Not What You Expected?

Ram Ram Kino - Advantage

Re-Ripped from a 12" vinyl EP released on Temple Records (TOPY 006) in 1985 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio. Here's a re-rip re-post of the Crispy Ambulance off-shoot Ram Ram Kino, named after German porno cinema get all tantric and funky on Genesis P. Orridge's Temple Records label. Not what you expected?

A1 Advantage
A2 Advantage (Basket Mix)
B1 Into The Bush
B2 Special

Cassette Store Day

Crispy Ambulance - The Blue And Yellow Of The Yacht Club

I promised a lossless re-up of this a very long time ago, but today is Cassette Store Day and this seems appropriate. You either love them or you hate them - Crispy Ambulance were a difficult band - a bit like marmite, without any bitter aftertaste!

Stand out tracks, for me anyway, were From the Cradle to the Grave, 4 Minutes From the Frontline, Come On, The Presence and Eastern Bloc (eventually the name of an important Manchester record shop). All of these are featured on this early tape in one format or another.

This is a tape only compilation released in 1983 of very early live tracks, studio demos and radio sessions. Some of these have finally been reissued and remastered in higher fidelity - buy them here - but the majority of this collection has never reissued anywhere.

As you would expect, the tape is a patchy affair, slightly dis-organised, made from multi-generation tapes and mixed with a good dollop of hiss. Still, it is important, in places awful but thankfully those instances are limited and there are some outstanding tracks to be enjoyed.

Ripped from a cassette tape released on LTM (CSBT V11) in 1983 to high quality lossless FLAC audio.

Tracklisting:
01. Motorway Boys
02. Suzie's In Fragments (Live)
03. This Perfect Day
04. No Surrender
05. Interview (Radio 17/3/81)
06. Opening Theme
07. The Presence
08. A Sense Of Reason
09. Concorde Square
10. The Eastern Bloc
11. 3 Minutes From The Frontline (Live)
12. From The Cradle To The Grave (Live)
13. Interview
14. Deaf (Live)
15. New Violence (Live)
16. Come On
17. October 31st
18. Egypt
19. Interview
20.Rain Without Clouds (Live)
21.The Presence
22.Feedback Phase
23.Drug User/Drug Pusher (Detail)

Crispy Ambulance - From The Cradle To The Grave

From Manchester with love, very likely one of the most misunderstood bands from the early eighties. Yes the doom & gloom of a decadent & despairing young quartet is very similar to where Joy Division were a year earlier, but this is good stuff, this is post-punk at it's best. If they can do it, so can we and we will try to be better.

From The Cradle To The Grave is dark & broody with poignant lyrics and a booming chorus, Four Minutes From The Frontline is JD's Interzone and Bauhaus' Third Uncle rolled into one, but the Bauhaus track came out two or three years later?

From The Cradle To The Grave : lovingly ripped from a 7" vinyl single released on Aural Assault Records (AAR 001) in 1980 to lossless FLAC for your aural pleasure.

A. From The Cradle To The Grave

B. Four Minutes From The Frontline

Hear

Ram Ram Kino - Advantage and Demos

A re-post, but this time lossless with an extra special bonus. Read on....

Ram Ram Kino were the alter ego of Factory Records' Crispy Ambulance with a very different sound to CA's psychedelic post-punk meanderings. Crispy Ambulance began to lose direction following their difficult Sexus single on Factory Benelux, so the four original members just renamed themselves, after German porno cinema, as Ram Ram Kino and adapted to a new sound.

Very much in the quirky pop-funk vein, the RRK sound was not quite as expected. Whether they expected to find a new audience is unknown, but Alan Hempsall's unique vocal style is immediately recognisable over the horn laden, slap bass driven funk with congas! By releasing this, their only output, on Psychic TV's Temple Records, RRK did little to enhance their commercial chops.

Advantage : ripped to FLAC from a 12" vinyl single released on Temple Records (TOPY 006) in 1985
A1. Advantage
A2. Advantage (Basket Mix)
B1. Into The Bush
B2. Special

Hear

In 1984, Hempsall and the band circulated demo tapes of their repertoire around Manchester, including Stockport pirate radio station KFM. Thanks to blog follower and Manchester music writer Craigie*, we can post them here.

Ram Ram Kino Demos : ripped to FLAC from a demo tape

1. Inspiration

2. Powerful Community

3. Keys To My Car

4. Slow Drive

5. Advantage

6. Special

7. Into The Bush

Listen

There is also a live tape recorded at The Hacienda, but maybe we should save that for another day.

Crispy Ambulance - The Blue & Yellow Of The Yacht Club

The first tape uploaded to these pages (there may well be some more). You either love them or you hate them - Crispy Ambulance were a difficult band - a bit like marmite, without any bitter aftertaste!

Stand out tracks, for me anyway, were From the Cradle to the Grave, 4 Minutes From the Frontline, Come On, The Presence and Eastern Bloc. All of these are featured on this early tape in one format or another.

This is a tape only compilation released in 1983 of very early live tracks, studio demos and radio sessions. Some of these have finally been reissued and remastered in higher fidelity - buy them here - but the majority of this collection has never reissued anywhere.

Tracklisting:

01. Motorway Boys

02. Suzie's In Fragments (Live)

03. This Perfect Day

04. No Surrender

05. Interview (Radio 17/3/81)

06. Opening Theme

07. The Presence

08. A Sense Of Reason

09. Concorde Square

10. The Eastern Bloc

11. 3 Minutes From The Frontline (Live)

12. From The Cradle To The Grave (Live)

13. Interview

14. Deaf (Live)

15. New Violence (Live)

16. Come On

17. October 31st

18. Egypt

19. Interview

20.Rain Without Clouds (Live)

21.The Presence

22.Feedback Phase

23.Drug User/Drug Pusher (Detail)

Lossless Re-Rip Coming Soon!