31 Oct 2011

Rocket Probes October 2011 Playlist



Lumerians - Transmalinnia
(Spacemen 3 with hand percussion, fuzzed out organ space disco)

Great Society Mind Destroyers - Spirit Smoke
(Mind-effected fuzz wah from Chicago)

Plastic People of the Universe - Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned

(Czech freaks in a Mothers of Invention, Velvet Underground vein)

Hawkwind - Various
(Tracks from 'Choose Your Masques' (Void City) & 'Church of Hawkwind' - post Calvert, heavy on the keyboards & samples)

Sunroof - Cloudz
(Skullflower's alter Krautrock worship)

Celtic Frost - Into the Mega Therion
(Great album that still hasn't lost its fuzz thrash power)

AKA - Hard Beat
(Grooved out 70's rock from Indonesia on lovely double vinyl)

Velvet Underground - Norman Dolph acetate
(Good to finally hear this long lost version of their great first lp...contains some completely different versions, though a bit crackly its a must listen.)

The Fall - 50 Year Old Man
(12mins of repetitive fuzz confrontation)

Adam and the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier / '79-'80 B sides and demos
(If you can forgive the cheese you are rewarded with some great feedback drenched fuzz and repetitive tribal drums that wouldn’t sound too out of place on Not Not Fun, or on a Teeth of the Sea record)

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28 Oct 2011

25 Oct 2011

The Heads - 'Vertigo Swill' Artwork



For all those paying attention last week we posted that The Heads Rock Prof is currently complying a double 1994-2002 retrospective called ‘Vertigo Swill’ it will be limited to 88 copies on this run (numbered to 88 as there were 88 UK Vertigo 'Swirlies' released) and is out in November via The Heads own label Rooster on CD - see the guestbook on their website for confirmation of availability details.

Artwork has reached us & again its another Sam Giles retro classic.





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Teeth of the Sea - Supersonic 2011





After witnessing Teeth of the Sea play a storming set in front of a packed audience in the festival's 'Boxed' venue, here is a little reminder of this years supersonic'd attack in its full visual bathed glory.

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White Hills - Heads on Fire - Ltd Repress!




Rocket have repressed the long out of print White Hills CD 'Heads on Fire' and it is in the shops as of yesterday. This is the press release:

WHITE HILLS - HEADS ON FIRE
LAUNCH029 (Re-issue)

RELEASE DATE
24th OCTOBER 2011


TRACKLIST
-----------------------------------

01 RADIATE
02 OCEANS OF SOUND
03 RETURN OF SPEED TOILET
04 VISIONS OF THE PAST,
PRESENT AND FUTURE
05 DON'T BE AFRAID
06 ETERNITY

Due to the demands we have been getting from their fans, we are pleased to announce this overdue reissue of Heads on Fire, the out of print second album by New Yorks White Hills. Since this release their first for Rocket the band have gone to release several very highly regarded albums for Thrill Jockey.

Ever changing and always striving to push the envelope, White Hills album Heads on Fire finds the band playing a heavier style of spacerock.

Relentless and punishing, the album kicks off with the spacey swirl of the song ‘Radiate’ and ends with the speedladen blast of the track ‘Eternity’. Along the way, a mesmerising blend of growlling fuzz / wah guitar, pounding bass, sprawling synth, and chaotic drumming doses one’s head three sheets to the wind. Whether it be the mere one minute track ‘Return of Speed Toilet’ or the 26 plus minute ‘Don’t Be Afraid’, the listener will be taken on ride through a world that is all encompassing from beginning to end.

The band started in New York as a solo project by Dave W. Since then it has turned into a trio, with Ego Sensation (bass) plus various drummers which has included Kid Millions of Oneida fame. Like Oneida, White Hills also share a love for a hard rock stripped of its bombast, their heavier, dirtier, earthier influences contend with airier atmospheres while combining steadiness with spacious soaring guitars, these heads are always on fire!

For more information e-mail:


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21 Oct 2011

The Heads gear up for another archive CD




The Heads Rock Prof is currently complying a 1994-2002 retrospective called ‘vertigoswill’ (please note no artwork was available when we posted).

It contains some Coogan's mixes, with guitars set to stun in
true Heads style, jams with plenty of wah soloing and Prof even doing an over the top bass solo. The CD also features a 'Can' type trip and very keyboard heavy version of KRT.

Having previously heard some of the music, the Coogan's mixes are worth the money alone.

Here is a tracklist.

1. PEDESTRIAN CROSSING
2. TRUCKERS CODE
3. LOOK LIKE ELVIS
4. HOT CATS ZAPPALIN
5. THREE STICKS SMALL STONE
6. FUCKED UP IN HOTELS
7. VERTIGOSWILL
8. ONE TRACK ROCK PT 2
9. SAVING IT ALL UP FOR YOU SUNSHINE
10. ONE TRACK ROCK PT 3
11. KH-KRT (LIVE AT THE THEKLA 00?)

1. GRAND FINALE 94
2. NEVER HAD IT BETTER (INSTRUMENTAL)
3. ONE TRACK ROCK PT 1
4. BRING ME TEA
5. CARLISLE BUZZ
6. WAH BASS EXTRACT
7. SALISBURY 1994/CIRCULAR
8. WAHWAHWAHWAH
9. COOGANS END ( RELAXING WITH PROF MIX 95)
10. LAKE OF GREEN

Keep your eye out on The Heads website forum for news of it's release.

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Pupilar Remix of GNOD's Vatican



Kev Pupilar has done a fantastic remix of GNOD'S Vatican, check out the soundcloud mix:

Vatican [Pupilar Dub] by GNOD

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Aquarius Records review Collisions 02



MUGSTAR / ONEIDA - Collisions 02

The return of aQ beloved UK space rockers Mugstar, who have teamed up with another fave of ours, East Coast noise rockers Oneida, and neither side disappoints. Mugstar offer up another killer chunk of spaced out psychedelia that would have been right at home on Lime or Sun Broken, opening up with a fuzzy organ drone, which quickly gives way to a badass Hawkwindy groove, all motorik mesmer and fuzzed out space rock pound. The organ giving the proceedings a serious prog vibe, the track chugs away until about halfway through when it collapse into a super rad mathy tangle of drum / guitar freakout, all repetitive and almost looped sounding, with FX swirling all over the place, before finally resolving in a blissed out stretch of murky psychedelic shimmer, only to eventually emerge as a stripped down, more krautrocky groove, with soaring dramatic vocals way down in the mix, pounding away all druggy and dreamy and laid back.

Oneida counter with what could be their coolest / weirdest jam yet, what appears to be their twisted take on space rock, exploding immediately into a wildly chaotic freakout guitar/drum squall, the band taking their sweet time to lock into a proper groove, and in fact, they almost manage not to at all, super loose and free, the drums intricate and mathy and almost the star of the show, pounding away beneath some freaked out guitar skree, until about halfway in, when in swoops some chiming guitar, draped over thick bass buzz, even more progged out and wildly trippy, until finally, they reel it all in, and finish off with a very Wooden Shjips sounding outro, but even then, way more tripped out and space-y. Killer stuff from both bands, and some of THEE coolest packaging we've seen, eye popping pink sleeve, with lots of white and brown 'o's and 'm's

Aquarius Records

Aquarius-records


More info:
Oneida-Mugstar-Collisions-02


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Annapurna Illusion - Roadburn album of the day!



Roadburn website has posted the Annapurna Illusion as their album of the day, the article is taken off another great Aquarius Records review, read it here:

Roadburn


More info: Annapurna-Illusion-Life-is-Illusion

Don't forget to catch
GNOD playing at the 2012 Roadburn festival aswell.

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14 Oct 2011

Teeth of the Sea support Circle



Corsia Studios presents
Mon 17th October

CIRCLE
+
TEETH OF THE SEA
+
BAD GUYS
+
CHERRYSTONES

Corsia Studios
4/5 Elephant Road
London
SE17 1LB
020 7703 4760

Facebook event:

In association with Birmingham's Supersonic Festival, Corsica Studios are proud to present CIRCLE. Formed in 1991, Circle is the most visible and prolific name in the Finnish avant-rock underground. Having survived innumerable lineup changes, the band and its founder, bassist/vocalist/guitarist Jussi Lehtisalo, have constantly reinvented themselves, weaving hypnotic mantras out of exacting Krautrock beats, heavy riffs, arty noise, dark psychedelia, and soundtrack-like beauty. Hard, chilly repetition has served as the lone unifying theme throughout 15 years of experiments.

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13 Oct 2011

Introducing - THE WATCHER



Rocket are pleased to introduce fellow brainstormer, Optical Sounds' Dave C's new
regular guest feature 'THE WATCHER'.

THE WATCHER will be Dave C's take on the sounds of his forever swirling psychotomimetic optical world.

The first mission to be fired into orbit is an article about the Leeds band 'Hookworms'.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE WATCHER

Photo credit Bart Pettman

HOOKWORMS

Who are Hookworms? A relatively new five piece psychedelic rock group based in Leeds or more specifically the scene that collects around the fantastic Brudenell Social Club.

What they sound like? Think Spacemen 3 / Wooden Shjips / Magic Lantern in a psyched up spew but that's probably just me and hopefully ive got yer attention.

After supporting Sun Araw at the Brudenell at the back end of last year Cameron Stallones expressed his admiration for the band and how they made him wish he still played with Magic Lantern. He asked them if / when they had laid down some tracks would Hookworms be able to send them over for his listening pleasure. Well when Cameron heard the tracks Hookworms sent over they fried his mind so much he emailed the guys backs immediately and told them - " I gotta put this out on my new tape label." Well said tape came out and sold out within a couple of days on Sun Ark.

But lucky for us Faux Disc and Gringo Records have teamed up to release said tape on Heavyweight vinyl (500). What you get is 4 tracks and 27 minutes of white noise maelstroms , riffs to infinity and astral synth whirr all swathed in a heavy psychedelic drone as tracks build to a glorious whiteout. All 4 songs are full of hooks, melodies and fabulous waves of acid drenched guitars. But live Hookworms are able to take this brew and blow your head off in an all out Sonic Attack. Totally essential.

To Pre-Order

Dave C.

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Oneida - 7 hour Ocropolis set (in 3 parts)



No other event over the festival weekend embodied the spirit of All Tomorrow's Parties more than Oneida's seven-hour improvisation, titled The Ocropolis III. Featuring guest musicians from Portishead, Boredoms, Yo La Tengo, Chavez, Tall Firs, Ceramic Dog, Invisible Circle and Guardian Alien, The Ocropolis III not only pulled in the ATP community, but also found the loose connections between these outer-sound musicians in the name of exploration and some kind of madness.

Read more & listen to the 7 hour set (in 3 parts) here:


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MUGSTAR interview on Italian Radio



Check this Italian radio station 'Adictos Ruido' interview with Mugstar featuring their new Rocket track 'European Nihilism'

Playlist:
EUROPEAN NIHILISM
SUNBURNT IMPEDANCE MACHINE
SERRA
RADAR KING
BEYOND THE SUN

11 Oct 2011

Coming Soon - Limited Edition 'Johnny O' - Rocket Posters




Rocket are proud to announce that 2 limited edition posters 'In Search of Hawkwind' & 'Gnod Droput with White Hills' have gone for screen printing.

The artwork was created by Rocket's very own 'Johnny O' and will be available in two very limited numbered editions.

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In Search of Hawkwind - silver on black
Size: (420 x 520 mm)

'In Search of Hawkwind' artwork was originally created for a series of now highly sort after 7"s for the Trensmat record label who released 3 limited records of classic period Hawkwind cover versions reasons-to-be-cheerful. The 7" sleeves had re-imagined artwork by Johnny O further-reasons-to-be-cheerful in tribute to the late great Barney Bubbles from the same classic Hawkwind LP's as the tracks and came in 3 different full colour themes . Eventually members of Mugstar picked up the baton and released a CD on Critical Mass Recordings with expanded tracks, read here.

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Gnod Dropout with White Hills - black & glow in the dark yellow on white
Size: (420 x 520 mm)

'Gnod Droput with White Hills' artwork was created for the Rocket release Launch037 & was a part collaboration with Chris Haslam from Gnod, read here / and here.

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So watch this space for further details, we will post all relevant costs and delivery information in the up and coming weeks. When these sell out we will be doing some lovely full colour 'Heads - Everyones Knows' versions so get buying!

Thanks goes to Chaos v Cosmos for printing, check their stuff:


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Current Missions - Launched & On the Pad



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10 Oct 2011

The amazing issue 3 of OPTICAL SOUND out now!!!



Yes, our favourite Psyche / Garage / Kraut DIY magazine has its 3rd issue out now.

Featuring a mega interview with Oneida
(interview - courtesy of Rocket Recordings Chris Reeder)

Interviews with The Black Angels, Cosmic Dead, Will Carruthers, Eternal Tapestry, The Great Society Mind Destroyers, The Higher State, Hills, Hookworms, Paul Messis, Mmoss, Moon Duo, The Night Beats and White Hills.

Articles on The Cult Of Dom Keller in Austin, Thee Gnostics, Paul Allen and Simon Price of The Heads, Rocket Recordings, Matthew Smith of Outrageous Cherry on 'Out There In The Dark' and Talk Talk.

56 pages of psychedelia!!

Buy yourself one of these essential reads
here

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5 Oct 2011

Teeth of the Sea - SUPERSONIC 2011



We are really pleased to announce that Teeth of the Sea have been invited to play this years Supersonic festival (21-23 October), they will joining other Rocket faves White Hills, Eternal Tapestry, Alex Tucker, Circle, Tony Conrad and many more.

From A to Zine, The Skull Defekts, Dirty Electronics: Mute Synth, Monarch, In conversation with Tony Conrad, Eternal Tapestry, Circle, DJ Scotch Egg, Astro, Antilles, ENVY, GET A GRIP Screenprinting, Kill All Redneck Pricks: A Documentary Film about a Band Called KARP, Slabdragger, Kogumaza, Scorn, Teeth of the Sea, Conny Prantera, STILL BEFORE, Pekko Kappi, DrumCunt, Barn Owl, Byetone, Silver Apples, Alva Noto, Klaus Kinski, SOUNDkitchen, Samekhmem, Flesh for Frankenstein, Herman Inclusus, Birmingham Zine Festival exhibition, Wolves in the Throne Room, Bardo Pond, Tony Conrad, Cloaks, Imperfect Cinema, Zombi, a.P.A.t.T., Alexander Tucker presents DORWYTCH CYCLE, Backwards, Jefre Cantu – Ledesma, iconAclass, The Event, The Berg Sans Nipple, Nathan Bell, Drunk in Hell, Turbonegro, In Conversation with William Bennett + Vice Guide to Liberia, Supersonic Kids Gigs, Lucky Dragons, Suspiria, Part Chimp, Ore, Mike Watt + The Missingmen, Fire! with special guest Oren Ambarchi, Modulate, Secret Chiefs 3, Blood, Sweat + Vinyl : DIY in the 21st Century, Velzuvial – 24 hour music performance, White Hills, Electric Wizard, Sonic Graffiti, Man with a Video Camera, Orthodox, Selfless, $100 and a T-shirt- a film about zines, Drum Eyes, Fonal Records shorts, Pharaoh Overlord, Cut Hands, Agathe Max.

Tickets for the festival are only £75 for three days of music, film, art and cake.

Follow all developments via:



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Teeth of the Sea support True Widow



NEW HEAVY SOUNDS presents
Wed 12th October

TRUE WIDOW (Dallas, Texas)
+
TEETH OF THE SEA
+
LASERS FROM ATLANTIS


The Macbeth
70 Hoxton Street,
London
N1 6LP
0207 749 0508 / 0600

£8 / £7 advance
8pm - 12 midnight
DJs Stu Plimsoles + Igor Volk

Tickets -

wegottickets

TRUE WIDOW
A completely new type of 'Heavy' laid down by this Texas trio. Take your favourite My Bloody Valentine, your Sonic Youth, Crazy Horse, Stooges and then slow them down until you can hear picks hit strings, speakers flap under the strain, and fuzz like it will never fade away, and that's where True Widow's sound lies.

Facebook event:

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Teeth of the Sea: BRANCHAGE Dazed & Confused article



Teeth of the Sea discuss producing their spectacular score to accompany Neil Marshall's 'Doomsday' film at last week's Branchage film festival in Jersey.

Read the Dazed & Confused piece:


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2 Oct 2011

Oneida / Mugstar - Collisions 02 - LAUNCH!


ONEIDA / MUGSTAR - Collisions II (LAUNCH044)

!!!!!!!
AVAILABLE FROM TODAY!!!!!!!

For millions of years a signal emitted earthbound. It had circled the heavens, awaiting a moment of destiny that might never come. Now the long wait is ending, an ancient experiment is about to reach it’s climax.... time we left this world today.

This isolated event observes The People of the Upright Stone: New York’s Oneida and Liverpool’s Mugstar, exert overdriven oscillating forces on an interstellar trip of humming ohm amps and shifting clusters where time shuttles flickering back and forth between eons.

Explore the second in the Rocket Recordings odyssean collisions series; mission operations ‘Collisions 02’ and joyride this twin engine release, immersing yourself wide eyed with dilated pupils into this starry firmament.

The proceedings lift off with Oneida’s moiré patterned ‘Shahin’s Bong’. This pulsating kaleidoscopic maelstrom illuminates Oneida at their most free’est, from its beginning which implodes under its own stress, wherein drums scatter, amps buzz, strings are stressed, and modulators hum, the O’s ‘Interstellar Overdrive’ in reverse, twists and turns, drops in drops out, gradually becoming coherent to the point of no return. Then like an explosive bolt bursting your head to a classic Oneida groove, a dubbed out motorik rush cuts its way through a soup of analogue fuzz and drones. Oneida drive you to an outer limit of the visual field, you have been shown infinity, empty of all stars.


INTERMISSION


Mugstar set chase with their own odyssean endeavor ‘European Nihilism’, the Aurora Borealis viewed from within. With the hum and drone of layered synths, drawing the listener in, these psychedelic warlords hit you hard with a supercolossal Hawkwind’esque rockout like a centrifugal force that twists and turns morphing on a continual humming of valves, into the artifice of repetitive noise until at saturation point the asymptotic curve annihilates you in the quest for the perfect ion. The music then clings on the brink of vertigo and hangs immersed in an ethereal gulf like swarms of sentient electric particles, until eventually breaking through to a blissed out finale with echoed vocals ushering in a new light. We must admit, this could be Mugstars masterpiece!

So celebrate O/M’s twin attributes with us and emerge from your chrysalis, the way out is through the unhinged doors!

Hear a taster of both tracks:

Oneida / Mugstar - Collisions 02 by Rocket Recordings


INVADA RECORDS have been provided with a limited amount of GREY O/M vinyl's - these are NOT available in the shops - only black version will be, so once they have sold out, that is it.



Get your limited GREY vinyl here:
invadarecords.bigcartel

For more information e-mail:

Serpentina Satélite - "Nueva Ola"



Serpentina Satélite live footage from 2009, these guys definitely have 'something to say'.

On the 28th of October 'Serpentina Satelite - Nothing to Say' 'will be available through Trip in Time in all its 12" Rocket designed artwork glory.

Check out these South American Stooges in space & especially the Rocket released LP 'Mecanica Celeste'.


Trip in Time:

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