Cinema Novo Film Festival in Bruges

... more info here.

the Muffs - Democrazy, Ghent - 1993

Gee I’m getting old! This video was taken near my hometown at the Democrazy in Ghent in 1993. All the interesting guitarbands from the 80’s – early 90’s used to play at the Democrazy (Screaming Trees, Nirvana, Killdozer, Jesus Lizard, Thin White Rope, etc) and this club almost became my second home. I still think the first Muffs album is a killer album but all I remember from this show is that Kim Shattuck looked damn hot in that cool red dress!

The New Reviews Are Online!

Finally, the new reviews are online! I intend to update the review section every three months from now on!

an old pic from an incredible hunches show at the mighty pit's( 03.03.03 or 24.09.04)
what on earth is it that attracts us to this dirty garbage rock 'n roll mayhem?
i suppose it's just the perfect antidote to the dreariness and predictability of the daily grind?

Some of my favourite movies always leave me confused upon first sight. When I left the theatre, I didn’t think THE BANISHMENT would make my TOP 5 of 2008. Three weeks later, the movie still hasn’t left me mind and for that reason alone, I know it will be in my top 5.



I also think that the latest DIRTBOMBS album on In The Red is the best one Mick Collins & C° ever recorded. And that West-Vleteren is still the best beer in the world. And that my new house starts to look pretty great.

Next week Westmalle + COCOCOMA/HEADACHE CITY at the mighty Pit’s.

Mood? Ç&Oµù$^!?

Will put some reviews on my site this Monday.

In the meantime, check DAVE THE SPAZZ and MICHAEL SHELLEY, two guys that brighten my days at work with their wonderful programs on WFMU.

Nigeria Special

Here's a nice fansite set up to celebrate the release of Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-76 on Soundway Records. Just click the image below.

IFFR 2008

Here are my favorite films, seen at the recent International Film Festival Rotterdam:

1. LA GRAINE ET LE MULET (The Secret of the Grain) - Abdellatif Kechiche


An intense comedy-drama of a North African dockside family in the Southern port of Sète, France. A richly characterized and colorful movie with some terrific acting and a dynamic, captivating plot.

2. SZTUCZKI (Tricks) - Andrzej Jakimowski


A touching and intimate film about a six year old boy who wants to get closer to the father who abandoned his mother. The impressive, natural acting, beautiful cinematography and genuine storytelling makes this the best Polish film in years!

3. THE MAN FROM LONDON - Béla Tarr


Another mesmerizing Béla Tarr movie with the well-known but unrivaled ingredients. Once again, the Hungarian master portrays his utterly bleak visions of the human condition by means of ultra-slow camera movements and gloomy atmospheric accordion music. Another hypnotic tour de force!

4. LIFE TRACK - Jin Guang Hao


A Chinese-South Korean film about an armless man and a mute woman on the run from police. A static and ice-cold rural drama but captivating from beginning to end.

5. SAD VACATION - Shinji Aoyama


Shinji Aoyama won't probably make another tour-de-force like EUREKA, but I very much enjoyed his latest atypical family drama that demands multiple viewings.

2008 Reading List

Here are some books that I really want to read this year:

The Magic Mountain - THOMAS MANN
The best book a good pal of mine has ever read. And it seems that he's not the only one who thinks that this is one of the best novels ever written.

Confessions of a Citizen - SÁNDOR MÁRAI
Sándor Márai has become one of my all-time favorite writers and this book has just been translated into Dutch.

Donau - CLAUDE MAGRIS
Subtitled "A Sentimental Journey from the Source to the Black Sea", this book has been written back in 1986 and is part history, part philosophy, part travelogue. I also heard that it's above all, literature in the richest sense!

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - HARUKI MURAKAMI
Believe it or not, I still haven't read a single Murakami note. This is going to change very soon...

Kaputt - CURZIO MALAPARTE
On the cover of this new Dutch edition, a well-known Belgian writer states that what Célines' "Journey to the End of the Night" means to WOI, Curzio Malaparte's "Kaputt" means to WOII. "An unforgettable masterpiece from a European master." This makes me very curious about this book from 1944.

Aleksandr Sokoerov: "Regisseurs zijn dieven"

De Russische regisseur Aleksandr Sokoerov, te
gast op het festival vanwege de vertoning van
zijn nieuwste film Alexandra, laakte gisteren tijdens
een gesprek met de Nederlandse filmmaker
Jos Stelling het niveau van de filmkunst. ‘De literatuur
is een onvergelijkbaar grotere kunstvorm
dan de cinema. Cinema is een zwakke, onderontwikkelde
kunstvorm. Als ik in mijn studeerkamer
zit, zie ik in de boekenkast het werk van
Tolstoj en Dickens. De films van Eisenstein
komen daar niet bij in de buurt. Artistiek, intellectueel
en ethisch bevindt de cinema zich nog
absoluut niet op dat niveau. We moeten veel beter
worden voordat de eerste films op de laagste
plank van die boekenkast belanden.’ Een filmregisseur
is volgens Sokoerov een dief van andere
kunsten en weet nauwelijks de eigen kracht van
het medium te gebruiken. ‘We stelen beeld van
de schilder, geluid van de componist en teksten
van de schrijver.’ Toch kan de filmmaker volgens
hem iets wat de schrijver niet kan. 'Cinema gaat
om het creëren van sfeer. Een schrijver, ook grote
sfeerscheppers als William Faulkner en Thomas
Mann, moet altijd ergens ophouden met beschrijven.
Er blijft altijd iets te raden over. Een film
toont alles en dat moet de regisseur naar zijn hand
zetten.’ Maar ook hierover had de goedgemutste
Rus slecht nieuws. ‘We kunnen studenten op de
filmschool alles leren, maar niet het creëren van
sfeer. Sommigen kunnen het, anderen niet.’

from DAILY TIGER 5

The new Sean Penn movie INTO THE WILD is a wonderful movie about escapism and introspection. It's a screen adaptation of Jon Krakauer's bestseller "Into the Wild" which chronicles the real-life adventures of a middle-class college graduate who leaves everything behind and pursues a romantic freedom fueled by the writings of Tolstoy, Thoreau and Jack London. His goal is to live in complete isolation in the Alaskan wilderness. Unfortunately, his ultimate freedom ended in 1992 with food poisoning and starvation.

Unlike the wacko bear freak in Werner Herzog's GRIZZLY MAN, 22-year-old Christopher McCandless - now calling himself "Alexander Supertramp" - stays in touch with people by living off the land and taking pickup jobs. During these genuine encounters with people, Penn never overwhelms us with new age spirituality but instead, he puts Alexander's ramblings in perspective. The guy however is determined about this quest for freedom and constantly secludes himself from people in an abandoned bus in the wilderness.

His motives become clear through his sister's voiceover narration about their parents' sad marriage. His seclusion is an act of revenge against his parents. But in the end, on his deathbed, one thing becomes clear for Alexander: "Happiness is only real when shared". A powerful and cathartic climax.

The lengthy picture (147 min.) never feels overlong and although I didn't really like the bombastic Eddie Vedder songs, I still think that INTO THE WILD is an inspiring and fascinating film that demands viewing on the big screen.

Tomorrow, I hope to make some time for the Coen brothers’ adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. After South Korea, Argentina and Romania, it looks like America is delivering the best movies these days…

International Film Festival Rotterdam 2008

Here’s the movies that I will see at this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam. There’s always a bunch of films that already screened in Belgium and I also ignore those that I will see at the Cinema Novo film festival in Bruges in March. Still, there’s such an overkill of interesting movies that it is very frustrating to make a selection, especially if you’re limited to only a few days. Anyway, I am really looking forward to the movies I selected:

The Summer Solstice (China, 2007)
Remote Access (Russia, 2004) (from Svetlana Proskurina, one of the 3 film makers in focus)
The Rebirth (Japan, 2007) (from Kobayashi Masahiro, another film maker in focus this year)
Le Ballon Rouge (France, 1956)
Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge (Taiwan, 2007) (the new Hou Hsiao-hsien and a bit of a letdown I heard :-()
English, August (India, 2004)
Les Amours d’Astrée et de Celadon (France, 2007)
Pure Coolness (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan, 2007)
The Best of Times (Russia, 2007)
The Man From London (Hungary, 2007) (the new Béla Tarr!!)
Sztuczki (Poland, 2007)
Allein in vier Wänden (Germany, 2007)
Own Death (Hungary, 2007)
Autumn Ball (Estland, 2007)
Wanda (USA, 1970) (cult film, read more about it here)
Sad Vacation (Japan, 1970) (from Aoyama Shinji, maker of the brilliant Eureka)
Life Track (China, 2007)
Recycle (Jordan, 2007)
La Graine et le Mulet (France, 2007) (very curious about this one!)
At the Beach (China, 1984)
Black Snow (China, 1989) (both from the Cinema Regaines section which dives into the history of cinema and this year focuses on the Fourth Generation filmmakers from China (1978-1989)

Like i said, I ignored a couple of movies that I absolutely don't want to miss but I will see those at the above mentioned Cinema Novo Film Festival: Ploy, Help Me Eros, Secret Sunshine. Other movies I ignored are movies that will be screened in Belgian theaters in the near future (Import/Export, The Darjeeling Limited, No Country For Old Men).



Fuck, I am really counting the days ‘cuz I need some brain food!

Peter Brötzmann + Best shows of 2007!

Saturday night, German free jazz legend Peter Brötzmann treated the audience to another stellar performance at De Werf in Bruges! Backed by drummer Michael Wertmüller and bassist Marino Pliakas, he once again proved that after all these years, he is still the uncrowned king of the European free jazz movement. Although most known for his raw edged saxophone shrieks, Brötzmann is also a true master who plays with depth and sensitivity. At times, the trio built to a climax and I really thought the roof was going to tear off the club. Wertmüller as well as Pliakas were both unique companions, mixing power with craftsmanship and genuineness. Especially Pliakas, who often created a repetitive, gloomy sound, was a pleasure to watch. An amazing show that will end up high in my year end list. By the way and for what it's worth, here are my favourite shows of 2007:

1. Blue Highways festival (21/04/07 – Vredenburg, Utrecht)

I simply could have put Pieta Brown’s intimate, sensual and mesmerizing show on top of my list but I also enjoyed a lot of other bands on this great Americana festival like The Hacienda Brothers, Danny & Dusty, The Road Kings feat. Jesse Dayton and Kevn Kinney's S.T.A.R. Unfortunately, I had to make choices so I missed shows by Kris Delmhorst, Diana Jones and Po’Girl. Blue Highways 2008 will take place on Saturday April 19. Honey, will you babysit again, please?

2. Brutal Knights (22/09/07 – The Pit’s, Kortrijk)

Primal hardcore punkrock. Don’t make me believe that Black Flag was better in their heyday. A serious head butt!!

3. Touareg Night with Tinariwen, Tartit & Toumast (08/05/07 - Botanique, Brussels)

A rockin’ & tempting Toumast, a traditional & charming Tartit ensemble & a hypnotic & groovy Tinariwen. Oh what a night!

4. Clorox Girls/The Feelers (23/06/07 – The Pit’s, Kortrijk)

Definitely the most fun show of the year, hands down!

5. The Black Keys (02/03/07 – Handelsbeurs, Ghent)

These 2 cats sure know how to ROCK on stage! Damn cool!

6. Demon’s Claws (07/04/07 – The Pit’s, Kortrijk)

These Canadians lay down a wonderful groove. Canadiana with a genuine punk spirit.

7. Pistolera/Ollabelle (27/04/07 – N9 Villa, Eeklo)

For a big fan of The Staple Singers and American folk music, Ollabelle’s show was a true revelation. A brilliant show for two men and a dog.

8. Bassekou Kouyate (02/11/07 – Zuiderpershuis, Antwerpen)

I missed the Sfinks festival this year so I tried to make up a little by attending this Bassekou Kouyate show. A good choice since this is a very charming and wonderful live band!

9. Josephine Foster (11/04/07 – Vooruit, Ghent)

I was enthralled and moved by Josephine Foster’s weird fairy tales.

10. Rashied Ali Quintet/Archie Shepp Quartet (16/07/07 – Blue Note festival, Ghent)

I chose this one instead of the Allen Toussaint/Elvis Costello show the day after. For many people I know, the latter was the best show of the year. I missed it although I really enjoyed Rashied Ali and Archie Shepp too…

Other great shows include Alemayehu Eshete (23/09/07 – Zuiderpershuis, Antwerpen), Kaushiki Chakhrabarty (14/04/07 – Zuiderpershuis, Antwerpen), The Sadies (01/05/07 – Checkpoint, Terneuzen), Fucked Up (02/01/07 - Het Bargehuis, Bruges), Los Lobos (03/05/07 – AB, Brussels), Wheels On Fire (03/06/07 – 4AD, Diksmuide), Jay Reatard & Boston Chinks (15/06/07 – Lintfabriek, Kontich), Miss Alex White (10/07/07 – The Pit’s, Kortrijk), Nicole Willis (15/07/07 – Boomtown, Ghent), Beasts of Bourbon (25/07/07 – 4AD, Ghent), Harlan T Bobo & Jack Oblivian (30/08/07 – The Pit’s, Kortrijk), Hipshakes + LiveFastDie (09/09/07 – The Pit’s, Kortrijk), Black Time (05/10/07 – The Pit’s, Kortrijk), Human Eye (19/10/07 – The Pit’s, Kortrijk), Movie Star Junkies (24/10/07 – The Pit’s, Kortrijk), Nathaniel Mayer (01/12/07 – N9 Villa, Eeklo)

Sounds from A Bygone Age Vol.1-4

I have just received the 4 CD series 'SOUNDS FROM A BYGONE AGE". Each volume presents a rare insight into the creative work of some of the best Romanian traditional musicians and singers from the 1960s and 1970s.

These Asphalt Tango Records digipacks are exemplary reissues with informative liner notes and wonderful music. You can buy all 4 volumes directly from the label for €52,00 including shipping cost to Europe. Here's a great video to wetten your appetite…

PAUL McCARTHY retrospective in Ghent

Many years ago, I witnessed a Paul McCarthy video that made a lasting impression on me. It showed a weird scene in which a clownish person continually smashed his hand with a big hammer. It was both repulsive and burlesque and it got stuck in my mind forever.

So it goes without saying that I was really looking forward to the Paul McCarthy retrospective in the Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art – Ghent. After all, it’s the first time in Europe that people get the chance to see a cross selection of his entire works. Last Friday, I finally paid a visit to Head Shop/Shop Head – Works 1966-2006 and again, McCarthy made an overwhelming impression on me!

Although definitely not for the faint of heart, Paul McCarthy’s art never becomes gratuitous and his indictment of society is always perceptible. In his 1976 video ‘Class Fool’ for example, we see how he throws himself around a classroom covered in ketchup until he is too injured and dazed to continue, subsequently vomiting and then inserting a Barbie doll into his rectum. The audience in the class room is clearly upset and doesn’t know what to expect; the terror becomes almost unbearable. But who’s the real victim? Are we observers or accomplices?

The Paul McCarthy retrospective 1966-2006 shows a varied selection of probing performance videos, photographs, installations and settings and is a unique experience that you won’t forget easily!

(an in-depth commentary can be found here)

Oooh no!! Not another year end list, please?!!!

I'm not too keen on making year end lists as far as new albums are concerned simply because most of the time, I discover the real gems many months after their initial release date. Only last year for example did I become hooked on Wheels On Fire's fabulous debut album (2006) and Nicole Willis' awesome 'Keep Reachin' Up' (2005), while yesterday I terribly enjoyed James Hunter's 'People Gonna Talk', an album that I didn't even notice when it came out in 2006!

So with a fat chance of omitting some terrific albums, here's a list of my personal favourite new albums of 2007:

1.The Pirate’s Gospel - ALELA DIANE (Fargo CD)
2.Aman Iman : Water is Life - TINARIWEN (Independiente CD)
3.Comicopera - ROBERT WYATT (Domino CD)
4.Mutilation Nation - CPC GANGBANGS (Alien 8 Recordings LP)
5.Icky Thump - THE WHITE STRIPES (XL Recordings 2LP)
6.Dirt Farmer - LEVON HELM (Vanguard CD)
7.Sonic Chicken 4 - SONIC CHICKEN 4 (In The Red LP)
8.Renunciation - DAVID S. WARE QUARTET (Aum Fidelity CD)
9.Deuteronomy - THE INTELLIGENCE (In The Red LP)
10.Little Animals - BEASTS OF BOURBON (CD)

other personal favorites include Whiskey Flower - THE GOLDEN BOYS (Hook or Crook LP), Satan’s Little Pet Pig - DEMON’S CLAWS (In The Red LP), Segu Blue - BASSEKOU KOUYATE & NGONI BA (Out Here 2LP), Los Valientes del Mundo Nuevo - BLACK LIPS (Vice Records LP), The Hex Dispensers - THE HEX DISPENSERS (Alien Snatch LP), Walk Into The Sea - CHEATER SLICKS (Dead Canary LP), Volume 2 : Summer Snow - WILLIAM PARKER & HAMID DRAKE (Aum Fidelity CD), From the River to the Ocean - FRED ANDERSON & HAMID DRAKE (Thrill Jockey CD), Bad Trips - BAD TRIPS (Rocket ship Records LP) and Good Bad Not Evil - BLACK LIPS (Vice Records CD) and Wooden Shjips - WOODEN SHJIPS (Holy Mountain 2CD)

As far as compilations/reissues go, there were many terrific ones in 2007. Here's a broad selection:

o I belong to this band: 85 Years of Sacred Harp Recordings (Dust-to-Digital CD)
o Free Your Mind : The 700 West Sessions – AMNESTY (Now-Again 2LP)
o Senegal : The Teranga Spirit (Syllart 2CD)
o Classic Cuts – WAILING SOULS (Greensleeves CD)
o Gems from the Classic Years 1967-1974 – KING SUNNY ADE (Shanachie CD)
o When the Levee Breaks : Mississippi Blues Rare Cuts 1926-1941 (JSP 4CD)
o Nuh Skin Up – KEITH HUDSON & THE SOUL SYNDICATE (Pressure Sounds CD)
o New York Latin Hustle – The Sound of New York (Soul Jazz 2CD)
o The Sounds of Our Time – JIM FORD (Bear Family)
o Brainbombs – BRAINBOMBS (Pollymaggoo Records CD)
o Black & White in Dub – CARLTON PATTERSON & KING TUBBY (Hot Pot Records CD)
o Sounds From A Bygone Age Vol.4 – TONI IORDACHE (Asphalt Tango CD)
o Mexican Boleros : Songs of Heartbreaking, Passion & Pain 1927-1957 (Trikont CD)
o Moonscape – MICHAEL GARRICK (Trunk CD)
o Songs of Defiance : Music of Chechnya and the North Caucasus (Topic CD)
o The Black Ark – NOAH HOWARD (Bo Weavil Recordings CD)
o Cuban Pearls 1 : Una Noche en la Habana 1947-1957 (Syllart 2CD)
o Doctor Jazz – JELLY ROLL MORTON (Proper 4CD)
o Compulsion – ANDREW HILL (Blue Note CD)
o Brazil 70 : After Tropicalia – New Directions in Brazilian Music in the 1970s (Soul Jazz)
o Zanzibar 3 : Ujamaai – The 1960s Sound of Tanzania (Buda CD)
o The Classic Guinean Guitar Group – AFRICAN VIRTUOSES (Stern’s CD)
o The Very Best of Ethiopiques (Manteca 2CD)
o The Voice of Lightness : Congo Classics 1961-1977 – TABU LEY ROCHEREAU (Stern’s 2CD)
o An Electric Storm – WHITE NOISE (Island CD)
o Make it Stop! The Most of Ross Johnson (Goner CD)
o Art of Field Recordings Volume I : 50 Years of Traditional American Music documented by Art Rosenbaum (Dust-to-Digital 4CD)
o Melodii Tuvi : Throat Songs and Folk Tunes from Tuva (Dust-to-Digital CD)
o Black Mirror : Reflections in Global Music (Dust-to-Digital CD)
o Victrola Favorites : Artifacts from Bygone Days (Dust-to-Digital CD)
o Dr Boogie Presents Rarities from the Bob Hite Vaults (Sub Rosa CD)
o Untouchable! The Classic 1959-1966 Recordings – JOHNNY “GUITAR” WATSON (Ace CD)
o Love and Affection – NATHANIEL MAYER (Vampisoul 2LP)
o People Take Warning : Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs (Tompkins Square 3CD)
o Rare & Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul – ARETHA FRANKLIN (Rhino 2CD)
o LA, Memphis & Tyler – DALE HAWKINS (Rev-ola CD)
o Tribulation : Down in Jamdown 1974-1979 – BIM SHERMAN (Pressure Sounds CD)
o I hate CD’s (Norton CD)
o Anatolian Wedding – SELIM SESLER (Double Moon CD)
o When Rhythm Was King (Heartbeat CD)
o Ape-Ology – LEE PERRY AND THE UPSETTERS (Trojan CD)
o Ethiopiques, Volume 22: ALÈMAYÈHU ESHÈTÉ (Buda CD)
o ETHIOPIQUES, VOLUME 23: ORCHESTRA ETHIOPIA (Buda CD)
o Savage Pencil Presents LION vs. DRAGON in Dub (Trojan CD)
o The Complete Machine Gun Sessions – PETER BRÖTZMANN (Atavistic CD)
o Super Afro Soul – ORLANDO JULIUS (Vampisoul 2CD)
o ABDEL HADI HALO & THE EL GUSTO ORCHESTRA OF ALGIERS (Honest Jons)
o Music of Central Asia Vol.6 : ALIM AND FARGANA QASIMOV – Spiritual Music of Azerbaijan (Smithsonian Folkways CD)
o Jukebox Explosion – JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION (ITR CD)
o The Chicago Octet Tentet – BRÖTZMANN (Okkadisk 3CD)
o Doom & Gloom : Early Songs of Angst and Disaster 1927-1945 (Trikont CD)

I'm sure you are going to discover at least one album that you haven't heard yet and will become one of your personal favorites of 2007. And the thought alone really brightens my days!

Exit 2007

I have just put my personal favourite movies of 2007 on the website. I only added a couple of movies that I’ve seen very recently like Cronenberg’s ‘Eastern Promises’, Todd Haynes amazing Dylan biopic ‘I'm Not There’ and Stefan Ruzowitzky’s ‘Die Fälscher’. I also forgot to mention Bruno Dumont's excellent ‘Flandres’ which I’ve seen quoted only once elsewhere; as worst movie of the year! Me? Me gusta mucho!!!

In 2008, three monthly reviews will be published on the site again so stay tuned!

I also updated the current household favourites section. For what it’s worth…

And in case you're wondering why I posted so little lately, here’s a picture of the current state of my house. Nothing to do with Al Quada though, just renovating da house…

Looks like 2008 is going to be a great year for live music over here!

With upcoming shows by PETER BRÖTZMANN, PERE UBU, BETTYE LAVETTE, CARBONAS, COCOCOMA/HEADACHE CITY, TURPENTINE BROTHERS, MAVIS STAPLES, JOE HENRY, TRUMANS WATER, BRIMSTONE HOWL, FORBIDDEN TIGERS, THE HEX DISPENSERS and THE INTELLIGENCE, I think 2008 is going to be a fantastic year live-wise! And look at this flyer:


2008 is ALIVE!!!

My Favourite Movies of 2007

Few people seem to like Lou Ye's SUMMER PALACE. Personally I think it's the most beautiful movie of the year. Even a second screening yesterday didn't change my mind. Here are my favourite movies of 2007:

1. SUMMER PALACE
2. IKLIMLER (CLIMATES)
3. LADY CHATTERLY
4. STELLET LICHT
5. 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS
6. THE MOURNING FOREST
7. I DON’T WANT TO SLEEP ALONE
8. INLAND EMPIRE
9. OPERA JAWA
10. EXILED
11. DARATT
12. SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY
13. CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'
14. LITTLE MOTH
15. THE HOST
16. MEDUZOT
17. BLIND MOUNTAIN
18. A BITTERSWEET LIFE
19. KHADAK
20. STILL LIFE

I also enjoyed Control, La Marea, Les Anges Exterminateurs, Tuya's Marriage, Le Papier Ne Peut Pas Envelopper La Braise, Hamaca Paraguaya, Time, Walking on the Wild Side, Prendre Femme, Koorogi, The Journey (Yatra), The Optimists, Jardins en automne, Ca brule, Bamako, Half Moon, Bes Vakit, Weed, Scream of the Ants, Rain Dogs, Nue Propriété, Our Daily Bread, Letters from Iwo Jima, Body Rice, Yumurta, La Influencia, Pas Douce, Persepolis, Desert Dream, Familia Tortuga, Auf Der Anderen Seite, Woman on the Beach, Nacido y Criado, El Baño del Papa, El Otro, Riza, Las Vidas Possibles, Takva, La Leon, Rome Plutôt Que Vous, We Own The Night, Elle s'apelle Sabine, Nos Vies Privées, Paranoid Park, Les Témoins, Manufacturing Landscapes, Election 2, You the living

Mission accomplished!

Thanks to all the people who came to the Dan Sartain/Nathaniel Mayer double bill in my hometown! I am very glad my intense publicity campaign has paid off well since the house was packed! Muchas gracias amigos!

I really like the Dan Sartain Vs. The Serpientes CD from 2003 but on stage in Eeklo, Dan didn't really live up to my expectations as he looked rather indifferent and tired. The set was OK but OK isn't enough in my book. A missed opportunity!

Top of the bill was Nathaniel Mayer who turned out to be a very funny but sex-obsessed old man. "As long as the pussy smells, I take it" was his favourite one-liner during the short talks I had with this Detroit legend. Nathaniel also told me that he finally receives royalties for his brilliant Fortune recordings now that the Vampisoul label has issued a wonderful and legitimate 2LP/CD compilation. So please get yourself a copy of 'I Want Love and Affection (Not the House of Correction)' which is an absolute must for any serious 60s soul/R&B fan! The show itself was really great. Some people got annoyed by the sloppy backing band but since I am a big King Uszniewicz fan, I really loved the sound: garage soul, taken literally! Mr. Mayer was at his best during the deep soul ballads. "You give it to him, why don't you give it to me?" for example was mind-blowingly good since he passionately sang the song to a middle-aged fan in the audience who was dancing sensually with his partner. I heard different opinions afterwards, some liked the set while others didn't, but I myself, was impressed by this raw and sincere performance. Afterwards, I played some of my favourite records for all of my longtime friends and we had one hell of a good time (not in the least because of the delicious draft Blonde Grimbergen!). A terrific Saturday night for sure!

NATHANIEL MAYER in my hometown!!!

Journey by Moonlight - ANTAL SZERB

After having read almost every translated novel by Hungarian writer Sándor Márai (1900-1989), I wanted to check out some other Hungarian novelists from the last century so I bought a recently translated novel written in 1937 by Antal Szerb called "Journey by Moonlight". It is an unforgettable book and one of the best I have read in ages!

Pursued by nostalgia for his bohemian youth, Mihály seeks escape in marriage to Erzsi, not realizing that she has chosen him as a means to her own rebellion. On their honeymoon in Italy, Mihály "loses" his bride at a provincial station and embarks on a chaotic and bizarre journey that leads him finally to Rome. There all the death-haunted and erotic elements of his past converge, and he, like Erzsi, has finally to choose.

The novel had a very fascinating, strange effect on me. I was intrigued by Mihály's wandering mind and spell bounded by Szerb's magnificent prose and brilliant storytelling. Wikipedia tells me that Szerb was deported to a concentration camp during World War II and beaten to death there in January 1945, he was 43. "Journey by Moonlight" was his second and best-known work.

I am eager now to read more Hungarian novels from the last century and my next choice is Kornél Esti by Dezso Kosztolanyi (1885-1936) who Péter Esterházy calls the big master of Márai and the most elegant of all Hungarian writers.

Looking Back At Anger : A Retrospective Programme on KENNETH ANGER's Work

Now this is something that I am really looking forward to!

I haven't seen any of his movies and this seems like the perfect occasion to check out the work of this cult avant-garde pioneer!

A terrific selection of great YouTube videos

Here’s a link to some great YouTube videos selected by members of the editorial staff of Belgium’s best newspaper De Standaard.

MYSPACE

I have just created a myspace account which I think is a fine tool to get in touch with great bands and especially to buck up/thank them after a great gig. Initially, I wanted to upload the song that lead to the “batarang” name but it turns out that uploading music is only for artists and not for ordinary fools like me so instead I added a Jessie Mae Hemphill song to my account which I suppose visitors will like too.

Anyway, here’s that sudden song by some sixties outfit from Memphis called THE AVENGERS (no, the other ones!); a very moody, tremolo-soaked instrumental that I must have played a thousand times and never ceases to amaze me. The track can be found on Volume One of a great compilation on Upstart Records called “It Came From Memphis”. I suppose some more info about The Avengers can be found in Robert Gordon’s excellent companion book but I can’t find that one right now so I leave you here with "Batarang". Enjoy!

LITTLE MOTH by Tao Peng

One of the most intriguing films I've seen at the recent International Film Festival in Ghent was a Chinese low-key production on digital beta cam video called Little Moth. This heartbreaking, fascinating story shows how poverty can lead to immoral decisions by portraying the exploitation of orphaned kids by adult scumbags. Little Moth, whose mother has died and whose father is an unemployed drunk, is unable to walk due to toxic blood poisoning. When she gets adopted by a country bumpkin and his wife, it soon turns out that her new parents aren't acting out of love but want to make big bucks by using her to beg with the mother on city streets. A growing gap subtly develops between husband and wife, however, as the wife’s maternal instincts kick in, and she begins to care for Little Moth as if she were her own. The husband, meanwhile, is intent on saving cash, even if it means not buying meds for the sick girl. Soon, the situation escalates into a tragedy.

Tao Peng not only directed this intense movie, but also wrote the script and handled the production. It's fascinating to see how young Chinese directors have the courage to release films against the Chinese laws and reveal the darker side of the Chinese society.

Just after the premiere of Little Moth at the Film Festival in Locarno last August, Tao Peng got into conflict with the Chinese authorities who made it practically impossible for him to send a copy outside of his homeland. Fortunately, the film copy from the Locarno festival had been sent to Vancouver and the Canadians were willing to sent the digital video for a little while to Belgium. Lucky us! Let's hope more people get to see this little gem…

Life's A Bitch

I just found out that MOSE ALLISON played a show in Antwerp yesterday. This fuckin' ruins my day!!!

A Friday Night Out

Can you imagine a band that sounds like an amazing mix between The Fall-Outs and the Cheaters Slicks? Look no further: THE WEAKENDS from Bordeaux, France deliver the goods! This trio played a mighty fine half hour set at the Pit’s last Friday and I can hardly wait for their upcoming debut 7-inch on Rob’s House Records. The Weakends rule!

Next was Piero from The Fatals’ new band JACK OF HEART in which he teams up with the singer of The Creteens and two other fellows. Bleeding guitars & noisy roots rock from a band that sounds like a drugged-out version of The Gun Club or like a more rootsy version of early Monster Magnet. A real nice show, although I wonder how long Piero will continue his self destructive lifestyle. En tout cas: un grand merci messieurs!

Top of the bill was HUMAN EYE who played a manic half hour set that set the house on fire. Reminiscent of The Wipers & drugged-out again, Timmy Vulgar & C° blew our minds!

A great night out and just what I needed after a rather mediocre Film Festival in Ghent. More details soon…

SAND AND SORROW

Yesterday saw the premiere of SAND AND SORROW, a documentary about the grueling conflict between rebels and government forces in Darfur. The film itself wasn't anything special as it looked like an ordinary TV documentary and often used ugly rock beats as background music. But it did work as a clear record of the ongoing genocide in Southern Sudan and it definitely depicted the rotten world of politics as China for example had used its U.N. veto power to protect the Sudanese government from sanctions against the genocide because of Chinese oil interests in Sudan. After the film, a Unicef spokeswoman gave some info about the current Darfur projects and she was followed by RASHA, a Sudanese refugee who currently lives in Madrid and was scheduled to play a gig with her band after the film. When Rasha was called on stage however, she was clearly upset by what she had just seen and could only stumble the words "I really don't know what to say, I don't know who I am any longer". Subsequently, she left the stage in tears. Later in the evening, Rasha came back with her band, played a very nice set but was clearly still disconcerted.

I had read about the Darfur conflict in Dave Egger's heartrending and astonishing book “What is the What” but the raw images of mutilated children and swollen corpses had a much brutal effect on me.

One thing that really struck me, is a certain scene where a woman who helps the violated women at a refugee camp responds to an elderly woman who wants to thank her with the words: “It’s not me, it’s God”. I can simply not understand how you can still believe in a God, when you are living in hell.

Not Mine - Czeslaw Milosz

All my life to pretend this world of theirs is mine
And to know such pretending is disgraceful.
But what can I do? Suppose I suddenly screamed
And started to prophesy. No one would hear me.
Their screens and microphones are not for that.
Others like me wander the streets
And talk to themselves. Sleep on benches in parks,
Or on pavements in alleys. For there aren't enough prisons
To lock up all the poor. I smile and keep quiet.
They won't get me now.
To feast with the chosen—that I do well.

Translated by Robert Hass

Wonderful Internet Radio: Boogie Nights!

For many Wednesday nights, I was glued to my radio listening to De Stompin' Velden with Stoffer & Bentz. In this legendary radio program, you could listen to all kinds of exciting roots music (r&b, soul, blues, country, cajun etc.) with Roel Bentz van den Berg as the most devoted & captivating radio host you can imagine. There also used to be a section where some guy from Groningen called in weekly to recommend a cult movie on TV and introduce some exciting punk rock 7" (aka "het betere gooi- en smijtwerk"). After many amazing years however, the national Dutch radio station suddenly changed its policy and simply abolished the program. Never again did I listen to the radio.

Now the good news is that for quite some time now, Stoffer & Bentz have a new program that can be listened to day and night here by clicking on the dates. You can even download every program (over 250 until now!), burn them on a stick and enjoy them wherever you are.

Many thanks to Dejan den Hertog for making this possible. Internet radio rules!

34th Flanders International Film Festival Ghent

Time for another film festival, time for another mindfuck. Here's my personal selection:

Sand and Sorrow
Le Papier ne peut pas Envelopper la Braise
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Manoro
Desert Dream
Familia Tortuga
Un Homme Perdu
Empties
Auf der Anderen Seite
Vanaja
Las Vidas Possibles
My Name is Albert Ayler
Woman on the Beach
Born And Bred
El Desierto Negro
El Baña del Papa
Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame
In Memoria di Me
Blind Mountain
Wild Tigers I Have Known
El Otro
Riza
Ficcio
Takva
La Leon
Rome Plutôt que Vous
Little Moth
We Own The Night
Elle s'appelle Sabine
Nightbus
Nos Vies Privées
Paranoid Park

CURRENT SOULFOOD

music


film


book


This Friday, one of my favourite contemporary bands at the Pit's: BLACK TIME => the ultimate clash/crash between The Cramps and Pussy Galore...

BRUTAL KNIGHTS / ALEMAYEHU ESHETE

Last Saturday turned out to be another memorable night at the Pit's club! I simply cannot imagine a more powerful live band than Toronto's BRUTAL KNIGHTS. During the gig, I was thinking to myself that this must've been how BLACK FLAG sounded on stage during their heyday. With two guitar players, one bass player, one drummer and one singer, Canada's hardcore kings almost blew the roof off the fuckin' Pit's! With blasting intensity, the band's earth-shattering punk rock turned the place into a ruthless moshpit once again. What a band! Concert of the year? You bet!

Yesterday, I went to see ALEMAYEHU ESHETE aka the Ethiopian James Brown! Before the show, I talked to Francis Falceto whom I once interviewed about his fabulous Ethiopiques reissue program and he told me that Mr. Eshete's backing band consisted of young Bretons. I don't know if he saw the disappointment on my face in the vein of “What? No Ethiopians but a bunch of French conservatory musicians??”, but as soon as the band hit the stage, I knew that my prejudiced point of view was totally misplaced since the band played a terrific set. Alemayehu was in top form too and he really enjoyed himself on stage. Many classic Ethiopian songs were being played and when Alemayehu Eshete came back for an encore, the band played “Addis Ababa” and everybody was dancing! A mighty fine gig indeed!! After the show, I went to congratulate Alemayehu for his wonderful performance and he said "thank you brother" and gave me a hug! What a wonderful human being!!


I promise to bring my camera next time so I can shoot some pics for this blog.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

If you like your cinema pure & honest, you really need to check out this year's winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival. It's a delight to see how Romanian director Cristian Mungiu discreetly observes his main character Otilia while the real action is taking place off screen. In long takes, he reveals her inner struggles in silence, creating a maelstrom of emotions. This tale about an illegal abortion during the Ceausescu years can be spoken of with the same regard as 'The Death of Mr. Lazarescu'. I cannot imagine a higher recommendation.

CONTROL

Yesterday, I really enjoyed Anton Corbijn's compelling film about Ian Curtis (1956-1980), the tormented singer of Joy Division who hanged himself in 1980 at the age of 23. Sam Riley is really brilliant as the depressive lead singer and the live fragments are very convincing. The black-and-white film is visually arresting while the formal mise-en-scene is perfectly appropriate and fits the subject perfectly. A heartfelt film you cannot afford to miss!

reflection

perception:

i found most people extremely boring

question:

should i seek for more interesting people or has my mind been troubled by watching too many movies?

solution:

a combination of domestic happiness and joyful escapism through the arts (movies, books, music)

Alemayehu Eshete

Trappist Westvleteren

Hooray!!! Last Tuesday, I bought my first 2 crates of Westvleteren Trappist beer!! Although stocks have always been low and supplies have always been limited and uncertain, even for Belgians it has become very hard these days to obtain a crate of the world-renowned Trappist beer. Ever since the Westvleteren 12 was chosen best beer in the world on RateBeer.com in June 2005, each car is rationed to two 24-bottle crates and the beer has to be reserved through a beer phone beforehand. This means that the monks will not sell you any beer if you just drive up to the abbey hoping to get some. Aside from the brewery itself, the only other official sale point for the beer is the abbey-owned meeting center 'In de Vrede', just in front of the abbey. All beers can still be bought there for immediate consumption only. The monks themselves are charmingly stubborn: they have repeatedly stated that they only brew enough beer to run the monastery, and will make no more than they need to sell, regardless of demand.

Before I went to collect my two wooden crates of Trappist Westvleteren 8, I tasted the Westvleteren 12 and I must admit that it is truly an exceptional beer! I won't try to describe its flavour as I terribly suck at describing beer, but believe me - its reputation as the world's greatest beer is totally justified! A profound beer drinking experience!

At the end of the month, the Westvleteren 12 will be available too. I can hardly wait... again.

African pearls on sale at Mélodie !!!

There’s a very interesting sale going on at Mélodie until September 16th (hurry up!). The 6 CD series SENEGAL FLASH for example, is a wonderful collection of Senegalese and Gambian bands from the seventies. Other collections from the Syliphone catalog, like the DISCOTHEQUE series, are no less essential. The 2CD collections MUSIQUE DU MALI VOL.1 & 2 have recently been upgraded by Syllart as African Pearls 3: One Day On Radio Mali but the current price of the original collection is really ridiculously low. You can find a link to the overstock offer by clicking here. I have marked the recommended items in yellow. Ask your local retailer NOW because there’s some truly unique music to be heard! This majestic track by Super Diamono for example, can be found on Sénégal Flash: Banjul.

You can find more info on the original releases by clicking here

Silversun Pickups

At work, I am surrounded by women who are keen on radio stations with slogans like “The Fun! The Hits!” or “Q-Music Is Good For You!”. Because I treat my female colleagues very kindly most of the time (serving coffee, telling them they look terrific today etc.) every now and then they allow me to listen to some national college radio station that plays a lot of ‘guitar-oriented’ songs. Sure, they play All Saints or The Spin Doctors too, but it’s always nice to hear Iggy Pop or Violent Femmes while tapping the keyboard. Now there’s this one song that they constantly play by a band called Silversun Pickups that I really started to like a lot. It is called “Lazy Eye” and it reminds me a lot of The Breeders although I never bought a Breeders record in my life so I might be wrong at that point. Anyway, I searched some info about this L.A. quartet and it seems like they’re rather famous since they play big festivals and sell a lot of records. Wait! You MUST have heard of this band?! They’re probably one of those dreadful indie bands that want to become the next Foo Fighters and do have their own PR-manager! But whatever, I really like this song and although there’s a fat chance that I will probably hate it next month, I simply have to admit that – RIGHT NOW – I am very fond of it. The fascinating thing is that this shameless personal revelation gives me a good feeling. It feels great to admit that I really like a song that is cherished by thousands of teenagers worldwide although after reading this, you will probably never ever trust me again music wise.

Play or download Lazy Eye

Brötzmann & Hitchens

It's good to have several sources for buying books & music so you can compare prices and save money. I have just ordered the following 2 items at Proxis, both very reasonably priced:

The Complete Machine Gun Sessions - The Peter Brötzmann Octet (Atavistic 2CD)



The original BRO Records LP restored to its 1968 format, with two alternate takes, new liner notes by Brötzmann and John Corbett, plus the only live version of MACHINE GUN ever recorded- in a deluxe package! This is a 2 CD edition and even cheaper than the former FMP edition. I am renovating the house and pretty sure that this will be the perfect companion while removing wall paper. Here's what the others say: "mind-blasting... a smashing, clanging wonderland of noise." - Thurston Moore, "Jaw-dropping, face-peeling, DNA-changing music." - Mats Gustafsson.


God is Not Great (How religion poisens everything) - Christopher Hitchens



The dutch translation is scheduled for november but I've read a couple of interesting things about this book so I ordered the American hardcover edition. Although I wouldn't describe myself as a hardcore atheist (I highly regard people like the 13th century sufi poet and mystic Rumi or Tarkovsky's religious consciousness), I do agree with Karl Marx' famous statement that religion is the opium of the people. I don't think that this book will drastically change my thinking about religion but I am anxious to read it.

The Scene of the Crime - BETTYE LAVETTE

Whoah!!! Look at this one! Soul goddess BETTYE LAVETTE teaming up with the fabulous DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS!!! A couple of years ago, I saw a devastatingly powerful performance by soul goddess Lavette at the Blues Estafette in Utrecht. During “Let Me Down Easy”, you could hear a pin drop even though the hall was packed with some 3,000 blues/soul music lovers! Drive-by Truckers on the other hand is one of the most exciting roots rock bands today. Once you’ve seen them on stage, you become a lifelong fan! “The Scene of the Crime” will be released on September 24 on Anti- records. Man, I really can’t wait to hear this record!!!