Money Makes Justice

MONEY MAKES JUSTICE (Limbabwe vinyl 5) 1986

Another Limbabwe vinyl. Strange release and for sure very ‘rare’. It’s a vinyl single ‘bootleg’ style, although not an illegal pressing. 6 bands contribute a live recorded song at the VHC in Tegelen North. All these bands came from this town and had a relation with the VHC.

The VHC was a punkrock squat mainly run as club/bar. Few people temporary lived in the apartment above. The club was across the street of the Martinusstraat (Limbabwe) squat. VHC used to be a bar called Cartouche that closed down late 70ties and was empty for many years. Like often with bars in The Netherlands it was owned by a beer brewery (Bavaria). After bankruptcy bars are left with still lots of things in it, waiting to be taken over by a next owner. Here no one showed interest.

The VHC was mainly squatted by the new (second) generation who wanted a location for themselves. This generation was mainly punkrockers, but also others visited the VHC. In the beginning the VHC was neatly run like a bar/club.

Open on regular times, cleaned and every week few gigs. Towards the end this vanished and the building got more and more demolished.

The ME (riot police) came with an army to evict only 2 persons from the VHC. This was about one year later. VHC existed from 1984 until 1985. It was a common strategy of Dutch squats in the mid-80ties to threat with violent war if eviction came insight. Heavy war-like evictions in the past scared politicians. The riot police came with an army massive equipped, meanwhile the squat was already empty with only two persons (symbolic) surrendering. This was done to give the authorities a negative image ‘so much force and violence for nothing’, just two people looking for a home. In that time the Dutch squat scene already split in many small groups arguing eachother. It was almost impossible calling up a large group defending eviction.

Regular readers on this site know my thoughts about this second ‘Martinusstraat’ punkrock generation. I am not going to whine about it again. It was a passing thing, they had their time.

Tegelen North had many squats starting in the 70ties. Most of them had as goal what squatting was all about: supplying a roof to homeless. The Netherlands has until today due to overpopulation a housing shortage. The squat of an apartment building in 1979 brought the scene together that was united and strong despite different backgrounds. That scene squatted the Martinusstraat (It was never called ‘pand 24’, not even in the early days), started Bauplatz and was important for the existence of Limbabwe. For about a decade de Martinusstraat had a central function in town for several ‘alternative’ generations. The VHC never had an impact like the Martinusstraat. It fulfilled the needs of a small group for as long it lasted and was therefore doomed to live a short life.

After the eviction I released this single. A ‘memorial’ for those involved or interested. Only 300 pressed. The single had legal contributions and was officially licensed by the Dutch copyright organization. It had a total black label. I wrote with a white marker on every label V.H.C.

The cover was a stencil with drawing and explaining text printed on yellow and orange paper.

With scissors I cut the A-4 sheet so it would fit in a plastic 7” cover and folded it. The drawing on the front shows 4 pigs on a table with scale, money has the overweight. The 4 pigs symbolize 4 people: Huskes (Police boss), Bavaria (VHC building owner) Judge (decided eviction) and Major (responsible for eviction).

To create more space the 7” has to played on 33rpm. Normally 7” vinyl is played on 45rpm, on 33rpm allows more grooves for music.

This Limbabwe release was the cheapest and quickest design I ever did. Also the ‘fast-bootleg’ style is a design.

All songs are live recordings of these bands performing in the VHC. Mostly simple taken with a cassette recorder in the room.

Iwan en de Trollen is one of the ‘Marc’ bands, same people also responsible for Igor en de Zwijnen and The Revels. Their remarkable contribution is a surf-version of the Pandemonium song ‘Wir Fahren Gegen Nazi’s’. Probably the only Iwan en de Trollen recording ever. Same with the last track: Delerium. They never released any material on Limbabwe and for as far I know nowhere else.

Inbetween the songs you hear little cuts of radio interviews with Stroecken (local responsible alderman) and Huskes (chief local police) about the subject. I edited these bits on the end or start of a next track. Whatever I thought would ‘fit’. Will not translate you what they say, its done gone and over with. Totally on the end, after Delerium you hear Marc (Revels) doing 3 lines free improvised text version of ‘House of the Rising Sun’. This I left on the end of track 6.

One more story pops up. I pressed the Limbabwe records at a plant in Belgium. Not weird, the company was good, cheap and easy. Many (all?) Dutch indie products (especially punk) was printed there. Everything official. The plant refused printing if you didn’t had official license from copyright organization. There was something ‘fuzzy’ though. The border between The Netherlands and Belgium was open. Only incidental controls. Dealing between two foreign companies you could screw with VAT. The agreement with the record plant owner was that he gave you an ‘official’ bill. This should be reported as export/import at the border. Taxes needed to be paid. If you drive trough, (no controls) you saved the tax (VAT) money. Ones at home call the plant to inform all is ok, and both throw the bill away. It saves tax money on both sides.

With Ben (MK owner, see post October 6 2010) driving we went to the record plant in Belgium. Ben liked to do this, being involved in music bizznix activities plus its always interesting visiting a record plant. Ben’s ride was Alfa Romeo; fast! In Belgium I paid the singles and loaded the 2 small boxes (only 300, 7” records). On the road back Ben stepped the gas-pedal racing towards approaching border. Suddenly, very close to the actual border line, a patrol officer jumped on the road with stop sign. Ben slammed the break almost killing the guy (must have been an idiot jumping in front). Well, you guess. He found the records. I had to pay taxes and on top a fine for smuggling. It was worth it, never got caught at the other 9 trips.

Recorded by: unknown. Produced by: Limbabwe

Tracklist:

1) Iwan en de Trollen – Wir Surfen Gegen Nazi’s
2) Gotefix – Fuck the Vara
3) Disgust – II=RR
4) Pandemonium – No More Talk
5) Oh’ Dev – Untitled
6) Delerium – Chemical Overproduction

Download the taxed release here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Money_Makes_Justice.zip

Problems with downloads or broken links? Please report: matski@limbabwe.com