DIY passion, artistic discovery, and the power of community. This is a story of the kind friendly networking that typified the cassette scene and it shines through in this episode.
We dive into the fascinating history of the ND fanzine and influential label, founded by Daniel Plunkett in Austin, Texas.
ND became a hub for the international mail art and cassette culture scenes, connecting artists from around the world through its fanzine, events, cassette, vinyl and CD releases.
Through his early correspondence with artist, Phillip Johnson in the UK, Dan got backstage to hang out with Mark E. Smith and The Fall. Moving on to becoming a stop over for European artists looking for a local Texas gig, he promoted performances by artists like Bee Queen/Frans de Waard and staged “Undercurrents” a Mail Art exhibition at the Mexi-Arte Museum (https://mexic-artemuseum.org/).
The ND label published releases by Jeff Greinke, PBK, Vidna Obmana, Maeror Tri, Alio Die among others.
N D 11 was a project which featured work filmed and submitted from 1986 to 1991. Michael Northam mastered and edited the material in Bloomington IN Sept 1991. Included material originally sent and shown at Mexic-Arte Museum in October 1988.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIjpg9a1IuU
Dan now runs the End Of An Ear record store in Austin, Texasand goes out of his way to stock significant obscure recordings even if he knows they won’t sell in large numbers.
Episode hosted by Martin Franklin
Theme music: ”This Is Concrete” The Happy Citizen
VIDEO
You can find video of some of the fanzines and cassette releases we discuss in this episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CassetteCulturePodcast
Music
Phillip Johnson “Helmetpoofy” 0714, Year Zero Records
Phillip Johnson Tracks from “Heartache’s Worst Assistants Versus the Genius With the Secret of Making Gold Into Dynamite!”. Year Zero Records
ND 7 “Performance In A Staircase” Haupunkt Fix (Cassette Issue)
ND11 Lon Speigelman, Lon Spiegelman (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
ND7 “Psychotic” Die Form (Cassette Issue)
Maeror Tri “Desiderium” Myein ND CD008
Now available from Infinite Fog Productions
Jeff Grienke – ND Fragment 01
Links
End Of An Ear
(https://endofanear.com/)
Year Zero Records/Phillip Johnson
(https://year-zero-records.blogspot.com/p/ohilip-johnson.html)
Infinite Fog Productions
(https://infinitefog.bandcamp.com/)
“Premonitions: Underground Cassette Network 1989-90” SoundImage Tapes cassette reissue, Infinite Expanse, 2024
https://infiniteexpanse.bandcamp.com
Podcast produced by Martin Franklin for East Coast Studio (https://eastcoaststudio.com.au/)
Related Episodes
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like:
Underground Zines and the Hunt for Lost Music Frans de Waard on the history of the Vital fanzine and his Korm Plastics label. The international web of connections that tied the cassette underground together.
Inside the Zine: Copy This Cassette with Blake Werts D. Blake Werts on the surprising story of how he discovered the cassette underground and launched Copy This Cassette, the fanzine dedicated to keeping it alive.
Post-Punk Publishing, with Attrition and Adventures In Reality Martin Bowes of Attrition and Alan Rider of Adventures In Reality on handmade zines, the cassette underground, and the DIY spirit that connected the Industrial generation.