Lion Productions Vinyl, CD & Tape 16 Items

* 'Gebauer sings, his shredded, husky voice like someone dragging the needle on a Nick Cave record.' - Consequence OF Sound

'Up there with V-O-D selections, the Color Tapes series so far has provided invaluable insight to hidden or much lesser-known currents of the ‘80s cassette subculture which gave birth to myriad artists, styles and industry conventions whose influence can still be felt over 30 years later. ' - Boomkat

“Evil Synths and evil beats” - Norman Records

“The re-born Color Tapes imprint is every bit as essential as it’s Minimal Wave and electro-focused predecessors” - Juno

The highly anticipated sixth volume of the well received electronic compilation series of tracks drawn from the vaults of the Color Tapes label. As with the other volumes you can find great examples of cold wave, minimal wave, and synth electronics made by obscure British bands in the 1980's such as: Berserk In A Hayfield, Lives of Angels, Silicon Valley, Modern Art, Disintegrators, Echophase, The Lord, and Mystery Plane. As with all of the other volumes, this is a co-production between Lion Productions and Color Tapes.

Immediately engaging & all recorded live without overdubs. An analogue e-music roller-coaster ride. Hop on if you dare!” —Eroc

Finally available on vinyl, this underground masterwork of analog electronic music pushed the envelope of melodic synth freakouts to unimaginable edges and undreamt of realms of space. Recorded live on the spot without overdubs, Jeff Carney’s 'Imperfect Space Journeys” (ISJ) has become a highly prized collectible amongst “Berlin School” fanatics still soaking in the '70s sounds of Klaus Schulze, Ashra and Tangerine Dream, as well as fans of Terry Riley's organ works (Riley is Carney's cousin), and Heldon heads. Originally a cassette-only release, the rare copy appearing on the collector market can exchange hands at three-figure sums even on cassette, making it one of the most sought after treasures of the electronic underground.

With a keyboard arsenal more likely to have been assembled in the late seventies, West Coast space music architect Jeff Carney rebelled against prevailing digital trends with analog electronic wizardry, unleashing this statement of purpose on the New York “Audiofile” label in 1988. Designed around the possibilities of live performance, Carney used simple, captivating hooks with which to weave tapestries of electronic texture. His influences on this debut are apparent, but his sounds absolutely unique. Every lead seems to have a tone outside the sounds already explored in the genre. Sound effects give a sense of deep space: perhaps owing their galactic awareness to Gong and Hawkwind, but pushing like a volcano into other realms. 'Imperfect Space Journeys' is a study in minimalist rhythmic structures that enable Carney to decorate with cosmic colors and wild effects collages, while also tending to be highly melodic. 'Noise' is used as a means to create images of spaceships passing in the deepest of space skies. Tension and release are used for maximum impact. But there is also plenty of sonic ear candy. Melodic lines that you'll find yourself wanting to revisit again and again!

Source for this reissue: 24bit/96kHz transfers taken from the original analog tapes. This deluxe reissue of ISJ includes three bonus tracks not included on the original cassette release. Comes with an eight-page color LP-sized insert booklet. Limited to 500x copies worldwide.

Carney recorded 'Imperfect Space Journeys' at 20 years old. He would soon produce works in which his skills were further honed and his unique sonic paintings took an even more exploratory shape, but ISJ is the beginning of the story. It is where the “journey” begins.

For us, this record has a trace or two of Arthur Lee and Love at their best, with dashes of maybe Terry Callier in some of the jazzier tunes. We also like that Hollins & Starr wrote a gentle tribute to one of our favorite old-time bluesmen, Mississippi John Hurt. At times this album is a gorgeous, ethereal blend of psychedelic folk and offbeat pop; but there are some funk and avant-garde moves too, all supported by an odd assortment of instruments, including flute, bells and a generous helping of fuzz guitar. Chicago-based duo Chuck Hollins and David Starr only made this one album, which originally appeared in 1970 on the Ovation label.

First ever release! Pressed on black vinyl Recorded in 1979 Teeming with infectious hooks and delicate textures, “Keady & Vallins” stacks up favorably against now heralded titans of soft pop / yacht rock and pop disco-lite, living in the intersection between Bobby Caldwell, Steely Dan, and Saturday Night Fever-era Bee Gees. “Keady & Vallins” is an all-too-familiar story of potential left unfulfilled — glorious pop music shunted by the impetuous thrums of a music industry stricken by decadence and a preference for high turnover and rigorous proprietorship. A tour with the Bee Gees by Vallins and help from Robert Stigwood resulted in a deal with Polydor. After a pair of singles produced by a young, upstart (now hugely important head of Universal Music Group) Lucien Grange achieved moderate success in France, an album was next: taped by Keady and Vallins during downtime from other sessions. They pulled world class talent from the studio, from the pub down the street from the studio, while also (temporarily) pilfering instruments from the shop below the studio (price tags still affixed) — to create a striking blend of sepia-toned soft pop / yacht rock and pop disco-lite. Born out of a quick friendship turned decades long songwriting partnership between Gary Keady and John Vallins, the full-length record was meant to be a mark of the duo’s growing promise as songwriters at Chappell — the publishing house’s self-proclaimed Australian facsimile of the American duo Hall & Oates (or maybe a two-person Bee Gees?). But that’s not what happened, is it. Dormant since its completion in 1979, the “Keady & Vallins” album slots in perfectly amongst its contemporaries as a classic. To further cement its much-belated legacy, “Keady & Vallins” contains the original version of Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams’ smash #1 hit 'Too Much, Too Little, Too Late' (written by Vallins), and features a coterie of preeminent musicians, including Tommy Emmanuel (guitar) and John Altman (strings).

Plastic Crimewave Syndicate has finally returned with a wide-ranging/raging new album — recorded two years ago in an expansive,benevolent alleyway in the midst of a dark, diseased, claustrophobic time of global chaos. The new Pcws album, entitled 'Space Alley,'boldly travels into the relatively unexplored malevolent terrain of free doom, space/noise punk, and darkly dubbed-out library/soundtrackgrooves (call it 70's crooked-cop show/freak-funk, if you must). This is all capped off with a sidelong, (beat of the) earth-harvesting modalexploration of synthed-out kraut-throb. With new bassist Rob Rodak (Dead Feathers) aboard, and guests like sax-skronk legend TaraliePeterson (Spires That in the Sunset Rise), flautist Sara Gossett (Spiral Galaxy), and synthlord Will MacLean (Protovulcan), new influenceshave seeped into Pcws's dystopian vision. The Syndicate have opened for revered deities like Nik Turner, Loop, Simply Saucer, Chrome, andJosefus; but now a more diverse and groovy array of past underground sounds like Skin Alley, Sound of Imker, Here and Now,Mann/Sharrock, Black Sun Ensemble, Parson Sound, and Schizo have influenced Pcws's journey. Recorded by Eric Block (Rhys Chatham,Sick Gazelle) of Rec Rooms studios, and mastered by Monster Magnet/Desert Sessions guitar god JP McBain, the mind-fry level is set to 11½onSpace Alley!

* Pressed on black vinyl
* Originally released in 2014
* Artwork by Kim Keever

'We hand over words, instruments, and rhythms — trading back and forth until everything belongs to both of us. Until we are indistinguishable.' — Lore City

Small quantity available of Lore City’s second album, 'Kill Your Dreams,” composed in the wake of 'Absence and Time.” To me, this has an edgier sound than their more recent albums — sort of their “Garlands” (to put it into Cocteau Twins terms), as compared to say, “Victorialand.” Fun fact... Kim Keever, who contributed the front/back cover artwork, also did Joanna Newsom's 'Divers' LP (Drag City)! But Lore City were first!

'Lore City begins “Kill Your Dreams” (2014) with a challenge: “Go back to the old haunts…,” from the opening track, “Gone Past,” (the longest track on the record), as if, like detectives, we have to look at the evidence first before we decide. Many of the eight songs on this record feel like time travel — warnings or laments — from a time when it might have been easier to tune out the terrible noise. From the 2014 vantage point, as lived today, maybe “Kill Your Dreams” is less about the death of “dreams,” perhaps, than about the death of nostalgia, perhaps even more… the death of any illusion that the past can ever be better than it was. Like some of their acknowledged influences, bands as diverse as Radiohead, Joanna Newsom, Michael Gira/Swans, Quicksand (I could add an equally compelling case to be made for Lisa Gerrard/Dead Can Dance, Mazzy Star, and even Sigur Rós) — some, like Gerrard, have created their own language to say what they need to say, even if we can’t initially recognize the structures and vocabulary.” — goatpalacezine.com

As summer receded into the Northeastern woods, the first songs to emerge were 'For You' and 'Big Intersections'. Then a familiar place beckoned, a pull to Chicago, returning different, both new and old at the same time. Sculpting the monastic from the raw foundations. Catching voices on the wind, moving across chasms, a knowing – glitter on, glitter on, glitter on the garbage. Recording with a trilogy of studios, between a revolving door of people and shows. Hearts soaring. Waiting on the line, suspended timing.

Ultra rare mid-70s UK acid folk-rock recordings. Features sitar, Moog, acoustic and electric guitars, assorted percussioninstruments to create a Popul Vuh-like soundscape. If you can imagine the perfect blend of Eastern trance/psych and Englishhippy acid folk-rock, this would be it. Very cool and freaky.

Earthforce was an offshoot of Ebling Mis and Oa Band formed by Steve Bayfield. Hailing from the UK, the band wasinfluenced by a wide variety of music including English folk and acid rock. This release is culled from sessions that have neverbeen released before, and they sound like a cross between Popul Vuh and Gong. Very tasty, very spacey and mystical vibethroughout.

A masterpiece of South American percussion, recorded in 1977 by worldwide legend and Gipsy Kings percussionist Jorge Trasante—and impossible to find for decades—finally reissued!

'In the mid-'70s I was struck by a young Uruguayan percussionist named Jorge Trasante. I met him accompanying Rada and Pippo Spera, in recordings in the Sondor Studio. He turned out to be an experienced percussionist and remarkable musical researcher, despite his young age, only 23 years old. At that time he invited me to a rehearsal with Eduardo Mateo, at his house in El Cordón. We decided to record the album 'Mateo y Trasante', which today is an iconic album of Uruguayan music. And at the same time, I suggested to Jorge, to record an LP of instrumental percussion, based on Afro Uruguay rhythms. It became his letter of introduction when a few months later he traveled to Europe, where he joined very good groups, including the Gipsy Kings, with whom he recorded 18 albums between 1987 and 2001, and also accompanied other great artists. Jorge Trasante settled in Paris, France, where he lived for more than 30 years. The album “Folklore Afro Uruguayo” was not a success of the moment, but is a sound document which maintains its validity through time.” —Enrique Abal Oliú


'I left (Uruguay) in early 1977. We were finishing a cycle with Mateo, Buscaglia, Yánez and Mariana Vigil. I studied technical drawing at the Universidad del Trabajo del Uruguay… and worked in a cigar and cigar factory—that was my mother's trade—which allowed me to buy the instruments that Emilio Acevedo made in Ansina 1036; he was the great teacher. The first drums I paid for in a thousand installments. He would lend me pailas, Ameijenda or Galletti would lend me a cymbal, I never had anything.

I left because here I was very “wounded' and the political thing got very hard with the dictatorship and the music weighed more than everything. I decided to jump to Europe, where there were great friends. And I went with 70 kilos of drums to Paris to Mario Aguerre, former bassist of Los Delfines. Knowing that I had arrived, Emilio Arteaga called me and he proposed to set up a group with Jorge Pinchevsky, a great Argentine violinist who had played in La Pesada del Rock & Roll. We set up an experimental group with Latin rhythms to play on the street, in clubs, where he would paint. I used to play a set of congas, timbales, and we made Andean music, very fashionable then… and that summer of 1977 in the south of France we did very well. There I crossed paths for the first time with the Gipsy Kings, who also played on the street doing 'the manga' with their gypsy rumba.” —Jorge Trasante

Excavation of astounding underground post-punk recorded from 1979-1988
Style: minimal, semantic, intense. There is poetic subtlety and musical freshness not confined to one historical period
8-page insert booklet contains the Daszu manifesto, poetics for most tracks, a measure of band history, and Part 1 and 2 of Mark Rudolph's poetry from the Daszu era
Vinyl edition comes in a heavy-duty tip-on jacket
First time on vinyl for all tracks
Contains two additional tracks not on the CD edition

If there's one thing we've learned from doing reissues for twenty years, it's that there is often a lack of justice in the arts. All too often, the intensely talented are shunted aside, or not able to access the means to a greater hearing, or marginalized (or eradicated) by larger societal (commercial) (racial) (political) forces, to name just three potential prongs of an art-crushing pitchfork. The less an artist's work can be categorized, the greater the odds of being an eternal outsider. The more pure those artistic efforts are, the greater the chance they cannot be categorized. Such is the case with the music of Daszu. They were three, and minimal. Bass, synthesizer and drums.

I'd like to tell you that the music of Daszu reminds me of This Heat. I'd like to tell you that the music of Daszu reminds me of the Pop Group... or A Certain Ratio… or as some have suggested, early Devo. It does, in purity of intent—in the great expansive reach of the attempt, and the self-assurance of the resulting music. This intensity of intention is evident in the dark, burbling and buzzing electronics; in the propulsive drumming; in the insistent bass-lines; in the emotional vocals; and in the evocative and poetic lyrics.



An impediment to achieving a place in the post-punk pantheon — Daszu was based in Milwaukee, not in the UK. Except for cassette distributions in Helsinki and Dublin, and a few scattered performances, they lived, practiced and performed near home. In 1979, Mark Rudolph (now an interactive 3D artist, musician, software developer, mathematician and the director of i3Dmedia LLC) talked in his kitchen to David Wolf about an idea he had for a new music: how music could be 'popular' without rock guitars and a big wall sound such as large amps and organs. 'I said we could do a minimal three-piece music based on new melodic lines and poetry and synthesis. I thought that we could remake reality. It was possibly ambitious, but I didn't think so. We decided to do it.' They did it. Not with a big polyphonic keyboard, but with a mini-moog sound generator.



The 1/2 Dativa material included on our Lion survey of Daszu's musical innovations was the work of Rudolph and his Australian friend and musician, Greg O'Connor (Boom Crash Opera). Rudolph had been studying mathematics and computer music in Australia, and a mix of Daszu, his computer generated music and O'Connor's great genius with electronic parts is evident in these intense, propulsive recordings made on a pair of DX-7 synthesizers one feverish day in 1983.

First ever release of any recordings by this fascinating heavy rock group from Colorado
8-page LP-sized color booklet with lyrics, photos, and stories from the road What was available to unknown hard rocking dreamers like Umbra in Denver in 1971-72? Weekend gigs. Nothing but weekend gigs. But there was an upside to that: bands like Umbra could mix original material in with covers, and make enough money to survive. Or in the case of Umbra, to make enough money to build a home studio, where they recorded ads to promote their upcoming shows—and eventually, laid down the eight tracks on this disc. Everything was recorded by bouncing tracks back and forth between two-track and four-track reel-to-reel tape recorders. Spacey intros and weird effects were created by recording guitar licks, then re-recording them played backwards at double speed. What sounds like a flute was the result of blowing over the top of a 14” goose neck (believe it or not).



The resulting tracks are hard edged and heavy, verging on acid rock at times. Makes sense, as Umbra was a power trio most of their too-brief existence. Yet the songs (heavy though they are) have a deft touch. There are weird effects, space rock elements, plenty of melody, and a refreshing category-free approach to writing songs that makes Umbra’s music exciting to hear.



Our Lion LP edition comes with an 8-page LP-sized color booklet, with lyrics, photos, plus interesting and funny things that can only happen to musicians, and did to Umbra. The CD edition comes with a sixteen-page color booklet containing the same material.



We know that band bios can be sterile and boring or can move to the opposite spectrum, rife with grandiose embellishment. Umbra’s story is neither. Instead, it is the story is the story of a band from the early 1970’s who recorded what they wanted to record: heavy, heavy music from the start of the “American Comedown Era” (as we’ve seen it described by friends for their Brown Acid series of compilations). Umbra’s story is also that of a band whose music, terrific though it is, has never to this point been released out into the wide world. Prepare yourselves to be surprised—and we hope as impressed as we are—by what Umbra had to offer.

• First-time reissue of this 1987 sleeper rural rock classic
• Insert includes band memories

“By the time they recorded Cuacha!, the Sidewinders had almost figured out what kind of band they wanted to be. On some cuts here the Hüsker Dü-goes-West mix of acoustic textures and roaring guitar is almost perfect. ‘I Guess It Doesn’t Matter’ and ‘Blood on Our Hands’ are punk-pop masterpieces driven by Rich Hopkins’ snarling guitars and Dave Slutes’ country-inflected but brash singing… The album is worth having for the first released version of ‘What She Said,’ a song that the band released on three different albums, each time rocking a bit harder and at greater length. The version here is a dark, mournful folk-rock piece.” —AllMusic

“More than one observer of the Arizona rock scene has noted that had the Sidewinders not been derailed by legal and label problems, the Tucson quartet might’ve beaten neighboring Tempe’s Gin Blossoms to the brass ring. Or maybe it was just a case of the too-good/too-early American band syndrome in the conservative pre-Nirvana era. Formed around the songwriting core of guitarist Richard Hopkins and vocalist David Slutes, the Sidewinders quickly garnered local acclaim and recorded “Cuacha!” for Hopkins’ own San Jacinto label. The album has its share of jangly folk-rock moments instantly familiar to any fan of mid-’80s R.E.M. Yet its traditional feel—part psychedelic pop and part dustbowl blues—suggests influences stretching back at least two decades.” —Trouser Press

Take a look at a quick list of "Best Albums” from 1987 and you quickly get a sense of the musical mood of the year: the Joshua Tree by U2; Appetite For Destruction by Guns N’ Roses; Sign ‘O’ The Times by Prince; You’re Living All Over Me by Dinosaur Jr.; Document by R.E.M.; Sister by Sonic Youth; Darklands by The Jesus And Mary Chain; Diesel And Dust by Midnight Oil; Come On Pilgrim by Pixies; and Pleased To Meet Me by The Replacements. It’s not a stretch at all to plunk the Sidewinders “Cuacha” right amongst those records—both in terms of quality and “sound.”

The Sidewinders formed in the spring of 1985. The group released “Cuacha!” in 1987 (and again in 1988), and subsequently signed to RCA/Mammoth Records, with whom they released two full-length albums, 1989’s “Witchdoctor” and 1990’s “Auntie Ramos’ Pool Hall.” “Witchdoctor" cracked the lower echelons of the Billboard 200 on the strength of two rock radio hits. The band scored exposure on MTV and VH1 and embarked on a worldwide tour. But the Sidewinders were soon sidelined due to legal problems stemming from a challenge over the band’s name. As the Sand Rubies, they released an album on Polydor/Atlas in 1993 (at one point, Pearl Jam served as their opening act). However, the strain of the legal tussle led the Sand Rubies to dissolve during a tour in 1993—just as two other Arizona rock bands, Gin Blossoms and The Refreshments, attracted mainstream attention.

Limited edition of 500 copies
Includes poster insert with archive band photos and sleeve notes by the Good Missionaries’ Keith Rodway
• First ever release of this long-lost UK post-punk classic

“The hipness and success of London punk-explosion photocopy fanzine Sniffin’ Glue was almost entirely due to the irreverent, pugnacious sincerity of its founder/spark-plug Mark Perry. That Perry should form a band (Alternative TV) seemed a natural progression; that it was any good at all a surprise; that it maintained a stance utterly disdainful of compromise a small miracle.”

The Good Missionaries emerged, phoenix-like, from the ashes of Alternative TV (ATV). They released one live album “Fire From Heaven,” before ATV founder Mark Perry left. Ex-ATV guitarist/vocalist Dave George and bassist Keith Rodway continued the band, with several line-up changes during those days. The Good Missionaries toured and gigged with such bands as The Fall, The Pop Group, Crass, Scritti Politti, Delta Five, Poison Girls, Nik Turner’s Inner City Unit and The Transmitters. Which in retrospect makes sense, as their post-punk/dub/experimental inclinations dovetails perfectly with the music those more storied bands (more successful bands) were making at the time. The Good Missionaries released several singles on their own Unnormality label, before splitting in 1982.

With beginnings firmly in the secular realm and a strong following in the Northwest, Wilson McKinley signed to Alshire Records (home of 101 Strings) and recorded one album under the label's 'acid-rock' moniker, The California Poppy Pickers. With the proceeds from those sessions, they self-released a 7" EP in 1970. But then they met street minister Carl Parks, gave up the rock 'n' roll lifestyle and effectively ended the first incarnation of the group. Parks encouraged the remaining band members to pick up their instruments again to create music for a street meeting, and thus the first 'Jesus Rock' group was born. Buoyed by the confidence developed during the "Spirit Of Elijah" sessions, Wilson McKinley's third LP from 1971 maintains the quality songwriting but adds even better production values. It was housed in a suitable-for-black-light jacket printed with neon inks. Sadly, after this there would be no more Wilson McKinley LPs, with their next release being the cassette-only "Country In The Sky." Good news is that they made this dayglo-adorned proof of their rapidly-developing skills and musical interests before abandoning wax—Wilson McKinley's most adventurous effort, boasting entirely original tunes and complex, heavy arrangements at times reminiscent of the Allman Brothers.

Aura was a San Francisco Psych-Funk band formed in 1974 which played extensively throughout Northern California and by 1976, the band recorded their first and only album. The original title of the album was meant to be "Sativa", but out of fear that promoting the joys of marijuana would be too controversial, the band omitted the title and just left it as "Aura". Over the ensuing decades, the Aura album has grown in stature to become a major soul/funk collector's item. As a strange side note, it was the producer of underground psychedelic band the Lemon Drops, Reggie Weiss, who wrote the psych-funk title track, 'Sativa' (a parody of The Champs hit song 'Tequila', with water pipe sound effects and blistering guitar leads by former Lemon Drops guitarist, Eddie Weiss) and 'Skyrocket' (with manic fuzz guitar).