Circle X – Slender, Albeit Living // Onward Christian Soldiers, Underworld (No Label) 1979. One of the best (and earliest) musical exports from Louisville, Kentucky, Circle X were initially comprised of one half of the proto-punk band No Fun. They gigged around Louisville pretty extensively for a short time in 1978 before relocating to New York City. In New York City, they integrated themselves into the nascent no wave scene which was fitting, because bands like DNA, Mars and Teenage Jesus and the Jerks were really their aesthetic contemporaries. After gigging around New York City they relocated to France for a short time, which is where they released this brilliant 4 track EP on Celluloid Records. To say this record is a harsh record, is an understatement. The hatred and rage on this thing is palpable and when it coalesces perfectly with the music like it does on the lead track Slender, it’s pretty damn effective. Circle X went on to record another EP called Pre-History in 1983 and then released some material on Matador in the 1990′s that is currently out of print. A video on YouTube from this period (using David Lynch’s Rabbits movies) finds them in fine form, continuing to push their experimental sound in new directions. I wonder what they are doing nowadays?
Hardcore Podcasts
September of 2010 I put together eight Hardcore Podcasts. You can check them out here if you are interested. For more insight into how I came up with the years 78-90 for the First Wave you can read about The Hardcore Superiorty Myth.
I think the main guy has passed away, sadly. There’s some sort of vinyl reissue in the works, I think.
Circle X is one of my all-time favorite bands. I posted up their Ceslestial release some time ago. Included in the post are links to all their back catalogue for those who are interested in listening to more of this fine band.
Thanks Joe.
From Gen X to Circle X…. that’s why we love ya, Joe!
The most amazing thing about this 4-songer is that there’s no fancy-pants instrumentation (that came later): this wild assortment of noise was squeezed out of just guitars and drums.
Yea, Bruce Witsiepe died in NYC in ’95 of complications from HIV, sadly right as his visual arts career was gaining traction.
The band spent much of ’81 back in the ‘Ville (a periodic ploy of Bruce’s, to escape a bad NY habit). Here’s a few shots, just of Tony the singer, & mostly of the Babylon Dance Band playing in front of the Circle X banner:
http://louisvillepunk.awardspace.com/Photos/BDB-OX-00.html
Wow Doug…these photos are great. This photo in particular:
http://louisvillepunk.awardspace.com/Photos/BDB-OX-15.html
is exactly the OPPOSITE of how I imagined Tony to look. He sounds like the meanest, angriest motherfucker on the planet on this first EP!
music removed due to being in print on Drag City
The 12″ is finally repressed ltd ed of 500 copies on my label Insolito Records
ITS SLENDER MAN!
HaHa….The most amazing thing about your comment is that it took a year and a half for someone to point this out to me! Updated…