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V.A. (VARIOUS ARTISTS) (COMPILATIONS) - Love Potion

Format: LP Label & Cat.Number: Love Potion Number 999 (aka The Long Playlist - The Big Bubble Party) Release Year: 2024 Note: the 30th Anniversary release of the French psychedelic / experimental label is something special: exclusive material by D.D.A.A., F/I, LEGENDARY PINK DOTS, MUSIQUE CONCRET, VOCOKESH, MAHAGONY BRAIN and more unknown + fresh projects, plus a 12 page A4 booklet with a huge playlist, a 12" art-insert, and a crazy collage cover... - special ed. on SPLATTER coloured vinyl with extra inserts, lim. 149 copies (if these are gone, black vinyl will be delivered, please ask!) Price (incl. 19% VAT): €25.00 More Info VARIOUS – LOVE POTION Number 999 (fractal 037) LP LIMITED EDITION FRACTAL 30TH ANNIVERSARY (1994-2024) RELEASE DATE: 9 NOVEMBER 2024 AVAILABLE NOW Limited edition to 299 copies on 9 November 2024, 2 versions : SPLATTER Vinyl (149 copies with 2 inserts : 1 color insert 30x30cm 150gr. + 1 booklet 12 pages, color-B&W A4 format) Special edition for the first 69 copies on Splatter vinyl: - For copies #1 - #30 with 5 additional inserts (3 color inserts + 1 B&W insert: 30x30 cm, 160gr. and 1 insert B&W format A4 / numbered edition and stamped with the 2 Fractal logo). - For copies #31 - #69 with 2 additional inserts (1 B&W insert: 30x30 cm, 160gr. and 1 insert B&W format A4 / numbered edition and stamped with the Fractal logo). NB: The additional inserts (colorful collage/patchwork) contain rare documents never published until now, with letters from Arthur Doyle, Takashi Mizutani (Les Rallizes Dénudés), Steven Stapleton (Nurse With Wound) etc… as well as unpublished photos with Arthur Doyle again, Sunny Murray, Gérard Terronès (Futura-Marge Records), Chris Wilson (The Flamin’ Groovies), Mani Neumeier (Guru Guru) with the manager of Fractal, plus other various souvenirs, poster, flyer, concert ticket etc… BLACK Vinyl (150 copies with 2 inserts : 1 color insert 30x30cm 150gr. + 1 booklet 12 pages, color-B&W A4 format) Once is not custom, Fractal Records is celebrating an anniversary for the first time in its history, but not just any anniversary, its 30th. For this commemoration, Fractal Records presents: « Love Potion Number 999 aka the Long Playlist – The Big Bubble Party » a compilation: - Conceptual, centered on an album cover and a song by The Clovers for the theme with the number 9 as a highlight. - Eclectic, to remain in perfect harmony with the label’s editorial line since its creation. - International, where 9 artists/groups are obviously on the menu: F/I (USA), The Legendary Pink Dots (UK/Netherlands), Musique Concret (UK), Mahogany Brain (France), Pascal Chassin (France), Karaba (Germany), DDAA (France), Diza Star (Japan), Vocokesh (USA). Fractal Records is an independent label created in September 1994 with almost a hundred productions in its catalogue. « You have a really fantastic catalogue. Fractal as a label is really quite awe-inspiring, real beautiful quality music » Steven Stapleton / Nurse With Wound (Quote published in the inserts on the special edition Splatter vinyl) Founded in 1982 and led by guitarists Richard Franecki and Brian Wensing, the two pivots of the group, F/I is a major figure in the Milwaukee (USA) industrial punk-rock scene having released 5 highly acclaimed albums on the renowned RRRecords label in the 80s as well as many others that followed on different labels. Fractal has reissued on vinyl LP the famous 1985 cassette, a monument of psychedelic space-rock « The Circle Is The Square ». The title here « Bastards of the Universe » is a more recent recording, from 2017, a fiery piece of pure hard-rock-psych with a relentless, excellent riff from Brian Wensing of the same caliber as the super hits of the 70’s rock mastodons Wishbone Ash/Uriah Heep/Hawkwind, a serious « killer » ! After the very recent reissue this fall on a splendid double vinyl LP of the terrible and fantastic concert of The Legendary Pink Dots « Live in Kontich 1986 » (aka THE CONCERT « OVER THE TOP » of the 45 years existence of the LPD !!!), Fractal Records adds more with this live track, almost incredible and which is perhaps even STRONGER than this « Live in Kontich 1986 » !! Attention, all the fans risk literally exploding with this masterful ringing of bells of the greatest power: Fractal Records presents for its 30th anniversary the LPD live track probably the RAREST of its entire long career, YES the rarity of rareties !!! Why, because this song was played in all likelihood only one time in concert during the entire history of the group (moreover, as proof, Edward Ka-Spel announces it to the audience on the microphone!). This is the composition: « No Bell No Prize », a title originally released on the compilation « Three Minute Symphony » in 1984 and which was followed by another version « Ridiculous » released on yet another compilation in 1990. Fractal Records is very pleased to publish for the very first time with « its compilation », the first official « No Bell No Prize » live version, recorded in Canada in Montreal in 1991, a significant event for fans! It should also be noted that the quality of the recordings of this live versions is exceptional, absolutely beautiful, and one could not dream of better for a live recording (Fractal still has the complete recording, in its entirety, of this excellent concert).It is now useless to add that this little gem freshly unearthed thanks to an initiative of Fractal Records with a suggestion promptly approved by Mr. Ka-Spel, that this ultra rare pearl, is an ABSOLUTE MUST for all admirers of The Legendary Pink Dots ! Grab it while you may… Musique Concret is one of the most mysterious bands created in England in the early 80s by Jim Friedman et Mike Smullen (nb: no one knew the musicians’ names before 2004!). This enigmatic band leaves behind a summary discography comprising only two appearances: a very short track « Exit » on a compilation LP, and a single album « Bringing Up Baby » released in 1981 on United Diaries, the label created by Steven Stapleton of Nurse With Wound. « Bringing Up Baby » is a very rare album, sought after by collectors and a true masterpiece of electronic/industrial/avant-garde music from the early 80s as good as the best albums by NWW, TG, SPK or Cabaret Voltaire etc… Quite obviously, it is the most remarkable album that Stapleton (apart from his own music) has produced in the United Dairies catalogue. Fractal reissued on CD in 2004 « Bringing Up Baby » and now offers you « Symphony for Oven Rack – First Movement » the brand new recording of the group since 1981, after a hiatus of 43 years, what a SCOOP! This dark ambient sound art piece is to be compared to the works of Lustmord, David Jackman/Organum and also of course Nurse With Wound. Note to afficionados: this is an extract from the next upcoming album, the 2nd by Musique Concret ! The label Futura/Marge Records created by my friend Gérard Terronès (with a rare photo on the inserts of the special limited edition) is one of the most IMPORTANT and REMARKABLE independent labels created in France with BYG Records since the end 60s, notably thanks to its legendary RED series on Futura, on which appear among the BEST albums of the French Underground: Red Noise, Fille Qui Mousse, Barricade and also Mahogany Brain, the poetry-free-rock group led by my friend Michel Bulteau. « Boosting Bennies » from the group’s 3rd and last album released in 2005 on Fractal, perfectly symbolizes on its own (dangerously speaking!), in this explosive title of less than 3 minutes, the entire perilous, improbable and extraordinary universe of Mahogany Brain. A must in the French Rock landscape! Pascal Chassin was the guitarist of another band from this « revolutionary » French Rock scene of the late 60s/early 70s: Komintern, a band that emerged from the split of Red Noise (Patrick Vian’s legendary band) with a unique album that is today considered one of the jewels of the French Underground « Le Bal du Rat Mort » released in 1971. After Komintern disbanded in the mid-70s, Pascal Chassin released, under his own name, an excellent single in 1979 « La Nouvelle Européenne ». But before that, Chassin recorded his very first composition « Le Petit Rat de l’Opéra » with two ex-Komintern members, Michel Muzac and Olivier Zdrzalik (Malicorne) in Polydor Studios Paris in 1978, and this song ended up in oblivion since Polydor refused (very surprisingly) to publish it. « Le Petit Rat de l’Opéra » has remained unreleased to this day and Fractal is delighted to be able to offer more than 46 years later this…real gem!! Alert for all fans of new-wave synth-pop: this song dating from 1978 (it should be reminded) is very precursory, it sounds like The Cure before The Cure, so obviously, very ahead of its time, that is to say BEFORE all the bands to come in the « new-wave » years in France from 1979 to 1986!!! It is prodigiously notable and Fractal even thinks that he is not sufficiently dithyrambic about this « Petit Rat de l’Opéra » because nuggets of this kind are all the rarer and IMPOSSIBLE to find these days that its worth to be point it out. More than ever « Le Rat n’est pas mort » but alive and well ! An impressive and sublime discovery, to be caught immediately, without hesitation, even with closed eyes! Karaba, German band created in the early 2010s is a very representative formation of the new Jazz-Rock-Fusion improvisation Munich scene, having already released 5 albums to their credit. Karaba offers dynamic, rich and solid music, composed by a technical and experienced quartet, where it should be noted that two of the members, Maasl Maier and Jakob Thun are respectively the bassist and the drummer of Embryo (the legendary band created in 1969 by Christian Burchard which is now led by his daughter Marja). « Chateaux Morell » is a superb unreleased jazz-rock track recorded especially for this compilation, which skillfully evokes the genius of Frank Zappa « Hot Rats » era, Missus Beastly or Ginga Rale Band. Before 1994, before the creation of Fractal Records, the label manager had already seen DDAA in concert in Paris and had even done an interview with the band (published in a fanzine of the time). Since then, Fractal has done a lot of reissues in DDAA’s discography: the magnificent LP « Action et Démonstration Japonaise » or the very rare first singles grouped on the CD « GNz-11 » etc etc… For this compilation, Fractal Records had the idea and suggested to DDAA to make a new version of the track « Baltique » (from the album « Les Ambulants » 1984). DDAA accepted the invitation and delivers as a PREMIERE, expressly recorded for Fractal 30th anniversary, a very interesting version, completely different from the original under the title: « Baltique Again », a less raw, more electronic, more ethereal version, more in the style of The Residents… Since its beginnings, Fractal Records has done a lot to promote Japanese Underground music and is now one of the most important labels in France in the field (nb: Fractal was the first in France to distribute the records of the legendary PSF label in 1994, without boasting much else). In the early 2000s, Fractal manager met Takashi Mizutani (leader of the legendary Les Rallizes Dénudés) several times and formed a friendship with him (nb: in the insert of the special limited edition, Fractal published many extremely rare documents, including in particular, a letter written and signed by Mizutani as well as a letter signed by Hideo Ikeezumi, PSF boss etc…). To pay tribute to Mizutani (1948-2019), Fractal Records planned to include the title « Eien ni ima ga » for this compilation, unfortunately the proposal was formally refused by the competent official authorities. So, Fractal made do with on the obscure group Diza Star, which as its name explicitly indicates (and fans know it well!) is directly a nod to Les Rallizes Dénudés! Diza Star was an ephemeral, ghostly group, a trio formed in Tokyo in 2005 that dissolved shortly after leaving a few albums and just one concert. « Das Zitar » (anagram of Diza Star) is a short piece for guitars only and it is of course, dark-blues-underground to recall the black romance of the Rallizes. Thus, in this less official, more transversal and more discreet way, Fractal manager pays a stirring HOMAGE with subtlety to his friend Takashi Mizutani. At the end of the 80s, Richard Franecki leaves F/I, forms the group Vocokesh and the trio flies definitively into space to continue the free-space-rock electronic adventure under other aspects, most often generated by long improvised, cosmic and experimental jam sessions. Fractal has published several Vocokesh albums, including « Space Mantra » a complete cover of an excellent album by F/I, as well as the latest: « The Caravan Pasta Box Vampyr Osmose » an energetic « galactico-krautrocki-overdozed » LP dripping with shooting stars with the most beautiful effect! For this compilation, Vocokesh once again covers F/I with that early number, but in a brand new « psychedelically majestic » version recorded in 2024. Thus ends section Number 11 to Number 19 of the unfathomable and highly conceptual compilation « Love Potion Number 999 aka the Long Playlist – The Big Bubble Party » and the future listener (who has the complete section Number 1 to Number 999 in the booklet) already has 9 great and excellent reasons to get this truly HELLISH « Love Potion »! For those who doubt it, let them call upon their subconscious by letting their subliminal acuity wander freely and when the mind is in communion with the kingdom of numbers, in any circumstance, when the « swirling » pupil is in visual contact with the Number 9, they will automatically, inexorably, necessarily remember this relatively magical « Love Potion Number 999 » and its need… And finally for all the insatiable thirsty who would seek the supreme sensation! Love Potion Number 1000… know that a singular legend says that all those who would have drunk it would never have left the « village ». It is also reported that some of those would have entered the « bungalove de la dernière rafale » of the hotel Isabella in the village of the Residantse « only », where the « love potion » had its source, would have even refused to leave of their own free will. Diabolically captured or victim of a supernatural potion? The hotel was run by Paula P. who was nicknamed in the village « The Queen » of the Residantse. Paula, when she noticed new recruits approaching the hotel, loved to make giant soap bubbles permeated of « love potion », which once blown ended their course by bouncing several times on the ground before crashing most often on their heads, then from closer she would machine-gun them with small bubbles projected in very large numbers. This mischievous ritual which consisted of contaminating them before they entered the bungalove amused her a lot, and was similar to a form of mystical baptism orchestrated by the high priestess of Rock’n’roll. And as soon as one of them had crossed the threshold, Paula radiantly displayed a broad smile and her gaze fixed on the target while saying to herself in her heart: « Good, this one is ready now to join the Big Bubble Party forever ». Legend has it that in one of the hotel rooms, room Number « 9 Below Zero », there was a bottle on a coaster on a table at the entrance that read: « acid cherry detonation cerebral », a bottle that the staff of the Residantse commonly called: « Morello cherry of Washington ». And on coaster was written: « AC/DC Overdose is deadly » ! There was also a jukebox in the room that was programmed to play 9 songs in a row: 1.The Robins / Riot in Cell Block N°9 2.Fanny / Special Care 3.The Who / I’m Free 4.Viola Renea / Faros Faras Island 5.Lowlife / A Sullen Sky 6.The Prisoners / Till The Morning Light 7.The Times / I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape 8.Tom Newman / The Unseelie Court 9.Motörhead / Over The Top. By pressing Start the music always started with song #9 to #1 and the cycle repeated itself like this, backwards and in a loop without stopping. All the rooms of the hotel had a jukebox with 9 songs, always different, except one, always present and which was a « key » song for the hotel management. To be able to leave a room and take another one you had to call the reception with the receiver to make the request, and the Residantse hostess answered you in an infinitely suave voice: « What is your number? No number! No number, no room… » Post-scriptum: All the text written above as well as the release date of this compilation: « Love Potion Number 999 aka the Long Playlist – The Big Bubble Party » are an integral part of the CONCEPT of this record. TRACKLIST: F/I – Bastards of the Universe (4:54) Unreleased LEGENDARY PINK DOTS – No Bell No Prize (5:40) Unreleased MUSIQUE CONCRET – Symphony for Oven Rack (6:26) New rec. / Unreleased MAHOGANY BRAIN – Boosting Bennies (2:47) PASCAL CHASSIN – Le Petit Rat de l’Opéra (3:10) Unreleased KARABA – Chateaux Morell (4:34) New rec. / Unreleased DDAA – Baltique Again (6:32) New rec. / Unreleased DIZA STAR – Das Zitar (2:52) VOCOKESH – The Circle Is The Square (4:19) New rec. / Unreleased Fractal Records