The Hall of Legends - A.R.Kane: Transmission 57, 2013 August 28

Tonight we converse with another Legend, this time Rudy Tambala of A.R.Kane. That band enters the Hall of Legends, where they join The Fall, Stereolab, Billy Childish, Coil, Prince Far I, Dif Juz, and Little Annie. Considering that we've played over 800 different artists in the nine months the program has aired, the Hall of Legends is an exclusive club. Nevertheless, the Induction Committee will adjourn while a new wing is built.

Every visitor to the site is a precious snowflake to me (yes, even the spambots!). Some of you, no doubt, are visiting for the first time, having been lured here by A.R.Kane. A special welcome to you. Enjoy what the site has to offer, even if from your perspective it's only this post. BOMBAST is a relatively new thing, but we have many episodes available here. The hyperlink above will take you to a loose description of the Hall of Legends, and this page describes the "idea" of the show, such as it is. The prose you find everywhere on the site is mostly for my own entertainment, since this is my outlet, but if it floats your boat as well, that's fine. Audio's at the bottom of the post if this is all TMI.

We have written too much about A.R.Kane, as some of you have heard, either from them or from me. (No, I'm not linking to it! Show some initiative.) Whether you're familiar with A.R.Kane's musical output or not, the contents of this program will teach you more about it than I could. I can only speak authoritatively about my own experiences:

• My first sighting of the Lollita record, and this progression of thought--first, "nice cover star"; then, "impressive knife"; finally (after reading the sticker comment promising "Big Black meets The Durutti Column"), "if this is anywhere in that ballpark I'll love it"
• The entire autumn of 1987, when I couldn't get the sound of "Haunting" out of my head
• Plugging my weak drum machine into my pathetic guitar amp because it was the closest I could get to that sound
• Experiencing chills in the middle of "Baby Milk Snatcher" when the guitars drop out

There are certainly more, but as I've mentioned elsewhere the golden years of A.R.Kane coincided with what is more or less a "missing period" for me, which is probably just as well. Less rhapsody to clutter anyone else's impression of the music or the time.

At any rate, there are many descriptors, associations, and likenesses that people toss around when discussing A.R.Kane. If you haven't encountered these classifications and similes, so much the better. To me, there are reasons A.R.Kane belong in the Hall of Legends more than certain "fellow travelers" whose vectors might overlap (although we should never say never). If these reasons aren't apparent to you after listening to this program, I certainly can't help you with words. But I do hope this amounts to a good use of your time. And if it clears the room, that could also be considered success.

BOMBAST playlist, 2013 August 28, 2100-2300:

format = "Song Title" [Artist, Album, Label]

1. "Sado-Masochism Is a Must" [A.R.Kane, Lollita, 4AD]
2. "When You're Sad" [A.R.Kane, When You're Sad, One Little Indian]
3. "Baby Milk Snatcher" [A.R.Kane, Up Home!, Rough Trade]
4. "Sperm Travels Like Juggernaut" [A.R.Kane, Love-Sick, Rough Trade]
5. "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)" [M|A|R|R|S, Pump Up the Volume, 4AD]
6. "Haunting" [A.R.Kane, When You're Sad, One Little Indian]
7. "Spermwhale Trip Over" [A.R.Kane, Sixty-Nine, Rough Trade]
8. "The Sun Falls Into the Sea" [A.R.Kane, Sixty-Nine, Rough Trade]
9. "The Madonna Is With Child" [A.R.Kane, Sixty-Nine, Rough Trade]
10. "Spanish Quay (3)" [A.R.Kane, Sixty-Nine, Rough Trade]
11. "Listen Up! (Pulsar Mix)" [A.R.K, Listen Up!, Rough Trade] | "Physical Evidence"
12. "Pop" [A.R.Kane, "i", Rough Trade]
13. "Back Home / Down" [A.R.Kane, "i", Rough Trade]
14. "Green Hazed Daze" [A.R.Kane, Love-Sick, Rough Trade]
15. "Supervixens" [A.R.Kane, "i", Rough Trade]
16. "Lollita" [A.R.Kane, Lollita, 4AD]
17. "Up [demo]" [A.R.Kane, Soundcloud self-release]

next time: who can possibly know? Probably the usual. Enjoy the music!