Cabaret Voltaaire-Drinking Gasoline

Post Punk Eps and Albums part…9 Cabaret Voltaire-Drinking Gasoline Now this one will probably court some controversy, is it an album or is it an EP?. Well it can be classed as both. I always considered this a double 12”. But everyone has their own opinion. But it was a EP that was just on the borderline between both. Why I have singled out this EP? Its was the sound of a band that was working to its full power, after the ‘Microphonies’ album of 1984 the sound was a mixture of Electro and bass. The Tracks of the Drinking Gasoline EpP had been played live for most of a year before they were committed to vinyl. In some ways these early recordings are more subtle and a little less underplayed, the peel sessions and Janice Long sessions have more laidback versions of tracks like 'Sleepwalking’ and 'Kino’. Cabaret Voltaire were a band that drew from post punk but with the new technology at the time they were complimenting this with their recordings, As such you could say that New Order and Cabaret Voltaire were ahead of the competion at this time. What I like about Drinking Gasoline they could of took it easy and just replayed those tracks, but they almost converted the tracks into 8 minute pieces of harsh electro. The tracks were industrial Electro , harsh and powerful. The tracks also provide a stepping stone between the two albums of Microphonies(1984) and the Covenant(1985). Due to the format of the EP, being two 12” I remember a distinct feeling that Virgin/Some Bizzare did not know how to market it. Also that many record shops were not sure how to price or advertise it. Most records of the time came in standard formats. There are only 4 tracks on the EP, being 'Kino’, 'Sleepwalking’, Ghosttalk’ and 'Big Funk’. 'Kino’ is a almost Kraftwerk-ian in its style of beats but that’s the only comparison to make with another artist. It was remixed and reissued later on in 1992, but the original version remains the best. 'Ghost Talk’ probably is the best cut-up sample song ever released from the 80’s, the speed of the track and keyboards and drums drive the track along. 'Big Funk’ its almost collage like – Keyboards are sparse, Mallinder’s lyrics more to the fore. The final track not that there was any order as a lot of the labels were printed wrong on the release’. Sleepwalking is very atmospheric and harsh, especially the Keyboards. It remains one of their best works. With Cabaret Voltaire there was never a band that encompassed so many styles who went from the DIY musical ethics to Electro to commercial releases and then back to Indiependent releases. That’s what made them unique. In terms of Post Punk its not punk in the truest sense, but the EP/LP shows that they had the ambition even when on a major label to provide experimental works that were not afraid to push the boundries. As stated before I don’t ever see Cabaret Voltaire reforming but the recent reissues have created a lot of interest. Where 80’s bands have reformed . The Cabaret Voltaire reunion if it ever happened would be a chance maybe for the press to give them recognition for the part they played in 1980s/90s dance and electronic music. In a Wolfgang Flur interview he was asked who he would like to see reform , he mentioned Cabaret Voltaire. The very band they were influenced by , gave them recognition. Thats the ultimate compliment. http://open.spotify.com/album/1gSeJ1KSVDWVSlzWTGAcTb