Tones On Tail - Tones On Tail 12''

If you're a Bauhaus fan, then Tones On Tail are probably already on your radar as they were the brainchild of Bauhaus’s guitarist Daniel Ash (vocals, guitar, synths, sax, hair spray) along with school friend and Bauhaus roadie Glen Campling (bass, keyboards).  They formed in 1982 and when Bauhaus imploded in 1983 Kevin Haskins joined TOT on drums.

Tones on Tail always struck me as being a release valve for Daniel Ash.  Bauhaus were dark and intense whereas Tones On Tail is light and frothy – almost poppy – but always challenging and edgy.  Think pop music by David Lynch.  They didn’t last long; a clutch of singles and a solitary studio LP… plus about 30 compilations all mixing up the same stuff.  These were accompanied by a short UK/US tour, and whoosh – they were gone.

The Tones On Tail 12" EP was released pre Kevin Haskins, and is a really minimal electro/funk bass thing with a drum machine blipping away in the background.  The later TOT stuff was much more “normal” in terms of song structures whereas this early stuff (pre first LP) is much more experimental/abstract.

The opening track “A Bigger Splash” sees the beatbox on full bosa nova duties with Campling hammering out a single reverberated funk riff over and over and over. Over this Ash delivers the words monotonously & atonally.  The chorus is a woodblock solo and, when the guitar does arrive, it is effect-ville panning all over the shop.

“Copper’s” riff is ripped of Day Tripper and gives Ash the opportunity to get his sax out.  There is no singing.  “Means of Escape” is another minimal drum/funk bass workout with Ash whispering the vocals.  “Instrumental” is really nice – laid back funk bass with wide acoustic guitars over the top (think Bauhaus’s Passion of Lovers or Slice of Life).

It wouldn’t be the first Tones On Tail I would recommend, but it’s not a bad debut.

Ripped from an original bashed around 12” to MP3 @ 320kbps

Tones On Tail; Tones On Tail 12”

A1.  A Bigger Splash

A2.  Copper

B1.  Means Of Escape

B2.  Instrumental