94-11-05 Malva – Spit Acid – Peace Of Mind – Recusant

I was trying to find ‘Recusant (residing in Bradford, using the 1in12 mail-address) a few gigs. (Florian had asked met to help out.) As usual, an ‘international punk affair’ with Armel Presselin helping in France, Pablo of Resistance productions in Switzerland, etc. Eventually I think I got them to play in Dunkerque (Nov 2^nd), Arnhem (at a place called Babylon, Nov 4^th), and some other places…if I remember correctly… At the same time I was also doing a weekend for the Germans of ‘Spit Acid’ & ‘Peace Of Mind’ (they played @ Clockwork in Leuven on Nov 4^th) – Matthias’ letter is below – and helping out the youngsters of ‘Malva’ (Christian had probably send me their demo.). One could say it was a ‘Brob gig’…

That’s how tours were done back then: grassroots, D.I.Y. and with a Network Of Friends!

This was probably when Fuse! (the joint distribution that Bruno (Genet recs), Joeri Hoste and me did some time) got ‘de-fuse-d’; let’s say due to incompatible interests… Bruno wasn’t pleased with my criticism towards his label and distro. Perhaps that’s why he didn’t show interest in this gig… (See my note in the guestbook below.)

Brob

Florian & Angela stayed in Dunkerque with us for a year and half; they played the V.V. once and sometimes came with us to Belgium. Florian remembers you Brob! It’s you who introduced him (and me!) to ‘Guts Pie Earshot’!

Of course I recall this gig: it was my birthday and between two songs ‘Recusant’ gave me a cake !!! Everybody was looking at me, smiling; I was blushing! To cut things short: we had a great time together and on got a long quite well; and the next year we were living together in Drincham.

The members of the band were: Titus, Josy, Angela (vocals), Sisou (who were English) and Florian (bass), Fred (drums), Nilos (French roots).

Karl Penando

‘Recusant’ (Bradford) had a split 7” out (together with ‘Headache’ on Sned & Alec’s Flat Earth recs in 1994. They played rather unique, quirky punky jazz-core-rock with lively/bouncy but passionate female vocals. The lyrics were ultra-political from an anarcho-punk perspective, covering feminism, veganism, animal rights, multinationals, etc. Members (French & British) of the band were Florian and his girlfriend (at that time) Angela, and the others mentioned earlier…

‘Malva’ (started out as ‘Despise’, a 3-piece) were an emo-core band from Leverkusen: Christian Schneider (guitar), Alex(ander) Bokelmann (drums), Flo(rian) Reiss (guitar), Martino Palazzo (vocals), Alex(ander) Jahn (bass). They seduced me with their demo. Later (’96) Corey & Bernd released the 7” Das Leben Ist Kein Picknick on their label Equality recs.

‘Malva’ (pictures by Joeri Hoste)

‘Spit Acid’ (from Göttingen) described their music as “intense, mosh emo-hardcore; a mixture of ‘Four Walls Falling’ and ‘Downcast’”. They had a 7” out (The Tragedy Of Reality, self-released) and Per Koro released a split 7” (with ‘Step Into Nowhere’) and LP later. I think I’m pretty sure I distributed some of these… They were Niels Bogdan (bass; Daydream recs), Christopher Shaper (drums), Arndt Buck (guitar) & Matthias ‘Madde’ Dowe (vocals). Matthias & Niels had written me before for distro and gigs. They were also friends with Hans Verbeke, if I remember correctly…

‘Peace Of Mind’ were a political melodic HC-punk band from Bovenden (near Göttingen), Germany: They consisted of Jobst Eggert (at first vocals, later also guitar), Jörn Allert (guitar), Claudia (bass; later Judith/Antje), Berti (drums) and later Aga (vocals). They had put out a 7” on Melmac recs (nice hand-sown cover) and the ‘Peace Of Mind’ & ‘Anomie’ split-LP was about to be released by Ape recs. They toured together with ‘Spit Acid’. Later there was also a 7” on World Upside Down (Urte Böhm’s label).

Brob

I remember the first time we played the V.V., we arrived in Alex’ dad’s Mercedes, because we didn’t have – unlike other bands – a van. Brob greeted us with the words: “Ah, the flower guys!” [Brob: ‘Malva’ is a kind of flower…] Afterwards we got to know an American guy, Aaron, who lived in Belgium. [Brob: the editor of Love Child zine; Aaron Vyvial]. He booked a show later in Brugge for us. [Brob: I think it was my friend Joeri Hoste who actually set that up.] [From personal correspondence early ’95:] We had a love fun; the atmosphere and people in Ieper were brilliant…

Christian Schneider, ‘Malva’ guitarist

Playing at at the Vort’n Vis was always great. I’ll bever forget that: I will tell my grandchildren about this crazy and lovely place, and all the nice people there!

Nowadays I work as an illustrator in Cologne (check my sites: useuse.de & useuse.de/uselog) and make some music – with machines – under my alter ego ‘Jacques Wolgast’ (people can download my first 2 LPs for free).

Alex Jahn, ‘Malva’ bassist

The singer (Matthias Dowe) is dead (suicide). Arndt Buck, the guitar-player is into alternative communities – really no idea where he is. Drummer Christopher Schaper is running a club in Berlin as far as I know.

Niels Bogdan, ‘Spit Acid’ bassist

There were 2 periods in the history of ‘Recusant’. The first at the time of the split-tape (and split ep) with ‘Headache’ with guitarist Titus, drummer Danny, singers Angela & Sally [Stone] (who left to play with ‘Witchknot’) and myself on bass. Then later, when we came over, it was me (bass), Angela (vocals), Bouldu (drums), Nilos (keyboards & trumpet) and Titus on guitar. With this line-up we did a split-tape with ‘Porc Bleu’ from Rouen… At the end Josie was singing.

Nowadays I’m in 2 new bands: ‘Shoshu’ & ‘Kre Ke Ke Kex Koax Koax’. I’m living on the countryside, on the plateau de Millevaches. Angela must still be living in Colchester…

Florian N.

My memories are not too positive of that time in ‘Recusant’ but I made some amazing friends; and that still counts for a lot. I found the attitudes of some of the people I spent time with were quite the opposite of freedom and non prejudice. If I didn’t fit into their idea of hardcore alternative punk then they were highly critical and bullying. I also found they were often so ‘them’ and ‘us’ or ‘mainstream society’ vs. ‘anarchist’; they would be very prejudiced and aggressive towards them, without knowing anything about their political opinions. It is only on reflection of that past that I see the restrictive and judgmental opinions that I experienced. I am not sure this is quite the reflection on the past that you were wanting to receive and I know that others experiences were very different than mine.

I can remember that the Vort’n Vis was a great venue and had a good atmosphere to it, people would travel from all over the place to go there. I have a small memory of seeing ‘Oi Polloi’ playing there. It is the down side of drinking too much alcohol and it being so long ago.

Angela Carter

I was only in ‘Recusant’ when they lived in England – the line-up was me, Angela, Florian, Titus and Danny. When they moved to France my sister Josie went with them and took over my vocals and played fiddle. Laurent also joined on keyboard and Fred replaced Danny on drums. I have fond memories of the Vort’n Vis – playing there with ‘Witchknot’ and visiting with ‘Scatha’, ‘Quarantine’, ‘Brawl’, ‘Fleas and Lice’ on different occasions.

Sally Stone

Angela ‘Recusant’ came up to me at the 1 in 12 [Bradford], asking if I still needed contributions for Bullshit Detector IV. I was well surprised! I didn’t know her or the band…

Pablo, Resistance productions, Biel, Switzerland

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…