Antillectual

With a new album come new streams! On August 23 we will release our new album “Perspectives & Objectives”. Until that date we will stream new songs from the album every Monday.

For everyone that already heard the Future History EP, this isn’t really *new* and even the video might look familiar. But don’t be fooled, we re-recorded the song and there are some differences, enjoy those! The theme is of course still the same: how different generations look back and forth, on what has been and is yet to come. Our guest contribution comes from Chris Stowe from Anti-Flag’s A-F Records. They will release “Perspectives & Objectives” in North America and Australia and we’re very happy to have them aboard!

One of the primary things that I like and admire about Antillectual is their understanding of the level of responsibility that comes with being performing musicians. When you have the opportunity to share your music with an audience, you’re given the ability to directly affect and influence human lives. That’s a pretty heavy responsibility when you think about it. A lot of musicians, including myself at times, are guilty of squandering that opportunity to directly affect social change and to have a positive influence on the people around them. Antillectual isn’t one of those bands.
Their new track “Future History” challenges the listener to be aware that, even though we live in what appears to be a modern age, there’s still a mountain of work ahead of us as humans before we can consider ourselves civilized. It’s this dedication to using their musical influence as a mechanism of change that makes Antillectual a band that I respect and am lucky to work with.

– Chris Stowe, A-F Records

Pre-order “Perspectives & Objectives”, or a package including it and receive a stream right after. Next week an entirely new song about bullying, with a little help from Banksy.

Future History

Class, please open your books on chapter 3
About a period in time not that unique
The best intentions unveiled by history
The past has been written, let’s try to read

Will you remember?
How we loved to play keep-away
Girls and gays were seen as a different race
Considering other races animals
Treating animals as bad as beasts

Will you remember?
That we forgot to put things in perspective
Future history, a past yet to come

Will you remember?
Progress was not us moving ahead
It only meant the rest was moving back
Having more future in front than past behind
What harms us most now never came to mind

Liner notes:

Only in hindsight do we know which periods in time were important and which ones weren’t. Only in hindsight do we know which issues really mattered and which ones really didn’t. Nonetheless, everyone thinks they live in the most influential era. Everything going on right here, right now is what seems to matter most. But 100 years from now there will be significantly less attention for immigration, (other) religions or local institutions like the European Union. The world is becoming one globalized place where all human and nonhuman variations manage to coexist. In the end our era will be just another chapter in history books. Including its own idiosyncrasies and anomalies like racism, sexism, homophobia and our lack of animal rights.

With a new album come new streams! On August 23 we will release our new album “Perspectives & Objectives”. Until that date we will stream new songs from the album every Monday.

Another faster song, finally! This song sums up pretty well what could be considered the “main theme” of the new album, although we never set out to write a concept album: in an ever-evolving world where being informed about the well-being of people and species across the globe is quickly becoming less and less of a problem, there is really no excuse anymore to say “I never knew about that”. We all represent and testify to what happens around us and further away. If there ever was a time to take things into our own hands and improve them, now is the time. Do It Yourself, but even more: Do It Together! This one goes out to all members of parliament, which includes you and us. Here’s what our long time DIY-friend Etjen from Just Like Your Mom has to say about it:

Members of parliament?

Let’s just skip this topic and write something about why I admire bands like Antillectual?

My first encounter with them is from way back in the days.. The days when I was organizing benefit gigs to support Animal Rights issues.. The time that Antillectual was our ‘house band’..

But also the time when we (Antillectual and I) started to work together in a DIY but also professional way.. As some of you might know I’m involved in founding Just Like Your Mom. With this company we try to support touring bands on the road, we do tour management, van/ backline hire, and make sure that bands can tour just like being on the road with their Mom. Oh, and we also do some vegan catering.

Without Antillectual there would not have been a “Mom”, and all of her activities.. The simple fact is that back in those days I decided to loan some money from 2 bands: Antillectual and Bambix, I would buy a tour van and would drive both bands around for free for a year. After that, they would start paying for the rent of the tour van and that was it: the start of Just Like Your Mom.

Now we are both many years further and we both still work in the same way:  taking control of a situation and turning that situation into something that allows you to make the world around you a better place.

As I’m writing this I’m sitting backstage at a festival in Ghent (Belgium) called de Gentse Feesten. Over the last 9 days, 43 “Mom” crew members have been selling vegan food on this festival and we fed over 10.000 people with our delicious food.

To me,  taking control of your own life and the lives of others around you is the key to how we should organize our own world. Fuck those so-called “members of parliament” and build your own society;  where we can make money to pay our rent, but also a society  where we can live and work together no matter what you do or where you’re from.

As said on a previous album.. ‘If you want things done right, Do It Yourself’

– Etjen – Just Like Your Mom toursupport catering & events

Pre-order “Perspectives & Objectives”, or a package including it and receive a stream right after.

Do those backup vocals at the end of the chorus sound a little familiar by any chance? Tom, Tim and Koen (“The Legion of Ex-bass Players”) took a little time to come over and sing along.

To All Members Of Parliament

In a world of shifting paradigms we can’t but do it together
Increasing international affairs, we’re all in this together

The map we use to see our world has expired long ago
Its architects don’t see the change, they never check below

It’s perspective, if anything, a different view in closeup
Locals have revamped the scenery, I hope the news catches on

I am a member of parliament
Representing all citizens
Not just one single nation but the whole fucking world
Let a new solidarity trickle up
You are a member of parliament
We all are members of parliament

Liner notes:

Your identity is constructed from several “sub-identities”. You are an inhabitant of your city, a child of your parents, a citizen of your nation and a member of a subculture among many other roles. The idea of nationality is forced upon us since the 19th century. And in today’s globalizing world I have a hard time identifying with fellow citizens of our nation alone. The more we get to travel around the world, the less I understand why we should adhere to our narrow minded nationality. Or to a European Union or other broader, but still exclusive groups. If anything, we are members of the nation of the world, of humanity. And as members of this international community we are all responsible for each other’s well being, each representing each other.

With a new album come new streams! On August 23 we will release our new album “Perspectives & Objectives”. Until that date we will stream new songs from the album every Monday.

“New”. You might have heard the acoustic version of this song on our Future History EP, but this is the real (electric) deal! The topic is still the same though: the role of women in society in general and in the punk scene in particular. Our friend Arina has first hand experience being a girl in this punk scene, watching and playing in bands, and is a music journalist. Read what she has to say:

I don’t like pink but I love punk. Being the bass player of an all female band, I have experienced that even in the punk scene, people don’t expect girls to play in bands. Backstage, I have been asked several times whose girlfriend I am. A question based on the assumption that my reason of hanging out there could only be that I had a boyfriend who was playing in a band, and not me playing in a band. There are many similar examples. Too many to list here.

Therefore, I was positively surprised when I heard the Future History version of Pink Print for the first time (by the way, the Perspectives & Objectives version is better).

Yes, surprised. I didn’t realize female participation in punk could be an important topic for an all male band (pleonasm..?) like Antillectual. Willem and I talked about it several times. I felt free to bring up all the issues, examples and doubts I have on this theme. The problem he’s having with the sentence “This song goes out to all the girls” seems to be the same as my dilemma of festivals with exclusively all female bands. Do I want to play there too?

On the one hand yes, the music scene might need such ‘reversed’ initiatives (and hey, who doesn’t love festivals?). On the other hand no, instead of creating ‘our’ own (girl) scene like the riot grrrl movement did in the nineties, I prefer an equally mixed audience at concerts. Or at least a mixed place in which women feel welcome and safe (not just a live-size version of a donut). Separate girl and boy scenes may not contribute to this goal.

Is it really that bad? I’m not sure. If it was, I wouldn’t have enjoyed all these great concerts over the years and I wouldn’t have had such good times on its after-parties.

To add another positive observation: my impression is that there is a growing awareness among bands. Many attacked the Groezrock video by an energy drink brand. Pink Print fits right into this tendency, meaningfully criticizing its own scene. I hope many people will listen to this song, regardless of their favorite color.

– Arina Banga

Pre-order “Perspectives & Objectives”, or a package including it and receive a stream right after.

Coincidentally, Dying Scene – who hosted this song last Friday – also posted an editorial on the subject of ‘women in punk’. Quite an interesting read: I am a woman, and I have a right to be here.

Pink print

I would hate this to sound sexist: “This goes out to all the girls”
So few here, girlfriends, wives and cooks. From the back of the room, only here for the looks?

I hoped we could provide a safer alternative in this gated community
But it seems we’ve failed
Contrary to popular beliefs girls are not just donuts.
How we warn our daughters shows how civilized we are

What do you expect, examples given and standards set?
How we treat our maids shows how civilized we are

Stop burning the witches, burn our blueprints on their stakes
And use the second sex’ craft to bake a pink print for a change

Liner notes:

Girls in our scene are underrepresented, in both audiences and bands. When playing with (partly) female bands or in front of an equally mixed audience I often feel like addressing them. What always holds me back are other bands dedicating songs to girls, “This goes out to all the girls”, for all the wrong, sexist reasons. It would be cool if girls at shows were not only welcome for their looks, boyfriends or cooking skills, but also just for being there or for their music. I think a lot more girls would eventually join in. “From the back of the room” is a documentary about actively involved women in the punk/hardcore scene.
Girls and women in our society aren’t treated much better. There still is a lot of sexism, hidden or not. A very recent example is the scandal of Dominique Strauss Kahn raping a black maid and getting away with it. Not because he was innocent, but because the girl wasn’t “credible” enough.

With another tour done (more on that later), it’s about time to announce the next one, ey? We’re stoked to announce another full European tour, taking us to both new and familiar places. A week after the release of our new album, we will be touring with Timeshares from New York. Dividers (Swansea, Wales) will be joining us on the UK leg of the tour.

Dates? Dates!

30.08.2013 – Meppen (GER) @ Kleinstadtfest
31.08.2013 – Trier (GER) @ Roeds Rock Festival
01.09.2013 – Wiesbaden (GER) @ tba
02.09.2013 – tba
03.09.2013 – St. Gallen (CH) @ Grabenhalle
04.09.2013 – Milano (IT) @ Spazio Ligera
05.09.2013 – Micheldorf (4563) (AT) @ tba
06.09.2013 – Hollabrunn (AT) @ Alter Schlachthof
07.09.2013 – Sveti Jurij ob Scavnici (SI) @ Klub Jama
08.09.2013 – free for booking
09.09.2013 – Graz (AT) @ Sub
10.09.2013 – Wiener Neustadt (AT) @ Triebwerk
11.09.2013 – München (GER) @ Backstage
12.09.2013 – Leipzig (GER) @ Kulturcafe Manfred
13.09.2013 – Nürnberg (GER) @ Zentralcafe
14.09.2013 – Langenau (GER) @ Kaos Keller
15.09.2013 – tba
16.09.2013 – Hannover (GER) @ Secret Show w/ Resolutions
17.09.2013 – tba
18.09.2013 – Luxembourg (LUX) @ Soul Kitchen
19.09.2013 – Essen (GER) @ Weststadthalle
20.09.2013 – Gouda (NL) @ So What
21.09.2013 – La Louvière (BEL) @ Boripunk Festival
22.09.2013 – London (UK) @ The Black Heart (Camden) w/ Dividers
23.09.2013 – Cardiff (UK) @ Gwdihw w/ Dividers
24.09.2013 – Leeds (UK) @ Santiagos Bar w/ Dividers
25.09.2013 – Birmingham (UK) @ Scruffy Murphys w/ Dividers
26.09.2013 – Exeter (UK) @ The Cavern w/ Dividers
27.09.2013 – Southampton (UK) @ Unit Club w/ Dividers
28.09.2013 – Paris (F) @ tba
29.09.2013 – free for booking (F / GER / BEL)
30.09.2013 – Mainz (GER) @ Kulturcafe

The tour is booked by Mighty Vision Enterntainment and presented by Allschools, Stageload and all labels involved.

If you wish to book one of the open dates, just get in touch. Keep an eye on the shows page for the most recent updates.

If you wish to stay up to date about  the tour on facebook, just RSVP to the event.This is Timeshares’ first visit to Europe, so we hope you’ll all come out and give them a warm welcome. See you there!

Timeshares – Young Man Songs

With a new album come new streams! On August 23 we will release our new album “Perspectives & Objectives”. Until that date we will stream new songs from the album every Monday.

Our guest writer this week is no other than our ex bass player, mister Tim Vantol. Being quite the work horse himself, he wrote a few lines about the subject of this song.

Everyone seems to understand how it works, but do they really? Antillectual is one of those few bands here in Europe that seem to understand it. Never give up, it won’t be easy, you will give a lot, get less back, you will lose almost everything you had, but you will get a few things back that are worth more than all you’ve lost.

For those who think it’s luck: well, the only luck we might have is that we know better than calling this luck. It has got nothing to do with luck, it’s just all about keeping on going, even when bass player nr.20 is gonna leave the band after a couple of months (sorry for that guys) .

If you still think it’s luck, this is what you should try for at least the next 2 years:
-burn your bed, go sleep on the floor.
-eat cold pasta 6 days a week.
-share the thing you love to do the most with 6 people who might be interested, 4 super drunks, 20 becoming-drunks, 2 bands that don’t even want to see other bands (and don’t understand it) and a bar-owner that will try to rip you off.
-go and sit in your car (without air conditioning / heating) for 6 hours a day.

Would you still call it luck?

Maybe we are lucky as we understand that we have to work hard to do what we love to do.

For the upcoming touring musicians: you will probably never become rich (money-wise), but you will become rich (knowledge and story-wise).

– Tim Vantol

Pre-order “Perspectives & Objectives”, or a package including it and receive a stream right after.

Work Horses vs Show Ponies

Feel free to parade on the dog and pony show
We’ll carry our load in the meantime
Don’t call it just luck, what happens off stage you don’t know
It’s simply a choice, make up your mind

Alright stop, collaborate and listen
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen

Who told you that this was going to be easy?
Nobody told you that you would surely prevail
What holds you back from doing as you please?
Those who never try will never fail

But who knows, all placed bets might turn out wrong
I’ll stick with this horse for as long as it’s on the run
I’ve looked it up, I’ve tracked it down in the brochure
But couldn’t find “give up” or “slow down”

Liner notes:

The only road to good shows is bad ones. Just go start having a bad time, and if you don’t give up, you will get better.  

– Louis C.K.

Being in this band is our main passion, giving it our all. I’m sure we told you before. But as with anything else in life, if you love (doing) something, it will take a lot of time and energy to make it work and get ahead. There’s no luck and less talent than you think involved. In the end it’s only one decision: Start a band.