94-07-27 As Usual

No idea if this was an actual gig at the Vort’n Vis… The only indication is the entry in the guestbook below… But the date mentioned is a Wednesday (which would be pretty unusual for a gig at the V.V.)…

‘As Usual’ was a local band that had a couple of V.V. shitworkers among their ranks. They’d done a few shows here already (93-09-18 & 94-03-05). The band consisted of Frederick Wyckaert (drums), Dimitri ‘Dimi’ Loones (vocals), ‘Boeze’/‘Booze’ Johan ‘Yoan’ Seys (vocals), Danny Suffys (bass) and Michael Maes (guitar). The latter 3 later formed ‘Carcer Molochi’.

Before this they had “experimented” under the name ‘Suffocating Emotions’, covering other HC/punk bands (‘Zero Positive’, ‘Nations On Fire’). ‘As Usual’ started in 1991. In an interview they stated ‘Sedition’ and ‘No More’ as influences… Around the end of ’93 they recorded a first demo (rehearsal; no mention of ‘Boeze’ yet) and they did a split-tape with ‘Hiatus’ (distributed by Olivier Hogie from Toulouse). They were also on the compilation-tape Possessed By Death (put out by Frederic Driessens in 1993).

So there’s this clipping from the guestbook but no indications to other bands playing. Perhaps the band was rehearsing? It was mid-summer and there were probably no concerts at the V.V. around that time, even though there’s mention of “gig”? Or they were being hosts for the UK band ‘Dirt’ that was doing a few shows in the neigbourhood)? (29 jul ’94 @ ‘De Kelk’, Brugge & 30 jul ’94 @ ‘Jeugdhuis’, Beverlo) ‘Yoan’ is referring to a ride to the latter…

Brob

According to me ‘As Usual’ didn’t exist anymore by then; but I can be wrong, my memory might play tricks on me…

Michael Maes

excerpt from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…

94-01-08 Blindfold & Shortsight (extra photos)

More on this concert: 94-01-08 Growing Concern – Congress – Blindfold – Shortsight

Here’s a series of photographs taken and donated by Jean-Paul Frijns:

(also present: Chantal Collard, Jan ‘UJ’ Vandekerckhove, Joeri Hoste, Vik Bulik, Jeroen Lauwers, Dominiek Denolf, Bart Van Mulders, Peter Hoeren, Chris Van Dornick, Rob Franssen, Illona Stephan, Nick Royles, Nico Peeters, An Caers, Stef Goos, etc.)

BLINDFOLD

SHORTSIGHT

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!…

94-09-17 Inkisiçao & AOS3 (extra photos)

see: 94-09-17

 

pics from Ras L’Bol #3 (Ludovic Hache):

Helena ‘Lena’ Paula Burbuleta (vocals) – Rui Maia (drums) – Miguel (vocals) – Píncaro (guitar) – Sérgio (bass)

pics kindly donated by the band:

Colin Cumpson (guitar) – John Horabin (vocals) – Bill Radford (bass) – Erl R. (drums)

‘AOS3’ signing the V.V. guestbook…

 

94-09-17 Citizen Fish – AOS3 – Bender – Inkisiçao – Bad Influence – Selfish – Agathocles – Der Machinisten

Intro: 94-09-16&17&18 6^th Leed festival

Helena ‘Inkisiçao’ – This Is Not Amerikka tour

In 1993 ‘Inkisição’ (from Aveiro), a HC/punk band singing in Portugese, consisted of Miguel [Helena: Miguel Angelo Marques Tavares] (vocals), Rui Maia (drums), Oliviera (guitar) and Píncaro (bass). At the time of this gig Helena ‘Lena’ Paula Burbuleta (Rui’s girlfriend/later wife) had joined the band as extra vocalist. Píncaro then played guitar (also in ‘Mentes Podres’) and Sérgio bass. The latter 2 died in the summer of 1995 [Helena: 1996; in a bicycle-acident]. Lena, Miguel & Rui formed ‘Intervenzione’ then… I think I started corresponding with Rui because he distributed DIY tapes & vinyl (Fuck Off And Act!) and did a zine, Diabo No Corpo (DNC). He put out a compilation taped entitled When The Punks Go Marching In!!! (with live tracks of ‘Inkisição’). I also interviewed Helena for the Women in HC section of my zine Tilt! #8. They did a demo called 2”Arroto (2^nd Burp) with the original line-up (Oliveira, Píncaro, Rui and Zé Vilao) and in ’92 they released a tape called Alternativa. Slime recs (Ataque Sonoro) put out the ‘X-Acto’/ ‘Inkisição’ split-CD in ’93 and a few years later a spit-7” with ‘Battle Of Disarm’. Their music was sometimes melodic, sometimes thrashy HC/punk… They toured with ‘Oi Polloi’ but these played on the Sunday…

Rui & Helena ‘Inkisiçao’ (band live pics will follow)

Third appearance of ‘Citizen Fish’ at the Vort’n Vis (after 93-02-21 & 93-10-24). Singer Dick Lucas had released a split-7” with ‘A.O.S. 3’ in 1993, hence the touring together, I reckon…? In March 1994 ‘C.F.’ recorded a couple tracks for a split-7” with the Japanese ‘Nukey Pikes’.

‘Citizen Fish’ Dick Lucas (pictured by Joeri Hoste)

Paula ‘Spitboy’ & Pete ‘The Roadie’ (wife & husband) were mentioned in guestbook… Pete was roadie-ing for many a band a that time. Nowadays he sings in the Californian band ‘Kicker’ (with ‘Mauz’ from ‘Dystopia).

‘Citizen Fish’ Jasper, Phil & Pete The Roadie

One of the umptieth gigs ‘Bad Influence’ played here. About a year before they already supported ‘Citizen Fish’ – they were the ‘usual’ support for bands from Bath/Bristol area. I reckon this was the Afterbirth (10”) era with bassist Tim ‘Crow’ Shapland (ex ‘Zygote’) on bass and guitarist Egbert ‘Eggy’ Verheyen…

‘AOS3’, now touring with ‘Citizen Fish’ and ‘Bender’, had been here earlier in the year (94-01-30). They were from Sunderland and played reggae-rock-ska-dub-punk. They state they were part of the anarcho-punk movement and that their “lyrics reflect the band’s political stance”. The band consisted of Bill Radford (bass), Colin Cumpson (guitar), Erl R. (drums) and John Horabin (vocals). By the time they played here, they’d already a a couple of 7”s out: one entitled Tottenham 3 (Words Of Warning ’92) and a split with ‘Citizens Fish’ (Bluurg recs ’93); the LP God’s Secret Agent would be released later that year (also on W.O.W.). They also put out a live+studio tape entitled Apparently We Had A Great Time (1992). When they split up (their last gig was December ‘94), singer John relocated to London and formed ‘P.A.I.N.’ (with Phil from ‘Radical Dance Faction’). ‘AOS3’ reformed in 2007.

‘AOS3’; photographed by Helena ‘Lena’ Paula Burbuleta

‘AOS3’ (Colin – John – Bill); photographer unknown (more band live pics will follow)

‘Bender’ (UK; reggae-dub-punk) also came along with ‘AOS3’ & ‘C.F.’ (see guestbook-entry). The band consisted of Alex Gordon (guitar/vocals), Jim Friedlander (bass) & Crum Hall (drums; he replaced Paolo). They had some tapes out and did a 7” & 2 LPs on Words Of Warning (94-96).

The Finnish ‘Selfish’, another band on Genet recs, performed for the 3^rd time (after 92-07-25 & 93-10-31). October 1993 they had recorded for the split-LP with ‘Doom’ (out on Matthias Weigand’s label Ecocentric recs) with Otto Itkonen (drums), ‘Basse’ Sebastian Särekallio (vocals, R.I.P.), ‘Jaba’ Jaakko Penttinen (bass) and ‘Vikke’ (guitar; later also ‘Wind Of Pain’). In 1994 there was also the release of their split-7” with ‘Disclose’ (‘Selfish’ recordings from September 1993). This photo shows Sebastian, Otto & ‘Pedro Anthares’ (Petri Niskanen; on bass!?).

‘Selfish’ (pics by Wim De Leersnijder & Kurt van den Eynden)

‘Agathocles’ played too… [unannounced; read below] Another appearance of the ‘masters of mincecore’)… I was never a big fan and questioned some of their dealings in the past but I must admit, now that they’re still going, that I admire especially Jan’s perseverance and dedication. With the many line-up changes, I can ‘t really recall who played when. Burt was kind of a constant factor to me; having known him from the Hageland Hardcore days and the gigs in his hometown Scherpenheuvel. In my brain guitarist Steve Houtmeyers doesn’t trigger any neurons and Rudy Pans is connected to ‘Intestinal Disease’…

Forgot who ‘Der Machinisten’ were…

Brob

‘Der Machinisten’… I did backing-vocals for them with my sister Benedicte in Ieper. Didier Volckaert, Matthias Cruyssaert, Ludovic Colpaert was the singer and someone else I forgot… They didn’t use any ‘real’ instruments. All industrial stuff.

Caroline Rouseré

‘Agathocles’ played on this day as well…

Rui Maia, ‘Inkisiçao’ drummer

Yeah, we played there! Around 1993 it was me, Rudy (ex ‘Intestinal Disease’ and nowadays ‘League Of Mental Men’- with an old Australian punk singing) on bass, Burt [Beyens] on drums and Steve [Houtmeyers; also founder of Intestinal Disease’, now in ‘Hypnos 69’]. On the photo below ‘Agathocles’ guitarist Steve is doing the vocals. He couldn’t play then…he had sprained his wrist. We did a few gigs with that line-up then, no recordings. It was in the “hall” of the V.V., not in the pub… Can’t remember much else though…

Jan Frederickx, ‘Agathocles’

‘Agathocles’; pic by Wim De Leersnijder

I used to play guitar for ‘Inkisiçao’ before this. I came over just for the concert because I live in Brussels and caught up with them.

Rui Ferreira

[After their first appearance 94-01-30] We came back to a completely contrasting event – hundreds of punks, a great gig in the bigger space which ended another great tour-run, and many tales from the road-crew of grandads who’d escaped death at Ieper by being seconded to the catering-crew just before the ‘big push’ – both under-age too – weird! The festival was fantastic and we were treated very well, then off to bed – with the biological experiment mattresses and still the same underwear nailed up.

‘AOS3’

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…

94-12-31 Subcaos – Carcer Molochi – Chosen Choice

One of the (in)famous Vort’n Vis New Year’s Eve gigs…

‘Subcaos’ 3^rd appearance at the Vort’n Vis (after 93-08-01 & 94-04-02). The band came from Lisbon. Their vocalist Diogo Tovar Carvalho (vocals) was the editor of Recognize No Authority zine. In the beginning (’91) they had a bassist named Rui and drummer Hugo Begucho (ex ‘Alcoore’) in their ranks. Their ‘regular’ line-up became Diogo and ‘Xico’ (or Chico or FJ) singing, with guitarists João Abrantes & João Barrelas, bassist Tópê and drummer David.  There was also a female singer (Rita) in the band in 93/94. Slime recs (which existed since 1989) changed it’s name to Ataque Sonoro around 1994/95 (ataquesonoro.blogspot) and released their split-album with ‘Genital Deformities’ in ’94.

‘Subcaos’; photographed by Henk Loobuyck

The first appearance of ‘Carcer Molochi’ in their first line-up, consisting of Erwin Degryse (guitar), David Stubbe (drums), Danny Suffys (bass), Johan Sys (vocals), Michael ‘Mike’ Maes (guitar) and Inge Cappoen (vocals). They were locals and most of them were V.V. ‘shitworkers’ so they performed a bunch of times over the years (95-03-05, 95-09-16, 96-02-24 & 96-09-21). Michael, Danny & Johan had been in ‘As Usual’ before. In ‘96 Bram ‘Lawaai’ Calbrecht (R.I.P.) replaced David. And by autumn that year ‘Mike’ took over, and ‘Gork’ (ex ‘Coche Bomba’ guitarist) became the second vocalist and Yannick ‘PikPik’ Moulière played bass.

‘Chosen Choice’ was a “thrashpunk” band from Lublin with guitarist Piotr(ek) Kowalczyk & drummer Marek (who was also in ‘Amen’). I have a vague idea of one of them living in Amsterdam and being in contact with Afonso (see below) from Cascais. They would come back 95-07-09.

In the V.V. notes there was also mention of a band named ‘Cerebrus’ or ‘Cerberus’. No idea who they were or if they actually played…

Brob

This gig was booked on short notice. I think the ‘Subcaos’ line-up was completely different.

João Abrantes

I met you, Brob! I used to distribute your zine through my mailorder (Freedom – or F.D.M. – Distro; which was done by Roland of ‘No Oppression’ at first). At the moment I’m writing a book on Portuguese punk/HC from 1978-98. When I finish that I can send you material and stories: I still have – I hope – photos from the V.V. and will surely contribute them.

Afonso Cortez Pinto

I couldn’t go to that 3^rd ‘Subcaos’ tour in December ’94. Joao Abrantes didn’t go either I think (in fact he left the band in ’95). That line-up is different from the ’93 one (no Tópê on bass but Ricardo -on the photo- replacing Tópê (Antonio Pedro)… Not sure who’s the drummer on the pic).

I don’t remember the chronology of out line-ups very well anymore. The band recorded sporadically in the 2000s. In fact that was the best time of the band: we (the line-up consisted of metal guys into punk; ‘Libe’ – João Barrelas – also for a while) played a festival and several shows in Portugal; all very brutal and intense, We had a lot of fun.

Francisco ‘FJ’ Dias

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…

94-05-08 Panikos – EgoTrip – Virtual Reality – Nancy And I

‘Panikos’ (from Thessaloniki) was a band with anarchist sympathies. Their lyrics were in Greek. In the beginning they consisted of: Nikos (guitar), Elmer (drums; later replaced by Lakis), Thanos Georgilas (bass; also in ‘Human Lethargy’) and Christos ‘Panther’ (vocals & guitar). On their demo-tape The War Continues (1990; later released on vinyl) they remind me a bit of ‘Antisect’. They were about to release a 7” on Bruno’s Genet recs (All For The Money) which they came to promote here I guess. The music on that one got described as “a heavy mid-paced crust attack” but it’s more elaborated, slower and metal-influenced (not unlike ‘Amebix’). Later they also did a split-LP with German band ‘WWK’…

‘Panikos’

‘EgoTrip’, from Bad Neustadt (Germany), consisted of Ma Raab (guitar), Ralph ‘Otto’ Pöllath (vocals), Thorsten ‘Dosn’ Raab (bass), Dino (drums; he replaced Patrick). Florian Opitz was in the band too later on… I’d gotten to know them through this girl, Alexandra Geier, that I corresponded with. If I remember well she put me in touch with Otto… They played powerful, skilful, varied HC and put out 2 7”s: a self-titled one & Alone. They also had a few tracks on compilation-LPs (Illiterate on Ebullition recs and the compilation by the German zine Plot)…

‘Virtual Reality’ (Bradford) had played here a few months before (94-03-19). A project/band that played ‘Black Sabbath’ influenced stuff featuring Brian Talbot (guitarist of ‘Doom’; here on bass). He’d teamed up with Steve Butler (guitar) and Darron ‘Bill’ Ward (vocals), both of ‘The Next World’ (see 90-05-01). At this time they still used a drum-machine. They did a split-7” with ‘Neuthrone’ on Genet recs in 1994 and would later release the LP Dreamstate (Genet recs & Flat Earth recs, 1995). The band isn’t mentioned in the V.V. notes but they’re in the guestbook…

Stevie Dewar (guitarist of ‘Political Asylum’) had asked me to arrange for this ‘Punkrockfive’. I guess Bruno got in touch with them eventually… ‘Nancy And I’ (from Göttingen) were ‘Hichy’ Jens Hichert (vocals), Gerrit ‘MD’ Schlösser (guitar), ‘Kabob’ (guitar), P-Punk / ‘Little Bee’ ‘Ulli B Lefort’ Ulrich Briese (bass) and ‘Sven No’ Sönke Peters (drums). They had 2 EPs out and did a CD on a subsidiary of a heavy metal label, called All Fall Down (1993).

Brob

My mates from Germany, ‘Nancy And I’ ended up having to pay to get into their own gig in Ieper since the whole town-centre was cut off for a festival. Also they came back to Göttingen, where they come from, with 0 cash somehow. ‘Political Asylum’ also played with the two ‘Nancy And I’ boys on bass and drums at some time-point. I think we played as support for the ‘Instigators’ at the V.V. [Brob: ‘Political Asylum’ played the V.V. on 91-07-07]

Steve Dewar, ‘Political Asylum’ guitarist

As far as I can remember we (‘Nancy and I’) played at the Vort’n Vis in Ieper. I think it was the day the whole city was celebrating, something like cat’s death day??? [Kattenstoet, the cats’ parade, a folkloric parade] We played there together with a band from Greece. Two of us replaced drum and bass for ‘Political Asylum’. It was ‘Little Bee’ on bass and ‘Snök’ on drums. Maybe Steve Dewar could tell you a little bit more of that tour and dates.

Gerrit Schlösser, ‘Nancy And I’ guitarist

I remember that on that day the whole town was like a carnival of cats. People in cats’ cars and costumes. The whole city was surrounded by road-blocks and police, so that one our cars couldn’t get easily in. It was a very chaotic day and I only remember the Greek band playing and a band from the UK. There was no P.A. so we had to improvise a lot. We only had one amplifier for the vocals and a very, very short microphone-cable, no great ‘jumping around’ performance to be expected, haha. We enjoyed it a lot playing that gig in Belgium, in a small club having ourselves “lekker” [tasty] strawberry-beer and freaky people in the crowd. On our way home, we saw yellow lights on the highway in the night, so we gave Belgium a new name: “gelbien” [gelb = yellow]. It was fun and we arrived 9 hours later after a short trip to Brussel, still don’t know why we took the wrong route, haha.

Jens Hichert, ‘Nancy And I’ singer

I can remember this show. As usual it started quite early. Not sure if we have been on tour or if it was a single show. Our singer Otto Pöllath booked the tours. I think there was a kid band practicing [Brob: probably ‘Spirit Of Youth’] when we arrived at the club. We had to wait they to finish before we could set up our equipment. I think… So many shows… Florian Opitz was also in the band. [Brob: I thought that was later when Thorsten had quit…] He also was very active in the scene those days. He did shows in Baden-Baden.

I recall meeting you Brob. I also played guitar in ‘Scraps’ during their ‘94 tour and I was driver, mixer and tour-manager for a lot of bands like ‘Rain Like The Sounds Of Trains’, ‘Texas Is The Reason’, ‘Yuppicide’, … The good old Belgium shows. I always loved the afternoon starts.

Ma Raab

Fantastic, I went back to Greece with ‘Panikos’ because I got along so well with Vagelis (or ‘Vanx’; the drummer of ‘Human Lethargy’ from Athens – who was friends with ‘Panikos’), at a ‘gay punks’ level ;-). Actually I got back in touch with him: I have the impression that after [the squat] Villa Amalia got closed down by the Greek authorities, many old punks suddenly started to appreciate the importance of that place, and that that meeting-spot has been taken away from them out of fear that protests would erupt. Villa Amalia was also a place where actions and concerts were organised, but especially where also friendships were built that still stand 20 year later. That gives it a tremendously important place in the lives of all who lived, rehearsed or stayed there.

‘Human Lethargy’ and ‘Panikos’ were a mixed bunch; I think Thanassis has played in both bands. There was also Thanos from ‘Panikos’ who was good friends with ‘Human Lethary’. Villa Barbara (squat in Thessaloniki) and Villa Amalia had the same intentions and people ‘commuted’ back and forth all the time. ‘Panikos’ was Christos (vocals/guitar), Thanos (bass), then there was this vague guitarist who called himself Ozzy and looked more like a football-hooligan. I never knew Elmer; I only knew ‘Panikos’ when Lakis already drummed for them. Panos (Thanos’ brother) might’ve played in the 1^st line-up (he committed suicide in ’93) but I’m not sure of that.

‘Panikos’ is still playing, they put out a new LP in 2012 and Vagelis also still hits the drums in ‘Atopia’, a DIY punk band.

I carry that whole Greek gang of punks still deep in my heart.

Joris De Buysser

I don’t remember if we played or not… The only things in Belgium I can recall is a concert with ‘Bad Influence’ somewhere… And being live on a radio-station… Nice friends and hospitality there… The last few years we did 3 LPs with all old songs (some remastered and some totally new). The scene today…? Most important I think nowadays is the lack of fresh ideas and the feeling of community plus the spirit of revolution and evolution…

Christos ‘Panther’, ‘Panikos’

I was in ‘Ego Trip’ at that time and do remember just a tiny bit…

Florian Opitz

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…

94-05-27 Bedlam Hour – Archbishop Kebab

The V.V. archive notes mention this was a “free show”… I have a vague recollection of having a hand in getting ‘Bedlam Hour’ this gig. It was probably a last-minute arrangement…

‘Bedlam Hour’, from South Carolina, existed already since the early 80s. They did an LP (Rock The Cradle) on Kevin Seconds’ label Positive Force recs in 1987. At the time of this tour the band consisted of (I believe) Chuck Walker (started on guitar in the early 80s, later drums & vocals when drummer Scott Frey left), Adam Kolesar (bass/vocals; replaced the 1^st bassplayer John Leroy) and Scott Kenneally (guitar). They played HC/punk with “catchy hooks and skillful guitar work”. I think it was Adam who contacted me to help out with a few shows when they toured… In the 90s they released Porcupine 7” (Family Fest And Friends recs, 1990), Corn Dances 7” (Manifest Soundworks, 1990) and a split-7” with ‘Stretch Arm Strong’ (Koogle recs, 1993): their song American Technology was recorded July ’93 with Derek ‘Derik’ Roddy on drums and Chuck singing. ‘Bedlam Hour’ was known for their wild live shows in which they sometimes fed the audience freshly-made snacks (made on stage with a small waffle-iron (by Adam the snack-master). Adam also often appeared on stage only wearing an adult-size diaper or dressed in a rubber chicken suit (a jacket with a bunch of rubber chickens attached to it); but in my (very vague) recollection there’s a cow-with-utter-suit…

pic taken from ‘Bedlam Hour’s Porcupine EP

‘Archbishop Kebab’, a Scottish (Edinburgh) collective playing avant-gardesque/ experimental punky stuff… “Their bass heavy sound has developed to embrace elements of dub, afro-beat and ska to their no wave frenetic post jazzcore”. They also held a “confrontational anarcho-punk perspective”. They’d formed in 1986 and did 3 albums: Yinferranodgie in ‘89, Beyond Ma Ken in ’93 and Heeliegoleerie And Scunnered (But Cheerie) in ’95 – the latter was recorded right before this tour but it was only available on tape then. This gig/tour was a while after the recording of the Beyond Ma Ken LP (March ‘92) that got out on Trottel recs (1993). I think the line-up at that time was Karen Jack (vocals/guitar/melodica/sax), Neil Bateman (guitar/mandolin/bass/vocals; also in ‘Badgewearer’), Duncan (drums), Bud (bass/guitar) & Angela (sax). There were various line-up changes; later e.g. a few people from ‘Dog Faced Hermans’ joined…

‘Archbishop Kebab’ – location/source unknown

Brob

I organised our tours. It was a long time ago though and I’ve forgotten various venues all over Europe… Neil Bateman might remember!

Karen Jack

Here’s what I remember from the Bedlam Hour European tour… As mentioned the tour was booked before the internet era; which meant a lot of overseas phone-calls. I had the ‘93 edition of Maximum Rock’n’Roll’s Book Your Own Fucking Life, which served as the template to establish a basic network to reach out across the pond. I was able to secure a couple of gigs directly through the contacts listed and then networked from there. The tour had to be relatively ‘compact’ in that we would tour for a couple of weeks given our efforts were un-supported and any door money modest at best. We focused on England, Scotland, Wales primarily as none of us speak a different language. We did venture to France (two gigs) and of course Belgium (Vort’n Vis). A couple of oddball details were the fact that we booked a tour not bringing any instruments. There were all sorts of horror-stories of bands being detained by English customs and shipped back to the USA on the next flight. I devised a plan for each band-member sitting in separate seats on the plane, even buddying up a couple of our less sophisticated travelers to withstand the customs agent’s scrutiny. I stuffed the tour itinerary in my pants as another protective measure. We reunited after we passed customs and immediately purchased guitar-strings and drum-sticks to exchange for use of instruments at each of our tour stops. I have to say our ‘sound’ was fairly variable given what instruments were available to us. There were a couple gigs where our guitarist sounded like he was playing a banjo.

The Vort’n Vis was a great, friendly gig. I certainly remember the other act given their unusual name ‘Archbishop Kebab’. Good turn out, and we were fed pretty great food. They also housed us for the night in their upstairs hostel. For breakfast: baguettes and Nutella (First time I ever had Nutella). My only regret was that I didn’t sample the famous Belgian Ales as I was pretty hardcore straight-edge at the time.

Adam Kolesar

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

‘Bedlam Hour’ – Frankenberry Mosh

unknown visiter…?

Vort’n Vis shitworkers Steph Q. & Jan C. complaining about bar-tender Steve W.

additions wellcome!…

 

94-11-19 Svart Snö – Greenscab – Rood Arch – [Abyss]

‘Svart Snö’ (meaning “black snow”), a band playing aggressive HC/punk – references to ‘Poison Idea’, ‘Discharge’ & ‘M.D.C.’ – from Stockholm, were: ‘Fabbe’ Fabian Hansson Bernstone (vocals), Peter ‘Peken’ Hirseland (guitar/vocals), ‘Piffen’ Joakim Hammenstig (drums), Tomii ‘Tonken’/‘Tompa’ Johannesson (bass). The band had already toured with ‘Hiatus’ in ’92 so this was their 2^nd one (here with their fellow countrymen ‘Greenscab’)… They had already some vinyl out by then. Beginning of that year they had finished the recordings for the Besserwisser LP (out on Really Fast recs).

‘Svart Snö’ (photo by Wim De Leersnijder)

‘Svart Snö’ drummer (photo from Ludovic Hache’s zine Ras L’Bol #3)

‘Greenscab’, a crust band from Malmö/Göteborg (Sweden), were Johnny Christiansen (Christensson?) (bass), ‘Sniff’ Ola Persson (drums), Ola Püschel (guitar) and ‘Mud’ (vocals). Their music was described as “killer fast HC with a touch of ‘Slayer’…” They did an LP called Left The End Behind on ElderBerry recs (the label of ‘Steve’- Stefan Hakeskog – ‘G-Anx’) in 1995 and a year later the 7” Kill Precede Rampage on Hepatit D (label ran by Johnny and Peter Jandreus) in ’96 (they’d split up by then). The band also did a track for the Tribute To Poison Idea CD.

On 94-04-23 ‘Rood Arch’ (from Lille/Dunkerque) played the V.V. for the first time. Pierre Anne (drums/vocals), ‘Tomoy’ (bass; ex ‘Scraps, later also in ‘Unhinged’) & Fred (also bass; ex ‘6 Feet Over’) were also regular visiters since they were living just across the border.

‘Abyss’ (an emo band from Rastede – Oldenburg/Bremen area – playing metallic HC) had been announced but split up. The “European ‘Downcast’” (as some called them) released a 7” on André Pawelzick’s label Love (and my penpal Holger Ohst’s Summersault distro) that year and later there would be a split double 7” with ‘Iconoclast’ on Old Glory recs (recorded Nov ’94). The band was Willi Wahnbeck (bass), Ralf ‘Kerni’ Kerncke (drums), Maurice Grassau (guitar), Niklas ‘Nick’ Hinsch (guitar) and Sven von Thülen (vocals) & Jörg (vocals).

Brob

I run a software-company now with Benjamin Straude (guitarist of ‘Queerfish’). And Niklas Hinsch is working with us… I’m the partner of Franziska von Hasselbach.

Maurice Grassau, ‘Abyss’

We were dead tired of each other as it was in the end of the tour. Touring with ‘Svart Snö’ was good: hey were already friends of our’s so…

Johnny ‘Greenscab’

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…

94-08 [Voorhees]

I was on the ‘Voorhees’ tour. I had a good time even though we had to return early.

Richard Corbridge (Armed With Anger recs; released their 7” Violent… & the LP Spilling Blood Without Reason), personal communication Sep ‘94

>> (22/8) Another massive drive heading to Ieper to sleep the night at the Vort’n Vis. We caught the remnants of people staying from the 3 day HC festival there and were all pretty pissed off that we missed the festival there. Got there late at night and ended up having to climb through a first floor window to get in! <<

‘Voorhees’ European tour diary 1994 (in Richard Corbridge’s zine Armed With Anger #4)

We were travelling home after that disaster tour (financially anyway, cause loads of dates got cancelled) with ‘Voorhees’ in August 94, and needed somewhere to stop, so we went there for one night (we had to break in by climbing in through an upstairs window, haha). It was right at the end of the festival there that month.

Michael John Gillham, ‘Voorhees’ drummer

‘Voorhees’ (from the Bradford area), a band playing manic fast/aggressive thrashcore, were (at that time): Ian ‘Lecky’ Leck (vocals; ex ‘Steadfast’), Sean Readman (guitar; ex ‘Steadfast’), Graeme Nichols (guitar) ‘Bungle’ Paul Rugman-Jones (bass; ex ‘Steadfast’) & Michael John Gillham (drums; also in ‘Embittered’ & ‘Manfat’). They were interviewed for the Vort’n Vis zine Fifi #2 before the tour and I interviewed them afterwards (see Tilt! #8).

Michael did Refused Planet zine and a non-profit distro with the same name; he had written me about a compilation-tape with bands in his area (‘Kito’, ‘Ironside’, ‘Understand’, etc. etc.) and exchanging distro-material. I learned he was drumming for ‘Voorhees’ (but wasn’t on the early records; and ‘Embittered’) and he was telling me that Bruno (Genet recs; with whom I had merged our distros into Fuse! during a short period around that time) had set up a tour for them… (If I remember correctly with ‘Força Macabra’ from Finland.)

Apparently gradually things were going wrong with that. Michael was asking me in another letter: “Is Bruno some ‘top man’ because he does the Vort’n Vis or something?”… He commented the tour was a disaster and almost non-existent so they had to cut it short; and B. was uninterested/careless about the band’s losses; “disorganised & irresponsible”… The polemic was recorded in the V.V.’s guestbook…

They were announced to play on the 1994 Hardcore Festival but didn’t make it.

Brob

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…