Impact Music #17: The Faust Tapes

The Faust Tapes by Faust

The first Krautrock album I bought.

Forget your Kraftwerk - I didn't know what Krautrock was when I got into them - this is where it sort of started for me. Back in the days where you had to rely on recommendations for music when there was no other way of hearing it, this could've easily ended up being the worst purchase I've ever made.

Even if their sound isn't as recognisable as the ubiquitous sound of Kraftwerk/Can/Neu! in today's music, Faust were the ultimate Krautrock band - totally rejecting everything that went before them and totally uncompromising.

This wasn't supposed to be a proper album, it's a collage of sounds (moaning, power tools, someone going to the toilet), songs and improvisations that they put together and sold for the price of a single. It sold 50,000 copies in the UK and I suspect plenty of those copies were thrown away. Jim Kerr from Simple Minds apparently used his as a frisbee. It may not be a particularly easy listen, but it is massively entertaining and the few songs that are on it are stunning. After this all other Krautrock I heard sounded accessible.

It's also one of my favourite sleeves so I've included photos of both sides.

Well, this USED TO be clear vinyl...

Faust's debut album was released in 1971 on clear vinyl in a printed transparent sleeve; I bought it second hand at some point in the nineties for about £8. It was definitely clear then. In fact, the last time I listened to it (probably 4 or 5 years ago) it was still clear. So, when getting the record out a couple of weeks ago, I was surprised to find it had transformed to this lovely brown marbled effect vinyl.

It seems as though the vinyl has reacted with the plastic sleeve causing this happen - can anyone give some sciencey type explanation for this? I'm not sure why it only happened after 40+ years and I'm sure some people would be distraught at the thought of a valuable record being 'ruined', but I think it looks great. Besides, I have plenty of other records that are clear vinyl (and yes, I've checked that they're all still OK).

Come to think of it, something similar happened with a Howard Jones picture disc I ownd back in 1985...