365 Days #174 - 'Fast Forward' Cassette Magazine (Australia) - Highlights from Four Issues (mp3s)

MP3:
FROM ISSUE #2 – December 1980
01 - The Birthday Party - Intro (0:12)
02 - The Birthday Party - Figure of Fun [Demo] (2:12)
03 - The Birthday Party - Interview (9:54)
FROM UNKNOWN ISSUE – 1982
04 - Heavy Metal News (4:21)
FROM ISSUE #11 – May 1982
05 - The Cramps - New Kind of Kick [Live] (3:27)
06 - The Cramps - Interview (4:08)
07 - The Cramps - Drug Train [Live] (2:38)
08 - New Wave News (5:54)
FROM ISSUE #12 – August 1982
09 - Colin Newman - Interview (10:11)
10 - Colin Newman - H.C.T.F.R. (3:10)
FROM ISSUE #13 – Autumn 1982
11 - Tiny Tim - Interview (5:00)
12 - Fast Max (0:40)

Approximately bi-monthly between late 1980 and late 1982, some of the more interesting performers in so-called New Wave music could be found on the Australian cassette magazine 'Fast Forward.'  I bought four issues back then, and though I traded them in for new used records a few years later, I had the foresight to dub some of my favorite segments onto a spare cassette.  Apologies for the typically cassette-like sound quality.  Some of that can reasonably be blamed on the source here being a generation removed from the original, though the hiss and limited frequency response inherent to the low-bias cassette blanks and high-speed duplication in the original tapes certainly play a part.

Here are The Birthday Party just back from their first visit to England and still in the process of changing their name from The Boys Next Door.  Singer Nick Cave and guitarist Rowland S. Howard are interviewed and demos for two songs that would appear on 1981's 'Prayers on Fire' album are heard—"Figure of Fun" in full and "Yard" in part.

The Cramps are represented by an interview and live versions of two tracks from the end of their IRS era, "New Kind of Kick" and "Drug Train."

Wire singer/guitarist Colin Newman is interviewed, and "H.C.T.F.R.," an outtake from his third solo album 'Not To' is featured.  One wonders if he ever got around to recording that cover of the 'Dallas' theme song.

Tiny Tim successfully extends his fifteen minutes in the spotlight with a charming interview and a chorus of one of his favorite "Victrola" songs.

Last but not least, I salvaged a few of the original 'Fast Forward' comedy bits including a look at the Blitz scene in London, a Heavy Metal update, and a brief Mad Max parody subscription ad.  Very topical stuff should 1982 roll around again.

- Contributed by: Perry Amberson

Comments

[dave p]

Ah, but where's the Fruit Pastilles' "I don't ever want to see you again"? Oz postpunk at its most glorious. Did they ever record anything else? They never needed to.