Live Skull prep first LP in 30 years; New Old Skull have a song on Martin Bisi comp

Last year, underground NYC music producer Martin Bisi celebrated the 35th anniversary of his BC Studio (that he co-founded with Brian Eno and Bill Laswell) with a compilation album of music recorded at BC Studio in January 2016, and a release show at Saint Vitus (pics). Bisi is now following that album with BC35: Volume Two on April 19 via Bronson Recordings, and as the press release points out, this sequel “comes amidst new clouds of uncertainty, as neighborhood rezoning talks commenced in February which could impact BC Studio in a number of ways.” Bisi explains:

In 2015 I was mugged and beaten right in front of the studio. And shortly after that, the studio was robbed. This was the first time these things had happened since I set up shop there in the early ’80s. It’s directly tied to the gentrification of the neighborhood. This area never used to be a target. We had actual packs of wild dogs roaming the streets but it was not a target for robberies until now. It was those events in 2015 that inspired friends of mine to suggest the BC35 idea, as something positive to bring people together and celebrate the spirit of the studio. Now, with BC35: Volume Two coming up, we have these rezoning talks in motion and we are facing even bigger effects of gentrification.

The looming rezoning feels like floodgates are about to burst. The City estimates 18,000 new residents, 8,200 new units. Their premise goes beyond the need for affordable housing, it’s based on the expectation of tens of thousands of jobs coming to NYC, and those people needing housing. It’s a vision similar to when the City wooed Amazon. Gentrification begets more gentrification. So the net shift will be to grossly unaffordable. In carving out space for the arts in Gowanus, the rezoning encourages my building to expand, potentially up to 17 stories, to accommodate about 1,000 artists. My space was established at a time when I could utilize a large space, and I do, and depend on it. My fear is that I’m in the way of all this – that I could be sacrificed in the interest of a higher number of incoming artists, likely fairly affluent – and the character of the arts themselves gentrifying.

BC35: Volume Two includes many of the same musicians that performed on the first album, as well as some new ones, including current and former members of Sonic Youth, Swans, Live Skull, Cop Shoot Cop, Blind Idiot God, Violent Femmes, Dresden Dolls, Lydia Lunch’s band, White Hills, and more. We’re premiering “Up Against The Wall” by New Old Skull, the name that members of experimental/noise vets Live Skull reformed under for the BC35 project. Though, as the band tell us, they are planning on officially reigniting Live Skull and working on their first new album since 1989:

After meeting up to record four new tracks at BC35 and then performing several shows as New Old Skull, Live Skull has reformed with core members Rich Hutchins, Mark C and Kent Heine. We are currently recording a new album at Deepsea studio in Hoboken along with former Live Skull members, Marnie Jaffe and Thalia Zedek. All five will perform together at the BC35: Volume Two record release party. Kent Heine, who also collaborates with Mark C in the electronic duo, o13, is the newest member of the band and will be playing bass. Live Skull will continue to play live shows. Request them at a club near you!

The release show for BC35: Volume Two happens April 25 at Market Hotel with Live Skull, White Hills, Bisi, and other musicians who are on BC35: Volume Two (“former and current members of Sonic Youth, Swans, Cop Shoot Cop, Parlor Walls, Art Gray Noizz Quintet, Alice Donut, and more”). Tickets are on sale now.

Listen to the new New Old Skull song and see the BC35: Volume Two tracklist below…

Tracklist
1) “Save Sludgie the Whale of Gowanus”
Performed by: Nowhere Near
Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, Lydia Lunch)
Alyse Lamb (Parlor Walls)
Stu Spasm (Lubricated Goat, Art Gray Noizz Quintet)
Skeleton Boy (Woman, Art Gray Noizz Quintet)
Martin Bisi

2) “Up Against the Wall”
Performed by: New Old Skull (Live Skull)
Rich Hutchins (Live Skull, Art Gray Noizz Quintet)
Marnie Jaffe (Live Skull)
Mark C (Live Skull)

3) “Tina”
Performed by: EXCOP
Algis Kizys (Swans, Lydia Lunch)
Phil Puleo (Cop Shoot Cop, Swans)
Jack Nantz (Cop Shoot Cop)
Jim Coleman (Cop Shoot Cop)

4) “Lumarian”
Performed by:
Jeannie Fry (Kitty Badass)
Andrea Havis (Susu)
Oliver Rivera Drew (Martin Bisi)
Diego Ferri (Martin Bisi)

5) “Down the Ladder, Up the Snake”
Performed by:
Andy Hawkins (Blind Idiot God)
Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, Lydia Lunch)
Algis Kizys (Swans, Lydia Lunch)
Laura Ortman

6) “BC Breakdown”
Performed by:
Sxip Shirey
Brian Viglione (Dresden Dolls, Violent Femmes)
Don Godwin

7) “Glass of Lunch That Name Is King”
Performed by: LAUDS String Ensemble
Genevieve Fernworthy (Tidal Channel, LAUDS)
Jason LaFarge (Pants Exploder)
Laura Ortman
Lawry Zilmrah
Megan Moncrief
Valerie Kuehne
Kolin Zein
John Schwartz

8) “Rainy Day in Bern”
Performed by:
John Bollinger (Barbez)
Dan Kaufman (Barbez)

9) “Ootapa”
Performed by: This Wilderness
Robert O. Leaver (Birdthrower)
Jim Coleman (Cop Shoot Cop)
Phil Puleo (Cop Shoot Cop, Swans)
Paul Wallfisch (Swans)

10) “X Dressing at the Radar Base”
Performed by: Tidal Channel
Genevieve Fernworthy (Tidal Channel, LAUDS)
Billy Cancel (Tidal Channel)

11) “Let Us Be”
Performed by:
Dave W (White Hills)

12) “Four”
Performed by: Mega Tormenta
Michael Bazini (Controlled Bleeding)
Jim Coleman (Cop Shoot Cop)
Greg “Torch” Sgrulloni

13) “Bobby’s Car”
Performed by:
Ajda the Turkish Queen
Brian Viglione (Dresden Dolls, Violent Femmes)
Paul Wallfisch (Swans)
Lorde Buckingham

14) “New York Exit the Hell Out of Grumphs”
Performed by:
Sissi Schulmeister (Alice Donut)
Steve Moses (Alice Donut)
Laura Ortman

15) “Prelude to the March of Things to Come”
Performed by:
Andy Hawkins (Blind Idiot God)
Algis Kizys (Swans, Lydia Lunch)
Rich Hutchins (Live Skull, Art Gray Noizz Quintet)
Laura Ortman