Posts 2010

On this page all posts from 2010

Tuesday, 28 December, 2010  

Today I hit the road. Yep, I am traveling. Cold, snow, ice,….. nothing holds me in that freezing icy town although where I am travelling to is not much better (warmer). Will try to post anyway, but forgive me if I skip few days due to lack of internet or shortage of time.

Monday, 27 December, 2010  

‘In it for the music’. A colleague dropped this remark starting new forum post on a closed community (members only) site for professional crew in the entertainment bizznix. Hmm, somehow he is right, especially concerning sound engineers. Often I try to explain people this job is not pure technical. There is an artistic side; if you don’t have that right touch/feel you’re probably not very good. So far only two people responded on his post. One bit serious mentioning favors working with, the other bit cynical.

Are we all ‘in it for the music’? Even if some would deny, I think we are, still nobody would turn down jobs of artists creating music you dislike. We are also in it for the money. Bills have to be paid. Food must come on the table.

My personal experience is that you do like the music if the touring crew (artist and roadies) are ok. I worked many tours with a huge variation of music styles. Did like all these bands. Got into their music because we had a good time traveling. Sometimes the work was hard or extreme stressful. Sure there can also be people you don’t get along with. If only one in a touring party, this can’t spoil the fun. I must admit when touring with certain artists stops, listening to their music also comes to an end after some time. Most bands toured with I got the usual free vinyls and cd’s. By now most of these items are gone. Its all popmusic anyway. A passing thing.

My big luck is that until now I only toured with one band I really disliked the people, and (probably therefore) also their music. I heard stories. Some touring artists seem to be horrible assholes. Still they might be brilliant musicians. Can imagine that you do the job anyway. Great music, well paid and the person,…… oh well that’s the tourmanagers problem.

Sunday, 26 December, 2010  

A post, a post! I must write a post today. This spins through my head all day. ‘Otherwise some people think I am not at home’. Uhh, it doesn’t matter where I am. I can update my site anywhere anytime. Time differences though. If I would be in Tasmania or Cocos Keeling Island the time difference could be a day later or earlier. I know I have been referring to the Cocos Keeling Island often lately. Since I figured out someone there visits my site, I am getting obsessed by the place. Probably because its winter here, and I had enough of these fucking cold snow periods. Its bad for my bones. Did I enjoy almost all previous winters, this one is depressive. Think I have a period that I am fed up with winters. Maybe next year I like it again.

So how are your holidays? Having a good time or just struggling getting through these days. Somehow I amused myself. Went with friends to see a local gig. Nothing special, but ofcourse everybody was there and atmosphere right for a night.

Keep the post short, just to let you know I am still here. Finish with a picture of Teddy Wilson. Saw him live when still alive. Jazz music. Posted about that gig ages ago. Recently had a conversation about Wilson with somebody. That’s why the picture. Tried to find a photo from the time I attended his gig. Wanna know more about Teddy, surf the web or waste hours going through 3 years of my posting.

Saturday, 25 December, 2010  

Ok, you think these programs are pre-set for your comfort. Making life easy. Got that remark yesterday from someone reacting on latest post below. I see that. Assumedly most humans like to be leaded and directed. Sheeps that like to be slaves of machines. Creativity, innovation, discovering, pioneering, individualism,….. brought all comfort we have but never got rewarded. Within all tribes ‘different’ is first approached with suspicion. That’s how it always was and will be. Well, I like pioneering and individualism. Don’t worry, I am not a threat. You can all have your tribe and ‘slave’ position within.

Lets do a picture re-run. Fits good in this period:

Thursday, 23 December, 2010  

Got pretty good into writing posts on almost daily base isn’t? Averagely I skip only one day per week. The posts have become long stories instead of few lines I did in the beginning. Even my English writing has improved. Sad for the visitors from English language territories who for sure where very amused about my clumsy mistakes. Sure I still fail sometimes, no shame, its not my ‘mothers tongue’ and therefore do pretty good. Must admit, I do proof reading. In the beginning I didn’t give a shit. Typed the post and added. Now I check words in dictionary and online, re-read (proof-read) the text twice. Ones after written, second after adding in the site administration. Second time because of Windows shite Word program that I am gonna quit very soon. Reason: read yesterday posts. The programmer designing this shitty program should be punished. It’s a stupid pre-setting mostly very wrong in its English. I know there is US English and UK English. Whats wrong mixing both up? Its all English. Although I did figure out that US English speakers do not know what a queue is. It’s a very English word meaning: line (queue up = get in line). Anyway, language is not set by rules but by users. Language is how people speak and write. A cultural exercise constantly in move and due to change. For sure Microflop and Mackinflop can’t keep flop with that. Positive side of Word is that each time I write a post the boring white/grey screen becomes very colorful with lots of red (wrong spelling) and green (wrong constructed sentence). Oh well, programmers minds are never artistically orientated, neither free and open. Not strange, these peoples job is to capture something within a scheme that most customers understand so the product will sell.

Slowly its time learning how to program myself. My own system. Unusable for anyone else, but linkable with existing mass (sheep) programs like for example Email. If I figured that out I will design a program that everybody can do it simple and easy. Imagine you can set up your basic computer programs the way you like it with understandable languages plus…. without pre-settings. All settings can be installed by you with answering simply yes or no on very easy to understand simple questions. Easy and simple for the masses. Something the computer world has no connection with yet. Give me a few years and it will be there. I call it Limbabwe-Sheep-Connection (LSC).

Hmmm, wanted to write a short post today and get away with a picture while complaining about this horrible holiday time of the year that I wish to be over very soon. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

Wednesday, 22 December, 2010  

Technology is to serve, not control. Made this remark few posts ago. Have the feeling with digital technology we move opposite direction. Do you also often have the idea program designer deliberately fuck you up? Try to control you? Make your life a hell? Well, I do! I do understand that programs are designed for your ‘comfort’, but comfort in this case means also ‘the way the masses like it’. You are treated like a sheep: following, or worse: slave obeying the programmers design. All this under the label ‘comfort for the customer’, but this client starts to feel very uncomfortable. Let me give you a recent example: google! Do you realize google already starts searching when you are typing. Than interprets what you typed. I gave it a try and typed 50 in google search, than click the button search. All options are the artist ‘50Cents’. What? I just typed 50, no more. That means I could be looking for all kinda options regarding 50. I don’t give a shit about Cents. I also don’t want a search program thinking for me that I ‘assumedly’ look for Cents if 50 is typed. Its dumb for a program to react like this and show results I didn’t ask for. Here I go in a clash with the program designer who probably thinks ‘smart’.

Search results become very limited if the machine already halfway starts to ‘think’ for you. Fuck that. What does that programmer think? Searchers are analphabetic? Dumb? Have to obey the programmers choice? Ok, I do understand you can turn this option of, but hey! Something is cranky here! I never asked for that option. Why did I get something I didn’t ask for and have to go through the trouble turning this stupid function of? Products designed to insult you (as if you are stupid), are an insult to humanity. I am used to machines that react on my command, no more, no less. If a programmer can’t design digital products operating like that, his/her IQ level is questionable. Same counts for the purchaser. If you like to obey the program, well what the fuck are you doing here. Did you even get sufficient brains to read?

Digital technology is not advanced, its primitive making mistakes similar to every new technology introduced in the past. Another example humans didn’t learn shite last 3000 years.

Lucky, my other computer is Linux, the best of the worst. Linux works bit smarter and doesn’t allow google to think for me, unless I switch that option on!

Hehe, what a good ‘old fashioned’ whining post again. Maybe I should move to a computer free environment, but does that exist? Even on the Cocos Keeling Islands is at least one computer operative (see post few days ago).

Tuesday, 21 December, 2010  

Shortest day of the year? Oh well fuck it. Its dark days anyway. Next winter I will waste in a warmer climate.

Q65. Promised few days ago. This is (maybe?) not for the Dutch readers. They are probably bombed with revival shite around this band and record last 30 years.

When I was 7 a new Dutch band with the unexplainable name Q65 released the LP ‘Revolution’. An older brother purchased this wonderful piece of music and I had the cheap thick needle beaten the poor sensitive grooves.

This is a post in ‘Records You Show With Pride’.

Some time ago (in the 80ties) my brother gave me that vinyl copy of Revolution. Grateful I excepted the gift and still have it till today in my collection. An original first release from Decca (not for sale). A sticker from local record store on the back proves the authenticy. ‘Muziekhuis F.K.G. Quak, Gasthuisstraat 6, Venlo’ (Tegelen North was still called Venlo in those days). In golden letters on black, curly shaped letters. The store isn’t anymore, but my very first record (see post few days ago) was also purchased there.

Q65 was a big hit in The Netherlands with this record, but never made it outside until in the 80ties the industry tried to survive another crisis by re-chewing (revival) ‘weird’ 60 ties ‘underground’ (garage?) rock. Suddenly Q65 became thee wanted world famous collector. Ok, the record is good and deserves wide attention. No prob with that. Re-chewing the past for bizznix sake is another story.

The record appealed to me already as a child. Its interesting to look at what made this record so good. There are for sure two remarkable differences with other records of that time (1966). First thing you notice is the sound. ‘Revolution’ sounds very heavy and dynamic. Much more than most records released in that time. Even famous bands like Beatles and Stones didn’t sound this good. That made this record outstanding. Until today most people I play this record to, like it. For sure due to the very nice balanced and dynamic sound. Recordings where engineered by Jan Audier.

Second is that most songs are self written compositions. In those days for a band first album recording your own stuff was rare. Between the few covers (Dixon, Toussaint, Redding, Didley) self written material stands equally. Somehow I also credit that to the very dynamic recordings. Besides that the band rocks raw and wild. Much wilder than more famous colleagues like ‘Stones’. Ofcourse there is the endless brainwash from music bizznix press trying to sell their product (remember: popmusic is no more than a sale). But probably this record was the best poprecord made in that time. For those who don’t know the band, the style is r&b, blues how Europeans covered it after the US example in those days (Rolling Stones, Bluesbreakers, Yarbirds,…….., Q65)

Monday, 20 December, 2010  

At least it’s a bit warmer at the moment, around 0 Celsius. Last days where unbearable cold. Too cold for my taste. Ok, the house is warm but still its no fun going out with these extreme temperatures.

Yep, Limbabwe 50 is a fact. The idea of sampling, recycling and innovating Limbabwe music came from Zebra. They suggested a Limbabwe release. Since catalogue number 50 was coming up I thought its better celebrating this anniversary with a modern up to date interpretation instead of re-chewing the past in its original form. Few frustrated mid-life-crisis suffering fools from Tegelen North did that already last year causing unrepairable damage. Limbabwe is a label of progress, moving ahead. The past was there where it was. Nothing to be too extreme busy with. Left it on this site in the download section for sentimental old farts and/or curious youngsters. Meanwhile I move on with Dallas Kingston Kollector (be prepared, Limbabwe 51 is already in the make) and the modern tunes of Zebra. To celebrate the release as suppose, its only available on cassette tape. Limbabwe was and is a cassette tape label. Yes, all nowadays releases are also available on cassette (besides download and cd). The Zebra-De Limbabwe Tape will never be on cd. Ofcourse, somewhere in the far future a free download will be available, but to keep the exclusivity high, its only a cassette tape for some time. Be fast if you want one, only 50 are made. Another Limbabwe collector in make!

And ofcourse you probably heard that Captain Beefheart (Don van Vliet) is no longer with us. Passed away 3 days ago on the age of 69. Don’t like to dramatize these things too much. Also great artists go when their time comes. Sure Beefheart delivered great contributions to music. I liked some records of him. Play ‘Safe as Milk’ right now from vinyl (no, not for sale). Something I do have a habit of if another great artist dies. I play their records. Its more dramatic to hear that Beefheart died on Multiple Scleroses. Not a pretty disease, especially in its last stage. Feel sorrier for him suffering MS. The last period of his life must have been hell. Nobody deserves that.

Sunday, 19 December 2010  

In the early 80s young Roel Meelkop lived in the Dutch city of Tegelen North and tried his hands at playing in punk bands. Tegelen North had a fair sized punk scene, circling around a cassette label called Limbabwe. Later Roel moved to Rotterdam, discovered different kinds of music, started playing with THU20, later also in Kapotte Muziek, Goem and Zebra. He played all over Europe, the USA, Canada and Japan, but never in Tegelen North. In 2010, a slightly older Roel Meelkop played Tegelen North for the first time, doing a solo concert, one with Kapotte Muziek and one with Zebra. Someone in the audience tips of Matski, the man behind the original Limbabwe label, who invites Zebra to play on the Sina festival, Idrija. Material was prepared based on the original Limbabwe releases (punk, post punk, crisis funk, poets and impovisation) and performed for a likewise small but bewildered audience in Idrija. A trip that wasn’t easy made, missing airplanes, heavy rainfall and departing after a long bus ride from a

different airport. The live recording is released on the a-side, while the b-side sees Zebra doing short laptop punk pieces based on the original samples, leaving the beat more at home. Not a departure from the signature full on Zebra sound, but rather deepening that sound. Released by Limbabwe, but only available, on green cassettes, by Korm Plastics, in a full color cover and in a limited edition of 50 copies. Price: 10 euros (including postage) send an e-mail if you want to order any or all: info(at)kormplastics.nl

Saturday, 18 December, 2010  

Sudden last minute activities kept me from posting yesterday. Meanwhile another 2 feet (60 cm) snow came down last night. Had to do unexpected time eating things like digging myself out of the house this morning.

Tonight I work a gig in Idrija, Slovenia. I know its last minute, but if you live close and have snow tires/chains, come and check it out. Its in the Kavarna, centre town, can’t miss it. The band is called Horda Grdih. Main person of this project performed solo at Sina festival. It was the best gig I attended for years. He builds his own instruments and performs great (acoustic) gigs. Here a picture from the performance at Sina festival:

You can check it out on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEwmGLapNkI It’s a little documentary in 3 parts, English subtitled. The link is to part one, other 2 parts show up automatically after you watching the first. In those days Horda Grdih was called ‘Salamandra Salamandra’. The band you see is ok, but still lesser due to the use of electronics. This has changed. Now its full acoustic. Most interesting on the video are the two main guys (brothers) at their house up in the mountains (mainly in part 2 and 3). Now something interesting: you like to see something of my whereabouts? Yep, these guys live here, just bit more higher up on the mountain (I am down in the valley). So if you are curious where I hike, bike, hang and enjoy views almost daily, check this vid. Tomorrow  hopefully some time for full posting again.

Thursday, 16 December, 2010  

Skipped a day posting yesterday and keep it short today. Spend too many hours behind this screen last days. My eyes burn (don’t worry, have eye-drops for emergency cases).

Lets go back to these lovely 60-ties designed pikkups I was talking about 2 days ago. Here a close-up:

You can see that most of these pikkups where designed to be ‘transportable’. Speaker was always built in lit. You could take the lit of and place it within range the speaker cable allowed (somewhere close) or you opened the turntable like a suitcase. Lit stays straight up and speaker was on the right hand side. There was no on/of switch. You pulled the arm (holding needle) back, that switched on the turntable. Put the needle on the record (by hand). When done (last groove) the record player switched of automatically (needle rests in the last groove). The example on the picture has two buttons below speaker. That is for volume and bas/treble. The only other button on the turntable chooses speed (rpm) 33, 45 or 78. Simple, easy! Do you need more to listen music?

Yep, until somewhere 70ties turntables where still supplied with 78 rpm. Had few of these. Big records lasting 3 minutes made from bakelite. Extreme breakable material (some missed a ‘bite’). Leftovers from my grandpa’s grand café. Some of these records where from before WW2! Especially remember the Nabucco “Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” (Verdi). The song lasts for over 5 minutes. In the old days there was no technology shrinking the grooves, so they simply extended the record. I remember that Nabucco oversized a 12” (LP). It just fitted on the player. These records all disappeared through time. No sweat. All things must past.

Ofcourse it was big fun playing a 33 record on 78. Even Slayer or the horrible ‘Dream Theater’ couldn’t keep up with that speed. I had Johnny Cash turn the complete 80ties punkrock/hardcore scene into slow turtles.

Ofcourse more expensive ‘sophisticated’ record players where built in those days. Mostly complete pieces of furniture (cupboard-style, 60 ties design). Presented with ‘high-tech’ gags like: arm went on/of automatically or you could pile-up records, when one was done the other felt down on top, next record plays without you changing. This system showed many problems and was unpopular. Records didn’t get damaged. The label part is a bit higher than grooves. Records nicely piled up do not touch grooves. Test it yourself at home. In vinyl pressing plants records fall down from the machine on top of eachother like that.

In the 70ties I changed to ‘professional’ playback equipment. Obtained a Technics SL-3110, granddaddy of the last 20 years popular pro-dj MK 1210. I still have my 3110 and it works. Great piece of equipment. There is barely difference with Technics pro models until today. Here a picture:

The inside is still similar system magnetic drive. I changed the cartridge (needle holder) to Stanton, better and still available replacements than old systems. Only difference on the outside are the function knobs. In this old model they are all on the front display. Armlift, on/of fader switch, 45/33 rpm switch and 2 little wheels to control speed (45/33, nowadays a fader). All functions still the same like today, just differently designed. Enough tech-talk. Tomorrow another post again.

Tuesday, 14 December, 2010  

Have a few ‘passions’ in my life. Regular readers will know them by now. Besides cycling and cooking the first one is ofcourse music. My oldest memories are about music. At the age of 4 I was already obsessed playing my older brothers and sisters records on the little family pick-up (record playing device) positioned in the living room. Yes, in the early sixties in my surroundings the turntable was called ‘pick-up’. Pronounce it as one word like ‘pikkup’. A pick up officially was (and is) the cartridge. That’s that little block on the end of the arm where the needle goes in. Cartridges hold transducers what transfers the vibration of the needle (vinyl grooves) into electric signal.

In the 60ties Philips already overloaded the market with many cheap models. Tried to find a picture of the one from our living room. Difficult. It had the speaker in the lit, covering the player. In those days almost every pikkup was also amplified. The models looked cheap and cheesy. Plastic, Often horrible bright colors used. Here a picture of something similar I spinned my first records on:

Just to give you a taste of the more average pikkup look in those days:

The arms where heavy and mostly not adjustable. Needles thick and heavy. Records got damaged if played too often. Especially LP’s with many songs on one side. The last grooves where thin and vulnerable for the destructive needle. Later I owned my private pikkup exactly like this model:

An older brother owned the LP ‘Revolution’ of Q65. Now legendary Dutch band and world wide wanted collector. I have the original (not for sale). The one my brother bought when released in 1965. He gave it to me some time ago. (Was probably just collecting dust). Side A contains 8 songs. Already on the age of 7 I played that record ‘grey’. Grooves of the last song on side one are so severe damaged, it sounds now like a DKK remix. Will spend a post on this record one day.

Since the only player at the house was central in our living I tortured my family with endlessly dejaying records. Some where so great, I played them 8 times in a row. I listened to everything. From Sound of Music to Jimi Hendrix to Johnny Cash to De Damrakkertjes (my first record). Yes my first record was from a Dutch children band De Damrakkertjes. A children rock-tune about one kids older brother who plays drums in a rockband. They rehearse in the backyard shed. They sing ohooo ahaaa oho aha dedabida. Don’t worry, I will not review that record. It got lost on the road of my life somewhere but returned on my 5 decade alive anniversary. My oldest sister saved it from total disappearing and thought it was thee right day returning it to original owner.

The technical magic towards music was a gift I had already on young age, but got recognized by non-family 20 years later. Still the signs where there as a child. Playing the EP’s (these where 45rpm singles with 2 songs on one side). Our family pikkup had a stubborn habit to stop after the first song. Vinyl stopped spinning around and needle came to a rest in the few seconds empty grooves that separated the two songs when someone played EP’s. Not with me, already on the age of 4 my magical vibes instructed the machines to obey the music. Techniques are there to serve, not control (another post one day).

Talking about ‘walkman’ some posts ago, here a picture of the ‘walkkup’ (transportable pikkup). Due to shaking, sliding and skipping, doomed to a short career.

Monday, 13 December, 2010  

Explained before that website admins can check from where people visit. Once in the so many months I check that list. Brings me to pages where others leave the link to this site. Ofcourse I support that. Its good to know what direction my audience comes from. Very surprising to see people visiting from far away parts in the world. China, Ukrain, Sri Lanka, Ghana, just to mention a few. Hey drop me a mail if you come from such places. Like to know who you are. Or what about this one: Cocos (Keeling) Islands! The what? Let me research where…. Aha, this in the Indian Ocean between Australia and Sri Lanka.

‘The Cocos (Keeling) Islands consist of two flat, low-lying coral atolls with an area of 14.2 square kilometres (5.5 sq mi), 26 kilometres (16 mi) of coastline, a highest elevation of 5 metres (16 ft) and thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation. The climate is pleasant, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year and with moderate rainfall.’

Hmmm, sounds good. Here a picture:

‘Thee place to bee’ I would say. Do they need a qualified sound engineer in the local club? Wonder who visits this site from there. Want to know this person. Looks like a very good hang out. Some more research tells me the population is about 600. Hell yeah, I can go there and ask everybody personally “Hey are you the one visiting the Limbabwe site?” If the person I talk about reads this, drop me a mail.

You see, administrating a website is also educative.

Many visitors reach my website over a blog from somebody called Niels, I mentioned here some time ago. I barely remember Niels from the punk/hardcore days early 80ties. Sure we did cross path and talked, but don’t remember how he looked. Last time I wrote about this I said he stopped blogging. That’s a mistake. I see he still writes couple times a month. For those who like to read about old, new or rare records (mostly punk) this blog might be interesting. He also has mp3 downloads. Here the link http://eetusmakelijk.blogspot.com/ . Dutch title, but Niels writes in English.

Sunday, 12 December, 2010  

Not much time today. Let me introduce you a new project I get involved with (I always get the crazy ones). Its called Hungry March Band. Here you find a vid. Soon more extended news about these horny horns: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8D3zYrexZI

Saturday, 11 December, 2010  

The crisis stroke the music bizznix. I mean now particularly touring bands. There is lots lesser touring going on, lesser crew hired and lesser production money. Organizers have lower budgets. We’ve gotto cut money. Personally I think the best place to start is one of the utmost ridicules exaggerated tour-items ever: the hospitality rider. For those not familiar with the inside of this bizznix: the hospitality rider is a part of the contract. It contains the demands regarding accommodation (hotel) and food. These demands have to be supplied and paid by the organizer who ofcourse administrates this in the total production cost what reflex the ticket price. Interesting though is to see whats in these riders. Maybe some heard stories from gossip media, bands asking on their rider for 5 naked 18 year old girls, 10 real Havana cigars, 2 bottles of whiskey per playing member, a certain impossible to get expensive champagne, or whatever stupid you can think of. Sure some of these ‘idiot’ items can be ad by the management to create a gossip (read publicity). Still there are a lot of club touring bands that ask too much. Sure, you need a place to stay (hotel), but why minimum 4 star? 3 star is ok too. Simply a decent hotel. Appeal to the organizer that he/she is informed what local hotel is good and within payable budget. Its up to the management, agent and/or production to communicate this the right way with promoters (organizers). Talk out of experience. I set up lots of tour production and manage to get ok hotels. Anyway, the artist is not a vacation and mostly stay in hotels for few hours. It must be band/crew on tour efficient: warm, clean, internet, parking, good shower, breakfast.

Most annoying are the food/drink parts in riders. Let me give you 2 examples, one overrated and one I think is normal. Band-names are left out. Here the ‘overrated’ rider:

‘Afternoon for set up and sound check:

Health food snacks including but not limited to: fresh fruit; hard boiled eggs; humus; fresh salad; various cheese; wheat bread; sliced sandwich meats; peanut butter; tortilla chips w/ salsa and guacamole; crackers; juice; coffee herb teas; spring water, and 24 bottles of local quality beers.

Before the event and performance: A healthy, nutritious vegetarian hot dinner at a restaurant, or the promoter will give each of the agreed upon persons performing, and any tech crew, and road crew they bring, €20 per person food buy-out or equivalent in local currency to go out and buy their own meals.

In the dressing room in evening prior to the actual performance: caffeinated coffee selection of herb teas green tea

48 high quality bottles of local beer (i.e. Becks, Bass or Red Stripe)

6 bottles of good red wine

1 bottle of quality Vodka (Kettle One,……)

a variety of chocolate cookies (biscuits), cheese cake etc

large bottles/cartons of cranberry juice; orange juice and apple juice

12 Cans of Red Bull Energy Drink

24 bottles of good still spring water’

Not too extreme you might say, but take two things in mind reading this rider:

– The band/crew is with a total of 9 people

– They are on tour and perform almost every night.

So lets look at this. 9 people already start drinking beer in the afternoon at arrival (they want 24 bottles) go on with this (after the meal) with 2 more crates + 6 bottles of wine and a bottle of strong (whiskey/vodka). They also have to drink all these coffee’s, tea’s soda’s, juices and eat all that food, cookies and such. They get this every day! I am not surprised rockers become fat, unhealthy, alcoholic drug addicts.

My issue is that non of these people in band/crew consumes like this at home. Nobody in the world consumes this at home on a daily base! Most people see an assortment of food liike this only ones a year, with xmas. Its unnecessary and unhealthy eating/drinking this every day.

Here an example of a rider I see as more normal: ‘Meals for 5 ; incl. 1 vegan. If there is no in house cooking please supply buyout of € 15, – per person to be handed over to the tour manager immediately after sound check.

Two Dozen (24) bottles of still mineral water

One Dozen (12) bottles of beer

One bottle of quality red wine

Half a dozen (6) cans/bottles of coke

4 cans of Red Bull energy drink

2 liters of juice; apple/orange

4 clean towels

Accommodation. For 5 people, 2 twin (separated beds) one single at least 3 star hotel rooms with an suite shower/toilet. No private accommodation’

You guessed it, this is for a crew of 5 people in total. That’s somehow an acceptable amount they ask. No strong liquor on the list! I toured with both bands. The first with the extreme rider had a visitors average of 200 per night, the second 600. Hmmm, weird contradiction.

I must admit that most promoters of the second ‘rider’ band asked me confused if this is really all they want. I confirmed with yes. Some local catering services did supply unasked items anyway like potato chips, candy bars, cookies and such. Mostly we left this untouched. Why eating crap? Life on the road is draining and hard, rather stay healthy.

Now there is lesser budget I think all touring artists worldwide should cut the crap from their riders. This gives some space to pay crew or make the gig affordable for organizers. Here an example how the budgeted food/drink rider for touring club bands should look like:

– Coffee and tea with sandwich, piece of cake or cookie at arrival (after a long drive its nice to have first an afternoon bite before the job starts)

– Meal after soundcheck

– Fresh fruit

– Few beers, soda’s, juices backstage

– Bottled still spring water all day.

Ofcourse all this sufficient for the amount of people travelling, but not overdone.

The bottled water is necessary. We all need water and tap water changes from place to place. Bacteria’s vary worldwide, the worst thing is to get sick on tour.

One of the worst rider abuse I experienced on tour was with a 3 piece funk/rock/metal band + 2 people crew. It was also the only band ever toured with I disliked and never wanted to go out with second time. They had this enormous food rider for 10. A complete cold buffet including chicken, fish and loads of other stuff + food buy out (money). The cold buffet got ignored everyday. With the money they went to a fast food chain and eat crap, day after day. Still they insisted on the complete rider. What a waste. Keep in mind that most not eaten food get thrown away next day by the cleaners in the morning, after lying open, getting stale, all night.

Sure, lots of crews take rider left-over’s in the tourbus. There is nothing wrong with taking some fruit, waters, juice for the next day, but at home you don’t party wild every night either.

I always tried to convince artists that they don’t get the hospitality for free. It all comes indirectly out of their own pocket. If the production cost is low, more money is left to get paid. But if you can’t gig (make money) because of budget reasons, lets start cutting the crap from riders.

Thursday, 09 December, 2010  

Long posts last two days, and those about cassette tapes last week too. Gives you something to read these long cold winter nights. Got you something to listen also. Here a link where you can download ‘Keihard & Swingend’ (read yesterdays post): http://depositfiles.com/en/files/qkyynhifa

In addition to a few remarks yesterday, some Dutch punkbands made records in the 70ties. I remember The Flying Spiderz (pretty popular), Speedtwins and probably few more. These bands had deals with majors. They represented too much the dried fruit I wrote about yesterday. I remember visiting concerts of the Flying Spiderz (and Speedtwins). Nice gigs, but their records didn’t appeal to me. Cold boring productions. Imitations of UK and USA examples. Sure, there was a DIY scene, but very underground. That grew when we got a few years older and came floating on the surface with Rondo’s, The Ex and few labels (like Limbabwe).

The now situation I described yesterday is absolute true. The real underground tries to stay far away from any established music organization. Its suspicious if a company presents new artists with slogans like ‘real underground’ or ‘from the underground’. This can only be a lie. Few years ago the label ‘underground’ became very popular in the established ‘ontheground’ bizznix. Probably lack of new ideas made them use the term. MTV presented even a show like that (think its gone now?). It was just the same old route of a few bizznix asholes trying to sell their rotten dried fruit. Nobody real underground would join any populist ‘underground’ tv show. MTV probably declares even Madonna underground, as long it sells.

The underground is shuffled more under by the bizznix than ever. Gratefully the real undergrounders accept their position. It grew strong with their networks, and tanx to music bizznix, gets more and more untouchable nowadays.

Hey, you wanna play? Get you a gig in my living room, invite some friends who are interested in your music, and copy some cassettes of your music. Bye bye A & R asholes.

Wednesday, 08 December, 2010  

An email from somebody asking if I am selling 70ties Dutch punk made me dive into my collection. Have (had) a few records. There where not many recording Dutch punk bands in the 70ties, most came a bit later. Remember owning Panic, but that record is gone. I pulled out ‘Keihard & Swingend’! Wow! Now that’s a record, at least side A is. Nowadays I sometimes play this record to convince kids how DIY rock ‘for real’ was performed in the 70ties. Since somewhere 90ties every DIY band/artist/product sounds the same smooth boring digital without dynamics (that’s why I still work analogue).

‘Keihard & Swingend’ (on English ‘Rock-hard & Swinging) is a live registration of Dutch punk and new wave bands in 1978. Music magazine OOR (kinda Dutch NME) made together with EMI a selection of new young bands. On few nights these bands performed in Paradiso Amsterdam. Their live gigs where recorded and one song selected for the compilation. The result is astonishing. Especially side one is a high energetic dynamic rock race, song after song. Ok, nobody can really play, and the song structures are basic, 2 or 3 chords on the usual 4-beat. Hey, this is the second half of the 70ties. This is what it was all about in the first punkrock underground scene. All drive, other qualities don’t matter.

The record starts with a line from Sammy America ‘We beginnen in A’ (We start in A) He refers to the guitar chord. From that moment on the rock is unstoppable. One high energy song after the other. Shaky guitar chords, too fast or slow drums, one string bas riffs and out-of-breathe singers plus nobody in tune. It doesn’t matter. You can feel everybody is going for IT, whatever IT is, IT has to be reached. One of my most favorite is ‘WhiZZ Guy’. They perform a song called ‘Get You In My Train’ starting up with slow to fast metallic sounding guitar. All musicians jump in wrong timed. That stays throughout the whole track, but it rocks!

Pity I don’t have a scanner handy. Would have loved to give you a good view of the album back cover. Pictures from the bands on stage. The 70ties ‘look’ of the first (and only real) punkrock. Found something on the web, not so good, but here an impression:

Side two of the record has more new wave style tracks. Lesser energy besides first, Captain Coke (great name!) and last track, The Lizards. On the back cover are liner notes. The beginning is interesting and worthy to translate:

“Ones and so often there is a boom in the popmusic. All kind of bits bubble up, still wet and sweaty. ‘Honest discoverers’ help a bit presenting this new harvest to mainstream audience. Unfortunately the result is often like dried fruit, not even close to Little Richard’s ‘Tutti Frutti’. Catching music on the hottest moment is more refreshing than a flat boring programmed studio registration. If you don’t recognize and visit the source, you end up with the masses in a chute. Before realizing security controls dance moves, or worst; you are confronted with artificial insemination of latest fading techno spasm. The craziness of concerts must convince all sane living beings that nothing can beat live music. Ofcourse a damaged dive is preferred above sterile enormodome.”

Very well said, I modernized the text a bit (techno instead of disco). Still its strange to hear these words from those who where responsible for drying out lively music and killing subcultures. The organizers of this record, Muziekkrant OOR and EMI are until today established commercial music promoting companies for whom sales count, not energy and drive. The front cover tells it all. No serious indie company would come out with a populist front like this:

‘Keihard & Swingend’ was not a unique idea. It was preceded by two similar live records from the Roxy club in London (also pressed and distributed by EMI). Probably the instigators of this record wanted to have a Dutch version. That doesn’t make these 3 records bad. The registrations are important historic documents of honest expressions. I like all 3 records, but that’s not strange, its my generation. I could have been on it.

Through time the real underground learnt from this kind of music killing activities. What is under the surface stayed more and more away from the established money music industry. At the moment there is no relation at all anymore. The industry manufactures only their own boring dry fruit to feed the masses, the underground booms regularly with new creative ideas heard/seen/felt only by those who want to take an effort. That makes these records even more valuable, one of the few documents where industry and creativity meet. Non existing nowadays. Lets keep it like that.

Tuesday, 07 December, 2010  

Ever encountered perfect ‘planning’ of municipal works on roads in your town? Well today was a moment like that going on here. Yesterday it stopped snowing. After a week of keeping the driveways accessible for cars, mountains of snow  piled up on corners and parkings. Since next snow is not to be expected till Friday (according weather forecast) somebody at city works must have thought ‘lets move as much snow piles away as possible’. Good idea, but……. Was also the planning?

Had to do some shopping. Didn’t go in town last week. Not that snow keeps me in, but still, you try to avoid unnecessary walking and driving around in this amount of snow. Here you leave to the store, on return snow raised 1 foot (30 cm). Saw many cars stuck before. But now it stopped snowing. Good, my supply was running low, time to stock up. I am situated in the back end of the valley. Stores are couple of miles away. If I purchase large supplies I take the car (in summer prefer cycling). It was already running late plus I had to hit the post office on the way. My usual shopping hours are between noon and 2pm. The town is than the quietest. Working hours are from 6am till 2pm. After 12 moms are at home preparing dinner for the husband to come home soon (how traditional, but sadly enough still the case in most households worldwide). It was already after 1pm when leaving the post. Just after 2 I left the last store driving home. Oh well, have to deal with what they call here ‘rush hour’. Thats still a joke comparing to most rush hours I was used to. Here are no traffic jams, just busy on the road. Lines in front of traffic light, where otherwise is just one car.

Somehow I was warned in advance. Saw the digging machines and trucks in front of my house shortly before leaving. On the way down I drove behind one truck. But I thought ‘that’s it, they are leaving’. Going back, on one of the main intersections they where working at 5 minutes past 2pm, with 2 trucks and 2 big snowmovers. Traffic was totally stuck within no time. Meanwhile one big loaded log-truck with trailer approached from the other side, couldn’t move anywhere. ‘This is going to be funny’ I thought. Ok, my car is cozy and warm. Not in a hurry, I can stand here for a while. Amused I watched the attempts from workers trying to solve traffic problems. Had the best view, behind one snow truck (I kept a large gap between truck and me for eventual maneuvering space). Behind me was another truck. After about 30 minutes they managed to get all trucks in a certain position that I was signed to move on, just fitting between log-truck and road barrier. But the turn direction home was blocked by snow machines. Detour is possible over a small side road. Ofcourse many cars in line, stuck, made it difficult, but some moved into driveways and here I went on my way leaving the chaos behind. 200 meter further, on the next crossing I came to a standstill. Yep, two snow movers where clearing snow. Ok, one moved aside so I could pass. One hour later than planned I came home.

Somehow I don’t understand this. Is it really worldwide common that governmental workers whatsoever are the absolute not-thinkers in our societies? Why has a major intersection to be cleaned exactly at rush hour? And why has the only escape route be cleaned exactly at the same time?

Remember a similar thing when still living in The Netherlands. Friday 4pm, time I usually try to avoid driving highways in that country, but this time no choice. All roads in that territory are already one big jam on the busiest rush hour of the week, but ofcourse highway maintenance has to clean all hard-shoulder reflectors at Friday 4pm on a major highway (A2). One lane was blocked, only one other free. 40 kilometer traffic jam and I had a delay of 4 hours! Clearly a case of no brains. Probably it’s the same where you live, whatever spot on the planet it is.

Ones talked with somebody who worked at a governmental department like that (in the office). He said that they try to plan, but the actual workers on the street simply don’t care.

Meanwhile did you dig up all your old cassette tapes from the loft? They still sound great isn’t, after such a long time. Cassettes, the best information carrier invented so far.

And oh yeah, this link got send to me today. The vid is 2 years old, event 20 years, but still funny. You know the American pop artist Billy Joel? Well if not, he is one of these pop idols who’s image is ‘sweet nice mommy boy or ideal husband’. Always nice, polite, mainstream acceptable, well dressed and shaved. He is already old, around for decades. Your mom probably visits his concerts. This vid suppose to be at a gig in Moscow, late 80ties. Billy totally freaks out (gets angry at the light guy) and the show has memorable like ‘The Who – 60ties’ moments. Sex Pistols would be jealous about this one. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqY6mXULzpw

Monday, 06 December, 2010  

Original Limbabwe releases are selling. Some products disappeared from the list and will never ever be available anymore at Limbabwe. If you still want something, react fast. Check ‘Available Limbabwe Products’ in the Main Menu.

Also today lesser time for long posting. Tomorrow again. But here especially for those who are interested in real good old fashioned engineering, here an inside look into the cassette tape:  

Sunday, 05 December, 2010  

Keep it short today. Extend yesterdays post with a few picture remarks: Youngsters among us might have never seen this:

Now read yesterdays post (again).

Saturday, 04 December, 2010  

For the youngsters among us and refreshing the memory of older, I partly borrowed this text:

Cassette culture refers to the trading of home-made audio cassettes, usually of rock or alternative music. The culture was in part an offshoot of the mail art movement of the 1970s and 1980s. In the both the United States and United Kingdom, it emerged from the DIY ethic of punk. In the UK cassette culture was at its peak in what is known as the post-punk period, 1978–1984; in the US, activity extended through the late ’80s and into the ’90s. It was largely postal-based (though there were a few retail outlets, such as Rough Trade in the UK) with the artists selling or more likely exchanging music on compact audio cassettes via a loose network of other artists and fanzine readers. Several factors made the “cassette” boom occur. Obviously the recording format of the cassette tape was important. More significant, however, was the fact that bands did not need to go into expensive recording studios any longer. Multi-track recording equipment was becoming affordable, portable and of fairly high quality during the early 1980s. One could purchase a “four track” cassette recorder and get a reasonable sound at home. Therefore, due to inexpensive (or less expensive) recording and the ease of duplicating tape there was an increase of recording artists. Add to this the fact that college radio was coming into its own. For many years there were non-commercial college radio stations but now they had a new found freedom in format. With the influx of new music from sources other than the major record companies—and the quasi-major medium of college radio to lend support—the audio boom was on.

In the UK Cassette Culture was championed by marginal musicians and performers such as Storm Bugs, the insane picnic, Instant Automatons, Stripey Zebras, What is Oil?, The APF Brigade, Blyth Power, The Peace & Freedom Band, Academy 23, Sean Terrington Wright, Cleaners From Venus, Chumbawamba, 5ive Ximes of Dust and many of the purveyors of Industrial music, e.g. Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, and Clock DVA. Artists self-releasing would often copy their music in exchange for “a blank tape plus self-addressed envelope”. But there also existed many small ‘tape labels’ such as Snatch Tapes, Falling A Records, Datenverarbeitung (in Germany), Deleted Records, Face Like a Smacked Arse, Fuck Off Records, Man’s Hate (which distributed the International Sound Communication compilation series), New Crimes Tapes, Rasquap Products, Sterile Records and Third Mind Records that operated in opposition to the capitalistic aim of maximizing profit. There was great diversity amongst such labels, some were entirely ‘bedroom based’, utilising new home tape copying technologies whilst others were more organised, functioning in a similar way to more established record labels. Some also did vinyl releases, or later developed into vinyl labels. Many compilation albums were released, presenting samples of work from various artists. It was not uncommon for artists who had a vinyl contract to release on cassette compilations, or to continue to do cassette-only album releases (of live recordings, work-in-progress material, etc.) after they had started releasing records. Cassette culture received something of a mainstream boost when acknowledged by the major music press. Both the New Musical Express (NME) and Sounds, the main weekly music papers of the time in the UK, launched their own ‘cassette culture’ features, in which new releases would be briefly reviewed and ordering information given.

In the U.S. magazines such as Op Magazine, Factsheet Five and Unsound rose to fill the void. Although larger operators made use of commercial copying services, anybody who had access to copying equipment (such as the portable tape to tape cassette players that first became common around the early 1980s) could release a tape, and publicise it in the network of fanzines and newsletters that existed around this scene. Therefore cassette culture was an ideal and very democratic method for making available music that was never likely to have mainstream appeal. Arguably, such freedom led to a large output of poor quality and self-indulgent material in the name of ‘artistic creativity’. On the other hand, many found in cassette-culture music that was more imaginative, challenging, beautiful, and groundbreaking than output released on vinyl. In the United States, Cassette Culture was associated with DIY sound collage, riot grrrl, and punk music and blossomed across the country on cassette labels like Tellus Audio Cassette Magazine, Swinging Axe, Pass the Buck, E.F. Tapes, Mindkill, Happiest Tapes on Earth and Sound of Pig (which released over 300 titles), Portland’s label From the Wheelchair to the Pulpit, and in Olympia, Washington on labels like K Records and brown interiour music. Artists such as PBK, Big City Orchestra, Alien Planetscapes, Don Campau, Ken Clinger, Dino DiMuro, Tom Furgas, The Haters, Zan Hoffman, If, Bwana, Minoy, Dave Prescott, Dan Fioretti, dk, Jim Shelley, and hundreds of others recorded numerous albums available only on cassette throughout the late ’80s and well into the ’90s.

A notable pioneer of cassette culture and ‘outsider’ music in the United States is R. Stevie Moore, who, through the ‘R. Stevie Moore Cassette Club’, has been releasing DIY, home-recorded music steadily since the 1970s. Moore lives in New Jersey and continues to make many releases in the cassette-only format.

The packaging of cassette releases, whilst sometimes amateurish, was also an aspect of the format in which a high degree of creativity and originality could be found. For the most part packaging relied on traditional plastic shells with a photocopied “J-card” insert, but some labels made more of an effort. The Chocolate Monk-released album “Anusol” by the A Band, for instance, came packaged with a “suppository” unique to each copy – one of which was a used condom wrapped in tissue. BWCD released a cassette by Japanese noise artist Aube that came tied to a blue plastic ashtray shaped like a fish. EEtapes of Belgium release of This Windows (UK) “Extraction 2” was packaged with an X-ray of a broken limb in 1995.

Though in the mid-’90s cassette culture seemed to decline with the appearance of new technologies and methods of distribution such as the Internet, MP3 files, file sharing, and CD-Rs, in recent years it has once again seen a revival, with the rise of tape labels like American Tapes, Scotch Tapes, Obsolete Audio Formats, Stunned Records, Pug Records, Not Not Fun Records, Heresee, From the Wheelchair to the Pulpit, Woodsmoke, Silenzio Statico, Spookytown, Crepusculo Negro, Night People, Object Tapes, Brown Interiour Music, Retirement Records, I had An Accident Records, Bart Records, Breaking World Records, Life’s Blood Aural Releasing Entity, Lost Sound Tapes, Workerbee Records, Mirror Universe, Burger Records, Olde English Spelling Bee, Cakes and Tapes, Fairchild Tapes, Tapeworm, Pizza Night, Pop Gun Recordings, Limbabwe and To Hip To Hop Tapes. Yep the cassette is still very alive!

Friday, 03 December, 2010  

I know its getting a boring routine, but so does my snow shoveling every morning. Already had a few email subject about these 10cm in The Netherlands (like every year this time) that turns the country in a chaos. Oh well, what would they do if only half the snow falls down that dropped here this week. It probably means the end of The Netherlands (hmmmm, not bad idea). Meanwhile life goes on as usual here.

Kingston. Yes, let me again write a bit about this beautiful word that to my greatest regret is so often misused by certain shitty bands. Besides the Slovenian soap sellers there is a reasonable popular pop/rock band from New Zeeland with same name. Their style is typical ‘British’ sounding guitar pop. At least they have video’s I like more than the European Kingston. The Australians have no effects but basic idea’s edited in 70ties teenage ‘highschool’ style. Hmmm, looks bit arty. Turn sound of and its even funny. Kingston from womb in Europe doesn’t get any further than endlessly repeating the same boring formula of hot chicks dancing on the beach. The members don’t look that young anymore, they probably need this otherwise soap doesn’t sell.

Kingston! There are thousands of towns, villages (especially in the USA) with that name. And there is a digital technology company. I happen to own a Kingston USB stick. Probably there is Kingston ice-cream, door-posts, repair shops, curtain hangers, prams, calculators, communicators, banana’s, color mix, grass, ballpoint, religion, holiday camp,… Why don’t we call the world Kingston and Kingston (Jamaica) The World.

Sony stopped production of the walkman today. Yep, they are definitely over with this small cassette player. The cassette is still a popular medium in the real underground music scene. Like with Limbabwe Records, lots of music is besides the free download, only available on cassette in ‘hard’ product. If you are into what really happens under the sticky carpet of your local rock-dive, better hang on to your cassette player. Somehow I welcome the idea. Players will always be made or re-cycled(paired) somewhere. This way the real underground stays free from the mass domination and yuppie greed. Historical proven 2 issues that killed every form of creative expression. On the other hand, everybody should have the opportunity enjoying creativity, but whats wrong with giving it a little effort obtaining? But also good in another way. The big multinational (Sony) is not interested in a small selling product like the cassette. Funny is, the cassette is on its return. Also in soul/funk and reggae cassettes and boom-boxes are more and more often publicly in use again. But let the biggies be busy with their ‘MacDonald’s’ mass product. Smaller companies driven by personal ideology will take over production. This works positive for all. The cassette becomes a fine product produced with heart and soul. FREE REVOLUTION MUSIC!

Thursday, 02 December, 2010  

Before snow started a local assured me that this winter would be lesser snow, but more cold. Well, I don’t know. Looks like we get close to the amount of last year. Was again busy for two hours making the house accessible today. Made me wonder what the name Kingston relates to in this cold snowy place. Nothing here refers to what the word Kingston calls up in my mind: hot weather, sunshine, dusty dry roads, groovy music with pumping bas, easy going, marihuana, rum…. None of all that I find here. Maybe those who use the name yearn for all these things.

For who wonders, Kingston is situated north of the city New York (USA). Upstate New York. Driving towards Montreal (Canada) you pass it by on the interstate 87 just after Poughkeepsie. You think I am joking? No way! Have been there. Drove it more often. But ofcourse those who are 10 years older than me know Kingston. In 1970 they all passed trough on the way to Woodstock, next little town down the dirt road. Situated between interstate 87 and Hudson River, Kingston owns the Hudson River Maritime Museum. Other places of interest are The Trolley Museum of New York and a brand new town hall.

Like most American cities, they are named after European settlements. Kingston Upon Thames is probably the first ‘Kingston’ in Europe. It was the place where British kings where crowned (already more than 1000 years ago). Kingston has a bridge that was already there in 1293! Now this is ancient history, but what in Europe isn’t. Everything not build with concrete is centuries old. Anyway, Kingston Upon Thames is now a part of London. You find it south-west from the city centre, follow the A3 south.

But the cover picture town sign ‘Kingston’ from the new Dallas Kingston Kollector release is when entering the Canadian Kinston in Ontario. Its not ‘far’ from the New York Kingston. Go North on 87 but turn of following signs to Syracuse. There you reach the 81. Go north on the 81. After 2 hours you reach the Canadian border. Kingston is on the other side. The Canadian Kingston has a long history. It even was for 3 years the capital of Canada. Originally the town (on Lake Ontario) was called Katerokwi. It was a popular hang out for ‘Loyalists’ (we talk 300 years ago). Many called it than ‘The Kings Town’ what ofcourse through time was shortened to Kingston. The normal historic procedure of naming instead copying from European city. And-uhhh oh yeah, since this is a music site; Bryan Adams was born in Kingston, Ontario. Outside Jamaica the name Kingston seems to stay connected with fake music (better said ‘soap’)!

Wednesday, 01 December, 2010  

Ok, winter is back as usual. If you like to come here, take snow-chains with. Didn’t (couldn’t) leave the house today. To much snow. Local city-works had no time cleaning drive-way or road. I stayed in.

Promised yesterday, so here we go. Toots and the Maytals – Funky Kingston. Don’t know why I pick this record. Everybody should (does) know it. If not, educate yourself. I pick it up since ‘Kingston’ is part of the title. Lets do a series of ‘Kingston’s’.

Maybe Funky Kingston is the best known Maytals record. I like Toots, always did. Have records of him since my teenage years until today regularly returning on my wax scratcher.

Toots creates original basic reggae. Be surprised if you never heard him, it doesn’t sound like most smooth pop-reggae you know from popular radio stations. Most Maytals tracks are enthusiastic driven. A bit more up-tempo than usual reggae. Not strange, the band has its roots in early 60 Jamaican ska. You can clearly hear the influences from American radio on the Jamaican music scene. On many albums are covers. Reggae interpretations of well known radio songs. Funky Kingston contains f.e. an Ike Turner tune and the famous ‘rock’ track Louie Louie. The Maytals pass the borders of ‘traditional’ reggae. Often they make short visits to other styles like funk, soul and ballads. All recordings sound exactly according my taste; dynamic, rough, analogue compressed, bit overdriven-distorted. Floppy, rumbling bas. Edgy keyboards an on top of all Toots and the Maytals enthusiastic sharp vocals.

Toots and the Maytals is an outstanding artist group. One of the few that stick out and you should give some effort listening. In Jamaica they where more popular than The Wailers. Scored much more hits than anyone on the home front. Probably they are the most popular reggae band in Jamaica. Early 70ties The Maytals got recognized in other parts of the world but never reach same popularity like at home. Other, smoother pop-reggae bands appealed more to the ‘pink-west’ audience.

The record I have is a second print from 1976 by Trojan (TRLS201). The cover differs from first print (1972) that shows colorful ‘drawing-style’ picture. My edition shows the trio leaning against a gate. Bought it late 70ties. According some web-pages a ‘hard to find’ print. In the USA the record came out with very different track listing.

Saw Toots of-stage few years ago while I was on tour. He looked remarkable young for someone of his age. How does he do it? Not even grey hair. He still matches with 70ties album cover pictures. Does he dye his hair? Or was it a lookalike stand-in? Probably not! Music keeps you young.

Anyway, Toots and the Maytals is a great band performing amazing music. Something the wannabe reggae band ‘Kingston’ can learn everything from. To start with; how to make music instead of soap.

Tuesday, 30 November, 2010  

Stopped snowing today. Sun came out sometimes. Strips of blue sky were incidentally visual. Time for a hike, breathing fresh air. There I went, struggling the snow. Being out there I realized that even close to civilization almost nobody had guts challenging nature until today. Normally in these times the snow is flatten near to town because more go out walking dogs and such. Further on everything is untouched. But not this year. Sank away in the deep snow right around the corner, still smelling the wood fire I left behind in my cozy warm home. Didn’t give up. Its great to explore untouched landscape. Deer run in front of me. Hopping the snow. Soft breeze visualize my breath. Carefully checking every step I slowly move forward. Thoughts come up: ‘maybe I should never turn back’.

Kingston. Didn’t give much explanation yesterday. The idea was in my head for years, since early The System days. Now finally realized. Kingston stands for lots. Several cities, companies, usb-stick, record titles (Funky Kingston, should write a post about that famous record) and oh yeah, there is a local band by the name ‘Kingston’. Strange choice. You would expect reggae but their music is very commercial pop clearly made for making money. It has some ‘reggae’ and ‘latin’ influences. Probably the name makes you look for it, but I think Britney Spears sounds more exotic than the local ‘Kingston’. Like all these kind of ‘projects’ this one isn’t even music. It’s a product, soap for sale. But I had fun creating some sounds. Beats are generally not my thing. On this recording I use some. Don’t know why, it simply came. Up to the next recording. Do I call it ‘Dallas’?

And yep, want to get ‘lighter’. Lesser stuff in the house. That’s why I sell old Limbabwe releases from the archive. You can now finally get the originals of some long-time-unavailable releases. Think all prices are very acceptable. Only the real collectors (Pandemonium, Vlaaikots) cost a bit more. Anyway, you can download the music for free from the Download section. Tomorrow ‘Funky Kingston’.

Monday, 29 November, 2010  

Sunday, 28 November, 2010  

While snow is piling up outside I stay in my nice wood-fire-warm living room. Time to get rid of some useless material others might like. Yes I put for re-sale some original Limbabwe releases from the early 80ties. All records and tapes come from my archive and are in excellent playable condition. Most Near Mint. Some new. Some covers show traces of storage but nothing is really damaged. Here the list:  

Vinyl 12″ (Price exclude shipment/convert € to $ or drop me a mail)  

– Pandemonium – Wir Fahren Gegen Dreck (orriginal) € 50

– Pandemonium – Wir Fahren Gegen Dreck (Bootleg) € 10

– Alle Honden Blaffen (Compilation with Meer Staal, Catastrphe Bizarre,…) € 5

– Oh’ Dev – Raving Bonkers € 5

– Meer Staal – Hartslagen € 5  

Vinyl 7″ (Price exclude shipment/convert € to $ or drop me a mail)  

– Pandemonium – Wir Fahren Ins Grune (original) € 10

– Revells – Swampcity € 3

– Money Makes Justice (Live at VHC compilation with Pandemonium….) € 7

– Pandemonium – Who The Fuck Are You? (Noiseanddistortion re-release. NEW) € 5  

Cassettes (tapes) (Price INclude shipment/convert € to $ or drop me a mail)  

– Vlaaikots (Original, box slightly damaged, compilation with Pandemonium..) € 25

– Pandemonium – De Pandemonium Affaire € 10

– Pandemonium – Are You The One…. (Cassette Collectors Edition) € 10

– Neuroot – Macht Kaput Wass Euch Kaput Macht € 10

– Oh’Dev – 84/85 Mania € 5

– Gotefix – Living Suitcases on core € 5

– Tango Djoboko – Tarzan’s Nachtmerrie € 5

– Cherokee – Wipis in Tipis € 5

– Kosmetika – Inhuman Brain € 5

– Igor en de Zwijne € 5

– Rare Neugels – Achterlip Opzwelt € 5

– Rare Neugels – Als de Uhh € 5

– Kleine Negertjes € 5

– Koko Zozo – Meanwhile at the Nosetrils € 5

– Koko Zozo – Of That Beaten Track € 5

– Zoo Big Band – Fruitwork and Hot Coffee € 5

– Koos van de Kerkhof – Douche € 10 (New! Still sealed packed)  

Other releases related to Limbabwe and same ‘scene’ (Price INclude shipment/convert € to $ or drop me a mail)  

– The Last Post – Shove it/Universal Child 7″ vinyl € 5

– Berend Brandbom – De Pijp Van Stroeken/John Wayne 7″ Vinyl € 5

– Holger & Danny – Musik Fur Die Einsame Frau € 5

– The Best Of Bauplatz (Live compilation with Pandemonium, Neubauten…) € 5  

You will find information of all these products in the ‘Download’ links of the Main Menu.

Payment using PayPal is possible.

Order by sending me a mail: matski@limbabwe.com  matski(at)limbabwe(dot)com

This list will be added in the link ‘Available Limbabwe Products’. If releases are sold I will delete them from that page.

Saturday, 27 November, 2010  

Snow started yesterday, 1 foot/30cm Good start of the winter!

New download page. Not Limbabwe recordings, but Free Music / Consolidated! Free Music is a project from Adam Sherburne, former member of Consolidated. There is an info page on this site here: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?17

Before Free Music Adam was a member of Consolidated, well known touring act in the 90ties. I don’t bother you to much about Consolidated history. Surf the web, their story is easy to find, and mostly (besides dates/years) true. (I worked with Consolidated almost through their complete career).

After the band broke up Adam kept playing music. In the beginning he still used the name Consolidated, but after a while this changed into Free Music. Disappointed in the music industry, Adam gave (gives) away his music for free. What he does (and this is supported by me) is giving another meaning to music. (These are my words, it’s a funny contradiction with the cd title ‘The End Of Meaning’). Free Music is a new form of communication by playing music and expressing other creativities, without using the standard bizznix tools (venues, managers, record deals, cd’s, stages, contracts, agents,……). An idea that must be supported worldwide by all creative people.

Until this day I am in contact with Adam and support Free Music. That’s why I put a download page on this site.

Surfed the web a bit and I am surprised how difficult it is downloading Free Music. The music is for free. Everybody can put it up as a free download. Still if I want to obtain it from ITunes I have to pay 99 cents per song. I know this is not Adam’s mistake. He tries to fight this. There are sites like CDBaby who offer a free MP3 download, but only after you logged in. Well you CDBaby fuckers, free is NOT if only for members! On the actual Consolidated/Free Music site is nothing available. Adam does not have the know-how and probably neither feels the need. So here we go. On this site with loads of free music you can download all Free Music/Consolidated albums each in one zip. Ofcourse only the last 2 Consolidated albums are available. These recordings where released in a Free Music context. All earlier albums have the usual copyright shite. So I am sorry, no free ‘You Suck’ or ‘America No 1’. Sure the individual musicians from Consolidated would agree if I offer these older albums, but there are also the bizznix suckers like record-companies fuckers and such who claim rights. If I find these downloads free somewhere on the web I will leave a link on the download page.

The first release of Free Music/Consolidated ‘The End Of Meaning’ was still pressed like ‘official’ cd. Jewel box with booklet and printed cd. Now….. the worst and silliest thing ever. Amazon offers this cd for prices between $ 25 and $ 35. DO NOT BUY IT. If you prefer the ‘hard’ cd above free MP3 download, drop me a mail. I HAVE MANY HERE AT HOME. DROP ME A LINE AND I SEND YOU A BRAND-NEW COPY FOR FREE! (only pay postage) The cd is still in its sealed wrap.

Now go to get Free Music in the downloads…….

Thursday, 25 November, 2010  

New (short) gallery is ad today. Gogol Bordello. Some visitors on this site probably remember that I used to tour with Gogol Bordello. Ahum, tour? Not only that. I was the agent, manager, tourmanager, sound-engineer, stage tech, van driver, gear humper, basically the complete crew in one person. This was the early years when the band worked themselves up. The first years are always the best. Pioneering, discovering, experiencing, learning periods are always the best. Living in a routine is boring.

Had a few posts about Gogol Bordello many years ago. Placed some pictures in the gallery, but now I created a separate gallery with all 20 I have.

Never was much of a photographer on tour. Only the last decade I bothered taking a camera with (sometimes). And than, I was mostly too busy making pictures. Anyway, you try to travel light. A camera is another object to watch and prevent from steeling.

The pictures are technically not great. Some are very dark. But half of them are of-stage, so I think its interesting for some fans. The band line up has been changed through time. Ori (sax) is not in the band anymore. Also the drummer (Eliot) changed. More members joint later. Ofcourse I don’t remember all details, but I think I am pretty correct with locations. The year I forgot. I guess 2002. All pictures are taken during a USA tour. On the first few you see the van with trailer owned by Eliot, drummer of Gogol. I mostly drove. In the van Sergey and Oren play chess while Eugene jams on his guitar. The stage pictures are almost all from a gig in Denver (I think). Took so many pictures there because it was possible. The gig was in a bar, low stage, 10 people in the audience. Barely a mixing desk. The first concert picture is in Chop Chou, Seattle. The last pictures are from an after-party. The band used to jam acoustically in the crowd after the gig. They probably stopped doing that nowadays.

Tuesday, 23 November, 2010  

There are periods of total silence. I don’t play any music. This change with periods I endless have something going in the background. At the moment I play all Consolidated cd’s. Yep, have them all. Not because I am such a big fan. Worked with the band from almost day one until last second, worldwide in Europe and USA. Got all their releases and somehow they stayed. It was mid-nineties. The cd period. Many releases wheren’t also automatically pressed on vinyl. Those years came later. The first two Consolidated records came on vinyl, but that was late 80ties. The very first EP and LP ‘Myth Of Rock’. Got that vinyl.

Consolidated didn’t make themselves easy with these cd’s. Most discs are filled until last minute. Every cd shows a similar ‘structure’. It starts like an album with rap and rock tracks in typical ‘Consolidated’ style. After a while the cd turns more into freaky jams supported by samples from discussions they had with the audience during live performances. Somehow I hear all this for the ‘first’ time. Never really played Consolidated at home. Working with them at live gigs satisfied my needs listening Consolidated music.

I recorded all these discussions at the FOH desk with cassette recorder always on standby, ready. Therefore I ended up with a huge pile cassettes from many live concerts.

Listening to it now, I somehow like their multiple music styles. The band is difficult to categories. Lots of rap, but also heavy rock, electro, soul, guitar-pop and interesting jazzy jams. Up until today I never understood the ‘label’ Consolidated was given: ‘Industrial’. Maybe some bits in the beginning, but even than their music was more electric and dance. Industrial music I always related to the heavy noise-rock of Ministry or experiments of Throbbing Gristle. Even until today you find in most stores Consolidated in the ‘Industrial’ section. I think they belong in Rap or Pop/Rock.

Most of the public-mic bits I remember. Only took twice the mic myself. First time in Northampton (UK). We performed a university auditorium. There was ‘volume restriction’. Each time the music went over allowed decibels the bright house (working) lights jumped on. Someone had his finger on the switch whole gig. During the discussion I took the mic and tried to scream the lights on. Remarkable, unsuccessful!

Second time was in the USA. Don’t remember exactly where, but I think it was Salt Lake City. Someone complained about the ‘not so good sound’. I explained that the mixing desk was in an impossible position. Upstairs, around a corner behind pillar. It was like doing sound from another room. Impossible to hear the sound situation below. Plus it took about 5 minutes getting from FOH desk position to audience. Consolidated performed on q’s synchronized with video projections. I could leave the desk for a minute, but not 10. Standard rockbands are easier. Nothing changes on stage when gone for some time. I explained to the audience they shouldn’t go to clubs where the promoter sets up live gigs, but not a decent sound situation. This is contradictive and smells like cheap rip-of. Ask your money back.

Both bits where never used on cd’s, don’t go and look for it.

Probably most music/lyrics and politics came from Adam Sherburne, singer and guitar player. Especially since the 3rd cd ‘Play More Music’ the influences of Adams favorites (Jimi Hendrix and Curtis Mayfield) are clearly present. Mark Pistol (Bass and Key) brought in the samples, sounds and did production. He must have had a big part in the first two releases.

With ‘Play More Music’ Consolidated was on the top of their career. Like so many good projects, a major record deal brought much money but also the end. ‘Business Of Punishment’ was their ‘major-deal’ cd and did sell well but not good enough for the big ‘money talks, bullshit walks’ company. This broke the band. The drummer (Phil Steir) left. Consolidated became a project organized by Adam with endlessly changing musicians. Mark Pistol stayed a bit, but left also after a while. The past of Consolidated made it possible to find record companies releasing new cd’s. ‘Dropped’ on SOL3/Roadrunner and ‘Tikkun’ on Clearspot/EFA. The very last cd ‘The End Of Meaning’ was solely independent released. These last 3 cd’s are more Adam Sherburne solo projects musically slowly developing to kinda of ‘free rock’ (like ‘free jazz’). One more recording under the name Consolidated was released called ‘Free Music Or Stockpiled Dead’. Than Adam changed the name to Free Music (see link in Main Menu) what he does until today.

Mark Pistol is still active in music bizznix running a studio, remixes and performing live with several projects. I lost track of Phil Steir. He started in typical ‘San Francisco yuppie style’ a vegan dog food company. That was already going on when still with Consolidated. On tour he brought samples we tried feeding to dogs. After short sniffing they all walked away without trying a bite. Dogs are not vegan.

Later this week I will add few free ‘surprise’ downloads this post relates to.

Monday, 22 November, 2010  

Snow is announced starting the end of this week. I am busy putting snow-stops on the roof of a little side building. Damage is mostly done on the end of the winter, when snow starts melting. The enormous mass of frozen water comes down like a violent avalanche. The walkway to frontdoor is right underneath. Every year I consider myself lucky not walking there the moment it happens. The little side-building roof is constructed with steel plates. That holds the freezing cold longer. The melting snow turns into ice that let loose when temperatures stay few days above freezing. Last year I was in the house when the ice started to slide. The noise was scaring. The little roof carried sufficient snow and ice to create a 2 meter (7 feet) ice-mountain next the house still not completely melted in May.

Snow-stops don’t need to be anything special. It can be light material. Its just there so the snow and ice can’t move but melt slowly, calmly dripping of the roof. Again I am prepared to face the serious winter overhere. Probably next week the road will look like this:

Meanwhile I can already announce that very soon (this week) Limbabwe will publish a new release of Dallas Kingston Kollector called ‘Kingston’. This release will have the prospective catalogue number 49. Here the front cover design:

Saturday, 20 November, 2010  

Some time ago (last year) I had little notes and lists of subjects I planned to write posts about. After a while that stopped (got through all subjects). Now I mostly come up with it on the spot. Problem is that I don’t know what to write today. Should start with the lists again. I forget easily. Especially short term. I have note-blocks lying in the kitchen, living and bed room. Quickly writing down what to do, shopping necessarities and such.

I can write about the weather again. Winter approaches slowly this year. Temperature goes down little bit day by day. No snow yet. Very different than most other years when winter dropped in all of the sudden with loads of snow. Unexpected and heavy. I like this easy getting into it. Its not suddenly cold. Maybe we aren’t going to have a heavy winter. Would be nice, but unlikely. The local city works published the snow cleaning schedule this week. It’s a priority list, what streets come first.

Don’t know if I have time for posting tomorrow. Might skip a day. Have some things to do out of the house. Depends, maybe something happens tonight when I am out for a drink in town. Something I can whine decently about.

Neil Young’s warehouse in San Jose burned down. A hybrid car caught fire. It was an oldtimer converted to hybrid. They think the cause was computer failure. Just so you know…. your computer is dangerous, it might set the place on fire. The fire-brigade was in time. 70% of the warehouse was saved. Shite! Not that I dislike Neil, but the warehouse mainly stored his archived material. Why do we have to keep everything for the descendants? All things must past. Anyway, nobody will remember who he was 100 years ahead. Plus: Neil has sufficient money purchasing new guitars.

Broken camera’s are fun. You never know what you get. Have an old broken analogue photo camera. Not suitable for slide-films, but if these films are on sale, why not experiment? Here one result….. Have a nice weekend…..

Friday, 19 November, 2010  

Last few things added on the site going back to the ‘old’ days. After today its all done, over and behind. You can find everything I have and want to show from the ‘better to be forgotten’ Limbabwe days in the early 80ties on this site. Mainly downloads and now also a Pandemonium gallery. Had still some pictures in my private collection. Actually, the printed pictures where all gone, but found some negatives in the archive. After 25 years negatives slowly dissolve, get vague or damaged. Most pictures are technically not brilliant, but those who are interested can have a look here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_plugins/autogallery/autogallery.php?show=Pandemonium

Will add new free MP3 downloads. This will be other, more recent material and ofcourse new Limbabwe releases. Soon to come another new Dallas Kingston Kollector and a very special Limbabwe cassette (and download) from Zebra.

Sometimes I will change or add text to the downloads introduction pages. Incidently someone points out a mistake or something I forgot to mention. Hell, it was more than 25 years ago. Its impossible to remember every detail. Anyway, got the message that the MDC/Pandemonium gig I talk about in the ‘Emma’ section of their download page, was in the squat called ‘Wijers’, not ‘Emma’.

Forgot a lot and might have many things wrong. Its simply impossible remembering it all. Sounds maybe strange to you, but my live was pretty active. Most people have a stormy teenage and student period. After that they settle down and fall in a boring routine repeated for 30 years, with only excitement local summer barbecue’s and incidental promotion within the same company. For those its easy to remember the few hyper years in younger days. My life didn’t settle. It is stormy until today. Barely remember 10 years ago. I live endlessly in a fast lane. So keep on pointing out whats wrong or forgotten and forgive my mistakes.

Thursday, 18 November, 2010

The link with this years previous posts (Postst 2010 – see Main Menu) is finally completely repaired and all posts are available. Working on this I read a post of last February thats worthy to repeat. Ok, I make it easy for myself today. Don’t worry, this will not repeat often. Here the re-run:

In this valley surrounded by forest overgrown high steep hills, a natural peaceful comfort, used to give the feeling that you are back in mom’s womb (according a long time ago visitor). Well, lately it feels more like a test tube. The hills, forest and nature is still here (tanx god……..uhh who?), but the womb lost its creative cultural life-juice. What can you expect in a community that tanx its existence to industry; mercury mine, and now one overruling factory that produces a pure technical product. Basics for a free-mind soulful cultural life never rooted around here. Maybe some individuals tried, but the materialistic factory rules controlling all local activities, sports, gigs, village design, architecture, holiday events and so on…. This turned the complete womb-life into a bizznix-manager attitude; ‘empty production’. That explains why artists here are heartless copy-cats (especially musicians). Even the local lace tanx its existence to the industry (mine). Town notables (related to the factory) like to brag of about the yearly lace event that hangs in dusty webs of grey organizers and few minor international participants. The local lace culture is created for selling (read money) and polishing factory bizznix events. Town size and isolation made the majority slaves (not Slavics) of the factory. No wonder that envy, competition, jealousy, disrespect, humiliation and back stabbing became the strongest spirits. It chased the creative spirits away. They hide in forests and hills around, waiting for better times. Some locals (mostly not related to the factory) are aware of this. A few escaped and settled definitely in nature to be surrounded by positive vibrations. Others (like me) spend much time in the hills and forests to be among the right spirits. There is a task here for all of us. We must get these creative spirits back. They are not far, just suppressed by materialistic lives.

Many inhabitants are (on purpose?) put on the wrong track. Look for creativity by yourself besides the boring day-job. Learn to close the factory door behind you, after commitments for paying bills is done. Find space in your own heart and mind without feeling competitive or jealousy. Support eachother without materialistic expectations. If you tell me that your heart is with the factory …….. well, a bizznix company has no soul……. you sold yours to the devil! Let the creative spirits return to comfort this womb.

Wednesday, 17 November, 2010  

Every time after publishing a ‘nationalistic’ post like yesterday I write an ‘apologizing’ article the next day. Although I don’t really want to apologize. Somehow its correct what I write in these posts, its just a bit ‘generalizing’. Sure you cannot blame a complete population for mistakes made by few. And anyway, we are all humans, equal….uhhhh, ahum, at least that’s what we are suppose to be. Travelling around the world teaches that people are really the same everywhere. Whatever food they eat, language they speak or celebrate Saint Nicholas. The problem with the Dutch Saint Nicholas party is that they fundamentally indoctrinate ‘apartheid’ to children. Hopefully these kids get wiser growing up, although looking at the democratic election behavior I am a bit in doubt. Is The Netherlands without consciousness intention, creating generations who believe in racial differences by desperate holding on to ancient traditions?

Sufficient about this subject. Weather is depressive here. Very ‘Dutch’. Wet days and endless grey sky week after week. Not common for here. Still I hike up into the clouds. The damping fog limited sounds. Its very quiet up on the hills. Great Autumn colors. Winter is holding back. Here a picture down the hill……

Tuesday, 16 November, 2010  

Lets stay a post longer with these nationalistic Dutch. Somehow the subject is interesting. For long time the country had a reputation to be ‘liberal’ and ‘open minded’. Something I always denied. Hey, I know better. I carry a Dutch passport and wasted 40 years of my life there. That ‘liberalism’ was a mask (now finally the world figured out). Deep in their soul Dutch are creepy Calvinists desperate holding on to tradition. The ‘open mind’ comes with an open wallet. Dutch are from tradition traders. Anyone is good for bizznix. Doesn’t matter how you think, look, sexual preference,…. money comes first. When you’re gone they backstab, talk shite or publicly humiliate you. Hey, I am talking personal experiences here!

Besides their doubtful Saint Nicholas tradition, let me show you this ‘out of line’ sentence from a Dutch website. We all are familiar with national roadhelp organizations. Big (non profit) enterprises who are suppose to support members coming to a standstill due to car breakdown. Most drivers are members. Depending where you live they are called AA, ADAC, AMZS, CAN, FDM,….and so on. These organizations also supply (international) information. Often its related with travel booking offices. In The Netherlands this organization is called ANWB. If you click on ‘country-information’ and further ‘Slovenia’ you get to read this (English translation follows below):

‘Slovenen zijn Oostenrijkers die een verkeerde taal spreken. Een grapje met een kern van waarheid.’

In English:

Slovenes are Austrians who talk a wrong language. Ok, joke but with nucleus of truth.

If you don’t believe me check it yourself; here the direct link: http://www.anwb.nl/bestemmingen/landeninformatie/vakantie/bestemmingIndex.html?btiId=BTI_29&themaId=BEST_4

The header says ‘Slavic Austria’ the remark (suppose to be ‘funny’ but ‘true’) is followed by a short explanation.

‘In the past Slovenia was for a long period part of Austria. In 1918 the Slovenes, Croats and Serbs formed Yugoslavia. But the Slovene don’t have much with the southern neighbors. Landscape, tradition and food culture is closer to Vienna than Belgrade. Their nationalism is gentler.’

Well I tell you I am amazed, speechless! Who ever wrote this doesn’t know shit about Slovenia. These few lines are very insinuative. What does the author mean by ‘their nationalism is gentler’? Does this refer to other former Yugoslavian territories? An English Wikipedia page gives more ‘balanced’ information. ‘Slovenia was part of Habsburg Monarchy, the borders of the country where set in period 1919/1920 when it joined Yugoslavia’. Ok, I don’t want to go into the history of Slovenia, you will find sufficient on the web.

What I do want to point is the horrible ‘insinuative’ tone of the Dutch ANWB article. It makes this organization very doubtful, or better very Dutch like Saint Nicholas. Strong racistic tendencies. Its unbelievable that a tourist/traveler help organization informs their visitors in such language. Worst, the information is wrong. Slovenian culture is influenced by Austrians, Italians and Balkan. The last thing Slovenes are is Austrians. Slovenes are Slavic! That’s what the word ‘Slovene’ means by the letter. Their roots are with the Slavic tribes, going back thousands of years. Austrians are Germanic. Both have in their roots nothing in common. Ofcourse, the one influences eachother through history. Hey, they are neighbors for ages.

Wonder what the Dutch would say if the ADAC (German ANWB) would write about The Netherlands: ‘The Dutch are Scandinavians speaking Swedish with a wrong accent’. And on top of that I say, it’s a joke but with nucleus of truth!

I cancelled my ANWB membership.

Monday, 15 November, 2010  

It’s the dark days indeed. Besides the artificial sunlight supplied by local city council (big street-lamp on the corner) the overall atmosphere is dark. Rainy cloudy days. Weird weather for here. Sure, it rains here and there are also cloudy days, but not for weeks. Still go out on hikes. Have to get my dose of fresh air.

Not in the mood of writing a post today. Yesterdays was pretty good to keep you busy for an extra day. Think about it you ‘alternative’ ‘open minded’ Calvinistic fascist Dutch. Do you let your children put the shoe down at the fireplace, heating radiator or backdoor this evening? Do you support racism? Ohh, you do it for the kids, otherwise they would be outcast at school. Well, if the school celebrates this racist event something very constructive is wrong with your fucked up society. CHANGE IT YOU DIRTY ROTTEN FASCISTS!

Sunday, 14 November, 2010  

Lets talk a bit more about yesterdays post. Ofcourse the information was very ‘generalizing’. Its unfair criticizing a complete population for a few rotten apples in their society. To just criticize is not my intention. I know the situation. Slovenia is a young country recently changing the system. I see certain individuals taking their advantages of the population unawareness. Consider yesterdays post as support. Change the situation. Fight these fucking asholes of Siol and Sazas. Anyway, wrote it so often on these pages: I don’t believe in countries. They are ‘political territories’, for long time not anymore based on tribes, cultures or whatever.

Touching the ‘nationalistic’ subject lets talk about the Dutch. Its that time of the year again. The Netherlands is getting ready celebrating their yearly admiration of racism. Yes you Dutch, I know what you say, ‘here he goes again’, and I will every year keep on pointing this out. The Saint Nicholas celebration.

For those not informed: Saint Nicholas is a big ‘white’ (or ‘blank’ but more pink looking) guy with a helper (read: ‘slave’) who is….. yep having a black skin. If the person acting like ‘slave’ is from origin pink, he/she paints him/herself black. The ‘black slave’ acts by orders of the big pink master Saint. The slave act foolish and gives on command either presents or punishment. This is a children party. Yep its for the kids! Clearly an indoctrination into the sub-consciousness of pink kids.

Many Dutch would protest now. Its ‘tradition’ and the slave is not presented to the kids anymore like a dumb, dangerous boogie man. Oh well, oh well….. you Dutch… you know you are the only fuckin nation in the world that celebrates Saint Nicholas with a ‘black slave’. In other parts of the world where this is celebrated the helper’s skin color doesn’t differ from master Saint (with exception of former Dutch colonies!!!!). Sure, in some cultures the helper is a bad guy. It’s the tradition of presenting ‘good and evil’ to children. But only in The Netherlands the ‘bad’ guy is black!

The nowadays Dutch tradition of Saint Nicholas celebration is based on the racist children book writer Jan Schenkman who lived in the 19th century. Sure in those days people where so dumb and misinformed they looked different at skin-colors. But hey, we are now in 2010 and know better. These fucking Dutch love to hold on to their ‘Apartheid’ (another racist Dutch invention).

Now hear this story: according to the Dutch fairytale Saint Nicholas comes from Spain. Haha! According to historians their was a Saint Nicholas (1700 years ago) but he wasn’t from Spain. Get ready for a shock you racist Dutch: he was from Turkey. Yep a Turk. A major group of immigrants in your tiny little racist country that you love to discriminate. Since he is from Turkey, his skin must have been pretty dark instead of pink. Anyway, after his death the remains of this saint where moved to Bari, Italy. This guy wasn’t ever even close to Spain!

For the non-Dutch among us here few images. This is what kids get to see on their children party:

On the left Saint Nicholas is happily driving a truck meanwhile his slave on the back is being crushed by a present. On the right you see the big pink master saint sitting on a white horse. His slave can walk, carrying the luggage. Yes, sure the slave helper is smiling all the time. Children have to learn that people with darker-than-pink skin are really happy to serve pink masters.

But these are drawings. Lets go to reality:

You see Saint Nicholas sitting on a big throne in a Dutch shopping mall. No seat for his ‘black helper’, he must stand.

Or what about this:

Yes, I am almost speechless. What more do these kids learn instead of swimming moves?

These pictures are all recent. This is a now situation in The Netherlands. If you visit this country from now on until December 6 don’t be surprised (or better be) to encounter something shocking on the street like this:

I know that some people in The Netherlands protest the situation. But hey, its still a ‘general’ picture in this time of the year and makes the ‘general’ attitude of Dutch people regarding different skin colors questionable.

I wonder what the few Dutch who wrote me an email regarding Geert Wilders (strong right-wing party leader in The Netherlands, see posts some months ago) are doing with this. Its obvious that Dutch children are already confronted with ‘apartheid’ (superiority of the ‘pink-race’) on a very young age. I am not surprised at all right-wing parties do well in that country.

Saturday, 13 November, 2010  

Capitalism, money, bizznix go together. Somehow nothing wrong with if this is fair honestly done. In some countries, until not long ago still ‘socialistic’, recently joining the capitalistic/democratic system, bizznix people seem to miss-interpret the meaning of this new direction. Take the surrounding I am spending lots of time lately. It’s a small, new and low populated country called Slovenia. I will mention the companies by name. Nothing to loose to hide the truth.

Siol is a phone related company selling internet access and internet tv. I have a subscription. Use the internet, not tv. Getting the bills on monthly base you don’t really give close attention. I am barely familiar with the language and its difficult to understand this kind of specific words. Few weeks ago my neighbor happened to see one of my recent Siol bills. “But Matski, you pay far too much” he yells out! What happened: last year on one of the Siol bills it was written they would charge me for a more upgraded package (an upgrade I do not use). If you didn’t want the upgrade you had to let them know. Ofcourse the upgraded package costs more money. Never reading additional info I was suddenly charged for services I didn’t use neither asked for. Sure I noticed my bill went up, but hey everything nowadays gets more expensive. Maybe the raise was lots for here, but I grew up in a much higher economic level. The bills here I consider even now very low in comparancy. The raise wasn’t shocking. My neighbor now cancelled the ‘extra’s’ I never asked, but paid for.

Talking about this with more locals I found out that many people got tricked similar, and they can read the language. But who reads the small lettering on your monthly bill? So whats going on here? Its clearly a mafia way of ripping people of. Hey, its like I drop a bread on your doorstep with note ‘call me before tomorrow, or I charge’. You don’t call and I come to your door next day to collect the money for something you never asked for, never ordered and don’t want! That’s not democratic capitalism. This is cheap dirty corrupt mafia crime. Yes Siol is guilty of cheap crime.

Slovenes like to see themselves as a modern ‘west’ country. Born and living in one of the most capitalistic countries, let me give you some details here: rip offs like what Siol does is primitive, corrupt, third world, dumb and shows instability of a country politics. Everything a not-west country is. Serbia and Kosovo are more developed and modern than Slovenia, as long this kind of cheap cheating goes on.

So I ask locals is something done against this? Replies are: news is full with discussions and stories people complaining, but nobody took serious action! Obvious, after half a century under socialism the population is not ready for democrazy. They are not used to file official complains or start lawsuits. Docile everybody pays their bill. Besides, Slovenians don’t have a ‘fighting’ character. They are followers, keeping things safe in the middle. Not daring to take risks and afraid to loose. The few bizznix managers on high positions in this country know this and use it to their advantage squeezing money out of the poor population. Politics doesn’t do anything against. It’s a low populated country. Everybody knows eachother, especially managers and politicians. A small club, friends, related or/and investors. They are all filling their own pocket on behalf of the nation. This is not modern fair capitalistic bizznix. In normal language this is called ‘corruption’. Primitive bizznix.

There are more of these mafia companies in this country protected by politicians. The copyright organization Sazas for example. They are capable to bill promoters for presenting works that are not copy-written. Yes, lots of artists don’t want to be a part of this money rip-off bizznix of ‘work-protection’. Promoters organizing events with such artist are still billed and forced (by law – read politics -) to pay. Sazas claims to be a non-profit organization supporting artist. Well dear Sazas, if you are non profit and want to help artist you for sure must support the non copy-written works. Lets start with not sending bills for something you cannot charge for.

I am one of these artist not copy-writing my works. Music should be free and accessible for everyone! Performed in Slovenia recently. If you, Sazas have the guts billing anyone involved regarding my performance I will take action. I am not Slovene, I am a fighter, you lost already practicing male fide bizznix. Don’t forget that Slovenia is part of a community: the European Community. There are European laws to follow. Do not challenge me bringing your mafia actions to attention of Brussels or The Hague.

Friday, 12 November, 2010  

Some text added to the downloads. Floor (Meer Staal) informed me that Meer Staal made a new release in 1996. Cd called ‘Ad Libitum’. Got one in the post.

This recording is in the original Meer Staal line up; Floor, Inge, Andre. Extra guest musician is the Dutch percussionist Nippy Noya. On one song Thomas Gillmeister contributes with didgeridoo.

The album is how we know Meer Staal. Tape loops and percussion. Overall not bad, but also not surprising. Like often with bands that re-unite after some time, the old spirit is gone. Attempts to bring ‘good old times’ back again is irrational. 10 years later is a decade more of experiences, emotions and creations. Its impossible to go back in time. Your soul exist on the experiences until this moment. With these Meer Staal recordings I have the impression they try to re-live the past. Two ‘old’ songs where re-recorded: ‘Blues in the Sky’ and ‘Bulldozer’. 4 tracks are new. The cd has sufficient quality to be appreciated if you hear Meer Staal for the first time. Hopefully it makes you seek for the old recordings. You don’t need to look far, free downloads are available on this site.

The cd is an independent release on Meer Staal’s own label. The cover shows a picture with an old ‘socialistic’ East European ‘feel’. Red star in circle and athlete diving. The back cover shows the band posing. Didn’t find a digital version on the web and are not in the possession of machines to show you this cover. Have the feeling I am not the only one who totally missed this cd release. I don’t give you download either. Its not Limbabwe related. Maybe a Meer Staal member will make this recording accessible in the future.

Another file I found is the invitation of the legendary Pandemonium concert in hotel Wilhelmina, Tegelen North. Looking at the concept its clearly designed by Der Peter. Something for collectors. If you like to know more, visit the Pandemonium page in ‘Downloads’.

The flyer is in Dutch. Translated in English it says:

Thursday, 11 November, 2010  

Stockmarket! Lets write about that. Anyone who invests in stocks is responsible for a crisis! (Chomsky: the opening line has to be a firm statement). Yep, we all know that stocks create values not reflecting the realistic price. It’s the trade in stocks that sets the price of goods (speculation). Humans are still very primitive animals in this environment. They never learn from previous mistakes. Even a donkey is smarter. That last crisis (or did it never an end since the first early 70ties?) made it all clear that the cause was an overpriced market due to stock trades. Stocks get popular, price goes up. Based on what? On speculations, trade of papers not based on the real value of the actual goods. Lots of individuals consider stock trading sport. You have bit money left and invest through middle man into shares. Often not aware what these shares cover. You can purchase ‘baskets’ of shares at a bank. Some of these will rise, other fall. Worst thing is that nowadays even food shares are available on the stockmarket. You wonder why the supermarket prices go up? Well let me try to simple explain. Coffee, corn, cocoa, soya and lots more food products are on the stockmarket nowadays. The price of these basic foods are set by wallstreet yuppies. Not anymore natural like good/bad weather, plant diseases, successful harvest or such. The farmer has to check the stockexchange what to grow. Crazy! Food prizes go up because everybody buying stocks want to sell for profit. Farmers are fucked because they plant corn all over (this goes well in stock), but long before harvest these stocks go down! No more growing by needs. Everybody wants to get rich with fake values. Money on paper (or digits). Did we people forget that we need food? ‘Air money’ doesn’t keep us going. After overpriced companies, overrated housing we now come into a total disorder of food growing. This will lead after some time to massive chaos. Food can not be on the stock market! If you have shares you are guilty of being an ignorant anti social murdering fascist! Kill all yuppies and their followers NOW!

Tuesday, 09 November, 2010  

After all this posting about the past lets change the subject today to an ‘old fashioned’ touring post.

Splitter vans. You know them? These big Mercedes Sprinters. You are allowed driving these almost truck size vehicles with a basic driving license. No extra ‘skills’ needed. Maximum allowed weight 3500 kilogram. The vans are very popular in Europe with touring club-bands. Music bizznix orientated tourvans rentals mainly supply Mercedes Sprinters. 9 seats in the front (maximum allowed) than a wall, behind the wall the gear space big enough for a decent backline (amps/drums) plus lots more. The van is about 2 meters high. You can stand straight up (very handy). The front (seating) part is often equipped with DVD, power outlets for laptops, heating and more luxury.

Probably unnecessary to tell you I drove billions kilometers with these vans. Especially on clubtours budgets are low. The FOH tech is also stage tech, tourmanager and driver. One person crew, mostly the only one getting paid.

This post is about these 3500 kilogram. If any vehicle goes over that maximum weight, you have to be in possession of a professional (truck) driving license. When loading the splitter van you don’t think of that. The band arrives, 5 people. Backline is picked up, 2 guitar amps, 1 bas amp 1 drum. Some personal bags, bit merchandise and of you go.

This wasn’t that long ago, in the last decade (do this for 30 years). I drove the France highway. Police control. They directed me to a truck-weight. I was over 3500. Not much, think it was about 200 kilogram. In the improvised to office wooden cabin, they wrote me a fine. While this was going on I called the rental company (specialized in tours). Had good relation with them. Rented vans there all the time. For me this was new. Overweight? What to do? Probably I am not allowed to drive further. “Happened to me few times” the van owner told me. “If they don’t let you move on, leave few people behind, drive to the nearest rest stop or town, let your passengers have a coffee while returning to pick up the others. While united, keep going. These cops will not follow you”. I paid the fine cash on the spot. To my surprise they let me drive away with the ‘too heavy’ van.

During the drive I started to think. Hmmm, I am not carrying that much. Only 6 people and basic backline. On most tours much more is loaded in the van. The weight of an empty Mercedes Sprinter is 2600 kilogram. 9 people plus travel bags can already reach the max allowed of 3500. Every band on the road drives around with a too heavy splitter. If the cops in Europe would unite, they can stop the gigs all over the continent on the same day. Lucky, cops never read these pages.

I somehow should have realized that these vans are always over the max weight. When driving Norway on some trough roads you have these toll stations before entering towns. You pay kinda city tax. Its not much, about 1 Euro. Until 3500 kilogram is different price (cheaper). Above you pay more. Stopping at one toll booth they usually ask the weight, looking at your (big) van. I always answer the max allowance 3500. At one booth the stop was also a weightbridge. After my usual answer the clerk looked very angry at me. “You are far over 3500” she yelled, “You have to say that at the other, upcoming tollbooths”. The price was about 4 Euro. Ofcourse I didn’t mention anything at the next one and simply paid 1 Euro.

I’ve should have seen this as a good warning, but being busy on tour it slipped my mind and kept on driving European highways with overweight.

Only one time I was getting doubts about safety regarding overweight. Toured with this band frequently from their early beginning days. Good for them, fame raised quickly. Soon we played in front of decent crowds, but still touring on same production level. The total of people was the band (4) and me alone the crew. Sure these musicians worked hard. Did all packing and loading before and after every gig. But they had a massive backline. 3 Fender twins, 1 Marshall stack, one SVT bas stack, drums plus Fender Rhodes piano. All flight-cased. All this gear together was very heavy. Plus due to popularity the band sold massive amount of merchandise, including vinyl records (heavy). The splitter’s luggage compartment was filled until the roof. While driving I realized the van was dangerous overloaded. I had to be extra careful. If the slightest would go wrong I could easily loose control. I mentioned this to the band and their management. It was understood, but not much changed.

I understand bands like to come home with some money, but sometimes its not worth the risk. An extra crew member driving a gear van, or big sleeper bus with driver, would still have profit those tours.

Monday, 08 November, 2010  

In the download section under the link ‘Extra’ you find a few more free downloads that are ‘scene’ related and in my opinion should be available also to make it all more ‘complete’

You will find a recording Danny (Pandemonium/Gore) did with another guitar player Holger. He had a band called ‘Oswald’, funny but mainstream punkrock. Danny and Holger play on this tape acoustic guitar. It was probably necessary for both doing something more ambient besides their daily heavy noisy rock productions.

Ofcourse (for those who missed it) the cassette ‘The Best Off Bauplatz’ A bootleg tape with live recordings from concerts in Bauplatz. The tape contains few interesting recordings. There is a track of the legendary band Metal Tanz (read downloads ‘introduction’). They never had a release. This is the only public song available.

Surprising are a few live tracks from international acts f.e. Einsturzende Neubauten in their very early beginning, 17 January 1982. Rumors say that this Bauplatz concert was Neubauten’s first over the border (out of Germany) gig.

Rumors also say (and you can read this on several web pages) that The Best Off Bauplatz was a Limbabwe release. Not true. It would be obvious, but nowhere on the cover Limbabwe is mentioned. The release has no Limbabwe catalogue numer.

And you can find these two 7” (single) releases:

The Last Post – Shove It/Universal Child.

The Last Post was an ‘Arny’ band. Strange that no band from Arny ever made a Limbabwe release. Like the ‘Marc’ bands (Revels,…) Arny was into psychedelic rock. Most of his bands sounded 60ties psycho. They where fun bands.

The record is released by me, but not on Limbabwe. The studio was moved to Tegelen Centre and had become a private bizznix. Another soundengineer and I bought the Bauplatz basement recording equipment in 1988 and constructed a more ‘real’ studio on better location under the name ‘Klank’. I left this bizznix in 1999.

With The Last Post I recorded this 7” vinyl (single). It was the only release of Klank I am aware of.

Last but not least there was that ‘mysterious’ release of Berend Brandbom. Everything about who made this record is unknown. Suddenly it appeared in stores and venues of Tegelen North. The label and artist name are obvious made up for one occasion. Side A of the single (De Pijp Van Stroeken) is a rap song with lyrics about a local Tegelen North political issue at that time (late 80ties). There where heavy confrontations between youth and authorities regarding the local rock club. Stroeken was the responsible ‘cultural’ politician. Berend Brandbom raps in a very rough insulting language that would even shock NWA if able to understand; Berend raps in Dutch!

Side B is a ‘schlager’ interpretation of the MDC song ‘John Wayne’ (in English). You find the original on their first LP. With ‘schlager’ I mean done in a South German/Austrian ‘hillbilly’ fanfare style. Its funny.

The record had a very negative review in the main local daily dump paper that never was, is and will be worthy to read. Its even too dirty for fish wrap. The crappy journalist’s review started: ‘his son came home with a new record he purchased’. His son? Never believe that (every word in that paper – De Limburger – is a lie). For sure the journalist bought this single himself. Probably still his favorite until today jerking of every time he plays it. Ofcourse this great bad review made the record only sell better. Meanwhile that fucking shitty newspaper office deserves a Molotov cocktail!

Sunday, 07 November, 2010  

Cul-de-sac: a line of thought or action that leads nowhere (metaphorically). Uhhhh…. You thought it meant ‘Dead End’. Yep, true, but a dead end leads also nowhere. So here we are: Humanity a ‘cul-de sac’. All we create how or whatever direction or in what way you even can think of. Its just a line of action that leads nowhere. It leads to dead! And dead is everywhere, but at the same time if you are dead you are nowhere. So you’re complete life is a line of action leading to nowhere. A ‘cul-de-sac’.

What a subject and logic, but somehow its true. On the other hand your life is not about where it leads to on the end (dead), but everything you do before.

Wrong or right? Is it about that? Or is there non?

What is this me getting philosophic today?

Anyway, there is no wrong or right. Just different opinions or ways of doing things. It’s a matter of how open you interpret the other. Saying ‘you are wrong’ or ‘you are right’ is the same thing as saying ‘I am a small minded dumb fool’. Best is to agree.

Probably my lack of drug abuse due to a recent flue makes this post so philosophical.

You know what,….. Let me have a drink!……… Hehe, that’s better.

The atmospheric lighting around my house was pretty nice until 2 days ago. Living countryside not much streetlights are set up by the local municipal. For whom? Its a cul-de-sac. 4 houses on the end of two drive lanes. Almost nobody gets out after dark, and if, a local private light in combination with stars is sufficient. Yep, there is a pole with fitting, but the lamp was broken for years. Two days ago they came with this truck carrying mechanical arm-lift. You know these things, little cabin on the end able to hold a person. And yep, screwed in a new. The last two evening’s sun didn’t set. The fucking lamp is bright enough lightning complete Alps. I go out at night wearing sunglasses.

Local municipal workers have weird ideas in their light plans. The former location I lived was centre of town, at the main square. Nice apartment on first floor with huge balcony. Whilst spending some years there the local authorities decided to give the square a fix up. The old street lights hanged with cables above the drive lane got replaced by modern street poles on the pavement. Coming back after a few weeks trip I realized my balcony was extremely bright after sunset. On the corner they placed one of these lights reaching few inches above the edge. The exact ‘right’ height. My cozy dark-shadowed hang out on warm summer nights turned into a full spot-lighted stage.

Saturday, 06 November, 2010  

Flue is slowly evaporating. Its probably all that drugs I take (joke).

Have to get used to this ‘winter-time’ change. Clock moved back one hour. Its 5 PM and already dark. Since I sleep long, days are getting short.

Pop the champagne bottles. Have a little private party today. The last downloads of old Limbabwe releases are added (see downloads in main menu). Hehe, finally that’s of my chest. You can all now stir around in the Limbabwe past for free. Ok, few are missing. The live tapes from Zanzibars Twist and Appellation Controlee plus Limbabwe 25 Zwaar Klote/Incest. Also Disgust is incomplete. Sorry, don’t have these recordings anymore. Sorry? I don’t feel sorry at all about that. Fuck it. Whats gone is gone. It wasn’t that important.

Expect a few more downloads of ‘scene’ related material plus photo gallery. Comes in the upcoming weeks.

It does not mean that no more downloads will be added. Ofcourse all new Limbabwe releases will be here available. Also music from others that offer their music for free I think is interesting. It will be lesser frequent than adding this old back catalogue but check back regularly if you don’t like to miss the latest.

Existing download pages can change if new or other info arrives. This will be announced on top of the page above the video.

The downloads I saved for last are not least. Kosmetika and Integendeel. I like them. Both ‘bands’ are from Horst, a nearby village I have some family roots strangled with an old big important family. My grandfather owned the main tavern at the village square. Since Brando we all know that ‘thee familee ees importante’. So I released two tapes from relatives.

Horst had a strong music scene in the 80ties. More individual musicians in the Tegelen North ‘scene’ came from there. Strong scenes often don’t explode out of nowhere. Horst had (has?) a local rockclub called Zopo. The promoter at that moment managed to put Zopo on the map of well known rotating club-acts in The Netherlands. I remember engineering a Laibach gig in Zopo and attended shows of Nico and Blurt (Ted Milton). Not bad for a farmers village on the country side. All this music not related to ‘ZZ-Top-type-of-standard-rock-tunes’ for sure influenced local youngsters. The downside of a village venue is that everybody between 15 and 30 is there. The only ‘happening’ on their weekend night. 90% of the audience was more interested in beer and conversations about latest tractor technology. Artists on stage got often (mostly) ignored. Due to audience lack of interest, Ted Milton and Nico left the stage angry without finishing the full gig.

Horst’s specialty is mushrooms, uhhhh, not only these ones that make you fly. More those you eat. Better known as champignons. In Horst are many champignons basements. Dark cold moisty concrete basements. Large spaces with interesting acoustic reverbs. The Integendeel tape is recorded in one of these mushroom cellars. More in the downloads section. I’ll pop the next champagne bottle. Tomorrow again.

Friday, 05 November, 2010

Having this flue again. Got this too often lately. Never had problems when younger. I am getting old? Fuck it, get drunk, stoned, freaked,…… But to tired for writing a decent whining post. You will have to do it with the one below about the Dutch fascistic housing design. Tomorrow or Sunday another post. Meanwhile I keep adding new free downloads. Check the download section.

Wednesday, 03 November, 2010  

If you read this you survived D-Day (Death Day). Obvious, you are still alive. New downloads tomorrow. First something else: the pictures below are to illustrate what I am talking about in this post. They are average suburbs from Dutch cities.

Scanning old pictures. Got confronted with real old photographs from when I was a young child. Will not show you, but staring at one made me realize how ugly The Netherlands looks. Already for centuries the Dutch have strong tendency for uniformity. In their design everything has to resemble, although equality never settled well in their system. In fear for variation The Netherlands created one of the ugliest landscapes on earth. Not only the living quarters are boring same looking cheap designed structures, but also in nature nothing is left to spontaneity. Trees grow perfect lined up in same distance from eachother, like Napoleons armies.

It was my grandma’s 80th birthday. For the occasion a picture had to be made of grandma and (at that moment present) grandchildren. Someone decided to shoot outside, in front of the door. It was the sixties, around 1965. We all stand in front of the door in the still not existing garden. The block was just finished. It bordered a black and yellow mud-pool stretching from one to other corner. No plants, grass, garden ornaments or fences. She must have lived there just a few days. The Dutch are fond of their fences. Even if they own only 1 meter of land, it has to be fenced in with preferable 2 meter high wall.

So there we stand, about 15 grandchildren. Not all are there. Miss few brothers and sisters. Do recognize some cousins. The girls on my right are clearly children from my moms twin sister. Grandma is standing behind everybody, not so much taller, only her head sticks out. One older brother and cousin hold a banner above her head saying ’80 grandma 80’.

Grandma looks exactly as I remember her. Black hair comb backwards tied in a knob. Worried eyes behind big pair of glasses. Her mouth open. She is concerned about something with one of her grandchildren and speaks to her/him.

The front door is open. Allows short glance into the hallway with thin wall divided from living room. From the outside closed by a big built-in window welcoming much daylight. Almost directly follows neighbors front-door (closed) and their window. Repeating pattern until end of the block, interrupted by new asphalt, starting again after next mud-pool.

The pictures here are not from that street, but this one in construction looks very similar:

Only variation is house number 88 (many eights today). The walls look grubby. Although brand new, obviously the workers did a sloppy job. Red bricks pressed on dripping cement. Leave the stains to harden out forever. The usual little tip-up window in upper right corner is open.

Grandma does not look particular happy. She probably just moved from her family home in the centre. A massive big merchant house with many high-ceiling rooms. Grandpa owned a grand-café downstairs. He passed away before I was born.

Don’t know who came up with this uniform building style. You see it worldwide but the Dutch are doing it for ages. Look at this old town street:

Or what about this absolute ugly design (look at the windmill upper right corner):

Or would you like to live here?:

And……..Air view from suburb:

What is it that The Netherlands has this despair for resembling? Afraid the neighbor is different and therefore better? Or is it overpopulation and lack of space? Maybe that uniformity comes from latent fascistic feelings. Latent? Looking at recent popularity of some doubtful political parties, these feelings are obvious not strongly oppressed.

Ofcourse this is generalizing. You can not blame individuals for a country image.

Looking at their history plus the strong Calvinistic influences until today plus horrible housing designs, The Netherlands is not such a ‘liberal open-minded’ nation after all.

Monday, 01 November, 2010  

Death! lively subject. Today it’s the day of the death! At my present whereabouts people go by masses to the cemetery remembering their deaths. Its probably so overcrowded there the stampede will wake up these peaceful resting souls.

In some other places death is celebrated with a big dress-up party (Halloween).  In other places the day passes by like any other. Death is death. I somehow join the group that is inactive on dates like this. Sure close related people that passed away are remembered by me. Don’t need a specified date for that. We all have the choice how to remember. Some don’t remember shite. I call them the lucky ones. Although I did forget a lot, still wish it would be more. The past was chasing too much last years. Maybe some bizznix in this for future braincutters. “Can you please erase 1983 until 1988 doctor?” “Thank you and here is you’re 100 Euro”.

Had a good old fashion drinking night last Saturday. Man, what did I got wasted. Still suffering from hangover today. Will be gone tomorrow. The amounts of alcohol erased some braincells. Got home, don’t ask me how. What I do remember is visiting a gig in a local venue for 5 minutes. Although late, and assumedly the band’s last set, the sound was horrible. Yep it was that local village engineer again. Somebody who pushed himself up the ladder to get this function but turns out to be totally incapable. I am surprise that after so many failures others in this village still fall for that ‘bragging about sound’ by this guy. Ok, everybody can sometimes have a bad night, but when does he finally have an acceptable night? To go into details about last Saturday: there was no sound, absolutely no definition. You couldn’t hear anything. No drums, no vocals, no guitars. Just an undefined wishy washy flat rumbling. It was not the band. Did them also. They can sound very defined. But last Saturday they sounded death (back to the subject). Death like a piece of fire wood drying longer than 3 years. This sound engineer practices carpeting in his daily life. Maybe that’s explains the death wood sound.

Anyway, I did take care (insurance) for when my moment has come. Start wondering why. Fuck it, I am death! Put me in a garbage bag with the dumpsters. Who cares. I won’t notice it. Its just a death body. Worst would be if someone thinks I should be transported back to my place of birth and buried/cremated there. How awful unconsidered. Keep my body far from Tegelen North. Don’t insult the death! If I feel the moment coming up, I probably get my way out to peaceful surroundings. Leaving without the stress from human society. Returning my body to the earth.

Sunday, 31 October, 2010  

Hangover, babbelas, ????????, m??????????, kocovina, tømmermænd, kater, pohmelus, resaca, postebrio, gueule de bois, ?????, mamurluk, macek, angajaarnaqtuq silinnguutivaa ullaak, timburmenn, postumi dell’ubriachezza, ???????, crapula, pa?iras, másnaposság, ????, bakrus, kac, veisalgia, ????????, krapula, bakfylla, ak?amdan kalmal?k, ????????, ??????????. Hair of the dog. Bed.

Saturday, 30 October, 2010  

What a days. They go to fast. End of October already. Soon it will be midwinter. Lots of snow and cold. Maybe I should look for less winter surroundings. Places where the cold months stay within an acceptable comfortable temperature.

Added another download today. Neuroot. Heavy punkrock. More British style. I mean, not like all these bands imitating that US California hardcore shite. Nice people The Neuroot. Remember them well. You know (or not) the ‘kind’. Heavy tall guys. Lots of leather, tattoos, studs and beer but sweet as angels. That was in 1983. Go to downloads to get their release.

Yep, this is one of these posts where I hop from one to the other subject. Travel people, please travel. Not (only) to traditional holiday resorts where everything is like at home, to your comfort, so all you need to do is bake in the sun. Go visit places that are not touristic. Enter traditional local restaurants and bars, even if you don’t speak the language. That’s what it is all about. Learn to communicate. Learn from people. There is one thing you will figure out soon: most people are friendly and nice plus you get a better taste of the locals than baking on the beach.

Despite all their travelling I know many people who got around but still approach other parts of this planet thats not theirs (living/born) as colonial missionaries. Whats up with that? Didn’t learn anything of your hopping around or is this an instinct reaction? Why do people think that their way of live is the one, others can only do wrong. Tell you a secret: others can only do different. If you leave home do not expect other places to be the same. Oh, you know! Why do you keep comparing prices, the way bread is made, the coffee is,….? Aha, you are learning the differences. Good! Why do you talk in a tone as if the way you do this is the one and only right direction? Aha! Because it goes for generations in your family. Well who is the fuckin dumb fool here. You do this the same for centuries? Time to progress. Discover something new. Move ahead. Explore instead of re-chewing what you’re forefathers have been doing for ages. What you need is to be colonized so you can learn and mix habits.

Why am I writing this, hobbits? Hmm, probably some occasion occur last week to react. Had to get this of my mind. Anyway, its an old fashioned whining post again. Time for a glass of wine celebrating this.

If you can’t follow this anymore its because you never understood Tolkien. If you lost it, ask your kids. Open up and learn from them.

After Vision, Downloads and such I will start something new on this site. Its about time. Be prepared for 2 new image galleries be added soon. Tomorrow more, if I am not too hangoverish. Go out for drink tonight. Yeeeeahhhh!

Thursday, 28 October, 2010  

Yep, I am slow with posting lately. Simply don’t feel that good the last days. Something creeps under my skin. A flue or such. Its minimal but wears me out. You know the feeling. Lack of energy to pick something up. It will be back in a few days. Keep on adding downloads from Limbabwe releases. Check the downloads link. Today I added ‘Igor en de Zwijne’. Hopefully I get the inspiration soon moving on with my killing posts! Blaaaaggggrrrrrrrr

Tuesday, 26 October 2010

Another vinyl added in the download section. Probably the most rare release I ever did: MONEY MAKES JUSTICE (Limbabwe vinyl 5) 1986.

This single was about the VHC in Tegelen North. 

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.

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.  

To download the single go to ‘Money Makes Justice’ in the download section.

Monday, 25 October, 2010  

Tv is not my thing. Never watch it. The tv I have at home you can see (blown big) on the video running the front page. It’s a small old b&w from the 70ties built in Czechoslovakia. 40 years old and still works.

Sometimes I watch a movie, mostly on the computer. Working with music my whole life its obvious that also soundtracks attract my full attention. Incidentally I catch bits and lines from rare songs and often wonder how they found these moments. Watched a movie recently and suddenly I hear Kevin Coyne in the background. Kevin Coyne! What happened to him? (Did I post about this before?)

Coyne was a promising musician ‘rockstar’ in the 70ties who never really ‘made’ it, but toured, had record deals (Virgin) and got audience in clubs. Most remarkable moment in his life: he turned down the request to replace Jim Morrison in The Doors. Reason: He didn’t like to wear leather pants. If this is true we will never know, but for sure its funny. Anyway, who would like to replace a famous frontman? Every smart person knows it would kill your career. Kevin Coyne was smart. Not because he turned down this job. Listening to his records, lyrics are funny, actual, critical and (very important) down to earth! Kevin knew what was for sale in life. He criticizes the world around him, pretty direct, with a normal mainstream view without pushing the listener to change the world.

In the 70ties Kevin toured a lot. Saw many gigs of him. Not that I was such a big fan. In those days you simply went to see bands every weekend. Whatever on stage was mostly interesting since every artist tried to be original and not a boring copy-cat like today. Coyne was good entertainment. He could tell stories and jokes inbetween songs. The music was raw style of rock/pop/ballad. Saw him performing with band and solo. It never bored me. Interesting was the way he played guitar. He tuned in an E chord, this way you can play all major chords with one finger. The finger Kevin used was his thumb swung over the guitar arm. Here a picture:

It was the strangest way of playing guitar I ever saw. Ofcourse it limits you to only play 8 major chords. For Kevin that was sufficient. Even his 2 hours lasting solo performances never got boring.

Have still some records in my collection. His most ‘popular’ in the 70ties was ‘Marjory Razorblade’. But lets talk about a few lesser known ones. ‘Dynamite Daze’ for example.

I like that record. The title song (Dynamite Days) is a message to the (in those days) new punkrock scene in 1977. Coyne praises the energetic period but on the end of the song repeats few times ‘Seen it all, seen it all before’. Sure he was right. Its all ‘history repeating’.

Another ‘strange’ and forgotten Coyne record was ‘Let’s have a Party’, released in 1976.

Side A was a compilation of previous released songs, side B a live recording in The Lyceum, London. I suspect the record company made a (failed) attempt to give Kevin a last push towards direction of ‘first league’ fame. It never happened. The record is unavailable rarity nowadays and never re-released on cd. The year before, 1975, Kevin opened the Dutch Pinkpop festival. In those days one of the very few yearly returning big festivals in Europe. The picture on the back of this record is from this gig.

Have a good look. You might spot me in the audience. I was there in the front.

Through the 80ties I lost track of Kevin Coyne and asumed he was forgotten. To my surprise many more records got released until 2004 when he passed away. His wife maintains the Kevin Coyne website until today.

Sunday, 24 October, 2010  

Made some important improvements in many zips of the download section. Especially the older zips. I managed to make decent scans of insert sheets and covers. Replaced the not so good digital pictures.

In zips of following download pages files are changed: Pandemonium, Appellation Controlee, The System, The Revels and Vlaaikots.

If you like to have better images but don’t want to re-download the complete zip(s), I placed the image files on the bottom of the download page concerned. From there you can upload these files yourself. I will leave these images for a month or so.

On the Pandemonium page is a bit more text added because I found something ‘forgotten’ in my archive:

‘Exploring the archive I found an original of a cassette cover. It was a tape with recordings from their legendary live concert at Wilhelmina, the first single presentation. I don’t remember this tape, neither existence, at all. For sure not a Limbabwe product. I am not sure if the cassette ‘Live in zaal 3’ ever was released and this cover here pictured below, was printed and duplicated. If it was multiplied, the band must have done this themselves.’

Slowly we come to a finish uploading the complete Limbabwe back-catalogue. Only a few left. Will some extra’s non-limbabwe recordings related to that scene later. It has been an intense 24 hours wasted in front of this screen working on the site. Had enough for today. Tomorrow more.

Saturday, 23 October, 2010  

Yes, yes. I know. Promised a decent ‘old fashioned’ post yesterday. Sorry, unexpected visit stopped me writing one. Today I feel a bit ‘lesser’. So lets move that posting to tomorrow. Still I am doing some things on the site. New download from ‘Kleine Negertjes’. Check the download section. I am going to change a few download files tonight. Replaced the ‘wacky’ digital picture by decent files. It can be possible that certain files are not available for a short time. If there is a problem, try again tomorrow. All this will happen in the upcoming 12 hours. Around 20.00 central European time, 2 PM USA New York time, 11 am USA West coast time, 4 AM (Sunday morning) Australian time and few hours earlier in Japan. If your timezone is not mentioned, sort it out or try your luck later.

Time! what a weird thing anyway. Its one of these stupid attempts from humans to make the world metric. Funny, metric does not exist in this environment (atmosphere) called Earth. The planet didn’t turn once the same since measured. It probably never did. Metric = unnatural and a human invention. Do we must take the conclusion that humans are not from + do not belong here?

Thursday, 21 October, 2010  

It was a great sunny day today. Time for a ride (cycling). Its cold but moving keeps me warm. The hills are shining autumn colors. Yellow, orange, brown and all inbetween. Pushing up the hill the whirling leaves accompany and support. The paths slowly turn colorful too. Difficult to see the stones and holes. I take the incidental bump for granted. The beautiful surroundings make it all good. Hope there will be a few more nice days this months and the snow stays away for some time. Would like to do more rides like this.

New download today from Koko Zozo. The story is very limited. Barely remember the band. Sorry to say, it wasn’t one of my favorites.

Keep it short today. Tomorrow another whining or ‘records you hide/like/hate/….. post.

Wednesday, 20 October, 2010  

Instead of reading posts you should be downloading the new Limbabwe DKK release. (read yesterdays post).

Just finished editing the huge amount of scans I made few weeks ago. Soon the shitty files will be replaced by good once in a few downloads. Going through all these historic moments brings interesting pictures. If you read the stories introducing the downloads this picture might be interesting for you:

Left, turning his face away is Kor (Zoo) sitting in the middle is Rob (Zanzibars Twist) and on the right stands Ger (Zoo). They are hiding on the side of a stage. Best part of the picture is that non of the tree persons faces are clearly visual. Lets keep the mystery going……..

Tuesday, 19 October, 2010  

The new Limbabwe release is a live recording. Dallas Kingston Kollector live at the Sina festival, Idrija, Slovenia on 16 September 2010.

The release contains two tracks. First track is the soundcheck, second the actual gig. The soundcheck spontaneously extended to an improvised piece of music similar to the actual show, but still that much different its worthy adding it as extra track.

Limbabwe 48 is available on cassette tape, cd and free mp3 download. For obtaining a hard copy, mail me: matski@limbabwe.com 

Free download available on the download link at Dallas Kingston Kollector, or click here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/DKK_Sina.zip

Extra Bonus: a video of the concert. 10 minutes you see above. Download the full video from the Dallas Kingston Kollector download page or click here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/DKK_Sina_Movie.zip

Sunday, October 17 2010

The 3 downloads Meer Staal, Zanzibars Twist, Zoo reflect more the real face of Limbabwe and Bauplatz (plus few others). These give you a better idea how creative the real and original Tegelen North scene was. We where exploring, looking for other (new?) directions and had fun. If anything must be written about the Tegelen North scene it must be about this group, not the later punk club that just consumed the path we created and destroyed the fundaments. The stories appeared elsewhere only inform us about later generations. Due to bad journalism, personal career making and intended history forgery, the real truth got denied. It forced me to put on these download pages. There is only one spot on the internet where you can find the real story about the Bauplatz/Limbabwe scene, and that’s here on the Limbabwe site. Logic because its also my history, I was there.  

Back to Zoo. This was also one of my Limbabwe favorites. Great trio performing a funky, jazzy freaky kind of music. Nice to listen too, but you can also dance on it. Zoo were the brothers Hans (bas) and Ger (guitar) plus Kor on sax. The drums was an old Dr rhythm, drum machine from the 70ties. In those days drum machines where basic. Few pre-sett options (waltz, rock, mars, …..) and a button for the speed.

Because of their minimal technical requirements, Zoo was capable to perform anywhere. Often in venues they choose for a different performance location than the traditional stage. I once saw them performing in the venue’s toilet.  

Zoo made 2 releases for Limbabwe; ‘Zoo Big Band’ and ‘Buildings’. They also contributed to the samples ‘Vlaaikots’ and ‘Alle Honden Blaffen’. Strange is that Zoo never released a full tape or record with music of the band how they actually where. I still have a live concert on tape here. Maybe one day I will add that to the downloads. Now go to downloads to download the Zoo downloads you downloader. 

Saturday, 16 October, 2010  

Hmmm, tomorrow morning I will add a new download. Also today I keep it short. Have been cutting and storing firewood all day. My brain is too empty creating a post. Tomorrow again………..and again…………

Thursday, 14 October, 2010  

Firewood! Its that time of the year again. It just arrived this evening. Will be busy tomorrow cutting and storing. Hope to find some time for a real post. Will get some help, so hope to be finished earlier as usual. That’s it for today. Decent posting tomorrow or Saturday again.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The Zanzibars Twist download page is available. The story I spontaneously typed down became so local history divers I put it (edited) as post today:

Zanzibars was a band from Rob. He was responsible for many cover artworks at Limbabwe, especially in the first year. Rob also designed and (silk) printed Bauplatz posters in the beginning. Although recording the band (mentioned as engineer on cover) and for sure seeing live sometimes, I barely remember them. I clearly remember ‘meeting’ Rob for the first time. That was in a bar called St Stephen (don’t look for it, gone long time ago). This bar was run by a local alternative hippie called Hans Thijssen. Before the bar Hans had a record store in town called ‘Satisfaction’. I talk mid-70ties here (period). This store was for its collection and time ‘alternative’. No commercial crap available, but lots of Hans generation hippie music like The Death, Hot Tuna and such. Being a real punker of the first (and only) real generation I once yelled at him (visiting his store) that he should get over his hippy crap, new times, new generation, and demanded to obtain the first (and at that time only) record of The Ramones for his collection. He did. Wise bizznix decision. Still Satisfaction went broke and Hans tried it with a bar. We (punkers) became regulars. Hippie Hans wasn’t such a bad guy after all. He was open minded, alternative and easy. Behind that bar was often, only standing and staring a young teenage kid. He didn’t work there (not allowed), Hans did. The kid was a drop out adapted with good intentions by Hans. This kid was Rob.

Later in the eighties Rob joined Gore on bas guitar. Despite what many think, Rob did not start Gore. Gore was an idea of Danny the guitarist from Pandemonium. After they broke up Danny wanted something different. He was very impressed by the Black Flag B side LP My War. Slow ‘Metal, but just not’ songs. Danny wanted to play drums and leave a frontman (vocals) out. I remember the beginning of Gore well. They rehearsed in the Martinusstraat (Limbabwe) basement. Pieter played guitar. Do not clearly remember the first bas player but it was somebody from the later Punkrock scene (Disgust or such). Already after a few rehearsals Rob replaced the first bassist. This went with lots of ‘mystery’. Danny didn’t want anyone to know who was in Gore and what they where doing. Difficult to hide in a public building with non-isolated rehearsing room. Danny’s intention to do something without involvement of the scene was understandable. The club was small with too much band-incest. Something fresh would only work with minimal inside connections. I kept in contact with Danny for a long time and toured few times with Gore.

Back to Zanzibars Twist. The music is for sure inspired by early Nick Cave/Birthday Party. Rob was very impressed by this band. You can hear this on his vocals (most songs are sung by him). Rob even looked a bit like Nick in his Birthday years. I mentioned that sometimes to him what made him annoyed. Rob had a strong feeling of being original. Well, what can I say, he was still young and inspiration has to come from somewhere.

Zanzibars performed many ‘cranky’ covers from well known evergreens. Mostly on purpose badly played and recorded. Some members from Zanzibars had no music background or education. Ofcourse that is not necessary, it’s the energy, feel and drive that counts the most. The tracks are not always ‘music’, but the overall is funny, entertaining and worth listening at least once. If you listen all recordings the general impression is ‘violent’. Something you find back in many expressions from Rob. The bloody covers from Gore for example. Until today I don’t know why he expressed aggressive.

Hans Thijssen was one of the instigators of the yearly Tegelen North festival ‘Zomer parkfeest’. A nice local event in the beginning, but after some years grew out to be the most horrible festival in the world. In the music bizznix it remains this reputation until today, and right it is. For artists the worst performance spot. Agents: I know you want to make money, but if you have any respect for your artist do not book your acts on that horrible festival.

Hans tried another bar in Tegelen North. St Stephen was not ‘hip’ anymore. Than left to India for a while and passed away few years after return.

I know this story has a detour. Can’t help it, the memories popped up while writing my Zanzibars Twist page. At least here at Limbabwe you get real detailed and true information instead of reading crap from career yuppies like Johan Hauser who forges history and writes lies to work himself up as ‘journalist’. Don’t believe this idiot. He wasn’t even born than, how can he know!  

Go to ‘downloads’ to get Zanzibars Twist music.

Tuesday, 12 October, 2010  

Some say this for years, I know, I know Popmusic is over. Again today I got convinced. Its really done and over with popmusic. Walked into the hairdresser for a haircut. ‘Satisfaction’ from the Rolling Stones blasts loud out of the speakers. Satisfaction? People you don’t have anything else (more recent) to play? This recording was around before your parents where born. Its fucking hell 45 years old! That’s more than half a human life! The barbershop was tuned into a radio station. Following up songs stayed in the same line, although I did hear a David Bowie track from the 70ties. Wow, you guy’s are getting ‘modern’. This song is only 35 years old.

Popmusic! Sure, it was always made to sell. And with popmusic I mean a wide spectrum of popular music: from The Beatles to Lou Reed, Britney Spears till Led Zeppelin, Motorhead to Backstreet Boys, Iron Maiden to John Mayall, Slayer to Johnny Cash, Mike Oldfield till Leonard Cohen, Black Flag to Moby…….. and all other names you can think of. If not listed here, do not think I consider your favorite as ‘not-pop’. Believe me they are!

Popmusic is music thrown on the masses by companies (also indie) to make money. Sure for a long time this popmusic was ‘progressive’. The masses liked to purchase different styles and feel. Somehow that came to an end with Techno. The crisis made bizznix men endless re-chewing back catalogues. At the same time youngsters became rebellious yuppies. Music for Money (Nick Low song, also pop) is already for more than a decade the only drive of new generations. Too difficult to be inventive and original in making that money, copy = easy. So here we are, left behind with granddads favorites or bad imitations by youngsters. The popmusic industry killed their own product in progress! Lets see how long the masses will eat this (probably forever).

Music is ofcourse still made, but that’s not thrown at the masses. Too much investment for the industry. I see all this positive. At least these idiots (including popmusicians) leave space for music. It also introduces new meanings to terms. There is music and there is popmusic.

Tomorrow new download. Leave it up to you what it is, music or popmusic.

Monday, 11 October, 2010  

Hmmm these Limbabwe bands in the 80ties had something with ‘dogs’. If you click ‘downloads’ and look at the line of names, 3 of them relate to dogs. Let me translate: The Young Dogs, All Dogs Bark, Street Dog. What explains this fetish for dogs? Do ‘alternative’ freak musicians fight with ‘underdog’ sub-consciousness? Or did they simply like to do it ‘doggy-style’? Oh well, ‘what the dog’, its too long ago whining about this.

Nice cycling trip today. Its amazing autumn weather. Will stop soon. We might be looking at some snow probably already next month.

Time for ‘Picture from the Past’. For the youngster among us: What is this?

Its obviously a printing machine. Yep, when I took the picture new technologies already pushed this thing in the basement. In the early 80ties copy (Xerox) machines were very popular. To multiply pages you had ‘copy-shops’. But we were a poor alternative freaky squat/art scene that couldn’t always afford copy-shop. The local Catholic Youth organization made their cheap printing facilities available for us. No joke, a ‘religious’ based organization. But what does religion (especially Catholic) early 80ties in The Netherlands mean? Churches where empty those days.

Back to printing. This technology got forgotten. Its called ‘stencil’ (mimeograph). The principle is simple. You took the ink-ribbon out of your type-writer (ohoh, do I have to explain youngster what a typewriter is?). Roll in a stencil instead of normal paper and type. The stencil paper was made of material that is easy to perforate. After done typing you took of the double back sheet and turned it around (mirror). Stick it to the ink-roll of the stencil machine en start printing.

You could also burn stencils. In a machine with two rolls you stick the original next to the stencil. A needle copies the original in stencil (burning). This way you could print drawings and pictures. The results where not always that perfect, but it gave an extra dimension to the design. For example the booklet inlayer of Vlaaikots is printed this way. How simple all sounds, the reality was ‘bitter’. Too much ink, not enough ink, ink spots, dirty rolls, stuck paper,…….. oh well, is it different with your printer today?

All fitted well in the ‘punk’ feel we exposed. Rough, wild, imperfect. No exact identical copy. I like this kind of design until today. If something is smooth, perfect and licked I get suspicious. Especially now everybody can do it with cheap computer programs. I think I am still attracted by the smell of ink, the dirt of stagnating machines and deadline stress of having at least 100 acceptable copies ready.

Sunday, 10 October, 2010  

No inspiration for posting today. Added new download ‘Cherokee’, check the download section. Last sunny days before snow? Tomorrow another (maybe my last this year) cycle to Vojsko plus another real post. Tabee.

Friday, 08 October, 2010  

Nice weather drove me out of the house. Time to inspect mountain tops again. Reaching the highest point the usual great view was offered . It is one of those ‘cloud effect’ days. In the mountains wind can come from all directions. On my left clouds moved in high speed south, on my right other clouds tried to win the race going west.

Internet is one of these strange things in our modern society. Let me whine a bit about this (again). So many people think it’s the absolution solution in life. You can find everything and everybody! Not, I say. The internet is so full with info that its impossible to be right informed unless you open your mind and spend days surfing the same subject. Pity, most people are closed minded. There is a lot written on the internet, but if all is true or right information is something most of us don’t bother about at all. How often do you hear the common ‘birthday party’ line “I found that on the internet”. Sure if you look for something you find it on the internet. Exactly that is the problem. For example if you set your mind on purchasing that one particular IPod and surf the web to read about it, you will never find these 50000 pages that totally diss the machine, but will read the 5 that think it’s the best made so far. Its simply how the human mind works. You want to find confirmations you are right. And yes, on internet you will find many pages telling you ‘right’ about every subject you can think of.

MySpace has become the worst internet site I sometimes for my work have to visit. Last week was my last visit. The page is the most visitor unfriendly site ever. Where I am the network is already a bit slower than in most other countries. If I try to open a MySpace page it takes 10 minutes before completely loaded. All these bands put so much material on, video’s, music 1000000 MB pictures plus all your friends leave messages with the similar packages. Its very chaotic and unfriendly, but that is probably the set up of MySpace. Ok, you might say that it’s the mistake of my internet connection, but let me remind you, dear artist that only a few percent of the world population lives in a territory where MySpace can be normally received. If you would like to limit your artistic exposure to only a few, fine. Brings doubts to how trusty your ‘art’ is.

MySpace is definitely over for me now. Had my very last visit ever.

Ok, I know this what you read here now is on internet too. Well be in doubt, that’s what life is all about. So next time when you surf try a few other waves.

Thursday, 07 October, 2010

GOTEFIX – LIVING SUITCASES ON CORE (Limbabwe/Weteltapejes 1) 1985  

This cassette tape was released in coalition with the band own label ‘Wenteltapejes’. This label lasted probably only one release (this tape).

Gotefix means street-dog. Its local slang from Tegelen North. Officially there should be a diagonal line through the o (Scandinavian style) but my keyboard doesn’t have the option. It can also be written in oe (Goetefix). The o should be pronounced like ‘eu’ as in onion or Goethe (The poet). Just for the facts so you get it right!  

Gotefix was a punkrock band from the last Martinusstraat generation and also one of the last Limbabwe recordings in the 80ties. They where young, landed at Limbabwe following Pandemonium. They had already a dress code influenced by the California hardcore punkrock fashion.  

Limbabwe was never a punkrock label. Besides Pandemonium I only had a very few punkrock releases. This was one of them. The music is very adolescence and clumsy. Never played the tape. Heard it this week (while editing) for the first time since 25 years. I put the original cassette for sale.

Gotefix did few gigs and enjoyed small local following. They had ‘local hits’ like ‘Fuck the Vara’ and ‘Rambo’. Probably the most remarkable event in their existence was a gig on the roof of Martinusstraat (Limbabwe) after The Beatles (Let It Be) example on the Apple roof. Here few pictures:    

Left: Frans on bas, Noel on guitar in the middle and Carlo behind the drums. The singer (Marcel) disappeared, probably jumped of?  

Aha, here is Marcel (In the middle). The in the first years strong and firm waving flag (see background of these Limbabwe pages) is allready worn out to a half rotten cloth. Symbolic for the downfall of De Martinusstraat allready in 1985. The best years where over for some time. Go to the download section to get the zip.

Wednesday, 06 October, 2010  

For many evenings I am busy editing the huge amount of scanned pictures and other material from the Limbabwe archive. This is still going to take some time, you have to wait a bit before I am ready to replace the shitty pictures in the download files. Scanning the negatives delivered many pictures even I don’t remember the existence of. Interesting material visualizing what I am writing about in downloads introductions.

This is more for the ‘Outsiders’:

Here the OOC building where Bauplatz was based. Limbabwe was based in the ‘Martinusstraat’ squat (see many other pictures on site pages here).

In the basement of this building was that improvised studio where almost all limbabwe releases got recorded in the 80ties.

This is that basement; the playing (musicians) room. It belonged to the MK (Musicians Collective).

You can see how low it is. The two people standing (Hans – engineer left / Ben MK owner right) where not remarkable tall. The basement ceiling had a height of 1.90 m (75 inches).

The control room on other side of the wall was the same height. Here a picture.

You see Ger van de Beuken (Zoo/Der Junge Hund) hanging over the mixingdesk. Bit to the back is Koos (engineer). The pictures are taken during the Alle Honden Blaffen recording session.

Did lots of recording sessions myself. The place had no windows and barely airco. In winter times when days are short I often went down in the morning, when still dark, and came up in the late afternoon, dark again. Often lost complete day’s(lights).

Hope you have now a more visual smell of my stories. Tomorrow another new download from that claustrophobic hole in the ground.

Tuesday, 05 October, 2010  

Strange weather today. The clouds sank deep into the valley, almost touching roof of the house. Sometimes it rained few drops. Then clouds made weird shapes as if ghosts floating away from eachother in thin stripes, horizontal, vertical joining again just above a few tree tops. Meanwhile the sun tries to sneak through. Undefined colors, somewhere between orange, yellow and blue. The evening dark followed quickly!

Reminds me of the first Golden Earring (no S) longplayer released in 1970. Yes I know, the band was around for years in the 60ties, but than called Golden Earrings (with S). They had the usual ‘Tap career’ starting as a skiffle group changing into a beatband flirted with hippy for a day and when dropped the S they became prog-rock.

Their only record I have is the first Golden Earring simply titled ‘Golden Earring’ although often named ‘Wall of Dolls’ because of the cover picture and a track on the record with this title.

The new leadsinger (Barry Hay) changed the band sound drastically. He played also flute. The record is a very extreme ‘Tap’ moment. It opens with acoustic guitar and smooth ambient flute. Barry starts to sing ‘When I wake up in the morning’ ‘I sometimes really do’…….. Or some more ‘brilliant’ lyric writing in the second song ‘The call me the loner’ ‘Because I am all alone’ ‘I ain’t got nobody’ ‘Even got no home’………And so the record goes on with lots of flute, 70ties rock guitar and lyrics that make Spinal Tap sound like Shakespeare.

The Golden Earring made it big in the USA with their smashing rock evergreen ‘Radar Love’. Until today its difficult for me explaining people that not an USA but Dutch band performing this song. Anyway, I never liked the Golden Earring. All their records never reached over a middle mainstream rock level. Something that passes by on the radio and you forget about with the next dj choice.

I kept this record out of memory, the smell of my youth. The Golden Earring toured this record in 1970. It was my first major rock gig. I was 11 years old and impressed. I still see the gig in front of me. Cesar Zuiderwijk (drummer) took a huge jump from behind his drumkit and landed on stage-edge, almost in the crowd.

The record is slowly coming to the last song (I play it while writing this post). After these last words it can go back on the shelf collecting dust. Oh yeah Barry’s last sentences…..’As long as the wind blows’ ‘As long as the wind hauls’ ‘As long as the seagulls’ ‘I can’t stop loving you’……  

Monday, 04 October, 2010  

New download is added. To hype you clicking on ‘Downloads’ and ‘Meer Staal’, here an edited introduction:  

MEER STAAL   (More Metal) Metal refers to scrap yard steel, not a music direction. They started early 1983, in the top of the Bauplatz/Limbabwe period and delivered two Limbabwe releases: ‘Kruipend Bloed’ (Cassette) and ‘Hartslagen’ (Vinyl).

Lots of bands came and went in that period. Some musicians grew and came to a more mature form of experimental music. Meer Staal was one of these bands. Formed by Floor (Metal Tanz, Tango Djoboko), Andre (Oh’ Dev and many one-of projects) and Inge. The trio was a firm cooperation. Operating like 3 close friends. Their music was strongly influenced by Indonesian Gamelan. Inge has roots in the former Dutch colony. Floor was impressed by this particular Asian folk music. Using tape loops and scrap steel they created an interesting and unique form of industrial/experimental music. Especially unique because of the ambient soul and feel. Most ‘industrial’ orientated music in the early 80ties was heavy, angry or depressed. Meer Staal felt positive, light and happy.

At home or in the studio the band created tape loops. On top of that they played percussion on all kind of scrap steel and sang. Andre did most of the vocals. In one song he used to sing into a big (5 feet) square metal tube. I place a mic on the bottom of this tube. The vocals got this narrow mid-range reverb effect. Despite many Dutch titles, most lyrics are in English and German.

Meer Staal experimented in many ways. This often came natural spontaneous during rehearsals and live gigs. ‘Regular’ instruments were barely used. Sometimes (but rarely) you hear a stand-tom, timbales or bas guitar.

Meer Staal is one of my Limbabwe favorites. I like this band until today. In their existence I was lucky to do some recording sessions with them, and often was the FOH engineer during live gigs.

Quote from the album inlayer: ‘Live goes on. Heartbeats. The Heart always keeps beating. We’ve tried to put that heart in our music. It’s that spark that comes from deep down that we’ve tried to express. The sound of the soul.’

Their music was so progressive, it still sounds modern and ‘futuristic’ today, in 2010.

Sunday, 03 October, 2010  

Got a great download ready. Will put it on tomorrow. Have to write the introduction story. Its not in my brain today. Too tired, had an exhausting weekend with Spectre/Sensational. Great gigs, you missed them. Pity. The gig in Budapest tonight is moved to another location called Merlin, for incase you are near and read this.

Again a short post with picture from ‘Grandmatski’s Shoebox’:

Another early Limbabwe ‘in production’ picture. This is just before the first release. I got the order of ‘cake-boxes’. Still blank (not printed), and purchased the cassette tapes. The start of producing Limbabwe first release. If you like to know more or don’t understand click on ‘Downloads’ in the Main Menu and go to ‘Vlaaikots’, or click here: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?35

Friday, 01 October, 2010  

What an idiot I am. Got so confused about the date today. Thought my last post was yesterday, but see written ‘Wednesday 30 September’. Got major confused. I posted yesterday, but that was Thursday? Whats going on here? Visited my own website for solutions. Aha, I wrote the weekday wrong, it was Thursday 30 September when I posted, but luckily tanx to digital digits that dig it, the auto updater headlining my posts says Thursday 30 September. Thursday, Wednesday, September, Diggits Dig It Confused? Well today its Friday October 1.

My confusion came out of stress. The usual of music bizznix. Shows being cancelled, tours being cancelled, weather being cancelled, food being cancelled,…… Can I cancel myself?

Whats not cancelled (yet) will be two new releases of Dallas Kingston Kollector this month. The first one will be called ‘Sina’ (Limbabwe 48), second ‘Harmonic Magnetics’ (Limbabwe 49). But because of all busyness I have to keep it short today again. I sooooo yearn writing a good old fashioned whining, cursing and cycling post. Hopefully find the time next week.

This weekend Sensational/Spectre. Maybe I find some time for posting. For sure one new upload (I will prepare tonight). And ofcourse a picture out of ‘grandmatski’s old shoebox’:

This picture is real! Yep that’s how it looked and was. This is how I produced the limbabwe tapes in the early 80ties. You see many (5) cassette decks wired together. I played on one and copied 4 at the same time. All in real time. Lucky the cassettes came in low quantities. Imagine I had a million seller?

It was lesser time swallowing. Often I copied tapes while doing something else. Work like this all Limbabwe releases up till today with lesser cassette decks and burning cd’s. Every Limbabwe product ever made was in my hands, a personal touch. Even the vinyls. They came separated from the covers. Every record and inlayer is put into the cover by hand!

Have a good look at the picture. People visiting me recognize the amplifier still in my possession today. Its in the stack on the right second machine from below. All the rest disappeared through years. Cassette decks got replaced. The old radio bottom left stack is gone to.

Wednesday, 30 September, 2010  

It was one of those days that not much went right. Still don’t feel too good. Need some shots of alcohol to get over this, what I am going to do right now.

Got you a new download ready anyway. Duo La Lier. A solo project of two Zoo members. Ofcourse its Kor accompanied by Hans. Check the download section. Its worth it.

I keep it short. Do some stress relieve by making music myself. I am getting productive. Dallas Kingston Kollector will enjoy this world with two new releases upcoming month.

Enuhh oh yeah, since I scanned them all yesterday: here another picture from my archive.

This is on the same festival where I took yesterday’s picture of Pandemonium. On stage from left to right the famous Kor (Zoo +…), other sax is Willem from Appellation Controlee. On the guitar is Henk. Don’t remember what the band was. Could be Appellation but with Henk? Hmmm, maybe he played with them for a fortnight. Or it was a ‘Henk-band’ (Koko/Negertjes/….) where Kor and Willem join for the occasion. Fuck it. All a long time ago.

Tuesday, 29 September, 2010  

Despite the autumn weather I couldn’t resist. Too many days in the house. If weather allows I go out hiking or cycling at least 3 times a week. So I had a great trip in the rain. Hiking up the mountain and enjoying the great non views. I was walking into the clouds. But even that has its beauty. The mystery fog of the mountains. Came home soaking wet, but satisfied.

That was yesterday. Only wrote the first line of this post yesterday, finish it now, today. Last minutes activities stopped me from posting. Suddenly could borrow somebody’s scanner. Only in my possession for one day, so today I spend all day scanning. Some documents (record covers/inlay sheets) came out lots better than the enclosed images of the download zips. I will replace them, but also leave these images on the bottom of the download page for a while, for those who have a zip with the old images I took with a camera. Gives you the possibility to replace them. Hoho, not right now, still have to change this. Give me couple of days (over the weekend).

The scanner allowed me to scan the few negatives I found in my archive from the 80ties. Its not that much. Made some pictures, but not that many. Was (and am) never such a photographer. The results are funny. In the last hour I have been looking at many forgotten pictures . In the future I will share most of them with you on this site. Some pictures are related to recording session of releases. I will add them on the download pages related to these pictures. Ofcourse these changes will be announced on the top of the page. So what about this picture: Pandemonium having a good time in their teen years on a local festival.

Or this one I should have placed with my Ry Cooder post few weeks ago.

This is Ry Cooder performing solo in the mid-70ties at Muntplein in Brussels. I was there, made the picture myself. Still remember this gig well. It was very good. Soon more pictures and ofcourse new downloads. Keep checking.

Sunday, 26 September, 2010  

On the Sina website is now a photo gallery of the festival http://shinafest.wordpress.com/

Here 4 pictures of the Dallas Kingston Kollector gig:

Thursday, 23 September, 2010  

Politics is for sure nix. It’s the same bizznix as music bizznix, just some bullshite to keep the average population busy. You might think you are involved and have influence, but people believe me, whatever star you follow or party you vote, its wasting time. Better do something useful in your life.

Here is something I have to explain the non-Dutch readers. I once lived in The Netherlands. In the 80-ties (last century) to be precise. Was some figure in the local scene of an unimportant small provincial town. From that place comes a now well-known discussed political person by the name Geert Wilders. Honestly, here I go in a territory I do not know shit about. Moved out more than a decade ago. This ‘Wilders’ was not around in those days.

Geert Wilders is the leader from an ultra-right (fascistic?) party that seem to gain popularity in The Netherlands. Results is that the oh-so boring press tries to research every fart the guy ever did in his whole life to blow it up as if sensational news. What else is different. Stars: movie, music, painting, politics,….. Everybody is always so busy with these peoples life, not what they actually do!

So here it comes; This Geert Wilders seem to have visited some (punk) rock gigs in the eighties in town when he was young. This rumor is already played up that he performed (vocals) in a band. Now people even know what he was wearing (black jacket, black sharp-shoes). Isn’t this a bit like dumb ‘teenage star’ gossip? So I am approached. This week for the 3rd time with the question. “Do you know him?” And once even worst: “You should know him, he is you’re age!”

People let us get straight about this. I never knew any Geert Wilders than or now. He for sure did not play/rehearse in a band related to Bauplatz/Limbabwe or Martinusstraat. He was never part of the ‘clan’, at least not until late 80ties, when I left the ‘scene’. Ofcourse Wilders could always have visited a concert. These are public events, but he was for sure not a regular visitor. The town is that small you learn to know the ‘regulars’.

So whats so special about Wilders visiting rock gigs in his youth? Everybody was/is/will be young once. I am sure Hitler visited some obscure avant-gard events in his teenage years and Sadam Hoesein probably listened to records of The Dead Kenney’s. It will not be difficult figuring out that Bush visited in the 50ties a (in those days considered ‘wild’) concert of Link Wray. So what are we wasting time on here. You will furnish more results to be busy with what these people do now here. Extolling their past is exactly what they want and makes them feel even more ‘important’.

Anyway, you there in Tegelen North better concentrate on a real danger, that local dump paparazzi paper called ‘Limburger’. Run by people like Kitty Borghouts, Johan Hauser and John Verstraelen. Sneaky they try to influence you (local population) by twisting facts and telling lies . These are the real dangerous fascist you must fight. Wilders is already too much in the picture. He can’t allow himself to be dangerous.

Wilders suppose to have visited a gig of the UK Subs. Well, for what I know they performed twice in the eighties. First time in a suburban community centre called Ons Huis. Think that was 1980, second time in OOC/Bauplatz, the local rock venue. That was later 80ties, don’t remember the exact year. But I do remember the gig, especially the set up. I was the local engineer. The Subs brought in Marshall stacks, looking tough but where empty. The guitar was plugged into a small H&H amplifier hidden behind the Marshalls. Anyway, from inside information I know that Charlie never lived in a car (‘I live in a car’, was one of Subs first ‘cult’ hits).

I understand it all, Subs or Wilders, its all about the show. What about your live? Is it real or just…….. temporary entertainment?

Wednesday, 22 September, 2010

I added the download yesterday, but to give it an extra attention here again the story of Appellation Controlee. Download the recordings from their page in the Main Menu – Downloads.

APPELLATION CONTROLEE – LISTEN TO WHAT A MOON CAN DO (Limbabwe 15) 1983  

Appellation Controlee label trade-mark from French wine improving by increasing age. This counts for the band. Appellation is the longest existing band from the Bauplatz/Limbabwe location. They were already around in the period before. Some members from Appellation are few years older than me. The contact came through their curiosity in our rumbling and rambling. Willem (sax/guitar) and Hans (vocals) regularly visited Bauplatz events. We knew the band. They performed on local stages dressed up colorful wearing strange hats. Sure, the music had some of that ‘hippie’ feel to it, but was far from boring as G-Dead plus their sets were not that extended long.

Appellations influences came from opposite direction, the east. Most it reminds me of the German band The Can. But without copying AC follows a path of experiment with detours over jazz, folk, avant-garde and fusion.

Through their years Appellation members changed often with the exception of above mentioned Willem Odenthal and Hans Rohwen who were in the band from the beginning together with drummer Hans Blanken (sadly passed away few years ago). Other musicians were Milaine Hoyer, Mark Kohlen (yep from the Revels) Jan Wetley (guitar) and Gerard. More or other members I don’t remember

I like this band. The easiness and quality of their smooth improvised music appeals to me. I play their tape often. As far as I know besides a live tape on Limbabwe there are no other AC releases. Pity, I lost this live recording somewhere. Its one of the very few Limbabwe tapes I cannot upload on this site. Maybe somewhere in the future……  

Appellation Controlee is one of these bands that never stop. Until today they meet to rehearse once a week, jamming with eachother. No pretentious ‘star’ bulshite or other bizznix nix. Just simply play music. That’s how it must be. So yes they still exist and probably celebrated already a 30 year anniversary.

At least ones a year they performed on a local stage. A tradition they hopefully maintain until today.  

Surfing the web to see how much is digitalized about this band I was astonished how little I could find. The band gets barely mentioned. I am very happy with the download page. Finally Appellation Controlee gets a digital prolongation (for the time it lasts). Something they deserve.  

Tuesday, 21 September, 2010  

Hehe, the festival is behind us. The room is cleared. The peace is back in town and life can go on as usual. Now its time for a post. Lets go short over the sights and smells of the Sina festival.

The odor in the air was enlightening and progressive. Positive atmosphere rewarded with an over-expected amount of visitors.

First day:

– Dallas Kingston Kollector started of with a violent punk show sledgehammering pedals but eased down quickly to a free improvised version of a tune sounding similar to the latest release ’60 flights’. Exclusively for Limbabwe site visitors you can download the recordings from DKK’s show last Thursday here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Dallas_Kingston_Kollector_Sina.zip

– Jan: Synchronized with video digital electric sounds bubbling and sissing, sometimes touching pleasant 80ties pop. An interesting mix of new and older works. Jan usually plays in rock/pop bands. This was his experimental solo debut.

Second day:

– Zebra. Frans and Roel came with an electric mix of samples from 70ties/80ties songs. Sometimes danceable accompanied by rhythms popular recently in disco’s. The last 20 minutes of their set was mainly built on Limbabwe samples. Rumors go about a new Zebra – Limbabwe release?

– Horda Grdih came down from the mountain. His mule packed with self made string instruments, percussion and bells. Horda created music by tapping on balls floating in water and turning his jewelry box upside down supported by exorcising vocals. Dynamic and intense.

Third day:

– RoR blasted loud his improvised music and video chasing the overwhelmed audience. Live camera projected distorted views in sync with the overdriven sound compiled with many different high frequency waves incidentally supported by sub-low.

– Thomas Grom. Introduced himself and gave an intense demonstration of what more you all can get out of a contra bass besides the traditional playing we know. Grom creates music out of the instrument without touching strings.

For those not there, just a few lines of what you missed. Be there next year!

Sunday, 19/Monday 20 September, 2010

The festival is over and its packing and its still cleaning time. Satisfied with the results we working on the finishing touch. Therefore not much posting time. Tomorrow an extended review.

Friday, 17 September, 2010  

Have the first day of Sina festival behind us. Ofcourse like every good organization it all started with major last minute stress yesterday morning. Zebra missed their flight. Lucky, inbetween all hectic up and down phoning we got them on another. They just arrived at the airport in time for the performance tonight.

Yesterdays opening night was a great success. Success is relative in how you receive it. Most among us would interpret success materialistic; amount of visitors, money and such. That’s not my idea of a night that went well. Sina festival is about performance quality and most of all ‘how it feels’. Last night felt very good. Jan did a surprising high quality concert. DKK almost smashed the floor in pieces. Punknoise the way it must be done. Eddie: start waxing the floor again, makes you do something useful in this town.

Zebra arrived. Tonight with Horda Grdih. Get your ass overhere.

Ennuuhhh by the way….. the amount of visitors was according expectations.

Wednesday, 15 September, 2010  

One day before the Sina festival and stress is rising. The space is a big empty room, nothing in it. This means we have to move everything in. Furniture we did yesterday. Today come the equipment, PA and such. Too many things last minute. That’s the chaotic way of organizing here. Its running around like a maniac. Locals don’t have much sense of a professional organization plus its kinda ‘cultural’ thing to be chaotic last minutes.

Don’t expect many new downloads until next week. I will try to keep you updated about the up and downs of the Sina festival.

Apropo ‘downloads’. I hope more people get aware that Limbabwe was not, is not and never will be a punkrock label. How that image ever got around is still a question to me. Pandemonium was the only punk orientated band at Limbabwe. The incidentally other punk releases are not to be taken serious. Limbabwe is in the first place a label of experiments, pushing boundaries and unrestricted free from any label.  

Tuesday, 14 September, 2010  

Sorry, for two days no time for posting neither uploading. Sina festival starts in a few days. I am busy plus these fuckin computers are not cooperating. No this time its NOT the man, it’s the MACHINE. Anyone who calls him/herself a programmer is on my death-list.

Still I keep you updating this week with the festival diary. More late tonight or tomorrow morning.

Ok, got home earlier than expected. New upload from Tango Djoboko in the downloads. Check it out.

Sunday, 12 September, 2010  

Added another download today. Again its one of those more ‘poppy’ ones. Someone not so informed about Limbabwe must think that it was a neat standard rock label. Well be surprised. The hard stuff is still to come.

Don’t know why I choose to upload this recording. Probably because there is not much to find of The Revels on the internet. Don’t take my remark below with to much weight. Everybody their taste and I think The Revels deserve a place in eternity. After all, they where a part of the ‘Limbabwe scene’  

You can place The Revels in a different section of the this scene. Most of us were music wise more orientated on trash, noise, weird, freaky,…. The Revels sounded more neat and clean. The band was formed around Marc Coolen (guitar/vox) who rumbled around in the history of surf and swamp music. The underground sound from 50ties and 60ties.

Another Marc Coolen band was ‘Igor en de Zwijnen’. This release will be available as download later. Drummer of the Revels, Michael, was the ex drummer from Catastrophe Bizarre. Yep, it was a small scene. You will notice many names crossing in the download pages. Maurice played bas, Carlo guitar.  

I remember Marc’s bands well. We did many gigs together. Most of them in bars. The atmosphere was always great. Small room gigs with only a vocal PA. Besides voice only a mic in front of the kickdrum, sounded sloppy like the 50ties, pretty real.

Influenced by his examples Marc purchased a semi acoustic guitar and Fender Twin Reverb amp. At these bar-gigs with nothing miked the Fender blasted out above everybody else feeding back through the old semi acoustic pick-ups. It all added positive to the atmosphere.  

Personally I am more attracted to music that push borders and surprises than tunes created within an existing pattern restricted by rules and morals. Still I always enjoyed their gigs. It was worthy to register and release a single. More in the download section.  

Saturday, 11 September, 2010  

Its late late late in this end of the world, but still Saturday. Slowly my days are getting longer and nights shorter in opposition with the atmosphere allowing the earth turn away from sun every day few seconds earlier.

The festival is coming up. The šina echoes in the old mine shafts yearning to escape flattering steel lit melted in asphalt or captured in pavement stones. Only few more days when vibrating airwaves will be released.

My computers protest. They had to work hard the last weeks. Uploading, downloading, burning, surfing, editing, storing, ….. Both show problems now. I forgive them. Every man-made machine shows malfunctions. Not being perfect is a part of existence.

But I wanted to write about my new video on this site. What a relief, after one year finally a new view and sound. And how relaxing that sound, so low, so easy, you can barely hear it. That’s the idea. Turn it up so you hear the main parts of 60 Flights. Hissing tapes, crackling electricity, banging fridges (the what?) hmmm, lets keep that one a mystery for you.

I recorded this video within a few hours working on a vid for my new live performance. Have lots of self filmed analogue VHS material. It’s a problem getting this digitalized. The digital camera I had borrowed temporarily brought solutions. I could film with it. That gave me the idea of this clip.

The 8-track recorder you see is not an old recording, I filmed that 2 weeks ago and made it look old. The recorder is from the early 70ties. I still use it a lot. A great machine. Ofcourse it shows minor problems once a while, but easy to repair. Better than these computers I can throw away after 5 years.

The little tv is an old small B&W also made in the 70ties (Czechoslovakian) Carry that tv with me all the time. Survived all moves. I don’t have it to watch tv, its non of my interest. I use it for purposes like this, making weird video’s. Funny is that one day a local walked in while I was doing something with that tv. He looked around in the living room and with surprise he called out “is that you’re main tv?” Weird there a people who do not believe you don’t watch tv nor have the latest 50000000HD paper-thin flat 2 by 2 meter screen, tv. Fuck thse fools.

The film you see on tv is the road Idrija in Slovenia. This is on top of a platform above Idrija 2 or 3 winters ago. Jure drives with his little truck while I film with an analogue VHS camera.

Friday, 10 September 2010

Sina festival starts next week, PTV3 is comming to tour, Sensational hops over to Europe for a few extra shows…… Its busy. A real post tomorrow. For now have fun downloading.

Wednesday, 08 September, 2010  

The summer changed into autumn suspiciously quick. Some atmosphere changes must be going on worldwide taking the extreme weather changes in consideration from the last two years, here where I am located. The seasons don’t seem to flow into eachother anymore (it use to be). The winter stops half March with an immediate temperature rise that makes the huge pile of snow melt within no time. As if a command is given, tropical hot summer days start end May until last week, early September. From one day on the other, introduced by thunderstorms, temperature sinks to rainy wet September days. Half November, unexpected, snow will fall. Immediately 30cm (15 inches). Its time I settle in more constant warmer and comfortable surroundings with lesser abrupt changes.

Hangovers. What is it with these local gigs in this town. Every time I’ve done one (FOH) I feel horrible the next day. As if suffering a huge hangover. Don’t even drink when I work. Consumed one glass of wine, further only water. It is the bad atmosphere, the wrong vibe, the cranky feel, the ‘no love’ in the air where this town suffers from. It eats on me. Can’t do it anymore. All these fucked up stupid non creative cover bands with their dumb attitude and amateur playing. Yep, I know what you say: ‘it’s a job. You get paid’. Fuck that and Fuck the complete Fucking dumb stupid music scene here. It takes me a day or two to recover from the utmost energy I have to put in being patience dealing with shit music, non creativity, amateurism and bad attitude from performers and audience. Don’t even talk about putting in loads of my professional know-how to let these amateur suckers sound a bit ok. Plus, the pay is low! Let another local in-experience fool do it the next time. The sound will suck, but that’s the level this complete town is at.

Hehe, happy I got that of my chest so I can go further with the real music world and proudly announce the upcoming new release of PTV3:

The new extended play 12” from Psychic TV/PTV3 “Alien Brain vs. Maggot Brain” will be issued on pink and white brain splatter vinyl by Vanity Case Records, UK on September 23rd 2010. The release will be a numbered, limited edition of 500. Recorded directly after their ‘final’ 2009 European tour, the double A-sided 12” single features two long, powerful and psychedelic pieces, culminating in a wild and intense interpretation of Maggot Brain. Genesis Breyer P-Orridge’s lyrics and vocal performance combined with the bands stratospheric rocking make for  a mind-blowing experience which is highly recommended and considered by Genesis to be amongst her favorite Psychic TV recordings of al time.

Tomorrow another new download from the Limbabwe archive.

Tuesday, 07 September, 2010  

I know I make it easy on myself with posting using the new download page everytime I add one. Hey, its simply busy and loads of work bringing all this ‘Should Be Forgotten’ music to you. And yep! Limbabwe’s first release is added to the download section. Tomorrow a real post again.  

VLAAIKOTS (Limbabwe 1) 1982  

Limbabwe started with 2 compilations. First the vinyl LP ‘Alle Honden Blaffen’ (All Dogs Bark) in cooperation with the MK (Music collective) Venlo (Available as download later). Second the cassette tape ‘Vlaaikots’ (Cake-puke) you can download here.  

I think it was this way around. Difficult to remember what came first, LP or tape. Fact is I like this cassette tape much more than the LP. Vlaaikots is a very dynamic, rough and wild document of the Venlo music scene in 1982. Most bands contributed with tracks recorded by themselves. This brings a nice variation of recording quality. Some bands sound studio–clean, others delivered over-distorted raw rehearsal tapes. Few bands where recorded by Ger and me. We registered them with a big Philips stereo reel to reel tape recorded and two microphones (read the Pandemonium download page).  

Vlaai is kinda cake, specialty from the area around Venlo and famous all over The Netherlands. The cake was not high raised. Its flat and round, thin crust filled with fruit. Little bit comparable with pizza. The cake came in a box similar to pizza box. The tape was packed in a printed cake box. Besides cassette a booklet was included.

I bought the cheapest cassettes at V & D (sort of Dutch Wall-Mart) made from their home-brand Vendex. Despite the questionable quality, these tapes hold until today. While writing this I play Vlaaikots from original Vendex cassette. After almost 30 years it still sounds great. As I mentioned so often on these pages, cassettes tapes are the best ‘conserving’ sound carriers ever made so far.  

Vlaaikots got some attention in Dutch press and sold out, quickly turning into collectors item. Somewhere in the mid-eighties the original Vlaaikots in box with booklet was worth 15 x more than sale-price. For a week the release was no.1 in the list of most ‘expensive’ collectors items, above PIL’s metal box ‘Second Edition’. The only charge position Limbabwe ever had.  

The tape starts with a very clean song from ‘A Live Detail’ followed by Dutch poet ‘Koos van de Kerkhof’. Non-Dutch might be a bit bored in the first 10 minutes. Personally I am not so impressed by ‘A Live Detail’s’ contribution. Koos raps in Dutch, you will not understand what he says. Side A starts to get good when Zanzibars Twist kicks their chaotic noise-rock. I like the 2 live tracks from Zoo. They were one of my favorite bands in that time. On their first track Ger (van de Beuken – guitar) amplifier breaks down. You hear him yelling during the song ‘Fuck, the amp is broken’. The songs I like the most on this tape is from Coolcast. The name is very original funny word-game; a refrigerator on Dutch is called ‘koelkast’ pronounced as ‘coolcast’. They were a Cool Cast from Arcen, village nearby. Their two tracks are so wild and rough it makes the heaviest Stooges bootleg sound like a sweet Britney Spears recording.

To download this release for free go to ‘Downloads’ in the Main Menu.

Monday, 06 September, 2010  

Thought I would never get to a post today, but anyway here is one. Music Again.

1972! Ry Cooder came in this year with the two best records he ever made; ‘Into The Purple Valley’ and ‘Boomers Story’. His second and third solo record.

Cooder is a brilliant top musician. An absolute ‘virtuoso’ on every string instrument you can think of. Already in those early days. Before Ry started to make solo records he played with many artists and joint in loads of recording sessions. Ry is the guitarist on Captain Beefhearts legendary ‘Safe As Milk’ album and also appears at recordings of The Rolling Stones, Randy Newman and Taj Mahal.

On the two records ‘Valley’ and ‘Boomers’ Cooder performs a selection of legendary or forgotten American traditionals. Mix of blues, texmex, gospel, folk, calypso performed in his own typical style. In the 70ties most records from Cooder where filled with lost songs, often folk tunes concerning American lifestyle of the poor working class.

I bought these two records when released in the 70ties and still play them regularly. The records are not only outstanding for the music but also covers. On his first 4 albums Ry had a strange way of picturing himself. First in the desert leaning against a silver mobile home from the 30ties. The second he drives in a convertible while it rains (open roof) with a woman (girlfriend?). On Boomers he waves happily to the camera.

The fourth (Paradise and Lunch) camera close up wearing big cowboy hat and red shawl. After that covers change more to ‘normal’ although his 5th record (Chicken Skin) shows a drawing of a woman getting laid by a skeleton.

‘Into The Purple Valley’ is one of the best record covers ever made. The complete cover is drawn in typical ‘50ty – style’ colors. The scenes suppose to be in an environment around that time. The front shows Ry with girlfriend (?) driving in the rain looking bewildered. On the back they are happy for the sun shines again. If you open the cover they stopped in a town, posing for a ‘camera’ in front of the car. Pity what you do not see clearly in this picture is that they have a flat tire.

Somehow showing you these pictures doesn’t give the right impression. Go to a vinyl store and have a look at the cover. Don’t know about later prints but the original prints are not printed on glossy shiny cardboard. The covers feel soft, it makes the pictures look a bit dull. This increases the effect of ‘comfortable good old times’. The designer of ‘Into The Purple Valley’ is nowhere credited, therefore unknown.

In the early seventies I was in my last Highschool years. The music teacher orientated his lessons on classical music (ofcourse). He allowed in the last class of the year students to bring their own records. Quickly he got bored by Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd or Slade most people came with, and threw them of the player after few minutes. I took these two Cooder records. The music teacher was highly impressed by the outstanding music, and played few songs until the end.

As I read in a review 25 years ago, these records are for people who like plain good music! If you never heard it, its about time you take an effort.

Sunday, 05 September, 2010

Just a few lines. I have been staring at this screen too much last days. Gotto stare at something else for a while. Meanwhile have fun with the Pandemonium download page.

This week more downloads follow. Tomorrow a ‘normal’ post again.

Saturday, 04 September, 2010  

My regular posting suffers under the other activities I do for this site. I am sorry about that. Sure you find piles of new text I added this week on this site under the ‘Downloads’ link in the Main Menu. Read also the ‘Introduction’ page. Setting this all up takes much time. I write so much that there is no more text left in my mind creating a new post (Matski without text? Wow this is a memorable day!). But the start of the new download section is there. I will change some text or add more memories. New download pages will be added 2 or 3 times a week until the complete catalogue is available. With these pages the Limbabwe history finally will be written down in details. I just finished the Pandemonium page today. Here the introduction story. If you visit the page you find much more tales under the download intro’s. Don’t worry, I will keep on writing my regular posts.

Pandemonium was a band from what we called ‘the second generation’. When they came De Martinusstraat, Bauplatz and Limbabwe already existed (if you are new here go to the ‘Limbabwe History’ in Main Menu to understand). For Pandemonium the bed was made, they could rumble and rouse on the fundaments we built. Nothing wrong with that. As it always goes new generations don’t understand nor care about values the original fundaments were created for. In this case I talk about De Martinusstraat. Ofcourse youngsters like to do their own thing. Problem is that main instigators claiming the history of De Martinusstraat nowadays is the second (Pandemonium) scene, although they where just a passing thing in the middle. Not starting anything and are probably partly responsible for the collapse.

We all thought (the Venlo scene at that moment) that Pandemonium was funny, but good in a certain way. Sure in the beginning they sounded like any other shaky punk rock band (their start was inspired by a UK Subs gig) but they threw out lots of energy. It was amusing to see these 3 kids that just past the primary highschool-class rockin’ the stage wearing latest ‘middle-class’ fashion pubertal clothes purchased by their moms. For sure this very ‘normal’ look contributed to the band popularity a few years later. Although small they stick out inbetween the heavy leather / Mohawk hair cuts of the other bands in the line-up on gig nights. Danny (guitar) was 13 years old at that moment.

In that same period (1981/82) local notables decided that the city needed a new cultural concert building (not rock). Finishing the fundaments and name announcement was reason for a party. Artist where invited and we (the ‘rock’ scene) also requested for contribution. At a meeting we came to the conclusion nobody wanted to support this kinda party. Someone dropped the idea that it would be funny to send that new punkrock band Pandemonium as kinda ‘fuck you’ to the money wasting gathering. I wonder if Pandemonium members realize till today what they where used for. The gig was funny. Here a picture:

Der Peter (bas/vocals) did a lot for the band. He was very active making contacts. I had my connections hanging a bit longer in the bizznix. Therefore Pandemonium got gigs. Jack had a car. Don’t remember the make but it was one of these typical ‘you’re first car wrecks’ like Opel or Ford. With only the guitars, cymbals, foot pedal and snare drum in the hood, we drove to gigs (often in weekends). On most of these nights more bands where programmed. Only one (local) band brought amplifiers and full drumkit. This made it financially possible for the organizer to put more bands on the bill.

I came along to all shows as tourmanager/soundengineer.

In the beginning we mainly performed nearby in the area, which included Germany, our base was a border town. Quickly the territory expanded and we drove to Amsterdam and Belgium followed by trips to Spain and Yugoslavia.

The Pandemonium members were very young. Too young for alcohol. I got many drink tickets or the dressing room was loaded with beer. The modest Pandemoniums consumed no more than few cokes. Jack had to drive. It became a sport for me trading all drink tickets left into beer. Wouldn’t be a waste leaving all that free alcohol? Often I was totally loaded on our drive back home.

With every band there is always one who is always late. An absolute world record in this had Rowdy (drums). To avoid unnecessary waiting we picked him up. Ringing the doorbell at 4 PM (agreed and pre-announced pick up time) he often opened the door with sleepy eyes still in his underwear saying “uhhhhh I first have to take a shower”.  

Although the band had a certain status and reputation in that time, I have the feeling they are more ‘famous’ now with their ‘legendary’ status. In those days we never made any money. Played often for expenses and the albums never had reprints after sold out. Pandemonium was active for only a few years not taking their basement rehearsing period before first show in consideration. It all happened between 1982 and 1985. When the band played their last show in 1986 they where already finished and hadn’t performed for 8 months. In 1988 Pandemonium performed one more time on a support show for the local club (OOC-Bauplatz) that was under threat to be closed. I estimate they performed approximately 40 gigs ever. Might be lesser, for sure not more.

Pandemonium was a dynamic band. Re-hearing the recordings I have to admit they where good, especially in the end. From ‘Affaire’ until last LP you hear them musically growing. Their interpretation of hardcore-punkrock is interesting, original and unique until today. But there is more. Its that unexplainable ‘magic’ on all their recordings. The feel, the drive, the energy was the main reason for us (first generation) to adapt them in our ‘scene’. They had the right touch. All 3 knew eachother for years before starting the band. Being neighbors and attending same primary school they where best friends from ‘kindergarten’ on. This creates a strong bond, an energy in which lots of creativity can happen without rational explanations. How strong this bond was you could clearly experience during live performances. Often the bandmembers got into arguments inbetween songs in front of audience. They quarreled about one being to fast or set-list diversions. These arguments could escalate (to the amusement of audience) in throwing serious accusations to eachother. Especially between the two brothers Rowdy and Danny. Once at a gig in ‘De Boerderij’ Geleen (town in The Netherlands), the internal argument escalated so extreme that Danny threw his guitar on the floor and walked of. Rowdy reacted furious, kicked his drums following Danny leaving Der Peter behind on stage, embarrassed. The gig had an early end. In the dressing room the fight went on for long time. Next weekend, next gig everything was the same like always. Their bond couldn’t break…………….. but didn’t last forever.

Through time we all grew apart and moved separated ways. I lost contact with Rowdy after moving from De Martinusstraat. Danny started the band Gore. We crossed pads travelling same roads (music bizznix) so we stayed in contact. After some time Danny got disappointed with the fucked up scenes in music (right he was) and quitted. He found a job selling porno mags and vids in a sexshop, yep, in the famous red light district of Amsterdam. I visited him a few times when gigging the town, but lost track after he got out of this shop. With Der Peter I lost track early nineties but for reasons I can’t remember nor explain we saw eachother again sometimes in the last 6/7 years. This contact broke one year ago for reasons good readers can find on other pages here.

Although often mentioned as (4th) member of the band, I never considered myself part of Pandemonium. Obvious, I was not a playing member neither participating the ‘bond’.  

For more go to ‘Downloads’ in the Main Menu and click on ‘Pandemonium’

Friday, September 2 2010

Pandemonium download page is added but incomplete. Still have to add 5 downloads. Do that tomorrow. This took me all day, my back hurts and anyway, gotto go. Check ‘downloads’ in the Main Menu. More tomorrow!

Thursday, 02 September, 2010  

Problems are solved you can download. The visual design is not what I prefer. Will change that in the near future, but you can start downloading. Until today what was already available on this site. From tomorrow on the dusty tapes from my archive will be slowly added to the download section. Here the text of the two pages I added today:

DALLAS KINGSTON KOLLECTOR  

This is a new solo project from me on Limbabwe. Already since the early 80ties I create unconventional sound-collages. Like to work analogue with tapes.

Track 1, 8 and 10 on Limbabwe release The System ‘The Wheel’ are also DKK compositions.

DKK has a page on this site where you can find more information https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?25

DALLAS KINGSTON KOLLECTOR – 60 FLIGHTS (Limbabwe 47) 2010  

The title comes from wrong interpretated Slovene language. The word ‘let’ related to ‘letiti’ (flying) and ‘leto’ (year) confused me wondering what that ‘50 let’ (I read as 50 flights) meant on an advertising commercial. Asking explanation got answered by amusing smiles. That was 10 years ago.

The recording is analogue without use of samplers, synthesizers or other digital machines. All works of DKK are created that way. How I do it I keep secret. No cook gives all tricks away in a recipe.

Recordings performed/created/engineered/produced/mixed/mastered by Matski.

Contributions from Zoran (vocals) and Jan (guitar)

Tracklist: 1 track of about 58 minutes – ’60 Flights’

You can download ’60 flights’ here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_files/Music/Dallas Kingston Kollector 60 Flights.zip

JAN  

This download is not a Limbabwe release. Jan is the former guitar player from The System. He recorded and released this cd independently made and distributed a few copy’s among friends. He wanted to leave this recording somewhere online and asked me to put it on the Limbabwe site. After listening I thought the recording is interesting enough that more people have access.

Please do not overwhelm me now with music to download from my site. I am very critical in what I accept. Expect a no without exception.  

JAN – RELAXING  

Jan recorded this cd all alone. Its funny, dramatic and dynamic. The cover was an orange A4 sheet folded to ‘cd-cover’ size. On the front it shows a whale, the back the song titles. The cd label was blanc.

Recordings performed/created/engineered/produced/mixed/mastered by Jan.

Tracklist:

1) Partizanen!

2) Cannibal Dinner

3) Bursting Mellow Melody

4) Inflation Field

5) Fractal Surgery

6) Make This Stupid Guitar Go Away

7) Relaxing In Deep Sea Water

8) Hangover In The Jungle

9) Sunny Day

10) Resolution 4  

You can download RELAXING here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_files/Music/Jan Relaxing.zip

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

Wednesday, 01 September, 2010  

The first download page is on. Its only The System. Lesser than I promised yesterday. There is too much work today, you have to do it with this. Its not only the time intensive work getting it all done, but also modern digital technology seems to be against me. Regularly today this site blanked out (disappeared from the web for some moments) while I was working on it. It can’t be the few extra bites I uploaded here. There are zillions of bites racing the web right now. I blame the shitty servers One.Com, e107 or Siol. They promise a lot. I do pay but get bad product delivered. I know I have to be careful here. My site is visual tanx to these 3 companies, but hey….tanx? I pay for it! Check it out in the navigation on the left so you get an idea how it works. Ofcourse I am getting routined in uploading, activating links and designing new pages. The adding of new downloads will go faster in the near future. The rest of this post is a copy from The System Downloads page. Tomorrow more downloads.

(Sorry there are still difficulties, more tomorrow)

THE SYSTEM  

This was the latest band on Limbabwe. Started in 2001 and definitely stopped in 2009. The band changed direction and line up drastically in their existence. Most consistence member was the singer Zoran. Together with Matski they formed The System. Matski was in these 8 years closely involved, but in the middle period not as active musician. I keep it short. The System has a page on this site (see navigation or https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?13 ) with detailed information and song lyrics.

The System released 4 cd’s on Limbabwe.  

THE SYSTEM – NOT OWNED BY THE MUSIC INDUSTRY (Limbabwe 43) 2002  

This cd was recorded analogue on a cassette recorder. Released as a free product, everybody was (and still is) allowed to copy, duplicate and spread as long no commercial intentions are involved. The music is hard industrial noise, aggressive drum computer and Balkan riffs played on bas guitar. In my opinion a great cd and one of the better releases on Limbabwe.

Band line up on this cd: Zoran-vocals + drum computer/Slavko-bass/Matski-matski

Recordings engineered/produced/mixed by Matski. Digital Mastering Peter Gantar.

The cd contains 7 songs plus intro lasting about 21 minutes and got released as (on purpose) 1 ID. Your player will only recognize 1 song.

Tracklist (1 track):

Intro/Hitlers Dream/Empty Subculture/No Link/The System/Rock ‘n’ Roll is Bullshit/Virus.

You can download ‘Not Owned By The Music Industry here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_files/Music/The System Not Owned By The Music Industry.zip

THE SYSTEM – DIESEL HAJDUKS (Limbabwe 44) 2004  

This cd was recorded analogue on a Teac ½ inch 8-track recorder. released in a digipack. The cover folded open showed the former Yugoslavian flag. At this stage The System was a full band (drums/bas/guitar/vox). The music is a mix of Balkan and rock but different than what is known ‘Balkanrock’. Some songs from the first cd got re-recorded in a total different version. In the intro of ‘No Link’ you hear samples from the movies ‘Rane’ and ‘Ko To Tamo Peva’

Band line up: Zoran Zelenovic–Vocals/Jan Pivk–Guitar/Jernej Kobal-bas/Rok Kovacic (Fish)-drums/Matski-matski

Recordings engineered/produced/mixed by Matski. Digital Mastering Peter Gantar.

Tracklist:

1) No Link

2) Cobanica

3) Ta-Na-Sa

4) Rather On Cocaine

5) Christian Fascistic P.C.

6) Empty Subculture

7) Music Or Death

8) Operation Amerikani Freedom

9) Ciganska Pesma

The download file also contains the two video’s ‘Cobanica’ and ‘Ciganska Pesma’ You can download ‘Diesel Hajduks’ here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_files/Music/The System Diesel Hajduks.zip

THE SYSTEM – DIESEL HAJDUKS ALTER EGO (Limbabwe 45) 2006

This cd got released when The System was no longer a full band. These recordings are the outtakes of the Diesel Hajduks session. The cd was released in a soft cardboard cd sleeve. The intro tune used to be the old Yugoslavian national anthem. The cover drawing is an interpretation of an old Serbian symbol.

Band line up: Zoran Zelenovic–Vocals/Jan Pivk–Guitar/Jernej Kobal-bas/Rok Kovacic (Fish)-drums/Matski-matski

Recordings engineered/produced/mixed by Matski. Digital Mastering Peter Gantar.

Tracklist:

1. Intro

2. Diesel Hajduk

3. Rock’n’roll is bullshit

4. Fake protest

5. Machine technology

6. The System

7. Jelena

8. Virus

You can download ‘Diesel Hajduks Alter Ego’ here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_files/Music/The System Diesel Hajduks Alter Ego.zip

THE SYSTEM – THE WHEEL (Limbabwe 46) 2009  

This was the last The System release. The band broke up definitely after this. Here The System was mainly Zoran and Matski, Jan incidentally contributed. The recording was only available on cassette and as free download. All 3 members perform their contributions individually. Track 11 is recorded fully digital. Track 10 is recorded anologue on a cassette. All other tracks are recorded analogue on a Teac 8-track.

Recordings engineered/produced/mixed by Matski. Digital Mastering Peter Gantar.

Track 11 was recorded/produced/mixed by Jan

Tracklist:

1) Sime showed me the northern star shining through the apple yard

2) I fight battles with god

3) Artist

4) Only war can save us now

5) Waga koi Gita

6) Love kills men

7) Sssh

8) Excerpt from 60 flights

9) Steve albini’s guest list

10) The door

11) Cigomigo

You can download ‘The Wheel’ here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_files/Music/The System The Wheel.zip

Tuesday, 31 August, 2010  

Ok, I am there. Tomorrow it starts. Adding downloads from all Limbabwe releases. The complete history. People you have no idea how much work this was. Sorting out all material and ofcourse technically, how to make this work for you. Uploading zip files on the site-server goes slow and takes ages. Meanwhile I notice uploading slows down the site-admin works. I can only post if I stop uploading. Its not the computer, have two, with one I upload, the other write this post.

The link is there, in the navigation on your left. You will find only this, what I post here today. Tomorrow (towards the evening) you will find the first downloads.  

FREE DOWNLOADS  

Here you find free Limbabwe downloads. It was a job sorting out the Limbabwe archive. Old tapes, pictures, stories, articles. Somehow I am done. You can now download music released by Limbabwe (and more) from here, for so far I uploaded on this site (not everything is here yet). I start tomorrow (September 1, 2010) with the music that was already accessible from this site, The System, Jan and Dallas Kingston Kollector. Next will be the complete works of Pandemonium!

The files come in zip. Every release (LP/CD/Cassette/7”/12”) has a separated zip file that also includes images from the covers, inlay sheets, booklets and whatever more came with the original release plus what I thought is relevant to add. Not all pictures will be brilliant or perfect. I am limited with the means to my disposal. If I manage to create better images of lesser ones, I will replace them.  

Most cassettes and records of the Limbabwe catalogue where recorded in the first half of the eighties. The majority of these recordings are not perfect. Lucky, especially the original initiators of the Bauplatz/Limbabwe/Martinusstraat scene (1979 – 1982) understood that it’s the energy, drive, and creativity that counts, not technical perfection. Re-hearing all material I come to the conclusion that those recordings done with lesser technical attention ‘rock’ the most. Anyway, we simply didn’t have the equipment or space to make decent recordings.

In the basement of Bauplatz was a rehearsal space. Large room with very low sealing (1.90 meter). Not very suitable for recordings. This basement was bordered by a second narrow but long room. Before we (Bauplatz/Limbabwe) came in this space someone built a window in that wall (by studio example) and double door inbetween. We had no more equipment than one creepy old mixer from the PA (live sound equipment) and few rusty microphones from the venue upstairs. With an old TEAC 4 track reel to reel recorder most recordings were made but often we also experimented with stereo tape and cassette recorders. Play-back was done over the stage-monitors, we carried downstairs. No side-rack equipment available. It was a very rough direct way of registering. But it is honest what you hear. Often we mastered on cassette tape. Have many of them still here in perfect condition.

In the Limbabwe space on the Martinusstraat I had 5 cassette recorders linked together. There I copied (multiplied) the limbabwe releases. Especially for the first releases Rob (Zanzibars Twist/Gore) silk-printed the covers. Some cassettes came in a different package than the original box.

The rehearsal space was also recording room. The little mixer for vocal microphones was an old early 70ties Peavey. Good quality, unbreakable. The mixer had a reverb build in. This was before digital times, the reverb was an actual spring that vibrates with the sound. Ofcourse you could regulate with knobs what would go into the reverb and what not. But we, the experimental generation, found another interesting use. If you banged on the mixer or dropt it on the floor, the reverb created a loud Bwwwwweeeeeeeaaaanggg sound. You will hear this on a few downloads. Funny that after many years, until late eighties, the mixer was still in use (quality equipment).

Another interesting feature used by several bands/recordings were the ashtrays in this rehearsal space. Yep, those easy days that nobody got fucked up about smoking. Since playing music is accompanied by loads of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, the floor was always covered by cigarette/joint stumps and black burned spots. Walter, the housekeeper (great person, deserves an honorful picture on this site, but pity I have non) welded a few steel ashtrays. They where big 40cm by 40cm and about 15cm high. These big brown steel objects attracted our curiosity. Turning them upside down created nice drums with high pitchy sounds.

More stories you can read soon on the (to be added) download pages. If you are new here and don’t understand time/location, go to the ‘history’ link on this site. 

Slowly through time more and more old Limbabwe releases will be added until the collection is complete. This will go randomly, what I have ready, appears. Lucky a few releases are already available as free download elsewhere. I ‘stole’ these files and use them here. Saved me some time. Uhhhh, stealing? I just take my own material back! Again: I do not mind others offering free downloads from Limbabwe music. I will take action if I notice mafia asholes taking commercial advantages of this. I am in this bizznix for 30 years. Got my contacts. I will find you. Downloader: do not pay for Limbabwe music!  

Every download gets an introduction page linked in the download section menu. On this page you find the tracklist, information about the release and band plus the link to the file. Since this is my site, expect a personal touch, memories and stories. You will get a nice feel of that time along with the music you download. Ignore the other sites and articles about Limbabwe and that period. Especially from people like Johan Hauser or Der Peter. They weren’t even there that time or only partly involved. Their pages are full with wrong information and lies. Here is the direct source, Limbabwe itself with the real story and original music.

Bands/artists who published more than one product on Limbabwe will have all downloads together on one page. Plus for the ‘greedy – I wanna have it all’ one file that contains their complete Limbabwe catalogue. (yes people, soon here a download containing the (over) complete collection of Pandemonium in one file!)  

This site is constantly in move. I keep on changing and adding more and more. The upcoming weeks it will grow massively. To make it easy on you I will mention latest changes on the home (front)-page except my almost daily posting.  

If you have problems downloading or find broken links please report: matski@limbabwe.com  Ofcourse you can always contact me about whatever: matski@limbabwe.com or leave a message in the guestbook.  

Sorting out my archive resulted in a pile of Limbabwe releases I do not want anymore and will offer for sale. I am aware of the ‘collectors value’ of some items and will charge that price. The items are original and have historical value. When offered for sale (not yet) you will find them in the link ‘Available Limbabwe Products’: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?6

Somehow I feel relieved having it all behind me. A weight drops of my shoulder. Please do not bother me about the past anymore. Now or soon you find it all here. Life moves on, and so do I.

Monday, 30 August, 2010  

Again this is going to be a short post. I run try outs for the new ‘download’ section on this site. This is not visual for visitors. So far there are a few complications. Its unbelievable how time flies working on this. Meanwhile I have other obligations that need attention too, like the Šina festival, booking PTV3, Sensational, Karyn Kuhl, Metal Nomad, Hungry March Band (the what?), Dallas Kingston Kollector and Jan gigs. Soon announced on this website + editing new video for the front page. Besides endlessly answering emails, jamming some sounds (preparing for my live-performances) and all above I like to enjoy some exercise cycling few times a week. So, as you can figure out: ‘I have loads of time left and am getting bored by doing nothing. That’s why I spend much time on these extended long posts I write every day’. Here a picture of digitalizing the Limbabwe tapes:

Sunday, 29 August, 2010  

Ok, here we go:

For sale: Unique MONO (Japanese band) collection.

The collection contains Mono vinyl, cd’s and more……

Vinyl:

– Mono/Pelican. Vinyl split LP Temporary Residence 2003. 12” Tracks: Mono ‘Yearning’, Pelican ‘Ran Amber’ & ‘Angel Tears’

– One Step More And You Die. Vinyl LP Virgin Japan 2004 (Japanese print)

– Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky,…. Vinyl double LP Virgin Japan 2004 (Japanese print)

– Mono & Worlds End Girlfriend, Vinyl double LP ‘Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain’ Temporary Residence 2006 (transparant vinyl)

– Memorie Dal Futuro, Vinyl 10” , Vinyl Films 2006 (white vinyl)

– You Are There, Vinyl double LP Temporary Residence 2006 (Green & Blue colored vinyl).

– Gone, Vinyl 3-LP Temporary Residence 2007. Compilation with Mono tracks from Ep’s and other compilations.  

– Under The Pipal Tree, CD Tzadik 2001. First Mono release.

– Left – IF Could Stand In Here, CD Forty-4, 2005. Solo CD from Taka, bandleader Mono.  

CD versions of:

– One More Step And You Die (Ryko disc – promo copy)

– Walking Cloud…….(Ryko disc)

– Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain (Human Highway – Japanese print)

– You Are There (Human Highway – Japanese print)  

– The Sky Remains The Same As Ever, DVD Human Highway 2007 (Japanese print)  

Extra: Live registration of the concert in the Garage, London UK June 2004 on MD. Be aware Mono compositions are protected by copyright laws. This MD is for private use only. Reproduction violates the law.

All vinyl is still in plastic wrapping with stickers but are opened. All inlay-sheets and such still in the cover.

The records are Mint or Near Mint. Never or only once played.  

Everything is real and authentic. Regular visitors of this site know that I worked with Mono for years. You will find my name on many cover-credits.

Price for the complete collection Euro 200,– excluding shipment, including the unique live-recording. I have PayPal. Drop me a mail: matski@limbabwe.com   

Prefer to sell the collection in one go, but if you are interested in single items or like to know more, drop me a mail. matski@limbabwe.com 

These items are not offered exclusively on this site, I sell also at other locations.

Saturday, 28 August, 2010  

Because download section in still ‘work in progress’ I spend another post on that great great supergreat festival in Idrija overwhelming announced on this page. Below short info about all six artists performing. Program and such is mentioned above, under the video. Leaves me directions: Here a picture of the centre of Idrija. If you come from the main state road (Ljubljana-Tolmin) at Idrija turn into town at the sign ‘centre’, after couple of hundreds meter you drive into this picture on the road you see in the right-down corner. The festival is in the big building marked with the Sina in yellow letters on the roof. See ya there!  

Friday, 27 August, 2010  

Yes, I will write a post today. I know its late and I am very bizzy, still I feel obliged bothering you with my slander. Above you see the extended announcement of the Šinafest in Idrija. Its going to be interesting. Its sizzling and cooking up the closer we are getting.

Added a sentence to my Dallas Kingston Kollector page:

‘Please do not ask me where I am from. This is irrelevant. If you do ask, expect the answer: ‘From My Mom”.

Ok, here we go again. Its said so often on these pages: countries only exist in peoples mind. We are all people and all the same, worldwide. Countries are political territories. These politicians are not chosen ‘democratically’ (who believes that nowadays must be a total wimp). See it as kinda ‘legal’ mafia. It’s the basic instinct for wannabee ‘leaders’ careering themselfs up to tribebully putting others down. Its nowadays done with the same rudeness like thousands of years ago, just lesser physical violence.

And please do not bother me with your ‘cultural heritage’, as if one meter further, there over that ‘borderline’, culture changes like an unfolding switchblade. To maintain power over tribe individuals the (mis-)leaders brainwash for ages their slaves that ground of birth (roots) is where you belong you’re whole life. Bulshite! Sure, the surroundings of where you grow up influences you, but we all can get wiser and independent at certain age and simply cut the roots plus, we all had equal (= non) choice if we would and where to be born. If you want to be absolute truthful fair nobody and no institution can claim anything. You’re life belongs to yourself!

Roots: best part of people are legs! you are not stuck in the ground, you can move and plant (settle) yourself down somewhere else. Honestly, the place I am born (country-city) can burn to the ground, sink away in the sea and their fucking sucking Jocus cock culture can be vanished forever. Won’t drop one tear if that happens. I am a ‘Civilist Zemlje’.

John Coltrane ‘Live in Japan’ (lovely jumping from the one to the other subject). I play the (4) cd record set right now. Ofcourse do have the vinyl too. But this record has only 2 songs cut in pieces divided over 4 sites. (the shortest song is 26 minutes/longest 54). The recordings are from a Japanese tour John Coltrane did a year before his death (July 1967) but released 6 years after. It was registered for Japanese radio, all in mono. That does not kill the massive impressive energetic soulful dynamic playing of Trane (and Sanders).Both seem to try the utmost best blowing their reed to pieces. Wow what a gig! The band was John Coltrane – soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, percussion /Alice Coltrane – piano/Pharaoh Sanders – alto and tenor saxophones, Bass clarinet, percussion/Jimmy Garrison – bass/Rashied Ali – drums. Yep John was already of his traditional 4 piece line up. Up till today I still ask my self what miracles we would get to hear if John wouldn’t have passed so young. If you are still not into Trane, you are still not into music. Here the covers:

Thursday, 26 August, 2010  

Skipped a day yesterday. Vacations are for sure over. My mailbox filled up. Lots of reply-ing to do. PTV3 will do a few exclusive shows later this year in Europe and USA. More about that in the near future. Meanwhile I make long days working on new video’s, rehearsing my live-performance (Dallas Kingston Kollector) and sorting out downloads. I am getting there. You don’t need to wait too long anymore.

So whats up with this a-cultural dumb bunch that lives North of Tegelen in The Netherlands (Call it Tegelen North from now on). It unbelievable how that scene of nutcases shows their lack of creativity so obvious. Was surfing the web, checkin’ vid from Zebra – Frans De Waard/Roel Meelkop (17 September on stage here in the high developed creative innovating valley of Idrija at the Šina festival). Found a vid on joetjoeb Zebra performing ‘Bauplatz’ in Tegelen North couple of months ago. Bauplatz? What the hell is going on here? Bauplatz closed its doors 25 years ago! What do these death-brains in Tegelen North see in endlessly re-chewing the past using an old hard chewing gum stained under a rotten chair for 25 years? Tegelen North was never an example of innovation and creativity besides the years 1979 till 1983. All the rest was/is only ruled by redneck Calvinistic religious douchebags. Nowadays influenced and controlled by anti-social non-cultural uninformed yups like Johan Hauser and Kitty Borghouts who like to lie and fool the locals jacking their own career. Those with brains left (ran away). Few from the old days stayed. Their brains obviously are drugged to mud by the local Calvinists. The only creativity they can spit out is puking the past roaring like gravel in their stomach.

Nose; you organized that gig. Couldn’t come with original names? What happened with you? In the past you where overloading with ideas. So much that even 10 gram of morphine couldn’t hold you. Did all that amphetamine dry out you’re big nose? What the heck. Fuck it! Let them be old farts in Tegelen North. Will be happy if I dumped the musical past free online and sold all hard material. Throw some weight of. Life moves on………

Tuesday, 24 August, 2010  

The world is back from vacation or waking up from their slumbering hot summerdreams. Suddenly mailboxes fill up and work has to be done! Work? Ahum! Do I like to work? Who does? For me it depends what it is. The meaning of all this is not much time for posting today, so keep it short. (Is this an English sen(se)tence?). Ok before I get too chaotic what about this funny thing:

Someone downloaded my Dallas Kingston Kollector ’60 Flights’ and uploaded it in iTunes. The program automatically seeks online to similar releases to categorize it if the track is not digitally signed. Here is the search result iTunes came up with after ‘reading’ 60 flights:  

Think I go and prepare myself for a long drunken Irish pub world-tour

Monday, 23 August, 2010  

Also today I take the advantages of having a digital camera temporary in my position. Below a few pictures of locations I wrote about in former posts of the last 3 years. These are places I visit on cycling trips. I have two short trips. One really short over Bela to Cekovnik and back down the hill passing Hlevica. This ride I do only when there isn’t much time. Takes me about 2 to 3 hours. The other ride is over Bela towards Idrijska Klavse to Vojsko and from there over the main road back down the hill. This is one of my most favorite and takes between 3 to 5 hours. It depends on how often I stop. The Vojsko ride I stop more often, not to rest but visit interesting beautiful places in nature unreachable with bikecycle. Today I did this trip and took a few pictures. The Idrijska river starts with two waterfalls. One out of a cave, the other down the rocks. Both are close to eachother. The cave water is freezing cold. Here a picture of the cave where the water comes out. Sorry, its not very clear. It’s the best I could do.

Here the complete waterfall. The cave is up, where you see the first water.

Here the other waterfall coming down the rocks. This is a beautiful magical spot. I come here often and never saw anyone else. I posted a similar picture before years ago, taken analogue. Remarkable, there is almost no difference with today’s digital.

And than here a picture of ‘Hanging Rock’ I posted about some time ago (this summer). This spot is not near the waterfalls but further up, of the track.

All other trips I do go further to other interesting places and mostly take a complete day. If all these place-names don’t say shit to you well get your ass overhere or look them up in good maps.  

Sunday, 22 August, 2010  

Digitalizing all that music from the past brings back memories. Some funny, some sad, some practical. Yes I know, I am an emotional old man. Oh well, not that old. Barely over 50 and still young by heart planning the rock and roll in my (near) future. The download introduction pages will contain some of these memories plus, besides facts, also personal opinions. This is my site. It will have my character all over. Most I notice gaining some age is how I react on situations. I stay calm whatever happens around me. Survived so far, all will come to a solution. I stand positive in life! Although I never thought becoming this old, giving up is not my style. Hell yeah! Rock your road…..

Some try to convince me to stop with the past. That’s exactly what I am doing. Filing history somewhere reachable for everybody gives peace in my mind. I am moving on!

Nationalism. Underdog. Terms that go together? Yes! Often when I hear people defend their ‘country’ norms and cultural behavior I notice an undertone in despair. Afraid to be lesser, not keeping up, not the same.

Lesser, the same, keeping up with what?

Get over the rat-race you are pulled in by your surroundings. We are all free individuals!

What a post today. I jump from one subject into the other. And this without using any drugs! Must be the macrobiotic veggies from the garden.

Ever noticed this? You are in Europe in the same room (venue) with some Americans who have their US cell-phone with them in working operation. Send them a message. It can take 1 to 3 hours before they get the message even if they stand next to you. Had that situation a few times. The shortest period reaching the US phone was 1 hour and 10 minutes. Longest 2 ½ hours. Ok, I know that the message goes over satellite to the US and than comes back to Europe. Still you think with nowadays modern digital technology this takes maybe maximum 30 seconds! Ok, its probably the ‘fear’ culture of the USA. Someone is reading all messages going around? More shite tomorrow.  

Saturday, 21 August, 2010  

No, I am not falling of my ‘analogue’ faith. Someone borrowed me a digital camera for documenting the visual part of the Limbabwe archive. Since I have this camera here let me use it handy (funny). Direct ‘live’ pictures of the moment. Here a view made one minute ago (7 pm) from the back of the house. Its still a hot sunny summer. 27 degrees celsius in the evening. That’s warm for the time of the year. Normally in August it cools of quickly after the sun disappeared behind the hills. If you look good you see a smoking chimney. Assumedly these people heat up water burning wood.  

Many posts ago I told you about these flowers I planted around the house; 750! Well they all do very well. Promised you a picture. This one shows the strip of sand near frontdoor. Used to be waste-land, now blooming flaming dark-orange. Next year I have a billion seeds. During a storm in May I will throw them in the air. In June the complete neighborhood is drowning in orange.  

Friday, 20 August, 2010  

Placed a picture of RoR underneath yesterdays post. Its for a few weeks busy but I will try to post. Today it’s a short one. Busy with digitalizing the archive. Loading up music is not so intensive. Time eating is titling. All albums, songs and such. The download section will get a page of every band or release with information about the release and some personal stories. From that page will be a download link. The plan is in progress. Hopefully soon many historic recordings will be available for download. Picture: Box with many long forgotten tapes!  

Wednesday, 18 August, 2010  

The new vid came to a hold. For several reasons it will not be published. Sorry you have to do a bit longer with The Door, although it probably bores you as hell by now. I am quickly working on a new one. I am getting there with the downloads. Soon the ‘download’ link will get a fix-up. Working on the lay out. Made many pictures of interesting material. Just to warm you up here a few pictures of today:

Probably even most people from the ‘scene’ in that time don’t even know the existence of this tape: Unreleased material from Meer Staal. Soon a download on this site.

For collectors look at this: An original of the first Pandemonium release ‘The Pandemonium Affaire’. Complete with booklet and even little plastic bag it came with.

Or what about this (just to make you jealous):  

Yes I think nobody owns such a complete collection of Pandemonium originals and more. On the top you see original vinyl of compilations Pandemonium contributed too. Lower the VHC compilation. Came in two different colors, I have both. Left you see an original of the very wanted Vlaaikots tape. Original box with original tape and booklet. And than ofcourse all Pandemonium releases. Of the first LP I have 3 copies. The most right, more new looking, is a bootleg pressing. The first two on the left are originals in mint condition. The first single came in two different covers. Have one of both and one of both from the limited re-release few years ago. Than there is the cassette version of the second album ‘Are You The One…..’ This version was released by the band self, no label. It contains many ‘rare’ tracks not published on the vinyl version. Am I such a big Pandemonium fan/collector? No, I am the label owner. These releases come out of my archive. Its all for sale, make me a good offer and its yours. Soon free MP3 downloads of the complete Pandemonium collection plus some extra’s on this site.      

Tuesday, 17 August, 2010  

Since there is nothing to whine about its difficult to write a good whining post. Maybe I feel toooo good lately (is that possible?). Found some forgotten electronics on the bottom of a stored box. Result is that I am stuck with 6 big old empty batteries and a guilty consciousness. I can dump them in the local electronic store recycle bin, but that means I move the problem to the other end of the world. We all (all?) know these shocking pictures and movies from China. Children playing in the toxic rubbish from old leaking rusty batteries piled up mountains high. That’s where the ‘recycled’ garbage goes. Far away from our doorstep. Let other suffer cancer from our waste. We got it arranged well overhere in our modern cultivated advanced society.

Meanwhile these batteries are still standing here. They are my last ones (mainly use non or re-loadable). I am very tempted to simply dump them in the garbage bag. Someone has to suffer for it somewhere. Rather be responsible for my own surrounding.

Environment! An endless issue since industrialization started. Got these recycle bins across the street in front of the yard. For glass, plastic and paper. In good faith I neatly follow the society norm and dump the waste concerned in the right bin. Monday mornings are garbage days. They come and empty everybody’s personal bin. One of these Mondays I was doing something outside in the yard while the truck came. They emptied all bins nicely lined up on the street by every neighbor. The plastic recycle container across the yard was overflown with empty packaging material. ‘What the heck’ the garbage man must have thought (don’t they call them ‘environmental caretaker’ nowadays?). ‘Since here with the truck we can empty that full recycle bin’. Yep, I saw it with my own eyes. The plastic recycle bin got emptied in the same truck that just took every private mixed garbage bin.

In some countries recycling glass is done by commercial private companies. Bringing your glass to the bin means you ‘work’ for them. Company managers make profit, you work for free. That gets more questionable if the ‘recycle park’ offers 3 containers, for brown, green and white glass. Volunteer you even work harder for them and they can skip jobs, sack employees. These company managers have the last laugh and more cash. It’s a touchy subject but somehow recycling becomes questionable.  

Monday, 16 August, 2010  

Unbelievable but I am doing it; digitalizing the Limbabwe archive. Got already 15 old releases in MP3 on my computer. Including the complete Pandemonium catalogue with extra, never made public, material. Can work from two sources. Have two installations (even more) and two computers. While in this room Pandemonium squeaks like a chainsaw I hear Zanzibars Twist grumbling from next door. Running up and down. Soon is the day all is available as free download on this Limbabwe site.

And I got more….. My archive contains lots of material of the Limbabwe/Bauplatz days in the 80ties. After done I will put my archive on sale. I have several copies of the original pressing of the first Pandemonium LP en single. All tapes and records I don’t like will be on sale. Only the masters I keep. Soon more about this.

Still sorting out how to put everything on my site. The admin system only allows files of max 10 mb. The vid you see on the home page is loaded from another source. Anyone who has tips, feel free to drop me a mail. The mega-rapid and other file-sharing sites is only a temporary solution.

All material I put on will be introduced by a short story in writing. Facts about the recordings, personal opinion and whatever I can remember. Will also re-organize the download section from this site in a more logic system. Hope to start soon. Although all goes fast, its still a lot of work to archive a 30 year old record label. Blaaaaaghe soon more…….

Sunday, 15 August, 2010  

Skipped a day yesterday. Busy busy busy for this site. Finished a new video for this front page (finally). Think ‘The Door’ is running for a year already! Soon a new vid featuring ex – The System member Zoran.

Its cooking club today and here is what we are going to brew:  

BAMI GORENG & SWEET/SOUR SAUCE  

This is an Asian dish in most countries known as fried noodles (veggies or/and meat)  

Ingredients: Noodles for 4 (Asian, not Italian), 1 spring onion, ½ Onion, 3 garlic toes, 1 dinnerspoon chives, 1 dinnerspoon parsley, oil, soya sauce, pepper, salt, (all by taste), 1 teaspoon ginger, cumin, coriander – powder, juice of half a lemon. 100 gram fresh soft tofu, handful dried tofu (patties/cubes/balls), 100 gram of several veggies: cauliflower, broccoli, stringbeans, paprika, carrot,……  

Day before: marinade the dried tofu in sauce made by your own favorite taste (I use salt/pepper/teaspoon Indian curry powder all mixed in water) Put the marinade in the fridge for the night.  

On cooking day (in running order):

Oil in a pan with crumbled fresh tofu. Add salt and curcuma (yellow powder). Bake until a bit yellow and brown. Put aside.

Cook the noodles as instructed and leave in a strainer.

Blanche the veggies and leave them in another strainer.

Heat oil in a wok-pan add cut onion. bake soft brown add cut garlic.

Cut marinated dried tofu in little pieces and add in pan. Let all bake light brown. Add the noodles, ginger, cumin, coriander and by taste soya sauce, salt, pepper. Stir well.

Add veggies. keep stirring until everything is warm.

Add sliced spring onion, chives, parsley and lemon juice. Cook and stir for another minute or two.

Serve with sliced fresh tasting veggies like cucumber, radish, tomato,…….  

The Bami can turn out to be a bit ‘dry’ tasting.

You can serve a sweet/sour sauce.

Ingredients: 6 dinnerspoons tomato ketchup, 1 ½ dinnerspoon vinegar, 1 dinnerspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon ginger powder, ¼ liter water, 2 teaspoons flower.

Mix the cold water with flower. Add all other ingredients and again mix well. Heat up until it becomes a sauce. Keep stirring.  

General remarks:

Some like it hot, some not. All recopies are not ‘hot’. Add sambal, hot peppers and such by taste. Careful: Tabasco influences the flavor of food significant.

Add soya sauce everywhere by taste.

Replace tofu by meat (chicken?), no marinade necessary.

The ‘yellow’ tofu on Bami replaces egg.

The ketchup in sweet/sour sauce can be replaced by tomato sauce. Add more sugar. Sweet and sour sauce can be used ass dressing for eggs, veggies or meat. Let the sweet/sour sauce ‘royal’ overrule.

Dober tek. Tomorrow more posting….

Friday, 13 August, 2010  

Ok, more music. Before I start the post my tanx to M & N (visiting last week) bringing back my memory. Always wanted to write this post, but my old, drugged out brain cells needed a trigger. This goes in the category ‘Music you show with Pride’. Somewhere in the mid-80ties. With a few we organized gigs in the local club. That night it was someone’s turn who managed to get one of the weirdest non-‘indusexperimental’ bands ever on our stage (don’t remember who). I did the sound. The pre-sent tech specs included a turntable. No prob! I had a converter lying around that changed turntable input signal into dynamic line outputs. The band arrived. 5 people, regular line up: drums-bass-guitar-key-vocals and ….. a turntable positioned central stage.

The gig became one of most remarkable and memorable concerts in my life. Every song started with playing a record track, the band joined in, not copying but while playing along with the original transforming the song to a new version. The choice of tracks was surprising. The band played along with famous evergreens and hit-songs. Well known originals of Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Paul McCarthy, Madonna,……. and many more got cranked and crooked by the 5 musician jamming along singing their own lyrics on top.

The interpretations where interesting, original, funny. Also on their records you could hear the original version in the background. Ofcourse raised the question in me ‘how do they get away with this without paying massive royalty checks?’ They didn’t. The band I am talking about is called ‘Culturcide’ from Houston, USA. Funny is they still exist but keep very low profile due to danger of law suits by artists, managements and publishing companies. They released approximately 6 albums. Not much, but most labels had no guts releasing their material. Most interesting is ‘Tacky Souvenirs of Pre-Revolutionary America’

Great album with as absolute high point the Beach Boys interpretation (California Girls – punks). This complete record is so funny I made your life easier and got you a free download link. Don’t hesitate, go there and get it: http://www.mediafire.com/?yqmky0m3kir

Thursday, 05 August, 2010  

Ok, couple of things. First of all there is an online free download for the latest release of Dallas Kingston Kollector – ’60 Flights’. Go here: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DBS60VFJ .

This is a try-out from me making music available online without overloading this site. I keep on experimenting. Soon you can download the complete Limbabwe archive + more! Also as announced before.

The Shina Fest! New festival in Idrija, Slovenia September 16/17/18. Free Music!!!!!!!! You come from far and need facilities? Let me know. I might be able to work something out. Soon a lot more on this site about Shina!  

Wednesday, 04 August, 2010  

Sometimes you hear about this in song lyrics or movie scenes, often accompanied by ‘mystical’ effects and/or sounds. ‘The singing wires’. Here is mostly referred to electric wires. You know these big ones hanging from one high steel mast to the other. Cutting the landscape or following main roads. In more correct English: ‘high-tension transmission lines’. Do they sing? Uhhh, it depends what you define as ‘singing’ but yes, they do make sound. Actually, for my ears these wires are loud as hell. Most people don’t hear them. Sound might occur by the wind that makes the lines ‘sing’, but often electric transmission lines create an acoustic signal indicating defects.

Yesterday afternoon, the usual August hot summer thunderstorm approaches. Up here in the hills electric goes buckwild. Strong wind, heave rain and high energy from lightning attacks the poor weak delicate local electric wires. In mountains they hang above ground from pole to pole to house corner. Dimming bulbs and unstable grumbling fridge are the first warning signals to switch of all delicate electronic equipment like computers, hifi amplifier and other musical machines. Out of precaution I put the oil lantern with box of matches on the table. Ok, I am ready…….Alone with the storm sounds. Suddenly there is a deep growling sound wave in sequence the lights dim. I realize that the sound came from the electric wires. I heard them ‘singing’. The complete neighborhood is without electricity (again). Prepared me light the oil lantern and wait. When electricity came back on I strongly had the impression that lights brightened up a bit before shining normal. With my volt meter I checked the tension. Normal, around 220.

This was not the first time I heard electricity lines making sound. Not that long ago I took a hike to the Predjama Castle in Predjama, Slovenia. It was a warm clear sky day. Maybe too nice for a hike. Did it anyway. Somewhere on my way I crossed high-tension transmission lines. They made loud humming sound. Probably a defect nearby. Anyway I was almost at destination. Only 2 more miles to go when a small Lada Niva stopped. The driver suggested jumping in. Turned out he had to deliver something at the ticket box office of the castle. Got dropped at the castle gate.

Its common in Slovenia to offer pedestrians rides if driving similar directions. Hitch hiking is still safe in this country. Anyway, if you are ever around the Predjama Castle is worth a visit. I am not very into castles. Every European shithole has one, but this one is build into a rock. Probably one of the most sensational castles in this part of the world.

Tuesday, 03 August, 2010  

Ok, here is one in the category ‘Records you like but hide’. ‘The Three Degrees’ (same album title). Uhhh, hiding? Not really. Some regular visitors complained about the incidentally return of this vinyl on my player. No, I never tried to hide this record, why should I anyway? This record survived every ‘cleaning out’ selection. Why I cannot exactly explain. Let me try….

The Three Degrees recorded this record in 1973 for Philadelphia International Records. It was their biggest hit record containing 3 smash hits: ‘Dirty Old Man’, ‘When Do I See You Again’ and ‘Year Of Decision’. The tracks were arranged and written by several producers and arrangers. The music was in those days titled as ‘The Philly Sound’. Typical ‘mainstream’ early 70ties soul/r&b style with individual touch to it (like all music in the creative days).

Probably I like the record due to the nice smooth arrangements and natural sound of a real orchestra. Replacing strings by cheap digital synth waves was unknown in those days. On some songs you hear early attempts of the later well known disco kick (bas) drum. Nice natural round sounding carefully placed far in the mix. The complete record is a warm production very suitable to play when having visitors.

I admit doing some research if I write posts like this. Curious what happened with the band. Often I am surprise about the long career of some artists. Mostly I expected it was only that one record and the name sinks away in forgotten archives.

The Three Degrees came to existence 10 years before this album got released and they still exist. In their career members changed 12 times. Fayette Pinkney, Valerie Holiday and Sheila Ferguson formed the trio on the record I review here. Ofcourse reading bands websites and bio’s always make them sound as if they where in high action on the top forever. Working in music bizznix for more than 30 years I know better. I suspect The Three Degrees to be a producers product (but a good one) probably lasting forever regardless who are the performers.

Monday, 02 August, 2010  

Ok, a post about music again. Why not? This is ‘supposed’ to be a music site! The post-punk time, late 70ties/early 80ties was a turbulent musical period. It was still the time where every individual musician tried to sound different than others (in contrast with now, where everybody likes to sound like everybody else). The rock and roll days where over. New generations tried to move borders, push the traditional 3 chords on 4 beat over the edge. Result is a creative innovative generation (in contrast with now, where everybody tries to be uncreative as possible). The new music of the end 70ties/early 80ties got titles like ‘Industrial’ and ‘No Wave’. Tanx my parents (not god, that’s the biggest lie of human kind) I was alive and old enough to enjoy that great creative period in music history. Looking at my collection I see many records from that period. Music so outstanding unique that nobody never copied (managed to copy) none of it. Not rare looking at the low energetic boring money music scene of today. Late 70ties/early eighties was the time of James Chance, Lydia Lunch, Mars, Teenage Jesus, Chrome, Einsturzende Neubauten, Malaria, Eric Random, Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, Lizzy Mercier Descloux and many many many mucho many more. Most names probably unknown to you. Some ‘made it’ or turned from interesting early years into commercial crap later. Some gained fame with revivals. Sometimes I surprise visitors with the first record of Lizzy Mercier Descloux (LMD), or better said ‘Rosa Yemen’.      

Rosa Yemen was the name of a project with LMD and DJ Banes. Both play guitar. LMD learned herself how to play guitar. That’s obvious on this record. Her style is unique but performed so intense that every visitor I play it for reacts enthusiast and surprised. The record is a 12” 45rpm with only 6 short songs, 3 per side. Released on ZE records, a New York label releasing lots of interesting music in that time. Most remarkable track is ‘Herpes Simplex’, the closer on side A. LMD sings loose words half French/half English.

She is born in Paris but lived in New York for some years in the 70ties. Later LMD returned to France. She passed away (cancer) in 2004. LMD recorded only a few albums. Of all the recordings I heard, the first one (Rosa Yemen) sounds most interesting to me. Her most well known release is ‘Mambo Nassau’ (1981 – Island Records).

The intense creative explosion of the music scene end 70ties/early 80ties gave Limbabwe and Bauplatz (see ‘History’ link) the impulse to exist. It all came to an end around 1984 when the next generation took over with ‘uniformity’ and ‘repetitive’ styles. A cycle repeated till today.

Sunday, 01 August, 2010  

Time for a quote:

(Saul Bellow – ‘Herzog’)  

Saturday, 31 July, 2010  

Probably some will be insulted but this traditional ‘Slovenian’ music sucks (my opinion). Its that redneck ‘white’ harmonica hoompapa like Austrian folk music. The Slovenians brag about it that the roots are to be found on historical Slovenian ground. Well they can have and keep it. This folk music is boring. A repeating sequence of similar harmonica riffs with on top flat harmonizing vocals. No dynamics or drive. The music doesn’t go anywhere and only gives you a headache after 3 songs.

I like ‘traditional’ and/or ‘folk’ music. There is loads of dynamic energetic and innovating traditional music all over the world. From Balkan Gypsy to Flamenco to Rai to Cumbia to Sol to…….

Best is to ignore this Slovenian harmonica shite. Better go out visiting one of my favorite spots in the mountains. A ridge besides a steep rock shadowed by huge pine trees. The view is amazing. The peace is so relaxing I can spend hours just sitting enjoying. I call it ‘Hanging Rock’. The rock doesn’t hang but the scenery reminded me of this old Australian movie ‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’. The ridge goes steep down for about 30 meters. By nature created little platforms form comfortable sitting benches. Few days ago I observed a deer below calmly sorting the best young leaves and greens for dinner, unaware of my presence above. Human kind makes the world more and more crazy. I prepare myself for a slow retreat.

Friday, 30 July, 2010  

The site was suspended for a day due to ‘hackers’ attempt to attack. Unsuccessful as you can see. Limbabwe is indestructible as long as I live. Have a few busy weeks behind me. Guests/FOH/Tourism and such. Its easing out now. Will spend time on this site again. Working on Video’s, free music downloads (from limbabwe past and now), last Vision episode and announcements of new activities. Still hanging between Microflop and Linux. Running two computers each with different system makes me hop from the one to the other, whatever fits the best for me regarding what I try to do. I know already now that on the end Linux will win! Keep my post short today.

Expect the usual almost daily new contributions from now on again.

Now as pre announcement: 16/17/18 September Šina Gathering in Idrija, Slovenia. A presentation of several innovating experimental sound artists. Featuring:

Zebra (Frans De Waard/Roel Meelkop), ROR, Thomas Grom, Horda Grdim, Jan, Dallas Kingston Kollector. Yep, DKK is me. Here a picture of me performing in 1982:    

Thursday, 22 July, 2010  

One post a week. Not bad for this busy period. Promise next week more regular again despite the summer.

So whats up with this ‘weird’ behavior towards people moving to another town, country or part of the world. Why do you always get treated as a new-born, even if you live somewhere already over 10 years. Yes I do know how to light up a barbeque. Did this 30 years ago, before you where born. Yes, we flush toilets. Water the plants when it is hot dry summer weather? People do that all over the world. I know they mean good but slowly I am getting tired of endless lessons and advices regarding matters I am familiar with already before the ‘teacher’ was born. Its because you enter a new scene, another culture and habits. The culture I understood 30 years ago travelling regularly in these surroundings. Ok, some things are done different. If I like advice I will ask. All the rest…. be surprised. I know its denigrating but even I can teach you something. Growing flowers for example. You all spend your cash buying plants and seeds. I know how to multiply and therefore am settled for next year. Surprised? Hey, people all over the world live a similar daily life. I am surprised you are unaware of that (teach you again). And than the weather. Ohhhhh the weather. Why, why, why is everybody from everywhere always informing me about their weather in a tone as if they did it. ‘We have a great hot summer overhere’. ‘We have 10 inches of snow in our country this winter’. People listen: The ‘weather’ doesn’t know countries. You’re government is not responsible for it. This is nature and reacts without any human controls! You talking proud about an issue similar to ‘sunshine’. Imagine I would write you ‘Ohhh the sun came up this morning overhere, its shining!’ Sure it is, the sun shines all the time, even when earth, moon, clouds cover it up. By the way, same counts for metric (meters/inches,…..), time (clock) and other weird useless attempts of humans to be in control. Its all made up and therefore unnatural! Maybe we all should be re-born!  

Wednesday, 14 July, 2010  

As mentioned more often recently, not much time for posting this great summer. Lots on hike and bike with guests. Expect a few posts next week. Have more time. Again I leave you with a picture. Not here but the other end of the world: Tasmania  

Tuesday, 06 July, 2010  

The nature (Krajinski Park) is stretched. It goes beyond the springs of Idrijca. In one far out corner is the top Bukov Vrh sticking out lonely in a rough deserted forest. Left the last tourist and hikers behind me long time ago. Most got stuck at Bela. After Krekovse even lonely riders become rare. Close to Pstota the road crosses a farm or two, but I turn on the silent dirt track to Hudo Polje direction Bukov. Outside the park borders nature is still interesting. The hills are massive overgrown with forests and meadows. Here few try to survive farming. The houses are hidden on difficult and dangerous dust roads not often used by ‘strangers’. Locals with distrustful looks. Few words takes this away. Its obvious that curiosity and changes in daily routine are also appreciated here. The danger is more in the local hospitality offering alcoholic drinks. One our later, bit ‘tipsy’ I move on carefully navigating my bicycle through the loose gravel and rocks on a steep downhill.

Saturday, 03 July, 2010  

Not much posting lately. Its simply full summer and I spend loads of time out there. Nature is great and I am in good form hiking and biking further than ever. My promised posts/downloads/vid’s and such will come when the time is there.

Its funny to see how inventions work against time and environmental awareness. Have an account on one of these ‘green’ banks. Your money is ‘correctly’ invested. Received their half-yearly magazine. Interesting article about a company the bank supports. It developed a system that automatically adjusts the room climate on body warmth. Nobody in the room, temperature and airco goes down since it is not needed. Temperature and airco automatically adjust to the amount of bodies (people) by registering the body-warmth. This is suppose to be ‘energy saving’ and therefore environment friendly.

For big part of my life I lived in a ‘modern’ wealthy ‘west’ country. Easy living if it comes to basics. You hit a switch, room temperature changes. You turn the red button, warm water comes out of the tap. Comfortable! The disadvantage of this convenience is that many people in this ‘west’ territory are not aware what it takes to give you warm water and heat, besides their monthly automatic bank withdrawals. Most are not even aware of energy burners installed somewhere. The disconnection of the actual process to supply heat/warm water and other facilities leads to unaware abuse of energy sources.

I moved to a territory where it takes some effort getting these basics. There are no pipes country wide from house to house supplying everybody with burning sources. Heath comes mainly from burning wood. The wood is delivered uncut. I have to spend a day with friends/neighbors sawing the wood and piling up. To make the blocks fit in the room heather I chop with an axe during the whole winter, 3 or 4 times a week for 1 hour. There is also a central heating system in the house. Running it is some work too. On a day in the autumn I have to drive to the nearest service station with barrels and fill them up (red diesel). My car only holds two 50 liters barrels so it’s a few runs depending on how much I want to use the heating. Again I request help from friends.

All this work makes me very aware of the amount of energy I use to have it warm, therefore I try to be economical. Many people in these surroundings live like this. Most also heat up water and cook on wood. My hot water is done electric, but I did get into the habit turning the boiler of during daytime. This saves a lot of unnecessary heating.

Back to ‘automatic body temperature setting’. Now the user doesn’t even need to turn on a switch. And what if you like to have it a bit warmer for short moment? Imagine it rains outside. The rain-chill is in your clothes. You like to dry-up by raising the temperature for one hour. I throw an extra block on my wood fire. How are you going to tell the automatic body temperature sensor that you are wet-cold? Sure there will be a way to interrupt the computer program and change the setting. Probably you have to call a service man for that (smart commercial move). Meanwhile the user is even further away from basic sources.

Ok, you like to have the luxury of being lazy. It costs too much time and energy chopping your own wood. But what do you need that time for? To watch tv? To work-out at the health club? Chopping wood is a good exercise without paying monthly club contributions. I do understand that if everybody starts to chop wood Earth will be without trees within one day. But still I experienced myself that more ‘automatic’ life means more waste of energy. Companies developing new systems with this in their mind should deserve more attention!

Monday, 28 June, 2010  

In 1977, 33 years ago, I attended a concert of The Damned in The Netherlands. They played a small village called Maasbree. Long, long, long time ago I wrote a post about that show. The Police played support. Dive into the old posts from whatever year on this site to read about it. The Damned did a loud wild gig. One of the best live punk rock concerts I ever attended. After the gig I had a drink in the club-bar. Within few minutes the bas-player joined us, few barflies. That was Captain Sensible. We had some drinks together and talked small bullshit.

Last weekend I was in Spain working on a festival in Vitoria. The Damned played there too. Guess who hanged at the bar….. Yep, Captain Sensible. Eddie (drummer Toilet Boys) introduced me to him. I smiled and told the Captain we met before in similar location (at the bar) 33 years ago. He raised his eyebrows. Ofcourse details like this are difficult to remember. Tours are hectic and busy. Everyday another town makes time fly and memories vague. On tour its often problematic remembering your location 2 days ago. I refreshed Captains data-bank by mentioning The Police. Ofcourse he remembered the Dutch tour with The Police supporting. Again we where hanging at the bar talking. When his bus left we said goodbye. “See you in 33 years”.

It was a good hang on that festival. Met few old friends and saw some bands. Most very disappointing. Robert Gordon was there. Saw him for the last time in 1978. In those days an amazing gig with Link Wray on guitar. Pity Robert’s bar-rock didn’t work in front of a large crowd this time (Link Wray passed away few years ago). Neither did the boring show of Chris Isaak. I understand festivals need big names to sell tickets. Bob Dylan headlined. Why can’t these old stars retire? Especially if incapable to present a decent show. Bobs performance was loaded with tiredness, disinterest and boredom. His band compiled with technical excellent players didn’t get any further than losing themselves in individual skills. No drive, energy or magic. Better return to the backstage bar, get a few more of these free cocktails.

Friday, 25 June, 2010  

Will be gone this weekend for some festivals in Slovenia and Spain (work). Expect next post on Monday. Meanwhile read some old ones below or in the navigation links. Take it easy.  

Thursday, 24 June, 2010  

Archiving! A new modern disease. Nowadays everybody wants to archive everything for the posterity. Your family anniversary parties, vacation trips, rousy wild political young years (everybody between 15 and 25 thinks he/her changes the world), your first band demo tape, ….. and lots more (everything else). Yep it’s a new disease! Ofcourse in the old days they archived too, but only that what was considered important paperwork according society standard (birth/baptism files, science books, …..). Ok, few decades ago we discovered how little we know about the lives of normal working/middle class civilians in the past. The documentation material (books, paintings, drawings, songs, story telling,….) are full with information about heroes that once lived. Realizing this caused recently a panic attack amongst almost everybody. We have to save everything for those to come after us. Latest technology gives us easy options. In the past it was for most people not possible to print a book. The majority couldn’t even read or write. Now we store everything on harddrives, discs or other digital devices.

Did anyone ever thought about the consequences saving all this information. How sure are we that someone in the far future will be interested in our meaningless little life? Look at the enormous pile of useless information we leave behind. It makes me dizzy. Life is too short absorbing it all. The first results are visual in now young generations. They endlessly chew on all that info. Repeating instead of exploring. This ofcourse also due to the media who prefers making money easy by endlessly using what is already in their file system instead of going out discovering new. This repetitive behavior results in a non-creative seized up community. We reached a deadlock! Why don’t we give up archiving the useless unimportant things and have the wheel being reinvented every so now and than?

I wonder what drives people to this archiving hype. Only thing I can think of is fear of death. ‘Oh god, what becomes of me when I am not there anymore, I will be forgotten in no time’. So what! If you delivered something important in your life it will survive for the time needed. If not, oh well what good does your archive do if the file just collects dust. And think about all the time you waste now, while you are alive, busy with ‘living’ after you died! Get real! Gone is gone. Whatever is going on when your time is over will be of no use to you anymore.

Yep, I mentioned this often on these pages last months. I became the victim of a bunch who are afraid to be forgotten. Funny is that the archived file is a joke full with false information. Hurray, we go in history as a spoof. More remarkable is that the main instigator of this archiving-disaster once personally confessed to me ‘not to be afraid to die’!

The only thing that can save us is something that makes the nowadays massive amount digitally stored useless information unreadable. Maybe a virus that eats everything stored before 2010……Or new invention that cannot copy from nowadays format……or a digital bomb that blows up all computers online on November 9 2011…….

Well you only live once. I prefer to set my energy on that. When I am done, all is gone for me anyway.    

Tuesday, 22 June, 2010  

Yep, here the first release of my new project. One music track, 58 minutes. Soon an info page about Dallas Kingston Kollector and more info regarding this new Limbabwe release.

’60 Flights’ is available on cassette and cd. You can order only from this site. send me a mail: Price will be shipment costs depending where you’re location is (1 to 3 € or $). Free download on this site available soon.      

Monday, 21 June, 2010  

Ok, lets get clear about something. Most regular visitors should have received this vibe reading my posts or other shite published on these pages. I am not much of an internet person. Sitting behind my computer longer than 2 hours a day I find draining, get headache and pain in my back. Don’t understand me wrong, I have nothing against the medium ‘web’ neither computers. I use both. Meanwhile we all found out that internet is just a medium like all others. The information given is questionable like all media. And anyway I have other things to do (later about this more).

So I was surfing the web (I sometimes have too) looking for digitalized music of the band Appellation Controlee from Tegelen Noord. I need this for ‘work’, a festival I organize with another person who has only digital play-back facilities. My cassette tapes are no good here. Typing several options in the search system made me run into this link from 433RPM. http://433rpm.blogspot.com/2008/11/zanzibars-twist-never-mind-bollocks.html Yep, a blog. Interesting are the comments written below the offered download (3). First someone who thought the tape (download) is funny. Than an anonymous person leaving this site link (it is a Limbabwe tape). Last comment comes from 433 himself. First time reading I didn’t understand, but re-reading made me aware that 433 direct his message immediately to me. He thought I was the anonymous leaving the site address. Let me tell you 433, I never leave anywhere my site address. I never visit blogs! This was the second time in my life I look at a page of your blog, more by coincident. My own blog takes sufficient time away that I don’t feel for reading others. Until 2 years ago I didn’t even know what a blog is (although writing one)! Ok, its great if others leave my site link in blogs and wherever on the web, no objections. I also have no objections you publishing free downloads from old Limbabwe releases. All music should be free. Its artistic, get over the money shite! That I don’t have free downloads from old Limbabwe releases on my site has many reasons. There will be some, but I am very busy with other things that have priority. This is personal. Ofcourse I think my website is important, but as said earlier in this article I do not like to waste my day(s) behind a screen. Hiking and cycling in nature I see as a much more sensible way of spending time. I moved to a great nature surrounding not to sit inside behind a screen. I live in a way most Dutch people have no connection with anymore. Everybody their thing, this is mine! Only recently I figured out a good program I can download music decently from an analogue source. Things will change. Music will appear for free here on this site. But it will take time. Maybe I start in the winter, when weather reduces outside activities. Time is not so important anyway. Get yourself in another dimension. I know, in the Netherlands time is money. Well, I left that rat-race and time-stress behind me years ago. All will come one day, and if not, than not. Then it will pass with me. No disaster either. I think that not every little fart must be kept filed for the future. All things must (and will) past! Anyway, all new releases from the last 10 years are available as free download from this site.

The Limbabwe past has been a ‘big’ subject last 2 years. Many people have been busy with this resulting in a wrong history story, false accusations and old ‘scene’ people taking personal advantages from a past they were not involved in (still playing kiddy games with school-friends when things happened they brag about). All this forces me to take some action because again we are dealing here with history forgery. The only still active person who can know the complete story from A to Z is me. I was there from beginning until long after it was finished and Limbabwe was and is me! What do all these idiots think they are? Drama is that you hear only those who came later and saw it all as a pubertal frat party. They are now re-chewing the past with their mid-life crisis. The real people of De Martinusstraat are barely mentioned. Most of these history forgers don’t even know who they are! Anyway, expect more to come in the timeless future.

The pages on my site are about artist I work with, that’s why there is a Genesis P Orridge page and link, likewise the other few I have a steady work relation with. Regarding your link. Well here you go. Its in this post and I will make one on the ‘link’ page in the navigation. Don’t know where to find the Limbabwe releases in your blog. Visitors have to spend some time searching.

Zanzibars Twist ‘never mind the bollocks’. This was a band from Tegelen Noord. Main person was Rob Frey. It was the first recording session of the band. The tape was recorded in the basement of Bauplatz in Tegelen Noord and released in 1982. The 7th Limbabwe tape. 3 more releases followed. The line up from Zanzibars Twist changed often. Only key-person Rob stayed. He does most of the vocals. Later Rob became the bass player of Gore. Despite what most other think, Rob was NOT the founder and main person of Gore. Gore was an idea from Danny Lommen, former guitar player in Pandemonium. Danny had the idea creating a band around his drum playing and called it Gore. Rob was the second bass player, in the beginning somebody else played bass. I forgot who. Noticeable, after Danny left Gore the artistic level of the band went down drastically. I can go in many details about Gore. Was close involved for some time. More later…….

Hope that with this post I answered all your questions (frustrations?) 433. You see, its easy. So far I answered all emails regarding questions and music about the old Limbabwe past. Many people got what they where looking for. Just take the effort writing me a mail: matski@limbabwe.com

Sunday, 20 June, 2010

It was the local ‘world’ famous Lace Festival here again last weekend. The rain washed everybody back home. Main event on the square cancelled (no roof), the ‘rock’ tent was empty, probably not due to the rain but because I did the sound! Kill, kill, kill! It’s a pity. Lots of work for nothing, but we all know you can never rely on the weather gods. For the rest the summer is great. Should do a trip to here its worth the time and money. Nice natural surroundings with interesting sightseeing’s, but also lots of bars and a few good restaurants plus that crazy Dutch who drags you along in nature guiding. Get to see the craziest and most beautiful spots even most born locals aren’t aware of. Drop me a mail, click ‘contact’ in navigation system.

Do lots of cycling and hiking. Get to (or pass by) Vojsko few times a week. Nice spot with great views. The highest nearby top. Ok, you can go by bus that rides twice a day (6 am and 3 pm). The Vojsko bus-stop is opposite village fascilities: Store/Bar/Restaurant/Coroner/Vet/Baptist/Verger/….. All in one building of 10 by 10 feet. The ‘shopping-mall’ is an invention from the dark-ages. All under one roof!  

Vojsko is word a visit, but not by bus. Walking or cycling over a great route in nature passing by an old house at Podobnik. Inside you can see the old fashioned ‘Kamin’, build out of stone fireplace with multiple functions: room heating, bed heating (mattress on top), bread oven, cooking, water heating. All in one place burned with wood, the most environmental friendly burning energy source. Very efficient. Inventions were more economical in the old days. The ‘kamin’ is still around in many old houses in this area.  

Thursday, 17 June, 2010  

Back to the use of ‘freedom’ and more standard philosophic advices in popmusic lyrics (read yesterday first). Every 3 years another ‘new’ ‘innovating’ artist or band rises up from the underground telling us the same bullshite about how dumb the scene is. What is good and bad and ends with the high philosophic advice. Goddamned I am guilty too. Did it myself 7 years ago with the first The System cd ‘Not Owned By The Music Industry’. Doing it the right way it seem to work, the cd became an ‘underground classic’ (what else is new. As long there is music kids have been kicking it, screaming messages). Now, some years later many brought a similar message in their ‘original’ way.

Nothing is and will never change by popmusic though! Take this guy ‘Dan Le Sac’ for example. Few years ago he dropped a song plus video titled ‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’. An artist from England with ‘Middle East’ look and accent tries to shock already with the title. Might work in boring middle class UK, not with me. I thought it was funny thus probably the complete track is meant to be. On a basic beat the video starts with Dan leaving his apartment grabbles his jacket, hops down the stairs enters the street where he starts to rap his commandments. The second line is ‘thou shalt not worship pop idols’ followed by the third ‘thou shalt not take the names Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer, Jim Morrison……(many others)….. in vain’. Ok Dan, the message is already clear in the first 20 seconds of your song: ‘Do not take me serious!’ I didn’t. It’s the same repeating issues over and over again. Ok, the vid is funny. Check it out in You Tube. A basic simple short film where the maker uses only one effect a few times in a different settings. The video for sure makes up for the not so good music and milked subject. Dan Le Sac borrowed the tune from the 80ties. A repeating digital sequence in ‘Neue Deutsche Welle’ style. Again he is contradictive in his lyrics ‘thou shalt not make repetitive generic music’. Well, that’s exactly what this track is. Probably it’s the purpose of it all. Especially with the ‘grand finale’ where Le Sac screams from a roof over his hood ‘think for yourself’! Oh how genius original! Nobody never told us that one before.

Popmusic has a reputation not to be original and creative. Pop musicians just try to ‘make’ (money) it. Dan Le Sac is not different with any other. That categorizes him as nothing more than ‘just a band’.  

Wednesday, 16 June, 2010  

Probably the most touched subject in forms of expressions (books, speeches, films, music, paintings,…………) is ‘freedom’. Its still a miracle to me why. Isn’t it obvious that most people do not want to be! They like to get limited in the choice given (often announced as ‘freedom’). What do you want? You have the freedom to choose: mars or nuts bar, volkswagen or volvo, florida or california,…. Humanity gave the word freedom a new definition: ‘limited choice’. I am slowly changing over to another computer program. Windows sucks, Apple is no better so that leaves Linux. You can choose from 3. I took the lease worst. Its personal ofcourse, but does this mean ‘freedom’? Sure not. Ok, Micro(soft) (flop) is absolute rubbish. Apple only looks more ‘hip and cool’ but turns out to be similar. Linux is the small brother only adapted by few. More options to choose, but on the end you are restricted to the limits of a program designer. Also here not the announced ‘freedom’. I very often compare with an acoustic guitar. This is a clear analog instrument. You can use it by the rules, nicely correct tuned playing official chords. But look at the massive creative freedom you have using the instrument. You can tune it every way you want it. Put the strings on in different running order. Put only E strings on. Put only a rope on it. Use it as a drum. Take a saw and cut a peace of the arm or body or make longer/bigger. The creative possibilities are endless. You think that’s crazy? The thing is not made for that? Let me tell you, if everybody was always using material according designers manual, we would still be running naked in the jungle. Creative exploring is not only big fun but also created new inventions and made the world as it is now (hmmmmm, maybe not such a good idea? Better return with our naked ass in the forest!)

Back to these computers. Take microflops word for example. Look at all the possibilities you get…… but hey how do I turn a letter upside down in word? Can I put a letter horizontal instead of vertical and have it sink 0.123 mm under the line? No, not possible! You have the freedom NOT to be creative. Ofcourse it is possible, if you know how to program. Hmmmm, ok, I like to learn but it looks like a long way to realize spontaneous creative explosions. Be quicker to bend a letter in an old mechanical typewriter, or if you don’t want to destroy the typewriter, pull the paper sheet a bit up in the roll when typing. You see…. another very creative idea only possible with analogue machines. Ok, ok I understand. Being slave of your limited program is considered ‘freedom’. Tomorrow a bit more about this subject.

Tuesday, 15 June, 2010  

Its time to start pre-announcing my new project: DALLAS KINGSTON KOLLECTOR. The System is definitely finito. All members went their own direction. Most of them into fruitless attempts ‘making’ it. My new project Dallas Kingston Kollector (DKK) will assumedly only attract a small or non audience. Its all about the creation, not consuming. For now DKK is a one person project. Contributions of others are possible. Soon a page about DKK on Limbabwe and first release titled ’60 Flights’. Stay tuned!

Sunday, 13 June, 2010  

Thursday’s ‘Vision’ post was not the final one. Expect one more next week or so. This post will be short just to let you know I am still here. Its simply lots of work. In the house, around the house and personal projects with music and video. Soon all to see and hear here on Limbabwe. Got a bit over the PA jobs of these ‘schlager’ bands. Schlager! A great word from Germany. I often use it to describe crappy cheap sentiment pop music. There is no good word for this shite in English. Closest is ‘hillbilly’, but this is too farmer country orientated. Schlager is everywhere. In big cities and small villages. Schlager music has probably the largest audience world wide. Its well maintained because of the good selling products. The ‘artists’ are often posers. Losers dressed mediocre well, according accepted standard. ‘Your ideal son/daughter, girl/boy-friend – look’. The music is……. oh well is it music? The artists are mostly bad singers and performers. Have standard presentations. Nothing original. The show contains a combination of own material (sounds like everything else) and a few covers (always rock ‘n’ roll standards and Beatles song). The band is a bunch of dried fish boring rubbish. De-motivation and disinterests shines clearly through their false presentation. Its still a miracle how music like this can be so popular. Its clear, most people like to be dumb, uncreative, stupid entertained. I am over it. Lets throw out names. Did a show with Croatian artist called Petar Graso. I was almost puking of disgust behind the mixing desk. Fucking hell! Goddamned! How does he have the guts! How does an audience have the guts attending crap like this! Ok, I have my personal professional pride. The sound was good, the music shit! Next time I want to get paid triple more of my usual fee if I have to deal with crap music!

Tuesday, 08 June, 2010  

It is summer. Either I am out on long hikes and bikes enjoying landscape and nature or smashed out by hay-fever lying on my bed at home. Weird how this hay-fever works. Didn’t have many problems last two years, this year it kicked in old-fashioned hard. Started last Saturday on a sound-job, outside gig in the field. During the evening wild uncontrolled sneezing introduced misery time. On Sunday I stayed in on bed not capable to do anything than just suffer. The well-known pills (only 1 a day allowed, I took 2) didn’t help. It got a bit better in the evening. Monday morning I took (preventive) another pill and felt good enough for a long detoured cycle over Vojsko. It probably takes some time with me for that medicine (Cetirizine) to kick in. Try to use it as less as possible. Although I feel the allergy under my skin, I didn’t swallow anything today. Not necessary without running nose and endless sneezing. Hay-fever supposes to go getting older. When does my time come? I know Rock ‘n Roll keeps you young, but can my body/mind make an exception on this allergic reaction? You noticed it kept me from posting. Expect a few posts this week: The conclusion of Vision. Still sorting out the Limbabwe archive (for sale) and slowly getting there. New project ‘Dallas Kinston Kollector’ and release very soon,…………. And ofcourse a summer picture of the great surroundings:  

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Hurray, Limbabwe has a logo! Maybe 30 years too late, but better late then never. In the early start Limbabwe experimented with two different logo’s. One showed Eastern Island sculpture faces in a circle. Its printed on the ‘Alle Honden Blaffen’ label, the first vinyl release. The other was only printed on a t-shirt. It showed the Dutch province Limburg. Both logo’s where designed by Karyn. I never got into maintaining the use. Preferred simply writing down the name. Now I finally found a good logo I feel related too and fits to my activities. From now on it will appear on all future Limbabwe releases. Here it is:    

Tuesday, June 01, 2010  

And before you realize it’s the first of June. I am avant gardening lately. It’s the first time I clean up the garden complete around this house plus plant flowers. Guests bought me 12 ‘Tagetes’ plants last year. It’s a one year plant blooms all summer. After the summer they die. When they are done blooming the flower exposes a multiple amount of seeds. I saved these seeds last year. This year I have about 750 Tagetes. Had to leave them somewhere so I was forced to fix up many wasted corners of the garden to be planted. The complete house is now surrounded by the same plant assumedly come out all same color. The flowers are not blooming yet, its too early. But they do well. Grow smoothly in wet ground under warm sun. Is this another hidden talent I have? Green fingers, they say. Don’t know. My father was a professional grower of vegetables, flowers and other plants. Sure I did pick up some skills, even unaware. Maybe another bizznix I can add to the many operating already. The plant goes for 1 Euro a piece on the local market. I will be competitive next year. Save all the seeds of these 750 makes about 20.000 plants next spring. Its not much of an investment. Some potting soil and couple of hours work. Here a picture of the flower. Will show you a picture from here when all plants around the house are blooming.  

Friday, May 28, 2010  

Time for music again. ‘Records You Show With Pride’: John Cooper Clarke – ‘Snap Crackle & Bop’. Uhhh…Music? Poetry is more correct.

John Cooper Clarke is a poet very strong related to the late seventies British pop (punk) music scene. John Cooper is often titled as punk-poet. He was popular in the late 70ties / early 80ties, the period he made records and toured intense. John performed often with (support) The Fall, Joy Division, Elvis Costello and even Sex Pistols. I can’t think of any other poet so popular with rock music audience. His performances were very energetic and dynamic, although taking the stage alone with mic, just reading poets.

Poetry is rhythm in words. We all know this, but John Cooper Clarkes poetry ‘rocks’. Every poem has a certain swing. I have been on John Coopers concerts were audience started to dance. Surprised by the great show and audience reaction made me purchase an album. At that moment (1980) his 4th record ‘Snap Crackle & Bop’ was just released. I bought it and still have it.

Live John Cooper Clarke is always alone with mic. No band, sampler or backing tape. Funny, on almost all his records is a band (JC released 6 records from 1977 till 1982). The band was called ‘The Invisible Girls’ with Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks) and Martin Hannett in it. They never performed live. Martin Hannett (famous ‘Factory’ producer) took the production of all 6 records. On ‘Snap Crackle & Bop’ the band plays songs with melodies that fit JCC poetry reading. JCC does not sing, he reads, but the complete thing fits. The album sounds like a typical UK New Wave production from that time.

The version I have is an UK Epic-Columbia pressing. The cover is bit different than the actual release.    

The front shows close up of JCC jacket pocket with sunglasses hanging out and silver chewing gum wrap stick in. On the top left a sticker saying name & title and ‘limited collector’s edition’. I never figured out what made this pressing ‘collector’s edition’. The actual release showed the pocket with buttons.    

As you can see JCC looks similar to Bob Dylan in his younger years, although I think that John is a much better poet and performer. His poetry is worth reading. You will be surprised about his genius way of expressing. Very direct on the case, funny and ‘street’. Give it a try, no boring dull difficult bullshite, online is sufficient material to find.

After his last record in 1982 JCC sank away, got forgotten, due to heroin addiction. He barely produced or performed anymore. Until few years ago. JCC is now back on stage performing mainly in the UK. Young music fans might know JCC. He appears in a few important music documentaries from the early 80ties. His music and poetry is often used as soundtracks in movies, video clips and tv-shows. I heard a JCC track once during an episode of The Sopranos

Wednesday, May 26, 2010  

Ok, here we go. The results of the ‘Am I A Real Punk’ contest (see post May 14-scroll down). I must say the amount of contesters was above my expectations. 14 people (punkers) reacted. That doesn’t sound much to you, but honestly I expected nothing. First the total scores: 2 scored a 9, 3 an 8 and 9 a 7. Pretty good. Too good, but I suspect most contesters are regular visitors of this site, so they somehow know what answer I like to read.

In total the 14 contesters scored 105 points that makes an average of 7,5. Respect respect.

The site is visited by reasonable fair punk-rockers. So now the correct answers and why. For those who didn’t join but still want to test themselves, stop reading and go to May 14.

Question 1:

If you managed to steel an original first vinyl pressing of ‘Pandemonium – Wir Fahren Gegen Nazi’s’ from your grandpa’s collection what would you do with it?

a) Sell on Ebay for Euro 200,–

b) Hide and play if grandpa is not visiting

c) Throw on the dancefloor of the next punkrock festival to be pogoed in pieces.

Ofcourse the right answer is c. Fuck this endless re-chewing of corporate punkrock. b would score you 1 point and a, ahum, yeah go for a yuppie career. Many had the right answer here to my utmost satisfaction. Btw I sell my Pandemonium originals, no joke! Question 2:

If you’re favorite corporate punkrockband is coming to play in the local ‘enormodome’, what is your reaction?

a) Bribe a security guard and sneak in for free

b) You wouldn’t know because you are not busy with industry punkrock

c) You would be first in line purchasing a ticket.

B ofcourse. You are punk! DIY. You don’t follow the mass media bullshite. A scores 1 point. Many answered A here!!!! Nobody c. Good!

Question 3:

If you are without money, didn’t eat for 2 days and someone gives you 2 Euro, on what would you spend that money in the supermarket?

a) One kilo banana’s

b) The cheapest discounted drink with highest % alcohol

c) Sixpack of beer.

No further explaining b! C is one point. Almost everybody answered right. Few liked the beer.

Question 4:

You walk calmly cool over the street and some tie wearing yuppie calls you a ‘lazy anarchistic stinking piece of scum’. What do you do?

a) Explain him that anarchy is a non-violent free of fear lifestyle that deserves respect

b) Yell back that he is a stupid yuppie nazi

c) Punch him on the nose

Difficult one. Not many had this one right. Does this mean that punkers don’t have many brains? A is the right answer. Short summarized: Anarchy is a non-violent free of fear lifestyle. Probably only those who own and listen to Crass records figured this one out. Answer b gets 1 point. Do never use violent. Punk is non-violent! Don’t believe the hype (and media)

Question 5:

If an over 50 year old man confronts you with a test to see how punkrock you are, what do you think?

a) Old man gained wisdom, let me do this test

b) I am a punkrocker but not sure how much. I’ll do the test

c) Got something better to do.

Ofcourse the right answer is c, cynical me! A is the inbetween answer. Test yourself how much punk you are? Ahum….. get real!

What you won? Nothing! The satisfaction of results. On the end it doesn’t matter what you are when heart and soul is on the right place.  

Monday, May 24, 2010  

Ok, it’s a short post today. Summer arrived. Hay fever is sneaking in. Will be doing more hikes and bikes. Lesser time for posting like every summer. Will post, but not on a daily base. Expect several contributions a week, so check back regularly.

Still to come in the upcoming weeks: – More Vision posts – The sale of the Limbabwe archive – Free music downloads – The results of ‘Are You a Real Punk’ contest – My bullshite writing.

Last Friday. Attended a local event regarding punkrockband from the early 80ties rousing this village in those days. Whats up with this endlessly re-chewing the past. We live here, now and the future is to come. If something like this happens its mostly for money and/or 40ers in their mid-life-crisis. Gotto say one thing. It was one of the worst sounding concerts I attended in my life. And I visited many. Average 200 a year in the last 35 years makes about 7000! This PA company with sound engineer can be proud ending on the bottom!  

Tuesday, May 18, 2010  

Not much time today and its getting late. Did you do the punktest (May 14) already?

Its festival time. Dates:

June 26, Toilet Boys, Azkena Rock Festival, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

July 03, Sensational/Spectre, Roskilde Pavilion Stage, Denmark.

Check it out. I will be in Vitoria-Gasteiz enjoying the good weather and wine! Tomorrow again. Have a good sleep!  

Monday, May 17, 2010  

The last days I am going through my ‘Limbabwe’ archive. It was a chaos. Some years ago I dumped all Limbabwe related material, tapes, masters, multitracks, cd’s, session tapes, articles,….. in a cupboard. Unorganized on a pile pressed into a too small space. Few days ago I opened the cupboard and pulled a few tapes out. With that lots of shite rolled over the floor. Fuck it, I am over with that shite. The scene of Tegelen North betrayed me. I am gonna dump most of it. What I like I keep. The masters stay. Time damaged the ‘professional’ reel to reel tapes (quarter inch masters and half inch multi tracks). They stick together or are rotten. Fuck it, all things must past. I leave them rot further. Amazing and more often mentioned on this site before is that all cassette tapes preserved really well. Every cassette is in a perfect playable condition. Doesn’t matter how old or quality level (from TDK Metal to Vendex Normal). The reason for that is simple. The tapes have always been well conserved in the plastic case they are rolled in. Ofcourse there are the records. Yes I have them, most even double. Mint, unplayed archive copies from Pandemonium. Fuck these vinyls, I will put them for sale with a lot more interesting material for collectors. Recent events created a bad vibe on this shit. It has to leave the house, my life. I do not feel any longer responsible carrying others past around. Especially not of those that turned out to be assholes now. It will take some time before I sorted everything out but regular visitors of this site will get the first choice. If you are interested in certain Limbabwe music from now or the past, write to me……. I can send you a copy. Not the original, but simply a copy of the music on cassette tape for the cost-price of tape and shipment (few Euro/Dollars)

Review: Tapes You Show With Pride : Appellation Controlee – ‘Listen To What A Moon Can Do’. Limb C 015

Appellation Controlee is like a smooth, warm on the tongue, red wine. The band is around for ages (since the 70ties) and probably still exists. The music is a combination of jazz, improvisation, psychedelic 60ties, experiments but played in a way it never irritates. Obvious German ‘The Can’ was of great influence. The variable background of band members gives Appellation a recognizable sound. Pity, besides this one tape there was only one life release on Limbabwe. Write to me if you are interested in a copy.  

Sunday, May 16, 2010  

Was working on another video but my computer broke. Have 2, one I do all my work on regarding emailing and such, the regular one. That’s still ok. Than I had a second computer for guests to use plus I did all ‘heavy’ mb things with it, like editing videos. The second computer was old, I simply threw everything out except online necessarities and video editing programs. With the break down the video (in progress) got lost. Was also working on another (music) project, that’s gone too. No drama, gotto start all over again. It means that you can enjoy The Door longer. Its running half a year, time to change, but hey, modern technology is not very supportive.

Technology and support, two things that don’t seem to go together, especially when cheap. Had two flights cancelled in that volcano thing some weeks ago. Booked with one of those cheap companies, Easy Jet! They promise money refund. Filled in the forms, did all necessaries requested, money is still returned. Now try to contact them. That’s a drag. Calling means 3 hours on hold (costs lots of money) need to hang up because I have other things to do. Emailing (did that 3 times) is still the same automatic answer mail that they have many mails due to this volcano shite. Whats going on there? Only one person working, or nobody? Returning money is a simple few clicks on a computer. Hire somebody in to do that for a few weeks. I know that cost money, but we all lost money due to natures cause. Easy Jet is a fuck-up, think twice booking a flight with them, they might screw you.

What else I have to whine about. Oh yeah, did I tell you that I heard a horrible disco-pop version of ‘Straight To Hell Boys’ from the Clash while shopping in the supermarket. Ok, punkrock sank also to the level of elevator muzak. What a joke. Better escape to Galar’s mountain cabin, away from all that bullshite. Had it for today, tomorrow another post.

Friday, May 14, 2010  

35 years after the explosion talks (by youngsters) are still going on about ‘what is a real punkrocker?’ Working at the local punkrock festival last weekend some brought this subject to discussion. I had a good time. Didn’t work a punk-marathon weekend for 25 years. Funny to see that those not even born in the 70ties try to do the ‘thing’ as if this world stood still for 30 years. Interesting also that classics like ‘Personality Crisis’ (New York Dolls) or ‘Orgasm Addict’ (Buzzcocks) are still played. Anyway, back to the question: What is a real punk? Personally I think that punkrock lasted for 6 months in 1975 and quickly became a total industry sell-out, what it is till today. Still since I carry many given titles like ‘The Soul Of Punkrock’, ‘The Daddy Of Punkrock’ or ‘The Keeper Of Punkrock Attitude’, I see myself entitled to compile a little test (below) so you can check how ‘real’ punk you are. The test is simple and has only a few rules. There are only 5 questions, on every question only 1 (one) answer is possible. For every answer I give you marks; 2 for the right answer, 1 for the not so right and 0 for wrong. The goal is that you end up somewhere between 0 (look for a career at Wall-Street) and 10 (You are thee one). Ok, ready? Here we go:

Question 1: If you managed to steel an original first vinyl pressing of ‘Pandemonium – Wir Fahren Gegen Nazi’s’ from of your grandpa’s collection what would you do with it?

a) Sell on Ebay for Euro 200,–

b) Hide and play if grandpa is not visiting

c) Throw on the dancefloor of the next punkrock festival to be pogoed in pieces.

Question 2: If you favorite corporate punkrockband is coming to play in the local ‘enormodome’, what is your reaction?

a) Bribe a security guard and sneak in for free

b) You wouldn’t know because you are not busy with industry punkrock

c) You would be first in line purchasing a ticket.

Question 3: If you are without money, didn’t eat for 2 days and someone gives you 2 Euro, on what would you spend that money in the supermarket?

a) One kilo banana’s

b) The cheapest discounted drink with highest % alcohol

c) Sixpack of beer.

The two last questions are more ‘intellectual’ for punkrockers with brains. Take your time to think if alcohol and drugs ate many braincells.

Question 4: You walk calmly cool over the street and some tie wearing yuppie calls you a ‘lazy anarchistic stinking piece of scum’. What do you do?

a) Explain him that anarchy is a non-violent free of fear lifestyle that deserves respect

b) Yell back that he is a stupid yuppie nazi

c) Punch him on the nose

Question 5: If an over 50 year old man confronts you with a test to see how punkrock you are, what do you think?

a) Old man gained wisdom, let me do this test

b) I am a punkrocker but not sure how much. I’ll do the test

c) Got something better to do.

Great, you made it through the questions. Wanna know the score? Write your answers to me by email…… or post in the guestbook. You can keep it short like 1) a – b or c. I will response with your score. Remember only one answer per question is possible. In a few weeks the right answers will be published on this site.  

Wednesday, May 12, 2010  

Will try to link all the personalities and events in ‘Vision’. Somehow we must get to a story line, although chaos is great too. Anyway, there are sufficient traditional written stories, why not go crazy. Still some characters put heavy weight on my consciousness. I have to create them a place in the story so they come out right. The poor lonely visionair who emailed me in the beginning for example. Or Isol, although she is still a leading character. Kate the cop. Whats going on with her? Long time no episode. I should be nice to cops for once in my life, even if it is just a fantasy soap character. Yaliophysipa appeared only once in Vision. That is sufficient. Not much to write about someone who is stoned non-stop. I do understand why she seeks peace in escapism. Inga (remember her?) will return on these pages. Yep and it will become clear who tried to blow the old radio tower. With all these nonsense we got very distracted from the actual Vision vision.

Must have been sitting in an airplane or such going through magazines. Funny, one article was about a Slovene, first in purchasing some new kind communication device. Amused I read that he ordered the thing online. With that he passed by the long waiting lines and pavement campers in front of the store somewhere in the USA. He just happened to be first clicking on ‘order now’, without the intention breaking ‘worldrecords’. Reading further I understood the thing is no more than an upgraded laptop, inconvenient heavy! Whatever crazy people want to spend their crazy money on. I rather spend my time in nature. No cell phone, laptop, blueberry, gameboy,…. Ease my mind, listening to birds, babbling water, whispering leaves. Stick your rat-race in your ass! V

Saturday, May 08, 2010  

Lack of time today for an extended post. Busy on a local punkrock festival job. Nothing changed in the last 30 years, not even the music. The dj entertains me with Stooges, Ruts and New York Dolls tracks. Do he and everybody else here know that these recordings are older than their parents? So here a picture of me on another local job working an old analogue Yamaha. Nothing wrong with. After so long you get to the point of ‘what the hell, I work with what I get’. Did I had a moment of ‘depression’ here?    

Thursday, May 06, 2010  

Records. Yep, I dump another selection of vinyl I don’t want anymore. Got to much shit. There are many records I do not play. Its time to refresh my collection and throw out the ‘death grooves’. Got loads of one-track records. Vinyls you keep because of that one song. Since my last clean up, I never played these records, not even the one song. Its silly to keep them. The Flamin’ Groovies – Shake some Action. Great opening track, the title song. Rest of the record is a poor weak trying-to-be-Beatles in the second half of the 70ties. Just that one track made me keep the record. It is different, more like a strong typical 70ties pubrock song. Fuck it, never play it anyway. Had another Flamin’ Groovies record called ‘Now’. Disappeared years ago. Remember how I purchased these records. Early 80ties. The local supermarket around the corner had a record bin, a box of records in the middle of the passage, all same priced, 1.99 each (guilders), would be now about 1 Euro! Most of these records where the usual commercial dump. Some were ok, taking the extreme low price in consideration. Few Frank Sinatra compilations (original artists) and these Flamin’ Groovies vinyls.

My last ‘Four’ record, ‘Freundeskreis – Esperanto’ goes also. Jesus what a shite label that German ‘Four records’. Dump commercial German rap. Had a complete pile free promo’s of them. Most moved on immediately. The few I kept: their most popular band ‘The Fantastic Four’ the reggae orientated ‘Gentlemen’ and ‘Freundeskreis’. The first two left my house in an earlier stage. The latter follows now.

Why do people have records they never play? In my case it’s working in the industry. You get shit. I play everything at home at least once what I get. Most moves on to neighbors or interested villagers. Some you keep because you think it isn’t too bad. Most of these records just stand there collecting dust. Meanwhile lots of people buy music drivin’ by another reason than the groove vibration. Most well known example is the tune you have with your girlfriend. When the relation is done, the vinyl is suddenly shite! Everybody should clean out their collection once in a while. Better somebody listens to that music than it is rusting on a loft. I will dump some interesting little collections soon. All vinyl like new, mint or near mint. Might be interesting for you. Check back here in a week or so.    

Tuesday, May 04, 2010  

Ok, not much time today either but I promise another Vision post tomorrow. Remember that game of two similar pictures and you have to find the differences? Here same picture as yesterday. Notice the difference? 

Monday, May 03, 2010  

Keep it short today. Later this week another Vision episode. Last weekend was the traditional May 1st celebration. The biggest party of the year in these surroundings. Big fires everywhere. The local one is in the field right next to this house. I am never worried. This shortly after the winter plus the endless water wells keep everything so wet, its hard to catch fire spontaneously.

The tradition for the communists and socialists is to climb the local mountain ‘Hlevica’ to the top. Not much of a climb, more hike. Only 998 meters high. It’s the busiest day of the year on the usual quiet road in front of this house. Endlessly cars driving up and down. Even after 20 years independence, the tradition still lives. Most are losers! Too lame to walk. Its possible to drive over dirt road almost until the top. There is a mountain cabin in use as bar with terrace. Great view. Most take from there the last 10 minutes climb to the top. From all the way down its only one hour. You can be back in two, and that’s for the inexperienced walking calm. If you prefer to go really easy it can take 3 hours in total.

I do the complete walk from the house till top and back in 1 ½ hour. And than I go slow. Was on the top last Friday morning just before the ‘invasion’. The landscape is changing to summer. Everything is green. Here a picture taken of the ‘Hlevica’ top.  

Sunday, May 02, 2010  

My email address on this site is kinda ‘public’. Ok, you have to click on my name to see it. This is to mislead computer programs of advertising companies or organizations that compile email addresses lists for selling. Still individuals do sometimes click to send me ‘spam’. Most of these mails are from music industry related people/organizations. It is somehow spam, but working in this bizznix these mails can be informative. 99% I delete before finish reading. There is a sort of misunderstanding in the world about reaching the right person who might be interested. I know sending mails around is not so much time consuming, but in my case you need a person actually clicking on the address. If that person would take one minute more effort, he/she could have figured out quick enough I am not interested in loads of their offered shite.

Phonesales is the same story. I am absolute not and never interested in any purchase by phone already because of the insulting ignorant attitude these companies have regarding domestic peace. Yes these calls are always disturbing.

Not long ago a band (unknown) made similar mistake by email. I got their mail proudly announcing a short German tour. Ok, you took the effort to get my address, I got the message. All good, I understand the effort, you try to promote the band. Few days later I get another mail from the same band, different text, but same info: the German dates. A week later a 3rd message came with another reminder of these dates. You guessed it, I had my email address removed of their list. This is not the way to do it. One mail is sufficient. 3 mails is rude and disturbing.

Very funny was a ‘spam’ yesterday announcing a new young singer/artist. The music style was described as ‘Miami bass, Neptunes, French house, dub-punk!’ Uhhhh? Am I getting old? ‘Miami bass’? French House? Dub-Punk? Never heard of, and neither a music style called ‘Neptunes’. New ‘underwater’ sound?. Or are these ‘music styles’ invented to gain curiosity? Worked with me. I did click on the YouTube link to hear what it is. Some young girl rapping. What is so Miami-French-Neptune-Punkdub about that? Big question to me. Probably some nonsense created by desperate a & r idiots.  

Saturday, May 01, 2010  

Its cooking club again today and as usual here is what will cook. I am mostly inspired by the Asian kitchens. Asia is big, lots of different cultures and ways of cooking. Ofcourse I make my own interpretations. Change things a bit plus it has to be vegan. Measurements are sometimes difficult for me. Especially today’s recipe I estimated a lot. Mostly I cook by ‘feeling’ and do not measure the ingredients but add quantities as I think it would be ok. So don’t feel limited by numbers. Experiment and pioneer, be yourself, cook as you are.

All measures are by continental European standard  

Curry soup (4 persons)  

Ingredients: 1 Onion, 3 Garlic toes, 1 little pili pili pepper, Sunflower oil (bit), 1 liter veggie broth, 50 gram rice, ½ dinner spoon coriander powder, 1 ½ dinner spoon Indian curry powder, 2 cardamoms, 2 nutmegs, 1 cinnamon stick, 50 gram coconut grind, 1 dl soya milk mixed with fresh squeezed lemon juice, Dried tofu lumps.  

Crunch the garlic and pepper. Cut the onion in small pieces and bake in oil for a short time (3 min) on low fire. Add garlic/pepper and bake all till light brown. Add veggie broth/dried tofu/rice/coriander/curry powder/cardamom/nutmeg and cinnamon. Let it cook and leave on low fire for about 30 minutes. Turn gas of. Take out the tofu, let cool of a bit, and cut in small pieces. Take out the cinnamon stick/cardamom/nutmeg. Put the sliced tofu back in the soup and add the coconut/soya milk/lemon juice. Re-heat the soup but don’t let it cook.

This soup can be meat based. Use chicken broth and chicken meat.  

Sag Dahl (lentil/Spinach) (4 persons)  

With this dish the measurements are a gamble. Usually I do this by feeling but will give it a try to guideline.

Ingredients: 150 gram red lentils, 400 gram frozen spinach, 2 garlic toes, sunflower oil, 1 cardamom, 1 tee spoon coriander powder, 1 tee spoon cumin powder, 1 tomato, 30 gram coconut grind, zip of soya milk, water, salt/pepper.  

Wash the red lentils and leave soaking in clean water. Slice the garlic in small pieces and bake in oil lightbrown slowly on low fire. Add frozen spinach, let it melt. add coriander/cumin/cardamom. Take the red lentils out of the water and add to the melted spinach. If the lentil/spinach gets to dry add water. The red lentils have to dissolve. Add water by bits. Be careful it doesn’t get to watery. When the lentils are soft add a sliced tomato, coconut and some soya milk to get a smooth result. Add salt/pepper by taste. The tomato and soya milk is not essential. I like to put it in for the nice taste.  

Serve with boiled white rice and/or nan bread.  

For balancing out the taste its nice to serve a basic salad of rasped carrots and cabbage on the side. I advice to use very minimal dressing and include a bit mint for a sweet flavor.  

Giant peanutbutter cookie.

Kinda desert or for with the coffee. Not ‘Indian’, but fun to bake!

Ingredients: 50 gram margarine, 3 rich loaded dinnerspoons peanutbutter, 80 gram flower, ½ tee spoon cumin, 4 rich loaded tee spoons sugar, ½ tee spoon baking powder, Demerara sugar (raw).  

Mix all ingredients except the demerara sugar to a smooth paste. Leave in the fridge for ½ an hour. Butter or oil an oven plate. Pre heat oven on 180 degrees. Make a big round patty of the paste on the oven plate. Sprinkle with demerara sugar Bake in 20 minutes. Let it cool of.  

Dober tek      

Thursday, April 29, 2010  

The sun is out shining over the hills. Young leaves colors fresh green. A few bushes start to bloom. I push my bike uphill over the dirt track. An eagle hovers calmly in front, not feeling chased, escorting my ride. A fox, hidden under young green, observes with shiny eyes. Deer on the roadside interrupts his meal looking at me in dignity without moving one step. Rested on a stone accompanied by curious lizards. They know I belong here. No fear! I am harmless. Keep it short today. Liked some posts of the last days/weeks. Read them again. Give it some more thought. Its bike/hike time!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010  

Is the closing line on Dial House homepage. http://www.southern.com/southern/band/CRASS/dialhouse.html Dial House is a community farm in Essex, UK. Home of many artists. Most known was the anarcho band The Crass.

This is a post in the category ‘Records You Show With Pride!’ Often (by mistake) The Crass is categorized as punk-band. In my opinion they were not. The Crass had a clear anarchistic and pacifistic message, but good listeners also hear that they criticize the commercial sell out of the punk movement. Their music has the high energy of punk but as art form they move somewhere totally different, much higher, than the boring small minded routine of punkmusic (from beginning until now). Listening to their records The Crass is an experimental industrial art band. The noisy guitar sounds like a flex. No real chords are recognizable. The drums is militaristic monotone and lyrics are of high standard containing more intellect than any established punkband ever achieved. The Crass supported DIY (Do It Yourself) lifestyle. Not in making money by pressing your own record, but in everything. They were (are) part of a self sustaining commune in England. Growing their veggies, printing books, creating art, organizing events and so on…. The records they made were sold by the cost price. Why making money if you have something to eat – can create your art – have roof above your head,…. Crass started to print the stores sales price on the cover (pay no more than …) later punkbands copied this idea. Many ideas of The Crass got copied and sold to the dumb masses who thought (think) that they fight for the right cause by purchasing music and using symbols produced by commercial salesmen who use unaware youth for the good of their own wallet. The Crass always fought the rebellious sell out of pop (read rock-punk) music. The Crass was a pacifistic group. They did not courage violent action, but tried to make the listener aware that you’re life belongs to you. If you don’t want to live following society rules, create your own! A positive life-view.

The Crass performed as an art-group with self-made symbols and slogans painted on big banners hanged on the stage, while self made videos are projected. This was late 70ties. Making your own video was in an experimental faze. Already at the start of their career, 1977, they announced to stop in 1984. They did.  

‘The Feeding of the 5000’ and ‘Stations of The Crass’ are the first 2 Crass records. Its not that I particularly like them the most, I enjoy all their records. They end up regularly on my turntable. Amazing music, energy, statements, cover art. The Crass was for sure one of the greatest art groups around. Although enjoying a good underground status they never made it to large audience unless it is for their political activism. ‘The Feeding Of The 5000’ was first released and pressed by Small Wonder Records. The record plant refused to press the record due to the insulting (anti religious) statement of the opening song. The record got released with the song replaced by 2 minutes of silence under the title ‘The Sound Of Free Speech’. This incident made the group decide to start their own record label ‘Crass Records’ and released again ‘Feeding Of The 5000’ with the original opening song. The record comes like a hurricane of sound, noise, statements in a high energy, song after song. Almost all Crass records are on 45rpm but contain at least 6 to 7 songs per side. ‘Stations Of The Crass’ is their second record. 2 (double) records in a great, self made, art sleeve (all records of The Crass came in a folded sleeve full with political information, poster and art). The first 3 sides contain great songs, a bit more organized well played than on the first album without loosing the high energetic drive. Side 4 of this record is a live recording and must be played on 33rpm.  

I can say a lot about the Crass. Best you click on the link above, from there find links to other pages. The Crass spoke my thoughts and feelings. Read this right! They did not influence me, I was from the same generation and had (still have) similar views about life like them. I found in them the expressionists of my thoughts. That was also what ‘De Martinusstraat’ and the complete first scene was all about. Something many who came later can learn from. Most never did obviously, looking at the now situation.

The Dial House came under threat a few years ago. The place was rented but now came under auction. Never working for the sake of money, the community was broke. With help of friends and supporters money got raised to purchase the house. The commune is saved. Main ex-members of The Crass still are in the community Dial House living a life by their own choice. This is not a matter of being stuck in old ideals, but a cause of life. A life you choose, you only have one. Many later so called ‘political correct’ bands can learn from that. Most became a cheap sell out. Take these guys from Pandemonium for example, one ended up being a frustrated mediocre complaining artist investing in stocks, another sells porno video’s and the third found his hope in heroin. What cause did they fought? If you never heard of The Crass surf them in a search system. Its worth checking them. I end this article with a part of the lyrics of the song ‘Big A, Little A’. Got released as B-side of the single ‘Nagasaki Nightmare’. This goes to John, Johan, Kitty, Peter, Danny, Rowdy and all the others who never got it! Go home and study!  

Sunday, April 25, 2010 

Due to lack of time I do a picture today. Vision followers: good news, vision is occupying my brain. New stories will follow. The picture here is me and the local ‘environment manager’, with other words: the garbage man. This picture is at least 10 years old. It was in my first year overhere. Drinking to much beer in that time, made me chubby. Got skinny again. More things changed. Don’t wear glasses anymore (had eye operation, now only wear reading glasses). Gave up watch (and time). The cheapest Casio you can find. Lost in a drawer somewhere. More important is the garbage man. He was a funny guy I talked with now and than. Both didn’t speak languages we understood, still communicated often. I appreciated his efforts. We were friends. Sadly he passed away. Crushed by a garbage truck! No joke. For him an appropriate way to go. This I write out of respect. He should not be forgotten. From now on he found a place in written history, on this spot, how minor it is he deserves this.    

Saturday, April 24, 2010  

My mind is not ready for another Vision post yet. Have to get back into that slowly. Fans and followers, don’t worry, new Vision posts will follow. Now its time for music in the category ‘Records I Show With Pride’. Two at the same time: Curtis Mayfield ‘Sweet Exorcist’ and ‘There’s No Place Like America Today’.

Both records are my most favorite Mayfield’s. Exorcist was released in 1974, America Today a year later, 75. Ofcourse the first 3 studio albums Curtis, Roots and most known Superfly are amazing records. The ‘Live’ at the Bitter End that appeared inbetween is an amazing document. ‘Back to the Future’, the record before Exorcist is great too. Still I like the most these two mid-70ties records.

All solo studio albums of Mayfield until Exorcist where great productions. Amazing songs arranged with massive orchestrations, open sound, dynamics, heavy bass and freaky effects. Curtis laid a fundament for American pop you can still hear in new releases and artist up today. On Exorcist and America Today, Mayfield uses a more basic sober modest style. The production and orchestration is minimal, therefore his groovy style turns out much similar to the recordings of Live at Bitter End. All other ingredients of the usual Mayfield are there: politics, daily life-situations, love, religion, family,… Due to the modest style it all comes out so much more personal, real and direct. With a groovy bass on minimal drumming Curtis sings about Billy Jack who got shot ‘The man is gone, it’s a wonder he lived that long’, or very personal life views like the lyrics in this article of the song ‘To Be Invisible’.

Lyrics I feel much related to. Mayfield is a life-saver. His music makes me feel good and lifts up. In hard times I play Curtis Mayfield records. Don’t want to fall into ‘adoring fan bullshit’ but Curtis gives hope. He does preach hope. Not the religion kind, but by simply explaining the honest truth he makes me fee better. Ofcourse I can play Mayfield in every mood, not only when feeling down 

‘Sweet Exorcist’ I purchased in a small Munich second hand store, German Warner Brothers pressing. The copy used to belong to the German Warner Brothers archive. The store owner told me that he bought a big part of their archive. Inside was (is) still the product-facts sheet.

From ‘There Is No Place Like America Today’ I have (strange enough) a Japanese pressing from Ichiban Records. This record is listed in the book ‘1001 records you must hear before you die’. Ofcourse these lists are personal choices of the writer. I think you must have heard many records of Mayfield before you die, especially all up until America Today. After that his releases were still interesting but lesser surprising. The last recording ‘New World Order’ came out in the 90ties, few years before he died. On this release Mayfield is ‘old fashioned’ intense. For once his energy came back like in the early 70ties.

Friday, April 23, 2010  

In your life you gain many experiences, ofcourse most when young. Logic, as a child you don’t know how to survive practical and social. At a certain age you learned this. They call that ‘mature’ or ‘grown-up’. That doesn’t mean that your learning, discovering and pioneering years are over. For most probably is, settling and having your minor career within the framed world you moved in. Some don’t accept the border of this frame. Nothing wrong with. History proved pioneering did good to human kind. More important is your own satisfaction while exploring. Discovering is a form of self-developing. It feels good. You never loose. Even if you didn’t reach the goal, the way too is an important achievement of gained information.

We called our self ‘De Zelfkant’, Dutch for the self-side. We considered ourselves as the self-side of society. We created our own lives. Lived as we wanted, organized our own gigs, made our own magazine, played our own music, released our own records, made our own movies, cooked our own food, had our own individual fashion,….. We created our own life without bothering anyone even after reaching the adult age.  

Looking and living different is always considered dangerous by society. Most people seem to be scared for something that doesn’t fit into their well organized world. Or they are jealous because incapable joining the self-side. The unfamiliar, unknown and jealousy makes the tribe (humans are tribal) uncomfortable. Press (newspapers) intent to play with these mass-feelings. Often for commercial reasons. The paper has to be sold and ofcourse chooses the side of the masses, they are potential customers. Media always beat and blow up the self-side of society. Mostly journalists are to blame for escalations. John Verstraelen and Kitty Borghouts, both journalists at De Limburger did utmost to give their readers the feeling that the self-side scene of 25 years ago was nothing more than a bunch of dangerous criminals. Where they just doing their job selling a paper by producing a mass-fulfilling sensational article, or are they afraid? Also Johan Hauser, whose article about us was a bit better equilibrated, feels uncomfortable with the unknown by calling us losers. For sure these 3 journalists are no winners. They don’t dare to take risk.

In the last decades I met a few of the good old scene. With some I still have contact. Recently others email me due to this ‘dragging up’ the past lately. They all tell/write to me similar lines how much they appreciated that time. How happy they are being a part of that scene. How much it meant to them for the rest of their lives (in a positive way). How much they gained, learned and moved on to others, friends, partners, children. We never lost because we never gambled. Something that the journalists mentioned above will never understand. We built on our lives and still do until today, because we taught ourselves how to build. We from the self-side carry something with us in our mind and hearth that most humans will never gain. Living on the self-side brings so much, losing is impossible. Therefore we are winners!

Thursday, April 22, 2010  

The busy days last weekend is slowly catching up. Lots of work I should have done, is lying, waiting. Don’t know how this is with you’re life, but in mine is a serious shortage of days/time. Should be posting about ‘Records I like but hide’ or ‘Show with pride’. Write new Vision stories and update the site. Load new video…… and so on. But hey, I also have to book tours, go on tour, do local PA jobs, fix up the house, show tourists around, record some more music, make more pictures,……Whaaaaaaahhh ….. Fuck it everything will be done when the time is there.

I drive a Volvo 340. Its old, from 1986. A great car. The engine doesn’t give up and rust is still controllable. The car is not Swedish but Dutch. When DAF (Dutch Automobile Factory) stopped making cars (they only produce trucks till today), Volvo took over the production lines and employees. The new (old DAF) Dutch crew designed a Volvo. That’s the Volvo 340. Sold millions in The Netherlands. Many of them are still around. Used, you can buy the car cheap in The Netherlands. My Volvo has something very special. Probably there is no Volvo 340 with this. My Volvo is sold by Jimi Hendrix! Uhhh, Jimi was already death for 16 years in 1986. Let me explain. Hendrix is a common name in The Netherlands, like the name Smith in UK/USA. Mostly its written more Dutch like Hendriks. I assume that the horrible slavery past of the Dutch trading companies brought the surname to the famous musician Jimi. The sales company selling the car I own now goes under the name J. Hendriks. A nice company sticker on the back gained already many remarks by those who noticed. Here a picture (taken by Jan – tanx)    

Wednesday, April 21, 2010  

Phooowheee, things are easing out finally. What a weekend. No complains from my side despite the lack of sleep and massive amount of work. Its good that mother earth, our ecological environment, reminds us how vulnerable we are. Humans often intent to forget they are not in control. The ecological system controls us. Be aware! This is a good thing. The unexpected makes life interesting and exciting. O well, some lost bit money, others what time, but nobody died. See it from the positive side. How beautiful a volcano eruption is. The great coloring, the massive force, the creating of new landscape. In my opinion Mother Earth is allowed to stop human machinery. Had to reroute some artists on tour plus sheltered a stranded band. Sensational and Spectre are still on the move. Only show I had to cancel was Milano. With regret, but it was impossible finding alternative transport getting there in time from Madrid. The biggest problem was transport to Lille. Together with other stranded travelers in the same hotel I talked Spectre and Sensational into renting a van, drive to Paris and split the expenses. From Paris they took the TGV train. All other shows got/get reached with maybe some minor delay. From Friday on I expect travelling to be normal again.

Meanwhile the avant-gardening time is here. Cleaned and fixed the garden. Against the back of the house grew wild strawberries. I replanted them into a nice sunny spot hoping for a good harvest. On the west side is the vegetable garden and from this summer on a nice grass meadow to enjoy the warm sun. Tomorrow I get the chainsaw out and cut a few trees that threat the house. Branches hit the roof. Weather is like summer. Warm temperatures. Few weeks ago it was still freezing cold, especially higher up in the mountains. Here a picture of me taken 3 weeks ago in Trenta. 

Tuesday, April 20, 2010  

This volcano activity kept me form posting.  

Thursday, April 15, 2010  

Dropped this great line from some dumb movie. Dump the film, it sucked. These words are impressive. The actor was talking to you John Verstraelen en Kitty Borghouts: 

It’s important that people have their own views based on an understanding of facts. But, it’s also important not to trust the facts, because most of them are lies.

You just have to be open to allowing for a truth which differs from your own opinions. Or else you’ll never actually see the truth at all.

The Lie:

The Truth :

Wednesday, April 14, 2010  

Recently (end March) Karyn Kuhl visited Slovenia. I showed her the beauty of this unique spot in Europe. Not even 2 hours drive from a seaside resort to the high Alp mountains. We visited the cozy little seaside town Piran, the amazing Trenta Valley and ofcourse Idrija, where Karyn played a show in the Kavarna. In Idrija I showed her some highlights; the beautiful view from Vojsko, the magic of the small lake Divje Jezero, the Castle, town square and ofcourse a lace store where she purchased some famous Idrija Lace. I added a gallery in the navigation link ‘image gallery’ or click here: https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_plugins/autogallery/autogallery.php?show=Karyn%20Kuhl%20in%20Slovenia Here a pre-view picture 

Tuesday, April 13, 2010  

Monday, April 12, 2010  

Geert Wilders. I don’t even know the guy. Politics! Stories from The Netherlands reach me that Geert Wilders is a disputed ultra right wing politician who seem to be successful. Oh well. Politics is not my thing at all, especially not the names, parties and career makers. I always felt a bit sorry for politicians. The type of people who fall into that gap of just not smart enough to have a successful money making career like bizznix managers and just a bit too smart to be a mediocre middle class civilian. Although some are not. Nowadays you also have very stupid dumb politicians. Ambition has disappeared in this job. The time of ambitious leaders is over for some decades. Politicians are now stressed out yuppie career makers. Assumedly all corrupted. Food for the paparazzi press. So what’s so special about this Geert Wilders? Ahum,….. he is from   Little Venlo!!!!!!   Yep. And am I not surprised that someone like him comes out of this town! (The smart moved out!) I am also not surprised about the articles in the local newspaper De Limburger. Its obvious this paper is royal supported by Geert Wilders, or visa versa. Anyway, with a paparazzi nonsense paper like De Limburger, with its incitement tone in their reports, creates a platform for ultra right behavior. Obvious De Limburger is a Southern, white dominating, redneck kkk piece of crap. Sorry, let myself go again. Can’t help it that I am (probably one of the very few) people with real emotions and feelings capable to express them honestly

Digged up the garden today. Its that time of the year. Snow is gone and temperature is on a decent level to do the outdoor jobs. This has priority now, within few weeks weed will be grown high fieldwork becomes impossible. Did you already had a look at my treeeees gallery? All that snow is gone now. Up to the spring and summer. It feels good!!!!

Sunday, April 11, 2010  

The regular readers notice my anger last days posts on certain people from Little Venlo. It wasn’t really my intention to throw out this kind of aggression in this stage. Sometimes its simply difficult not to express my feelings. At least I am an honest, emotional, person. Something I cannot say of many, especially those who caused my anger. Let me explain what happened. Last year a young inexperienced local journalist came on the idea to write a ‘historic’ article about (in the 80ties) active scene in Little Venlo. I got approached by that person (Johan Hauser) because I played a role in this scene. Publicly, on this website, I refused cooperation. The reasons are simple. Its local town history, every city, generation, scene, has one and therefore not important to maintain. The past is the past, it gets blown up and romanticized rewriting it 25 years later. Plus out of personal experience I know that journalism is unreliable and not to be trusted. Again I was proven right reading the nonsense published. Anyway, everything of importance from that time you find on this site. End 2009 the long article got published in a local Little Venlo year magazine called ‘De Buun’. The local newspaper ‘De Limburger’ published an almost full page pre-announcement on November 5 2009 written by Johan Verstraelen. I got to read that article two weeks ago, after handed to me by my mom. Besides full with wrong facts the article accuses and insults me directly mentioning my full name several times. ‘De Limburger’ is a local newspaper with a doubtful reputation in The Netherlands. The paper is known for its low graded, bad paparazzi style, journalism and has locally the nick-name ‘Tante Bet’ (Old Wives Tales). The articles are ‘light languaged’ sauced with insinuating lies and not touching any serious subject. It is all about selling ‘sensations’ presented without any human or journalistic honour. So was the article published on November 5. Often I am quoted. Funny, I never had a conversation with the journalist John Verstraelen nor with Johan Hauser who wrote ‘De Buun’ article. Still the reader gets the impression they did interview me. Most quotes are taken from this site, ofcourse totally out of their context and on purpose misinterpreted. Half the story is made up nonsense. Suggestive language and lies give me a bad name. Its totally unclear to me why. I don’t even know the people who are responsible for this article, neither they know me. We never had any form of contact, not by phone, face to face, letter, email or whatsoever. The responsible people for that particular article are: Johan Hauser: He excavated the past and wrote the main story that created the newspaper article. John Verstraelen: He wrote the article in question. Kitty Borghouts: She is the chief-editor of the newspaper at that moment, and therefore responsible for its content. But there are more people responsible. People I do not mention yet. The fact that I had no reaction whatsoever of my ‘old buddies’ regarding this article shortly after publishing, is questionable. I have been backstabbed in a very low way not only by ‘De Limburger’, but also by some people of ‘the old scene’. It is sad to see that even grown-ups cannot deal with the past in a truthful mature way and are unable to carry responsibilities of what they caused. The extreme suggestive insulting tone of the article is too much to let it lie (maybe that was the intention?). I will not dig up the past again. I will figure out what caused this here and now situation and meanwhile refer to the past how it really happened so everybody gets the possibility to read the true story. I will write it in English since my site is not restricted to certain territories. Also I will translate (and comment) the article responsible. All this can take some time, but hey, we are talking history here. The past is patient. Meanwhile there is no defense for nobody involved. Do not argue that only ‘direct quotes’ are used. That is showing weakness. We all know that taking quotes out of context or on purpose leaving out story essentials, is a form of lying. Something De Limburger, Johan Hauser, John Verstraelen and Kitty Borghouts are for sure guilty of. And possible even more people. The article is there. Too late to withdraw. Damage is done! Unfixable! Revenge or threats is not my style, but the last words about what happened are not spoken or written yet! You will notice when my story (the only true one) is ready!

Friday, April 09, 2010  

Promised for some time but now realized: a new gallery from my winter-hike pictures. In more than 60 photographs you view what I see hiking the surrounding nature in winter. Somehow these pictures are unique since nobody else comes where I go. The winters are hard. Getting around in the extreme steep hills is difficult. Meters high snow makes paths invisible. But every winter I survive freezing temperatures, cold wind and dangerous slippery steep slopes. You find the gallery in the ‘image gallery’ link titled ‘Treeeees’, or click here: https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_plugins/autogallery/autogallery.php?show=Treeeees

Trees is what you will see. Loads of them. At least trees are peaceful and comfortable. Not anti-social backstabbing creeps of nature like John Verstraelen, Kitty Borghouts and Johan Hauser (see yesterdays post April 8).

For the tech-freaks among us; I made all pictures with a cheap analogue camera ‘Agfa Fun Cam’. Cost: Euro 7,– + two free films. Using VX200 film from the brand ‘Solution’. A polish company that produces films out of waste from Japanese mass companies like Fuji and such. It’s the cheapest film you can buy. The local photo-store develops and burns negatives on cd. Besides converting to greyscale I don’t use any effects to get the result what you see. Its all pure and real! Most pictures I took when the sun shined. That created more clear perspectives. The grayscale gives an extra accent. Since the trees are black and the snow white there was not much color anyway. Mostly shiny soft blue and soft pink. On some pictures these colors worked well, still for the optimum ‘feel’ I choose to convert all in greyscale. On some pictures the hard blue sky turned to dark grey. A ‘threat’ effect. But no worries, nature looks dangerous but is friendly if you treat it well.

Sometimes it looks like the trees are dancing. On many pictures you see leaning trees. The hills are very steep and overgrown. I hold the camera straight. Meters of snow covering the ground stimulates the leaning effect. The nature creates what you see, not the camera or use of technical possibilities. The pictures are in random order, how nature is. You never know what comes around the bend. Have a look. Take your time. Switch to slide show (you get the option by clicking a thumb). Nature opens your veins, refreshes the bloodstream and clears your head.

Thursday, April 08, 2010 

Spring definitely arrived. Did a great bike ride today. Sunny weather and amazing views. In many posts I revered to the beautiful surroundings here, and why not. It’s the truth. Truth! Some people in certain positions don’t believe in it. They live by lying. Journalists for example. Especially small-town local journalists. The local paper in Little Venlo is called The Limburger. An unimportant daily fart created to spread dirt and feeding local population with blown up lies. It was not in my intention reading an article from this doubtful scum rag. Passed this meaningless place visiting my mom (the only reason to stop) who handed me an article published late November 5 written by John Verstraelen under super vision of Kitty Borghouts. The article announces publication of another miserable publishing by Johan Hauser. These wasted letters on wasted paper are about the past I played a part in. Do I have to say that quotes where taken out of context, information was wrong, insulting interpretations and accusations without any hard proof directly to me, colored the complete story? My mom was upset. That made me read the article. Amazed I am about how history gets forged. I like to leave the past for what it is. Do not deny history, but life moves on. Don’t spend too much time looking back. The article made me look back. I got backstabbed by Kitty Borghouts, John Verstraelen and Johan Hauser in a very low way. So I started to dig in the past. Looked at some sites and articles. Found out to my astonishment that even the so called ‘official history’ site of the, in those days, Little Venlo scene is full with wrong information, suggestive introductions and very incomplete. I didn’t come to read the actual story that made this all happen written by Johan Hauser. Long time ago I quoted on this site that I would not read that story. Now I might change my mind. Oder of suggestive language, wrong information, misinterpretations is hanging in air around the yearly magazine that published the story. I am not looking for revenge, that is for the dumb. Will not lower myself on the level of these doubtful journalists. I just wonder what is going through their mind. Are John Verstraelen, Kitty Borghouts and Johan Hauser proud of what they did? Are they so incompetent that they think this was good journalism? Or worst. Are they so immature that they planned this on purpose? Or even lower than worst, were they doing this on command by a third person afraid to loose their jobs? I will find all this out. Its going to be a massive job, but I have time. History is patient and so am I. The time it takes I will withhold myself from any comment regarding this matter on this site, even if it takes years. The results, or better The Truth I will proudly present here and anywhere possible. Sure I take a risk already now. The low journalists of De Limburger will love it quoting lines out this article, lying by putting them in a wrong context, using false information, wrong interpretations. Every attack is a proof that I am right. Why would they bother otherwise? I got nothing to loose and won already by having the truth in my hand. Who else knows more about my past than myself? Anyway, these local articles are all in Dutch language and therefore accessible by just a small group of the world population. I will publish the story in English so more people in this world can be informed about the rubbish of John Verstraelen, Kitty Borghouts, Johan Hauser and their SMALL TOWN BLUES !  

Wednesday, April 07, 2010  

Yep yep, back from tour and time to post again. It was a great trip with Karyn. We did lots of shite-seeing. Had an overdose of castles last two weeks. Europe is full with these things. Every shite-hole contains a castle. If you seen one, you seen them all. Anyway. Here a short tour review more serious than the touristy ones last weeks. The overall tour was very successful. The turn up was above expectations and why not! Karyn is a great performing artist.

Venlo, The Splinter. Ok, all my old friends and acquaintances showed up. Karyn wondered who the star of the night was Matski or her. It was good to see so many old faces again, but lets keep it for one night once a while.

Stuttgart, wagons. What a great site. Old train wagons occupied by artists who create and perform. They also run a few clubs, bars and cinema (this summer even a circus). It doesn’t take much to load an old train-wagon. During Karyn’s set we where all packed like canned sardines.

Offenbach, Hafen 2. Great venue and club with very nice welcoming people. The ‘grand café’ was an excellent décor for Karyn’s set. The audience was (like everywhere else) amazed.

Idrija, Kavarna. Nice bar in the village centre. A full café with grateful audience. Karyn rocket a long set blowing everybody’s ears when using the wah wah pedal. In the near future a complete foto-story of Karyn visiting Idrija on this site.

Ziri, Partizan. Small 3 band festival. The gig drowned a bit performing solo between two full equipped rock-bands. Karyn killed them with brain cutting feedback sounds that would even wake up Jimi Hendrix.

Hlohovec, Teatre. A beautiful venue. Very good acoustics. 200 years old. According local history a place where even Beethoven performed. This last concert of Karyn’s short trip got rewarded with a well deserved standing ovation by the audience.

Expect more regular posting and new vision stories from now on again.

Sunday, March 21, 2010  

Today I leave for a short tour with Karyn Kuhl. Because she likes to do sight-seeing at the same time I will try to keep you updated with tourist attractions of each place we go. There is a lot to say about this world. Each spot has its own typical interesting identity. Europe is a place dominated by old culture. Most towns and cities are over 1000 years old full with ancient old buildings. Its so surprising to see how easily visitors from other continents are to be impressed by the local castle. Every place in Europe has an old castle. There are thousands. What’s so special about them? If you have seen one, you have seen them all. Ok, visit that one nearby, so you had it. Meanwhile read tourists guides for other interesting events in this overcrowded part of the world.

Friday, March 19, 2010  

Another one in the category ‘Records I Show With Pride’: Bim Sherman – ‘What Happened’. A pretty recent record I pick out here considering that usually ‘old’ vinyls are showed with pride. This album is from 1998, his last one. Bim Sherman was a reggae singer. Sorry to say, but for my ears pretty mediocre. For a long period in my life I was connected with a hardcore scene (Dub Syndicate) that adored reggae and called it as one of the most innovating music styles. Ok, I have some good reggae records at home, but overall it’s similar like other pop music styles: boring repeating same formula. Sure there are good reggae records (like all other pop) good because of the energy, soul, feel. Most reggae artists progressed to perfectionist the style (Style Scott). Most imitated a formula and only few took it somewhere else (Wordsound). I had few early records from Bim. They where mediocre to bad reggae and left my collection. Suddenly in the 90ties Sherman released a record called ‘Miracle’. The music on this record contains a whole new direction. A different interpretation of reggae. Mixed influences (India) and the usual reggae rhythm guitar gone on many tracks. Suddenly something comes out of Sherman he always had, but never progressed: his beautiful perfect soft voice. After ‘Miracle’ I declared Sherman as the ‘Sinatra of Reggae’. But today we talk about the album that followed called ‘What Happened’. With this genius record Sherman proved that ‘Miracle’ was not a one day coincident. Again a very different record. He is exploring new (other) directions without loosing reggae roots. Song after song follow smoothly, perfect arranged on his voice. The cover in similar design like ‘Miracle’. 

Bim found inspiration that leaded him into innovating directions. Pity, in 2000 Bim Sherman passed away due to sudden cancer. Leaving these two last records ‘Miracle’ and ‘Happened’ as last statement. Before ‘What Happened’ another release appeared called ‘It Must Be A Dram’. This was a remix album of ‘Miracle’ done by several artists. It came out so different that it almost sounds like a new Sherman album. Of all remix-records released for bizznix-bank-accounts in those days, this one is the only worthy to have in my opinion. The cover design is in the same dark-red-orange-face style.

Bim Sherman never made it big in his life. Besides faithful fans, he is unknown by the masses. On his last tour in Europe he performed small venues and clubs. Pity, even many music-lovers don’t know his music. I wonder sometimes why it is some artists suddenly show unexpected high standard creativity in their last years (Johnny Cash). Did Bim Sherman know his existence would come to an end, or is it an unexplained force he didn’t realize. If you never heard the last 2 (3) records of Bim Sherman give it a try : ‘Miracle’ MNT 1004, Mantra Recordings / Beggars Banquet Records 1996 ‘It Must Be A Dream’ MNT 1005, Mantra Recordings 1997 ‘What Happened’ MNT 1012, Mantra Recordings 1998    

Monday, March 15, 2010  

Another vision post later this week. Today is chit chat day. Snow is melting (finally). Temperature rising and I am on the bike! Yoopie cycling again. Its about time. Pop music. Whatever you talk about, Rap Rock, Reggae, Punk, Funk, Soul, Jazz, Disco, Techno, Country, Folk and all the diversions of these styles (only made-up names to sell) there is nothing new. It looks like the ‘pop’ reached its end. Every thinkable combination is done and sucked empty. Even the avant-garde, industrial, experimental,… has nothing ‘new’ to offer. What often is being called ‘new’ is more based on the name: new ‘sceners’ joining. It was always like that. Music like techno, punk or garage rock was already created before reaching the masses. All music collecting freaks can pull out records recorded decades before the ‘style’ became popular. Blue Cheer (60-ties) sounds like 80-ties heavy metal. Rock sounds like some 40-ties popular jazz and so on. I always pull out records ahead of time. Punkrock from 100 years ago… I have it. Techno recorded 40 years ago…..I have it……. its endless. Popmusic purely as a music style is like ‘nothing new’. New is sometimes the cult. A new generation populating music style because they feel related to it, often based on disagreeing with the existing popular styles. This …… oh fuck it. You know what I am talking about. Its so draining endlessly discussing this subject. Here or among friends. Best thing with music (and any other form of expression) is doing it without materialistic expectations. Just satisfying yourself. It’s a bad post today. Was a bit of a stress day. Gotto find some more peace in my action. The May-energy is catching up with me in March. Anyway. The feel is not bad. More to come this week and next week on the move with Karyn Kuhl.

RIDE A BIKE!

Saturday, March 13, 2010  

Busy days yesterday and today. Not much time for posting. Meanwhile a reminder to check out Majjem radio: www.majjem.com . Soon new music downloads, pictures and more on this site. Expect some great new contributions the upcoming two months including new gallery of my dark winter pictures.

Here a tasty preview:

TOURS : KARYN KUHL March 23, The Netherlands, Venlo, De Splinter (live radio recording De Majjem) March 24, Germany, Stuttgart, Für Flüssigkeiten & Schwingungen March 25, Germany, Offenbach, Hafen 2 March 26, Slovenia, Idrija, Kavarna March 27, Slovenia, Ziri, Partisan April 3, Slovakia Hlohovec, Empire Theater 

SENSATIONAL & SPECTRE APRIL 14, Spain, Vigo, Club Vademecum 15, Portugal, Porto, Plano B 16, Portugal, Lisboa, ZDB 17, Spain, Madrid, La Casa Encendida 18, Italy, Milano, Teatro Parenti 19, France, Lille, Le Malterie 20, Belgium, Brussels, tba 21, Germany, Leipzig, Zoro 22, Zwitserland, Dudingen, Bad Bonn 23, Zwitserland, Lausanne, Romandie 24, Germany, Berlin, Raw Temple 25, Spain, Huesca, tba 28, Austria, Linz, Stadtwerkstatt 29, Austria, Vienna, Arena   You can meet me on the Karyn Kuhl gigs. I will not be with Sensational/Spectre  

Tuesday, March 09, 2010  

Test Dept. Did I post about them before? Published one of my most favorite tourpictures in a post last year. You see the complete band and crew hanging like a ‘street-gang’ in their warehouse back alley in London. Often I refer to Test Dept as my best learning school being a FOH soundengineer. I toured with them through the 80ties working on shows like Materia Prima, Gododdin and Pax Britannica. The knowledge was not so much gained on the technical side of the shows but more the acoustic challenge. Performances where mostly on unusual site locations. Quarries, abandoned factories, deserted fields and such more. Especially the indoor locations where an acoustic hell. Besides that the space used by the performers was sometimes enormous. In Glasgow we did a gig in an old train factory. The stage was 200 meters (600 feet) deep! An actual, real train came driving in as part of the show. The most difficult part was dealing with the musicians dynamics. Their instruments where extreme diverse. Traditional drums, drumkit, Spanish drums, percussion, marimba, bag pipe, alpine horn, cello, ….. plus selection of all kinda scrap yard steel variable from small pieces until huge steel dish, strainer and a massive square tank. On top of that vocals and backing tape. Now go for it trying to make something that sounds like constructed piece of music in this cacophony of sound bouncing around in a huge empty concrete-steel-glass factory hall. The massive square tank got often played by 4 sledgehammers at the same time. That alone was un-amplified good for 115 db straight into the audience. 4 sidefields (strong monitors) 2K each in every stage corner for playback on hear-able level to the musicians. A power equal to 2 regular sized club-PA’s. So there I was in the FOH desk area, all alone with (on some shows) 64 inputs. Mainly all microphones, few DI’s and 8 tracks from tape. Looking at two mixing desks put together (one was insufficient on channels) plus outboard gear with gates, compressors, fx’s and 8-track I also operated. Running around like an idiot moving faders, changing fx’s, setting compressors and at the same time watching the cue’s. It was almost an impossible task but I did it. Let the cello be heard over a bunch of loud steel. A bag pipe (4 wireless mics) fading in walking up from the back. Vocals with pitch shifter on top of loud sledgehammer drumming and tape orchestration. Fighting the room acoustics with the main equalizer. Also of Test Dept its difficult to find good pictures showing total overview whats going on. Most are detailed close ups, or nice view of the visual elements. Here a picture I found with the two main members from first till last day.  

When Test Dept turned into an average techno act early nineties I lost them somewhere on the road. But I gained a knowledge many colleagues never experienced with. Until today spaces, venues, clubs, enormodomes are no longer a problem to me. I can deal with the house acoustics quick and easy. Got so used to this that I feel uncomfortable in perfect acoustics. Walking into a space with the local tech rapping about difficult room reverberations (it used to be an church, it was a tram-repair shop,…..) mostly shrugs my shoulder. “Like lively rooms” I often response.

Due to my work with Test Dept I spend a lot of time in London late 80ties. It must have been in 1988. The pub curfew law was still 11 pm. On weekend nights, when call for last rounds announces, someone spread small, handwritten notes into peoples hands. Often it didn’t say more than an address. You knew this was the place the party would go on. Outside hitting an of-license (convenient/alcohol night store), get some drinks, stop a cab and hand him the address. Location mostly in a deserted industrial part of this or another neighborhood. The street is dark and empty where the taxi stops. Someone pays the driver, while we look around and concentrate what direction the music comes from. On the end of a small alley we see some people hanging around. Inside of the old warehouse music is max on minimum pa with dj on high riser looking down. The walls are covered with on sheets drawn ‘graffiti’ style painting. Few red, yellow and blue 500 watt pars, dimmed, light up to the minimum what is necessary to see. Thats all what contributed to the party. The music was new. Kinda futuristic electronic disco minimalized with strange sounds. The new thing called acid-house music. Within one hour the place was packed. The beginning of a new scene/generation and again I was there.

Monday, March 08, 2010  

Promised for a long time, but here we go. Dates of the tours from Karyn Kuhl and Sensational/Spectre

Karyn will be rocking solo in the following places:   March 23, The Netherlands, Venlo, De Splinter (live radio recording De Majjem) March 24, Germany, Stuttgart, Für Flüssigkeiten & Schwingungen March 25, Germany, Offenbach, Hafen 2 March 26, Slovenia, Idrija, Kavarna March 27, Slovenia, Ziri, Partisan April 3, Slovakia Hlohovec, Empire Theater  

I will be at all these shows. Come to check it out and say hello.  

Just a few weeks later you can enjoy performances of Sensational and Spectre here:  

All dates in APRIL 14, Spain, Vigo, Club Vademecum 15, Portugal, Porto, Plano B 16, Portugal, Lisboa, ZDB 17, Spain, Madrid, La Casa Encendida 18, Italy, Milano, Teatro Parenti 19, France, Lille, Le Malterie 20, Belgium, Brussels, tba 21, Germany, Leipzig, Zoro 22, Zwitserland, Dudingen, Bad Bonn 23, Zwitserland, Lausanne, Romandie 24, Germany, Berlin, Raw Temple 25, Spain, Huesca, tba 28, Austria, Linz, Stadtwerkstatt 29, Austria, Vienna, Arena  

Sensational and Spectre will do this trip without my guidance. I know, you will miss me, but hey, its still a great show to check out.  

You notice gaps in both tours. Karyn between March 28 and April 2, Sensational/Spectre from April 26 to 28. If you are looking for a great last minute stage act on these dates, contact me:  

Sunday, March 07, 2010   Sorry, no time today. More extended posts this week. Meanwhile I give you some space searching for old Plastic People Of The Universe music. Hard to find I was told yesterday. Also not as download. Give it a good go, its worth a try. I don’t bother. Own a couple of albums. Anyway, since you are on the web, listen and watch this Karyn Kuhl blues theme ‘Crying’, recorded live in Hoboken: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQQ7ojfm3-U

Saturday, March 06, 2010  

Like to go back to yesterdays post. I tried to find online a picture of the back cover from The Plastic People Of The Universe – Egon Bondy’s Happy Heart Club Banned. Strange I couldn’t find it. Yes yes, I do not own a scanner. For each album review I steel a cover picture from the net. I was assuming that it is so obvious someone would have scanned this back cover picture. I was talking about it in yesterdays post. The complete ‘scene’ poses at a famous spot by the river. More strange is that I found an almost similar picture, but it is not the exact same one:    

This picture must be taken just before or after the one that ended on the back of the cover. I guess just before. On this picture are few lesser people. A few on the left are still ‘grouping’. The guy on the left a step away from everybody holds a camera. You cannot see that on this picture, but clearly on the cover one that is assumedly taken very shortly after. The person on the far right smokes the cigarette, its in his mouth. On the actual picture the cigarette is in his hand while he looks away. The tuba faces sideways, here to the front. On the cover photo the group is more organized in ‘position’. I will try to get the real back-cover picture scanned. For the ‘records’ two more remarks:

The actual band ‘The Plastic People…’ stands far right.

27 people on this picture got arrested shortly after it was published.    

Friday, March 05, 2010

Ok, here another one in the section ‘Records I Show With Pride’: The Plastic People Of The Universe – Egon Bondy’s Happy Hearts Club Banned. For those unfamiliar, this band is from Prague, Czech Republic, around since late 60ties, so they actually are from Czechoslovakia! If you didn’t know you should be ashamed. The Plastic People is one of the (or maybe even thee) most legendary bands ever. The Plastic People Of The Universe started in 1968 just a few weeks after the historic military invasion of Soviet army. They had a hard time surviving. Some band members got arrested for playing music. I will not go too deep into the sensational side of this band history. Surf the web for it.

I am born in the late 50ties, the teenage generation of early 70ties. Depressive propaganda images of poor people in dark clothes gloomy looking had no influence on us. As Europeans living nearby socialistic and communistic countries we considered the ‘cold-war’ nothing more than foolish power game of few dumb politicians. How could we believe in a dangerous threat if we travelled on vacation with parents or friends to some of these territories? The people all looked happy with sunny seaside’s and partied much better than those Western uptight yuppies.

I remember clearly from Highschool that an army representative came to the class and opened his speech with “the commies are coming”. The complete class burst out in laughing. Already in the 70ties not a good line to win souls for a killing machine.

Ofcourse not all former socialistic/communistic territories had it easy. The Romanian population was kept poor and neglected by their dictator. Czechoslovakia was under a strict regime of the Soviet Union. Up today politics (also in democracies) is all about power. All political territories keep populations oppressed. Some more obvious than others.

‘The Plastic People….Egon Bondy’ record I own is an original. Bought it in 1978 when released. A French label ‘Scopa’ made the record. It has liner notes from Johnny Rotten on the back plus a picture of (assumedly) the complete Plastic People ‘scene’ in Prague, taken on a famous spot at the river I walked by very often. In the distance you see the Prague castle. The front cover shows a vague picture of the musicians. 4 of them pull their eyes wide open.  

The record includes a book with stories and pictures of the Prague scene. On the label they printed the communistic symbol ‘Hammer and Sickle’ filled with cheerful hearts. Its interesting how much I can tell you just based on a one record and still didn’t mentioned the music. This is how you can recognize a great piece of art, not only in music, but all forms of expressions. The creators of this album wrote more history than complete Soviet Union and Czechoslovakian historians together. Its not the facts but the soul. The feel that explains and survives time. Ofcourse as an artist you express under influence of daily situations. Politics, religion, weather, family, food, drinks, friends and a lot more. All contributes to how you feel and (in this case) how you play music.

The music is underground. A mix of rock, folk, experiments and jazz. Till today outstanding and interesting. Egon Bondy (name in the album title) was a poet. The band uses his work for lyrics. They sing them in Czech. I love to play this record. Even after 30 years it still finds a regular return to my player.

I come often in Prague working inside the music scene. Years ago I saw posters of The Plastic People announcing concerts. “They still exist” I mentioned to a promoter who reacted mumbling disinteresting. Had similar denying replies before trying to talk with people in the ‘scene’ about the ‘Plastic’. Till today I wonder why the reactions where so estranged. Tired of all these foreigners that always want to talk about the ‘Plastic People’? Enough of all that whining about the past? It doesn’t matter to me. I have this great record and close this post with the opening lines of the record (in English translation). Lyrics that can still be actual for many today. Written by Egon Bondy.  

Monday, March 01, 2010  

What’s wrong with you people? You don’t have anything else to do than sit at home in front of a screen or are you all already so apathetic you can only communicate with eachother over (others) websites? Sorry I am too busy touching the real world with real people and real nature alive and breathing. No time for cyber digits that are untouchable. So please stop inviting me for the crappy site you joined to be non-social. If you like to be in touch write me an email, call, post (yes post!) a letter,….. At least show some effort so I feel you are interested in joining contact. No I am not denying new technologies. Busy enough working my own website and answering people who do bother to contact by email (write more than one line). Anyway, the sites you joined are just industry advertisement tricks. So let me tell you for now and forever that I will NOT join: LinkedIn Twitter Facebook MySpace LastFM Flickr MSM CS …………. and whatever else there is or will come to keep you fixated on non-existing digits.

RIDE A BIKE!

Sunday, February 28, 2010  

Not much space for posting today. Not in time or mind. Too busy. As introduction towards more intense attention for experimental/industrial music in the near future on this spot, here two pictures of Test Dept. The back and front cover of a live record in Montreal Canada, I did the FOH for. Expect the story later this month.  

Saturday, February 27, 2010  

Style dancing is a popular activity by the youth in these parts. Don’t even know if I can call this ‘style’ dancing in English. Just translate it out Dutch. Its traditional ‘classical’ dancing like you learn on an old fashioned dancing school. The foxtrot, waltz, quick step, tango and so on. Especially in the smaller villages around here many young people know (learned) how to dance. I asked how come. Most explained that life is pretty boring on the country side. Old-fashioned dancing teachers show up teaching lessons on Tuesday nights for a low fee in the local town theater. Almost all teenagers go since there are no other social gathering events until weekend. After working a gig in one of these small village clubs I was amazed to see people dancing official steps on ‘Proud Mary’ (Ike and Tine Turner).

The real ‘redneck’ country life is unknown to me. Due to all modern communication machines that bring the world into your home I thought it disappeared, especially in Centre Europe. Working in these places gives me the feeling joining Lynch movie scenes.

Its its and bits again today. Had 3 Visions in a row. Following episodes next week. The story-line slowly gets structure. Re-reading it I think its too ‘normal’. Something unexpected weird will happen. I let the surroundings inspire me. Two times a mountain cabin occurred. And last Thursday it was me moving a chair to the west side of the house enjoying warmth of the first sunny day this year. Listening to babbling streams of melting water. Yesterday these streams turned to wild rivers. Rain poured down. And even now, today snow is still not gone. Soon a Wordsound and Karyn Kuhl tour. Dates will appear on this site. Keep checkin’.

Last October Wordsound was keeping office at this house for a few days. Here a picture with the crew in my livingroom.

On the left sitting is Skiz (Spectre) working on his laptop, Sensational on the right and in the back, kneeling down Mental Nomad.   

Monday, February 22, 2010  

Watching the movie ‘Bringing Out The Death’ reminded me of Johnny Thunders. Borrowed the dvd from a friend. A ‘Taxi Driver’ inspired story. Instead taxi it is in this movie an emergency ambulance driving the streets of New York early 90ties. The soundtrack contains many 70ties punkrock tunes (Clash). Too my surprise I suddenly heard a few lines of Johnny Thunders ‘You Can’t Putt Your Arms Around A Memory’! That got better, it turned out the movie theme song. Not the intro/outro tune, but during the movie bits of ‘Arms Around A Memory’ return regularly supporting essential scenes. Wow, do people still remember Johnny Thunders nowadays? Surfing the web I see that he is mentioned on the usual ‘history’ sites and some devoted fans keep pages with info.

For those who don’t know: Johnny Thunders was born in Queens, New York and is from the Ramones generation (same age). Growing up in the same ‘hood’, Thunders and Ramones (Dee Dee) knew eachother from their childhood. Johnny gained fame for being an original member of the legendary punk/glam/rock band ‘The New York Dolls’. After NYD broke up he had a band called The Heartbreakers. They lasted a short life recording one album (not taking the endless re-unions in consideration). After that Johnny mainly recorded solo albums and joined a few short-life projects. I still have all official Johnny Thunders solo records and the very first Heartbreakers ‘LAMF’ lp release plus ofcourse the two legendary NYD records. This is somehow remarkable. I am not really the ‘type’ keeping ‘standard-rock’ artists in my collection. I think Johnny stayed because of emotional value. The rock is real, therefore lots of spirit.

Many Thunders records are not outstanding. Most productions are wacky or weird choice of songs construct chaotic compilations. Only the last two records ‘Que Sera, Sera’ and ‘Copy-Cats’ are well recorded and produced. My most favorite and probably best record of Johnny Thunders is ‘Hurt Me’. released in 1983. A record that absolutely reaches the category of ‘Records I Show With Pride’. The complete album is Thunders alone solo with acoustic guitar. Very intense and emotionally Johnny performs a collection of his (previous with bands released versions) own songs plus few covers. Its ‘shivers down your spine’ Thunders. (Natural) high voice combined with metallic sounding acoustic guitar he exposes his soul to the listener. The version I have is an original 1983 French pressing from New Rose records. A warm dark red cover shows pictures of Johnny vulnerable, with many tattoos on his arms. If you look for this record I advice the vinyl (all my album reviews on this site are vinyls). The cd release includes the complete ‘In Cold Blood’ session as bonus tracks. The total different feel and dynamic spoils the nice atmospheric concept of vinyl ‘Hurt Me’.

There is much and nothing to say about Johnny Thunders. On his few (6) official solo albums he endlessly covers himself re-recording previous released tracks. Johnny was probably the only real ‘stereo type’ rocker as so often described in bullshit rock-dreams lies. His whole life was filled with crime and drugs. He had a bad reputation. Often not showing up for gigs, and if he did, mostly too stoned or drunk unable performing decently. Dee Dee (Ramone) thought he was in his heart a good guy who got lost on a side-track in his life.

All personal info about Johnny I write down here you find nowhere. Its what I remember from when he was still around and what Dee Dee told me in the time hanging with him. I assume that most recording sessions where done for some cash that immediately got invested in ‘Dr Feelgood’. Therefore sessions resulted in a sloppy ‘demo’ sounding jams with friends. Still Johnny Thunders should be remembered. He wrote punk classics like ‘Born To Loose’ and (together with Dee Dee) ‘Chinese Rocks’. But most of all Thunders was real! And (yes I know …. here we go again) real is hard to find nowadays.

Thunders passed away in 1991, yes you guessed it, overdose. As always a death loaded with the usual ‘mystery’ stories about murder and robbery. Fact is there was drugs, the robbery and murder (a dealer-junky argument?) it all fits into Johnny’s life. Probably his death was combination of all. Pity, its hard to find decent information about his musical career. All ‘history’ and fan sites mainly waste space on Johnny’s turbulent life-style.

You can find many releases of Johnny Thunders. During and after his life lots live-records appeared. Half of them are bootlegs. They all contain the same songs, one night was bad the other good. If you like to hear Johnny life I recommend ‘Heartbreakers live at Max’s Kansas City’ (Beggars Banquet 9).

The director of ‘Bringing Out The Death’ made a brilliant choice with Johnny’s ‘You Can’t Putt Your Arms Around A Memory’. Not only because lyrics suit well to the main characters frustration but also because Johnny was probably a regular customer in such New York emergency ambulance.    

Sunday, February 21, 2010  

Sorry, due to lack of time some mistakes (forgot) occur in my yesterday’s recipe. The pancake-paste ofcourse needs a tea-spoon of baking powder plus you serve rice with the complete meal. My advice: Basmati rice.

Ok, I have been yapping a lot about this soul-less materialistic period lately in posts. Plus the logical search and yearn for some more human spiritual activities (not useless religious bullshit). It seems that both are related. The more materialism, the lesser spiritualism. In this valley surrounded by forest overgrown high steep hills, a natural peaceful comfort, used to give the feeling that you are back in mom’s womb (according a long time ago visitor). Well, lately it feels more like a test tube. The hills, forest and nature is still here (tanx god……..uhh who?), but the womb lost its creative cultural life-juice. What can you expect in a community that tanx its existence to industry; mercury mine, and now one overruling factory that produces a pure technical product. Basics for a free-mind soulful cultural life never rooted around here. Maybe some individuals tried, but the materialistic factory rules controlling all local activities, sports, gigs, village design, architecture, holiday events and so on…. This turned the complete womb-life into a bizznix-manager attitude; ‘empty production’. That explains why artists are heartless copy-cats (especially musicians). Even the local lace tanx its existence to the industry (mine). Town notables (related to the factory) like to brag of about the yearly lace event that hangs in dusty webs of grey organizers and few minor international participants. The local lace culture is created for selling (read money) and polishing factory bizznix events. Town size and isolation made the majority slaves (not Slavics) of the factory. No wonder that envy, competition, jealousy, disrespect, humiliation and back stabbing became the strongest spirits. It chased the creative spirits away. They hide in forests and hills around, waiting for better times. Some locals (mostly not related to the factory) are aware of this. A few escaped and settled definitely in nature to be surrounded by positive vibrations. Others (like me) spend much time in the forests to be among the right spirits. There is a task here for all of us. We must get these creative spirits back. They are not far, just suppressed by materialistic lives. Many inhabitants are (on purpose?) put on the wrong track. Look for creativity by yourself besides the boring day-job. Learn to close the factory door behind you, after commitments for paying bills is done. Find space in your own heart and mind without feeling competitive or jealousy. Support eachother without materialistic expectations. If you tell me that your heart is with the factory …….. well, a bizznix company has no soul……. you sold yours to the devil! Let the creative spirits return to comfort this womb.

Saturday, February 20, 2010  

Its cooking club today and this is what we will brew:   Indonesian rice dish  

On Dutch this is called ‘Indonesische Rijsttafel’ what would translate into Indonesian rice table. Somehow that doesn’t feel right. In Dutch tafelen (tabling) is mainly referred to dinner. On English I better change the table into dish. Fruit and sweets in main dishes is non existing in many cultures. Had comments in several locations (especially North-West of this planet) that I mixed fruit in food (while not meant to be desert). Probably because fruits are not a common local vegetation in these territories. Ofcourse there are cultures in more tropical parts where fruits mixed into dishes are very common. Lots of Indonesian dishes are sweet. The dish below is an improvisation due to my vegan restrictions and local availabilities. This menu contains many small ingredients. Recopies running order below is arbitrary. Make small portions of everything and eat combining bits of every dish. For variation use different spice-mix for each dish.  

Baked Banana

Ingredients: Flower, vanilla sugar, salt, cinnamon, fizzy water. Sunflower oil. Quantities are dependable on the amount you like to make. Ofcourse be careful with vanilla sugar and cinnamon, never more than a tea spoon.

Make of all these ingredients a thin pancake paste. Peal the banana cut in half and slice one more time in the length. Heat up the oil in a pan. Go with the banana trough the paste and bake in the oil all sides lightbrown. After baking let them dry on kitchen paper. Most people deep-fry the banana. I never deep-fry, just bake. Non vegans can add egg to the paste.  

Fried noodles

Cook noodles and let cool of. Bake in a pan some garlic and onion light brown. Add the noodles, lemongrass and some cumin/coriander powder plus a zip of salt soya sauce. Stirr well and bake. Towards the end add fresh cut spring onions.  

Broccoli

Blanch the broccoli in a little bit water. Before serving sprinkle with coconut rasp and peanuts.  

Tofu ananas

Ananas = pineapple. Cut a block of fresh tofu in pieces. Cut the pineapple in blocks. Bake some garlic in a pan with oil, add tofu. When lightbrown add pineapple blocks. add salt/pepper by taste. Towards the end ad fresh coriander (green)  

Peach/Tomato sauce with Seitan or tofu

This recopy is from my mom. Don’t know if it is real Indonesian, but it fits in the meal. Ingredients: Garlic, onion, peach, tomato juice, pepper/salt, flower, water, spring onions, paprika powder. Seitan or dried tofu blocks, potato.

Bake in a pan with some oil the garlic/onion light brown. Add water (250 dl) mix immediately with one dinner-spoon flower. Add the tomato sauce, pepper/salt. Stir well. Cut the peaches in small blocks. Add to sauce. Let it cook for a few minutes (not to long, the peaches should not dissolve). Add the spring onion. Let it cook for another minute. Take the sauce from the fire. Sprinkle paprika powder over the top, so much the the complete sauce is covered. Stir well. Peal one potato and cook. Slice the seitan or cook the dried tofu in a mix of soya sauce with water. Seitan is unavailable here so I go on using the tofu. Bake the tofu in a pan. Slice the cooked potato. On a plate mix tofu with potato. Cover the mix ‘royal’ with the peach-tomato sauce.  

Atjar

This is a sweet/sour side dish. Serve cold. Make it the day before. Ingredients: small cut garlic, big onion, carrot, white cabbage, 2 tea spoons yellow root powder (koenjit), vinegar, sugar, pepper/salt, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, water.

Cut the cabbage, onion and carrot in small thin slices. Mix water with vinegar and sugar to a sweet/sour taste (by your preference). I take half a cup vinegar with 2 cups of water and two dinner spoons sugar. Add salt/pepper/koenjit/cumin/garlic. Let it cook. Add Cabbage/Onoin/Carrot. Let it cook shortly. The veggies must stay crispy. After cooking rinse clean under water-tap. Let it cool of. Take a pot with lit. Make again a mix of vinegar/sugar/water sweet/sour by taste. Put the atjar in the pot. At the sweet/sour souce. Close the pot with lit. Put it in the fridge for a night. Many recipes on the web are different than mine. Following others instructions I never had a satisfying result. The way I describe here gets an atjar as you know from the restaurants..  

Asian Salad

Ingredients: Cabbage, Carrot, Yellow paprika. Dressing: Soya milk, vinegar, sweet lemon concentrate, olive oil, fresh or dried dill and mint, roasted sesame seed. Cut the vegetables in thin slices. Mix in bowl. Dressing: 1dl soya milk. Add a zip of sweet-lemon concentrate and vinegar. Two zips of olive oil, teaspoon of dill and mint (dried). Mix well. Add to the salad. Mix all. top of with roasted sesame seeds.  

Veggie Wok

Ingredients: All veggies mentioned above. This can be your left-overs. Cabbage, Carrot, Paprika, Onion, Garlic, Spring onions,….. Bake with some oil in a wok-pan the garlic light-brown. Add all other ingredients, but the spring onions on the end. Add some soya sauce and curry or masala spices. Bake while stirring all veggies till done.  

Sorry, this is a ‘quick one’ to write down. Not much time. Feel free to improvise. Add hot peppers to dishes if you like it spicy or put a hot sauce on the table. Dober tek.    

Friday, February 19, 2010  

Besides working on more V stories I am constructing a post about local spirits. Non of these articles satisfy. They can be better before I post them. This is rare for me. Generally I write posts within no time and publish those 10 minutes after created, re-reading (and correcting) only once. Even not so good, what the fuck, this front page is suppose to be dynamic like rock ‘n roll, good or bad, it is what it is. Am I getting critical on myself? Nervous? There is a small rise of visitors lately on my site, Some send incidentally (positive) response about my V story. Distance audience does not affect me. I think it is more personal dissatisfaction of the ‘feel’ in these posts. The ‘sound’ is incomplete. Important factors are missing. Don’t worry, will get the stories on tomorrow or following days. Feel very motivated to create/play some music at the moment. Still have to finish ‘60-flights’. Will pick up this project tonight. The time is right, the feel is good. Water pours down washing snow away (partly). Grey clouds hang low covering this small urban civilization out of sight. The spirits are with me, protective. I should move closer!  

Wednesday, February 17, 2010  

Sorry for my gaps in posting. It’s a busy period. The carnival brought some local jobs. Gives me lesser time for other things. Had a great week behind me. First sign of spring is calling. Snow is melting. Will take a while before this pile is gone. Had great experiences (good and bad) with music last week. I consider every experience as great. Even the negative is a positive contribution to life experience. Music is based on drive, soul and spirit, not notes from a paper sheet. The type of music doesn’t matter. Hell yeah! Feel so great I jammed 5 records in a row of Benny More on my turntable. Man this is music. Had a more extended post about him long time ago. Dive in the archive. I feel lucky owning many great records with music played out a deep inside. The technical approach is in such case to be ignored. The real musicians play out of their heart, the notes go automatically right. John Coltrane is one of the best examples of such a musician. In one of his (rare) interviews he said that his goal is to change situations by playing music. No I am not talking about ‘protest-songs’. Trane had no lyrics (besides the incidental one liner like ‘a love supreme’) and didn’t do ‘politics’. Coltrane talked and changed by playing spiritual deep out of his mind and heart. It’s a wissy wassy post today. Just wanted to show that I am still here. V followers do not worry. More episodes are expected this week. Aaahjaheeeiiii  

Monday, February 15, 2010  

Only one of all my friends says regularly to me that I am a very sensitive person. More easily touched than I show. Maybe he is right, although this friend comes out of a working surrounding (music bizznix), lives far away, is unfamiliar with my homebase and of-tour activities although I am not different on tours, maybe only more comfortable, since it is the world I know. I often try to convince people in conversations that there are so much more aspects in your life than just the rational functional ones. Ooops, those who know me and read this might get wrong thoughts. No I am not becoming religious. Far from that. I was already the biggest atheist on the planet, and am even more convinced that religion is a waste of time. In the complex of our nature we al have feelings, emotions, spirits and so on. Not only humans, everything around us has. Its naturally there. No I am not preaching hippy shit here. Look at yourself how you’re mood can change by a color, light, speed of a car, employee in a store, a word,…and… visa versa. Funny is, we are all unaware. We do not know how we influence eachother since we don’t know everybody/thing well enough to take an approach the right way. We get what they call ‘a hard skin’. You don’t like it, but bounce it of. You’re tough. Call it a way to survive.

I do a technical job and am good in it. Professional. I am not modest about this. Why should I? 30 years of experience and a long list of (famous) names that only praise my skills. For those reading this and do not know my profession: I am a sound-technician. Earn my living doing this for 3 decades. Sometimes it doesn’t work. Strange, but mostly I predict these gigs on forehand. I can feel physical bad. So bad that I cannot give 100% despite use of drugs (medicine). That is easy to understand. We all have those days. But incidentally some other wrong vibes hang in the air. I can pull out my technical skills. Cold for the emotion. Funny enough that’s why it doesn’t work Factors simply contribute to the failure. What factors? External? Internal? Its difficult to explain. Not technical, but the spirit ‘the love that is not in the air’. Last weekend I had a night like that. Some people around me simply destroyed their own evening probably not even realizing they where. If did, well than they proven to be massive assholes. Unprofessional and inhuman. It could also be me, misinterpretating. About that particular night I am in doubt. Knowing everybody made it possible to understand the ‘complex’ messages. Lucky I have almost never nights like this. Anyway, sensitivity is a virtue. I am proud that my skin is still not that hard and can open my spirit to everyone around by failing.  

Saturday, February 13, 2010  

On the end people over the world are in basics the same. You have nice ones and assholes everywhere. Traveling around I found out that most people are ok. Wrote in more posts about this. Look back if your interested in my rapping about that. The lines above are just an introduction to the rest of this article. I spend a lot of time here the last 30 years. This increased even more in the last 10. It’s a former socialistic territory, the only one in Europe that was not behind the so called (never existing) iron curtain. Its interesting though to see how recent history (last 100 years) influences cultures. I used to grow up and live in a territory that was (and still is) occupied by the USA. The influence was massive, especially with the generations shortly before I was born and those following. Besides being familiar with the English language from a young age on, the USA influenced also strongly other sections like electronics, movies, music, (fast) food, clothes and more. Working in the music bizznix I restrict myself this particular subject. Lately I do local jobs in this area where Partisans controlled in the mid 40ties. Most bands play poprock ‘West’ style. Interesting is that most songs are sung in Slavic language. Even the well known American standards are translated. Most musicians have problems speaking English. Even the audience, mainly young people, don’t seem to be very familiar with this ‘second world language’ (first is Spanish). In contrary with The Netherlands (I grew up in) where everybody spoke (and speaks) some English. Cover bands use the original lyrics. The youth culture in Slavic territories carries influences in a way that was (is) impossible in the Dutch culture (I am not talking about immigrant culture in The Netherlands, that’s another article). Slavic youth adapts the music of their grandparents as easy as American rock. That creates funny and interesting mixtures in music and set-lists. In The Netherlands for generations traditional folk music of older people was dumped like total garbage. Reduced to small amounts of listeners, mainly old people or gay-scene that maintains an old female hillbilly ‘flame’ for the ‘motherly affection’. Rock and pop had to be ridiculous exact copied by the American example. Until up today I still have problems convincing people that bands like Golden Earring (Radar Love) and Shocking Blue (Venus) are 100% Dutch. Hard to believe since their music and language is so extreme American (I do not know if I give these bands a compliment or insult). The local Balkan pop and rock is full with Slavic cultural influences. In The Netherlands folk bands become popular if they copy traditional American Texmex. Slavic youth bands play easily a classic smasher of Creedence (with Slavic lyrics) followed by an old local traditional folk song followed by the latest hit of Radiohead (in Slavic ofcourse). Influences and mixing them is natural. That created today’s world and makes Slavic culture what it is now. Maybe ‘West’ European culture of the last 50 years is not a culture at all. Just American politicians realizing Adolf’s dream. Regarding food I have to compliment the Slavics overhere too. The well known crappy American fast-food chains don’t seem to be able settling firm. Its unpopular (mainly because of the bad quality) and more bizznixes of this kind are vanishing instead of increasing. How long the ‘world overruling influence’ will be kept on equal level on the Balkan is hard to say. For sure it will still take some generations before it captures this territory in a similar way it did in The Netherlands.  

Friday, February 12, 2010  

Not much time today. Gotta gig in Ziri. Have to leave. So I show you another picture. While I get messages from the 2 feet of snow sensation in Baltimore, about 3 more feet came down here on top of the 7 feet that already dropped out of the sky. Here a picture from the well known by regular visitors, camera.  

Thursday, February 11, 2010  

eeeeeeeehhjaaaewhahowll. Everything works again tanx to Obelix (in he admin-machine of this site). Just for the sake of it, I show you a picture….  

Tuesday, February 09, 2010  

I am fighting with the machine (admin area) of this site. The post I planned today contains a picture that, I think, is crucial to show. Problem is that the function to display pictures on front page and other links is gone. Those already displayed are still visual. I can also upload pictures in the machine, but cannot put them on the page. Surfing through the admin I see some mistakes but I don’t know how to correct them. We have to wait until the other admin Obelix solves the problem. So here we go, nothing to write about?! Mostly yes. My next V episode is spinning in my head, but is not ready enough to write it down. Probably tomorrow. I spend most days with hard working, yes very hard working. As if I never did anything else. Wake up every morning early (around 6 / 7 am) While the coffee drips I download my overnight mails, answer some of them, zip coffee, check the weather for today. take a shower, eat some breakfast and start with the work I have to do concerning upcoming tours. This is mainly mailing technical details, sort out travels and routings, make budgets, contact promoters for gigs and lots more. Towards midday I change into my working clothes and move on with the construction of the house. Its impossible to start earlier due to the cold. At night and in the morning the temperatures are below freezing. After midday it becomes a bit more bearable above the freezing point. Too cold is not only for humans (me) but also the construction material. Cement, plaster, paint, glue whatever you use can’t stand to low temperatures until it is hardened out. Yes people I hang out the handy man. Install/extend heating. Make waterpipes. Pull electric wires. Fix up and paint windows and doors. Moved in a complete new frontdoor last month. Pity, can’t show you the picture…… Towards the evening I make myself something to eat and move on with the mails I got during the day. Reply on morning messages. Later in the evening I work a bit on the site and other online things or small things like administration. Sounds like the same boring job routine I was talking about yesterday. The difference is that I do this all for myself, know why I do it, what my function is and results should be reached. Plus if I don’t feel for it, than I don’t do it! In the meantime I let this routine vary with hiking and cycling trips, tours and travels, creating music and do incidental local PA FOH jobs. Yep, after over 50 years I am still very satisfied with my life without any mortgage or car pay of.

Monday, February 08, 2010  

Thank god its Monday. I got Monday on my mind. Tell me why I DO like Monday’s. What do people have against Monday’s? Because the weekend is over ofcourse. Your daily boring routine job that you do already for 23 years is starting again. This everyday trip to the spot where you have to be presence for 8 hours became a part of life sensation. The collection for the birthday present of Miss Depples, the cleaning lady. The little discussion what to buy this year. The coffee machine broke again, maybe another issue on the next staff meeting: change company again? We are with this one for four years, they are getting sloppy. The gossips and gas-sips. The youngster smoking dope in the computer archive. Bill who showed up wearing faded jeans caused a little tumult. And than your work. The always returning same routine. Easy, boring and although by smart planners attempted to make challenging, not stimulating at all. On the end you don’t know what the part means you play in the production process. Office or factory floor, it doesn’t matter. Your daily trip to work is unintentional motivated to stay up with the latest soccer competition progress. Exchange opinions about last night tv-show and join the Thursday night training of the company-baseball training. On the end of the month is the payment in your bankaccount that dissolves in mortgage and car loan pay-offs, study for kids and moms birthday present.

I never had anything of all that in my life. And I fucking hell do not miss it at all.

And I do not feel sorry for you. Change it, its easier than you think. Oh, you like the social status the job achieves. Fine. Than stay where you are and let me be. We’re both happy.

February 05, 2010  

I know, did this last week Friday too, prolong yesterdays post because I think its worth to give it an extra day attention. What is it with these Thursdays that I write the most interesting posts? I am not a ‘thank god its friday’ kinda guy. I mostly have Monday on my mind. In my head spins the famous evergreen ‘Friday on my mind’, but I change the Friday into Monday. A song by the Australian band Easybeats (1966) originally. They also had the world hit with it. Until today covered by billions of bands from famous to unknown. But I have always the Monday on my mind. Very simple, I work in entertainment bizznix. The weekends are hard working days for me. Besides the weekends also all holidays. When everybody parties, I work! Oh well, that comes with a job like this. There is a second reason that actual made me think of the song-line and longing to Mondays. The driving. On many tours I also drive the tourvan. There is a major difference in traffic behavior between weekdays and weekends, even if you drive a slower vehicle like tourvan. In the weekends the ‘sunday drivers’ are on the road. Yes they really exist. Do not think you are not one of them, you are. I have an amazing amount of miles on the road holding the wheel behind me. An average higher than a professional European truckdriver of the same age. I know what I am talking about. In the weekend the road is loaded with inexperience drivers, people who drive for fun, not work. They are the worst. They miss the idea that the best way for everybody, including you, to move on, is to adjust to the other drivers and give what you need to give, take what you need to take, without loosing your eye for the others needs. Difficult to understand hey! Fuck it, I can’t wait till monday, driving on week days just to be able to drive with fellow drivers. Only rolling to get where you have to be for your job, understanding that others are for the same reason on the asphalt. And these are not only trucks and vans. Loads of service, business and other people are in the weekdays on their way for work in a car. Do they have in the weekends also ‘Monday On My Mind’?

Thursday, February 04, 2010  

Tanx Niels for the nice words. I know my reply comes late, you stopped posting in 2008. Due to technical difficulties in the machine that runs this site, I am checking pages and links to see if everything is still there and works. Probably regular visitors noticed some minor irregulars. Think most problems are only noticed by the two admins, Obelix and me. Surfing the site I checked the statistics also. Yes dear visitors, I can track you far down. Every site has these stats. All admins can see from where visitors enter your side: browser, country, server, link….. I saw that a reasonable amount of people clicked on ‘Limbabwe’ from a certain forum site. Tracking this I found out it was a blog from Niels introducing and linking to here. Niels stopped blogging 2 years ago but his site is still on. I remember Niels from the hardcore(punk)-Pandemonium days. He was based somewhere around Amsterdam I think. Played in a local punkrock band. Pretty active guy. Sometimes its nice to receive some signals from the past, especially like this. Positive words from somebody I barely knew, but still remember, and the last time saw more than 25 years ago. I know I post different that most other bloggers. I keep on adding into the existing frame only changing dates. That makes finding former posts difficult. Every year is one complete page. Obelix, (the other admin) makes remarks about this sometimes. I simply do things differently, the way I like it. Why do things like everybody else? I am from the very first, only real one, punk-rock generation (16 in 1975). The influence is still noticeable.

Funny, two days ago a local youngster made remarks about my punk-attitude. This is not negative or destructive. The real (first) punk generation was positive, creative, constructive, innovative, artistic, confronting, realistic, exploring, individual and very DIY (Do It Yourself). Its not just endlessly kicking against, it’s a matter of not being a lost soul in the masses. Yes, I know, for many young ones difficult to understand nowadays. Individual? Your own way of doing things? Your own design? Yes I am not against you people being lazy copy-cat imitator trend followers, but that doesn’t mean I have to be one. I like it when it’s a bit chaotic by own initiative and things fall on its place including factors like coincident and luck. Not being the youngest anymore I look back at a very turbulent live that’s not over yet, I am still living it. Fuck it, you only live once, so better use it and don’t become a boring society slave.

Being lesser familiar with computer terms and not an intensive surfer (until today) the word blog was unknown for me when already doing it. I simply had the idea writing regularly on this front page. Later somebody told me I have a web-log. Ok, got the word ‘web’ but ‘log’? In the dictionary ‘log’ is a piece of wood. Weird I thought. I throw wood in the fire for heat. Couldn’t relate this to digital writing. Anyway, I understand it now. You can call this a blog although I always use the word ‘post’ doing it my way, like explained earlier in today’s post.

Surfing my site I read the many mistakes in English (not my native language). The first year I never did proof-readings or corrections. Will leave these writings as it is. My English improved trough time, plus nowadays I mostly re-read the articles once quickly and repair most obvious mistakes.

Most ‘bloggers’ (what a word) leave options open for readers to react, I don’t. This is a one way monologue. You can react by leaving a message in the guestbook or be more personal and write me an email (most appreciated and more my style). Like it when I (and you) have to give it some effort finding or creating what you want. Because of that we learn to explore and discover.

Finding former posts will take some effort. A regular visitor told me he randomly surfs and picks out stories. That’s one way to do it. To find the posts Niels refers too, go way back into the 2008 link, somewhere in April/May I wrote these articles. This post almost sounds like testament. It is not. I will keep on travelling, touring, hiking, biking, whining, dancing, partying, playing, rockin’ and keep you informed about these ‘adventures’, opinions and thoughts with my irregular posting. Yaaaahoooooheeeeeeyeah!

Monday, February 01, 2010  

Did you ever had a day like I today? Somebody putted a curse on me, or what they say: ‘Incidents are never solo’. Well, its not to often, but today is a disaster. It started getting up. I have wooden blinds, they are fuckin old, break sometimes if used regularly. But hey, its far minus at night here in mid-winter. Every bit that helps keeping some cold out, I use. Pulling up the blind this morning, I had the rope in my hand, blind still down. Switch on the coffee machine. Check after 5 minutes, no coffee! No water in the reservoir, a leak. Drive up to go and hike. Park the car. Have snow tires, normally never problems. Come back at the parking spot. Got stuck on the snow and ice. Manage to get the car moving. Come home. Car breaks down half way the driveway. Goddamned! You think this is funny! ‘Whats up next’ I think walking into the house. Switch the computer on. Go to this site. Check a music-download link, the page is not there any more! Who is playing with a voodoo doll today? Whats going on here? Well, I am not superstitious. Simply loads of bad luck concentrated in one day, and the day is not over yet (2 more hours). Repared the blind. Replaced the coffee machine by a spare I stored. Another hiker helped me getting the car moving. Repaired the car on the spot (on the driveway) runs nice again. With Obelix (admin technical) we are working on it that the gallery and music downloads will be back up soon. Nothing gets me down. I have a strong surviving will, so throw your doll away!  

Due to technical difficulties the Gallery and Download links are temporary unavailable. Hopefully the problems are solved within a few days.  

Sunday, January 31, 2010  

Since my brain is to flat at the moment making up a V story I do another ‘Records you show with Pride’. Basically I should only mention these records and you have to run to the store to purchase a copy, if you don’t, give up music and start to collect stamps or knit lace.

Tav Falco-The World We Knew. A brilliant record released in 1987. This was already his 6th record, but the former where a bit more ‘rough’ punky. Tav gets a little bit more ‘sophisticated’ on ‘world’ (Whatever that means by Falco). Although TF is not the youngest, his first record came early eighties. The music is traditional rock and roll but played that dirty, your mom would hate it. TF never got famous by the masses, but gets from the musicians all the credits for keeping dirty Rock alive in the 80ties. His influence was major. Tanx to him the complete wild freaky rockabilly music had a revival in the 80ties with a new young generation. Famous rock artist like John Spencer, Cramps, Gun Club and many many more, declare Tav Falco as their main inspiration. Tav does not write many songs, he mainly covers, often well-known rock classics, but in his own ‘cranky’ way.

I like this album (but also other TF’s) because his choice of songs. The record is produced by the famous Alex Chilton (Box Top- The Letter) and starts with a Chilton classic ‘Dateless Night’. After that the record goes on rockin and swamping. The one more or lesser known classic after the other: ‘Do The Robot’, ‘Pass The Hatched’, ‘Mona Lisa’, ‘She’s a Bad Motorcycle’ and ofcourse ‘The World We knew’. The music of Tav is interesting because his style is not ‘pure’. He crosses many borders and reaches out to swampy blues, foggy funk and sober soul. The band is on most tracks basic. Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals. Again (like the Fall) there is no desire to be perfect. Tav shakes, but shakes your hips. Original sounding drums with a beautiful heavy deep round kickdrum sound, the real sound of the instrument. Basic guitar chords, modest drums and Tav singing, not outstanding, but real! Some songs come unexpected out of your speakers. After the evil ‘She’s My Witch’ comes the album title song ‘World We Knew’. Performed like a Frank Sinatra on a drunken night.

The inside of the cover has a little story with picture to every song. If you want to learn something about the peoples-culture, stories and music of the USA, instead usual Hollywood bullshit lies, pay some attention to this record.

Don’t know why I get so attracted by these great older records standing out (brilliant) by amazing good music and perfect imperfection. Its probably the surrounding I am in too often lately. Its difficult to survive in the crappiest music scene ever with only horrible copy-cats failing by trying to be the most perfect imitators. It drives me to these great records where music is played for real! What a relieve I still have that.  

Friday, January 29, 2010  

I like yesterdays post. Should be read again or by more so I put it on prolongation for one more day.  

Thursday, January 28, 2010 and Friday, January 29, 2010  

Records you show with pride. Yes its time for one of those again: The Fall ‘Totale’s Turns’. Never heard of? Now you have. The Fall is a band from Manchester, UK. Started in the 70ties and is still around. Released since that time about 40 albums (including the live ones). The band has an amazing sound of their own. Rough industrial (punk?) rock. An eager repeating guitar riff with on top the sharp vocals and smart lyrics of Mark E Smith. Totale’s Turn is their 3rd album. Released in 1980 on Rough Trade (Rough 10). The cover looks like a 70ties bootleg record. For the young-ones among us: this is the time before internet you-tube and so on. The only way to obtain unofficial recordings of your favorite band (live gigs, rehearsal sessions, studio outtakes) was to buy illegal pressed vinyl. Often these records came without printed cover, white with cheap copied A-4 sheet glued on it that gave some info about the music inside. There where hundreds bootlegs available of famous bands like Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. Rough Trade released some records in a ‘bootleg style’ sleeve at the beginning of their career. I have a few, Cabaret Voltaire, The Slits and this one of The Fall. The music on these records was also like the music on bootlegs. Weird session tracks, outtakes, live recordings and such. Don’t know why Rough Trade released these records. I assume it was a financial reason. Not much budget for expensive studio’s. Worked well for this Fall record. It’s a brilliant document of a great period in the music scene. You must understand that The Fall sounds like a bunch of 14 year old that have their second rehearsal (even still now after 30 years). Weird compiled songs orchestrated by a cacophony of guitars, organ, drums and vocals. But it rocks! The band drives, hell yeah!! Side 1 is recorded live in a disco in Doncaster UK. You can clearly hear on public remarks that the majority doesn’t like the band. “Call yourself bloody professionals?” Meanwhile the band plays so energetic sufficient sparks fly out of these grooves to light up my wood-fire, even after 30 years! Sure these musicians are more professional than any other ever was. The year before they recorded ‘Dragnet’, my most favorite Fall record. But now I post about Totale’s Turns. On side two are besides a few live tracks where Mark E Smith during songs comments some visitors at the bar and announces last rounds, is also a studio outtake called ‘That Man’ and home recording ‘New Puritan’.

Despite being all-time favorite of many music bizznix celebrities (John Peel/Thurston Moore/Matski/….) The fall never made it ‘big’, but is until up to date the most known underground band ever with a steady cult-following.

Now something local and personal: Listen you so called ‘musicians’ from Zablujena Generacija, Laibach, Big Foot Mama, Sidartha, Electrix, Kingston,…. and many more. Purchase that record ‘Totale’s Turn’ from The Fall. Preferable the vinyl (you made sufficient money with your crappy music to afford a collector), and listen! Listen well, and listen again…. and than go to your rehearsal shed and practice!  

Tuesday, January 26, 2010  

In the 80ties I did FOH sound for Test Dept. Talking recently with some people about development of PA systems a true story bubbled up in my memory. It was the great experimental time of the first full-range PA systems. A company designed one called ‘Master Blaster’, advertised as the ‘Roles Royce’ of PA’s. The tour was called ‘Materia Prima’. We travelled with a dancing company. At the first gig in an official theater somewhere in the Netherlands, we installed the set, switch it on, cabled the stage and soundcheck started. Nowadays most do not remember Test Dept, the band is forgotten. They played loads of scrapyard steel combined with traditional instruments. I started the soundcheck and asked one of the musicians to hit his piece of steel. Test Dept members liked to work their ‘instruments’ as steel-factory workers. Within 3 seconds all high-end (frequencies) of the PA where gone. Two stacks of at least 10 Master Blasters each….. finito. This ‘Roles Royce’ had a very short live.

Forgot to mention that the tour was a presentation of this brand new system. After a few years Master Blaster disappeared. Forgotten like Test Dept. Such a ong time of the market that I couldn’t find a picture on the web of a Master Blaster set, except the one below, only one box.  

Monday, January 25, 2010  

Its time for the usual small talk. European tours in the planning : Karyn Kuhl from March 22 until April 5 and Sensational/Spectre/Black Chameleon from April 15 to April 30. Exact dates/cities/venues soon on this side. April is Springtime. Get out of the house! If you like to know more/have the artist in your venue, contact me

Had a great hike today in a freezing cold winter snow landscape. Beautiful sights, clean air and lots of snow. There is no highway getting here. The only road is a kinda one lane provincial state road. Sure there are a few B-tracks. Small, steep downhill, roads I would inexperienced or bigger trucks not advice to take. Anyway, due to an avalanche one of these B-roads is closed. That makes the small state road the only way in. Heavy traffic fighting the hairpin corners. To serve you imagination here a picture of a truck with trailer giving it a try:

Friday, January 22, 2010  

There are days so intense that on the end there is nothing left anymore to write a post. Tomorrow again. Ok?    

Friday, January 15, 2010  

More about V another day. I keep you posted about the healthy resistance in this materialistic doomed society. Some readers remarked my fickleness in posting. Jumping from one mood/subject into the other day by day. I like to keep this reputation going.  

Neil Young ‘Journey Through The Past’. Yes, Neil again. I got that record and thought everybody forgot about it, but to my surprise the movie is out on DVD! Yes it’s a movie soundtrack. One of the weirdest I heard. Not that the music is weird, but the way it is presented on the double LP. Normally listening to movie soundtracks you hear the used songs from beginning to end, even if that track only appears for 1 minute in the film. Not with this Neil soundtrack. Songs fade in and out half way. People start talking in the middle of a track. Interruptions, noises and so on. It is as if you watch a picture but only hear the sound, very likely considering the record last over 60 minutes, the movie about 90. The record suggests a movie about Neils career.

It starts with Buffalo Springfield tracks followed by CSNY songs after that the biggest part of the record are sessions of Youngs ‘Harvest’ album. Few tracks are borrowed. A piece of Handel, an orchestrated song called ‘King of Kings’ and (strange) ‘Let’s go for a While’ Beach Boys instrumental from the album ‘Pet Sounds’, assumedly supporting end of movie titles. Only new song on the record when it came out was ‘Soldier’. Neil alone on the piano and vocals. Recorded bad sounding with lots of noises in the background. Something I like. I never saw the movie. The only thing I can talk about is the record. Never no idea what the movie is about. Read some reviews and yes, it is about Neils career till than plus some weird, on drugs, talking. The hard cardboard inner sleeves of both vinyls and insides of cover are printed with pictures assumedly from the movie. Side 1 and 4 are pressed on one record, 2 and 3 on the other. Done more often with double albums in those days. I still cannot figure out why. Not for playing the two records in one go if in possession of two turntables. You still have to stop flipping the second vinyl over from side 2 to 3. The record came out after ‘Harvest’, Neils biggest score that lifted him to the champion league of stars. ‘Journey Through The Past’ got ignored. A few very negative press-reviews. Nobody bought it accept me. In no time the record ended up in the sales-bin for a ridiculous low price of 5 guilders (comparable with € 2 or $ 3 now). Even in those times records priced 4 times more, and double albums even extra 5 on top. Obviously the record company got aware of a ‘mistake’ and tried to get rid of stock asap. Shortly after the movie Neils other ‘failure’ record ‘Time Fades Away’ was released. This record contains the song ‘Journey Through The Past’ strangely not to be heard on the actual soundtrack.

How bad critics are, I like ‘Journey’ and ‘Fades’. The rough unpolished recordings are live, honest and true. No bullshit. Something I miss with nowadays ‘stars’.

Monday, January 11, 2010  

Today I became more man! Nothing sexual about it, although for most ………. I purchased a chainsaw! 1800 Watt, 35cm blade solid German made! No doubt the absolute machine symbolizing the extension of a man’s penis. Watching my neighbors running around though with this dangerous electric sword would make Freud turn around in his grave.

I simply need a chainsaw for some work. Due to unexpected income during the holidays I allowed myself this tool. It always comes handy in these surroundings. Ofcourse the first sentence in this post is kinda joke. You don’t become more man by purchasing a tool. Personally I think it would look extreme sexy if a woman operates a tool like this.

Reminds me of a fast food kebab joint in the old days run by two women in their early 30ties. The meat rolled on a big stick in a stand up grill, got cut by an electric knife that looked more like a small electric saw. This very (latent) sexy move increased (mainly male) customers. Although I do not agree with all Freud’s philosophies, I think he would have enormous piles of work in these days. Everything produced seemed to relate sexual. Assumedly by intention of the producers who got too much indoctrinated by Freud followers. I wonder if the chainsaw was already invented in Freud’s lifetime!    

Sunday, January 10, 2010  

Ok, let me no longer bother you about the weather down here, or better said, the huge amount of snow dropping from the sky. It’s a regular (every winter) returning event in these parts of the planet. No big deal, “It’s winter, what do you expect?” to quote a neighbors true remark.

Last night I made my way (walking) through wet muddy snow direction down town for a drink and meet a friend. The bar we met was empty. On stage a piano, drum and acoustic bas. Tables and chairs pushed close to eachother facing stage. “Live music tonight?” I asked the owner. He confirmed. Made of the instruments suggested jazz music. Slowly people dripped in. A small just over middle age crowd I never noticed in bars here before. The band climbed the stage and started to play with a sax in the front. Bebop. Hmmm, the start was a mediocre but energetic bop tune, sufficient to have me stay curious what more will come. Already after the first song the quartet slides down the hill like a speed-skiing race on an icy steep sloop. Their interpretation of Damerons ‘Good Bait’ was very weak. The sax player was constantly out of breath. The drummer mediocre flabby. The piano too loud and pushy. Bass was not heard above this disturbing violence. The third song, Coltrane’s ‘Naima’ was an insult to one of the greatest musicians ever. I always wonder why average musicians try to touch something they never can reach. Coltrane is difficult as it is, keep your hands of if you cannot get the level. With ‘Naima’ I got annoyed and irritated. Halfway a bad bob that followed I had to leave. No problem with mediocre jazz, but not if high standards are done this bad.

The quartet was formed by the Slovene piano player Peter Mihelich who’s volume turned obviously far to loud playing in a pushy, uncontrolled touch. Don’t know if the gig got any better, I went to another public location where the music was on a level of lesser importance.

Anyone reading this attending the gig (unlikely) will not be so happy with my review. This is a small place (village). The concerts offered and choice is low. My appreciation for the organizers, the people who stick their neck out. But all this does not mean I have to like what is presented. Somehow I do not understand these nights anyway. The audience is very stiff, just sitting there watching 4 musicians, listening. Everybody is quiet. This was for sure not the case in the real bop days. The music was played in similar size smoky bars with a wild audience talking, drinking, playing pool, dancing while the band on stage played. In the front a few fans listening. Music is to entertain, especially in bars this should not be a forced situation for paying attention.

Many posts ago I wrote about the ‘sophisticated’ audience attending a ‘heroin junky’ performer Teddy Wilson gig. Bebop was punk 70 years ago. We should all be throwing bottles around and women climb the tables showing their legs. Although I rather like to see young girls doing this than old wife’s demonstrating their varicose veins. Where is all this leading too if punk-rock becomes a static art form consumed by stiff snobs. Are we 50 years from now, attending a mediocre Sex Pistols cover band gig in the local ‘Grand Café’ sitting on plush chairs zipping wine?    

Saturday, January 09, 2010  

Another music review: “Records you like but hide”. ‘West Side Story’. Gniffel, gniffel, gniffel…… yeah I hear you. I hide this record far away, still sometimes take it out to play. The writers stole the story from the famous Shakespeare drama ‘Romeo and Juliet’. They just transferred it to NY in the 50ties. All the rest is suspicious similar. A romance, forbidden due to social and cultural backgrounds of the two lovers. Interesting for its time when it came out first as a Broadway stage musical. Till that time musicals where sweet soft family entertainment not touching any political or social issues. The audience came to get entertained and forget their daily miseries. It was probably the first time that big commercial enterprises stick their audience nose straight into a new social NY problem: streetgangs. The West Side Story is about youth streetgangs fighting (and killing), already a big problem in the 50ties. Ofcourse the musical romanticized the reality. Gangs fight eachother by dancing! Reality was difference.

The music does not always please me like most musicals don’t. Boring simple songs, music written to support visuals and story. West Side has a few highlights. I like the ‘Prologue’, ‘Dance at The Gym’ and a few more bits. Famous songs are ‘America’ with lyrics about the pro and neg about living in the USA. ‘Maria’ the ‘O Solo Mio’ from the West Side. And ‘Somewhere’, a song even Tom Waits interpreted on one of his records. Another interesting ‘new’ thing in this musical is the, for that time, ‘modern’ dancing style. Up today copied by loads of boring mtv clips. Michael Jackson’s dance designer must have been a big West Side fan. Almost all his moves and ideas come out this musical. The copy I have is a Dutch pressing from the 60ties, the movie soundtrack. West Side Story got filmed in the early 60ties, about 10 years after its premiere at Broadway. The movie and play are still very successful until today. The records stayed in my collection as a memory. It was a popular family piece in the 60ties.

Was in NY and Manhattan often but I remember clearly how surprised I was the first time that in reality some parts really look like West Side’s scenery.  

Friday, January 08, 2010  

With all the panicking news about live stuck to a total standstill because of a few snowflakes in the ‘West’ let me show you how it is here. Yes you over there are all proudly talking at you tee-break, coffee pause, midday lunch, birthday party, neighbor visit and on the phone to me about how you survive the 20cm of snow in your garden. The streets are nice cleaned by the local sand trucks and I know other worries come up like environment issues. hhhhhhhhhhh sight! Get over it people. Its just slightly frozen water that stops your life! Especially The Netherlands should be prepared and not in chaos because of this bit of white wet. What are you gonna do if the real (global warming) water is drowning the country in 6 feet of hard water! If the amount of snow that came down today here, would fall on your tiny winy below sea-level bit of sand you all would probably die of cold and starvation. Here it was only 60 cm today, or better said, is only. Yes only. First of all the day didn’t stop yet and snow falls out of the sky with amounts of light avalanches. Second, 60 cm is nothing. A lot more can add. Still life goes on normal as always. Nobody is making a big deal out of it. Oh well, I understand. You Wessies are not used or prepared for this. Get some snow-tires under your 4 wheel. Very simple! Respect for the electricity company that I dissed months ago in many posts. I still have electricity and saw a company car driving around checking the lines. As a salute to company him on his lonely trip I played ‘Wichita Line Man’ loud. This does not rectify the old posts. The electricity company made a mess in those days. These old posts are justified! Some pictures from today (last hour), here around my where-abouts.

The Zala:

The town (sorry, bad picture, but you get a snowy impression).

Somewhere uphill The ski-track.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010  

All my neighbors are very busy clearing snow. It piled high again. I know you Wessies in NL, B, D, UK and F try to convince me that your 20cm this winter competes equally with the, almost yearly, returning amount here. Wrong, again I had to remove 30cm, and that was only of a couple hours snow today. “What’s the use” I thought, sweating with my snow-shuffle clearing the driveway to the garage. According weather forecast temperature will rise and assumedly this weekend all white will wash away. Lucky the local ‘kommunale’ cleans the main part of the 40 meter long drive way, I only need to do about 5 meters around the bend to the garage. Just finished, fresh snow started to fall again. Weather is teasing me. A kind neighbor offered help with a motorized snow-removing machine. Politely I turned it down. Somehow I like the exercise and satisfaction of viewing a clear drive way (for one minute), all done by hand by this person. A cup of tee to warm up again is the reward. Anyway, sometimes I have to drive out. Keeping the snow on workable level is not a bad idea. Showing pictures of the road to here (Zala) gets a bit boring. Here a picture of Col (pronounce ‘Sol’), taken early evening today.

Col is high up on top of a nearby hill where atmosphere changes from ‘Alp’ to ‘Mediterranean’. The place is famous for the extreme fog with sometimes sight of only 2 meters.  

Tuesday, January 05, 2010  

Working some FOH jobs during last holidays I didn’t even realize that we are in a new year. Finally noticed a useful thing of this computer. The machine keeps track of the dates. The ‘gagged’ is not major to hooray for. Time is irrelevant and doesn’t exist. As I wrote here so often, a useless attempt of humans (what a stupid animal) to organize nature in a metric system. The ecological environment is not metric! Anyway, working last weeks with local hillbilly stars I realize there is no difference between any kind of music. On the end its all just there to entertain the masses and fill the ‘artist’ pockets. Yep, whatever you listen too, ABBA or Antheil, Beck or Beethoven, Coldplay or Coltrane, Depeche or Dvorak, Einsturzenden or Eagles, Furtwangler or Fastbacks, Gershwin or Guess Who, Horowitz or Hollies, Iron Maiden or Butterfly, Janet or Joan, Karajan or KC, Laibach or Last, Mostar or Mono, Nigel or Nico, O’Dev or Orbital, Peter or Paul, Quatro or Q65, Ravel or Reed, Sanders or Sunshine, T-rex or Toilet, Urban or Ultravox, Vangelis or Vandals, Wagner or Who, Xavier or X-ray, Young or Young, Zappa or Zoot. Performing for bigger or smaller masses its all just bizznix.  

Monday, January 04, 2010  

My first post this year. Lets start with some decent complaining since that’s my favorite to do so on this spot (not in my normal live). Phone-sales! How is that where you live? Here this became impossible. It raised to such a level that I am serious thinking to cancel my phone. What do these companies think! I am not somebody quickly in screaming “there should be a law made…..”, but slowly the aggression of phone sales asks for solid rules. Ok, I know the people on the other end just sit there doing the job. They don’t call, a computer program randomly dials numbers. But do the companies involved realize what stress they cause. Often I have to quickly finish something, improvise, put on hold, turn music down, wash hands and whatever more to answer the ringing phone. Yep, a fucking sales call. Annoyed and disturbed I pick up what I was forced to stop. Lucky I live alone. What about moms with kids. Bathing or feeding the baby, the phone rings……. Ofcourse you can say that nobody needs to pick up the phone when ringing, but many people do not get calls without reason. It might be your mom, your child studying in another town or maybe you run a company yourself and this can be a customer. In this case number-recognizing is useless. These commercial call centers are guilty of a serious crime: disturbing domestic peace. Anyone related with a phone sale company is guilty of this crime. They call on December 24, yes xmass eve!!!! unbelievable. Its time to declare phone sales a war. Lets start making a black-list of companies doing phone sales and publish names of producers offering rubbish by phone so it becomes anti-commercial. I will never purchase a product from a company that offers products by phone anymore! Calling me means you loose a customer, not gain! The phone sales made be change my nature of being polite. Was I till last call kindly refusing the offer, now I disconnect (probably like most) as soon as I notice it’s a sales call.