“Primitive Calculators aren’t alone with a strong understanding of how fucked the world is, but what sets them apart from just about everybody is their understanding of how to mirror it back in a way that captures fathomless absurdity in a drawn-out guttural sound.” – Tiny Mix Tapes
Genjing Records as part of JUE | Music + Art are proud to present the brash, visceral sound of Primitive Calculators to Beijing and Shanghai. Once one of the rawest acts of the 70’s Australian punk scene, 35 years later they’re back and meaner than ever.
Primitive Calculators formed in 1978 in Melbourne, Australia. Their music was influenced by proto-punk acts like The Godz and The Velvet Underground, Texan 1960s psychedelic punk, James Brown, and The Silver Apples as well as Australian bands like Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs. They are often compared to The Screamers from Los Angeles, Suicide, and bands from New York’s No Wave music scene.
They released their debut single “I Can’t Stop It / Do That Dance” in 1979 and were instrumental in organizing a series of gigs named “Little Band nights,” where hastily-formed bands would play for 15 minutes each. This led to the recording of a compilation EP. They became known for their use of a screeching Mosrite Ventures model guitar, primitive synthesizers (a Wasp and Roland SH2), an electronic organ played through effects pedals, and an extra fast drum machine (Roland CR-78).
The Primitive Calculators played their last gig in March 1980, though their self-titled live album came out in the early 1980s. The band reformed briefly in 1986 to perform a live version of their song “Pumping Ugly Muscle” in the Richard Lowenstein film “Dogs In Space” (they later appeared in Lowenstein’s 2009 documentary We’re Livin’ on Dog Food).
Interest in the band was sustained though, and their recordings continued to be re-released until January 2009, when the band reformed for the inaugural Australian All Tomorrow’s Parties music festival, curated by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The band subsequently commenced the recording of a new album, called The World Is Fucked, which was released in 2013. Lead singer Stuart Grant explained the album title in a December 2013 interview:
“The album is called The World is Fucked because that’s what we believe. The world’s not any better now – in fact, it’s worse. I can remember when the hippopotamus and rhinoceros weren’t endangered species. I can remember when there was opposition, and when Chicago School economics wasn’t a naturalized reality of life. And the anger in our music is because it doesn’t need to be like that – and we don’t need to be this nasty society.”
JUE x Wizard Tang “Limitless” Photography Exhibition Opening Party
The JUE x Wizard Tang “Limitless” Photo Exhibit will hold its opening party in conjunction with Primitive Calculators in Beijing. Audience members can check out stunning photos of “Limitless” on the second floor exhibition space at Yugong Yishan!
Show Details
【BEIJING】
Date: March 13, 2015 – Friday
Time: 9pm
Door: 80RMB/60RMB (student)
Venue: Yugong Yishan
Address: 3-2 Zhang Zhizhong Road, Dongcheng District (北京市东城区张自忠路3-2号)
Support: Birdstriking, SUBS
【SHANGHAI】
Date: March 20, 2015 – Friday
Time：9pm
Door: 80RMB/60RMB (student)
Venue: Yuyintang
Address: 851 Kaixuan Road, Changning (上海凯旋路851号)
Support: Snapline and Sontag Shogun
Links
JUE | Music + Art official website：www.juefestival.com
Primitive Calculators
Artist website: http://primitivecalculators.com/
Snapline
Douban: http://site.douban.com/snapline/
Birstriking
Maybe Mars Label site: http://maybemars.org/index.php/artists/birdstriking/?lang=en
SUBS
Douban: http://site.douban.com/subs/
About JUE | Music + Art:
觉 / JUE – to sense (as in: an assault on all 5 senses)
JUE | Music + Art was founded in 2009 to bring the creative communities of Shanghai & Beijing closer. Every year since then, promoters Split Works have pooled their resources with those of their favorite friends from across the artistic spectrum to present a multi-venue, multi-disciplinary romp across the middle of March. If you want a snapshot of where China is creatively, you could do worse than spending a week at JUE | Music + Art.
“JUE sneaks into the city streets and lights the creative torch ablaze. The freshest international artists and locally-rooted creative join forces to switch on the creative pulse of these cities. When JUE is happening, the whole city seems alive” – Jetty @ Sina Weibo Music
We look forward to welcoming you…
About Genjing Records:
Genjing Records is a Beijing-based record label specializing in vinyl releases of Chinese artists. Genjing serves as a promotional resource in support of the Chinese DIY community and spreads information about Chinese bands abroad while raising awareness of international DIY scenes within China. Genjing products are available through mail order and global partner labels. Information about each release, as well as news and interviews concerning China’s vinyl community can be found on the Genjing Webste: genjingrecords.com