# Horse Rotorvator ![[Horse Rotorvator (1986 Vinyl) Cover.jpg|700]] | | | | --- | --- | | __Title__: | Horse Rotorvator | | __Type__: | Studio Album | | __Legitimacy__: | Official | | __Release date:__ | 1987-??-?? | | __Label:__ | [[Some Bizzare Records]]<br>[[Force & Form]] | | __Original__: | | | __Derivative__: | [[Horse Rotorvator (US Cassette Release)]] <br> [[Horse Rotorvator (1988 CD Version)]] | --- *__Horse Rotorvator__* is the second studio album by Coil, originally released in 1986 by [[Some Bizzare Records]] under the sub-label K.422. Like all preceding Coil releases, it was attributed to the Coil-specific vanity label [[Force & Form]], being the last release on the label. ## Background The title of the album was inspired by a dream of [[Jhonn Balance]]‘s,[^1] which is recounted on the original album’s cover: > On the eve of the Apocalypse — (the air choked with horsehair) — The Four Horsemen betray their steeds — cutting the animals’ throats — and in doing so release the Second Great Deluge — Horsegore — infinite divisibles split — an infinity of open sewers — > The Four then fashion an immense earthmoving device from the collective jawbones — The Horse Rotorvator — with which to plow up the waiting world — (ROTA turns through 180° to TARO) — wheels replace horses — dark horses run deep — and hell is paved with horseflesh … (We plow the fields and scatter our dead steeds on the land) [^2] ## Recording A number of tracks are known to have been written for *Horse Rotorvator* that did not appear on the final album: - [[Cardinal Points]] was intended for inclusion, but instead saw a later release on [[Gold is the Metal (with the Broadest Shoulders)|Gold is the Metal]].[^3] - The eponymous track *Horse Rotorvator* had lyrics written for it and revised several times by Jhonn Balance. It is not known if any recordings were made for it.[^4] ## Release The release of the album was preceded by the single [[Releases/The Anal Staircase|The Anal Staircase]]. ### Artwork The cover art of the original LP release of the album features a photograph of the bandstand at London’s [Regent Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regent%27s_Park). The location was likely chosen due to it — along with nearby [Hyde Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Park,_London) — having been the site of [an IRA bombing in 1982](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Park_and_Regent%27s_Park_bombings) which killed, among others, seven bandsmen and seven horses. The latter location would also later be referenced through the track ‘[[Hydlepark]]’ on the 1995 album [[Worship The Glitch]]. The later 1988 CD release features a fisheye lens photograph of the sculpture *[Physical Energy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Energy_(sculpture)#Casts)* by George Frederic Watts, located in London’s Kensington Gardens. A test pressing is also known to exist which uses artwork by Trevor Brown, also used on the contemporaneous *A Coil Magazine*.[^5] ### Packaging Unlike the preceding album, [[Scatology]], *Horse Rotorvator* did not contain any explanatory liner notes, with the 1988 CD release only receiving liner notes with lyrics. This was a deliberate decision, as the band felt that the amount of liner notes on [[Scatology]] was excessive and worked against the album’s mystique.[^6] ### Versions - __1986 Promo cassette__: A promotional cassette released in 1986 uses the working titles for two tracks: *“Baby Lero”* for [[Babylero]], and *“Acapulco March”* for [[Herald]]. In addition, the song listed as [[Songs/The Anal Staircase|The Anal Staircase]] is actually [[The Anal Staircase (Relentless Mix)]], suggesting the latter was the originally intended album mix.[^7] - __Original 1987 LP release__: Like the preceding album, [[Scatology]], *Horse Rotorvator* did not initially receive a CD release, only being distributed on vinyl record and tape. - __[[Horse Rotorvator (US Cassette Release)|U.S. cassette release]]__: This version, distributed by Relativity Records, adds the tracks [[Ravenous]] and [[The Anal Staircase (A Dionysian Remix)]] from the [[Releases/The Anal Staircase|The Anal Staircase]] single to the track list, though they are not listed in the packaging. It also uses the working titles seen on the 1986 promo cassette, in addition to the title *“Silk”* for [[Slur]]. [^8] - __[[Horse Rotorvator (1988 CD Version)|1988 CD release]]__: Like the U.S. cassette release, the 1988 cassette release added [[Ravenous]] to the track list. Unlike the former though, it did not add [[The Anal Staircase (A Dionysian Remix)]]. ![[Horse Rotorvator (1986 Vinyl) Cover.jpg|150]] ![[Horse Rotorvator (Test Pressing) Cover.jpg|150]] ![[Horse Rotorvator (1988 CD Version) Cover.jpg|150]] ![[Horse Rotorvator (2001 CD Remaster) - Cover.jpeg|150]] *Artwork for various releases of* Horse Rotorvator. *Left to right: 1987 LP release, LP test pressing, 1988 CD version, 2001 CD remaster.* #### Tracklist ##### Original 1987 LP 1. [[Songs/The Anal Staircase|The Anal Staircase]] 2. [[Slur]] 3. [[Babylero]] 4. [[Ostia (The Death of Pasolini)]] 5. [[Herald]] 6. [[Penetralia]] 7. [[Circles of Mania]] 8. [[Blood From The Air]] 9. [[Who By Fire]] 10. [[The Golden Section]] 11. [[The First Five Minutes After Death]] ##### U.S. Cassette Release *This section is currently empty, but is already planned to be filled out in the future. Feel free to leave any suggestions in the lobby!* ##### 1988 CD Release *This section is currently empty, but is already planned to be filled out in the future. Feel free to leave any suggestions in the lobby!* ## Personnel |Name|Credit| |---|---| | __[[Peter Christopherson]]__ | | | __[[Jhonn Balance|John Balance]]__ | | | __[[Stephen Thrower]]__ | Woodwinds, Guitar, Percussion[^9] | [^1]: <http://brainwashed.com/common/htdocs/publications/coil-1986-stator.php?site=coil08> [^2]: <https://i.discogs.com/uu2LnTJLb65B45hA9PK8DIh7wbsWxDc2fyMOa_n0pMc/rs>:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:210/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE5NDMw/NS0xNDcyODQ5MTky/LTc4MDAucG5n.jpeg> [^3]: <https://i.discogs.com/xY7gCN4CHCQ5ghRidGo5BA066OeSz7zNLX65ix48q4k/rs>:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE5NDE4/MS0xNDM5NzI1NDE3/LTkwNjUucG5n.jpeg> [^4]: see John Balance, ed. Clause Laufenburg: *The Cupboard under the Stars*, publ. Timeless, 2023 [^5]: <http://brainwashed.com/coil/images/magazine/cover.jpg,> <http://brainwashed.com/coil/images/magazine/index.jpg> [^6]: Nick Soulsby: *Everything Keeps Dissolving*, p. 199 [^7]: <https://www.discogs.com/release/194173-Coil-Horse-Rotorvator> [^8]: <https://www.discogs.com/release/90856-Coil-Horse-Rotorvator> [^9]: Nick Soulsby: *Everything Keeps Dissolving*, p. 262