With a pile of scrap metal and a disused railway tunnel nearby, unemployed youths Dave Kirby and Rob Maycock began recording sounds that they’d use as material for their Throbbing Gristle-inspired noise project, Psychopath.

His early meeting with Justin Mitchell of Cold Spring Records led to his music finding a worldwide audience.

Forty years later, on the eve of his international tour we speak with Dave about his early cassette scene releases and continued artistic evolution in Satori. Touching on his motivations, artistic confidence… and his extensive sample library of road drill sounds. 

Hosted by Martin Franklin & Hudson Graham.

VIDEO
You can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast

Music:

“Pressing Down” Satori, The Woods (Cold Spring Records)
‘The Kill”
“Post Mortem”
“Heavy Sadist” Psychopath, The Final Bow

“The Entity” Satori, Kanishibari (Cold Spring Records)

”This Is Concrete” The Happy Citizen

The recording "How things used to be in Margate" at 0:51 used by kind permission of Stuart Fowkes/Cities And Memory. (https://citiesandmemory.com/)

Links
Cold Spring Records
https://coldspring.co.uk/

Satori
https://satori-industrial.bandcamp.com/

Mindscan Tapes
https://www.discogs.com/label/18022-Mindscan-Tapes

"Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989​-​90" cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024
https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com

 

Podcast Produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studio (http://eastcoaststudio.com.au)

With a pile of scrap metal and a disused railway tunnel nearby, unemployed youths Dave Kirby and Rob Maycock began recording sounds that they&rsquo;d use as material for their Throbbing Gristle-inspired noise project, Psychopath.
His early meeting with Justin Mitchell of Cold Spring Records led to his music finding a worldwide audience.
Forty years later, on the eve of his international tour we speak with Dave about his early cassette scene releases and continued artistic evolution in Satori. Touching on his motivations, artistic confidence&hellip; and his extensive sample library of road drill sounds.&nbsp;
Hosted by Martin Franklin &amp; Hudson Graham. VIDEO You can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast">https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast</a>
Music:
&ldquo;Pressing Down&rdquo; Satori, The Woods (Cold Spring Records) &lsquo;The Kill&rdquo; &ldquo;Post Mortem&rdquo; &ldquo;Heavy Sadist&rdquo; Psychopath, The Final Bow
&ldquo;The Entity&rdquo; Satori, Kanishibari (Cold Spring Records)
&rdquo;This Is Concrete&rdquo; The Happy Citizen
The recording "How things used to be in Margate" at 0:51 used by kind permission of Stuart Fowkes/Cities And Memory. (<a href="https://citiesandmemory.com/">https://citiesandmemory.com/</a>)
Links Cold Spring Records <a href="https://coldspring.co.uk/">https://coldspring.co.uk/</a>
Satori <a href="https://satori-industrial.bandcamp.com/">https://satori-industrial.bandcamp.com/</a> Mindscan Tapes <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/18022-Mindscan-Tapes">https://www.discogs.com/label/18022-Mindscan-Tapes</a>
"Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989​-​90" cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024 <a href="https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com/album/premonitions-underground-cassette-network-1989-90">https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com</a>
&nbsp;
Podcast Produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studio (<a href="http://eastcoaststudio.com.au">http://eastcoaststudio.com.au</a>)

The stories of the global underground movement that shaped experimental music and culture, told by the artists that were there…

For two decades during the '80's and '90's, the international mail system fostered a network of underground artists, exchanging cassette tapes of music and homemade artwork – all under the radar of mainstream media. Taking the DIY message of Punk as a jumping off point, we travel through the network to find the creators of the fanzines, the music, the labels and events.

The stories of the global underground movement that shaped experimental music and culture, told by the artists that were there&hellip;
For two decades during the '80's and '90's, the international mail system fostered a network of underground artists, exchanging cassette tapes of music and homemade artwork &ndash; all under the radar of mainstream media. Taking the DIY message of Punk as a jumping off point, we travel through the network to find the creators of the fanzines, the music, the labels and events.

Cassette Culture

The stories of the global underground movement that shaped experimental music and culture, told by the artists that were there...

For two decades the international mail system fostered a network of underground artists, exchanging cassette tapes of music and homemade artwork - all under the radar of main stream media. We track down some key figures in the cassette scene, and follow the web of connections outward from the UK around the world, mapping the impacts and their ongoing effects.

We speak with musicians, label runners, and fanzine writers, who share their experiences of connecting through the mail system and its ongoing effects on their lives.

Hosted by Martin Franklin | Podcast produced by East Coast Studio

Find us on www.cassetteculturepodcast.com

The stories of the global underground movement that shaped experimental music and culture, told by the artists that were there...
For two decades the international mail system fostered a network of underground artists, exchanging cassette tapes of music and homemade artwork - all under the radar of main stream media.&nbsp;We track down some key figures in the cassette scene, and follow the web of connections outward from the UK around the world, mapping the impacts and their ongoing effects.
We speak with musicians, label runners, and fanzine writers, who share their experiences of connecting through the mail system and its ongoing effects on their lives.
Hosted by Martin Franklin | Podcast produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://eastcoaststudio.com.au/">East Coast Studio</a>
Find us on <a href="https://www.cassetteculturepodcast.com">www.cassetteculturepodcast.com</a>

The stories of the global underground movement that shaped experimental music and culture, told by the artists that were there...

For two decades the international mail system fostered a network of underground artists, exchanging cassette tapes of music and homemade artwork - all under the radar of main stream media.

We track down some key figures in the cassette scene, and follow the web of connections outward from the UK around the world, mapping the impacts and their ongoing effects.

We speak with musicians, label runners, and fanzine writers, who share their experiences of connecting through the mail system and its ongoing effects on their lives.

Hosted by Martin Franklin & Hudson Graham | Podcast produced by East Coast Studio

Find us on www.cassetteculturepodcast.com

The stories of the global underground movement that shaped experimental music and culture, told by the artists that were there...
For two decades the international mail system fostered a network of underground artists, exchanging cassette tapes of music and homemade artwork - all under the radar of main stream media.
We track down some key figures in the cassette scene, and follow the web of connections outward from the UK around the world, mapping the impacts and their ongoing effects.
We speak with musicians, label runners, and fanzine writers, who share their experiences of connecting through the mail system and its ongoing effects on their lives.
Hosted by Martin Franklin &amp; Hudson Graham | Podcast produced by <a href="https://eastcoaststudio.com.au/">East Coast Studio</a>
Find us on <a href="https://www.cassetteculturepodcast.com">www.cassetteculturepodcast.com</a>

Evolution of Noise: The 40 Year Journey of Satori

'76 Inspired By Punk

The Instant Automatons

Colin Potter Cassette Inspiration

DIY Instruments

The Instant Automatons  “Scared To Be Alone”

Deleted Records founded

Kif Kif and F.O. Records

Bad Music Festival

Danny & The Dressmakers

Jonathan "JB" Barnett, F.O. Records

Zounds, The Mob, The Astronauts

John Peel Show 17 June 1980

"Radio Silence" Rejected By Stiff

Deleted Bulletin & Cassette Survival

Deleted Funtime compilation

“Disillusion”  The Instant Automatons

Hand Numbered and Indexed

Protag Moves To London

Rough Trade Shop

“Journey To The West” The Mystic Umbrellas

Credits

Underneath the safety pins, television expletives and bondage trousers that came with Punk in 1977, there was a coded message for those ready to hear it. Resolutely independent, the Instant Automatons and their label Deleted Records tuned in from the North of England and got that message of DIY independence, creativity and confidence that followed "Here's Three Chords, Now Form A Band".

We trace the birth of the UK cassette underground - from isolated  bedrooms to West London squats, from hand-dubbed tapes to Rough Trade shelves. It’s the story of how a handful of young people, with almost no resources, built a national community through shared idealism, cheap technology, and an unstoppable desire to create.

Finding their tribe with the Labroke Grove hippie-punks circulating around the Here & Now/Frestonia/free festival scene and building their community under the Westway. 

Here & Now drummer, Kif Kif Le Batteur made his sentiment about the established record industry clear when he named his cassette label F.O. Records. Recognising that the Instant Automatons and their label Deleted Records got it too, they connected to collaborate on cassette and vinyl releases, gigs and tours. And in doing, forged a template that was adopted and amplified from there on.

 

Hosted by Martin Franklin.
Theme music “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen/"Hesatative" Jack Hertz

VIDEO
You can find videos of some of the amazing fanzines and cassette releases that drop through our letterbox on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast

IN THIS EPISODE

VOICES
Martin Franklin
Jerry Kranitz
Mark Lancaster
Colin Potter
Jonathan Barnett
…and John Peel

MUSIC
Duo Electronica (except), Deleted Funtime (Deleted 009)
The Instant Automatons “ Routine Habit” We Couldn’t Agree On A Title (Integrated Circuit Records ICR 001)
Colin Potter “The Last Train” The Scythe (ICR)
The Instant Automatons  “Scared To Be Alone” Peter Paints His Fence EP (Deleted)
Instant Automatons “Too Big” Not So Deep As A Well (Waterden WDCD002)
Danny & The Dressmakers “God Puts A Stop To The Silver Paper Monster” 39 Golden Grates (Fuck Off Records)

Archive audio: “Johns Vacuum Cleaner” John Peel Show 17 June 1980, BBC Radio 1

“Pre Natal Counselling” The Midnight Circus
“Chemical Solutions” Missing Persons,
“Disillusion”  The Instant Automatons
“Journey To The West”  The Mystic Umbrellas 
All from the Deleted Funtime compilation (Deleted 009)

Many thanks to Jonny Zhivago and the invaluable resource for underground music that is Die Or DIY (https://dieordiy2.blogspot.com/)

PROTAG 
We would like to dedicate this episode to the memory of Martin "Protag" Neish, who passed away in February 2014. We were too late to meet him, but found his footprints through some of the episodes in this season of Cassette Culture. We are proud to be able to tell at least a small part of his story.
(https://louderthanwar.com/northern-punk-scene-mourns-martin-protag-neish/ )

FIND US
https://cassetteculturepodcast.com

 

Cassette Culture is produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au)

 

Underneath the safety pins, television expletives and bondage trousers that came with Punk in 1977, there was a coded message for those ready to hear it. Resolutely independent, the Instant Automatons and their label Deleted Records tuned in from the North of England and got that message of DIY independence, creativity and confidence that followed "Here's Three Chords, Now Form A Band".
We trace the birth of the UK cassette underground - from isolated&nbsp; bedrooms to West London squats, from hand-dubbed tapes to Rough Trade shelves. It&rsquo;s the story of how a handful of young people, with almost no resources, built a national community through shared idealism, cheap technology, and an unstoppable desire to create.
Finding their tribe with the Labroke Grove hippie-punks circulating around the Here &amp; Now/Frestonia/free festival scene and building their community under the Westway.&nbsp;
Here &amp; Now drummer, Kif Kif Le Batteur made his sentiment about the established record industry clear when he named his cassette label F.O. Records. Recognising that the Instant Automatons and their label Deleted Records got it too, they connected to collaborate on cassette and vinyl releases, gigs and tours. And in doing, forged a template that was adopted and amplified from there on.
&nbsp;
Hosted by Martin Franklin. Theme music &ldquo;This Is Concrete&rdquo; by The Happy Citizen/"Hesatative" Jack Hertz
VIDEO You can find videos of some of the amazing fanzines and cassette releases that drop through our letterbox on our YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast">youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast</a>
IN THIS EPISODE
VOICES Martin Franklin Jerry Kranitz Mark Lancaster Colin Potter Jonathan Barnett &hellip;and John Peel
MUSIC Duo Electronica (except), Deleted Funtime (Deleted 009) The Instant Automatons &ldquo; Routine Habit&rdquo; We Couldn&rsquo;t Agree On A Title (Integrated Circuit Records ICR 001) Colin Potter &ldquo;The Last Train&rdquo; The Scythe (ICR) The Instant Automatons&nbsp; &ldquo;Scared To Be Alone&rdquo; Peter Paints His Fence EP (Deleted) Instant Automatons &ldquo;Too Big&rdquo; Not So Deep As A Well (Waterden WDCD002) Danny &amp; The Dressmakers &ldquo;God Puts A Stop To The Silver Paper Monster&rdquo; 39 Golden Grates (Fuck Off Records)
Archive audio: &ldquo;Johns Vacuum Cleaner&rdquo; John Peel Show 17 June 1980, BBC Radio 1
&ldquo;Pre Natal Counselling&rdquo; The Midnight Circus &ldquo;Chemical Solutions&rdquo; Missing Persons, &ldquo;Disillusion&rdquo;&nbsp; The Instant Automatons &ldquo;Journey To The West&rdquo;&nbsp; The Mystic Umbrellas All from the Deleted Funtime compilation (Deleted 009)
Many thanks to Jonny Zhivago and the invaluable resource for underground music that is Die Or DIY (<a href="https://dieordiy2.blogspot.com/)">https://dieordiy2.blogspot.com/)</a>
PROTAG&nbsp; We would like to dedicate this episode to the memory of Martin "Protag" Neish, who passed away in February 2014. We were too late to meet him, but found his footprints through some of the episodes in this season of Cassette Culture. We are proud to be able to tell at least a small part of his story. <a href="https://louderthanwar.com/northern-punk-scene-mourns-martin-protag-neish/">(https://louderthanwar.com/northern-punk-scene-mourns-martin-protag-neish/</a> )
FIND US <a href="https://cassetteculturepodcast.com">https://cassetteculturepodcast.com</a>
&nbsp;
Cassette Culture is produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio (<a href="https://eastcoaststudio.com.au">https://eastcoaststudio.com.au</a>)
&nbsp;

Deleted Records & The Instant Automatons

The artists who made the template - In Season 2 we’re delving into the very origins of the underground cassette music scene from the late 70s and early 80s, featuring insights from key musicians who revolutionised independent music production.

"We didn't think much of the establishment and capitalism, instead of demonstrating against it, we thought we'd create another world which existed outside of it." Jonathan Barnett of Fuck Off Records encapsulates the revolutionary mindset of the post-Punk movement.

Mark Lancaster, Phillip Sanderson, Jonathan Barnett, Colin Potter and others share their experiences of challenging the mainstream music industry through a low key yet radical DIY approach. Snatch Tapes, Fuck Off Records, Deleted Records, Integrated Circuit Records were all part of the wave that shaped a template for what was to come. 

The narrative explores how musicians rejected traditional music production methods, creating an alternative world of sound and creativity. Cassettes emerged as a powerful medium of expression, offering an affordable and accessible way for artists to record and distribute their music. The episode highlights the punk-inspired ethos of independent music creation, emphasising a spirit of rebellion against established structures and the building of a community.

Listeners will discover a fascinating network of musicians who connected through fanzines, music papers, and tape exchanges. The collaborative culture transcended traditional genre boundaries, with artists supporting each other's experimental sounds and independent productions. Phillip Sanderson's innovative approach of dismantling radios to create electronic noises exemplifies the creative spirit of the cassette culture.

The documentary provides a deep dive into a pivotal moment in music history, showcasing how independent artists used technology and collaboration to challenge the traditional music industry. It's a testament to creativity, DIY spirit, and the power of grassroots music production.

Technical Details:
Format: Audio documentary
Focus: Independent music scene, DIY music production
Era: Late 1970s to early 1980s

The artists who made the template - In Season 2 we&rsquo;re delving into the very origins of the underground cassette music scene from the late 70s and early 80s, featuring insights from key musicians who revolutionised independent music production.
"We didn't think much of the establishment and capitalism, instead of demonstrating against it, we thought we'd create another world which existed outside of it." Jonathan Barnett of Fuck Off Records encapsulates the revolutionary mindset of the post-Punk movement.
Mark Lancaster, Phillip Sanderson, Jonathan Barnett, Colin Potter and others share their experiences of challenging the mainstream music industry through a low key yet radical DIY approach. Snatch Tapes, Fuck Off Records, Deleted Records, Integrated Circuit Records were all part of the wave that shaped a template for what was to come.&nbsp;
The narrative explores how musicians rejected traditional music production methods, creating an alternative world of sound and creativity. Cassettes emerged as a powerful medium of expression, offering an affordable and accessible way for artists to record and distribute their music. The episode highlights the punk-inspired ethos of independent music creation, emphasising a spirit of rebellion against established structures and the building of a community.
Listeners will discover a fascinating network of musicians who connected through fanzines, music papers, and tape exchanges. The collaborative culture transcended traditional genre boundaries, with artists supporting each other's experimental sounds and independent productions. Phillip Sanderson's innovative approach of dismantling radios to create electronic noises exemplifies the creative spirit of the cassette culture.
The documentary provides a deep dive into a pivotal moment in music history, showcasing how independent artists used technology and collaboration to challenge the traditional music industry. It's a testament to creativity, DIY spirit, and the power of grassroots music production.
Technical Details: Format: Audio documentary Focus: Independent music scene, DIY music production Era: Late 1970s to early 1980s

Season 2 - DIY Revolution: Owning The Means Of Production

“Headphonics (VPRO version)” by Ryoji Ikeda 

Conversation with Geert-jan Hobijn 

"Zealot" Muslimgauze flexi-postcard

Muslimgauze unreleased music

"Tape 13" cassette with handmade socks

"A1" Muslimgauze, Tape 13

Korm Plastics cassette reissues

“Live At The Clocktower” Arcane Device

Staalplaat Sound System

Bandcamp sub-labels

From vinyl to cassettes and the occasional... flexi-postcard! Geert-Jan Hobijn reflects on Staalplaat’s origins as a cassette label, and some current releases.

In this special interim episode of Cassette Culture, Martin Franklin and Jerry Kranitz speak with Geert-Jan Hobijn, the legendary founder of Staalplaat - the experimental music label that began in an Amsterdam squat in 1982 and went on to define an era of radical sound and design.

We focus on some current activities publishing unreleased Muslimgauze recordings, reissuing classics from the Korm Plastics label - and dreaming up outlandish packaging ideas (including a cassette release that came with a pair of custom-designed socks).

The conversation also touches on the challenges and joys of running a label across decades, the crossover between Staalplaat’s releases and Geert-Jan’s own Staalplaat Sound System installation work, and the philosophy of making music and art available in ways that resist the digital mainstream.

Hosted by Martin Franklin & Jerry Kranitz.
Theme music “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen/"Hesatative" Jack Hertz

VIDEO
You can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast

MUSIC
"Headphonics (VPRO Version)" Ryoji Ikeda, Mort Aux Vaches (Staalplaat, 2020)
"Zealot" Muslimgauze (flexi-postcard 2025)
"A1" Muslimgauze, Tape 13 (cassette 2025)
"Live At The Clocktower, New York City (27 April 89)" Arcane Device, SIX (Korm Plastics D, cassette 2025)

LINKS
Staalplaat Label
https://staalplaatlabel.bandcamp.com/

Muslimgauze
https://muslimgauze.bandcamp.com/

Korm Plastics D
https://kormplasticsd.bandcamp.com/

 

Cassette Culture is produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au)

 

From vinyl to cassettes and the occasional... flexi-postcard! Geert-Jan Hobijn reflects on Staalplaat&rsquo;s origins as a cassette label, and some current releases.
In this special interim episode of Cassette Culture, Martin Franklin and Jerry Kranitz speak with Geert-Jan Hobijn, the legendary founder of Staalplaat - the experimental music label that began in an Amsterdam squat in 1982 and went on to define an era of radical sound and design.
We focus on some current activities publishing unreleased&nbsp;Muslimgauze recordings, reissuing classics from the Korm Plastics label - and dreaming up outlandish packaging ideas (including a cassette release that came with a pair of custom-designed socks).
The conversation also touches on the challenges and joys of running a label across decades, the crossover between Staalplaat&rsquo;s releases and Geert-Jan&rsquo;s own Staalplaat Sound System installation work, and the philosophy of making music and art available in ways that resist the digital mainstream.
Hosted by Martin Franklin &amp; Jerry Kranitz. Theme music &ldquo;This Is Concrete&rdquo; by The Happy Citizen/"Hesatative" Jack Hertz
VIDEO You can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast">youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast</a>
MUSIC "Headphonics (VPRO Version)" Ryoji Ikeda, Mort Aux Vaches (Staalplaat, 2020) "Zealot" Muslimgauze (flexi-postcard 2025) "A1" Muslimgauze, Tape 13 (cassette 2025) "Live At The Clocktower, New York City (27 April 89)" Arcane Device, SIX (Korm Plastics D, cassette 2025)
LINKS Staalplaat Label <a href="https://staalplaatlabel.bandcamp.com/">https://staalplaatlabel.bandcamp.com/</a>
Muslimgauze <a href="https://muslimgauze.bandcamp.com/">https://muslimgauze.bandcamp.com/</a>
Korm Plastics D <a href="https://kormplasticsd.bandcamp.com/">https://kormplasticsd.bandcamp.com/</a>
&nbsp;
Cassette Culture is produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio (<a href="https://eastcoaststudio.com.au">https://eastcoaststudio.com.au</a>)
&nbsp;

Evolution of Noise: The 40 Year Journey of Satori

Cassette Culture

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Cassette Culture

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