CENTRAL SLATE RECORDS

CENTRAL SLATE DISCOGRAPHY (1985 - 1993)

SLATE 01 CUT TUNES - Shapeshake (3-track black vinyl 12" EP) 1985
The first release from the enigmatic Gary Cut's long-running group who, even at this time, had been a fixture of the local live scene for around four years. By the time of recording this E.P., the group had already been through several line-up changes and by now included all three future members of ECTOGRAM, with Maeyc on guitar, Ann on saxaphone and Alan on violin and trumpet.
Shapeshake / L'lmmamou D'Amour / Panther Bosale

SLATE 02 THIRD SPAIN - Third Spain (7-track black vinyl mini-LP) 1985
The only official release from North Wales' legendary architectonic pre-grunge guitar assassins, comprising their earliest material, much featured on Andy Kershaw's show at the time (before he discovered 'world music' !) The group include Macyc and Alan from ECTOGRAM (and were 'managed' by Ann):
Splendid View / Haywire / In The Twilight / Wave / September / Australians / Winter

SLATE 03 MYSTERY ITEM (various formats) various times
many different items had this serial number, including "The Light and Dark of STEPHEN DAVIES" cassette, FFLAPS' "Girl with fish" t-shirt, "Hen Wlad Y Lladd-Dai" compilation cassette (featuring the first appearance of Rheinallt H. Rowlands), "Alan Holmes Sings Lesser-Known Hits Of The Archies" and others)

SLATE 04 REINHEITSGEBOT - From Autumn to Winter (90-minute cassette) 1987
Retrospective compilation containing all the studio recordings made between December 1984 and May 1985 of Bangor's gently chiming wizards of wistfulness and Nabobs of Namby-Pambiness (whose members included Maeyc and Alan of ECTOGRAM).:
Linda Says / Winter's Warmth / Wrong Side Of The River / Sunday Sunday / Autumn / Help Eleanor Come Home / One Apart / 1000 Different Things / Cry Again / Cheer Up / In The Morning (1) / Summer / Still Not There / Waiting For Daybreak / Sunset Sky Quicksand / In The Morning (2) / It's Only Fortune / Splendid View / Sad Angel / Words Don't Know / Winter / Tune 23

SLATE 05 THE LUNGS - Bloody Hell, it's The Lungs ! (cassette) 1988
Seminally Lo-Fi home recordings of Alan and Maeyc's late '80s "thrash-skiffle / psycho-country fusion" group. A rare opportunity to experience Alan's "singing".
Stalagmiteman / The Orange / Scumbag / Oleoleo / Raising Cain / In The Capital / Derek V12 / Hey Peter ! / Bang !

SLATE 06 THE LUNGS - Bloody Hell, it's 1988 ! (calendar) 1988
Featuring 366 reasons for a party and 12 self portraits of the group (mainly by Maeyc, with a couple by Alan), otherwise of limited appeal in a post-1988 world.

SLATE 07 VARIOUS ARTISTS - Burning Down The Chapels (cassette) 1988
Compilation featuring much of the cream of the Welsh underground of the time including several tracks featuring the future members of ECTOGRAM as well as three exclusive tracks by the legendary DATBLYGU. The two songs by RADIO 23 are the only availabe recordings of Maeyc's pre-ECTOGRAM group. Serves as an enlightening insight into the roots of "Cool Cymru":
DATBLYGU - Ynrwsgwrs (Fersiwn) / THE LUNGS - The Day James Cagney Died / CRISIALAU PLASTIC - Pryfaid / CUT TUNES - Still A Problem / FFLAPS - Chwildroi'n Garn / RADIO 23 - It / A.P.V. - Could You Care ? / THE LUNGS - Tra La La / DATBLYGU - Brechdanau Tywod # 2 / TRADDODIAD OFNUS - Hunangofiant / CUT TUNES - Godwar / A.P.V. Tell Me Something / CRISIALAU PLASTIC - Sbu-U / DATBLYGU Brechdanau Tywod # 3 / FFLAPS - Pethau Piws / THE LUNGS - Stalagmiteman / CRUMBLOWERS - Cysgu / RADIO 23 - A Remarkable Dance / EMILY - Really Mad Dogs

SLATE 08 FFLAPS - Y Dyn Blin / Dilyn Dylan (Video) 1988
Very limited promo 2-track video from seminal Welsh combo which featured future ECTOGRAMERS Ann and Alan. 2 songs from their debut L.P. on Probe Plus records, Dilyn Dylan was an S4C live TV appearance which featured ECTOGRAM's Maeyc as guest 2nd guitarist, whilst Y Dyn Blin was a video shot in the derelict ruins of Anglesey's notorious haunted manor house at Baron Hill.

SLATE 09 POP NEGATIF WASTAD - Pop Negatif Wastad (black vinyl mini-LP) 1989
The sole release from pioneering electronic duo (who included a former Eastenders star !), featuring that rarest of things, a Welsh language Big Black cover ! (and a FFA COFFI PAWB cover):
Valium / Pop Negatif Wastad / Kerosene / lawn / Pop Negatif / 'Helo Rhywbeth Newydd"

SLATE 10 CUT TUNES - Strange Drum (black vinyl mini-LP) 1989
Second vinyl release and approximately 47th line-up from Bangor's least categorizable art-rockers. A move away from the avant-garde towards Bunnymen-style epicness. By this time, the group no longer featured any future members of ECTOGRAM.
Radiate / Warm Red Dream / Juggernaut / Eat The Dog / Crick Crack / Deadlands

SLATE 11 CUT TUNES - Pobl Y Nadroedd (cassette) 1991
A move towards contemporary electronic sounds and the first Welsh language release from Gary Cut's perennially fluctuating combo:
Pobl Y Nadroedd / Ffatri Gwyfyn / Duw 0 Garreg / Rhyddid

SLATE 12 FFLAPS - Fflaps (3rd album) (black vinyl LP) 1992
Final and best LP from Wales' semi-unpopular noise terrorists. Largely ignored at the time due to the original group disintergrating, during the following promotional tour of mainland Europe. The remains of the group slowly metamorphosed over the next 2 years into ECTOGRAM:
Hwn Yw Hon / Hyll Eto / Nith Y Gwlithlaw / Crebachu / Rhowch Hi I'r Beigwyr / Cestyll A Llwch / Greddf Pioden Gwern / Saith / Arwyr Duwiol / Gadael Y Dail / Cariad Yn Y Beudy

SLATE 13 RHEINALLT H ROWLANDS - 13 Mlynnedd DAT 1993
Ltd Edition DAT (one copy) in presentation box of 3 Joy Division covers broadcast as a radio session on the wonderful Nia Mellville programme on Radio Cymru:
Degaudau (Decades) / Awyrgylch (Atmosphere) / Gwawr Newydd Yn Cilio (New Dawn Fades)

SLATE 14 RHEINALLT H ROWLANDS - Hen Daid Bran a Straeon Eraill (cassette) 1993
Debut album from from Wales' highly acclaimed answer to Scott Walker. Contains the original of "Pethau", later to be covered by Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and a Welsh language version of The Lungs' classic 'Tra La La' (Y Dre Chwarel). Reissued by ANKSTMUSIK on CD in 1998, but with 3 less tracks ! Hendaid Bran / Bore Fel Miloedd Eraill / Marwnad 1: Mae '0' Wedi Mynd / Ethiopia Newydd / Pob Un Gair / Pethau / Charles Bukowski / Un Nos Yn 'Little Venice' / Y Dre Chwarel / Simone / Yakub Beg / Hendaid Bran: Atbreis

SLATE 15 THE BLAND VELVET UNDERGROUND - V.U. Dance Party '93 (cassette) 1993
A satirical comment on both the proliferation of 'tribute' bands and on the largely embarassing 1993 Velvet Underground reunion. A 45 min. blanded out interpretation of the V.U.'s first album in one non-stop disco medley - You know the track listing.