“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” – Andre Gide
Remember that rule, the golden rule
Taught by priests, parents, grandmothers
*Reverse it so that you don’t treat yourself
In ways that you wouldn’t treat others*
The people in charge, whoever they are
Are not making your faults into a big deal
It’s not indulgent to be a friend to yourself
Just an extension of how you make your friends feel
*Iddo Landau/inspired by Oliver Burkeman newsletter
To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.
Oscar Wilde
Eyes agog at AMOLED screens of trusting fakes
Ears alert to every chime, bell and whistle
*They spit weird dilatory rants and pithy takes
Or burp up half-digested chunks of newsfeed gristle*
*from That Guy From The Internet’s ‘This is a newsletter’ newsletter. Love these two phrases.
Reason must lead the way no matter what good fortune comes along.
Ryan Holiday, Daily Stoic
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful that I have managed to survive the last eight days on very little money and especially to Art for allowing me to have daily coffee on credit!
Investment
So, last financial year tenzenmen made a loss of about $20,000. I say a loss but that is just in business and financial terms. Truth be told the correct wording should be that tenzenmen made a $20,000 investment – investment in the music that we love and wish to share. Obviously this kind of investment is not sustainable so I’m here now asking for your help! No crowd funding/sourcing type of help, not asking for handouts or donations (though I guess I might one day!). All you have to do is purchase something! If you scroll (hell, maybe even read) through to the end of this newsletter there’s a deal there to sweeten things for you!
In the pipeline: Golden Blonde, Ted Danson With Wolves, Kah Roh Shi, SMG/Terlarang split, Bone, Seahorse Divorce, Gravitsapa (from the Ukraine!), Black Wire double album, P.K. 14, Alpine Decline, Maybe Mars back catalogue vinyl releases (!), Dear Eloise, Rice Corpse, The All Seeing Hand, Dead and more I’m forgetting!
Recent posts at tenzenmen.com
zhang shouwang on point
god bows to math australasian tour april 2013
long weekend with zoo
li daiguo 7″ special for record store day (april 20th 2013)
Seahorse Divorce (album launch)
all shows with Stockades
Friday 21 June – Sun Distortion, Brisbane AA
Saturday 22 June – Blackwire Records, Sydney AA
Sunday 23 June – Yours & Owls, Wollongong AA
Monday 24 June – Potbelly Bar, Canberra 18+
Tuesday 25 June – Evolution Lounge, Mildura 18+
Wednesday 26 June – The Metro, Adelaide 18+
Thursday 27 June – Footscray House Show, Melbourne AA
Friday 28 June – The Reverence, Melbourne 18+
Saturday 29 June – The Grand Poobah, Hobart
23rd Aug 2021 – Most of the items in the pipeline eventuated and I continued losing investing money for a while longer! Actually, even today.
What is tenzenmen?
About a year ago I asked newsletter subscribers to tell me what they thought defined tenzenmen. I got many nice comments such as these,
“a label with a conscience, bold, supportive of its artists, non-commercial, genuinely interested in having its artist’s music heard, the type of label that puts out music which my friends make…above all, I see tenzenmen as an exploratory label where you bring aural treasures from a variety of places and styles and offer them up – we may not have heard them, but trust you and give them a chance based on the fact that you’ve come up with the goods for us before…” – Maris
“tenzenmen represents the unending pursuit of discovering new, relevant and good music that is generally overlooked by ‘majors’, as it doesn’t fit into their particular ‘sales strategy’. There is nothing like music discovery and labels like tenzenmen consistently bring it” – Justin
It’s very heartening to receive these kind words because I often wonder if people understand what I try and do. The back catalogue is rich and diverse and probably overwhelming to most casual browsers. The reason for this diversity is simply a reflection of my own interests in music that has obviously expanded over the years of my life. I can happily listen to some Chinese neo-folk alongside Malaysian screamo, experimental Aussies and Vietnamese death metal! The key factor is the passion and the creativity that has gone into the production of this art, sometimes in exceptional circumstances. I do understand that not everyone else will have such varied tastes and want to buy their own complete collection of tenzenmen releases. Please, if you have a chance, take a few minutes to check out some other releases on the label that you may not have heard before. Go old school and take a chance just by checking record covers (like flicking thru the vinyl bins) – easily done at the bandcamp index page here.
tenzenmen will continue along its merry way, defiant of success and profit, motivated by the love of our music shared. Thanks for your support.
Advance Warning
tenzenmen will be overseas from the beginning of October until the middle of November so no orders will be able to be shipped during that time. Balls will still be rolling with plenty going on in my absence and a big run-up to the end of the year and no doubt another huge one in 2013!
Whilst I’m away I’m a little disappointed to be missing a show I’m organising on Saturday Oct 13th at Black Wire featuring many good friends including crazy Japanese two-piece Mekare-Kare who will have a split 7″ out on Heartless Robot in time for their full Oz tour. That tour and split 7″ is with Perth gonzo’s Bamodi who will have their LP out on tenzenmen by then too! Listen to the split 7″ tracks here (released by our good Perth buddies at Heartless Robot). Rounding out the show will be the ever wonderful Dead China Doll and ever incredible Making.
Nikko tour dates
20 September The Empress, Melbourne (acoustic)
21 September The Old Bar, Melbourne
22 September The Metro, Adelaide
Bamodi tour dates
7 October The Bakery, Perth
9 October Metro Hotel, Adelaide
10 October Bar Open, Melbourne
11 October Gasometer, Melbourne
13 October Black Wire, Sydney
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.
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
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!
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!
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