Inside No. 9, Season 4, Episode #43: Qbico Forever
There was a certain mystique around Qbico that captured the imagination of a, then (me), 25 year old man-child, and birthed a love for experimental music and over-the-top coloured vinyl. Qbico’s website was on regular refresh, its garish, basic, beautiful HTML design remains seared into my brain to this day. In fact you can still pop over and see it in all its glory here. Along with Volcanic Tongue, Alt-Vinyl, Faraway Press and Not Not Fun, Qbico was one of those online ‘candy stores’ that I’d religiously visit in hope of something new. Being a poor post-grad I was never able to afford the incredible hand-made box sets, usually limited to 26 copies. These followed various themes from country features including Japan and Germany, to artist features including Kluster and Jooklo. These would come lavishly packaged in anything from hand-sprayed card boxes to a shaman drum box!
Over the years I amassed a modest collection which I have since sold to make ends meet during difficult financial struggles. I am truly gutted to no longer own incredible records by Arthur Doyle (now prohibitively expensive on Discogs), Jooklo Duo and Eruption(Conrad Schnitzler, Klaus Freudigmann and Wolfgang Seidel). However, I have managed to pick up a few second-hand LPs from record stores across the UK and Europe. I also managed to hold onto a few select cuts that I couldn’t bear to part with. Many of which are not included in this mix. The nine cuts I’ve chosen highlight some of the chaos I miss in sound that was so prevalent during the period from 2004-2010.
Qbico records is/was Emanuele Pinotti, AKA Qbico DJ, an Italian musical enthusiast. He started Qbico, proper, with the first release on glorious picture disc – a record from the Dark Revolution Collective (Iwaki Yasuo, Kawagishi Tetsushi, Makoto Kawabata). The label ran with regular drops until 2010, and then branched off to predominantly free jazz label Sagittarius A-Star. In its brief existence Qbico has left a treasure trove of releases that explore the underground in a way few labels have ever done. I implore you to head over to Discogs and start digging.
Here are some words from the man himself about the origins of the label:
“The real turning point was in November of 2000 when me and my girlfriend at the time went to London for a few days to see some concerts which seemed interesting. One of these was Acid Mothers Temple. As soon as I arrived I immediately noticed Makoto and a strange round box with 10 CD-Rs entitled “Early Works 1978-81”. These were made in 100 numbered copies with cover. They intrigued me although the only bad thing I noticed was that they weren’t so cheap. So I asked Makoto if he could give me a discount and we agreed.
At the beginning of January, 2001 I listened to the first and second CD-R from the box, a pure joy and an enlightment ! I’d start from here if I wanna do a unique label, inimitable, with rockets (as Arthur Doyle called them) completely different from others: colored and psychedelic ! I immediately wrote to Makoto and I proposed that he “re-issue” the Dark Revolution Collective CD-R on a picture disk with a mandala on one side and a Huichol yarn painting on the other. He said ok and that’s how QBICO was born. I’ll always be grateful to my dear friend Makoto! I think that one of the greatest fortunes of QBICO is dealing with really relaxed and easy musicians. Sincerely speaking, we are a big family!” (Source: All About Jazz on January 2005)
As a huge Acid Mothers Temple fan it’s wonderful to see that Makato was key to Qbico’s inception. It’s been fifteen years since Qbico was laid to rest, but I still look for records every time I visit a record shop. I scour Discogs looking for bargains, less so now as it seems like posting anything to Switzerland is beyond reasonable. Here are nine of my most cherished records, ripped from vinyl for your listening pleasure. So expect some snap, crackles and pops.
Long live Qbico, Qbico forever!
Slither
Invertebrate
Single-sided Black LP
Qbico 77
2008
Direct Current feat. Atiba N. Kwabena and Dave Nuss
Live Qbico Unite XIII
Black LP
Qbico NU
2010
Matt Valentine
Creek To Creation
Algae splatter LP
Qbico 21
2004
Pengo
Toadstools Amongst the Tombstones
Green LP
Qbico 55
2006
Boris Morgana
Liquid Child
Chocolate Brown LP
Qbico 69
2007
Michael Flower
Returning to Knowing Nothing
Black LP
Qbico 61
2006 or 2007
Tropa Macaca
Fiteiras Suadas
Lavender LP
Qbico 80
2008
Various artists
Qbico Unite V, Finland
Smoky Blue LP
Qbico 67
2006
Neokarma Jooklo Trio
Memories from the Age of the Dragon
Red LP
Qbico 98
2009
Inside No. 9 is an attempt to share unique narratives through the mixing of 9 songs. Every episode will showcase a new theme, opening up new tributaries of discovery. Inside No. 9 is presented by Peter Taylor, a former features writer for Foxy Digitalis from back in the late 2000s. Peter is a visual artist and musician and has been creating music as MAbH since 2008.
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