Cuttings

STOCKHOLM MONSTERS: National Pastime  ( Factory ) Dark, doomy, depressing ... just a few of the qualities the Stockholm Monsters do not possess, further emphasising just how inaccurate most peoples’ idea of Factory Records has become. The Stockholm Monsters always put me in mind of The Move before they discovered heavy metal, all regency horns and rushing drums. The indulgences that the sales of ‘Blue Monday’ allowed Factory to make in tolerating their less successful acts are looking to have been worthwhile.

DAY JOBS FOR MONSTERS! THE STOCKHOLM MONSTERS Alma Mater ( Factory) IT HAS been a Factory tradition for a long time to leave the names of the players off the record jackets. Perhaps with bands such as Joy Division or New Order this was an admirable step towards the exorcism of ego. In the case of The Stockholm Monsters, the tradition serves another purpose. It may save a few private lives from eternal embarrassment. After several forced plays, hours of positive thinking, a couple of cold baths and even alcohol, this LP still seems to me to be close to the worst thing I’ve ever heard. I've been curious about this for ages, thinking occasionally over the years about what the 'close to the worst thing I’ll ever hear’ might sound like. Well, to begin, each three minute song starts to wind with a long and meaningless introduction where the timid plucking of an acoustic guitar, a lustreless bass in serious need of a tuner and a childish synth melody are towed mercilessly a...