Tag Archives: music

Pestrepeller are Rough on Rats

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Ed Pinsent has discovered a long-thought-lost 2009 edition of his Sound Projector radio show featuring ‘Rough on Rats’, a 90 minute live performance by Pestrepeller, the musical group he and I formed with Savage Pencil.

On this occasion we were joined by guest pest Peter Hope-Evans and worked from a text-instruction composition he provided. And do I hear the voice of Saphron‘s Jill Tipping? Recorded live-to-air in the Resonance FM studio by Sarah Nicol, who deserves an honorary band membership for her imaginative contributions to the sound.

Listen to ‘Rough on Rats’ on the Internet Archive.

If I recall correctly, this is the most recent time we played together, which is a long while ago, but the possibility of a musical reunion always remains. In the meantime, some rare Pestrepeller and Mystery Dick CDs are available, while stocks last, in our Etsy shop and there are rumours that a lost album may surface on Mr E Discs during 2025.

Some 21st century pop classics

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This list was compiled while I was preparing to speak at the Battle of Ideas discussion, Is Modern Music Rubbish? Although I was critical about the modern pop industry, I wanted to acknolwedge some songs which prove, to my ears at least, that commercial pop can still come up with the goods now and then.

Click on the links to listen to the songs or immerse yourself in the whole set on this YouTube playlist.

Is modern music rubbish?

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“The Taylor Swifts and Beyonce’s of this world may be able to top the streaming playlists, fill stadiums, generate headlines, hold court to politicians and even awaken dormant economies when their circus comes to town. But outside of their admittedly considerable number of fans, how many of us could name or hum more than one or two of their songs? Or maybe, any of their songs?”

In October I took part in a panel discussion about modern music at the Battle of Ideas festival in London, along with Aaqil Ahmed, Rushabh Haria, Lysia Leal, Leo Villa and chair Andrew Calcutt. You can watch a video of the discussion below.

You can also watch other debates from the Battle of Ideas festival on the Academy of Ideas YouTube channel.

And, for anyone interested in the list I mentioned of great 21st century pop songs, I’ve posted it here.

Pestrepeller’s Noises for the Leg

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“It’s out, it’s out, and only the Lord knows when it’ll be on us all…”

A VERY limited release of Pestrepeller’s unbelievable tribute to the Bonzo Dog Band. The Bonzo’s cod-medieval instrumental miniature, ‘Noises for the Leg’, from their Keynsham LP, is extended, elaborated and transfigured into a thirty minute organ and moog meditation on the horror stories of HP Lovecraft.

About Pestrepeller

Pestrepeller (or Attack Wave Pestepeller, to give them their full moniker) specialise in a unique brand of detailed and noisy improvised music inspired by the occult.

The core of the band is a trio of Ed Pinsent – cartoonist (Illegal Batman, Windy Wilberforce, Drake Ullingsworth), Sound Projector radio show and magazine – Harley R – publisher and editor of Ugly Mug comic – and Savage Pencil – punk cartoonist (Sounds, NME, The Wire) and designer of album covers and t-shirts for bands such as Sonic Youth, The Fall, Sunn O))) and Rocket from the Crypt. The core trio are sometimes joined by honorary pests such as Sharon Gal, Peter Hope Evans, Rob Brown and Gary Ramon.

Pestrepeller have performed at the ICA and the Equinox ‘Festival of Scientific Illumination’. Recordings include Insect and Rodent Eliminator (Sympathy for the Devil records), Nug Yar (Prescription), The Cruel Sea (a collaboration with the Chelsea Magrigal Group), Isle of Dark Magic (Important Records), As Wolf (a split release picture disc with My Cat Is An Alien), Noises for the Leg, Alphabet of Daggers and Rough on Rats.

About this release

Track listing
1. Noises for the Leg (5:29)
2. Noises for the Longer Leg (25:56)

The shorter ‘Noises for the Leg’ first appeared in 2003 for Noises for the Limb – a tribute to the Bonzo Dog Band published by Wood Records. (Listen to the entire album on Mark Wood’s YouTube channel).

‘Noises for the Longer Leg’ appears here for the first time.

Recorded at Mr E Studios North.
Listen to this excerpt…

CD-R. Card cover. MRE-CDR0003.
ULTRA-LIMITED 2023 numbered edition of six.

£5+ p&p from our Etsy shop. While stocks last!

Mystery Dick’s One Note Mind

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Jump aboard the good ship Mystery Dick as it fires up its Marshall amps, sets coordinates on a Vox Continental organ, and hurtles on an unforgettable Fantastic Journey into the mind.

Recorded in 1997, released in 2001, out of print for eons and now reissued in a limited pressing by the House of Harley’s audio imprint, Mr E Discs.

About Mystery Dick

A duo of Ed Pinsent – cartoonist (Illegal Batman, Windy Wilberforce, Drake Ullingsworth), Sound Projector radio show and magazine – and Harley R – publisher and editor of Ugly Mug comic. They are non-musicians who deploy obscure and intuitive methods to create ‘made up music’ and unforgettable sounds.

‘The Dick’ erupted onto the musical landscape back in the mid-1990s with the legendary Volcano Tape, and have performed and recorded sporadically ever since. Albums include One Note Mind, Pensioners Fear Hall, In the City of Violent Giants (recorded live at the Phoenix Arts Centre, Brighton), and Single Angel, a contemplative collaboration with the Chelsea Madrigal Group.

About this release

Track listing
1. One Note Mind (38:11)

Recorded at Mr E Studios, one take no overdubs.
Listen to this excerpt…

CD-R. Card cover. MRE-CDR0001.
ULTRA-LIMITED 2023 numbered edition of six.

£5+ p&p from our Etsy shop. While stocks last!

Return of The Fall

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Marker pen portraits of Mark E Smith, Elini Poulou, Ben Pritchard and Peter Greenway who were all members of musical group The Fall at one time or another. Based mainly on gig photos posted on the Fall forum by various fans of the band. Drawn in 2009 while preparing for the Paintwork exhibitions in Berlin and London.