PR-046.1 - Human Flesh – Same Old Stories - clear/silver Vinyl - LP

Human Flesh was founded 1981 and is one of the many disguises of Alain Neffe, masterbrain behind the legendary Insane Music label from Belgium. It is not an existing group, merely a musical project around the person of A. Neffe. On the album he works with numerous like minded artists : Xavier S (Pseudo Code), Debbie Jaffe (Master/Slave Relationship), Benedict G aka Nadine Bal (Bene Gesserit), Guy De Bièvre, Daniel Malempré, Mirella Brunello.

Alain Neffe about the start of Human Flesh :

For years I used to play with several different musicians … we were occasional members of a group with no name … we used to play improvisations, the musical pieces were from 10 minutes to one hour long. From this the “spirit” of Human Flesh was born … but the concept really began in 1981, when I bought a second-hand 8-track recorder. I began to conceive of a system using the machine as the focus (centre) of the group. I could invite musicians to play with me on some tracks, then ask other people to add instruments / voices months or years later … So these people could play together without even knowing each other … it has seemed to work rather well, and I have decided to continue this way. But being as I am the only constant member of Human Flesh, I’m the one to decide who to add, and on which track.

However, it is (still) a kind of improvisation: the musicians listen to the music once or twice while I take the sound of their instrument and add some effects (the effects are always added while recording, and never at the final mix), and we begin to record their musical part. Sometimes the result is not technically perfect, but the track possesses freshness and spontaneity. It is very important for me. The hardest thing is to find the final arrangement and to mix the track. I always wait at least one year before I mix a song. (Until I have forgotten what it sounds like). Mixing is also a kind of improvisation for me, it must be rather quickly done. I think it is also a very important part of the creation … some tracks remain for years and years on the 8 track tape before I find something or someone to finish them. Some will never be finished.