Antillectual

Twentytwenty has truly been a shitty year. Looking back at the end of it, with a bright light glaring at the end of the tunnel, let’s have a look back at the fun things we did get to do, instead of all stuff we missed out on.

We did only 1 live show this year (probably the first time in 20 years with less than 50 shows?), with Anti-Flag and our buddies in Smash the Statues at Patronaat Haarlem on January 30. Couldn’t have picked a better one as the single 2020 show!

On March 17 we released our cover of Hanging on the Telephone (original by The Nerves/Blondie). We dressed up for the music video and recorded it at our HQ.

In April/May/June Willem did acoustic online shows for Wish You Were Here Fest, We Are One Tour, Booze Cruise and SBÄM Fest among others. If all else fails; go acoustic!

On May 12 we did our first physical release in 4 years: a vinyl Covers EP with 4 covers of The Police, Ramones, The Stooges/Iggy Pop and The Nerves/Blondie. It sold out pretty much during the pre-order and the response was really overwhelming. Thanks for supporting our (physical) release!

On June 30 we released a drum chronology: Riekus played a chronological medley of snippets of all 54 of our songs in 5 minutes! Madness!

On December 9 Unscripted Moments (Propagandhi podcast) aired an episode with Willem talking about and covering his favorite track. Check the acoustic cover (with the Punk Cellist!) of Mate Ka Moris Ukun Rasik An:

Hope you had some highlights this year as well! Either way: see you on the other side!

Today, November 1st, 2020, marks the 10th birthday of our 3rd full length album “Start from Scratch!”. It (still) is an important album for us and a favorite of a many. SFS seems to have been the first album that got us worldwide attention. In celebration of the album’s anniversary we had all sorts of wild plans, involving Friends First Fest and other activities, none of which will happen this year. Maybe we can make up for it next year?

If you read the title, track list and liner notes it seems that a lot of themes are relevant still, or again. We could have written songs like “Every Crisis Is a Moral Crisis” (how to deal with a heavy impact, worldwide calamity), “America’s Worst Role Model” (a horrifying American President), “Chinese Takeover” (growing influence and power of China) to describe the situation we’re in right now. Classic themes never get old!

When we released the album in 2010 we did a song-by-song introduction to the album, including guest contributions by people that did guest vocals, recorded it, released it, and other friends! Fun reads about your favorite song or the album as a whole when killing time these days:

1. Every Crisis Is a Moral Crisis (Greg Rekus, formerly of High Five Drive)
2. Buyer’s Remorse (David Finke, did the album artwork, FairTradeMerch)
3. The Hunt Is On! (Nab Ortega, formerly of Just Say Yo Zine)
4. America’s Worst Role Model (Fieke Houkes, Shield Recordings, released the album)
5. Cut The Ground From Under Our Feet (Chris Hannah, Propagandhi, did guest vocals; Thomas Nijboer, former roadie)
6. “Kraken Gaat Door!” (Etjen van der Vliet, Just Like Your Mom)
7. Some Of My Best Friends Are Meat Eaters (Marnix van Holland, formerly of Punx.nl)
8. Chinese Takeover (Lenneke Knape, formerly of Rockit Promotions)
9. Our Hearts (Yvo Kouwenhoven, former bass player)
10. The New Jew (Nico van Montfort, of XPZ Sound, recorded the album)
11. Classic Themes Never Get Old (NoReason Records, released the album)
12. So Much More (Heleen Tichelaar, did guest vocals)

Check the complete album on LP/CD, Spotify, Bandcamp, Youtube, Apple Music.

Almost as contagious as the Corona virus was the recent digital acoustic virus, mostly singers with an acoustic guitars. Drummers have been hit the hardest by Corona it seems. Luckily the last thing we did before quarantining was record a drum chronology! Featuring drum parts of all of our full album discography crammed together into a chronological overview; 54 songs in 5 minutes! From Silencing Civilization to ENGAGE; from No Human Is Illegal to All in the Mix. Even though we still can’t play shows, we can finally do something drum related again!

Obviously inspired by Kye Smith’s drum chronology series, audio by Emiel Thoonen, video by Ruben Smulders.

It’s amazing to see a mainstream movement coming up. There is a long history of black emancipatory movements building up to this and it’s sad that tragic events like the police killing another black man are needed to get widespread attention. Nonetheless this can become a unique moment in history. It’s up to all of us to make it an actual page in the history books, and not just another people’s protest and hashtag without significant long term change.

Now that change is in the making, here’s things to think about for us as privileged, white, male members of a band that is active in a predominantly white male scene. It’s vital to keep thinking about what’s happening, keep educating yourself. Find the perfect balance between listening to and speaking up for the people that need support. Listen to people in other, less privileged positions, and position yourself. Be humble and understanding, and be an ally or ambassador for the group you’re not a part of. Keep protesting, but also sign petitions, lobby your members of parliament, and when elections come up, go vote. Use that privilege to help others who don’t have it or who are outnumbered.

We’ve been a political band since day one of our existence, but circumstances are changing and perspectives are shifting. As a band we hope to stay or become such allies and ambassadors, when and where we can. We hope to learn and evolve in a constantly developing world. This is the only way we can truly try to change this world and make it a better place. For all. Make sure to end up on the right side of history.

Some possibly interesting links:

Emo Nite Presents: Racism in the Punk/Alternative Scene: A conversation led by Black voices
“Being black is the most punk thing you can possibly do!” A panel including Jason from FEVER 333 and formerly Letlive (our 2011 tour buddies!).

20 Black Punk Bands You Need To Listen To
Featuring bands from underrepresented places like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mozambique & more.

CHECK THIS SHIT OUT!
A playlist with Black Voices in Alt/Punk

POC ALT | The Scene in Color
A playlist to celebrate artists of color within the alternative music scene, mostly from 2010 – present. Black artists are at the top. Genres: punk, emo, indie, metalcore, hardcore, alt-pop, & any scene-adjacent artists.

Today is the release of our COVERS EP! If you pre-ordered (thanks!), it has probably already arrived at your home. If you haven’t, this might be your last chance to order one!

In total we recorded 4 covers of “the roots of our roots” for this passion project. When the cover idea surfaced we didn’t feel like covering the bands we grew up on. Most of them are still around or reunited. It seemed much more interesting to go back some more generations and find early punk songs with a melodic vibe to them. The EP includes covers of Truth Hits Everybody (The Police), Hanging on the Telephone (The Nerves, Blondie), I Believe in Miracles (Ramones) and Search and Destroy (The Stooges). Check the first review we got!

The cover artwork consists of adaptations of the four original designs so you know it’s us. Re-designs by Andy Dahlström (Satanic Surfers). We recorded the rhythm section live and we kept dubs and edits to a minimum. This is as raw/unpolished as we get in the studio! Drums and bass recorded by Emiel Thoonen; vocals, guitars and hammond recorded by Menno Bakker at Amsterdam Recording Company. Mixed by Menno Bakker at ARC, mastering by Carl Saff.

Order

We had 500 EPs made, but after sending out label and pre-order copies there are less than 40(!) left. You can still get one via our webshop; combine it with a shirt, album, tape, etc. Shirts are still available in S/M/L tight fit and S/M/L/XL loose fit. Just like the EPs: while supplies last … Besides releasing cover versions of these classic songs on a classic vinyl format, the EP is of course also digitally available. Check our Covers EP page to play the EP via Spotify, Bandcamp, Youtube and all other services.

Online acoustic sessions

We’re throwing a release party on Friday May 15! These days this means that we will go live via FB and Insta to celebrate the release, play some acoustic songs, do a Q&A and whatever else happens! Reply to this email with your (song) requests! The day after, Saturday May 16 aka Lagwagon Day, Willem is doing an acoustic set for Boatless Booze Cruise. A charity online festival with proceeds going to suffering venues in Hamburg, incl bands like The Creepshow, Teen Agers, Travels & Trunks

Toon has left the band

Sorry for ending this newsletter with a downer, for some this might come as a complete surprise, others were already in the know. It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that Toon has decided to leave the band. We wish him the best of luck with his (musical) endeavors and thank him for all the time and energy that he put into our band since 2014! What’s extra sad is that the last shows we were supposed to play together have been cancelled because of corona. For the remaining 2020 shows we already have a neat plan, including a very appropriate replacement solution. We will tell you all about it as soon as we know 100% sure that the currently booked shows are taking place.

That’s it for now, till next time! Then we can hopefully tell you all about our plans for the 2020 shows! Thanks for reading, stay in touch …