Clock Dva - Thirst (CD) (UK Import)

Adi Newton formed the first line up of Clock DVA in 1978, after his departure from The Future together with Judd Turner (ex-Block Opposite) but soon expanded the group. The term 'DVA,' was inspired by Anthony Burgess' satirical science fiction novel, 'A Clockwork Orange.').
Originally focusing on experimental music inspired by SF and the occult and later reflecting the burgeoning industrial and electronic music that had begun seeping into underground music scenes on both sides of the Atlantic. After a handful of privately produced cassettes (most of which have since been collected in the 'Horology' boxed sets) the band released what they would call their first proper album on Cassette via Throbbing Gristle's label.
'White Souls In Black Suits' features Adi Newton (vocals, violin, EMS Synthi E, tapes), Steven James "Judd" Turner (bass, vocals, treatments, rhythm machine), and the original guitarist David J. Hammond (guitar, treatments). Two additional musicians had been added to the line up; Roger Quail (drums) and Charlie Collins (saxophones, flute, and percussion). The first formalised DVA line-up also featured Simon Mark Elliot-Kemp on synthesiser who had already left by then.

In 1981 David J Hammond left and guitarist Paul Widger joined. The following album, 'Thirst' was produced by Ken Thomas and released through the independent record label Fetish (and was cited by the Journalist Paul Morley as one of the great albums of the 80's). After 'Thirst', Newton & Turner decided to take Clock DVA into another direction and parted company with Qual, Collins and Widger, who consequently formed the group The Box. Tragedy struck then with the death of co-founder Steven James Turner.
By 1983, with Newton as the only remaining original member aided by John Valentine Carruthers (guitar), Paul Browse (saxophone), Dean Dennis (bass) and Nick Sanderson (drums). A brace of singles then preceded 'Advantage', their album for Polydor Records. After the accompanying tour Carruthers and Sanderson departed, leaving Clock DVA to continue as a trio.
Although it would be five years before another Clock DVA album, Newton remained busy with his audio visual conceptual project The Anti Group (TAGC) which researched and developed ambisonics and psychoacoustics through experimental uses of frequencies and ambient acousmatic sound pieces, alongside visual and conceptual text pieces. The album, 'The Delivery' (a live recorded soundtrack album for a TAGC 16 mm film) a series of EP's and the acclaimed ambisonic album 'Digitaria' plus the pioneering 'Meontological Research Recordings ' were released.

In 1988 'Buried Dreams' was recorded, utilising the first digital sampling synthesisers and computer sequencing which Newton had been experimenting with in TAGC, released in 1989 by Interfisch, and often hailed as the group's masterpiece. By the time of 1991's live mini album 'Transitional Voices', Browse had left to form and been replaced by Robert E. Baker.

Source: Discogs