Earthly Delights

• Name — Nocturnal Emissions • Origin — London, England • Genre — Industrial, dark ambient, post-industrial, ambient, experimental, noise, dub • Years Active — 1980–present • Label — Sterile Records, Staalplaat, Soleilmoon, Earthly Delights, Klang Galerie, Dark Vinyl, Illuminated Records, Vinyl On Demand • Website — Earthly Delights • Current Members — Nigel Ayers • Past Members — Danny Ayers Caroline K Reg Sailyne Steve Tanza Fiona Virtue

The project was initiated in Derbyshire in the late 1970s by Nigel Ayers (b. 1957), a former art student who, during the period, lived in London, together with collaborators Danny Ayers (b. 1964) and Caroline K (1957–2008). Since 1984 Nocturnal Emissions has continued mainly as Nigel Ayers' solo project. There were many collaborations on animated films with Charlotte Bill. Bill was never an official member of Nocturnal Emissions but admits to being one of the legion of members of The Fall. In 1990–92, Nocturnal Emissions collaborated on Butoh dance performances in Europe and the United States, with the Japanese choreographer Poppo Shiraishi. Around this time Nocturnal Emissions' Situationist-influenced practice became increasingly informed by magick, stone circles, techno–shamanism, neo-paganism, animism and Fortean research.

In 1979, Nocturnal Emissions founded Sterile Records. Sterile Records’ approach was a combination of the experiments of musique concrète and Fluxus combined with the critical eye of conceptual art and the spontaneity and energy of punk rock. The dark humour of industrial music and the writings of various ultra-leftist political fractions were an essential part of the mix. Sterile Records used both commercial and non-commercial media to deliver anti-capitalist messages, multi-coloured noise and information overload. The label was effectively dissolved in 1986, when Ayers founded the Earthly Delights label.

• The Beauty of Pollution (with C.C.C.C.) (Endorphine Factory, 1996) • From Solstice to Equinox (with Barnacles) (Klanggalerie, 2023) • Nocturnal Emissions were associated with the Kernow section of the Association of Autonomous Astronauts. • Oedipus Brain Foil 3xCD (with Randy Greif and Robin Storey) (Soleilmoon, 1998) • Mesmeric Enabling Device CD (with John S. Everall and Mick Harris) (Soleilmoon, 1999) • The World Turned Gingham CD (with Robin Story, released under the name Hank & Slim) (Caciocavallo, 2000) • Transgenic CD (Solo album released under the name Transgenic) (Soleilmoon, 2000)

• Bleeding Images (1982) • The Foetal Grave of Progress (1983)

• The Three Trials – Adventures in Psychotica (Randy Greif dir.)