Zen Jam’s first LP release is a compilation of work by a 1980s post-punk art rock combo from New York City called His Master’s Voice. HMV was formed in 1982 by Hawaii transplants Mark Abramson and Keiko Bonk. Their music is charged with the gritty DIY spirit of the East Village art scene, though their melodic bent sets them apart from many of their harder edged contemporaries.

The band was the offshoot of a couple of art-school bands from New York’s post-punk era. Singer Keiko was a painter, as was their first drummer Jeffrey Rubin. Original bassist Kai Eric was a budding impresario. Guitarist Mark was the only band member whose focus was solely on music. They were signed to PVC Records amidst the whirlwind of economic activity surrounding the East Village in 1984. But their first record, Missionary, was hamstrung by botched production, and was bargain-binned after the record company folded.

In 1985, HMV landed on its feet with a new rhythm section – Jay Dee Daugherty, who also played with the Patti Smith Group, and Robert Warren, a young phenom who had previously played in Ru Paul’s band. After a slew of shows and demo recordings, Robert parted ways with the group in early 1986. The remaining members continued gigging the rest of the year along with friends from other bands, but performances were spotty without a regular line-up.

A last-ditch attempt to attract a new record contract produced a solid set of recordings with bassist Chuck Cornelis, however the tracks were never finished, and the band broke up for good at the end of 1986. Additional material was recorded in 1989 and 1991 in a couple of posthumous sessions.

In 2007, Mark dusted off and digitized the His Master’s Voice master tapes. Once it was clear that the material held up, he resolved to eventually make the music available to friends, family, and fans. Finally, after retiring from design in 2024, Mark began the process of repairing, mixing and mastering the tracks. In 2025, the work is finally done. We hope you enjoy cracking open this time capsule from the glory days of the East Village.