Charles Maggio, ‘Rorschach’s vocalist and owner of Gern Blandsten, at one point wrote: “Brob, I’ld like you to be my exclusive distributor for my label in Belgium.”. That was probably after the Fuse fiasco (a trial to merge 3 local distros – my own Tilt!, Bruno’s and Joeri’s) but I it didn’t actually happen (I wanted to keep things manageable)… A few years before I’d met Charles live when he was touring. Also in the band were Thomas ‘Tommy’ Rusnak (bass, replacing first bassist: Chris Laucella; later in ‘Ambush’ [95-01-29]), Andrew Gormley (drums; later in ‘Shai Hulud’ [99-06-27]) & ‘Bhakta’ Keith Huckins & Nick Forté (guitar). Their driver was Tobias Werner from ‘Ambush’ (van owned by Peter Carstens)… I’d gotten to know of the band through my correspondents Sam McPheeters (‘Born Against’ singer) – who released their LP Remain Sedate (on his label Vermiform) and the split 7” (with ‘Neanderthal’; came with Sam’s zine Dear Jesus) – and Freddy Alva – who put out the Needlepack 7” on Wardance (out 1991). This was before the Protestant LP (which would appear after this tour, I think). There’s also a tape, called Close Your Eyes And See Death…, of their show in Firenze during that tour (92-06-18). The music of ‘Rorschach’ (who were from New Jersey) was compared once with a bone-marrow biopsy; hard, brutal, painful,… It was also angry, intimidating and energetic. Here’s ‘Rorschach’ playing My War @ the 1in12 (Bradford, UK) on the 1992 tour.
The day after (92-06-28) ‘Rorschach’ played at La Zone in Liège with ‘6 Feet Over’… Tobias was driving Peter Carsten’s van (that broke down in France).
The band still exist today… But some of them are in other bands. The projects of Nick (who married Stacy Wakefield – of Evil Twin publications) are summarized on nickforte.eviltwinpublications.com
‘Blurred Vision’ were Marko (bass), Niklas (drums), Oliver ‘Olli’ (vocals) and Richard (guitar). In ‘94 Boezie released a split-7” (with ‘Jobbykrust’) on his Grinding Madness label but they’d already split up in Nov ‘93). They played “screamed emotional slow/mid-paced abrasive crust-core”.
‘Shortsight’ had played here a couple times (91-10-12, 91-12-21) but were still on their way to a steady line-up. Saskia wasn’t in the band yet…
I’ve no idea anymore who ‘Planet Coldox’ were (announced in the newsletter) or if I saw them actually play… I read somewhere Micha (bass), Emma (drums), Christoph(er) Nobis (guitar) & Heiko (2nd guitar; later replaced by Ingo) were from Manheim.
Brob
I have to admit that show has become a bit of a blur to me. What I do remember was sleeping in the van that night and being woken up by what I thought were jet-engines. After about 10 minutes of constant noise I got dressed and wandered out of the alley where the van was parked and almost got run over by a rally-car. I heard what sounded like a crowd so I started to follow the noise and ended up where I think was the finish of a rally-race. It was one of the most surreal things I have ever experienced. I know it’s not really show- or HC-related but that is what I really remember from that night. [Brob Indeed there’s the annual Ypres Rally end of June. The Vort’n Vis has always protested against it.]
Keith Huckins, ‘Rorschach’ guitarist
‘Rorschach’ & friend: (L => R) Nick Forte – Charles Maggio – Keith Huckins – Will Tarrant (Chainsaw Safety recs from NYC) * photo taken at the beginning of the European tour
excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:
NOT Rudee P. but a Belgian Rudy [that used to hang out with the Shortsight people]
additions wellcome!…
Vort'n Vis in the 90s 
‘Rorschach’ interviewed by Sam McPheeters (Dear Jesus #38)