Sunday, May 07, 2006




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BloodLust!
May
2006
Update
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LIVE SHOWS
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Wednesday May 3
Enemy1550 N. Milwaukee Avenue, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60622
http://cranksatori.net/enemy/
Show time: 8:00 PM
Admission: $5.00
autosuggestion04
http://www.geocities.com/bloodlustchicago/autosuggestion
"noise versus minimal synth edition"
live music by:
Magic Mountain (Detroit, MI)
The Bastard Trio (Madison, WI)
Grass Canyon (Detroit, MI)
Wetcat
EaVil
pre-recorded music by:
DJ RK
Mark Solotroff
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Thursday May 4
South Union Arts
1352 S. Union
Chicago, IL
http://www.southunionarts.com/
Version>06
http://www.lumpen.com/version_06/index.html
International Noise Awards
Show time: 8:00 PM-11:00 PM
Admission: $5.00
BLOODYMINDED
with:
Brotman & Short

Rotten Milk vs. Bubblegum Shitface
Pommel
Spunky Toofers
Metaphysical Playroom
Mr. Fuckhead
Hookworm
Buttfuck Pussy

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Tuesday May 9th
Elastic
2830 N. Milwaukee Ave, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60618
773.772.3616
http://www.elasticrevolution.com/
Show time: 9:30 PM
Admission: TBA
BLOODYMINDED
with:
Blastocyst
Sharks with Wings
Vadim Sprikut
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Friday May 26
Mr. City
1133 W. Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607
http://www.myspace.com/mister_city
Show time: 7:00 PM
Admission: TBA
BLOODYMINDED
with:
Dynasty (of Kites)

Coughs
Panicsville
(Coughs tour kick-off + Fish Fry - BYOF)

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NEW RELEASES
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OUT MAY 5TH:

The ninth release in a series of private 7-inch singles
BloodLust! 060
Whorebutcher "Fanatic"
"Fanatic"
b/w
"Obsession"
7-Inch
45 RPM
Pressed in an edition of 300 copies
White vinyl
White labels with minimal black text
Poly-lined inner sleeve
Unmarked white cardboard sleeve (sealed on three sides)
Black and white insert
+
An ultra-harsh power-electronics assault, paired with
a passage of cold minimalism that offers the listener
a modicum of breathing room. No other information is
available regarding this release.

+
Orders are now being accepted
$6.50 USA/$9.00 World @ postpaid
All records will be sent in strong 7-inch mailers
+
Wholesale rates are available - Please inquire
-Minimum of five copies to qualify
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OUT MAY 1ST:
SUPER EIGHT LOOP
The next two releases are now available:
S8L 4 + S8L 54
See below for details. Please note that we do not
intend to offer these cassettes to our distributors.
They will only be available directly from BloodLust!
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Planning Stages:
Mark Solotroff
SOLOSERIES
1990's solo releases revisited.
More details soon...
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CATALOG:
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COMPACT DISCS
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NEW:
BloodLust! 059 / Circle of Shit 12
Slogun
"Sacrifice Unto Me" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(This release inaugurates the long-discussed "History of Violence"
re-issue campaign by Slogun and BloodLust!; This CD was originally
released on cassette in 1996, in two editions, by Circle of Shit and
BloodLust!; The audio for this re-mastered CD version was carefully
prepared in Lille, France, by Jerome Nougaillon, and John Balistreri's
distinctive graphic design sets the standard for the rest of the re-issue
campaign; This CD is packaged in a jewel box with a four-panel color,
and black and white, booklet; True Crime Electronics - FTW; Released
in 2006)

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BloodLust! 057
BLOODYMINDED
"Magnetism" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(The fourth full-length BLOODYMINDED album; Surprisingly, released
just over a year after "Gift Givers"; Reflects an updated approach to
the band’s sound; Comprised of 15 feedback-drenched tracks; 10
"full" songs and 5 blast songs; Guttural vocals encompassing
screaming, howling, yelling, moaning, etc.; This CD is packaged in
a black and white Digipak; Approximately 46-minutes in length;
Released in 2006)
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BloodLust! 052
Intrinsic Action
"Peepland: The Complete Singles" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(The newest release in the Intrinsic Action archive series compiles
the band's five 7-inch singles ["Dazed" - 1989, "Male Payment" -
1990, "Manhattan Power Surge" - 1992, "Adult Books and Video"
- 1993, and "Groupies" - 1997], along with a bonus 7-inch by
Surgical Stainless Steel - "Woman Hater" - 1997, Case History
Number Seven from the Self Abuse "Murder" series; Includes an
eight-page stapled booklet; Released in 2006; Vestige CD 9)
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BloodLust! 051
BLOODYMINDED
"Live: Street Level at VG Kids" (Quicktime Video, approx. 25 min.)
"Live: Behind the Green Door" (CD Audio, approx. 19 min.)
Enhanced CD-single$5.00 USA/$7.00 World @ postpaid
(This CD is an enhanced re-release of the limited edition 3"
CD-R split-release with Chondritic Sound, from 2005, with
a bonus full-show video. The video was recorded in Ypsilanti,
MI, on October15, 2004 - the infamous "office hallway" show -
and the audio was recorded in Detroit, MI, on October 16, 2004.
This CD is packaged in a full-color cardboard sleeve - similar
to the "Mothercare" single; Released in 2006)
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BloodLust! 050
Intrinsic Action
"III" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(Re-mastered re-release of the third I.A. cassette, originally
issued in 1987; With two bonus SCTL tracks and updated/
new artwork;A pprox. 74 minutes long; Released in 2005;
Vestige CD 4)
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BloodLust! 048
Intrinsic Action
"Five" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(Re-mastered re-release of the fifth I.A. cassette, originally issued
in 1988; With bonus SCTL track and updated/new artwork; Over 73
minutes long; Released in 2004; Vestige CD 6)
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BloodLust! 046
Intrinsic Action "II" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(Re-mastered re-release of the second I.A. cassette, originally
issued in 1987; With four bonus SCTL tracks and new artwork;
Over 73 minutes long; Released in 2004; Vestige CD 3)
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BloodLust! 045
BLOODYMINDED
"Gift Givers" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(What was the best day of your life? The band's third full-length
release; Two years in the making; Ten full tracks, five blast songs,
an unexpected introduction, and a voyeuristic middle passage; Multiple
vocal layers, in English, French, and Spanish; Guest appearances from
Michael D. Williams, of Eyehategod and Outlaw Order, and Pierpaolo
Zoppo, of Mauthausen Orchestra; Released in 2005)
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BloodLust! 044
Intrinsic Action
"Bad Jack" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(Re-mastered re-release of the fourth I.A. cassette, originally issued in
1988 on Arbeit Recordings; With bonus tracks [live + SCTL] and new
photographs and artwork; 71 minutes; Released in 2003; Vestige CD 5)
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BloodLust! 041
BLOODYMINDED"
Mothercare" CD-single
$5.00 USA/$7.00 World @ postpaid
(Two live songs - recorded at The Fireside Bowl and The Empty Bottle,
Chicago - and one new studio recording; All intense "blast" tracks;
Packaged in a full-color, printed cardboard sleeve; Released in 2003)
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BloodLust! 040
BLOODYMINDED
"True Crime" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(The band's second full-length release; Guests include Xavier
Laradji of "Timeless" magazine; Paolo Bandera of Sshe Retina
Stimulants/Sigillum S; Andrea Chiaravalli of Iugula-Thor; Akifumi
Nakajima of Aube; Jonathan Canady of Angel of Decay/Deathpile;
and John Balistreri of Slogun; Recorded at Brooklyn Electrical,
Brooklyn, NY and Satellite Studios, Chicago; Features a Quicktime
video for "Chinatown" - from the "Trophy" CD; Released in 2002)
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BloodLust! 029
Intrinsic Action
"Sado-Electronics" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(Re-mastered re-release of the first I.A. CD from 1992; New
photographs and artwork; 74 minutes. First release in a series
of I.A. archival reissues; Released in 2002; Vestige CD 7)
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BloodLust! 001
BLOODYMINDED
"Trophy" CD
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(Ex-Intrinsic Action; 47 song, 74-minute power-electronic
debut; A combination of "blast" songs, 2- to 3-minute
songs, and one long 20-minute track; Recorded at Bass
Mind Studio, Brooklyn, NY; Released in 1996)
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Last Few:
Intrinsic Action / Iugula-Thor
"Ensemble Sacres Garcons" CD
(Old Europa Cafe)
$14.00 USA/$17.00 World @ postpaid
(Heavy power-electronics collaboration recorded at Bass
Mind Studio, Brooklyn, NY; In attractive black and silver
oversized packaging)
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RECORDS
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NEW:
BloodLust! 060
Whorebutcher
"Fanatic" 7-inch

$6.50 USA/$9.00 World @ postpaid
(Pressed in an edition of 300 copies; White vinyl; White labels
with minimal black text; Unmarked white cardboard sleeves -
sealed on three sides; Black and white inserts; Ultra-harsh
power-electronics. No other details are available regarding
this release; private series number nine)

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BloodLust! 058

Sshe Retina Stimulants
"Morphic Aromas" 7-inch
$6.50 USA/$9.00 World @ postpaid
(Pressed in an edition of 300 copies; White vinyl; White labels
with minimal black text; Unmarked white cardboard sleeves -
sealed on three sides; Black and white inserts; P.NG5351
shows that his time away from the public eye has allowed for
some major developments in his sound arsenal; The broader,
and somewhat more eccentric sound palette that is established
by this record may surprise those listeners who are used to the
more characteristic Sshe Retina Stimulants frequency exploitation;
private series number eight)

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BloodLust! 056
M.O.
"Forbidden Ground" 7-inch
$6.50 USA/$9.00 World @ postpaid
(Pressed in an edition of 300 copies; White vinyl; White labels
with minimal black text; Unmarked white cardboard sleeves -
sealed on three sides; Black and white inserts; Pierpaolo Zoppo
returns to BloodLust!, taking a new approach by re-working
older recordings and generating a relentless, ringing miasma
of electronic sounds; private series number seven)
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BloodLust! 055
Angel of Decay
"Radio Brain Damage" 7-inch
$6.50 USA/$9.00 World @ postpaid
(Pressed in an edition of 300 copies; White vinyl; White labels
with minimal black text; Unmarked white cardboard sleeves -
sealed on three sides; Black and white inserts; Dark
nightmarescape minimal synth music from Jonathan
Canady of Deathpile, Dead World, Blunt Force Trauma, etc.;
private series number six)

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BloodLust! 054
Envenomist
"Feral Towers" 7-inch
$6.50 USA/$9.00 World @ postpaid
(Pressed in an edition of 300 copies; White vinyl; White labels
with minimal black text; Unmarked white cardboard sleeves -
sealed on three sides; Black and white inserts; Sparse, cold,
minimal synth pieces - The perfect soundtrack to an icy, desolate
winter; private series number five)
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BloodLust! 053
Slogun
"Bleached" 7-inch
$6.50 USA/$9.00 World @ postpaid
(Pressed in an edition of 300 copies; White vinyl; White labels
with minimal black text; Unmarked white cardboard sleeves -
sealed on three sides; Black and white inserts; Relentless,
harsh walls of noise with classic Slogun vocals cutting through
the mix, complete with lyrics that describe the pleasure of being
the only one who knows; private series number four)
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BloodLust! 047
Cleanse
"Restraint" 7-inch
$6.50 USA/$9.00 World @ postpaid
(Pressed in an edition of 300 copies; White vinyl; White labels
with minimal black text; Unmarked white cardboard sleeves -
sealed on three sides; Black and white inserts; The first newly
recorded entry in the series; Harsh power-electronics, done
Detroit style, by Grey from Hive Mind/Chondritic Sound; private
series number three)

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BloodLust! 039
Atrax Morgue
"Her Guts" 7-inch
$6.50 USA/$9.00 World @ postpaid
(Pressed in an edition of 300 copies; White vinyl; White labels
with minimal black text; Unmarked white cardboard sleeves -
sealed on three sides; Black and white inserts; Long delayed
release of exclusive tracks; Originally recorded for BloodLust!
in 1997; private series number two)
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LAST COPIES:
AWB 015
Final Solution
"Do As You're Told" 7-inch
$5.00 USA/$7.00 World @ postpaid
(Two classic tracks by this essential NYC power-electronics trio;
Produced by Mark Solotroff at LoHo Studios, NYC; Released in
1992; Black vinyl; Professionally printed wrap-around covers)
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CASSETTES
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Note: All S8L cassettes come on high-bias cassettes
with uniform pro-printed covers and label stickers.
S8L 1-50 are re-mastered from the original four-track
master tapes. S8L 51 and higher are new recordings.
"MINIMAL SYNTH MUSIC FOR ANALOG OBSESSIVES"
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NEW:
BloodLust! S8L54
Super Eight Loop 54 C-60
$7.00 USA/$10.00 World @ postpaid
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BloodLust! S8L53
Super Eight Loop 53 C-60
$7.00 USA/$10.00 World @ postpaid
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BloodLust! S8L52
Super Eight Loop 52 C-60
$7.00 USA/$10.00 World @ postpaid
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BloodLust! S8L51
Super Eight Loop 51 C-60
$7.00 USA/$10.00 World @ postpaid
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NEW:
BloodLust! S8L4
Super Eight Loop 4 C-60
$7.00 USA/$10.00 World @ postpaid
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BloodLust! S8L3
Super Eight Loop 3 C-60
$7.00 USA/$10.00 World @ postpaid
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BloodLust! S8L2
Super Eight Loop 2 C-60
$7.00 USA/$10.00 World @ postpaid
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BloodLust! S8L1
Super Eight Loop 1 C-60
$7.00 USA/$10.00 World @ postpaid
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SALE ITEMS
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Limited quantities in stock - Please inquire
about availability before sending payment
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LAST COPIES:
Dead World
"Dead World" b/w "Song Of Age" 7-inch
(Release/Relapse)
$4.00 USA/$7.00 World @ postpaid
(Ultra dark industrial metal from Jonathan Canady of Deathpile,
Blunt Force Trauma, and Angel of Decay)
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Iugula-Thor
"The Wheel Of The Process" 12-inch
(Minus Habens)
$7.00 USA/$10.00 World @ postpaid
(Their classic 1st release)
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Sshe Retina Stimulants
"Ketsueki No Eiga" CD
(Self Abuse)
$9.00 USA/$12.00 World @ postpaid
(Totally frozen electronic frequencies)
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ACCESSORIES AND MISCELLANEOUS

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BLOODYMINDED
"Gift Givers"
Button
(Black and purple text with butterfly on white 1" pin)
$1.00 USA/$2.00 World @ postpaid
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BLOODYMINDED
"Pro-Ana"
Button
(Green and white text on black 1" pin)
$1.00 USA/$2.00 World @ postpaid
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BLOODYMINDED
"Pro-Mia"
Button
(Yellow and white text on black 1" pin)
$1.00 USA/$2.00 World @ postpaid
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BLOODYMINDED
"Mothercare"
Button
(Black and white text on red/orange 1" pin)
$1.00 USA/$2.00 World @ postpaid
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BLOODYMINDED
"True Crime"
Button
(Red and white text on black 1" pin)
$1.00 USA/$2.00 World @ postpaid
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BLOODYMINDED
"Magnetism 2006"
Vinyl sticker
(Black with white type - approximately 5.5" x 1.38")
2 stickers for $1.00 USA/$2.00 World - postpaid
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Intrinsic Action
Logo
Button
(Classic band name logo - white text on black 1" pin)
$1.00 USA/$2.00 World @ postpaid
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Intrinsic Action
Logo
Vinyl sticker
(Black with white type - approximately 4 1/4" x 1 1/2")
2 stickers for $1.00 USA/$2.00 World - postpaid
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ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS
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--All prices include postage
-- USA orders will be sent via First Class or
Priority Mail (based upon weight)

----- Sorry, Media Mail is not an option
-- All foreign orders will be sent via Air Mail
----- Sorry, Surface Mail is not an option
-- Insurance and/or Delivery Confirmation is
available upon request

-- Wholesale rates are available on select
items; please inquire

-- This catalog supersedes all prices, shipping
rates, and in-stock items transmitted in previous
e-mails and printed lists

-- Please use bludlust@mindspring.com for PayPal
payments, or make money orders and IMO's
payable to [and registered letters addressed to]:
MARK SOLOTROFF (not BloodLust!)
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Friday, May 05, 2006



BLOODYMINDED
Thursday May 4
South Union Arts
Chicago, IL
with:
Buttfuck Pussy
Spunky Toofers
Brotman & Short
Rotten Milk vs. Bubblegum Shitface vs. HTEETH
Mr. Fuckhead
Is
Hookworm

BLOODYMINDED
Rob Kerr - Synth
Ed Knigge - Synth + Vocals
Chris Mack - Synth
Mark Solotroff - Vocals + Synth

01. "A SONG FOR LISANNE, A YOUNG MODEL"
02. "ANGEL OF DARKNESS"
03. "AS IF"
04. "WEST"
05. "VISITING AN EX-GIRLFRIEND IN THE HOSPITAL - AIDS WARD"
06. "GENITAL PANIC"
07. "BLIND FURY"
08. "HEAD"
09. "BOUND TO DIE" (ED - LEAD VOCALS)
10. "HAYLING" (FC/KAHUNA)
11. "GIRLFRIEND ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN SCHIZOPHRENIC EPISODE BY REVEALING CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE"
12. "MIND THE GAP"
13. "TROPHY"
14. "VISITING AN EX-GIRLFRIEND IN THE HOSPITAL - PSYCHIATRIC WARD - 24-HOUR OBSERVATION - SUICIDE WATCH"
15. "TWO DROPS OF BLOOD"
16. "TEN SUICIDES"

Thanks to Rotten Milk, for including us in this chaotic, silly, but rather smoothly run event. Thanks to Edmar, for having us as part of Version>06. Thanks to Brian Peterson, for having us at South Union Arts. Thanks to Marlene, for the front row support. Thanks to Nicole, for text message heckling from the back row.

Seeing as it was an awards show, I am happy to report that I won the "Best Dressed" award. I think I won that in my senior year of high school, too. Rumors of awards for "Most Leather" and "Most Feedback" were simply that... rumors. As I announced, I would have shared my award with the entire band, but Chris was in denim, so I just could not do it.

Overall, the sound was quite bad all night, but let's be honest, that probably only really affected Is, and maybe, Spunky Toofers. Mr. Fuckhead had a way around that with his orchestra, and most of the other groups were more about the goof. Because of it, we got off to a very rocky start. The PA seemed to have no balls, whatsoever, despite what it looked like. I assumed that the sheer size of the church would swallow up some of the volume, but it was worse than I thought. Within about five minutes, or so, the two guys doing sound managed to make some adjustments, and it seemed to get considerably better. We plowed through, and we gained some momentum and energy, as it got louder and clearer. I like the new cover version a lot. It seems to fit in with the "Gift Givers" (and even the "Magnetism," to a lesser extent) theme pretty well. We will probably try it again. 'Til Tuesday...

Thursday, May 04, 2006



Tonight:

BLOODYMINDED
with:
Is
Brotman & Short
Rotten Milk vs. Bubblegum Shitface,
Spunky Toofers
Metaphysical Playroom

Mr. Fuckhead
Hookworm
Buttfuck Pussy

Version>06

International Noise Awards

Thursday May 4rd, 2006
South Union Arts

1352 S. Union
(Two blocks south of Roosevelt Road)

Chicago, IL
http://www.southunionarts.com/
http://www.myspace.com/southunionarts

8:00-11:00 PM
$5.00

From: http://versionfest.com/version06/festival/

"Movies have the Oscars and TV has the Emmys.
Theater has the Tonys and crappy pop music has
the Grammys. But what about noise music? This
year during Version>06, Terry Plumming and
friends present the first ever International Noise
Awards. Join us at the historic South Union Arts
club and watch the drama unfold as dozens of
social misfits vie for such honors as Best Circuit
Bending, Most Authentic Onstage Checking of
Email, Worst Tour Itinerary, Most People on Stage
at One Time and Best Feedback.

Performances by BLOODYMINDED, Is, Brotman &
Short, Rotten Milk vs. Bubblegum Shitface, Pommel,
Spunky Toofers, Metaphysical Playroom, Mr. Fuckhead,
Hookworm, Buttfuck Pussy and surpise scene celebrity
special guests will make the night complete."








Last night's autosuggestion04 was another very poorly attended event. The move into Wicker Park did not seem to help at all. Thanks to those that did show up. Thanks to the bands/artists, for the great sets. Thanks to Jason at Enemy, for helping with the space.

Photographs from the show are up on Flicker:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bloodlustchicago/sets/72057594125497169/

The autosuggestion site has been updated:
http://www.geocities.com/bloodlustchicago/autosuggestion

Wednesday, May 03, 2006




BLOODYMINDED
Saturday April 29
Enemy
Chicago, IL
with:

Vertonen
Is
Vadim Sprikut
Gays in the Military
Kevin Drumm
Adam Strohm
Church of Light and Sound
Insect Deli
I Love Presets

BLOODYMINDED
Rob Kerr - Synth
Ed Knigge - Synth + Vocals
Chris Mack - Synth
Mark Solotroff - Vocals + Synth

01. “A SONG FOR LISANNE, A YOUNG MODEL”
02. “ANGEL OF DARKNESS”
03. “AS IF”
04. “WEST”
05. “VISITING AN EX-GIRLFRIEND IN THE HOSPITAL - AIDS WARD”
06. “GENITAL PANIC”
07. “BLIND FURY”
08. “HEAD”
09. “BOUND TO DIE” (ED – LEAD VOCALS)
10. “SHOCK PIT”
11. “GRUDGE (ONE)”
12. “MIND THE GAP”
13. “TROPHY”
14. “VISITING AN EX-GIRLFRIEND IN THE HOSPITAL - PSYCHIATRIC WARD - 24-HOUR OBSERVATION - SUICIDE WATCH”
15. “TWO DROPS OF BLOOD”
16. “TEN SUICIDES”

Thanks to Blake Edwards, for setting up this smoothly run event. Thanks to Jason Soliday, for hosting the show. Thanks to everyone who supported the benefit. The night ran pretty-much like clockwork. Everyone stuck to modest-length sets. It was great to have rock and rythmic stuff to add variety to the night. Solid, all around.
Rather than try to remember everything, here is Blake's (Vertonen) write-up:

"An ass kicker of an evening. Not the hugest turnout, but those who did
were generous and said generosity will hopefully help twig, carly & co
get things back up to speed.
I shot the first volley at 9:05; it was my first all noise set in
quite a while and I was pretty happy with it; bb guns breaking glass
and stormclouds hurling crippled sine waves dipped in acid while the
bastilles were stormed.
Is joined me as a transition to his set and choked out some guttural
childbirth and high tone ear blistering; I shot back with panning
cassette entropy and eventually we ended the segue with a short drone;
overall, the segue this time worked much better than the last time we
did it. Is continued to blow down a few more houses with alternating
high tone fires and moss-covered gristle in fine fashion.
Vadim Sprikut stepped next and a wall of distortion and channel
jumping explosivity followed; he spit out sold chunks punctuated with
fractions of silence or feedback wrapped in barbed wire; he was the
audio transcription of meth-loaded slot cars trying to race on a
dirty, grime filled track.
Gays in the Military undressed next and brought some serious rock to
the night; it was a pretty good breather from the festering caverns of
barnacled ear we had been occupying thus far. Admittedly, I had been
losing interest in what the Gays had been doing—it seemed they were
focusing more on their schtick (the women's auxiliary and scantily
clad ladies writhing about and handing out porn) than their music.
Well, tonight the ladies were absent and they belted out seriously
tight 70s sludgy hard rock bathed in 80s cocaine and fast cars
hedonism and accented with the general disrepair of humanity. It was a
good shot in the arm and pleasantly caught folks off guard.
Kevin Drumm followed and wasn't going to take any of the previous
noise crap lying down. I know a lot of folks have mentioned "noisy
drone" when describing live sets, but Kevin took that concept out the
exit door and to another level. Instead of a warm, fuzzy feeling that
anyone in the room could levitate on the sonorous density of his
tones, Kevin offered one of the ugliest, grittiest fields of static
dementia one could hope for. He was threshing wheat made of razorwire
with fingernail-like tentacles of carbon fiber that spit acid. If you
were able to stand up for his set it was only because the soundwaves
were compressing between the back wall and the PA and you just
happened to be in a lucky trough or peak. He also had plenty of high
tones shooting about, so even if you felt your knees weren't buckling
your inner ear sense of balance was probably compromised.
Adam Strohm was up next and may have been the highlight of the night
for me, first because I'd never seen him live before and second he
brought a great sound. It was like you were being dragged through
fresh tar on a chain link fence while playing sandpaper in a food
processor. Think chop shop and you'd be in the right frame. At first I
thought he was a little too quiet (and the audience a bit too loud
with chatter), and told soliday (who was deftly manning the uber-board
all night) that he could boost adam a bit. "he says he's just doing a
build up…" was soliday's repsonse and lo, adam was. What started off
as a pebble making it's way down a metal slide soon evolved into a
full frontal collision between an aircraft carrier and the straits of
gibraltar. Definitely looking forward to more of him live.
Church of Light and Sound followed, with a request for "total
darkness" preceding his set. I've always liked his live sets because
he's usually done drone-based bits that really fill the space, your
head, make your guts turn to toothpaste, and disorient wonderfully.
But tonight he opened his magic illuminated trunk and pow! two halogen
lights shot into the audience's eyes and the chaos of an ill conceived
tree-felling in a public park during peak picnic season followed, with
90% of his set seemingly determined to peel the paint off the walls.
Jake was probably chewing his way through his pedals and flossing with
frayed cables. The other 10% consisted of machine guns unloading in a
glass factory as witnessed from a bird's eye point of view. Delicious
and able to split 2 x 4s with his gaze.
Some might say, "woe to the person who follows that," but as it was
Bloodyminded, the only woe was going to be felt by ears that had
already gone through three hours of air raids. The feedback for their
set was magnificent, and that made up for the less than spastic
audience participation (save Jake being a one-man mosh pit for Ten
Suicides). At one point one of the keyboards began making some oddly
clean rhythmic sounds that seemed out of place, but the band pressed
on determinedly, with the other two synths and multiple mics issuing
blunt force injury like it was cigars at a bachelor party.
Insectdeli took over after Bloodyminded, and if there's anyone that
can step up to the brutality of Bloodyminded and deliver it back in
rhythmic spades, it would be julia. She started with a very softly
spoken thanks to everyone for coming out and then pulled the trigger;
it was a blender of rhythmic elements bruised and battered and spit
from left to right at 1400 RPM on a motorboat engine stuck inside an
animal carcass. start/stop pulsing and chopped up samples decorated
the bone-snapping beats: Solotroff had a grin on his face: "I could
listen to her do this stuff all night." He wasn't the only one; most
folks were either head-bobbing or foot stompin' to the complex
labyrinth of sound she was shuffling like a professional blackjack player.
I Love Presets brought the evening to a close, and unfortunately 10 or
so minutes into their set a neighbor stopped by and inquired "when all
this crap was gonna stop." Regardless, what I saw of their set was
solid as usual: electronic nosedives, dyslexic rhythms, garbled
samples minced and vomited out, and modified video projections. The
video this time reminded me of the heaven's gate induction tape laced
with static and kaleidoscopic glimpses into what goes on with the
other side of a corroded camera.
All the performers totally ruled with staying on schedule; all the
audience folks who bought raffle tickets did so unabashedly, and
soliday gets huge props for letting us do this show at his space,
which was already clogged down with shows as it was…
Next Chicago T-Hill benefit (as far as I know) is May 20 at
elastic—stay tuned for info on that as the time approaches."