We are no longer accepting orders for the lathe cut series months of Jan, Feb and March (Other Peoples Children, Boyracer, Lucky Dragons).

Three new releases from BIT SHIFTER and BOYRACER:

BOYRACER
Check Yr Fucking Hi$tory EP
555 Recordings - 555CD67
$6 post paid in the USA, $8 elsewhere

For almost 15 years, with a carefree revolving door lineup (of over 40 members past and present to date) Boyracer have been transatlantically crafting their buzzsaw assault, shaving seconds off already manic slithers of melodic adrenaline punkpop. And the passing years have done nothing to tame the urgency, spite, or speed their songs. This EP, with 5 new tracks, highlights their thirst for pop purity to good effect. Featuring 3 recent sub 1 min 30 live favourites, a genuine Racer oddity (sung in Japanese), and a 26 minute squealing feedback sprawl.

Initial quantities of the EP include a free Boyracer "Snakes And Ladders" game, and an exclusive button badge.

MP3 from this EP available at http://www.rawbw.com/~aelison/555/mp3/

"If the Marychain had 100th of the imagination of Boyracer they wouldn't have been fucking Goths." -Everett True, Careless Talk Costs Lives

"Stewart bolts around his Northern England roots with desperate angst., like Morrissey, but with nuts in a vice." -Beat Magazine, Melbourne Australia

BIT SHIFTER
Life's A Bit Shifter
555 Recordings - 555CD66
$10 post paid in the USA

555 is proud to release the debut from the current cream of the crop of the burgeoning "chiptune" phenomenon, a cutting-edge retro-hardware electronics minimovement championed as "8-bit punk" by Malcolm McLaren (honest). Life's A Bit Shifter was recorded entirely on a Nintendo Game Boy using DIY musicmaking cartridges Nanoloop and Little Sound DJ. Melodic and inspiring, Bit Shifter is already creating quite a buzz with a unique approach and a deliberate mix of fun and subversion. As an unsigned band, Bit Shifter has already received acclaimed press from The Village Voice, MSNBC.com, and Wired, and has been fascinating audiences with performances at such recognized venues as The Knitting Factory, Northsix, Remote Lounge, élan, The Tank, Piano's, OpenAir, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Bitshifter MP3s available at: http://www.bitshifter.cc/audio.php

BOYRACER
Acoustically Yours
CASSETTE - 555CS64
$3.50 post paid in the USA

A collection of bits'n'bobs acoustic style, demonstating that beneath the fuzz there are occasionally proper "real songs". 22 tracks total, featuring exclusive new material aswell as a couple of original 4-track demos of earlier material. The cassette also features 4 songs recorded live on KFJC from the 2001 "reunion" tour.

I've added a new round of MP3s to replace the older ones. Enjoy!

Well kids, its no secret its been a tough year for us indie types, so with a sad reluctance and the real threat of finally having to live in the real world hanging over me, I have decided to slow down 555, at least for a while. I'm just not selling enough CDs to make it worthwhile at present. The most frustrating thing is that I can no longer get our records properly distributed anymore, most notably in Europe. (Our newer releases are now not available in Sweden, France, Spain or Germany). You can of course still order direct from us, as we have boxes of records and CDs kicking around. Please do, because the bands we put out are truly fucking great and deserve your support.

HAVING SAID THAT...We aren't stopping altogther. We will be, for the year of 2004, embarking on a series of MAILORDER ONLY lathe cut releases. Not the most original idea we know, but given the amount of records we haven't sold recently our options are limited. Plus lathe cut records are as DIY punk as you can get. We will press ONLY as many orders as we get, and you will have to order them in advance. These items will not be available in the shops, and there will be no extra copies kicking around after they are gone. The records will be either 5", 6", 7", 8", or 9" depending on the artist involved, hand screened with free button badge.

Please email me if you would like to reserve copies. More details to follow (i.e. record size and price). Confirmed releases so far:

JANUARY - OTHER PEOPLE's CHILDREN 9" single
FEBRUARY - BOYRACER 9 track 9"
MARCH - PRINTED CIRCUIT

In the future there will also be releases by FIGURINE, LUCKY DRAGONS, THE CRABAPPLES, THE BRIGHT LIGHTS, PRAYING MANTIS (aka LUNCHBOX), THE BLUEBEAR, THE PLASTIC MASTERY (in some form), CATHODE, and more!

Myself and Jen are also about to move into the painted desert and become Mr. and Mrs. Cowboy and Cowgirl. We will not be stopping making music, and have a slew of Boyracer releases lined up, which we will unleash as soon as we can...There is also a CD from BIT SHIFTER (555CD66) and ASHTRAY BOY (555CD64) as soon as we figure finances. For those who have contacted me recently with kind words and concern for 555's future, thank you.

We hope to see you soon somewhere
Love,
Stew +Jen XXX

Back in the UK for a while, (until Sept 25th), so if you want to mailorder direct in Europe, that's fine. I've been having many problems with my UK distribution recently-- We'll see what happens. Meantime, don't stop the rock, kiddlingtons. Here's another batch of red hot goodies:

LOLITA STORM "Studio 666 Crack Addict Commandos" c/w "I Am Your Enemy" (555CD62)

After acclaimed releases through Digital Hardcore, 555 are excited and proud to unleash 2 new recordings from Lolita Storm. Abrasive, Sexy, Sassy. Everything you wish your band could be and more. Perfect F---ed up pop for the new millennium. Singers Romy, Spex and Nhung Napalm deliver an amphetamine head rush of cheap sex and unstoppable arrogance, served over a clatter of plunderphonics and mindsplitting breatbeats. "Be pretty, look young, be fearless".

CANNONBALL JANE "Street Vernacular" (555CD59/ SQ031)

CBJ's recent addition to the 555 fold (via the 555CD55 comp) paved the way for much excitement and expectation amongst the international pop underground. And rightly so. CBJ's self-produced debut is a confident exciting one-woman blend of electro-rock beatbox pop. Melodic and inspiring, hinged around an impressive vocal delivery. Comparisons? A cross between Solex and The Shangri-Las, with references to Luscious Jackson & Julie Ruin as well.

THE NEEDLES "Choc Toxique" (555CD61)

When The Needles infect you, luscious listener - you notice smooth and electric changes in your body in the most untimely of places - dancing - during steamy make-out sessions - in the confessional booth...The Needles - Lauren, Sabrina and Colleen, formed when the girls, tired of the monotonous beat of cheerleading chants and drunken high school parties - shook off their skirts, dumped their boyfriends and traded their sins for their synths. Blending the 80s bass-whip-it-beats with nebulous and dreamy vocals - The Needles synthesize a sound that is definitively post-apocalyptic (in this mad, mad world), positioning them amidst artistry, slinky hip-swings and sly winks of kittenish pop.

This is the Needles debut release and is produced by Adam Di Angelo (of the illustrious Fingernail).

THE PLASTIC MASTERY "Sverige" EP (555CD63)

Where to begin to describe the awesomeness of Tallahassee FLs sextet Plastic Mastery? A slew of highly acclaimed frantic live shows, and the excellent critically received full length (on Magic Marker) has boosted the band's confidence as songwriters and performers. Indie rock music, (or whatever you want to call it), doesn't get much better than this. The band has often had comparisons to Neutral Milk Hotel and Superchunk flung at them. We prefer punk-folk-pop. The Plastic Mastery are tight and abrasive, high on melody with soaring vocal, violin and trumpet and crashing guitars. They are infectious and accomplished. After years of waiting, 555 are at last proud to unleash 4 exclusive tracks, crammed with enthusiasm and energy in one sexy slimline jewel case. For those of you still in the dark, this is your new favourite band.

THE GREY TAPES debut CD - also available, limited version with book (555CD60)

Debut solo offering from acclaimed and genuine Australian underground living legend David Nichols. As a musician David was a founding member of the Cannanes (19 years ago!), and was responsible for globally adored bands Crabstick and Blairmailer in the early 90's. David's current band is Huon, a loose knit experimental art-pop band from Melbourne (with numerous releases on 555). THE GREY TAPES is a slight departure in style with a more late 70's DIY artpunk approach- think Swell Maps, Lilliput, etc. topped off with David's trademark somnambulant vocal and frenetic drumming. The very limited version of this CD includes a 100 page book featuring prose, cartoons, and song lyrics, which, aside from his musical ventures, David is also globally recognized for. David wrote the 1997 biography of the Go-Betweens (to be republished next month), and was also the editor for Smash Hits in Australia throughout the 1980s, and has worked for numerous magazines such as Rolling Stone, Careless Talk and also The Melbourne Age, Australian Book Review and The Bulletin. His book is very funny.

6955 on the 1's and 0's (555CD50)

Follow up to 2001's vinyl debut sees the mysterious 6955 returning to his unique style of homemade gameboy lo-fi electronics. All the tracks performed are live and manipulated in real time without post studio trickery. Darker and more intense than the debut full length, this 7 track 26 minute mini CD tides us over until the anticipated full length, due (hopefully) by the end of the year.

BACK OFF TOUR! Yeah! And you know what that means? MORE NEW STUFF!! We will be in Flagstaff for until the end of May 2003, so if you wanna mailorder stuff direct, hop to it! (Jen has cancelled her solo tour due to a burst eardrum received during the 'Racer tour). We will be back on the road again at end of May with our awesome Australian friends Origami, all across the USA again (Dates will be posted soon). Meantime, we have some yummy new releases that are available from us NOW, or the usual outlets (eventually). So far DARLA (USA) are the only people to have the new things. Note: We have been selling out of lots of stuff lately, but if you want an updated list of available items, please let us know e.g. we only have a few copies of the Boyracer/Kanda CD tour left. etc etc.

ALSO, Postage? I hate the stuff. After 8 years of trying hard not to charge you dear pop fiend, and in a vain attempt to look as punk as we possibly can, we sadly now have given in and will have to charge you postage on our mailorder items from now on. Its a question of basic economics. Sorry. Postage will be USA 1st item is $1.00. Each additional item is 50c Everywhere else - 1st item is $3.00. Each additional item is 50c.

Payment details: Cheque is great and easiest for us. Payable to Stewart Anderson or Jen Turrell. Our address is 4465 Spring Meadow Circle, Flagstaff, AZ 86004, USA. Paypal we can take also, but not credit card transactions as we get charged 33c per $1 on them.

NEW RELEASES APRIL 2003

OTHER PEOPLES CHILDREN "Delete, Contol, Escape." (555CD58)
$10 + postage

Jason Sweeny (Simpatico, Sweet William, Pretty Boy Crossover), and Nicole Lowrey remember the time when pop was politics and songs made you think about the world and your place within it. So they made an Other People's Children full-length player using drum machines, casios, guitars, old effects units and dodgy computer editing to make a bunch of heartfelt electronic melodic pop tunes with their kinda take on the power and the passion. "Delete.Control.Escape..." the record's (abridged) title says it all. but then so did Heaven 17's 'Penthouse and Pavement'...And so here we have songs about the state of living in a relatively messed up Australia. Songs about corruption and lies. And to know there was something in that song when Midnight Oil sang: 'the rich get richer, the poor get the picture...'. OPC have an electro-pop catalogue of past achievements.

"There's a fine line between melancholy and depression. Sweeney dances artfully around that line, coaxing the most exquisite pleasures from the bluest of moods, but never crosses into full-on downer territory. His sadness will be your quiet delight."
Splendid e-zine

"Pastoral bedroom pop with his somber vocals. In a way, it's reminiscent of early Magnetic Fields, but also shares more than a few similarities with the Field Mice, Trembling Blue Stars, and the Wake"
Indiepages.com

MMFAN316 "Dot matrix with pop music" (555CD54)
$10 + postage

From Fukuoka, Japan the debut release from the oddly named MMFAN316. Made completely using a gameboy/nanoloop. The music maybe flippantly referred to as, (in uneducated circles), "Lo-Fi Electronica", but is much more deserving of further attention. Highly melodic, and equally bizarre, MMFAN316 is currently regarded at the forefront of cutting edge retro-hardware electronica.

A couple of RED SQUARE Boyracer related items that may tickle yer fancy:

JEN TURRELL "one night the stars began to fall and would not stop" (RSQ030)
$10 + postage

After extensive global touring, (as both a solo artist and as a member of Boyracer), and a slew of acclaimed CDEPs,7inch singles, and cassette releases "Indie Queen" Jen finally releases the full length she has been teasing us with for so long. More upbeat, confident and varied than initial offerings, the 16 songs contained highlight a greater use of orchestration and diversity than previously. Features beats by Steward. Jen is on tour in the USA with Australian girl trio Origami June-August.

THE TALL BOY "Goes On" (RSQ023)
$10 + postage

"Having been a member of the successful power pop band Boyracer, Matt Green has been forging a solo career in his own inimitable style. Working under the name Tall Boy, Matt's album is an eclectic mix, ranging from pastoral acoustic numbers, jazz and bossa nova styles, right through to a Serge Gainsbourg cover (sung entirely in French). Setting itself apart from the current music scene, Matt's album is as charming as it is diverse. If the album has one recurring theme, that is that all the songs are performed with a feeling of warmth and intimacy..."
Re: Union magazine

UP NEXT ON 555- three releases by girl bands!
555CD62 LOLITA STORM studio 666 crack addicts
555CD61 THE NEEDLES choc toxique
555CD60 THE GREY TAPES
555CD59 CANNONBALL JANE street vernacular
555CD50 6955 On the 1's and 0's CD

Happy New Year! And springing into the 8th successful year of 555 we have a ton of NEW goodies for you, dearest consumer. How about 555CD55?, or KANDA/BOYRACER? Or JEAN BACH? Or MMFAN316? But first up, how about this offer? We think all of our bands are truly great. But we’re also quite aware our back catalogue can be a little daunting to the casual 555 fan, so how about this: Send us just $1 and we will send you a full sampler CD of all our current and forthcoming releases. That’s a mere $1 USA, or $3 anywhere else in the world (to cover our postage). Paypal accepted at stewart555recs@yahoo.com. That’s right. We buck for a buck!

JEAN BACH Smugglers Downloading Genoveva DMS Tapes 555CD52

Hailing from Ausburg, Germany, 28 year old engine driver Sascha Schierloh (a.k.a. Jean Bach), presents a 20 track full length CD of cut up/rave up electronics- He is Germany's most exciting quasi IDM technocutioneer. And with this CD he will thrill fans of all that is current in electronic music.

Jean Bach makes autistic electronica, sometimes dark, distorted and minimal, at other times playful, and of course mostly just plain weird. A multitude of splintered ideas burst forth, with a futuristic beatz distinct 80’s old skool feel. Just how I like it. And you will too!

(Order direct from us: USA $8 ppd. $10 rest of world ppd)

555CD55 - A COMPILATION OF 55 BANDS

This is the one baby! To celebrate the 55th full length release on 555 we have a low-price 55 band comp! AND That’s NOT ALL! You get a FREE Sticker and sexy button badge! (aren’t we tacky?) BUT BEST OF ALL!: If you are one of the lucky first 500 people, you get a BONUS DISK! (Such was the unexpected response from bands wanting to be on the comp, we felt bad about not having room for so many great tunes). So here's what you get:

1) BIT SHIFTER
2) CANNONBALL JANE
3) THE NEEDLES (AKA Fingernail)
4) PISSTANK
5) ISAN
6) HUON
7) SAUCER
8) PRINTED CIRCUIT
9) BEARS AND SATELLITE
10) THE CANNANES
11) 6955
12) THE BRIGHT LIGHTS
13) DAVID FIGURINE
14) ASHTRAY BOY
15) KID606
16) STICK INSECT (AKA The Sisterhood Of Convoluted Thinkers)
17) KANDA
18) THE LOVELETTER BAND
19) COSTAR
20) A FEW BEARS IN A HUT IN THE WOODS SOMEWHERE (one off international supergroup comprising of members of THE LUCKSMITHS, HUON, BOYRACER, GENE DEFCOM, SARAH DOUGHER BAND, THE AISLERS SET)
21) MMFAN316
22) POP THREAT
23) RANDOM NUMBER
24) MINIMUM CHIPS
25) NEW WAVER
26) CARAVANETTE
27) THE LUCKSMITHS
28) LESSER
29) MRS PILGRIMM
30) CATHODE
31) THE UNITS
32) SEAWORTHY
33) JEAN BACH
34) N-16
35) PARK
36) HYDROPLANE
37) MOBLIN
38) VROSS (ex-LONG WEEKEND)
39) LUCKY DRAGONS
40) GRAVENHURST
41) DISASTRONAUT
42) ROBERT SCOTT (of THE CLEAN + THE BATS fame)
43) TEAM FOREST
44) THE CRABAPPLES
45) FCB
46) LUNCHBOX
47) JOAN OF ASS
48) FOG AND OCEAN
49) OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN
50) MAKING HEY!
51) ORIGAMI
52) THE GREY TAPES (DAVID NICHOLS of HUON etc fame)
53) GUY BLACKMAN IN JAPAN
54) THE MUSEUM EXHIBIT (members of THE PLASTIC MASTERY)
55) SHEMOTIONS

And you really NEED to be one of the lucky first 500, so you get the bonus CD. Here's what you quick kids get:

1) BOYRACER
2) TRANSISTOR6
3) HEAVENLY FIRE (members of THE PLASTIC MASTERY)
4) THE HAGGARD
5) JONATAN SVRAD
6) JEN SCHANDE
7) THE BLUEBEAR
8) JAMES EARTHENWARE
9) SISTERHOOD OF CONVOLUTED THINKERS
10) JEN TURRELL
11) PARKER AND LILY
12) THE DOWNS
13) SHANKS PONY
14) POSSUM MOODS
15) KIMONOPHONIC
16) YOUR FAVORITE HORSE
17) BEACHBUGGY
18) CAVIL
19) MARY WYER (EVEN AS WE SPEAK)

Of course you would expect me to say this, but it’s a pretty amazing compilation. A few old friends you are all familiar with, but so many great new finds for 555! And you always trust us, don’t you! (If you would like to reserve a copy of the extra cool double-edition version, email me at stewart555recs@yahoo.com and I’ll make sure you get one. The CD is $10 USA ppd / $12 rest of world. What a bargain!)

BOYRACER "Girlracer" / KANDA "I Do" Split USA tour CD - 555CD57

Boyracer provide us with a teaser for the forthcoming full length due out later this year: feedback drenched covers of some of their favourite girl groups: Featuring songs by DOLLY MIXTURE, SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR, THE SHANGRI-LAS, YAZOO, THE PRIMITIVES, and STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE. Kanda, hot on the heels of their successful debut CD, (and you all have it already, dontcha?), provide us with 6 amazing synthpop versions of an eclectic array of artistes from their favourites. Including versions of songs originally recorded by WHAM, BAD COMPANY, THE RAMONES, PHIL SPECTOR, THE TEMPTATIONS and TOMMY JAMES. This CD is a limited numbered pressing, initially intended for sale Feb-April on the Boyracer + Kanda US tour. The CD will be $6 at shows (50c a song!) but if you can't make it to any of the shows, we will gladly flog you a copy for $8 USA / $10 rest of world. (See tour dates for schedule).

COMING SOON!

555CD50 6955
555CD54 MMFAN316
555CD58 OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN
555CD59 CANNONBALL JANE

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