Futurisk

FUTURISK was a pioneering electro-punk group that recorded and performed in the pre-midi era of the early '80's. They had two vinyl releases that sold out, a legendary live show and some videos, but for a number of reasons by 1984 Futurisk was history. Eventually the main core of Futurisk would be the Kolosine/Hess/Howard line up, but in '79 when a teenage Jeremy Kolosinewon studio time & money in a competition with his drum-machine triggered guitar-synth act called 'Clark Humphrey & Futurisk', he decided to form a band around the name to record a more punk release "The Sound of Futurism 1980/Army Now". It was an ambivalent anti-war anthem, with Jack Howard on drums, Frank Lardino on synth and Kolosine on vocals and guitar synth. Many live shows ensued with the line up adding Jeff Marcus on bass and Vinnie Scrimenti on drums, but in '81 a rift with the band and Kolosine caused him to part ways with them. They continued for a bit as Radio Berlin(no relation to the Vancouver act)and Kolosine, who had gotten absorbed in a new synth/sequencer continued as Futurisk.
He recruited synthesist/recordist Richard Hess who had a myriad collection of Moogs, Oberhieims and KATs,etc. Jack Howard returned on drums and syn-drums and the line up for the "Player Piano EP" was cast. The EP, like the live show, was a strange blend of punk/minimalist/disco influenced electro pop, with drum-machine triggered synths and often frantic real drums all led by Kolosine's schizophrenic Bowie/Ferry/Foxx adulations (and about 20 seconds of punk-funk guitar). It was recorded by Rich and the band in the rooms of Ron K's house.The drum sound, gotten in a bathroom, rocks, even today. Reportedly, Futurisk may have been the 1st synth-punk band in the American South...or something, and 1981's track 'Push Me Pull You (pt. 2)' was an early pre-'Rockit' excursion into electro-funk.
In 2003 LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy gave a complimentary wink to Futurisk by using the track on the delightful Colette 5 DFA Comp CD. In 2007 an unreleased 1982 version of the track "Meteoright" was included on Minimal Wave's "Found Tapes" vinyl LP. Currently, a 30th Anniversary vinyl release of rare Futurisk tracks is being compiled, and is slated for late 2009 release. Stay tuned for details.
FUTURISK Videos 1982: