Stuff I did lately

I'm so busy with stuff, I find no time to blog (yeah right ;-)
Anyways, here's a list of stuff I did last couple of weeks. I'll update it later on.

16 Sep - production of Reaganesk. The music is starting to shine. Album should be finished soon.
17 Sep - gig with Moon About in Zwolle for KCO. Posh artmanagement people. Bit boring (a bit?!) Though I did like the jam with one of their colleagues at the end of the night.
18 Sep - gig with Moon About in shoppingmall of Almere, through new booking agency ITB. This is promising, we could get a lot more wel paid gigs from them.
21 Sep - gig with Salsa Verde in The Hague, for our Minister of Finance Gerrit Zalm. The best gig I ever did with this latin band.

26 Sep - gig with Come Again in Nijmegen, in a local pub. Yeah, I do that too if I don't have anything else... and I like it!
28 and 29 Sep - working for Sarah Brightman. Who the fuck is...? None of my colleagues even knew who she was, yet she is able to fill up the HMH venue twice. After work, when I went for a Guinness in my local pub I got to talk to a Nigerian guy. And he happened to know her! 12 points for Nigeria...
30 Sep - working for Avril Lavigne. I'm getting late for work so I gotta go...

Ottoboy joins [drga-drga]

Last k-tsjoem night in Paradiso was again excellent. It also featured Ottoboy, the one man trashband. He hails from Enschede in the east of the Netherlands. Playing both drums and guitar in the same time, he makes a one man trashrock show. It's really intense, resembling The White Stripes but better still The Black Keys. But who here knows the Keys anyway?
His working method fits well with [drga-drga]. He makes a song a day, and records them by himself without going to a professional studio. That's the way we like it. So asked him and he decided to join the club. I don't know yet exactly what it means, but we'll find out. He tends to make cds in limited amounts, and that's what we like to do as well. We have a printer just for small amounts of cds.
The show of Ottoboy was very good, by the way. He remains himself, even if something goes wrong with the sound. And he plays like he's haunted with the blues. Very undutch. I was really excited to hear afterwards from him that he's probably going to play on the interesting Crossing Border festival too. The festival is trimming down, so only the most important acts are allowed to play. The Crossing Border festival wants to explore the fusion between literature and Rock&Roll.

The question is: what can Ekko do for me?

Last Tuesday I had a meeting in Ekko, to go working as a sound engineer there. They were a bit sorry for the fact that they couldn't offer me any money for it. But I don't care. I'm already so happy that I'm able to learn the trade, with great bands. I mean, last year they had Franz Ferdinand twice! And Magnapop will be coming again.
All I have to do is show up twice a month for work, and they'll teach me how to do live sound. I already have some experience, but I don't feel very confident with it yet. Once I do, I can easily ask my P.A. company to hire me in as a sound guy. That would be one more way of making money in music... And that's what it's all about for me. I don't want a desk job, not even if it pays the bills and make music on the side. Brrr... Done that, doesn't work.

Sing when you're winning

Last weekend I did a concert in Norwich with Carmenkata. We went with 9 people, it was quite an invasion. Carmenkata, Commando Cauldron, and visual artist Esther Kruk all were booked at the Norwich Arts Centre. Add to that a few fans and friends, and you got the picture.
The gig went very good. It was our first one with the new bass player Rick Kup, and he held his own amidst all the confusion and chaos. Yes, we like to improvize on stage. I decided on the spot to completely alter the drum rhythm for the last song, because it needed more of a heavy rock feel. It worked out well. I like to stay fresh in my playing, never do something exactly the same way twice. Not that the audience would know, these things are only the secret of the band. And in this case only me, because I don't think the other two members of Carmenkata were aware of it.

Commando Cauldron kicked off before us. The English crowd was not used to the experimental electronic sound, but they were polite enough to stay quiet. I had to cry during some parts. After that came us, drawing in most people that were enjoying the lovely weather of the Norwich subtropical microclimate. Yes, they have palmtrees there.
Our label [drga-dga] had organized two art movieclips during the concert, and they worked out well. After us came Persil and Zea, to much delight of the English crowd. They like the Dutch accent of Persil's female singer, they think it's sexy. Smart music, they call it. Persil did a good show, the best I've seen of them. They have a new bassplayer now, who unlike the previous one seems to be a genuine part of the band. So Persil is now a trio?

Zea left the crowd positively amazed. Not everybody was convinced of the arty value of the duo, but sometimes English people can be so stiff about music. I think the Dutch like Zea more, and the English Persil. This is explained by the English bands that they put on in the bar. They all had the same lame arty-farty feel around them. It's uncool to take yourself too seriously in England. That's what they like about Persil. They think the band doesn't take itsself too serious.

Within a month, it's time for some Norwich bands to come over to Holland. Yes, this is a true exchange deal we have here. October 12 and 13 will see Bearsuit, Magoo and Fiel Garvie in Ekko and Paradiso, respectively.

Unlike Zea and Persil who have cult-status in the UK, we only came for one show. After that, it was drinking and singing football songs in the pub for me. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I also taught my Norwich friends some Dutch soccer songs. "Hash, coke and pills..."

Busybusy

So much to do and no time at all. This weekend I'm going to play in Norwich (UK) with Carmenkata, together with the bands Persil, Zea and the electronic artist Commando Cauldron. I'm organizing the journey for Carmenkata, and it keeps me occupied.
Besides that there's the occasional gig and other work in the music bizz. for instance, I worked on the Gospel Festival in De Bijlmer, Amsterdam. I'll definitely buy a ticket next year. So much positive fun and deep soul I don't get to see much.
And of course I'm busy mastering and making the cd for the Chinese Whisper project. I just received all the music, including Carmenkata, Commando Cauldron, Ottoboy, Audiotransparent and Erectromorph. All the music is especially composed for the occasion, so it's NEW! I can tell you the music of all bands is really good. The cd will be available coming weekend. Yes, that weekend that I'm gone to the UK. And that's why I'm so busy...

Still a latino

Last week I rehearsed with some latin bands. There's of course the latin trio that we're setting up. We're still searching for a good concept. Last time we tried accoustic, with an accordeon. I think there's money there, because a lot of white people want latin music in their garden party or something. But they don't want a loud band or DJ, so that's where the accoustic trio comes in. Yes, cash rules still don't nothing move but the money... (words stolen from Method Man, I'm listening to the Wu Tang clan a lot again lately).
Later on that week I rehearsed with Salsa Verde, the latin group I have played with for a long time. They ask me back all the time for special occasions. There's a special thing coming up. We will play for our Minister of Finance, Gerrit Zalm. This will be on the day of Prinsjesdag, the most important moment in the year of the Dutch Finance Department. How come we play there, I don't know. Or is it because our bass player and bandleader Kenny is working for Zalm?