Tape Delay: Confessions from the Eighties Underground by Charles D. Neal (1-Jul-1987) Paperback

by Charles Neal

"'Tape Delay' investigates those rare underground performers who've stuck their forefingers up the butt of commercial (in)sensibility to pursue their own visions. A virtual Who's Who of people who've done the most in the eighties to drag music out of commercial confinement."-- Marc Almond, Dave Ball, Cabaret Voltaire, Nick Cave, Chris & Cosey, Coil, Einsturzende Neubauten, The Fall, Diamanda Galas, Genesis P-Orridge, Michael Gira, The Hafler Trio, Matt Johnson (The The), Laibach, Lydia Lunch, New Order, Psychic TV, Boyd Rice, Henry Rollins, Clint Ruin, Silverstar Amoeba, Mark E. Smith (The Fall), Sonic Youth, Stevo, Mark Stewart, Swans, Test Dept, David Tibet (Current 93), Touch.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Punk

Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Crippled_ships · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of my favourite artists interviewed in the same book, how could I not give it 5 stars?????

[Austin Gaines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great interviews with 80s industrial music folks and weirdos. Worth reading if you dig that stuff. Kind of zine like.

[SB Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A virtual who's-who of the most important artists of the 1980s underground, miraculously written during that time, rather than peering backward, commenting in hindsight.

Much overlap between artists, as many of them worked together at one time or another. Focused almost entirely on British performers, since this is where the Industrial and Electronic music genres thrived, this book delivers crucial insider information about the birth and evolution of a cultural movement, as defined through music and performance art, often combined. Many interviews with the artists themselves and black and white images throughout.

I'm totally unclear on why this book isn't more well-known and more popular, given its historical significance, but I guess time will tell.

I consider this one a must read, along with WRECKERS OF CIVILISATION, THEE PSYCHICK BIBLE, RE/Search Magazine, ENGLAND'S HIDDEN REVERSE, among others.

[Mark Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was strange and yet enamouring meeting the likes of Nick Cave, a legend, at the shop (featured in this book) and telling them that his band were so awful at some random festival and him agreeing wholeheartedly that in fact that they were and even more is quite an insanely liberating experience as a music fan, despite my love for Nick Cave. So how wholeheartedly excited was I to discover this album of pre-fame alternative acts babbling on about their influences and attitude towards the system in 1987? It was such a comforting and warming task to read this collaboration of alternative 80s acts while they are at their most vulnerable. I particularly enjoyed the interviews with Henry Rollins, Marc Almond, New Order, Mark E. Smith and even, a virginal Sonic Youth.

[Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good primer for the burgeoning no-wave scene coming out of the industrial movement in the late 70s. Any book that includes SWANS and Neubauten is always going to get points! On the other hand the lenghty interviews with Steve-O (founder of 'Some Bizarre' records and rip-off artist) get a bit boring. Of course, during this time inventing who you were was part of the thrill; an attitude of cinderblock was de rigeur...ah, those were the days! Modern music is missing a LOT of the angry-young-man (and woman!), DIY aesthetic that these bands had, and in most cases, still do!

[Gregory Kuchmek · Rating 5 out of 5]

When this came out, it was a pretty damned good cross section of the progressive alternative underground from an English perspective. Sure, there's a buncha NYC goofs in here, but the rest acts like a prequel to England's Hidden Reverse. Can't say it's of much value now, but there is a good Coil section and Cabaret Voltaire, Mark Stewart, Chris & Cosey too!
I believe the Coil stuff is collected in Everything Keeps Dissolving.

[Gregory Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for fans of goth, industrial and otherwise outside-the-mainstream music and culture from the mid-1970s thru the mid-1980s, particularly if you’re a creative. Some of your favorites are dumber than you’d expect. Some are way smarter than we deserve. The interview with Diamanda Galas is short and terrifying and hers may be the only pure and uncompromised vision of anyone in the book.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intereseting bunch of interviews. I bought it for the Michael Gira, Henry Rollins, Genesis P. Orridge and Boyd Rice interviews. Unfortunately, Rollins isn't interviewed and only appears on about two pages. The Nick Cave, Coil, and Einsturzende Neubauten interviews were good as well.

[Justyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little fragments of all the main players - not very comprehensive but a good primer.

[Iori · Rating 3 out of 5]

worth reading but not very comprehensive .

[Kendal · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite musicks, all inside one cover.

[Distress Strauss · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're slightly Anglophilic and don't believe Eighties music began and ended with Michael Jackson, this is probably the most important book you can read about the era.

[Jonathan]

Worth every second it took to track it down.