Hugh Cornwell and Robert Williams - Nosferatu

Original Release Date

1979

Release Information

UK LP 1979 (United Artists - UAG 30251)
UK CD 1998 (EastWorld - EWO 001CD)

1 Nosferatu 1:41
2 Losers In A Lost Land 4:23
3 White Room 3:52
4 Irate Caterpillar 4:58
5 Rhythmic Itch 2:09
6 Wired 3:04
7 Big Bug 3:50
8 Mothra 2:52
9 Wrong Way Round 4:53
10 Puppets 2:45
CD Bonus Track
11 Losers In A Lost Land (Instrumental) 4:26

Chart Placings

None

Credits

LP:

Hugh Cornwell - vocals, guitars, synthesizer, bass, calliope, Chamberlain mellotron, moog bass, Prophet synthesizer
Robert Williams - drums & tympanis, tomatoms, bass, moog bass, guitar, synthesizer, waterphone, bass marimbas, guicas, whistle, vocals
Ian Underwood - Sonar Yamaha synthesizer, moog
David Walldroop - rhythm guitar ('White Room', sguitar solo ('Irate Caterpillar')
Mark Mothersbaugh - Prophet synthesizer, vocals & lyrics ('Rhythmic Itch')
Bob Mothersbaugh - guitar & backing vocal ('Rhythmic Itch')
Duncan Poundcake - fairground barker ('Wrong Way Round')
A. N. Russian - intro voice ('Big Bug')
Various People - 'Puppet chant on 'Puppets'

Recorded in Undead Los Angeles Dec. '78-Jan. '79; March & April '79; at: Village Recorders, Cherokee Studios, Britannia Studios, Davlin Studios, Sunset Sound Studios.
and in London April '79 - Mothra at:- Eden Studios.
Recording Engineers: Joe Chicarelli and Alan Winstanley for 'Mothra'.
Mix Engineers: Alan Winstanley & Steve Churchyard.
Mixed at:- Air Studios, London April '79

Produced by Hugh Cornwell & Robert Williams.

Additional Credits

Additional Credits on CD:

Losers In A Lost Land (Instrumental): B-Side of White Room 7", released November 1979

Reviews & Opinions

PUNKY GIBBON: Whilst recording their fourth studio album The Raven, Hugh Cornwell teamed up with Beefheart drummer Robert Williams on this alleged concept album for "a film that can never be made”. The cover shot is from the 1992 silent classic Nosferatu, with more horror imagery on the inner sleeve with a photo of the scary mask from the obscure but brilliant Japanese horror flick Oni Baba (1964). It received bad reviews and sank. A live version of 'Wired' was also issued as part of The Stranglers' Don't Bring Harry EP in 1980. Recorded in L.A., this is a decidedly leftfield affair with deadpan vocals and scratchy guitars, with Williams taking a backseat (literally: he’s on drums and sings on just the title track). There are also cameos from Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh of Devo ('Rhythmic Itch') and Ian Dury (who does his Cockney fairground barker bit on 'Wrong Way Round'). A kind of skewed punk/art/Goth album, there is enough Stranglers-esque touches to please fans of the MIB, including the pseudo-pop of ‘Wired’ and an almost-normal cover of Cream’s ‘White Room’, and enough outright strangeness to alienate everyone else. It's splendid and I love it.

TROUSER PRESS: For his first extracurricular outing, Cornwell co-wrote, co-produced and co-performed an album with American drummer (and former Captain Beefheart sideman) Robert Williams. The collaborative compositions on Nosferatu offer substantive lyrics, but the atonal performances sound even more dour than the early Stranglers. Two members of Devo put in guest appearances, and there are some Devo-like effects worked in but, if not for an incongruous cover of Cream's "White Room," there wouldn't be any light relief at all. While it's nice that the pair (with some assistance from Ian Underwood) has the instrumental prowess to do it all themselves, Nosferatu requires more from the listener than it deserves (or returns).

Additional Notes

Musician credits adapted from musician credits on LP/CD. All track timings are taken from the CD.

Images

UK LP 1979 (United Artists - UAG 30251). Click here for more

UK CD 1998 (EastWorld - EWO 001CD). Click here for more