RELEASES 2024 plus previous years until 2015
VOD132.3 Silverstar Amoeba Recordings 1983-85 (1Lp/7inch) 11 Euro
Silverstar Amoeba
Silverstar Amoeba was simply the slimming down of The Death and Beauty Foundation to a permanent duo comprising of Val Denham and Oli Novadnieks. The first recordings were tentatively executed at Talbot Road, Seven Sisters, London in Oli’s basement flat on an old reel to reel tape machine that could only record two tracks. Oli Novadnieks was the guitar player and Val Denham again provided the vocals, lyrics, harmonica, keyboards and tape loops etc.
The resulting experimental ‘songs’ were mixed down and transferred to cassette tape.
This was in the mid-1980s. Silverstar Amoeba became rather obscure at the time, producing entire completed albums of their own compositions with finished artwork on cassette. These editions ran to only two copies, one each for the creators themselves. They rarely played their work to anyone else. This did not stop them from suddenly popping up as the support act for bands such as Psychic TV or Einsturzende Neubauten. Impromptu performances in various pubs around London once in a blue moon added to their dark mystique.
These obscure recordings can be heard now for the first time, Silverstar Amoeba were helped along by various friends such as Danny Loker on bass, Gerry Hobday on guitar, Plume on saxophone and Elita Denham, Val’s wife at that time, on percussion.
Some of these tracks are Val Denham’s completely solo recordings made on a Fostex X.15 four track cassette recorder. Many of the lyrics were composed spontaneously whilst recording. The track, Ophelia, is taken from The Hammersmith Palais rehearsal tape for the Fabulous Feast of Flowering Light, which was a daylong event at The Hammersmith Palais, London, 19th May 1985. On this occasion The Death & Beauty Foundation performed as a trio, Val Denham on vocals and harmonica, Oli Novadnieks on guitar and Plume on saxophone and percussion. They also used a pre-recorded backing tape for this event.
A1 We Are 4:24
A2 The Siverstar Amoeba 3:18
A3 Kill Appeal (Slow Mix) 6:58
A4 Give Her Back 4:41
A5 Beautiful 1:51
A6 Ophelia (Hammersmith Palais Rehearsal) 3:44
A7: Three Spirits 2:55
B1 Shine On Motherfucker 2:43
B2 Child of the Year 4:15
B3 I Love Everything 2:46
B4 Shake My Hand 3:46
B5 ship of Women (first version) 4:01
B6 Fairies 3:51
B7 House of Love 3:26
B8 Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis cover) 3:15
A1.) Lies 3:45 from Silverstar Amoeba Tape
A2.) Imbecile 1:46 from Silverstar Amoeba Tape
A3.) Silverstar Amoeba 3:15 from Silverstar Amoeba Tape
B1.) We Are 4:24
B2.) Tony N 4:05 from Silverstar Amoeba Tape