There’s Cake – 12th August 2023

Security kills me
Anxiety keeps me alive
The paranoid and prudent
Get to survive

I don’t want to be happy
I don’t want to want
I don’t deserve it
There must be more
More than survival

A life without pain
Would often be short
Our wealth is unhealthy
But we’re mostly bought

Found in abundance
At a temporary table
Making me so fat
And mentally unstable

I don’t want to feel good
I don’t want to want
But I want to be good
My biology
Keeps eating my cake


Denton, Texas befuddlers Flesh Narc pile together the nicest grapes they could find, herein compiled from the first song they wrote in 2013 to the band’s first tour in summer 2017. Witness the genre whiplash that Flesh Narc is capable of from their beginnings as a slacker post-punk power trio to their descent into electronic abstraction and back to a retightened, haywire rock band. A comprehensive review of Flesh Narc’s early years, off-the-wall lyrical content and confused music guaranteed.

tracks 1-4 recorded October-November 2014 by Michael Briggs
tracks 5-7 recorded October, December 2015 by Michael Briggs
tracks 8-10 recorded June-July 2016 by Michael Briggs
tracks 11-13 recorded October, December 2015-February 2016 by Sinevil
track 14 recorded live February 10th 2017 at Cleemus & Ploumplesti’s, Denton
tracks 15-18 recorded May-June 2017 by Justin Lemons
track 19 recorded live August 4th 2017 at Archer Ballroom, Chicago by Steve Gassen

1-4: Optical Intrusion (January 2015)
5,6: Slow Deep and Narc (March 2016)
7: Narc That! (June 2016)
8,9: TS/FN ❤ (split with Thin Skin) (November 2016)
10: Dinner’s Served (Thanksgiving 2016)
11-13: Eyes on the Fabric (Narc Infinitives) (February 2017)
14: Hailey’s Fan Club (July 2017)
15-18: Frisky/Gardens (July 2017)
19: Split with Slackbeat (March 2018)

Flesh Narc is Matt Burgess, Rick Eye and Reece McLean.

In early 2013, Rick joined Reece’s project Bukkake Moms and they formed the freewheeling collective Problem Dogg. In the midst of that chaos, Matt’s long-time band Eat Avery’s Bones began playing shows more regularly, and it wasn’t long before Matt became involved in the Problem Dogg consortium. Matt, Reece and Rick practiced for the first time together in November 2013 and wrote their first song, “Jack Off Cubes”. 8 more songs were written but they got distracted by mineral trading drama and decided to stop practicing for 5 months. Upon remembering they were a band, they quickly recorded their 9 unrehearsed songs and made up about 9 more on the spot, some of which were better. Their first album “Optical Intrusion” and companion EP “Narc It!” were released in early 2015 and the first live shows followed. Human microphone stands were utilized and instrument switches were abundant and time-consuming.

Improvised electronics slowly crept in, eventually usurping the live set for a brief part of 2016. A 2nd album “Slow Deep and Narc” with companion EP “Narc That!” followed and not long after a split cassette with Thin Skin.

The band’s slacker rock sound was running its course, and the radical left-turn electronic album “Eyes on the Fabric (Narc Infinitives)” was still held up in post-production. Thankfully, refreshment was found through the joining of Beth Dodds from Bukkake Moms on drums and occasional guitar/bass/keyboards in January 2017. The band gained a new intensity and confusion factor. “Eyes on the Fabric (Narc Infinitives)” finally released in February 2017, featuring stark electronics and free-associating vocals lost in the dark. The new 4-piece Flesh Narc prepared for a summer tour with Thin Skin and produced “Frisky/Gardens”, originally a demo, but later canonized by default. “Hailey’s Fan Club”, a live album of electronic material that verges on comedy, also made its way to tape in time for the tour.

Flesh Narc’s performance in Chicago at Archer Ballroom (later released as a split with Slackbeat in 2018) showed the band in a demented form on the home stretch of tour. In the Loop Magazine reviewed the show calling Flesh Narc, “noise going nowhere” and urged readers to “leave immediately” upon encountering the band (beintheloopchicago.com?p=20995).

In the immediate wake of the tour, the 4-piece line-up of Flesh Narc dissolved. The band’s next album, intended to be called “Grapes” (consisting of rerecorded “Frisky/Gardens” songs and new material), was scrapped before recording. The band reverted back into a trio again and replaced drums with manually-tapped drum machine and tapes.

And what happens after that is for another compilation another time.

From 2017 to the present day, things in the land of Flesh Narc have grown very complex, with numerous releases of varying styles with new collaborators. As a quick primer, and to fulfil the unrealized dream of the “Grapes” album, this compilation of Flesh Narc’s early years should suffice.


Today I’m feeling:

Slooow to go! I had a weed gummy last night which I thought didn’t really have much effect beyond focusing concentration on playing guitar. And trying to fix the Canna butter bottle that broke, I had a drop or less of that which seemed to get me thinking sideways for the rest of the evening that rapidly disappeared. I had deeply thought-provoking dreams that felt quite negative in that they reminded me of my age and my place in the world. I woke up a little shook. I feel pretty damn relaxed now though. The heat and rain have gone for a while and it’s nice enough to sit outside again with a soft breeze stirring. I’ve been out here for an hour already. 

Today I’m grateful for:

Bruno picking me up at the Nissan dealer in the afternoon. We went up to Ahka Cottage for coffee whilst the car was being ‘serviced’. I put that in quotes as it’s sometimes a little difficult to know if they really check over everything or just change the oil and filter and things you ask them. Presumably, they’re doing a good job.

I’m also grateful to Gong at Utopia who called ahead to Daytripper about a pipette for me for my CBD oil.

What was the best thing today?

Seeing Amy happy back in her room in Sydney, already thinking about how to enjoy her last eight weeks there.   She was happy to return to more comfortable temperatures although it has been a little cooler here too today.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

It was odd to be in the passenger seat of a car for a change. Weird not to have a car key in my pocket.

Something I learned today?

Watching Brian Dunning’s inFact explained why there are suddenly lots of military UFO sightings in the last six months. It all seemed to be down to a core group of connected people who have pushing their theories for the last 15 years. They’re not presenting anything new but they are all presenting it at the same time, presumably to inspire funding from the government. Which country? You can guess, it’s your friend and mine, the USA! It’s rare to hear about UFO sightings anywhere else.

What is my favourite time of day?

Although I struggle to do it without external motivation I’ve come to enjoy the mornings, especially living here in Chiang Rai. Age and location also have an influence, as well as circumstances of obligations.

I pretty much like any time of day. I’m alive and the passing of time is increasing. It’s not impossible to enjoy every breath but the last one should be spent in contentment.

I took this picture because I sat outside in the cooler air with this smelly boy rolling around at my feet and His Royal Highness Cappuccino in the apparent safety of the dining room behind the screen door.

The Fantastic Four – 26th December 2021

A family always on the edge
Fighting to hold itself together
Fear and doubt grows in the dark
And the fantastic four will be no more


Make your own bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to see the beautiful sunset over the cloudy mountains at Singha Park yesterday. The view was lovely and filled with warmth.


As I’m getting to the bottom of the bottle of weed tincture that I got off Matt, the effects are getting stronger. Today, Amy is off with her friends to celebrate Christmas, leaving me this opportunity to be home alone and get a little high..

Singha Park yesterday seems like weeks ago right now. In the end, I ate too much despite not finishing a third can of Wild Rose, drank too much. My stomach just couldn’t take it. I realised it soon after that the beer was just too gassy. I burped and farted the drive home. I took a minute at the park and savoured a divine moment watching the sunset to the clouds on the mountains. As the clouds were moving, the sun would peak out again and it felt like a special surprise and a secret message meant just for me. I’ll hold it in my memory more than any photo I could’ve taken as a reminder.

This morning has been righteous, with two good coffees and a few more pages of the Slash biography read. It has been interesting to me to see how their band worked (as people, not as musicians), think about how my bands worked and wonder how everyone deals with it differently.

I updated more blog posts and listened to the ..? album to write a review and that was fun, and the start of reviewing my CD collection – an impossible task, I know, and already this morning I could think of at least ten different, other, things I could be doing. This is life and I’m loving it.


..? – …! – CD review

I had downloaded this album back when I was living in Sydney and as I did with a few different albums I enjoyed, I burned them to CD and printed a cover and pretended they were the real thing. So something must have struck me about this album at the time but in all honesty, I have probably never listened to it since. I would venture to say that this album is more than 10,000 other album downloads ago by now!

Searching for this band (…?) and album (…!) is not google-friendly, to say the least. Luckily some of the track titles enabled me to find a little information that this was actually a one-man recording project and the music is described as avant-metal. 16 songs in 26 minutes apparently. Appealing to my short attention span.

Let’s see how it sounds on this slow, tired Sunday morning.

Goodnight, Folks
It’s a cartoon intro and vocals that recall Pentti Dassum from Deep Turtle. Ah yes, I can hear what pulled me into this. The first minute or so actually recalls a few Finnish bands such as Keukhot and Y.U.P. before a half-minute Darth Vegas/Mr Bungle bomp-a-long. Obviously, an ironically titled introduction that has me curious. I’m expecting the beginning of the next track to be bombastic.

The Band of Bald Mountain
Well, only for a second, a big booming crescendo before wandering off and then careering through all sorts of genres, this definitely has me smiling behind my serious lips. I like this middle section that hangs around for a relatively long chunk of time, until the end in fact. I like that balance and transition, from the crazed to the more straightforward and especially like the fact it doesn’t go back into zaniness as may have been expected.

One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten
Haha, this is a high-octane counting song that would be on my dream Sesame Street. The transition into single snare hits about three-quarters of the way through is very cute. The lyrics though… Well, I guess they are easy to remember. A favourite so far though.

3-2-3
More counting? It’s ominous, booming, and Emerson Lake and Palmer have arrived, then Slayer and it’s on. Fuck yeah. Yes, it’s that cartoon thrash that has been heard many times before, BUT, because it is cartoon thrash it’s never the same and I marvel at the musical dexterity of it all.

Moe and Mumbles
Ah-ha. The gypsy thrash song! And…..there’s the Simpsons theme tune thrown in for a couple of bars for good measure. Impossible not to smile at but feels a little filler here.

Tear Out My Eyes
What is this main riff, lifted from – it sounds familiar? I’m digging the pace of this one, a jaunty thing…oh – double speed and I’m turning the volume and pumping my imaginary double kick drums. And it’s over before I could even finish writing the first sentence. Dug.

Hello, Oh, Sweetheart
Is this the interlude? A show tune of sorts. It’s brief and serves as an intro to the following tune.

Mitch, The Bastard Id
Nice bass tone, nice guitar tone, this punks along before speeding off. Like a twisted cowboy song, the rhythm feels like horse riding. Weirdly, I think this is the first tune that has a repeated section before scattering itself all over the place. It’s good music, so why not?

Peeping Toms Make Good Spies
Yes, spy movies are brought to mind here, at least at the beginning. I like music when I have no idea where it is going. Of course, I also like music that is more conventional but I think I like to work a little when listening. I like things that most people would find testing. I’m gonna listen to this one again, right now.

Damn Gypsies
Gypsy? In a ska way. In a punk-ska way. Great chorus and again the pace is compelling. This is actually the most conventional song so far. I want to sing along and punch the air.

The Charmer – The Torture
A slow down, another interlude tune. Good to give the ears a little break from the nonsense-circus-core. Haha….and then…..great. Perfect. Yes – kill me!

Subservient Girlfriend
This intro reminds me of DI. A faster So-Cal classic punk bounce around which a swirling synth before a mad chorus that I wish I could hear the lyrics more clearly.

Siblings
OK – well, lyrically this one is straightforward and clearly understood. Sibling love.

Fireworks Away
A great speedy tune with uplifting tunes and some sweet percussion tingly away in the background. I’m liking that this one maintains a steady beat and not pounding off into double-time death metal mayhem. Another favourite.

X
Fuck, this recording is very nice, probably lots of time poured over each sound. I like that the distorted guitars are cut so cleanly into each section. Not attracted to this middle-end section breakdown but as with music like this, it’s not usually long before a change comes along.

Mania Love
Well, those recording cuts are even more overplayed at the beginning here. And I’m loving it. This farts around all over the place wildly and every moment is genius or thereabouts. And farts is the word as this crazy fun album blows off back onto the shelf for now.

That was a rad listen and I will check it again. I think the album has been looked over as it exists at spot #1 in my collection and so is not easily seen. Perhaps I should move to the D section (for dot).

Favourite track right now is ‘One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten’, I’m thinking purely because I have an idea how the lyrics go!


Annual Caper – 15th June 2021

Running around, filling in forms
Photocopying passports and paper
Wasting time and wasting petrol
On this stupid annual caper

“You’ve done it wrong, take it back”
Take it to another station
Always use blue ink, never black
For those lovely folks at immigration

“Thanks for coming, we’ll take your money
But go away and do it right”
Said one thing and meant another
“Now get the hell out of my sight”

Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full
Please let me stay in your land
It’s enough to make you want to leave
This isn’t what I’d planned

It’s like you don’t want us here
Unless we pay through the nose
Your useless corrupt system’s
Designed just to keep us on our toes

I’m trying to make it along here
A house with pets, a job and a wife
But maybe it’s time to reconsider
Where I spend the rest of my life


Does anyone read promotional blurb anymore? Is it necessary? I say No! But this is what is done, so this is what we’re doing.

For those in the know, Trumans Water have been deconstructing indie rock conventions (and grammar rules) for more than 100 years now (or at least since the early 90s) and there’s a reasonable chance you have totally missed out! But Trumans never stop.

Too true, the vet American “spazz-rock”/”squiggle-core” quartet has been scarce in their native land in recent years: releases mostly on Euro-labels (and now a label based in Thailand!); touring almost exclusively “over there.” One co-founding Branstetter brother, singer-guitarist Kevin, even settled down in France; the other, guitarist-vocalist Kirk, remains in Portland, Oregon, where TW set up in 1995 (formed in San Diego circa 1991).

The 14 tracks of O Zeta Zunis, album #13,14,15 or 16 depending on how you may wish to count, manage one helluva collective double-feat: sounding like distinct, engaging, chance-taking, raw-boned guit-stoked rock to any given listener — whether they know the Water or no — and coming off to TW fans as strikingly fresh while hearkening back to classic Trumans material.

Yes, the latter means going all the way back to 1992’s debut Of Thick Tum — enthusiastically tracked by legendary Brit radio DJ John Peel in its entirety, c’est vrai — and their 1993 2xLP follow-up, Spasm Smash XXXOXOX Ox & Ass. (Note: you’re still on your own in unravelling Trumans-ian title-age.)

O Zeta Zunis sports a few slowed-up passages that help accentuate the melodic riff-drive of “Last Time” or the balls-out whizz-bang of “Greased Water,” the twitchy-catchy frolic of “5-7-10 Split” or the rubbery buzz-chug of “You Live Out Loud.” There’re loping jams and snappy sonic sputter-blasts as well. Essence of Trumans.

Chèvre Au Lait slows things down with subtlety, yet remains as twisted as ever, in the fashion of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band, fusing madness with restraint and even devolving into post-punk reminiscent of England in the early 80s, which has become popular again with the punk youth of today.

Folks, this ain’t history — this is … living, loopy rock and/or roll! Trumans Water never left so won’t you please welcome them back?

Thailand based label tenzenmen has long been a fan of Trumans Water and was so disappointed that their last two albums were not available on CD, and unable to complete the collection in their music library, that they invested their inheritance monies into bringing these albums to the most unpopular format in recorded history. 


Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to meet my students again and to meet some of the new classes. It was a lot of fun and I felt relaxed and enjoyed the day very much despite other stresses going on.

Stupid Rain – 14th June 2021

Stupid rain, you wet my shoes
Flooded the car park badly
Jump right on in the river
Now my socks are smelling, sadly

Left my umbrella in the house
When yesterday’s rain abated
No sign of a break in clouds
No matter how long I waited

27th Jun 2024 – Shared with the RagTag Daily Prompt
28th Oct 2025 – Shared with Poetic Bloomings


Does anyone read promotional blurb anymore? Is it necessary? I say No! But this is what is done, so this is what we’re doing.

For those in the know, Trumans Water have been deconstructing indie rock conventions (and grammar rules) for more than 100 years now (or at least since the early 90s) and there’s a reasonable chance you have totally missed out! But Trumans never stop.

Too true, the vet American “spazz-rock”/”squiggle-core” quartet has been scarce in their native land in recent years: releases mostly on Euro-labels (and now a label based in Thailand!); touring almost exclusively “over there.” One co-founding Branstetter brother, singer-guitarist Kevin, even settled down in France; the other, guitarist-vocalist Kirk, remains in Portland, Oregon, where TW set up in 1995 (formed in San Diego circa 1991).

The 14 tracks of O Zeta Zunis, album #13,14,15 or 16 depending on how you may wish to count, manage one helluva collective double-feat: sounding like distinct, engaging, chance-taking, raw-boned guit-stoked rock to any given listener — whether they know the Water or no — and coming off to TW fans as strikingly fresh while hearkening back to classic Trumans material.

Yes, the latter means going all the way back to 1992’s debut Of Thick Tum — enthusiastically tracked by legendary Brit radio DJ John Peel in its entirety, c’est vrai — and their 1993 2xLP follow-up, Spasm Smash XXXOXOX Ox & Ass. (Note: you’re still on your own in unravelling Trumans-ian title-age.)

O Zeta Zunis sports a few slowed-up passages that help accentuate the melodic riff-drive of “Last Time” or the balls-out whizz-bang of “Greased Water,” the twitchy-catchy frolic of “5-7-10 Split” or the rubbery buzz-chug of “You Live Out Loud.” There’re loping jams and snappy sonic sputter-blasts as well. Essence of Trumans.

Chèvre Au Lait slows things down with subtlety, yet remains as twisted as ever, in the fashion of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band, fusing madness with restraint and even devolving into post-punk reminiscent of England in the early 80s, which has become popular again with the punk youth of today.

Folks, this ain’t history — this is … living, loopy rock and/or roll! Trumans Water never left so won’t you please welcome them back?

Thailand based label tenzenmen has long been a fan of Trumans Water and was so disappointed that their last two albums were not available on CD, and unable to complete the collection in their music library, that they invested their inheritance monies into bringing these albums to the most unpopular format in recorded history. 


Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be contacted by one of my old students, Kamboom, and to hear that she got into Sammakhi – which is one of the better schools in Chiang Rai. She will study science and maths but wants to keep up her English study too.

We got that attitude! – 22nd December 2020

I am so happy and grateful for my alarm to wake me up every day. I would be out of whack without it.


A reasonable day at work though not so much with my own students. My class is lazy, forgetful and undisciplined. I’m struggling to get them into line sometimes. I just have to find better ways to engage them – maybe vary their lessons a little bit.

I’m listening to a CD for the first time in ages as I’m writing this. Feels good to try and enjoy a whole album in one sitting for a change.

As usual, it doesn’t feel particularly Christmas-y though we do have a tree on our terrace with flashing lights. It’s cool. I think we should just have flashing lights all the time.

I’m looking at my bookshelf and happily overwhelmed with options of books to read. It seems that I only read 32 books last year which is fine but when I look at my bookshelf it seems like it will take me many years to get through what I own. I think my collector personality has moved onto books. I would love more time to sit and read. Read a good book.

Something nice that happened today was that I went to primary to talk to Chompoo about next semester and as soon as she saw me she smiled and held out her arms for a hug. I felt very grateful to have had at least some impact on these children’s lives. I asked her if she would rather work hard and learn more or take it easy and relax (not specifically about school) and I was so happy she chose to work hard – even if she didn’t mean it – it means she’s smart.

I certainly hope next year’s classes are less taxing than this year’s! All the kids make me laugh in one way or another and there are none that I don’t like – even if I sometimes don’t like their behaviour.

Keeping up with tenzenmen – 16th February 2013

Why are you receiving this email? Probably because you downloaded something free from the tenzenmen bandcamp! Feel free to unsubscribe but please don’t register complaints indicating you were never asked to join this list 🙂

Tough Life
After a six week break around October last year it’s been really tough to get back into the swing of things and it’s only now I’m starting to get back on top of it all. There is a LOT in the pipeline for this year (and as you can see below there’s been quite a few releases already!) so I think this newsletter will probably be quarterly this year to save me a little more time! Keep up with the latest news in all the usual ways – at the website, facebook etc.

Skip Skip Ben Ben – Sacrifice Mountain Hills CD
Out now!
Ben Ben (Boyz & Girl) heads out with her new band, release and familiar dreamy fuzz-pop.

Cartavetro – Here It Comes, Tramontane! LP+CD
Out now!
Italian DIY indie rockers recruited Mike Watt for help on this great slab of vinyl.

Fun – 1/3 7″
Out now!
First of 3 7″s from our fiendish noise rock drinking buddies in Finland.

The Gar – The City of Burning Identities CD
Out now!
The Gar are legends in Beijing and finally produce a new 6 track EP for your listening pleasure.

Chui Wan – White Night CD
Out now!
Experimental psyche rockers from Beijing with their debut release.

Nick Van Breda/zzzounds – Split 7″
Out now!
Two super famous Sydney rockers go acoustic for a clear seven inches. Also available in black.

Noise from China- 2xCD
Out now!
Only the 2nd ever collection of experimental noise from China, compiled by legendary organiser Yan Jun from Subjam.

Dear Eloise – I’ll Be Your Mirror wood backed 7″
This sold out on the day of release but you can still listen and download digital

Daighila/Grinding Halt – Split 7″
Out now!
Malaysian screamo legends Daighila team up with the Netherlands noise monsters Grinding Halt

Birdstriking – CD
Out now!
Debut album from Beijing Indie punks Birdstriking – vinyl soon available thru Anton Newcombe’s A label.

Mr Graceless – The Tree Ever Green CD
Out now!
Dynamic Beijing indie that sold out quickly – now back in stock.

White+ – CD
Out now!
Beijing experimentalists with one of the most appreciated CD releases of 2012 – easily the biggest seller so far!

X is Y – Never Sever/LP CD
Out now!
Double disc from this mathy Shanghai trio – brings to mind Pinback and other Rob Crow genius.

Bamodi – Smell Heaven LP
Out now!
Crazy Japanese influenced Perth punks. FFO: Rudimentary Peni

Quiet Steps – Dying Livers/Secular LP+CD
Out now!
Brisbane’s Quiet Steps come from a long line of Brisbane indie bands wowing Aussie ears over the last 5 years.

Michael Crafter/SMG – split 7″
Out now!
Malaysian grindcore legends meet Aussie semi-legends! Mad thrashing!

Stellarium – CD
Out now!
Debut album from Singapore freak out psychedelic fuzzlords!

Eurpides Berserker – digital discography
Out now!
Made when Dave Drayton (Milhouse, zzzounds etc) was just a baby, banging out ideas quick smart!

Fat City/LuXinPei – Super Split CD
Available now!
Two exciting Chinese experimental groups across 2 discs. FFO: xNOBBQx, Breakdance the Dawn

New photographs
Ted Danson With Wolves at Black Wire
My pictures are pretty much up to date these days!
Check them out and post some comments to let me know what you think.

You can find all my pix here.

Packaging options
Maybe you didn’t know that tenzenmen also stocks Stumptown Arigato packs for CD, tape and 7″!
Plenty of stock available again now!

This month’s special

Hinterlandt – Migration Motion Movement
Get yourself 50% off Hinterlandt’s beautiful CD Migration, Motion, Movement. 3 long pieces that never sit still taking you on the journey of the artist moving from Germany to Australia. Enter the code ‘mmm’ at check out!
Offer valid til 1st April 2013.

Keeping up with tenzenmen – 15th August 2012

New titles

Snapline – Future Eyes CD
Out now!
Martin Atkins (PiL/Pigface) produced sophomore album for Snapline

Snapline – Phenomena CD/LP
CD out now!
Snapline’s darker re-imagining of their sophomore recording. Vinyl coming soon.

Make More – Less Deaths digital single
Available now!
Precursor to a full-length vinyl release from these Brisbane favourites.

Automating/Torturing Nurse – Contest to Kill 100 People tape
Out now!
Australia’s Automating offers up drone whilst China’s Torturing Nurse bursts forth with harsh noise in a contest to kill everyone!

Jagernaut/Terlarang – split 7″
Out now!
Two crusty thrashers from Greece and Malaysia and available on 3 different coloured vinyls!

New photographs

IDYLLS at Hamilton Station Hotel
I actually managed to get quite a few new sets up last month!
Check them out and post some comments to let me know what you think.

You can find all my pix here.

Packaging options
Maybe you didn’t know that tenzenmen also stocks Stumptown Arigato packs for CD, tape and 7″!
Stock is getting low so get in quick!

This month’s special

V/A – Give and Take
Get yourself a whopping 80% off the Give & Take compilation from Malaysia – a great and varied mix of alternative music from the heart of South East Asia – I really wish I was going there again this year! Enter the code ‘givetake’ at check out!
Offer valid til 1st September.

Your feedback is always appreciated.

Keeping up with tenzenmen – 4th July 2012

New titles

Duck Fight Goose – Sports CD
Due: July
After their white vinyl 7″ here’s an album full of the wonder of Duck Fight Goose.

Low Wormwood – Lanzhou Lanzhou CD
Due: July
Low Wormwood’s 2nd album for tenzenmen is dedicated to their hometown.

Dear Eloise – Beauty in Strangers CD
Due: Mid July
A more subtle and nuanced outing for their second album on tenzenmen.

Boyz & Girl – CD
Due: July
Taiwan’s Boyz & Girl bring you their noisy shoegaze psychedelia.

Xiao He – Silly’s Ballad artbook with built in mp3 player
Due: July
The extra special Xiao He makes 100TZM extra special with this beautiful book containing audio and video!

Various Artists – Give & Take CD
Due: July
Co-operative release of 22 Malaysian punk and hardcore bands.

New photographs

Zita Grimm at Black Wire

As mentioned last month, I’m a little slow at editing the pictures I take but I had to get a recent batch out whilst they were hot as I had such a great time at this particular show which was to say Bon Voyage to Mitzi (Zita Grimm, Thylacine, Bare Arms) as she heads over to Europe to get some culture.
Check them out and post some comments to let me know what you think.

You can find all my pix here.

Packaging options

Maybe you didn’t know that tenzenmen also stocks Stumptown Arigato packs for CD, tape and 7″!

This month’s special

Scul Hazzards – Landlord
Get yourself the 45% off the SCUL HAZZARDs ‘Landlord’ CD by entering the code ‘scazzards’ at check out!
Offer valid til 20th July.


It’s pretty crazy this month at tenzenmen – there’s probably a few other releases making their way into the catalogue too so check back often!

Vote for your favourite release for the first half of the year here at the tenzenmen facebook page and add your voice to the conversation – your feedback is always appreciated.

Recent posts at tenzenmen.com

mere women ‘old life’ launch shows
idylls oz/south east asia tour for ‘farewell all joy’ lp
nikko shows for ‘gold & red’ album release
sunken seas – paid your price video

Mere Women tour dates
07 July Gasometer MELBOURNE
08 July Ritual Records MELBOURNE
12 July Terrace Bar NEWCASTLE
21 July The Waiting Room BRISBANE
26 July FBI social SYDNEY
11 Aug Yours and Owls WOLLONGONG

Idylls tour dates
07 July Crown & Anchor ADELAIDE
08 July Squatter’s Arms ADELAIDE
15 July SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
17 July JAKARTA, INDONESIA
18 July DEPOK, INDONESIA
19 July CIREBON, INDONESIA
21 July KLATEN, INDONESIA
22 July SEMARANG, INDONESIA
23 July JOMBANG, INDONESIA
24 July BLITAR, INDONESIA
25 July SIDOARJO, INDONESIA
27 July KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
28 July TEMERLOH, MALAYSIA

Hira Hira tour dates
20 July The Square, Haymarket, SYDNEY
4 August Venue TBC, MELBOURNE
5 August Venue TBC, MELBOURNE
11 August Yours & Owls, WOLLONGONG

Nikko tour dates
6 July Turbine Platform, Brisbane Powerhouse (6pm start)
7 July In-store at The Time Machine, Nambour (midday)
13 July Turbine Platform, Brisbane Powerhouse (6pm start)
14 July Waxing Lyrical, Brisbane Powerhouse (acoustic)
20 July Turbine Platform, Brisbane Powerhouse (6pm start)
21 July In-store at Tyms Guitars, Brisbane (afternoon)
27 July Turbine Platform, Brisbane Powerhouse (6pm start)
6 September The Phoenix, Canberra
7 September The Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle
8 September FBi Social, Sydney
20 September The Empress, Melbourne (acoustic)
21 September The Old Bar, Melbourne
22 September The Metro, Adelaide

Keeping up with tenzenmen – 12th June 2012

New titles

Mere Women – Old Life LP
Due: Late June
After a 2 track 12” release and lots of valuable support shows Mere Women release their debut LP, Old Life.

Idylls – Farewell All Joy LP
Due: Late June
Idylls devastating debut LP Farewell All Joy will come in a selection of coloured vinyls.

Nikko – Gold & Red CD/Double LP
Due: Late June & July
Nikko’s sophomore LP Gold & Red will initially come on CD and later on Gold & Red double vinyl!

Hira Hira – Now Here Nowhere LP
Due: Late June
Life is hard for Hira Hira and they certainly let you know about it on their debut LP Now Here Nowhere.

Sunken Seas – Null Hour digital
Due: Late June
Big noise from New Zealand with Sunken Seas album Null Hour available via your favourite digital channels.

Little Shadow – Possessions CD
Out now!
Brisbane’s Little Shadow quietly drop their corker debut album Possessions.

New photographs

Mere Women at Black Wire
You may or may not know that tenzenmen is too old to jump around and get too crazy at shows these days, instead concentrating on capturing the moment with photographs. There’s a huge backlog of pictures to be processed, hence the latest photos posted are now over one year old.
These are of Sweet Teeth, Kasha and Mere Women and taken at Black Wire Records – let me know what you think? I’m slowly improving.
You can find all my pix here.

This month’s special

You didn’t see the Discover China CD packs special already? 6 CDs for $20 or 10 CDs for $30!

What? You want more?

How about the El Eje Del Mal/Inquiry Last Scenery split 7″ for just $5 plus shipping?

More?

OK – been thinking about that god bows to math CD but $9 is just too damn much to pay? Enter the code “minutemen” on checkout to receive a 15% discount! Valid until June 20th!

Recent posts at tenzenmen.com

  • First China Bridge mixtape is up
  • Teaser tracks up at tenzenmen for 5 upcoming releases
  • Discover China CD packs at tenzenmen
  • Videos for upcoming releases at tenzenmen
  • Daighila interview (Malyasian hardcore punk)

8th Sept 2021 – Having discovered Mail Chimp for newsletters and press releases I kicked off what I hoped would be a monthly update with what was going on with tenzenmen. It was a good time and a bad time! I got so busy that I didn’t have time to do more than six, up until mid-2013, and because I was so busy it would have been the best time to do a newsletter like this! Trying to keep up with Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp and whatever else to try and promote what I was doing was a whole other job that was way less fun than just enjoying music!

Rainbow Danger Club – Where Maps End – 14th July 2011

Cat #: 067TZM

Who is Rainbow Danger Club? 

RDC is a Shanghai, China-based rock quartet with elements of experimental, indie-pop, post-rock, progressive, and electronica. Their unique brand of “experimental pop” has been featured on international mixtapes and podcasts. Their colourful and bombastic stage-presence makes them one of China’s praised live acts. They have attained critical and popular acclaim for their epic pop songs, fingerpick-style guitar riffage, heavy distorted bass, effect-laden trumpet, vocal harmonies, fantastical lyrics, and unconventional songwriting and production. 

RDC’s first full-length album, Where Maps End, is an ambitious, fully-charged musical narrative ripe with leitmotifs and mythological ingredients. Musically, it melts different styles, instrumentations and moods while remaining sonically focused. WME was released in China in March 2011 and has garnered praise from Chinese and international press and blogs including the UK Guardian, MTVIggy, and CNNgo.