93-09-19 Eversor – Hiatus – Nations On Fire – Strength Of The Will

See: 93-09-17&18&19 5th Leed-festival (Intro & Incident)

After the rave the night before the day started with a breakfast…

Liège crusties (including Willy ‘Hiatus’) & Italian HC/punks (‘Eversor’) sharing the goodies (photo by Massimo Moscarelli)

Then gradually the ‘market’ started…

Probably the very first time that Jon ‘Active’ Elliott came over… / Alain of Nabate looking for trades (pics by Massimo Moscarelli)

This edition of the Leed festival was totally fucked up, the only reason why ‘N.O.F.’ played on Sunday was because Françoise [‘Hazel’ Lepers] and Wim [Vandekerckhove] came to my house to drag me along: I had no intention to come. Apparently a bus-load of Swiss chaos-punks thought it was a good idea to come up to Ieper that weekend and demonstrate the ‘Exploited’ version of anarchy. The whole Saturday they had been nagging about having no money to pay the entrance and that punk had to be free. But they did find it OK to drive their bus-wreck all the way to Ieper at 30 litres per 100 km and buy beer in the grocery-store around the corner. Just say that paying the entrance is not a priority in stead of lying not to have any money. Whatever, each hour things were getting less and less pleasant and by the evening they had picked out a few ‘victims’ to let he whole thing explode… Unfortunately for them, they had chosen Hans Verbeke as their target. Lesson # 1: never choose someone who will fight back without a problem and grew up in the streets… The “punks” started to hassle Chantal (Hans’ girlfriend at that time) so Hans grabs his baseball-bat from UJ’s car and wacks one of those guys over the head. This, of course, sets the whole thing ablaze with all crust-punks hearing that straight-edgers are beating up poor beer-drinking punks: total chaos. Hans and some of us walk in to the pub and barricade the door while some 20 rampaging and drunk crusties shouting murder and fire, trying to break down the door. Luckily the lads of ‘Doom’ were still sober and smarter than their adherents and drove Hans off in their van. Eternal thanks for that because otherwise things could’ve gotten really out of hand. While all this was going most people were in the big hall in the back. What I always disliked about this episode is that Bruno and Jan called this a minor incident, something to forget fast. Apparently it wasn’t necessary to remove the Swiss assholes or address the guys from ‘Hiatus’ who were on their side. It’s all a long time ago but it remains one of the all time lows of all these years at the V.V.

Jeroen Lauwers (see also the interview he did with Willy ‘Hiatus’)

‘N.O.F.’ played in their new line-up (announced in the newsletter). From April 1993 on that was: Wim Vandekerckhove (guitar; also ‘Blindfold’ vocalist’), Filip Devolder (who did the ‘Silent Water’ project/band; drums), Ed(ward) Verhaeghe (vocals) and Jeroen ‘Goofy’ Lauwers (bass).

‘Nations On Fire’ (photo by Massimo Moscarelli)

‘Eversor’, a band from Pesaro, started out as as a thrash metal-band in 1985 but by then they played heartfelt, melodic HC (they were compared with bands such as ‘Sensefield’ and ‘Lifetime’): Marco Morosini (bass), Lele Morosini (guitar & vocals) and Federico Sarti had replaced Enrico ‘Eric Lumen’ Giampaoli (drums). Later the brothers continued to play together in ‘The Miles Apart’. Marco also did a distro, called Cataclysm. The band came over again to play on 96-09-20.

‘Strength Of The Will’ had played here already on 92-09-06. Filip Staes (ex ‘Exhaustless Revolt’) played guitar, Jan Beckers sang, his brother Maarten played the drums. The bros were from the Tongeren area and Filip resisided in Hoboken, near Anwterp. The band disappeared when ‘Kindred’ started. Filip believes ‘S.O.T.W.’ played also with ‘Wheel Of Progress’ at the V.V. but I’ve no memories/indications of that.

After a “makeshift” ‘Hiatus’ (93-07-04), we got the ‘full blast’ treatment again. The set was probably mainly from the LP From Resignation…To Revolt, that was recorded in March (at Cats studio in Brugge) with Azill (guitar), Wills (vocals), Ben (drums), Phil (guitar) and Fred Alabas (bass). I think around that time Eric ‘React’ had the live split-tape (together with ‘Doom’; recordings from the gig at ‘La Zone’ in Liège 93-02-26) available. That was a benefit for the Flamands Roses [LGBTQIF]. The tracks for their split-7” with ‘Subcaos’ were recorded live in Brno (Czech Republic) on 93-06-20. 4 songs from the same gig were used on the Polish Bastards split-7” with ‘Fleas & Lice’ (Polish nazi skinheads attacked the band in Gdansk in June ‘93.) Their gig in Auch (France) on 93-08-17 was also recorded: Fred Jourdan put it out on tape (with live tracks of ‘Health Hazard’) under the name Don’t Think With Your Dick… Around that time there was also the split-7” with ‘Doom’ (Flat Earth recs).

Brob

I was on tour with ‘Eversor’ (‘Lumen’ wasn’t in the band anymore at that time, it was the Morosini brothers -Marco and Lele- and Federico). A rented van was our house. The day before they played near Stuttgart, then we travelled all the night toward Belgium. It was the longest travel of my life, like a journey to the moon. Distances were longer in those times. So we arrived at the place, I changed my T-shirt with an X-Force one (the comic) because of the X (as for SxE). But no one noticed it. I was just a guy with a comic T-shirt in a punk place. Absolutely no memory about the concert. I only remember the breakfast in the morning and the van that took the road towards home…

Massimo Moscarelli (Rome)

Playing at that fest was a big honour for us… At the time we were on our very first small tour abroad and the night before we played in Stuttgart with ‘4 Walls Falling’ so we drove all night to Ieper to be there from the very beginning. I remember many people from all over Europe and we were a bit scared to play after ‘Nations On Fire’ and ‘Hiatus’… Both bands had a killer live reputation. We took the stage to a smaller audience but still “big” for us at the time, and played a very tight set. Very few people knew us, our music back in that days was still crossover/thrash but I was suprpised a couple of people who were coming to see us, approached us. Of course we met Bruno for the first time… He was super nice as usual. I asked if we were supposed to do a soundcheck; he smiled and said “No soundcheck, this is a punkrock fest.”… I still remember it!!!

Marco Morosini, ‘Eversor’

additions wellcome!…

91-03-16 Nations On Fire – Scraps – Private Jesus Detector (photos)

More on this concert: 91-03-16 N.O.F. – Scraps – P.J.D. – C.F.C.

Here’s a some extra photos, contrbitued by Justin ‘Nunca Mas’ Neumaier:

‘Nations On Fire’  (with a young Hans Verbele in the crowd)

‘Private Jesus Detector’

‘Scraps’

Bruno, the spider in the web ;-)

94-08-19&20&21 Hardcore Festival * Italian impressions

 follow-up to 94-08-19&20&21 Hardcore Festival

I admit that I don’t recall these events very well. I was 24 years old, I’m writing this 20+ years later. I don’t remember which bands played, what I ate, where I slept, and a lot more, but I still have vivid emotions about those days. The Vort’n Vis was the hardcore punk centre of Europe, the place where you had to be. I am very happy to be reminded about it. Yes, I was there and I can’t forget it.

It wasn’t easy to get to Ieper. I didn’t have the money because I didn’t have a job. Mum and dad payed a part, and temp jobs were my income. Air-travel was ruled out immediately, trains were cheaper. Another travel to Belgium after less than a year (after being there on tour with ‘Eversor’). This time a holiday with Interrail, discount-tickets to travel by train in Europe. What I did, is in the following report that was published in my zine Tough Guys Don’t Dance; it was an attempt to say something about things outside the confinement of our Italian boundaries. The English language was a means to communicate outside the country. I could have done more to distribute it though… All was translated by Andrea Marra (the author of The Vort’n Vis Experience). I did the rest (editing – a matrix-printer and a photocopier – and photos).

A fun fact: I remember that the bathrooms were partially out of order (too many people) after a couple of days; and there was a lake of water, piss and shit between the building and the yard…and crusties were wading through it as if it was a normal thing.

I don’t remember much about the bands at all! The concerts were only part of the fun, the main thing was the atmosphere. I liked almost all the bands and knew about them all, so it wasn’t crucial to talk about them in the zine. I still listen to hardcore music, I never quit it.

Massimo Moscarelli (Rome)

Some of Massimo Moscarelli’s photos (grazie mille!) – band-pics will follow in the actual posts on the festival-days:

crowd-shots

upstairs [1: Bruno entertaining the Italians (L => R: Giangiacomo De Stefano (‘Ivory Cage’), Paolo Petralia (S.O.A. recs/’Comrades’/’Colonna Infame’), Andrea ‘Ics’ Ferraris (‘Burning Defeat’/‘One Fine Day’), Andrea Marra (‘Comrades’/’Notorius’/’Bruma’), one of the Marini twins (‘Comrades’/‘Timebomb’); 2: Paolo Petralia, Massimo Moscarelli & one of the Marini twins; 3: Andrea Marra]

in the courtyard [1: Bruno ‘Genet’ & ‘Goofy’ (R); 2: prom-queen & -king Vique ‘Simba’ & Ward ‘N.O.F.’; 3: Bruno’s biz]

walk on by (or not) [2: Pawel ‘Scream’ from Poland selling stuff; 3: ‘Hazel’ (Bernd B. in the background)]

Massimo, the warrior and his aid (Jeroen Lauwers)

additions wellcome!…

H8000 DVD

interviews: Kristof Mondy, Vincent Tetaert / camera: Bert Degraeve

put on-line by Vincent Tetaert

(in West-Flemish, no subtitles)

1/ interview with Hans Verbeke (includes ‘Blindfold’ @ Vort’n Vis ’97)

2/ interview with Hans Verbeke (includes ‘Spirit Of Youth’ @ Vort’n Vis ’91 * ‘Spineless’ @ Ieperfest ’99)

3/ interview with Hans Verbeke (includes ‘Liar’ @ Vort’n Vis ’98?)

4/ interview with Joost Noyelle (includes ‘Congress’ & ‘Wheel Of Progress’ @ Joost’s bakery, Langemark ’92-93?)

5/ interview with Joost Noyelle (includes ‘Congress’ @ Dilsen ’95)

6/ interview with Dominiek Denolf (includes ‘Shortsight’ @ Joost’s bakery, Langemark ’92-93? * ‘Spirit Of Youth’ @ Vort’n Vis 92-12-20)

7/ interview with Dominiek Denolf (includes ‘Solid’ @ Beselare ’95? * ‘Spirit Of Youth’ @ Pedro’s garage ’97 * ‘Spirit Of Youth’ @ Vort’n Vis ’97)

8/ interview with Dominiek Denolf (includes ‘Nations On Fire’ @ Bissegem ’98 * ‘Spirit Of Youth’ @ Vort’n Vis ’97)

94-08-19&20&21 Hardcore Festival

The first weekend of September 1992 the Vort’n Vis organised what was then called Hardcore ’92. A festival with a mix of punky/crusty bands and straight-egde outfits. The same was intended in September 1993. I wrote about the incident that happened there… Although it was unfortunate, even reprehensible; for myself the motivation to try and bring all sorts of people together stayed. However other people made it so that the 2 ‘factions’ wouldn’t meet so easily anymore. In 1994 an SxE fest (weekend around half of August) and the Leed fest (half of September; the Vort’n Vis’ alternative to the city of Ieper’s mainstream Leet festival) were organised independent from one and other; and caused this ‘split’. One of the protagonists in the aforementioned incident (Hans Verbeke, ‘Blindfold’) obviously was reluctant to see the same thing happening again and set up (with good intentions, I’m sure) a “Positive Festival” – together with his sister Saskia (‘Shortsight’) and Rob Franssen (‘Feeding The Fire’).

This setting would over the years grow into a huge event (not unlike a lot of the commercial summer-festivals) and moved outside of the Vort’n Vis premises. Unfortunately (and that already was from the beginning), it turned out to be a market-place for big/commercial labels and distributions (local and others). I’ve never been able to see what the value of that was and I kept reacting against it. Having SxE and non-SxE friends I also wasn’t keen on the separation.

I wrote about it in a column that appeared in my friend Joeri Hoste’s zine Emotive Impulse (Sep. ’94):

>> We were all very excited about it for months. Myself not in the least; as it came closer it promised to be something wonderful, something that could last a week instead of a weekend. (…) After some shitwork, I wanted to start a bunch of conversations but unfortunately practically all ended up being quite short and superficial (…) consuming seemed like the most important thing again… (…) “I BUY, therfor I am” (actually this goes for the whole capitalist system – ergo: the HCpunk-scene is not so diffrent form the capitalist system nowadays, no?) (…) Another thing: no matter what we all say, there are distinct cliques in our scene. We all pretend they don’t exist but they do… I’m not talking about the obvious devide between SxE and ‘crustpunx’. Also within SxE (as within the crustpunx) there are micro-communities with their own rules, prescriptions, ‘incestuous’ behaviour, etc. How are you ever gonna evolve, learn,… when you never break out these micro-units. You don’t have to know everyone but at least look for different things once and a while; and on the other hand: allow others to get into your group of peers. I try to pick up things from various people, why restrain and stick to one groove? This scene we’re in, this subculture – again – is supposed to offer an alternative to the mainstream, the capitalist/patriarchic system. Let’s all work to create this. Don’t fool yourself and others. (…) <<

The newsletter of March that year started out with announcing a “3-day festival with ‘Scraps’, ‘Blindfold’, ‘Voorhees’, ‘Iconoclast’ and plenty more”. A few months later there was mention of 3 bands on Friday, ‘Blindfold’, ‘Refused’ & 5 or 6 more on Saturday, and ‘Iconoclast’, Scraps’ & ‘Voorhees’ on Sunday. And as you can see on the flyers that were made this expanded/changed gradually.

This is from the newsletter right before the festival:

As far as I can remember this was the actual programme:

19 aug ’94: Spawn (Ger), Congress (Bel), Kosjer D (Bel)

20 aug ’94: Refused (Swe), Abhinanda (Swe), Fabric (UK), Blindfold (Bel), Shortsight (Bel), Acme (Ger), Backdraft (Nl), Nothing Left To Grasp (Ger)

21 aug ’94: Iconoclast (USA), Neckbrace (UK), Feeding The Fire (Nl), Hopeman Path (Bel), Undone (Fra)

Also got on the bill/played: ‘State Of Grace’ (Bel), ‘Vanilla’ (Fra), … But can’t remember which day… Pretty sure ‘Stormwatch’ (Ger) didn’t play.

‘Nations On Fire’ didn’t do a show. Also Steve W. tells me his band ‘Neuthrone’ didn’t play, ‘Scraps’ cancelled and ‘Voorhees’ didn’t show up (read 94-08 [Voorhees])…

Even though this fest attracted a lot of people, it still took place in the pub (and not in the ‘shed’). The distros had a lot of space in the courtyard… So did the people who wanted to ‘socialize’…

L corner: Stéphane Cormary, Ludovic Hache and Agnes (photo by Miguel Angel Lorca); the ‘Abhinanda’ crew on the R

Besides the bands I remember Vique ‘Simba’ Martin was there. So were Nicole ‘Upsi’ Vokrouhlik (from Augsburg) – who was doing a mailorder/label and organised a festival – and her boyfriend Daniel… Volker Pohlschmidt (‘Steadfast’) most likely… Marco Walzel (‘Nothing Left To Grasp’, Speak So That I May See You zine); some of the ‘Doughnuts’ girls signed the guestbook; Albert Cheong from Barcelona (Heartcore zine) took pics… Alan Davis who did Train Of Thought zine (Bristol) was there… Also Nick Royles (Sure Hand recs, How We Rock zine and various bands)… Miguel Angel Lorca from Madrid came over with a friend. My correspondent Amanda Trevens (guitarist of ‘Timmy’ & ‘Huasipungo’) who was helping out Neil Ribonson at Tribal War recs (actually an internship, studying ‘music technology’), and volunteering at ABC No Rio (all in NYC) was in Europe (actually toured with ‘Scraps’) and visited… Some French non-SxE people came over aswell (which was great): Ludovic Hache (Ras l’Bol zine) and Agnes, Karl & Steph (‘6 Feet Over’). And a hell of a lot more… Olivier Lacoste (‘Öpstand’ singer, Bordeaux)?

There were also some people that tried to get to the Vort’n Vis but didn’t make it (unfortunately)… In his zine J’Ai Le Regret A La Joie Mélé #4, Gérome Desmaison (guitarist of ‘Peu-Être’ / ‘Alcatraz’) describes how him and his friend Mickaël ‘Mike’ Ramounet (vocalist in the same bands) took of hitchhiking from Niort/Poitiers (France) to the Vort’n Vis but got stuck (spending the night in gasstation along the highway) before reaching the border, somewhere between Paris and Lille… They returned home but decided to rent a van the next time…

Brob

audience (Wim ‘Blindfold’ centre); pic by Patrick Federli

I was at every ‘fest’ there in the 90s (I guess up until 2001) and all I can say, is that I always had the best of times. The first couple of times at the V.V. were the best. The yard, the stinky toilets, the little shop at the corner, playing football with the Swedish kids… The list is endless… Best of times and always the highlight of every summer!

Patrick Federli

We ended up at the Vort’n Vis because it was basically the place to be for red edge kids like us! ;-). I went from Marseille to Bordeaux to meet up with my mate Manu who was doing a red edge zine called Wolfpack. We took the train all the way to Ieper, that was a long fuckin’ ride! Ah ah and we sure didn’t regret it.

Frédéric Falzon

 

photo courtesy of Heath Crosby (Sherry Beth Sacks in the background)

Marco Walzel

see also: 94-08-19&20&21 Hardcore Festival * Italian impressions

additions wellcome!…

93-09-17&18&19 5th Leed-festival (Intro & Incident)

This is a precursory page to the posts on the 5^th Leed-festival. There was quite some commotion and it led to a substantial evaluation of the Vort’n Vis’ policies…

from the preceding V.V. newsletter

 Accounts of the actual festival will be posted later:

17 sep ’93: Fingerprint (Fra), De Kift (Nl), Beerepoot Brothers (Nl)

18 sep ’93: Health Hazard (UK), Bambix (Nl), Witchknot (UK), Doom (UK), 6 Feet Over (Fra), Because (Lux), As Usual (Bel), Plum (Bel)

19 sep ’93: Nations On Fire (Bel), Strength Of The Will (Bel), Eversor (Ita), Hiatus (Bel)

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I don’t think ‘Viktor’s Hofnarren’ actually played… It’s the evening that Hans [Verbeke] needed to be rescued by ‘Doom’!

Bruno Vandevyvere

‘Viktor’s Hofnarren’, squatters (autonomous centre Schrottbar) from Biel/Bienne (Switzerland) played anarchopunk with a crusty edge. (Later on they did a split-LP together with ‘Jobbykrust’ from Belfast out on Maximum Voice.) They were: Steph(ane) Guillet (bass/vocals; Panikeshi zine & distro), Niggu Rimann (drums), Bänz (guitar), Annette Wagener/Suri Dawicki (vocals) and Tez (vocals). Annette later joined the Groninger band ‘P.C.P.’. Steph & Annette were also running Panik Bourgeoise (concerts, zine).

They’d come all the way from their hometown for the fest together with a whole bunch of friends. After all this time it isn’t clear anymore whether they were invited to play or just wanted to see the bands. I guess ‘V.H.’ and their mates got rather drunk pretty fast (or they arrived drunk/stoned). Their friends also didn’t feel like they had to pay entrance… This attitude certainly annoyed most of the V.V. collaborators. There was some friction between them and SxE people (to say the least) but the way I remember it is that the main issue was that they didn’t feel like contributing their share to the organisation of the event and the fees of the bands. The fact they were so wasted and behaving irresponsibly amplified everything…

At some timepoint V.V. collaborator Hans (perhaps provoked by the animosity) supposedly (tried to) hit someone with a baseball-bat (actually it was a table-leg; I didn’t see it happen with my own eyes) for attempting to sneak in for free… He was “physically attacked from various sides”. Things were threatening to go out of control and it was decided it was best for him to leave in order to remove the fuse from the powder-keg… He had to be more or less secretly evacuated from the V.V. premises and was driven out of town in the van of the band ‘Doom’…

The whole incident drove some of the collaborators to tears for realising there were people who didn’t value their hard work and that some (who came from far away) couldn’t care less that there was a huge risk the autonomous centre could collapse (organisationally or as a result of being shut down by the authorities). Personally, I was disappointed and angry because I had already seen it happen when the 1^st venue where I organised – in my hometown (De Marbel) – got shut down…

All this (together with previous) lead to the V.V. ‘shit-workers’ making up some sort of pamphlet calling for mutual respect, and listing some ‘rules’…which on it’s turn raised some questions with certain factions of not being ‘anarchist’ enough, etc.

Some people (squatters) from Gent and Liège even thought they were going to be refused entrance (Willy of ‘Hiatus/‘Unhinged’ wrote me that at that time). Of course that wasn’t the case… The 1^st issue of Fifi (Vort’n Vis zine), May ‘94, states: “The Swiss assholes of Zürich (…) are no longer allowed in the Vort’n Vis. Reason: violence, intimidation and a broken window.”

Brob

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Quite a lot has been published on the matter. Here’s a few bits – not to stir things up after all these years but for history’s sake (so that perhaps a younger generation will learn of it)…

This excerpt from the Swiss zine No Sanctuary #22 gives a rather detailed account …

This is the initial bit by Steph of ‘V.H.’ in No Sanctuary #21.

Another bit from No Sanctuary #22 shows that ‘V.H.’ had caused similar problems in Germany.

Pamphlet issued by the V.V. collaborators after this event.

Letter by Willy ‘Hiatus’ & response by Vort’n Jan

Willy’s intro to his zine Rabougri (March ’94)

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Niggu (‘V.H.’ drummer) sings for ‘Unhaim’ nowadays. They released an excellent LP… [Brob: I tried hard to get in touch with anyone of V.H.’ but didn’t succeed…]

Pablo, Resistance prods, Biel

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Despite all the commotion, numerous people enjoyed themselves (crowd-shot by Karl Penando); in the foreground: Kurt Deprez (‘Shortsight’), Bruno Vandevyvere (Genet recs), Pierre Anne (‘6 Feet Over’) – in the back: Rudy Penando

92-09-06 Abolition – Nations On Fire – Strength Of The Will – Inner Circle – Agent 86 – Punishment Park

2^nd day of the 1^st Ieperfest

(1^st day: 92-09-05 Ironside – Strong Event – Blindfold – Shortsight – No More – Feeding The Fire – Spirit Of Youth)

The best ‘N.O.F.’ line-up here: Jaak De Cock (drums; ex ‘C.P.D. & ‘Disorder’), David Dutriaux (vocals; also ‘Scraps’), Jeroen Lauwers (bass) and Ed(ward) Verhaeghe (guitar; ex ‘Midnight Man’ & ‘Rise Above’). Their album Strike The Match was out for a while. Recordings for the Burn Again double-7” were ongoing. Same for the Non Smokers 7”… Actually Jaak played his last show with ‘Nations On Fire’ in Brugge, October 17^th 1992 (a benefit for G.A.I.A.). He was a fervent promoter of veganism (the Belgian Vegan Society and the likes) and would start a vegan/healthfood shop in his hometown Hamme…

‘Nations On Fire’ (pic from Ludovic Hache’s zine Ras l’Bol)

‘Nations On Fire’ (Jeroen – Jaak – David – Ward); photo by Jean-Paul Frijns

‘Abolition’ (at the very beginning named ‘Violent Arrest’) played power-trash from Ludwigshafen and were: Bernd ‘Mr Intolerance’ Bohrmann (vocals; used to do Confrontation zine), Corey ‘The Cat’ Von Villiez (bass), Jens ‘Violent’ Wagner (guitar) and Andreas ‘Huy’ Huyhammer (drums). At that time they had the Jesus Was A Fuckin’ Dick 7” out (a co-release on Bernd & Corey’s Equality recs and Jens’ Homemade recs).

Corey was a pen-pal. We shared a clinical chemistry training and the fact that we were both rather critical towards consumerist attitudes in the HardCore scene. I admired her political stance and intelligent writing. She obtained a PhD in Political Science & Philosophy eventually…

The LP Complaceny (with Miguel Andrade on 2^nd guitar) was recorded end ’93 and got out in 1994… Thesir raging hardcore fitted well with Bernd’s anger and critical attitude. The lyrics were very political (and elaborated into pamphlets that came with their releases). If you wanna know how they sounded, have a look here…: Abolition live @ Nagold (Germany) 1992.

Corey and Bernd formed ‘Stack’, Jens & Huy went on to play with ‘Nothing Remains’ (their bassist Frank Henkelmann actually ran Homemade recs together with Jens) and we’ld see Miguel back with ‘Age’ & ‘Rusty James’…

‘Inner Circle’, from Germany would play here again on 92-10-10. ‘Inner Circle’ They were to become ‘Spawn’ later…

Mike Briggs of ‘Agent 86’ contacted me to help find some gigs for his band ‘Agent 86’ (their tour was mainly arranged by their French label New Wave recs). I quite liked their music, political lyrics and DIY attitude…so I tried to help where I could. Their tour was a bit messy so I believe they played where/when it was possible and I think they ended up at the Vort’n Vis a few times (definitely Oct 4^th). On the tour-poster it’s indicated this day they were due in Ieper (they’re also mentioned in concert-review in Holy Hardcore #2 below)…

‘Agent 86’ played punk-rock, sometimes flavoured with a bit of reggae, and had an LP out that year called Just Say No. The line-up on that record was bassist Michelle Orgill, drummers Billy Ropple & Wes Hambright, and Mike Briggs (guitar & vocals). The drummer on the tour was Robert Perry. Before that they’d already done a whole bunch of 7”s, e.g. Vietnam Generation (also on New Wave recs).

Kjell E. Moberg, the guitarist of the Norwegian band ‘Punishment Park’ (a band from Bergen that played punk-rock, here with a female vocalist, Anja) had asked my help before but for some reason they couldn’t convince me that they had the true D.I.Y. punk spirit so I said no. They eventually ended up touring with ‘Agent 86’ and did turn up to play here… In my review of their CD for Tilt! #7 I wrote “Melodic uptempo punkrock with a touch of reggae sometimes. Good but nothing too special…”

Brob

‘S.O.T.W.’ was called ‘Positive Youth’ at first and I did the vocals then. I think we might’ve played with ‘Sedition’ at one time. A while later I took up second guitar and Jan (brother of Maarten Beckers who was the drummer in the band) started singing. Those 2 later founded bands such as ‘Kindred’ and ‘Enemy Of The Sun’. ‘Positive Youth’ / ‘Strength Of The Will’ were from the Tongeren area (except for myself [from Antwerp]). They were just guys who were in their last year of secondary school, who liked the ‘Exhaustless Revolt’ [Filip’s 1^st band; see 90-10-06, 91-05-03 & 91-11-23] tapes, heard that we’d stopped and called me one day asking to sing for them. :-) Crazy, actually… I didn’t know any of them but took the train tot the other side of Belgium (which I already had gotten used to, travelling to HC concerts; even if we had to play ourselves we went by train) and we started a band. Can’t remember very well how long it lasted, I estimate a year or two… Then the whole thing faded out: things weren’t that easy because of the distance, we rehearsed very little… A bit later ‘Kindred’ started. ‘S.O.T.W.’ played a few times at the V.V., on one occasion with ‘Wheel Of Progress’, a precursor of ‘Congress’, I think.

At a certain time-point there was a song on a GoodLife promo by ‘Ill Balance’, a band that I played in somewhere in the 90s. That was also the period that I (and my grilfriend at that time) worked for GL for 6 months… I played also in another band called ‘Braveyard’ (a mix of hardcore/metal with hiphop/rap) but we didn’t release anything officially. Nowadays [2013] I play in a band called ‘Barricade’. We recorded some tracks in a professional studio. Musically it sounds like death-metal but with hardcore riffs but the themes are more socio-critical.

Filip Staes (ex ‘Exhaustless Revolt’)

Ieperfest [It wasn’t called like that yet back then…] September 1992. ‘Strength Of The Will’ opened in the pub. 3 and a half hours on the train (Tongeren – Ieper), saw 2 bands and had to leave early to get home… Didn’t get to see ‘Nations On Fire’ that time.

Koen Stassen

I can remember that I took some photos of this two day-festival we played… I also have a T-shirt that lists all the bands. I recall meeting a lot of nice and cool people there. And I have recollections of almost having an accident on the way home because I was soooo tired driving…

Jens Wagner, ‘Abolition’ guitarist

We played a ‘Negative Approach’ cover and the singer of ‘Voorhees’ (Ian Leck) went nuts…

Bernd Bohrmann, vocalist for ‘Abolition’

‘InnerXCircle’ was Patrick Uhlemann on second guitar and myself on bass. The guy that replaced me later was Dirk Zeiser [later ‘Spawn’].

Holger Andt

I remember this show really well. ‘Inner Circle’ played an awesome set…It was still with Mike Krajewski. When they changed the name to ‘Spawn’, Chris took over the mic and became their singer. Mike is still into hardcore mostly Power Violence.

Peter Hoeren, Crucial Response recs

I think we played twice at the V.V. and might have been scheduled to play that third time with ‘Jawbreaker’ (we did play with them in Lyon on the same tour)…but it was one of several shows I think that fell through… The Vort’n Vis was a favourite just because it was so wellcoming, and fun. Looking over the show-list on your site was amazing; we played with so many bands in that time-period (since we were there that 2^nd time for over 4 months)…

We played a pretty grunge-y set, though I was happy with it – there were some inter-band squabbles. I have a note that the show was put on by a guy named Edward, though we also met Bruno that night, and scheduled the gig for October. Sadly don’t remember much else about the actual show.

I stay in contact with a lot of my old punk-rock pals, especially Dario Adamic, who has become a cherished friend, which is pretty amazing given all the drama at the time. [Brob: For history’s sake: Dario Adamic (Zips & Chains zine, Rome) had a lot of stories to tell about touring with ‘Agent 86’: according to him they were not DIY, dishonest, sexist, etc. He wrote letters to Maximum Rock’n’Roll about that…]

Michelle Orgill, ‘Agent 86’ bassist

We played in September 1992, I think it was a small festival. We just turned up after a messed up week in Germany as far as I can remember. We came there with ‘Agent 86’ (we were touring together that fall) and we got to play a few songs each. Most likely it was September 6^th since we started the tour late in August that year.

Kjell E. Moberg, ‘Punishment Park’

I want to apologize for letting ‘Punishment Park’ infiltrate in the underground scene. They have nothing to do with the ideas and values of the squats. They buy Shell gas, eat at McDonalds and want to be on MTV.

Mike Briggs, personal communication 1993

My wife, our bass-player at that time, Michelle Orgill and I moved back to the West Coast (Eugene, Oregon) as soon as we got home from the 1992 tour. ‘Agent 86’ is still a thriving entity (www.reverbnation.com/agent86), approaching 30 years. We play mostly in Las Vegas but did our first tour in 17 years in March 2010 – L.A. to Seattle and back. My current wife, Jill, is the bass-player and we have 5 drummers that all know our set that we use. I book, run the door and do sound for shows on Friday-nights at a local bar (Boomers).

Mike Briggs, ‘Agent 86’ guitarist

I played for ‘Agent 86’ for a few years. I joined in ‘91 after the last drummer quit. My roommate was friends with them and hooked us up. I am still in contact with them. I only played on the Riot Girl EP and there is a live record out there somewhere from a show we did in Serbia.

Robert Perry, ‘Agent 86’ drummer

review (by Tineke Hoet) in Tom De Pauw’s zine HolyHardcore #2

review in Wim Vandekerckhove’s zine Reminder #2

additions wellcome!…

91-09-01 [N.O.F.] – Agathocles – Cry For Change – Spirit Of Youth – Scraps

This concert was meant to be the presentation of ‘N.O.F.’s lp but mid August Jaak had an accident with his car (crashed and went upside down) – (together with Jan ‘Blindfold’, U.J. and Hans – while returning from the studio in The Netherlands (where we’d done the final mix): I was suffering from a back-injury (couldn’t move for a few weeks) and Jaak was ‘out’ (in hospital) for a couple of months with some serious fractures and surgery. He didn’t start drumming again a few months later. The concert took place without ‘N.O.F.’ and the record only got released in March 1992. The album wasn’t ready anyway: the recordings had been in May and August; shortly after this gig Ed went to L.A. – beginning of September until end December – to work for his family, and got the record (re-)mixed (Onno [Hesselink]’s original mix was rather questionable) by someone who at that time also mixed ‘Bad Religion’.

Jeroen Lauwers, ‘N.O.F’ bassplayer

I believe all other bands were XXX and a big part of the audience as well, but I’m not really sure. If I remember correctly, everybody left when we got on stage with a tray full of beers and started our noise, haha. Those were the straight-edge heydays :-). Our line-up in ’91…that would probably have been Burt [Beyens, drums], myself [vocals at that time], Erwin [Vandenbergh, bass at that time] & Chris [guitar].

I really liked ‘Spirit Of Youth’ in their early days. Very young guys , full of commitment and energy. Coincidentally, a while ago, I ended up at a bar-counter with one of the members of ‘S.O.Y.’ when he was playing with his new band.

All in all, the end of the 80s/beginning of the 90s were great times at the V.V.

Jan Frederickx, ‘Agathocles’ bassplayer/vocalist/guitarist

I don’t recall ‘Behind The Smile’ playing that day. [Brob: ‘B.T.S.’ was considered to play there at some timepoint…] I think it was ‘Scraps’. [Brob: Could well be ‘cause David & Raph wrote something in the guestbook that day…]. ‘Spirit Of Youth’ was still Hans [Verbeke] drumming, Jan [Maelfait] singing, myself playing guitar and my brother Fré doing the bass.

Dominiek Denolf, ‘S.O.Y.’ guitarist

‘Cry For Change’ had played at the Vort’n Vis before and ‘Scraps’ were no new-comers either of course (with various crossings of the border into I-town; see e.g. 91-03-16).

‘Cry For Change’ (photo courtesy of Johan Maes)

‘Scraps’ vocalist David was technically ‘unemployed’ with ‘N.O.F’ being half handicapped anyway. They kinda replaced ‘N.O.F.’, even did some ‘N.O.F’ covers. Besides the 2 brothers Dutriaux, there was Tomoy on bass and Xavier on drums. I think their show was taped on video for the SCALP-benefit that Wim & Chat’n (‘Blindfold’) did… By then, ‘Scraps’ had their LP Wrapped Up In This Society out on Be Yourself recs (Carl Levecke & Ghilain Vermeersch)…

‘Scraps’ – Raph, Tomoy, Xavier – pics from Wim Vandekerckhoves’s zine Reminder #1

‘Spirit Of Youth’ had just appeared at the V.V. for the 1^st a few months before (91-06-08).

And does ‘Agathocles’ need an introduction…?

This was another organisation of the ‘Touch My Heart Crew’ (see 91-05-03). It would seem like Ed(ward) (‘N.O.F.’ guitarist, later Good Life recs) had adopted some sales-techniques during his stay in L.A.: he even had T-shirts printed of this bill (see picture)…

Brob

In the Vort’n Vis , everybody is taking care: we don’t need bouncers, we don’t need cops, we can decide for ourselves. Today was a good example: people can decide and act for themselves. This is what we’re into…

David Dutriaux, in Reminder zine 1991

pic kindly provided by Rudy ‘Rudee’ Penando

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

The ‘Scraps’ Dutriaux bros expressing their ‘warm’ feelings…

‘Crivits’ guitarist Jeff expressing his wish to play the V.V. That would happen a few months later (91-12-21)…

additions wellcome!…

91-12-31 Disturbing Foresights – Neuthrone – Blindfold – Scraps – Union Morbide – [Negative Stance]

cover of ep entitled 1992

New Year’s Eve at the Vort’n Vis? Of course! Why not!? This is where our friends were and where we could meet likeminded and interesting people from all around…

I had heard the music of ‘Negative Stance’ already on the split album with ‘Kismet HC’ and corresponded with their drummer Bill who did Actions Of Rebirth zine. These guys were also active in the scene around the well-known Villa Amalias squat in Athens. So I was looking forward to meet him/them. Unfortunately, for some reason they didn’t play… Can ‘t remember if they didn’t tour or if they just didn’t make it to the Vort’n Vis. The drummer was Vasilis ‘Bill’ Babouris, bassist/vocalist Makis, later John (Giannis Tzamilis) and guitarist Stamatis Spiliotopoulos. At some timepoint there was also singer Alex…

‘Disturbing Foresights’ played innovative HC. Some of them were organising punk-shows in the Mevr. Latenstaan youth-centre in Zoetermeer (near The Hague) which I visited when my friends’ band ‘Hate Crew’ played there (end of the 80s). The band consisted of Cor Hoogerdijk (drums & vocals; also in ‘The Incredible Softies’), Chiel Schouten (guitar; also in ‘The Incredible Softies’; a bit later replaced by Sebastiaan ‘Bas’ de Neef), Koen Bakker (bass), Iwan P. Vol & Ron Osephius (vocals). Ron had been in Barcelona where he (and his partner, at that time, Rosa) booked quite a few bands from up here. I also wonder if Arni van Driel (one of the guys who arranged things in Latenstaan) came with the band that night… They were on their 1991 X-Mass European tour with Berlin/Hamburg’s ‘Apoplexy’ (but I’m pretty sure these didn’t play at the V.V.). Their EP called 1992 was just out (see cover).

As Jeroen explains ‘Nations On Fire’ (who had been announced) didn’t play. David who was singing for them (and was not involved in the accident) probably played with his original band ‘Scraps’. Living just across the border, they played the V.V. many times. Can ‘t remember if they actually did this one…

‘Neuthrone’s appearance was, I thought; their first (of a whole series in the V.V.) that night (Steve W. explains below it’s not). They were locals and helped out at the Vort’n Vis… Guitarist/vocalist Steve W. had moved back to Ieper from the U.K. and formed this ‘sludgecore’ band together with (ex ‘Silly Old Fart’) David Stubbe (drums) and Fabrice Baclet (bass). Tim ‘Nutje’ Denutte replaced the latter a while later.

Being local and helping out at the Vort’n Vis, ‘Blindfold’ played another set, just shortly after their debut [91-12-21] here…

Apparently ‘Union Morbide’ played here aswell (see below) but I can’t remember that. I do recall them playing 91-11-23.

Brob

I recall that I played bass for ‘Shortsight’ at the V.V. once that X-Mas period [91-12-21] but I’m also certain I spent New Year’s Eve 1991 at La Gare in Lauwe and not at the Vort’n Vis viz. ‘N.O.F. seems unlikely ‘cause Edward hadn’t returned from the U.S. and Jaak still wasn’t recovered from his car-crash injuries. [91-09-01]

Jeroen Lauwers

This is our and my only performance in Belgium…so far. We entered the country through the German-speaking part and got followed after a few kilometres. It appeared to be the cops, who wanted a closer look at the inside of our bus. Yep, we didn’t smell that fresh but we got away quite easily. We had done 12 gigs by then. Every school-holiday we took the opportunity to tour and Ieper became our debut in your beautiful country; it was also the last one of that tour.

About the Vort’n Vis, I can remember that the stage was right next to the entrance; and during our set two bored straight-edge-kids were gazing at us. When I listened back to the recordings (available on-line), it appeared that the public, back in the pub, was rather enthusiastic…

I play in another band now (called ‘Zoikle’) with GW Sok (ex ‘The Ex’) and I’m a part-time music-teacher.

Cor Hoogerdijk, ‘Disturbing Foresights’ drummer

I believe the stage collapsed underneath me…

Chiel Schouten, ‘Disturbing Foresights’ guitarist

‘Apoplexy’ was on tour with us but apparently didn’t play here [Brob: probably because this was the last show before ‘D.F.’ headed home…]. After Sebastiaan de Neef we took another guitarist: Arjan van der Schee (who had been in ‘Brutal Obcenity’). Ron was in the band before me. He had gotten back from Barcelona by then (he’s not with Rosa since a long time). Myself, until recently I played in ‘Possible Suspect’ and nowadays in the ‘Pisnozems’ (and some others). Arni lives in Kopenhagen. I don’t think he was on this tour, but he did come often.

Iwan, ‘Disturbing Foresights’ singer

‘Disturbing Foresights’ (pics by Eric W.)

I recorded ‘Disturbing Foresights’ live that night [link above] (I also have recordings of ‘Scraps’, ‘N.O.F.’). I enjoyed their music, kind of rap-core [???], as well as their ep, full of meaning and good lyrics about the European Fortress, animal-rights, etc.

Eric Wawr, React distro

The first line-up (on the split LP with ‘Kismet HC’) was: Bill drums, Alekos on guitar, Alex ‘Z’ guitar & vocals and Makis on bass. When Alex left the band, the band became a trio: Bill on drums, John bass and vocals and Stamatis guitar. They recorded the second LP Angels Of Deceit.

Alex, ‘Negative Stance’

‘Neuthrone’s 1^st gig was in September 1991 if I remember well, perhaps October. We’d played a short, un-announced set at the Leet fest [91-09-14]. We also did the gig with ‘Debiele Eenheid’, last gig ever by ‘Sloth’ that was [91-10-05]. That was perhaps our first official 1^st gig as ‘Neuthrone’. Fabrice played in the band from August 1991 to June 1992. Then he started a training to become a sailor & was at sea for months and months. In the summer of ‘92 we asked Tim (‘Nutje’) if he was interested. We recorded 5 songs in August ‘92 in Brugge (3 for the 1^st 7” on Genet recs & another 2 for compilations and stuff (but they actually only appeared on a ‘Neuthrone’ LP with unpublished songs in 2004). Because Tim wasn’t ready for recordings yet, I played all the bass-tracks.

Steve W., ‘Neuthrone’ guitarist

‘Neuthrone’, ‘promo-pic’: David – Fabrice – Steve

I’m pretty positive we (‘Union Morbide’) played on 31^st of December 1991 in the Vort’n Vis! We were on tour with the ‘Scraps’ back then and we sort of teamed up with ‘Disturbing Foresights’ the night before when all 3 of us played at a festival in Ransbach-Baumbach in Germany. I remember my surprise about the total absence of fireworks at NewYear because in the Netherlands, Belgium has a reputation when it comes to fireworks: every Dutchman goes to Belgium to buy the ‘heavy stuff’. There was also another band playing that night (don’t remember their name) and the crowd was a mix of straight-edgers and drunk-punks – a little tense at times, but all in all a good spirit.

Philip van Koeveringe, ‘Union Morbide’ guitarist

So we played at the Vort’n Vis on New Year’s Eve… Inside: Flemish punx in hardcore outfit (caps and checkered shirts), also (on the other side of the venue) Walloon punx (spiked hair, tartan pants, boozing until Sid comes and gets them.) This dichotomy was unknown to us in Beverwijk – we didn’t preach punk or hardcore but hardcore-punk. We were ill , not just in our heads but also our bodies. And when we layed down our heads after having played – and underneath us the festivities continued in full swing (with here and there a yell about boozing and not boozing, in French and Flemish – which led to some squabbles) – the astmathic sucking of our drummer Michel on his inhaler provided a cheerful undertone.

Maxim Aafjes, ‘Union Morbide’ vocalist

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

visitors

additions wellcome!…

92-03-08 Born Against – One By One – Nations On Fire – Pertotal

The ‘N.O.F.’ lp got out with some delay (due to the accident Jaak had) in March 1992. There wasn’t a real ‘presentation’ as was intended at first (91-09-01). We went on a 10 day tour with ‘Born Against’. Ute [X-Mist] was driving and our leader Bruno VDV was the aid.

Jeroen Lauwers; ‘N.O.F.’ bassplayer

‘Born Against’ – on their ‘92 Euro tour – were vocalist Sam McPheeters (Dear Jesus zine, Vermiform recs, etc.), guitarist Adam Nathanson (zinester & ex ‘Life’s Blood’), bassist Bret Blue (nót Javier) and drummer Jo(h)n Hiltz. After the Euro tour Tonie Joy (ex ‘Moss Icon’) and Brooks Headly (‘Universal Order of Armageddon’) joined on bass and drums, respectively; the band moved from New York to Richmond. They broke up in the summer of 1993. I’d started a correspondence with Sam when I discovered and distributed his zine (Dear Jesus; and later records from his label Vermiform). I admire(d) his intelligent, provocative, thought-provoking, articulate, eloquent writing… Adam I’d gotten to know when Freddy Alva (I think) sent me a tape with music of Adam’s band ‘Life’s Blood’. It was real nice to be able to talk with them in person for a while. And they even came back a few weeks later (92-04-18)…

‘One By One’ members Sned, Micky; Alec had been here before (91-08-18). Karin joined the band in early 1992 but it wasn’t her first visit at the Vort’n Vis (in- or outside a band) ‘cause she’d visited (here e.g.: 90-08-25) already when she was still living in Brugge…

In 1993 ‘N.O.F.’ toured with Jamie Owen (from the UK band ‘Jailcell Recipes’) on drums but here Jaak was still in the band; David doing the vocals, Jeroen on bass and Ward playing guitar.

Brob

‘Born Against’ photos kindly donated by Jeroen L. (taken by Roger ‘F.T.F.’)

I have been the driver for ‘Nations On Fire’ on the tour with ‘Born Against’. I still have some memory of that: the somehow bizarre and uncomfortable feeling staying at the house of Edward’s parents: Getting excellent food in a sort of conservative and authoritarian family-atmosphere…

Tina? [see excerpts] We used to be friends with a girl named Tina from Tübingen [Brob: I think she was booking shows at Epplehaus there…]. She got into booking tours and driving bands when ‘Toxic Reasons’ got stranded for a few days on their first European tour and needed some help. Armin met them in Freiburg and told them to contact her, and then they stayed for a few days off on the tour at the squat where she was living. That’s when Tina and her friend got into this band-touring thing; I guess…?

Peter [Carstens, from Flensburg] was the driver of ‘Born Against’ and many other bands [tours organised by Steffen Rose – Navigator productions] during those days, since he owned a huge van. Nowadays he’s the drummer for the massively popular and mainstream-accepted punk-band ‘Turbostaat’.

Ute, X-Mist recs

I thought Tina was Adam’s girlfriend. I remember that ‘Born Against’ took of with a male driver that got replaced halfway by 1 or 2 female ‘roadies’…

I didn’t really like this show as it was too crowded and, as Sling states [below], the atmosphere was a little tense but from both sides. The Liège and Brugge ‘crust’ crew was as negative about the (socalled) SxE crew as they were about them, negative vibes came from both, a bunch of posers on both sides of the fence. I don’t remember ‘One By One’ playing as we came in late from a long drive from Bremen the day before. I liked this band, Sned was always a nice person and I get on well with Karin who I started talking to by accident when she was studying in Kortrijk shortly before.

Still the best ‘N.O.F.’ line-up in retrospect but already with crackles in the foundation. Ed and me couldn’t decide about doing the band fulltime or taking a job; Jaak was too busy doing his health-food store to be 100% in the band and David always gave this feeling of ‘N.O.F.’ being his second choice band to ‘Scraps’. It also didn’t help him moving to Germany shortly after and rarely coming over to rehearse or work on new stuff. When Burn Again came out a year later, with a long tour ahead the atmosphere really wasn’t that good.

Jeroen Lauwers; ‘N.O.F.’ bassplayer

‘N.O.F.’ ready to leave on tour (1993!). L=>R: Edward V. a.k.a. ‘Judge No One’, stand-in drummer Jamie, roadie Whitey, Goofy’s mom, David D., Jeroen ‘Goofy’ Lauwers. (pic by driver Willy)

I never visited the Vort’n Vis. I had already left ‘Born Against’ by that time so it was Bret Blue who was the bassist after me.

Javier Villegas, ex ‘Born Against’ bassist

I had returned from New-Zealand the day before, arrived in London and ‘One By One’ picked me up from a junction on the motorway and drove me to Ieper! Sling played drums, at least for some of the set…

Sned, ‘One By One’ drummer

This gig resulted in my exit from the HC scene. I recall pushing over the drum-kit because so many straight-edge kids were very negative about the non-sXe. bands… Bunch of posers… [Brob: according to Leffe, this happened during ‘Pertotal’s set, who played here aswell… – see comment.]

Sling

This gig with ‘Born Against’ was part of a mini-tour of Belgium to celebrate Sned’s return from New-Zealand: we picked him up somewhere in London and then drove down to Dover… We had to wait a couple of hours for the ferry in the cold rain on the sea-front for our early crossing. Can’t remember the exact course of events but Karin and I stopped at her parents in Oostkamp and Alec stopped with Spatje at his mums… Not sure where Sned went. We had a couple of practices in the back-room of the Tivoli [pub in Brugge] where ‘P.J.D.’ & ‘Chronic Disease’ rehearsed. Sned hadn’t drummed for over 6 months and I think Sling offered to help lighten the load by helping out. It soon became clear that he knew the songs better than we did!!! We played definitely played 2 gigs with Sling and Sned drumming parts of the set each… As well as the Vort’n Vis there was another at La Zone… [7 mar ’92 (‘La Zone’): One By One (UK), Private Jesus Detector (Bel), Pertotal (Bel)] Karin and I also think there might have been a 3^rd gig at the Democrazy in Gent with ‘Nation of Ulysses’… [Jeroen L.: ‘Nation Of Ulysses’ played the same day at Democrazy.] Karin is pretty certain that she wasn’t in the band at the time but she had certainly joined by the time we played with ‘Rorschach’ at the 1 in 12 in June 1992…

Micky McGuinness, ‘One By One’ guitarist

The Vort’n Vis was the perfect size to pack in a show; the walls and windows were sweating with condensation. The vibe was definitely good and D.I.Y. The moisture resulted in some electrical problems with the guitar-amp. I was excited to play with ‘One by One’ because they had a former member of ‘Ripcord’ or ‘Heresy’ (?). [Generic] ‘Nations on Fire’ made us feel right at home since it was their home-turf and we were doing the tour with them. Edward created these funny ‘Born Against’/’Nations on Fire’ all-access passes that said “sponsored by Stussy and Budweiser”. Bruno put us up in his little place in the beautiful city of Liège. [Bruno had a room in Gent at that time I think; definitely not Liège.] He had a pet mouse that he allowed to run free around the apartment, and it kept waking us up.

The crowd was full of U.S. straight-edge fashion. It made me wonder that day, and throughout the whole European tour, “Doesn’t anybody remember ‘B.G.K.’, ‘N.V. Le Anderen’, ‘Lärm’, ‘Pandemonium’, ‘Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers’, ‘Porno Patrol’, ‘Upright Citizens’, ‘Raw Power’, ‘Wretched’, ‘Scraps’, ‘Negazione’, etc., etc.?”.

Adam Nathanson; ‘Born Against’ guitarist

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…