The Barron Balls?......Never heard of 'em?....Of course you haven't, that's N.Senada's much celebrated "Theory of Obscurity" in action. Already formed as schoolboys in Leicester,UK, 1978; The 'Balls' were inspired into obscurity by the concept of The Residents album "Not Available"; although I severely doubt that the Residents had actually forgotten about recording that album,as stipulated under the rules of Senada's "Theory".
This is not the case with The Barron Balls' "Not An Anthology" collection, which all involved had almost total amnesia about. Therfore under the rules of the mysterious N. Senada, it is now qualified for release,which it now is,thanks to Year Zero Records.
The Barron Balls,named after The Baron Knights, began life as a sort of mini Great Rock'n'Roll swindle in 1978, where merchandise was produced to promote a band that didn't exist.Many badges and stuff were sold promoting the 'band' as 'The Kings Of Cock Rock'; after a headline spotted in Sounds about The Raincoats, Kleenex and The Slits,(although I don't think any member of the aforementioned combo's had a single cock owner amongst them at the time). Being teenage boys, they decided not to go with the original intension of the phrase,that is anti-sexist female emancipation with a feminist agenda (very 'Right-on');but instead take the purile opposite direction,which is more in line with the actual 'Rock' philosophy of the male dominated world of the sixties and early seventies, a parody of 'Free-Love' as you will.
Many sexually offensive parodies of Hit songs were prepared, using found objects as percussive instruments.(Using their environment years before Einsturzende Neubauten eh?)
A performance was arranged in the school, charging 10p admission. Decorated in various plastic shopping bags from well-known supermarket chains to disguise identies, Vas Deferens, VD Scabs Round The Mouth, David Van Hellmann, and C.W., performed atrocious versions of hits by The Jam,The Members,and Kate Bush, before the 'gig' was raided by the authorities after 15 minutes, and forcibly disbanded...........result!
This was the height of their fame, now to make a cassette and forget.This time with original material, acompanied by a super-8 movie.
This slowly evolved over the ensuing years, producing a musical style that was a cross between The Residents and Danny and the Dressmakers, their two biggest influences. Nonsensical Science Fiction and exopolitics replaced the 'Cock Rock', resulting in a chaotic fusion of proto white rap'n'roll ,concluding in sometimes hilarious consequences, all recorded in glorious lo-fi.This is NOT rock music!
But, like fellow schoolboy legends, The Prats, the loss of innocence with the onset of adulthood, lead to a maturing of the sound,and the later recordings showed an unwelcome sophistication. Actual songs played with a creeping competance on real instruments materialised from the chaos; it was time to stop,and forget.
Leicester can now boast another DIY cassette culture legend, alongside The Midnight Circus.
The Barron Balls were:
Vas Deferens
David Van Hellmann
V D Scabs 'Round The Mouth
C.W.
All recording re-mastered from the original cassette recordings.
Thie 'Song?' "Stoke!" featured in their sci-fi movie called "Diamonds To Be". Check out the video's below:
Track Listing:
1. You Can't Hang Yourself In Space.
2 The Mass Abode
3. Gimmie a Bald 'Ead
4. Retro Blues
5. (I Thank) The Transfer
6. Stoke!
7. Senility Counteracts experience.
8. Absentee
9. Deny The Denim
10. Out Of The Closet
11. Divide (or) Fall
DOWNLOAD Not An Anthology HERE!
5 days ago
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