Various Artists ‎– "From Czech Electronic Music Studios" (Supraphon ‎– 1 11 1423) 1974

If ever there was a soundtrack to life in a police state then this is it. On State Label Supraphon, with cover art from some twisted nightmarish detention centre inmate after a long spell of sleep deprivation, this musique concréte escapade emits all the joylessness of a lifetime spent under curfew.
Largely involving tape manipulation,and thankfully lacking access to the Soviet Union's state-owned EMS synthi 100 in Moscow, the edited and varispeeded recorded sounds have all the characteristics of a fully furnished subterranean dungeon in Prague.
Each new track is like an interrogator saying "Let's Go back to the Beginning",as it seems we've been here before but still aren't any wiser as to what you did last summer,especially as every day feels like winter.Music that'll make you admit to anything to avoid the 'Bath of Shit' part of the afternoon.Nothing's worth that illegally imported pair of jeans you purchased from that under-cover policeman last July.
Most of Czechoslavakia's prog rock fraternity were locked up in the same interrogation centre that this stuff evokes,but you could get away with it if you achieved the status of of 'Official Musician'. Without the nod from the State you weren't allowed to play music to a paying audience,if at all.Anything 'western' or subversive was an arrestable offence; as the Zappa-esque Plastic People Of The Universe found out. 
The composers of these creepy early electronic cattle prod-a-gogo instruments of aural torture,were,of course, possessors of pieces of paper that allowed them the distinction of being official 'State Composers', so they were safe in their state provided accomodation.....undoubtedly bugged,but its a rent controlled roof over one's head, where subversive thoughts could be encrypted into indecipherable weird noises and passed off as 'Avant-Garde'.


Tracklist:

1 –Zbyněk Vostřák - Scales Of Light (1967) 13:55
2 –Miloslav Ištvan - Isle Of Toys (1968) 9:25

Two Parts From The Kinetic Ballet (1968)

3 –Václav Kučera - The Labyrinth 14:00
4 –Václav Kučera - The Spiral 7:35

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SBB ‎– "SBB (aka The Orange Album or Slovenian Girls)" (Supraphon ‎– 1 13 2218) 1978

SBB spent 1977/78 making albums for other communist state labels....except that notably absent was an SBB release on Russian state label, Melodija? Naturally the first place to go would be Czechoslavakia's 'Supraphon',So they got a couple of weeks off from the coalmine before christmas 1977 to record in Prague.The result of which was this garishly covered album,and the second,of three eponymously named collections called "SBB".Obviously this would cause confusion in other countries, so it was referred to as 'The Orange Album',and actually renamed in West Germany (1979), rather crassly, as "Slovenian Girls".Adorned with an alluring young Slovenian lady on the cover.One assumes that sales went up with the application of this basic, but sadly very effective,capitalist,marketing tool?
The brightly coloured sleeve of the Supraphon release certainly makes it stand out amongst the dour graphic design of their soviet bloc rivals.And look, they had a Mini Moog!
The tracks also had different names according to wich version they appeared on.For 'Slovenian Girls' it was simply Julia and Anna,whoever they were?It seems that one member of SBB went without a Slovenian Girl of his own?
They dud it again though.....two sidelong progressive pop workouts to rival any of their western counterparts....now get back in that coalmine and be equal!

Tracklist:

1. Wołanie O Brzęk Szkła (Touha Po Zvonění Střepů) / Julia (19:03)
2. Odejście (Odchod) / Anna (19:38)

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The Flamingo Group (Featuring Marie Rottrová & Petr Němec) ‎– "This Is Our Soul" (Supraphon ‎– 1 13 1024) 1971

HaHaHaHaaaaaa, you americans think you invented Soul music don't you? Like captured Nazi's got you to the moon (or not as is suggested in certain quarters?), and West African slaves invented the blues and therefore your beloved Rock and the Rollings! You stole your culture,whereas we in the glorious soviet empire  created very funky soul music for our comrades to sit still and listen attentively to under strict anti-subversion laws. In 1968 we Russians,the KGB specifically, brought in this secret Soul music to stop the violent unhappiness that was spreading amongst our brothers and sisters in the Socialist Republik of Czechoslavakia. Our glorious Tanks forced them to enjoy life and tap their feet to the God mother of Soul and hero of the revolution, Marie Rottrová.

Phew!.....i'm back in the room now.Its taken me weeks of being in character to achieve this concise explanation as to why Soul was gifted to the world by white eastern europeans.
This album has to have the greatest title of any album ever released or what? I challenge yee!

Not to be confused with underground prog subversives 'Flemengo',whose Ivan Khunt rivals this album title as the funnist thing from eastern europe since 'Ausfhart' autobahn signs.'Flamingo' were the soviet bloc's 'Official' Soul and Funk group; and Colonel Marie Rottrová & Field Marshall Petr Němec were ordered to be their Aretha Franklin and Otis Reddingski of communist Soul.
As a frequent visitor to Leicester's progressive music shop "Ultima Thule", I stumbled upon this classic in the sale rack for 50p......which was expensive for Ultima Thule, as the sale rack frequently had 'Free' albums stored there,as long as one purchased something else however. This was a straight no-catches 50p, the same price I paid for my first David Essex single("Rock On")!
Easily my best purchase from Ultima Thule, eclipsing any obscure Agitation Free offering, blowing  Urban Sax back to where they came from.....up their own Our Soul's.However that Dave Pike Set album ran The Flamingo Group pretty close, but the breaks on "Our Soul" were superior,and the Cheese factor was monolithic.
I did spend most of the 90's looking for breaks to sample and searching out the silliest easy listening tripe I could find.....this was my second wave of Punk as far as I was concerned.
Not a fan of Soul music in general,with the genre's vocalist busting a bloodvessel to convey some simplistic emotional nonsense about their 'Babies' having left them and shit! Does my head in!Get over it and calm the fuck down for christs sake!?
Marie Rottrová & Petr Němec's voices are, not to put a finer point on it,fucking terrible! Like they're having their tonsils sanded down by some No.5 glasspaper.....ear-defenders recommended. The music is fabulous, James Last-lite approximations of what Funky Soul isn't.Ending with the elevator organ work-out of "Quasimodo's Dream"...whatever the Hunchback of Notre Dame would have dreamt about is open to conjecture......some corrective surgery perhaps,or Ezmarelda's naked butt cheeks;she only gave him some water! Talk about misreading the signals.
My father, in his later Alzheimers-onset years, used to refer to my mother,unaffectionatly, as Quasimodo, as she had developed a Charles Lawton style stoop due to her debilitating Parkinson's syndrome.....don't judge him, he was old skool. So her dream would have been that I euthanize her,which she asked me to do on several occasions. Being shit scared of Prison, and having to go to my, previously discussed, 'Arse-Rape Place' frequently if convicted.I, reluctantly,didn't fulfill her wishes.
Ten loooooong painful soul-crushing years later, she eventually wasted away to resemble a shrunken little dolly,and died.....alone!
Dunno how I got onto this sad subject,but to rub salt in the wounds the UK Government made them sell their house to pay for their 'care?'.....which should have been renamed 'Don't Care'.So much for the National Health Service!?....so not only did the government condemn both my parents to a depressing and harrowing end,they stole their money and my inheritence!
So to end this rant about how the UK Government treats war-heroes like my parents, can I urge all Brits reading this to vote out the Tory Scum in this joke of an election,or live with the consequences of a Donald Trump brokered America first 'Trade Deal'(NHS on the table), encouraged by KGB traitor Vlad Putin.....who definitely was NOT responsible for the genius of The Flamingo Group!

(The Sound of Heavy Breathing)

Tracklist:

1.Big Chain 2:35
2.The Weight 2:55
3.Hey Lonely Girl 2:25
4.Ain't No Way 3:30
5.Sunny 6:50
6.Chain Of Fools 2:45
7.I've Got Dreams To Remember 3:40
8.Oh! What A Fool I've Been 2:15
9.Nothing's Too Good For My Baby 2:15
10.Purple Angels 3:20
11.Quasimodo's Dream 7:10

DOWNLOAD this HERE you arseholes!

Flamengo ‎– "Kuře V Hodinkách" (Supraphon ‎– 1 13 1287, Gramofonový Klub ‎– 1 13 1287, Čs. Hifi-klub ‎– 1 13 1287) 1972

Yes....this has got Ivan Khunt on....wait for it,wait for it.....on Organ!? Older brother of Ivor Cunt and the cousin of Issac Hunt of the Jubilets.But absolutely no relation to Cupid Stunt of the Kenny Everett Television Show fame, who,in turn, had nothing at all to do with Canterbury proggers ,Caravan and their Classic "Cunning Stunts" album from 1975.
Formed in August 1966,then forcibly disbanded in 1972 after being banned by the communist authorities,unlike those brown-nosing goody goodies, Modry Efekt.

They did however, have time to release their only album via the usual route of Czech music clubs,and then on to State label Supraphon.

It is, one must say, a progressive Rock classic of the highest proportions.

Tracklist:

1.Kuře V Hodinkách (Introdukce)
2.Rám Příštích Obrazů
3.Jenom Láska Ví Kam
4.Já A Dým
5.Chvíle Chvil
6.Pár Století
7.Doky, Vlaky, Hlad A Boty
8.Stále Dál
9.Kuře V Hodinkách

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Modrý Efekt & Radim Hladík ‎– "Modrý Efekt & Radim Hladík" ( Supraphon ‎– 113 1777, Gramofonový Klub ‎– 1 13 1777) 1975

There comes a time in every Rock bands lifespan when the songwriter wants his name in front of the bandname. Even in communist cold war europe where everyone was a team player whether they like it or not, had bands unfortunate enough to have a songwriter /lead guitarist with an ego. Formerly just called Modrý Efekt, or M Efekt, translated as the Blue Effect; 'bandleader'Radim Hladik, who did his national service previously in The Czechoslovak Radio Jazz Orchestra, decided to have his name in lights outside the normal band moniker.....a bit like Led Zeppelin being called Jimmy Pages Led Zeppelin...probably exactly how Jimmy actually thought it should be actually.
I could be wrong of course, as its more common for Record Companies or concert promoters to promote the leader above the band then add an '&' as the filling in the sandwich, pissing off the other group members.Hopefully the group will split and a solo artist will emerge from the rubble to save on royalties and increase company profits.
Either way, Hladik was, by 1975, Czech state label 'Supraphon's preferred Modry Efekt member.
Perhaps he passed the strict exams that were introduced after the 1968 Soviet invasion,to dicipher if you were a worthy socialist musical professional. If they did not pass the humiliating requalifying exams, they were not allowed to play anywhere legally. Bands were also forbidden to sing in English, have long hair, and organize unannounced concerts. Lyrics were severely censored and musicians were not allowed to criticize the regime or politics in any way. So The Blue Effect were obviously accepted by the regime,unlike The Plastic People Of The Universe who were put in a show trial and banged up in Jail around the time of this release.
Just in case the album had something dodgy about it,apart from the Monty Python inspired cover art, it was released by one of those music clubs who sent its subscribers an album a month unless they 'opted out'. I had the same problem in the UK,pick five albums for 19 new pence each and we'll send you the album of the month every month of your 12 month contract.So not opting out quick enough, I regularly received unwanted Elton John records,Steely Dan's 'Aja'or similar,, and further nonsense like that.
I did also get sent a 'Wishbone Ash' album as my monthly punishment, which is not unlike the Music on this 'Gramofonový Klub' record of the month 1975, 'Modrý Efekt & Radim Hladík'.Track 2, Čajovna,sounds like one of those tunes that must have been written by someone else,it has that immortal melody thing going on,and stands out from the rest of the sub-Wishbone Ash guitar led whig-outs.
I actually admit to seeing Wishbone Ash in concert around 2010 in the middle of the southern French wilderness, at a fortified medeaval village near where I live, supporting ....I couldn't believe this at the time....Hawkwind!?....here's the video evidence,click here!....and here, if you should care to click on it, is the link to Wishbone Ash's set at the same place!
No Modry Efekt though.

Tracklist:

1 Boty9:57
2 Čajovna 4:01
3 Skládanka5:49
4 Ztráty A Nálezy 5:12
5 Hypertenze 12:30
Bonus Tracks:
6 Armageddon 6:22
7 Clara 4:13

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