Cowboys International

I don't know much, but Keith Levene from PiL was involved somehow. I love "Thrash". Fairly easy to find in used bins too.

i think there was only one album on virgin's dindisc offshoot around '79 or '80

I know Evan, who was the keyboard player, and was going to play drums with them at one point but the singer Ken Lockie was a bit obnoxious.

Yes! I was listening again to their 1979 album The Original Sin last night. The whole thing is ace but some of the best tracks include "Thrash", "Part Of Steel" (with its lovely instrumental bridge) and "Lonely Boys".

Cowboys International was a band led by Ken Lockie, a friend of Keith Levene. Ken was even briefly involved with P.i.L. but didn't get on with Lydon.

The Low and Heroes futuro-synthrock sound was still fresh and recent then and people were looking around for albums which showcased this postpunk sound that could veer into pop (kind of a blasted metallic elder sibling of synth-pop). Aside from the obvious postpunk canon, other albums that got mentioned in with this stuff include Bill Nelson's Red Noise, the Peter Gabriel albums of the time, Fripp's Exposure etc (you get the picture - a lot of the hipper(?) older gen turned on to the abrasion of punk).

The younger gen delivered the goods, though:
* Ultravox - Systems Of Romance
the most ass-kicking disaffected euro chic from John Foxx and co
with great production from Conny Plank before he blanded out
* Japan - Quiet Life
Roxy/Bowie/Eno-influenced discofunk that laid the foundation
for New Pop and commercial pop (!!!) of the 90's
- see endless rips by Duran Duran & Spandau Ballet
* Gary Numan - Replicas
say no more (but give Foxx credit for some influence)...

One of the best buried gems of this era is - ta-da:
* Cowboys International - The Original Sin
sounding better all the time. these albums were in the vanguard of the New Romantic thang and the earliest stuff was the best. still has the edginess of punk but perfect integration of synths, weird production, great tunes, demure yet angsty vibe - it's all there in spades. 1979 what a year, don'tcha think?

precursor to all these would be:
* Metro - Metro (1976/77)
lovely Roxy-influenced album featuring Duncan Browne and Peter Godwin. "Criminal World" was later covered by Bowie, but - this should do the trick - also an influence on Mike Thorne's production style and Wire's 154 (that got cha, dinnit?!). "Flame" is even better, but the whole album has a beautiful doomed euromantic feel. sordid, sentimental...

Ken Lockie was later responsible (along with Stuart Arbright from the MIGHTY Ike Yard) for Dominatrix - "Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight".

play Cowboys International or Ike Yard for any of today's
ElectroClash set and watch their jaws drop, or them dance
uncontrollably. Chic Boutique, bebbe!

History lesson ovah! Now dance you muthas...

Bloody hell, someone who knows about Ike Yard! I've only ever heard one or two tracks on Peel over the years and thought they were incredible - very ahead of their time - but have never seen any records by them anyway. Surely due for a re-issue, unless someone can tell me they already have been done and I missed them?

promise i'll do an Ike Yard - CLASSIC! thread soon
if noone else whacks it up there
no reissues yet, except bassmonster "NCR" on that gomma Anti-NY comp.

It all sounds like good stuff, I must say...

just caught the (pretty obvious) influence on Psychedelic Furs.
like the Furs, then, only better (save for that guitar on "Soap Commercial" mmmm and -maybe- "Sister Europe")

WHAT Anti-NY comp? I need more info... "NCR" is one of the tracks i've got on tape - if it's on CD I'd be in hog heaven. More details please!

try a search on amazon.co.uk for: anti ny

by the way, Keith Levene guests on "Wish", final track of The Original Sin.
gives me a chuckle to hear him now, or how Yes - "Starship Trooper" (admittedly in skewed form)
wound up underpinning Lydon's anti-rock dub dream

anti ny is some seriously dope stuff.

I think Sasha Frere-Jones just wrote a fairly excellent review of that Anti NY comp. Or rather mentioned it in an article which you can find on the Village Voice website. Ah feh, here it is.

Thank you Paul for all that information. Now I will try to get the other songs from Cowboys International. Oh, and I will try Ike Yard,too.

weird.

Hello all This is Stuart Argabright (The Futants , Ike Yard, Dominatrix, DCC w/Rammellzee, The Voodooists, black rain) it does one good to hear such praise for Ike Yard . How many years ahead of out time ? Hmmm - 20 ? Anyway, please get "Anti NY" -you will all luv it. we are currently working on the Japanese version (Extra tracks, Japanese remixs instead, 10 page + Booklet), a full on Ike Yard rerelase (anyone know a great Label that would ? ) and readying Dominatrix for rerelease . It's all good -if not great. Ken Lockie is still kicking down South close to Atlanta Feel free to email Best regards all SA

Check the third row of photos on this page http://www.rockandrollauctions.com/portfolio/promoarchive/promoc- 11.html