Mission Bulb was recorded live over a period of 6 hours in a rehearsal room at Keynote Studios in Homebush West, a suburb of Sydney. Guitarist/Vocalist Billy Burke manned the 8 track recording machine and acted as engineer, placing microphones where they needed to go, often with unconventional microphone choices to capture the sound.
Many tracks had only been finalised a week or two before recording, and many were done with live vocals, leading to a truly raw and live sound being created. The energy and other various factors on the day of the recording captures a particular time and place that is entirely unique, and would be impossible to recreate exactly again.
The end product is ‘Mission Bulb’, an album that for the first time comes close to re-creating the true sound that is ‘Yes I’m Leaving’.
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
Life is hard for Hira Hira and they certainly let you know about it on their debut record Now Here Nowhere. Written over the past twelve months, the album touches on themes of cats stuck in trees and probably other things as well.
During the summer they spent 10 days out in the middle of the cheese capital of Australia to swim in waterholes, get sucked on by leeches and record the album. What they came away with was a raw and loud affair. An honest reflection of what the band is.
It should be mentioned that you can listen to the tracks, maybe show them to other people on your website/radio/home stereo and that maybe, if you’re around come to a show and buy heaps of merchandise.
All songs written by Hira Hira Recorded by Mike Morgan Mastered by Andrew Edgson @ Studios 301
21st May 2021 – If memory serves me correctly, and it may not, and Jochen may be able to verify, but I’m pretty sure I picked him up and drove him and his one man band to this show. Put on as part of the annual Vivid Festival (festival of light, right?) at a small art gallery at the Rocks it was pretty much the perfect place for these two musicians. It was a nice relaxing evening and I remember chatting with Dimity (who took the attached photos and posted to her blog.) Jochen played first and afterwards we chatted about hardcore as he was drinking some red wine, myself Coopers Red and then watch Cam (Seaworthy) play. I like the Rocks at night time – you can feel the history there. This night made a minor addition to that history.
Hacks exist for brief moments in time on the Sydney underground landscape and during one of of those moments they managed to record these 4 tracks and play a few shows that suitably impressed tenzenmen with their drunken swagger of improvised rock.
Tape and/or CD versions coming sometime when Hacks have been located in the vicinity again.
Group: ‘I Want Live Music Venues – So I Go To Gigs
A few bands headed out to Orange last year – I think folks are keen to play outside Sydney even if the audience is small.
Hmm – in the punk scene Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth have new vital music scenes and Melbourne bands travelling to there (and Sydney) say how much better it is than Melbourne. Get out of the pubs and make your own venues.
There’s a whole stack of things on tonight outside mainstream venues. I reckon I’ve been to about 6 shows in the last 18 months at regular ‘pub’ venues but I still manage to get to see bands every weekend. I love Sydney!
I’m mostly at Black Wire (blackwiretocommonground.blogspot.com) when not found in the warehouses and alleyways of Marrickville.
Red Rattler also has a good show tonight with UV Race, Holy Balm and Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys (not far from the international noise conference venues) – redrattler.org
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