Antillectual

This time no punkrock celeb doing guest vocals, but the counterpart to last week’s song about cultural upgrading. I guess you could call this our most “sing-along-able” song. Even though sing-alongness isn’t necessarily a recommendation for a song. But when fighting the Dutch anti-squatting law, you need to sing and stand together.
Etjen from Just Like Your Mom Toursupport provides the verbal contribution. Back in 2006, this long time friend decided we needed a van, so he bought one to help us out. That was the small start of his now successful initiative. Despite the growth he still helps us out behind the scenes A LOT and provides cheap yet good vans, backlines and so much more for bands. Newest development at “Mom”: vegan catering at festivals!
Please read on, enjoy the song and feel free to share it with your friends.

Skip to: Special Guest / Lyrics / Liner Notes

Etjen says

According to me squatting is the most used, most effective and direct form of non violent direct action around the world. Across our green and blue globe 1 in 10 people are squatting to make sure they have a safe place to life, to have shelter. That said it’s more than obvious that the ‘new’ law the Dutch government is introducing is nessecary if you approve of making a profit over the backs of people and peoples basic needs, but nevertheless it is a ridiculous and even plain stupid law. And yes, I know that you can’t compare landsquatters in South America with squatting as ‘we’ know it in the western world. But fuck that, the basis is the same. I could go on about counterculture, and the needs of free creative spaces. History proves that almost every music venue in Europe is based in squatting. Why? I would say, google and find out yourself. But anyway, enough about squatting and laws: as this song states, ‘squatting will continue’ with or without laws. So I think the Antillectual boys have a point with this song.

For me, after 15 years living as a so called squatter, squatting is more than opening a front door of an empty building. Squatting is a state of mind you are in, not thinking in boundaries, being creative, thinking outside boxes… And most important, being social to the environment around you, whatever that environment is. In that way I got involved with these Antillectual boys. They wanted to tour and needed an affordable tourvan for that. So over dinner at Yvo’s place I thought and said: “let’s do it” and that’s how the tour-machine Antillectual, and myself set of to where we all are now: Antillectual releasing a 3rd album, me buying a 7th tourvan. Sounds weird, but thats how it is. And no it’s not about growing or getting bigger… It’s about doing something you believe in, believing in what you do, and creating space for other people to use it. Which brings us back to the theme of this song… Squatting…

I can say I’m proud to be part of all this. I like it to see that the new Antillectual’s in the world and in the musicscene can use the basis we all created when they go on tour. I like it to see when people take responsibilty, write some songs, book their own tour, and just go. And believe me, there are a lot of new (and old) Antillectual’s waiting to hit the road and to hit the venues in your area.

Together we take what we need and use it to make this fucked up planet a nicer place to live in… Kraken gaat door!

Lyrics

The next casualty in line
The next threat rising from youth culture
Either disarmed or illegalized
Downgraded and removed

Squatting is not a crime
Squatting continues

The petty bourgeoisie at war with their own legacy
Defending speculation
Artists, students, bands like us
Culture in general, owing so much to squatting

A shelter
For what is valuable
For what is not for sale
For what has no commercial interest at all

Callousness, why should I care?
I’ve got my house, I can drink my beer
Ignore its role in art and housing
Stress the conflicts and incidents

A place for those without one
A home for those without one
An outlet for those without one
No squatter is illegal

Liner Notes (continuing from last week …)

… but the mechanism works the other way around as well. When subcultures are unable to generate some extra money or simply resist to cooperate or fit in, mainstream media, companies and other institutions try to “downgrade” those subcultures so they can not be of any harm. The best example of this mechanism is the current anti-squatting law the dutch government has implemented in the constitution. Since squatting is a threat to the economy, healthy living conditions and simply stealing people’s property (not my words!) it should be forbidden. Since squatting is one of the most effective ways to create affordable living and working space for students and artists, a fertile home for underground culture and recycle ugly empty office spaces (my words!) it is not a crime! Kraken Gaat Door! (Dutch slogan meaning “squatting continues”).

That was it for side A of the record! Next week the first song of side B: a song about Pamela Anderson, Weird Al Yankovic, Hitler and Meatloaf. Guest contribution by Holland’s most critical, yet “converted” music critic.

After the release of our new album on November 1st we will be touring our asses off. Starting with a release tour in France in November. First dates have been announced. Please see below. We are still looking for dates, get in touch with us or Effervescence Bookings to fill the voids.

Nov 4 Available
Nov 5 Available
Nov 6 Available
Nov 7 Available
Nov 8 Available
Nov 9 France Saint Etienne, Thunderbird Lounge
Nov 10 France Marseille, TBA
Nov 11 France Montpellier, Up and Down
Nov 12 France Bayonne, Le Kixkil
Nov 13 France Cauterets, Le Commerce
Nov 14 Available

This is the fastest song on our album. About skate and counter culture. And YES, you heard it right, Chris Hannah (Propagandhi) sings on the last chorus. We asked him to do guest vocals for this song. He said he would try it, but warned us not to be disappointed. He did, and we weren’t. As most of you know Propagandhi is a band we love and enjoyed playing with extremely much. Having this collaboration means a lot to us. I hope you enjoy it too.
Chris was friendly enough to write some words about this song, and so did our most steady pair of extra hands on the road: Thomas. If you saw us play lately and visited our merch stand you must have seen him. If you booked a show for us, he was probably the guy giving you shit about money …
Please read on, enjoy the song and feel free to share it with your friends.

Skip to: Special Guest / Lyrics / Liner Notes

In case you like this, we are streaming more songs from our new album right here

Chris Hannah (Propagandhi) says

I must admit, I’ve only spent about 5 minutes on a skateboard in my entire life, so while I won’t pretend that I’m either familiar or interested in skate culture, I will say that what I understand the message of the song to be — a lament of the brazen commodification of something you love — resonates pretty strongly with me. Of course, as long as we live in a world where we teach young people that making money takes priority over compelling art, principled sport, democratic politics and humane sciences, brazen commodification will be the rule.

Thomas says

Early summer this year I was sitting in a van with some guys you might know. We were driving trough mountains in some country. Was it Italy, was it Austria? I don’t know. Two things I do know about that drive:
It was the first time I heard this song (and the rest of the new album of course) and I was instantly blown away. Not many songs so fast and aggressive will grab you by the throat with it’s melody and feeling like this one. It reminded me a lot of Propagandhi, but I couldn’t really figure out what it was exactly.. Now we all know.
The other thing was that I was once again reminded how cool it was to be on the road all over Europe with these guys. As one of the hardest working punkrock bands in the Netherlands, it’s amazing how nice and down to earth Willem, Tom and Riekus are. Yet these still strife to perfection in their songs and live shows.

That is actually where the meaning of this song comes in. The skateboarding scene has (d)evolved from the underground to the mainstream in the past 10 to 20 years. Where it used to be an extreme sport for people who wanted something exciting and something they could be passionate about, it’s now another object for MTV and big corporations to form to their liking and make money on.
Still there are, and always have been, smaller companies and groups of people that try to keep skateboarding what it’s supposed to be. They still understand that you don’t need those $200 Etnies shoes to be a good skateboarder. That you don’t need to be sponsored by Nike to make your friends think you’re cool.

Antillectual is the punkrock counterpart of those groups. While putting as much effort and time as possible into their music and performance, they still take the DIY approach to everything. This is once again made clear with the release of Start From Scratch. The songs are amazing, the lyrics are once again filled with critical views on important social and political issues and Antillectual are still those great guys. Punkrock how it’s supposed to be!

Lyrics

Nike commercials telling me that skateboarding is not a crime
Maybe not anymore since they bailed it out
From independent and resistant to contracts, million dollar cars
Upgrading culture, conformed to cruise on the mainstream

Graffiti in the galleries, studded belts at the H&M
Tattoos on the playing field, counterculture fully enclosed

Upgrade underground culture if you cannot forbid their domain
Or push them out of the market. If you cannot beat ’em, join ‘em

They try to cut the ground from under our feet and steal our thunder
How are we supposed to distinguish us from them?
And revolt against the mainstream if it keeps on chasing us
Before you know it you will hear this on your radio

Liner Notes

I wrote these lyrics inspired by the series of commercials Nike made for their “What if we treated all athletes … the way we treat skateboarders” campaign and the real life soaps around current skateboard superstars Bam Margera, Ryan Sheckler and Rob Dyrdek. These days, “extreme” sports like skateboarding and snowboarding are completely enclosed by mainstream brands and media. This goes not only for underground sports, but also for more and more forms of underground cultures like punk and hardcore. When mainstream media and corporations see there is enough interest for these sports or cultures they will try to “upgrade” them and conform them into mainstream sports and cultures and accompanying commodities.
You can ask whether this is bad or good. Sure, the attention and appreciation is nice. But it also takes away all the edges and atypical aspects of these phenomenons. There is a reason why these sports and art forms find refuge in underground subcultures. They weren’t accepted or welcome in the mainstream for a long time. Now the edge has worn of, they are welcome to produce a nice profit and make a brand look young, fresh and hip.
As for skateboarding, there is a group of organizations called the “Don’t Do It Army” that tries to keep it an underground culture, away from mainstream media and commercialism. The Dutch brand Severe Skate and Snow Gear is affiliated with the Don’t Do It Army. “Support your local skate shop!”

But the mechanism works the other way around as well. When subcultures are unable to generate some extra money or simply resist to cooperate or fit in, mainstream media, companies and other institutions try to “downgrade” those subcultures so they can not be of any harm. The best example of this mechanism is the current anti-squatting law the dutch government has implemented in the constitution. Since squatting is a threat to the economy, healthy living conditions and simply stealing people’s property (not my words!) it should be forbidden. Since squatting is one of the most effective ways to create affordable living and working space for students and artists, a fertile home for underground culture and recycle ugly empty office spaces (my words!) it is not a crime! Kraken Gaat Door! (Dutch slogan meaning “squatting continues”).

If those liner notes don’t spoil enough … Next week the sequel to this siren song of the counterculture, with comments from your mom.

The fourth song of our new record deals with subjects such as sex, guns, god and fashion. Morality in combination with hypocrisy; it turns out to be an awesome mix. As said we’ve never played this song live because it is rather calm yet weirdly structured. We were really curious for how it would turn out when recorded. And it turned out even better than we expected on forehand.
This week’s guest writer is Fieke from Shield Recordings. Shield Recordings has put out almost everything we ever recorded, helped selling our merch on tour and through their webshop and helped us book shows. Without them we’d be a couple steps down the ladder. Please read on, enjoy the song and feel free to share it with your friends.

Skip to: Special Guest / Lyrics / Liner Notes

Fieke Shield says

3 years ago we released our first Antillectual record “Testimony”. Back then we couldn’t believe they wanted to be on our label. We had just released the first record of The Real Danger and now we could sign the next great European Punkrock band. For us this was the beginning of a new era in which we focused on Punkrock more and more and grew bigger and bigger. In these last few years Antillectual supported us in our growth and we supported them in theirs. They inspired us to expand our services to our bands. My first tour ever was with them and this made me want to do more for the label than just help out with the distro. I got inspired to become a part of the whole Punkrock machine and I wanted to make a difference for our bands. I started writing to festivals to try to get our bands on their playlists. This worked out pretty well and this is for example how Antillectual will play the Incubate festival this year. Besides writing to festivals I even started booking tours and selling merch from our bands. This way we get the names of our bands out in the maximum possible way.

Most people get inspired by the political message Antillectual has, but to be honest I get the most inspiration from their personalities and the way they manage the band. I’m writing this on Skatefest Olen and I realize it is exactly one year ago on this festival the guys told us Yvo would be leaving the band. Even though we were kind of expecting it, it came as a shock to us. We both love Yvo and for us he was such a vital part of the whole band that we were afraid this was going to be the end. The way the band let go of Yvo and took in Tom as their new bass player is truly admirable and should be an example for other people how to treat and respect each other and the decisions others make.

This new record shows how well the band is doing as a whole right know and how much potential they got in their new formation. Even though we are a different label with bigger bands than three years ago we still let ourselves be inspired by Antillectual and we keep pushing the limits of what we can achieve as a label together with our bands.

Lyrics

Why the hell should we follow you?
What kind of example is this?
America’s worst role model
Reconcile, “shock and awe”

Why the hell should we follow you?
For the example you set at home?
The government allows the industry
To tease us with what they forbid

Selling you sex when it’s “oh, so wrong”
Having a gun is your right
A sweet and sour taste is all that’s left
Once you have tasted forbidden fruit

Only god can judge you, you say
Only god can judge the USA and its policy
What do you think his verdict will be?
Is god still on your side?

But thank god I’m not religious
All these omens would be threatening me
Scared to death I’d reconsider
And regret that everything is a reaction

Two-faced ethics, fond of scandals and hypocrisy, we say
Impose morality from above
Media bombing us with “wardrobe malfunctions” from below

Liner Notes

One of the things the current and the former president of the USA have in common is their mission to maintain the USA as a “leading nation”. Setting the standards in the world, giving a good example. Too bad then, that they are not really a good example when it comes to morality on a national level. Past and current events like “nipple-gate”, hurricane Katrina, Medicare, and the double standard concerning sexuality show that copying the American morals worldwide will not result in a better world. It is hard to point out a popular American role model that I would want to see inspire the rest of the world. Paris Hilton, Dr. Phil, Martha Stewart, Jerry Springer, Tipper Gore, Tiger Woods, Joe the Plumber?
Being a role model is something you should earn, be appointed to. Not something you can enforce.

That’s it for this week’s song. We’ll be back next week with a fast one, a guest singer that will truly AMAZE you and commentary from him and the Dutch “I’m gonna manage the shit out of this punkrock show” Kent.

Since the storm is growing and growing we are making plans for the near future and after the release. Our first trip takes us to Switzerland and Belgium and we could still use some help booking:

Sep 29 AVAILABLE
Sep 30 AVAILABLE
Oct 1 Switzerland Lucerne, Treibhaus. w/ Dead To Me, Face the Front
Oct 2 AVAILABLE
Oct 3 AVAILABLE
Oct 4 Belgium Zele, ‘t Verdriet

We know this is LAST MINUTE so we’re not picky anymore …

After the release we will pack our bags and cases to tour France from November 4 to 14. Our French label Effervescence Records will be booking the tour. In case you want to help us out with a show anywhere in France (or western Italy) please get in touch with booking@effervescence-records.com.

In December we will celebrate our new album with a release show in our hometown Nijmegen and “tour” through Holland and Belgium. In the new year we will be going to the UK and the rest of the universe. Get in touch with us if you want to help out somewhere somehow.