YES! 2009 ! YEAR OF CHANGE!
…we were so busy partying…so
HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR!
While music journalists in Germany are wondering what happened to pop music (yes, we said it years ago. In a globalized economy national pop music is becoming less relevant every year. Music , after all, is not that different to the rest of the economy.) , we continue our path into the future.
Just got back from Portugal, crazy New Years Eve rave with 2000+ kids going mental (we know this term is totally British and a taboo term in modern Indie music, that’s why it has to be used again from now on. Creds to Garagem to make it happen!). Hardcore, hardcore hardcore. Drug music, dangerous and without any context to what we used to call western pop music.
People are angry, that’s why.
Gone is the decade of whiny upper class kids who pay their way into the music scene (because nobody else can afford it any longer). People feel and know that middle and working class have been pushed down by the super rich over the past decade, and now the dream of the rising working class rock’n'roll band has been lost…maybe forever.
(Remember, mostly, these images were marketing campaigns to sell a “product” to us. “These guys are like you, now go buy it.” We were never into buying music that reminds us of our neighbors…why? Because we hate them as much as they hate us.)
Now is the time for a new underground to emerge. NOW!
We want music which is exciting, thrilling, passionate, dangerous and unpredictable. The minds of the new generation are open and ready for change. It won’t happen in one day, but the door is open and it will stay open… for a while.
Those who sit back, those who are passive and expect corporations to deliver everything to them, will be left behind.
The new listener is active, is searching the internet for new music, the new listener is questioning any written information about music (yes, you, you journalists who have become the little finger of the corporates. You lost your integrity, once lost, no way to get it back…that’s part of the game.), the new listener is making up his/her own mind, creating his/her own taste. The new listener is thinking, because knowledge and ideas are gold in this era.
The old way of capitalism has failed. Even many conservatives are waking up now. In Paris we have seen more burning cars on New Years Eve than ever before.
We don’t need guns, our weapon is the mind…and we are ready to riot at any time.
I don’t need to say that our solidarity is with those who supported, lost and loved Alexandros Grigoropoulos.
(I didn’t want to say anything right away, because too many bands try to sell something on the back of those tragedies. And I hate that. But we received so many emails asking where we stand, I wanted to get it out. This is where we stand!)
The super rich are not paying taxes, why does the police protect them? They should protect the people. Us.
In 2008 we started and finished many new things : New music, films scores and more.
Thank you all for your ongoing loyalty and support!
In 2009 many of the projects we were working on are being released and premiered.
In a minute I’ll give you an update on shows and live events that we’ll do over the coming months, but 3 concerts need to be mentioned now:
Alec Empire is playing 3 exclusive shows in Great Britain. London , Manchester and Glasgow.
Alec and his band (yes, including Nic Endo) will play material from following albums: Generation Star Wars, The Destroyer, Miss Black America, Intelligence & Sacrifice, Futurist, Atari Teenage Riot (plus special guests!), The Golden Foretaste of Heaven and present new songs from the upcoming album to be released later this year.
As you might know, the shows are happening around Alec’s birthday (2nd of May) and the anniversary of ATR’s legendary show on May 1st 1999
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ab7Dksqfnw
This will be a huge party and ticket sales are super limited.
01.05.2009 London (GB) – The Underworld (doors 7pm) tickets available through www.flagpromotions.com & www.ticketweb.co.uk
02.05.2009 Manchester (GB) – Satan?s Hollow (doors 6pm) tickets available through www.flagpromotions.com & www.ticketweb.co.uk
03.05.2009 Glasgow (GB) – Ivory Blacks (doors 7pm) tickets available through www.tickets-scotland.com / www.seetickets.com / www.ticketweb.co.uk
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!the_future!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jan 10th Alec Empire & T Raumschmiere & Aux Raus! in Paris at SCANDALE!
Jan 15th Alec Empire & The Hellish Vortex in Budapest!
Jan 31st Alec Empire spinning at Chaostage Screening Saarbr?cken Film Festival
Feb 12th Alec Empire, Tresor & Think Sync present huge Berlinale Party in Berlin:
Line Up includes Andrew Weatherall, David Holmes (soundtracks for Ocean 11-13), Zan Lyons, Alec Empire, T Raumschmiere, DJ Reznik and more!
You will have the chance to see films involving Alec Empire’s music for the first time in public. (a sci-fi animation film directed by Richard Wilhelmer “The Golden Foretaste of Heaven” staring Robert Stadlober! Then Miron Zownir’s masterpiece “Phantomanie” staring Natalia Avelon, Bruno S, and more! Alec has written the score for this Berlin noir thriller. And the “Chaostage” gang will show exclusive material from the soon to be released film …but there will be lots more. We will post details over the coming weeks.)
Feb 21st Alec Empire & The Hellish Vortex live Barcelona/ Spain
THE GLOVES ARE OFF! THE BUBBLE HAS BURST!
Bass Terror 2xCD is available as CD only release next week (January 5th).
please note: only 3 copies of limited edition package left. (thanks for all your emails asking to repress, but we feel that the idea of a limited collectors release is that it stays limited, even if there is more demand. It would be unfair for those who supported the release so far.)
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Topic:EYHO label, alec empire, alec empire's journal, atari teenage riot, dance on the vulcan, did you know that ?, digital hard-core, everything is politics, just cool, nic endo, on tour, the hellish vortex
Tags: Alec Empire, Alexandros Grigoropoulos, Andrew Weatherall, atari teenage riot, Aux Raus, bass terror, Brad Pitt, breakcore, Bruno S., Chaostage, David Holmes, digital hardcore, DJ Reznik, drum'n'bass, Futurist, Garagem, Generation Star Wars, George Clooney, hardcore, Indie music, Intelligence & Sacrifice, Miron Zownir, Miss Black America, Natalia Avelon, New YearS EVE, nic endo, Ocean 11, Phantomanie, Portugal, rave, Richard Wilhelmer, Robert Stadlober, Rock'n'Roll, Saarbrücken Film Festival, Scandale, T Raumschmiere, techno, The Destroyer, The Golden Foretaste of Heaven, the hellish vortex, Think Sync, zan lyons
Stumble It!
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:22 pm
nobody else could say it better!
I am getting tickets for the London show
one in a lifetime chance to see a show like that! :=)
LOL the image up there – so true
music industry is dead
music critics sitting like monkeys watching
music fans are stones (stoned)
what is your new album going to be like?
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:22 pm
So much fantastic news and 2009 is just a few days old! This will be a great year – thank you Alec!
Pity that the 3 shows with material from more than a decade only happen in GB so far… do this kind of show here in Germany also please! (in Munich of course, your “rock city”)
Can’t wait for the new album… after your 5 out of 5 Golden Foretaste album I expect nothing but another masterpiece
January 4th, 2009 at 1:50 am
best news so far
this will be a killer year xxx
thanks for your statement – I need that
fuck radiohead
January 4th, 2009 at 1:53 am
Waaaaaa!!!!! Can’t understand anything.
From the one hand you’re are musician – you is “US”, who pays taxes, presents middle-class, wants to keep his private life in safe with no Id passports at inurance & traveling areas.
From the other hand you’re musician who travels around the the world, playing (occasionaly) for “crazy New Years Eve rave”, celebrating “1st may 1999 riot”, who had already ( being absolutely young) managemt support to establish DH from nothing, who releases at the new label previous DH’s stuff in Golden boxes to attract listeners, who’s started to orient attention of the fanscene for your ability to keep body in shape , who critisizes some german popular band & at the same time deals with its members.
I prefer YOU from many other musicians, I WILL give you my support despite you’re not in nedd of dat, but, please, either be more tolerant for makin’ political statements in your music nor don’t exclude the fact that you’re in need of the same instruments as are used bu POP scene to be heart by mass in order to be clearly understood by your attentive supporters.
Lots of love in 2000 & 9
moscow
January 4th, 2009 at 2:38 am
hehe why diss radiohead all of a sudden?
I like that
they worked really hard on being not cool anymore
even though I give m credits for ok computer
I wish I could go to all Empire shows this year
cookoo,
electrox
January 5th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
[...] London , Manchester and Glasgow. Alec and his band (yes, including Nic Endo) will play material from following albums: Generation Star Wars, The Destroyer, Miss Black America, Intelligence & Sacrifice, Futurist, Atari Teenage Riot (plus …[Continue Reading] [...]
January 5th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
-”Your uniform doesn’t impress me”
)))
But i’m impressed by your power & consequences of my disobedience.
Please, be talkative , Herr Wilke. Just wanna talk to You – not read advertisment of your parties
Regardly
January 5th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
[IMG]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn134/Annefreaks/musc-journo.jpg[/IMG]
January 5th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Oops! my absolutely fault… T.T
January 5th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
is the london show sold out? I can’t find anywhere tix for it -.-”
or isn’t it already announced???
greetz from Berlin/Dresden
January 5th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Manchester!!!!!
Sweet, will be there. looking forward to hearing some new stuff.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:55 am
Tickets are up for sale tomorrow….
January 6th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
I haven’t been this excited for a gig in a long time, i’ll see you all in London!
January 19th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Gibt mich, bitte, deine meinung, Herr Wilke, fur diese footage….
http://vkontakte.ru/video15997487_85129916
January 31st, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Hi Alec,
I have a question I have wanted to ask since I 1st heard tgfoh. Are there plans for you to once more create distorted vocals, distorted guitars, noise, punk/black metal industrial, etc. sound and stick with that? I am not sure if I am in the minority on what I am saying however I hope you will return to those roots and stay with them. Changing of course with reinventing yourself but always having a distorted, dark, industrial, noise, political, etc. sound? When I hear tgfoh I become so depressed and disgusted. I hear the talent and merit but I do not like it at all. And not hearing nic endo creating those sounds I long for and her noise breaks my heart.
This is EYHO, I realize that but does that mean distorted vocals/noise/industrial/punk/metal, etc. sound of ALEC EMPIRE cannot be released by EYHO?
I waited this long to say this becuase I respected the fact that you made a complete change of direction and wanted to support you as a musician and say to myself -”hey he made a change if you want to hear the old stuff then listen to the old stuff” but I cannot take it anymore. I did not and will not buy tgfoh as a brand new ALEC EMPIRE cd(I listened to it via myspace) but what seems like—THATS IT, no more NIC ENDO noise and sound, no more distorted/noise/loud ALEC EMPIRE and I have bought all brand new ATR, ALEC EMPIRE(DHR) and all DHR artist’s compact discs to make sure I supported the label. Now I want to buy a brand new cd of ALEC EMPIRE but there is nothing for me to buy. What does the future of ALEC EMPIRE hold?
never giving up—David
February 1st, 2009 at 2:37 am
On my previous question/comment 4th sentence in first paragraph should read, “Changing of course with reinventing yourself but always having a distorted, dark, industrial, noise, political, etc. sound.”
February 1st, 2009 at 7:32 am
Dear David,
how can you after reading this article write such an email, asking these types of questions?
this is beyond my understanding.
The answers are all in there.
best,
Alec
February 1st, 2009 at 8:10 am
Dear Alec,
I know, I am sorry, I guess I am still stuck in “what happened to DHR” and I am just finding this hard to accept and I am trying to sort it all out now that things have changed.
I am looking forward to the new album.
Thank you very much for responding.
David
February 1st, 2009 at 10:24 am
dude things have changed? that’s not what he said
Bass Terror, the UK shows!!!! he is bringing it all back together. a friend of mine saw alec DJ and he said it was all new breakcore he never heard before and noise.
it has been always wrong to put monsieur empire into a corner. the guy is nuts. he does many things. he is changing but is guarding the older styles as well.
After Alec left the breakcore scene, nobody has been able to top him.
DHR as a scene died ages ago or hasnt it? when alec dropped I and S he left all the others behind.
February 1st, 2009 at 2:44 pm
I would never judge an album by listening to it on “myspace” (especially not my kind of albums…or any others which follow a certain concept.)
February 1st, 2009 at 2:47 pm
listen
pleaz dont go back to that hardcore
i luv the eyho style
you sound much better in 1000 Eyes than in any other song
February 1st, 2009 at 5:22 pm
I only used myspace to sample the new music. When I and S and later The Futurist came out I sampled both by 1st listening to a 30 second sample to see what it was like.
February 1st, 2009 at 6:07 pm
I’m not a fan of smilies, but I must
at David Fury. So, David: why so “furious”? I could/will never understand why my friends or other people want a band/musician/artist stick to 1 particular direction. With this kind of thinking Van Gogh, for instance, would have painted the same “trendy” way like his contemporaries who we don’t even know/remember now cos they were all the same..if you know what I’m trying to refer here. Change is necessary. You can’t do the same type of music all your life, cos it would mean you repeat yourself or don’t want to take risks etc., or how should I put it in English. Take David Bowie for example, he always brings something different into his music, sound. I’d die of boredom if he didn’t…well, maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration, but you know what I mean.
I like The Golden Foretaste of Heaven. It is different, indeed…maybe you shouldn’t listen to it via the Mystinks site. (I’m not a fan of MySpace, clearly.)
February 1st, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Also, I can’t stop smiling at this “Your comment is awaiting moderation”. WTF? haha
February 2nd, 2009 at 1:42 am
Just suppose myspace does not exist and I had found the eyho site to check out the music before I decide to buy it once I figured out dhr was gone I dont see what the difference is, I mean I think myspace is stupid too but it is there and I utilized it. I searched topics on this site and clicked digital hardcore and this was the closest article that related to my questions I have. I asked these questions knowing what it says above but I didn’t care, I wanted to ask my biggest inspiration directly about it anyway. I had to get up the guts to send that email and I certainly do not want to get thrown off this site. Some bands stay with one sound and its just fine with fans. Like SLAYER, in thier case you could buy one release after another without ever hearing one song on myspace or thier site or the radio or anywhere else becuase you know what you gonna get and your grateful for the beating. On the other hand I love the BAD BRAINS but I did not dig when they started doing reggae, I wanted the fury. Well I still love the Bad Brains and I still love Alec Empire.
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:51 am
Also about Bad Brains, today the new Bad Brains music melds hardcore and reggae together in a new way that is amazing. The way it is sung the reggae influence is there but the guitar, drums and bass are hardcore and it gives me what I crave.
February 2nd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
David, I understand you. That’s why I stopped buying RHCP records for example, cos you kinda know what they will sound like…instead I download “them” (hell yeah), but that doesn’t necessarily mean they suck…they are boring to me tho. haha Just an opinion. As for Slayer, I completely agree, although I’m not a fan. Allow me another metaphor: if someone prefers doggy style it doesn’t mean she/he doesn’t enjoy missionary adventures…if you know what I’m trying to say here. All in all: I know what you’re talking about.
Now back to MyStinks: perhaps you have a kickass pc attached with great and evil amps and it gives you the same experience, but I never judge the Sound ITSELF from the internet and what it sounds like on my pc/laptop whatever. That’s just me.
And why the hell would you get thrown off of this site? I’m not following your line of reasoning. I’m just a selfish little slut who likes the new/different AE sound. Also, I love debating and I disagreed with your “why not stick with that?” etc. comment – that’s all. I’d tell you Peace&Love, but it reminds me of hippies and they kinda give me goosebumps…don’t ask why. -shrugs- Take care!
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Hi,
I made the comment about getting thrown off here because I have the balls to send that email to A E and convey my feelings about all this but it’s like hey I worship the guy however eveyones acting like they can’t possibly understand what I am talking about. It is not my intent to make negative comments and bring people down, this is just the only place to talk about it. I have said I hear the talent and merit on tgfoh, I don’t need to hear a better audio version to convert me. I listened to the tracks right here on eyho as well. It’s like when Metallica changed after MASTER OF PUPPETS a lot of us were disillusioned saying “this is not MASTER OF PUPPETS”!?!?!! A band Like SLAYER never changes they have remained true and right now they and Hecate have got my back, she is fucking incredible. I am not into the spiritual message of Bad Brains but the sound they are putting out currently as far as hardcore goes cannot be touched.
I love every one of Alec’s electronic releases, like when I first popped in SUCTION I was expecting to hear something like Hecate back then and was pleasantly suprised. But I could go to my other A E cd’s and satisfy my craving for punishing music. Even though times have changed and you say Berlin has changed and America has changed I thought that making digital hardcore was for the love of it not about money and saying FUCK YOU to the music industry and the system and everybody else who didn’t like it. But now that you have made enough money why have you completely changed direction. I read, I had to walk through the dark alley to get to sugarhill or something to that effect, what does that mean. Anyway I will be on the lookout for the new album but you can’t expect me to buy it without hearing songs or at least a 30 second sample, money does not grow on trees.
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Dear loggedin,
I acknowledge that at the outset of your comments that you said, ” David I understand you”. When I said,”…eveyones acting like they can?t possibly understand what I am talking about” I was talking about Alec when he said “this is beyond my understanding” and the other two comments. I just wanted to be clear.
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:17 pm
This is EYHO Blog…you don’t need “balls” to have an opinion. don’t worry about me. I can handle that shit
yes, it is beyond my understanding when I made it clearer than clear that we will write and record harder material.(if you guys have to switch to Hecate, then it’s time…Rachel is sweet, but how can you even compare us? or Metallica?)
please leave “money” and “getting paid out” of it, if you don’t know how the music industry works. We work and we should get paid for it. Period. When I can eat for free, I’ll give away my work for free.
if you make the mistake and judge physical music via low quality mp3 or a 30 second clip, then you would probably not like anything I’ll have coming up.
Imagine listening to Generation Star Wars this way…it just wouldn’t make sense.
I don’t buy into the whole “I download it first and then if I like it , I buy it.” thing… nobody does that…
read this http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/entertainment/7837605.stm
mp3 culture has only achieved this so far:
- small record stores are all bust and gone.
- independent and underground culture is not a threat anymore because it has no power in capitalism when it makes no money.
- Soundsystems are dying, because it is harder to get great sounding music.
- no new musicians are on the rise, because they can’t survive financially.(that’s why even the biggest hypes go away so fast.)
- musicians, sound engineers and everyone who is working on making music better, is losing jobs.Most people I know have no motivation any longer to even record music.If you want DHR back then you should have fought for it, so these great musicians don’t have to work in factories now to pay their rent. (Every time I hear and see that, I freak out so much…because it is so WRONG! All these people had such determination to improve their music for their fans, make it better, putting every dime back into it…now it’s apathy and frustration.)
- while all the big corporates make a lot of money via advertising (Myspace, facebook, last fm etc…youtube) because they are using music.
fact is mp3 culture has given the big corporates more power since it started.
don’t get me started on Clear Channel and Live Nation.
To me music is priceless…and seeing it as some sort of “product” is the evil of capitalism (This is art! not beans!).
How do I react to this? I only make the music I want to make, because I don’t even care how many people “buy” it or “like” it for that matter.
I have just been chatting with Venetian Snares about doing something…
so man up, stop crying and wait it out.
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:11 am
Hi,
Man up and wait it out? Nice. I once read you use the phrase “get a dick” and I could not help but immediately think of that the 1st time I heard this new direction, songs that seem like they are about love. What about eveything you preached before, destroy 2000 years, press, the song-digital hardcore, your uniform does not impress me, no success, I and A, you man up and stop crying. All the former interviews and things you would say when you were talking dh philosophy now your doing the same to me only it’s not dhr its whatever you say it is.. I have not read you say clearer than clear that hard stuff was on the way, or I never would have gotten into this pissing match. Of course your telling me you can’t hear how cool Hecate is and how it reminds you of what you have done and put out before all this started, and when I discovered Hecate I loved it but it has also left me missing and wanting Nic Endo’s heavy sounds and noise like you wouldn’t believe. To be honest collaborations are fine but I am talking about you, your stuff. I am not buying mp3’s I want to buy a cd. Fuck mp3’s. And of course you want me to fork over money for just any thing you decide and proclaim is good without me hearing it first what I am buying, how fucking ridiculous. Like you are saying above “The new listener is active, is searching the internet for new music, the new listener is questioning any written information about music..” well I am doing that! What do you mean I should have fought for DHR??? I bought every CD what else was I suppose to do. In fact I bought a few extras that are unopened of some of my favorites to have backups but I paid for them becuse I felt the revenue would only help. I did not compare you to metallica or hecate. With metallica I drew a parallel…upon hearing tgfoh I was screaming inside saying “this is not I an A…This is not The Futurist!!??! As far as hecate I said shes got my back along with Slayer. It does not look or sound to me like she is going to completely change direction at all.
I noticed you conveniently avoided and did not respond to some of the other comments I made, you just wanted to give me a beat down.
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 am
Hey David,
we never met…if you knew me then you would understand the sense of humor I have…ask Hecate
it’s all cool…. love your passion for my music.
without people like you , I’d still be going to school…
you just don’t like my last record… it’s no conspiracy against you man
easy , easy…(but congratulations, I made you write the longest comment on this blog so far)
man! chill….
all the best,
Alec
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:57 am
David (shit, I have this urge to call you Dave, but I won’t),
I’m devastated. So you were talking to Alec? That hurts my feminine pride…even on His blog.
Either way, allow me to comment on your post since this is a blog after all. It’s funny you mentioned it, cos I read that “get a dick” interview last week or something. I was laughing my ass off, but just bcos I can’t stand Coldplay. (I love Terrorvision by the way…it’s sinful pleasure of mine. They are funny. Geez, I can see your face reading this confession, David. Con Tequila!) Also, I’ve never said that I’m a better fan, cos I like TGFOH or that it makes you less of an AE fan. I’m not even a “real” fan if there’s such thing. (Take it as you wish, too tired to explain this.) I see Alec answered what I was trying to tell you with my painting metaphor: he makes the kind of music he wants to make and he doesn’t care who buys it blah blah. He’s like Van Gogh. HAHA Maybe less crazier. Sorry, Vincent! Anyway, I don’t like everything he does, but I do respect this kind of IdowhateverthefuckIwant attitude.
You wrote “And of course you want me to fork over money for just any thing you decide and proclaim is good without me hearing it first what I am buying, how fucking ridiculous” and then you kind of contradicted yourself with your next sentence. Nowadays when there are thousand possibilites (iTunes, torrent sites etc.) you don’t have to “fork over money” for something you don’t like and I don’t think Alec wants you to. You can decide if you want something enough to buy the physical version.
p.s. Before you go there, I’m just making “online” conversation, cos I think you made some interesting points in your comments. I don’t hate you or anything.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:03 am
Maybe I shouldn’t be talking in metaphors..? -shrugs-
Well, fuck it. I LOVE THEM!
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:24 am
Hey Alec,
yeah, it’s all cool, definitely. I do love my passion for your music. Can ya tell?
I wanted to say a few more things. With ATR and all DHR cd’s I never listened to one sample or mp3, I bought them without hearing one song or sample on internet, believe me I am fucking loyal! DHR was the stamp for me that said FUCKING GET IT NOW I didnt need to listen to any samples or some other media to scope the terrain, I bought everything as fast as possible without listening to any samples, Bomb20, EC8OR, ALEC EMPIRE vs. MERZBOW( one of my all time fucking faves) and all the others, the whole fucking truckload. Becuase I wanted to do my part to make DHR endure, I knew it was a war then for indie labels to survive and if people are not honorable and support by doing the right thing yeah it is gonna come crumbling down. After I heard what had happened with ATR I became very depressed. Time passed and I an A came out and I was curious so I listened to one 30 second sample and that 30 sec sample was path of destruction. I love the beginning…so dark and the synths are so fucking cool and then BAAASH!!!! I lept out of my chair earphones still on my head got yanked out of the machine and I ordered it. And yeah with Futurist yeah, I took a little taste(who can blame me). And I ordered it immediately. Then when I felt it was about time I searched our friend the internet again for the latest A E DHR cd and what ever other artists which may have been on the menu and whammy here we are. At first It was your interview with 1000 eyes playing in the backround that were the 1st notes I heard played. I will die only buying cd’s (unless they take it all away, who fucking knows anymore) I do not own a mp3 player( and never will) or download any of that shit to my computer. I am old school and I never ever would expect you to give away your work for free that is not what I meant by some of my comments. And I made sure you did get the credit, you and the other band members and artists who worked so very hard to bring us this great music, I can’t stress this enough becuase I would then preach to friends, co-workers, anyone who would listen to me about how important it is to buy cd,s and support the music and musicians you fucking love who are doing it independantly.
Well I can’t say I will calm down. But I thank you for all of your responses and taking time out to talk with me.
Thanks Alec.
David
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:05 am
Hi loggedin,
How did I contradict myself. How so? do you mean this: “The new listener is active, is searching the internet for new music, the new listener is questioning any written information about music..??
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:08 am
Yep, I was referring to that quote and what you wrote after that. FFS of course we should question everything. If this was…I don’t know any famous boyband nowadays…haha wait, got it! So if we were Mcfly fans for example (god help us all) then maybe we would run and buy his albums cos they’re “so hot and cute” (ahh, I’m sick of even the thought, wandering to MTV is more dangerous than it ever was), but we’re apparently not. You have every right to question or dislike an album.
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:06 am
What did I write after that? How far are you going 1st sentence , 2nd 3rd also? I am missing how it is a contradiction please be more specific. I thought I was agreeing with what has been written above the new listener is armed and is searching new music that they want, being active, thinking for themselves and purchasing cd’s from independant labels and not the enemy-the corporates. I was under the impression tha the listeners are deciding what they want whatever that is for different people and thier likes and dislikes. Also that journalists are puppets of the corporates. I know what I like and I am seeking it.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Yes, I was coming the things you wrote after it. Nevermind. Let’s talk about the weather, shall we?
I can’t be more specific than that. It’s against my nature and my English mode. Maybe my thoughts are on the FM and yours are on different frequency. I won’t repeat myself.
On another note: I always form my own opinion by myself, my taste in music is very eclectic, some say fucked up. I can like a catchy pop song, then listen to…I don’t know…jazz in the next minute. “Official” critics can be so biased. You know what they say about them: if you can’t do it, you go and criticise it. For example my uncle would run out of the world from the Hellish Vortex sound, yet he’s a critic. It’s all about taste. Also, what the hell is ambient jazz for example? haha Labels and labels and labels on everything. They freak me out. That is why if a musician comes out with a different album, some fans/critics say things like “Ooooh, WTF?” and other people listen to these assholes who preach about “This is not the band/artist we got used to! What did she/he think?” (I’m talking in general). WE should form an opinion, not the critics and the media. Media is a tricky bitch anyway.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:11 pm
correction: I was >talking about the things<. I wasn’t coming. Hmmm…
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Just come right out and say it in plain english about my contradiction becuase if you will make your point I can learn from it. I don’t think you are repeating yourself but you have not stated anything to repeat. I can’t read your mind to see how you took it or how you are looking at all this. Are you insinuating that it is an obvious thing that I just “don’t get it” but all the while you are being evasive about the point of view you want me to see. If we are on different frequency sometimes it only takes a small modulation of the tuner to get on the same frequency.
February 4th, 2009 at 12:14 am
When I wrote, I did not compare you to metallica or hecate I drew a parallel? the two words compare and parallel are the same, yes. Is that what you meant loggedin? Ultamately what I was thinking is this, I am into Slayer and hard music like I have been stating this whole thread, metallica was never hard enough for me and after master of puppets a lot of thier fans were not onto it. If Slayer pulled the same thing I think I would squeeze the trigger and it was for this reason I did compare. Again with Hecate I only compared becuase it does not look or sound to me like she is going to completely change direction at all.
February 4th, 2009 at 2:02 am
David, it’s just my shitty sense of humor, don’t get all defensive and yes, I think I was obvious enough.
_______________________________________________
About what Alec wrote in connection with mp3s. In my opinion everyone could see this coming. I remember an interview with Bj?rk around ‘95 (I think it was in Rolling Stones) and she was amongst the first ones who said music will be open to everyone thanks to technology —> internet, programmes, mp3’s, downloading and that you won’t need the record companies. It’s true that downloading takes away a lot of money from the artists’ pocket, but let’s not forget about the record labels doing the same thing. That’s why more and more musicians start their own companies and realize the “wonders” (and yes, the dark side too) of the internet. Some of them leak their music on the internet for example and yes, some of them have to work although they are artists. In my country only the members of the biggest band can allow not to work.
The record labels are bitching about the downloads as well, yet they make money from the internet too as Alec said.
I don’t think mp3 is all evil, but yes, from a musician’s perspective it may be annoying. Yet, it gives the listener a choice and if you like what you hear, you WILL find the money to get the album.
February 4th, 2009 at 2:03 am
:O Rolling Stone….typos love me.
February 4th, 2009 at 3:42 am
I was not even looking at the bad choice of word I used on my next thought, I was looking at the next sentence and I am thinking, What in the fuck are you talking about, next sentence my ass”. Come on man. I don’t like to get all defensive but I speak from my heart and I get passionate, there are worse things to be.
Now, I feel everything you just said is very well put. If Mp3 disappears that is fine with me, never was interested and thats a fact, I knew it was a crock of shit from the get go, thats my opinion. Same thing with downloading. With dhr I purchased cd’s without hearing one track or snippet. Now I want to check it out and hear first what exactly I am supporting with my hard earned dollars. Like you said, “….and if you like what you hear, you WILL find the money to get the album.” I agree with that.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:09 am
The thing is mp3’s aren’t going to disappear. It’s cool to hear shit on the internet just buy a brand new cd then.
February 4th, 2009 at 9:03 am
mp3s probably won’t go away, but music will.
worldwide record sales as a whole are only 10 percent from 10 years ago.
People stick to their free downloads, because they do not “find the money to get that album”.
This behavior kills independent music.
Soon only the corporations will have the funds to finance music projects.
(If we are honest, then we would admit that this is almost already the case.)
Either people can’t be anonymous in the internet anymore and pay for what they “consume” or they give more and more power to the corporates. (like when people complain about losing their jobs but would then buy at Walmart to save a buck – can’t have both in this world…so far at least)
When we let the corporates cripple art, art itself is destroyed. (Journalism, authors, musicians, composers, painters, designers…it’s a long list.)
In the ideal world the artist would be protected by law, copyright law, but if this law only protects the powerful and rich, then it becomes meaningless.
In my opinion music could be free, if we would forbid advertising…
February 4th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Alec, what do you mean by “mp3s probably won’t go away, but music will”? If you’re referring to the quality part of music ? most mp3 files sound worse than FLAC, indeed, BUT an average listener can’t really tell/hear the difference (cos they haven’t heard FLAC before or bcos of other reasons). There are both bad and kinda good quality mp3s ? and there are the original music what artist make. This whole situation nowadays reminds me of Duchamp’s Fountain on many levels.
You’re right again when saying people go for the free stuff, yet when they finally have the money and really liked what they heard, I’d like to think they go and buy (I certainly do). Sure there are more people who don’t. That is a fact.
So what’s worse? Corporates/record labels or iTunes, torrent sites,”stealing music”? At first average people would answer “stealing music” (yet they most likely “steal” too), but on the other hand many record labels make artists sign disadvantegous contracts (especially if you are someone who’s just getting started and don’t really know what’s the drill etc. etc). You’re right, corporates do kind of cripple art. They have too much power and they often manipulate musicians to get higher sales and tell them “This isn’t enough catchy/ That’s not what most people listen to”. Either the musician gives in or has to battle with them which he shouldn’t do in the 1st place in a better world. Fucking hyenas.
Oh, yes – an ideal copyright law…this leads far far away in Star Wars style. Not a new problem, but it sure is more stressful than ever. It makes the lawmakers toss and turn at night. The ultimate Catch-22.
February 5th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
people might not “hear” the difference but they FEEL the difference.
Music is frequencies which are being translated by the brain into emotions.
MP3s lose out on too many frequencies to have this effect.
so people hear an mp3 and they don’t feel it, so they assume they don’t like it.
mp3 is preventing an evolution in the way we understand and listen to music.
this is why there hasn’t been any progress since mp3 came up.
it’s a very complex issue which goes much deeper than most people realize.
I want that musicians get what they deserve from the listeners. If we want to get rid of capitalism and the way the financial system works in our society, and then music becomes free , fine, but until then a solution must be found…fast.
an industry which is not progressing is dying. (same goes for art and music)
Alec
February 5th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Alec,
Downloading music via “pirate” channels is surely responsible in a huge way for the decreasing record sales, but the music industry in general was never a true paradise for artists, was it? And maybe people do feel the difference, but if all mp3 files were that shitty, don’t tell me fans would still stick to it. This is an exaggeration to say. Yes, the “yee-haaw-it’s-free” thinking is there, but if it’s that crappy, you don’t eat it up (even if it’s free) and you go and buy the album…well, in my opinion.
Musicians get what they deserve when touring. Sure they would deserve more (a decent copyright law etc.), but that’s the way it is. The music industry is going through a difficult phrase, it’s plain obvious since the age of the internet said “Hi!” and gave the finger to many people, but the heads of the corporates involved with the big money won’t let it die out. Too many interests there. Them and even the artists have realized that the internet is the necessary wrong that can be turned into good. Experimental methods have already appeared.
February 5th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Oh, as for modern art:
Hegel, Danto and many others have already stated that Art is Dead in a way. Yes, it goes deeper (and deeper and deeper). The solution will come in one way or the other.
Music is never free. As a “product” it can be, but the music itself -for it desires an artist, work, effort, inspiration, knowledge, talent and on the list goes- will never “come free”. And I’d like to think even the dumbest fan knows that. Yes, they can be selfish creatures on many levels, but still!
I hate to compliment anyone in the face, but I admire the way you don’t give a damn of what fans/critics will think while making an album. It’s hard to achieve that and keep up with the good work. Same goes for Nic Endo.
ps: If somebody judges music via websites it’s their own damned fault for fuck’s sake. But I’ve already had my say on that here.
February 5th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
You know at the independant record store I go to you can listen to any disc that is in the store before you buy. Tgfoh was not available but if it was and I listened to it since this is a new label I would not have bought it. I am telling you I do not need to hear the cd version to be baptized so I can be converted. I got the general drift. I know, risk, changes, taking chances, etc. We will decide for ourselves which direction we want to go using our will to make the choice we can still make. How can we make a choice without finding out what we like and dislike and ultamately in which direction we as individuals want to go. I do not want someone deciding what the fuck I ingest. Speaking for myself, currently finances are tight and I have to make hard choices. I just can’t throw money around left and right. I work as hard as the music I listen to and love. I want more life… …Father! If the fucked up DHR cd’s were there as my go to cd’s I would not care if tgfoh came under dhr with my regular order of dhr cd’s like the other very excellent works of instrumental electronic art, you know. I would of got what I actually wanted with the fuck up shit becuase I never listened to them on the internet at all I just bought the cd’s, and after all the fucked up shit was the center of it all. I don’t think you could release tgfoh under dhr with the change of vocals and content however if I got it as an instrumental electronic cd on dhr I would be thinking, “great, even though I don’t dig this but the sound and production value is exceptional I am funding dhr, fuck I feel great today and am so excited”! I have stated I am into D H R and also independant labels that currently have blood coursing through thier veins that are putting out fucked up music. I have become disillusioned with the new direction. The thing that sets me off is this whole “If somebody judges music via websites…” thing.
February 6th, 2009 at 12:17 am
Typo- the beginning of the sentence “I would of got what I actually wanted with the fuck up shit….” should read “I would have got what I actually wanted with the fucked up shit….” and there is another small typo further down the line you can’t miss that should be !” My proof reader is not doing his job -David
February 6th, 2009 at 12:18 am
I’m sorry that it sets you off, David (although when commented on you for the 1st, I was talking in general too, not just about you). what sets me off is the horrible quality of music on websites. And I wasn’t talking about DHR at all. I was reacting to Alec, cos I don’t agree with him on some things and because I can. HOHOHO -evil laugh-
I’m coming from the shittiest show ever, so I better go before I write hasty, evil and SARCASTIC WORDSSSSS to you, FuriousD.
Take care
*phase, not phrase
February 12th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Hi loggedin,
I listen to new music on the internet to get a general idea if it is something I want to add to my CD collection. I will then buy it directly from the artist’s independent record label or from the independent record store I go to. I don’t like to think of it as me judging music by listening to it on a website or an MP3 but I see your point.
The music industry screws the artist, music fans and finally music itself. Music deserves better than MP3.
You are right, the quality of music is horrible on websites. MP3’s are terrible as well. Music should be as good as DVD sound is in the film industry.
I have enjoyed commenting back and forth with you and don?t want you to think that I hate you or anything as well, music is what I eat, live and sleep and I get passionate.
David
February 16th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Holy shit! I’ve never said mp3’s are all terrible. THEY ARE NOT all TERRIBLE. I told you in the very beginning of our faceless online acquaintenance that listening to music (in that case Alec’s last few albums) and judging the sound ITSELF all together – via a website with a laptops’/computers’ mostly lame “loudspeaker” is a sin. I download music from the internet every week. Oooh, don’t shoot me!
And Dave…can I call you Dave? Why the fuck would I hate you? I don’t hate you. Cos I don’t know anything about you. Don’t be ridiculous. -sings-Love is in the air!!! (Ok, that was a bad joke /song/, but I like my fucked up jokes. It makes ME happy. That is all that matters. I’m not selfish at all….no…hahaha)
February 17th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Hey loggedin,
I am saying Mp3’s are terrible, I know you didn’t. Mp3’s give you a lot of quantity instead of quality but again that is just my opinion and I respect yours. Anything on websites usually is MP3. Yes there are high quality MP3’s but I will stick with only buying CD’s, it’s so exciting for me to go to my weekly trip to the independent record store. Try it! You won’t be sorry.
Tgfoh songs are available to listen to right here on eyho and I think the sound is high quality and you can get a pretty good idea of what the new music is like. I’m sure the cd sound is excellent. I nearly bought it becuase I like Alec so much but I’m gonna sit this one out.
I know you don’t hate me, when you told me in one of your first comments, “I?m just making ?online? conversation, cos I think you made some interesting points in your comments. I don?t hate you or anything”, I was just saying the same thing back to you to let you know the same thing becuase of the things I am saying it may sound like I am unfriendly and that is not true. Thats all.
I like this blog. It is cool and fun.
David
February 18th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
My mistake then…I thought you misread me. And can I ask you a favour? Don’t ever concern yourself with this “I don’t want you to hate me” or “I’m not being unfriendly” stuff. It takes more than that to hurt my non-existing internet feelings, plus I have a certain style which comes off too straight-forward at times. (Meaning: kind of a jerk.) It’s not like I’m able to lean through your screen and punch you in the mouth, is it? Though, it’s an interesting idea. HAHAHA
I go ONLY to independent record stores and I tell you why: there are only big fucking record stores here with poor fucking “popular” selection. (That goes for East-European countries, for almost every single one of them, unfortunately.)
Well, I like this blog too, lot of interesting entries, but not much of a crowd sadly. It’s different tho, European fans I mean. They are not so “OHMYGODAEISSOFUCKINGHOT” tempered like the fans in the US for example who you can fuck around with. Not yet, at least.
Take care etc.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:00 am
No crowd at all. Where is everybody?
February 19th, 2009 at 7:14 am
Have you heard the ATR and other dhr releases? If so do you like it?
Also are you into NOISE?
February 19th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
David Fury Says:
February 19th, 2009 at 7:14 am
Have you heard the ATR and other dhr releases? If so do you like it?
Also are you into NOISE?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is this a tricky question?
I did hear a few other DHR releases, yes. And no, not much of an ATR fan. I like 1 one album and a few random songs from the rest.
What do you consider as noise? A friend of mine put together a song from different kind of toilets’ flushing sound few years ago, spiced up with drums and the sound of undergrounds. It was surprisingly ok.
February 20th, 2009 at 3:39 am
Merzbow is a noise music project created in Tokyo, Japan in 1979 under the direction of musician Masami Akita and has a huge catalog. Alec Empire vs. Merzbow is a must if you want to check that one out. 60 second wipe out is just incredible. Nic Endo’s White Heat does it for me too. Panic DHH is another band worth listening to. I fucking love it. This is all great stuff. There are many more noise artists.
February 21st, 2009 at 3:35 pm
I know them. I was making another joke, but hey, thanks for reintroducing them to me.
February 22nd, 2009 at 3:13 am
Are you a comedian?
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:28 am
Just kidding. Back to music though, I was just wondering if you had heard any Merzbow, Panic DHH, DHR, and the like and if you are into this kind of sound. I do listen to a lot of other bands for example NIN, Slayer, Bach, Soul Sonic Force, Zan Lyons, Rage Against The Machine, etc.
Now more than ever I am on the hunt for new metal/hardcore/noise/Harsh live electronics/ etc. CD’s to add to my collection becuase I am not sure if CD’s are going to survive becuase it seems everyone wants to take it for nothing but it is going to cost something…..music! If you have a credit card you can order CD’s direct from independent labels themselves on the internet. The corporates were going to die and then not to long ago practically all of the world lets themselves get conned again by buying into MP3. The corporates have the upperhand again. The sick thing is it seems like they have won. Fuck em! We all have put up with the corporate bullshit over the years becuase it was the only show in town.
In America no one riots and this is unfortunate. Everyone is to busy with MP3’s, cell phones, ipod, video games, drugs, tv etc.
In America people are controlled using fear and they are demoralized. The current economical climate is proof capitalism has failed but no one is going to make a move to do anything about it. I don’t care who is in office. I read somewhere that no one person is going to change it. It is the system that needs to be changed.
Coming back to music now, if we do nothing or worse provide the enemy with more revenue to bury us with music as we know it will die.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:22 pm
HAHAHA WHAT?! Aww, those evil EVIL mp3’s again!!! haha Oh, come on! I think Britney Stinks or the Pussytwat dolls etc. and the so called “emo” bands are doing a very good job to demoralize the whole music industry. So you say everyone is doing drugs in America? Wow, haven’t noticed it.
CD’s will survive, trust me. I like physical things. And since you came up with Nine Inch Nails, ermmm, so did you or did you not download The Slip from nin.com? Although, gotta tell ya, you can drive me out of the world with Discipline. That song is EVIL. 
Nothing new.
And what do you mean by “The sick thing is it seems like they have won” when you talk about the record labels? Yeah, the corporates will stand, I told you already that there are too many interests. They’re are just adjusting to the new climate, those tricky bastards.
May 1st, 2009 at 2:33 am
Remix by Amboss by Hecate.
In the interest of new subscibers who may just be reading this thread above Alec wrote(if you guys have to switch to Hecate, then it?s time?Rachel is sweet, but how can you even compare us? or Metallica?) Remix by Amboss by Hecate in paticular is what I am comparing the new direction to. Remix by Amboss( her other songs and other hardcore electro bands) is picking up us dhr fans left laying in a gutter, there is a whole lot of other hard stuff but this track and others by Hecate kicked me in the stomach but it felt good. Metallica went from being one of the hardest to one of the softest and the same goes for Alec Empire, these comparisons fit. These comparisons make sense to me. Hecate = speed/hard Alec Empire(EYHO) = soft/slow. I understand Alec gets bored and always looks into the future, moving ahead and considers dhr past but leaving those of us who supported dhr, then taking the money made from dhr and putting it into EYHO was bound to upset dhr fans/supporters who are not into this new direction. A pattern is there.
If Alec stayed with or returns to a punishing hard metal/ ear bleeding vocals/brain damage noise etc.sound every one that has really stuck up for the new direction on this blog would be supporting it 100% and don’t try to deny it. If it wasn’t popular in Berlin who cares, supporters and loyal fans would still be buying dhr-ALEC EMPIRE releases and going to shows. Alec wanted to go in a new direction, I get that, not eveyone who supported him is into it, but you can’t please everybody and the one person you always have to be with and have to look at every day is you. So I still listen. I’m never giving in even if Alec starts doing stuff like Frank Sinatra then I’m done(hahaha).
Shivers is almost here and I don’t know what to expect, I am hoping it is in a somewhat more aggressive direction. But my hopes are not up.
I have since bought tgfoh and have opened my mind to it. From here on out I intend to buy Alec’s releases like I used to with DHR one after another without listening to the fuckin internet, becuase I realize even though most of the new stuff so far I can’t stand, he is a very talented musician and a great deal can be learned from him. I cannot walk away. There is another musician in my lifetime that is greater than Alec Empire, only now his middle finger is pointed at me. hahaha(joking)
Eyho has turned me on to kap bambino, autokratz, patrick wolf, I am not really into any of these bands except kap bambino(e8ooooooooor!!!!!!!!) but like the faint and all the rest that are following the new electronic sound thats everywhere(ughhh) the analog sounds are there and they are killer.
May 1st, 2009 at 2:39 am
There isn’t another musician in my lifetime that is greater than Alec Empire, only now his middle finger is pointed at me. hahaha(joking)
May 1st, 2009 at 11:35 pm
And I don’t mean pointed at me in paticular I am saying it’s pointed at anyone that is not happy with the demolition of dhr, and the new direction.
May 1st, 2009 at 11:45 pm
I?m never giving in but if Alec starts doing stuff like Frank Sinatra then I?m done(hahaha).- more typos(ughh)
and when I said “Shivers is almost here and I don?t know what to expect, I am hoping it is in a somewhat more aggressive direction. But my hopes are not up.” what I mean is I am hoping there is some cool shit on Shivers but I am not expecting it to be like dhr becuase it is not. However Alec said in one of the videos that stuff is on Shivers that almost could of been on dhr and there is a balance so I don’t know to expect and this is normal for AE. Guess I’ll find out.
March 13th, 2010 at 6:40 am
ATR!!!!!!!! Alright!!!, The new song is great, Alec’s distorted vocals gave me the chills, and every one else sounds great as well, And I know I am not alone in saying I hope there is a secret plan for this to be more than a one off reunion. New album, huge comeback and tour, DHR rising from the ashes to burn once again. I know I am all excited and carried away but who can blame me? Thank you for putting the new song out there too so I didn’t have to wait.