ZOASTRA -Lyrics

 Note - This post has been redeveloped on the new Hobo - A to Z of Coventry bands - here https://sites.google.com/site/bandsfromcoventry/coventry-bands-a-to-z/coventry-bands-z/zoastra

In 1974, I interviewed a band called ZOASTRA for Hobo. They were the core of an earlier band in the 70's called WHISTLER (named after the painter) and which later became the nucleus of THE URGE in the late 70’s / early 80’s. The band consisted of John Westacott (bass) / Richie (Headrock) Medlock (Drums & vocals / writer) / Zodicoaxial (Kevin Harrison) on guitar / 12 string / electronics / composition). Lynda Harrison – Synthesiser / keyboards and vocals. They were one of the early bands into experimental electronic and sythi sounds. Kevin gave me the following lyric / poems for Hobo. However they were never published as Hobo folded shortly afterwards. As far as I know, this configuaration never got to the gigging stage ( although I may be wrong!). It seems to have been a transitional stage between the progressive music of Whistler in the early 70's and The Urge in the late 70's. John Westacott had also been a member of the early version of Last Fair Deal (already blogged about). Whistler were regulars at the Coventry Arts Umbrella c 1969 / 71. (Just found The Urge on YouTube - Revolving Boy Vid - It's really cool Revolving Boy - The Urge (Check it out). Also found Kevin Harrison's site Kevin Harrison's site

STOP PRESS!! Kevin Harrison has sent some addtional info on Zoastra -

 

 

urge - revolving boy

"Zoastra was indeed a transitionary project, it was certainly more experimental than Whistler but contained seeds of the cut-up poetry/prose that 'urge' employed to good effect in the late seventies.

Envisaged as a Science-Fiction/Faction vehicle there were 2 line-ups, the first included myself, Charles Bullen (later 'This Heat' member), two drummers Gary Curtain & Al Docker, Lynda Harrison and John Westacott, this formation rehearsed twice at The Nags Head, Nuneaton.

The second line-up is the one you describe and rehearsed every weekend at Packington Lodge for a month or so, we almost did a gig for a barbecue there, but they opted instead for a band playing Rolling Stones covers!"

 

 

 

The Urge (From Alternative Sounds)

 

Imagination tuned to the Big note

Got sussed in a space

Got spaced and sussed the

Angle at which all life

On this planet evolves

Like an envelope the smaller

Part of encapsulation

Bitten by my transmuted mind

Found alive two ice-frozen

Humans licked down the waste

Eaten true in haste.

Kevin Harrison (Zoastra) 1974

 

Mirror image falling

Visceral plains converging

Tactile dactylites tacky on Vu-screen

Increase photo-image fall-out

Micro-sonics beaming in on all sides now

We must not reiterate

Protect isometric scanner gamma shields

Psyche in on sound and image flakes

Laser-tronics up full-sound.

Dip! – Cut!

Re-program atmosphere

Dials set zero

Now Millennium.

Kevin Harrison – (Zoastra) 1974

 

Neon strip ice-cream dripped back in time

To Formentara

Cinematic surfing girls serve it up in dreams

Venus seems so far, Lurex faction sleeps

Micrograms run down zingel, lightening

Caressing skin, time spaced abstract

Vegas!

Kevin Harrison – (Zoastra) 1974

 

 

TO FIND OUT MORE AND HEAR SOME OF THEIR MUSIC TRY THESE SITES -

Marz Imprints 

Marz Imprint Kevin Harrison

really good site with some of Kevin Harrison's CD's and some by Urge and the lyrics.

 

 You Tube - U T's Watch Out

Real Life Kevin Harrisons Bandspace

Real Life - Kevin Harrisons BandSpace