Bamboo Industry

All songs were originally recorded between 1984 and 1989 at home, rehearsal rooms & assorted studios. Additional overdubs were recorded in 2008 & 2009 by Ingo Ito at Itofarm Studio, Spain. Mixed, edited & mastered by Ingo Ito.

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The opening instrumental track "Hong Kong Memories" bursts out with a vibrant melody, done by a wild bunch of electric guitars. This is the way I do remember the streets of Hong Kong best- always noisy and in motion.

"Bittersweet" was recorded at home as a demo for "Tortured By Pleasure", but eventually didn´t fit on the album. It was hard work to restore this song, as there was only a worn 1/4" tape mix left. I added some extra strings for rhythmic support and some synth overdubs to boost the beauty of the chorus melody.

The instrumental track "Sampan Ride" is a re-newed/re-named version of a former single B-side, which was never released. A Sampan is a small boat on which you might take a trip to the floating restaurants of Aberdeen harbour in Hong Kong. Robin did an excellent job here of arranging the keyboard melodies.

"Mother Exiles Her Sons" was recorded for the "Kunstdisco"-project of the German Goethe-Institut, which took place during the Olympic Games 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. The song is based on a traditional Korean folk-melody playing in the background, while voice and piano shift through melancholic chord progressions. The lyrics are dealing with the subject of the two divided Koreas and the repercussions for their citizens.

I found many different takes of 12" stuff mixed from "Hypnotized", so I thought "why not try to join these bits together"? The result is "Extended Hypnotic Interlude". It starts with takes from the very first demo recording, moves on with demo and studio parts playing in parallel and ends with some takes from a very special mix by Gareth Jones.

"(Just Another Night To) Singapore" is our proof that we weren´t just weepy wimps doing sad tunes, but that we could do bold and funny songs, too: "Hoorayho in Singapore"! Here´s a studio rough mix from about 1987 with some newly overdubbed percussion. Everybody´s having a good time and mad Dwight Frye ends it all with some ingenius laughter (which was used a second time some 9 years later on the track "Days Run Wild" by Camouflage).

"Faces" was recorded during the summer of 1986 at a demo session, which took place in an empty factory building, whilst everybody was on holidays. I recorded a new solo-guitar on that track.

The next track is the original "Hypnotized" demo as it had been recorded with an old 8-track tape machine at our rehearsal room in Berlin in 1984. Unfortunately there is only a stereo mix tape left today.

One of the things I remember best from my visit to Hong Kong in 1985 was riding these old doubledecker buses of the China Motor company: the Daimler CVG6LX-34 or Daimler E - true relics of a time now long gone by.....well, at least they´re musically remembered in "China Motor '85".

A song about fame and fortune: "Valerie" ( taken from the same session as "Faces") comes with some newly overdubbed Manzanera style guitars and is followed by the first studio rough mix of

"While the Catherine Wheel Turns" from the year 1987. With parallel lead vocals by Zaza Lang and me plus a thriving guitar orientated playback, I guess this is the best and most powerful version I´ve got on tape and a perfect song to close this album.