The Vinyl Junkie & Liliput
During 1978 in the ashes of punk rock, a series of alternative, hard-edged bands such as Wire, Gang of Four and others formed to keep the edge of British punk alive in Europe. Liliput, (originally named Kleenex), became an all-female vanguard of this new wave.
The band line-up included Regula Sing on vocals; guitarist Marlene Marder (Marlene Marti); Klaudia Schiff on bass and guitar; and drummer Lislot Ha (Lieselotte Hafner). After an EP on a small Swiss label, the foursome signed to the progressive and important British cooperative label, Rough Trade, and in 1978 released their debut single, “Ain’t You.”
By 1982, armed with new vocalist Chrigle Freund, the Swiss band released their first, self-titled LP (Rough Trade 43). This extremely hard-to-find record, for sale at Silver Platters, showcases the brittle, tense, post-punk era and additionally features one of the best all-female groups that arose during and after the punk explosion. It includes such post-punk classics as “Do You Mind My Dream,” “In a Mess,” and “Feel Like Snakes, Twisting Through the Fog.”
Along with such bands as the Slits, Liliput defined female rock during the period and should not be overlooked! If you enjoy early Wire and even the more popish B-52s, you must have this record.
Dave Szatmary
Author of “Rockin’ In Time”
Silver Platters Blog 