FREE DOWNLOADS
Here you find free Limbabwe downloads. It was a job sorting out the Limbabwe archive. Old tapes, pictures, stories, articles. Somehow I am done. You can now download music released by Limbabwe (and more) from here. Jump to the list at the bottom with this link.
The files come in zip. Every release (LP/CD/Cassette/7”/12”) has a separated zip file that also includes images from the covers, inlay sheets, booklets and whatever more came with the original release plus what I thought is relevant to add.
All addresses, phone numbers, p.o. boxes and whatever more you find on the scans and pictures of covers/inlayers are old and non existing. Don’t bother trying to use them.
Most cassettes and records of the Limbabwe catalogue where recorded in the first half of the eighties. The majority of these recordings are not perfect. Lucky, especially the original initiators of the Bauplatz/Limbabwe/Martinusstraat scene (1979 – 1982) understood that it’s the energy, drive, and creativity that counts, not technical perfection. Re-hearing all material I come to the conclusion that those recordings done with lesser technical attention ‘rock’ the most. Anyway, we simply didn’t have the equipment or space to make decent recordings.
In the basement of Bauplatz was a rehearsal space. Large room with very low sealing (1.90 meter). Not very suitable for recordings. This basement was bordered by a second narrow but long room. Before we (Bauplatz/Limbabwe) came in this space someone built a window in that wall (by studio example) and double door in between.
We had no more equipment than one creepy old mixer from the PA (live sound equipment) and few rusty microphones from the venue upstairs. With an old TEAC 4 track reel to reel recorder most recordings were made but often we also experimented with stereo tape and cassette recorders. Play-back was done over the stage-monitors, we carried downstairs. No side-rack equipment available. It was a very rough direct way of registering. But it is honest what you hear. Often we mastered on cassette tape. Have many of them still here in perfect condition. In the Limbabwe space on the Martinusstraat I had 5 cassette recorders linked together. There I copied (multiplied) the limbabwe releases.
Especially for the first releases Rob (Zanzibars Twist/Gore) silk-printed the covers. Some cassettes came in a different package than the original box.
The rehearsal space was also recording room. The little mixer for vocal microphones was an old early 70ties Peavey. Good quality, unbreakable. The mixer had a reverb build in. This was before digital times, the reverb was an actual spring that vibrates when triggered by a signal. Of course you could regulate with knobs what would go into the reverb and what not. But we, the experimental generation, found another interesting use. If you banged on the mixer or dropped it on the floor, the reverb created a loud Bwwwwweeeeeeeaaaanggg sound. You will hear this on a few downloads. Funny that after many years, until late eighties, the mixer was still in use (quality equipment).
Another interesting feature used by several bands/recordings were the ashtrays in this rehearsal space. Yep, those easy days that nobody got fucked up about smoking. Since playing music is accompanied by loads of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, the floor was always covered by cigarette/joint stumps and black burned spots. Walter, the housekeeper (great person, deserves to be honored with a picture on this site, but pity I have non) welded a few steel ashtrays. They where big 40cm by 40cm and about 15cm high. These big brown steel objects attracted our curiosity. Turning them upside down created nice drums with high pitch sounds.
One of the most important and influential bands at start of the Bauplatz/Limbabwe scene was ‘Metal Tanz’. Sure, many bands and musicians you find downloads from already rumbled and roused in basements. Metal Tanz was one step ahead. They outgrew the underground status fast and performed on well respected rock stages. It worked as an example and impulse to the scene. Metal Tanz was 4 people; Floor, Johnny, Pino and Matski. Floor played bas and sang. He performed later in Tango Djoboko and Meer Staal. Johnny was the drummer. Pino did percussion and also bas, Matski played guitar and noise-box. All 4 played percussion, often small steel bits like the ashtray’s and rain pipes. Kor (Zoo) joint in on sax sometimes. The music was very rhythmic. Songs with long energetic percussion parts.
Metal Tanz broke up before the start of Limbabwe. They never recorded something, nothing has never been released. I have a pile of live and rehearsal recordings here. Maybe one day I can make something out of that. On this site you find a gallery with concert pictures from Metal Tanz: https://www.limbabwe.com/?page_id=4&album=1&gallery=19
The Bauplatz/Limbabwe scene was based in a Dutch town bordering with Germany. German was the second language. It was everywhere, on signs in stores, on the radio/TV, German newspapers were for sale, even the money (Dutch Guilders/German Marks) mixed in everybody’s wallet. Everywhere you could pay with both currencies. This explains the frequent use of German language on Limbabwe releases.
More stories you can read on the download pages. If you are new here and don’t understand time/location, go to the ‘history’ link on this site.
The old Limbabwe releases are offered Alphabetic in a list bottom page. Not in order of catalog number. Few releases where already available as free download elsewhere. I ‘stole’ these files and use them here. Saved me some time. Uhhhh, stealing? I just take my own material back! Again: I do not mind others offering free downloads from Limbabwe music. I will take action if I notice mafia asholes taking commercial advantages of this. I am in this bizznix for 45 years. Got my contacts. I will find you. Downloader: do not pay for Limbabwe music!
Every download starts with an introduction page linked here in the download section menu. On this page you find the tracklist, information about the release and band plus the link to the file. Since this is my site, expect a personal touch, memories and stories. You will get a nice feel of that time along with the music you download. Ignore the other sites and articles about Limbabwe and that period. These pages are full with wrong information and lies. Here is the direct source, Limbabwe itself with the real story and original music.
Bands/artists who published more than one product on Limbabwe will have all downloads together on one page. Plus for the ‘greedy – I wanna have it all’ one file that contains their complete Limbabwe catalogue.
If you have problems downloading or find broken links please report.
List of all downloads
Aikula
Alle Honden Blaffen
Appellation Controlee
Catastrophe Bizarre
Cherokee
Der Junge Hund
Die Sanfte Verhutung
Disgust
DKK
Duo La Lier
Extra
Free Music/Consolidated
Gotefix
Igor en de Zwijne
Integendeel
Kleine Negertjes
Koko Zozo
Koos van de Kerkhof
Kosmetika
Meer Staal
Money Makes Justice
Neuroot
Oh’Dev
Pandemonium
Rare Neugels
Sanity Commission
Tango Djoboko
The Revels
The System
Vlaaikots
Zanzibars Twist
Zebra
Zoo
Zwaar Klote/Incest