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Rema-Rema
Wheel In The Roses
4AD
Origin: England
Style: Post Punk

Rema-Rema was a band that became as important for what they musically created as for what the members became.

An early imprint on the 4AD label — the label’s fifth release — Rema-Rema’s sound serves as a sonic monument to what the 4AD imprint started as, which was nowhere near the iconic sound we now know 4AD for; that being bands like Cocteau Twins, Pixies and Lush to Dead Can Dance. At the time, 4AD was bringing in singles from the Axis label as well as a serving as a subsidiary to the Beggars Banquet label. This not only brought in short-lived bands like The Bearz and The Fast Set, but also bounced off single releases from Bauhaus (“Dark Entries”) (Dave Thompson, Alternative Rock. Miller Freeman Books, San Francisco: 2000, p. 738-39). Rema Rema also gave 4AD owner Ivo Watts-Russell the hope that 4AD would become a lasting label and a reason for continuing (http://www.4ad.com/remarema/profile/).

Wheel in the Roses — their only release — begins “Feedback Song” with (guitar/vocals) Gary Asquith and Mick Allen (bass/vocals) howling “Rema Rema” over and over like wolves clawing into the night. The song turns into a Velvet Underground-inspired number as guitar feedback, with the help of other guitarist and original member of Siouxsie and the Banshees Marco Pirroni, drapes over a brooding minimal rhythmic pulse. Drummer Max Prior (her real name is Dorothy), pounds out a lethargic tribal beat that almost defies to keep the song together.

The mono recording presents a ghostly feeling to their noisy dance-based title track. By the end of the song, you will not forget their name.

Even though you may have a difficult time differentiating between the two, the final two songs are recorded live. “Instrumental” gives off the illusion of an instrumental piece, but its deceiving title makes for their most accomplished number on the album as the vocals  sound like a lower-lipped Lux Interior singing “You kicked me right between the eyes.”

“Fond Affections” highlights the minimalism of the band as well as the atmospheric effects from keyboardist Mark Cox. Whether intentional or not, the echo effects of the vocals that dissipate to crazed laser blast guitar notes is what gives the song its aura.

Despite its quick listen, these are four songs that are worth going over again and again, each time getting even more wrapped up in their amalgam of experimental post punk and minimal pop sound.

Years later, the band would later help contribute to This Mortal Coil’s It Will End In Tears, as well as having TMC cover the song “Fond Affections” for the debut. Big Black remembered Rema Rema with their cover of “Rema-Rema.” (http://systemsofromance.blogspot.com/2007/12/rema-rema-wheel-in-roses-ep.html)

As quickly as the band formed, it disbanded shortly after the EPs release. Pirroni went on to join Adam and the Ants. Asquith, Allen and Cox formed another short-lived 4AD band called Mass. Asquith went on to join Renegade Soundwave while Cox and Allen stayed with 4AD to form Wolfgang Press.

Max Prior became friends with members of Throbbing Gristle after sharing the bill at several gigs. She went to form El Trains and then a solo project under the name Dorothy, collaborating with Genesis P. Orridge. Her final stop was with Psychic TV after expressing a mutual disinterest with the doom and gloom and destruction of late ‘70s punk (http://kidshirt.blogspot.com/2006/01/story-of-i-confess.html).