Pre-History:
Current 93 was formed out of the creative explosion following the dissolution
of Throbbing Gristle and the end of Industrial Records, TG's label which
also featured releases by Cabaret Voltaire, SPK, and ClockDVA, amongst
others. Many of these bands were based out of Sheffield, England and all
were highly experimental, using electronics and studio manipulation to
vast extent, often creating complex pieces of moody atmosphere rather than
structured rock/pop stylings. Other artists in this genre include Nurse
With Wound, Boyd Rice (who records under the name Non), and 23 Skidoo.
By 1982, Throbbing Gristle had split into a couple of different camps:
Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti began recording under the name Chris
& Cosey, while Genesis P-Orridge and Peter Christopherson launched
Psychic TV, who pretty much picked up sonically and stylistically where
TG left off, but would eventually become one of the most notorious "bands"
ever, posing as a cult (the Temple ov Psychick Youth), freely celebrating
uncurtailed drug use, and even flirting with success on the pop charts
(1985's "Godstar" single went Top 3 in the UK). Psychic TV is important
to the history of Current 93 in many ways, for not only did it introduce
David Michael Bunting, aka David Tibet (who played Tibetan thighbone on
records by both Psychic TV and 23 Skidoo), to many of his future musical
conspirators, but it also served as a sort of model for Current 93's ever-changing
line-up of musicians (eventually to be known as the Menstrual Minstrels,
and the Apocalyptic Folk). Some of the Current 93 musicians to pass through
the Psychic TV camp include John Balance (who was already recording under
the name Coil before meeting Peter Christopherson and making Coil a duo),
Rose McDowall (of girl-pop duo Strawberry Switchblade, who were in the
pop charts at the same time as Psychic TV), Icelandic synthesist Hilmar
Orn Hilmarsson, plus Boyd Rice and Nurse With Wound's Steven Stapleton.
The first incarnation of Current 93 was formed in 1982, and was known as Dogs Blood Order. DBO apparently played a few shows, which showcased lengthy, painfully dark soundscrapes underneath tortured chanting by Tibet, who intended to use his band as a way to explore his spiritual journeys, which at this point in time enshrouded him in fog and nastiness... Reportedly, Tibet belonged to a religious order that practiced the teachings of Gnostic mage Aleister Crowley. In fact, the name "Current 93" itself is a Crowleyan reference, one of the many tenets of the Law of Thelema, or "Do What Thou Wilt," around which Crowley's pursuits into spiritual truths were based. Eventually, Tibet's religious explorations (not necessarily beliefs) would seem to change with the weather, a fact which has had a drastic, but impressive, effect on the music of Current 93.
By 1983, Dogs Blood Order had become Current 93. Tibet was joined by John Balance of Coil and Fritz Haaman of 23 Skidoo, and they recorded their first EP "LAShTAL" for Belgium's now-defunct L.A.Y.L.A.H. Anti-Records, a sort of haven for occult-tinged "difficult" music groups coming out of the industrial era, including Coil and the Hafler Trio. Perhaps it is at this point that Tibet and Steven Stapleton of NWW formed an everlasting friendship that would see Stapleton produce every C93 release from this point forward and often feature Tibet on his own records. Stapleton also had his own record label, United Dairies, which would release a handful of future C93 albums.
Two-thirds of the "LAShTAL" EP, as well as a couple of bootleg-quality Dogs Blood Order recordings, would later be appended to the 1992 CD release of Current 93's first full-length record, Nature Unveiled, which was originally released by L.A.Y.L.A.H. Anti-Records in 1984.
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All Current 93 CDs are currently distributed by World Serpent Distribution,
which carries all releases by Tibet's Durtro label (established in the
early 90s) as well as Steven Stapleton's United Dairies label, Tibet/Stapleton's
joint label United Durtro (established 1996), plus all releases by Death
In June and most artists who have worked semi-frequently with any of these
bands.
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NATURE UNVEILED. Durtro 009. Recorded and released
in 1984.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, John Murphy, John Fothergill,
Annie Anxiety, Youth.
This record features the original version of C93's droning, enraged
atmospheric piece "Maldoror Is Dead," which was not only inspired by the
surrealistic literary masterpiece Maldoror by Lautreamont, but also refers
to the fact that Tibet's girlfriend at the time had just miscarried his
baby, who he'd nicknamed Maldoror -- thus hinting that his son would be
born evil. The inclusion of two versions of "LAShTAL" showcases the importance
of Stapleton's production techniques (which these tracks do not display),
as the other album tracks clearly demonstrate a higher clarity and complexity.
Also included on the CD are both sides of a split C93/NWW 7" record that
was given away free with early pressings of the album.
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DOGS BLOOD RISING. Durtro 027. Recorded and released
in 1984.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, John Murphy, Steve Ignorant,
Iggy, Nick Rogers, Ruby Wallis.
Similar in mood and structure to the first album, Dogs Blood Rising
is often considered the masterpiece of early C93 work as it refines the
band's approach on Nature Unveiled and uses its guest musicians to better
effect, especially on the pivotal "Falling Back In Fields of Rape," which
would quickly become a C93 staple and featured the insane ranting of Crass's
Steve Ignorant and the innocent shouting of young child Ruby Wallis. C93's
style at this time was to record long pieces which filled an entire side
of an LP; Dogs Blood Rising includes a couple of shorter tracks as well,
including a creepy vocal collage of a pair of Simon and Garfunkel songs
entitled "St. Peters Keys All Bloody." The second side-long piece on this
album was recorded "live" at Bar Maldoror, which in fact, though often
mentioned over the course of C93's career, isn't an actual location. Apparently,
any place that C93 (or Coil, or Nurse With Wound) plays live becomes Bar
Maldoror, and it isn't necessarily always in front of a paid audience.
Finally re-released by Durtro in 1995, the CD includes an extra (worthless)
track of shapeless noise.
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LIVE AT BAR MALDOROR. Durtro 001. Recorded 1983,
released 1985.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, John Murphy, John Fothergill,
John Balance.
This album also contains two side-long pieces, this time of live tape
loops and sounds that can for the most part also be found scattered throughout
the works on the previous albums. Though mixed and produced by Stapleton,
the sound quality is not by any means excellent and isn't a benchmark album
in C93's catalog, although the CD reissue (the first release on Tibet's
Durtro label) is notable for its extra tracks, which originally appeared
on a compilation album released on the New European Recordings label, the
home of Death In June. Thus, these tracks may very well mark the beginning
of Tibet's productive relationship with DIJ's Douglas Pearce, as they appeared
on one another's recordings for the remainder of the 80s, often co-writing
together. Working with DIJ must have had a profound effect on Tibet, as
Current 93 from this point forth gradually became stylistically similar
to DIJ, who incorporate post-punk with goth and folk. Often moody, melodic,
and beautiful, this subgenre was dubbed "apocalyptic folk" and remains
indigenous primarily to the World Serpent crowd. One of the extra tracks
is a skeletal though abrasive short version of "Fields of Rape."
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IN MENSTRUAL NIGHT. Durtro 020. Recorded and released
in 1985.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, John Balance, Rose McDowall,
Diana Rogerson, Bee, HOH.
Originally released on United Dairies, In Menstrual Night in many ways
could be a Nurse With Wound record. Vocals, melodic sounds, and structure
are for the most part completely absent. The record instead features two
lengthy pieces of sculpted sounds, processed spoken vocal snippets, rhythmless
drum beats, and spaciousness, all of which is relatively pleasant but often
sparse to the point of being devoid of atmosphere. Perhaps Tibet was tired
of sound pieces, as the following year marks the first C93 foray into apocalyptic
folk. The CD reissue of 1994 is again notable for its extra track, "Killykillkilly
(A Fire Sermon)," which is another side-long piece, culled from the 1985's
Nightmare Culture, a split LP with Sickness of Snakes (who is Coil working
with Boyd Rice). The Sickness of Snakes half of the album can be found
on Coil's Unnatural History compilation CD. "Killykillkilly" is similar
in style to Dogs Blood Rising and features David Tibet, Steven Stapleton,
Steve Ignorant, John Balance, and Boyd Rice.
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DAWN. Durtro 002. Recorded 1986, released 1987.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, John Balance, Rose McDowall,
John Murphy, Douglas P.
1986 and 1987 were productive years for Current 93, both in terms of
how much material was released and how far stylistically the band evolved
from its previous records. There is a lot of confusion and much debate
about the chronology of the three releases from this time period, as each
record is entirely different and they were most likely released in a different
order than that in which they were recorded. Dawn is the most similar
of the records to the previous C93 albums, and thus for transitions sake
will be the first one described here. Once again, the album features two
side-long pieces. The first, "Great Black Time," is a chaotic collage
of grinding (but not unpleasant) noise, bells, samples of 60s pop tunes,
singing by Rose, and reading by Douglas. It may not be folk, but it is
certainly apocalyptic. The second piece is a reasonably good "live at
Bar Maldoror" version of "Maldoror Is Dead." As on other Durtro reissues,
the CD includes extra tracks, one from a L.A.Y.L.A.H. compilation album
and one previously unreleased mix of studio outtakes from the Nature Unveiled
sessions. All in all, Dawn is almost an accidental C93 album... in fact,
it mainly showcases one excellent, lengthy piece (which was most likely
recorded on the side while working on the other albums of this time period),
and then features a variety of miscellany, all of which is interesting
but not entirely cohesive.
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IMPERIUM. Durtro 008. Recorded 1986, released
1987.
Line Up: David ·Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Tony Wakeford, Douglas
P.
Imperium is closer than any other Current 93 release to being a David
Tibet solo album. All tracks feature upfront vocal performances by Tibet,
most in his now-classic speak-sing style, one in a *terrible* off-key attempt
at singing. The musical backing (courtesy of Douglas and ex-Death In June
member Tony Wakeford, who now records under the name Sol Invictus) is sparse
and quiet, often just acoustic guitar but sometimes a homogenous mix of
various pastoral instruments including chimes and flute. Lyrics are often
self-reflective but mostly straight out of the Bible, a far cry from the
shouts and groans of yesteryear. Imperium is Current 93's first apocalyptic
folk album, but not a very dynamic outing.
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SWASTIKAS FOR NODDY. Durtro 017. Recorded 1986,
released 1987.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, John Balance, Rose McDowall,
Boyd Rice, Bee, HOH, Ian Read, Freya Aswynn, Douglas P.
Swastikas For Noddy (retitled Swastikas For Goddy, due to copyright
infringement, for the Durtro reissue; Noddy is a beloved British children's
book and cartoon character, apparently with whom Tibet identifies) is perhaps
the major turning point in Current 93's career and was most likely the
major project throughout 1986, even while the other records were being
recorded. Shortly after the release of In Menstrual Night, this line-up
congregated and recorded a 12" single entitled "Happy Birthday Pigface
Christus," released in honor of Christmas, which was boldly different from
any previous C93 release. It featured a front-and-center lead vocal by
David Tibet, with verses, a chorus, and a coda, plus a number of backup
vocalists, as well as a solo by Rose. The drum beat was consistent throughout
the piece, which was structured primarily by guitar rather than processed
electronic tapes (although Stapleton's production is still evident). Although
"Happy Birthday" did not make it onto the album, both of the non-seasonal
B-sides ("Black Flowers, Please" and "Beausoleil"), which are in a similar
vein, are present. ["Happy Birthday" eventually found its way to CD on
the Emblems 2-disc compilation.] Overall, the record is a hodgepodge of
styles all within the loose categorization of apocalyptic folk, many with
a speak-sing Tibet vocal (lyrics both original and traditional), but also
showcasing the vocal talents of Ian Read (of Sol Invictus), Freya Aswynn
(of Sixth Comm), Boyd Rice, John Balance, Rose, and Douglas. Covers of
Blue Oyster Cult's "The Summer of Love" and Strawberry Switchblade's "Since
Yesterday" are also included. Swastikas is an uneven record, but demonstrates
a bold new direction that Tibet and company would continue to follow.
As the Trouser Press Record Guide puts it, making a reference to Dogs Blood
Rising, "Simon and Garfunkel get the last laugh."
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CHRIST AND THE PALE QUEENS MIGHTY IN SORROW. Mal
666. Recorded 1987, released 1988.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Rose McDowall, Tony Wakeford,
Dik, Douglas P.
Current 93's next project was to release a pair of 12" singles in extremely
limited quantities which were intended to complement one another perfectly.
The centerpieces of each of these singles are not far in style from the
pieces on Swastikas For Noddy, although perhaps a bit more experimental
and in fact, stronger than anything on the album. First of all, there
is "Christ and the Pale Queens," a twenty-minute tour-de-force which increases
in intensity and trance-inducing repetition with each minute that passes.
It starts slowly and quietly with a sampled speech of Aleister Crowley,
which is soon overtaken by a lulling rhythm of bass and drums that crescendo
along with Tibet's vocal and the high screech of Rose's manic guitar playing.
The other single, "The Red Face of God,ë" is at the same time more subdued
and eerie, with steady electronic percussion and odd studio effects over
Tibet's disturbing chanting. The two singles were repackaged as a full-length
disc for CD reissue and given the title of the first. Other tracks on
the album include a couple of stripped-down versions of "Christ and the
Pale Queens," an alternate version of "The Red Face of God," and two more
pieces, including the hauntingly beautiful "The Ballad of the Pale Christ."
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EARTH COVERS EARTH. Durtro 012. Recorded and released
in 1988.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Rose McDowall, Tony Wakeford,
Ruby Wallis, Chris Wallis, Lu, Dik, Maria Enzell, Douglas P.
The proper follow-up to Swastikas For Noddy, Earth Covers Earth continues
to refine the apocalyptic folk sound, with more concentration on songwriting
and musicianship than its predecessor. The many minstrels involved, including
a guest flautist and violinist, tend to cooperate with one another rather
than wait for their moment in the spotlight. The sequence of the album
is shaped like an hourglass; in other words, if the songs were played in
reverse order, the outcome would be about the same. To further clarify
this, one track (which appears in two very different versions) is called
"Hourglass." The album has a personal feel to it, as half of the tracks
are dedicated to particular people. The photo on the cover is deceiving;
not everyone included in the picture was involved in the making of the
album, although all of them have a place in Current 93's history, including
Diana Rogerson (Stapleton's wife), John Balance, and Ian Read. The 1992
CD reissue includes a half a dozen additional tracks, which fit cohesively
into the sound of the album but not its hourglass structure. Four of these
are tracks from an unfinished Japanese Current 93 album, the others are
noisy outtakes from 1985's Nightmare Culture sessions and do not belong
on the CD, although they do serve as a reminder of C93's industrial background,
which has all but been abandoned with Earth Covers Earth.
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CROOKED CROSSES FOR THE NODDING GOD. UD 033.
Remixed, restructured, and re-recorded in 1989.
Line Up: same as SWASTIKAS FOR NODDY.
This is a reworked version of Swastikas For Noddy, released on Stapleton's
label after Tibet took a trip to Iceland, presumably to work with HOH on
the "Crowleymass" 12" and the Island LP. The songs are the same as on
the first version of the record, although in many instances they have been
remixed or re-recorded, and the entire album has been restructured to eliminate
excess space and give the project a coherent unity which was missing from
the first record. It is a vast improvement, although some versions aren't
as exciting as their original counterparts, thus making both versions worthwhile.
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LOONEY RUNES. Durtro 004. Remixed in 1989, released
1990.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Rose McDowall, Tony Wakeford,
Ian Read, Freya Aswynn, Douglas P.
On Swastikas For Noddy, "Panzer Rune" was primarily an ambient instrumental
track with mild electronic noodling and wordless vocalizations by Freya
Aswynn. When it was redone for Crooked Crosses, it became a different
beast altogether, featuring a hard-edged "industrial" percussion track,
guitar line, and terrifying vocal rantings by David Tibet. It appears
on this EP in two different versions, plus a side's worth of live tracks
recorded in Japan in 1988. The live material focuses on tracks from Swastikas
For Noddy plus "Happy Birthday," and although performed solidly, aren't
of the best recording quality.
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HORSEY. Durtro 032. Recorded 1989, released 1990.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Tony Wakeford, Dik, Douglas
P., Magick Lantern Cycle
The Horse mini-album was originally released as part of a limited-edition
vinyl box set in 1990 along with Lex Talionis by Sol Invictus and Lumb's
Sister by Nurse With Wound. It was expanded and issued on CD in 1997 as
Horsey. The sound is similar to Earth Covers Earth, although far darker
and more powerful, in part due to Tony Wakeford's droning guitar and the
harsh psychedelica of the Japanese band Magick Lantern Cycle, whom Tibet
had befriended on the 1988 trip to Japan. Horsey shows that C93 had become
highly accomplished at apocalyptic folk and could be emotionally moving
in any mood. The title track and "The Death of the Corn" are two of Current
93's best tracks to date. The extra tracks are two different versions
of "Broken Birds Fly," one of Tibet's strongest vocal and lyrical performances
backed solely by Magick Lantern Cycle. In 1993, Tibet released Magick
Lantern Cycle's album Chimaera on his Durtro label, and guests on it as
well.
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ISLAND. Durtro 006. Recorded between 1986 and
1991, released 1991.
Line Up: David Tibet, HOH, Joolie Wood, Rose McDowall, many Icelandic
musicians.
Not generally considered a regular step in Current 93's evolution,
Island represents years of David Tibet's collaboration on the side with
Icelandic synthesist Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson, which resulted in two releases:
the full-length Island and the 12" "Crowleymass," which is also featured
on the Island CD. On this occasion, Tibet has swapped guitar-driven folk
music for synth-oriented atmospherics and pop music. Needless to say,
the outcome is both soothingly beautiful and playfully fun. A large handful
of Icelandic musicians also perform on this record, such as most of the
Sugarcubes (including Bjork).
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AS THE WORLD DISAPPEARS. Durtro 007. Recorded
1990, released 1991.
Line Up: David Tibet, Michael Cashmore, Joolie Wood, James Malindaine-Lafayette,
James Mannox.
This is the first full-length live release since the days of Bar Maldoror,
and it documents a concert in Amiens, France in December 1990. Douglas
P. and Steven Stapleton, both active members of Current 93, were not present
at the event. As the World Disappears is also probably the best live release
available, as the sound quality is excellent, though not very loud. The
setlist includes tracks from Horsey, Earth Covers Earth, and Imperium,
as well as a couple of items from the forthcoming Thunder Perfect Mind.
Michael Cashmore's guitar style is noticeable different from Douglas's,
giving the music a more languid, melancholy tone. Joolie Wood's violin
would now become an integral part of Current 93's lineup as well.
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THUNDER PERFECT MIND. Durtro 011. Recorded 1991,
released 1992.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Michael Cashmore, Joolie Wood,
John Balance, Rose McDowall, Nick Saloman, Karl Blake, Shirley Collins,
James Malindaine-Lafayette, James Mannox, Renate Birulf, Sarah Bradshaw,
David Kenny, Douglas P.
Thunder Perfect Mind is the masterpiece of Current 93. It is an ambitious,
sprawling double-length folk album with a variety of moods, styles, and
instrumentation, more guests than on any other C93 record, and top-notch
songwriting and vocal performances. TPM also marks a transition for the
band, from an edgy, experimental, and often amateurish gathering of musical
misfits to a band of polished, mature masters of the form. Every track
is a landmark, not just marking territory but actually overtaking it:
"A Sadness Song," "A Song For Douglas After He's Dead," "All the Stars
Are Dead Now," "A Lament For My Suzanne," and the climax of the album,
"Hitler As Kalki," are all important contributions to the Current 93 canon.
Additionally, as the back of the CD case states, "This is the sister album
to Nurse With Wound's Thunder Perfect Mind." Indeed, one can definitely
find the connection between this and NWW's Thunder Perfect Mind LP, but
beware -- Nurse With Wound's cold, hard electronic ambience is anything
but apocalyptic folk music.
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THE APOCALYPTIC FOLK in THE NODDING GOD UNVEILED
comic book w/CD.
Contributions: Mark Pawson, James Mannox, David Tibet, Peter Christopherson,
John Balance, Enrico Chiarparin, Savage Pencil.
THE NODDING FOLK UNVEILED. Nodapoc 667. Released 1993.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, John Balance, Peter Christopherson,
James Mannox, Sam Mannox, Simon Norris.
Trivial but highly entertaining, The Nodding God Unveiled is a comic
book which further explores Tibet's fascination with seeing himself as
Noddy, battling the evil entity known as Durtro who wants nothing more
than to corrupt Noddy's soul. Some factual information is included, such
as a guide to Current 93's many line-ups over the years (which has helped
me greatly in writing this chronology). The CD included with the comic
book is a two-track whimsical throwaway, not quite music but hard to define
as anything else.
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HITLER AS KALKI. Durtro 014. Recorded 1992 and
1993, released 1993.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Michael Cashmore, Joolie Wood,
John Balance, Rose McDowall, Nick Saloman, Karl Blake, James Malindaine-Lafayette,
James Mannox, Douglas P.
This is a live EP, five tracks taken from three different live shows
between July 1992 and January 1993, in Amiens, Paris, and London. The
recording quality is quite excellent though not as good as As the World
Disappears. The song selection includes the title cut, "All the Stars
Are Dead Now," "Christ and the Pale Queens Mighty In Sorrow," and two versions
of "Imperium V," which isn't from the album Imperium yet recapitulates
its themes.
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EMBLEMS: THE MENSTRUAL YEARS. Durtro 016. Career-spanning
compilation, released 1993.
Line Up: all.
David Tibet and Steven Stapleton chose to celebrate ten years of Current
93 by releasing a two-disc collection of album tracks, singles, rarities,
and studio outtakes. They selected what they considered to be the best
of their work. Extracts are taken from the side-long early pieces, instead
of including tracks like "The Mystical Body of Christ In Chorazaim" and
"Falling Back In Fields of Rape" in their entirety, as the project was
limited to the temporal confines of two compact discs. Many tracks were
previously unavailable on CD, including the 1986 single "Happy Birthday
Pigface Christus," as well as several outtakes from the Thunder Perfect
Mind sessions which are easily as excellent as the majority of that album.
All in all, Emblems is an ideal starting point for Current 93 neophiles
yet also acts as a perfect complement to an almost complete C93 collection.
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OF RUINE OR SOME BLAZING STARRE. Durtro 018. Recorded
1993, released 1994.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Michael Cashmore, Phoebe Cheshire.
Having summed up the last decade with an extensive compilation, and
perfected the large ensemble folk record with Thunder Perfect Mind, Tibet
then decided to focus once again on the more personal. In many ways, Of
Ruine (subtitled The Broken Heart of Man) marks a new era for Current 93,
one of maturity and melancholy. The advantage of this is a sheer clarity
in vision on the part of Tibet, as Of Ruine and future records would all
shed much of the unpredictability that made C93 so exciting. Perhaps Tibet
found his niche and decided to stick with it. This record also marks the
introduction of Tibet's interest in artist Louis Wain, who apparently spent
much of his life in mental institutions due to extreme schizophrenia, a
disorder which caused him to compulsively paint, draw, and otherwise depict
hundreds of cats. Tibet's deep love for cats also comes to the forefront,
and almost every record from this point forth includes Wain's artwork somewhere
within the package. (Thunder Perfect Mind was even reissued with a Wain
cat face replacing the picture of David Tibet on the front cover.) In
fact, Tibet often sings of Catland, and the downcast mood of Of Ruine could
possibly be attributed to the death of one of Tibet's much-loved pets...
although the album's subtitle and much of the lyrical matter seem to point
to the end of a deep human relationship. The record contains fourteen
separate tracks which are supposed to be considered components of one long,
unified piece. This unity is easily perceivable within the music, as many
of the tracks sound alike. Tibet barely raises his voice, and Cashmore's
dour, broken-chord guitar style dominates most of the proceedings. Stapleton
even tones down the production effects, leaving most of the emphasis on
Tibet's sullen voice and his sad but peaceful preachings. Of Ruine or
Some Blazing Starre is a strong, attractive collection.
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LUCIFER OVER LONDON. Durtro 019. Recorded and released
in 1994.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Michael Cashmore, John Balance,
Nick Saloman, David Kenny.
Lucifer Over London is a three track EP whicih, more than anything,
shows that Tibet still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Nick Saloman of
the Bevis Frond, who had guested on Thunder Perfect Mind, joins Current
93 once again and brings his loud, frantic electric guitar to the mix (previously
heard on the track "Hitler As Kalki"). The title song is a grinding, unpolished
duet between Tibet and John Balance, and with the addition of Saloman,
flirts with the influence of 70s progressive rock. The other two tracks
are less memorable: one a cover of a softer track by the 70s obscurity
The Groundhogs, the other an extended tribute to Tibet's recently deceased
cat. There are plenty of literary and artistic references on the EP (including
many nods to Louis Wain).
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NATURE AND ORGANISATION
BEAUTY REAPS THE BLOOD OF SOLITUDE. Durtro 021. Recorded and released
in 1994.
A DOZEN SUMMERS AGAINST THE WORLD. Durtro 024. Recorded and released
in 1994.
Line Up: Michael Cashmore, David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Rose McDowall,
Douglas P.
Although not technically Current 93 releases, Michael Cashmore takes
enough cues from Thunder Perfect Mind and Of Ruine to win over even the
most discriminating C93 fan. In fact, because Cashmore does not sing,
the voices heard are those of David, Douglas, and Rose. And because Cashmore
seems to have become the primary guitarist for Current 93 in recent years,
the subtle differences in sound and execution on this album and its subsequent
EP from Current 93 records are hardly noticeable. The one major difference
is atmosphere; whereas Tibet seems to have given up his dark religious
beliefs and interests and concentrated on reaching purity, Cashmore is
very much the occultist, and the quiet folk melodies here are often separated
by tracks of disturbing noise, both electronic and orchestral. Highlights
of Beauty Reaps the Blood of Solitude include: "Wicker Man Song," a pagan
folk tune taken from the horrific, classic British horror film The Wicker
Man, with a breathtaking Rose vocal; "Bloodstreamruns," a narration of
Tibet's spiritual background which begins with the line, "As I descended
with the Dogs Blood Rising, so then I ascended to the Thunder Perfect Mind";
and "My Black Diary," a Death In June outtake revamped and featuring all
three vocalists. A Dozen Summers contains three tracks from the album
(including "Wicker Man Song") plus a lengthy additional song that is too
good to be overlooked.
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THE FIRE OF THE MIND. Durtro 022. Recorded and
released in 1994.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, David Kenny.
This is one long, ambient track on an individual CD that was featured
with James Low's book Simply Being, published by Durtro Press, which is
an exploration into Tibetan Buddhism. The track consists mostly of sustained
tones and is probably best used as a meditative aid, although Tibet's whispering
vocal immediately identifies it as Current 93.
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TAMLIN. Durtro 025. Recorded and released in
1994.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Michael Cashmore, Nick Saloman,
Tiny Tim.
Perhaps it was Tibet's sole desire to inundate his fans with a multitude
of releases in one year. Tamlin is another EP, this time with only two
tracks, released to commemorate Halloween 1994 in an extremely limited
edition. Neither track is especially interesting or surprising. The title
track is a traditional folk tale set to basic Cashmore guitar strumming
and goes on too long. The second track, "How the Great Satanic Glory Faded,"
does feature some fierce shouting on the part of Tibet as well as a brief
spoken sample by 60s icon Tiny Tim (of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" ukelele
fame). Saloman's prog guitar does nothing on this release that wasn't
already accomplished on Lucifer Over London.
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CURRENT 93 PRESENTS TINY TIM
SONGS OF AN IMPOTENT TROUBADOUR. Durtro 026. Recorded and released
in 1995.
Line Up: Tiny Tim, David Tibet, Steven Stapleton.
Since the advent of the Durtro label in the early 90s, Tibet has overseen
the release of a small handful of records by artists, poets, and bohemians
that he finds interesting, regardless of their commercial viability. Some
of these include traditional folksinger Shirley Collins (Fountain of Snow
- Durtro 010), Icelandic poet Sveinbjorn Beinteinsson (Edda - Durtro 005),
and new age crystal meditator Harry Oldfield (Crystal - Durtro 003). When
Tiny Tim returned to the limelight in 1995, Tibet jumped at the chance
to release a record by his friend and hero, and the only reason this is
listed here as part of Current 93's discography is because Tibet and Stapleton
contributed to one track on the disc, "Just What Do You Mean By Antichrist?"
This track is, for the most part, a Nurse With Wound piece rather than
Current 93, as it is mostly a warped disco beat followed by a collage of
strange whale-like sounds underneath a spoken diatribe by Tiny Tim. This
is certainly an interesting footnote in the history of Current 93. Later
in 1995, Tibet also released Tiny Tim's Christmas Album (Durtro 029) but
it doesn't feature any notable contributions.
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WHERE THE LONG SHADOWS FALL. Durtro 028. Recorded
and released in 1995.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Michael Cashmore, John Balance,
David Kenny.
Subtitled BeforeTheInmostLight, this EP represents the first part of
TheInmostLight trilogy, an ambitious and well-executed concept that concluded
in 1996 and fully details where Tibet and Current 93 are at right now.
Where the Long Shadows Fall is a single long piece, which is ethereal,
soothing, hypnotic, beautiful, and more impressive than anything released
since Thunder Perfect Mind. Its best features are the elements that incorporate
Current 93's sonic past with its primarily quiet, acoustic present, like
the tape loop of a woman singing that acts as the foundation and principal
structure to the piece.
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ALL THE PRETTY LITTLE HORSES. Durtro 030. Recorded
1995, released 1996.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Michael Cashmore, Joolie Wood,
John Balance, Lilith Stapleton, David Kenny, Nick Cave.
Billed as "Hallucinatory Patripassianist Song," and subtitled TheInmostLight,
Current 93's most recent full-length album is a continuation of the mature,
melancholy folk established by Of Ruine, but focuses more on the sounds
produced than previous releases. The sound quality, recording level, and
production have finally reached the optimum that the band has always deserved;
perhaps now that Tibet and Company have gained some popularity, their funds
have increased and they've been able to afford new equipment. Beyond the
aural excellence, the songwriting and performances are also quite commendable,
the best tracks being "The Inmost Light," "The Inmost Night," "The Frolic,"
and "This Carnival Is Dead and Gone." In keeping with the previous EP's
acknowledgement of the past, the album contains some truly frightening
moments of darkness, including an eight minute droning soundscape with
a chorus of chanting voices entitled, "Twilight Twilight Nihil Nihil."
A guest vocal appearance by Nick Cave brings substantial commercial appeal,
as well.
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THE STARRES ARE MARCHING SADLY HOME. Durtro 031.
Recorded and released in 1996.
Line Up: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, Andria Degens, Shirley Collins,
Roxanne Stapleton, David Kenny.
The trilogy concludes with another EP, which mirrors Where the Long
Shadows Fall in structure and atmosphere, but is instead its shadow self.
Where the first EP was airy and reasonably light, The Starres Are Marching
Sadly Home is moody, resigned, and eerie, though still highly hallucinatory.
Guitar is absent. Instead, the piece relies on Stapleton's wavering soundscapes
and windy tones. The three women in the line-up are all vocalists, who
sound like wilted spirits conversing with Tibet. With the trilogy concluded
on such a fascinating note, Current 93's future output will certainly be
interesting.
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EP. Durtro 033. Recorded 1995 and 1996, released
1996.
Line Up: various.
David Tibet released this untitled EP in honor of Current 93's first
(and thus far, only) concert appearance in the United States, on Halloween
and November 1st, 1996. The EP is not new material, but previously unreleased
tracks by Nature and Organisation, Current 93, Tiny Tim, and Nurse With
Wound.
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"The Magickal World of David Michael Tibet" written by Richard T. Williams
(Rex) on May 4th and 5th, 1997. Current 93 has reissued a couple of archival
recordings since then (namely the "Crowleymass" single and the Aryan Aquarians
project with HOH) as well as released an all-new album of ambient material
"In a Foreign Town, In a Foreign Land" with a novella by Thomas Ligotti.
These items shall be added to this guide in the near future.