Description
PLX 15 – SHORT PROCESS (1987)
Synth band from Bodø. The beginnings of PLX 15 can be traced back to 1983, when Jon Hveding and Langmo played instrumental synthpop on simple and cheap equipment under the name SRD. This duo recorded a three-track demo that was later included on the compilation cassette BLA-BLA. Both Hveding and Langmo sang and played synth, in addition the former also played guitar on selected parts. As a classically trained man, he had played cello in the Bodø Orchestra Association. Langmo was self-taught. The duo was inspired by Kraftwerk and Logic System. Characteristic of the band's sound was a cheap Casio synth named Harald. This could not be programmed, but came with ready-made rhythm programs. The characteristic rhythm that was used on several songs was not actually one of the pre-programmed rhythms, but arose when the rhythm button was in the middle of two settings. In the fall of '83, Hveding and Langmo began playing more experimental music under the name De Pravity (Et Bein). De Pravity participated in the compilation cassette Untitled with the noise composition "Data Kick I - IV", a reviewer in the fanzine Absolute Musique #2/85 called De Pravity "a band that finds it extremely pleasant to play with the pitch control on the record player ... why should everything be so slow!" After this, they changed their name, and in early 1985 they took the band name they would keep: PLX 15. PLX 15 has been described as early techno. Today, the combination of simple, fast rhythms and simple melodies would probably bring to mind chipcore. The band has also been referred to as synthpunk, probably both because of the band members' connection to the punk scene and because of the punk attitude towards music. There was no question of sounding professional or making music a career, it sounded messy and simple. At this time, the book café Låven was the most important gathering place for Bodø's alternative music scene, and until it closed in the summer of '86, PLX 15 was the closest place to a house band. They also participated in Låven's farewell concert in June '86. The most notable thing about this concert was the intro tape, which was the piercing sound of a rubber-less windshield wiper rubbing against a windshield. PLX 15 has never been a career for those involved, so in the fall of '86 the band took a break, but in February '87 Hveding and Langmo got back together and recorded the recordings that became the cassette Kort Prosess. This was put together and released by Hveding and copied by Tore Stemland's Requiem Productions in 1987. "Amen" is also included here, now in a version with English lyrics and Norwegian simultaneous translation. The cassette came out on the eve of the Norwegian cassette wave, but sold relatively well, and also received quite good reviews, even though the recordings were made on simple equipment. Both Nye Takter, Folk og Røvere and Absolute Musique highlighted the group's humor, the latter summing up: "If you're tired of self-important and pretentious music, this cassette will be a breath of fresh air." (Thanks to Tore Stemland for borrowing the text from Rockheim's pages)
1 Untitled
2 Take the Life of a Dream
3 The Strong
4 The Most Naive Song
5 Amen
6 Nature kick
7 The train journey
8 Ode To A Dear Friend (Cure On Kvaløya)
9 PPRSST!!
10 Hippies & Other Things That Didn't Work
11 Midnight's Child (The Pønkelaata)
12 My Suppressed Love (?)