Officer! - ossification

[flytomars]

Any fans here of this great album?
Basically a warped "pop" album by "The Work"`s Mick Hobbs and many many friends from the RIO / Avant genre,
Ranging from simple quirky songs to Henry Cowish instrumentals.
This album was pretty rare until recently but now got a proper reissue (simply beautiful and sounds great).
I am not affiliated with the label in any way, just wanted to give a heads up to anyone who knows this album.

[Pr33t]

A great little album I just became familiar with thanks to the vinyl reissue. Anyone into the early 80s Avant/RIO scene should appreciate it.

[Morpheus]

I like this album, I became familiar with it on mp3 years ago, one of those great 80s obscurities. I wish it had been reissued on CD as well.

[flytomars]

*BUMP* I am sure there are fans of this albums who hadnt responded, Udi for example

[Udi Koomran]

Yeah I love this too
Put it on the same shelf next to the Its War Boys stuff

[Romerovm]

Just got this as well! Love the pinky vinyl reissue.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I've got the original AYAA issue of this. Yes, if Alan Ridgway had recorded at Cold Storage, this is probably how it would have come out!

Some wonderful tunes and lyrics, and that overall "RIO party record" makes it pretty darn irresistable. "Boxers versus Wrestlers" is my fave here, I think.

[Udi Koomran]

"RIO party record"

[Udi Koomran]

16 smash party hits

recrecbox.jpg

[Scrotum Scissor]

"RIO party record"

Can't you just see Hobbs and Hodgkinson and Gilonis swingin' around the floor with a couple of martinis?

[spacefreak]

Love it!

[Rio-grant]

I've got the original too. Its a great album. A 13 on gnosis. Their other one is called 'Yes Yes, No No'. That's great too, although Ossification is my favourite.

Cheers, Peter

[Udi Koomran]

"When on vacation from The Work (his quatuor with Tim Hodgkinson, Bill Gilonis, and Rick Wilson), Mick Hobbs gathered friends and allies to play music under the Officer! banner. This tape was released on french label AYAA (then called AAA). The label was launched 1982 with the legendary ‘Douze Pour Un’ compilation LP. This cassette is an awesome collection of rock songs, some deeply haunting, some rough at the edges. Songwriting is top-notch, the kind of sad tunes or grotesque anthems that are hard to forget once you’ve heard them. Some songs were recorded at Cold Storage with help from This Heat members who also helped with the production of Officer!’s ‘Ossification’ 1984 LP, also on AYAA. The line-up is varied, contributing to multifarious musical ideas and inventive arrangements. All members of The Work contribute here as well. Hobbs and ex-Family Fodder Alig Pearce formed the duo Lo Yo Yo, releasing an LP in 1985. Additionally, Felix Fiedorowicz was a member of Family Fodder as well (1979-1988, reformed 2002). Richard Wolfson (1955-2005) was the creator of the ambitious 1993 Towering Inferno’s ‘Kaddish’ show and CD to which Hodgkinson and Cutler also contributed."

[andy bole]

I do believe I played on this album.

[timehat]

It's, uh... dynamite.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I do believe I played on this album.

I just checked the cover of my copy, and indeed you did!

I listened to your Ramshackle Pier this last weekend for the first time in a couple of years, and it still sounds fantastic. I'm SO glad AdHoc got to reissue that one.

[andy bole]

Yes thanks to Dave at AdHoc it sort of re kick started me recording again and have just recently released a couple of albums with Daevid Allen from Gong and Hiroshi Higashi from Acid Mothers Temple..www.andybole.co.uk

[Udi Koomran]

more stuff coming !
Although recorded in 1995, Officer!‘s album Dead Unique has never seen the light of day. That will all change on May 26th when it gets issued from Blackest Ever Black
I'm excited

[flytomars]

WOW great news!

[Scrotum Scissor]

WOW great news!

Absolutely! Udi, do you know anything about the lineup here?

[walt]

Ordered.

[Udi Koomran]

Absolutely! Udi, do you know anything about the lineup here?

http://blackesteverblack.bigcartel.c...ackestcd006-cd

[Morpheus]

very interested in hearing that album.

Today I have been revisiting a related project from 89, The Momes, Spiralling, a one off featuring Hobbs and Tim Hodgkinson and one of the members of Unrest Work & Play. There is so much great unrecognized music from that group of musicians.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Thanks again, Udi. Here's keeping it a bit warm, and for newcomers to contemplate:

[dleone]

Totally forgot about this record, thanks for the thread!