Wild Planet 1983: The World Gets Weirder

From the provocative performances of Throbbing Gristle at the Lyceum to Einstürzende Neubauten's infamous stage-demolishing concert at the ICA, this episode captures the moment when musical boundaries were not just pushed, but completely obliterated.

The Wild Planet column, written by Dave Henderson started as a cut-out-and-keep centre feature in Sounds, the UK’s biggest music weekly, but soon became a focus for the new breed of cassette artists and labels across Europe.

Guitars were OUT, Synths were IN, sunglasses got darker, and the music became.… weirder.

Music journalist, curator and label runner, Dave Henderson takes us out on the streets of London in the days when you could bump in to a leather clad Cabaret Voltaire, or find Test Dept. in full force playing an underground station.

More than just a music column, Wild Planet became a cultural conduit for artists working outside traditional music industry constraints. Henderson's narrative reveals a vibrant ecosystem of bedroom musicians, experimental performers, and avant-garde creators who were reimagining what music could be.

A must-listen for music historians, cultural enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by the raw, uncompromising spirit of artistic innovation.

DAVE HENDERSON
A UK based music journalist, editor, curator and label runner, Dave has a rich variety of roles within the UK music industry. These include running the New Talent stage at Glastonbury Festival, Managing director for Q, Mojo and Kerrang!, creating labels Dead Mans Curve, X Tract and currently running Cherry Red sub-label, Righteous

Hosted by Martin Franklin
Theme music “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen.

VIDEO
We'll be publishing our 'Unboxing" of a vintage copy of Sounds from May 1983 - with the original Wild Planet feature, on our YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast

THANKS TO:
Steve Cammack for the “The Elephant Table” vinyl.
https://remuhmuration.blogspot.com/

Our old chums at SoundArt Radio 102.5FM for digitising services.
https://soundartradio.org.uk/

MUSIC
23 Skidoo, Hacienda Live (Remix)
SPK “Despair” The Elephant Table, X Tract (1983)
Hawkwind “Phone Home, Elliot” Live at UK Electronica Festival, bootleg tape (1983)
Attrition “Dream Sleep” The Elephant Table
Konstruktivits “Andropov 84, The Elephant Table
Cabaret Voltaire “Voice Of America”, Live Granada TV 1980
Cabaret Voltaire “Seconds Too Late” Berkeley Keystone 25.10.80
Einsturzende Neubauten, Live ICA unreleased cassette (1984)

 

"Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989 - 90" SoundImage Tapes cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024
https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com

Podcast produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au/)

 

 

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