Monday 16 May 2011

From the Top Drawer XV - Ring

Not to be confused with the last uploaded band Ring Of Roses, Ring were a pretty different kettle of fish, as they say. This South London/Croydon based band even has its own Wikipedia page here, probably due to their connections to more well-known bands that ex-members migrated to, notably Cardiacs, Levitation and Dark Star (yeah, but why shouldn't they have their own page anyway?).

The music on this tape 'O De Dun Dun' (their second self-issued effort after 'Demo Tape No. 1 October 1984') bears little resemblance to the output of those other bands, and whilst I do like early Cardiacs music (and Ring's third tape 'Nervous Recreations' is patently/blatantly influenced by them), I have to say that I prefer the more original direction and style that the band followed here in 1986.
And it's the only tape of theirs that I have as an original cassette.


Sharp guitar playing, a tight rhythm section, colourful synths and punky vocals unite "blending all manner of riffs and noises" together in sometimes complex songs that sound much better than they should if this was recorded on a limited portastudio-level budget (??).


The live shows that I witnessed were pretty anarchic circus-type affairs and didn't always come together but the energy was there in buckets as was the sweat and effort they put into it.
Anyway, here's the tape cover where you can get the running order. Click on the scan to enlarge...


As usual the tape has been ripped as two side-long tracks @320kbps
Grab a download HERE


9 comments:

  1. Ahh! You've just mad a middle-aged man very happy. One of my favourite gigs ever was seeing Ring at The Clarendon in the late 80s. Clowns ran through the audience wrapping everyone in toilet paper; four chests were pushed onto the stage from which emerged deranged circus figures playing deranged music. Wonderful. I've not been able to track them down because of the hopelessly generic keyword "ring".
    This is an amazing resource btw. It would have been tragic if this unique era had been lost to future ears. Top marks!

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  2. @Anon
    It's comments like this that make the whole upload processs worthwhile for me - thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and memories of a special time.

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  3. my goodness, i lost my tape of this so long ago.... and now i have it again! many happy memories of hazy nights on the beach with this playing... what an imaginative and sonically pleasant blast of fun - some of this is spookily anticipating what was to come with the whole analogue / acid house revival whilst the rest is just frolicking / rocking away in its own world... sure, some of the vocals place it in its own time and origins but this tape always went down a storm at many a late 80s / early 90s party and i know plenty of people who are going to be gratefully receiving a copy very soon - thanks a ton for posting this and hopefully the same word of mouth type of networking is gonna soon see this reaching yet more people!

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  4. Thanks for your informed comment anon, and please network/spread the word that the tape rips will continue for as long as I can keep digging them out...

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  5. Thanks for this...been looking for this band for a while now...fantastic band!

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    1. Cheers random - shame I haven't got more of their tapes to offer you.

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  6. I thought I would never hear this band again. I've been searching on and off (mostly off) since 1992 when a flatmate played me a very fuzzy tape of a tape of a tape just called 'Ring'. Never knew anything about them, Pretty sure it was this tape too. Oh God how I love tha Interwebz. Thanks a million, you've made my day :-)

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    1. Thanks for your post bytor (one of my fave Rush tracks!).
      Glad to make your day.

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  7. Always loved Ring, never saw them :), though did see Levitation a couple of times, which is probably the next best thing. Got any tips for ripping from tape? I think I must have Nervous Recreation in my box of ferric memories....

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