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Exile in Paradise

by Plus Instruments

supported by
Robert Bloemkolk
Robert Bloemkolk thumbnail
Robert Bloemkolk She's great. Truus de Groot, that is, calling herself Plus Instruments. She's made some very good records with Dutch post punkers Nasmak but her solostuff is maybe even better. And check out Cosmo Vitelli's record Medhead on which she collaborates, classy and ultracool as ever. If you are remotely interested in the whole postpunk thing, just to give it a name, get her stuff! We're talking hidden treasure here. Favorite track: Illusions.
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1.
Bodies 06:29
2.
3.
4.
He's Dead 01:42
5.
6.
Horrible 04:13
7.
Illusions 02:43
8.
Irgendwo 04:02
9.
Kalt 04:18
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11.
Obsessed 04:23
12.
Paradise 03:23
13.
Sailors 03:29
14.
Things 03:09
All songs written by Truus de Groot (Geertruda Degroot), Dewclaw Ditties (BMI). Except "Kalt" written by Truus de Groot, Trudy Koby and Steven Barth. Lyrics from Lied des Kaufmanns, Bertolt Brecht Recorded in The Netherlands, Ballad Sound Studios, Plaza Sound NYC and Hoboken, NJ, USA (home recordings).

about

From the vaults of Truus de Groot, VOD Records uncovered this compilation of never before released material by the legendary yet still active Plus Instruments. Recorded between Europe and the US in 1982/83. With immense appreciation to Frank Maier, label boss of V.O.D. who made me dig in my archives.

In 1981 I found myself living in a loft in Manhattan on Broadway, just steps away from the legendary Mud Club, which was something starving musicians could still do in those days. The U.S. version of Plus Instruments, featuring David Linton and Lee Ranaldo, had just broken up after a fast and furious creative fling.

I was still brimming with energy and ideas, so I formed a new version of Plus Instruments with Jonathan Schneider and Craig Kafton. In no time we were playing venues like CBGBs and making our way into more uncharted territory, not only in various Northeast cities but also our own. We once journeyed to a venue in a neighborhood that had such a bad reputation only about 25 brave souls had the balls to come to the show, which also starred a new group called R.E.M. The terrible neighborhood was “Alphabet City,” and a few years later it would be New York’s neighborhood of choice for everything alternative, arty and musical.

Of course I had to bring the renewed Plus Instruments to my home turf. Once across the sea we settled into criss-crossing between Amsterdam and Berlin. We played with any kindred spirits we discovered and some old friends, appearing in both legitimate and illegal clubs, and stayed in whatever squat would have us. We were searching for another sound. I found myself playing whatever instrument I felt needed to be played. When we couldn’t find a drummer, I became a drummer. Anything was possible; the only rule was to do some¬thing.

During this period, I went into the studio in The Netherlands to record an album for the German Label “What’s So Funny About” The project fell through, and I stashed the maser tape away and soon forgot about it. I’m really pleased that, decades later, all those songs are finally seeing the light of day on this album.

Upon my return to the U.S., I was offered a brief stint playing guitar with Rhys Chatham on the “Kitchen Sink” tour, where I met James Sclavunos, a New York native who already had an impressive list of credits to his name, including Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, Eight-Eyed Spy and Tav Falco's Panther Burns. We soon began to devise a plan for a new musical direction, and consequently Plus Instruments broke up.

I moved into James’ place in Hoboken. Hoboken wasn’t a very hip area in 1982, but rents were going up in Manhattan and apartments were scarce, so a few people were beginning to move out there. It was a working class town with a bar on every block and we lived a few streets away from where Frank Sinatra was born, so it felt like something special. We set up a makeshift "recording studio" consisting of a bundle of chords, a ghetto blaster, my Crackle Synthesizer and RABE Sequencer and I started recording in that little room with what little I had. A number of those recordings are also on this album.

Eventually, those recordings evolved into a concept for yet another version of Plus Instruments. Soon James, myself, and music journalist and vagabond Annene Kaye set off for Europe where we would spend a few months touring The Netherlands. Our desired guitarist Jim Duckworth (Gun Club, Tav Falco's Panther Burns) couldn’t make it, so rather than settle for second best, we took him on tape. Believe it or not, it actually worked with the sound we were evolving ... but that’s a story for another time.

credits

released November 11, 2021

All songs written by Truus de Groot (Geertruda Degroot), Dewclaw Ditties (BMI). Except "Kalt" written by Truus de Groot, Trudy Koby and Steven Barth. Lyrics from Lied des Kaufmanns, Bertolt Brecht
Recorded in The Netherlands, Ballad Sound Studios, Plaza Sound NYC and Hoboken, NJ, USA (home recordings).

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Plus Instruments San Diego, California

Plus Instruments' existence spans over the last 4 decades. Established in 1978 by Truus de Groot in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, amidst the explosion of Punk Rock. Even though Truus was very active in that genre and “New Wave” as well, the more experimental side gradually took over and the concept of Plus Instruments was born. Plus Instruments is still going strong! Check out Truus' Blue Beast ! ... more

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