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
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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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.
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.
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
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
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
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)
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
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.
No crowd at all. Where is everybody?
Have you heard the ATR and other dhr releases? If so do you like it?
Also are you into NOISE?
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.
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.
I know them. I was making another joke, but hey, thanks for reintroducing them to me.
Are you a comedian?
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.