Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music

5d ago

Although the band Young Marble Giants created only one full length studio album, that one album from 1980, Colossal Youth , would be a post-punk tone setter. This Welsh band formed in Cardiff in 1978 and was based around the vocals of Alison Statton along with the minimalist instrumentation of brothers Philip and Stuart Moxham. The trio created a sound from post-punk's experimental tendencies in a very minimal and unique form. There was nobody else like this band from this time. Based on a couple of demo songs, Young Marble Giants was signed by Rough Trade Records and would create their debut Colossal Youth followed by two EP’s. After that, the members moved on to other projects. The band would reunite a few times over the years as new generations of indie artists would be influenced by the unique music of Young Marble Giants . This episode will discuss the band and their music during the early years, the debut album Colossal Youth , and the years and projects after the original run.

Dec 7

Soon after forming in London in 1977, The Psychedelic Furs would be part of the rising UK post-punk scene. However, they would not be just another post-punk band. Led by the Butler brothers of Richard, lead singer with his very distinctive vocal style, and bassist Tim, The Psychedelic Furs would start their career with a couple of excellent post-punk albums. Following their self-titled debut album in 1981 and the follow up album Talk Talk Talk a year later, the band would make a change in production and a slight change in sound. A string of hits in the 80's ensued beginning with the song "Love My Way" from their third album, Forever Now. The band would reach international recognition when in 1986, filmmaker John Hughes used their 1981 song for his film, Pretty in Pink . This podcast episode will tell the story of The Psychedelic Furs from formation and the early years through all eight of their studio albums with focus on the first four albums, which helped define the Furs.

Nov 30

The English band Catherine Wheel 's 1992 debut album Ferment and the 1993 follow up album Chrome associated the group with the shoegaze music scene. As the band progressed over the years after their debut, the music would become heavier before shifting to a more textured sound crossing through genres with the ever changing landscape of alternative music in the 90’s. Catherine Wheel ’s early attention and success started with the debut single , “Black Metallic” . They created another shoegaze anthem, "Crank", as the first single from the second album. It was during this early period over these two albums that Catherine Wheel incorporated shoegaze related elements of hazy and droning guitars, effects pedals, and somewhat buried vocals, along with some grunge and on the debut album, neo-psychedelia. The band, fronted by lead singer and guitarist Rob Dickinson, would end their run in 2000 after five full length studio albums and years of US college radio success. On this episode, we will explore the career of Catherine Wheel and their music with a little more focus on the first two albums.

Nov 23

The Sugarcubes were an Icelandic alternative band that formed in 1986, and by the time the band ended in 1992 they had become Iceland's biggest music group. During this short career, The Sugarcubes were a complex post-punk, dream pop, experimental, indie dance rock band. Their music was a upbeat blend of psychedelic sounds, punk energy, pop-driven melodies, angular guitar riffs, and tribal rhythms. They combined this with unique storytelling and quirky, surreal lyrics characterized by the distinctive and ethereal vocals of their lead singer, Björk . Björk had began her music career at the age of 11, but it would The Sugarcubes years where she gained world wide recognition. This would lead to her internationally successful solo career that followed as she became the bestselling Icelandic musician of all time, and an influential pioneer in electronic and experimental music. The episode tells the story of Björk’s early years through the band Kukl, the forming of The Sugarcubes , their signature song “Birthday” and the 1988 international hit debut album, Life's Too Good , and the music over the next two albums before The Sugarcubes ended in 1992.

Nov 16

The story of Cabaret Voltaire began when they formed in Sheffield, England in 1973 by Chris Watson, Richard H Kirk, and Stephen Mallinder. The band would go on to one of the most innovative, influential, and pioneering industrial and post-punk acts as they became known as the original sound of Sheffield. Cabaret Voltaire took their name from the Zurich nightclub that was the center of the early Dada movement and began their career with Dada-influenced performance art where they challenged musical norms and experimented with sound creation and processing. This would lead to Cabaret Voltaire expanding their use and development of raw tape loops, avant-garde noise, sampling and other technology while mixing in danceable electronic sounds along with art, politics, and social issues. Their 70’s and into the early 80’s work would foreshadow industrial and electronic music genres that would follow, and inspire many artists as they became one of the most important bands not to just industrial music, but music in general. In this episode we tell the story of Cabaret Voltaire and their music starting from the early years including albums Voice of America and Red Mecca, through the music after Chris Watson departed in 1981 as the band continued through the 80's with albums such as The Crackdown and Micro-Phonies .

Nov 9

Screamadelica , the 1991 third studio album from Primal Scream, was a defining album as it successfully fused indie rock with electronic, techno, and house dance music. The album was instrumental in bringing this musical style to the international mainstream. Although Primal Scream formed in 1982 in Glasgow, Scotland, it was not until lead singer Bobby Gillespie left his other band (The Jesus and Mary Chain) in 1986 that Primal Scream began to rise. Behind Gillespie, the band’s music went through periods of jangle pop and a harder garage rock sound in the 80's before a change of direction to the acid house scene. This occurred with a new dance music sound mixing indie pop, techno, dub, and psychedelia on the landmark third album, Screamadelica . This episode will discuss this band’s formation, the early years and music up through the highly regarding 1990 single mixed by DJ Andrew Weatherall, "Loaded", and the album that followed under Weatherall's production, the classic Screamadelica .

Nov 2

The Velvet Underground formed in New York City in 1964 and has been considered by many as one of the most influential American rock bands. The band's music contained experimentation with instrumentation and sounds while containing raw and provocative lyrics from lead singer and guitarist Lou Reed. These features, along with unconventional and minimalist arrangements, would lead to the development of punk rock, new wave, post-punk, indie rock and many other genres of the alternative music world. In 1966, the Velvet Underground became the house band at pop artist Andy Warhol's studio, The Factory. With Warhol as producer, the band released their debut album in 1967, The Velvet Underground & Nico , featuring the German singer and model Nico. This album is considered as one of the greatest albums in music history due to it's influence on future artists and genres. This episode will discuss the influence of this band and their music, tell the story of the band's beginning and what was behind this music, and discuss the music of the classic debut album.

Oct 26

When 45 Grave formed in Los Angeles in 1979, their music would combine punk rock with a dark and horror themed aesthetic becoming one of the first American gothic rock bands as they helped create the genre, deathrock. After the rise of the deathrock sound from the LA Punk scene, 45 Grave would release their critically acclaimed debut album in 1983, Sleep in Safety . The band’s most notable success came with version of a song from that album, "Partytime", that was featured in the 1985 movie and soundtrack of Return of the Living Dead . 45 Grave broke up in 1985, but founding member and lead vocalist Dinah Cancer would later reform the band. Cancer would be deemed "The Queen of Deathrock" from her commanding stage presence and theatrics, and distinct vocals. This episode will discuss the origin of 45 Grave , the music from the band, and their dynamic lead singer, Dinah Cancer, as we welcome the band as our Halloween representative this week. Happy Halloween!