Siltbreeze Records: Search! Destroy!

here's a pretty decent disco graphy:

http://gravediggervideo.com/siltbreeze.html

m.

Rob, I have a few issues of Siltbreeze sitting in my 'zine boxes in the basement. My most vivid memories of these are the naked black chicks on the front, and an Amphetamine Reptile ad that displayed an impressive anger toward Mike McGonigal.

Sam Esh was cool too! What are yall crazy??!?

If i had to 'destroy' any, I'd say that Alan Licht LP is a real snoozer, and the Ashtrav Nav LP was not Phil's best. Ashtabula blah (tho all Fieldhands = classic). Other than that, though, Dead C, Tower Recordings, Shadow Ring...c'mon!!! Those are some of the best bands ever!!

What exactly was with all the McGonigal haters back in those days? I seem to remember Albini being snarky towards him in FE for some reason (it was pretty hard to get a handle on US fanzine politics from where I was sat). Chemical Imbalance turned me on to a big bunch of amazing things - Slovenly, Mofungo, Ut and I don't know what. Oh and loads of books and comics and stuff. Gorgeous artwork too.

Dunno what was up with the FE/CI beef. Narcissism of small differences? Yetimike himself was posting here for a few weeks, but he seems to have disappeared lately. Good autobiographical piece by him here:

http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0052/arts-mcgonigal.shtml

"In the limited "black bag" edition of Big Black's infamous Headache record, underground guru/scribe Byron Coley wrote a short story in which a character named Mike McGonigal is birthed through the butt of the barber from Mayberry: "There's an art fag sticking out of your keister." This is, in retrospect, the highest compliment I have ever been paid. My agenda was far more gay-, art-, and women-friendly than the prevailing coolster ethos of the day. "

Also great memories of the Siltbreeze fest at Khyber... Slave Apartments, Screaming MeeMees, GBV played and all these drunken bighaired Philly club peops spilled into the Khyber just hopping from bar to bar just as Harry Pussy came on. Weird crowds at shows in Philly, which made shows like this even more fun.

i think it has more to do with tom wanting to explore his cooking more professionally. im serious! he's just as good at making food as he is putting out awesome records.

oh and btw, 3 beads of sweat are still stocking a bit of the old stiltbreeze catelogue, now that they've gone belly up.. the renderers next album is gonna be on that apparently..

(x-post)

..im actually putting on a gig here in christchurch, new zealand with both the renderers and the terminals this friday (hamish kilgours even making a guest appearance with an acoustic set!), i feel like a big name promotor..

OK, maybe not.

* not to be confused with cherry coke!.

** all fingers were pointed at me, but i had nothing to do with it. however, i thought it was awesome and hilarious.

Whatever happened to Mac?

I'm happy to see Chris's Renderers love - they are indeed great. Brian is an awesome guitarist. I really need to hear his solo album.

actually, that's his second solo album; the first is "bathysphere" and it was on metonymic. just to be anal. it's really good, has some stuff in the more terminals/rock style (including a song that is a re-done scorched earth policy number), some quiet downer tunes. little bit of noise. i definitely need to hear "bible black" but it doesn't seem like anyone's distributing it in the US.

bible black is basically the renderers under a different name, but just brian fronting. its very good, very minimal - find the song 'baby doll' to get a taster, has this great mellow rambling conversation going until BAM! brian hits you with a giant WALL of guitar..

maryrose is putting out an album herself too, apparently its going to be 'maryrose crook and the renderers', whilst brian's third solo album is maybe closer to bathysphere - i.e. in the more 'experimental' vein..

that one took a while for me too.

xo

if so, that's about it. There's really no band that has ever sounded like TR at their peak.

i was a little unhappy that none of siltbreeze's releases made it into the top 100 philly records of all time. if those didnt define a good part of this city's indie scene in the 90's, then what did?

completely sick. however, the iggles are consistent when it comes to not shutting the door, as sportswriters/athletes put it.

ian i think you would like this radio set, its not _that_ punk really

I am enjoying the Circle Pit album way too much.

Also there's a new Mount Carmel?

Mount Carmel release is solid.

Guy who runs this label is a dick.

But: Beyond The Implode 7" by a continent.

why do you say that?

actually he's super cool and friendly

Dunno a lot about him, but I used to enjoy reading his record reviews in Opprobrium zine.

does he write siltblog? i've always wondered about that

Apparently so! Haven't actually seen that blog until now.

it's really good, really crazy writing style. think i've bought like everything recommended on it since i've started reading

I am enjoying the Circle Pit album way too much.

Bruise Constellation? Or is there something new?

must be the old one as the new CP will be on hardly art

==NEXT UP==

50 Skidillion Watts Best Of Lists.

Bruise Constellation?

That's the one. I'm always behind with this label! Can't wait to hear the new CP.

rest in peace malcolm "mac" sutherland, tom's 2nd in command, and the heart and soul of 90's siltbreeze action. i saw him almost every day in the 90's and he always made me smile. he was funny and cranky and one of a kind. i worked right below siltbreeze HQ for years and i always liked getting a visit from mac or his roommate ellen. troo philly peeps!

Tom Lax paying his annual visit to Briant Turner's show on WFMU, currently in progress until 3 PM EST:

http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/57032

a great volume of excellent releases have come out on this label in the last yr or so

https://siltbreeze.bandcamp.com/

^ they're selling a reissue of the second mahogany brain record for $13 !

holy shit @ the yuzo iwata record

used to have all those axemen lps. good band