Minimal Wave Records

Damian Ramsey, founder of Synthpunk.org, interviewed Thomas Leer ( on January 24, 2001 via email. Aside from releasing his own DIY single “Private Plane” in 1978, Thomas Leer, described as an “electronic garage” musician by Melody Maker also collaborated with Robert Rental and released “The Bridge” on Industrial records in 1979. As a recording artist, he evolved throughout the 80’s and continued to release music through the Company, Industrial and Cherry Red (UK) without using large production studios. Further information can be found in the artist listing section, here.

1. How did you become aware of punk rock?

I was living in Edinburgh at the time and there was a definite feel in the air. Although there were still some interesting artists recording, there was a general staleness in the music scene. People had gradually become dissatisfied - as a consumer, I was dissatisfied. . .

I decided to move back to London and restart a band. I didn’t become aware of punk and take action, as such, I just realised that our activity was part of a bigger picture. It was one of those happy coincidences - a convergence of ideas and idealism that happen every now and then when it’s time for change.

Actually, that the burgeoning scene happened to be punk rock was almost incidental. It really could have been anything - the music that surfaced and survived those early days (or that was interesting to me) couldn’t really be categorised as punk - punk was merely the catalyst.

2. Tell me about your group Pressure.

Pressure consisted of Robert Rental, Andy Aitken, Myself and my partner Liz Farrow. We played some sets at The man in The Moon to some acclaim and generated quite a bit of interest and following. I was becoming increasingly dissatisfied, though, with what was quickly becoming an overcrowded scene with a pretty limited potential for experimentation or development. I decided to split early rather than follow a path which I felt wasn’t right.

3. What drew you to krautrock/electronic music?

I’d been into this type of music for years. I’d played and sang in bands from my early teens and when Pressure formed it was after only a layoff of a couple of years.

Zappa, Beefheart, and the Kraut stuff were just where my natural bent lay. It pushed all the right emotional and physical buttons. I’d been experimenting with tones and oscillators, tape loops, vocal layering etc. years before I recorded Private Plane. I didn’t have the cash it cost in those days to buy synth gear as it was then, but a friend of mine worked in a lab and put together oscillator banks for me. It was rough and ready but the sounds were surprisingly effective. . .

4. Tell me about the recording of your “Private Plane” single (what equipment and what methods you used to compose and record the tracks).

Private Plane was written and recorded over a 3 day period in my tiny flat in Finsbury Park, London. It was recorded on a TEAC A3440 4-track recorder and a little ALICE mixing board.

The only FX used were a WATKINS COPYCAT tape echo unit, ELECTRO HARMONIX DrQ filter, an old ROLAND drum machine (the preset variety) and a STYLOPHONE 350S.

The process was simply a case of laying the tracks down one at a time, applying FX as I went along, and then mixing them all down onto a REVOX A77 mastering machine.

5. How did the music press react to the single?

Enthusiastically. I knew the single was good but I must admit I was pretty surprised at the blanket acclaim it received. Tony Parsons made it his single of the week in NME, it was single of the week in Sounds, it made the critical lists of many of the NME writers end of year round-ups and a decent showing in the years top 100.

Despite all this it remained pretty unknown to the public at large.

6. How did you become acquainted with Robert Rental?

Robert and I were friends from our hometown in Scotland.

7. What led you to seek a contract with Industrial Records?

They sought us. When they heard the singles they were interested in working with us. We hired some equipment from them, recorded the album in Robert’s Battersea flat and put it out on the Industrial label.

8. Tell me about the recording of “The Bridge” LP.

It was actually a very fraught experience particularly for Robert who was undergoing a bit of a confidence crisis. Despite a pretty good relationship with the Industrial folks we still only had the equipment for a limited period and were not exactly au fait with the workings of it. We didn’t have the material ready to record and working in such a close, intense environment led to a deal of friction.

9. How did the music press react to that album?

Quite well. The superlatives thrown around in the direction of Private Plane were gone but no-one trashed it.

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