Family Plot-Convictions LP (Canada, 1987) & Moev-Cracked Mirror 12" (Canada, 1981)

Holy shit, y'all. What a long and exhausting week, and weekend for that matter. All the guests and house guests are gone now and there's precious little time to relax. One thing that has been dragging me through the chaos by my boot straps is this lady, pictured below. And, yes, this is another post in my series of Canadian classics, well, should-be classics. Recently, I have become obsessed with the collective works of Madeleine Morris. Since Canada is my adoptive homeland, I feel an especial fondness for Canadian music, especially since much of it never made it out of Canada. Anyway, here's some stuff from the two main groups Madeleine was involved with, Moev and Family Plot.

I'll start with Moev, mostly due to chronology. And, also because the oh-so-knowledgeable gents over at Systems of Romance have done most of my work for me on this one. You can go HERE and download the group's first full length, Zimmerkampf, and read a bit about them. I have actually been listening to another song, Cracked Mirror, on repeat, which is featured on the 12" that came out the previous year in 1981 and put out on their own label Noetix, its only release. My friend Ronnie called this song "sad disco for days." He was kind enough to give us a very lovely shout out on-air last night on his radio show, Echo's Answer. You can listen to the episode HERE chock full of all sorts of lovely ladies like Rose McDowall, Confetti, Sally Dige, Sally Patience, Bloom Offering and so on. He should also be on-air in a little bit HERE from 1-3 EST today. Recommended.  

Okay, back on topic and fast forwarding a bit through several more Moev releases and Madeleine eventually leaving the band, we get to Family Plot. About this group Phil Addington, the bass player, writes:

I came back to Vancouver earlier than my other bandmates who were required to stay in England as they had run afoul of the law. The only person I had to play with was my youngest brother Bernie, who was also a bass player. He played a Rickenbacker through a Roland Jazz Chorus amp which gave him a unique, barking sound. When drummer Simon returned we formed an instrumental trio called "Danse Macabre". Two basses and drums. We were a hit at the druggy after hours parties. Paul returned and added keyboards to the sound. My girlfriend Madeleine Morris, who was singing with the up and coming electropop band Moev, decided to quit that band and join us. Family Plot started gigging in 1983. We played a number of great shows with bands like Alien Sex Fiend, Love and Rockets, Butthole Surfers, Nina Hagen, Hunters and Collectors, No Means No and Wire. We recorded a cassette ep and a 12" album shortly before Madeleine left (after she and I split up). We enlisted Naomi McLeod as singer and played with her for about a year before giving up in 1990.

Otherwise, this band is poorly documented just about everywhere, as far as I've found. I have been jamming this track pretty heavily, not on any of the albums, but appearing on the Last Call: Vancouver Independent Music 1977-1988 compilation. Otherwise, they have one album featuring Madeleine called Convictions, self released in 1987. 

Hope you enjoy one, or maybe both, of these tunes. I will be back soon with some more stuff, some Canadian, others not. I skipped Varning Fest this year and am storing up my energy for NDY Fest in Toronto in two weeks. I will see loads of you there, I know. Otherwise, my calendar is sadly lacking in exciting things coming up. OTHER THAN:

Don't forget I will be DJing between bands this night. Event info HERE.  This is a Montreal all-star line-up. Not to be missed. Come say hi!

Okay, love, love, love,

Megon

Nice & New: Rakta, Koban, La Luz & Votive

Wow, so much has happened in the last month, I hardly know where to begin. Late last month I turned 31 and then a couple days after I got on a plane to Arkansas to be with my mother when she died. I was away from home, or back home in a sense, for a couple weeks straightening out family business and have been in a fog since I got back to Montreal and pretty much went straight back to work. I have been to a couple shows, begrudgingly, since my return.  La Luz played during Pop Montreal and it was lovely. I posted about them on the ODIF Facebook page once but my love has grown since then so I thought I reiterate it here. If you get a chance to see them, by all means go. They have an LP out on Hardly Art with all the hits from the demo and many more.

I went to one other show during Pop which was a hot mess of wine drunkenness on my part but was Votive from Toronto. I always get suckered into these new TO bands and am usually disappointed, like with Ice Cream. This time was a bit better considering Votive is Cam from Kontravoid with his girlfriend singing, and pretty much sounds exactly like that. Not bummed I went, except the hangover the next day. I can't find a recording of this anywhere however, so go see them live if you get the shot.

Anyway, moving on to another band I am sure I have mentioned before, Koban! The EP is finally out on some massively colorful pink splatter vinyl and on one of our favourite labels, Weyrd Son Records. You can

but the vinyl HERE. Here's one of my favorite tracks from the EP which, consequently, you can read my write up about on the Weyrd Son website. 

I know I didn't mention La Luz and Votive before, when you could have actually gone to see them here, but I'll give you a fair warning on Rakta, from Brazil, who are playing here October 11th at Casa, event info HERE. This band is super trendy nowadays but I do actually really like it. Take a listen:

Anyway, that's that. I have so much more to say, so, time permitting in the next few days, hopefully more posts will follow. 

Love,

Megon