Blue China (three songs)
these are the days / run / footsteps
these are the days
(These Are The Days/I Am The Walrus/Automatism - 12" released 1984, Pluralist Church Records, Rudolph Dietrichs own label)
run / footsteps
(Tomorrow Never Knows/Run/Footsteps/One Size For All - 12" released 1982, Electric Unicorn Records and later as singles-collection:
Tomorrow Never Knows/Run/Footsteps/Visitors Never Come Alone/The Rhythm Of Design - 12" released 1984, Electric Unicorn & R.F. Records in Switzerland/Mosquito in France)
Blue China...
I can only repeat myself: to me Rudolph Dietrich is the best in Switzerlands music world!
www.srf.ch/audio/srf-3-punkt-...
Dietrich was a forming member of Switzerlands first (?) Punkband NASAL BOYS but quit after the band got renamed EXPO and musically rebranded by the industry. his reaction was the "B.O.F's"/"No Claim With Bluff + Swindle"-7" (1979, this is not an OFF COURSE PRODUCTION, the label logo got crossed out to avoid possible conflict with the CBS-company). he then teamed up with Beat Schlatter (drums) and Heinrich Heinricht (bass) to release the "Wir Bleiben Kameraden"-12" (1979, Off Course) naming the band KRAFT DURCH FREUDE. for the following KRAFT DURCH FREUDE 7" "I've Gotta Whole Lotta Love" (1980, Off Course/Another Swiss Label) Schlatter was replaced by Thomas Wydler (later drummer for DIE HAUT and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and various others). Schlatter has become a famous actor since, mostly doing comedy but I cannot remember a single interview with him that was not a pleasure to read! (and I will never forget the one hid did about twenty years ago where he corrected the interviewer because that guy wrote the name BUZZCOCKS wrong in an article about a year ago in the very same newspaper. awesome!). Schlatter was also the drummer for SPERMA and LiLiPUT in both their "later" days - Dietrich once was part of KLEENEX before they had to change their name to LiLiPUT.
KRAFT DURCH FREUDE changed their name to RUDOLPH DIETRICH: MUTTERFREUDEN and released the "Don't Miss The Past"-album (1980, Off Course/Monogam Deutschland). MUTTERFREUDEN disbanded, Dietrich teamed up with thee producer Voco Fauxpas (bass - he already appeared on the MUTTERFREUDEN-album as guest vocalist, together with Iggie Combat/Wiederkehr of NO FUN-fanzine fame) and Derek Taylor (drums). in this line-up the group recorded the famous "Visitors Never Come Alone"-7" (1981, Electric Unicorn). In 1982 the BEATLES-coverversion "Tomorrow Never Knows" was released as 12", again on Electric Unicorn Records. the band at that time consisted of Dietrich (vocals/guitar), Kuno Rabu (bass), Major Kain (drums, former member of REBELS and BELLEVUE, both outstanding punkbands!) and Vogel - another famous producer - on synthesizers (after being the drummer for a short period). from this 12" the tracks "Run" & "Footsteps" you'll find on this video. on the flipside there was the Vogel-jam "One Size For All", starring Jonathan Woerlen on vocals. the A-side was re-released in 1984 on Electric Unicorn and R.F. Records in Switzerland/Mosquito in France, on side B this time the "Visitors Never Come Alone"-7" including the instrumental B-side "The Rhythm Of Design".
in 1983 BLUE CHINA (Dietrich/Rabu/Major Kain) released the "Spiritual Beauty"-album on Electric Unicorn Records and in 1984 the "These Are The Days"-12" was released - this time on Dietrichs own label Pluralist Church. Silvia de Janeiro/Holenstein (MOTHERS RUIN) did some backing vocals and remained being a port for the following versions of BLUE CHINA. the These Are The Days"-12" was backed with another BEATLES-coverversion ("I Am The Walrus") and another instrumental track called "Automation".
in 1988 the compilation album "Time To Leave" was released in Germany on Yellow Records containing recordings from 1980 to 1986 (even the album cover says "1980-1988") and there was the soloalbum of the same name, released in 1986 on Dieter Meiers (Yello) DOM-label. the song "Darling Rita" was released on the very same label in 1987 as a single-sided 7" record.
in 1995 another BLUE CHINA-compilation-CD saw the light of the day. it was released on Corazoo Records and included DRS3-live versions of "Run" and "Footsteps". bio in this video is from this release.
1995 and the Corazoo also paved the way for the Rudolph Dietrich comeback - this time as a blues musician and with the CD "Monsieur L'ti Bon Ange".
www.srf.ch/play/tv/10-vor-10/...
in 2006 another reworked double CD-compilation and a 7" was released - this time using the moniker HILARIOUS LTD.
Rural Sr.'s Le Vodou Sports Club seems to be the last name under which recordings Rudolph Dietrich have been released. until 2018 he was very active on youtube, releasing videos for early Swiss Punk bands plus new songs.
/ @rudolphdietrich