Tones On Tail - Lions

Born more by accident than intent, TONES ON TAIL began life simply as a request...a request by BAUHAUS' guitarist Daniel Ash to borrow house mate & BAUHAUS back-line engineer Glenn Campling's then state of the art Dr. Rhythm Boss DR55 drum machine.

With Daniel keen to experiment with new ideas deemed "unsuitable" for BAUHAUS, and Glenn nurturing an almost obsessive interest in the latest technology, a partnership of sorts evolved. The genesis of TONES ON TAIL's future was created in the back of the tour van on the way home from a Bauhaus gig in Reading in October of 1981...

Although it would be some five months before the first fruits from this embryonic partnership were tasted, this particular fruit; Copper (playable at both 45 and 33 rpm!) was one of a culmination of four tracks that would constitute their first eponymous titled four track 12" single. Issued on the seminal 4AD imprint, TONES ON TAIL was a masterpiece in experimental pop, an assemblage of Eno tinged sound-scapes.Ash and Campling initially began stockpiling material and ideas during breaks in their respective hectic BAUHAUS schedules, however, like the phoenix of legend, emerged with bright, shiny, vibrant new colours from the fall-out of the latter's slow, dark disintegration.

Writing and recording initially as a duo until the Spring of 1983, when Ash's former BAUHAUS cohort Kevin Haskins was recruited to add a real, authentic drum sound. Together for little over two years TONES ON TAIL was, much like the mythological Lernaean Hydra, a multi-faceted beast. They successfully created a myriad of sound and style much too complex to even begin to categorise. Affectionately, summed up recently by Campling, as Dr. Frankenstein creating little monsters in a sound lab!

TONES ON TAIL were dissolved in the fall of 1984 but like BAUHAUS before them, left behind some of the most original and highly influential pieces of music ever committed to tape.

Today's tune "Lions" is taken from the only studio album "Pop" by the English post-punk band TONES ON TAIL, a side project of the BAUHAUS members Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins (who later went on to form LOVE AND ROCKETS with David J), and the BAUHAUS roadie Glenn Campling. It was released on 6 April 1984 by the Beggars Banquet record label. The clip is Live at Glasgow, Nite Moves - May 1984



More info @

Official Tones On Tail Wiki

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Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead

Sunday, classic time when it fits well with a great song by one of the week's live performers.

Bauhaus were an English gothic rock band, formed in Northampton in 1978. The group consisted of Peter Murphy (vocals), Daniel Ash (guitar), Kevin Haskins (drums) and David J (bass guitar). The band was originally named "Bauhaus 1919" before they dropped the numerical portion within a year of formation. With their dark and gloomy sound and image, Bauhaus are generally considered the first gothic rock group.

Bauhaus first broke up in 1983. Peter Murphy began a solo career while Ash and Haskins continued as Tones on Tail and, later, reunited with David J to form Love and Rockets. Both enjoyed greater commercial success in the United States than Bauhaus had, but disappeared from the charts in their homeland. The band reunited for a 1998 tour and again from 2005–2008.

Todays tune "Bela Lugosi's Dead" is a gothic rock song written by the band Bauhaus. The song was the band's first single, released in August 1979, and is often considered to be the first gothic rock record released. It did not enter the UK charts. The b-side features the song "Boys" and some versions also include an early demo recording of what would be their next single, "Dark Entries". It was released on CD in 1988 and was compiled on the 1998 album, Crackle - The Best of Bauhaus. The original sleeve art was taken from a still of the film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. The authors listed on the single are David Haskins, Kevin Haskins, Peter Murphy and Daniel Ash.

The song is over nine minutes in length and was recorded "live in the studio" in a single take. David J, the band's bassist, claims on his website to have written the lyrics. The singing does not start (in the studio version) until several minutes into the track. The dub-influenced guitar sound was achieved by using partial barre chords and leaving the top E and B strings open.

The title references horror film star Bela Lugosi (1882–1956), who did much to establish the modern vampire image as the title character in the 1931 film Dracula.

"Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make."



More info @

Official Bauhaus Web

Listen to ”Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead" on Spotify here!

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Peter Murphy - Seesaw Sway

Peter John Murphy is an English rock vocalist. He was the vocalist of the rock group Bauhaus, and later went on to release a number of solo albums, such as Deep and Love Hysteria. Thin, with prominent cheekbones, a baritone voice, and a penchant for gloomy poetics, Murphy is often called the "Godfather of Goth." Last night he played at Debaser Medis here in Stockholm.

Todays tune "Seesaw Sway" is taken from "Ninth", the ninth solo and eighth studio album by Peter Murphy. It was released on June 7, 2011.



Peter Murphy is the narrator of "The Lady Paranorma", a hauntingly beautiful short directed by @mypetskeleton.

Estranged from the rest of the townsfolk, an eccentric lady is haunted by ghostly whispers, and follows their eerie call to an unusually happily ever after.



Tourdates:

THE MR. MOONLIGHT TOUR CELEBRATING 35 YEARS OF BAUHAUS

Murphy performing only Bauhaus material.

Sat, June 8 - Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
Mon, June 10 - Stockholm, SE @ Debaser Medis
Wed, June 12 - Helsinki, FI @ Tavastia
Fri, June 14 - Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms
Sat, June 15 - Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor
Mon, June 17 - Birmingham, UK @ Academy 2
Tue, June 18 - Bristol, UK @ Academy
Wed, June 19 - London, UK @ Islington Academy
Sat, July 13 - Phoenix AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Sun, July 14 - El Paso TX @ Tricky Falls
Tue, July 16 - Denver CO @ Summit Music Hall
Wed, July 17 - Salt Lake City UT @ Urban Lounge
Thu, July 18 - Boise ID @ Visual Arts Collective
Fri, July 19 - Seattle WA @ Showbox Theater
Sat, July 20 - Vancouver BC @ TBA
Sun, July 21 - Portland OR @ Hawthorne Theater
Tue, July 23 - San Francisco CA @ Fillmore Theater
Wed, July 24 - Las Vegas @ LVCS
Fri, July 26 - Los Angeles CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre
Sat, July 27 - Los Angeles CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre
Sun, July 28 - San Diego CA @ Belly-up

More info @

Official Peter Murphy Web

Listen to ”Peter Murphy - Seesaw Sway" on Spotify here!

Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here!