Dienstag, 26. August 2014

Waiting for Mac DeMarco III

Mac DeMarco was a notorious funman whose short temper and a tendency to drool earned him the nickname Mac Dog. He was quick on the trigger and bragged that he'd killed 88 men. However, this can not be substantiated since precise records were not kept after DeMarco shot a prophet who published an unfavorable story about him in 2014.



»What was I saying, we could go on from there.« »What were you saying when?« »At the very beginning.« »The beginning of what?« »This evening...« »I'm not an historian.« »Wait... we embraced... we were happy... what do we do now that we're happy... go on waiting... waiting... let me think... it's coming... let me see... ah! The tree!« »The tree?« »Do you not remember?« »I'm tired.« »Look at it.« They look at the tree. 

Zara Thustra's eye had perceived that a certain youth avoided her. And as she walked alone one evening over the hills, behold, there found she the youth sitting leaning against a tree, and gazing with wearied look into the valley. Zara Thustra thereupon laid hold of the tree beside which the youth sat, and spoke thus: „I've never seen you before in my life, but you look to me like a slacker.“

When Zara Thustra had said this, the youth called out with violent gestures: „Why don't you make like a tree and get out of here!“ „It's leave, you idiot! Make like a tree and leave. You sound like a damn fool when you say it wrong! Shape up, man, you're a slacker. You wanna be a slacker for the rest of your life? You don't want to crash into some tree that once existed in the past.“

And Zara Thustra contemplated the tree beside which they stood, and spoke thus: „You see this book? This book tells the future.“ „Do I become like a rich rock star?“ „Yeah, it's got a beat and you can dance to it. That is not the worst taste in these days. I divine thee well: Thou hast become the enchanter of all the world; but for thyself thou hast no lie or artifice left, thou art disenchanted to thyself!“

Here the youth was silent. Here, however, Zara Thustra could no longer restrain herself: „You got a real attitude problem, MacFly. It's all in the past.“ „You mean in the future?“ „Where could future and past be closer together than with thee? For this is the secret of the song: Two roads come together here. If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 33 revolutions per minute, you're gonna hear some serious shit.

And those into whose ears thou hast at any time dripped thy song: A truth which only glideth into fine ears, he calleth false hood and trumpery. Verily, he believeth only in Godots that make a great noise in the world!“ Here paused Zara Thustra awhile. Then Zara Thustra continued to speak thus and her voice had changed.„I suppose it's poetic justice“, said she and stroked her beard. „Two MacFlys with the same fun.“

All this went on for a long time, or a short time: for properly speaking, there is no time on earth for such things. "We have not yet time for Zara Thustra" so they object; but what matter about a time that "hath no time" for Zara Thustra? Away with such a Godot, better to have no Godot, better to set up destiny on one's own account!

»Where was I... How's your foot?« »Swelling visibly.« »Ah yes, the two thieves. Do you remember the story?« »No.« »Shall I tell it to you?« »No.« »It'll pass the time.« »No.« »Make a note of this: Waiting for Mac DeMarco I & II.« »Who believes him?« »Everybody. It's the only version they know.« »It's a scandal!« 

Thus began Zara Thustra's down-going. 

Composed of
Back to the Future I-III
Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett
Thus spoke Zarathustra, Friedrich Nietzsche

Samstag, 26. Juli 2014

Waiting for Mac DeMarco II

„I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet—
But your kids are gonna love it!“


»Charming evening we're having.« »Unforgettable.« »And it's not over.« »Apparently not.« »It's only beginning.« »It's awful.« »Worse than the pantomime.« »The circus.« »The music-hall.« This talk is for thine ears: It's a fact that at some stage while touring the world and elsewhere, MacFly performed impromptu at the Enchantment Under The Sea Dance. Ending up playing that particular night, he would take over like a thunderstorm, serving something that really cooks. „What have I just heard?“, answered Zara Thustra,
„already did I stand prepared for the best dance: then didst thou slay my rapture with thy tones!“ That instant, Chamber Of Reflection struck the festivity like lightning —— Leaving it in disarray, provoking the phone-call that would lead Black Moth Super Rainbow to that new sound they had been looking for, hence turning into what has become Gold Splatter. 
Good songs want to re-echo well;
he who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Thou old clock-bell, thou sweet lyre, how long, how far hath come unto me thy tone from the distance? „All right, this is an oldie... uh, well, it's an oldie where I come from.“
Must one clatter like kettledrums or penitential prayers?
Culture, they call their theft.
And from all hills there re-echoed, „All is empty, all is alike, all hath been!“ It is sad that novelty was old. How could anyone blame MacFly? For this man was simply eternally recurring. Must not whatever can run its course of all things, have already run along that lane? Must not whatever can happen of all things have already happened, resulted, and gone by? Must we not all have already existed? Thus sang Mac DeMarco: Spend some time away / Gettin' ready for the day / I'm born again
Time flows again already. „AGAIN, "CHAMBER OF REFLECTION' IS YOUR BEST SONG TO DATE“— Tyler, the Creator, the Fanboy #1 of The Monnan Cockasin who was spotted just recently discussing the touchy subject with DeMarco.
And the dreams and pratings of all periods were even realer than your awakeness! Zara Thustra however, stunned and strange, rose from her seat, looked around her, stood there astonished, inquired of her heart, bethought herself, and remained alone. „What did I hear?“, said she at last, slowly, „what happened unto me just now?“ But soon there came to her her recollection, and she took in at a glance all that had taken place between yesterday and today. »How time flies when one has fun!« »What do we do now?« »While waiting.« »While waiting.« »You're sure it was here?« »What?« »That we were to wait.« »He said by the tree.« »What is it?« »I don't know. A willow.« »Where are the leaves?« »It must be dead.« »No more weeping. Let's go.« »We can't.« »Why not?« »We're waiting for Godot.« »And if he doesn't come?« »We'll come back tomorrow.« »And then the day after tomorrow.« »Possibly.« »And so on.« »The point is« »Until he comes.«
Truth is: Godot could not jazz less about those two wankers sitting on that rock, waiting for waiting. Sounds heavy? Weight has nothing to do with it. Immediately thereupon, Zara Thustra, who had opened ears and eyes to this talk, rose from her hiding-place, advanced towards the wankers, and thus began: „I would believe only in a Godot that knows how to dance!“ « Thus spoke Zara Thustra. » pt. III
feat.
Back to the Future
Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett
Thus spoke Zarathustra, Friedrich Nietzsche

Donnerstag, 26. Juni 2014

Waiting for Mac DeMarco

„Wait a minute, Mac. Ah... Are you telling me that you built a time machine... out of a song?“ ——— „The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a song, why not do it with some style?“



»Moron!« »Vermin!« »Abortion!« »Morpion!« »Sewer-rat!« »Curate!« »Cretin!« »Crrritic!« Unbind the fetters of thine ears: listen! It's a fact that at some point in space and time, the Japanese musician Shigeo Sekito time-travelled to 2014. He would find himself enjoying a classic hooker's breakfast, contemplating the fact that Vladimir (or Estragon, for that matter) never finished telling that story of the Englishman in the brothel, getting a little drunker than usual. All on a sudden, however, Sekito's ear was frightened.
From the future come winds with stealthy pinions, and to fine ears good tidings are proclaimed. That instant, Chamber Of Reflection struck Sekito like lightning —— Captured by the track's melody, the trained electone player & composer could not help but taking it back with him to 1975, returning to Nara with a tune in his pocket, hence turning into what has become the word II.
Surely one should hear the tick-tick;
he that hath an ear, let him hear.
Then I will say something into your ears, as that old clock-bell saith it into mine ear: There commenceth the single and irreplace- able melody.
Must one first batter their ears, that they may learn to hear with their eyes?
They steal the works of the inventors and the treasures of the wise.
A doctrine appeared, a faith ran beside, „All is empty, all is alike, all hath been!“ It is said that novelty was old. How could anyone blame Sekito? For this man was simply ahead of his time.
„Too far did I fly into the future, a melody seized upon me. And when I looked around me, lo! There time was my sole contemporary.“ Thus sang Mac DeMarco: No use looking out / It's within / That brings that lonely feeling
Let us not waste our time in idle discourse. „Salad Days“ gained 24 year-old Vernor Winfield McBriare Smith IV much critical acclaim with Pitchfork being captivated by „Chamber Of Reflection“ to an extent that puts extra reflection in their review: „Chamber of Reflection“s“ (sic) is something like Beach House's “Heart of Chambers”, but evoking a bare, cell-like apartment rather than a misty opium-den boudoir. It’s DeMarco’s most atmospherically exploratory track yet, and it’s also painfully lonely and quietly eloquent about the experience.“
All periods prate against one another in your spirits; Zara Thustra, however, became absorbed in a dark recollection, for it seemed to her as if she had once before stood in this hill valley. And much heaviness settled on her mind, so that she walked slowly and always more slowly, and at last stood still. Then, however, when she opened her eyes, she saw something sitting by the wayside shaped like a man: Estragon, sitting on a low mound, is trying to take off his boots. He pulls at it with both hands, panting. He gives up, exhausted, rests, tries again. As before. A country road. A tree. Evening. Enter Vladimir. »That passed the time.« »It would have passed in any case.« »Yes, but not so rapidly.« »What do we do now?« »I don't know.« »Let's go.« »We can't.« »Why not?« »We're waiting for Godot.«
Truth is: Godot could not jizz less about those two wankers sitting on that rock, waiting eternally for him who never comes. And unto him who hath still ears for the unheard: When Zara Thustra was alone, however, she said to her heart: „Could it be possible! This old saint in the forest hath not yet heard of it, that Godot is dead!“ Thus spoke Zara Thustra. » pt. II
feat.
Back to the Future
Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett
Thus spoke Zarathustra, Friedrich Nietzsche

Mittwoch, 7. Mai 2014

MoreEats – Big Cinema

by amanda jasnowski

How do you make Lady Gaga cry? Poke her face. Das Schmankerl aus einem Potpourri schlechter Witze, welche MoreEats auf seinen Konzerten kredenzt, wenn es nicht gerade gilt, die Pausen zwischen Anekdoten mit Liedern auszuschmücken. Er kommt (per Mitfahrgelegen- heit), sieht (mehr oder minder) und siegt (vor allem in den Herzen): Der Jonathan Richman von Liechtenstein.

Schlagzeug bei HOBIE (die berühmt-berüchtigte liechtensteiner Kraut- rock-Band, die schließlich als Disco-Band endete) > die Finger mal an den Gitarrensaiten, mal an den Tasten bei Little Tornados – ihr Erstling steckt in den Startlöchern – feat. Xeno Volcano (vox/gt) und Lætitia Sadier (vox/bass) > One Hit Wonder Zockrpapa, Fantasy Wank & Amore > all dies und noch viel mehr, das ist Moritz Schädler.

Das goldene Alter, in dem so manch Musikschaffende bereits das Zeit- liche segneten (Spinal Tap-esque an fremder Kotze erstickt / auf bizarre Art & Weise bei der Gartenarbeit umgekommen / auf der Bühne verpufft), kommt als Schnittschnelle gerade recht für MoreEats, um sein Debütalbum rauszuhauen. McDonalds-Emblem statt Matura: Der Schmusiker vom Triesenberg weiß davon ein Lied zu singen.

Auf Mixtape (die Hits der Jahre 2008-2010), die beiden EPs Koala (2010) und Köfferli Schädler (2011) sowie die zahlreichen musika- lischen Experimente & Kollaborationen folgt – logisch  Big Cinema: Großes Kino! Oder um es mit den Worten von André Herman Düne bzw. Stanley Brinks zu sagen: „MoreEats sounds the way his hair looks.“ (RIP Mollet '12, PITF&BITB). 

12 Tracks > auf Kassette > inklusive individuellem 35mm Negativ aus dem hauseigenen loveandanalog-Archiv sowie einer handgeschriebenen Botschaft > aufgenommen im Zürcher Spätherbst 2013 > veröffentlicht im Januar diesen Jahres via Tri Lingual Records, dem 2009 von Nicol Parkinson & Irina Jasnowski (frozy), Morgan Orion und Meister Schädler gegründeten Do It Together-Label und Kollektiv.

Das Artwork, kreiert von Nico Teezy, skizziert die Ecke Roland- straße, gelegen auf Zürichs Amüsiermeile zwischen dem Gonzo und der Bar3000. Die Lettern der Reklametafel ausgetauscht, schwebt MoreEats über dem Etablissement. Mit etwas Kopfkino lässt sich durch die Scheiben im Fenster darüber ein Lockenkopf erkennen, er blickt die Straße entlang, in Gedanken am Nachfolgewerk feilend: Quality Time.

step by step, wie die Italiener sagen bzw. track by track
::: Vorhang auf für den Fürst Of Pop :::

» Intro. Die einzigen Styles, die ich tastentechnisch irgendwie be- herrsche.

Colorblind. Ein Lied über meine ersten Monate in Zürich, als ich oft Webcam-Signale nach Neufundland gesendet habe. An Sonntagen war es teilweise wirklich tricky mit dem Kauf von Zigaretten. Am nächsten war wirklich dieser komische Kiosk, an dem auch eine Kneipe ange- schlossen war: Kassa nie eingeschaltet, Haare bis zum Arsch, nur 100er in der Tasche. Im darauffolgenden Sommer war ich dann mit Neufundland auf Tour und da hat mir mein Kollege Ali Europa eine Drum Machine zugejubelt. Das gab der Nummer dann den nötigen Pfiff. Und ja, ich bin farbenblind.

Groovy Movie. Sich in das falsche Mädchen verlieben und von der Beta Band klauen - mein liebstes Hobby. Die zweite Strophe war anfangs noch um einiges schlimmer "..next level, cuz I made a deal with the devil..". Das Rückwärts-Ding am Schluss ist übrigens nicht geplant gewesen. Ich hatte keine unbespielten Tapes mehr und so kam es dazu, dass ich halt bereits bespielte Kassetten benutzt habe und dieses hatte eine Demo-Version von der Nummer auf der B-Seite.

Like 4 On The Floor. Der Cheese. Der MS-10 Lead. Der Break. Ich feiere die Nummer nach wie vor selber ab. Die spannendsten 30 Sekunden, die ich je fabriziert habe. Ich habe ja keine große Ahnung, wie man da irgendwie was funky macht, aber hier hat's gut geklappt. Und, klaro - was gibt es besseres als eine Bass Drum, die durchklopft?

Come With Me. Ich bin seit Längerem auf diesem komischen A-Akkord hängengeblieben und bei dieser Nummer merkt man es wohl am meisten. Der Einfluss von Calvin Johnson lässt sich kaum leugnen und der Chorus auf dem Bass hat damit zu tun, dass es ein Bass Chorus Pedal im Studio gab. Mathias Kom von The Burning Hell hat ein sehr schönes Video gemacht. Wir verbrachten einen tiptopen Tag auf der Pfauen- insel. Postcard halt.

Maybe Tonight. Ich hab mir letzten Herbst beim Wavemeister Flohmarkt in Wien eine RX11 Drum Machine von Yamaha gekauft. Dieser war der erste Beat. Die Nummer war eigentlich nicht für's Album geplant, aber als ich mit dem 8-Spur rumgespielt habe und ich dann die Bass-Spur aufgenommen habe, war alles klar. Beim Abmischen hat Sandro gezaubert - der Break kommt recht fein raus. Ich hab mir vor Jahren an einem Jens Lekman-Konzert diese Notizbücher gekauft auf denen stand: "Maybe tonight I can rewrite this sad song about you". Alles klaro.

Stones. Letztes Jahr wurden die Stones 50 und ein bisschen Whiteboy-Afrika macht Laune. So viel zum Text. Der Ausbrecher war eigentlich nicht so wild geplant, passt dann aber ganz gut, wenn es wieder schön ruhig wird. Ich geh diesen Juni mit meinem Vater die Stones anschauen. Wir waren schon vor zehn Jahren auf einer Show der Stones. Das war Big Cinema durch und durch!

Saint Pete. Eine weitere Nummer aus meiner Anfangszeit in der Limmatstadt. Ich hatte so einen Job als Search Engine Optimizer; kurz: Bescheißen auf Google. Das Büro war im Niederdorf und da gibt es diese großen Kirchen. Während einer Rauchpause hat mich dann ein Mitarbeiter aufgeklärt und mir jeweils die Namen der Kirchen beigebracht. Am dicksten die St. Peter Kirche. Das Lied ist natürlich auch eine kleine Ode an den Erfinder der Snooze-Funktion.
 
Momo Le Chat. Der Versuch, eine alte Nummer auf das Album zu nehmen. Vielleicht das Lied, das am wenigsten passt. Irgendwie war ich nie glücklich, wie was Lied auf der EP klang. Ich hatte eigentlich die Idee, ein Video zu machen: Als Katze verkleidet durch Zürich zu wackeln und dann ans MoreEats Konzert zu gehen. So als Finale halt.

Citro Nights. Ein kleines Zwischenspiel vor der eigentlichen Action. Noch hysterisch kurz vor dem Abmischen aufgenommen. Ganz OK. Da wollte ich, glaub, so kool Malkmus auf der Mirror Traffic-Platte tun. Hat natürlich nicht geklappt.

Teenage Nights. In Liechtenstein gab's als Teenie nicht viel. Ich kam erst jeweils Samstags vom Internat (www.mehrerau.at) nach Hause und ging dann gleich ins JUZ proben. Abends war dann immer scheiße. Deshalb fingen wir an, nach Feldkirch zu gehen. Erstens war das Bivo günstiger und da gab es halt die Sonderbar. Top Laden mit oft feiner Musik. Da gab es dann auch süße Hippieschnecken und g'fürchtige Punkertanten. Kettenrauchend irgendwo hinten, großkotzig Rumcola (2,30) oder Campari Orange (3,90) bestellt und den dummen Punkern zugeschaut, wie sie auf Tischen rumgetanzt haben. Schlussendlich haben sie eh alle Matura gemacht und ihre alten Spitznamen von Dödel wieder zu Franz und so gewechselt. Teenage Nights so hard to beat.

Do You Really Wanna Go? Auch Feldkirch. Ein paar Jahre später. Ich als Bademeister am Poolbar Festival. Da trägt man so ein großes hellblaues T-Shirt auf dem Bademeister steht und schaut dumm aus der Wäsche. Am Abend zuvor hat so eine Ösi-Band Vorband gemacht und da war eine in der Band, die ich ganz süß fand. Ich musste dann irgend- wann auf den Bus (im Song ist Tram - tönt schöner und reimt sich auf AM). Am nächsten Tag dann verkatert wieder Bademeisterdienst. Da kam sie kurz vorbei und mein Kollege hatte sie am Abend zuvor eh schon geküsst. Die sind dann baden gegangen und ich hab die Nummer ge- schrieben. Die Idee zu diesem Disco-Schluss kam mir wohl irgendwann im Keller. Ich hab ja das Album alleine auf einer 8-Spur-Maschine aufgenommen, bei schlechter Luft und Catering von Coop Pronto. Da wird man irgendwann komisch. Die Metalbands um mich rum haben sich wahrscheinlich sehr gefreut, als sie hörten, wie Will Smith nebenan an einer neuen Platte arbeitet. Und natürlich shout out an Zürich. «

Dienstag, 1. April 2014

"I Am Damo Suzuki", by Damo Suzuki

Who is Damo Suzuki?
Mark E is Damo Suzuki, he is singing this song since 1985.

Damo's spirit says:
It might be somewhere the guy called Damo Suzuki in this world. But, he is everywhere, maybe behind you....turn to see back.

"I Am Mark E. Smith"
I don't know as generally I don't use texture....if I do then I use word like Manchester, Bottles, Whisky, Anti London, United, Shelter, etc...

Donnerstag, 20. Februar 2014

Interview with Connan Mockasin

As I join the Mockasin family, they just finished soundchecking. Connan is still up on stage, appearing like a troubadour while the rest of the crew is sitting in a front row of red velvet seats. "We have to watch this, otherwise we'll get kicked out of the band", they comment on his attempt at improvised comedy. The musician & painter also has a strong affinity for acting — if making music was still his favourite method? "Yeah, probably. It seems to be the easiest way anyway at the moment."

Ever since the release of Forever Dolphin Love, the follow-up album has been eagerly awaited. Once Caramel came out, the reception was ambivalent. Connan seems to understand this kind of disappointment: "It's a bit different to the first one, but I think they go together quite well." Indeed, Caramel starts off as sequel to Forever Dolphin Love but soon evolves to follow a different approach: "I think the new one's actually a better overall record." Whereas Forever Dolphin Love is one conglomerate of idea and state, Caramel sticks to its concept. "Just give it another listen, please?" Although Connan adds: "I don't expect everyone to like Caramel at all, no way. Nevermind if they don't like it."

Equal in their ethereal quality, both albums even might have the same artwork fate in common: "I did two covers for the last record, so I wanna do another one for this one. If the label's gonna press it again, then I'll make a new cover artwork when I get some time. So it's not gonna be like Cher's one", Connan notes after I reveal to him the similarity of Caramel's current artwork to the one of Closer To The Truth. Unintentionally (according to Mockasin), yet striking.

"It's quite a small town, isn't it? Are people coming?", Connan asks me. Considering the fact that the band is playing sold-out shows and venues like Trianon in Paris on this tour, it is rather exceptional to have them perform in a small and half-full venue like Palace in St. Gallen.* "I really like this building, it's nice. It reminds me of the town closest to where I live which was wiped out in the 30s from an earthquake and rebuilt all Art déco", Connan observes while looking around this red-light venue, a cinematic relict from the twenties which today is one of Switzerland's most remarkable venues.

"How was it?", Connan is asked by his bandmate Nick after our inter- view. "She just had one question, but I wasn't very good at it." / "What was the question?" / "She wanted to know everything there is to know about this particular live recording we did."

"This is from memories quite a long time ago, it's really hard to remember. I haven't heard it since we did it, I feel uncomfortable listening to stuff once it is done; I leave it for other people to enjoy, I suppose... I can't even recall how it went but I'm sure it sounds a lot different ——— It's a little bit different each night, anyway. If you're in the right feel or good mood, that can change quite a bit. But this recording is definitely far from how we do it now. Except for Nick was playing bass, it's also with different players: Elrory on drums and a man called Joe who is about 60 years old and never played with us before, he played on another guitar. But it was bascially the three of us playing. It was in the living room of Elrory's parents place in Shoreditch, London. It was evening, so we had to be careful with the noise. We did have to apologize to the neighbours afterwards. We had maybe 50 people coming in off the street, just friends bringing their friends, we kept it kind of quiet. The room was packed, more than half of people were sitting down, the couches were pushed to the back and used. It was just to do this live recording. It sounds like a demo, really. Like a microphone in a lounge. That was three, maybe four years ago? When I originally started recording 'Forever Dolphin Love', I would start with the drums first. There's two different drums playing. My friend Joe and my friend Ricky took over drums for the record with Will Ricketts on percussion. So I recorded those first and then I remember continuing working on it and thinking that the drum recording was really bad. Really bad. I couldn't do it again, though. So I didn't know what to do. I still think it's bad but in a way it sort of fits well with the recording, so it's okay. It was my first time recording, I was just learning. I remember it was fun and enjoyable and really easy to make, everything seemed to be just first takes ——————— But I didn't know what I was doing, really."
And that's exactly the moment when Connan is Mockasin. Ask him about aesthetics or potatoes, you will receive the same answer: None. Here is where it's at: "I just heard it in my head", Connan tries to explain the story behind 'Forever Dolphin Love' and continues: "'Forever Dolphin Love; a-a-a-a-a-ahh', that was the dolphin singing, so I just called it that." May the music of New Zealand's best artistic export since Flight Of The Conchords speak for itself.

Mittwoch, 5. Februar 2014

Interview with TOY

Hallogallo should be Germany's national anthem. Charlie Salvidge
























 The Beatles or The Stones?
The Stones. (Panda The Barron) Stones for me, too. (Dominic O'Dair) We've been watching The Beatles Anthology, so we're quite a mess in the Beatles right now... It's a really difficult question to answer, but I think that we kind of always go for the Stones, they just got this slightly evil side to them. I think we've always been Stones as opposed to Beatles.(P) But we are pretty obsessed with both of them.(D) Yeah, we love them but if I was gonna join one clan, I'd join the Stones. We really like „Their Satanic Majesties Request“ and I was just thinking today actually about 'Not Fade Away'. I am also a big fan of 'Citadel', 'She's So Cold' and 'Waiting On A Friend'. The video to that song is amazing, Mick and Keith bumming around New York.(P) They went through lots of amazing different stages and each one of them is as enjoyable as the last, I really love them up until about '73.(D) I go all the way up to today. Team Stones! But we could equally switch to Team Beatles.(P)

Spinal Tap or Flight Of The Conchords?
Oh, Spinal Tap!(P) Yeah, although I really like Flight Of The Conchords.(D) But we're not on their team, we are on Team Spinal Tap. There's scenes that occur in our daily lives which are very Spinal Tap, we actually get lost all the time like in the 'Hello, Cleveland!' scene where they get lost in the big arena. Eventually, we'll have three basses and will sound like 'Big Bottom'. I especially find the Stonehenge part really funny when the mini- Stonehenge comes down. We visited Stonehenge quite a few times; the last time as we were droving past it, we actually put the Stonehenge song on.(P) Yeah, we always pass it when we're on England tour, so we stop and hang out there, although they don't let you very close to it.(D) And it actually is getting smaller, I believe. I also really like this little scene when David St. Hubbins is doing yoga with his wife on all fours and he sticks out his tongue really fast. Hilarious!(P) I like the end with the drummer in the bath and he's got this little bath cap on, he's my favourite Spinal Tap member.(D)

Neu! or Can?
Oh, don't make us choose!(D) Neu?(P) I literally can't choose, they are my favourite two Krautrock bands. They're both phenomenal, we love them and we're heavily influenced by both of them.(D) That's very hard, we can't choose. But we're doing a thing on this tour: A song per day on each town that we are in and as we are in Cologne today where Can is from, we're gonna choose Can.(P) I was thinking about this actually today that we're in Cologne that we played with Damo Suzuki. I still can't quite believe that this actually happened! All the times I have been listening to Can all my life, I never dreamt of actually meeting yet alone playing with Damo Suzuki. That this would happen is still incredible.(D)

Holger Czukay once said „Music means putting time in motion“. As the artwork of your first album is made from sound waves translated into an image, doesn't this make that cover art the visualized epitome of Czukay's words? It does, actually. It is the actual practical method of what Czukay was saying, he probably just thought it up 30 years before Leif Podhajský did who made the artwork.(P) Although it is not made from our sound, unfortunately. There is also the opposite method where you can draw waves and it produces those waves in sound, which is phenomenal.(D) I really like the idea of something coming out of the sound that is being made and the opposite way around, so it is quite an accurate pure interpretation of Holger Czukay. His description is great, I really like it. I really like his moustache as well.(P)

Because He Can. How would you describe the step from your first record to the second one? It's a nice development. We've had more time, experimented more and for us it's just a natural progression being able to expand and play different stuff as we go on and on. I guess with this one we had more time to play and go to the studio, we were much more involved in mixing and there is a lot more layers to this record. There is a lot more stuff, it is kind of more dense. It's just us having more fun, experimenting more and that's our progression. That is how I would always like to progress: Experimenting as we go.(P) We love writing songs so much and evolving them together. Lots of people do an album every three, four years which is fair enough but I prefer the idea of making a record each year. Each time it sort of becomes a picture of that particular year making music.(D) It's like a snapshot of what's going on. Going back to The Beatles and The Stones, that's how The Beatles and The Stones had to do it back in the day: You did an album per year, sometimes you did two. I think if you work that way it kind of produces more interesting results.(P) We always think about the next place where we could go.(D)

Which is quite a Nigel Tufnel way of thinking... Exactly! And you're not sitting at something until the point comes up where it gets old and it becomes uncreative and it doesn't sound like it has got that spark and energy in it, that doesn't interest us. We really like progressing fast.(P) Each time we make a record, we've already made two. Not literally, but you're just in a better place to make the next one. So the more you make, the better. And when you get into a band, let's say Sonic Youth and you find out about their phenomenal back catalogue to listen through, it takes you months and months to get your head around, that's what we really like.(D) With Can as well, or The Stones. They all just fuckin' did what they liked the most: Making records, which is exactly what we like doing.(P)

Captain Beefheart or Frank Zappa?
Beefheart.(D&P) Although I really like Zappa. I listened to Zappa as a kid, way before Beefheart who came a little later, but definitely Beefheart. I guess „Safe As Milk“ was the first record we all listened to together and then „Trout Mask Replica“, both about at the same time. My favourite now is probably „Strictly Personal“. Love Beefheart, he's cool.(P)

„Why don't you go commercial?“, Beefheart once was asked in an interview and he'd reply: „Either I'm too smart or too dumb, I just don't know which." Did you guys have any doubts about supporting Placebo? Not really. It just seemed like it would be pretty great fun and an insane opportunity which we grabbed with both hands.(D) You know, we are who we are and playing with a band like Placebo has no effect on us. I don't think it puts us in a different light, we just like doing things for fun. And this is pretty fun.(P)

The Velvet Underground or The Velvet Underground?
I'd personally go for the Velvets. You? (D) I prefer The Velvet Underground.(P) They are collectively our favourite band of all time!(D) We could probably say that. We did this cover of 'What goes on', which was kind of a fun idea and actually ended up recording it. It just feels really good to play.(P) There's a lot of different amazing live version of this song which are very extended and different from the record version.(D) We were all very sad about Lou, Tom actually had a wake which is some kind of celebration you have after someone's death, gathering people around & listening to Lou for a couple of days.(P)

Another banana to lay down.

Donnerstag, 30. Januar 2014

I Know Where Effi Briest Lives



Es ist der Tag der deutschen Einheit, Herbstblätter bedecken den Asphalt. Entlang prächtiger Bauten führt vorbei an einem urigen, „Das Leben, ein ewiges Rätsel / Der Tod, für immer ein Geheimnis“ proklamierenden Friedhof der Hochbucher Weg geradewegs zu auf einen Hügel, an dessen Spitze steht eine beschauliche Villa mit der Haus- nummer 45. Ein älterer Herr erblickt davor meine bescheidene Wenigkeit stehen und wendet sich an mich mit den Worten: „Jaja, hier lebte einst die Effi Briest.“ Persönlich hätte er besagte Dame nie kennengelernt; trotz schütterem Haar und Falten, in denen ein langes Leben ruht, ist der zeitliche Unterschied dafür zu groß. Doch die längst verschiedene Nachbarin hätte das Fräulein noch gekannt, als es 1918 von Berlin nach Lindau am Bodensee gezogen sei, wo sie bis zu ihrem Tode verblieb. Einen eigenen Kopf hätte sie schon immer gehabt und verrückt sei sie allemal gewesen; ob positiv oder negativ, bleibt das Väterlein unentschlossen. Unvermittelterweise bemerkt er, dass die Zeiten anno dazumal halt anders gewesen wären und man sich nicht so einfach hätte trennen können. „Sie wollte die Scheidung einreichen“, spricht er zu mir und doch wie zu sich selbst; ein weites Feld, wie Theodor Fontane sagen würde.

Es ist der 03. Oktober, gleichermaßen Hochzeits- wie Schicksalstag im Leben der Romanfigur Effi Briest. Auf Drängen der Mutter hin vermählt sich die 17-Jährige mit dem 38-jährigen Geert von Inn- stetten, einem Mann von Disziplin, Ordnung und Ehrenkodex, immerzu auf Karriere und gesellschaftliches Ansehen bedacht. Effi vereinsamt an seiner Seite, fehlende Huldigungen, Anregungen und kleine Auf- merksamkeiten treiben den Schön- und Freigeist schließlich in eine Affaire mit dem 44-jährigen Major von Crampas, der Effi bietet, wonach sich ihr Naturell sehnt: Zerstreuung, Abwechslung, Leicht- sinn. Als das Ehepaar auf Innstettens Beförderung hin von Kessin nach Berlin übersiedelt, beendet Effi die Affaire. Sechs Jahre später fällt Innstetten jedoch durch einen unglückseligen Zufall der eindeutige Briefwechsel zwischen Effi und ihrem Liebhaber in die Hände und Innstetten sieht sich, entehrt und gekränkt, gezwungen zu handeln: Er fordert Crampas zum Pistolenduell heraus, wobei Crampas die todbringende Kugel trifft. Anschließend lässt sich Innstetten von Effi scheiden und entzieht ihr das Sorgerecht für die gemeinsame Tochter Annie. Nach ihrer Rückkehr ins Elternhaus in Hohen-Cremmen verstirbt Effi Briest dort als von der Gesellschaft verstoßen-verachtete Ehebrecherin im Alter von 29 Jahren. In einem Brief, datiert 18. Oktober 1895, schreibt Fontane: „Das ist nun also Effi. Schenken Sie ihr die Liebe, die sie menschlich so sehr verdient."

Es ist die Person und Geschichte der Elisabeth von Plotho, nach der Fontane "Effi Briest" konzipiert hat. Beruhend auf dem Ehebruch- skandal von 1886, bildet diese Angelegenheit um „Else“ von Plotho samt dem folgenschweren Pistolenduell zwischen Ehemann Armand Léon von Ardenne und Liebhaber Emil Hartwich die Grundlage des Romans. Doch im Gegensatz zur "Effi" stirbt "Else" nicht an Einsamkeit und gebrochenem Herzen, sondern bestreitet unentwegt ihr Leben. Selbst eine erneute Annäherung zwischen ihr und den beiden Kindern findet statt, ehe sie im hohen Alter von 98 Jahren aus dem Leben scheidet. "Die ganze Geschichte ist eine Ehebruchgeschichte wie hundert andre mehr und hätte, als mir Frau von Lessing davon erzählte, weiter keinen Eindruck auf mich gemacht, wenn nicht die Szene bez. die Worte: »Effi, komm« darin vorgekommen wären. Der Zuruf machte solchen Eindruck auf mich, daß aus dieser Szene die ganze lange Geschichte entstanden ist. An dieser einen Szene können auch Baron A. und die Dame erkennen, daß ihre Geschichte den Stoff gab", schreibt Fontane am 21. Februar 1896 an Publizist und Romancier Friedrich Spielhagen, welcher den gesellschaftlichen Skandal zeit- gleich und ohne jedwede Kenntnis von Fontanes Ausgestaltung der Thematik in seinem Roman „Zum Zeitvertreib“ (1896) verarbeitete.

Es ist der Drang nach Zerstreuung im Strom des Lebens, den die Protagonistinnen Effi Briest - oder im Falle Spielhagens: Klotilde, Madame Bovary von Gustave Flaubert und Anna Karenina von Leo Tolstoi (in entferntem Sinne auch Nora oder ein Puppenheim von Henrik Ibsen) empfinden und dadurch zum Äußersten getrieben werden. Indem sie den Versuch wagen, sich aus ihrem Korsett von Zwängen zu befreien, um Raum in der Seele zu schaffen und entfalten zu können, verstricken sich die Titelheldinnen erst recht im ausweglosen Getriebe der Gesellschaft. Als 1895 "Effi Briest" in Buchform erscheint, einer durch strenge Konventionen geregelten Zeit unter Bismarck, ist der Autor bereits 75 Jahre alt. Als hätte sich Theodor Fontane Zeit seines Lebens für diesen einen Roman warmgeschrieben, fließen darin schriftstellerische Stilistik, Weltanschauung & Gesellschaftskritik formvollendet zusammen. Auszug aus einem Brief Fontanes: „Die größte aller Revolutionen würde es sein, wenn die Welt übereinkäme, an Stelle der alten, nur scheinbar prosaischen Ordnungsmächte die freie Herzensbestimmung zu setzen. Das wäre der Anfang vom Ende. Denn so groß und stark das menschliche Herz ist, eins ist noch größer: seine Gebrechlichkeit und seine wetterwendische Schwäche."

Es ist das feine kompositorische Element der Motivik und Symbolik, dessen sich der Schriftsteller insbesondere in diesem Werk bedient und welches unverzichtbar ist für die Qualität und Geschlossenheit der Handlung. Innere Zusammenhänge herstellend, Geschehen an- bzw. vorausdeutend und psychologische Prozesse der Figuren beleuchtend, lässt sich aus ihren Verweisen ein gehaltvolles Netz motivischer und symbolischer Fäden entspinnen. Wie die Motive (Duellwesen, Spuk, »Effi, komm«) im Verlaufe des Romans an symbolischer Bedeutung gewinnen, erfahren die Symbole (beispielsweise der Chinese als Angstapparat aus Kalkül ist laut Fontane „Drehpunkt für die ganze Geschichte“) an leitmotivischer Bedeutung. Da ihre Grenzen im Laufe des Romans miteinander verschwimmen und fließend ineinander über- gehen, ergeben sie zusammen ein Ganzes, das mehr ist als die Summe seiner symbolischen und motivischen Anteile: „Einmal trat sie spät abends vor den Spiegel in ihrer Schlafstube; die Lichter und Schatten flogen hin und her und im selben Augenblick war es ihr, als sähe ihr wer über die Schulter. Aber sie besann sich rasch. "Ich weiß schon, was es ist; es war nicht der", und sie wies mit dem Finger nach dem Spukzimmer oben. "Es war was anderes... mein Gewissen... Effi, du bist verloren." Es ging aber doch weiter so, die Kugel war im Rollen und was an einem Tage geschah, machte das Tun des andern zur Notwendigkeit."

„Es ist unser Orakel*“, sagt Jessica Stathos, Perkussionistin der Band Effi Briest (am Bass übrigens Elizabeth Hart von den Psychic Ills) über das Werk, nach dem sich die Gruppe benannt hat. „Du nimmst das Buch zur Hand, stellst ihm eine Frage, schlägst es an einer beliebigen Stelle auf und wirst darin die passende Antwort vorfinden", fügt Schlagzeugerin Corinne Jones hinzu und erwähnt weiters die Rainer Werner Fassbinder-Verfilmung aus dem Jahre 1974, deren vollständiger Titel lautet 'Fontane Effi Briest oder Viele, die eine Ahnung haben von ihren Möglichkeiten und ihren Bedürfnissen und trotzdem das herrschende System in ihrem Kopf akzeptieren durch ihre Taten und es somit festigen und durchaus bestätigen'. Fassbinder äußert sich zu seinem Film mit Hanna Schygulla in der Rolle der Effi Briest folgendermaßen: „Dies ist kein Frauenfilm, sondern ein Film über Fontane, über die Haltung eines Dichters zu seiner Gesellschaft. Es ist kein Film, der eine Geschichte erzählt, sondern es ist ein Film, der eine Haltung nachvollzieht. Es ist die Haltung von einem, der die Fehler und Schwächen seiner Gesellschaft durchschaut und sie auch kritisiert, aber dennoch diese Gesellschaft als die für ihn gültige anerkennt... Mein Problem ist gewesen, meine Haltung zu der Gesellschaft, in der ich lebe, dadurch klarzumachen, indem ich versuche, einen Film über Fontane zu machen.“

Es ist ein zu weites Feld.

Dienstag, 7. Januar 2014

TOY & Listing Ships sound carrying Damo Suzuki

performance at the social
Idle Fret: I went to a TOY in-store at Rough Trade East last year and asked them if they’d like to back Damo Suzuki, along side Listing Ships, at a show I was putting together and they said they’d love to. I was looking forward to this show for ages and June 25th 2013 came around slowly, but when it did, it was really exciting! Luke Insect who designed the show poster came down to play some records and Andrew Weatherall played an hour of Krautrock before Damo and his network of sound carriers played. Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream wanted to perform with Damo too and was set to come down, but because it was an improvised performance with no Can songs, this sadly didn’t happen. Weatherall played the final song of his incredible DJ set and as the last few bars of The Fall’s I Am Damo Suzuki rang out across the venue, TOY and Listing Ships took to the stage, but there was no sign of Damo. The band started playing as I went to look for him and there he was tucked away in the corner sitting at the merch stall, not having realized that the band had started to play. I led him to the stage and then the crowd witnessed an almighty improvised set of heavy Krautrock for over an hour. It was one long song that could have happily gone on for another hour, as everyone on and offstage was having such a great time. It was definitely one of my favourite Idle Fret shows so far and we raised an amazing £1000 for Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support from the proceeds of the show. It was a very special line up and an amazing night! (Darren Brooker)

all photography
by jim donnelly
TOY: It was one of the best times we've ever played music together! I don't think we have actually ever done an improvised thing where we just made it all up, and I totally lost track of time. We played for more than an hour but it felt like only one moment. To have the kind of Godfather Of Improvisation ask us to play with him: The greatest day in my entire life. (Panda The Barron) Damo's network is a really cool method of making music where he just kind of goes around the world and picks up people to play music with. He even sent us an e-mail before just to make sure that we definitely wouldn't arrange any kind of music or practice at all; we literally just played whatever came out. (Dominic O'Dair)

Listing Ships: I've had the pleasure of performing alongside Damo twice before and I've promoted shows for him four or five times in our hometown of Oxford too, so he and I go back quite a long time - the joy of Damo's shows really is that no two are ever the same. The band is unique, but more than that, the music they create only exists for that time and in that place, and I think there's something very precious about that in a time when every experience, musical or otherwise, is recorded and set down for posterity. I love the idea of a groove, a moment that only exists for a few seconds at that one time and never comes alive again. For tonight's show, it was unusual for me in that instead of a band entirely composed of different musicians who've never played together before, tonight it was two very tight, well-rehearsed bands who've been playing together for years, but thrown together at the same time as a backing band for Damo. This meant not only improvising with my own bandmates, but also working with Damo on where he wanted to take the music, and also reacting to and playing with another entire band at the same time. I felt it would have worked better had the two bands been physically mixed together rather than facing off opposite each other as two complete units, but the challenge was exhilarating. Not only that, but a combination of the size of the venue (tiny!), the size of the crowd (big!) and the amount of equipment we had (masses!) meant the audience was tight around us at all times, creating a wonderfully intense atmosphere. I'm usually Listing Ships' bass player, but have played synths and samplers in other bands, so tonight was also a chance for me to cut loose and focus more on keyboards and samples, and so push myself beyond my usual instrument as well. I find what Damo does incredibly inspiring, he's brought together so many musicians, and so much incredible music all over the world, and all with such humility and devotion not to the people involved, but to the music and what it can achieve, frozen in time, for everyone sharing that moment. (Stuart Fowkes)

.
Northod: There is no better way to feel secret interaction between musicians than while they are running in live, improvising. Indeed Toy (last bb from UK), Damo Suzuki from the master mystical Can and Listing Ships played a show together in front of my eyes, in an intimate and warm atmosphere at The Social, London. Lots of musicians then, trying to do their best to create a huge massive sound amount of néo-psychedelia and kraut way of thinking during more than 40 minutes with no cessation. Sometimes close to nothing, nevertheless intoxicating by sound intensity and repetitive gimmick from super testosterone-powered bass to weird overloaded guitar delay and misty synthesizer. Definitely a friendly and relaxing climate between such reachable artists and lovely audience. I am happy to see this kind of things (underground comings) still happen in London. (Thom Layan)

Damo: This is what I’m doing every performance, create time and space of the moment with ever changing local sound carriers. This London show together with Toy and Listing Ships from Oxford: The venue was really hot. Already there wasn’t enough space for every sound carrier. (Stage was so tiny) So, some of them performed on floor in middle of audience. As usual I was at merchandising table, almost I missed to join them on the stage if the promoter didn’t pick me up. Member of Toy were very smart young guys and some of them told me they never done live improve. As far as situation after the performance, it must be an amazing time for everybody involved that I’m sure of. Wish many good things happened upon Toy and Listing Ships. (Suzuki)