Let The Tribe Grow: Chris Connelly Receives The Gospel Of DIY

Searching for connection and community; we track the story of Chris Connelly (Fini Tribe, Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface) discovering Throbbing Gristle via the John Peel Radio show and getting in touch. Meanwhile, Joe Strummer of The Clash spreads the DIY gospel to a young Robert H. King after a gig at the Apollo Theatre in Glasgow, resulting in formation of the Pleasantly Surprised cassette label.

When the two come together a few years later, the Fini Tribe contribution to "You Bet We've Got Something Against You" on King's new Cathexis Recordings label, followed by the "Let The Tribe Grow" EP, propels both the label and the band on to greater things.

Chris Connelly is another of the artists featured in the "Tapes Received" listing of TG's Industrial News zine. This resulted in local underground musicians showing up at his door and handmade cassettes from the likes of Nurse With Wound arriving in the mail.

Geoff Rushton (later John Balance of Coil) compiled "Endzeit," a hand-numbered edition of 230 copies on Datenverarbeitung carrying Virgin Prunes, Section 25 and four tracks by a young Cultural Amnesia. Geoff’s own slim White Stains Tapes imprint released “The Men With The Deadly Dreams”. Both releases appearing as inspirational touchstones, connecting back into our wider story.

King’s Pleasantly Surprised label ran from 1982 to 1984, its artfully packaged cassette compilations opening with The Birthday Party and carrying early tracks from Cocteau Twins, Primal Scream, The Wake, Marine Girls, Billy MacKenzie, Bauhaus, The Wolfgang Press, Test Dept, and Cultural Amnesia. By 1986, the saturation of the cassette market created a tipping point when the label morphed into vinyl releases on Cathexis Recordings.

Chris Connelly and Fini Tribe burst onto the wider music scene after being picked up for a John Peel Session, releasing on their own Finiflex label and beginning to collaborate with the US Wax Trax! label. Ultimately Chris moved to Chicago, joined Ministry and Al Jourgensen side-project Revolting Cocks - using his background in the DIY experimentalism of the tape scene to forge the template for some ferocious Industrial Rock during the ’90s.

Hosted by Martin Franklin.
Theme music "This Is Concrete" by The Happy Citizen.

DISCOVER THE VIDEO
You can find videos of cassette tapes, artefacts and unboxings from the cassette underground on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast

IN THIS EPISODE

THANKS
Jerry Kranitz, co-host for all interviews recorded in the series.
Richard Rupenus, for research and series advice.
Chris Connelly for original tape loop recordings featured in this episode.

VOICES
Martin Franklin
Chris Connelly
Robert H.King

Gerard Greenaway voiced by Sean Holland.

MUSIC
“Climbing” Chris Carter, The Men With The Deadly Dreams, cassette compilation (White Stains, 1981)
“Big Jug - Wet Steel Rail” Fini Tribe, The Sheer Action Of The Fini Tribe 1982-1987 (Shipwrecked Industries 2026)
“The Craighouse Dogs” Chris Connelly, Blockader, (Vinyl On Demand 2014)
"Cathedral” Fini Tribe, John Peel Show, August 1984
“All Fours” Fini Tribe, The Sheer Action Of The Fini Tribe (Shipwrecked Industries 2026)
“Pale Saints” Eyeless In Gaza, The Men With The Deadly Dreams, (White Stains, 1981)
“Materialistic Man” Cultural Amnesia, Enormous Savages (Anna Logue 2007)

LINKS
Chris Connelly (https://chrisconnelly.com)
Robert H. King (https://www.rhking.net/)
Cultural Amnesia (http://www.culturalamnesia.com/)

"The Sheer Action Of The Fini Tribe" is available from Chris Connelly via Bandcamp (https://chrisconnelly.bandcamp.com/album/the-sheer-action-of-the-fini-tribe-1982-1987)

FIND US
https://cassetteculturepodcast.com

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