Cool, that would make sense. Much to my regret I never saw any of the large-scale TD events, but I saw a few of their late period club gigs when they had gone techno, which were a bit underwhelming. I also saw some of the early NVA events, which were breathtaking.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Monday, 27 August 2012 14:34 (eleven years ago) link
http://testdept.org.uk/redux/
So, not a full-scale reunion then but a "computer based audio-visual performance environment". Shame.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Monday, 17 September 2012 21:41 (eleven years ago) link
First performance of TD:Redux at a festival in Belgium last week. Maybe it's unfair to judge by a shaky youtube clip, but it seems a bit underwhelming tbh. Still, I'll probably go if it hits my town.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukxQGgMJeTc
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Monday, 17 December 2012 15:57 (eleven years ago) link
gah
TD:Redux was a bit of a letdown but this looks a lot more like it:
http://www.avfestival.co.uk/programme/2014/events-and-exhibitions/test-department
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Tuesday, 28 January 2014 10:17 (ten years ago) link
ah, it sounds from their fb page as if it's an installation rather than a performance. pity.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Tuesday, 4 February 2014 09:17 (ten years ago) link
http://www.barbican.org.uk/film/event-detail.asp?ID=18868
(Never knowingly heard them btw)
― xyzzzz__, Tuesday, 1 December 2015 12:27 (eight years ago) link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vic_Reeves
As Vic ReevesAs well as working and performing in bands in London, including being an original member of the Industrial/Experimental band Test Dept and performing onstage with them at their debut gig (then leaving soon afterwards), Reeves also joined the alternative comedy circuit under many different guises.
Is this true I wonder?
― めんどくさかった (Matt #2), Tuesday, 1 December 2015 13:04 (eight years ago) link
i think he was very, very briefly as they shared a squat together.
― stirmonster, Tuesday, 1 December 2015 13:10 (eight years ago) link
this was actually mentioned in a recent TD article in mojo.made me do a double take.
― mark e, Tuesday, 1 December 2015 13:20 (eight years ago) link
Yeah I guessed they were more of a loose collective when they started out, probably had their mums in the band for a bit too
― めんどくさかった (Matt #2), Tuesday, 1 December 2015 13:24 (eight years ago) link
mums in the band = punk or what?
― xyzzzz__, Tuesday, 1 December 2015 15:05 (eight years ago) link
Both Vic and TD have their (performing) roots in Sarf London - they both played the Albany Empire in Deptford, for example.
― sʌxihɔːl (Ward Fowler), Tuesday, 1 December 2015 15:18 (eight years ago) link
1st new single in 20 years:
https://twitter.com/Test_Dept
― sleeve, Thursday, 6 December 2018 22:59 (five years ago) link
new album:https://testdept.bandcamp.com/album/disturbance
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Monday, 4 March 2019 14:43 (five years ago) link
This has only two of the original members on it and in particular Angus Farquhar, whom I always thought of as the creative hub of the group in the 80s, is not involved. Not to say that it won't be worth hearing but it's not Test Dept as I remember them.
― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Monday, 4 March 2019 15:28 (five years ago) link
I'm not sure that is right. Not to take away anything from Angus, but TD was always a collective thing and I don't think he would want to take that credit. Also, he might not be an active particpant in the current line up (and wasn't in the 90s incarnation either) but is still a close ally.
While on the subject, I listened to "The Unaceeptable Face Of Freedom" in its entirety recently for the first time in a long time and it still sounds incredible. Also thematically feels very current in many ways too.
― stirmonster, Monday, 4 March 2019 17:23 (five years ago) link
Unacceptable!
― stirmonster, Monday, 4 March 2019 17:24 (five years ago) link
this new record is solid, way better than the 90's material imo
humorless and bitter, but that's how I like my politics these days
― Emperor Tonetta Ketchup (sleeve), Wednesday, 6 March 2019 01:49 (five years ago) link
update: this is my favorite release of theirs since Gododdin. thanks for the revive!
― Emperor Tonetta Ketchup (sleeve), Wednesday, 6 March 2019 02:01 (five years ago) link
wow the book (Total State Machine) is incredible. 368 pages, full color, tons of dense text, diary entries, reviews, flyers, essays, so much to dig into.
― thinkmanship (sleeve), Sunday, 7 August 2022 01:00 (one year ago) link
it's epic.
reminds me that the accompanying reissue program never saw the light of day -
to mark this occasion beyond the book itself, the band re-issue ‘Shoulder To Shoulder’ (1985), the second in a series of re-releases, partnering the book, published in June by PC-Press, the first being the 12” ‘Tested Product’ for Record Store Day, in new and adapted artworks, also through PC-Press. This special red vinyl edition paves the way for more back catalogue action late October 2015, namely both 6 x CD & 6 x vinyl box sets.
‘Shoulder to Shoulder’ encapsulates the tour organised by Test Dept in support of the Miners Strike in 1984/85 and features a choir of South Wales miners, brought together by the group for a one off concert in London. Such was the bond formed on that occasion; it led to a nationwide tour, a landmark meeting and lasting memory of music, solidarity and political struggle. As such it can be viewed as an important historical document.
― stirmonster, Sunday, 7 August 2022 01:29 (one year ago) link
omg how did I miss this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3pgSF70iIs
― obsidian crocogolem (sleeve), Thursday, 9 March 2023 04:50 (one year ago) link
i guess this is as good a place as any to post this. there is an oral history of Some Bizarre just out that is most excellent -
http://jawbonepress.com/conform-to-deform/
― stirmonster, Thursday, 9 March 2023 12:41 (one year ago) link