About
Barry Lamb is an avant-garde composer, experimental musician, author and speaker. One of the pioneers of cassette culture in the UK. As a musician he has worked with Jasun Martz (Frank Zappa, Michael Jackson), Keith Levene (Public Image Ltd.,), Tor Cesay (Mongrel, Rockers Society, Flying Lotus), Hilda Garman, Peter Ashby & Wavis O'Shave amongst others. He was also a founder member of Frenzid Melon, the insane picnic and Ermin Grud. The Ashby & Lamb musical partnership presently continues under the band name Two Headed Emperor.
In 1977 Barry Lamb along with school friend Peter Ashby launched the bedroom cassette label Falling A records. Initially with the intent of finding a way to make their own music available. By the end of the 70's they had brushed so many other similar minded musicians, bands and fanzine editors that they launched a distribution service for cassettes, fanzines and other ephemera. This service became one of the best known of it's kind throughout the 1980's and gained them a considerable amount of exposure in fanzines, the mainstream music press and even occasional mentions from BBC Radio One's John Peel. During this period Lamb developed working relationships with anyone and everyone in the world of DIY cassettes and fanzines including: Chris & Simon Donald (Viz Comic), Martin Newell (the Cleaners from Venus), Wavis O'Shave, Bryn Jones (Muslimgauze), Tom Vague (Vague fanzine), Frazer Nash (Music for Midgets), Larry Peterson (Cause for Concern) and numerous others. Falling A opened a shop and distribution centre between 1983-1985. The distribution service closed around 1986 and by the end of the 80's after some excursions into releasing vinyl the label also closed. Falling A resurfaced in 2004 and a similar distribution network was established for the CD-r / internet generation partnering with other like minded labels such as Stone Premonitions but after 4 years Ashby & Lamb closed the distribution service to focus on their own music projects.
As an author he has written a number of privately published works which range from poetry to reflective thinking about life and even touch on theology.
Solo Recordings
1977 Dusk
1978 Keys
1979 Ludi Funebres
1979 Telephone call at the edge of the universe
1980 Experimental Bus Service
1981 Poetry for motorways
1981 Picnic
1990 Seven Secrets
2004 It's all about purpose
2006 Observations of Istanbul
2007 ...this is
2014 ساحة جامع الفناء (e.p.)
2017 Dusk reissued
2018 Keys reissued
2019 Ludi Funebres reissued
Books
1984 The wisdom of the gods and the creation experience
1990 The seven secrets of success
1991 Stay in touch with yourself
1992 Keep taking the tablets
1977 - 1981
Frenzid Melon were an avant-punk, art rock bedroom band that released 7 cassette albums plus a posthumous album of previously unreleased material in 1982. They briefly attracted the attention of Virgin Records and gained some very favourable reviews in fanzines and music press of the day.
Tapeography
1977 Dec - Frenzid Melon C.60
1978 May - Graffiti Spastic Plastic C.60
1978 Oct - Frenzid Melon II C.45
1979 May - Stop Acting Like Babies C.60
1979 Oct - Cosmic Peanut and Other Secret Identities C.45
1980 Jan - I Don't Wanna Work in the Wimpy Bar (Cassette single)
1980 Feb - The Great Roll and Butter Swindle C.90
1980 Oct - Crazy Fog Warning C.45 (Unreleased)
1981 Apr - Frenzid Melon C.45
1982 Feb - Provisional Music ( A compilation of previously unreleased recordings) C.45
2014 Jul - Clacton (CD)
2015 Jan - The Dub Mixes (Download)
1982 - 1989
the insane picnic were formed from the remnants of Frenzid Melon by Barry Lamb, Peter Ashby & Owen Turley. Their debut e.p. "Four days in April" was released to critical acclaim and this was followed by an indie chart hit with "Romance". Their third single "Magistrates & Saints" was released on 12" vinyl only. The single gained some radio attention and once more some very positive reviews. Due to a number of internal issues their debut album "This is the winter darkness" was never completed but the demo's were released on CD in 2004.
"A twisted cross between Echo & the bunnymen & the Fall. The Insane Picnic succeed where most others fail by creating an atmosphere that may not be unique but is at least threateningly distanced from the obvious possibilities"
- Melody Maker, 1982
"A strangely appealing nihilistic din"
- Sounds, 1983
"Streetwise, intelligent and edgy"
- NME, 1984
Discography
1982 Four days in April e.p.
1983 Romance / Politicians Promise single
1984 This is the winter darkness LP (unreleased until 2004)
1986 Magistrates & Saints 12" single
1987 Dog bones & Cradle ghosts single
1989 Stray woman single (promo only)
1991 - 1992
Ermin Grud's official line up is a mystery but Lamb is thought to be involved in their private pressing album "the narrow path". Reviews of this obscure progressive delight have cited similarities to Egg, Van Der Graaf Generator, King Crimson, Soft Machine, Pink Floyd (post Syd Barrett - pre Dark side of the moon), Caravan and other British progressive legends. Unlike other progressive bands of the the 90's Ermin Grud worked with vintage keyboards and late 60's early 70's production values. They reconvened briefly in 2000 to record a track for the Martin Newell tribute album "Renewell" alongside John Cooper Clarke, Stuart Moxham, R. Stevie Moore and other notable underground cult figures.
Discography
1992 Ruby Jones single
1992 The Narrow Path LP
2000 The world strikes one
(Included as a bonus download track as part of the "Renewell" tribute album, tribute to Martin Newell)
2014 - 2015
Wilderness Poet more info coming soon... the lost project, the wilderness years!
2018
Two Headed Emperor
2018 The Happy Medium and a Depressed Conjurer LP
2018 The Breath of Disunity single
2018 Shaman of the snow e.p.
2019 The Last Time We Did This It Ended In Disaster LP
2020 Goldhanger Creek LP
2020 Tales From A Mariners Pen LP
2020 Transference And Transgression LP
2021 Omnishambles LP
2021 Deracination LP
2022 Selling Christmas EP
2023 We're Not On The Moon Yet LP (Double) with Alessandro Monti
2023 We Are Not On The Moon Yet (Italian version) LP (Double) with Alessandro Monti
Collaborations, Contributions, Credits & Appearances
This list is incomplete at present. More info will be added soon.
1978 The Pox - Deliberate defiance of authority
1983 The Acid Slothe - You're lost little girl
1983 The Budva Taverna All Stars - Up the Yama Yama
1984 Annie Anxiety - Dawn in the carnival cafe
1984 Omming for Woks - Show me a sane man
1984 Somebody Famous - Prisoners of the real world
1984 The Cleaners from Venus - Johnny the Moondog / Only a Shadow
1985 The Rhododendron Stealers - The Purple Orgasm
1991 Braintree - The concubine harvester
1992 WMTID - Pale Saint
1995 Wayland - Sticked and Stoned
2003 General Kustard - Scattering Stars
2004 Josda Dan - Mess_age e.p.
2004 Ashby & Lamb - A future life in an urban sprawl
2005 Peter Ashby - High density oscillation
2005 Jasun Martz - The Pillory / The Battle
2006 Ashby & Lamb - Small Packages
2007 General Kustard - Msred
2007 Peter Ashby - Disturbances in the ether
2008 Keith Levene - Murder Global sessions / Titanium Box / Commercial Zone 2011
2008 Keltica - Keltica e.p.
2009 Peter Ashby - Hagiography
2010 Hilda Garman - Mistaken (Version)
2011 Hilda Garman - In the summer rain
2011 Barry Lamb Vs Skeng - Tin Snake revisited
2012 Peter Ashby & Hilda Garman - The songbird & the minstrel
2012 Barry Lamb Vs Ak0pian - Could you love a cloud?
2012 Barry Lamb Vs Wet Sans Brolly - Puzzled by drama queens
2012 Barry Lamb Vs Wet Sans Brolly - What should I say?
2013 Fictional Rage - Absent Culture / Absent Culture (Cloud mix)
2013 Fictional Rage ft Wavis O'Shave - Pokeawillies
2014 The Cloud Quartet - Love Note
2014 Barry Lamb Vs Keith Levene - tHe LoVe We KnEw
2014 Census of Hallucinations - Imagine John Lennon e.p.
2016 Jasun Martz - Solo Exhibition (8 CD Box Set)
2017 Jasun Martz - Non Finito
2017 Ohead - Resurgent Resonance
2017 Jasun Martz - Corrosion
2020 Census Of Hallucinations - The Truth Inverted
2021 Miniatures 2020
2023 Chris Cutler - Compositions and Collaborations 1972-2023