NEW This page will be moved to here so I would bookmark that if I were you.
Well we are still here (2004) only news is that this page is more or less replicated in issue 21 of Ugly Things with a nice credit and excellent interview by Richard Mason with various FO/Street Level people. No more news, still chasing the Danny and the Dressmakers tapes (for two years now) and my scanner fell on my head the other day to add to further delays. Still contact me for tape swaps though.
This page is dedicated to the history of all things Street
Level. This page has been developed as a fan site, I didnt have antything to do with the Street Level people other than going to many of the gigs and buying the records and cassettes. My music can be accessed from
here.
Street Level was a recording studio based in west London, it
existed in the early 1980's.
Many bands recorded there, they included Here & Now,
Alternative TV, The Good Missionaries, The Door and The Window,
012, World Domination Enterprises, Androids Of Mu, Danny And The
Dressmakers, Treatment, Instant Automatons etc .....
Street level spawned Fuck Off Records (or was it the other way
around) and many other labels used their facilities. This site
will detail the records recorded at Street Level and
"music" closely associated with the West London DIY
scene of the early eighties. Firstly there will be
record/cassette discographies, followed by some historical texts
for the groups involved, then some Real Audio sound files in
glorious lofi.
Then of course there was the Idiots Ballroom at the Clarendon,
the Meanwhile Gardens free concerts and the Radio 4 expose
leading to the mobile Street level studio.
Back To Sing Again For Free Soon Fuck Off Records FO 001 First ever tape released in 1979. The master tape is worn through still retains some of the original sparkle. Music For Pressure Fuck Off Records FO 007 The first F.O. compilation to feature recordings done at the Street level 8 track, a lot of great stuff. Folk In Hell Fuck Off Records FO 008 Really fantastic follow up to "Music For Pressure", all studio, all great. Heart Noise Heart Ouch Records Ouch 005 The 012 and the Sell Outs - not badly recorded seminal charisma and out of tune guitars. Gut level rock and roll from 1979. Wierd Noise EP Fuck Off Records FEP001 fish from tahiti 012 cathy and claire DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS ballad of fuck off records THE SELL OUTS the truth about unemployment DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS number one entertainer DOOR AND THE WINDOW legalise vimto DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS hey ho my cholestarol level is low DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS electronic music INSTANT AUTOMATONS dont make another bass guitar me rickenbacker DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS The Sell-Outs, The 012, The Door + The Window, and The Instant Automatons recorded at home on 4 track and 2 track tape machines. Danny + the Dressmakers get that unique "Dressmakers white noise" effect with 3rd generation cassette recordings. Whole thing got together by Kif Kif, Nag, Bendle and Protag and dedicated to the Steet Level organisation. Angst In My Pants DEP002 restless night INSTANT AUTOMATONS scared to be alone INSTANT AUTOMATONS cracked actor MIC WOODS weekday crush MIC WOODS silicone baby MIDNIGHT CIRCUS hedonist jive MIDNIGHT CIRCUS 9 to 5 012 in the ghetto 012 sideways man DIGITAL DINOSAURS not got champagne LILY MALONE is it you, is it me COLIN POTTER i am your shadow COLIN POTTER quick one COLIN POTTER blue eyed boy MISSING PERSONS angst in my pants MISSING PERSONS recorded at Street Level 8 track bannana factory 28th-30th july, engineered and mixed variously by kif kif, grant showbiz and corina ... We Couldnt Agree On A Title ICR ICR001 behind you COLIN POTTER organs DIGITAL DINOSAURS we are so glad COLIN POTTER hole DIGITAL DINOSAURS buried alive MISSING PERSONS heart finds a home ROBERT LAWRENCE mama MISSING PERSONS sentimental THOSE LITTLE ALIENS electrical storm MISSING PERSONS low point x THOSE LITTLE ALIENS turn the clock back WALKING FLOORS why MIC WOODS 9am VICTIMS OF ROMANCE blabber n smoke 012 bridewell anaesthetic PHILP JOHNSON Lets Get Professional Flicknife Records SHARP020 lets get professional san andreas fault i feel cool* she doesn't come* three little birds* rio tinto zinc international funkytown people live fast die young asbestos lead asbestos meltdown situation three days then 4* the 012 on this record are kif kif le batter - guitar and vocal, Jose Gross - drums and laughing, crazy alan Dogend - bass, Granto showbiz - bass on *, Richard ans Adrians rankin horns on three little birds. Recorded at Street Level 1981* and on the Street Level mobile 83/84 cut by Jacko at tape one.
Music and Movement NB001 Cassette Permanent transience NB002 Cassette First EP NB1
Subculture Fashion Slaves Nostradamus Dont Kill Colin Wurst Band |
Production Line NB3
Production Line He Feels Like a Doris Dig Innocent I Like Sound |
Detailed Twang NB5
Android Of Mu DROIDS 001 early 30 minute cassette. Blood Robots FLP001 1. Atomic X 1. Confusion 2. Who Cares 2. Bored Housewifes 3. Fast Car 3. Lost In Space 4. She Is A Boy 4. Subtitles 5. Pretty Nun 5. Jeen Dreams Recorded at Street Level, produced by the Androids + Kif Kif with help from Granto.
Vibing Up The Senile Man DLP03 Oct/Nov 1978
1. Release The Natives 1. The Good Missionary 2. Serpentine Gallery 2. Graves Of Deluxe Green 3. Poor Association 3. Smile In The Day 4. The Radio Story 5. Facing Up To The Facts |
Mark Perry - instruments, voice Dennis burns - instruments, voice Mick Linehan - guitar Steve Jameson - 3rd voice Genesis P-Orridge - percussion Recorded at pathway Sound Studios Oct/Nov 1978. Engineering, assistant production and vibing by Wally Brill.
The Avant - Punk Years
I rejected punk's restrictive format and took ATV into a
direction that was more like free form jazz than the three chord
thrash. Some critics despised the change, a few applauded it. I
didnt give a shit. As far as I was concerned, it was my band and
I could do what I wanted with it. Miles Copeland (my manager at
the time) still talks about the day thet I first played him
'Vibing...', he sat there aghast thinking it was some sort of
joke until he realised that I was deadly serious. 'Vibing ...'
had, and still has a clarity that I could never acheive within
the confines or the traditional rock sound. Punk inspired me but
I could never let it constrain me. 'Vibing ...' is all about me
and my life - wierd, stark and sometimes even embarassing. I
wanted people to like the album because I guess I wanted them to
like me. The real me, not Mark P Punk prophet, but me that lurks
behind all the bullshit. I thought that people would appreciate
my honesty but most rejected it, perferring the safe world of
pop-punk. I still think that 'Vibing ...' is a classic punk album
because it takes it into truly chaotic territory - witness the
brooding 'The Radio Story' for proof. To me, punks only
boundaries are the ones that have been set up in peoples closed
minds. Punk became the new rock music.
Mark Perry January 1996.
Good Missionary/Facing Up To The Facts/Vibing Nov 1978 Mark Perry - voice, guitar, piano Dennis burns - bass guitar, recorder Wally Brill - vibing Steve Jameson - 3rd voice Mick Linehan - guitar Recorded at pathway Sound Studios Oct/Nov 1978. Produced by Mark Perry and Dennis Burns.
Force Is Blind/Lost In Room Feb 1979
Mark Perry - voice, drums, electric violin, percussion Dennis Burns - bass guitar, synthesizer Anno - voice Dave George - chime bars, guitar Wally Brill - sound effects, organ Produced by ATV/Wally Brill at Pathway Feb 1979. |
It wasnt long before ATV imploded once more, leaving only
Perry and Burnss to record the profoudly experimental
"Vibing Up The Senile Man", before the pair emerged
from a lenghty 'free' tour with Here and Now to record the 'ATV
Memorial Single', "The Force Is Blind/Lost In Room". It
was as far away from the Roxy Club as you could get, although for
Perry, punk rock had become a strait-jacket cliche-ridden and
hijacked by imposters, that he barely wanted to be associated
with it any more. "The Force Is Blind" was as intense
and paranoid a piece of music as you'll find from any late 70s,
tripping over itself with lysergic karma, just as the bands
earlier '1-2-3-4' punk rock material had pogoed furiously in
amphetamine directed straight lines. The group had collapsed as
had the dreams which had propelled it into action.
Mark Paytress November 1993.
Scars On Sunday W001 Spring 79/May 79
1. Nasty Little Lonely 1. Bottom Of The World 2. Release the Natives 2. The Good Missionary Goes For A walk 3. Radio Story/Lost In Room 3. The Morning They Took Me Away 4. Fellow Sufferer 5. The Force Is Blind 6. Good Missionary/Total Disregard For The Greenwich Theatre. |
Side one is the penultimate Alternative TV gig at the Greewich Theatre in Spring 1979. It features the very shaky drums of Dave George and vocals from Anno Wombat. Line-up
Mark Perry : vocals/guitar/keyboards/wind instruments/percussion Dave George : drums/percussion/special effects Dennis Burns : bass guitar Anno Wombat : vocals/wind instruments/percussion
Side two is the very first Good Missionary concert in
"Bottom Of The World" a jam recorded at the "Gig
of the century" in the Lyceum ballroom May 1979. The other
two numbers are also largely improvised and were recorded on the
"Pop Group" tour summer 1979.
Mark Perry : vocals/guitar/wind instruments Dave George : guitar/vocals/chime bars/effects Dennis Burns : bass guitar Gillian Hanna : vocals/wind instruments/percussion Suze Da Blooz : vocals/wind instruments/percussion Anno Wombat : vocals/wind instruments/percussion Henry Badowski : drums/saxaphone
CAUTION!
This is the first in Fuck Off records "Wierd Experiments In
Noise" collection and is a serious attempt to blow your mind
with sound. As you may have noticed the long drwan out 'hypnotic'
pieces (otherwise known as the boring bits) are necessary to
bring out the sheer power of the noisy bits inherant in this type
of music. While every attempt is made to ensure perfect audio
reproduction, we must admit we quite enjoy that 'fucked up'
sound. The Good Missionaries is a natural progression from
Alternative TV. ATV in the beginning were a pretty hard hitting
if not intriging sort of punk group. However as time has passed,
variuos members have joined and left the band until the final
line up (recorded on side one) decided that the music had changed
so much and lots of people were still coming to the gigs
expecting the older line ups, that changing the name would be a
good idea. About the time of this penultimate gig the music had
got so wierd that hardcore heavy punks had taken to throwing
bottles at the band, on one occasionMark was knocked unconsious
by one, and during side one the tension in the air is easy to
spot, as is the final destruction of the equipment by band and
audience alike, after the PA is switchedoff mid-set. Side two
starts with a jam recorded on the first Good Missionaries gig, a
tentative affair where the group performed in masks, it was
allmeant as a bit of a laugh really but the band enjoyed the
relief from not having a name to live up to, subsequently the
content is less strained. The rest of side two feature two
performances on the most recent Pop Group tour featuring the
newest line-up. These additions and changes aid Mark in his
former capacity as lead instrumentalist by stopping up a lot of
gaps he used to have to run around the stage to fill all by
himself. And generally I think it will be agreed that these later
recordings show the band at their most relaxed and productive to
date.
Sleeve note
Fire From Heaven DLP04 May/June 1979
1. Another Coke/The Body + 1. Fire From Heaven * 2. The Force Is Blind + 2. Release The Natives * 3. Thief Of Fire * 3. Fellow Sufferer In Dub + 4. The Radio Story @ 4. Bugger The Cat # |
+ Manchester University 19/5/79 * St. Andrews University 13/5/79 @ Liverpool Eric's 2/6/79 # Bristol Locarno 4/6/79 Henry Badowski - drums,sax Dennis Burns - bass guitar Dave George - guitar, chime bars, whoope flute, percussion, melodica, vocals Gillian Hanna - vocals, recorder Mark perry - guitar, organ,percussion,clarinet, vocals Sooze - vocals Glyn Collins - flute Paul Reekie - bass Mark + Simon - pop grouping Kif Kif - sound
ATV working live disguised as The Good Missionaries, which was
'Vibing On The Road' recorded live on the "Animal
Instincts" tour 1979. We had agreat time touring with Pop
Group who supported us financially and spiritually. We made a lot
of noise, dismantled some old songs and then broke up. It was
great fun while it lasted.
Mark Perry January 1996
Vibing Up The Senile World EP Norm 1 May 1979 1. Good Missionary Part 1 * 2. Good Missionary Part 2 * 3. Kif Kif Freakout # - Dave George - Dennis Burns - Gillian Hanna - Mark perry - Glyn Collins - Henry Badowski - Kif Kif le mixer - Dick O'Dell - Anno - Paul Reekie - Recorded live on the "Animal Instincts" tour 1979. * Manchester University 19/5/79 # St Andrews University 13/5/79
The Good Missionaires evolved from Alternative TV during the
Pop Group 'Animal Instincts' tour. With the addition of more
instruments and musicians, the idea was to carry on playing the
old ATV songs but to use them as a root for musical
experimentation. This was successful to some extent, but the
hoped for development of new material from this format did not
happen. This record ia an example of the sort of musical
meandering thet the Good Missionaries used to get up to. The
master tape of this record was given to the Hastings Anarchist
group's paper, Poisen Pen, as a contribution towards the setting
up of Hastings Free Press, and to help launch Unormality Records.
The Good Missionaries have not, in fact, split up, but only one
person from the previous line-up Dave George, remains. The 'new'
Good Missionaries are based in Hastings and have spent the last
few months rehearsing and learning a completely new set of songs,
and music. Though retaining many of the ideas prevalent in the
old band the music has become more structured and formalised to
try to put these ideas in to a context that works. Because this
record is not representative to the Good Missionaries as they now
sound, and due to unforseen delays in its release, it has been
decided to limit the number of copies pressed to one thousand.
Sleeve notes
Perry & Burns You Cry Your Tears/Music Death NB 7 March 1980 Mark:voice,drums,soprano sax Dennis:bass Anno:violin, weebles Bendle:weebles Dave George:Drums Recorded at Street Level March/April 1980. Mark Perry Whole World Down On Me/I Live He Dies DFC12 March 1980 Mark Perry vocal, drums, tenor sax. Dennis Burns guitar,bass. Nag synthesiser. Anno violin. Bendle drums. Recorded at street level on the 25th and 26th of March 1980. Produced by Mark Perry, Dennis Burns and Grant Showbiz. Mark Perry Snappy Turns DFC 06 May/June/July 1980 1. Snappy Turns 1. Death Looks Down 2. The Object Is To Love 2. The Game Is Over 3. You Know 3. Quagga's Last Stand 4. Inside 5. At War Mark Perry voice/drums/alto sax/piano/flute Dennis Burns bass guitar/piano Nag tambourine Grant Showbiz bass guitar Tyrone guitar Anno violin Recorded at Street Level May/June/July 1980.
Radio Sessions Overground OVER44CD 1977 - 1986 1. Love Lies Limp 2. Action Time and Vision 3. Still Life 4. Life After life 5. The Good Missionary 6. Release The Natives 7. Going Round In Circles 8. Nasty Little Lonely 9. Cold Rain 10. There Goes My Date With Doug 11. Communicate 12. Straighten Up 1-4 Mark Perry:vocals,guitar Kim Turner:guitar Dennis Burns:bass Chris Bennett:drums,horn,vocals Producer Tony Wison Peel Session 12 December 1997 5-8 Mark Perry:vocals,guitar,percussion,effects Dennis Burns:bass,recorder Mark Lineham:guitar Producer Tony Wilson Peel Session 27 July 1978 9-11 Mark Perry:vocals Alex Fergusson:guitar,synth,vocals Dennis Burns: bass Ray Weston:drums Producer ATV Engineer Grant Showbiz Street Level Pirate Radio 1981 12 Mark Perry:vocals,guitar Protag:guitar Steve Cannell:bass Allison Philips:drums Producer Protag Bangkok Radio 1986
Asbestos Lead Asbestos Karbon K008 Catalogue Clothes Product Inc PROD 112 Hotsy Girl Product Inc PROD 5 I Cant Live Without My Radio 12" Lets Play Domination Product Inc PROD 18 Dub Domination remix LP Love from Lead City live LP
The disturbing noise/chaos level achieved by this angular
Ladbroke Grove (London) trio-formed by singer/guitarist Keith
Dobson after the dissolution of his previous band, 012--is indeed
something marvelous. The astonishing high-pressure racket of
Let's Play Domination's opening salvo ("Message for You
People") may send you rushing to the turntable to see if
your stylus is accidentally gouging a hole in the platter.
Besides sturdily unsettling originals, the album--clearly a
stiff-upper-lip cousin to Big Black, Birthday Party and other
punishing pain-inflicters-includes a relatively straight
rendition of L.L. Cool J's "I Can't Live Without My
Radio" as well as deranged interpretations of Lipps, Inc.'s
"Funkytown" and a U-Roy number. As Dobson layers on the
scathing, slithery guitar and sings in a plain, serviceable
voice, the rhythm section lurches and pounds in a tight phalanx;
producer Dave Allen captures the entire meltdown with thrilling
clarity.
Judging by their 12-inch singles, all of which contain alternate
mixes, WDE is big on remixes, which makes the release of Dub
Domination--eight album tracks given studio massages--no big
surprise. Love from Lead City, packaged to look like a bootleg,
with no information or credits, is a crude live record (with no
hint of an audience's presence) that features spare but crushing
renditions of such headbutts as "Funkytown,"
"Message for You People" and the political
"Asbestos Lead Asbestos," a song originally from 012's
album.
Stamp Out Mutants/Doncha Know LYN-95 90-IT 1981 Recorded at Street Level by Kif Kif and Corrina. Sounds by Treatment special thanks to the Grahams, John Thomson, The Basement Club and all the punters.
Stolen Moments CASS 2 1981 1. A little bit of knowledge 2. City man cry 3. Underground 4. The mega number 5. The telly song 6. Intro / Jacques Cousteau loves anchovies 7. Nudge up double de luxe 8. Acid arcade / Russian roulette 9. Ways to be free
Line Up : Steffy Sharpstrings (Guitar and Vocals), Dino
Ferrari (Guitar and Vocals), Gary Maughn, Keith The Bass (Bass
and Vocals), Gavin Da Blitz (K/boards and Vocals), Rob (dunno
which one) (Drums).
Tracks 1- 5 recorded on an 8 track at Street Level Studios.
Wierd Noise EP Fuck Off Records FEP001 number one entertainer DOOR AND THE WINDOW legalise vimto DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS hey ho my cholestarol level is low DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS electronic music INSTANT AUTOMATONS dont make another bass guitar me rickenbacker DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS fish from tahiti 012 cathy and claire DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS ballad of fuck off records THE SELL OUTS the truth about unemployment DANNY AND THE DRESSMAKERS The Sell-Outs, The 012, The Door + The Window, and The Instant Automatons recorded at home on 4 track and 2 track tape machines. Danny + the Dressmakers get that unique "Dressmakers white noise" effect with 3rd generation cassette recordings. Whole thing got together by Kif Kif, Nag, Bendle and Protag and dedicated to the Steet Level organisation. Street Level EP Fuck Off Records FEP002 Pontin Stomp VINCE PIE AND THE CRUMBS Blues Exterminator BLUE MIDNIGHT Poisoned THE VOLTONES Looking For You THE ENTIRE COSMOSS One Million Hamburgers Fuck Off Records FEP003 One Million Hamburgers ALL STARS Dream BLUE MIDNIGHT Tribute BLUE MIDNIGHT F.O. 001 back to sing for free - various
Dick
Heley - Void Burstin Dick Heley - Photograph Of Feeling Astronauts - Secret File Astronauts - All Night Party Astronauts - Back To Sing For Free Again Soon Dick Heley & Blankspace - Fantasy Anal Surgeons - Wheres That Fag Dog Ends - Aint No Free Unless Its Free Alternative TV - Terrified Of Dogs |
Wilful
Damage - You Hang At Midnight Wilful Damage - No-one Cares Wilful Damage - Fictitious Wilful Damage - Farewell To Innocence Danny And The Dressmakers - Ernie Bishops Dead Body Danny And The Dressmakers - How Hot Is A Match Danny And The Dressmakers - John E BeGood Danny And The Dressmakers - What The World Needs Now Danny And The Dressmakers - Whole Lotta Pinball Danny And The Dressmakers - Dont Make Another Bass Guitar Danny And The Dressmakers - Manchester United The Sell Outs - Rock + Roll Honcert Seventh Angel - From A Sly Fox To A Pack Of Wolves Amazing Zeepee Silent Orchestra - No Kung Future Planet Gong - Psychedelic Man Blankspace - |
F.0. 002 200 Cancellations - Danny and the Dressmakers F.0. 003 200 Cancellations - Danny and the Dressmakers F.0. 004 200 Cancellations - Danny and the Dressmakers F.0. 005 Really Wierd - various F.0. 006 Stolen and Erased by Zounds F.0. 007 Music For Pressure - various
W. 000 Wierd Sampler
Unkown
Girl - opium for the people 012 - fish from tahiti Danny & The Dressmakers - Supermarket Tango Living Dead - Insperation Persperation Horrible Nurds - Lets All Sign To Virgin Records Anthrax For The People - Union Canal Mystery Blankspace - Little Green Pills A.T.V. - Release The Natives |
Good
Missionaries - Go For A Walk Kif Kif - Magic Hat Danny & The Dressmakers - Welcome The Sell Outs - Money Hearing Aids - Random Excerpt The Door and The Window - Worst Band Instant Automatons - Excerpt |
W. 001 Scars On Sunday - Alternative TV/Good Missionaries
Nasty
Little Lonely Release The Natives The Radio Story/Lost In Room Fellow Sufferer The Force Is Blind Good Missionary Total Disregard for the Greenwich Theatre |
Bottom
Of The World Good Missionary Goes For A Walk The Morning They Took Me Away |
|
Side
One is the complete tape of the penultimate Alternative
TV gig recorded live at the Greenwich Theatre in Spring 1979. It features the very shakey drumming of Dave George and vocals by Anno Wombat. Side Two features the very first Good Missioaries concert at "The Bottom Of The World" a jam recorded at at the 'Gig Of The Century' in the Lyceum Ballroom May 1979. The other two numbers are also largely improvised and were recorded on the "Pop Group" tour Summer 1979. |
W. 002 All I Can Hear Is People Talking - The Hearing Aids W. 003 39 Golden Grates - Danny and the Dressmakers W. 004 Living Dead No 5 - Funhouse W. 005 The Grand Union Canal Mystery - Anthrax For The People
OUCH 001 Several Musical Varieties Of Cow Dung - Hove Wierdos OUCH 002 Bimbo Lunchbox - JT Bimbo OUCH 003 Debasement Tapes - Missing Persons OUCH 004 Sound Of Music - Repition and the Repitions OUCH 005 Heart Noise Heart - 012 and the Sellouts OUCH 006 Joie De Vivre - Chris Scott OUCH 007 Absolutely Nothing - 3rd Door From The Left OUCH 008 Thump Eek Ooze - The Rook OUCH 009 An Hour Of Tortue With - The Teen Vampires OUCH 010 Just Another Pop Group - Ironeye OUCH 011 Mr OReilly - Danny and the Dressmakers OUCH 012 Go Mental - Danny and the Dressmakers OUCH 013 Fight Back - Wye
FW. 001 White patterns On Her Dress - 012 FW. 002 Christian Conciosness - Concerned Christians
SERF 001 Rape and Pillage - Missing Persons SERF 002 Magnet Vaccine- The Beach Surgeons SERF 003 A Trivia Freaks Guide to the ... - Post Natals SERF 004 Pub Pianist Gets In On The Act - Horrible Nurds SERF 005 Soundtrack - Ironeye SERF 006 Sex Crimes - Concerned Christians SERF 007 More Songs - God and the Turds SERF 008 Tambourine Improvisations - The Beach Surgeons SERF 000 Serf Sampler - Various
SKATY 001 Go Fly With Him - Beach Surgeons SKATY 002 Nuclear Wasteland - Missing Persons SKATY 003 Sausage Album - God and the Turds
More info soon.