System 7: Interstate

Butterfly 1995.  BFLT30

Discogs

System 7 is a most unlikely outfit.  It’s somewhat fluid, but is based around Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy.  Hillage especially has a very long history in music, starting with the crazed drug addled psychedelia of Gong in the late 60s and early 70s.  Hillage looked particularly ridiculous in those days but don’t be fooled either by that or insantity of what they produced – it was innovative and adventurous music.  Check out Camembert Electrique for what I think is their best.  He then went on to become a somewhat legendary guitarist – Rainbow Dome Musick is especially good.  Giraudy was less prolific but was involved in Gong.

Fast forward quite a few years and Hillage and Giraudy have become very much part of the rave scene and are producing well reviewed electronica.  Now in their 60s, they’re still doing it.  The technology might be unexpected, but in a way it’s continuing from where their earlier outings left off, tapping in to the party/festival/druggy end of music, and for my money doing it pretty well.

I usually play what I’m writing about while I’m writing it, but the Neu! sample in the Voodoo mix distracted me and I ended up having a bit of a Krautrock fest instead.

I’m afraid postings here have been a bit sparse lately.  That’s because I’m emigrating which is a bit of a nightmare and doesn’t leave much time for this sort of thing.  To make matters worse my beloved turntable is dismantled and boxed up for the journey.  It’ll be great when I get there (South-West France) but right now I’m really hacked off with the whole thing.  When I’m settled in and have an internet connection, normal service will be resumed.