Releases:

• 808 State US "Outpost Transmission" album on Shadow Records and distribution in German-speaking market by Zomba, and Spanish market by Play It Again Sam.
• Toolshed "Toolshed EP", "Love In Outer Space Live" on Twisted Nerve Jukebox 45 Single 7 inch, "Nananananaanaa" on "Safety in Numbers" compilation.
• Biting Tongues "Recharge" (Quadrastate session), "Compressed" (The Factory Record years) and "After The Click" (Retrospective 1980-1989) CDs.
• 808 State "Fahita" (Internet only) plus about ten exclusive 808state.com download tracks (now totaling 30+).
• Black Smoke "Gimpo Gimpo" Kompressor mix by Andy Barker (Internet only).
• Aphex Twin "Flow Coma Remix by AFX" on "26 Mixes for Cash" CD.
• Crispy Ambulance "Step Up" Graham Massey remix on LTM label sampler "Black Music" of which initial copies contained the Crispy Ambulance CD "Atlantic Crossing".
• Homelife "Too Fast" EP.
• The Black Dog "Let's Talk Music" 808 state mix on "Genetically Modified" CD.

Live gigs:

• 808state in Sao Paulo.
• 808state in Benicassim (updated).
• 808state In The City (updated).
• Massonix @ ATP.
• Biting Tongues reunion gig.
• Homelife gigs.
• DJ sets

Sadly, for the first time in 14 years, neither 808state nor the 808state DJs are performing on New Year's Eve this year.

A big thanks to everyone who contributed to this site in one form or another, special thanks to John Ancodia (discogs & photos), Graham 808 (sounds & news), DJ Pete (gig reports & t-shirts) and Agent Nick (detective work plus bitingtongues.com & tool-shed.com).

A bit late, but well worth the wait: the best images of 808 State live @ In The City Manchester 2003, courtesy of 808's personal photographer, John 'Ancodia' McBride.

Please download and njoy the 11 minutes Long Organs version of YoYo. Merry Christmas everyone!

In today's sound stocking find an early demo version of Crossword.

Today it's an eight minute version of Suntower from 2000, then still known as Roundbum Mary. Find it in the sounds section.

It's been a while, but just in time for Christmas, it's exclusive track time again... we kick it off with an mp3 of 'Bartong Bridge' in the sounds section. Also now's the time to (re-) listen to Massey's xmas-mix (5.5 MB RealAudio download) which he did in 2000.

• 'Hear you soon part one' with exclusive 808state track 'Metaluna' finally hits the shelves on 12 January 2004. However 808 State fans will already be able to purchase from 5 January directly through Blue Bell Records. Payment will be possible through paypal.
• According to galaxy4.co.uk, 'Resistance Is Futile: Doctor Who Remixed' could be released as early as 25 January 2004.
• We don't usually mention every time 'Pacific' is featured on a compilation, but as one of our forum members noticed, the 1998 CD Classic Rave features Pacific b. This is it's only known appearance on the CD format, it was formerly only released on the b-side of the Pacific 7" single.
• Quincy's Lunch is included on the the Benicassim 2003 four-disc compilation.

If you haven't ordered your old skool 808state t-shirt yet, hurry - Pete now has only five left...

Graham Massey (as himself, not as 808state) has completed a remix for a Doctor Who remix album titled 'Resistance is Futile' (40th anniversary of the UK cult TV series). Graham did not yet know if the BBC had accepted his mix, but this looks highly likely now as it's appeared on a 3-track promo which was available at a Doctor Who fan convention. Details: The Master - 808 State Massey Mix (5:24). Release date is set for March 2004. Thanks to Nick for the news. Whilst on the subject of Graham, Agent Nick also found out that Massey did a cover version of Yellow Magic Orchestra's "Rydeen". It appears on the limited compilation "Meli Melo" (500 copies) that was given away free to visitors of the Alain Mikli boutiques stores in Japan. The cover version is not to be confused with the remixes Graham did of Rydeen.

Pete has produced an ultra-limited run of 20 old skool 808state t-shirts (Quadrastate era). Order now to guarantee delivery by Christmas!

Prebuild continues to go through contractual paperwork, but is still on target for early 2004 - we hope...

808 to headline Key 103 Outdoor Stage at In The City on Sunday 14 September at 9pm. Stevenson Square off Oldham St, Manchester. It's a free gig! If you're going to Manchester, don't forget there's also Toolshed Live the night before...

The most important 808-related recording between Outpost Transmission and Prebuild is released today. And it has to be said, for a change, this recording hits the shelves earlier than planned. We're talking about 'Recharge', the Biting Tongues album that was recorded during the same session as the classic 808 'Quadrastate'. Recharge never made it further than white-label (ultra-rare!), as the record label Cut Deep folded. LTM are now releasing it on CD for the first time, alongside 'Compressed' (The Factory Record years) and 'After The Click' (Retrospective 1980-1989). The latter has already been on sale for a while. Mail-order: UK: LTM & Opal, US: Darla. No discerning 808 State fan's collection is complete without at least the Recharge album...

Nick King has been working extremely hard to get something out in time for the release date, check out bitingtongues.com, thanks Nick! As with the Toolshed website, it's work in progress.

In celebration of the upcoming Toolshed gig and EP, Nick & Markus bring you the new Toolshed website. Check out the sounds section where you will find an exclusive live Toolshed cover version of 808 State's Paradan.

Full audio and video streams of the Spanish gig are available on the festival site. See the link in the Benicassim report.

Prebuild has been postponed until early 2004. This is due to sample clearance issues and Graham finding more unreleased Acid tunes from the Newbuild era. Two of them that won't make it onto Prebuild are covers of New Order's Blue Monday and Confusion, which Rephlex plans on releasing as a 12"!

Outpost Transmission seems to be slowly distributing it's way into Europe. In Spain through Play It Again Sam and in Germany through Zomba. Any confirmation on this or details on deals in other countries would be appreciated, as Circus won't let us know.

September should see the two Biting Tongues albums released as well as the Toolshed EP. Graham has finished producing the next Crispy Ambulance album, which should be released around October. The Toolshed album release has been postponed until later this year.

Mark reports that a DJ mash-up featuring Pacific is doing the rounds. Rogue Traders: 'State Of The Future' one-sided promo on 12" vinyl, Jump Da Shark Records, catalogue number JSR003.

It seems safe to announce 808 State are playing the Benicassim International Festival in Spain (8-10 Aug). Needless to say the State are playing on 8.08.2003.

In other live news the Biting Tongues gig in London was a huge success and there's a possibility they will form once more for a gig in Manchester coinciding with the release of the Tongues' further albums (September).

And finally, Graham Massey was joined by Graham Clark for an impromptu gig at the George Pub in Buxton on Friday night at which they apparently rocked the house.

If you're in London today, make sure you get down to the ICA (7 pm) for the one-off Crispy Ambulance & Biting Tongues gig. Both will debut new material, some of which has been specially written for this legendary event.

Out now through mail-order: Biting Tongues 'After The Click' Retrospective 1980-89. UK: LTM & Opal, US: Darla. Amongst the 16 tracks, this compilation includes one track off the "lost" Recharge album, which will be released in it's re-mastered glory in September. Recharge was recorded in the same sessions as Quadrastate... For more info, see the news item 06:May.

The fan mixes section has been updated with a tribute track to 808state and a reworking of Pacific.

Andy has covered 'Moments In Love' by The Art Of Noise for the tribute album 'The Abduction Of The Art Of Noise'. To be released by Iris Light Records in August. 808 State once did a remix of the track, but it remained unreleased (to the best of our knowledge).

Andy recently was No. 1 in DJ mag's Top Tunes To Download chart with Kompressor's remix of Gimpo Gimpo by Black Smoke.

On the subject, Nick has found out that Andy did a remix in 1996 for Nicely. The track Pineapple Rulisch (Andy Barker´s No Frills Mix) appeared on Hypnotrance 4 - The Intergalactic Trance Collection (Arcade). Presumably long deleted now.

It's back to the old skool again, 1989, Sprit Studios - Sunrise. Sounds section.

In celebration of the forthcoming Biting Tongues reunion gig, the 'After The Click' Retrospective album will be available through mail-order from 19 May (official release not until September). The 70 minute CD was compiled by Graham Massey. Pre-order now through LTM Publishing. There's an interesting interview with Graham on the LTM site too - see Biography. Details: Biting Tongues - After the Click (Retrospective 1980-89), LTMCD 2371. People closer to the US can order through Darla.

While you're ordering, also take note of the LTM label sampler 'Black Music', available from 12 May. The compilation features 'Love Out' by the Biting Tongues and finally the Massey remix of Crispy Amulance's Step Up! Initial copies of the CD contain a free 68 minute CD by Crispy Ambulance titled Atlantic Crossing featuring live performances from shows in Manchester and New York in November 2002. Details: Various - Black Music, LTMCD 2347 & Crispy Ambulance - Atlantic Crossing, LTMCD 2347/2.

Another essential site for more info on all of the above is The Crepuscule and Factory Pages by Frank Brinkhuis.

Thanks to our man in Brazil, Pete Zarustica, we've got a report of the 808 State live gig in Sao Paulo.

Pictures of Graham's ATP appearance last weekend now here. Thanks to Sidneyfat.

This month's unreleased archive track is a short 1989 acid version of 'Raindance' by Social Kaos. Download it from the sounds page (Various area). Massey's version is very different from the one that was released on their Freestyle EP (which Massey was also involved in).

The American version of the Outpost Transmission album is released today. The street date was reported back in January and doesn't seem to have slipped, well done Shadow Records! The Outpost Transmission page has been updated.

The Biting Tongues (Graham Massey's former band) have been confirmed as joining up with Crispy Ambulance on 29 May @ the ICA in London (box office details in this link). This will feature the original Biting Tongues line up:

Ken Hollings (Voice), Colin Seddon (Bass), Eddie Sherwood (Drums), Howard Walmsley (Sax),
Graham Massey (Guitar).

It's a rematch with the Crispys as they both played together only once before, and it was also at the ICA, on New Years Day 1981! The gig is strictly a one off to celebrate some back catalogue coming out. It will coincide with a Biting Tongues compilation on LTM covering 1980 to 1988. September will see a Factory Years collection, comprising the Factory EPs and Feverhouse LP. To top it off, 'Recharge' (the lost 1988 album) will get released.

On the subject, Crispy Ambulance 'Step Up' Graham Massey remix on Little Darla Has a Treat For You # 20 has been delayed until 6 May. Graham will be producing the next Crispy Ambulance album during June @ Testa Rossa.

Just one week to go until the Outpost Transmission CD is released in the US. Amazon US are offering a free download of the exclusive 808 track 'Fahita' (aka Fajita), which didn't make it onto the album. All you have to do is be a registered customer at amazon.com. Thanks to Mark for reporting this nice one.

808 State will *not* feature at the Snowbombing festival in Villars. Television pulled out, so there was no sponsorship left.

The press have announced 808 State supporting Oasis at Maine Road Stadium, current home of Manchester City. The gig is supposed to take place on 11 May after the final game in the stadium, before it is pulled down. Since 808 State themselves have not been contacted about it yet, it's obviously unconfirmed. Thanks to Pete for reporting this one.

Outpost Transmission US is now ready for pre-ordering through Amazon US. As a reminder, the US version features four different tracks compared to Outpost UK (three compared to Outpost Japan). The release date is 1 April. If you're in Europe, you might want import it through Amazon UK.

A limited amount of 808 State butterfly logo T-shirts by Pete are still available. He now accepts credit card payment through Paypal. Details are on the 808state.com t-shirt page. These are the last of the current look, the next run will be different.

Exclusive, unreleased track of the month: The Only Rhyme That Bites 1990 Square One Mix. Get it in the sounds section.

Releases:

• 03 March: Homelife 'Too Fast' 4 track EP on 12" vinyl (ZEN12126) and CD single ZENCDS126) through Ninjatune (no Massey involvement).
• 24 March: Aphex Twin '26 Mixes for Cash' featuring 808 State's Flow Coma uncredited as 'Remix by AFX'. The double CD set (WARPCD102) is available for preorder now at Warp.
• 25 March: Crispy Ambulance 'Step Up' Graham Massey remix on Little Darla Has a Treat For You # 20 through Darla. It appears that the Crispy US tour remix album remains unreleased.
• 31 March: The Black Dog & Black Sifichi remix album 'Genetically Modified' on CD, featuring "Let's Talk Music" (808 state mix). Available for ordering around 10 March through Hydrogen Dukebox.
• 31 March: Twisted Nerve Safety in Numbers, featuring Toolshed's Nananananaanaa (TN051, 12" vinyl & CD).
• 1 April: 808 State Outpost Transmission US release through Shadow records. Promotional copies should be around soon.

Live dates:

• 08 March: Homelife live, featuring Graham Massey, at the Barbican, London.

March is also the busiest month for birthdays: Carlos, Harvey, Markus, Andy Barker, Ian Peel, A Gillian S.

The Toolshed album news has now been confirmed by Graham & Twisted Nerve and it will be supported by an EP too. Here are the details of the upcoming releases due in July 2003 (TBC):

TN053 - TOOLSHED EP
Format: 12" Vinyl & CD
01. Pazuzu
02. Satellites Are Spinning
03. Marbles
04. Nananananaanaa (Studio version)
05. Gobots

TN054 - TOOLSHED LP
Format: Double 12" Vinyl & CD
01. Pazuzu
02. Nananananaanaa
03. Don kin Singh
04. Love In Outerspace
05. Mathmatica
06. Black Bean
07. Wok And Goblet
08. Urbaniak
09. Phibes Interlude
10. I Rooster
11. Doc Watts
12. Watusa
13. Argumenta
14. Sinequat
15. Nubaahn
16. Mahaladin

Judging by the excellent Twisted Nerve site, quite a bit is happening in Graham Massey's Toolshed land:

• The January seven inch single of the Jukebox 45 Singles Club (TN050/4, 7" vinyl) featured Toolshed's version of Love In Outerspace (live at Queen Elisabeth Hall, May 2002). As reported previously, this was only available to subscribers of the full twelve issues.
• Out now on promo and released on 31 March: Safety in Numbers, featuring Toolshed's Nananananaanaa (TN051, 12" vinyl & CD). Recorded live at Queen Elisabeth Hall, May 2002.
• The aforementioned is apparently taken from the debut Toolshed album(!), due out Summer 2003 (TN054, vinyl & CD)
• Also out now on promo: Twisted Nerve New Releases 2003 compilation CD including Toolshed's NananananaNaaNaa.

The only previous release of Toolshed was the Pazuzu / Don King Singh 7", released in 2000. You can still find it on the Internet (e.g. at Boomkat).

Polls: A new 'Favourite Album' poll has been created in the forum, including the possibility to vote for Outpost Transmission. The old album poll ran for 4 months, was viewed 616 times, clocked 41 votes (where were the other 100 registered forum users?) and 14 replies. It has now been closed and these are the results:

1. 90 (17 votes)
2. ex:el (7 votes)
3. Quadrastate, Don Solaris, Gorgeous (5 votes each)
6. Newbuild (2 votes)

So '90' was the favourite album by far. Plenty of people should be happy with this month's archive track then: Donkey Doctor (1989 Spirit Studios demo version). Download the mp3 in the sounds section as usual.

Please cast your votes in the new poll and remember the 'fave and least fave tracks on Outpost Transmission' polls are still open too.

Andrew Barker (under the guise of Kompressor) has remixed a track by Jimmy Cauty's new band Black Smoke. The track is called Gimpo Gimpo and a MP3 is downloadable from the Black Smoke website. It's unknown if Andy's remix will get a full release or if it's a promo only. There will also be a Guy Called Gerald mix. Thanks to Nick King for this piece of news.

Out now: 24 Hour Party People DVD. Unlike on the soundtrack, sadly 808 State are not featured here, not even in one of the 24 deleted scenes. Thanks to Solarex for confirming.

808 are playing the Skol Beats festival in Sao Paulo, Brazil on 26 April (30'000 capacity)!

The tracklisting for Outpost Transmission US has been confirmed, as listed previously.

The US deal has landed: 808 State's Outpost Transmission album will get a US release on Shadow Records, New York. Good news for US fans and others alike as the track listing differs from the UK release in four parts (meaning you have to buy both, haha). There's been a lot of pushing and shoving regarding it, but it's believed that this is the final listing and order (subject to change):

606
Chompsumwong
Wheatstraw
Lemonsoul
Suntower
Bent
Souflex
Crossword
Lungfoo
Quincy's Lunch
Dissadis
Doctors & Nurses
Brown Sauce
Long Orange (Testa)

So Boogieman, Roundbum, Slowboat and Yoyo have been replaced by live favourites 'Quincy', 'Doctors & Nurses' and new track 'Brown Sauce' as well as the TestaRossa version of 'Long Orange'. The release date could be as early as 1 April. Whether that's an April Fool is not known at this time.

808 look to be playing the Snowbombing festival in Villars, Switzerland at the end of March. Full confirmation and exact date to be announced.

Graham's 808 mix, broadcasted last Friday on xfm's The Rinse, is available here to download for a limited time only. Also included: The playlist and Massey interview (Graham nipped out of the pub for a phone interview). Special shoutouts to John McBride for recording and Nick King for Born in the North.

Black Dog 'Genetically Modified' remix album news. The good news: it will feature the 808state remix. The less good news: Release has been postponed to 31 March, the 808 mix will be edited down (how much can you cut off from a 5:47 mix?), the album doesn't seem to feature a mix by A Guy Called Gerald and the 808 mix is only on the CD.

A message to fans in the United States: Negotiations for a Outpost Transmission U.S. release are ongoing and hopefully some solid news to confirm the label will follow soon. It's pretty safe to say that the tracklisting will be different from the UK album.

After reviewing 2002, let's look what 2003 holds in stock:

On 10 February, NinjaTune releases a single by Homelife: 'Too Fast' on 12", CD single + DVD. This will be available through the NinjaTune shop.

There is going to be another Toolshed release on 7". It's part of Twisted Nerve's Jukebox 45 singles' club. It's a split single and features Toolshed's cover of Sun Ra's "Love in outer space", recorded live at Contact Theatre in Manchester last May. Unfortunately it will only be available to subscribers of the club (12 releases by various artists) and not individually.

The next Black Dog release is going to be a remix CD album entitled 'Genetically Modified' out 24 February. It will feature the 808 State mix of "Let's talk music", previously only available on vinyl. It should be available soon for pre-orders at Hydrogendukebox.

No more news about the Crispy Ambulance tour CD including Massey mixes, but it should get a release sometime this year through Darla.

No news on the release of Outpost Transmission in other countries, but hopefully there will be news soon on at least a US release. Incidentally, scans of the vinyl sleeve have been added to the Outpost Transmission page.

In April Graham Massey is playing at ATP UK2003 curated by Autechre. A Guy Called Gerald will also be there. 75% of the tickets have already been sold.

808state.com will continue to bring you exclusive demo tracks by 808 State. More tunes from the Spirit era coming at you soon. The discography section will get a long due overhaul. Some images of the 808 gig at Manchester Ascension have been added to the gig report. Thanks Debra.

808state have licenced an exclusive track 'Metaluna' to US label Blue Bell Records for the compilation CD 'Hear you soon'. Metaluna is taken from a 2000 Testa Rossa session. Release date unknown at this time.

Still reading? Kept the best for last: During 2001, Massey recovered 60 minutes of unreleased acid material from the '88 era. Richard James (Aphex Twin) loved it and so, through his Rephlex label, it is going to get released titled 'Prebuild'! The CD will include bonus material in the form of the Lounge Jays' "Massage-A-Rama" and "Sex Mechanic" (both for the first time on CD) as well as a recording from 808 State's first ever gig at the Boardwalk club in Manchester! Possibly it will be supported by a vinyl EP. Hopefully those unreleased Newbuild re-mixes (from 1999) by Graham, Gerald & Martin will finally see the light of day! Release date? Considering there has already been 18 months of work involved and the average delays of Newbuild, Opti buk and Outpost Transmission were six months, it could be Christmas 2003 before this labour of love is released. So I'll let you do the maths on when it is planned for.

In closing, after all this excitement, some rumour control: There is no track recorded with Ian Brown and no tour planned as it stands at the moment. However there are plans for an EP, which should have unreleased material on it.

To all the brand loyals - thanks for your continued support. As 2002 proved, it pays off to be patient. Sounds like it's going to be another good year for us 808state fans. Happy New Year!

Markus