Zoviet France - The Tables Are Turning

sounds great, glad to have you on the forum. Someone should make a book about the history of Zoviet France since finding concrete information is hard with just a cursory search, you kinda have to dig and you seem like you've done a lot of digging.

Mark Spybey and Robin Storey do not reply to any askings about :zoviet*france: and it would seem that Ben Ponton is the reason they left the band.

I've noticed that there is still some animosity surrounding whatever happened. Mark especially seems bitter whenever people mention Zoviet France to him. Although i think that may just be Mark, rumor has it that he also isnt too fond of many people hearing about him through download/skinny puppy either.

i remember way back in like 1997 when alt.noise and rec.music.ambient were popular, there seemed to be a few posters who aimed to diminish Mark's involvement in zoviet france at all, and claimed he was riding on the ZF fame while being a very minor contributor. It caused him to respond to these claims and i remember him being insulted by the assertion. I'm only bringing this up because i wonder if possibly that claim came from some of the other members in ZF who had a falling out with Mark? Based on Dead Voices on Air it seems pretty clear to me he had a big impact on Zoviet France, but the truth is murky. Not enough information out there.

I think a decent book could be made just from already existing info pulled together

Methinks Mark feels the way he does, because Ben asked him to leave :zoviet*france: after they played at The Paradiso, in December 1988. Robin seems to have not been as harsh on Mark for that performance.

Mark probably wants to talk more about his solo work than certain collaborations.

Robin, as well.

Ben Ponton seems to have spoiled the whole thing.

Now the baby has his toy.

Still, I look forward to the new album.

Sean Booth and Ben Ponton seem to be friends, but good luck getting Sean in on this.

so do you think Robin is telling the truth when he says 5(?) albums under the name zoviet france were literally him solo?

I knew Shadow thief of the sun was this way, i mean it practically sounds like a Rapoon album but i'm surprised he made this claim about *that* many albums

if throbbing gristle and skinny puppy could overcome their differences and disagreements, maybe some day Zoviet France's original lineup will too. Seems very unlikely though especially after what you just posted

Methinks that we will never know.

Kind of like The Beatles Carnival Of Light, or the additional 1966/67 recordings David Bowie keeps Decca from including on the many reissues of his first album.

I believe these five albums were Robin.

A FLOCK OF ROTATIONS

ASSAULT AND MIRAGE

SHOUTING AT THE GROUND

JUST AN ILLUSION

SHADOW, THIEF OF THE SUN

...although I could be wrong.

LOH LAND was made by the same lineup as POPULAR SOVIET SONGS AND YOUTH MUSIC, so that is out.

LOOK INTO ME was with Mark Spybey.

It seems that the only other five albums after 1986, except the obvious VIENNA 1990 live recording, were Robin's.

What are your thoughts?

Assault and Mirage, Shouting at the Ground, Just an Illusion and Shadow seem like they could easily be Robin solo. The other ones not so sure about, they just have too much of a chaotic sound that never appeared on any of his solo records.

I'm surprised Look into me doesn't include the other members either since that one sounds very different than what we'd expect out of ZF in a lot of ways

Maybe it is a bit later than 1986, though.

Robin mentions how Raising Earthly Spirits could have been one of those five...

Methinks A FLOCK OF ROTATIONS and ASSAULT AND MIRAGE go hand in hand, as they were released.

There are chaotic moments on ASSAULT AND MIRAGE, on SHIMMER IN THE SHIEL.

LOOK INTO ME is not one of the solo albums Robin mentioned, since it is with Mark Spybey.

It is the only album Mark appears on, which leads me to think that is why it sticks out from the rest.

A FLOCK OF ROTATIONS is Robin solo, to my ears.

Anything released from 1982 to 1986 are not Robin solo albums, since there were others involved in the earlier years, as he mentioned in interview.

Mark Spybey says he is on LOOK INTO ME, and VIENNA 1990 has Ben Ponton and Andy Eardley on it.

The other thought I get from time to time, is that not all of the five albums that Robin mentioned have been released.

I find this hard to believe though, Ben Ponton would probably have jumped on them and taken more credit away from Robin, who in his own words:

I became more and more unhappy with some of the interviews which were published which didn't ring true with the actual creation of the music or the internal workings of :z*f:.

In a way this was partly my fault as I had remained completely in the background.

It looks like I am talking to myself again!

I do hope that Ben Ponton and whoever else has part in the decision on the matter of making the back catalog available as purchasable downloads, does it soon, so that those among us can discuss records that were not illegally downloaded.

In the liner notes of http://www.discogs.com/Various-Earth/release/207455 that Charrm was announcing a reissue of SHADOW, THIEF OF THE SUN, which never became.

Why has this not happened in the 16 years since then?

  On 8/24/2012 at 8:58 PM, luhwindan said:

sweepstakes: you're as gay as pitchfork, but I love you, anyways. Go and read it and ignore this domain if your panties are getting in such a bunch.

...

I am the person who posted http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB5AlTDoXH4 a while back.

I was mostly irritated about you mentioning their name over and over in CHATMM but no biggie. Yeah, this video was pretty sweet and I haven't bothered to check out their music (and I'm guessing I'd spend a fortune trying to acquire it legally) but they seem very interesting, sort of along the lines of Coil. I'm getting more interested in this sort of self-styled, handmade, altered consciousness music.

  On 8/24/2012 at 9:43 PM, luhwindan said:

Yes, Redruth, it is.

 

I am happy that :zoviet*france: are releasing the new one on Soleilmoon Recordings, based in Portland, Oregon, where I live.

Earlier this year, Soleilmoon put out http://www.discogs.c...release/3442799 and http://www.discogs.c...release/3442554

 

The label might also put out a book by Robin Storey next year.

The book is about http://en.wikipedia...._Firth_Spaceman and is somewhat autobiographical, since it took place where Robin grew up, but in his own words, is largely a work of fiction.

soleilmoon is legend. i would trade my right ear for the complete catalogue, i'll have it one day

Forgive the irritation, sweepstakes.

How else am I to catch a fish here if I do not cast a line out?

:zoviet*france: is along the lines COIL, at times.

HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS is probably the closest (of COIL's early work) to them.

Soleilmoon is legend, Redruth.

I used to walk by their business location on a daily basis, before they closed and started doing it from their residence instead.

One day I will track down all of the cassettes they put out in the early years.

It might also be of interest to point out that the :zoviet*france: JUST AN ILLUSION CD has distribution information on a part of the artwork for The Ooze, the record store that eventually became Soleilmoon.

A book would be nice, if it were done well, and included involvement from current, as well as past members.

Personally, I would be happy enough with more stuff like Music for a Spaghetti Western released from the vaults.

Mark Spybey's words:

"I have lost one or two of the tapes from this period but generally I was given a copy of every session we recorded.

I have 9 full length "finished" mastered tapes with me on (each at least one hour in length)".

Mark's time making music with :zoviet*france: was from July 1987 to December 1988.

holy smokes there must be some great music on those tapes!

This makes me wonder how many tapes Robin and Ben have got from before Mark's time, like Music for a Spaghetti Western...

Autechre apparently collaborated with ZF too, not sure which incarnation but Sean claims he has a few hours of that as well. Probably will never come out like the legendary Coil/AE collab 'intercourse'

I bet Ae did it with Ben Ponton/Mark Warren :zoviet*france:

Ben said Sean was a good'n!

aww man he was banned?

he literally asked to be banned

i wept

well.... fuck