Antillectual

In this first one of 12 weekly episodes, we present the first song off our new record “Start From Scratch!”: Every Crisis Is a Moral Crisis, with lyrics, liner notes and a sneak peek of the artwork. Greg Rekus, singer and guitarist of Winnipeg Canada’s High Five Drive and day job sound engineer, is our guest this week. The first time I (Riekus) met him was a midnight encounter in a Paris gay bar, don’t ask! We got to know each other better when High Five Drive and Antillectual toured the UK, Belgium, France and our home country this April. In this week’s episode, Greg talks about the sound of our record, veggie beef and Uma Thurman. Confusing, isn’t it? Read on, figure out what Greg is about, enjoy the song and give us your feedback.

Skip to: Special Guest / Lyrics / Liner Notes / Artwork preview / Confirmed labels

Greg Rekus says

One of my favourite elements of Antillectual is the guitar work. This song is packed with tasty little riffs and guitar parts that ignite the impulse to reach for a guitar and attempt to decode the combination of fingering, palm muting, picking and other assorted tricks Willem hides up his frayed hoodie sleeves. The lyrics hit you right away like an anthem you had on the tip of your tongue but just couldn’t spit it out. “Bring it on! Let’s start from scratch!”. Hear it once and you are singing it immediately. The recording is big. Huge guitar tones, gritty, beefy (veggie beef of course) bass sounds, nice crack to the snare. Riekus’ drum sounds are killer. They don’t have the super triggered, robotic sound that some people were sure was the key to good records several years ago.

High five drive played with them live a bunch this past April. Many bands just aren’t the same live as on record or vice versa. Either the record is lacking the energy of a band losing their shit on stage or the live show is missing the precision and polish of a good recording. Antillectual is one of those rare bands that straddle that line of energetic live performance while maintaining the tightness usually reserved exclusively for wet knots and Uma Thurman costumes. I’m super pumped on this recording and can’t wait to share the stage with them again!

Lyrics

Bring it on
Let’s start from scratch

We need a reality check
Armed with second opinions
Not afraid to use them
Now it is time, time for plan B

My First Crisis
This is not a drill
Too true to be good
Think outside the box, it’s time for plan B

Every crisis is a moral crisis
Now we can become what we want to be
Let’s start from scratch

The system broke
Repairing is not possible
Replacing the only option
Recycling what is useful

Now the dust has settled
It’s up to us
We want regime change

Let’s start from scratch

Liner Notes

We have reached another breaking point in history. The current financial crisis has made an enormous impact on so many people that it seems things are going to change. If things are going to change, we have to make sure they change for the better. Political and financial systems are extremely slow when it comes to change. People, on the other hand, can change their ideas and behavior overnight.
Whether a crisis is about the financial world, immigration, the role of the media and youth culture, how to treat whistle blowers, animals, political themes in general, or the upcoming influence of “new” powers like China and India; all crises should lead to an evaluation of how we deal with these topics in the future. What we think is right and wrong about it. What moral standards should apply for any of these topics. Every crisis is a moral crisis.
Now that the old balance is unstable it is time to tip it over and install a new balance. This is the time where people are up for trying new, better ideas. Now we can be the architects of our own world. For real change to occur, we need more than just a new messiah. We need people to believe in themselves and each (each!) other instead of a new president or a new financial system to improve the quality of life.
We should not be afraid to take a closer look at things when it gets hot under our feet. There is a lot to improve in the world. If we want this crisis, and more importantly the reaction to this crisis, to be fruitful, it is up to us to give directions. So bring on these crises and take those chances. Let’s start over, let’s start from scratch.

Artwork preview

Artwork by David Finke of FairTradeMerch

Confirmed Labels so far:

Discos Rayados Records (Spain)
Effervescence Records (France)
Infected Records (Portugal)
Lockjaw Records (United Kingdom)
Shield Recordings (Benelux)
Square of Opposition Records (USA)
No Reason Records (Italy)
5 Feet Under Records (Scandinavia)

That’s it for this week’s album preview. We’ll be back next Monday with the second song: Buyer’s Remorse. Expect some candy-sweet guest vocals and another Special Guest.

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At this very moment Dutch right-wing politicians are working on a new coalition. It will include the most xenophobe party ever to participate in a government; the Partij Voor de Vrijheid (Party for Freedom; which doesn’t seem like a bad idea, right?). If stuff doesn’t suck already, stuff will suck harder if that coalition comes into power. Now it is time, time for plan B.

At this very moment we are finalizing our own new coalition as well. Almost a dozen labels all over Europe and the USA have gathered their forces to release our new album “Start From Scratch!”. The release is set for November 1st, pre-orders will be taken earlier. Next Monday, August 16, we will start to stream a song from the new album every week. Next to the music we will post lyrics and accompanying liner notes of each song. On top of that we will post a contribution to each song from people that helped recording the record, wrote songs, did guest vocals, designed the artwork; but also from people who helped the band the last couple of years: supporting us on tours, behind the screens or on stage.

After the release we will take the world by storm through endless touring. If you want us to paint your town red, get in touch and we will work it out.

So, next week we will post the list of cooperating labels, the first song on our new album (Every Crisis Is a Moral Crisis) including lyrics, liner notes and comments from a punkrock celeb and the front of the artwork. See you next week kids!

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While we were out on our last tour, we had the pleasure of sharing some of our experiences with you. Right now, we have finally managed to wrap up the whole report, including some lovely pictures by Rudy. If you wonder what it’s like to be out on the road for 3 weeks straight in a hot and smelly van, go and check it out!

For all you facebook likers: we’ve noticed that you really enjoy liking and commenting on our updates. So we decided to give our own site a little facebook flavor. From now on, you can easily leave comments on our site with your facebook account. Just hit the blue “connect” button below any post, and you’re logged in to our site through facebook. No need to leave an email adress, and don’t worry: we don’t collect any private information. Also, when you comment on our updates on facebook, your comment will be added to our site. Hope you “like” it! As always, we are open to your suggestions how we can make this work even better.

And last but not least: the new record. We still can’t give you a releasedate, but please rest assured that we are working our asses off behind the scenes to make this our best release to date. And we’re cooking up some spicy plans to introduce our new songs and lyrics to the outside world that is you.

Now go out and catch some sun!

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We got back from a very awesome tour bringing us to the Groezrock festival, the UK, Queensday in Holland, Just Like Your Mom’s HQ and the traditional Le Havre Mayhem. A lot of thanks to those coming out to our show at Groezrock and the shows we did in the UK and the mainland. Thanks to promoters for organizing and hosting. And thanks to High Five Drive for accompanying us on this trip and making it very worthwhile. A proper tour report will follow later.

Ashes Records, Never Trust an Asshole Zine and Fond of Life Records recently released a sampler featuring one of our songs together with a lot of really great bands. Check those samplers: Ashes Records, Never Trust an Asshole Zine (download zine and sampler) and Fond of Life Records. The Never Trust an Asshole Zine actually includes a recent interview with us.

For our upcoming tour we are still really in need of shows. So far we are going to Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Belgium. If you want to help us out with a date or two we’d be extremely grateful. Even though we are a very frequently touring band, booking never is an easy job and can’t happen with your help. In Antwerp (BEL) we will be playing with Hot Water Music on June 14 and on June 15 we will support Down By Law in Arnhem (NL).

Dates so far:
May 26 Germany Freiburg Haus der Jugend w/ Far Off The Zoo
May 27
May 28 Italy Poirino MT Beer Festival
May 29
May 30
May 31
Jun 1
Jun 2 Slovenia Ajdovš?ina TBA w/ Argetti
Jun 3
Jun 4 Austria Wien EKH
Jun 5 Austria Wiener Neustadt EntroP’s Extended
Jun 6
Jun 7
Jun 8
Jun 9 Czech Republic Hradec Kralove La Putika
Jun 10 Poland Wroclaw Wagon Club
Jun 11 Germany Berlin Subversiv
Jun 12 Germany Holzminden Juz
Jun 13
Jun 14 Belgium Antwerpen, Trix. w/ Hot Water Music
Jun 15 Netherlands Arnhem, Willemeen. w/ Down By Law, Brat Pack

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This week we finished mixing and mastering our new album. We are really looking forward to the release later this year. In the meantime we are not slowing down and doing quite a lot of cool tours, shows and festivals the coming months.

• Start from Scratch!
• Tour with High Five Drive
• Groezrock
• May-June tour
• Festivals, other shows

START FROM SCRATCH!

Indeed, that is the name of our freshly recorded album. Describing both the state of a band in bloom and a world in crisis. While recording the songs
we shot some videos (part 1 and part 2), hope you enjoy. Since last week we can announce the track list with some very self-explanatory song titles:

1. Every Crisis Is a Moral Crisis
2. Buyer’s Remorse
3. The Hunt Is On
4. America’s Worst Role Model
5. Cut the Ground from under Our Feet
6. “Kraken gaat door”
7. Some of My Best Friends Are Meat Eaters
8. Chinese Takeover
9. Our Hearts
10. The New Jew
11. Classic Themes Never Get Old
12. So Much More

In the next newsletter more news on when and how the release will take place and a song as a preview!

TOUR WITH HIGH FIVE DRIVE

The nice guys from High Five Drive asked us if we wanted to join them on a part of their European tour. Since we tend to enjoy touring together with
cool bands we decided to accompany these fine Canadians on the last dates of their tour. Please come out and support us! Check:

Apr 24 BE Meerhout, Groezrock Macbeth stage
Apr 25 UK London, Ryan’s Bar. w/ High Five Drive, Apologies, I Have None, Without Fire
Apr 26 UK Macclesfield, The swan with two necks. w/ High Five Drive,The Shuffle
Apr 27 UK Lincoln, Library Bar. w/ High Five Drive
Apr 28 UK Manchester, Retro Bar. w/ High Five Drive
Apr 29 UK Peterborough, Club Revolution. w/ High Five Drive
Apr 30 NL Naaldwijk, de Flaat. w/ High Five Drive, Sweet Empire, Drunktank, Fortynine
May 1 BEL Oostende, OHK. w/ High Five Drive, Go Rampage
May 2 FR Le Havre, Mac Daid’s. w/ High Five Drive

GROEZROCK

Our first stop on this tour will be a 20 minute set at Groezrock’s Macbeth stage, on Saturday from 12:55 to 13:15 sharp. Expect some golden oldies and some songs from our new record. Our friends in Static Radio are playing the Etnies stage just before this show. Also, High Five Drive will be playing the Macbeth stage at 19:10.

Shield Recordings and No Reason Records will be present at the groezrock merch tent. Be sure to drop by, buy them a drink and get some of their great records, or perhaps some Antillectual merch.

MAY-JUNE TOUR

Our last achievement before the summer break (as if …) is a tour through central Europe. We are still in need of some dates, so you know the drill:

May 26 GER Freiburg, Haus der Jugend
May 27 Available
May 28 ITA Poirino (Turin), MT Beer Festival
May 29 ITA Available
May 30 ITA Available
May 31 ITA Available
Jun 1 SLO Available
Jun 2 SLO Available
Jun 3 Available
Jun 4 Available
Jun 5 A Wiener Neustadt, Entro P’s Extended
Jun 6 Available
Jun 7 Available
Jun 8 Available
Jun 9 CZ Hradec Kralove, La Putika
Jun 10 POL Wroclaw, Wagon Club
Jun 11 GER Berlin, Subversiv
Jun 12 Available
Jun 13 Available

Festivals, other shows

The summer is coming up and that means festival time! Besides that we are also doing some single shows in the Benelux. As always, we are looking for cool shows and festivals; feel free to get in touch!

May 6 BEL Groot Bijgaarden, JK Paddestoel. w/ This Routine Is Hell, The Ignored
Jul 9/10 GER Verden, Break the Silence Fest. w/ Brat Pack, Oi Polloi, Vitamin X and many, many more.
Jul 17 NL Vlaardingen, Open Air Skate/punkfestival
Aug 5 NL Meppel, Cafe Clouso. Donderdag meppeldag!
Sep 4 NL Zwolle, Rock ‘n’ Roll Festival. w/ Peter Pan Speedrock, Fakkelbrigade, more tba
Sep 17 NL Zeist, De Peppel. w/ Rentokill
Sep 18 NL Tilburg, Incubate Festival

We ordered a new batch of shirts from the same design since they sold out pretty fast. Check our webstore if you want to support our band, or simply need clothing.

(also available in blue and brown, and as girlies / zippers / female zippers)

In the next issue of your favorite newsletter you will find some news about our new album and more shows, shows and shows.

Thanks, you made it, friends ‘til the end!

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