Smersh, this is now, that was then
Smersh was Mike Mangino and Chris Shepard. And from 1981 until 1994 they released far too many cassette tapes. They also contributed to far too many compilations throughout the known world. In the early eighties they established a unique sound that is known and loved, combining cheap electronics and wild guitar sounds with distorted vocals. They were in fact a bit The Ramones of the industrial scene. But were they industrial? The Smersh sound had so many faces that it is next to impossible to categorize their music. Smersh recorded on most monday evenings for a couple of hours. Each song was improvised over the course of the evening and then recorded. Once it was finished they never played it again. They never rehearsed, they couldn't read music, and they never played live.
Some dates (important?)