Moments of Terror [A Tale of Clock DVA 1977-1983]

LIFE BEFORE CLOCK DVA

Adi Newton had been involved with 2 groups prior to forming Clock DVA [pronounced de-vey]. He first appeared in a group called “The Studs” who were: Adi [gtr], Martyn Ware [gtr], Glen Gregory [bs/vocs] and Hadyn Boyes-Weston [dms]. Furthermore Adi asked all of ‘Cabaret Voltaire’ to perform with him at The Studs’ first gig supporting ‘The Drones’ at Sheffield Art College. They were in the audience and Adi didn’t think the rest of the band would turn up! In the end they did and all seven ran through two numbers, one being the ‘Doctor Who’ theme, the other ‘Louie, Louie’, and the rest did ‘Vicious’. The plugs were pulled! The Studs then had a line-up change, Glen left and was replaced by Ian Marsh [synth]. Ian had previously played with ‘Musical Vomit’ who split up when the guitarist Paul Bower formed ‘2:3’. Hadyn also left The Studs to join 2:3 and was replaced by Paul Le Slonk [dms].

A second Studs gig was at a children’s party in the Students Union table-tennis room! Then in June ’77 Paul left, later to join ‘de tian’, and the group became a three piece and changed their name to ‘The Future’. The Future never performed live but lots of tapes were made. It lasted from June to October ’77 but Adi left before the end. A track recorded by ‘The Future’ but not featuring Adi called “Dancevision” eventually appeared on ‘The Human League’s ‘Holiday ’80’ EP. So far the only Future track to be released but it is hoped that a full album called ‘The Golden Hour of The Future’ can be released via the B.E.F.

After The Future, Martyn & Ian went on to become the nucleus of the original Human League. Meanwhile Adi had become involved with an experimental 5 piece called “Veer”. They performed one concert at the Hallamshire Hotel in Sheffield then disbanded. Adi then formed Clock DVA.

Jud’s history is a little less complicated only previously being in one group ‘Block Opposite’. The line up was Nigel Deme [vocs], Gary Marsden [gtr] & Jud [bs]. Like The Future they never gigged but made lots of tapes. Gary left and went on to form ‘I’m So Hollow’ while Jud of course was the second founder member of….

 

CLOCK DVA line up:1 (apx late ’77 – early ’78):

Adi Newton [vocs], Jud (also known as Veet) [bs, vocs, gtr], Graeme ? [synth], Simon Elliot Kemp [synth].

This line up never gigged but (you’ve guessed it) made tapes. A tape exists from this period entitled “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” which consists not surprisingly of ‘treated’ extracts from the soundtrack of the film of the same name. It lasts 30 minutes and is very strange listening, a totally non-musical bizarre sound collage. Weird and made more I should think for private listening than anything else. Also from around this time comes the group’s first demo tape. It begins with “Texas Mk2” which is the opening 3 1/2 minutes of the previous tape. A slightly altered version with an additional climax of noise and violence. Very effective, it serves as a perfect introduction to Clock DVA’s strange & unique music. As the last scream dies away a distorted throbbing bass emerges from the chaos, to which is added delicate synth textures. Adi’s vocal bouncing about on top, unfolding a strange nightmare tale. This track is called ‘Oedipus’. Then follows their version of The Ronettes’ ‘Then He Kissed Me’ with suitably altered lyric gender! Over a synth/bass version of the familiar tune Adi sings quite seriously “When we walked back home that night, he put a gun in his hand, he turned so slowly and looked at me, and then he shot me”….I’m not sure whether this is meant to be in any way tongue-in-cheek as it manages to sound very convincing and quite chilling. The next track is similar in structure to the 1st although with richer use of synth (something which is developed throughout). Adi’s vocal dominates but is hurried so as to be difficult to distinguish. The title remains a mystery as do the ones of the remaining two tracks. The next is more of a tease, a brief but beautiful 30 second instrumental. The final track is slow & gentle, the synths conjuring up a feeling of wide open space, with Adi’s subdued vocal half sung, half spoken, floating and drifting in and out like the tide.

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 2 (apx early ’78 – mid ’78):

Adi Newton [vocs], Jud [bs, voc, gtr], Simon Elliot-Kemp [synth], Joseph Hurst [synth].

A new line up which once again never performed live but as usual various tapes were made. The group recorded a second demo tape around the beginning of ’78. It is much stranger than the first and consists of 3 songs which blend into one another, almost like one long piece of music. It begins with ‘Le Viol’ and the emphasis is firmly on synths. Adi’s strange distorted vocals are submerged by a blanket of nightmare sounds. Sinister and threatening lyrics combine with harsh music to recreate the feeling of a brutal rape. This is one of the most frightening pieces I’ve ever heard and probably more so if you were a girl. ‘Mass’ the next cut by contrast is a barren instrumental, soothing and sad. The nearest to a vocal is occasional strange moaning and groaning noises. It could almost be a sequel to ‘Le Viol’, as it sounds like an aftermath to some horrific incident. This track eases gently into the next, ‘Artriel Viel Aruliel’ another instrumental with synths bubbling and unwinding themselves into battles….crashing and colliding, before joining in a musical journey into deep space. Finally coming to rest in some far corner of the galaxy. This whole 20 minute tape is recorded in strangely split stereo and is totally mind sweeping weirdness….brill.

 

 

A third demo tape was also recorded by this line up around May/June ’78. It consists of 4 songs followed by a film soundtrack. ‘For You’ begins the tape and it’s clear that a more normal song format is in evidence. In fact rather similar to the first demo tape with synth and bass textures and Adi’s voice well upfront in the mix. This time electronic percussion is in much greater use to add a ‘beat’ for the rest to build on. The difference here though is the songs have a lot more power and hard energy.

Just when ‘For You’ is slowing down and dying away the next track ‘1958’ increases the pace with frantic bass and strange swooping synths over an obscure, strong vocal from Adi. ‘Now Haag’ is even more impressive. As a maze of synths purr into action, slowly assembling a powerful and steady beat over which the voice totally dominates in chilling chant-like fashion. ‘Constructivists’ is one of the fastest moving pieces of all time. Beginning slow & eerie before an electronic pulse takes over with shrieking background noises and Adi’s chanting. Then a race begins as the percussion gets faster & faster before Jud’s bass furiously throbs away for an ‘all-join-in’ speed crazy dance into oblivion. The voice struggles to keep up and suddenly everything slows down and we’re left with the shrieking / swooping synths again and Adi’s voice chanting unknown phrases over and over again. But it’s only a pause for breath as the whole machinery begins again even faster than before!  The voice is lost to the endless roller coaster ride of synths for the insane. Literally breathtaking and stunning as it burns my mind away. Follow that! Well somehow they do with the brooding 10 minute ‘Genitals & Genesis’ surely the soundtrack to the film they were working on of the same title? It begins with a strangely slow voice before plodding over bleak industrial wastelands…with Adi’s heavy breathing setting the scene for disturbing lyrics torn out of a pervert’s diary, until he can take no more and he screams with all his might: ‘Fade Out! Fade Out!!’ as the song slowly slips back into the dark shadows from whence it came. Listen alone in the dark if you dare!

The first 4 songs on this tape were probably the tracks due to be released as an EP by Small Wonder Records in ’78. ‘Constructivists’ was definitely one of them but sadly the EP never materialised. However 2 tracks from this period did surface in ’81 on the French Bain Total “International Compilation 1” LP. The cuts were ‘1958’ (from the 3rd demo) and the mysterious ‘Otto M’ which by aural evidence was probably recorded around the time of ‘Le Viol’, and it makes you wonder how much other unheard gems there are lurking in the vaults of time…

 

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 3 (apx mid ’78 – July ’79):

Adi Newton [voice, tapes, synth], Jud [bass, voice, treatments], Simon Elliot-Kemp [synth, elec. perc.], David Hammond (aka ‘Tyme’) [gtr, treatments].

After Joseph Hurst left to become a founder member of ‘de tian’ the replacement was David Hammond. His heavily treated guitar sound signalled a new era for DVA. It was this line up that began performing live, playing roughly 10 gigs in as many months and earning them a steady reputation and following in and around the Sheffield area. Early gigs were chaotic, often totally improvised affairs usually with violent and aggressive conclusions. Their debut was supporting The Human League at Sheffield’s Limit Club in the summer. It was an aborted performance ending in destruction and resulting in them being banned from local venues.

DVA at the limit dva penthouse dva bar 2

In an attempt to overcome this they disguised themselves as The Tape, and it was under this name that a 4th demo tape was recorded. It is a very strange tape, again in quite baffling split stereo. It begins in quietness of ‘Time and the Female Mirror’ almost laid back but picking up some pace when the guitar enters bringing the song to a convincing if subdued climax. Then follows run throughs of ‘Edge’ (a retitled ‘For You’) and ‘1958’. Less urgent than their previous versions although just as effective with the guitar now battling away with everything else. The whole tape seems more like an experiment to fit in the guitar into the DVA wall of sound than anything else. The last two tracks confirm this. ‘Sexual Overture’ is a complete overhaul of ‘Le Viol’ and ‘Constructivists’ matches the menace of the original although the guitar can’t quite match the synth playing of the original.

After this recording the group concentrated on live appearances and new material. They also became involved in other activities like ‘Prior To Intercourse’, a performance art project with Berbor Raket with heavy involvement from Adi & Jud. There was also K.K.K. [Konstant Kreig Klan], a multi-media project incorporating P.T.I. and DVA. Also The Anti Group came about in ’79 with Adi, Jud, Berbor & Genesis P-Orridge plus Peter Christopherson. Nothing seems to have come of all these projects but a film started in ’78 called ‘Genitals & Genesis’ was still being worked on in ’81 but was never finished? P.T.I. did perform occasionally through ’79 – ’80 around DVA sets. As for music, in ’82 Temple Records (part of the Temple of Psychic Youth) were hoping to release recordings of The Anti Group….’Genitals & Genocide’? plus Prior To Intercourse: ‘Dark Excursions’, ‘Butcher, Baker, Windowpane’. As yet nothing has appeared.

Back to ’79 however and by the summer DVA had a powerful live set of stunning new material and were filling local venues. Also it was time for change once again….

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 4 (briefly July – Aug ’79):

Adi, Jud, Simon, David plus Roger Quail [drums & percussion].

Really just the addition of Roger with his debut at The Marples in Sheffield 17th July ’79. Although he had no doubt joined them some time earlier, his drumming added even more power to the group. It was in this form that they made their London debut on 4th August at The Final Solution event of the YMCA. They were recorded for possible use on a compilation LP of the event but it never appeared. Their set was 30 minutes of controlled energy showcasing new songs like ‘You’re Without Sound’, ‘No. 2’, ‘Brigade’ and ‘Moral War’ including a 100 mph version of ‘Time and the Female Mirror’. Their encore ‘Seven Day Cycle’ sounded suspiciously like an old Hawkwind B-side ‘7×7’.

Dva marples dva ymca

 

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 5 (Aug – Nov ’79):

Adi, Jud, Simon, David, Roger plus Charlie Collins [saxes].

Charlie’s earliest involvement was on a part-time basis having previously been in a local blues group Santa Fe. He also contributed to a demo tape recorded during this period at Cabaret Voltaire’s Western Works studio in October. It begins with a female voice describing a grey door then ‘No. 2’ begins as weird as ever with bouts of freeform synth before an incredible drum stamp. ‘Cage’ follows and is apparently the only track on which Charlie participates. It’s a hint of future development with Charlie’s horns trading off Adi’s violin textures. The final 2 tracks are ‘You’re Without Sound’ and ‘Brigade’ which are DVA classics now. Brilliantly executed and instantly accessible without loss of power, aggression or strangeness. Shortly after these tapes Simon left, briefly emerging in ’80 with a group called Frenchie. This left DVA without a synth player for the 1st time. While other groups had stuck to the synth trail, DVA had already moved on leaving a trail of highly original and inventive yet sadly unrecognized recordings.

 

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 6 (Nov ’79 – May ’80):

Adi, Jud, David, Roger, Charlie.

With Simon gone Charlie becomes a full member and makes his live debut at the Blitz Club in Sheffield on 18th December. Early ’80 sees the start of a busy year & a half with the very first release coming on the compilation EP of 4 Sheffield groups ‘1980: The First Fifteen Minutes’ [Neutron Records NT003]. DVA’s track is ‘Brigade’ from the Western Works demo (Oct ’79) although remixed by Adi.

They played a couple of gigs in Feb which helped promote this release, one in Sheffield & the other in Leeds with Throbbing Gristle which received good press. The Leeds concert was recorded by Industrial Records but not released. That night DVA unveiled new songs ‘4 Hours’, ‘Blue Tone’ and ‘My Allen Jones’ along with savage versions of old classics. Their wide ranging ideas shows on the gentle sounds of ‘Tone’ & the ultimate pop gem ‘4 Hours’ or the twisted fury of ‘Jones’. Charlie’s sax work enriches the feel of the music and fills in any gaps with free flowing splinters of sound. It gives an almost jazz-type hint to the songs. They end with ’15x’ another new piece – a lengthy improvisation which builds into a driving force of unstoppable power.

Industrial did plan to issue a cassette of DVA and the tape “White Souls In Black Suits” was recorded by this line up in early 1980. It was taken from 3 hours of improvisations, no overdubs at DVAtion studio. However interestingly an early DVA product list from ’80 advertises “Souls” c60 as containing 78/79 material. Also another tape is called ‘Deep Floor’ a c30 containing: Room, 2 Figures Through The Glass, Primal Erotisism, The Transfiguration of Memory by Liquid Pain and Anti-Chance. This was withdrawn and the tracks appear to be part of the eventual “souls” c60 although some disguising of titles I suspect?

In April a strange concert took place at The Blitz, DVA as a duo of Charlie & Roger. Then in London in May supporting the Cabs at the University saw Adi & Charlie improvising clarinet & sax. Later in the month DVA joined The Human League tour for a couple of dates. Then another compilation comes out, “Hicks From The Sticks” [Rockburgh ROC111] with a remixed version of ‘You’re Without Sound’.

Then David was ejected from the group for his unsociable habits which were apparently halting the band’s progress.

 

DVA blitz dva leeds DVA ULU

 

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 7 (May ’80 – May ’81):

Adi, Jud, Roger, Charlie & Paul Widger [gtr]

Paul Widger made his debut with DVA at the ICA, London 22nd June ’80 and support band were ‘They Must Be Russians’ who Paul had played with for a time and consequently he played in both bands that night! When the Russians split he was able to concentrate on DVA.

The ICA was one of three headlining London dates towards the end of June/July and squeezed inbetween was a gig at Sheffield’s City Hall Ballroom. All of which tied in nicely with the release of “Hicks From The Sticks” and good reviews continued.

dva ica dva city hall dva clarendon dva moonlight

 

Around this time a tape was released ‘Group Fragments’ a c30 on their own Dvation label containing: No. 2, Cage, You’re Without Sound, Le Viol, Formlessness and Prepared Piano. It is basically the remixed Western Works demo from Oct ’79. The remixes aren’t that different to the originals. Brigade is replaced by Le Viol from the ’78 demo presumably because it was available on the Neutron EP. I wonder why they didn’t substitute ‘You’re Without Sound’ as it is identical to the “Hicks” version. However the reason for substituting ‘Brigade’ may be that it was planned as a separate single with ‘Blue Tone’ on the B side for Neutron but this release never appeared probably lost in the transition to Fetish Records.

Another non-existent item was a flexi disc supposedly out of DVA’s ‘1958’ with a track by Die Form on the other side on the French Bain Total label. The track was used by B.T. on a compilation LP already mentioned.

August saw another strange concert in Sheffield, an improvised set, a performance from PTI and a short second set. Then in September they were high on the Futurama bill at Leeds where their set consisted of most of their eventual debut LP.

dva leadmill1 dva leadmill2

 

 

September also saw their first LP recorded in a week full of new material, an experimental piece ‘Impressions of African Winter’ and the improvised ‘Moments’. The rest of the year saw DVA keeping a low profile, only coming out for a December gig at the Art College in Sheffield. This was with the Cabs.

dva art college

Also towards the end of the year the cassette “White Souls In Black Suits” c60 finally appears on Industrial Records [IRC31]. Tracks are: Consent, Discontentment (2 versions), Still, Silent, Non, Relentless, Contradict, Film Soundtrack: Keyboards Assemble Themselves At Dawn, Anti-Chance. Various tracks seem to have got ‘lost’ on the way as originally ‘Piano Pain’ and ‘Auto-De-Fe (Action for the Faith)’ were intended to be on it. Plus an early track listing has ‘Ambient’ & ’15x’ in place of ‘Non’. What happened to those 2 is a mystery though perhaps ‘Ambient’ is just an early title of ‘Non’ and ’15x’ was probably too long to fit.

The album followed in January ’81 called ‘Thirst’ [Fetish FR2002] containing: Uncertain, Sensorium, White Cell, Piano Pain, Blue Tone, North Loop, 4 Hours, Moments, Impressions of African Winter. A brilliant and confident debut which received glowing reviews and massive music paper attention. Almost overnight they jumped from cult status to widespread acclaim they deserved. They played live at the Fetish [Nite Out] in February tearing through a short set of half ‘Thirst’ songs and half new ones. Beginning with ‘The Opening’ which is just that building into a rich, hypnotic ever changing breath of life. A warm-up piece which threatens to steal the show. ‘North Loop’, ‘Sensorium’ & ‘White Cell’ followed at breakneck speed, then another new song ‘Felt’ hinting of freedom with a racing beat smothered by magnificent guitar. ‘Remain Remain’ another newie was heading towards funk, dominated by sax. ‘Piano Pain’ & ‘4 Hours’ followed at 100 mph and finally they end with ‘No One Hears’ another catchy fast-funk number. The whole event was recorded & video-ed by Fetish and has been made available by Doublevision recently.

 

 

Fetish Nite Out 1981 London Heaven 30.03.81 DVA April 1981

The next gig was in London supporting Bauhaus at Heaven in March. April saw a rare hometown gig at The Limit then 2 supporting dates on the Killing Joke tour. A couple of low key gigs in Liverpool for May and what became their last concert at Leeds Fan Club May 7th. By now there were 6 new songs in the set and only 3 remained from ‘Thirst’. There was also ‘This is Devotion’ a piece of tenderness with floating saxophone and ‘Don’t Listen To Mother’ in the fast and funky style similar to ‘No One Hears’. The group split up shortly after on 8th May with Adi & Jud continuing as DVA and trying something different (see later). The other 3 became the nucleus of The Box.

Meanwhile various pieces from this period continued to appear or not appear! May 23rd was the release date of a single remixed from the album, ‘4 Hours’ / ‘Sensorium’ [Fetish FET008]. An unreleased alternative mix is supposed to exist with more echo plus a US discomix 12″ which was never released. ‘Remain Remain’ was to have appeared on 23rd July on Fetish but again never happened. Two old ’78 tracks did appear on ‘Compilation Internationale No.1’, a French release from around Autumn ’81 containing ‘1958’ and ‘Otto M’ [see line up: 2].

In late ’81 a 12″ EP was supposed to be released on Fetish with ‘Piano Pain’, ‘4 Hours’ & ‘No One Hears’ recorded live at the Lyceum in Feb ’81 but likewise this too has vanished. In early ’82, Expanded Music, an Italian label, re-released “White Souls” as a vinyl LP for the first time. Finally, in ’83 Fetish released ‘The Last Testament’ LP [FR2011] which had 2 live tracks ‘Remain Remain’ & ‘The Opening’ plus music from other Fetishes.

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 8 (May-June ’81):

Adi [vocs], Jud [bs], John Carruthers [gtr], Paul Browse [sax].

Adi & Jud wasted no time in getting a new group together. This line up played a 20 minute set at Brighton Poly the next day after the split of the old DVA. They used a drum machine for that occasion. The two new members had previously been in a Sheffield band called ‘The Corridor’.

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 9 (June-Aug ’81):

Adi, Jud, John, Paul with David Palmer [dms].

By June a new drummer was added but little else was heard of this line up. No more gigs came about as DVA retreated into their shell and their silence stirred many rumours. The first shocking fact that emerged was Jud’s departure of his own free will to form a new group with two girl singers and then the tragic news that Steven J. Turner had died on Wednesday 26th August, a sad end to a young life. He will not be forgotten.

Jud DVA 1981 line up with Dave Palmer

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 10 (mid ’81 – late ’81):

Adi [voice, trumpet], Jon Valentine Carruthers [gtr, treatments], Paul Browse [alto & tenor sax], David James Palmer percussion], Shaun Ward [bs], Mike Ward [saxes, flutes & piccolo].

With Jud gone it seemed like the end of DVA. Throughout all the change of the past 3 1/2 years the original founder members Adi & Jud had remained constant. Somehow it could never be the same group again. Not surprisingly DVA seemed to vanish without trace. However, by the end of ’81 a new line up had been assembled and a new demo tape recorded plus of all things a contract with Polydor Records….strange days indeed. The new line up didn’t prove to be very permanent as Palmer left to join ABC.

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 11 (late ’81):

Adi, Jon, Paul, Shaun, Mike & Nick Sanderson [dms]

Nick joined the group to replace Dave Palmer. This line up recorded the first material for Polydor: ‘Sons Of Sons’ & ‘Noises In Limbo’ were laid down at Matrix Studios in London in December 1981. Again, this line up proved fluid as soon afterwards the Ward bros left to form Floy Joy.

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 12 (early ’82):

Adi, John, Paul & Nick

For a short time, DVA continued without a bass player. For the second session at Matrix Studios in March ’82 Jon Carruthers played both guitar and bass on ‘Theme From (I.M.D.)’ & @Don’t (It’s Taboo)’. The first Polydor release appeared in May ’82: ‘Passions Still Aflame’ EP [Polydor POSPX437] featuring the 4 tracks recorded at Matrix.

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 13 (May – Summer ’82):

Adi, John, Paul, Nick & Barry Harden [bs]

By the time of the Polydor release, DVA had added another bass player, Barry, to the line up, and he featured in a Sounds interview of 22 May ’82. However, he doesn’t seem to have lasted long, and it is not long before another change…

Barry Harden

 

CLOCK DVA line up: 14 (Summer ’82 – late ’83):

Adi, Jon, Paul, Nick & Dean Dennis [bs]

The arrival of Dean saw DVA  emerge as a settled line up for the first time in ages. The first material was recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport in July ’82 with additional help from Beggar & Co. These appeared as ‘High Holy Disco Mass’ in 7″ & 12 form [Polydor POSP499, POSPX499] in November, featuring ‘High Holy Disco Mass’, ‘HHDM (Dance Macabre)’ & ‘The Voice That Speaks From Within (Triumph Over Will) Part 1’. The single went virtually unnoticed with no press reviews. The group continued recording at Strawberry Studios and laid down the demos for their forthcoming LP there in Oct/Nov ’82. The group recorded the tracks for ‘Advantage’ at Rockfield Studios in Wales.

DVA emerged into the limelight again in April 1983 with a new single called ‘Resistance’ / ‘The Secret Life Of The Big Black Suit (Walks On)’ [Polydor POSPX578] in 7″ and extended 12″ formats. Then, after a short European tour, their first gigs in the UK for nearly 2 years! Live, the sound is as hard as nails, incredibly powerful and draining. Somehow the magic and mystery of the old group remains intact and the overall atmosphere is of an electrified explosion of a ’50s jazz dream. With blurred film images and the music totally relentless, almost like one long soundtrack to Adi’s moody and action packed vision. DVA totally in a world of their own.

 

dva 1983 tou

The LP ‘Advantage’ followed in May but lacked the power and presence of the live performance, a much more subdued affair. Though good in itself it sounds ordinary by DVA standards. Still, it’s a stumbling block in a new direction and a new group finding its feet. They say they’ll be ready for the next album soon.

In July a remixed version of a track off the album became the 4th Polydor single, ‘Breakdown’ / ‘The Black Angel’s Death Song’ [Polydor POSPX627]. Again available in the customary 72 and 12″ versions…which is moving back into the dancefloor circles again and probably their most successful yet. But again they seem to be lying low again and after numerous cancelled gigs just recently and the non-appearance of a proposed mini-LP, there are rumours of Adi leaving too. They did however play live in October at the ICA, although have kept quiet since, pulling out of a mini tour.

So who knows what the future will bring? No doubt more change and upheaval over the course of time, but hopefully more music in whatever shape of form.

We now know what the future brought, and indeed there was change, upheaval and not a little chaos…a number of gigs were cancelled when Adi contracted viral laryngitis, although gigs were played at Pandora’s Music Box Festival in Holland in September and the ICA in October. The final gig seems to have been at Paris Bains Douches on 18th October, where an altercation occurred which resulted in Jon Valentine Carruthers allegedly stamping on Adi’s favourite trumpet…

Adi and the rest of the group parted company after this, and at least one gig, at Vinavil in Italy in November, was performed without Adi and with a guest female vocalist. This was recorded and released as a bootleg LP “The Cool Trane Is Here”. Jon Valentine Carruthers went off to work with Siouxsie and the Banshees, replacing Robert Smith of The Cure, but continued to be linked with DVA activities. The group had already recorded backing tracks for the next album, and set about advertising for guest vocalists to perform with them. Whatever happened, these recordings never saw the light of day. Adi immersed himself in his other project The Anti Group for the next few years before relaunching a very different Clock DVA in 1988…

Written by Steven B. O’Connor [Jan ’84]

Edited and expanded by Simon Dell 2015

Images from the Encyclopaedia Electronica Archive and You Tube.