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Steph
JESPER |
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 Born: Sheffield,
Yorkshire, 1979. Formed first band P.S. with RODDIS in 1992, which
became TSB a year later. The group recorded an
album,
although the tapes have since been lost. After the group spilt, Jesper
went
through a number of ill-fated groups with school friends before going
to
university in York and finally forming
HUNTER'S MOON
with guitarist collaborator HEATHCOTE. After this band split,
Jesper
began working with Welsh outfit MAGENTA MOOR,
but continues to produce solo material. Style: The Earwax
co-founder
uses field recordings, electronic effects and stolen sounds to make
theatrical
musical collages. Early work was keyboard led electronica and sci-fi
obsessed
goth-rock, while recent solo-work has been more avant garde, with
moderate
influence from the likes of PEOPLE LIKE US and PFLAPHPSCHOEN.
Songwriters: Usually self-penned; plus occasional
plunderphonics.
Trivia: TSB's
Starship 2020 was later recorded by Magenta Moor. |
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THE
STELLA BREAKTHRU |
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Formed as P.S. in 1992. Renamed with
the addition
of STANILAND.
PAUL
RODDIS - guitar, keyboard, programming /
STEPH JESPER - keyboard / ROBERT
STANILAND - keyboard
Released on Breakthru:
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Feb '93 (tape - BRKÞRTSBA) TIME
- Starship 2020 - The Stella
Theme /
Laser Fight / Time / Heaven's Door Indtrumental Mix / Ad Lib House
Style
/ Wild Thing / P.S. Parts 1 & 2 / Rock It
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break up 1994. Roddis and Staniland
form FRUIT
SALAD. Jesper eventually forms THE RESURRECTION, and THE VENUSIAN FOLK
BAND before joining CHROME STAR (from which some live/demo material may
exist). This act eventually becomes: |
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HUNTER'S
MOON |
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GUY
MASON - (ex-CHROME STAR) drums /
STEPH JESPER - (ex-CHROME STAR, ex-VENUSIAN FOLK
BAND)
bass, keyboards, vocals, guitars, production / PETA
FOSTER - vocals, guitar /
ROB HEATHCOTE - (ex-VENUSIAN FOLK BAND) guitar /
CATHERINE BERTRAND - vocals, guitar, keyboards.
Group make a rough demo tape which is
later reworked
by Jesper and released on Harridan as:
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Nov '00 (tape -
HMPHMA1) THE
125 TAPES
- When I Needed You / Come Away
/ Reduced
Sugar / Go Away / Alone / The Orange Song
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JESPER
goes on to form MAGENTA MOOR. MASON
joins
THE DISSENT.
Jesper has a small solo career in the
meantime:
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STEPH JESPER |
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Writes and directs a student arts
performance
called Trading with the Modern World, which is recorded, and released
on
what will eventually become our sister label Earwax: |
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Mar '01 (tape -
EWX001) TRADING
WITH THE MODERN WORLD
- Act I - Ockey Eyes / Act II -
Through
the Hospital // Act III - The Dance of the Shaven Heads / Intermission
Performance - Zen Flamenco / Act IV - Trading with the Modern World
EWX001 - Type II
Cassette - 90'
Soundtrack to a student performance-theatre event that was written
by Jesper. It uses snatches of radio alongside the theme tunes of
long-dead
TV shows to tell the story of a man and his dying wife. |
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Puts solo work on hold while recording
Magenta
Moor album.
Released on Harridan:
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Nov '01 (7"-d-ep -
HMPSJ271)
THREE
HOURS OF DAYLIGHT |
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Released on (proto-)Earwax: |
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Dec '01 (tape -
EWX002) AND
THEN I GO AND SPOIL IT ALL BY SAYING SOMETHING STUPID LIKE BLAMOODLEFARG
(OR STARVE A BEAVER / FEED THE PROBLEM OF SEVERE FLOODING IN THE
CANADIAN
ROCKIES)
- Introduction / Warm Up / The
Triumph
of Our Tired Ears - Act I / The Triumph of Our Tired Ears - Act II /
Encore
// Introduction / Warm Up / The Triumph of Our Tired Ears - Act III /
The
Triumph of Our Tired Ears - Act IV / Intermission / Finalé
EWX002 - Type I
Cassette - 45'
Garbled glitchery of popular hits merges with moody electronic fog
and field recordings. Occasionally, the distant warbles coagulate into
tangible pieces of guitary meat and digital amusement. |
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On Harridan: |
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Jan '02 (7" d-ep -
HMPSJ272)
FRANCO
GERMAN RELATIONS |
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On ACNC Records: |
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Jan '02 (lp + tape-s
- ACNC19100201)
SEE
WITH YOUR EARS
- The End of the World / A
Brave New
World // Around the World by Train / Late Junction Stamina Test
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On Harridan: |
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Jan '02 (7" d-ep -
HMPSJ273)
COLD
WARS, WARM COATS
- SIDE LA FIRSTE - Hablan a
"Teenage
America" / SIDE SECUNDO - El Phalanges de Skank / SIDE TRES - 1917 /
SIDE
SUZI QUATRO - The Cuban Mushroom Crisis
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Feb '02 (7" d-ep -
HMPSJ274)
WORK,
REST AND PLAY
- Interest Free Credit, Free
For A Year
/ Your Best Bet For A Fuller Flavour / Once Driven, Forever Smitten
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Mar '02 (7" 3-ep -
HMPSJ375)
THE
BIRDS
- The Farmer, The Bird and the
Boweavil
/ Pathways Through the Sky / Chaos Theory / Ornithology (or Sandy Beds)
/ Food for Thought / Satanic Rites of Big Bird
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Apr '02 (tape-s -
HMPSJMC6)
MIXTURE
- NOT GOOD RECORDING
- Forward with the Future Time
/ Date-Rape
with Destiny / Closing Down
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Now on (the fully
established)
Earwax: |
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Apr '02 (d-7" -
EWX57020410101)
"SCIENCE
FICTION ARTIFACT"
- Mars Attacks / Invasion of
the Body-Snatchers
/ Curse of the Mummy's Tomb / The Creature from the Black Lagoon
EWX57020410101 -
double 7" single -
c.15'
Four generic sci-fi/horror narratives are portrayed by means of
industrial
noises, AM radio, ambient fuzz and the obligatory radiophonic effects. |
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Takes some more time out to work with
Magenta
Moor. |
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Dec '02 (7" d-ep -
EWX87021210102)
INDEPENDENT
MULTIPLEX (OR THE SEVENTH SCREEN)
- Screen One: Canadian Cinema
Club //
Screen Two: Pathé Newsreel - 15/11/02 /// Screen Three: Swedish
Expressionist Art-House Hour / Screen Four: Bavarian Shorts &
Polish
Camp // Screen Five: Martin Scorsese Night / Screen Six: Closed for
Private
Function / Screen Seven: Incomprehensible Japanese Animation
EWX87021210102 -
double 7" EP - c.30'
Jesper uses a similar technique to that on Science Fiction Artifact,
this time applying it to stereotypes of international cinema. As a
consequence,
the scary synths are traded in for warped world-music LPs. The
trademark
etherial fuzz is maintained. |
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Mar '03 (3-cds
(credit card
format) - EWX65030310103) "THE
DAY THE EARTH FIDGETED UNCONTROLLABLY"
- Against the Moon / Unknown
Unknowns
/ The Place On Which You Stand
EWX65030310103 -
triple creditcard-CD
single in plastic wallet - c.10'
The usual Jesper sound-sculptures, this time with added Rumsfeldt.
A three part soundtrack to a story about an alien curb-crawler looking
for trade in an eccentric seaside town. |
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Apr '03 (7" -
EWX47030410104)
"TONIGHT,
LESLEY, I'M GOING TO BE PFLAPHPSCHOEN"
EWX47030410104 - 7"
single - c.10'
Jesper takes on the might of Pflaphpschoen with this parody single.
Includes contributions from John Craven. |
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Jun '03 (d-7" -
EWX57030610105)
"4MATIONS
UNDER A GROOVE"
EWX57030610105 -
double 7" single -
c.15'
A sonic tribute to Channel Four. |
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Aug '03 (tape-s -
EWX46030810106)
"FITTED
KITTEN"
EWX46030810106 - Type
II cassingle
- c.15'
Two sides of tape dedicated to Japanese noise and flat-pack furniture. |
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Oct '03 (4-mcd-ep -
EWX93031010107)
ALAN
AGAINST THE ESKIMOS
- INUIT APARTHEID: A Summer's
Morning
/ Accidental Invasion by Nanook / Love Theme from the Alaskan
Nationalist
Party / Response from Quebec / The Ice Fortress / Nietzsche's Walrus //
THE SHAMAN AND THE SPY: Yellow Snow (Don't Ever Eat the) / Voodoo Igloo
/ The Augury of the Seals pt.I / The Augury of the Seals pt.II /
Desolation
of Canada as Viewed From the Top of the CN Tower on an Overcast Tuesday
(the Smell of Rotting Flesh, Thick on the Wind, Makes Me Vomit on
Vancouver)
// DR QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN: Kill Your Relatives / A Lilac Harry Quinn
/ The Pestilence / Northern Lites / The Plague / Delirium Tremens /
Freudian
Slip // DJ SAMI: Sustained Attack of the Abominable Snowmen / Portable
Love Triode / Parka Police / Heaven (Bedtime Mix) / Yellow Snow
(reprise)
/ Those Melting Ice-Caps / Rinse Hold / The Finest Sushi
EWX93031010107 - four
3" CD-EPs - c.75'
Four-disc concept work about a war in the arctic circle. The Residents
meet Godspeed over a bowl of rancid sushi. |
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Feb '04 (cds (credit
card format)
- EWX45040200104) WAX
WALLET
4
EWX45040200104 -
credit-card CD - c.4'
An average day for the sonic sociopath is condensed into four minutes.
That means dividing the day by 360... Which is the number of degrees in
a circle. That makes this art. |
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Now teaming up with HYZENFLAY: |
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JESPER
HYZENFLAY |
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Mar '04 (cd -
EWX30040310201)
CHINESE
RESTAURANT ARCHIVE HOUR (VOL.I)
- 219 / 000 / 217 / 209 / 208 /
000 /
206 / 202 / 201 / 000 / 000 / 199 / 198 / 187 / 000 / 179 / 171 / 168 /
000 / 163 / 160 / 155
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Mar '04 (cd -
EWX30040310202)
CHINESE
RESTAURANT ARCHIVE HOUR (VOL.II)
- 145 / 143 / 000 / 138 / 136 /
131 /
000 / 127 / 117 / 124 / 000 / 115 / 113 / 109 / 000 / 108 / 106 / 100 /
000 / 089 / 087 / 085 / 000 / 080 / 059 / 057 / 000
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Apr '04 (cd -
EWX30040410203)
CHINESE
RESTAURANT ARCHIVE HOUR (VOL.IV)
- 038 / 029 / 032 / 000 / 028 /
026 /
022 / 000 / 020 / 000 / 010 / 009 / 000 / 000 / 008 / 007 / 006 / 000 /
005 / 004 / 002 / 003 / 001
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STEPH JESPER |
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May '04 (12" -
EWX42040510108)
SHAPE
UP & DANCE WITH ANGELA RIPON
- The Storming of Najaf /
Nabulus by
Floodlight // The Battle for Emley Moor / Last Temptation of Tim
EWX42040510108 - 12"
single - c.15'
Four current-affairs workouts from the popular former newsreader and
Masterteam / Game of War presenter. Jesper blends archive television
snippets
with easy-listening aerobic tunes for a body you can be proud of. |
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Joins DISABLE
BELGIAN WARP. |
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Oct '04 (6-mcds
- EWX63041010109)
SIX
CIRCLES OF HELL (R U READY 4 IT?)
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The Curious Retirement of Mr Lyndon B. Johnson / The Dyke Bursts / Some
Kind of Swedish Inqusition / The Time It Takes For The Board To Revolve
/ You Can't Legislate Against Wrongful Encouragement / What Mothers
Tell
Their Children (While Still In The Womb)
EWX63041010109 - six
3" CD singles
- c.30'
Six tracks spread out across six discs where two discs would've done
the trick. This is a waste of plastic, albeit one with some nice sounds
on it. |
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Dec
'04 (3-7"-flexidisc
- EWX67041210110)
THE FALLUJAH
CHRISTMAS FETE
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This One's Broken / Mr Johnson & Mrs Brown / The Scrag End of My
Hard
Drive / Stakis / Wet Dream / Harvest Festival
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Feb
'05 (d-mcd
- EWX53050210111)
TRIVIAL
PURSUITS
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DISC ONE - SCIENCE & NATURE: Yahtseeqatsi / The Kyoto Protocol /
Plastic
Populations / DISC TWO - ART & LITERATURE: Words & Pictures /
Desert
Island Discs / Weighing In At Armageddon
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Oct
'05
(lp - EWX32051010112)
COMPULSORY
EDUCATION IN ENGLAND AND WALES, 1946-1988
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Test Signal / Introduction / Primary School // Secondary School
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Dec '05 (lp -
EWX32051210113)
THE
JOY DIVISION CHRISTMAS ALBUM
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B (CLOISTER): Introduction - Mary's Near Death Experience / Christmas
Crackling
- Pig's Big 156 / Nativity Playback / Aftermath - Two Films // A
(UNOPENED
PRESENTS): Passover Pullover (from Uncle Zach, Aunt Lizzie and Cousin
John)
/ Joy Division Oven Gloves (from Grandad Jacob) / Four Chocolate
Shekels
and a Satsuma (from Mummy and 'Daddy') / Selection Box (from the East)
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Mar '06 (tape -
EWX36060310114)
PASS
GRADE II GUITAR WITH THE EDGE
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Introduction: Newquay, City of the Damned / Chapter One: A Summer's
Day;
An English Park / Chapter Two: Some Like It Hot / Chapter Three: If He
Can Do It, I Can Do It Too // Chapter Four: Who Killed Himself? /
Chapter
Five: Well, the Trouble Started... / Chapter Six: What Action Do You
Take?
/ Chapter Seven: Eric's Written a Sketch / Chapter Eight: Mr Skinner
Teaches
in Schools and Other Institutions
EWX36060310114 -
Type II cassette -
c.60'
U2 Guitarist Extraordinaire, The "Beveled" Edge, presents an
Eight-Stage
Plan to Grade II Domination. All you have to do is follow the Worms,
placed
at regular intervals throughout this Self Help Musicassette. |
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