on their totally improvised period, as opposed to the more structured approach which is emerging of late.
The opening track here is all of 58.29 minutes long, an expansive work charting 6 concerts. A nice touch is that the track does include index points if your CD player has this feature (and it makes it far easier to review - thanks Steve:-). Opening with some delightful improvisations from their EMMA#3 Festival appearance (1995), an extended sequencer run forms the backdrop for much of this 18 minute section which for many people was their first exposure to RMI’s music. Transparent fade to a minimalist weird section from the Monarch in London (1995), which then leads to a steady sequenced section from Madam Gigi’s (again London 1997).
Next up is a section from the 1997 October Gallery appearance, and to emphasize what a corker this concert was there are actually 3 sections presented from this concert. RMI themselves are of the opinion that this was one of their best live sessions, but owners of the October Gallery limited edition CDR should feel comfortable that they have the definitive record of the gig as the bulk of the material played is only available on that CDR.
Two of the sections are driftier pieces from the gig, while the last part of track presents a magnificent 10 minute slice of the sequencer epics which took place that day. Sandwiched between the October Gallery pieces is a section from the Bull & Gate, London 1996. Again an atmospheric delight.
This is a quality release in keeping with all RMI’s CDR collection, and it forms an essential companion to Upstairs Downstairs.

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2006    
BLACKER is the latest release from RMI's paralell universe documenting other aspects of the band's musical activity, in this case the album recorded during preparations for the band's `anti-social' performance at The Brudenell Social Club in Leeds during June 2005 and bears a strong resemblance to the music played that night, incorporating bass loops, and layered small percussion alongside the more familiar guitar, keyboards and sequencers.
There is one epic 28 minute journey alongside 3 other pieces of varying length, all them forming a cohesive representation of just where the band was at at this specific moment in world history.

Here the last copy!

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 1998
When the material for RMI's "Borrowed Atoms" release began to grow so profuse that the band were faced with the prospect of a triple CD, they debated long and intensely to cull the pieces down to a double CD.
The remaining 74 minutes were salvaged from the obscurity of the cutting room floor and released as "Bothered Atmos", a companion disc to the double CD.
"Bothered Atmos" is a more sedate dose of RMI than their previous CDRs. The music waxes pensive and atmospheric; even the faster sequencers passages possess a sense of restraint dominated by calm. The guitar is present only within the piece "All the Water in the Universe is Melted Comets", which progresses from ambience through a rhythmic stage to a brooding finale.
"Cathedral Floor", the release's last piece, exhibits a crystalline delicacy, evoking sonic images of colored light streaming across the stone surface, sighing with flutish tonalities and waterfalling keyboards.

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 1997
This is the first of special series available directly from Radio Massacre International. This is to sidestep the commercial structures that prevent us from releasing as much music as we would like you to hear, and to complement the releases we will continue to make through existing channels. It has been our experience that there is a desire for more than is likely to be commercially available...
Our methods mean that we are prolific and often experimental, and normal business processes would othewise deny our listeners this music.
'Armistice' glides in on a wave of gossamer sequences, accompanied by strange vocal treatments. The scent of Mellotron wafts through the air as choral sounds gather momentum before subsiding into a simple yet poignant piano refrain. Sequences then take center stage, displaying the now expected RMI qualities of complexity and real-time metamorphosis. Electric guitar joins the fray, classic trumpet style timbres cast a supplemental spell. Subsidence is short but sweet, oscillations for the masses.
'Burned & Frozen', weighing in at over 50 minutes, is the longest uninterrupted piece RMI have released to date. Great swathes of polyrhythms caress acres of electronic textures. Pulsating layers squirm around the soundstage transporting you on an epic journey for which no hot-air balloon is needed. RMI provide the jet-stream, let your mind go with the flow.

Those in tune with this music know the waiting is over. Time to pig-out.

GG

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2011    
This is the first soundtrack made by the musicians from the UK. It was recorded way back in 2008, shortly after they met the director Chris Zelov at their concert in 2007 in Philadephia. This album is a selection of music from the finished film, placed in this order for a coherent listening experience. So we find the usual style of RMI like sequncer and long reverbed guitars along with orchestration and more movielike melodies and moods. Very interesting and something new from these outstanding artists.

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 1997
This cdr is 73 minutes, broke into three pieces: 41, 27 and 7 minutes respectively. So, once again, the development span is expanded, allowing the astral melodies to accrete at a leisurely pace.
Heavenly tones and gurgling electronics unfurl luxuriously, inevitably reaching more energetic passages with intertwining keyboard riffs. Enter the space guitar, stirring the languid sonic clouds with its distant cry. As the guitar expands in presence--and force--a thread of delicately soft E-perc crawls into the mix.
The second composition is far darker, lurking like a spacecraft carefully maneuvering through a crowded asteroid belt. A fuzzy rhythm thumps along in the barely disturbed pool of sound, only to begin to churn with more rapid sequencers. The tone of the piece reaches further into the bass regions, then soars into more fanciful ethers, with the pace increasing to a near frenzy.
The last, briefest composition is constructed around a terse guitar loop. Heavier E-perc and liquid electronics accompany this guitar expression. The mesh swells with power, producing a loving tension.
All of these pieces feature a strong sense of slow build melodics.

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2004
Recorded in Sept. 2003 at the famous Dutch E-Live Festival this is immaculately recorded and falls into the category of the classic RMI sound oozing layers of synths melody and dense spatial energy. A trip into the Nebula Galaxy by way of a time warp thru’ a black hole. Totally different material than the previous set.

Here the last copy!

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2013
Recorded at The Greenhouse, Stockport 2010

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2002
The opener 'Osmosis' is a short introductory piece, rather twittering and cosmic. 'Shed of Light' starts up, there is a very faint sequence in the background accompanied by high hat courtesy of Steve Dinsdale, gently echoing guitar licks from Gary Houghton and what I assume is guitar bass from Duncan Goddard. The Guitar and bass become more strident as we move to a Space or Kraut Rock sound. It's like a mix of Ash Ra Temple and Can (with even a little Jane?) but without the vocals. In other words it's a long way from the last two releases, nothing like the cosmic drift of 'Startide' or the sequencer based 'Maelstrom'. It might be something of a shock to some RMI fans but as I was actually into Kraut Rock slightly before discovering electronic music of the Tangerine Dream variety I very much enjoyed it. It goes to show what excellent musicians they are in that they can turn their hands to conventional instruments as well as keyboards. It's very tight but also freaked out at the same time with Gary particularly going rather ape. As the drums subside Steve turns to the Mellotron, Gary's guitar almost weeping as we float into 'Cold Soup'. Touches of cymbal and drum punctuate the silence, as does the delicately played guitar. With a couple of minutes to go Steve becomes more animated behind the kit. 'Plasmolysis' features electronics and distorted guitar / effects. It's all rather dark and ominous. In complete contrast 'God of Electricity (Slight Return)' is a very melodic, quite beautiful actually, interlude mainly featuring guitar and flute sounds. It only lasts a couple of minutes however before we are back to Kraut Rock realms with 'Shed of Light (Part 2)'. The sequence is a little higher in the mix than on part one and the drums are just as evident but there isn't any guitar thus it's much more restrained.'Not Too Long' begins with a very deep bass throb to which a high register sequence is added. Some lovely Mellotron comes in as the track slowly develops into something of a cracker. The throb turns into an almost explosive rumble giving things an even meaner edge. 'Crossing the Distance' also features deep dark electronics. It's very atmospheric with no real structure. In the second minute we get distorted noise from the guitar, not pretty but adding a sort of tension to proceedings. Very slowly some sort of rhythm starts up and the drums enter in the sixth minute backed by nice bass guitar playing- moody stuff. The last track is also the longest at almost eighteen minutes and makes fun of the famous Tangerine Dream track '3 am at the border……' as it is called '3 pm At The Edge Of The Village In Claremont Waiting For A Train That Never Came'! A steady sequence pulses from the speakers to which another is added. A two note melodic motif makes an entrance as does electronic percussion, a great bass sequence rumbling in the background. Things build slowly in classic style. In the fifth minute some restrained guitar can be heard but it is really just giving a little colour. It's a lovely brooding piece which I kept thinking was going to take off but they keep things very tight and in control right up to the end.

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 1998
This thematically linked album typifies that approach. Alongside the travelling sequencer based movement 'Scud', there is the explosive terror of the title piece, and the evocative atmospheres of 'Desert Storm'. It is a work that the group is particularly proud of, which on reflection seemed to conjure up images of the Gulf war. We did not set out to deliberately evoke this subject matter, and it is a good example of how music can sometimes take on a meaning of it's own."
 

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2004
Once more, here’s a nice live record from our English retro friends. This time it concerns two concerts from 2004: Leicester (five tracks, good for 56 minutes) and Manchester (one song of almost 23 minutes).
"Hog Wild" contains the, by now, traditional high quality partly-structured partly- improvised EM in the seventies style, as we have come to expect from RMI. Category: ‘let’s go with the Tangerine Dream retro’ with touches of ‘let’s go space rocking’.
Speedy sequencer EM alternated with ambient pieces. Excellent combinations which make this cd a top notch addition to the collection of every RMI fan.

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 1997
It's amazing to think that well over 12 months have passed since Radio Massacre International opened the first electronic music concert ever to be held at Jodrell Bank. The whole thing passed in such a blur that only retrospectively did the full impact of the music presented on that night start to dawn. To hear this album now even I find it hard to believe that RMI constructed such a masterpiece almost off the cuff.
What you hear is what the lucky audience were treated to on the night. In the period since this concert I believe RMI have advanced even more, with the October Gallery concert showing the sequencing highs to which RMI can now reach as well as the melodic edge which is now becoming a greater factor. However, this concert was undoubtedly special and contains sections which are likely to remain amongst the greatest pieces RMI ever produce. The set as a whole has a beguiling nature which cajoles the listener into pondering matters related to time and space. The sequential structures could almost be the pin point reference map of a star strewn galaxy, while the sublime Mellotron and ethereal guitar work weave a nebulous cloud of sound which constantly changes shape and focus.
'Skeletope' deserves particular praise with its nigh on perfect use of electronic sounds and atmospherics, including samples of Jodrell Bank signals bounced off the moon during early experiments. There is a comforting assurance creeping into RMI's work which is leading many people, including myself, to ponder whether there really is any limit to this band's potential.
 

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2010
Recorded at the Gatherings, St.Mary's Church, Philadelphia, 8th,May 2004

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2010
Recorded at Orion Sound Studios, Baltimore, MD 19th April 2010

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2010
Recorded at the National Space Centre, Leicester, UK, 02.04.2005

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2010
Recorded at the National Space Centre, Leicester, UK, 25th March 2006

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2010
Recorded at the Night & Day, Manchester , 14.03.2004 and the Boardwalk, Sheffield, 17.11.2006.

Artist: Radio Massacre International
P: 2010
Recorded at the Y-Theatre Festival, Leicester 1.09.2007 and at the Orion Studios, Baltimore 18.11.2007.