International Sound Communication

Front cover of I.S.C. 5, apparently depicting exposure to music of the world as comparable to receiving a pie in the face.
The cover insert unfolds into a full 8.5 by 11 inch page (except for a section cut away), listing tracks and contact addresses for artists.

International Sound Communication (frequently abbreviated as I.S.C.) was a series of compilation cassettes, compiled and distributed as a mail art project by Andi Xport from Peterborough, England, in the mid-1980s. Fifteen volumes were issued,[1] and it was one of the largest and most versatile series of its kind.

The series was intended to provide an outlet for any kind of music from any country in the world. Most artists who appeared were not signed to a record label, but had released their music privately on cassettes sold via mail, and these were often the source of the material that appeared on the compilations. All volumes came with a list of contact addresses, with the exception of artists from "Iron Curtain" or Soviet Union countries whose addresses were not published, to protect them from government persecution, as the "importation" of Western culture and influences, and communication with artists outside the Soviet Union, without government approval were generally illegal. In those cases, a contact address for an associate outside of the Soviet Union was provided. As stated on the inserts, "All bands and individuals featured on I.S.C. comps have more music available, so get in touch now!" A slogan, "Communicate to Create" often appeared.

In addition to compiling the series, Andi Xport recorded under the name Man's Hate, which was also the name of his cassette label which distributed I.S.C. (plus 5 cassette albums by Man's Hate).[1] Xport was also a member of APF Brigade, and The Peace & Freedom Band. Xport claims that more than 3,000 tapes were sent to him, and many had to be stored under his bed due to space limitations.

Released on the same date as volume 13, an extra volume appeared as The Noise Collective which, although presented as an artist name, was actually another compilation project. All tracks were collaborations between two or more artists, most of whom had appeared previously on I.S.C. The collaborations were accomplished by having the artists send each other unfinished recordings through the mail. The tracks were edited to overlap and segue, forming a continuous suite on each side of the tape.

Volumes 1 to 8 were C-60 (60 minute) tapes, with a cover price of ₤1.00. The remaining volumes, including The Noise Collective, were C-90 with a cover price of ₤1.50. Volumes 1 to 9 used a fold-out insert (shown at the right), while volume 10 had a cardboard insert separate from the track list and contacts sheet. Starting with volume 11 (and including The Noise Collective), the outer cover was a cardboard sleeve wrapped around the plastic jewel case.

Track listings

I.S.C. No. 1 (on front)
International Sound Communication (on spine)
not dated, issued 1984 or 1985
60 minutes
Comment on cover: "Music from Belgium, England, Japan, Norway, Scotland, U.S.A. & Wales. All the hits of the 80s on one great cassette!"

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Viscera USA "Field Glasses"
2 Slaughter Tradition Wales "Passion Revolt"
3 Magthea & Insanity Belgium "Magthea & Insanity" (excerpt)
4 Maybe Tomorrow England "Undercontrol"
5 Opera for Infantry England "Europe the Haunted Land"
6 Unovidual Belgium "Gregorica Opstatica"
7 Kowa Japan "Fool & Poor" (excerpt)
Side two
1 Absolute Body Control Belgium "Waving Hands"
2 Tender Loving Care England "Wasted Years"
3 F/i USA "Is It Worth It?"
4 Political Asylum Scotland "Cat's Eyes"
5 Man's Hate England "Flash of Flesh"
6 Datakluss Norway "(untitled)"
7 J. R. Smets Belgium "Take a Step to the Left..."
8 Ray the Poet England "Life's Destruction" (live)
9 Ray the Poet England "1984 (is Here)"
10 The Zanstones USA "The Subtle Art of Puddle Pushing"
11 Disstorrsshunn "?????" "Pain in My Head" (excerpt)

I.S.C. 2 (on front)
International Sound Communication 2 (on spine)
16 March 1985
60 minutes
Comment on cover: "Ape shit maaan!"

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Partners in Crime England "Falklands Factor"
2 Last Exit England "Funeral March"
3 4 Thousand Million Australia "We are Not Lemmings"
4 4 Thousand Million Australia "Advance Australia!! Where?"
5 Mass of Black England "Dead and Broke"
6 Final England "Vomit Eat"
7 Zanstones USA "God Come in the Flesh"
8 Zanstones USA "Possublee Abnormul"
9 S.O.D. Sweden "I Don't Want"
10 S.O.D. Sweden "Tānk Realistiskt"
11 S.O.D. Sweden "Let the Animals Live"
12 Magthea and Straggianopff 99 Belgium "Nachtmerrie der Goden" (excerpt)
Side two
1 Stupids England "So Much Fun"
2 Stupids England "Waste Away"
3 La Masque England "Ethi'hope'ia"
4 A Technicolor Dream Norway "The Great Arcade"
5 A Technicolor Dream Norway "Closing Walls of Karma"
6 Dennis Carleton USA "Fill In the Blank"
7 Western Front Wales "Who's Girl Now?"
8 Ulf Knudson Norway "Hostland"
9 The Ym-Tribe Norway "Vi: Landet"
10 Unknownmix Switzerland "Jungle Jive" (excerpt)

I.S.C. 3 (on front)
International Sound Communiqué 3 (on spine)
22 April 1985
60 minutes

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Political Asylum Scotland "Fresh Hate" (live)
2 Autentisk Film Norway "Offer"
3 Skogvokterne Norway "(untitled)"
4 Lister Norway "Elifantz"
5 Mōrkelagt Bevegelse Norway "Compared to an Image"
6 Men of Courage Norway "Confronted With Life"
7 Miasma England "This is Halloween"
8 Sicky Spread England "New Forest Butterfly Farm"
9 Sicky Spread England "Teenage Sex"
Side two
1 Master / Slave Relationship USA "I Feel Sick"
2 The Phallacy USA "The Phallacy"
3 Fremskrittet Norway "The Forest"
4 Fremskrittet Norway "Justice II"
5 Absolute Body Control Belgium "Is There an Exit" (live)
6 Earths Epitaph Wales "Yesterdays Child"
7 Savage Circle Italy "Bleeding Throat"
8 The Bristles Sweden "Nuclear Power"
9 Scientific Creative Intelligence USA "Music for the Expanding Universe" (excerpt)

I.S.C. 4
Track list not available
List of artists (from advertisement): The Klinik; Unknownmix; Bloody Hypocrites; F/i; The Dreg; Unovidual; Electro Hippies; D.V.A. Minuta Mrznje; Les Bouseaux Pychedeliques; The Affairs; If, Bwana; Anathema; Synthetic Productions; Miasma; Pseudo Code; The Submensa's; M.A.L.; Narzisse
List of countries: Belgium; England; France; Northern Ireland; Switzerland; USA; West Germany; Yugoslavia

International Sound Communication 5 (on front)
I.S.C. 5 (on spine)
27 July 1985
60 minutes

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Antibiøtic France "Les Revoltes du Bounty"
2 Philippe "Hot Bip" Laurent France "Rapide 4"
3 Ray Pearson England "The Media are Free"
4 Zone Verte Belgium "Pas de Panik"
5 Narzisse Belgium "Dogmamix"
6 Symbol of Freedom Wals "Seen It Before"
7 Unovidual Belgium "Left on the Shelf"
8 George Dimeco USA "It Could've Been Me" (excerpt)
Side two
1 Máma Bubo Czechoslovakia "20 Stoleti"
2 Vita Noctis Belgium "Hade"
3 X Ray Pop France "La Machine à Rëver"
4 X Ray Pop France "Alcool"
5 Terry Gray England "Something You Said"
6 Barry Edgar Pilcher Wales "Who Will Rouse the Sleepfish?"
7 New 7th Music England "Live at the Recession" (excerpt)
8 Berry Weinberg and the Blues Chargers USA "Somebody Get Me a Beer"
9 George Dimeco USA "It Could've Been Me" (2nd excerpt)

I.S.C. 6
10 October 1985
60 minutes

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Sombrero Galaxy USA "Existance"
2 If, Bwana USA "Pursuit of Happiness"
3 Zanstones USA "Green Waiter During Maybe Someday Suite"
4 JD3 USA "Oh My God"
5 Pete Bell USA "Big Physics"
6 Controlled Substances USA "Gleaming Towers"
7 Kevin Lytle USA "Castaways 1943 (excerpt)"
Side two
1 Paul Kelday England "Balance of Terror"
2 Barry Edgar Pilcher + James Hill Wales / England "Saxophones of Reality" (excerpt)
3 Barry Edgar Pilcher + Clive Kingsley Wales / USA "Operation Jollification for Jane" (excerpt)
4 Barry Edgar Pilcher + Robert Rich Wales / USA "Saxophone Distortion" (excerpt)
5 The Day Rosemary Said She Was Pregnant Belgium "The Age"
6 Rat England "A Statement"
7 No Unauthorized France "Plus Personne"
8 Final England "A Message to Man"
9 Föreign Legiön Wales "Message From Nowhere"
10 Vacuūm Holland "Meat"
11 Vox Paris France "Jamais Trop Vite"
12 Crawling From the Wreckage USA "Plastic People" (excerpt live on radio)

I.S.C. 7
Track list not available
List of artists (from advertisement): Alan Cornelius; Post War; Mystery Hearsay; Last Rites; Headcleaners; Famlende Forsok; Paranoid Visions; N.B.N.; Opera Multisteel; The Apostles; Face in the Crowd; Fever Heroes; Celestial Orgy; In ' 8; Compulsion Brothers; C'llaaps
List of countries: England; France; Ireland; Japan; Norway; Scotland; USA; Wales

International Sound Communication Compilation Volume Number Eight
1 January 1986
60 minutes

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Comando Bruno Spain "De Tu Miedo (Of Your Fear)"
2 James Morrison USA "Vinyl Junkie"
3 Klaus Groh West Germany "Try is Life"
4 Chumbawamba England "Rap"
5 Danbert Nobacon England "Shovelling Shit"
6 Danbert Nobacon England "Westbury Toilets"
7 Danbert Nobacon England "Police State Blues"
8 De Fabriek Holland "(untitled)"
9 Society's Rejects Wales "It's Your Life"
10 Miroslaw Rajkowski Poland "Physical No. 2" (excerpt)
Side two
1 Luca Miti Italy "The Preceding Chat"
2 Bill Pritchard England "Black Souls Under White Skies"
3 Paul Kelday England "Plight of the Butterfly of Peace in the Web of Hatred"
4 Dissollutio Humani Generis Italy "Il Grande Freddo"
5 The Mock Turtles England "One Fine Day"
6 Low Class Belgium "The Alienation Ballade"
7 The Horsemen Scotland "Hard to Grasp"
8 Filthy Christians Sweden "Mas-core"
9 Cauchy 138 Belgium "Obligation"
10 Barry and Eve Pilcher + Friends Wales "Spikey Hair" (excerpt)

International Sound Communication Volume Number Nine
22 February 1986
90 minutes
Comment on cover: "It's like an electric chair in your living room!"

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Magthea Belgium "Neptune Wakes Up"
2 E.S.P. Kinetic England "Metropoline"
3 Lyke Wake Italy "Bury the Dead for Fear"
4 Marc Pira France "(untitled)"
5 Areknuteknyterne Norway "Boiling Water"
6 Boiler House England "Four Star Chrome Maniac"
7 Statement England "King of the Castle"
8 Flushed Beyond Recall England "Polywater"
9 Urbain Autopsy France "Dis Leur (Dealer)"
10 D.C.A. Japan "(untitled)"
11 Dead S.P.K. Japan "Lust Dead"
12 Doc Wör Mirran West Germany "On My Walk to Work"
13 Doc Wör Mirran West Germany "Puddle"
14 Doc Wör Mirran West Germany "Living Oddly in a World"
15 Doc Wör Mirran West Germany "The Pen"
16 Doc Wör Mirran West Germany "MacDonald's is Pornography"
17 The Hive England "Bleed"
18 Paul Rance & the Peace & Freedom Band England "Love Genocide"
19 Costes Cassette France "Mother & Father Singing"
20 Jeff Laryngo France "Stop-Gap"
Side two
1 F:A.R. Prosthesis Italy "Enfant Prodige"
2 Diet & Iko Schutte West Germany "Once I Was a Swallow"
3 Jive Kappelle West Germany "Eante 23"
4 M C H Band Czechoslovakia "Vylexl do Tretiho Patra" (live, excerpt)
5 Neurotica West Germany "Hell's Bells" (live)
6 Zeitgeist & the 7 Year Itch USA "Motionfilled"
7 Ark & the Ologists USA "Junk"
8 The Disturbed Scotland "Warfare" (live)
9 Swinebolt #45 USA "(untitled)"
10 Moly France "C'est est Difficile d'Avoir Rien a Dire"
11 Denier du Culte France "Gangrene"
12 The Joke Project Japan "Don't Stop Call Me"
13 Memphis 10 SC Norway "Be Bop"

I.S.C. 10
6 April 1986
90 minutes
Comment on cover: "Stop pushing, there's enough copy's for everyone"

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Split Second Belgium "Resignation"
2 Twilight Ritual Belgium "A Perfect Memory in Here"
3 Syndrome Belgium "Night Talk"
4 Linear Movement Belgium "Wired to the Machine's"
5 Photodrama Wales "Dan Dare - Where are You?"
6 Ideas Beyond Filth England "Rollercoaster"
7 Agencement Japan "Kazbuz"
8 Crawling With Tarts USA "Smak"
9 Ajynytyv England "Integration" (live, excerpt)
10 Die Schlaffen Affen West Germany "Back to Rock 'n' Roll"
11 Do Easy England "Knife in My Side"
12 Rudolf's Rache West Germany "Sommersprossensesicht"
Side two
1 L.D.50 England "Your Country Needs You"
2 L.O.S.P. France "Life on the Floor"
3 Katharsis USA "Content Discontent"
4 Mystery Plane England "Find Somebody"
5 Wer7 England "I Was Not a Jew"
6 Modern Art England "Monochrome Dance"
7 La Créme de la Crime Belgium "Lipstick"
8 10T Japan "Pandra Music"
9 Detwiehl Holland "Himalaya"
10 The Marvellous Roofs England "Them Scarecrows"
11 Len Liggins England "Leningrad"
12 Len Liggins England "All the Dead Men"
13 Solomonoff, Von Hoffmannstalh and Hoffman USA "Serenade in the Night"
14 Terry Gray England "Faith"
15 Stress England "Fist Comes Down"
16 F/i USA "Echo River"

International Sound Communication Eleven
26 July 1986
90 minutes
Comment on cover: "What are YOU doing to protect yourself from: (Misinformation... Half-truths... Mind Rot...) MEDIA BURN, the Nation's leading mental crippler - Nothing? Then Turn On, Tune In, And Drop Out With I.S.C."

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Before Me Sweden "Former Individual"
2 Before Me Sweden "Hello I'm Back"
3 Before Me Sweden "Try Meg"
4 Compos Mentis New Zealand "No Practice No Play"
5 Schaum der Tage West Germany "Musique de l'Indifférence"
6 Cottage Industry Canada "Point on a Hill"
7 Mass of Humanity Canada "Nothing Past the Swan's (theme)"
8 The Reverend Mark C. & the Z Funk USA "Beans Over Brazzaville"
9 Anathema England "The Anti Aparthied Rap"
10 Basquadeck Shelf England "The Undying Factory of Resistance"
11 Heavy Discipline England "Heads of State"
12 Stasis England "Gerna - dorfia"
13 Jajje Sekoilia Finland "Five Penny Noise Opera"
14 The Hatefuls France "Unknown"
15 Bogart & Comando Bruno West Germany "Compulsion to Terror"
16 Seiei Jack Japan "Love Me Do"
17 Mystery-X USA "(untitled)" (excerpt)
Side two
1 Mystery-X USA "(untitled)" (second excerpt)
2 The Psychological Warfare Branch USA "Capitalist Punishment"
3 No Unauthorised France "Guerilla" (live)
4 Inpull Caco Japan "Kirel Ni Naritai"
5 Synthetic Products USA "Nuclear Age"
6 Autumn Belgium "Doll Cries to Me"
7 Unovidual & Tara Cross Belgium "Like I Am / Comme - Je Suis"
8 Dietrich Cortier Belgium "La Chitara Schela"
9 Lust & Passion Belgium "The Day Before"
10 The Day Rosemary Said She Was Pregnant Belgium "Imaginary Girl"
11 Cauchy 138 & Riot System Belgium "Don't Talk to Me"
12 The Next World England "Too Many Hells"
13 Jajje Sekoilia Finland "Ice Hockey Jesus"

International Sound Communication Twelve
18 October 1986
90 minutes

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 The Detective England "Green Eyes"
2 The High Tech Pagodas England "The First Stage"
3 The Dead Goldfish Ensemble England "Grey Earls" (excerpt)
4 Hapunkt Fix & Friends West Germany "I'm Thru"
5 Dora Benditz West Germany "Dance a Waltz"
6 Gunni Iceland "Endalokin (The End)"
7 S. H. Draumur Iceland "Eg Dansa Vid Lik"
8 Mario Marzidovsek Yugoslavia "Blast Furnace"
9 The Slips France "Fuck Vos Gueules"
10 R. S. Pearson USA "After the Crayon Rains"
11 Schlafengarten USA "And When U Sleep"
12 Hum England "Daring and Raring"
13 V-Sor,X England "Protection the Game"
14 S-Ink Switzerland "Elephant"
15 Z'aubérpine Belgium "L'armée"
16 Z'aubérpine Belgium "Anti-christ"
Side two
1 Landishkrill England "The Eye"
2 Stalinstrasse Poland "Józef Stalin" (live in Castel, 11 July 1986)
3 Natchniony Tractor Poland "Red Plague" (live in Castel, 11 July 1986)
4 Sismoid and Tara Cross France / USA "Charlie"
5 Les Temps Anciens Italy "Much Farther Away"
6 Opera Italy "Broken"
7 Tom Burris USA "Blue"
8 The Starkman England "Disturbing the Peace"
9 S.O.R. Yugoslavia "Protekcija Zivali"
10 Tanze-die-Gemuse France "Contact"
11 Klimperei France "Kleine"
12 Ashes and Diamonds Scotland "Available" (live)
13 Allen Densen Canada "Airports 1/3"
14 Viktor Pavel West Germany "(untitled)" (excerpt)

I S C Thirteen
21 March 1987
90 minutes
Comment on cover: "Unlucky for some"

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Toshiyuki Hiraoka Japan "Koshikawa"
2 Rolando Chia Mexico "Gol" (excerpt)
3 A Low Fashion West Germany "2 Views Inside"
4 The Frog is Dead West Germany "Kill Gaddafi Kill"
5 Blue But True West Germany "In the Swirl of Life"
6 Taste of Decay West Germany "Factory"
7 Yellow Flip Austria "The Underground Masturbator"
8 The Paisley-hued Eucalyptus Corkscrew Pavillion USA "A Prophet on a Distant Planet My Mind Explodes"
9 The Why Band England "Life on the Beat / Aura Eaters"
10 Darren Copeland Canada "Color in Motion"
11 Iron Brotherhood Scotland "Night on the Tiles"
12 Die Wohnhaft France "Souvenirs in Our Times"
13 Alien Planetscapes USA "Spacerock" (excerpt)
Side two
1 Paulo Bruscky & Caito Marcondes Brazil "Música para Electroencefalograma"
2 Syntax Error Canada "Elizabeth"
3 Tone Poets USA "Return of the Squeeze People"
4 Chaos S.A. South Africa "When the Battle is Over"
5 Lost Front South Africa "From Protest to Resistance"
6 Blind Gut Czechoslovakia "Icebreaker"
7 L.S.D. Italy "La Pioggia / Il Fumo Della Follila"
8 Gargantua USA "Rex & Sid & Nancy"
9 Blyth Power England "Folsam Prison Blues" (live)
10 The Astronauts England "Latin & Greek" (live)
11 Wat Tyler England "Hops and Barley" (live)
12 Hysteria Ward England "Peace Song"
13 Apple USA "Peace is Possible"
14 The Mousehounds England "Like a Child (in the City)" (live)
15 Thomas Struszka West Germany "The Intro / Flucht aus der Disco"
16 Thatcher On Acid England "Guess Who's Running the Show"

The Noise Collective
Hello! Hello! Can Anyone Hear Me?
21 March 1987
90 minutes
Each track is a collaboration between two or more artists.

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 Allen Densen
Terry Gray
Canada
England
"Void"
2 John Graham
Terry Gray
Moses
unknown
England
unknown
"Genesis"
3 Inpull Caco
Allen Densen
Japan
Canada
"A Dropped Rose"
4 Barry Edgar Pilcher
Allen Densen
Wales
Canada
"Hello Piece"
5 Jezoz Hopkins
Angus Brown
Terry Gray
unknown
unknown
England
"Hello! Hello! Can You Hear Me?"
6 Inpull Caco
Crawling With Tarts
Phil Rodgers
Japan
USA
unknown
"12.16.86"
7 Andi Xport
Inpull Caco
England
Japan
"Cascade"
8 Ruund Janssen
Viktor Pavel
unknown
West Germany
"Heidi's Illness"
9 Flushed Beyond Recall
Katharsis
England
USA
"Nowhere in a Hurry"
10 Fenner Castner
Andi Xport
Zan Hoffman
Barry Edgar Pilcher
unknown
England
USA
Wales
"Slow Death of Rock 'n' Roll"
Side two
1 No Unauthorised
Barry Edgar Pilcher
Alice Rainbow Pilcher
France
Wales
Wales
"X-tract (part 1)"
2 Berserker
Katharsis
unknown
USA
"Kathy Goes Berserk (part 1)"
3 Tom Burris
Allen Densen
USA
Canada
"Bump Cars"
4 Berserker
Katharsis
unknown
USA
"Kathy Goes Berserk (part 2)"
5 Inpull Caco
Crawling With Tarts
Japan
USA
"Return to 16"
6 No Unauthorised
Barry Edgar Pilcher
Alice Rainbow Pilcher
France
Wales
Wales
"X-tract (part 2)"
7 Inpull Caco
Andi Xport
Japan
England
"Train From Japan to England"
8 Katharsis
Iron Brotherhood
USA
Scotland
"Bated Breath"
9 Andi Xport
Barry Edgar Pilcher
England
Wales
"Lost on the Mountain"
10 Paul Rance
Andrew Bruce
England
England
"Three Men in London"
11 Barry Edgar Pilcher
Allen Densen
Jezoz Hopkins
Angus Brown
Terry Gray
Wales
Canada
unknown
unknown
England
"Hello! (reprise)"

International Sound Communication Compilation Volume Number Fourteen
not dated, issued 1987
90 minutes
Comment on cover: "Load up with I.S.C., get a copy now!"

Track Artist Country Title
Side one
1 En Manque d'Autre Italy "Je t'Adore"
2 Spheric Corner West Germany "No More Machines"
3 Le Pendu England "Strength Through Rage, Neptune"
4 Ethnic Acid England "Cut One"
5 JFK England "Volunteer"
6 Jazz Bacon Slicer England "Godstar"
7 Aneurisma Italy "Dierum Festorum Traditionum"
8 La Sonorite Jaune France "Patrick McGoohan"
9 Context West Germany "Product 9"
10 Rhetoric England "Take My Life" (live)
11 Eli Talgam Israel "Sonate for Small Organ & Receiver"
Side two
1 The Spinoza Sisters England "Public Mass & Cantata"
2 The Severn Bores England "Guitars 2"
3 Eneik-shis-doh Japan "Force"
4 Aritasamansa Japan "Soul Train"
5 SD Japan "Cavellini"
6 Rabid Defiance Canada "Acting"
7 Noche en Bombay Spain "Good-time Halma"
8 Extranos Dias Felices Spain "Afonia II"
9 Psy Falange Spain "Live 31.3.83"
10 Die Socken Austria "Africa"
11 Rattus Rexx West Germany "Feed for the Hungry"
12 Dreaming of Beauty Canada "Pieces of Me"
13 Wilde Spiele West Germany "Ich Geh Wiedor Weg"
14 The Wickermen England "Gub Introduction Time" (live)

I.S.C. 15
Track list not available

See also

Cassette culture

References