single // Heathrow
File Under Pop's solitary single
was the debut recording by Simon Leonard, who would,
with David Baker, go on to become I Start
Counting, Fortran 5 and most recently
Komputer. 'Heathrow' was released on the Rough
Trade label in 1979, highlighting the extraordinarily
wide-reaching nature of the label in its early days and its predilection
for one-offs.
Anyone expecting an early foray into the electronics
which have dominated Leonard's work is set for something of a surprise:
this is predominantly cut-up, collaged industrial noise. 'Heathrow'
reminds me of Cabaret Voltaire circa Mix Up
blended with 'Very Friendly' from Throbbing Gristle's
near-mythical first album, blending a somewhat gristly, distorted
spoken word vocal with sparse, punky guitar; then there's a snatch
of a field recording, some distant aircraft noise, then some scratchy
guitar feedback noise. 'Corrugate' sounds like 'The Laughing Policeman'
run through a broken synth, while 'Heathrow SLB' consists of what
sounds like tape loops of traffic sounds, what was once a guitar
and some distant, unsettling voices and strangled cries, half of
a mundane telephone conversation and more feedback. Altogether not
one for the sonically unadventurous, then.
The sleeve describes two of the 7”s three
tracks ('Heathrow' and 'Heathrow SLB') as being recorded at Heathrow
itself, though this doesn't sound terribly plausible. It's also
not evident whether File Under Pop were a band or the work of Leonard
himself, though we know Mute founder Daniel Miller would go on to
work with File Under Pop on some sadly lost recordings. If you want
a copy of this, expect to pay upwards of GBP30.00 for the privilege.
Following this solitary release Leonard released the much less grainy
pure synth pop of AK-47's lone 'Stop! Dance!' single in 1981.
As a complete aside, I wrote this review almost
entirely whilst on a flight to Heathrow.
7":
A. Heathrow
B1. Corrugate
B2. Heathrow SLB
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