The Kitchen Tapes

Fifteen years ago, ROIR, then a cassette-only record company, released "The Kitchen Tapes" by The Raincoats. This U.K. all girl group, made popular by their recordings on the London Rough Trade record label, had emerged on the burgeoning London Punk/New Wave scene with a brilliant flash, captivating the press and club punters in a rush of critical approval and cult acclaim.

After a series of break-ups, they were brought back in the mid 90's from near obscurity by Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, who lauded their praises in concerts and print. He convinced Geffen Records to re-release their back catalog of three records and record a new CD, as well.

HOW DID THE 1983 ROIR CASSETTE-ONLY HAPPEN?

In 1982 Neil Cooper, ROIR founder, approached Ruth Polsky, The Raincoats American coordinator, with the concept of recording them live at The Kitchen For The Performing Arts, in NYC, where they were scheduled to perform.

In 1982, after a brief national tour, The Raincoats were stranded in New York City without money to return to England. Perhaps this is the main reason Shirley O'Loughlin, The Raincoats long time manager, and the ladies themselves agreed to the project, interim financing, so to speak.

We brought in a four track Dorkorder and engineer John Hanti to record the show on December 12, 1982. When we went to the studio to master, the band and their manager were sitting in the mastering booth with glum faces. The two off-the-board tracks had not picked up anything, a potential disaster! I asked the engineer to run the two ambient tracks,and they were magnificent! The live to two track tapes really worked! In 1983, ROIR released "The Kitchen Tapes" as cassette number A-120, to glowing reviews and substantial international sales.

We believe "The Kitchen Tapes" is by far The Raincoats best and most representative recording, as the ladies really "cut loose" and were not limited by studio restrictions, which can produce anxiety, apprehension, and caution in a young band used to playing before a live audience.

Recorded live at The Kitchen For The Performing Arts, NYC on Sunday, December 12, 1982

Liner notes by Greil Marcus (1982)

Digital CD mastered by Doug Pomeroy, Pomeroy Audio, December, 1997.