U n r U LY M U s i C M A G A Z i n e
DeCeMber 2009 J A n U A rY 2 0 1 0
WIN TICKETS rAVeonettes, stAte X, poLVo, sLeepY sUn + 15 hot seX pACKs
the GiFt issUe:
s U b b A C U Lt C h A ’ s G U i D e to b e t t e r G i F t- G i V i n G pLUs: thoMAs trUAX V e rY W e i r D C h r i s t M A s s o n G s W W W. s U b b AC U Lt C h A. nL t U n e YA r D s CoNtINUE 1
NEW MUSIC
Photos: Nick Helderman
Music Moments
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Elle Bandita @ Watt, Rotterdam
Win tickets to next month’s Music Moment. See ‘Free Stuff’ page in this publication.
NEW MUSIC
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Brendan benson
After the lights go out By Daniëlle van Ark Photographer Daniëlle van Ark takes photos of musicians right after they’ve come off stage. Every month we publish one of her photos.
Brendan Benson 04-11-2009. Melkweg, Amsterdam.
THIS MONTH Giving is the new taking. Free is the new currency. Generosity is a lifesaver. Everything will be free and Buma Stemra will soon be out of business. We won’t. And while bright guys and dolls lean back and type out a revolution on their laptops, the future unfolds in the only possible way. But first... December. First we eat and drink and dance and receive. Lots, please. Gimme Gimme Gimme! We say, enjoy and see you in February, after you’ve finished this two month issue.
on the cover Lisa by Ann Woo
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CONTENT This month in Subbacultcha! magazine Yes, we are all about unruly, independent, relentless, alternative, loud, beautiful, silent, disturbing, soothing and uncompromising music. ...but we all love to give, right?
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The gift Issue
It’s december. a time for giving... and taking. enjoy it while you can, ‘cause soon everything will be free. And then, what value is a gift?
a guide to better giving
covering david lynch
The 10 best albums of 2009 page 11
An interview with Thomas Truax page 22
herrie xmas
Agenda
9 weirdest Christmas songs evah page 24
This month’s must sees page 45
ann woo
free STUFF
Featured artist page 33
The Raveonettes, State X, Sleepy Sun, Polvo and more page 46
top 5/inbox we saw you subbacultcha! shows off the record new music how to give thomas truax 10 weird x-mas songs
9 10 12 14 16 18 22 28
tune yards film featured artist horoscope spekkie big agenda free stuff after midnight
30 33 35 40 42 43 44 55
Membership €6,- per month Sign up at www.subbacultcha.nl
JOIN Subbacultcha! And get Hot hot hot in the cold cold winter FREE 2 dvd’s and a h ylis ssssst tor vibra
The first 15 new members get a great sex pack from Mail & Female. 2 dvds: rock hard (what else?) And the short film Headshot (Based on blow job by Andy warhol). and... do you feel the buzz? yes, a lovely little vibrator. Now that’s A great gift for lovers and friends, isn’t it? Plus your monthly Membership including: • free access to all subbacultcha! shows • Home delivery of our monthly magazine • An exclusive subbacultcha! t-shirt
DE BESTE RELEASES
VAN 2009: 10% KORTING
Animal Collective 15.99
Atlas Sound
15.99
Fuck Buttons
16.99
Grizzly Bear
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Yacht
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HEALTH
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PLATO & CONCERTO
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Party: 5 years Subbacultcha! @ De Melkweg We celebrated the fact that we’ve spent the past 5 years ‘sticking it to the man’ and you were there to celebrate it with us!
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Year: 2009 Over 60 Subbacultcha! shows, more than 250 bands, 100,000 magazines (6,000,000 pages) , 1500 art books, 1000 CDs, 500 7” singles, 3 exhibitions, 30 The Moi Non Plus shows in 7 different countries, 4 movie nights and a showcase in New York. Thank you and goodnight.
top 5 Last month at our office These are 5 things that thrilled, chilled and excited us last month.
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Travel: New York New York is buzzing in so many ways, it makes me dizzy just thinking about it. The kind of place you couldn’t stand to live in but always, always, always want to go back to.
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Song: You cried Me - Jookabox Song of the year with that wonderful lyrical breakdown. No I can’t let you do it! You should go, there’s not much time. What? No! I won’t let you do it! Ohw! Are you sure? OK! Ahoooowahoow!
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Food: De Burgermeester Healthy goat cheese burgers and potatoes with sour cream! ...And you thought we were hipsters.
Shop Hoi, Okidoki, die foutmelding is er, maar met gewoon doordrukken op review (+ submit) is de order gelukt. Top, het is dus gelukt, bedankt. Een mooi initiatief deze nieuwe 7 inch serie, de eerste is in ieder geval helemaal top. Ben niet meer enthousiast geweest over een 7 inch serie sinds de serie 6 van de Ex. Maar dat is toch ook alweer
20 jaar geleden, de tijd vliegt of ik wordt gewoon een oude lul? Nogmaals top en zie de 7” tegemoet. Groet, Mathieu van de Hert Yes folks, you got that right; our new shop is online. By the time you read this the tiny flaws spoken about in this letter will be fixed and you can order all the great Subbacultcha! stuff online. shop.subbacultcha.nl
INbox The stuff we get in our mailbox... day in day out. it never stops. Luckily. Submit: magazine@subbacultcha.nl
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we saw you Spotted at Subbacultcha! We chat up someone at a Subbacultcha! party just because we are curious to know who is drinking the cocktails and buying the tickets. Text and photo by Mila van de Wall.
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“I walked away from a Regurgitator concert with a black eye and no shorts” What’s your favourite album/ artist now? Women What’s your favourite album/ artist ever? What else do you say but The Beatles? Best record store? Sound Fix in Williamsburg Which music did you listen to when you were young? Crowded House What was the first record that you bought? 2 Unlimited: ‘No Limits’. Amazing! Guilty pleasures? Steve Miller Band Which album is still on your ‘to buy’ list? It’s not released yet but I’m patiently waiting for the new Yeasayer album Best movie soundtrack? The Assassination of Jesse James by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Which famous artist did you fancy when you were young? Vanilla Ice. Gross Which famous artist do you fancy right now? Hmm... Stephen from the White Rabbits is pretty cute Best concert ever? Way too hard to answer, so many moments! Arcade Fire in Sydney three years ago, The Boredoms with nine drummers at ATP, Caribou in Bloomington, Mahjongg at Primavera Festival... Worst concert ever? I walked away from a Regurgitator concert with a black eye and no shorts And what was the loudest? Ei-
ther Mogwai (totally worth the hearing loss) this year in New York OR Dave Seaman (totally NOT worth the hearing loss) in 2001 in Melbourne Which music makes you puke? Joanna Newsom What do you listen to when you are on your bike? I don’t ride but I always listen to Patrick Watson or Bing and Ruth on the subway What makes you dance? LCD Soundsystem. James Murphy is a genius Which music makes you cry? The Antlers ‘Hospice’. EVERY TIME What do you listen to when you are doing the dishes? Old soul music And when you have sex? The new Fuck Buttons ‘Tarot Sport’, recently... What’s your favourite album cover? Anything pre-1987 featuring a man with a moustache or a woman in a leotard. Soft focus of course Which record do you regret buying? Anything pre-1987 featuring a man with a moustache or a woman in a leotard. Soft focus of course Which music do you say you like (for hipsters sake), but actually, you don’t? Changes every hour, isn’t that what, like, hipsters do, right?
Name & age: Grace Jones, 28 Daytime job/study: Music publicist Other interests: Music, The World. People. Bloody Marys Place of Birth: Darwin, Australia Spotted at: Subbacultcha! CMJ Festival Showcase at The Cake Shop in New York on 20 October end 11
Coming up at subbacultcha!
Little Women (US), Thomas Truax (US), The Moi Non Plus
04-12 Smart Project Space, Amsterdam. 20.00, €7.50 See Little Women, if you have the balls. Obnoxiously unreasonable and scarily cool, this skronk jazz quartet is bound to break your eardrums with their raucous grooves. Expect a spectacle for the eye and for the ear from Thomas Truax, instrument inventor extraordinaire. And if you still have room on your plate, homegrown duo The Moi Non Plus will provide an abrasive serving of lies and riffs as part of their new repertoire. (Zofia Ciechowska)
Monotonix (Isr), Shit & Shine (US/UK)
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06-12 Patronaat, Haarlem. 20.00, €8 Scrape the wax off your earplugs, you’ll certainly require them tonight. Tel Aviv garage rockers Monotonix are no strangers to Dutch audiences and are headed back once more for another session of raw rock riffs and plaintive but powerful drumming. As for Shit & Shine, there’s nothing easy listening about this bunch of Brits and Americans. They’re accustomed to creating their own noise rock form of the ‘drum circle’. Previous sets in Amsterdam ended after just one song. Albeit, a 45 minute tribal feast.
Teengirl Fantasy (US)
09-12 (Subbacultcha! & Katapult) Studio 80, Amsterdam. 20.00, €8 It’s not just ’80s clothing and hair dominating at the moment, it’s also ’80s music technology and pop music. This American duo fall into the Pictureplane style of mid-tempo beats and swirling, reverb-drenched sounds. There’s a lo-fi aesthetic at heart, in a similar ‘taped-up cables’ way as Dan Deacon, only without the standup comedy and the urge to mosh to Slayer. Embrace the fantasy as you dance with a chosen partner or three.
Magazine Party ft. Mark Brown
11-12 De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam. Free for mailinglist members who RSVP Come celebrate the last magazine issue of the year at the last magazine party of the year. Special guest is DJ Mark Brown, a Baltimore DJ, VJ and noise artist who’s well capable of getting a party started, then bringing it to its knees, begging for escape.
Apse (US)
18-12 Ekko, Utrecht. 20.00, €8 Both a beautifully tense lullaby and a gripping rhythmic shriek, Apse are attempting to escape the clutches of musical categorisation – most notably good ol’ post rock. Constantly shifting between experimental, ambi-
ent and gothic rock (to mention just a few), the band will serve to captivate you with an atmospheric performance. Be on the lookout for their newest LP, Climb Up, released by ATP Recordings. (Zofia Ciechowska)
Subbacultcha! Christmas Party
Photo: Nick Helderman
26-12 De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam, €5 Partying with presents and music and special surprises. Some of which will be confirmed beforehand in order to tempt you away from crap TV and out of your over-eaten, alcoholdrenched slumber.
EKLIN
08-01 De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam. 20.00, €6 The newest project to spin off out of our old heroes Adept. This outfit lurches between atmospheric rock, noise rock and avant-garde drone-scapes. Eklin plays out like the best bad relationship you could ever find yourself in: One minute their sonic claws are scratching at your face and have you cower-
ing in the corner; the next, you’re met with a soft, tonal caress across the cheek.
EUROSONIC Day Party
16-01 Gallerie Owsum, Groningen. 13.00, Free Just like last year Subbacultcha! and Wham! Wham! are organising a cutting-edge free Day Party during the Eurosonic Festival. So, it’s bacon, eggs and coffee and then head out to Gallery Owsum for some great bands and your first beer of the day. More info soon on our website.
Coming up at subbacultcha! You can get access to these shows for free if you become a Subbacultcha! member. Subscribe now and get a hot sex pack for free See page 7 for details.
Acid Girls (US)
13-01 (Subbacultcha! & Katapult) Studio 80, Amsterdam. 23.00, €6 Aceeeeeeeeeeeed! Okay, the electro disco indie pop grooves of this Los Angles band are a bit more varied than the old acid house of the ’80s, but the big beats and squelchy arpeggios are well represented. As such, dancing isn’t optional. Otherwise, we’ll Katapult you out.
ET Explore Me
30-01 De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam. 20.00, €6 Noise rock, garage pop, sleaze trash and all that good stuff. Our extraterrestrial-loving friends will be launching their new 7” single tonight. And quite possibly leaving their box of merchandise sat beside the radiator, just to taunt those who want to buy it. Fortunately, they intended it to sound warped.
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off the record: Micachu and the shapes
Every month, Martine Stig takes her videocamera out on the streets and shoots a band or artist we think is worth filling a spread of this magazine with.
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By Martine Stig
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NEW MUSIC When Buzz comes to shove
Think About Life (can)
We make it our job to endlessly roam the beautiful internet and find the stuff that really matters. Behold the needles from the haystack. By Leon Caren
FM Belfast (iceland)
I hear you thinking: Think About Life? New Music? They released their second album in May 2009! Well, if that’s what you’re thinking you must be a total music nerd. Yes, it’s true they’ve been around for a while, but not many people have been introduced to their addictive mix of dance pop, post punk and ’70s soul. Their latest record Family just came out in the states, getting some rave reviews from the likes of Pitchfork & stereogum. No European distribution just yet, but you can find loads of their songs online. www.myspace.com/thinkaboutlife
Mountain Man (USA)
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folk group telling it like it is in a traditional ’50s folk group kind of way. You can download seven of their tracks at: mountainman. bandcamp.com. New 7” coming early 2010. www.myspace.com/mountainmansquint
Sometimes all you need is some peace and quiet. A group of beautiful ladies, singing beautiful melodies. Sure we all like to rock out to electronic noise and tribal drumming, but sometimes you need to give yourself a break. I don’t know much about Mountain Man, other than that their music is soothing, like a traditional ’50s
The line-up of Icelandic lo-fi indie-tronic quartet FM Belfast includes one of the founding members of múm. Their sound lies somewhere between The Postal Service and The Notwist. They love mashing up ’90s dancefloor fillers, like ‘Killing In The Name Of’ and ‘Pump Up The Jam’ and have a great single out called ‘Underwear’, which is a cute little ditty about running down the street half naked. They’re playing Eurosonic in January, so go see them. www.myspace.com/fmbelfast
Real Estate (USA)
Real Estate released their selftitled album on Woodsist last month. On the record, quiet guitar picking, low volume vocals and off-beat drumming are met with a roomy delay sound, almost as if the band were playing in a church. The sound really fits the band’s dreamy folk songs and makes it the perfect soundtrack for a cold, cold winter. www.myspace.com/letsrockthebeach
APSE
NEW MUSIC When Buzz comes to shove
Psychedelic post noise weirdo pop ensemble Apse have just released their fab new record 3.1 on the renowned ATP label. They’re also about to embark on a short European tour. After eight years, numerous releases and several line-up changes, the band finally took the time to ask themselves some important questions for Subbacultcha! The question printed here is only one of many. Read the full ‘Interview with Self’ on our website. (...) How does your view of the music world, the press and artist interviews change the way you think about your music’s reception in the public? It’s not all bad but there are a lot of writers who trash bands just because they find it easier to tear something down. There’s lot of bullshit out there and a lot of bands who’ve made great records get poor reviews and a lot of bands who have made shit records get great reviews and become big and people buy into it just because someone says so. In some cases I feel like our record has fallen into the right hands and someone spends a long time with it and gets to know it and then writes an honest review, be it good or bad. In other cases it feels like it flopped out of a mail shoot onto an intern’s desk, they gave it one spin and decided what was what without even giving it time to sink in the way the best albums always need to. That’s unfortunate and it’s shit that it happens to bands all the time. (...) http://www.myspace.com/apse
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MUSIC
SUBBAcUltchA!’S GUIDe to Better GIFt-GIvInG 2009’s 10 releases you can’T afford noT To Buy By carly Blair and Leon caren.
The holiday season has arrived, so we’re getting out our raincoats and paying our annual visits to Blokker, xenos and free record shop in the search of cheap and tasty gifts for our loved ones. although i’m sure your sister would love a hello kitty alarm clock and your dad would be psyched to unwrap yet another homer simpson mug, may we suggest you give your gift-giving a bit of an edge this year? you can start by ordering the subbacultcha! poster/ art Book for only 6 euros at our lovely new webshop (already outnumbering local ikea sales). Then add one of the following records. all were released during 2009 and are nothing but the best. 18
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion Give it to: your lover/crush Why? kudos to the ac for making an album great enough to sound as much like the ‘Best album of 2009’ now as it did back in january. lyrically, merriweather post pavilion plays out like a paean to growing up and settling down. i never thought doing so could sound so interesting. dense layers of sound, paired with joyous harmonies and child-like words, yield something simultaneously digital and organic, strange and immediate; the culmination of a sound which is utterly their own. Dan Deacon - Bromst Give it to: that nerdy friend whose spazziness you’ve always secretly admired Why? conservatory-trained über-nerd dan deacon builds on his debut album by adding layers of live instrumentation to the existing hyper-active dance framework. while spiderman of the rings was the sonic equivalent of a sugar high, bromst seems like the purposeful embrace of wild abandon. an unabashedly enthusiastic anthem for the young at heart. The video game sound effects and spazzed-out vocals now pogo towards a destination; let go and come along for the ride. Phosphorescent - To Willie Give it to: your father Why? phosphorescent’s matthew houck takes a sidestep from his here-to-fore dazzling and fragile neo-country trajectory with a collection of covers mining country legend willie nelson’s deep catalogue. it’s an effective homage; part tribute, part re-interpretation, on which the band sounds uncharacteristically traditional and loose. They’re faithful to the source material, while houck’s singularly downtrodden delivery emphasises the sadness and desolation underlying nelson’s lyrics. Atlas Sound - Logos Give it to: a moody teenager (your brother?) Why? Brave davy jones’s locker to peer into Bradford cox’s sunken (treasure) chest, mateys, for adrift in a sea of reverb you’ll find sonic gold. recorded largely on tour, logos finds cox expanding upon the atlas sound repertoire via collaborative forays into dramatically different sonic terrains (see stand-outs ‘walkabout’ and ‘Quick CoNtINUE 19
SUbbACUltChA!’S gUIdE to bEttEr gIft gIvINg CoNtINUEd
canal’), while retaining the intimacy and ethereal flourishes that have made this band a bedroom pop favourite. Here We Go Magic - self-titled Give it to: your local stoner Why? here we go magic’s debut is yet another lo-fi bedroom pop exemplar.with mastermind luke Temple’s ambiguous but evocative lyrics and its repetition and hazy soundscapes, hwgm is like a pleasant and occasionally unnerving dream you enter mid-story and awake from before the end, wanting to go back to sleep to find out what exactly was going on. aptly named, this is spellbinding stuff. YACHT - See Mystery Lights Give it to: your party-animal sister Why? yachT, now a duo, made the jump to james murphy’s dfa label and recorded sml in marfa, a hipster-packed enclave in the middle of the Texas desert, and home of the titular mysterious light phenomenon. the result is appropriately sunny and enthusiastic, and the deadpan delivery and dance-worthy beats should tide you over until lcdsoundsystem’s next record drops. come on over, they’re having a party for you. Health - Get Color Give it to: someone who needs a wake-up call. Why? we have been raving about health for almost two years now, so i don’t think we have to be too elaborate about this particular choice. but for those of you who have been a-sleeping: health is your alarm clock. Get color offers aggressive tribal drumming, earpiercing guitar noise, unprecedented song structures and cutting-edge electronics. their live shows are wild and intense, and more importantly, their t-shirts are utterly fashionable. Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy Give it to: your loving parents Why? philadelphia lo-fi indie rocker Kurt vile is back with his third album in two years. childish prodigy sounds refreshingly uncool - the perfect blend of lou reed, iggy pop and bruce 20
springsteen. leaning towards classic rock, but still dirty enough to please the ever-critical subbacultcha! staff. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport Give it to: a fan of Tiësto. Why? The word is out, fuck Buttons are going to be huge. The Bristol noise duo have taken a step away from their cult status and made an album that appeals to both their old fanbase as well as pill-popping dance freaks and even the odd 3fm dJ. does it hurt their credibility? i would say no. Their uplifting beats are often met with epic noise outbursts, their sound is still dark and compelling and their live shows are suitable for dark basements as well as dance arenas. ace with a capital ‘a’. Micachu - Jewellery Give it to: your ‘all-over-the-place’ art student fling Why? not only did micachu release one of the most exciting and innovating records of 2009, they also proved that the uk is still capable of producing top class bands. mica levi is a firstrate performer, combining her intelligent songwriting skills with a genuine onstage punk attitude. add self-made instruments, wit, energy, noise, electronics, and addictive pop hooks and you have the recipe for an eclectic yet mesmerizing album.
noT convinced? These records are preTTy awesome Too Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest. give it to someone classy Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer. give it to someone with whom you intend to have a rocky and eventful love affair St. Vincent - Actor. give it to your best girlfriend Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. give it to a pal who likes to dance Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms. give it to your recreational substance buddy Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca. give it to the music snob Cass McCombs - Catacombs. give it to a friend in an enviably stable and loving relationship Fever Ray - self-titled. give it to that relative spiralling downwards into alcoholism and self-loathing, or a blade runner fan ENd 21
interview: thomas Truax
how to cover DAVID lynch
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A david Lynch cover album. yes, that’s right. Thomas Truax has made one. A tough job but if there’s one man who could do it, it is mr. truax. With his beautiful self-built instruments that have names like the hornicator, mary poppins and sister spinster, he creates a very unique and dark universe of sounds and stories revolving around his favourite david lynch soundtracks. He plays Subbacultcha! on 4 December, so what better opportunity to talk to him about sherilyn fenn and bat radar detectors. By Bas Morsch. Photo by Philip Lethen
H
i Thomas, how are you? I’m good, things are crazy. I had a great show last night in London, the first of my new residency nights, and after this interview, I am off with my Hornicator to jam with Jarvis Cocker. Wow, Jarvis Cocker. Fancy! Will there be audience or is it a true jam? It’s a crazy arrangement. He is rehearsing/jamming but there will be an audience of sorts. There will be an aerobics class in the same room, apparently! Sounds like mister Lynch should be there. What was so great about the show in London? The London show is a new monthly night I’m doing at a small venue where I’m going to be doing experimental things, trying new songs and new instruments and other acts that I
like, etc. It always takes place on the Sunday night following the full moon, so there’s free advertising in the sky just before each event. Haha... free advertising... that’s what everybody needs... a gift of nature. How do you feel about gifts? Mostly I like them, but they can create uncomfortable situations. I don’t like it when you feel obligated to give a gift, or to reciprocate. It’s best when you just come across something that you think “Wow, that would be something Bas would absolutely love!” and you get it for them because you know it was put on the planet just for them, whatever the occasion. That is nicely said. How do you feel about money? continue 23
thomas truax continued
Money is like soap, the harder you squeeze it and try to hold onto it the more likely it is to pop out of your hands. That is also nicely put. You are a man of good one-liners. Thanks. << That was more a oneworder than a one-liner. At this point Thomas needs to run off to jam with Jarvis Cocker. We continue the conversation next day.
H
ow was the jam with Jarvis? The Jarvis thing was even more surreal than expected. There was an audience of sorts on giant pillows on the floor, and a pole-dancing session when I arrived, to which the band was jamming a dark jazzy groove very much like the ‘blue room’ music from Twin Peaks. I was the ‘Special Surprise Guest’ and it went well. I might be part of the bill for the ‘proper’ gig tomorrow night, so that’s cool. Sounds great. Is Jarvis a nice guy? He was very nice, yeah, very mellow. The jam we did was spacey and mellow. It was very subdued for both of us I suppose, but that’s what happens in the afternoon in rock n’ roll. Actually I think that Twin Peaks music was called ‘The Pink Room’ rather than blue, but either colour would do I reckon.
I fancied most of the characters to be honest! I suppose Audrey has a supernatural effect on all men, though. I think you are right about that! Did you see that series she played in afterwards? I think it is called Rude Awakening. She plays some sort of an alcoholistic sex addict in rehab. it was terrible but I watched it anyways because she was in it and because she had a sex addiction. It had an enormous attraction for me. I’m afraid I missed that, but it’s interesting that so few of the actors from Twin Peaks went on to big careers afterwards. That is true. Poor Agent Cooper ended up in Desperate Housewives. Ah yeah and I think he wound up as an impotent husband on the Sex and the City series.
So how is the David lynch album turning out for you? The Lynch album has been very well received. In a way I was kind of surprised because it was almost a kind of selfish project that came together quickly and without too much pain, like it was meant to be. But really I just wanted to do those songs. I thought it might be criticised harshly because, lets face it, who in their right mind covers Roy Orbison and expects to get away with it? Did you fancy one of the characters Well, I guess when it involves Lynch you can get away with pretty much in Twin Peaks?
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anything… Lynch does. And so did the director of that television series with Sherilyn Fenn… and so did Sherilyn as a matter of fact. Ha Ha. Well, to be honest I’m not a huge television fan, nor do I believe that everything Lynch does is a mas-
pose he will now, but he wouldn’t have before. Oops. It is safe to say you are safe. But I think he can appreciate criticism. I keep wanting to talk to you about gifts (December and all)
“T
he Jarvis thing was even more surreal than expected. There was an audience of sorts on giant pillows on the floor, and a pole-dancing session when I arrived to which the band was jamming a dark jazzy groove very much like the ‘blue room’ music from Twin Peaks.”
terpiece. Far from it. But if all TV was Twin Peaks, I’d be spending a lot more time with it, and when Lynch is on, there’s nothing like it. Does David Lynch know you don’t think everything he does is a masterpiece? Well, if he reads Subbacultcha I sup-
Yeah, let’s talk about gifts. What was the best gift you ever got? I can remember a red firetruck when I was really, really small. It is the first gift I can remember. Really classic, like it would happen in a cartoon or a Coca Cola commercial from the ’50s. It was great. A very
continue 25
thomas truax continued
universal happening. What about yourself? I doubt anything’s gonna have a stronger effect on us than some of what we get as kids. I remember asking for a robot for christmas. I snuck out and saw something that looked like a coffee maker or something but not any robot I could imagine, in the dark. But in the morning that coffee maker turned out to be the robot from old classic film Forbidden Planet! It was incredible, I so wish I’d kept that one. I get things given to me by fans sometimes. Earlier this year someone gave me a very small replica of my instrument The Hornicator which they made themselves in a tiny wooden box. It was amazing, I was bowled over. Wow! that is beautiful. What is the best gift you ever gave? One that I gave not too long ago was a Bat Radar detector that I gave to my girlfriend. She loved it. In a way I guess it turned out to be a gift we both enjoyed. We’d go out listening to bats together and I ended up recording some of those sounds and using them in the background of the song ‘In Heaven’ on the David Lynch songs album. So there you go, full circle again! How did you know I like full circles? And where on Earth do you find a bat radar detector? There’s a company called Ciel Electronique in Germany that makes them. 26 end
Oddly enough, they look a bit like something Batman would carry on his bat belt. That must have been a great moment; the moment you thought ‘I am gonna give my girlfriend a Bat Radar detector.’ It would be a great moment for me anyways Yeah, it was a great moment because I knew she’d love it and it helped cement the thought that ‘this is the girl for me’. A great moment indeed. There’s beauty in details like that. I think we can come to the final question now. What would you like to give to David Lynch? Oh man, this might seem like a cop out but that’s easy, I’ve already done it: my album Songs from the Films of David Lynch. Otherwise it might be a severed ear, but I’m not so sure. I suppose it’s likely that he’s probably already got a few of those lying around in the back yard. Severed ears in David Lynch’s back yard make for a wonderful ending. Thanks a lot for taking the time. One last thing. Will you watch Rude Awakening... with the sex addicted alcohol rehabbing Sherilyn Fenn? Yeah I might have to take a peek now that you’ve perked my interest. Enjoy. And bye. Bye www.thomastruax.com
Ann woo
Art fEAtUrEd ArtISt Every month we select an artist we think is worth your while This month it is Ann Woo. Found on the internet. The photo printed on this page is not Ann. It is Lisa photographed by Ann.
n
ame, Age, City of residence? ann woo. 34. new york Are you an artist? sort of Are you building a career? yes At what time do you generally get up? 8:00-11:00am What’s your favourite time of day to work? anytime when i am awake What brand of coffee do you drink? not sure which brand. i get my coffee everyday from a bakery close by. Preferred type of alcohol? white wine or whiskey Do you smoke? never! ;) Do you take yourself seriously? i tend to take myself too seriously all the time. Are you critical? maybe too critical. Do you deal well with critisism? not good enough. Can art be criticised? as long as there’s speech and freedom of speech, anything can be criticised. Are you cynical? i surely am. Do you have any idea what you are doing? it is my nature that i think about all my acts but i would still say i don’t always know what i’m doing and very often ‘ideas’ only come afterwards.
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featured artist: ann woo
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featured artist: ann woo
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KERSTHITS
HERRIE
DE 9 MEEST BIZARRE KERSTSONGS OOIT Volgens Oscar Smit. Illustratie Martyn F Overweel
1
‘Santa Claus Was My Lover’ Culturcide Culturcide uit Houston verwierf in 1986 cultstatus met de lp Tacky Souvenirs of Pre-Revolutionary America, waarop ze eigen, sarcastische teksten 32
over commerciële hits van andere artiesten zingen. Uit deze tijd dateert ook dit ‘kerstnummer’: dwars door ‘Billy Jean’ zingen ze dingen die Michael Jackson hopelijk nooit gehoord heeft.
2
‘Christmas In 4 Dimension’ Aidan Walsh De Ierse mafkees Aidan Walsh maakte in 1987 de EP ‘Christmas in 4 Dimension’. De titelsong is een knotsgek werkje met hysterisch gelach en gepraat van Walsh waartussen gastmuzikant Paul Cleary (zanger/gitarist van The Blades) zich staande probeert te houden.
3
‘Santa And The Satellite’ Dickie Goodman Novelty song over de ontvoering van de kerstman door ruimtewezens. Uitgebracht in 1957, het jaar van de eerste Spoetnik. Amerikaan Dickie Goodman pionierde met sampletechnieken; hier plakte hij stukjes uit rock ‘n’ rollsongs tussen gesproken tekst.
4
‘I Want Elvis For Christmas’ Eddie Cochran Voor dit kerstnummer verhaspelde Cochran liedjes van Elvis Presley tot een curieuze medley waarin hij - vrij naar Elvis – uitroept: “You ain’t nothin’ but a reindeer”.
5
‘Joey Ramone Snowman’ Helen Love Helen Love is een damestrio uit Wales. Hun grote liefde is Joey Ramone. In dit liedje uit 2008 zingen de dames met kinderstemmetjes dat ze een Joey Ramone-sneeuwpop willen bouwen om aan te geven waar de kerstman kan landen.
6
‘Blowfly’s Christmas Party’ Blowfly Lang voor woorden als fuck en bitch gemeengoed werden in de muziekindustrie, had Blowfly al een reputatie opgebouwd als satirische en seksistische rapper. Dit nummer uit 1980 met een lome funky beat staat vol dirty lyrics over Santa Claus.
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‘You Are Father Christmas. Accept It’ Die Christmaskameraden Het Amsterdamse platenlabeltje Meeuw Muzak brengt ieder jaar een vinyl kerstsingle uit, met erg experimentele muziek. Deze uit 2005 is van het Duitse kunstenaarsduo Die Christmaskameraden. Met analoge synthesizers maken ze een heerlijke bak herrie en schreeuwen er iets over Father Christmas tussendoor.
8
‘I’ll Be Fucking You This Christmas’ - Shawn Lee De Amerikaanse muzikant Shawn Lee is actief sinds 1988, vooral in de soulen jazzhoek. In 2000 verscheen de EP We Luve Yule met ‘I’ll Be Fucking You This Christmas’, dat vooral bestaat uit een dreunende drumbeat - en herhaling van de titelwoorden.
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‘ It’s So Chic To Be Pregnant At Christmas’- Nancy White Grappige song uit 1990 van de Canadese zangeres Nancy White over de voor- en nadelen van een zwangerschap in kersttijd. end 33
MUSIC
tune yards
new releases Fact Check
Bird-Brains
Door Oscar Smit Iedere maand bespreekt Oscar Smit onder de titel ‘Fact Check’ op zeer feitelijke wijze een nieuwe release.
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D
e Amerikaanse Merrill Garbus is een bijzondere vrouw. Ze vormt in haar eentje de band Tune Yards. Sommigen van ons hebben haar in september in ons land zien optreden. Gemist? Ook op YouTube speelt ze ukelele en creëert ze met elektronica beats en vocal loops. Zulke one-woman acts zijn er niet veel. Qua muziek zit ze een beetje tussen hedendaagse collega’s als de Britse Paul The Girl, die veel op gitaar doet, en de Amerikaanse Kevin Blechdom, die vooral experimenteert met elektronica. Omdat Tune Yards veel optreedt, van achtertuinen in Amerika tot het Incubate Festival in Tilburg, heeft ze een aardige following opgebouwd en is ze zelfs ontdekt door een groot platenlabel. Dit betekent dat je haar enige album Bird-Brains, dat al een jaar of wat uit is, maar moeilijk verkrijgbaar was, nu eindelijk op een makkelijke manier kunt aanschaffen dankzij het roemruchte 4AD Records. Wat opvalt aan de dertien tracks van Bird-Brains, is dat ze zo lekker imperfect en rommelig klinken. De nummers zijn allemaal van Garbus, maar bevatten her en der wel referenties aan andere songs. Zo zou track zeven kunnen verwijzen naar ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ van de Rolling Stones, het heeft namelijk bijna dezelfde titel. In ‘Fiya’ zingt ze een zin uit ‘Always On My Mind’, een nummer dat al meer dan 300 keer gecoverd is, onder meer door Elvis Presley (1972) en de Pet Shop Boys (1987). Garbus speelt alle instrumenten zelf. Door deze DIY-aanpak klinkt haar experimentele neofolk behoorlijk lo-fi. Dat is precies de mentaliteit die ruim dertig jaar geleden ook heerste
MUSIC NEW rElEASES Fact check
bij de opkomende punkbeweging. hoewel dat vooral een mannenaangelegenheid was, zaten er een aantal vrouwenbands tussen. het bekendst waren The slits. Bij de oprichting in 1976 konden deze meiden nauwelijks spelen, maar een jaar later gingen ze wel mooi op tournee met The clash. ze waren zich inmiddels gaan toeleggen op reggaeritmes en werkten af en toe met een mannelijke drummer, Budgie (later bij siouxsie & The Banshees). hun eerste, chaotisch klinkende album is geproduceerd door een reggaeproducer en heeft de uitdagende titel cut. de hoes is al even uitdagend. hiervoor rolden de
vrouwen eerst naakt door de modder. helemaal bemodderd, met de borsten fier vooruit en enkel een schaamlapje voor, kijken ze stoer in de lens van de fotograaf. sinds een paar jaar bestaan The slits weer. recentelijk brachten ze het album trapped animal (op namack records) uit. met nummers als ‘little Tiger’ en ‘safety’ doet Tune yards weer sterk denken aan een andere vrouwenband, The raincoats. ook hun post-punkmuziek klinkt rommelig, en bevat folkinvloeden. het eerst titelloze album van The raincoats kwam uit in 1979, met daarop een cover van het Kinks-nummer ‘lola’ (1970), dat zo op de setlist van tune yards kan staan. net als The slits zijn The raincoats weer/nog bij elkaar. onlangs is hun eerste album opnieuw uitgebracht (op kill rock stars). het zou leuk zijn als merrill garbus eens samen zou spelen met haar voorgangsters!
ENd 35
SaSi
The Intelligent Vibrator Come see it to Believe it
Five Hot Stories Wonderful Porn For Her & Him
Mail & Female the Original Sexshop by Women Nieuwe Vijzelstraat 2, Amsterdam www.mailfemale.com 36 Bring Subbacultcha! and get 10% discount off our exclusive porn collection
nIeUwe BrIl
fIlM ColUMN Door Gert Verbeek
e
ind januari, op het international film festival rotterdam, vond ik wendy and lucy (kelly reichardt, 2008) weinig om het lijf hebben. ondanks het vroege tijdstip waarop de film draaide, had ik in mijn bioscoopstoel voornamelijk tegen de slaap zitten vechten. vervolgens zag ik de film bejubeld worden in de internationale filmpers. wendy and lucy prijkte in het amerikaanse blad Film comment zelfs fier bovenaan de eindlijst van 2008. hoogste tijd voor een oogtest. “u ziet voornamelijk contouren,” legde mijn opticien uit. “dat is bij de gemiddelde speelfilm geen probleem, maar in het onderhavige geval zijn de grote lijnen het minst belangrijk. uw aandacht is teveel gefocust op de plot, terwijl u juist eens wat vaker op de details moet letten.” de opticien mat mijn oogdruk en liet me enkele filmbrilmonturen passen. ik ging ondertussen in gedachten nog een keer langs het eenvoudige verhaal. in het kort gaat wendy and lucy over de jonge wendy (michelle williams) die met haar geliefde hond lucy per auto op reis is naar alaska, op zoek naar meer
CoNtINUE 37
FILM column Vervolg
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voorspoed in het leven. Haar rammelkar begeeft het in een gehucht te Oregon. Gedwongen door geldgebrek pikt Wendy een blik hondenvoer bij de locale supermarkt. Ze wordt gesnapt en moet enkele uren doorbrengen in de cel. Terug bij de supermarkt is Lucy verdwenen en begint de zoektocht naar Wendys dierbare viervoeter. Mijn eerste indruk kon ik in januari slechts samenvatten als Vrouw Zoekt Hond en de slotscène ervoer ik als een anticlimax. “Is dit alles?” zong de stem van Henny Vrienten als een duiveltje vanaf mijn rechterschouder. Met mijn nieuwe filmbril zag ik deze zomer de trailer van Wendy And Lucy voorbijkomen en er gebeurde iets dat me nog nooit eerder bij een trailer was overkomen: ik kreeg het te kwaad. Als het promotiefilmpje al onverwachte gevoelens teweeg kon brengen, hoe zou het zijn de gehele film nog eens te zien? Negen maanden na Rotterdam zag ik Wendy And Lucy in het Filmmuseum voor de tweede maal, maar ik beleefde het verhaal alsof ik het voor het eerst zag. In plaats van de plot lette ik nu op de kleine, schijnbaar onbeduidende momenten. Zo zag ik voor het eerst dat de boswandeling van Wendy en Lucy in de openingsscène de rest van het verhaal samenvat. Ik luisterde beter en hoorde het geneurie van Wendy op de soundtrack opgepikt worden door de muzak in de supermarkt. Wat ook opviel was dat regisseuse Kelly Reichardt zonder opzichtige dramatische ingrepen laat zien hoe meedogenloos de moderne Westerse wereld is voor mensen die dreigen buiten de boot te vallen. In zo’n wereld ben je al een held als je een zwerver een paar dollar toestopt. De oude parkeerwachter is zo’n held en bij de tweede keer trof het me hoe reusachtig deze vaderlijke figuur afsteekt naast de iele en fragiele Wendy. Waar de slotontmoeting tussen baasje en hond mij eerst ongemoeid liet, zag ik nu een hartverscheurend liefdesdrama. Gezien door mijn nieuwe filmbril werd Wendy And Lucy een realistisch minimalistisch juweeltje dat terecht in de Nederlandse eindlijstjes tot de bijzondere films van 2009 gerekend mag worden.
horoSCoop ShootINg StArS Door Brenda Bosma. Illustratie Gijs Deddens
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waT voorspellen de sTerren voor de muziekminnende...
BooGSchUtter 22 novemBer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 21 decemBer
“Dan nog feestelijk nieuws waar wij even van oplichten: in 2010 zal Johan echt ophouden te bestaan.”
L
ieve Boogschutter, de sterren worden een beetje moe van je eindeloze optimisme en naïviteit. Misschien komt het door de uitputtingsslag die we het afgelopen jaar hebben moeten leveren. Gelukkig loopt 2009 bijna ten einde, als ook onze suspensie van ongeloof. Duidelijk gevalletje van een boog die niet altijd gespannen kan blijven. Ja, dingdong! Denk je nu werkelijk dat de stand van enkele lichtjaren hier vandaan gelegen lafjes schijnende gaswolkjes ook maar iets te maken heeft met de loop van dit aardse bestaan? Neem die pijlen zelf ter hand, wil je, en richt ze eens op wat minder esoterische zaken. Bijvoorbeeld op de kerstplaat van His Bobness. Benieuwd wat daar op staat? ‘Blowing In The Snow’? ‘Santa On Santa’? ‘It’s All Over Now, Rudolph The Rednosed Reindeer’? Zie, zonder astrologie is het leven al ongeloofwaardig genoeg. De eindejaarslijstjes zitten er ook weer aan te komen. De sterren kunnen even geen Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear of dierenriem meer horen. De funky Boogschutter is echter onstuitbaar. Houd deze feestmaand wel je verkwistende en genotzuchtige aard in toom! Soms is het gewoon niet de goeie nacht om in een bloembak te kotsen. Dan nog feestelijk nieuws waar wij even van oplichten: in 2010 zal Johan echt ophouden te bestaan. Voor hun allerlaatste show mag je hun setlijst samenstellen. Het zal ons niets verbazen als je de tracklijst van de nieuwe Slayer indient. Jij rebel. Wat we helaas niet kunnen tegenhouden is het noodlot dat de nieuwe plaat van de Chili Peppers moet worden. Jij, en je mede-zonnetekens, kunnen kortom ook in 2010 wel wat soelaas gebruiken. Reden waarom vanaf volgend jaar op deze plek de rubriek ‘99 Problems, and the Bitch Knows the Answer’ of iets in die geest, zal verschijnen. Mail je vraagjes, probleempjes en etiquettekwestietjes naar magazine@subbacultcha.nl, en we zullen zien of we ze tussen de zelfverzonnen vragen kunnen inpassen. Tot dan, & daar. En voorzichtig met vuurpijlen, hè.
HOROScoop Vanaf het volgende nummer komt op deze plek de vraag en antwoord rubriek ‘99 Problems, And the Bitch Knows the Answer’. Net als de horoscoop geschreven door the wonderful Brenda Bosma. Je kunt al je vragen sturen naar 99problems@ subbacultcha.nl
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SpEkkIE bIg
42
Door Marc van der Holst
AGENDA
Photo: Søren Solkær Starbird
SPEND YOUR MONTH IN STYLE
The Raveonettes. 09 December at Melkweg.
Highlights in December and January Fever Ray, Los Campesinos!, Sleepy Sun, The Big Pink Neon Indian and Kurt Vile Win tickets to The Raveonettes, Sleepy Sun, Polvo, State - X New Forms Festival and much more
CONTINUE 43
Free STUFF
15 Gift Packages
Mail & Female Hot Package For The Cold Winter! The first 15 new Subbacultcha! Members will walk away with something hot to keep them warm this cold winter. Mail & Female – Europe’s first and best women-run love shop – lovingly provides you with the DVD Rock Hard from the Women Love Porn series. Under the direction of Anna Span, newcomer Jelena Lakic has her rock ’n’ roll fantasies brought to life. Backstage passes, carefree gals and sex, sex, sex! I know, it’s only rock ’n’ roll… The second item in your winter love package is a Mini Vibrator with a ‘soft-touch skin’ and smooth, sexy aluminum base. All the style and design your love play requires… bzzzzzzz. And rounding off the ‘gift that keeps on giving’ is a DVD of the short film Headshot by the American director, now living in Amsterdam, Jennifer Lyon Bell. This film is based on Warhol’s Blow Job and is as sumptuous as a seasonal box of fine chocolates.
Photo: Søren Solkær Starbird
2x2 Tickets
The Raveonettes 09 Dec. – Melkweg (Amsterdam) With a band name that is a direct melding of Spector’s Wall-of-Sound gals The Ronettes and Buddy Holly’s classic ‘Rave On!’, Denmark’s daring duo The Raveonettes let us know up front where their influences lie. It’s a mix of ’50s & ’60s twang and bop with close two-part harmonies and hard-edged electric guitar. It’s dark, it’s melodic, it’s sexy. It’s rock ’n’ roll. 3x2 Passe Partouts
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State X New Forms 11-12 Dec. – Paard van Troje (Den Haag) Promising a feast for mind and body, this festival of contemporary experimental music, art and video has enough happening that minds could very well be blown this weekend. Featuring, among many others, Peaches, Kurt Vile, Merzbow, The Melvins and a video installation/live jam from Peter Greenaway.
Free STUFF Photo: Kirstie Shanley
3x2 Tickets
Sleepy Sun 15 Dec. – Paradiso (Amsterdam) There’s something trippy in the Bay area water. Sleepy Sun continue on San Francisco’s strong psychedelic heritage with their debut lp Embrace, a lovely piece of ‘pop-chedlica’ for us 21st Century space travelers. One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small…
Photo: Ashley Worley
5x2 Tickets
Polvo 06 Dec. – Tivoli de Helling (Utrecht) (Only NL show!) ’90s indie sonic adventurers return with a new album In Prism and a tour to support. Some are calling the record their best yet. With the familiar mighty roars, moody atmospheres and psychedelic explosiveness this show should herald an ex-champ’s triumphant return to the ring. 5 Copies of our art book
Free tickets and goodies for you from us Every month we give away loads of tickets and good goodies. Don’t you just love us for that? To win subscribe to the mailinglist at www.subbacultcha.nl. To become a full Subbacultcha! member go to www.subbacultcha.nl and click join.
Subbacultcha! Art/Poster Book ‘this is work’ For our 5 year anniversary we compiled a poster book containing all the artworks published in this magazine over the past 18 months. Designed by Nicole Martens, it consists of 10 A2 posters folded to A4 and features the work of Scrmn, Melanie Bonajo, Martine Stig, Jaap Scheeren, Gijs Deddens, Nick Helderman and others. 3x2 Tickets
KLANGFORUM WIEN 10 Dec. – Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ (Amsterdam) A 25th anniversary celebration highlighting three ‘enfant terrible’ composers: Jorge E López, Olga Neuwirth and Billone.
3x2 tickets Music Moments
Every month Converse & Subbacultcha! give away tickets and goodies. This month boogie down with post-punk disco princes Wooden Constructions and get a Moleskine notebook and Converse postcards.
Photo: Nick Helderman
Wooden Constructions 09 Dec. – LUX Klimaatnacht (Nijmegen)
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AgenDA subbacultcha LET in OP: DIT IS SLECHTS EEN SELECTIE UIT HET PROGRAMMA, shows sepKIJK VOOR HET VOLLEDIGE PROGRAMMA OP WWW.MELKWEG.NL tember
DECEMBER
ZA WO VR ZA ZA WO
5 9 11 12 12 16
SILVERSUN PICKUPS THE RAVEONETTES TRIGGERFINGER/DRIVE LIKE MARIA FINALE GROTE PRIJS ROCK/ALTERNATIVE FINALE GROTE PRIJS DANCE/PRODUCERS PROMO(LIVE) FEAT.AUX RAUS/FLINKE NAMEN ZWART LICHT/SKINTO
ZA 19 DE STAAT/GO BACK TO THE ZOO ZO 20 THE TEMPER TRAP/THE JOY FORMIDABLE ZO 27 SUB DUB VS SONIC WARFARE
3 YEAR BIRTHDAY BASH: THE BUG FT. FLOWDAN E.A.
MA 28 COLD TURKEY:HITS BACK2009! DJ ARNOLD/KILL ALL HIPSTERS DJ-TEAM
DI 29 KITTY, DAISY & LEWIS DO 31 NYE: SEBASTIAN/DJ FEADZ / LE
LE MAURICE FULTON/DISKO DRUNKARDS E.V.A.
JANUARI
VR 15 ARCHIVE ZA 16 THE FUZZTONES ZO 17 HEAVY TRASH FT.JON
SPENCER & MATT VERTA-RAY
CINEMA
JANUARI STAR TREK FILMS MELKWEG AMSTERDAM - LIJNBAANSGRACHT 234A - WWW.MELKWEG.NL - 020 - 5318181 46
AgenDA SHOWS In DeceMber & JAnUAry
Horse feathers play Paradiso
Geoff berner 01 Dec. — De nieuwe Anita (Amsterdam) Spend a thoroughly entertaining evening in the boozy bosom of singer/songwriter/accordion-player Geoff ‘The Whiskey Rabbi’ Berner. This time around he’s accompanied by his percussion and fiddle combo, forming his Klezmer Trio. In turn expect healthy doses of humour, politics, liquor and finely crafted sing-along pop-klezmer. His motivation is simple: ‘I want to drag klezmer music kicking and screaming back into the bars.’ Everybody ready? fever ray 03 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) Soft ’80s synth pads, sonic flashes of Big Trouble in Little China, creepy costumes and domestic lyricism. Karin Dreijer Andersson is killing off the Fever Ray project at the end of this tour; a shame, since she’s produced some of the best sonic and visual treats of the year. On the flipside, she may get back to producing icy dance beasts as The Knife. Horse featHers 04 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) Lulling indie folk from Portland troubadour Justin Ringle, who’s been collaborating with Peter and Heather Broderick (although they aren’t typically part of the touring band). It
should be a nice little treat if you’re pining for old school Iron & Wine. baZar curieux 05 Dec. — Maassilo (rotterdam) The twisted winter sister of Motel Mozaique, this urban party features sets from Major Lazer Soundsystem (Diplo & friends), Montonix, Royal Bangs, múm & Beak>. Also playing are Subbacultcha! favourites Neon Indian. It’s the exclusive NL appearance of Alan Palomo’s psychadelic vintage ’80s party music project, so not to be missed! nacHtkino 05 Dec. — Kriterion (Amsterdam) This month Subbacultcha! teams up with Nachtkino to offer a tonic to the Sinterklaas mayhem. It’s gonna rock hard, rock heavy, and rock animal! Yip, it’s the rock mockumentary to end all rock mockumentaries: This Is Spinal Tap. Further editions of Nachtkino follow later in the month, including Japanese orgasmcentrick flick I.K.U. – This Is Not Love. This Is Sex (12 Dec), multimedia biographical tale The Kid Stays In The Picture (19 Dec), and Balkan Snapshots presents some Communist propaganda for Christmas with Mao Tse Tung (26 Dec). royal banGs 05 Dec. — bazar curieux (rotterdam)
cOnTInUe 47
agenda Subbacultcha shows in september
48
06 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) Raw and eclectic garage indie and electro pop. The Tennessee quintet are touting recent album Let It Beep. Isis 06 Dec. — Vera (Groningen) Heavy metal thunder, which is only due to strike Dutch soil for one date on the Wavering Radiant tour. Blending weighty riffs and guttural roars with layers of shoegaze, ambient segues and even (implied) harmonies, the Isis live experience is a thrilling and charged metal occasion. And one without the need for speed. Whitest Boy Alive 06 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) 08 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) Erlend Øye has only recently spun through some packed gigs in the Netherlands as Kings of Convenience, but being a busy Norwegian, he’s also pushed out another indie pop album as Whitest Boy Alive, titled Rules. And although that incarnation has already hit Amsterdam a couple of times, too, both coming shows are already sold out. Vetiver 09 Dec. — Patronaat (Haarlem) Charming American folk from Vetiver, who released the recent album Tight Knit on Sub Pop earlier this year. The Raveonettes 09 Dec. — Melkweg (Amsterdam) FREE TICKETS, see page 44
Danish duo who’ve been blending dark indie noise with garage rock and melodic soul pop since 2001. They caused a bit of a sensation when Chain Gang of Love first appeared in 2003, although it had certainly helped to have major label support. These days they’re signed with Fierce Panda, but newest album, In and Out of Control, is still a fairly accessible affair.
Brightblack Morning Light 09 Dec. — Rotown (Rotterdam) 10 Dec. — Effenaar (Eindhoven) 11 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) New Mexico-based duo, comprising Rachael Hughes and Nathan Shineywater. They’re signed to Matador and produce slow burning psych-folk.
agenda shows in december & january
Fruit Bats 09 Dec. — Patronaat (Haarlem) 19 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) Pleasant indie folk and pop that’s suited to lightening any mood and bringing a smile to your face. That they boast similarities to Modest Mouse is no negative, and recent release The Ruminant Band is a mature, confident offering of indie goodies. Peaches 10 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) 12 Dec. — Paard van Troje (Den Haag) Another bout of electroclash raunch from the German/Canadian lass, still touring I Feel Cream. She’s a sweetie really. state-x new forms 2009 11-12 Dec. — Paard van Troje (Den Haag) FREE TICKETS, see page 44
The sixth edition of the State-X New Forms Festival promises a feast for mind and body. Diverse sonic explorations abound with, to name but a few, Peter Greenaway’s video-jams, a DJ set from Gary Numan & Ade Fenton, pure rock from The Melvins, and Peaches just being, well, Peaches. The programme has been compiled along the themes X-plore (what are new developments in the experimental pop music scene?), X-plain (what inspired and triggered those developments?) and X-pect (what will possibly happen in the future?). How X-citing.
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AgenDA subbacultcha shows in september
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Sleepy Sun 15 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) 16 Dec. — Vera (Groningen) FREE TICKETS, see page 44
Fresh-faced San Franciscan kids who look and sound like they’re tunnelling their way back to the early ’70s. A tad too earnest at times, and they could drop the Jagger moves too. But when the riffs hit home they’re at their best, channelling Sabbath and Zeppelin. Polvo 16 Dec. — Tivoli (Utrecht) (Only NL show!) FREE TICKETS, see page 44
Are Polvo math-rock mentors or have they just forgotten how to tune their guitars? Angular, skewed rhythms and eastern influences and instrumentation abound as these indie noise merchants return – older and wiser? – with new album In Prism and a ‘well I guess we’re still alive, so what do we do next?’-spirit. Tweak Bird 16 Dec. — Merleyn (Nijmegen) Apocalyptic girl-boy American noise duo. Earlier this summer they were invited to support Tool in North America, but don’t hold that against them. Their debut album Reservations is raw and fully fired-up. Apse 17 Dec. — Vera (Groningen) 18 Dec. — Ekko (Utrecht) See page13. TV Buddhas 18 Dec. — Vera (Groningen) 19 Dec. — Plein 79 (Den Bosch) Riff-heavy Israeli garage duo who caused a stir at last month’s Subbacultcha! birthday party. If you could see them at least, since they prefer to get down and dirty on the floor with the kids. Just watch out for flailing broken guitar strings and shards of drumstick.
Mugison 19 Dec. — Watt (Rotterdam) 20 Dec. — Paradiso (Amsterdam) Experimental guitar popster from Iceland who draws a crooked line between Ween and Jamie Lidell.
agenda shows in december & january
New Model Army 20 Dec. — Melkweg (Amsterdam) Old British rockers getting back to their original visceral punk ways on new album Today Is a Good Day. Los Campesinos! 14 Dec. — Rotown (Rotterdam) This bunch of so-called peasants from Wales offer up a noisy and energetic blast of girl-boy vocal indie pop. It’s been done a million times before, but they certainly do it well. The short-but-wild blast of hit single ‘Death to Los Campesinos’ is still echoing in our heads, even a couple of years down the line. But on this tour they’ll be premiering material from upcoming third album Romance is Boring. KLANGFORUM WIEN 10 Dec. – Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ (Amsterdam) FREE TICKETS, see page 44
Klangforum Wien are celebrating their 25th anniversary by playing two concerts that boast no less than five world premieres and one Dutch one. This first evening highlights three ‘enfant terrible’ composers. Cuban Jorge E López searches for the forgotten, discards the new and arrives at primal, unconditional sounds. Olga Neuwirth presses pure fury into sheet music. And Billone captures the listeners with calmness, using scanty tones and scarce instrumentation. Eurosonic/ Noorderslag 14/15/16 Jan. — Various locations (Groningen) Showcase time is rolling around again, so grab your sleeping bag
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AgenDA subbacultcha shows in september
DEC 09/JAN 10
CONCERTEN, CLUBAVONDEN, ETEN & MEER DEC / DON
KAKKMADDAFAKKA
03 CASS MCCOMBS 06 LAURA GIBSON 08 11 MARINA CELESTE BETTIE SERVEERT 13 18 APSE ABSYNTHE MINDED 20 WE WERE PROMISED 17 JETPACKS DEC / ZON
DEC / DIN
DEC / VRIJ
NUITS DE PARIS
(NOUVELLE VAGUE)
DEC / ZON
DEC / VRIJ
SUBBACULTCHA PRESENTS:
DEC / ZON
JAN / ZON
POPPODIUM EKKO BEMUURDE WEERD WZ 3 | 3513 BH UTRECHT | T +31 30 231 74 57 | WWW.EKKO.NL 52
AgenDA
the big Pink play rotterdam
and head north. Unless you’re already situated north, of course. In which case, open up your floor to fellow music fans. Young, hotly tipped bands from all over Europe will be on hand to show off on the first two days of the festival, while invited Dutch guests take to the stage on the final day. This year’s Eurosonic also has a special feature on Norwegian music, so look out for artists mesmerised by any fleeting sunshine in the midst of winter. We Were ProMised JetPacks 16 Jan. — rotown (rotterdam) 17 Jan. — ekko (Utrecht) Glaswegian indie pop that’s big on guitar arpeggios, driving drums and thick Scottish vocals. They already played a storming set at Paradiso back in September before returning for London Calling. Next they’ll kick off their latest Euro tour for album These Four Walls with two low-key Dutch gigs. tHe fuZZtones 16 Jan. — Melkweg (Amsterdam) Garage rock revivalists fronted by Rudi Protrudi. Formed in New York in 1981, the cast of musicians keeps revolving and the band resist any temptation to hang up the plectrums. Fair play considering the amount of young pretenders cutting in on their patch.
Photo: Dorothy Hong.
SHOWS In DeceMber & JAnUAry
Heavy trasH 17 Jan. — Melkweg (Amsterdam) Ol’ John Spencer is back with his chum Matta Verta-Ray, which is a delight in itself. Not quite as full-on as Blues Explosion, but it’s always entertaining as they channel Elvis and the sleazier side of the rockabilly movement. Buy yourself new album Midnight Soul Serenade to get warmed up in advance. international filM festival rotterdaM, 27 Jan. - 7 Feb. — Various locations (rotterdam) The annual International Film Festival in Rotterdam offers two weeks of great cinema in several theatres across the ‘Maasstad’. Besides brand new shorts and feature films by some of the world’s best directors, the festival also offers retrospectives, live events, expositions and talkshows. More info at www. filmfestivalrotterdam.com. Rumours are there will be tickets and DVDs available at Subbacultcha! Keep an eye on the mailinglist. tHe biG Pink 30 Jan. — rotown (rotterdam) Shoegaze meets glazed-over electro pop. The English duo made a fair bit of impact in the latter half of 2009, working the hype machine long before the release of A Brief History of Love on 4AD.
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AGENDA Subbacultcha shows in september
FESTIVAL OF IMPROVISED MUSIC #8
I8 | I9
DECEMBER 2009 BIMHUIS AMSTERDAM
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WWW.DOEK.ORG
AFTER MIDNIGHT
agenda
Subbacultcha shows in september Send photos to aftermidnight@ subbacultcha.nl Feel very free to involve alcohol, romance, stupidity, sex, beauty, banality and debauchery as long as the photos are shot after midnight. If your photo gets published you get good goodies.
This months photos were submitted by Kamila Stehlik.
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cOLOPHOn Who we are and what we do
subbacultcha! Magazine is lovingly and swiftly made at our office in amsterdam. Grensstraat 14-ii, 1091sx amsterdam, the netherlands. www.subbacultcha.nl magazine@subbacultcha.nl We are editors: Leon Caren and Bas Morsch a-lister: Steven McCarron editorial assistants: Russell Joyce, Sarah Gehrke and Marie-Claire Melzer design: Bas Morsch design companion: Russell Joyce Good Guy: Ernest Mistiaen
Haag, Haarlem and Nijmegen. If you want your bar, venue, store or business to be on the distribution list, please send an email to magazine@subbacultcha.nl. advertising To advertise in Subbacultcha! Magazine send an email to magazine@subbacultcha.nl. Memberships Become a member of Subbacultcha!. For only €6 a month you get free access to all Subbacultcha! shows and the monthly magazine sent to your house. Plus, you get a fresh Subbacultcha! t-shirt. Check the website to sign up.
Good Girl: Brenda Bosma intern: Tibor Bijl
free tickets
contributors: Daniëlle van Ark, Carly Blair, Brenda Bosma, Leon Caren, Zofia Ciechowska, Gijs Deddens, Sarah Gehrke, Marc van der Holst, Russell Joyce, Steven McCarron, Bas Morsch, Oscar Smit, Martine Stig, Gert Verbeek and Mila van de Wall.
If you are subscribed to the mailinglist it is possible to get into our great Magazine Parties for free. Also you can win lots of free tickets every month.
distribution: Artun Arasli, Carlt Blair, Luuk Breukelman, Alice Driesen, Thom van Hoek, Patrick van der Klugt, Sandra Maat, Ernest Mistiaen, Ruben Rietveld, Hedwig Plomp, Rodrigo Sobarzo and Neza Susman subbacultcha! in your store
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Subbacultcha! Magazine is distributed in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Groningen, Den
Get involved Please feel free to email us, call us, drop by and send letters, drawings and photos. after midnight. Send us photos taken after midnight (see p.57) Feel very free to involve alcohol, romance, stupidity, sex, beauty, banality and debauchery
wo 03 / NO BLOC: surprise film (au) (no) vr 04 / Kim Myher + Jim Denley t4tet & Blas wo 09 / NO BLOC: DDR UNDERGROUND with Claus Loeser vr 11 / FOO Bar: Digital Forensics A zo 13 / NEW MUSIC FROM CHIN featuring Yan Jun, Wu Na, FM3 Zhang and Xiao He BLOC: Romania wo 16 / NO (ovb) (short films) vr 18 / Riders On The WORM
vr 22 / Gay Beast
(us)
WORM is a Rotterdam based artists collective,a venue and workspace for music, film and new media. The output of WORM is film, radio, concerts, performances,web-projects, installations,an array of tactile media and a 24/7 webstation.
Âť WORM / Achterhaven 148 / Rotterdam www.wormweb.nl / www.wormstation.nl
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Starts 20.00 | Cover 7,50 Euro
Little Women (USA), Thomas Truax (USA), The Moi Non Plus and DJ Cosmic Pulses
Sunday 06 December Patronaat
Monotonix (ISR), SHIT and SHINE (UK) and Stilletos
Friday 04 December Smart Project Space
agenda Overview of all subbacultcha! shows
Starts 20.00 | Cover 8 Euro
Starts 23.00 | Cover 6 Euro
Teengirl Fantasy Presented in collaboration with Katapult
Friday 11 December De Nieuwe Anita
Magazine Party ft DJ Mark Brown
Wednesday 09 December Studio 80
Starts 21.30 | Cover 5 Euro Free for mailing list members
Friday 18 December Ekko
Apse (USA, ATP) and Deze
Starts 20.00 | Cover 8 Euro
Starts 20.00 | Cover 5 Euro
Subbacultcha! Christmas Party ft Hospital Bombers, Saelors, The Secret Love Parade, Pien Feith and more
Friday 08 January De Nieuwe Anita
Eklin and support
Saturday 26 December De Nieuwe Anita
Starts 20.00 | Cover 6 Euro
Wednesday 13 January Studio 80 Starts 23.00 | Cover 6 Euro
Saturday 16 January Gallery Owsum (Groningen) Starts 13.00 | Entrance Free
Saturday 30 January De Nieuwe Anita
Acid Girls (USA) Presented in collaboration with Katapult Subbacultcha! & Wham! Wham! Eurosonic Day Party More info at www.subbacultcha.nl ET Explore Me 7â&#x20AC;? Launch Party
Starts 20.00 | Cover 6 Euro Subbacultcha members get into all these shows for â&#x201A;Ź6,- per month. sign up at www.subbacultcha.nl
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