Shadow Of Fear

Gone But Not Forgotten – British Electro Pioneers CABARET VOLTAIRE

Posted on by JL

Great bands from the past

25 August 2023


On the cover of legendary British music weekly Sounds – 1984

CABARET VOLTAIRE (1973–1994, 2009–2021) were British pioneers
in all things techno/electro/dance/dark-post-punk-wave/acid-house.
They started as a trio with Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk, and
Chris Watson.

The latter already left in 1981 and Stephen Mallinder went his
own way in 1995. Fourteen years later, in 2009, Kirk revitalized
CV until his sudden death 2 years ago,
aged only 65.

Cabaret Voltaire released 14 LPs, and individually or collaborating
with other artists, all three musicians also recorded multiple albums.

1-2-3 great CV moments.

– NAG NAG NAG –
1979 single

– YASHAR –
From 1982 LP 2X45

– SENSORIA –
From 1984 LP Micro-Phonies

SHADOW OF FEAR

The formidable final album – 2020


.
CV: Bio – Discography

R.I.P. RICHARD H KIRK – Sole Original CABARET VOLTAIRE Musician Passed Away At 65

Posted on by JL

21 September 2021

RICHARD H. KIRK has passed away, he was only 65.

He was one of the 3 original musicians that formed the influential electro-industrial-post-punk-noise band CABARET VOLTAIRE from Sheffield, UK. They were active from 1973–1994 and from 2009 on it was Kirk alone who revitalised CB and released the excellent 2020 comeback LP Shadow Of Fear. Turn Up The Volume made it Album Of The Day
last November when the record came out.

It was his record label Mute Records that broke the news: “It is with great sadness that we confirm our great & dear friend, Richard H. Kirk has passed away. Richard was a towering creative genius who led a singular & driven path throughout his life & musical career. We will miss him so much. We ask that his family are given space.”

No cause of death was revealed.

In memory of a fabulous, adventurous and
visionary musician here’s the final Cabaret Voltaire LP
Shadow Of Fear…


.
CABARET VOLTAIRE: History – Discography

(image on top: cover of his 2014 titled Never Lose Your Shadow)

2020 Science-Fiction Soundtrack – New Album ‘SHADOW OF FEAR’ By CABARET VOLTAIRE

Posted on by JL

30 November 2020

Artist: CABARET VOLTAIRE (Sheffield)
Who: Originally a three-piece when CV formed in 1973.
Now a one-man-band with founding member Richard H. Kirk.

Album: SHADOW OF FEAR – 14th LP – first in 26 years
Released: 20 November 2020

The Guardian wrote: “The first Cabaret Voltaire album in more than two decades feels oddly of the moment, their grim presentiments about disinformation, curfews and crackdowns fulfilled… ‘Shadow of Fear’ makes few concessions to user-friendliness – it’s far heavier-going than the last albums the original Cabaret Voltaire made – and for every listener who finds it a powerful, cathartic reflection of the times, there’s bound to be one who feels it’s the last thing they want to hear at the moment, life being what it is… What it does, and does successfully, might be the hardest thing for a reformed band to pull off: it adds to their catalogue, rather than detracts from it.” Full review here. Score 4/5.

Richard H Kirk: “You can’t beat a good drone.”

Turn Up The Volume: ‘Shadow Of A Doubt‘ is the ultimate soundtrack for a 2001 Space Odyssey remake starring The Terminator on his last mission ever, destroying Earth, while Cabaret Voltaire‘s new multi-layered-electro-scapes blast out of the cinema speakers.

A spine-chilling mix of ominous beats, capricious bleeps, nightmarish reverberations,
and creepy voices. But, hey wait, I was tapping my feet all the way, for about an hour. That’s what Cabaret Voltaire always managed to do, making you feel lively and move in mysterious ways to their obscure and science-fiction-like symphonies while Doomsday looms at the end of the horizon. Can’t think of a better sonic score for this surreal year. Perfect timing for a comeback!

Stream Shadow Of Fear here…

.
CABARET VOLTAIRE: Facebook