Don Bradshaw Leather

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   Somewhere between symphonic krautrock and psychedelic madness lies the good Don Bradshaw Leather. I bought this album over 10 years ago, and that was just on a whim because I liked the artwork It is fantastic isn´t it?
He´s experimental that´s for sure, and I think he belongs here in PA, but I have no idea where to put him to be completely honestThis album is called Distance between us and is comprised of 4 long tracks clocking in at about 20 minutes a pop. This was his only release, but it has gathered some interest - in part for being featured on the infamous Nurse with wound list. 

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Guldbamsen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23104	Topic: Don Bradshaw Leather Posted: October 10 2011 at 17:13
	Somewhere between symphonic krautrock and psychedelic madness lies the good Don Bradshaw Leather. I bought this album over 10 years ago, and that was just on a whim because I liked the artwork It is fantastic isn´t it? He´s experimental that´s for sure, and I think he belongs here in PA, but I have no idea where to put him to be completely honest This album is called Distance between us and is comprised of 4 long tracks clocking in at about 20 minutes a pop. This was his only release, but it has gathered some interest - in part for being featured on the infamous Nurse with wound list.
	“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams

Atavachron Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 30 2006 Location: Pearland Status: Offline Points: 65292	Posted: October 10 2011 at 17:16
	when I saw 'Don Bradshaw Leather' I thought it was a spam post for clothing

Guldbamsen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23104	Posted: October 10 2011 at 17:18

	“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams

yam yam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Crossover Team Joined: June 16 2011 Location: Kerberos Status: Offline Points: 6450	Posted: October 10 2011 at 20:32
	So what else can be said about THIS guy? This unusual collection of music was originally issued in England as a double LP in 1972 on the artists's own Distance Records label, only around 300 to 400 copies were pressed, and there was never any mainstream distribution. It contained four tracks: 'Distance Between Us Part 1', 'Distance Between Us Part 2', 'Dance Of The Goblins' and 'Autumn Mist'. 1. Distance Between Us 1 (19:30) 2. Distance Between Us 2 (18:52) 3. Dance of the Goblins (23:42) 4. Autumn Mist (24:11) The title Don Bradshaw-Leather is reckoned to have arisen from the name of the composer and that of the screaming topless girl on the back of the sleeve (apparently she was called "Leather"). It has been claimed, but never been proven, that Don Bradshaw is simply an alter ego of the very Robert-John Godfrey of The Enid fame. He is not normally known to associate with topless women however, and on the record cover the name is spelled "Bradsham-Leather", not "Bradshaw-Leather", so who knows...? - Confused? - You bet!! He has a myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/donbradshawleather with links to some old real audio radio recordings of samples of his music on the right hand side beneath the bio. Only the second one appears to still work, because the shows have since been archived, but working links to replace them are included below (if you have real player installed on your computer). The shows were done some years ago by Tony Coulter on WMFU - All samples are 20kbps real audio: For the first link: http://wfmu.org/listen.ram?show=15158&archive=20294&starttime=2:32:08 This will drop you into the show at the start of a 7min 49sec excerpt of "Dance Of The Goblins". The show will continue beyond that with more weird music, and you may not notice the transition, so be warned! For the second link: http://wfmu.org/listen.ram?show=15146&drop=23&playtoend=1 This is the whole of side 2 (Distance Between Us 2) - the show will continue again beyond this, and will run for a good while too, with some quite interesting stuff if you've nothing better to do! For the third link: http://wfmu.org/listen.ram?show=19063&archive=27543&starttime=2:15:15 This is actually a show which was dedicated to an interview with David Tibet of Current 93, and only 2 minutes of music from Don Bradshaw-Leather (Dance Of The Goblins again) is included before it returns briefly to the interview again, and then blasts some Cyndi Lauper at you... For a review of the album itself, you can try: http://www.allmusic.com/album/distance-between-us-r31369/review. As to where to put him (if he belongs on here at all...but I suppose this album is so unique that he must), psychedelic certainly seems like a decent starting point. There was supposed to be a re-issue of the album on CD by Coptic Cat or Jnana Records (it was announced in 2007, when Coptic Cat was still in it's previous incarnation as Durtro.com), but as yet it hasn't happened. Apparently vinyl versions of it were selling for around $200 back then, so Guldbamsen - I'd take good care of the copy that you have!! Edited by yam yam - October 10 2011 at 20:41

Guldbamsen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23104	Posted: October 10 2011 at 20:40
	^Thank you very much for that post! That was brilliant! I´ve heard about the Robert-John Godfrey story before, but I thought it was bollocks. Either way the album is wonderful and quite original. Perfect for a barbecue I say - I tried it last summer with one of my friends. Good fun. If he gets approved I think much of your post could function as a bio. Great stuff Yam Yam!! I just realized something. I´ve got this on cd - and I bought it over 10 years ago in Valletta airport Malta on my way home from vacation. I bought it for like 5 dollars. I´m almost certain that I´ve got a bootleg version then. It´s pretty well made though, I´d never have suspected anything, apart from there not being any booklet, but then again I´ve got plenty of cd´s like that with only the front artwork showing. Edited by Guldbamsen - October 11 2011 at 06:24
	“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams

harmonium.ro Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: August 18 2008 Location: Anna Calvi Status: Offline Points: 22989	Posted: October 11 2011 at 11:03
	I could maybe see this musician on PA... But none of our genres fit him. I don't know what to say.

yam yam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Crossover Team Joined: June 16 2011 Location: Kerberos Status: Offline Points: 6450	Posted: October 11 2011 at 11:41
	^ We need to create a new sub-genre called "?" Trouble is, within about 6 months it would need a team of at least 20 collaborators to manage it!!

philippe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 14 2004 Location: noosphere Status: Offline Points: 3597	Posted: October 28 2011 at 08:49
	this is such a bleak-lysergic pagan trip, absolutely progressive attitude and gorgeous ritual neo-classical elements. Refined, harmonious and blasting vitality. Abundant epic use of vintage keyboards. Very hard to classify this one despite that the musical signature sometimes reveals some connections with the work of Igor Wakhevitch (notified in progressive electronic) and also with Ya ho Wha 13 (Krautrock). anyway, mindblowing "hermetic" trancelike MASTERPIECE ! psychedelic, krautrock or progressive electronic for me, with a preference for the last category.


Icarium Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: March 21 2008 Location: Tigerstaden Status: Offline Points: 34055	Posted: October 28 2011 at 08:59
	maybe eclectic just as it remiends me of some of that sounds, and it is wierd but not avant wierd, but i dunno, maybe also symphonic prog since i can imagine this being played by a symponic orchestra, but is this rock or just some neo-classical thing, (but i hear rock drums so it is rock)


Guldbamsen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23104	Posted: November 04 2011 at 15:46
	^I love Mummi troldene Agi I still think The Don would fit in under Kraut, but maybe our Norwegian friend here has a point about the eclectic tag, because labelling this guy is proving to be harder than fitting an elephant into a phone booth.
	“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams

Guldbamsen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23104	Posted: April 14 2012 at 15:35
	I know, I know - and I happen to detest those ugly bumps coming outta the sky like a sock from a fighter plane, but I do however truly believe that the Don deserves to be here. Eclectic or Symphonic methinks What do you reckon guys? Here are the last couple of tracks Edited by Guldbamsen - April 14 2012 at 15:40
	“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams

yam yam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Crossover Team Joined: June 16 2011 Location: Kerberos Status: Offline Points: 6450	Posted: January 04 2013 at 09:43
	OK, I'm gonna revisit this topic again having stumbled upon some more info about the guy... From a piece writen by Jonathan Dean on May 24th 2012 at tinymixtapes.com, a website specialising in overlooked artists and genres: http://www.tinymixtapes.com/delorean/don-bradshaw-leather-distance-between-us: "Don Bradshaw-Leather was born 1948 in Essex, the son of middle-class Jewish parents. According to Bradshaw-Leather’s sister, “[Don] grew with and into music more by genetic destiny than environmental consequence.” During the long, dark hangover of the Summer of Love, the classically-trained prodigy approached CBS Records with demo recordings. Though it seems incredible in hindsight, a forward-thinking A&R executive must have seen a potential revenue stream in Bradshaw-Leather’s avant-classical noise. The artist was given a generous advance to record an album. DBL’s sister fills in the blanks: “[Don] used the funds to create a large studio in Sussex with many instruments including an actual church organ. Here, on his own, without the use of any electronic sequencing, he recorded Distance Between Us using simply multitrack tape, layering each part of the composition.” Upon hearing the product of their financial investment — four side-long tracks of blurry organ drones, frantic piano tinkling, and ritualistic percussion — CBS understandably got cold feet. The album was self-released on Bradshaw-Leather’s own Distance imprint, a vanity label established for the sole purpose of releasing the album. Pressed in a tiny edition, mint condition copies of the album can fetch up to $500 at auction today. The double gatefold sleeve is full of mysteries, from the misspelling of “Bradshaw” (“Bradsham”), to the coal-blackened visage of the bohemian madman on the cover (DBL himself?), to the rear photo collage depicting the same madman accosting a nude woman. The music isn’t any less mysterious; shapeless symphonies of smeared-out Mellotron, tribal drums, and wordless vocals. After swimming in the album for a little while, the absence of structure begins to seem utterly logical, and the album washes over like a peyote-induced Gothic fever dream. Don Bradshaw-Leather passed away in the 90s, making a reissue of this classic oddity seem increasingly less likely, though David Tibet of Current 93 has intermittently announced plans for a reissue on his own Coptic Cat label over the years. It’s an inspired match. Here’s hoping it comes to pass." And a review from just a couple of months back (in German) here: http://www.babyblaue-seiten.de/index.php?content=review&left=genre&albumId=10005&genre=28, which compares the album to the recent 'Storm Corrosion' collaboration between Mikael Åkerfeldt and Steven Wilson, and classifies it as Instrumental; Psychedelic: As google translate sees it: "It is one of the greatest mysteries in the history of progressive rock: the identity of Don Bradshaw-Leather. The man's name at all Don Bradshaw-Leather? On the cover of the album is nevertheless clearly read "Don Bradsham-Leather". Otherwise, the name is always written with-w ... And then: Is that even a man? The cover seems to suggest it, but the wildling that can be seen there could be anyone else, a woman, an orc, a Bolians. Is "Don Bradshaw-Leather" perhaps the name of a band? They describe a type of Essex? A wealthy hippie? Or even Robert John Godfrey, founder of Barclay James Harvest and later leader of The Enid? The tracks are few and far between. CBS allegedly financed the recordings, but then got cold feet, so that Don Bradshaw-Leather had to publish his music manuscript. Allegedly possessed Bradshaw-Leather has a studio in Sussex. And he supposedly died in the 90s. The search for clues on the album provides perhaps the richest information. Don Bradshaw Leather - assuming they can be heard at all even - was a classically trained pianist and keyboardist: virtuoso piano passages are heard here, inspired by romanticism and impressionism. And despite more than sleazy production is clearly audible that play the man could really: Even the fastest ostinatos and solos are played cleanly, comes true, it is set considering the consistently determined album dissonances and not simply based on arbitrary Herumgeklimper. The music on "Distance Between Us" is much less classically catchy as it may sound now. The designs are always similar: From a virtuosic melody certain prelude played on the piano, bass-heavy develops a ostinato, sometimes more from the piano, sometimes driven more by tribal percussion. Furthermore then jazzy, bluesy organ solos or dissonant Mellotronakkorde placed that evoke determined by tritones and second intervals, a very oppressive atmosphere. Not wrongly this music has been compared to horror movie music that uses similar resources. Lately Storm Corrosion have made similar, if you liked that album should be, interested in time for the "Distance Between Us". These funds will be used on all four sides of the double album to great effect, the two-part title track remains but somewhat aloof, while the two longer pieces to raise the intensity felt. While they auffluten and wane, they increase the intensity up in places unbearable. No wonder that the album on the Nurse with Wound-list stands for Softproghörer with a penchant for beautiful melodies, this is nothing. Don Bradshaw-Leather is classified in more avant-Kiff, no less but also in the category Schwellkuriosa. And not just because of the mystery that shrouded his identity." We still don't have this guy on our site, and as far as I'm aware no team is currently evaluating him...but I could be wrong there. A poll was carried out amongst our more learned bretheren in early May last year - just before the above piece was written - which threw up the following results regarding a possible sub genre for Mr Bradshaw: Eclectic - 28.57% Krautrock - 42.86% RIO/Avant - 14.29 % Symphonic - 14.29% Actually only seven people voted in this poll, so it's not quite as useful as perhaps it might have been. Maybe that weird category that appears at the end of the above review, which google-translate couldn't deal with, could be used as a new sub on here for artists like the Don? Yeah - Schwellkuriosa...I like that! Just wondering if any of our newer members have anything to add on the matter? Edit: "We still don't have this guy on our site, and as far as I'm aware no team is currently evaluating him...but I could be wrong there..." and I was wrong! - Eclectic have them in their chart: - One vote 'yes' and two votes 'move' (to Avant). One more vote needed to settle the issue there, but then it looks like we might have to start all over again somewhere else... Edited by yam yam - January 04 2013 at 19:29

DamoXt7942 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Joined: October 15 2008 Location: Okayama, Japan Status: Offline Points: 17493	Posted: May 14 2013 at 18:12
	Added to Krautrock.


yam yam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Crossover Team Joined: June 16 2011 Location: Kerberos Status: Offline Points: 6450	Posted: May 14 2013 at 19:51
	Now:- Form a nice orderly queue to review the album...! http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=8049