August 29, 2006

I see my baby burning

(This post was going to be about a strange, confused and very beautiful 17 year old girl I hung out with for a short while back in 1986, and in whose company I first heard The Love Deniers... but what I wrote started getting too personal. So just the facts then.)

20 years ago (Jesus... has it really been that long?) I bought a compilation tape called 'Animal Aid'. On it was some OK stuff, some forgettable rubbish, and one amazing song; 'Diamonds Are Forever' by The Love Deniers. A bit of research later (I forget what kind, but it was long before Google) and I'd discovered that this was a band led by one Michael Krohn. (For the uninitiated, ie. anyone not Norwegian, Michael Krohn is something of a legend, having first played drums in influential (post) punk band Kjøtt in the late 70s, before forming and singing in the very popular Raga Rockers throughout the next decade. But all beside the point). I sent the guy a letter telling him how fantastic I thought 'Diamonds' was, and that I wanted to write about The Love Deniers in my fanzine.

A week or so later a demo cassette landed in my postbox, containing 'Diamonds' and 5 more tracks; all great. Circumstance may have played a small part, but... I immediately fell in love. Wonderful bitter-sweet pop; organ, tuba, drums and a girl singing... from the opening wake-up call of 'Shake The World' to the final put-down of 'Oblivion' ("Do you mind if I smoke when you screw me / Do you mind if I yawn when you come / Do you mind if you wake up in the morning / Just to find out that I've gone / Back to the Streets of Oblivion"), the Love Deniers demo was, and still is, magic. I played it constantly for months, and now after having recently converted the contents to MP3s, I'm doing it again.

I probably should have found out more about The Love Deniers when I had the chance (maybe I did... maybe my mind was just somwehere else); I seem to recall rumours of a videotape circulating, and that Bitten Forsudd from Garden Of Delight and Einmal Kommt Die Liebe was involved, possibly someone from hardcore outfit Svart Framtid (Black Future), but that's it. So what was their story? Why the short life span? Why weren't these songs released? (They still should be... fuck, I'd do it.) If anyone knows, or knows someone who knows, please get in touch! In the meantime, and with the sincere hope that none of the involved parties mind, enjoy this:

The Love Deniers | Demo

(Even 20 years on, listening to The Love Deniers is inextricably linked to certain memories. I wonder sometimes how her life turned out...)

6 comments:

Julia Indelicate said...

I'm going to have a look into this for you. I didn't go to goldsmiths for nothing ;) (actually, i did, but the wankers often gave me things like phone munbers, and some of them still don't know how to use the net, because it's not like, personal enough... ;///// dicks.)

I'll see what i can do...

jix

frk. kaos said...

hmm. well I don't really know if I could be of any help at all, but being Bittens daughter I could probably just pose the question some time if you're interested?

frk. kaos said...

listening to it, I'm pretty sure she's doing the background vocals on diamonds at least.

PC said...

Yes, please do pose the question - I'd love to get in touch with anyone who was in the LDs :-)

Anonymous said...

Those lyrics quoted are superb - am d/l to catch the music.

Thanks,

J King

frk. kaos said...

Hey, the story goes like this, (it's been a while since I asked my mom, so I don't really guarantee that this is absolutely correct)
My mother, Bitten Forsudd, playing the tuba with incredible lungcapasity, Michael krohn, and the girl doing the vocals started The Love Deniers, but before they really did anything for real the girl on vocals went to London to go to School, alas, no more Love Deniers..