New Wave Outpost Forum

Soft Cell - The Bedsit Tapes

..supposedly an uneasy listening collection in early DIY-style, I guess comparable to Scritti Politti's cacophonous [i]Early[/i] CD.

Track List

1. Potential
2. L.O.V.E. Feeling
3. Metro Mr X
4. Bleak Is My Favourite Cliche
5. Occupational Hazard
6. Mix
7. Factory Fun
8. Science Fiction Stories
9. Purely Functional
10. A Cut Above The Rest
11. Paranoid
12. Excretory Eat Anorexia Nervosa
13. Cleansing Fanatic
14. Walking Make Up Counter
15. Pyrex My Cuisine
16. Tupperware Counter

Wow--I've never heard of any of these. If the lyrics are as clever as the titles, I'll be sure to grap a copy. Where is this available?

while i am a big fan (and have most of these on bootleg already) i will say to proceed with caution if your soft cell knowledge begins and ends with "tainted love"- these have no sheen, sound like they were recorded with primitive equipment (they were), and represent marc at his most artsy. many of these songs were to be used for various performance art pieces, and so they concern then-controversial subjects as conspicuous consumerism, suburban ennui, and bondage/domination... which today come off as a bit precious and quaint. however, as a document of who marc was in his early 20's it's invaluable. and the first three songs are from the "mutant moments" e.p. that got stevo's attention when he was putting together that first "some bizzare" compilation. why all 4 songs from that e.p. were not included is a question for the always kooky stevo. at any rate, there are some never heard things here as well, and is a must for soft cell completists and misunderstood goths. personally, i'm pretty fond of it all.

Very, very interesting.

Bruiser, when you say "primitive in sound", is it akin to the Devo Hardcore series that Ryko released?

[quote][i]Originally posted by skinnytie[/i]
<br>Bruiser, when you say "primitive in sound", is it akin to the Devo Hardcore series that Ryko released?
[/quote]

yes and no. the lo-fi quality: yes.
the guitars and dorkiness: no.

soft cell have a much more self-conscious artsy thing going on. but as for youthful enthusiasm and can-do attitude, very similar.

Where could I find this in the US? I'm really into the early experimental synth wave stuff and this sounds like it would be right up my alley.

seems to be listed on amazon

[quote][i]Originally posted by yipyipcoyote[/i]
<br>seems to be listed on amazon
[/quote]

and i believe directly from the source (or soon to be from the source):

www.marcalmond.co.uk

try the "kiosk"

Shame that my fav track (Science Fiction Stories)from these old bootlegs has the same bad quality that was on the bootleg .
The rest is great stuff though !!
This is what Soft Cell should have re-recorded when they did there comeback a few years ago, in stead of releasing new material that was utterly crap !! (except from the first single 'Monoculture').