X-Ray Audio - Soviet Music 'on the Bone'

Cold War Culture, Bootleg Vinyl Technology and Human Endeavour 1946 - 1964

PRIVATE VIEW: TUESDAY 20th JAN 7PM

EXHIBITION: WEDS 21st JAN– SAT 31st JAN, MON – SAT, 12 – 6PM

LIVE EVENT: Wednesday 28th & 30th JAN 7PM MORE INFORMATION HERE

Many older people in Russia remember seeing strange vinyl type flexi-discs when they were young. The discs had partial images of skeletons on them and were called ‘Bones’ or ‘Ribs’.

In the post war period, both the Soviet recording industry and its permissable musical repertoire were ruthlessly controlled by the State. But a vibrant, secret and risky trade grew up in bootleg records containing forbidden music including Western Jazz and Rock and Roll. In the absence of access to the usual means of making records, an ingenious alternative source had been found - used X-Ray plates obtained from hospitals - engraved with the grooves of copied gramophone discs.

Musician STEPHEN COATES and photographer PAUL HEARTFIELD present a selection of incredible beautiful and spooky X-Ray records collected in Russia over the last few years.

On January 28th, in a special live event, they will be joined by sound artist and researcher ALEKS KOLKOWSKI who will provide a live demonstration of recording onto X-Ray plates using vintage analogue record-cutting lathes and a commentary on groove-based recording techniques on plastic.

For more information: x-rayaudio