- Single sessions : The 2 track reel-to-reel master tape was still in Rod's possession. It had never been played since the creation of the single and was in almost perfect condition. This tape contained : 'State' and 'A Secret West' as released on the single plus 'and the following page' and 'So Long As One Knows' - 2 unreleased songs which show a mild prog/kraut-rock bent. This was professionally remastered by David Macquarie at Studios 301 in April 2000.

- 2JJ sessions : A few songs were recorded at the huge ABC studios in Darlinghurst for 2JJ (in mono). These were engineered by Ron Minogue - at the time, the ABC's classical music recordist. The master tapes are presumed lost amongst the radio archives or have been discarded as rubbish. However, a first dub cassette of all recorded tracks was found (Tim Vandenberg asked to keep them when Lindsay said he was going to throw them out - and thank heavens for that). It is of quite good sound quality but, most fantastically, contains some wonderfull performances - to our ears better than those on the LP. The songs are : 'Voices A Drama', 'P', 'Red Lock On Sea Steel' and 'A Welcome Mystery' (including an instrumental version). Most are slow, bass heavy and quite passionate. These were remastered at the same session as the single tapes.

- Slights Unspoken : The last time that the 2 track master tape was seen was at the vinyl pressing plant - it was not picked up with the copies of the LP and is probably lost (the owner of the pressing plant was, apparently, fond of throwing tapes out once he'd finished with them). Luckily, Rod still had some unplayed copies of the 2nd pressing 'under his bed'. This was sent through the de-crackling process and then remastered professionally by David MacQuarie at Studios 301 in July 2000. Considering that the original source material was engineered so poorly and the feeling amongst the band at the time was at it's lowest ebb, the results of the remastering are good to very good.

Most of the material above has been released as 'One Faint Deluded Smile' on CD and vinyl by the Melbourne label Radio One. 

One track : 'Voices A Drama' is included as part of "Can't Stop It" - an Australian post-punk compilation released by Melbourne's Chapter Music. 

- Live recordings : Degraded cassette tapes from the whole time frame of the band have been found including our last performance (dubbed from the sound desk but quite awful quality all the same)  and a very, very early show from the Balmain Town Hall where we supported Metal as Anything (for heavens sake). Most of these are almost unlistenable but will be digitised unprofessionally anyway to archive them.

- Interview : A post-breakup interview with Rod, Rae and Phil was carried out by Pam Swain at 2JJ. It's wide ranging, intelligent and cleverly edited - interspersing tracks from the album with the discussions to actually elucidate them somehow. This was found by the lovely people at the ABC Radio Archives.

Wild West recorded three times in a studio and NONE of the 2 track master tapes exist any more. It's such a shame but I, for one, have absolutely no recollection of ever having them in my hands. All of the tracks listed below were remastered professionally at Studios 301 by David Macquarie in August 2000 from a variety of cassette sources (saved, in the main, by Gordon). Most of these were in reasonable condition but, due to financial constraints, all tracks were done in one day and so the levels of hiss are higher than I'd like. Maybe later they can be cleaned up further.

- 'Beat The Drought' EP sessions : Recorded at M Squared, this contains the 4 songs on the EP - 'Calling The House', 'Chinchilla', We Can Do' and 'Red Sea' and 2 others which were not used : 'Pelican' and 'Bottle'. I think that the source cassette is from a rough and/or first mix of these songs. The vinyl tracks sound a bit more 'produced' - echo, reverb and so on seem more prominent - whilst these sound much, much dryer (and not quite as good, btw). We do have an almost pristine copy of the vinyl but I played it once and it still has large amounts of surface crackle - we must have used cheap or reused 'plastic', I suppose. I may take this in next year to try to get a better result but don't hold your breath.

- 2JJJ sessions : Even before 'Calling The House' became a radio favourite for a month or so, the people at 2JJJ liked the band and so we also recorded in the hangar like vastness of the ABC studios. The tracks are 'Locking', 'Coast', 'Newspaper', 'That's A Story' and 'Venture'. The sound quality of the cassette is poor, even though it seems to be a first dub from the master tapes, because of excessive levels throughout - into the red, indeed. This has the unfortunate effect of making Peter's cymbal crashes sound like white noise most of the time. But the performances are usually pretty good.

- Last sessions : Recorded just before we split up, these were also done at M Squared with Patrick at the helm. The songs remastered are 'Psycho', 'Bobbies', 'Fierce Atoms', 'Spikey Mexican', 'New Associations', 'Dissappear', 'Bagworm Rhumba' and 'Thats Set'. Also recorded at these sessions but not mixed (because they're so awfull) and, therefore, not remastered are 'Fascistic' and another un-named 'classic'.

One track : 'We Can Do' is included as part of "Can't Stop It" - an Australian post-punk compilation released by Melbourne's Chapter Music. 

- Live recordings : A large number of live recordings are available including our first, second, third and last performances. As always these are of variable quality in both general sound and performance. However, I must thank Tim V once again for taking the time to record and save them. The first and last gigs and a sample of others have been digitised.

- Interview : Once again, a post-breakup interview was carried out at 2JJJ with Gordon and Phil and with Peter Nelson in the background. Largely funny and of interest mainly to us these have yet to be digitised.

- M Squared sessions : These were completed in April 1981 and contain 3 songs - 'Mosquito', 'Sweat and Babble' and 'Curl Curl' ('Fireplace' was also roughly mixed but it has disappeared). The source cassette is excellent quality and was remastered at the same time as the Wild West session above.

One track : 'Sweat and Babble' is included as part of "Can't Stop It" - an Australian post-punk compilation released by Melbourne's Chapter Music.

- Live recordings : A number of live (2 Tapes again) and practise session recordings have also been found. These are of poor to average quality but contain the essence of the band - some of it is glorious. These have been digitised.

- The whole damned lot : All of the songs were recorded at home, vocals added and the mix done at M Squared. Patrick still has the 2 track master tape but we haven't actually looked at it properly - it may be in great shape or it may be a piece of plastic with iron oxide shedding everywhere. Hopefully in 2002 we'll get this professionally investigated. I had a 2nd dub cassette of all the tracks that I played all the time in the intervening years and was, therefore, quite muddy BUT Rae Byrom sent me a first dub cassette which had hardly been played at all! This has been digitised and sounds quite excellent.

- Live recordings : Patrick has a cassette of our last performance which I've yet to hear and Dermot gave me a 2 track reel-to-reel which, supposedly, contains a live-to-air performance from Sydney Uni for 2SER-FM (of which I have no memories at all). These will be checked in 2001.

The following tracks are  included as part of "Can't Stop It" - an Australian post-punk compilation released by Melbourne's Chapter Music.

The Limp - Pony Club

The Makers of the Dead Travel Fast - The Dumbwaiters

The Slugfuckers - Cacophony

As stated in the introduction, people have sent me a whole range of cassettes containing tracks by many bands. I've digitised as much of this as possible even though I have no ownership of the material - I've done it simply to preserve whatever I have :

Maestros and Dipsos : 1st or 2nd generation dubs from both of their recording sessions. The 1st is from M Squared and contains final mixes of 'Inertia', 'Valley of the Kings' and 'Backslide' and rough mixes of 'Sex and Pelt' and 'Heart and Tongue'. The 2nd is from Fat Boy studios (?) and contains tracks whose names I do not know but whose choruses contain the following texts : 'One of the People', 'Immobility Numbs Me', 'Hollow Comfort', 'Fire Breathing Hole' and 'I Want To Hear That Sound'.

Patrick Gibson et al : The early Systematics singles and EPs were remastered from vinyl by Tom Ellard a couple of years ago and were available through sevcom.com (although they've now been taken off). Some of the Ya Ya Choral material (including live recordings) has been remastered by Michael Tee and may become available later in 2001. Apart from these Patrick released 2 cassettes on M Squared and also recorded a number of other songs. I've digitised all of this material. At the same time I digitised Michael Prowse/Prod, Shane Fahey and A Cloakroom Assembly material - these were all also released on M Squared cassettes.

Pel Mel / The Limp : I've digitised only one track by The Limp - Fruit Salad Affair - which is completely unrepresentative of the band and 2 Pel Mel tracks - 'Blood Will Show' and 'Treadmill' (none of these tracks names are correct). All of these were recorded at, where else, M Squared. There are a number of live recordings from Side FX, The Governors Pleasure and so on that I have yet to digitise.

The Goat That Went Om : I've digitised the only track they ever recorded - 'The Pirate Song' - and it sounds fantastic. I also have a live performance from Side Fx that is, frankly, quite awfull.

Via Veneto : I've digitised only one track - 'Empty' - which sounds quite lovely. These last 2 + the Tames 'Sweat and Babble' and Wild West's 'Fierce Atoms' were recorded originally to be released as a multi band EP but all were subsequently released on M Squared's 'A Sampler' collection. I also have a shambolic live performance that, probably, should be left alone in the shadows.

Moral Fibro : 2 tracks have been digitised - 'D6' and 'Take A Walk in the Sun'. Both are hampered by average sound quality.

Mr Knott : Both tracks have been digitised and sound quite great.

You Peghead You : I've digitised 2 from 3 live tracks from Side FX in 1981 - astounding.

The Slugfuckers : Quite a few, if not all, of the vinyl recordings have been semi-professionally remastered. I've digitised a concert from a 2 Tapes recording as well (and quite lovingly fixed up by Michael Train in NY). I've also digitised the Rhythmx Chymx LP (Slugfuckers minus Terry + one or two others) along with it's reverse side - The Severed Heads first LP 'Ear Bitten' - and I've also done the first mix of the Transformational Salt LP (from a cassette sent to me by Craig).

The Same : A band I never knew existed and about whom I know nothing-at-all but who recorded at M Squared in 1982/3. 3 proto-indie tracks have been digitised - quite good, actually.

Rod Pobestek : Voigt/465's guitarist with Lindsay on drums and Gordon on bass playing fierce, animated scrunchy rock music. 3 tracks have been digitised.

Famous : A cassette compilation of live, practise session and 2 studio tracks including the fabulous 'Weetbix On The Beatbox' have been digitised.

other vinyl : I've also digitised my small collection of vinyl singles and EPs including Tactics, Scapa Flow and The Systematics.

The Primitive Calculators : Yes, they were from Melbourne and so really shouldn't be included in this bunch but I had a cassette of their LP which was never released - mainly live material with 2 studio tracks (the single?) - excellent quality and a great, unheard band.

JMM : Two 2-Tapes live recordings from 1980 - the later one is a cracker (although it shows up the deficiencies of the vocals a bit). I tried my hand at removing some of the hiss and so on which seemed to work fairly well for a first attempt.

Fish Shop, Baby : The three recorded songs, all in lovely condition.

The Rest : Tim V's fabulous archive of live recordings.