Smoke Filled Casket Archive

Artist: Seagull Title: Loud Places Label: Smoke Filled Casket Catalog #: SFC101 Format: D/L

Bandcamp (coming soon)

Notes:

This was inspired by Jensen asking me if we used to make experimental music and realizing this important part of my life was lacking any sort of documentation, as it happened before social media and most if not all of the websites involved are long gone. 

It is surprising how much stuff I couldn’t really figure out from random files on my computer. I tried my best but I learned that I should do a better job of archiving. 

I was a better designer than musician. I can admit now that I did this largely because I wanted to design album covers. I put more work into the artwork than I did the contents sometimes. Someone once said that anything I released always looked great. Occasionally it sounded great.

Noise is awesome. I listened to everything before uploading it and some of it I still enjoy. There’s a lot of what I released that was me learning as I was going and should have been not put out into public but whatever. I hope whoever listened to it enjoyed it. 

I also learned a tremendous amount, about music and business and art. And the post office. So many people wanting to help, spending their money and taking their time to support something that was deliberately difficult.  

People don’t buy noise anymore, but people don’t really buy music anymore. I don’t mourn the end of Smoke Filled Casket but I do mourn the loss of all the other experimental labels that are gone. Bandcamp downloads just aren’t the same, but I’m old. 

It was interesting being part of a community that supported difficult music but I can also say that I was there as it was ending. I have said on more than one occasion that the story of Message Board noise should be told. But who cares about all that stuff now? 

Smoke Filled Casket

SFC102 ·  SFC101 · Seagull · Loud Places · D/L SFC0?? · Seagull · Dumb Luck · C10 SFC0?? · Seagull · I Hate Children · Lathe-Cut 7″ SFC067 · Seagull · Cloaven · C2 SFC066 · WWHITE CLOUDSS · Pyramid Haze · CDr SFC065 · I Just Died · Bells After (Dub Version) · 2xC10 SFC064 · I Just Died · Bells After · 2xC10 SFC063 ·  SFC062 ·  SFC061 · Chico Midnite · American Minnimimilasts · C10 SFC060 ·  SFC059 · Seagull · Lice Eyes · C10 SFC058 · Chico Midnite · Martin Sasseville Is A Fucking Asshole! · CD-R SFC057 · Chico Midnite · UUUNIVERSSE777 · C46 SFC056 · Awesome Eagle · Awesome Eagle · C10 SFC055 · Seagull · Choke Final · 3XC10 SFC055R · Seagull · Choke Final · C30 SFC054 · Seagull · Makka Fat · CD-R SFC053 · WWHITE CLOUDSS · Before And After Everything · C30 SFC052 · Michael Piercey · Oxindyne · CD-R SFC051 · Seagull · Audio Supporing Materials · CD-R SFC050 · Seagull · Cold Dreamin' · C10 SFC049 ·  SFC048 · Seagull · The Buffalo Dying On The Vine · C10 SFC047 · Seagull · Stop Your Schemes · 2XCD-R + 3" CD-R SFC046 · Seagull · Mic Stand · Bizcard CD-R SFC045 · Seagull · Sad Wings Of Reverse Destiny · Bizcard CD-R SFC044 · Seagull · Rejected · 3" CD-R SFC043 · Seagull · Gorgeous Calf · C10 SFC042 · Michael Piercey · Burning Eye · Booklet SFC041 ·  SFC040 · Crotch · Who Am I To Argue? · C46 SFC039 · I Just Died · Nothing Left Worth Leaving For · C30 SFC038 · Crotch · Trapped Within a Fever's Splayed Shell · 3" CD-R SFC037 ·  SFC036 · Crotch · Omaha · CD-R SFC035 · Seagull · Tedium Waves · Bizcard CD-R SFC034 · D/A A/D/Crotch · Grey Light/Creosote Harbour · C30 SFC034CD · D/A A/D/Crotch · Grey Light/Creosote Harbour (Tour Edition) · CD-R SFC033 · Seagull · All That Stands Before You Must Surely Be Destroyed · 3" CD-R SFC032 · Seagull · The Numbing Minutiae Of Daily Life · Fan CD-R SFC031.5 · Seagull · Hexaura Bonus · Bizcard CD-R SFC031 · Seagull · Hexaura · 2XC15 SFC029 · Seagull · Step On Me I'm A Worm · C10 SFC028 · I Just Died · Chalk Heart · 8" Square Lathe SFC027 · Seagull · The Sun Speaks His Hand · C56 SFC026 · Seagull · Eternalness Of The Mind's Unending Concept of Space As A Whole Being · C40 SFC025 ·  SFC024 · Seagull · Live In Newfoundland · CD-R SFC023 · Wapstan/Crotch · My Own Private Yukon / Dove Grey And Honey · C30 SFC022 · Sleeping Police/I Just Died · Mail Collaboration · 3" CD-R SFC021 · I Just Died · Telegraphs Trapped In The Negative Mouth · 3" CD-R SFC020R · Crotch · Bear Prophet (Reissue) · CD-R SFC020 · Crotch · Bear Prophet · C30 SFC019R · Seagull · From Grass And Earth (Reissue) · C20 SFC019 · Seagull · From Grass And Earth · C20 SFC018 · Seagull · Things Don't Ever Work Out The Way You Planned Them · C10 SFC017 · Seagull · Last Times · C28 SFC015 · Seagull · Ashim Souls of Fire · Bizcard CD-R SFC014 · Seagull · Smallpox Bleachers · CD-R SFC013 · Seagull · Headache Grapplers · CD-R SFC012 · Seagull · Beware Caveman Gravity · C20 SFC011 · Seagull · Live Within Flames · C10 SFC010 · Seagull · From Forgotten Lands · C10 SFC009 · Seagull · If You Can't Find 'Em, Grind 'Em · 3" CD-R SFC008 · Crotch · Repetitive Death Culture · C10 SFC007 · Seagull · The Seething Cannibalism · C5 SFC006 · Seagull · Glass Neck · C20 SFC005 · Seagull · Ghost Sutra · C10 SFC004 · Seagull · You Like Our Smell · C10 SFC003 · Crotch · Walk Backwards · CD-R SFC002 · Crotch · Jungle Horse · 3" CD-R SFC001 · Seagull · Master Of Hornets · C10

Tags: #Seagull #Crotch #I Just Died #Chico Midnite #Michael Piercey #WWHITE CLOUDSS #Gabriel Piller

Editions Smoke Filled Casket • #ESFC

ESFC007 · Seagull · Live April 5 2008 · D/L ESFC006 · Fossils · Untitled 2011 Recordings · D/L ESFC005 · A Thousand Keys · Reissue · C30 ESFC004 · Michael Piercey · Fridge Tracks · C30 ESFC003 · I Just Died · Chalk Hearts · C30 ESFC002 · Chico Midnite · American Uuuniversse One · C30 ESFC001 · Bad Handwriting · Blood Insanity · C30

Not On Label • #Not On Label

Not On Label #3 · Michael Piercey · Parking Lots · CDr Not On Label #2 · Gabriel Piller · Battery · CDr

Ketchup Cavern • #Ketchup Cavern

KC01 · Seagull · The Conqueror Worm · 1-Sided 7″ (Bandcamp) KC02 · Lasse Marhaug · If The Revolution Could Start Right Now · 1-Sided 7" KC03 · V/A · Vancouver · 2x7" KC04 · Machinefabriek · Huiswerk · 7" KC05 · Aidan Baker & Jacob Thiesen · À Bout De Souffle · LP cancelled KC06 · Aidan Baker · Candescence · LP cancelled KC07 · Fossils · Young Guns · ‎1-Sided LP 12" KC08 · Robedoor · Pagan Drugs B/W Dragon Fang Burnout · 7" KC09 · Sissy Spacek · Gutter Splint · 1-Sided 7"

Misc.

Seagull · A Spider Lives In The Apple’s Core (Brise-Cul) V/A · The Last Rock Face Before The Ocean (Lake Shark Harsh Noise) V/A · Drone Season III - Music For Mountains (Brise-Cul) V/A · A Room Without Doors (Knife In The Toaster)

Notes

Ketchup Cavern releases will not have download options because they may be available for sale from the artists.

Artist: Machinefabriek Title: Huiswerk Label: Ketchup Cavern Catalog #: KC04 Format: Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM

Notes: Another artist I was a superfan of way back when, originally I asked Rutger if they’d be interested in releasing a super-limited 1-sided LP and he countered with a not-so-limited 7″. I thought it was a great record but the packaging drove up the cost at a time when the Canadian dollar was pretty low so I sold maybe 50 of them. I think the remaining copies got tossed out when our distributor closed? I don’t have them anyways.

The record was delayed because I had requested some goofy colour of vinyl from Bill Smith Custom Records (R.I.P.) and they didn’t have it but never thought to call me to suggest an alternative so the order sat there until I called up after months of waiting. I told them I didn’t give a shit what colour the records were, I just need them! Hence the weird selection of coloured vinyl.

I also have to call out Boomkat for screwing me over, whoever their buyer was at the time said they would take the bulk of the pressing but when it came time to pay they wanted me to give them free overnight shipping to Europe which would of cost more than the records! I countered with an offer to ship them by boat which would have taken a month at a fraction of the cost and they told me they were no longer interested. Assholes! 

(In retrospect I should have eaten the cost of shipping because this record bricked and they sat unsold anyways.)

Packaging: 4-colour glue pocket sleeve with printed labels, which cost a lot of money. Looked great though.

EDIT: Rutger also created a vector file of the SFC cloud logo which we continue to use. Thanks!

http://www.machinefabriek.nu/

Purchase: Side A / Side B

Limited edition of 500 copies: 381 on black vinyl 64 on purple vinyl 30 on grey vinyl 22 on pink vinyl 3 on white vinyl

Youtube: Side A Side B

Artist: Fossils Title: Untitled 2011 Recordings Label: Editions Smoke Filled Casket Catalog #: ESFC006 Format: D/L (MP3)  

download

Notes: The unreleased Fossils cassette intended for Smoke Filled Casket, which I forgot about until now. I’m not sure if this was released elsewhere but I am putting it out digitally for free download. If you had said at the start of this process that I’d be working on releasing an awesome tape that I had forgotten about I would have laughed at you.

Artist: Robedoor Title: Pagan Drugs Label: Ketchup Cavern Catalog #: KC08 Format: Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM 

Notes: A tremendous record by one of my all-time favourites. KFW said it had a real Skullflower vibe which I agree with. The NNF folks were super-nice.

I made a bunch of these and in retrospect I should have pressed half the amount because that’s what sold. I was trying to get new distributors at the time but nothing really happened. I just unearthed a couple of boxes of these so they may be available in the future from Not Not Fun.

Edition of 538: 433 black vinyl, 100 white vinyl, 5 black/white marble. 

Youtube: Pagan Drugs Dragon Fang Burnout

Artist: Chico Midnite Title: American Uuuniversse One Label: Editions Smoke Filled Casket Catalog #: ESFC002 Format: Cassette, C30

download

Notes: 

Artist: Remlap / Seagull / Ichorous  Title: The Last Rock Face Before The Ocean Label: Lake Shark Harsh Noise Catalog #: Lake Shark HN #02 Format: CD-R

Download (Seagull track only)

Notes:

Artist: Seagull Title: I Hate Children Label: Smoke Filled Casket Catalog #: Unknown Format: Lathe Cut, 7"

Download

Notes: Edition of 1, it was a sample cut and I intended to have more made for release but didn’t happen. Recordings were of contacts mics attached to a filing cabinet through a few DOD Death Metal pedals, which sounded incredible. We performed once at Fake Jazz with this setup and it was a disaster. This happened right as we were moving to a much smaller place so having two giant filing cabinets sitting around wasn’t feasible, but I’ve always regretted not doing more with this. 

The download is the unedited files, each was cut down to 5 minutes to fit on the record. Side A is better than side B.

Artist: Seagull Title: A Spider Lives In The Apple’s Core Label: Brise-Cul Records  Catalog #: SADE 081 Format: CD-R

Download

Notes: Seagull full-length on Quebec’s beloved noise label Brise-Cul. Black Metal-themed artwork as was the trend at the time. Marks the only appearance of our friend Summer in the lineup. 

Artist: V/A (Flatgrey/The Rita/Sick Buildings/Taskmaster) Title: Vancouver Label: Ketchup Cavern Catalog #: KC03 Format: 2 × Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Limited Edition, Red 

Notes: Edition of 300, double 7″ record on red vinyl cut at 45 RPM, B&W offset printed sleeve. I took the cover photo at Main & Hastings, Nick (Taskmaster) took the back cover photo of the cranes. The juxtaposition of Canada’s poorest postal code next to the incredible amount of wealth being generated off of luxury condos sold as investments I thought summed up Vancouver in 2008 (and 2018 as well). 

The release was held up because Josh (Sick Buildings) wasn’t happy with the test pressing of their side but Aardvark said the tones that were missing were outside the range of human hearing.  

Record release show poster.

Youtube: Side A: Flatgrey "Malnutrition" Side B: The Rita "Pamela Stanford" Side C: Sick Buildings "The Drama Scheme" Side D: Taskmaster "66"

Artist: Lasse Marhaug Title: If The Revolution Could Start Right Now Label: Ketchup Cavern Catalog #: KC02 Format: Vinyl, 7", Single Sided

Notes: 248 copies. 

The original unused cover image is included.

Review from The Wire: Roaring new one-sided single by this prolific Norwegian experimentalist. The one track is fairly extreme, scraped metal power electronics, created with ripe-to-bursting 'event rate'. Hard to tell what the source material is, but it's a very powerful piece - extremely aggressive, but also very varied in texture and level of sonic overload. Goes by fast, but that's probably all for the best. I've said it before and I'll say it again - 7" format for this sort of thing rules. http://lassemarhaug.no/

https://marhaug.bandcamp.com/album/if-the-revolution-could-start-right-now-2007

Artist: Seagull Title: The Conqueror Worm Label: Ketchup Cavern Catalog #: KC01 Format: Vinyl, 7", Single Sided

download

Notes: A 1-sided 7″, about 180 were pressed even though I asked for 100 but whoever at Bill Smith said “you should get 150″ and they sent me 180. There was a problem with the lacquer (supposedly a known problem at the time?) so there was extra surface crackle but I don’t think anyone noticed. I didn’t get test pressings. Aardvark did ding me for two step plating for no good reason. ANYWAY I kind of fucked up my first vinyl record because I didn’t know what I was doing. The download is the digital file I mastered from the cassette it was recorded on so that is the best version of it. I still have a few of these somewhere, amazingly I sold about half of the pressing! 

Youtube: Side A

Discogs