I remember this one only vaguely… I do recall being tremendously nervous when I had to sing a song myself. Well, wánted to sing. I’m not sure ‘Agathocles’ played though. We did do gigs together but not here, I think…
I also recall people having a discussion outside (or was it some other gig) because someone was selling a ‘Skrewdriver’ LP; the guy claimed it was a stolen one and he was offering it for sale to see the reactions – bullshit off course – Dirk and I were around…
Gunter Braem, ‘Hopeman Path’ guitarist
No, ‘Agathocles’ didn’t show up then…
Dirk ‘Scum’, ‘Hopeman Path’ singer
Steve [Houtmeyers; ‘Agathocles’ guitarist at that time and now in ‘Hypnos 69’, also founder of Intestinal Disease’] couldn’t play then…he had sprained his wrist. We did a few gigs with him doing vocals around that time…
Jan Frederickx, ‘Agathocles’
‘Hopeman Path’ (from the Kempen area) were Dirk ‘Scum’ (vocals; ex ‘Zero Positives’), Stefan Goos (drums), Bart Verelst (bass) and Gunter Braem (guitar). A hardcore band – named after the home-address (in Glasgow) of Stef’s and my pen-pall Adam Johnston (Go! Zine & the band ‘Headstart’) – with a D.I.Y./political attitude. They lasted a couple of years and would merge into ‘Vuur’ with members of ‘Deconsume’ and ‘Outrage’… I have vague recollections of Yannick Daems singing for them too for a while…
Probably the first or one of the very first concerts ‘Congress’ (a “vegan straight-edge metal-core” band) played here; with their first singer (who got replaced a bit later): Joost ‘Josh Fury’ Noyelle (guitar) & Ilja De Ceuleneire (drums) – both were also in ‘Burning Fight’ (92-02-22), Roy Cappan (vocals; R.I.P.) and Jan ‘U.J.’ Vandekerckhove (bass) – who played in ‘Dreft’ for a while (together with Joost). As you can read below their 1st singer wasn’t really an asset. With Pierre things changed for the better until…
One of the many dates ‘Hiatus’ played… This one was about a month after they recorded for the LP From Resignation…To Revolt (out on Sound Pollution). The usual ‘gang’: Azill, Wills, Ben, Phil and Fred Alabas (on bass).
After their gig on 91-09-01, ‘Agathocles’ got invited back. People say (see above) that they didn’t make it but they actually were there: there’s a record of them in the V.V. notes.
Brob
About the incident with ‘Congress’… I expressed my opinion clearly (as always); stuck my neck out. And you can’t imagine how much shit I got over me. I’m not afraid to speak up. I constantly criticize the ‘status quo’ in the HC-scene. I say out loud what people only barely dare to trust onto paper. My harsh reaction towards the singer of ‘Congress’ was a response to his aggressive attitude. My anger only got worse because other V.V.-collaborators came back on their earlier decision… [The group of VV-collaborators had been putting question-marks behind the homophobic statements of one (Roy) -or more?- members of ‘Congress’. On one of the collaborator-meetings there had been a decision that we were not gonna tolerate this and not let them play. For some reason (some collaborators were good friends with them) this happened anyway and I spoke up about it when they started their gig…]
Brob, personal communication ‘94
About Roy, I believe a lot of people didn’t get you (Brob). I didn’t know that the V.V. collaborators had agreed on a meeting the very day of the concert, not to let ‘Congress’ play. Why didn’t ‘Congress’ know about that? Or did they? Why didn’t some sort of representative make a clear statement at the very beginning of the concert, on stage? And explained clearly that the V.V. didn’t want ‘Congress’ to play? If I remember well, Dirk [of ‘Hopeman Path’] started about it first… The audience could’ve decided on yes or no (letting them play), or there could’ve been agreed that the people with ‘Congress’ were to outside. The latter would’ve had a much bigger impact on Roy and the band, I think, then 1 or 2 people announcing the decision… I had the impression that your words didn’t affect Roy; on the contrary: they seemed to convince him he was right – even though your arguments were valid. I think it would’ve been better if we all had sat down without starting a war… Just make it clear to Roy that he stood alone with his opinion. Perhaps let him explain where his ideas were coming from and have a discussion. Or did all of this uncover that more people had ideas similar to Roy’s?
Françoise ‘Hazel’ Lepers, personal communication ‘94
With all respect, but Roy is dead and he was a good friend. Roy will never be able to prove that this was a adolescent mistake because he is no longer among us. Anyway, Roy wasn’t a person that carried hate within him. Politically he can be ‘caught’. His argument was that homosexuality isn’t natural. […] This “it is not natural”-argument stemmed mainly from his religious beliefs… Personally I never saw him hurt or humiliate gays. But I understand your protest… [Brob: I’m not the mouthpiece of the gay community but I didn’t wanna be the guy who said “I’m not gay so I’m not gonna speak up”…]
That gig at the Vort’n Vis was indeed historical, legendary even, for so many reasons… For instance that for once there was no preaching on stage between the songs but true discussion. For many that was an informative dialogue; like with the guys of ‘Hopeman Path’. I loved it because it was HC, and in full effect! Not always fun for everyone but generally fair. I found what happened at that show a positive thing rather than a negative one. Consultation is the solution! So without restraint and with direct access to a decent right to reply, simply by jumping on stage and grabbing the mic. Precisely as it happened. Wonderful, actually.
Didn’t know that show disrupted some things for you. [Brob: Here I got the mark of ‘pain in the arse’ – no pun intended…] But actually it was the same for Roy. He was so impressed by the whole thing because he never made an issue out of it. It wasn’t important. And he didn’t want to have a negative impact on the scene…so shortly after he left ‘Congress’ and the scene.
Anonymous
Read more on the homophobia discussion …
excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:
additions wellcome!…
Vort'n Vis in the 90s 