98-09-19 Doom – Oi Polloi – Link – Outrage – Sarah – Alcatraz – Filth Of Mankind – Reller

Intro: 98-09-18&19 10^th Leedfestival

[all pics here by Henk Loobuyck; except ‘Link’ courtesy of Michael Maes]

Both ‘Oi Polloi’ (Deek Allan was accompanied by Calum Mackenzie – bass / Ade Crawford – drums / Ricky White – guitar) & ‘Doom’ had been here several times before (The Scots even less than half a year: 98-04-18); no need to introduce them. ‘Oi Polloi’s 7” THC was recorded right after this. ‘Doom’ had recorded for the split-10” with ‘Cress’ (out on Sned & Alec’s Flat Earth recs) in March with Chris Gascoigne (bass), ‘Stick’ (drums), ‘Bri’ & Denis Boardman (guitar) & Wayne Southworth (vocals; R.I.P.).

‘Doom’

‘Oi Polloi’

‘Filth Of Mankind’ (Gdansk, Poland) hadn’t been able to play the year before because of the general cancellation of the festival (see 97-09-20). This time they were invited back…

This is from their website (www.filthofmankind.nsm.pl): >>The organiser of the Leed Festival asked us (and ‘Money Drug’ to come over and do 3-4 shows with ‘Doom’. Unfortunately, a few days before we left, it turned out there were only 2; and when we got to Ieper we were told that there was only going to be this one at the fest. Bummer! Even before the journey it was clear that Maciek [Kowalski; vocals] couldn’t travel along, Milosz [Gassan; guitar] & ‘Balon’ [Paweł Szymański; drums] took the roaring name upon them – off course an enormous mental task. We played early on Saturday; the first part of the V.V. hall started to fill up. Milosz wanted to get things started but – still numb of the night before (alcohol & co) – had to look really hard to find the right strings. Once tuned, it seemed another key than the rest, so he started anew. That took about 10 minutes (if not more)… When we finally managed to get going, things were OK and the audience seemd to like it…<<

I believe the others in the band were Lazej/Anders Storm (later Michał Jędrejek) on bass and Pawel ‘Scream’ Rzóska (guitar). The band did a 7” (Czas Końca Wieku [End Of The Century]; ‘99) and an LP (The Final Chapter; 2000) on Scream recs. Their music was described as “Apocalyptic Crust” (dark, heavy and metal-influenced)…

‘Filth Of Mankind’

The band ‘Link’ had people from the Ieper/Ypres & Lille (France) area: Vort’n Vis ‘shitworkers’ Michael Maes (guitar) & his partner Inge Cappoen (vocals), and Greg ‘Briko’ (bass) & ‘Juju’ Julien Dejonckheere (drums). After a couple of demos their 1^st CD The Last Sacrifice (recorded with a drum-computer) was released in 2000. The music: “brutal metallic HC with a serious crust-punk edge & raging female vocals”. One reviewer actually believed Inge was really from Sweden… They’d played the V.V. a few times already (97-09-12, 97-12-26, 98-04-18; those last 2 times also with ‘Oi Polloi’).

‘Link’

‘Sarah’ were 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 Britttany, 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 hardcore/punk and also did a zine named An Eeunded. This was also their second appearance at the V.V. (after 98-04-19). The band consisted of Fabien Lecuyer (vocals/fiddle), Michaël Genevée (drums/accordion/fiddle), Erwan H. (guibasse/mandoline/piano) & Jérôme Bouthier (bass). They did 2 demos (Herzelomp Betek An Trec’h & Latcho Drom) and in 1999 they released Ez Eterninmens (4 track CD).

‘Sarah’

‘Alcatraz’ (from Oulmes/Niort/Poitiers) was the band of Gérome Desmaison (who did the zines Cheval de Troie & J’ai le Regret à la Joie Mélé) and Séverine Rambaud (Acajou zine & Soja Service zine-distribution). She was doing bass/vocals, her brother Thierry ‘Titi’ Rambaud (also ‘Robotnička’) played the drums, Gérome did guitar/vocals, and Laurent ‘Ballon’ Daudin (guitar; ex ‘Peu Être’) & Mickaël ‘Mike’ Ramounet (vocals). Gérome & Laurent were also running a distribution called Le Brun, le Roux Corporation. Mike did Opale distro (together with Stéphanie Courret; nowadays his partner). People called their music emo-core.

‘Alcatraz’

‘Outrage’, from the Herentals area, were Sigi Loots (drums), Steven Van Goubergen (guitar), Ringo Van Dingenen (vocals) and Nico Peeters (bass). This was after their 7” To Terrorize Ear And Mind (“a DIY product distributed by a network of friends”; recorded November ‘97) got out… They had played here a few times before (96-03-24, 96-08-16 & 97-03-01).

‘Outrage’

‘Reller’

‘Reller’ were the guys from ‘Outrage’ (Nico – here vocals, Sigi – drums, Steven – guitar & Ringo – here guitar) with Yannick Daems (vocals; later ‘Vuur’) & An Caers (bass; Nico’s partner at that time).

Brob

‘Peu-être’ have split up but 3 of them and 2 other people have formed an other band: ‘Alcatraz’.

Mike Ramounet, personal communication Dec. ‘96

I was proud to be able to play in that fabulous place that was the V.V. I’d already been there as a spectator and I never thought I’ld play there one day. To me the Vort’n Vis was like ABC No Rio. I remember we were wel recieved by everyone. This was a punk festival so there were a lot of people.

Mickaël ‘Mike’ Ramounet, ‘Alcatraz’ vocalist

I don’t remember much about the festivaI where I played with my band ‘Alcatraz’ except for the ‘Oi Polloi’ and ‘Outrage’ concerts (great!). Nico from ‘Outrage’ was very nice. We stayed at his place and I think it’s him who brought us to a woman whose job was producing great tofu. We had some of course :-).

Séverine Rambaud, ‘Alcatraz bassist’

We were and are always close to Breton and Basque separatist circles. Our bassist has been in prison for 2 years, accused of terrorism (he was acquitted). We did over 100 concerts in various countries…

Fabien Lecuyer; ‘Sarah’

That was my first performance ever! I remember that people from France video-taped the gig but I’ve never seen the footage.

An Caers

We did indeed also play with ‘Reller’… I Recently found back an old demo…trying to digitalise that… I know the ‘Alcatraz’ guys filmed our performance…

Nico Peeters, ‘Outrage’ bassist

The atmosphere was rather relaxed, contrary to HC ’98 in August. Only a few idiotic brawls outside the Vort’n Vis.

Stef Goos; personal communication Oct ‘98

I remember this concert. One of the few posters I kept…with the old ‘Link’ logo I drew…

‘Juju’ organised concerts in Lille for more than 10 years with his association Rock’n’Roll Jihad…

Greg, ‘Link’ bassist

I played there too.

Michał Jędrejek; ‘Filth Of Mankind’

Our line-up here was Miłosz, Michał, ‘Balon’ and myself.

Pawel ‘Scream’ Rzóska/Krzykowski

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…

97-06-29 Satanic Surfers – Pridebowl – Unsure – Family Of Dog – Sincerity

In 1997 the annual Ieper Rally took place June 27-29. Always a good time to stirr up some shit… Friday 97-06-27 there was the release-party of the ‘Spineless’ CD. ‘Satanic Surfers’ had been announced – another Genet recs promotion day … “Skool’s Out” – together with ‘Gwyllions’ for Sunday 97-06-29 but apparently that got changed around…

‘Satanic Surfers’, a melodic punk-rock band from Lund (Sweden), were at that time: Rodrigo Alfaro (drums/vocals; later singer of ‘Intensity’), ‘Tomek’ Tomasz Sokolowski (bass), Fredrik Jakobsen (guitar) & Magnus Blixtberg (guitar; also ‘Intensity’). They did numerous albums on Burning Heart recs & Bad taste recs but in ’97 Genet recs released a split-7” with covers (together with the Belgian band skate-punk band ‘Concrete Cell’). They were described as ‘NoFX’/’Bad Religion’ clones… ‘Intensity’ did a show at the V.V. on 99-06-27…

‘Pridebowl’ were mates of ‘S.S.’ and on the same label (Bad Taste recs). They played speedy, melodic punk-rock. The band consited of the Californian Aaron Goulding (vocals) and Henrik Nilsson (guitar), Stefan Glendell (guitar), Oskar Andersson (bass) & Martin Bodin (drums) who are all from Varberg, Sweden. In 1997 Genet recs released their LP Where You Put Your Trust. They did a one-week tour, playing three shows in France, a skate-festival in Italy and a couple of shows in Belgium.

‘Unsure’ (from Kontich) played catchy (skate)punk-rock. They were: Sam Van Meirhaeghe (vocals), Kurt Weckhuysen (drums), Hans Van Den Eynde (bass) and David Du Mont (guitar). Genet recs released their recordings: Buckle-Up LP (‘97) & Sunshine Lake CD (’98).

‘Family Of Dog’ from Deinze, had already performed at the V.V. on 96-09-22 and would be back on 97-07-12. They played “metal” (Steve Noyelle’s words). The band was: Bert Walgraeve (bass), Stijn Everaert (drums), Peter Staelens & Wim De Taeye (guitar) and Tom Claus (vocals; also sang for ‘Congress’ on their Angry With The Sun CD). They released a promo-tape in ’96, did a split-7” with ‘Liar’ in ’97 (Genet recs) and a self-titled CD (Midas prods, ’98).

‘Sincerity’ was another band (metal-influenced HC) from Deinze. Members: ‘Sjaab’ Frederic Chaboteau (vocals), Maarten Kinet (bass; later ‘Lifecycle’ & ‘AmenRa’), Bram Walgraeve (guitar; brother of ‘Family of Dog’s Bert Walgraeve), Fré(derick) De Vogelaere (drums) & Thomas Hauttekeete (guitar; also ‘Instinct’). Bram & Fré were later in ‘King Creole’… The band played 2 more times here (97-07-12 & 97-10-12) but they split up somewhere in ‘98…

Brob

‘Family Of Dog’ did indeed open for ‘Satanic Surfers’, together with ‘Sincerity’. Don’t have the flyer anymore…

Tom Claus, ‘Family Of Dog’

Hilarious that guest-book entry!!! That’s us indeed. All I remember is a decrepit, improvised wooden stage where jumping was ‘not done’.

Sam Van Meirhaeghe, ‘Unsure’

‘Sincerity’ was a band that ‘Sjaab’ and I founded with Bram Walgraeve; soon Frederik De Vogelaere & Thomas Hauttekeete joined. I have vague recollections of ‘Sjaab’ writing something in the guestbook but no idea if it was the day we played the Vort’n Vis. I do know that we played there another time [97-10-12] with ‘Catharsis’, ‘Gehenna’, ‘Natural Order’ and some more bands I forgot about. I wouldn’t be surprised if ‘Family of Dog’ played then aswell; I saw them so many times that I might mix up some shows. It’s been a while after all. Anyway, we visited the V.V. quite often back then. I also rehearsed there with ‘Lifecycle’ (when I joined them after ‘Sincerity’ split up). Good & bad memories. But I have fond memories of that show with ‘Sincerity’: it was a band that I was proud of.

Maarten Kinet

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

Fredrik Jakobsen: “Fruitcake was more of an internal joke in the band.”

additions wellcome!…