DEAF EYE, Musiklabel, 1989
I first heard of deaf eye thru the madness of the postal system, when one day a
tape from deaf eye popped up in the box!
As to hear what Deaf Eye and the tape M. Finnkrieg - Down the Poppy Stairs of Heaven were all about, I slapped it into the tape deck and lo and behold, I couldn't believe my ears! The sounds and excellent production work dozing from my speakers and enveloping the room in liqiud sound! And this was homemade music!! So being a collector for fine electronic music I couldn't help but delve further into the mysterious realm of the fine german electronic label known as Deaf Eye.
Deaf Eye was formed in February 1988 as a release platform for the homemade music of M. Finnkrieg and Henry Hektik, together known as Subtle Reign. The first release was the Henry Hektik - Motion Picture Music C60, which is also available in the United States through Audiofile tapes (At / 209-25 18 ave. / Bayside, N.Y. / 11360). The next release was Subtle Reign - 23 inches of perpetual excitement C60, the first full length tape of the band after the two tracks on the Ecstasy by Current LP from Schizophonia. Then came the third release M. Finnkrieg - Down the Poppy Stairs of Heaven C60. Which is also available in the United States through Harsh Reality Music. Plans for a C60 titled Drive He Said which is earlier works by M. Finnkrieg and friends will also be available exclusively on Harsh Reality (HR / P.O. Box 241661 / Memphis, In. / 38124-1661). Deaf Eye wants to show the world the many different sides of electronic or avantgarde music. So they have started releasing several tapes from other bands/musicians. They keep the most interest on the U.S. electronic scene, because they find there is a lot of nice music here and people who really communicate!! So now there are two more tapes of U.S. Underground music released at the end of November 1988. They are DEF 004 - Nomuzic - Filaments Fading C90 (electro ' n 'roll) and DEF 005 - Illusion of Safety with Dead Tech - Confusion C60 (post industrial) just out in 1989 are DEF 006 - Mental Anguish - A Potentially Damaging Impact C60, and DEF 007- Jeff Central - Best Of C60. Also forthcoming in 1989 are some very interesting releases. They are the Deaftracks compilation, a collaboration between M. Finnkrieg, Henry Hektik & Thomas Sutter of Regicide Bureau in which the best tracks from all of the sessions will be released on Deaf Eye. One fo these collaborations with Tom (who is in Berlin for one year at school) will soon be available or more from International Terrorist Network. (I.T.N. / 5230-D Tamarack Blvd. / Columbus, Ohio / 43229) also mail collaborations are planned with Nomuzic and Mental Anguish. Plus a new M. Finnkrieg C60 out soon. Deaf Eye is also going to release an annual yearbook with all the smartest pictures sent in within 1988 and all the fantastic contact zones. It will be available with every tape order.
M. Finnkrieg met Henry through an ad in the local "Tip" magazine (similar to mags like Village Voice, listings of all events like concerts, theatre and cinema). Henry was looking for a multiinstrumentalist for music in the style of Cabaret Voltaire, Severed Heads and Eric Random (just to name some influences). You can actually hear the influences that these three bands have had on these two excellent musicians. Anyway M. Finnkrieg was sure that Henry meant him because he says he was unable to play any instrument (sure doesn't sound like it). So they started to record some material and release the material under the name of Subtle Reign. They work with the following equipment: Korg MS-20, Roland SH-101, Casio SK-1, Casio CZ-1000, Korg Polysix, Ensoniq Mirage, TR-606, TR-505, DR-110, CR-78, drum machine, 12 track mixer and a Fostex A-80 8 track recorder.
According to M. Finnkrieg in the last times Henry and his interests have gone different ways a bit. While Henry lays more emphasis on doing everything in the way of a live recording, Finnkrieg's going more into experimenting only with sampling. He plans on selling all his instruments and just start working with sampling and a computer. In his case Finnkrieg says he doesn't need this live feeling, he just likes to work things out in a more intellectual way. Finnkrieg puts the most interest on the sounds, and really does not feel like a musician, more like a painter doing music and using sounds similar to colors.
For the future and now Deaf Eye thinks it is very important to have a close relationship between all tape producers, because the conditions on the music market are changing extremely fast. In a few years it will be possible for everyone to release high quality tapes, because the prices for digital recording equipment is going down. The production quality with a recordable CD, will be on the same plane as the releases of the huge media concerns. So Deaf Eye thinks it would really be necessary in order to have the best distribution possibilities around the world, which makes Deaf Eye and the rest of U.S. hometapers independent from the industry. Finnkrieg thinks in the direction of changing out releases and sending out the catalogues from other labels, in order to give people the possibility to order a tape say in germany when its only available in the U.S.A. Hey send 3 DM (about $2) in stamps to Deaf Eye for a demonstration tape. I would like to add that Deaf Eye is heavily into networking with other like minded individuals, so if you're like minded or just plain interested drop Deaf Eye a line at Deaf Eye / Rathenower Str . 46 / 1000 Berlin 21 / West Germany. A self addressed stamped envelope is bound to get you a catalog. Ok, so do yourself a favor and check out Deaf Eye tapes in West Germany. You will be glad you bothered!!! Graphics courtesy of Deaf Eye!! Layout by yours truly.
by Chris Phinney in "Electronic Cottage" Issue One, April 1989