98-04-19 Infekcja – Sarah – Enough! – [Cornucopia] – [Muggles]

The second day of the Ceaseless Suffocation weekend that Michel ‘Link’ Maes organised (with the help of other V.V. shitworkers of course). Read about the first day (98-04-18 with ‘Oi Polloi’, ‘Concrete’, ‘Link’, ‘Ulrike’s Dream’ & ‘Hellcorn’).

‘Infekcja’ was an anarcho-crust band from Wrocław (Poland) playing passionate, angry, pissed-off scandi-punk. The guestbook-entry mentions: ‘Biały’ (bass), ‘Słoma’ (guitar), ‘Biki’ (drums), ‘Mokry’ (vocals) & ‘Mosiek’ (guitar). I believe their tour was organised by Filip Majchrzakowski from Sopoł. The latter ran the label Trujaca Fala, that did the band’s first releases (Kazdy Robotnik… tape in ’96, a self-titled 7” in ’97 and the split-tape with ‘Juggling Jugulars’ in ’98). If you understand Polish, check infekcja.blogspot.

‘Enough!’ from Gdansk (Poland) were touring together with ‘Infekcja’. They played “crust ‘Misery’ style”. Band-members were Piotr (bass; replaced by Adam Musiał on the 7”), Beata Stefanowicz (vocals; not on the 7”), Ewa (Eva) Pawlak (guitar), Jacek (drums) & Tomasz ‘Tomek’ Pawlak (vocals/guitar; later ‘Filth Of Mankind’). Michał ‘Flondra’ Jędrejek (later ‘Filth Of Mankind’ aswell) also played in the band at one time… They did a self-released tape – Darkside – in ’96, a split-7” with ‘Juggling Jugulars’ (Trujaca Fala ‘97) and a split-10” with the Croatian ‘Nula’ (Trujaca Fala & Malarie recs ‘98).

‘Sarah’ were from Rennes; Bretons “fighting for their future, their language”. Their address stated “Breizh via France”. Breizh is the Breton name for Brittany (Bretagne, a region in the North-West of France). They wrote: “The French laws are improper for what is going on in Brittany, e.g. concerning water-pollution, agriculture,…” but they didn’t see themselves as nationalists: “We are communists.”. They were also a SxE band…“to show people that it is possible to live without drugs or alcohol”. They played (post-)hardcore (sometimes industrial or metal sounding, also use of accoustic instruments; some compared them with ‘Neurosis’), sang lyrics in Breton, Gaelic & French, and also did a zine named An Eeunded. If I remember well the people in the band were Fabien Lecuyer (vocals/fiddle), Michaël Genevée (drums/accordion/fiddle), Erwan H. (guibasse/mandoline/piano) & Jérôme Bouthier (bass). Thierry Jolivet and Stéphane Hardy (who’re mentioned on the tape-insert) were their friends. They would be back for the Leed festival later that year (98-09-19)… They did 2 demos (Herzelomp Betek An Trec’h & Latcho Drom) and in 1999 they released Ez Eterninmens (4 track CD).

This was supposed to be ‘Cornucopia’s 4^th passage at the V.V. (after 96-02-24, 97-02-28 & 97-10-04) but they didn’t get to play. This grindcore band from Mol consisted of Bert Dexters (bass; sometimes Dennis ‘Tyfus’ Faes), Erik ‘Smerik’ Minnen (vocals), Jim Faes (who probably played the drums by then) & the (new?) guitarist Robin. Jim ran the Ear Smear tape-label. Erik and Bert also did a distro and tape-label called Moshi Moshi that released a bunch of ‘Cornucopia’ split-tapes (e.g. with ‘Karma’, ‘Rubbish Heap’, etc.). As for vinyl… In ’96 there was the 7” Lawaat…In De Maat (Liberty Collective, USA) and in ’97 a split-7”s with ‘Intestinal Disease’ (on Moshi Moshi).

‘Muggles’ had played the V.V. already on 95-07-09. The band (from the Mechelen area) played chaos-punk: Frédéric/Fred ‘Baskie’ Vandersype (vocals; Gnome zine & distro) was apparently replaced by Erik Minnen (‘Cornucopia’), Bruno ‘Sloef’ Mastyn (guitar; also ‘Intestinal Disease’), his brother Geert & his partner Manuella ‘Manu’ De Roover (drums). They had released a split-7” with ‘Blindspot A.D.’ (Germany) on T.V.G. recs in 1996, and together with 3 other Belgian bands (‘Les Schtroumpfs Alcooliques’, ‘Hirudo’ and ‘Honey Honey’) they appeared on the Screams From Belgium ‎LP that Tim Leten (Filth-Ear distribution) put out in 1997.

Brob

‘Muggles’ & ‘Cornucopia’ didn’t play… [They were indeed nót mentioned in the V.V. notes.] I don’t know why. I was also singing for the ‘Muggles’ aound that time and I just recall that we didn’t play that day…

Erik Minnen

I wasn’t in the band at that time anymore, don’t know if Erik sang or Kurt (‘Noise Reduction’). But I was there when we played with ‘Intestinal Disease’…

Fred Vandersype, ‘Muggles’

In 98 Dennis ‘Tyfus’ took over the bass. I couldn’t combine the band with sport and studies anymore…

Bert Dexters, ex ‘Cornucopia’

I wasn’t there but I travelled with both bands for a part (well, actually 2 parts) of that tour – but not including Ieper. Filip ‘Fala’ booked the tour and drove one of the cars (both bands were split between a van and Filip’s car). At that time it was already the second drummer playing for ‘Enough!’ on that tour: Michał Jędrejek. He was bassist for ‘F.O.M.’ (where he later switched to guitar) but drummer in the last line-up of ‘Enough!’. He had joined the band before that tour and they didn’t last much longer (their second bassplayer left right after the tour and they stopped playing some time later).

Pawel ‘Scream’

I was the drummer of ‘Enough!’ for about a year…

Michał Jędrejek

We were and still are close to the Breton and Basque independence circles. We were and are militant Bretons. Our bassist has also spent 2 years in prison on the accusation of terrorism (he was acquitted). We have done over a hundred concerts in a number of countries (Slovenia, Croatia, etc.).

There was a great atmosphere at the Vort’n Vis. But we felt a bit distant from the usual HC/punk topics (also being SxE). That scene was an amazing, wonderful world but it wasn’t our trip. We were more metal-heads. I don’t remember anything about the other bands. It’s possible that we got there the day before – can’t remember, we toured a lot around that time – but after that we did a memorable Scottish tour with ‘Oi Polloi’ and ‘Bastard Sons Of Fuds’ [?]…

Fabien Lecuyer, ‘Sarah’ vocalist

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…

98-04-18 Oi Polloi – Concrete – [Hellkrusher] – Link – Ulrike’s Dream – Hellcorn

Another “Ceaceless Suffocation festival”… The next day (98-04-19) Infekcja (Pol), Sarah (Fra), Enough! (Pol), Cornucopia (Bel) & Muggles (Bel) were on the bill…

Was the fest organised by Wouter Biesemans (the intern who did 97-02-28&03-01 VV Doe-Wat dagen and can be seen on the photo, on the side of the stage)? Probably not… The poster refers to Michael Maes and the other ‘shitworkers’ that day were Jan Claus & Inge Cappoen.

In ‘Oi Polloi’ were – I thought probably the same line-up as a few months before, 97-12-26 – vocalist Deek Allan (of course) & Calum Mackenzie (bass) (which I recognise on the photo), and guitarist Ricky ‘Zodiac’ Olsen; the drummer is not Chris ‘Wheelchair’ Willsher (Ruptured Ambitions distro; also in ‘The Bus Station Loonies’) – as Calum suggests but Chris denies – so I’m guessing it’s ‘The Love Doctor’ Ade Crawford (ex ‘Satanic Malfunctions’).

‘Oi Polloi’ (photo by Michael Maes)

Also a second show with the Scots for ‘Link’ in a few months time (97-12-26)… Michael Maes (guitar), Inge Cappoen (vocals), Greg ‘Briko’ (bass) and a ‘Juju’ Julien De Jonckheere (drums).

‘Concrete’, from Rome, had played the V.V. already on 95-08-19. They played aggressive, dark (post-)HC. They were: Cristiano D’Innocenti (drums; also ‘Comrades’, ‘Los Vaticanos’) a.k.a. ‘Capoccia’ or ‘Nerone 666’, ‘Orko’ Cristiano Fini (guitar; also ‘Comrades’), ‘Fucking Bastard’ Giorgio Gregorio ‘Greg’ Luciani (bass; also ‘Comrades’), Matteo Fadighenti (guitar) and Tommaso ‘Tommy’ Garavini (vocals; tommasogaravini.com). This was just a few months before they recorded the Nunc Scio Tenebris Lux CD (out on Paolo Petralia’s SOA recs). They already had a split-tape out with ‘With Love’, a self-titled 7” & the 10” Patior Ergo Sum (SOA recs; ’94), the Sescenti Sexaginta Sex 7” (on Nicola Olivieri’s Halley recs; ‘96) and a split-7” with ‘Antisgammo’…

‘Ulrike’s Dream’, from Leuven, started February ’97 when ‘Het Preekgestoelte’ split up but bassist-changes held them from gigging a lot. I think here they were: Anton Meeus (drums), vocalists ‘Sapé’ Sebastiaan Putseys (Reflex & Wolfpack recs) & Jeroen Verbeeck – later replaced by Magalie & Saar, Hans (guitar), Daan (guitar; nowadays in ‘The League of MentalMen’) and Erik (bass). They recorded a demo (Burn The European Swastika) a month before this gig and did a DIY 7” (If It Leads… It Bleeds) which was recorded by Bruno ‘Sloef’ Mastyn in July 2000. They played grindcore and sung political lyrics; some compared them with ‘Disaffect’ and early ‘Conflict’…

Some more history: “Somewhere in 1997/1998 Anton and Hans were looking for a new bass-player. They asked Erik to join ‘Ulrikes Dream’. Later Johan sung for a while. After three times or so, ‘Sapé’ and Jeroen came on vox. Daan joined the guitar-squad. We played a couple of gigs: some were brilliant, some were awful. Every band has these kinds of moments. We recorded our first demo-tape in 1998. It was called Burn, Burn, Burn the European Swastika!. The sound-quality wasn’t perfect but it had a cool booklet an it sounded grind. [raw and messy] It *had* to sound grind: it was recorded in a sixteenth century basement under a grotty punk-hole [Clockwork] full of drunks and drop-outs. It was great.”

Anton went on to play for ‘The Usual Suspects’ (anarcho ska-dub-reggae-punk; also with Hans) & ‘Cop On Fire’…

‘Hellcorn’ wasn’t announced on the poster but they were mentioned in the V.V. notes… They might’ve replaced ‘Hellkrusher’? They played their first gig at the V.V. a couple of months before (98-02-28). They was a local band (Poperinge) with guitarist Noam Sohier (nowadays in ‘Netra’), Angelo Santy on drums, Tony Stamper playing bass and Nathan Floor singing…

Brob

We didn’t make the all-dayer with ‘Oi Polloi’. The van broke down before we got out of Newcastle…

Scotty, ‘Hellkrusher’

‘Hellcorn’ replaced ‘Hellkrusher’, indeed…

Noam Sohier

I recall ‘Ulrike’s Dream’ played for 20-25 people (a lot of French crusties) because most didn’t have the money and it was early on a Sunday (I think) [18^th was a Saturday…]. I remember that there was vanilla-flavoured soy-milk that we got into for a while. We just played the old V.V. this one time. I believe that we played with ‘Link’ on Sunday but it’s too long time ago. I do recall that ‘Link’ sounded like ‘Nausea’ at the time. It was also then that we got the appreciated proposal of Saar (R.I.P.) to come and sing for us.

Oh, and we definitely appreciated the french-fries place nearby that carried a variety of vegetarian products thanks to the V.V. visiters.

I also saw ‘Doom’ and ‘Oi Polloi’ play at the V.V. … most probably in 97 and/or 98. But I also missed some great bills, that’s for sure.

Anton Meeus

I especially remember the fanatstic sleeping-attic. And we befriended the ‘Concrete’ guys there. Erik Minnen [‘Cornucopia’] and myself travelled around with them on their following tour. Phil Merckx must’ve been there too at that festival.

I just had gotten into punk/HC and was often just impressed with the the scene; hanging around, meeting new people, laughing,… Sometimes gigs were just a side-issue to the social aspect.

‘Oi Polloi’ was a true dance-party. Always a good atmosphere, non-violent, ladies and gents together on the dance-floor. ‘Concrete’ was also a fantastic band.

Jeroen Verbeeck

Vague recollections about this a concert where ‘Sarah’ (playing bass with a fiddlestick!!!) played the next day… Great atmosphere in the old barn. ‘Disorder’-fans shouting “Fuck Your Nationality” at ‘Oi Polloi’ because they played a song about over the preservation of their celtic heritage. Polish distros sellig tapes and self-made patches. I also remember ‘Concrete’ playing solid metal-like screamo brachten. Took me a step closer to the DIY scene that is still dear to me…

Daan, ‘Ulrike’s Dream’ guitarist

‘Ulrike’s Dream’ is still alive and kicking. The band exists for 20 years in 2017. We recorded an LP – Anarchie In Leuven. Nowadays all our hits are sung in Dutch and when we used to play grindcore, it’s now more of a mix of punk, metal & crust. Our previous record Van 9 Tot 5 came out in 2011. That was still with Kim singing. Nowadays Hans does the vocals.

Hans & Anton gained their first experiences ever regarding the production of noise in ‘Het Preekgestoelte’ [pulpit]. After that they started ‘Ulrike’s Dream’. They also founded ‘The Usual Suspects’. And after that ‘Death Church’, a ‘Rudimentary Peni’ tribute-band. And I have been in ‘Les Baudouins Morts’ and the hiphop-sensation ‘Flahaut’. That covers our side-projects…

Erik, ‘Ulrike’s Dream’ bassist

From the UD20 blog: ‘Concrete’ had played @ JH Clockwork [Leuven] not long before. Some ‘U.D.’ members were big fans and played their 10 inch record on a daily basis. Jeroen had left ‘U.D.’ but he sang a couple of tunes so he could see the other bands for free. Mich came along to sing the ‘Dirt’-cover. People at the entrance noticed the large amount of singers ‘Ulrike’s Dream’ had and told them this was more than enough. The band played over the guitar-amp of Michael, ‘Link’s guitar-player; he was the organiser of this show and the sound-guy. It was the first show with a “big” amplifier. He warned that the guitar was way too loud. But of course the band was convinced that there was no such thing as “too loud” in punk-music. This turned out to be a mistake. The band just blamed the P.A. for the band-sound afterwards but learned from it. ‘Ulrike’s Dream’ line-up here was: ‘Sapé’ (vocals), Jeroen (vocals), Mich (guest-vocals), Hans (guitar), Erik (bass), Anton (drums)

There was a lot of pogoing going on during the ‘Oi Polloi’ set. ‘U.D.’-members demonstrated the art of silly dancing once again.

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…

97-06-14 Sleepytime Trio – Fourhundred Years – Reiziger

‘Fourhundred Years’, an emo/hardcore (references to ‘Rites of Spring’ & ‘Fugazi’) band (originally from Tucson, Arizona) who moved to Richmond, Virginia. There Eric ‘Bull’ Gervasi (bass; ex ‘Policy Of 3’ – see 95-07-02) joined them (replacing Erin Housholder). The others were Ash Bruce (drums), Dave Jackson (guitar/vocals; ex ‘Groundwork’) and Daron Hollowell (guitar/vocals). They had a split-7” out with ‘Sleepytime Trio’ – who they were touring with – besides their own 7” and the Suture LP. Later they would also do a split-7” with ‘Seein’Red’.

On the www one can read: >>Intelligent and intricate with a perfect blend of melody and dissonance in all the right places, ‘Fourhundred Years’ had unparalleled abilities to captivate their listeners and turn them loose on an unsuspecting music world. Combined with the weight of their political views, the tension of ‘Fourhundred Years’ music is simultaneously a catharsis and a call to arms. They toured Europe, Japan, and America numerous times.<<

‘Sleepytime Trio’, from Harrisonburg (Virginia), were Ben Davis (bass/vocals), David Nesmith (guitar/vocals; ex ‘Maximillian Colby’), Drew Ringo (guitar/vocals; ex ‘Maximillian Colby’) and Jonathan Fuller (drums; also ‘Young Pioneers’). They had the split-7” (mentioned above) under their belt, along with the Songs & Stories 7” and the Plus 6000 12” (recorded a few months before this tour). Their discography ‘Memory-Minus’ contains all their recorded tracks as well as live songs from their 1997 Europe tour (Wermelskirchen, Germany). Musically they were described as screamo post-hardcore…

‘Reiziger’ evolved from ‘Kosjer D’ (see 94-05-22, 94-08-19, 95-07-02, 95-08-19, 95-12-03); their music was labeled as “post hardcore” and “emocore”. I think they were an ‘indie’ band on the edge of the DIY scene… The band consisted of Sven Gielen (drums), Pascal Hens (guitar), Kristien Hendrix (bass) & Geert Plessers (guitar/vocals). At this time I think they were about to release their 1^st (12”) EP Don’t Bind My Hands (Genet recs)… They would also play the 1997 & ’98 Fests…

Brob

I drove the Americans throughout the complete European tour.

Markus Haas (Per Koro)

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…