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Newsletter 3.5

December, 2000

Intro

Hello and welcome to a fairly thin-on-the-ground newsletter. A bit of a relief after trying to keep up with all the news and interviews this year!

Wire

Phase two of the new Wire gets going when they play live at Queen's Hall, Edinburgh on 8th December.

Meanwhile the Steve Albini sessions still show no sign of appearing on the pinkflag.com label. There is no official word from Wire as to when this will be released, but pinkflag.com do have a new release; a 7" single called 12 Times You. This is based on audio recorded at the final third night at the Garage in May 2000.

This statement comes from the pinkflag.com website:

Cat no: vpf3; Artist: Wire; Format: 7" vinyl only.

Side x—Twelve Times You [1:28]
Side u—X U Version [1:39]

Limited, one-off pressing, on Wire's own label. One side is based on a high velocity Y2K live recording, nuclear fused by Mr Newman @ Swim studios. The other side, Mr N on a frantic 21st century techno dub dancehall DJ version from the far side tip.

Packed for maximum minimalism, black vinyl/white label/clear bag/pink sticker. Their past catapulted into the future and your 'right here and right now' in three minutes and seven seconds. A definitive statement object d' art. Blink and you'll have missed it (again)!

Released 13th November 2000, distributed by cargo.

In terms of old releases, a so-called 'limited boxed set' of EMI material has been sighted. This is merely Pink Flag, Chairs Missing and 154 wrapped up in a rather naff cardboard box. However, if you are still without those albums and want copies, then it seems pretty good value for money—slightly cheaper than buying the mid-price CDs separately.

This Pink Flag 8-track cassette finally sold for $73!

Another update for Cracked Machine also recently occurred and the site now includes some more interesting Wire-related interviews and reviews.

Swim

The Swim website had a small update at the end of October, confirming news about new releases in the first half of 2001. There will be a new Silo album in January/February, Symptoms' Apathy to follow in March/April and a new Colin Newman album hopefully before the summer. The site also sports a new URL: www.swimhq.com.

More immediately is the release of Compilation 1—a ten track video containing pieces by Silo, Symptoms and Immersion. At the moment it's PAL only, but an NTSC version is under consideration if Swim get enough preorders. The video is priced at £15 + p&p. The full track listing is as follows:

1. Silo—Templates; 2. Colin Newman—Turn; 3. Malka Spigel—It's Odd; 4. Symptoms—Burn; 5. Colin Newman—Blank Canvas; 6. Malka Spigel—Strumgliding; 7. Immersion—Days Under the Sun; 8. Malka Spigel—I Just Want; 9. Immersion—Dahab; 10. Immersion—Expanded Now.

Graham

A new Ocsid CD, Opening Sweep, is to be released by Ash International. This CD is a live recording of their performance in Munich last year. It will be available from WMO in UK and USA as well as the usual outlets.

Bruce

The Viennese Mego label finally release the long-awaited IBM LP/7" The Oval Tapes in December. IBM are Ilpo Vaisainen, Bruce Gilbert and Mika Vainio, ie: Pan sonic and Bruce.

A limited edition of 1000 has been pressed. It is available direct from Mego, Ruckergasse 10/21+22, A-1120, Vienna, Austria or from These Records, 112 Brook Drive, London, SE11 4TQ. Other outlets such as Carbon Disks and reputable shops should stock it. WMO(US) is also to hold copies.

WMO

October 2000 saw the end of the licensing agreement we had with Mute and the BBC for the rights to Coatings. However, we still have stocks available for sale by mail order only. The availability of some of our other titles is getting close to deletion point. Please enquire at the above email addresses or write for the latest merchandise list for up-to-date details.

2001 will also see the release of the Michael O'Shea album on CD. Despite what we have reported previously WMO is press up 500 copies with two bonus tracks. More news and details in the next newsletter.

Outro

Okay, the end of the first year of the new millennium, and what a year. Onwards into the first year of a new century. With new Wire material promised, a new Colin album and possibly some from Bruce and Graham, what more could we ask for? Next newsletter in March. Bye for now.

Kevin Eden

This newsletter © 2000 WMO limited, except from other publications or stated authors which remain the copyright of the original copyright holders. All reviews are the opinion of the stated writers.

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