The Royal Assassins
FluxARC092
The Royal Assassins- Open Up the Rivers
- Gutless Day
- Hypnotism
- Ju Ju Man
- River of Tears
- Quiet Sun
- Song of a Bullet
- Here Forever
- Big Wheel Hit
Recorded in '82/'83, and never before released, 'Flux' is not, strictly speaking, a Royal Assassins recording. It is, in fact the blueprint from which the Royal Assassins was fashioned. Recorded and produced mainly by Chris Scott in his home 4 track studio, with the collaboration of Dave Hares and Sean Henneberry and featuring guests such as the late lamented Sax maestro Jerry Underwood, this collection sets out to establish the sound and feel of Scott's particular vision of rock music at the time.
Blending rock and funk rhythms, with textured lead guitars, rumbling, hypnotic basslines, synthesisers, odd percussion noises, and early use of 'found sounds' pre-cursing the trend for sampling to come later, this was to be Bristol's answer to a combination of Talking Heads, Killing Joke and the Doors.
Exploring a range of themes popular at the time, this set of tracks establishes Scott's musical identity which can be traced throughout his work ever since. It was essentially these recordings which secured a deal with Fire Records, and many of the tracks here were re-recorded for the later releases on that label.
However, before the deal was signed, both Hares and Henneberry left and were replaced by Ben Wilby and Keith Campbell, and the Royal Assassins which finally found it's way on to the National stage, was a very different animal than the vision explored here.
Starting with the psychedelic funk of 'Open up the Rivers' the album works through a range of absorbing pieces; the trance like dub of 'Hypnotism', the dangerous electric voodoo of 'Ju Ju Man', savage squalling guitar duelling in 'Quiet Sun', and the impossibly beautifully yearning 'Here Forever', which features an immense sax solo by Underwood.
This, for some, is how The Royal Assassins should have sounded - and never did.
Live Thekla Bristol 1985ARC121
- Open Up the Rivers
- Hypnotism
- King Briar
- Second Breath
- Animal
- Ju Ju Man
- River of Tears
- Lets Partake
- Quiet Sun
- Song of a Bullet
- Here Forever
- King Briar
- Quiet Sun
Copyright DAVE MASSEY/Visceral Thrill Recordings
Recorded Live at the Thekla - 16th October 1985
except tracks 12 and 13 recorded live at Moles Club, Bath
Mixed by DAVE MASSEY and MIKE LONG
Line up:
Sean Hennebury - Drums
Vince Cooper - Bass
Ben Wilby - Guitar
Chris Scott - Guitar/Vocals
Pete Whitecross - Dancing/Vocals
DemoARC142
- King Briar
- Sons of Rage
- Black Medicine
Blending rock and funk rhythms, with textured lead guitars, rumbling, hypnotic basslines, synthesisers, odd percussion noises, and early use of 'found sounds' pre-cursing the trend for sampling to come later, this was to be Bristol's answer to a combination of Talking Heads, Killing Joke and the Doors.
www.myspace.com/bristolassassins
