Scattered Order

Drawn from sometimes unlikely sources, the people who have shaped the sound of Scattered Order are a diverse group, but with a couple of outstanding things in common: a capacity to experiment outside their comfort zone, and a well-developed sense of humour.

Mitchell Jones
Took a semi-direct route to making music via sound engineering and a moderately distracting four years studying graphic design. As any fan of Roxy Music will tell you, get thee to an art school. Pulling apart his Mum's Telefunken radio with a soldering iron may also have influenced his approach to sound. Van der Graaf Generator, Can and PIL certainly did. Scattered Order's only remaining founding member did not intentionally become its lead vocalist, but his own brand of 'anti-singing' became something of a Scat's hallmark, as well as an on-stage spectacle, complete with giant texta lyric sheets strewn among his array of antiquated guitar pedals. Sound treatment and his early adoption of found sound are also vital components of his music.

Though he suffered childhood piano lessons, Mitch claims not to know any kind of technical musicianship, though he has played bass, guitar, keyboards and even harmonica in Scattered Order, in addition to writing words, melodies, beats and sequences, and amassing a formidable analogue sound library. Some items from that library can be heard in his only other musical collaboration, with his wife Drusilla and Tim Whitten performing as Lint.

You can make a living out of music, but not always your own: aside from M Squared engineering sessions, Mitch raised quite a few bars in live sound with all manner of bands including X, The Birthday Party, The Triffids, Ed Kuepper, The Numbers.

Releases:

• All

Mitch Jones 1980
M Squared Studio

Michael Tee
It's possible to carry the equation analogy too far but the aptness of the name M Squared turned out to be spot on when Michael Tee and Mitch Jones joined forces to make and distribute new sounds all those years ago. Michael's exuberant vision and sonic inquisiteveness dovetailed well with Mitch's; his musicianship complemented Mitch's growing technical skills; he found the same things funny, and his sense of daring added impetus to their joint projects.

The early work of Scattered Order (1979-82) is stamped with Michael Tee's unerring ability to create perfect, atmospheric riffs, many of which were achieved with treated guitar. Like Patrick Gibson, Michael was also very productive with instruments on short acquaintance, from synths, organs and piano to found objects used percussively. Lyrics, vocals and de rigeur Scattered Order sound processing of the 'what would happen if...?' school all form part of Michael's time in the band.

With M Squared prospering, and its flux of people grouping and regrouping to make new and surprising sounds at an almost alarming rate, Scattered Order was Michael's first but by no means only musical collaboration under the M Squared umbrella. Others included Splendid Mess, A Volatile T Shirt and Pleasant Peasants. His solo project A Cloakroom Assembly also produced quite an extensive array of ambient recordings, some released by M Squared. Most significant, and extending long after the demise of M Squared, was Ya Ya Choral, the pheonix from the Systematics' ashes, which initially comprised Fiona Graham, Patrick Gibson and Michael Tee, and which embarked on a serpentine trajectory where misunderstood intent strangely mirrored Scattered Order's experience. Maybe it's just something that happens in Australia?

In 2009, Michael re-engaged with the mutating noise-beast of Scattered Order, after a 27-year break. Brought together again through the reissued recording projects of Vinyl On Demand and Klanggalerie, Michael and Mitch have been pursuing live performance and studio recordings as Scattered Order Mk1 with a vigour and enjoyment that neither would have expected. Michael's solo project, A Cloakroom Assembly, coaxed out of the darkness on VOD's "Pardon me for barging in like this" box set, is also set to receive new exposure on an album of new material scheduled for release later in 2010.

Releases:

• Growing Pains
• More Songs That Will Never Be Released
• Screaming Tree
• A Selection
• Boxed Brownies
• Entrave et Etouffement
• Prat Culture
• I feel so relaxed with you (Heat)
• Escape via Cessnock 12 inch (Heat)
• Comfort (Absolute Moral Icepools, Koo Koo Kamus, Heat)
• Can't Stop It! 2
• Pardon me for barging in like this (Tanks, Violent 4, Fun, Untitled, Still Happily, What / Not now, Greek Airport '80, This is a song about love, Count your blessings, Hold my cold hand, Giant, Waiting for you to come home, Teenage romance, Last one / Another song, Motionless)
• SO
• Prat Culture Plus
• Terrace Industry (Bent Up, I'm not whole)

Simon Vidale
Mitch's live sound work brought him into contact with drummer Simon Vidale, whose big, meaty pop sound was such an important factor in Sydney three-piece outfit The Numbers. With his family background in music and sound production, Simon also took an interest in Mitch's other sound engineering project of the time — helping to mix The Barons with Michael Tee — and subsequently contributed drum tracks that were later 'pillaged' by Scattered Order to become an integral aspect of their early sound.

Releases:

• Screaming Tree (World's Longest Intro, Mass Murder)
• Pardon me for barging in like this (Tanks)
• Prat Culture Plus (World's longest intro, Mass Murder, World's longest intro (2JJ Mix)

Patrick Gibson 1982

Patrick Gibson
Came to M Squared as a sort of schoolboy genius, though he'd never think that. Combining a love of words and sound with the means to arrange them in completely fresh ways, Patrick provided the joyous end of the M Squared aural spectrum, and discovered a stage presence and vocal capacity everbody else could only wish for, which is most evident in bands The Systematics, Ya Ya Choral, No Night Sweats (with Voigt/465's Phil Turnbull), Famous and Moral Fibro.

From 1980-1982, Patrick played keyboards, guitar, sang, wrote, spliced tape and even hit drums in Scattered Order, as well as being integral to keeping the M Squared tent upright. Other M Squared collaborations include Splendid Mess, Pleasant Peasants, Height/Dismay and A Volatile T Shirt. Mr Gibson is also an author of note, whose work has aired on the ABC's Radio National in Australia.

Releases:

• Growing Pains
• More Songs That Will Never Be Released
• Screaming Tree (Screaming Tree, Through Litre Chase)
• A Selection
• Boxed Brownies
• Entrave et Etouffement
• Prat Culture
• I feel so relaxed with you (Heat)
• Escape via Cessnock 12 inch (Heat)
• Comfort (Absolute Moral Icepools, Koo Koo Kamus, Heat)
• Can't Stop It! 2
• Pardon me for barging in like this (Violent 4, Fun, Untitled, Still Happily, What / Not now, Greek Airport '80, This is a song about love, Count your blessings, Hold my cold hand, Giant, Waiting for you to come home, Teenage romance, Last one / Another song, Motionless)
• Prat Culture Plus (Slot Car Synth, Swiss like knives and forks, Absolute Moral Icepools, Contact European Repetition, Frank Sartre, Koo Koo Kamus, Prat Culture, Boys in Coal Trucks, Burros through Mexico, Screaming Tree; Through Litre Chase, Screaming Tree (Live '81), Koo Koo Kamus (Live '82), Boys in Coal Trucks (Live '82))
• Terrace Industry (Bent Up, I'm not whole)

Michael Prowse 1981, M Squared Studio

Michael Prowse
Half man, half mountain and half of the underrated and idiosyncratic instrumental duo Prod, Michael Prowse (also sometimes known as Michael Prod around M Squared) sealed his fate by agreeing to play drums at Scattered Order's first public performances in 1981.

Though something of a human turbine in charge of a drumkit, especially live, Michael's greatest strength was the thoughtfulness of his approach to each new piece of material, his exploration of percussion in an orchestral way, and therefore the range of his sonic vocabulary.

The Prowse-Robertson combination that had formed Prod became truly formidable in Scattered Order, attracting particular accolades for the funk injection it brought to the band. For commentators of the time, this new danceability appears to have been an acceptable end in itself, but rather undervalues the range and subtlety of ideas coming from this Scats rhythm 'dream team'. Until his departure in 1987, Michael Prowse's input included songwriting, lyrics, drums and more arcane percussion, clarinet, artworks and stage production including lighting.

Releases:

• Boxed Brownies
• Prat Culture
• I feel so relaxed with you
• A Dancing Foot and a Praying Knee Don't Belong on the Same Leg
• Career of the Silly Thing
• Escape via Cessnock 7 inch
• Escape via Cessnock 12 inch
• Selling the Axe to Buy the Wood
• Comfort (Absolute Moral Icepools, Koo Koo Kamus, The Pilot Reads Crosswords, Heat, A few Little Shocks, Find Girl in Boeing, Remember May 12th, Loose in the House)
• Can't Stop It! 2
• Pardon me for barging in like this (Untitled, Count your blessings, Hold my cold hand, Because they are more difficult, Last one / Another song, Blood is your blood, Star star delta)
• Prat Culture Plus (Slot Car Synth, Swiss like knives and forks,Absolute Moral Icepools, Contact European Repetition, Frank Sartre, Koo Koo Kamus, Prat Culture, Boys in Coal Trucks, Burros through Mexico, Screaming Tree (Live '81), Koo Koo Kamus (Live '82), Boys in Coal Trucks (Live '82))
• Terrace Industry (Pilot reads crosswords, The Learn Useless Knowing, Wronging Dogs with Ladders, Hold My Cold Hand, Heat, Personal Safety, Yellow Suit Weighing Machine)

Michael Tee 1981

DC (Craig) Robertson
Now the second-longest serving member, Craig has been in the Scat's engine room since late 1983, and also leant weight to their first live performances in 1981, having been introduced to M Squared, along with drummer Michael Prowse, in the recording duo Prod. An escapee from Canberra, Craig was once in a band called The Bottles, and was subsequently often referred to as 'Craig Bottle', a tag he seemed to bear with his customary good will. Also prior to joining Scattered Order, Craig played bass for a time with Pel Mel, appearing on their 1982 LP "Out of Reason". There was also a short period around the mid-80s where Prowse and Robertson honed their skills as the 'rent a rhythm section' for Flaming Hands, which paradoxically helped set Scattered Order's live sets on fire.

Though it was often his funk mastery that so impressed reviewers, and that undeniably brought Scattered Order a new audience as they moved away from their early M Squared sound, there's a lot more to the story. Throughout his time in the band, Craig's beautifully fluid bass has been at its sonic heart, and part of his musical skill is his ability to stretch across so many manifestations of the Scats sound, knowing when to be sinewy, lyrical, ceaseless, playful or tender; in each iteration of their sound, it's Craig who is extending the possibilities of where that sound can go. Beyond his capabilities with a bass, Craig's input includes writing and arranging melodies, occasional guitars and keyboards, sequencing and drum programming.

Releases:

• Boxed Brownies
• A Dancing Foot and a Praying Knee Don't Belong on the Same Leg
• Career of the Silly Thing
• Escape via Cessnock 7 inch
• Escape via Cessnock 12 inch (Escape via Cessnock, Swiss Like Knives and Forks / Live, Mass Murder / Live)
• Selling the Axe to Buy the Wood
• King of Blip 7 inch
• Comfort (A few Little Shocks, Find Girl in Boeing, Remember May 12th, Loose in the House, Texas, King of Blip, Mother's Dish, Saturday, Chicken, 50,000 Volts, Lunchtime for Lungfish, Clockdog)
• Professional Deadball
• High
• Sheer / Lotus Killers
• Chicken Hilton
• Asleep in the Knife Drawer
• Free Sandy Nelson / Brother Number 1
• Pretty Boffins
• Pardon me for barging in like this (Count your blessings)
• Prat Culture Plus (Screaming Tree (Live '81))

DC Robertson 1993
"Asleep in the Knife Drawer" Recording

Michael Filewood
Michael Filewood would have to be one of the most underrated guitarists to come out of Australia. His pristine, angular melodies seem to derive from the vernacular of another planet. Scattered Order 'borrowed' him for their first two live appearances. Part of the mighty triumvirate of the Systematics (with Patrick Gibson and Fiona Graham), the shortlived duo Instant Unit and various incarnations of Ya Ya Choral (which evolved from the Systematics + Michael Tee equation, and just kept on evolving).

Releases:

• Boxed Brownies
• Pardon me for barging in like this (Count your blessings)
• Prat Culture Plus (Screaming Tree (Live '81))

Shane Fahey 1984 Live to air 2MBS FM, Sydney

Shane Fahey
Probably neither M Squared nor Scattered Order would have developed quite as they did without the arrival of Shane Fahey, a founder member of The Makers of the Dead Travel Fast, whose output so enhanced the M Squared catalogue. In Scattered Order (1982-84), Shane created previously unrealised dimensions of sound through really full-blooded sequencing and sound synthesis (and the golden combination of patience, yummy analogue machines, and a very fine ear). His many other sound collaborations include Social Interiors with Rik Rue, he co-founded, designed and operates Megaphon Studios in Sydney and, lest he should run out of things to do, founded Engame Records to ensure that the rest of us don't run out of things to listen to.

Releases:

• I feel so relaxed with you
• A Dancing Foot and a Praying Knee Don't Belong on the Same Leg
• Escape via Cessnock 12 inch (Heat, Knife Perpendicular)
• Comfort (The Pilot Reads Crosswords, Heat, A few Little Shocks, Find Girl in Boeing)
• Pardon me for barging in like this (Because they are more difficult, Blood is your blood, Star star delta)
• Terrace Industry (Pilot reads crosswords, The Learn Useless Knowing, Wronging Dogs with Ladders, Hold My Cold Hand, Heat, Personal Safety, Yellow Suit Weighing Machine)

Scott Holmes 1984 Live at the Musicians Club, Sydney

Scott Holmes
R Scott proved that being a baritone was no obstacle to swinging it in the jazz-skewed The Same, who came to record at M Squared and had one release with the label. Probably more than any other Scats associate, Scott seemed to operate with a bottomless well of enthusiasm and energy. From his studio-only contributions of 1983 till his departure in 1987, he provided backing vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboard and lyrics in Scattered Order.

Releases:

• I feel so relaxed with you (The Learn Useless Knowing, Wronging Dogs with Ladders, Hold My Cold Hand, Personal Safety, Yellow Suit Weighing Machine)
• A Dancing Foot and a Praying Knee Don't Belong on the Same Leg
• Career of the Silly Thing
• Escape via Cessnock 7 inch
• Escape via Cessnock 12 inch (Escape via Cessnock, Knife Perpendicular, Swiss Like Knives and Forks / Live, Mass Murder / Live)
• Selling the Axe to Buy the Wood (Hell Changes Address, Vacation of a Lifetime)
• Comfort (A few Little Shocks, Find Girl in Boeing, Remember May 12th)
• Pardon me for barging in like this (Because they are more difficult, Blood is your blood)
• Terrace Industry (The Learn Useless Knowing, Wronging Dogs with Ladders, Hold My Cold Hand, Personal Safety, Yellow Suit Weighing Machine)

Dru Johnson 1982, M Squared Studio

Dru Johnson / Jones
Design student and non-musician Dru met design student and sound engineer Mitch at Sydney College of the Arts in the mid-'70s. He was the amicable one playing obscure import singles on a plastic turntable in the classroom; she was the diffident one dragging lumpy college projects into town on the 190 bus.

At M Squared, she collaborated with Patrick Gibson and others on recordings under the name Height/Dismay. A witness to most of Scattered Order's early recording sessions, she occasionally provided lyrics and backing vocals, but remained mostly observer and number one Scat's fan until January 1984 when, in some alarm, she attempted her first live performance in front of a large audience of Nick Cave supporters. Often frustrated by her limited range as a keyboardist, Dru's lateral approach tended towards haunting wisps of melody, or odd highlights and textures. Much like Mitch, she was eventually galvanised by the dual possibilities of sampling and sequencing, giving her access to unlimited sounds and ways of combining them. As a lyricist, she complements Mitch's 'channel-changes' style with rich and often dark narratives.

Much of the cover art and other graphic design associated with M Squared and Scattered Order has been Dru's work. The ambient project Lint is her fault too.

Releases:

• I feel so relaxed with you (The Pilot Reads Crosswords, Yellow Suit Weighing Machine)
• A Dancing Foot and a Praying Knee Don't Belong on the Same Leg
• Career of the Silly Thing
• Escape via Cessnock 7 inch
• Escape via Cessnock 12 inch (Escape via Cessnock, Swiss Like Knives and Forks / Live, Mass Murder / Live)
• Selling the Axe to Buy the Wood
• King of Blip 7 inch
• Comfort (The Pilot Reads Crosswords, A few Little Shocks, Find Girl in Boeing, Remember May 12th, Loose in the House, Texas, King of Blip, Mother's Dish, Saturday, Chicken, 50,000 Volts, Lunchtime for Lungfish, Clockdog)
• Professional Deadball
• High
• Sheer / Lotus Killers
• Chicken Hilton
• Asleep in the Knife Drawer
• Free Sandy Nelson / Brother Number 1
• Pretty Boffins
• Pardon me for barging in like this (Greek Airport '80)
• Terrace Industry (Pilot reads crosswords, Yellow Suit Weighing Machine)

Michael Filewood 1981
Paddington Green Hotel, Sydney

Tim Whitten
"Thanks to Tim Whitten and his Dittons" says a liner note on "Professional Dead Ball". Scattered Order were always thanking Tim, because he did so well at removing the knots in their sonic shagpile. The Dittons were his trusty speakers du jour, part of his arsenal against soggy production. Tim made his appearance at M Squared around 1983, having already attracted praise for his work with Canberra experimentalists **** **** (cough cough).

Live and in the studio from 1984-99, it was the Whitten factor that pulled the Scattered Order sound together, making it fit to be seen in public, and able to be heard above its own inner clamour on recordings. Though often astounded by his levels of concentration and patience, the band admired the sort of composure that could allow him to have vital P.A. components in pieces and back together again just minutes before a show. More than that, it's Tim's total immersion in and mastery of the process of audio production that have so endeared him to Scattered Order.

As a live sound engineer Tim was in demand with overseas performers as diverse as Big Audio Dynamite, Anne Clark, Julian Cope and a televised, uber-staging of Pink Floyd's The Wall, but he still found time to squeeze in the odd Scats show. His production credits are extensive, and include projects with Powderfinger, The Go Betweens and The Necks.

Releases:

• A Dancing Foot and a Praying Knee Don't Belong on the Same Leg
• Career of the Silly Thing
• Escape via Cessnock 7 inch
• Escape via Cessnock 12 inch (Escape via Cessnock, Swiss Like Knives and Forks / Live, Mass Murder / Live)
• Selling the Axe to Buy the Wood
• King of Blip 7 inch
• Comfort (A few Little Shocks, Find Girl in Boeing, Remember May 12th, Loose in the House, Texas, King of Blip, Mother's Dish, Saturday, Chicken, 50,000 Volts, Lunchtime for Lungfish, Clockdog)
• Professional Deadball
• Chicken Hilton
• Asleep in the Knife Drawer
• Pretty Boffins

Dave Weston
Some of M Squared's most frequent and favourite visitors were the musicians from an inspired array of bands at whose core was Pel Mel and Wild West. One of these was drummer Dave Weston, who steered the rhythm ship for Pel Mel, The Limp, Hope is a New Coat, Famous, Wild West and for a lamentably short while in late 1984, Scattered Order. Double the fun while it lasted.

Tim Whitten 1993
"Asleep in the Knife Drawer" Mix

Geoff Holmes
Though both Geoff and Mitch had worked with legendary Sydney band X in the late 1970s, their paths only crossed in 1986, when they were introduced by Scats drummer Michael Prowse. Geoff, who also played in seminal punk bands Evil Roomers and The Guilts, was weilding his exultant guitar in the rockabilly Wildcat Tamers. Could a dancing foot and a blue seude shoe belong on the same leg? Surprisingly the answer was, for about seven years, 'yes'.

The straight ahead quality of his playing provided a sort of textural clothing for the bare-boned sound that had stalked the band since Shane Fahey's departure and, as their collaboration continued, Geoff gave Scattered Order confidence to attempt more melodically sophisticated material. Like Mark Dawson, Geoff was also a member of Ed Kuepper's Yard Goes on Forever.

Releases:

• Selling the Axe to Buy the Wood (Loose in the house, Home Before the Sirens)
• King of Blip 7 inch
• Comfort (Loose in the House, Texas, King of Blip, Mother's Dish, Saturday, Chicken, 50,000 Volts, Lunchtime for Lungfish, Clockdog)
• Professional Deadball
• High
• Sheer / Lotus Killers
• Asleep in the Knife Drawer

Greg Fitzgerald
Here's a big ask. Come for a ride on the Scattered Order bus, bring your drum stool but expect comparisons with Michael Prowse when you step into those literally and figuratively very large shoes. This was drummer Greg Fitzgerald's task when invited by fellow Wildcat Tamer Geoff Holmes to come and lend a hand to the peculiar old Scats. To his major credit, he pulled it off, during the 1988 recording of Comfort and the ensuing promotional tour.

Releases:

• King of Blip 7 inch (Comfort 5 Range)
• Comfort (Mother's Dish, Clockdog)

Rob Souter
Along with Greg Fitzgerald, drummer Rob Souter helped to bring some human warmth to the complex patterns at the core of Scat's 1988 recording project Comfort. Known for his work in Dynamic Hepnotics, Rob has the added distinction of many years with Slim Dusty.

Releases:

• King of Blip 7 inch (King of Blip)
• Comfort (King of Blip, Saturday, Chicken)

Mark Dawson 1987, Ed Kuepper European Tour

Mark Dawson
The incomparable Ed Kuepper is the point of connection between Mitch Jones in his engineer's hat and drummer Mark Dawson, who played in various Kuepper post-Laughing Clowns outfits including The Aints and The Yard Goes on Forever. What sets Mark apart is an ability to be both percussive and harmonious, often simultaneously.

During 1992 and 1995, in a series of home studio-only collaborations, Herr Dawson was able to return to Scattered Order some of the elusive warmth missing in their work since the late 1980s. Much of it was done by playing live into a sequencer, sometimes at the end of the recording process, instead of at the more customary beginning. These tracks appear on "Chicken Hilton" and "Asleep in the Knife Drawer", and are a bit of a departure from Mark's work with bands such as The Blackeyed Susans and The Jackson Code.

Releases:

• Chicken Hilton
• Asleep in the Knife Drawer

Brian Mann 1993, Ed Kuepper European Tour

Brian Mann
Another great guitarist from the Ed Kuepper touring pantheon, Brian Mann is also known for his work with The Lime Spiders, Screaming Tribesmen and Kcrunch, robust rockbands one and all. In 1995 he was generous enough to become a six string-wielding guinea pig for Scattered Order by laying down random guitar pieces for later sampling and treatment.

Releases:

• Chicken Hilton

Geoff Holmes 1988
"Comfort" press
Photo: Jonothan Morris

Matt Crosbie
Like his colleague in sound Tim Whitten, Matt came from Canberra and began his long association with Scattered Order in the early 1980s, and has been intermittently assisting them with live production ever since, despite standing behind the mixing desk for considerably more famous people like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

During 1996, encouraged by Matt to tinker in his hospitable home studio, Scattered Order was able to shake off some of the lethargy of the previous few years and put together the tracks for Chicken Hilton. In 1998, Matt and the band produced a cassette-only release that helped them maintain their new momentum. Matt, Tim and Mitch all share an enthusiasm for obscure recording equipment that refuses to lie down and be obsolete, and one of Matt's greatest contributions to Scattered Order has been to encourage them to keep plugging in, and on.

Releases:

• Free Sandy Nelson / Brother Number 1

Matt Crosbie 2004
Summer in Essex

Paul Doherty
Guitarist Paul Doherty started making recordings with the band in 1996 at Clothwork Productions. Despite being best known for his work in The Johnnys, playing a sort of high velocity country style guitar, Paul's work with the Scats constructed a sonic terrain all of his own, referencing many musical styles.

From "Chicken Hilton" onwards, Scattered Order has been morphing songs back into soundscapes, and Paul's evocative use of melody extended the cinematic possibilities of this approach. A member of Scattered Order from 1997 until their self-imposed exile in 2002, Paul contributed guitar, songwriting and occasional wistful piano, as well as some of the best jokes.

Releases:

• Chicken Hilton
• Free Sandy Nelson / Brother Number 1
• Pretty Boffins

Paul Doherty 1997
Winter in Mount Victoria