RhoDeo 1737 Aetix

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Today's artist were a South London-based post-punk band that welded the impassioned urgency of early Killing Joke to the graceful but pained atmospheric flourishes of the Chameleons. Marcus Bell, Mark Long, and Ralph Hall formed the band in 1979  ........N'Joy

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The Opposition is a London group of cold wave. They are Ralph Hall, Marcus Bell, Mark Long, later years with Sterling Campbell, Lol Ford, Terence Devine King and Jean-Daniel Glorioso. Founded in 1979, The Opposition released its first single Very Little Glory on the independent label Double Vision Records. The single has a very good press; will follow the release of the first album Breaking the Silence in 1981 and a tour in England and France.

They then record Intimacy still on Double Vision Records. With a very positive welcome from the press, the band has gone from an indie label to a major, Charisma Records, on which promises first, in 1984, with a tour of a few dates in the United States in the first part of Thomas Dolby and a major tour in Europe. It was then the release, in 1985, of the album Empire Days with their sound engineer Kenny Jones joined for the occasion by John Porter.

Meanwhile, Charisma Records is bought by Phonogram, which in turn will be devoured by Virgin. Without changing their contract, the group finds themselves with their third record company. It is time to begin a change.
In 1987, the group paused. Bell and Long take advantage of it to work on more commercial songs [What?] Under the name of So. Ralph Hall is replaced on this project by Sterling Campbell on drums. Their album Horseshoe in the Glove with the single "Are you sure" has met with some success in the United States. They have a very good media coverage, many passages on rock radio and a nomination for the MTV Video of the Week, Are you sure ranks 41st in the Billboard Hot 100.

After this American experience and two years of touring, Marcus Bell and Mark Long resumed Opposition and released, in 1990, a very intimate album Blue Alice Blue, recorded again, with Kenny Jones. In 1990, under the new label Mrs Jones Records they released War Begins at Home (1994) and EP One (1995). Sterling Campbell then left the group to play with David Bowie; he is replaced by Jean-Daniel Glorioso on Blinder (2004) In 2005 they released the Lost album this basically debut album was held back by their first major Arista who forbade them to even do anything with it, ah yes the recordindustry. They compiled Arc - The Charisma Years and Hive compiling EP´s, B-Sides and Remixes, EP2 (2010). In 2011 a digital only album was released Love & Betrayal it has been the last sigh of the band, 3 years later December 2014 Marcus Bell died.

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The very first version of the Opposition march-december 79 recorded this, tape Mark uncovered from the early days at Scarf studio. Recorded at Scarf Studios and part of an album that was not released at the time. This release was the only one for this version of the band whilst it was extant. When the this band fell apart, Mark and Ralph sat down and decided to carry on, but to do so they needed a bassist. Failed adverts in Melodymaker were followed by an introduction through friends that lead to Marcus Bell joining the band and the new and most recognised Opposition was born.

  Opposition - Scarf Sessions   (flac  142mb)

01 Get A Job 3:44
02 Weakdays Tv Ways 2:25
03 Alternative World 2:59
04 This Year 4:36
05 I Wanna Taste 2:51
06 Breaking Point 7:10

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The "Lost Album" harks back to the early eighties when the band changed labels and left an album on the shelf, tied up in contractual wilderness, but the tapes were kept by Mark. At last now available, it features two versions of their popular single, "This Year" and a host of other tracks unheard of before now. Very first steps from opposition, beautiful effort from the first members..., the music is quite enjoyable and melodic, with bass, batteries and saxophon present, and very inspired at times. Remastered and digitised under the caring hands of lead singer Mark Long, "Lost Album" is a vital piece of rock history.

Opposition - Lost Album (flac 376mb)

01 Safety Valve 3:32
02 This Year 4:15
03 Counting Minutes 4:27
04 Left You Still Moving 3:58
05 Last Time 2:59
06 Sticking To My Story 3:36
07 Tonight 3:31
08 You Better Leave Now 3:37
09 Punishment Of Luxury 3:24
10 Breaking Point 6:33
11 This Year (Single Version) 3:33
12 Punishment Of Luxury (Other Version) 3:05
13 Tonight (EP Version) 3:01
14 I Wanna Waste 2:40
15 Give You Rhythm 3:36
16 Untitled Instrumental 1:48

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The album that first showed the direction the band were moving in as a three piece. It was recorded after hours at Nomis in London as a project with Kenny Jones who was working as an apprentice engineer and was allowed a personal project as part of the process. It starts with a guitar lullaby on the background of key, bass murmur, some birds in the left channel and drums, strong, decisive, spatial and extended. And this rhythm is rocking everything, carrying, merging, is strong and light at the same time. Well, this emotional, shouting vocalist on the border. This is how one of the most interesting music rolls of the 80s begins. Debut unnoticed, skipped, for a good matter known only to a few. Three ambitious idealists, with a lot of ideas in their heads, with energy, with sensitivity, with uncompromisingness - as the name implies - are in opposition to plastic disco-dance and synthpop, reigning at radio and TV stations. High ability to master instruments, ability to build intriguing melodic lines, harmony of harmony, ability to build atmosphere. "Breaking The Silence" even after 30 years, makes a shiver of excitement. There is something in the recordings that arose between May and July 1981 at Matrix Studio in London something incredibly authentic, something that is based on time. There are times when the heart beats harder when the silence breaks down Ralph Hall's growing drumbeat as the guitar penetrates deep into the sound stage, and the voice of Mark Long hurls painfully and frantically into the listener's face ... This album is quite powerful and enjoyable, though perhaps not the most memorable from the era.  Still, it's good to know there are still fine bands that have yet to be discovered from this great era, and it's a shame they will probably never get their due.

 Opposition - Breaking the Silence   (flac 326mb)

01 Paddy Fields 5:39
02 War Games 4:06
03 Moving Targets 2:56
04 A Thirst 2:04
05 Breaking The Silence 4:47
06 Black And White 3:55
07 Waiting 4:17
08 In My Eyes 4:55
09 Very Little Glory 8:14
10 She Said 3:18
11 Open The Door 4:24

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This is an impressive, almost perfect post-punk record, full of nostalgia, taste and mood. If you are into The Chameleons, The Danse Society, Josef K, Sad Lovers and the Giants, etc, you cannot miss this.
Intimacy is very moody and there are plenty of moments when it becomes outright cold. "How do you think I feel? I can see tomorrow and it's making me ill. We can go on pretending it will be all right but there's really no point in me staying the night. You learn to live with these things. Make up my own world one day in the future". But the music is brilliant and all the songs shine the way the fields of ice may shine in the sun. "Never trust strangers cause they'll blame you. You can't blame me for the state I'm in. Never trust blind men cause they'll lead you, they suck you in then they spit you out"

 Opposition - Intimacy  (flac  231mb)
 
01 The Voice Has Changed 3:45
02 A Day In The Future 3:29
03 Aching Arms 3:37
04 I Became A New Man 1:33
05 In The Heart 6:01
06 Life's Blood 3:42
07 Sand And Glue 3:16
08 My Room Is White 3:31
09 New Homes 5:02
10 Big Room, Small View 6:38

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