94-04-23 Sarcasm – Undone – Fingerprint – Rood Arch

This was a benefit for an Indonesian study-project Kakak Asuh. “1.000 BeF (25 Euro) enables 1 kid to go to school for 1 year!”

Brob

I organised a couple of concerts like this, I think. [Actually this was the second in a row of 3; see 93-02-21 & 95-03-25] A friend of mine worked in Indonesia back then, and supported the project…

Sacha Baelen

‘Sarcasm’ (see also 93-11-07) was a crust-punk band from Leicester with ‘Mr Wanky’ Mark Gardener (vocals; played in ‘Extreme Noise Terror’ for a while), ‘Brillo Brilleaux’ (drums), Paul Reynolds (bass) & Colin Bennett (who had replaced guitarist Ben a.k.a. ‘Bené von Bastard’ by then I believe). Mr Wanky was also guitarist and vocalist for British punkrockers ‘The Wankys’, and he runs Noise Punk recs. The years before this they put out a couple of 7”s: Your Funeral My Party (on the Brazilian label Rotthenness recs, 91) & The Lowest Form Of Wit (on Neil Robinson’s Tribal War recs, 92). There was also a split-tape with the Japanese ‘C.F.U.D.L.’ (tracks from ‘Sarcasm’s unreleased second demo recorded in ‘91). They also did a few tapes for Polish labels: Mist Of Confusion (on Daniel Winiarek’s Demonstracja tapes, ‘93) & Demo I + Live (Kassandra promotion). In ’95 Brave New World was recorded (with Mark, Paul, Leigh & ‘Brillo’; released on a label from Paris) and Pawel Rzóska put the split-7” with ‘Sanctus Iuda’ out on his label Scream recs.

‘Sarcasm’ (photos by Wim De Leersnijder) [#2: local Pedro trying out vocals]

‘Rood Arch’ (an ‘emo’ band from Duncerque/Lille): Tomoy (ex ‘Scraps’) played bass, there was a second bassist Fred (ex ‘6 Feet Over’), and Pierre Anne (ex ‘6 Feet Over’ & ‘Scraps) played drums and sung. This was their first appearance here. Living just across the border they would be back a couple of times (94-11-19 & 95-12-03).

‘FingerPrint’, considered as one of the first socalled screamo bands, but the guys – Nicolas Fisseau (vocals), Christophe Mora (guitar), Thomas Guillanton (bass; also ‘Jasemine’ / ‘Ananda’) and Jérome Bessout (drums; also ‘Jasemine’) – didn’t want that label. They had played a few times at the V.V. before (93-05-22 & 93-09-17). In October ’93 they recorded their 7” We May Be Brothers.

Our mate Henk Loobuyck interviewed them for (the Vort’n Vis zine) Fifi #1 and there they informed us that 2 of them had been playing in a band called ‘Spicy Trick’ before. They mentioned ‘Downcast’, ‘Heroin’, ‘Still Life’, ‘Rorschach’, ‘Ivich’ & ‘Age’ as influences.

‘Undone’ an emo band with attention for DIY and politics from the Paris suburbs, were: Christophe Mora (drums; Stonehenge recs & distro), Stéphane ‘Scholl’ Brochier (guitar, Kleines Mädchen distro), Stéphane ‘Stu’ Joly (bass & vocals; later ‘Ananda) and Sullivan ‘Sully’ Chédanne (vocals). When Christophe contacted me to distribute ‘Undone’s their stuff, he described their music as a mix of ‘Downcast’ and ‘Neurosis’… Their 1^st (untitled) EP was out on Christophe’s label Stonehenge recs (recorded end of ’93). They’d recorded a demo earlier with Renaud Mary as drummer. Right before this gig they’d also recorded for the split-EP with ‘Shatter The Myth’… They would be back here a few times (94-08-21 / 95-09-15 / 95-12-03) and I published an interview with the band in Tilt! #8.

Brob

Guillaume Caouissin was the bassist of ‘Shatter The Myth’ and ‘Sea Shepherd’. He was the ‘driver’ for ‘FingerPrint’ and ‘Undone’…so he always hung out with us… He lives in Peru [Brob: I think he’s in Ethiopia now.].

Christophe Mora

Christophe intends to re-issue the ‘Undone’ discography on his label. ‘Sully’ lives in Australia (and has a child, I think). ‘Stu’ has played in a (rather metal) band, ‘Carmina’, some time…

At that time, the Vort’n Vis was really an unavoidable place, with its festivals (e.g. Leed), where everyone met up. I think it’s there that I have my best gigs. Practically every band passed by. It was madness! My biggest regret is that I missed ‘Born Against’ and ‘Nausea’! We had no place like that in France. And the punk-scene was still a lot of ‘rock’…

Here’s a live video of ‘Undone’ (not at the V.V.): part 1 & part 2.

Steph Brochier

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…