KVR Audio

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 2:32 pm

Jhonn Balance of Coil (aka Geoff Rushton, Geoffrey Burton) died a year ago today, November 13.

I did this track for a memorial album which fell apart and was never released, so I thought today was an appropriate day to release it. I think it's one of the better things I've done and hopefully an appropriate tribute. A few folks around here have heard it already, thought I'd share with everyone.

SIGHUP - Dirge in blue and clear (for Jhonn Balance)

12MB download, 6 minutes 33 seconds, mp3 @ 256kbps.

Hope you enjoy. Post your thoughts about Jhonn Balance or Coil. Post your own tribute track if you have one. Go write a track and post it here if you'd like.

Cheers,
Steve

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:05 pm

No Coil fans here, then?

experimental.crow · Post by **experimental.crow** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:16 pm

i enjoyed the temple atmospheric intro , and the build out thereof ...
the transition at 5.00 works well ...

i must confess to a lack of exposure to the artist to which this is dedicated / inspired by ...

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:37 pm

shamann wrote:No Coil fans here, then?

yes of course...

coil have been a part of my life for as long as i can remember,in my early teens they were one of the reasons i was ostricised by my peers at school,they were there when i lost my virginity too

(only on vinyl unfortunately...)

as for the track,yes whatever did happen to that compilation?i sent in my ensembles track.
i think most of the ambient heads here will appreciate what coil did for us in breaking through certain barriers and your track catches some of that darkness and fear that was always inherent in coil sounds even in their more upbeat stuff

and to norm,get to know him

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:46 pm

Thanks, norm. I agree with John, try to seek out some Coil, so much good stuff and a huge variety. Maybe check out Brainwashed Radio from time to time, they play quite a bit of Coil there.

Thanks John, catching some of the darkness is a very nice compliment. I actually came to Coil only in the last three or four years. There are times I'll listen to something from them and realize how much they did first what we do now.

I still have your track for the collection if you don't. There were six or seven tracks in all, they all sound really good together.

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:53 pm

shamann wrote:

I still have your track for the collection if you don't. There were six or seven tracks in all, they all sound really good together.

ooh if you could post it that would be cool

i have it somewhere but i have so many discs i oughta start writin on em soon...

cptgone · Post by **cptgone** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:04 am

shamann wrote:No Coil fans here, then?

Sure, quite a few, me for one.

Long, long ago I got the Scatology album, and never recovered from my addiction. I had little or no success getting my mates into it though.

Coil is so incredibly recognisable, whatever they do. Such a pity Balance is no more.

I DLed your track and will listen later. Thanks.

blipp · Post by **blipp** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:18 am

Nice soundscape. You painted an interesting and enjoyable sound picture.
I did have a coil album -Horse Rotovator. Long time since i've played it though. I'll have to check it out again.

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:25 am

blipp wrote: -Horse Rotovator. Long time since i've played it though. I'll have to check it out again.

drag it out now!
scatology as mentioned by cptgone,horse rotovator are both awesome albums,even my missus doesnt mind them two so much.
some of the other stuff scares her though hehe

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 2:04 am

They definitely got scarier as the years wore on. The First Five Minutes After Death on Horse Rotovator is one of my favourite Coil tracks, there's a live version out there that is absolutely stunning.

Thanks for checking out the tune, folks.

dystonia_ek · Post by **dystonia_ek** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:56 pm

shamann wrote: No Coil fans here, then?

Sure there are!

I first heard Coil in 1985. The track was 'The Wheel' from the Some Bizzare label sampler 'If you can't please yourself, you can't please your soul'. My initial reaction was sort of mixed - the song itself was really poppy, which was offputting to a degree, but there was something strange lurking in the background that brought me back to it again and again. Then came across a few more compilation tracks which deepened the intrigue. Finally picked up 'Scatology' in '86 and I've been hooked ever since.

At the time you originally posted this I thought it was one of your best. I still feel the same way. I've listened to it many times during the intervening year, and one of the striking things is just how much like a Coil backing track it sounds - reminds me of all the droning going on in 'The Sea Priestess' in particular. Of all the tributes to Geff that cropped up here, yours was the most fitting.

shamann wrote: Thanks John, catching some of the darkness is a very nice compliment. I actually came to Coil only in the last three or four years. There are times I'll listen to something from them and realize how much they did first what we do now.

So true - even their early work has stood the test of time better than many from that era (a stunning feat, considering the deliberate (though sarcastic) use of Emulator and Fairlight presets), and their more recent work (the 'Musick to play in the dark' discs in particular) was pretty near perfect.

I think the thing that really worked for Coil was their refusal to stay in one mode - the diversity in their discography is stunning. It's hard to imagine that the same people that recorded something as esoteric and obscure-sounding as that 'How to Destroy Angels' EP (one of the greatest surviving pieces of 80's postindustrial ritualism) were also doing pseudo-disco tracks like 'The Wheel' and hardcore concrete noise in collaboration with TNB and Vortex Campaign, all at the same time. Not that people in this field don't have myriad interests, but it's rare that they group it all under the same banner and bring it together with content and intent, rather than sound aesthetics, being the unifying factor. Of all the post-TG/PTV diaspora, Coil were, along with Current 93, the strongest (as a listen to any PTV record dating from after Peter's departure should attest).

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 2:53 pm

dystonia_ek wrote:
shamann wrote:No Coil fans here, then?
Sure there are!

I know, it was my less than subtle attempt at a bump.

dystonia_ek wrote:At the time you originally posted this I thought it was one of your best. I still feel the same way. I've listened to it many times during the intervening year, and one of the striking things is just how much like a Coil backing track it sounds - reminds me of all the droning going on in 'The Sea Priestess' in particular. Of all the tributes to Geff that cropped up here, yours was the most fitting.

Well, now that's an awfully nice thing for you to say. Thanks James.

An aside, just noticed Brainwashed radio is playing all Coil and related projects to mark the anniversary. And the Brainwashed podcast this week is a Coil special.

jopy · Post by **jopy** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 2:59 pm

very nice stuff. is that a real digeridoo or just a mulched synth? either way it really spaced me out in a pleasant way. strange that i never got into coil (just never heard them), but have such an affinity for organum. i should get some coil soon.

this also prompted me to dig through a lot of the sighup stuff and i was really intrigued. great work; fantastic variety.

also, and sort of off topic, that is one of the best layouts for a website that i've ever seen. it was incredibly easy to get to everything.

dystonia_ek · Post by **dystonia_ek** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 3:12 pm

jmeier wrote:organum

dystonia_ek · Post by **dystonia_ek** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 3:19 pm

Just in case people missed it:

threshold house wrote: We are very excited to announce that we within the next week or so, we will begin selling the last ever COIL studio album "The Ape of Naples". This features Jhonn at his finest and most Visionary, with tracks recorded both at Trent Reznor's New Orleans studio, and in the last weeks and days of Jhonn's life. It is sure to become the classic and definative Coil album for all time.

At first this will be available only through our mail-order service (see SHOP button) but copies should reach your local independant record store (if you still have one) in time for Christmas. Please do not write to ask when it's coming... as soon as we get copies in from the plant they will be there.

Collectors of Fine Artefacts will be interested to know that Ian Johnstone, whose work graces the cover of the cd edition, is currently completing on an extremely limited and deluxe hand-made and painted Wooden Box Edition of The Ape of Naples. Limited to 23 in number, and measuring some fourteen inches square and several inches deep, the Boxes will open to reveal framed original artworks, and paintings, as well as the album itself, cut onto three single sided 12" laquers or acetate discs. These discs are individually cut on a lathe in a cutting studio, with all the tracks from the album - while the reverse of each the discs remains obsidian black in best Coil/Time Machines tradition.

As soon as the first of these Boxes is complete, we will be advertising it here and you will be able to Subscribe to the Edition via our Shop.

Stand-by for details....

Dirge for Jhonn Balance