Main » 2008 » May » 17 » Fourwaycross - Fourwaycross (1985)
Fourwaycross - Fourwaycross (1985)
15:46
In the case of Fourwaycross nothing seems to follow a streight timeline. From the mix of post punk/early industrial british sound with the 60s heritage and the always present West Coast psychedelia to their chronologically confusing discography, everything helps the time factor disappear. Maybe this is the reason why their music can be easily sound interesting and special even today, over 20 years after their beak-up. Fourwaycross started in 1985 with Tom Dolan, Steve Gerdes, Biff Sanders and Courtney Davies, created their own studio and label (Motiv Communications), released a cassette, two LPs (Fill The Sky, 1985 and Home 1986) and one EP (Shimmer, 1987 - without Tom Dolan) and seemed to disband in 1987. In 1988 Nate Starkman & Son released their first cassete (titled Product One) on vinyl. In 1989 they released another LP (On the Other Hand) with songs written between 1986 and 1989 and in 1990 another release (the 10' Pendulum) came out with old recordings (1984-89). Fourwaycross and Motiv Communications were part of a community which included the Alternator magazine (published by Tom Dolan), the Motiv Communications recording studio (where many L.A. bands recorded, like Red Temple Spirits, Marnie, 17 Pygmies) and of course a core of artists who participated on each others recordings: Biff Sanders (also member of Blissed Out Fatalists) in Ethyl Meatplow, Ethyl Meatplow and Brad Laner on Fouraycross' "On the Other Hand", Beth Thompson and Biff Sanders on Doubting Thomas' Another Way of Knowing etc. After this rather useless introduction, let's go on to the music: Fourwaycross, although short-lived, walked a rather long way, musically, from the industrial, harsh melodies of their early recordings to the long, dark and lyrical mantras of "Home" and "On The Other Hand".
This is their first release, originally came out on cassette on their own
label, Motive Communications, in 1985, under the title "Product One" (where the above cover) - re-released from Nate Starkman & Son/Fundamental, in 1988 -with the original mix, as far as I know. The album starts with the sound of a storm, soon to be covered under the low notes of a cello. The next three tracks are the more "industrial" sounding, while the rest of the record flows into much more "melodic" atmosphere. Over these harsh, often primitive rhythms of the Gerdes and Sanders rhythm section, Dolan adds his Ian Curtis-like vocals and colors them with his guitar and Courtney Davie's flute (sometimes close to 17 Pygmies sound). Fourwaycross more than often can be found under the tag "goth", but I think they only distantly touch this genre, although I cannot deny a certain gloomy feeling and an all over the place melancholy.
Tracklist Intro/When Will You/Apologize/Sharpened Knives Long Talk/Driving Thru Trees/MF/Strictly Morphine ....
Steve Gerdes, Larry Frick, and Biff Sanders are now in DNATURED that released an EP, coupla years ago (Steve also is an award-winning art director in the music industry) Tom Dolan doesn't seem to be active musically today (the only trace of him after Doubting Thomas, was in a band named Aether (with Steve Gerdes) that didn't released anything. Beth Thompson went on to Medicine (with Brad Laner) and today is in the Shway with Steve Gerdes. According to their myspace page they have their first CD out.
Phoenix Hairpins has posted Blissed Out Fatalists (another Motiv Communications band), Mutant Sounds has posted several Steaming Coils records, as for Marnie, 17 Pygmies and the rest of the L.A scene you know where you can find them.
Thank you so much for this missing piece . " Home " and "Ceremonial " by (savage republic) landmarked ,If i remembered well , a turn to a more britishlike psych-new wave-revival fields , many others ,around the LA scene, that period, they followed . I can create a link for FOR AGAINST`s "shelf life" , so if any interested comment it here.....
19 May 2008
2.nikos crete
dear Rainy Day Sponge , in a comment (elsewhere) for this band , fourwaycross , you talked about omissions rectified . This gives me the chance to mention here ( and i ll do it from time to time if you dont mind )some names, unfairly in my opinion, neglected , totally ignored from blogosphere. I am sure that you, in lost in tyme ,you are of the very few persons in the world that they might can do something about.
19 May 2008
3.nikos crete
the electronic demon , or something, cut from my previous comment the JESUS COULDN`T DRUM , ADRIAN SHAW, THE UNDERNEATH, PHILLIP BOA (early works) , SHINY GNOMES (early works), CAKEKITCHEN...(many others will follow...)
nicos I would consider "Home" and "Ceremonial" as landmarks, signaling the maturing of the sound of L.A. scene, rather than the turn to britishlike psych... anyway they're both masterpieces and essential albums. As for "Shelf Life" you're welcome to upload it - it's one of For Against lesser known albums but not of a lesser value than the other releases of them.
Regarding the neglected bands you mention: Please consider making a post (or more) at the "Requests" thread of Lost-In-Tyme forum, which is just for this matter - and it makes it easier for us. We're always looking for friends that can participate in one way or another - and requests is a way of participation. So feel free to mention/request/discuss on any obscure artist you might come across, and we certainly try. As for the bands you mention, I can help with Cakekitchen (and generally with NZ scene of the 80s) but I'm afraid that I don't have much of the uk/european scene. That doesn't mean that we cannot try. Thanks for your comments.
PS I'm sure there are many that know/have the music we post - and much more than this. It's just that they don't have the time or the will to share it.
20 May 2008
5.nikos crete
dear rainy day sponge , of course you know much better than me the LA scene of 80`s and probably you have listened to more albums than me about that era , but i think you have misunderstood my intensions.I never requested music from your blog.Asking you to remember FOURWAYCROSS , or mentioned some names as i did in previous comment, I was only reporting things, in my opinion, missing from the music-cultural review that your blog quite successfully so far tries to demonstrate. About me .... i prefer in remembering in their fading shape things i loved from that past or even let them be forgotten ,one way or another knowing now , which way to be where they all transformed into the next skin of mine.
dear nikos reading your first comment (thanking for the missing piece and offering "Shelf Life") I just thought you were in the share game. The point of view in your recent comment is sure interesting and, I could say, poetic. Anyway, as I've already mentioned, we want our friends to participate - in any way they want - so we're looking forward for your future comments (which can remind or introduce us and our visitors in new music pleasures).
21 May 2008
7.nikos crete
Dear rainy day sponge in order to avoid beeing lost-in-comments ,that looked more like a crypt to me ,and exactly because i am not , as you said ,"in the sharing game" i ve just posted "shelf life" (together with HASIDIC NEW WAVE "kabalogy" ,and also passed HNW"psycho semitic " to mutant sounds for future post) properly through the blog "club de amigos del .rar y ALF" . Specially for you and those (fortunately, you are not one of them ) after december they forgot. with respect.nikos
22 June 2008
8.Rob
It's too bad Steve and Biff hooked up with Larry Frick..."scary" Larry, indeed. Drama magnet and a big time former druggie who I hope doesn't bring all his past luggage and unload it onto two worthy talents.
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This is their first release, originally came out on cassette on their own
label, Motive Communications, in 1985, under the title "Product One" (where the above cover) - re-released from Nate Starkman & Son/Fundamental, in 1988 -with the original mix, as far as I know.
