Scandinavia Rocks!

Here are 3 Scandinavian bands from the nineties that I really liked at the time but never made a big fuzz outside of their homelands.


First is a Swedish band called SOUL PATROL that I know very little off. The CD inlay doesn’t reveal any info about the band or year of release and I don’t even know if they only made one album or more. The only album that I own - ‘Use…’ on CBR Records - features a track called “Slowmoving Revolution” that was a real underground hit at our local youth club at the time. The irresistible drive of the song and the passionate vocals always made me and my friends spill our beers and bang our heads like fools on the dance floor. I include this track although I must admit that it’s pure nostalgia to me and probably sounds terribly outdated or boring to you. The other 2 tracks that I include are the opening song “Heart of Gold – Soul of Ice” and the scorcher “Your Friend For A Day”, tracks that I still cherish today. PLAY LOUD!


Heart of Gold – Soul of Ice – SOUL PATROL mp3
Your Friend For A Day – SOUL PATROL mp3
Slowmoving Revolution – SOUL PATROL mp3

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ANAL BABES were a Norwegian band that released a split 7” with BRAINBOMBS on the Belgian Demolition Derby/Pit’sbull Records way back in 1995. The year before, the band had released its second album on Big Ball Records and “Shoot The Hostages” is the opening track of said album, nicely called ‘Delirium or Diarrhea’. ANAL BABES made quite an impression on me when they played at the Democrazy club in Ghent in support of the album. They didn’t want to play on the big stage and choose a dark corner of the club instead. With the exception of 2 black leather gloves, the singer was bare-naked and the band spit out a wild bunch of nasty & hate-driven punk tracks. Don’t miss their wild cover of The Electras’ “Action Woman”!


Shoot The Hostages – ANAL BABES mp3
Action Woman – ANAL BABES mp3

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Last but not least is RADIOPUHELIMET from Finland whose lyrics are in Finnish and who sound like The Jesus Lizard making an appearance in a Kaurismäki film. Their album 'Maalla' from 1993 was – like most of the band’s output – released on the Bad Vugum Records label, one of the most interesting labels in Europe during the nineties.
Lãhiõssã – RADIOPUHELIMET mp3
Tee se kotonasi – RADIOPUHELIMET mp3

© Fazal Sheikh

"Ten oosten van Erzurum is de weg leeg en verlaten. De dorpen liggen ver uit elkaar. En zo kan het om een of andere reden gebeuren dat je de auto langs de kant van de weg zet en de rest van de nacht in de openlucht doorbrengt. Warm ingepakt in een vilten jack, een bontmuts over je oren, hoor je het water koken op de primus, die beschut staat achter een wiel. Geleund tegen een aardhoop kijk je naar de sterren, het golvende landschap richting de Kaukasus, de lichtgevende ogen van een vos. Je verdrijft de tijd met hete thee, af en toe een woord, een sigaret, en dan wordt het licht, het breidt zich uit, kwartels en patrijzen laten zich horen… en je haast je om dit ultieme moment in je geheugen als geheel op te slaan, waaruit je het op een dag weer zult opdiepen. Je rekt je uit, je zet een paar stappen, voelt je heel licht en het woord ‘geluk’ lijkt plotseling veel te mager en beperkt om te beschrijven wat er door je heen gaat.
Want de kern van je leven, dat is niet je familie, je carrière, wat anderen over je zeggen of van je denken, maar dat zijn dit soort momenten, waarop je wordt opgetild door een sublieme kracht, serener nog dan de liefde, die het leven ons slechts karig toebedeelt, omdat ons hart er niet te veel van verdraagt."

Gelezen in De wegen van de wereld (L’Usage du monde - 1963) van Nicolas Bouvier (Uitgeverij Bas Lubberhuizen 2009)

36th GHENT International FILM FESTIVAL

PERIPHERIQUE EST @ the Pit's

Last Friday evening turned out to be yet another legendary R&R night at the mighty Pit’s! Although KING SALAMI & THE CUMBERLAND 3 had to cancel their show at the last minute (due to bad management if you ask me), Kortrijk’s own THE GOHARDS were a great replacement. Although it looks like these kids have just come out of the basement, they have a convincing sound of their own, somewhere between CIRCLE JERKS, FLIPPER and BRUTAL KNIGHTS. Certainly a band to keep an eye open for!

All my prejudices against French punk rock were blown away as soon as PERIPHERIQUE EST hit the stage. The band, which consist of 4 Belgians and a Parisian, was a joy to watch with 3 wild rockin’ guitar players, a hyperkinetic drummer and a super dynamic singer. Like The Lazy Cowgirls backing up Plastic Bertrand! Because the first two songs were mind-bogglingly good, I was afraid that the band wouldn’t be able to maintain this super-high level. No need to worry though, as PERIPHERIQUE EST blasted out supreme French punk rock from start to finish! Here’s some raw footage from the godlike show:



thanks to Hugo!

"Waiting For Something”: A short documentary about Jay Reatard

Here’s a pretty cool short film about Jay Reatard from his own website. Although I’m not really into Jay’s latest stuff, I still think he’s a genuine musician who deserves every bit of praise he gets.

Waiting For Something - a short documentary about Jay Reatard