Messthetics #104 – Compilation released
Messthetics #104 enhanced CD: ‘D.I.Y.’ and indie postpunk from the South Wales and the Z-Block scene: 1977-81 (part 1)
By the end of 1977 years of music-industry neglect (and the abrupt departure for London of the few feckless punks that had landed ’77 record-deals) had left South Wales fertile ground for D.I.Y. The most basic instrumentation, one-take recordings and black-and-white graphics ruled the day, so it’s no surprise that not one of the records on #104 sold more than 1200 copies. Mindful of these feeble sales, a dozen alumni of Cardiff’s Z-Block label (and various mates) gave up releasing records altogether, and busied themselves in a frenzy of increasingly-sophisticated home recording. (We’ve included just the tip of that iceberg…) 23 songs on the CD plus six bonus MP3 tracks. 24-page booklet, lovingly documented with histories and photos galore, PLUS a ‘reunion’ appearance of the legendary Great Pop Things rock-history comic (buy from here)