click here to watch clip

WHY we should remember people like Maclaren in our times?

This is why….John Robb wrote in his latest blog, why punk rock was so important in the late 70ties.

“Middle aged men talk about music in terms of how people play with no
regard for the soul power and the passion and the ideas- they missed
the point entirely. They don’t get the thrill of the other stuff,
they don’t even get the thrill of the music- being to busy getting
autistic over the musicianship. Boring.” by John Robb

Just open up any music magazine in 2010, you’ll find them in
there…and the bands fit so well… confused drunken festival goers,
age 20, talk and think and listen to music this way… I turn up MX80
and I hear them sing: “Why are we here? Why are we here…”

click here to watch MX80

read full article by John Robb – click here (excellent blog by the way you should subscribe to!)

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IAMX – ‘I Am Terrified’ Alec Empire Remix

IAMX | MySpace Music Videos
click here to watch

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IAMX: Chris Corner announces the release of his new album ‘Dogmatic Infidel Comedown OK’ comprised of Reworks and Interpretations of IAMX‘ third studio album ‘Kingdom of Welcome Addiction’, by the likes of Combichrist, Terence Fixmer, Alec Empire, Black Light Odyssey and Aesthetic Perfection. Release date 19.03.2010. Coverart and tracklisting revealed. The CD can be pre-ordered now from boutiqueiamx.eu.

Tracklisting: 01 Nature Of Inviting – Black Light Odyssey 02 Tear Garden – UNFALL CHOCOLATEFURWINE 03 You Can Be Happy – Combichrist 04 Kingdom Of Welcome Addiction – Aesthetic Perfection 05 The Great Shipwreck Of Life – Pull Out Kings 06 Tear Garden – UNFALL ART DECO 07 Think Of England – Miss Derringer 08 The Stupid, The Proud – Index 09 My Secret Friend – Omega Man 10 I Am Terrified – Alec Empire 11 An I For An I – UNFALL X-Mess 12 Nature Of Inviting – Terence Fixmer 13 Running – Cook/Kirby

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Here is the second DJ Mix!!!!

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….

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ZAN LYONS PLAYS AT TRANSDUCERS PT.2 TONIGHT AT TRESOR – A GOOD REASON FOR US TO REPUBLISH ALEC EMPIRE’S INTERVIEW WITH HIM!

IT WAS TRUE PUNKROCK!

Alec Empire interviews London filmmaker and musician Zan Lyons

Alec: “I think most of our readers might only be aware of your music, but you
have been almost more active in making films in the last years. Could you
please give them a brief introduction to your work…”

Zan:

“When I started making music the thing that excited me most was that I could do it all at home with just a sampler and computer. It was true punk rock. I’d have an idea turn on my machines and Jam.
I wanted to bring the same energy to films and then combine it with my sound!
All my films are shot, lit and edited by my me on my laptop. I also do all of the visual effects and post production. This means I can take my camera, shoot something and start trying ideas immediately.
It’s a powerful and liberating experience!”

Alec:” Many people say that video games will replace film one day. Do you agree?
Can video games ever achieve the same effect that films can?
Does it even make sense to put both in relation to each other?”

Zan:

“From an industry standpoint video games have already replaced film. Even in our current economic climate video game sales keep growing while film sales are shrinking. I think the reason is a simple one. Value.
Even though games are significantly more expensive than films the experience is much more involved. What happens on the screen is happening to you, not a character you passively empathize with. Film distributors need to start giving audiences more with their DVDs. The same lack of value destroyed music – even though the industry blames downloads. When you buy a game you are buying something that will absorb you for days – even months.
From a personal perspective, nothing will ever replace the magic of cinema and although Games offer a truly interactive form of entertainment, they are not yet able to compete with film in terms of story. Games like Metal Gear Solid and the Final Fantasy series have scratched the surface. I think we’ll start to see the two worlds collaborating in the near future. Brilliant storytelling not better graphics will really take gaming to the next level.”

Alec: “How influential is Asian film right now? It seems that Hollywood steals
more ideas from there than from anywhere else…”

Zan:

“Asia is without a doubt leading the world of cinema. Films like ‘The Ring’ and ‘Oldboy’ have completely changed films and have left Hollywood playing catchup. South East Asia always gets mentioned but India is also producing thought-provoking dramas as well as the colorful entertainment of Bollywood. Also a lot of people don’t realize that Bollywood is the biggest film industry in the world with Hollywood coming second place.
People working in Asia really know their craft and as a result, they make better films for much, much less money than Hollywood. Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle has worked most of his life in South East Asia. He’s easily the greatest cinematographer working today but I doubt he would have reached this point if been swallowed up by Hollywood or even Europe.
Asian cinema keeps getting better and better and I think it will play a much greater role in years to come.”

Alec: “How important is authenticity or realism for you as a director ? Do they
both even matter?”

Zan:
“My films have lot’s of small details so realism is very important. I always use lighting to create a film’s atmosphere because it’s means the image comes to life in front of me and I can react to it. All of my effects are very simple and usually involve more camera work than computer effects. I want people to believe what’s on the screen.”

Alec: “Can you recommend 3 films to our readers? And explain why they should
watch them?”

Zan:

“The first is ‘In the Mood for Love‘. The way color and music are used to create atmosphere is amazing. It manages to feel like a classic 1960’s film and a modern one at the same time.

The second is ‘THX1138‘. I think this is one of the greatest science fiction films ever made. It has a sense of claustrophobia that I don’t think I’ve experienced since. There’s an impending doom from start to finish and it’s themes of government control feel more relevant today than ever before.

The final film is ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit‘. It’s a perfect example brilliant family cinema. Children will love the cute charater animation and adults will enjoy all of the film noir references. Most importantly though, it’s 90 minutes of pure mind-bending fun!”

Alec: “Has technology left human imagination behind? Anything can be created
with the help of computers these days, but still most films out there lack
ideas? Why do you think that is?”

Zan:

“Technology can be great when used well but too many people seem to use it to make short cuts and cover over weak ideas. Films like Star Wars and 2001 were at the cutting edge when they were released but the initial ideas were good in the first place so the effects were just enhancements. I think we need to return to this way of thinking and use new technology as a creative tool.”

Alec: “Or is the problem rooted in our society, in which everything , even art
itself, has to serve only one goal: profit making?”

Zan:

“When Hollywood gets it right the results can be amazing. but unfortunately money often gets in the way. There are too many people who see film making purely in financial terms and they are usually the reason for bad films.
I think this will change though. Audiences aren’t stupid, if a film isn’t good people can just download it!”

Alec: “Are you thinking of doing a full length film one day?”

Zan:

“My new album will be a collection of 9 songs with a short film for each one. It will flow together running at about 45 minutes so it’s actually a full-length film.
You’ll be able to either watch it as a complete film or select individual chapters – or just listen to the music. Each viewer will experience it differently.
The music is all instrumental and the films have no dialogue. The sounds and images are heavily synchronized – I wanted to create a world that people get can lost in.

I also have two story-based feature films that I plan on making at some point. I can’t say too much at the moment but they’ll be made in a similar way to my shorts.”

Alec: “You did visual remixes of some scenes of Blade Runner. How did the
audience react to that? This film is often seen as the masterpiece that
nobody is allowed to touch…”

Zan:

“There was a strong reaction to it here in the UK for that exact reason. Audiences loved it though! When it began they thought it was just a live soundtrack but quickly discovered I’d re-edited the film as well. I used heavy synchronization between my own music and various scenes. I remember BBC Radio interviewing me asking if I was trying to make Blade Runner better! I was never trying to improve the film – that would be impossible. It was more like my own version. I had some clips on youtube but was asked to take them down by Warner Brothers:)”

Alec: “Do you think that most film scores push the audience far enough?“

Zan:

“Not at all. The last good film score I heard was ‘There Will be Blood’ It created an almost unbearable tension throughout the whole film.
Otherwise Most film scores sound either made-to-order or like a cynical way to promote a bands music.
Film scores are in real need of a a change!”

Alec: “Where do you think films will be at in 10 years? The same stories told with
different/younger actors?”

Zan:

“I think a revolution is coming! There will, of course be the same old money-making films but I think Digital Technology has put film making in the hands of everyone so I hope we’ll start to see new visions and different methods of storytelling.
There will definitely be less money to make films so people will have rely on ideas instead of funding to make good work. We’re already seeing this with people like Warp Films and Philip Virus.
I think we’ll also start seeing more films that take advantage of the internet rather than treating it as an enemy. Maybe interactive films where the viewer has a say in what happens next.
Like I said, tools that used to be exclusive to Hollywood are now in the hands of everybody. In ten years we’re going to see more films made faster, cheaper and for the RIGHT reasons!”

check out Zan’s films and infos here:

http://www.zanlyons.com
http://www.youtube.com/thisisourpunkrock
http://www.myspace.com/zanlyons

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click here to watch

Artist- WE
Album – As Is
Track – Magnesium Flares
Label – Asphodel 1997
just a great record….there really was something different happening in New York/Brooklyn around that time.

…just woke up…recorded and recorded….each new album sucks out the last drop of blood in me… pleasure, pain and lust… Berlin is greyer than grey… like the outside world doesn’t exist…..

miss all of you….

Alec

click here to follow Alec Empire on Soundcloud, get exclusive tracks and mixes

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watch clip and click here

Ever wanted to know the truth about most remix deals which are being done lately? Watch this clip.

EYHO Blog urges all new and upcoming producers to not give into the bullshit. The “foot in the doorstep” will never happen. (same goes for playing commercial festivals by the way)

It is time musicians unite and fight the exploitation which is going on behind closed doors.

We suggest if you like a track that much that you’ll get on your knees to do it then just do a mash up or bootleg remix and put it online.

Basic rule in the download age: If someone makes money with your shit, you should get your fair share.

(Yes, that also goes for any torrent website that has advertising or takes donations. Share your profits and support each other.)

German band Kraftwerk described themselves as ‘music-workers’ (’Musikarbeiter’)…

click here to listen to song

Br?der, zur Sonne, zur Freiheit
Br?der zum Lichte empor!
Hell aus dem dunklen Vergangnen
leuchtet die Zukunft hervor.

Seht, wie der Zug von Millionen
endlos aus N?chtigem quillt,
bis eurer Sehnsucht Verlangen
Himmel und Nacht ?berschwillt!

Br?der, in eins nun die H?nde,
Br?der, das Sterben verlacht!
Ewig, der Sklav’rei ein Ende,
heilig die letzte Schlacht!

UR – it’s time ! click here

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…and click here to watch our favorite Mayhem song

…and another one

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Alec Empire is spinning Acidhouse and old Force Inc records tonight in Berlin! we know this is a rare thing these days…

here is the info (in German, but you’ll manage) from the press sheet from the promoter:

ALEC EMPIRE (dhr) – acid house dj set
SVEN WEISEMANN (mojuba) – techno dj set
ACID MARIA (abe duque rec, killekill) – dj
DJ FLUSH (killekill) – dj
STYPE (killekill) – dj

Der Megahorst, der Megahorst, der kommt mit seiner dicken Worst.
Das wird DIE gro?e KILLEKILL-Abschlusssause f?r dieses Jahr.

Ein ACID HOUSE SET von ALEC EMPIRE!!!!!!
?Geht?s noch?? w?rde Roman Fl?gel vielleicht fragen. Wir w?rden sagen: ?Ja!?
ALEC EMPIRE ist ein Megastar des Industrial, Berlins Anti-hero, Erfinder des Breakcore, eine Legende auf seinem Gebiet.
Dass er aber – wie jeder gute K?nstler – musikalisch nicht einseitig ist, wird er an diesem Abend beweisen: Und zwar, indem er seine ganz pers?nlichen Acid House-Perlen aus seinem Plattenschrank holt.
Damit das nicht zu kuschelig wird, haben wir den neuen Deepness-Superstar SVEN WEISEMANN im Gegenzug auf ein Techno-Set festgenagelt.
Mit sowas hat er in der Berghain Kantine schon einmal alles weggeblasen, was man nur wegblasen kann, mit seinen unwahrscheinlich schnellen Fingern.
Da bleibt kein Auge trocken.
Wunderkind ACID MARIA, der Neuzugang im Killekill-Resident-Stall, wird den Abend weiter veredeln und dass dann mit DJ FLUSH und STYPE noch zwei der Residents mit am Start sind, ist eigentlich auch kein Wunder?

Also, aufgemacht, kurz vor Weihnachten noch einmal richtig durch den Tisch getreten!

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

19.12. KILLEKILL MEGAHORST
HORST KRZBRG
Tempelhofer Ufer 1
S + U Hallesches Tor
Start: 24:00
8?

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watch exclusive trailer here!

Sonic terrorist, Alec Empire, returns for another blistering series of live dates here in the UK that looks set to blow the roof off every venue it invades across the country.

?1000 Eyes? is the new download only single taken off the animated short film, ?The Golden Foretaste of Heaven?. After the critical acclaim of his mini album, ?Shivers?, earlier this year, Alec channelled his dark energy into creating a brooding, mesmerising soundtrack to the hotly tipped film by Austrian rising star, Richard Wilhelmer.

Fresh off supporting Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails on their European leg of the tour, Alec will bring his awesome live setup to the UK showcasing material from a career spanning almost two decades. Always a knack for spotting new talent, Alec has collaborated with Robbie Furze from The Big Pink on the track, ?If You Live or Die? off his last album and has produced and written Patrick Wolf?s lead single, ?Vultures?.

Wolf also appeared on stage with Empire during his sold out London date at The Underworld earlier this year and looks certain to join up with his partner in crime for the Islington Academy show in London on November 19.

Having recently remixed IAMX, ex Sneaker Pimp, Chris Corner?s new single ?Terrified?, the hardest working Berliner in music?s next project is a team up with Major Lazer and Saul Williams for some new tracks and a remix special with Dillinger Escape Plan later this year.

As a special treat for UK fans, Alec has roped in up & coming alt techno-core outfit, Motor, who are currently on tour with D?p?che Mode as support for his UK dates.

Alec has once again reinvented himself and you can witness the Empire effect first hand this autumn as Nic Endo and him take to a stage near you.

1000 Eyes (Single Version) / Alec Empire by alec_empire
ALEC EMPIRE
The Past – The Present – The Future Tour 2009

15.10.2009 F-la Tronche, La Faiencerie
16.10.2009 B-Antwerp, Petrol
17.10.2009 Hannover, Indiego Glocksee
20.10.2009 Essen, Grend
21.10.2009 K?ln, Underground
22.10.2009 Hamburg, Logo
23.10.2009 Berlin, K17
24.10.2009 Cottbus, Gladhouse
25.10.2009 PL-Gdynia, Ucho
27.10.2009 CZ-Prague, Lucerna Music Bar
28.10.2009 A-Linz, Stadtwerkstatt
29.10.2009 A-Wien, Szene
30.10.2009 Ingolstadt, Paradox
31.10.2009 Leipzig, Lagerhof
06.11.2009 NL-Den Haag, Bazart
07.11.2009 NL-Utrecht, DBs
18.11.2009 GB-Newport, TJs
19.11.2009 GB-London, O2 Academy Islington
20.11.2009 GB-Birmingham, Eddie?s
21.11.2009 GB-Manchester, Club Academy
22.11.2009 GB-Edinburgh (GB), GRV
25.11.2009 CH-Z?rich, Stall 6
26.11.2009 F-Perpignan, CrockMore? NEW!!!
27.11.2009 CH-Vevey, Rocking Chair
28.11.2009 I-Florence (I), Siddharta
07.12.2009 I-Roma, Atlantico
31.07.2010 PL-Bolkow, Castle Party
If You Live Or Die live by alec_empire

for more information visit Alec Empire’s website
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FEEDING TIME

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OF LOVE -

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ALEC EMPIRE TAKES A BREAK FROM HIS TOUR WITH NINE INCH NAILS AND TALKS WITH YIP YIP TALK ABOUT , SESAME STREET, MUSIC AND NOISE, INDUSTRY AND MORE…

click here to watch original TV Yip Yips

Alec Empire:

” Many of our readers might not know you guys yet…the two creatures from Sesame Street are quite famous out here. I remember driving my parents crazy by adapting the Yip Yip talking style for days, when I was a kid…they did almost turn me into that kid from The Shining…is that a dumb question that you get asked all the time? Or what’s the story behind the name?”

Brian:

“It’s not a dumb question, because it would seem like we definitely got the name from that. In fact, even I thought Jason got the name from Sesame Street for the first few years of doing Yip-Yip with him, until we had one of our first real interviews and they asked if we got it from that. I said “Yes”, and Jason said “No, I didn’t”. I wish we did get it from that, because it would make the question a lot easier to answer. Even I don’t believe Jason’s answer.”

Jason:

“It’s just a stupid name i thought of. It doesn’t mean anything. We had an even worse name before this one and we knew we had to change it, but we couldn’t come up with anything good. Most band names that mean something end up sounding dumb after a while, so we just wanted a name that didn’t mean anything. Something totally nonsensical.”

Brian: “Calm down, Jason.”

click here for more

Alec Empire:

” I got introduced by Gabe from The Locust years ago, have been
listening to your music ever since. Are you part of a scene in the US?
Let us know where you are coming from…”

Brian:

“When we first started, we were really into that awesome wave of weird music from the late 90’s early 2000’s of The Locust, Lightning Bolt, Melt Banana, Arab On Radar, Crom-Tech, Neon Hunk, etc. I think we were really hoping to become part of that scene, and in a way, surprising to us, we kind of did. We were lucky to meet the people and bands that we did, and we are happy to have made it into a scene at all.”

Jason:

“We seem to not quite fit into any particular scene. I think we’re a little bit too happy or silly for the heavy experimental scene, but we seem to have some sort of foothold there anyways. Maybe we would fit better in the electronic/dance scene, but we see ourselves as more like a band and some of that stuff is more like deejays.”

Brian:

“Yeah, like we feel like we don’t fit in as well with the electronic scene, even though we actually probably fit in better there. But really it’s mostly who we’ve met, and who have met us, played with us, and liked us enough to be our friends and take us out on tour.”

Alec Empire:

” Why we love your stuff is because it sounds great, I mean the sound of the music is serious (as opposed to most of these rather stupid digital joke 8bit 2 piece bands in Europe). I find it very interesting
that there seems to be more cool analogue & weird shit coming from the US. Tell us about why you sound the way you do and if there is a philosophy behind it…you know…”

Brian:

“That’s awesome that you see that our music is serious. Not that we are a very serious band, or we want to be taken very seriously, but yeah, I think a lot of people kind of think of us as more of a joke, and we are lumped with that kind of stuff so much, and we never understand why. We are seriously trying to make really interesting and fun music, and we are seriously trying to be a great band, even though we are hardly know what we are doing. It’s been kind of hard, and it’s taken us a long time to get our stuff to what we are doing now. It’s very rewarding when we finish and we know that we have figured out this music that seems to be pretty original and might possibly break some new ground musically, especially when it feels like almost everything has already been done.”

Jason:

“There’s a fine line between fun music and funny joke music. We are trying to walk a few fine lines. We want to make music that is fun, but not a joke. Music that is challenging, but not not too heady. Noisy music that is more than just noise. I don’t know why there is more weird shit coming from the US. I think a lot of people from the US think it’s the other way around.”

http://soundcloud.com/yip-yip/yip-yip-gender-changers

Alec Empire:

” It looks from the outside like you’re doing everything by yourself…since years. You’re even documenting via Twitter when you are about to post new 7inches… and still you have your music up for
free download. Is that impression true, and what do you think about your way of doing things? Does it work as an example for other bands?
Tell us your view on the “business” side of your music…(mainstream bands get praised as revolutionary innovators while they just copy the ideas from bands in the “underground” who have been doing it since
years)”

Jason:

“Giving away free digital downloads is, I think, absolutely necessary in this day and age.
I don’t really want to have anything to do with the ‘business’ side of music but dealing with the business side is unfortunately a necessary part of it for a band at our level. We can’t afford to pay people to do that stuff for us. Lucky for me, Brian takes care of all of that stuff.”

Brian:

“We haven’t been very good with the “business” side of our band so far, and that’s probably why we’ve hardly made any money, and why we have to work at photo labs and deliver food to pay our bills. My view on the business side of music is I think the more people who hear of your music and hear of your live shows, the more money you make when you tour, and maybe you might even make some money off of albums you put out. So the most important thing to me, at least while we are still mostly unknown, is to get us heard.

Putting a price on every song you put out is not a great way of doing that, so we have put a lot of our stuff up online for people to check out and decide if they want to support us by buying our albums or t-shirts, or by coming to our shows. Maybe that kind of carefree idea of putting up one too many songs to download for free is why we are currently label less and wondering if anyone is going to actually put out this album we’ve been working on.”

Jason:

“As cheesey as it sounds, the more you think about the business side, the less you think about the music side. I’d like to say that it’s all about the music, but I’d also like to think that at some point in our lives this music could support us financially. We are nowhere close to that point right now and I don’t know if we ever will be.”

Alec Empire:

” What are your shows like? In what type of clubs do you guys play? And how is your crowd? (this might sound boring but I think more and more bands are just about pleasing the crowd while you don’t seem that kind of band)”

Jason:

“Since we don’t quite fit into a musical niche, we get to play with all sorts of bands in front of all sorts of audiences at all sorts of venues. Our ideal shows are in well-run, all ages, d.i.y. venues with good sound. Those places are few and far between, so we will play wherever we can. Mostly we just want it to be loud. If it’s loud and we can hear our music the way it should be heard, it is a good show for us. If the audience is having fun it’s definetly a bonus.”

Brian:

“The crowds are different depending on where we are playing, and who we are playing with. We we toured with The Locust, the crowds and shows were all awesome. People at the shows usually seemed to know who we were, and were excited to see us. The sound systems were almost always great and really loud, which also helps a lot. Some shows can be weird, like when the crowd isn’t familiar with us, so they just kid of stand there and stare. We will end our set and go backstage and think that we sucked, but then end up talking to a bunch of people who say they loved the show and buy our crap.”

Alec Empire:

” What is your favorite gear when you create new music? You are recording right now as I understand. A new record? Is this going to be different? How do you approach that process?”

Brian:

“Yes, we just finished writing our new album, “Bone Up”. We are going to start recording it very soon. The biggest thing that’s going to be different than our other albums is that this album is going to have us both doing vocals. This album is way more elaborate than anything we’ve ever done.”

Jason:

“In the beginning, we had more of that digital sound because all of those types of sounds were so accessible. We could get toy keyboards at thrift stores and digitally manipulate them with Sound Forge or some other software. But that got kind of boring and digital stuff always sounded sort of hokey to me. It was probably a year before I got my first serious synthesizer and since then I’ve liked analog over digital. Analog synths a lot more fun to play, there’s no programming and everything happens immediately.

And no matter how well you know your synths, there’s always a certain level of sonic unpredictability and slight variation. There are always graduations in digital knobs so you can hear the steps when you turn them. Analog knobs are just a clean sweep. Analog synths are more visually appealing, too. Lately, I’ve become more open to digital stuff. You can get so many sounds out of way smaller devices with digital.

We’ve been using this thing Simmons made called a Multi-Mallet a lot on the songs we’re writing now. It’s like a 90’s yamaha fm synthesis keyboard but with a xylophone-like controller. It has some interesting sounds, and looks cool. We use it on almost all of our new songs.”

Brian:

“Yeah, we like to think that we are using the best of both worlds. Jason uses all older analog synths, I use a mix of old and new analog and digital sounds from all sorts of different things we find, and I use them for the drums and backing sounds. I also use samplers to run everything live, and without that new stuff, we wouldn’t be able to perform this stuff we’re writing live.

Oh, and my favorite gear right now is my Moogerfooger trio (Freqbox, Ring Mod, & MURF), the Simmons Multimallet Jason already mentioned, my Casio CZ-101, and the Alesis D4 drum module.”

Alec Empire:

” What are 5 favorite records? And why?”

Brian:

“Devo – Oh No, It’s Devo – This was the first Devo record that I got, so I think that’s the best way I can pick a favorite Devo album. Devo is the band that got me into synthesizers. If I never got this record and got so into Devo, I probably would have never been so interested electronic music, or started this kind of band with Jason. Devo rules!

watch Devo here

Cardiacs – On Land And In The Sea – This is probably my favorite Cardiacs album because I love every song on the album. It basically has everything that I would ever look for in music in one album. Organs, synthesizers, horns, weird rhythms and rhythm/tempo changes, lots of percussion, a great vocalist, and amazing song writing.

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band – Doc At The Radar Station – The drumming on this album is insane. A lot of the time when I listen to it I try to only listen to the drums, and I try to think of how I could do anything at all like that with our rhythms. I also love how heavy it sounds without having anything really that heavy going on. The two guitarists are sick on this album. The horn, mellotron, marimba, and gong seal the deal for me. What a perfect combination of sounds. I wish there were more bands like this!

click here for BBC documentary on Beefheart

Nirvana – In Utero – I used to love Nirvana when I was a kid, and then I got back into it even more in the past few years. We started listening to it a lot on one of our tours and decided to try to do our first cover song when we got home. We wanted to do the song “Very Ape” because we thought it sounded strangely like some of the stuff we were writing. Doing that cover first as an instrumental made me appreciate the songwriting so much and helped me understand some better ways of approaching how we wrote our songs. Then a year later when we re-recorded the cover with vocals, that being my first real attempt at vocals in Yip-Yip, it made me see how great his vocals and lyrics are. But yeah, the whole rest of In Utero is awesome too, and has been a huge recent influence on us.

The Beatles – Abbey Road – Believe it or not, I never really listened to this whole album until this year. With almost any Beatles album, you’ve basically heard every song somewhere before, but I never listened to the whole albums before. There are so many different kinds of songs on the album, and a lot of them are short and to the point. Every songs has this “thing” that happens that just totally makes the song. There’s a lot of great sounds and effects, and the recording is kind of perfect. The vocals are also really great, and with us trying to do vocals now, it’s interesting to listen to stuff with such great vocals and great vocal effects and harmonies, and try to some how apply it to the weird stuff we are doing.”

click here for Beatles – Abbey Road (all DHR records from 1994-2000 were mastered there by the way)

Jason:

“Emerson, Lake, and Palmer – Tarkus – The first side of this record kills. There’s a lot of crazy synth sounds and prog shredding.
Sergio Mendes and Brasil ‘66 – Equinox – Mostly I like this record because i bought it at a thrift store without hearing it. I bought it because it has an attractive cover with attractive people on it. The record is great and I wasn’t expecting that. I like the girls’ voices and the music is pretty. Accidently finding a great record is one of the best things in life.

click here for Sergio Mendes and Brasil ‘66

Roger Miller – Dang Me – Simple, silly music. Most of the songs on this album are less than 2 minutes and none are longer than 2:30. They are all funny, silly, and/or endearing.
Devo – Duty Now for the Future – Devo is one of the best bands on the planet. I think this is my favorite album of theirs. I can’t say why, but i like it more than Q: Are We Not Men? A: We are Devo.? Like Brian, the first Devo album i purchased was Oh No, It’s Devo and that one will always be special to me because that’s how i got into them. But Duty Now has more interesting time signatures and real drums. They sound more like a punk rock band.
Todd Rundgren – A Wizard, a True Star – Great songwriting, great sounds. Todd Rundgren is a wizard.”

click here for Todd

Alec Empire:

” How do you see the future of music? I mean musically, not the “industry” -no one seems to think about the music anymore, everybody is just about how and why the industry is in a crisis. But what about the music itself though?”

Brian:

“I think there will be less and less full bands as people figure out neat ways of using electronics, samplers, or computers with what they are doing live as a band with just a couple of people. Not that a full band who is great is a ever bad thing, but it will be easier for kids to start bands and keep them going because they won’t have to work with so many people.

I don’t know how some of the full bands we know do it, everything would be so much harder if there were more people in our band. Musically, I think right now it seems like there is a huge merging of all music in popular music and a lot of indie music too. It’s all kind of coming together, which can be neat sometimes, but sometimes just bad.”

Jason:

“I think it’s about time for a musical revolution. With the physical and sonic limitations shrinking to almost nothing, it’s going to be more about songwriting and how people use the crazy sounds that can now be created so easily. Once people start to figure out how easy it is to start a band, there’s going to be a glut of mediocre bands. The next few years are going to be interesting. I think it’s starting already.”

Brian: “Calm down, Jason.”

Alec Empire:

” Who is responsible for your artwork, design?…everything also looks really cool. Is that an important part for you? When I talk to graphic designers or artists, they miss that challenge to make
something visual which represents the music.”

Jason:

“Brian does all of the illustrations, I do all of the digitizing and digital work on them. We design everything together. We come up with ideas for how things should look and I make them look that way.
Brian: Yeah, the art side has always been a big part of what we are doing. Before we started the band, I wanted to be an artist, but after we started the band, I realized that doing it with the band would be a better way to get my art out there anyways. We like bands who do their own artwork, it’s like an added bonus. Sometimes, like this past year, the art part calms down while we try to push the music stuff to a new level, but we always get back to it eventually, like when we finish recording. I’m sure we will start messing with art for the album, new music videos and maybe a zine/single thing. We are already working on new costumes for our next live shows.”

Alec Empire:

” What have you got coming up in the future? Tours? Different plans?”

Brian:

” We are about to start recording this album we’ve been working on, it will probably take us a couple months to finish that, and hopefully by then we will find a label to put it out. By the time we are done recording, we will be ready to start playing live again because we will have learned all the parts from recording it. We were hoping to do a tour in the fall. Maybe we will get to go back overseas like we did last year. I think a lot of this stuff will start coming up once we get this new stuff out there a little bit. We can’t wait to go on tour again!”

Jason:

” I’m ready to start playing shows again soon. I’m excited about bringing this new stuff out on the road. We still have a lot of writing, tweaking, practicing to do before we’re ready for a tour. We’ve been working on this set of songs for over a year now and it is leaps and bounds beyond anything we’ve written before. I want it to get out there as soon as possible, but i want it to be perfect when it does. We really need to bone up if we want to finish it this year.”

Brian:

“Nice call back.”

click here for cool underground live clip

check out YIP YIP on myspace for links, music, tourdates and more

but more important: the YIP YIP website !

subscribe to EYHO Blog – it’s free!

TIME TO STOP QUOTING AND START CREATING!

by Alec Empire

Let me introduce myself; I am Alec Empire and I was born in West Berlin. I believe that I am the only ?true? Berliner in the current music scene. As far as I can tell, all the others claiming Berlin as their home, moved there to boost (or kill?), their careers. To be honest, I don?t think it matters that much… or shouldn?t in our age. I find myself talking to people from other continents more than those belonging to the so called local scene (I?m not really sure there is one and even if there is I?m not sure it?s what people would like to believe it is). Whatever, I suppose we all gain from the myth that comes with Berlin. Reality follows our imagination… Let?s hope so.

But it?s not about local scenes or absorbing something intangible from the air in Berlin. If you want to know your future you have to erase your past.
click here for ABC clip

Please excuse my English. I have been touring recently and my crew and band are from France & USA. Somehow we all speak this weird mixture of languages. It?s hard to switch back to normal you know?

I am used to change. Dramatic changes in the case of my country. When I was a child I always sensed that post-World War II vibe – even decades later. Everybody has seen it in a film or read a book; but there are aspects Berliners have never really talked about in public. For example: how many women were raped at the end of the War? We can barely imagine that deep pain and its consequences on society. Then there?s the GDR and the Wall finally coming down. On the surface Berlin looks cool; parties, clubs like nowhere else in the world but to me it always feels like children celebrating themselves, dancing on a mass grave, not knowing, innocent… The beginning of Lord of the Flies.
click here for deleted scene clip

Where I come from, the majority is a potential threat to the individual. The silent majority can decide over life and death of real people, just because they ignore political news on that day of the football match.
watch clip
watch next clip here

Change… Some feel threatened by change and others actually fear it and would become ?ber-active just to stop it from happening. It makes them so nervous. I associate change with new opportunities and taking chances.

But I believe things are really changing. Right now! For the past nine years the music scene has reminded me of a dying dog, bleeding to death, bleeding dry and trying to bite its attackers who stand just out of reach, watching…

Hopefully by now, the majority of people have understood that doing nothing is the most powerful and damaging action they can take these days. Not buying a car, not buying music, not voting. Years ago I went on what most would call a ?date? and the girl didn?t know anything, she looked good, but that night I realized I was bored with that shiny surface of everything in our society. When I first heard John Coltrane I knew instantly that there was so much more than I could understand on the first listen. Music can store information and emotions that words and images fail to describe.
watch John Coltrane here

With most music that came out during the ?Bush Era? you could dig and dig and discover absolutely nothing. The past nine years have been a black hole – we can admit it now that this era is coming to an end. Musicians were scared, scared of not selling, of not being ?accepted?. The social networks reflect that perfectly. Become popular at all costs. Lie, fake your profile (I am not talking about making it look the best it can be, but pretending you are someone else), use bots to get that snowball rolling, survive the download madness. If you are reading this and don?t know what I am talking about, compare the past few years with the 40?s or 50?s.

The music scene has been doing the same as the financial world; the exact same. Investing in non-existent capital, trying to create ?value? out of thin air. And most people have been busy making sure that they are on the ?right? side of things, where most people gather, than listening to their inner voice. Because being alone or out of step seemed to be the worst thing that could happen.

It was safer to quote others. Just don?t take the risk to be the first to try something that you might regret later. That is the worst environment for true creativity.

It has become obvious that capitalism has not brought us what it promised. Short term thinking, maximizing profits only works for a little while and then the whole system collapses.

I am fascinated how the game industry tricked kids into buying Guitar Hero. Do you want to play the guitar? Press this button. Pop Idol (American Idol) – it?s the same thing. Get to the top without skills and do it fast. The real pleasure of playing an instrument is the learning process, and then applying it. To then face your judge: the mob, the audience, the crowd.
click here for free Guitar Hero excitement in the real world

I learned everything I know about music in the ?underground? scene. This is where people helped each other. If there is a great musician, who is so innovative that non musicians fail to see it, then everyone helps pushing, giving credits until it is understood (The Crystal Castles hypocritical slogan on the NME cover last year ?we get sounds that nobody else gets? while stealing them without crediting couldn?t describe better what I am trying to say here).
click here for copyright private investigators

In the past, major record labels couldn?t live without the Indies, because they were unable to discover the new talent which had the potential to shape the future of music. It strikes me they have learned to love each other. Shrinking sales have made majors adapt marketing techniques which were first explored by the Indies, and the lines have been blurred so much sometimes it?s difficult to tell them apart. It?s like a boxing match where both contesters are just hugging each other. Boring to watch. No tension.

This is about to end now. I love how blogs challenge the traditional music press. The information is going up so fast, you are forced to think! Is that really true? Is that some bullshit hype? Who paid for that???

New music pops up here and there and by the time the machinery wants to grab it to package it and sell its tiny little soul, it?s already gone.

Philosopher Gilles Deleuze comes to mind… Imagine a tree with Red Hot Chilli Peppers sitting on top, Metallica and all the other mega bands just below. In the past every band wanted to climb that tree and take their place, like the monkey chief. In the future there won?t be any trees, friends, there will be only grass. And a lot of it. Fifteen minutes of fame reduced further to the length of a mouse click. In a globalised world, pop music like we used to define it, has no future.

What an exciting opportunity this holds!

www.eyho-blog.com

A Day in the Death by Andrew Strasser (Bad Brilliance!)

nothing beats Destroy All Monsters on a Sunday evening….

click here to watch

propaganda makes us feel good

click here to watch

as your habbit grows….it’s going to happen…

we are so blog fatigued…it’s summer and hot in Berlin-West…why work…on anything….did you get the new update for the iPhone? Make sure to catch Patrick Wolf at Melt Festival (go there, watch him, then leave because the rest is the horror, the horror, spend the weekend in Berlin, wayyyy better)

see you next week at the shows!

*** love,

Alec Empire

www.eyho-blog.com

+++Breaking News:
ALEC EMPIRE joins NINE INCH NAILS on European dates!+++

+++Legendary band FAUST asks Alec to come out and rock the electronics at KLANGBAD FESTIVAL! (August 8th, alongside Dalek, Unit M?bius, Cluster, Harmonia and more!)+++

+++In case you have missed it:

Check out link for Alec Empire’s remix for Patrick Wolf single “Hard Times”
click here!

Alec Empire and Nic Endo did an exclusive performance at Artrocker Festival:
click here to listen to audio +++

After the exciting start in May “Past – Present -Future Tour 2009!” we announce new dates!

(Did you miss any of the May shows? Read review of London show here, Patrick Wolf came on stage during the set and Nic Alec went to play “Vultures” and ATR’s “Revolution Action” )

23 Jun 2009 Nine Inch Nails/ Alec Empire @ Malta // Poznan (PL)
24 Jun 2009 Nine Inch Nails/ Alec Empire @ O2 // Prague (CZ)
26 Jun 2009 Alec Empire @ Fusion Festival! // L?rz (D)
20 Jul 2009 Nine Inch Nails/ Alec Empire @ Vrahon Theatre // Athens (GR)
24 Jul 2009 Nine Inch Nails/ Alec Empire @ Syma Sport and Event Centr // Budapest (HUN)
28 Jul 2009 Nine Inch Nails/ Alec Empire @ Nimes Festival France // Nimes (F)
30 Jul 2009 Nine Inch Nails/ Alec Empire @ La Riviera // Madrid (ES)
31 Jul 2009 Alec Empire live @ BT 59 // Bordeaux (F)
08 Aug 2009 Special ALEC EMPIRE DJ performance @ Faust?s “Klangbad Festival”! // Scheer (D)
27 Aug 2009 Alec Empire DJ @ IKRA // Moscow (RUS)
10 Sep 2009 Alec Empire solo live @ GOGBOT and ATOMPUNK Festival // Enschede (NL)
26 Sep 2009 Alec Empire live @ Ososphere Festival // Strasbourg (F)
02 Oct 2009 Alec Empire solo live @ De:sonanz Festival // Skopje (EJRM)
15 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ La Faiencerie // la Tronche (F)
16 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Petrol // Antwerp (B)
17 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Indiego Glocksee // Hannover (D)
20 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Grend // Essen (D)
21 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Underground // Cologne (D) Tickets available at TICKET 69
22 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Logo // Hamburg (D) Tickets available at TICKET 69
23 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ K17 // Berlin (D)
24 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Gladhouse // Cottbus (D) Tickets availbale at EVENTIM
27 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Lucerna Music Bar // Prague (CZ)
28 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Stadtwerkstatt // Linz (A)
29 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Szene // Vienna (A)
30 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Paradox // Ingolstadt Tickets available at TICKET 69
31 Oct 2009 Alec Empire live @ Lagerhof // Leipzig Tickets available at TICKET 69

+++After getting really exciting reviews Alec Empire’s “Shivers” is out since a few weeks. (there are too many out there to link, but check NME, click here )

note: digital version on iTunes includes bonus concert release “Live At ?bel Gef?hrlich Club 2007, feat. Robbie Furze/The Big Pink on guitars”
Beatport version has all instrumentals for all DJs.

+++Click here for Hellish Vortex link to purchase limited edition physical copy :

+++Check out lead track “Control Drug” on Big Stereo

+++The Hellish Vortex in the studio right now:

Massive collaboration Nic Endo / Alec Empire and CX KIDTRONIK (DJ of Saul Williams and Kanye West!!!) http://www.myspace.com/cxkidtronik

+++Alec Empire collaborates with MOTOR!

http://www.myspace.com/motor66!

+++more news soon!+++

Visit EYHO all over the net for updates, audio files, pictures and videos:

EAT YOUR HEART OUT BLOG
FOLLOW ALEC EMPIRE ON TWITTER
ALEC EMPIRE
EAT YOUR HEART OUT website
NIC ENDO
MYSPACE
YOUTUBE
LAST.FM
DAILYMOTION
ATARI TEENAGE RIOT

make sure you subscribe to EYHO Blog! it’s free!

Alec Empire interviews new New York based producer Bad Brilliance!

click here for QUACKHEAD

Alec Empire:

“Bad Brilliance – you are from New York, Brooklyn. Were you born there ?
tell us about the city. How is it these days? Is the energy back? Story over
here in Berlin goes that New York and L.A. are the cities of the next decade
(while London and Berlin will be crossed of the map)….”

Bad Brilliance:

“I was born in Brazil, raised in Rio de Janeiro until I was 9. Now I live as a full time artist in New York, i hate offices and jobs.
New York has a lot of energy, it just isn’t where you would expect to find it.? In the summer it’s kind of explosive, but it’s also important to ask a cab driver where he likes to party and not just rely on whatever activities are targeted at young people.

As far as the cities of the next decade i think they already are facebook, twitter, pitchfork, you tube.

People are not living in a physical location anymore, they are living on the internet.? Someone in New York would have gone out to an event on a tuesday night ten years ago, but this year they have the option of sitting at home on the internet and working on their fame.? It’s somewhat dark.”

Bad Brilliance with Sophia Lamar

Alec:

“Is there a genre definition for your sound? Is that Hip Hop? Do you even
care about genre definitions these days?”

Bad Brilliance:

“According to me the genre of my music is Rap – more of the fast and dirty version of hip-hop.? Whenever you hear someone say that they are interested in HIP HOP over Rap because it has more integrity, that is the opposite of what I am going for.? I am interested in that sound accompanied with the least integrity.? Just the pure syrup.

I am also fascinated by Hyphy and other variations of rap/hip hop.? I think that genre’s have a place in the discussion of music because all of these obsessions have to be organized.? People have to be funneled into their obsessions with certain sounds.? It’s intense how there are extreme reactions for or against certain genres.? To me it’s like saying that you hate dinosaurs because they are too trendy.? It’s just a specie or creature with certain properties based on a previous creature.

At the same time, i think that the genre of POP is the most powerful and it’s intense how it changes and also amazing the effect that subgenres have on it.”

Alec:

“The image many Europeans get from the US is that all genres are very
divided and don’t really cross. Many wouldn’t never believe that a guy like
Andrew WK would appear on a track like “Quackhead”. Please describe your
scene.”

Bad Brilliance:

“The thing that everyone has to understand is that people are more complex than you would imagine.? I’m obsessed with rap, but when I hear Brazilian music from my childhood it makes me want to cry with joy and love.? If you feel like you have Andrew W.K. figured out based on his product then you would never know how excited he is about Baby Birdman, or Gucci Mane.? Genres are only divided in Middle Schools where music is an intense reality for the inexperienced.? That might also be the best time in someone’s life to enjoy music.? The strange thing about Hip Hop or Rap is that it has transcended it’s own genre by being a complete lifestyle, clothing, speech, if you are African American it’s impossible to avoid it.

click here for BB on YouTube
My scene… is me in the shower blasting HOT 97 every day before i get started with my work – I am often photographing fashion shoots and album artwork, that is how Andrew W.K. met me. You can roughly see my work at www.andrewstrasser.com .? It’s very heavy on the lighting.

There are also other artists that I work with, I do album art for Girl Talk, he is also obsessed with rap/hip hop, and when I go on tour with him to do stage visuals the tour bus is always blaring rap and hip hop.? Essentially it’s white people who are jealous of rap.”

Alec:

“Santos Party House – a new club…how is it? Are you playing there as
well? Andrew posted us the link….what do you think of the New York club
scene?”

Bad Brilliance:

“Santos Party House for me is a club and also a home. ? I can land form a flight and immediately head to Santos.? If it’s a friday night things can get very intense, I have seen P Diddy and Ciara there before, and my sister saw Busta’ Rhymes and LL Cool J.? Also you can totally run into Bjork or Thurston Moore on a Tuesday.? I designed the website for Santos, so it’s pretty easy for me to walk to the front of an extremely long line and get in.? Also in costume I have great success getting into the most exclusive clubs in New York – there might be someone in a suit begging to pay 10,000 G’s for bottle service and they will let Bad Brilliance float through the door.

The New York club scene is very exciting if you are visiting.? Otherwise it’s all about specific weeklies etc. There is an entire economy around weekly events in the gay world, I call it the Gay Economy, and I have sent you a design for that term that I created”

Alec:

“You mentioned to me via Twitter that one of your first shows was with
Digital Hardcore underdogs Ec8or years back. How was that? What did you
think of this sound back then?”

Bad Brilliance:

“I was obsessed with DHR in high school, I wanted to be on <20, and I made little songs here and there.? My favorite was Bomb 20.? I remember there were other people floating around that had a similar style, this one guy TRS-80 had? a website and the shit he did was amazing,? prank phone calls.? Anyone who tried to contact him got a very cruel treatment from him. He was not interested in scenes.? Also there was another guy Combat Drug.

There were many people that were circling around the DHR style and vibe, and it was one of the more intense times in my life, and it was all on the internet.? I remember installing a red light bulb in my room so i could live in a DHR music video that I had seen on AMP on mtv at 3 AM and my mother came crying and screaming to take it down.

When I was in Cleveland going to Art School, I found out that I could open for Ec8or at a strange place called Speak In Tongues, sort of a bombed out hole in the wall.? This was amazing news for me, it was like opening for the Smashing Pumpkins in my mind.? The other band that played was Black Dice, they saw my show.? It was just a fat little boy sitting behind a computer playing music that sounded like this http://www.imeem.com/badbrilliance/music/zWlJ-rjj/andriu-ill-never-forget-cherry-cherry-island/
It was a combination fo DHR and being completely bored in the American suburbs.? I was living in Poughkeepsie, NY at the time. It is a totally fucked place, very trailer park oriented.? The mall is a way of life, with coffee and grease stains on everything.”
click to watch pioneer duo Ec8or

Alec:

“How do you record your music? Is that a bedroom thing or what is going on?”

Bad Brilliance:

“I record most of my music on my laptop on my stomach laying in bed.? My goal is to have the most portable set up. I want to have an entire studio in a bag.? All I need is my laptop, soundcard and microphone and I can make radio hits if needed.? The only thing stopping me is my mind. “

click for BAD BANK

Alec:

“What’s the idea behind Bad Brilliance? On your website there are many
pictures showing you in your outfit harrassing people at the New York
Fashion week haha…Do you perform in these clothes? Do you walk around in
the street of Brooklyn like that? Do you ever get in trouble?”

Bad Brilliance:

” Bad Brilliance began as a reaction to my work in the field of New York society photography.? I was an underpaid worker labeling names on the photos of New York society people for a website, so that magazines could pick them up.? It was a wonderful time but at the same time I learned a lot about the business, it was a big McDonalds to me.? So I created a conceptual society person.? He has his name on his face so you know who he is.? That is the Bad Brilliance of it.

As soon as I began photographing myself I was flown out to Amsterdam, that’s when I knew I had created the ultimate socialite.? An evolution.? I was invited to fashion week once, but was not allowed to wear my costume. I was invited as Bad Brilliance and received a call to attend in normal clothing.? It was a Diesel runway show, I brought Andrew W.K. along to that and it was quite wonderful.? I get dragged about, one time I witnessed a porno shoot in my costume.? I took my little red wind up toy car and let it drive under the bed where people were boning.? Also I attend different society events. I am greeted with love and hate, some people are so excited and I am asked to take a photograph with someone every 30 seconds, otherwise someone comes up to me and whispers something very dark and hurtful into my costume.
I never get in trouble, but often I am escorted out of an event by the PR people and their goons.”

Alec:

“What are your next plans?”

Bad Brilliance:

“My next plans are to get the music rolling along.? I need to start recording seriously on microphone.? I have an EP planned out with Andrew W.K.’s Skyscraper Music Maker, and with his partnership with Cargo Records.? It will be 6 songs and the goal is get every moment of it to sound as heavy as possible.? I’m very excited to be working with Andrew, he is one of the most amazing people you will meet.

Aside from that I am working on doing a residency in Miami as Bad Brilliance.? Miami is a great place for my costume.? All the rappers live there or have summer homes there, and also the women are beautiful and I relate to any city that reminds me of Rio in it’s superficiality and beach culture.”

red carpet to nowhere is his upcoming ep on andrew wk’s record label

GET IT!

check out Bad Brilliance on Myspace!

official website! click here!

www.eyho-blog.com

]]> http://www.eyho-blog.com/2009/06/09/alec-empire-of-atari-teenage-riot-interviews-upcoming-new-york-producer-bad-brilliance/feed/ 8 http://www.eyho-blog.com/2009/05/28/revolution-patrick-wolfs-new-video-hardtimes-is-out/ http://www.eyho-blog.com/2009/05/28/revolution-patrick-wolfs-new-video-hardtimes-is-out/#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 11:03:27 +0000 phenomenonRZ22 http://www.eyho-blog.com/?p=2141 PATRICK WOLF’S NEW VIDEO “HARDTIMES” !

click here to watch

Patrick Wolf shot this one in New York just a couple of weeks ago. Very much influenced by cult movie Liquid Sky.

Liquid Sky Trailer click here to watch

This film has probably influenced more music for the past decade than any other film. From DJ Hell to Nic Endo. Samples turned up on many dance tracks. You can tell if someone doesn’t know this film, has not studied it…it separates the wolves from the sheep.

if flash player doesn’t show click here to watch

It’s great that Patrick just doesn’t go retro with his style (like most the others who wave the Liquid Sky flag), he reinvents it, creates completely new music… well done.

2009 is the year to bring back lyrics about issues like “revolution”. (while payments for corporate managers keep rising and musicians and workers lose their jobs)

support mp3 blogs like Big Stereo instead of Pirate Bay.

also make sure you check out new website of the Wolf

http://patrickwolf.com/

make sure you describe to EYHO Blog – it’s free

CLICK HERE ! ! ! !

check out live footage when Alec Empire & Nic Endo brought Patrick Wolf on stage for their London show May 1st! click here to watch
AND THEN THEY EVEN PLAY ATARI TEENAGE RIOT classic 1st time after 10 years!!! together!

click here & see Alec do the New World Order Jesus Christ Pose Crowd Surf::::: click here

www.eyho-blog.com

CLICK HERE FOR EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE!!!!!!

VAGABONDO 2009

Over 4 virtual stages will run a program on the magazine’s website www.artrocker.tv from May 25.

Artrocker magazine invited a selection of bands to a studio to create original recordings for the festival.

The sessions can be streamed or downloaded for one week. Ambient, Spoken Word, Noise and Experimental pieces are performed by participants like

New York’s Suicide, Alec Empire & Nic Endo, The Aliens , Art Brut, The Dandy Warhols, Everything Everything, Violet Violet, Televised Crimewave and others.

Artrocker Magazine is really pushing boundaries with this projects, forcing the artists to leave their comfort zones and express themselves in ways they’d normally not do!

MAKE SURE YOU TUNE IN!

www.eyho-blog.com

buy the print issue while it’s out!

www.eyho-blog.com

click to watch men

Dead Lazers
click to watch Kap Bambino

Major Lazer

Wave Machines – I Go I Go I Go
click here for wave machines

http://www.myspace.com/cxkidtronik

Krak!

ps: Alec says that new tourdates are up on www.alec-empire.com

www.eyho-blog.com

http://www.gigwise.com/reviews/live/50750/Friday-010509-Alec-Empire-Patrick-Wolf-@-The-Underworld-Camden

we are partying in Amsterdam tonight. having a great time. not these dumb drink yourself stupid so you forget times, it’s more like we met so many supporters again, people who really care…and after months of recording for films this just feels great!

on the way to here I read this German article about how “young people” don’t care about politics anymore and that whole blah. Well, I have seen the exact difference …and not only at our shows, the G20 rallys, Mayday…Heard “Chaostage” Berlin Premiere was sold out in minutes.

To the fifty year olds who try to analyze what’s happening: the new codes are different, they are more complex. A t-shirt doesn’t mean much if you don’t know the person who wears it. We are in disguise.

Will post more soon.

Never give up the fight,

Alec

www.eyho-blog.com

www.alec-empire.com
click here baby

last night we had a lot of fun on Blip. Here is the setlist. still sounds good today. I should DJ more bars again. like in the early days.

hung out with these musicians in Asia early 1996 and one of the guys sent me this link for this rare clip. We took over some party there. thought I post this.

can’t see player? click this

It’s like total Bass Terror. Fred Perry and Sham 69 look. This was breakcore…maybe…I don’t know. Thanks for all your emails about Kap Bambino interview. And yes, I’ll give Venetian Snares some files next week at Bang Face, maybe we create something together.

How anyone can cover Elvis in 2010 is a mystery to me. Obama is in charge. Have you noticed?

www.alec-empire.com

Alec: “Let’s not beat around the bush…you are our favorite “new” band. Every time we mention it to the German audience, they respond that they only know Ed Banger and Justice. Which is depressing. We feel that your are changing the perception of French music. How do you feel about music in France? Do you even associate yourself to what the media calls the “French music scene”?”

Caroline:” Thank you.

I don’t know what is French music scene, and sure they don’t know we exist too.
we don’t feel to be a part of a family or something…we just try to be and stay bastards in the middle of nowhere.

we dont run after a stamp.”

click here to watch

Alec: “ For those who cannot understand your lyrics. What are your songs about and why do you choose to express yourself this way?”

Caroline:” if you cant understand me, its cause of my strong French accent.
its not a way or a concept…but one thing is sure, I don’t wanna sing like a pop singer.
i prefer my voice was mixed in the music, cause the music is more important, I’m just another instrument in it.

On the new album i gonna put my lyrics for the first time.
All our songs speak about so many different things, my lyrics comes when we create a song,

each tracks give me different feelings, they are like weird poems,for example i speak about: Animals, Ghosts, stupid things, Blond Roses, Acid eyes, Mess in the ruins, Dead lazers, love, unpaid bills, regrets, Blue Screen…”

Alec: “ Your live performance seems to be a very important part of your concept. Do you feel you are able to capture this energy in your recordings? Can you quickly describe how you work on your music? How do you develop your songs?”

Caroline:” no concept.
in live, i just give the human warm side of Kap Bambino, I am the same in the life and Orion too, no theater, hate artschool concept,
i come from the street.
We recording music at home,with the same spontaneous energy of the stage…we do music everyday? (when we aren’t on tour)
we are both sick hyperactive,i hope you can feel this on our records.”

Alec: “ Tell us about your new single! Tell us about your new album! The single sounds a lot more powerful than your previous recordings! When was it recorded, where? What were your influences? It sounds like nothing else!”

Caroline:”? ACID EYES / RED SIGN single , be recording (like usual) at home in our bedroom between July 2008 until December 2008,
in the middle of plastic dinosaurs, pics of cats, real fat cat, dead beers, full ashtray, videos K7, guitars and zombies posters.
in this second album call “BLACKLIST”, we have try to push the limits of our quality sound, but we haven’t buy new stuff,the only thing we have do for the first time is a real mastering.
its a new inspiration, its a new evolution, its a very exciting time for us.
we were influenced by all things we have live in 2008, travels, friends, dead rats, crackers.
For the voice we have decide to stop to use crap effects,we have do this on 2 lp and one EP, and now just need new things for ourself.”

Alec: “ What is the future of electronic rock’n'roll if there is such a thing?”

Caroline:” Born and die.”

click here to watch
Alec: “ Our blog features a lot about films. Do you watch films? and if so, can you name your 5 favorite films? And tell us in one sentence for each one why you made the choice?”

Caroline:” Carnival of Souls – Herk Harvey’s

Aguirre der zone Gotter – Werner Herzog

Dupont La Joie – Yves Boisset

Mondo Cane – Gualtiero Jacopetti

Escape From New York – John Carpenter

and no comment.”

Alec: “ What is your opinion on drugs? Do you think they should be legal? Do you even care about that?”

Caroline:” We don’t do drugs.
its so easy.
we prefer keep open eyes on all.”

Alec: “ How do you define “underground”? Do you think it is important to be “underground”, to be a part of an underground scene? In our opinion underground music must be a threat to society, to the accepted norm. Underground always includes change and innovation? Please discuss!”

Caroline:” When we have created WWilko, or own label in 2001, the “underground” way was just the only road, cause at this period nobody care about our music and artists….and just independent distributors was up for deal our releases.
I’m not sure we have innovated something,
we have just try to release our shit, but for sure we aren’t in the “norm” ahahah
with Kap Bambino in 2003 we haven’t other choices to be underground, especially in France,at the start and maybe again now,they think we are fucking aliens…
we have put blood, arms, sweat, heart, smiles, energy, nerves, joy
go to the post office everyday…all that dedicate to this scene before 8 years,
just for do beautiful vinyls limited edition and promoting artists we like,
and take care to distribute in tiny best records shops in the world..
and you know what?
after all, i think now for me underground mean nothing special…sometimes i ask myself if this scene really exist?or if its a dream?
the most important thing for us, is people get into our music,and artist we promoted.
just try to exist in a simple way and stay wild.
we are in 2009 and its the future !
don’t wanna be a part of a tiny ghetto, underground or not, i don’t care about codes,
with this style of music, for sure we don’t take the risk to be one day in the mainstream industry.
or own revolution its in the music, is our? message,she need to travel with no limits.
i mean a lots of kids,and people around the world need to be involved by underground music artists scene,
and they dont have the money or possibility to buy vinyls,or found stuff in the middle of nowhere in Mexico or in South Africa for example…
just i wanna say,
thanks to the internet, they give us the most beautiful gift ever, the big chance to have a window open on the world.
Before Kap Bambino, Orion and me, never have the opportunity to travel…
we hope flying cars arrive soon,and we wanna go on the moon too.”

click here

Alec: “ Have you seen your music change people? Your audience? Your fans? What feedback do you usually get from them?”

Caroline:” euh i don t know….but sometimes They look very happy.”

Alec: “ I mean you know who we are so it’s probably no surprise to you that I see similarities to visionary German band Ec8or from back in the 90ties? Is that correct or am I completely wrong? In our opinion too many people did miss this band in the past. Do you think they should tour again?”

Caroline:” yes we know you,and have lots of respect for all your stuff
We really love EC8OR, Patric Catani and Gina D Orio are genius, and they are good friends of us too.
they are one of the first duet electronic in the 90′
i have missed them when i was teen,and discovered very late.
Patric Catani is a really really brilliant artist he have so many good side projects, Candy Hank, V.I.P,I’ll till,A*Class…
and Gina have an amazing voice, she’s beautiful.
Of course the world need to know better who they are..they are a lots of fans everywhere in the world.
for sure good people with good taste know already them.

we dont come from hardcore digital scene,
they are nothing sounds like this style in our Bambino music, i mean the drums or synths.
maybe just the energy can be compared ?
we come from Noise, pop, and rock, and put a lots of melody in our sound.
the set up with the laptop on stage,was just a good solution for travel easy.
we recording all tracks with real instruments, broken synths, guitar, drums, and digital keyboards.

you know the problem when your are a duet like us ( girl singer and a boy at the laptop ) journalist or people try to put you in family music….or do comparison with others duet every time.
I’m really happy and proud you compare us with EC8OR, ( but i cant see the link anyway) cause rest of time is really shitty bands.

Orion have start alone Kap Bambino in 2002, and actually dickheads think we are a copycat of Crystal Castle, ahhahah WTF!?
its the joy to be underground,
when your music start to come to the light,people think you are born yesterday…whatever!”

Alec: “ It looks like you release most of your songs on vinyl? Do you think it’s worth keeping vinyl as a format? Is there more to it than just get the songs out? ( I know simple question but so many people don’t get it)”

Caroline:” honestly its just cause we think vinyls are the best format ever !we heart this format for all reasons you know not sure actually is the best way for put the songs out…”

Alec: “ Apart from touring and touring and touring, what are your next plans? Where do you see yourself in the next decade (from 2010 onwards) ?”

Caroline:” Next plans are:
try to survive,
dont forget to kill the beast,
continued to do music every days,
work on a new record,
smoke cigarettes
and wait the death.”

click here to watch

Kap Bambino on myspace
check out the label website of wwilko

“THE WHOLE WORLD SEEMS TO BE ON A BAD DRUG”

Alec Empire , taken from Control Drug of SHIVERS

Hey!

It’s spring 2009! flowers start to grow…slowly but surely!

The Golden Foretaste of Heaven Film by Richard Wilhelmer went down like a storm at Los Angeles David Lynch screening “Engine Collision Fest” and Austria’s “Diagonale” Film Festival.
watch the trailer here

While Alec’s DJ Mix album “Rauschgold” for Staubgold Records gets great reviews (a small selection of online reviews which you might not come across that easily)
digitalisindustries.com
digitalmcd.com
thesilentballet.com
hairentertainment.com

ALEC AND NIC HAVE PRODUCED NEW RECORD CALLED “SHIVERS”, a 7 track mini album (estimated playing time over 30min though). Release Date May 8th.

tracklist

Control Drug

Shivers

Baby Skull

Vampire State

t.o.t.

If You Live Or Die (2009 version feat. Robbie Furze/Big Pink on guitars)

1000 Eyes (The Golden Foretaste of Heaven Film version 2009)

Note: iTunes will have a full concert as a bonus available. (more infos soon)

Watch first part of making of series. in these videos Alec is recording weird synths which will then later make it into the songs. He also gives a quick run down on what’s happening (the films etc.).

Click here to watch

Click here to watch interview

With “Shivers” and the 2009 tour “Past -Present- Future” the Hellish Vortex launches completely redesigned Alec Empire website.
www.alec-empire.com

Make sure you click through the history section. We think the website has been long overdue. It was about time that a site explains Empire’s spider web of productions and projects…. venom

Follow Alec on twitter http://twitter.com/ALEC_EMPIRE
Join Alec on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alec-Empire/10224966919
Alec’s myspace http://www.myspace.com/alecempire

DATES!!!!!

18th of April Bass Terror official release via iTunes, Beatport and over 60 other online music stores.

20th of April Patrick Wolf/Alec Empire collaboration hits stores. “Vultures” will be available as 7 inch vinyl and digital. Patrick Wolf – Vulture

Click here to watch

ALEC EMPIRE & NIC ENDO

THE PAST – THE PRESENT – THE FUTURE TOUR 2009

Presented by Sonic Seducer Magazine

30.04.2009 Vorselaar (B) – Edma

01.05.2009 London (GB) – The Underworld / get tickets here or here
02.05.2009 Manchester (GB) – Satan?s Hollow / get tickets here or here
03.05.2009 Glasgow (GB) – Ivory Blacks / get tickets here or here Or here
05.05.2009 Norwich (GB) – The Waterfront
06.05.2009 Amsterdam (NL) – Paradiso
07.05.2009 Hengelo (NL) – Metropool
08.05.2009 Reutlingen – franz.K
09.05.2009 Jena – Kassablanca
23.10.2009 Berlin – K17
24.10.2009 Cottbus – Gladhouse / get tickets here
28.10.2009 Linz (A) – Stadtwerkstatt
29.10.2009 Wien (A) – Szene
30.10.2009 Ingolstadt – Paradox / get tickets here
31.10.2009 Leipzig – Lagerhof / get tickets here
more dates added soon.

What else is hot right now?
Alec Empire remixing next Patrick Wolf single “Hard Times”.
Nic Endo officially writing music for David Mack’s Kabuki. (more news soon!)

Film Chaostage (with Alec’s music) starts in German cinemas this month.
click here for full list of showtimes and locations!

DIGITAL HARDCORE UK OPENS FULL ON WEBSTORE!

You requested Flac? You got it!

Make sure you check out completely new digital store at Digital Hardcore Recordings UK
http://digitalhardcore.greedbag.com/
It’s ALL up there.

Support independent artists you like, don’t support hypocrites like Pirate Bay who make millions of advertising and who are financed by right wing business men (to then point the finger at their own users in court, claiming that they do the crime. not cool! Liars!).

Click here to watch

We hope to see you at the shows or parties! Keep thinking about news ways to think! Stay awake!

Best wishes from Berlin,

EYHO Team

www.eyho-blog.com

Visit The Hellish Vortex store : many rare items up for sale this month

This morning I woke up and finished my first piano ballad which will make it onto new release “Shivers” out in May! Life is different now. Another track I have done for it is called “Baby Skulls” and it’s perhaps one of the most direct political songs I have ever written…

awesome review of Alec Empire Staubgold DJ Mix album click here

thanks for all your amazing feedback on the Patrick Wolf collaboration. “Vultures” is a blast and we had a great time recording it. Yes, that bassline is a Minimoog through a Metasonix pedal…some of you guessed right! and yes, live or played over a big soundsystem it shines in its true evil

Got the files for another track of him called “Hard Times” and I’ll remix it in the coming days. We’ll send out a long newsletter before the weekend.

By the way I wear sunglasses to block out all the bullshit which is thrown at us every day…not to block out the sun (I live at night anyway)…

everybody wants to sell you stuff, cheaper and cheaper. This hassle is the real nightmare of the crisis.

Sometimes when I attend some family dinner or something and a relative brought some banker friend asshole and then there is always this recurring discussion about why I have the political opinion that I have, then I can only say to that standard phrase “oh but Alec, communism has killed so many people”, well the capitalists have been so busy lately killing people and destroying lives and careers, that you can only keep sunglasses on…like a rebel, age 15…

and then get the f*+* out of there as fast as you can…some of these people think they have got it all figured out….thank satan that these things are only once a year, and I always try to play shows then….

(Photo was taken by Nic Endo, part of a series…) – we’ll post a few videos soon…documenting the recording of the new record.

And before I forget , the setlist for the May shows is not completed yet…so comment & mention your favorite songs (Alec & ATR).

how anyone could have Dizzee Rascal on their stereo after that more than stupid Obama comment on BBC is beyond my understanding…(Dizzee, just take that salty eel out of your mouth… )

when you visit the new website www.alec-empire.com , make sure you actually click on many of the buttons…there are loads of little things…infos, videos, tracks, pics…. more will follow…

got to back to recording….

make sure you don’t let anyone live rent free in your head!

later,

Alec

www.alec-empire.com
www.eyho-blog.com

we just can’t help it… when the first wave is over, and most people left the boat, we get so into it…. in between….like you put your hand into ice cold water and then into steaming hot water…and then back again… until you feel nothing…

watch out….in the next days we reveal new Alec Empire release…track listing , artwork…everything… that Patrick Wolf song is hot…people love it… Empire producing beats for Big Pink right now… Nic Endo…

www.alec-empire.com