New Release: Torn Sail / Birds (Featuring Tiago Remix) (Claremont 56)

This one is my favourite Claremont release for some time. I love Crosby Stills & Nash to pieces so the A side ticks the boxes for me with its hippy Laurel Canyon vibes. It’s a lovely song and total grower. With more like this we could have our own balearic Fleet Foxes. On the B side Tiago comes with a twisted fucked up ten minute version excursion taking in kraut and balearic vibes along the way but in a truly modern style. It’s a fine piece of work and I’d love to hear him produce the whole album bringing it in somewhere between his remix and the original. It’s amazing and Tiago if you read this do us a mix of stuff that influenced this as I’d like to hear it right now. It’s a fantastic release for Claremont and ones that show its not all about acoustic guitars in their part of London town. Fine work Mudd. Buy it.

Torn Sail / Birds (Excerpt)

Torn Sail / Birds (Tiago Remix) (Excerpt)

‘Birds’ is out May the 4th on Claremont 56.

[Apiento]

Party: An Evening With Matthew & Jolyon

While we are on the subject of Claremont this weekend long time residents at Lowlife and favourites at Aficionado in Manchester, Matthew and Jolyon, are overseeing their next ‘An Evening With…’ night. The venue in Aldgate East is the same as before and I am sure (its the last party to be held there I think) it’s going to be a good one.

I think the tickets are moving pretty quickly so if you fancy it then send £7 via Paypal to simon@claremontinc.co.uk. More details on Facebook and Resident Advisor. While on the subject Jolyon’s recent ‘Passport To Eternity’ mix for us is an absolute beauty if you haven’t heard it yet.

[Apiento]

New Release: Almunia Album (Claremont 56)

Woke up early with the sun still out from the weekend and put on the new Alumnia album that Paul Mudd had sent over and I’m happy to say it’s a good one. Perfect for late moons and early mornings. For me the album really warms up in the second half as more vocals appear and the tracks almost take on a Durutti Column / Michael Head (Shack/The Strands) sort of atmosphere. I heard it totally different to the press release which only says good things about the album. It stands on its own feet, is full of melodies and I’d love to see them make a pop album next time with pure songs and melody as they’d pull it off easily. Great album.

Alumnia / Kissing Time (Excerpt)

Alumnia / Moving Up (Excerpt)

Alumnia / Travel (Excerpt)

Alumnia / Until She Comes (Excerpt)

The album is released on May 23 with a limited run of 300 gatefold vinyl copies.

[Apiento]

Interview: Dog Eat Dog

Soody Sisco, Martha Fiskin and Linda Pitt made up the core of Dog Eat Dog, an early 80s punk funk band out of NYC who were sassy, smart and fun. Think along the lines of Liquid Liquid or ESG and you are on the right lines. Claremont 56 have been lucky enough to get their hands on unreleased recordings from the band consisting of live tracks and studio sessions which will be released mid-March in a lovely Keith Haring sleeve. As massive fans of that era in New York we asked the band if we could interview them and talk about those times and they kindly said yes…

Photography: Paula Court

So who met who first? Where were you living? Were you at college when you met? What were you studying?

Soody: Linda and I went to High School together in Piscataway, New Jersey. We met working on a school publication. I went to college with Martha. A friend introduced me to David Wald and then David brought in Kevin.

Linda: Soody and I met up during High School. We met up again in our last year of college, there we met Martha. I studied art.

Martha: I met Soody and Linda at college in New Jersey. I studied art: studio and history.

What initially made you think ‘ok. lets form a band?’ Were you inspired by other people out there. Who was that?

Soody: We lived in the East Village, NYC in 1980. All of our friends were in bands.

Linda: After college Soody and I were briefly roommates in Brooklyn. I remember watching the Miss America pageant on TV. There was a sax in the apartment, I picked it up, I made sound… If Talking Heads (art students), The Ramones and our friends Liquid Idiot could all form bands, so could we.

Martha: It was an exciting time. You could pick up an instrument and start a band.

What clubs were you initially going into?

Soody: Tier 3, Max’s Kansas City (where Linda worked), Mudd Club and CBGB.

Linda: I worked at Max’s Kansas City pre-band. CBGB’s was around the corner from home.

Martha: Club 57, CBGB, Tier 3, Max’s, Mudd Club, Hurrah’s and The Roxy. We walked to all these places. New York did seem smaller in those days.

Were you part of that whole Mudd Club scene, hanging out there or just playing gigs?

Soody: A bit of both.

Linda: We went to the Mudd Club a lot but never felt part of the scene.

Martha: I was in a group art show there.

I guess you were quite involved in that art scene that ran alongside the music scene at that time? If so how? Did you see those two scenes as linked?

Soody: Yes, Linda and I were hanging posters that we collaborated on.

Linda: Definitely linked. Take Club 57, a small venue on St Marks Place in the EV, art, performance, music, movies, a showcase for everyone. Al Diaz our percussionist did the SAMO graffiti with Basquiat. Soody and I made art flyers that we wheat pasted around the neighborhood (see above). By chance the guy with the guitar is Richard Hell. We all did our own personnel art as well.

Martha: We all made stuff; various media.

Seems a lot of people involved in the music scene came from an art background and then did the music thing as an outlet for their creative sides. Was this the way it was for you?

Soody: Yes.

Linda: Yessssss.

Martha: Absolutely.

What were your favourite places to play at that time?

Linda: CB’s had the best sound and the infamous dressing room. We once played at 4am in a basement on Chrystie Street that turned out to be a Chinese gambling parlor.

So you played at CBGB’s. Was that another hang out? 

Soody: Yes, it was in our neighborhood.

Linda: Went there a lot. I loved the matinees.

Martha: Sure. What a sound system!

So the music – it seems to have a very funky edge. The congas and the percussion have that Latin thing going on. What were you influenced by? Or was it just a New York thing to have that Latin sound as you grew up surrounded by it?

Soody: It was a popular sound at the time and our early percussionist, Al Diaz, is Hispanic.

Linda: Don’t be fooled by the cow bell.

Martha: Love love love drums. Latin, African, dub…

How do you fit in with the other No Wave bands? Were you having out with ESG, Liquid Liquid etc or did you feel aside from them?

Soody: We were friends with Liquid Liquid.

Linda: Liquid Liquid are our friends. I only met ESG once but they seem incredibly nice. We were part of the noise NY and Naive Rhythm scene so I always felt we were all in the same boat.

Martha: Totally in with Liquid Liquid and Konk.

Who were you favourite bands to go and see back then and why?

Soody: Hmmm, there were a lot. Of the local bands we would go see our friends a lot. I loved DNA.

Linda: The Ramones were always fun, and any band that was recommended that I knew nothing about. There were a lot of new bands and most music at the time was fun.

Martha: Fela, DNA, some big soul shows, all our friends.

I like the review I saw from the Soho News that says ‘the melodies are carried by a very amateurish saxophone player’. Surely that was the whole point – to play like you couldn’t? You know deconstructing your abilities and almost looking at it in a different way… Was that something you were about?

Soody: We couldn’t play!

Linda: I believe the words are self taught. We played out shortly after we started playing our instruments.

Martha: We were inspired neophytes.

The music really benefits from having that raw, captured live thing. Well some of it was obviously recorded live, but when in the studio was it a live run through or did you try and record separately.

Soody: Everything is recorded live, either in studio or performance.

Linda: I remember late nights hardly able to stay awake.

Martha: Down and dirty, low-budget and raw. In a good way.

How come you never got signed to Sire, Ze or one of the other labels picking up bands at that time? I presume that scene was picked over pretty heavily…

Soody: We just didn’t get an offer in the short period we were around.

Linda: We almost got signed to 99 records.

Martha: It would have been 99 if anyone signed us. Maybe Rough Trade or ROIR.

Boring question but how did you hook up with Keith Haring for the Dog Eat Dog piece he did. Were you mates with him?

Soody: Keith Haring was a downtown artist and easy enough to run into. We just asked him if he would do a poster because the dog was one of his favorite motifs. He was very sweet and said he would do it and made an extra for us to add future dates to.

Linda: He was part of the Club 57 scene. I think he went to school with Julie who was working with Martha at the time.

Martha: Keith was a friend from the neighborhood. His work was everywhere.

Going back to the clubs – where else were you hanging out? Were DJs important to you as people or did you more enjoy the art/punk/live scene. What about Paradise Garage, Funhouse etc…

Soody: I don’t think DJs were the entity they are today back then.

Linda: I like music live and went to places we could get in for free which was most. Peppermint Lounge, Danceteria (where I caught Madonna’s first show), loved the dancing boys, Irving Plaza, Tramps, jazz clubs names long forgotten. There was The Empire of Soul Club, Warren and the Empress spun B sides of soul 45’s at various venues.

Martha: The Empire State Soul Club was great!

Were you into hip-hop? Before it went head long down that drum machine beat route it seems the scene you were in (Fab 5 Freddy, Futura etc) was very hip-hop. I think your music is pretty B-boy…

Soody: We loved the rap scene and frequented the Roxy Roller Rink in Chelsea for rap/breakdance shows.

Linda: B-boy, I like it. Loved the early scene. Roxy was our place to go.

Martha: Checking out rap and hip hop at Roxy. Thanks for the comparison.

At the time did you look at the success of some bands around you and think about making your music slightly more commercial or were you not interested in that?

Soody: We would have loved some success.

Linda: Commercial, never wanted that as an option.

Martha: We enjoyed our artistic freedom then, but a wider audience is always great.

What happened with the band in the end? Do you still play together? Is it more of a historical thing or do you have plans to go play in the studio again?

Soody: Oy Vey, play again? We discussed the possibility, but would need to REALLY dust ourselves off!

Linda: Historical, well you never know…

Martha: No plans, but you never know…

What do you all do now?

Soody: I am a museum curator and textile designer.

Linda: Photo retoucher to the stars! That means publishing.

Martha: I work in the film business.

What music do you listen to these days?

Soody: A lot of 70s glitter and 80s punk, always The Ramones, actually too much to list!

Linda: Lots of radio, WFMU and WWOZ, still can’t get enough of Neil Young.

Martha: The Clash, LCD Soundsystem, Spiritualized, Greg Dulli’s various bands and more.

Cheers guys.

Thanks for the interview!

Dog Eat Dog is out mid-March on Claremont 56. You can order it here.

New Release: The Popes – Bastards (Mudd & Idjut Boys Remixes)

It’s Claremont central today. Here’s another new one from the Claremont gang hitting the shops tomorrow. Sounding good this side.

The Popes: Bastards (Mudd’s Moule Frite Mix) (SAMPLE)

The Popes: Bastards (Idjut Boys Version) (SAMPLE)

Bastards is released tomorrow 29:10:10 and is available from Phonica, Piccadilly, Juno and all good record stores.

[Apiento]

New Release: Claremont 56 Jute Record Bags

Liking the look of these bags to celebrate the 4th anniversary of Claremont 56. Limited to a run of 50. You can get one here.

[Apiento]

New Release: Apiento & Co.: Under Open Skies

Feels a bit odd to be writing about our own release but this one comes out on a split 7″ on Claremont in the next few weeks with Fresh Ro! ‘Pacific State’ on the flip. We have a floating collective with various tracks coming out over the coming months and this is the first. Guitar from Digby Lewis and arranged and mixed by myself and Alex Tepper. Available in all good record stores. Here’s the Piccadilly link. Cheers.

[Apiento]

Labels 002: Claremont 56

For the second of our label round-ups/interviews we thought we’d get in touch with Mudd, owner and recording artist, for his very own Claremont 56 label. Claremont have been steadily flying the flag for quality music, across the realms of mellow balearic disco, in a forward thinking fashion for some time now, as well as releasing some classic back catalogue material from Sal P from Liquid Liquid and the forthcoming Holger Czukay release. Add in the Originals series, so far compiled by Moonboots/Balearic Mike and Mark Seven, plus all the hand-numbered releases and you can see this is a label of love.

What was the original reason/inspiration for setting up the label?
I set it up to have the freedom of releasing anything I want whenever I want and to have the option of doing nerdy things like hand numbering and matt laminated gatefolds. Mmmm.

Where did you get the name from?
It’s the address of where I grew up and also where Tom, Steve and I made the first Akwaaba album.

If you could sign any artist who would it be? What period?
Arthur Russell, 70/80s

Favourite release to date? I know it’s hard to pick one…
I’m very proud of the track I did with Ahmed Fakroun so that’s up there and Shulme will always be a favourite, but I think the Idjuts remix of Vegetable Square has to take it because it was pretty ground breaking at the time. I know they’ve since been asked by other labels to do something similar.

How did you hook up with Sal P?
I met him when I played APT in New York with Spun about 3 years ago and the after licensing his track for the first Originals comp, he revealed he had a few bits tucked away that I might want to hear.

Must have been amazing going through the tapes – is there more to follow?
It was very exciting as I had absolutely no idea of what I was going to hear. He sent me about 10 in all that had a huge cross section in style but sadly some were in so poor shape sonically that I couldn’t use them. Most were recorded on cassette tape and were just from live jams in the studio so they were never really intended for release.

Another legend you are releasing soon is Holger Czukay – how did that come about? Good choice of tracks by the way and nice design…
I got the chance to see him at the Roundhouse Theatre earlier this year and he told us a story about how the original of Ode to Perfume was 22 minutes long so he had to chop the end off to fit on the LP (this is Fragrance, which will be on the B side). He then played us a different version that really made my hairs stand up and I immediately thought it needed to be released, hopefully on Claremont 56.

I spoke to him about it by email and there was a bit of confusion about who owned it, and after going round the houses it all seemed to be going nowhere. Three months later I’d almost given up hope but then his manager called me and after 40 minutes worth of questions she said she’d get back to me. Two minutes later she called me back and handed the phone to Holger, he approved and they’ve been really helpful ever since.

Future plans for the label? Where do you see it going? More albums? Own webstore?
I’d like the chance to work with some more of my heroes and I’m really enjoying the search for tracks that have never come out but the main route for the label is to release good quality new music. The originals series will continue and hopefully I’ll find some new acts to break. I’ve also started Claremont inc with my friend Simon and that will release more live band based music.

I do have a webstore on the site at the moment, it’s here.

Is digital important to Claremont or is it just a way to inform about the physical releases? And where do you sell online?
Physical sales are down for everybody and I think if you ignore the impact of the digital sector (which I did for a while) then you’re going to lose out. You’ve got to move with the times to stay afloat and as the label builds it has started to become very important factor in keeping it going. Also, every track is pretty much available on blog sites as soon as you release them anyway so you might as well try and make some money out of it!

I use bagpak in New York to handle it and they seem to be on the ball. You can buy them from all the usual suspects, beatport, dancetracksdigital, iTunes etc.

What would make life easier for you as a label owner?
A trained monkey for the hand numbering, kids getting back into vinyl and people paying on time.

What’s upcoming on Claremont?
Next up is the Holger Czukay release which should be out before October starts and following that is a new EP by Smith & Mudd that goes a bit darker than the usual stuff. Originals 4 is ready and there’s a LTD 10″ (300) of one of the rarer tracks to go with it.

There’s also a 7″ coming out that will be exclusive to Oki Ni which comes with a sexy wooden middle.

Any celebrity fans? Has Robert Plant been in touch?
None that I know of and no, not yet!

You run the label full time – how did you get into this? What’s your background?
I trained as a typographer but always dreamed of being in the music business so the real job kept me fed while I immersed myself in my hobby of producing. I eventually just thought fuck it, it’s now or never and made the break with a small pot of money behind me. It’s amazing how many options open up to you when you make the move and I know that if I continued to do both, I would never be in the position I’m in now. I’m poorer, but a lot happier!

I love the hand numbered releases – who is the poor bugger that has to sit there and number them?
Just me and my silver pen.

Who distributes the label and where can anyone interested get in touch to find out more?
I distribute to the UK, Clone handle Europe, Groove Distribution America and my friend Ban from Japonica handles Japan. They can get in touch with me through the website.

What’s been your favourite experience while running the label?
Getting the chance to make the music, design the label, manufacture it and then sell it is an incredible feeling that I feel very lucky to have. Everyday is different and can change with an idea or one email so it’s always exciting and interesting. It’s hard to pick the best bits but the photography for the Originals compilation series is always lots of fun as it’s normally beer fuelled.

Nice one! Thanks a lot for your time.
Welcome.

Holger Czukay and the fourth Originals album (those with keen eyes will not one is missing – Sean P’s is delayed) compiled by Matthew and Jolyon (tidy!) will be out in October.

[Apiento}