Bourbonese Qualk
| Company type | Collective |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Experimental music, albums, EPs, CDs |
Bourbonese Qualk was a collective in the experimental music scene that operated between 1980 and 2003. Originating from the industrial and experimental tape scene of the early 1980s, their style was characterized by a fusion of post-punk and avant-garde funk, as noted by Martin Aston in CMJ. Their sound bore resemblance to contemporaries such as 23 Skidoo, A Certain Ratio, 400 Blows, and the initial phase of Cabaret Voltaire.
The band was deeply engaged in political activism, shaped by the volatile social climate of 1980s Britain. Influences included significant events like the miners' strike, the Falklands War, and governmental policies under Thatcher’s administration, such as monetarism and corruption within local authorities. Their artistic output frequently challenged dominant power dynamics, occasionally causing friction with mainstream left-wing factions. In 1984, Bourbonese Qualk took over The Ambulance Station located on Old Kent Road in South London, converting it into a communal space for creatives—musicians, writers, and artists—and a focal point for radical political engagement. This venue played a crucial role as an organizational hub for the 1984 anti-capitalist demonstrations known as Stop the City.
Discography
- Laughing Afternoon LP (Recloose Organization 1983)
- Hope LP (Recloose Organization 1984)
- The Spike LP (Dossier 1985)
- Preparing For Power LP (Recloose Organization 1986)
- Bourbonese Qualk LP (New International Recordings 1987)
- My Government is My Soul LP/CD (Fünfundvierzig 1990)
- Bo'Qu LP (New International Recordings 1990)
- Kneejerk Reaction EP (Praxis 1992)
- Qual EP (Praxis 1992)
- UnPop CD (Total F.I. 1993)
- Feeding the Hungry Ghost CD (Fünfundvierzig 1994)
- Autonomia CD (Praxis 1994)
- On Uncertainty (2000)
- Moscow (2002)
- Lies (2015)