releases

I'm to happy to report that Wander has now has their cassette release (in our attempt to release every format once). It's released by Throne Heap in the USA in an edition of 40 copies, in a nice silk-screened cover. It's a c20 - for those no longer in the know: that is ten minutes of music per side. Freek and I worked each on a side. Go figure who did which.
Also released is a double CDR called 'Cassette Culture Compilation 1 & 2'. Compiled by Hal McGee (also known as Mental Anguish of whom I released a cassette in 1989), it has old dudes like yours truly but new music. I have a Freiband track on there, which I was to release myself: a remix of Antenne's 'Black Eyed Dog', which of course sounds entirely different than the original, the uber-original or the Beequeen version, just the vocals are the same.
I hate to complain or be negative, but I have to unleash some grief about a label called Tantric Harmonies. They wanted to re-release Beequeen's Der Holzweg' and it was agreed he would do 500 CDs and we would get 75 free copies as a sole payment. It was released on June 30th last year. We had to ask where our free copies were after it was released. It took the 'label' some 2 months to send us 25. Just yesterday, believe it or not, I received the third batch of 25. I really don't get this. Is he poor? Is he an idiot? Or does he just don't care? I have not been treated this bad in a long time. I think the very very first box a label should send out is to the artists who make their music. We have some for sale now, and we recommended not buying anything at from Tantric Harmonies.

arigato!

yes, i made it back home. Safe and sound. Saturday was spend buying a new laptop and one of those new recording devices and had the best sushi near the fishmarket of Tokyo. Sunday I didn't do much until the evening. I played a piece which wasn't great, I think, but the short improvised with Evala was great. The second half of the evening started with Haino is great mode, then him and Pan Sonic, then those with Keichiro (another highlight) and the evening with everybody, including me and Evala. Followed by the last short and restless night. I am still dizzy, but hopefully jetlagging will be alright. Strange to be back, and looking at the pile of CDs for Vital Weekly (unfortunally some people still think its great to send 5 cds at once).
But a big thanks is in place to Maria and Keichiro, Evala, Mika and Ilpo for a great week in Japan, and of course everybody at the various venues. It was simply a great trip. I love to go back any time.

at unit

Last night Unit, the disco of Shibuya was packed to the roof with people, and everybody seemed to enjoy the music. Keichiro was in a more straight forward beat style, and so was Evala. I made some changes in my set too, and played the Wolfgang Voigt remix that Goem-as-trio also used to play as the final track. Unfortunally no recording was made - well, the first five minutes. Keiji Haino made also an appearance to a bewildered audience who was not used to his music, but took it well. Pan Sonic was in great shape too and in the afterparty Terre Thaemlitz played some nice techno/house music. I sold 1 CD (as opposed to 19 in Yamaguchi and 11 in Kyoto) - so I still have to beg with my hat in hand. And oh, by special request of my Dutch friend Koen I wore the t-shirt requested - photo's will be coming your way.
What is no longer a secret is that sunday, the final night of my stay in Japan, there will an extra concert at Superdeluxe. Ilpo and Mika will each play solo, and probably something with Haino (who may also play solo) and I will play a Freiband piece. I am not sure which one yet, as I brought several ('tonspur 2', 'Leise' or '11 (for Christian Nijs)'). I strongely feel towards the last, but it will depend on the place. It is going to be listening music, and not beat music. Sit down rather than stand up. It will start at 19:30, I believe. I don't know where it is exactely, but if you are in the area, you probably know.
Today, or what remains of it after a night that ended at 6:30 this morning, we will head for Akiabara to buy one of those new small recording devices and perhaps another laptop.
As I fly back monday morning early this is probably my last posting from a sun covered Tokyo.

oh well...

The Symposium was well attended last night at the Uplink Factory (which relocated and is no longer on the fifth floor of a building, but on streetlevel). It took two hours which was a bit long, as far as I'm concerned. But some interesting questions, ranging from wether talent is born or can be learned (I must believe the latter for various reasons) and what Ilpo's hobby's are and lots about the (mis-) use of computers. After that Ilpo and me went for a small amount of drinks, which costed (as we sadly found out when we left) only 23 euros a piece. If you see a man with a hat in his hand on the streets begging for money, with a vaguely western look: that's me.
Today there is a meeting planned with P*distribution, the official Korm Plastics distributor in Japan and of course tonight's late event at Unit. Starts at 23:00.

and now: tokyo

Today we left Kyoto and have arrived in Shibuya, Tokyo. For those who don't know: it's an area with lots of high buildings and lots of light. I now have access to my own computer for e-mailing and such, and left the shitty keyboard of Kyoto. Last night concert was great. Pan Sonic were in good shape, I was too, a bit better (different??) than in Yamaguchi. A bit more tight let's say. The lightening guy was a bit strange, turning the lights off at the second half of the programm, which didn't serve the Japanese players on the programm (first half) right, as they depend more on visuals than me and Pan Sonic. About 150 or a bit more people showed up. Sold some more CDs but less than in Yamaguchi.
Today we went to Paralax Records, a store, after two failed attempts, and left the nice but cold guest house behind. The only heated item in the building was the toilet seat - but to spend a night sitting with your pants down... The hotel room here in Shibuya has the same thing, but I switched it off. Evala and the Shibuya couple went home, as the live around the corner (in a way of speaking). Tonight is the first night I went out to eat on my own. Not easy, but there are restaurants with menu's with pictures, so I went into one, which turned out to be a steakhouse, but even a regular hamburger tasted great. And so cheap for 2 of them, and two large beers. And speaking about food, today we had kaiten sushi again (the belt suhsi) which had fugu sushi. Nice, but not the end of the world (or my life to say the least). At night it's still crowded on the street, with even the hairdresser having a full shop. When do these people sleep?
I have never been that many in taxi's than in the past few days, of which I noted that they are cheap. But all the drivers have gloves and they all look the same. Is there a hairdresser for just taxi drivers, Ilpo and me wondered.
Smoking is still allowed, in most bars and restaurants, but not in official buildings. Or on most of the train. But some carriages there is, which are blue with smoke of course. And I started to enjoy the hotto coffee from the vending machine. I try out many different blends. A great invention that somehow went past by me in 2001.
Tomorrow we have a quiet day. In the afternoon I have a meeting with my old friend Satoshi Morita, with whom I have been in contact for a long time, but never met. He just phoned and his english is remarkable good. In the early evening there is a symposium. Friday or saturday will be spend shopping - to make sure everybody gets what they requested (hallo freek, eva, roger, jos)

kyoto

Since my last post we have been in Kyoto, but I haven`t seen a temple yet. Or rather: I saw them all, but from some distance. The Kyoto University of Arts and Design were tonight`s concert is, had a dance performance yesterday evening by two Butoh dancers, and improvised music by Keichiro Shibuya and Mika Vainio, and is located somewhat up the hills, on the edge of Kyoto. I walked the hill up a bit further and from there a great scenic view over the city. So perhaps I saw all temples. The weather has been beautiful here, warm (for the time of the year) and sunny, so the forest walk was quite nice.
Ilpo has arrived, recovered from the flue, so we are all complete for tonight`s concert in the same place as yesterday. Which is great: yesterday 2 people thought I was Ilpo. `I am a big fan of Pan Sonic` - `Me too`, I responded. Otherwise nothing lost in translation, if you know what I mean. No pictures yet, since I didn`t bring my camera with me to Japan. It`s a shitty thing anyway...

first night

The first night at YCAM went really well. YCAM stands for Yamaguchi Center for Media and Arts and in studio B they have a great sound set up. The symposium in th afternoon went well, although it seemed like the japanese were talking about different things than Mika and me. There was a translator at hand who swiftly translated everything, which was really helpful. In the evening Evala started with a set that was very digital, sounding, with abrupt changes but with a great motoric drive to it. Then me, which went o.k. (at least thats what I think) and then Keicchrio Shibuya who sounded a bit like Evala but with minor yet vital differences. After the intermission Mika played with Keij Haino, because Ilpo hasn`t arrived yet (he was ill and arrives on monday) a true wall of sound. About 150 people showed up, which apparently was a good turnout. Sunday we moved to Kyoto where we are staying in a tradtional japanese hotel, which is somewhat cold. Tomorrow is a day off for me, but PanSonic are playing something improvised with dancers. On tuesday it`s Pan Sonic, Evala, Shibuya and me again.

japan!

The easiest thing I did was the ten minute ride on my bike to the trainstation in Nijmegen, after a short and restless night. From there ninety minutes to the airport, 1 hour to frankfurt, 11 hours to osaka (where they immigration let me in with much ease, much to my surprise, after last time's hassle), then 1 hour to fukuoka and 40 minutes on the train to yamaguchi. But I arrived! Mika Vainio is here too, Ilpo will arrive later because he has the flue. Mika will play tomorrow with Haino Keij here in Yamaguchi. The first sushi has been eaten, apperently it's very good here in Yamaguchi, which is near the sea and in the mountains. Lovely cold here, as opposed to my 2001 visit in soaking hot weather. The YCAM where we play tomorrow is a large arts and media institute and we play in a nice big room.
On my way here I played 'Hello Young Lovers' by Sparks twice. I never heard this and recently got it by someone's recommendation. What a great and over the top album that is. Highly recommended. Now I'm in my hotel room with the box provided by the hotel for internet, two beers and classical music, before I hope to get a long night of rest.

From Brussels With Love

Early 1981 various interests merged together: the first issue of the Dutch magazine Vinyl, including a flexi disc by Mekanik Kommando, the 'guide to Ultra music' in Muziekkrant Oor and Willem de Ridder's 'Radiola Improvisatie Salon'. In all three the release of music on cassettes were propagated. I went to my local music store and bought the cassette on which Vinyl wrote that it wasn't very good, but it featuring some Factory Records artists, I decided I should have it anyway: From Brussels With Love. I was thrilled. A 7" cover, but with a tape that lasted in my opinion an hour. If one side a, Brian Eno would say: "the problem with doing interviews...", you could turn the tape over and fall right into Richard Jobson's poem "Armoury Show", thus effectively skipping both Eno and Jeanne Moreau (although I think I heard them both once). From Brussels With Love featured all my favorite Factory Records artists, such as Durutti Column, A Certain Ratio, The Names, but it also brought me new names such Harold Budd, Micheal Nyman, Gavin Bryars or those I just read about, Der Plan and Gilbert/Lewis. Several things made this into a great compilation: the diversity of the music: the post-punk doom of The Names, Repetition, A Certain Ratio versus the experimentalists such Martin Hannett, Der Plan, Gilbert/Lewis, the modern classical approach of Bryars, Nyman and Budd and the mixture with spoken word. Neither the subsequent and partly re-release on 2LP and CD worked in a similar for me, but I am so glad that the original cassette is now available on CD, less the A Certain Ratio (which is already re-released on another CD by Les Temps Modernes). With the original booklet and new liner notes and interesting recording information (learning that Rob Gretton produced Repetition). Les Disques Du Crepuscule set a mark with this, their first release, and went on to release many more interesting compilations later on, such as a Christmas record and 'Fruits Of The Original Sin', but never reached this peak again - although still being on of my favorite labels from the past and hopefully some sort of inspiration of what I am doing. No doubt: the best re-issue of 2007.

Address: http://www.ltmrecordings.com

something wrong

unfortunally something is apparently wrong with the pressing of 'vijf profielen', so Alluvial tells me, and it will have to be repressed. some more patience is required...

Japan tour

In 8 days from now, I'll be on an airplane going to Japan to do a little tour with Pan Sonic, Evala and Keiichiro Shibuya. We'll be playing in Fukuoka, Kyoto and Tokyo, whereas the first and the last will have a symposium too of us rambling about our work. I'll be playing my solo version of Goem. It's all organised by Atak, who also released my solo CD as Goem. During this tour I'll be selling a few Goem CDs and a special CDR of all the various pieces and remixes since doing the Atak CD. I made thirty copies, all numbered & signed - hohum. It will have a nice cover. More information:

http://atak.jp/events/ataknight3/

Last monday Kapotte Muziek played their 101st concert at DNK in Amsterdam. Roel Meelkop was sick so it was just me & Peter Duimelinks. We both thought it was a great concert.

a fresh start?

Well, no, not really of course. No fresh start. But as extension to my 'self-indulgent newsletters' of a decade ago, first as a piece paper and then as an e-mail, which nobody wanted, now a blog. But perhaps also because today, february 8th, my very first CD under my own name will be released. I know, Bake Records did 2 CDR releases, and there are the odd pieces for compilations under my own, but now a real CD. It contains a piece called 'Vijf Profielen', which I recorded in Vlissingen, The Netherlands in late 2005. A marine shipping yard was to be moved to a different part of town and to close their immense building there was an art exhibition and three people with composition assignments, I was the last. I spend a week recording the sounds inside the building and in the evening I put them all together, as a requiem in five parts for this disappearing building. A live version was already released on a DVD from the exhibition catalogue, but the studio version I completed in my studio at Extrapool is of course much much better. Roger NBH did the cover, Knust printed the cover and Alluvial Recordings released it. Great.

And today it snows. Probably the only winter we see in The Netherlands. It's no longer a season, winter time, but a day in a week.