Presented by
Modern Harmonic on double vinyl and compact disc, this set compiles material from 7" singles issued by the Amsterdam-based
Plurex label from 1978 through 1980. Excepting the two sides from the affable and violin-equipped
Jan van de Grond Groep (easily the most conventional band on the roster), all of it has been widely available in digital form. Original pressings of some of the singles have exchanged hands for triple-digit sums. This conveniently gathers all the tracks in colorful, tangible form and supplies context to post-punk fanatics outside the Netherlands who might recognize only
Minny Pops, deceptively unsmiling avant-electronic popsters who later recorded for
Factory Records. Founded by
Minny Pops leader
Wally van Middendorp and
Sam Tjioe when they were members of
Tits,
Plurex laid some of the foundation for Ultra, a Dutch underground arts movement of which
the Ex were also part.
Tits launched the label with the humorously transgressive rave-ups "Daddy Is My Pusher" and "We're So Glad Elvis Is Dead." Soon afterward came straightforward punk racket from
Mollesters, poppier statements by
Filth, machinic post-punk jolts from
Interior (akin to a friendly
Cabaret Voltaire), and the spare recitations of Eindhoven's
BandT + Instruments (aka
Plus Instruments, before the involvement of
David Linton and the pre-
Sonic Youth Lee Ranaldo).
Minny Pops were no doubt the flagship act with convulsive, screeching, and droning tunes including "Footsteps," the half-parodic/half-affectionate "Kojak," and a live version of "Dolphin's Spurt" performed before they linked with
Factory and cut the studio version with producer
Martin Hannett. Another band,
the Mumbles, were from the States and featured future members of paisley underground dwellers
True West. They stick out here, and they probably stood out in their Sacramento hometown scene, as they come across like New Yorkers with the
Blondie-ish record store encounter "Poly Vinyl" backed with the very
Television/
Talking Heads "Collision." Conversely, "Sell Jesus," a noodly and ebullient spiel by Amsterdam's
Ze Popes, could be mistaken for a cover of
Project: Mersh-era
Minutemen, but its release preceded the San Pedro band's existence. Overall, the
Plurex gang seemed to have more in common with various preceding and concurrent Ohio scenes in Cleveland, Akron, and Cincinnati, from bands such as
Pere Ubu and
Devo to labels like
Hospital and
Mustard. It's likely no coincidence that one of the full-length
Plurex releases was by
Pere Ubu leader
David Thomas. ~ Andy Kellman
