Members Sam McKinlay - all instruments - Ba. Ku., The Rita, Black Air, Black To Comm, BT.HN., Edwige, False Creak, Incision, Kay Lawrence, Vice Wears Black Hose, Zenta Sustained
Albums
Possessed Nun Sleaze (Cass, Ltd) Labyrinth Maze 020 1998 Swingers Get Killed (CDr, Ltd, Num) Solipsism Solipsism-07 1998 Rita, The / Flatline Construct / Âmes Sanglantes - When Canadians Attack (CDr, Album, Ltd) Let It Rot none 1999 Recycled (Cass) RRRecords none 2004 Sea Wolf Leviathan (CDr) Solipsism Solipsism-58 2004 Bodies Bear Traces Of Carnal Violence (CD, Ltd) PACrec, Troniks PACrec109, TRO-150 2004 Rita, The / Filthy Turd - Kill The Women Rape The Men (CDr) Voltagestress*r Voltagestress*r 021 2005 Rita, The / Ba. Ku. - The Rita / Ba. Ku. (Cass, Ltd, Num) Harsh Head Rituals hhr002 2005 Flapper Influence From French Prostitutes (Cass, Ltd, C40) Monorail Trespassing mt26cs 2005 Lake Depths Lurker (CDr) Harshnoise HN016 2005 Rita, The / Maim - Split (CDr) Snip-Snip Records SNIP-SNIP 30 2005 Rita, The / Damno Te - The Rita / Damno Te (Cass, Ltd, C40) dollfullofrivets dfrp022 2005 Graveyard Of Whorer / Blood Injected Into Dirt Reptile Toe Products 2006 Werewolf Jerusalem + Rita, The - Double Creature Feature (Cass, Ltd, Album) Swampland none 2006 Bone Awl / Rita, The - Bone Awl / The Rita (Cass, Ltd) Klaxon KLX-007 2006 Koskimo House Post (Cass, Ltd, C40 + Box) Erratic Sporadicism Tapes EST.006 2006 Albert Kogler (LP, S/Sided, Ltd) Troniks TRO-246 2006 Thousands Of Dead Gods (CD) Troniks, PACrec TRO-231, PACrec124 2006 Cherry Point, The & Rita, The - Breast Mutilation (LP, S/Sided, Ltd) Troniks TRO 220 2006 Maillart Extended (Cass, Ltd, C30) rundownsun rundownsun No. 6 2006 Rita, The & Werewolf Jerusalem - Feast & Flesh (CDr, Album) Deadline Recordings none 2007 Rita, The / Goat - Macha Magall / The Night I Crushed Your Face (CDr, Ltd) Deadline Recordings none 2007 Taskmaster / Rita, The - Taskmaster / The Rita (Cass, Ltd) Enterruption none 2008 Headless With Leopard Skin Definitive Circumstances 2009 The Nylons Of Laura Antonelli Utmarken 2009 The Voyage Of The Decima MAS (CD) Troniks TRO-293 2009 Rita, The / Alo Girl - Collaboration (LP, Ltd, Num) Urashima UMA 008 2009 Skate / Snorkel (LP) RRRecords RRR-ITA 2009 The Parisian Dancing Girl In Thigh High Stockings Is Thrown To The Floor By The Cloaked Phantom (Cass, Ltd, Album, C30) Dead Audio Tapes DAT97 2009 Carlos Giffoni / Rita, The - Two On A Match (2xLP, Ltd) No Fun Productions NFP38 2009 Fouke / Is (2) / Rita, The / Vomir - HNW (LP, Ltd, Num) Urashima UMA 011 2010 Blue Sabbath Black Cheer & Rita, The - Drowning Witches (CDr) Debacle Records DBL043 2011 Rita, The & NFW / Christian Nicolay - Atlantis (2xCass, S/Sided, Ltd) Satan's Din SD18 2011 The Rack (CD, Album) Handmade Birds HB-DIS005 2011 Eyeliner Into Nylon Back Seam (CD, Album, Ltd, Num) Sickcore SC25 2012 Women’s Vocals (LP, Ltd) Urashima UMA 033 2012 Vice Baron (Cass, Album) Banned Production bp187 2012 Escorting (3xLP + Box, Ltd, Num) At War With False Noise, Urashima ATWAR134, UMA 060 2013 Rita, The / Caligula031 - Self Shop (Cass, Album, Ltd, C30) Nil By Mouth Recordings NBM36TAPE 2013 Gamzatti (LP, Album, Ltd) Total Black 25 2014 Rita, The / Herukrat - Red Imprint From Ankle Ribbon (Cass, Album, Ltd, C30) Nil By Mouth Recordings NBM45TAPE 2014 Ballet Feet Positions (CD, Album) Old Europa Cafe, Elettronica Radicale Edizioni OECD 193, EREAU004 2014 Rita, The & Masturbatory Dysfunction - Nylon Source Manipulation (The Readings) (Cass, Album, Ltd, C30) The Level Of Vulnerability TLV-TAPE009 2015
Singles & EPs
Knife Of Signora (CDr, Mini, Ltd) Chondritic Sound CH-058 2004 Anna Christie (CDr, Mini) Pitchphase PP-306 2005 El Lago De Los Muertes Vivientes (CDr, Mini, Ltd) Audiobot BOT 041 2005 Rita, The / Medea - Fra Diavolo (CDr, Mini, Ltd) Titus Records TRVI 2005 Milicent Patrick Self Abuse Records 2006 The Tortured Ghosts Of Creeks And Rivers Trash Ritual 2006 Mania (4) / Rita, The - True Ass Worship (Box, Ltd + 7", Mar + Cass, C21) Dada Drumming dd24 2006 Mutant Ape - Rita, The - Kings Of Violence - Murky By The Sand Bar (7", Ltd, Num) Unrest Productions, Turgid Animal UNPREP01, TA114 2007 Rita, The / Is (2) - "..." (2xCDr, Mini, Ltd) Whitechapel Records WS-10 2008 Shark Knifing (7", Ltd) Scratch And Sniff Entertainment SNSE 075 2009 Predators (7", Ltd) Second Layer Records SLR008 2010 Overdriven Stocking Worship: Women's Legs And Feet In Nylons Petite Soles 2013 Rita, The / Dead Body Collection - Split Peripheral Records, Schizophrenic Episode Simulation 2013 Shooting Sharks (7") Spacelessjam, Vinegar, Antropofago Ateo none 2013 Prurient / Rita, The - Women Pissing (7", W/Lbl, Ltd, Pur) Fusty Cunt FUC 99 2013 Dark Angled Eyebrow (7") Amethyst Sunset AS-011 2013 Mlehst / Rita, The - Red Nights Red Light Women (Lathe, 10") Belief Recordings none 2013
Compilations
Retrospective Harsh Head Rituals 2006 Rita, The / Werewolf Jerusalem - Collaboration Collection (Cass, Comp, C60) Enemata Productions EP7 2008 Blue Sabbath Black Cheer / Dried Up Corpse / Nervous Corps / Rita, The - HN (CDr, Ltd, Comp) Hipster Death none 2010 Retrospective II Total Black 2013 Torturing Nurse / Rita, The / Safe / Vomir - La Vierge De Nurembourg (4x7", Red + Box, Comp, Ltd) Dot Dot Dot Music DOTDOTDOT015V 2013 Rita, The, Aedeagus, Brutalest, Vomir - Various (Cass, Comp) Instincto Records INO-100 2014
Videos
Rita, The And Hospital - The Creature Is In The Hospital (VHS) Not On Label (The Rita Self-released) none 2002
Miscellaneous
Creature Drowning You (Cass) Almos Records alm#01 1996 Cartilage Deposit (Cass) Almos Records alm#03 1996 Refulcilized (Cass, Ltd) Not On Label (The Rita Self-released) none 1997 Shin O.C.D. Trauma Tone Recordings 1998 Crusty Etruscans (Cass, Ltd) Spite SPITE42 1998 Living Dead Girl (Cass) Not On Label (The Rita Self-released) none 1998 Nothingisttrue / Rita, The - Her Corpse Was Missing The Head (CDr, Ltd) AssassinMonk Dagger 10 2004 Weimar Whores (CDr, B/card, Ltd) PACrec, Troniks PACrec046, TRO-118 2004 Dark Leviathan Abyss (Cass, Ltd, C01) SRR WOP9 2004 Rita, The / Nkondi - Worship (Cass, C62) dollfullofrivets dfrp012 2004 Rita, The / Cherry Point, The - The Rita / The Cherry Point (Cass, Ltd, C20) Troniks TRO-120 2004 Rita, The / Kakerlak - Delta Bayou Whore-House (Cass, Ltd, Num, C30) Not On Label (Kakerlak Self-released) none 2005 Rita, The / Lap Dancer - Darkness Off The Coast Of Vancouver, Off The Coast Of Japan (Cass, Ltd, C40) Swampland SWL-027 2005 Magazine (2xCass, Ltd, C40) Abisko Abisko 07 2005 Impregnable / Rita, The - Split (2xCDr, B/card, Ltd) Iatrogenesis Records IR021 2005 Rita, The / Oscillating Innards - The Rita / Oscillating Innards (CDr, Ltd) Iatrogenesis Records IR012 2005 Rita, The / PCRV - They Can Breathe In The Murky Fresh Water (Cass, Ltd, C62) Dada Drumming dd19 2005 Rita, The & Wilt - Werewolf In The Black Space The Institute For Organic Conversations 2006 Rita, The & Toby Dammit & Fecalove - Collaboration (Cass, S/Sided, C60) Turgid Animal TA134 2006 Standing Water (CDr) Barfing Dagger Re-Recordings BDR040 2006 The Village Of Holfen (Cass, Ltd, C30) Throne Heap TH003 2006 Mutant Ape And Rita, The - Armed Combat Collaborations IV (CDr, Ltd) Turgid Animal TA077 2006 Mania / Rita, The - Together They're Murder (CDr, Ltd) Biteworks none 2006 Rita, The / Mania - The Rita / Mania (Cass, C30) Harsh Head Rituals hhr 009 2007 Sick Buildings / Rita / Wolf E - Live Frying: Vancouver, WA 6/11/08 (Cass, Ltd, C60) American Tapes AM777 2008 Rita, The With Impregnable - The Rita With Impregnable (Cass, Ltd, C20) Callow God CG056 2008 Kakerlak / Oscillating Innards / Rita, The / Sewer Election / Work/Death - Tour Collaboration East Coast (CDr) Not On Label none 2008 Rita, The / Body Collector - The Rita / Body Collector (Cass, Ltd, Num, C41) Ecstatic Peace! e#85d 2008 Kakerlak / Rita, The - Knifing And Knived (Cass, Ltd, C30) Thorax Harsh Cassettes THC14 2008 Revealing Leopard Skin (2xCass, Ltd, C20) Skeleton Dust Recordings SDR024 2008 Murder Book / Rita, The - Murder Book/The Rita (Cass, C60) Turgid Animal TA106 2008 Rita, The / Dog Holocaust - The Rita / Dog Holocaust (Cass, Ltd, C40) Utmarken UTMARKEN #23 2009 Rita, The / Moribund - Wolf Eel / Four Feet (Lathe, 6", Ltd) Sirkut Electronics L04 2009 Rita, The / Toby Dammit / Fecalove - Tommy/Paola Senatore (Cass, Ltd) Turgid Animal ta555 2010 Rita, The / Goat - HNRA (2xCass, Ltd, C48) Philosophy Shop Kant-035 2010 Womankind (Cass, Ltd, C20) Survivalist none 2010 Womankind 2: Cleopatra, Sacred Servants (Cass, Ltd) Survivalist none 2012 Rita, The / Clew Of Worms - The Rita / Clew Of Worms (Cass, C30) Cathartic Process CP-36 2012 Sharks Women Fetish (Cass, Ltd, C32) Heavy Psych HP48 2012 Blood Into The Dirt Reptile (CDr, B/card, RE, Ltd, Num) Urashima UMA 049 2013 Tiberius Hetairai Korai (File, MP3, 320) HNW Netlabel none 2014 Climax Denial / Rita, The - Preparing For Pointe (Cass, C40) Lake Shark Harsh Noise Lake Shark HN #06 2014
Credits Layout – Marco Deplano Other [Microphones], Recorded By, Other [Processed Live By] – Rita, The Performer [Ballet] – Kelly Davis Text By [Ballet Writings] – Simone Paget
Notes All positions of the feet, conceptions of croise and efface, en dehors, en dedans, battements and pas de bouree by dancer Kelly Davis. Ballet is woman. Released as a digipack.
Apparently modern ballet began as a royal pastime of 15th Century Europe, presented as a means to keep the court entertained between banquet courses. Quite apart from its art and beauty, it was a decidedly elite pastime; a way for European royalty to demonstrate how cultured and wealthy they were.
Contrary to the best efforts of modern companies, it remains an exclusive affair enjoyed by the upper-middle class. And of course, the veneer of elegance and refined beauty belies the strict physical demands placed on the dancers. The very idea of pointe work, in which dancers put the full weight of their bodies on the vertically extended points of their feet, makes me wince.
Canadian noise veteran Sam McKinlay takes a cerebral approach to much of his output as The Rita. From his breathless odes to women’s stockings, to his giallo cinema homage, he also brings an obsessiveness to his work that few are willing or able to. The austere beauty, discipline, and strict physicality of classical ballet makes for natural subject matter.
Ballet Feet Positions, co-released by Old Europa Café and Elettronica Radicale Edizioni, comprises of two tracks, the first of which spans an exhausting thirty-eight minutes. In it, the sounds are derived from the contact-miked legs of trained dancer Kelly Davis, the output from which McKinley has processed in real-time. Initial sounds in the early part of the track are fairly innocuous and somewhat tedious to these ears, but the sounds themselves are clearly not the point. They are fragile and scratchy, speak of bones and bruises, and evoke the strength and fragility of the human body.
Interspersed with the sounds are recordings of a dance teacher describing correct technique and training—how to isolate and activate very specific muscles in the feet, for example—and suggesting various pieces of restrictive equipment to refine that technique. It echoes the fetishism and intense granularity of McKinlay’s own study on the album. The voice recording itself seems almost surreptitious in nature, bringing a vaguely voyeuristic flavour.
As Davis’ workout continues, the sounds become increasingly distorted and the intervening silences increasingly overdriven. Given the length of the recording it’s easy to imagine the dancer’s increasing sweat and fatigue from the intense physical activity. By the end of the track, the raspy sounds are lengthy brushes of grit and distortion: a much more recognisable harsh-noise-wall sound.
Second track ‘En Pointe!’ is a remix by Marco Deplano as Caligula031, presumably taking McKinlay’s original recordings to produce a lovely piece of power electronics nastiness. As always, Deplano’s unmistakable vocals are fantastic. His characteristically bullish lyrics are printed inside the cover: it’s all cruelty, shame, self-loathing, and disappointment. Ballet may have its origins in the courts of Europe, but at the end of the day we all lie in the gutter.
Also printed in the twelve-page booklet are very personal reflections from ex-dancer and writer Simone Paget on her experiences with the art form. As a young girl she was seduced by the beauty and romance of ballet, but by her late teens the ‘impossible quest for perfection’ drove her away. ‘What many people don’t understand is that ballet is equal parts art-form, athleticism, and psychological warfare’. The text adds a good deal of angst to the recordings.
I was initially wary approaching this release, wondering if it would be too impenetrable to enjoy, but on the whole it’s an excellent release, and a huge amount of work has clearly gone into it. It’s conceptually airtight, beautifully presented, and sonically interesting.
Label: Scratch And Sniff Entertainment – SNSE 075 Format: Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Limited Edition Country: US Released: 2009 Genre: Electronic Style: Noise
Tracklist
A Untitled 5:01 B Untitled 5:01
Notes Limited edition of 300 copies. The vinyl has a large center hole and is housed in a 12-page 7"x7" black-and-white booklet with a vinyl sticker and a double-sided postcard insert.
Canada
