Love & Rockets – My Dark Twin – 2CD Encore Records Ltd

Forming in 1985 after the first split of their band Bauhaus, LOVE AND ROCKETS is the seminal, groundbreaking trio of Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. Love and Rockets provided a clean slate and an opportunity to plumb the depths of imagination and influences.

My Dark Twin is a 22 track double cd compilation tracing the journey to Sweet F.A. The release contains eight previously unreleased versions and six unreleased songs from the Sweet F.A. sessions. It also contains a booklet with new comments from the band about the recordings and notes from historian Andrew Brooksbank.

The band began recording the follow-up to Hot Trip To Heaven at San Francisco’s Coast Recorders with Andy Taub at the helm. These initial sessions proved fruitful and produced many quality recordings. Despite these very promising tracks, it was determined by all that the essential spark wasn’t quite there. Rick Rubin suggested a new studio and a new producer. John Fryer came on board and took Andy Taub’s recordings to Chipping Norton studios and deconstructed them, adding an “English” edge to the Coast recordings. The band also recorded some additional, but ultimately unused tracks at Chipping Norton including a spontaneous improvised cover of the beloved Mink DeVille’s classic ’77 hit “Spanish Stroll”. The band brought these tracks back to California when they were offered full use of Rick Rubin’s haunted 1919 Laurel Canyon mansion as a base in which to stay and rehearse with the intention of ideally coming up with more material that American Recordings felt was needed in order to complete the record.

A couple of inspired new tracks were recorded on Kevin’s portable DAT machine, and acting on instinct, he thankfully he took them home with him on the night that a massive fire broke out. They lost all of their gear and nearly lost their lives as well. After the fire, the band checked into Jive in Silver Lake with producer Paul Wallfisch – Jive as basically Paul’s black widow infested garage!

“Shelf Life” is David J’s direct retort to the delivery of news that MCA would not be picking up the option on his solo contract. Bruce Kaphan (American Music Club) lends a hand on this track with his extraordinary pedal steel.

“Ritual Radio” was an improvised rehearsal room jam – a spooky 18 minute piece.

“U. O. ME.” is a spontaneous, improvised jam between Love and Rockets and Genesis P. Orridge (also very spooky!) Though it is raw, rough and unrehearsed, and not a studio-quality recording, the compilers thought it was important to include. (The original infamous Gristleizer’s last stand!)

“California (Have A Nice Apocalypse!)” has a few guest musicians that apparently just happened to be hanging out in the studio, including Chuck Prophet on guitar, Bruce Kaphan (American Music Club) on pedal steel and Steve Carter on piano. It was recorded in a single take at the end of a very long and productive day.

“Sweet F.A.” was inspired by one of Daniel’s many motorcycle journeys and on one occasion brought a guitar with him, and he said “I was in a lonely place at the time and that melancholic lyric was written in a motel room”

“Spanish Stroll” is a spontaneous, loose cover version of the 1977 Mink DeVille classic, taped on an old boombox. Kevin employing a knife and fork and empty wine bottles as percussion with David on wheezing harmonium plus backing vocals. Daniel plays guitar and sings lead vocals.