Friday, March 30, 2012

Review - Mimikry at Debaser Slussen 29/3 12

A History lesson
To understand Mimikry to its full potential, one need to take a look at the area where they come from, or at least the people from there. And for that you need to learn a bit about Swedish medieval history. Where the province of Dalarna played an important part. It was from that province the resistance that freed Sweden from the occupying Danes in 1521-23 started. Once in a while the Dalarna came up with riots and were a political force in Swedish history back in the days. It’s an area with a great integrity and where tradition is strong. And that can be spotted all over the country, where the icehockey team Leksand* rarely play any away games because there are always a big crowd everywhere for them, especially in Stockholm. And the province is also known for its proud tradition of hard rock music. Sator, Sky high, the Hives and Mando Diao is a few of the bands from that area. And of course Mimikry.


The Crowd 

Mimikry wan´t alone from Dalarna gigging this Thursday night, The Hives also played at Kafe´44 . Possible that made the crowd a bit less populated than it could be. But there was people enough to make some noise. And these people were obvious Mimikry fans. They knew the lyrics and sung along though the concert. The crowd response, power up the band with a lot of energy, that then Mimikry pour back on the crowd.


The Sound 

As an established rock stage Debaser, Slussen have a competent sound for most band playing there. So the sound is over all good. Mia´s firm bass, Heavy´s tight drums and Åsberg and Anders guitars are tight and well sounding. It is punk but with a bit space for rock n roll as well.     

The Band and the Concert

Their decents from Dalarna is heard in Mimikrys music. They borrow some from the areas folkmusic that give them an unique sound even in the trall punk genre. But I´m not too impressed by that folksy stuff. In its worst moments they sound a bit like Nordman, when they are at their best I think they can challenge Bad Religion. But this particular thursday night there are a crowd willing to chant along in the chorus so it’s a bit of Sham 69 in it as well. The singer Hjalle is charismatic and got the crowd in a firm grip from the beginning. He never loses that grip. The singer with his stage diving, crowd surfing and the crowds rised fists is a “grand spectacle”. There is a connection and a bond between the band and the crowd that is notable. And in that, the singer introduce the new songs in a smart way to get them to pay attention to those new tunes as well. Any concertgoer know what that during those “new” songs people head off to the bathroom, hits the bar for a refill or phone mum or whatever. Not tonight. The crowd seems familiar with the new ones as well.

Finally
I can´t help myself thinking, that it would be fun to see how they should respond to a more neutral crowd. One they have to conquer. But overall it was a good concert well worth its entrance fee, 140 SKr (14 Euros). The songs ringed in my ears for a long time after, not because it was to high in decibels but that the tunes were catchy enough to stay in my head. Mimikry from the province of Dalarna is her for the throne and possible to de-throne The Hives as the Dalarnas finest.



*Lirarnas lag from the “Uppsamlingsheatet”CD is a tribute song to Leksands icehockey team.  

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Ongoing Video Project - "Punk´s not dead" theme.

Ligisterna on stage 2011

I was invited or challenged (depends on how one look at it) by this young american media student, a punk rocker at the site Punkrockers.com to do a short video on the subject Punks Not Dead vs. Punk´s Dead.
An ever ongoing discussion. Punk hadn´t really started for real when I first heard it back in the days. So I decided to take a look on the subject. After scanning the swedish punkscene for a band to follow, my choise fell on Ligisterna, a realtive new band, but still with the right classic punk vibe to it. Also legends in the swedish punk scenes will appear along with new faces. But punk to me is a very global thing so I will try to get the international happenings right now as well.


Happy, Drummer in legendary Incest Brothers and Köttgrottorna as well as in KSMB for a while.


So this spring and summer I will be documenting venues, concerts and do intervjus. You might be the next one I film?

This blog is pretty much a result of that documentation.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Support Aceh Calling!

You might read about it a few month ago in the papers. About the Indonesian punks that got their rights violated.
This is our way to respond and help out. Listen, spread the word, download, and send money  to support.

Read more and listen to the compilation by clicking the banner.



The Following text is from Mike Virus taken from Punk Aid homepage

Why This Compilation Exists

Banda Aceh, Indonesia  is a strict Islamic Shariah region. Punks are forced to have their heads shaved, are forced to pray, clothes burned,  detained (64 were detained), and forced into “re-education” camps. Deputy mayor Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal proudly claims that she personally supervised police raids in cafes and city parks. Djamal also has been quoted as saying “Punk is a new social disease” and also has been quoted as saying “Aceh is a Shariah region. Everyone should obey it and the punk community is clearly against Shariah”. These people are being jailed for being punk. They have not been charged with any crime. On Tuesday December 13, 2011 police took the 64 detainees to the Aceh State Police Camp and shaved their mohawks and dyed hair off and forced them into a lake. Punk is a worldwide movement, and this is our lifestyle. This is our culture. We are proud to be punks and we stick together.

This compilation is a necessity. This compilation is a message to the world that we demand
freedom and will not live in fear or ever change our lifestyle for anyone.
This compilation is also a message to the world that punk music is about a lot more than
drinking beer and partying. It is a way of life that is ingrained in the hearts and minds of all who decide
to be a part of it.

This compilation is an act of love - The love of punk rock and human rights. The minute I heard what was happening I knew something needed to be done. I just posted to the wall of my personal FaceBook page about what was happening in Banda Aceh and that I wanted to put together an international compilation to help raise money for the Aceh punks. Within a couple of hours I already had over 40 bands confirm that they wanted to submit a track to the compilation. In less than a week from the time of that original post I had 84 confirmed bands. Out of the 84 confirmed bands 73 actually submitted tracks.

When it comes to this compilation we really need people to help get the word out. Make posters. post online, set up benefit shows to help us get the CD version made. Get involved. This is OUR scene. This is a global effort. If you are a punk rocker then this is the time to stand up for your lifestyle. FROM THE PUNK SCENE TO THE PUNKS OF BANDA ACEH.

- Michael Rothstein “Mike Virus”
info@evacuaterecords.com

Monday, March 26, 2012

Räva (Rats)


On cortege up to "Studenternas", the Arena




Yesterdays bandy final between Sandvikens AIK and Villa-Lidköping BK ended up in a dissapointment.
For Villa who played its first final in 29years, the third in all, this was a special event. The Party and Joy before the game will stay with me for a long time. As a Villa fan since childhood it was something special. Sandvikens AIK who have played 18 finals and won 8 of them didnt even look glad after their victory. Possible did the best team win, but we, both the crowd and players did give them a hard time.

 





 

Notable Upcoming Punk Gigs in Sweden 2012

updated 25/11 -12


29/11 at Stampen, Sthlm 20:00   Ligisterna, the Krooked  (Apoteket Apan)

30/11 at Kafe 44, Sthlm, 19:00   Oi! night wuth Agent Bulldog, Antipati, Psykbryt  (Gatans Musik)

1/12 at Fryshuset Sthlm,  19:00  Troublemakers, Attentat, Alonzo & Fas 3, Bitch Boys, The Bristles (Gatans Musik)

15/12 at Henriksbergs Takterass, Gothenburg, 20:00  Civil Olydnad, Finnegan´s Hell, Ligisterna (Klubb Showdown)


Picture borrowed from TMs webpage to illustrate what to expect.




Pretty Shitty Kjell 3, Oi! the Event festival

Upcoming event in Stockholm.


As many said about it, its a hell of a line up.

The event is sold out, so I wont be there, was a bit slow this time.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Fucking Kiss Me! - Punk as Fetish





On my blog Fucking Kiss Me and the Photo Book with the same name I try to catch punk as a fetish. So many photographers have made photobooks and exhibitions about leather, rubber, pvc, nylon fetish etc. Sometimes there are punk into it, mostly not. With the Fucking Kiss Me! (The Punk Rock Edition) Book I put the Punk rock girls, the punkettes and a few guys as well as the fetish. 





Punk + Art = Trouble in Wonderland



In the beginning of the Punk era (70ies Early 80ies) there was a stronger conection beteween art and punk than today. As they more or less drifted apart during the eighties and nineties the conection were not as tight it used to be.
Im an artist myself and into punk, or a punk thats into art. And most artist I know have its roots in punk, whether they are international aclaimed art stars och just struggle on the local gallery circuit.

But there are people out there making their marks on the mix between the two. Art or blogs about art.

One blog that is worth whatching if you are into both things is Jeff Blind´s Trouble in Wonderland.



Sham 69 in China Doku - This band is so gergeous

Punk docu shown at Swedish television March 2012
Punk i Kina (original title; This Band Is So Goregeous)
Directed by Dunstan Bruce
Topic; Sham 69 tour in China

Quote
“Some people said that Sham 69, your band is the most real punk band back in England at that time and just now” 
Said on Chinese radio.



"We got this Email it said, Hello Sham 69 wow it´s so famous punk band. Chinese punk scene so young…"..So starts the punk documentary About Sham 69 tour and punk in China.
An E-mail from a Chinese punk rocker to the old farts of the British punk, Sham 69, was the starting point of the Sham 69s Chinese tour. The mail written in an even more poor English than I can produce was the starting point of the tour and the documentary of the tour.
Back in the early eighties there was all this mystique around the band sham 69. The band was formed in 1976 which makes them one of the first wave of punk bands. Personal problems made them change their line ups. The Most classic line ups is the 1977 line up with Jimmy Pursey (vocals), Dave Parsons (guitar), Dave Tregunna (bass), Mark Cain (drums). . From that line up the guitarist Dave Parsons is still holding the Sham 69 banner high during the tour. In this docu they explain a bit why sham 69 didn’t reach the sky like Sex Pistols and The Clash did. However sham
69 was as influential as their more successful peers. It have been said that Sham was the main role model for the Oi! Genre in the early 1980ies with its football crowd (soccer) chants. Songs like “If the Kids are United”, “Borstal Breakout” have been covered by thousands of bands all over the globe. Even I have played “If the Kids are united” onstage. 

The film covers three main themes. The ever ongoing tension within the band, The oppressed youth of China are in a struggle with a punk scene with its Asian urge to be real punks and the international brotherhood and bonding among punks. 
The old and grumpy old geezers of Sham69, possibly accused of being in mid life crisis meeting an audience that’s in the same position as they were them self 30+ years ago, In a state of rebellion against the boredom the conform society pushed upon us. It affects the band as they don’t compromise with their ideals. The problem is that its obvious that Sham 69s ideals are not to obvious within the band.  As a viewer I can´t decide if the band is behaving like a bunch of over aged brats or if they are right about their deeds. And of course, being abroad with something as British as Sham 69, in a world that been closed to the western society so long can´t be an easy task. The docu´s most sympathetic character is Ray, The tour manager, promoter and singer in the band NoName. He seems to be so jolly taking the Sham 69 on tour that he hardly seems to give a fuck about the beer bellied and thin haired brats whining about this and that. Without him it propably wouldn’t being possible,.  
A short (to short) glimpse on the Chinese punk scene, is great. The paranoia within that society are always there so I guess its hard to get to close.
Misandaos singer are there, one of the Chinese Oi! Bands I´m familiar with.. Those scenes are a bit touching. The young Chinese punker telling that Sham are great even if they are at his grand parents age.
   

The film itself lacks something. Because its obvious that something have happened inside the band during the tour, And that isn’t fully shown in the documentary.. 
As a filmmaker I suffer with the man behind the camera, because the tension within the band must been awful to experience.
Still I was touched by the film. Because its about humans with it fragility and faults, more than a look at rock stars or a punk rock clichés. It left me with a feeling that experienced something. And that can´t be wrong. 

But the real interesting thing happened after the film. Today we have two Sham 69. The Official which is pretty much the guys in the docu. Minus Dave Persons where the original Guitarist Neil Harris taken his place, and the Classic line up that call themself the Original Sham 69. Weird but interesting.

BTW take your time listen to Demerit, an excellent Chinese punk band well worth listen to.

Official Sham 69 (the one in the movie)
Original Sham 69 ( the classic lineup)
NoName at Myspace
This band is so Gorgeous Official siite
You tube
Misandao
Demerit


Saturday, March 24, 2012

Review - Ligisterna, the Dräpers and Sucks 2BU at Broder Tuck 24/3 -12

A review by Punk Eriksson and one of his brothers, the Metal Head Lars.
at Broder Tuck at Sodermalm, Stockholm Sweden.
Punk Erikssons mood = Good.

Ligisterna On Stage

Broder Tuck is a English style of Pub and restaurant in the still not so fansy and Hipsterfied Soder in the Stockholm inner city. Most notably for its Outlaw bikers killings, execution style that once in a while take part there. Last night there wasnt any sign of a shoot out. Infact it was pretty sparse with guests on the street level. In the basement where they squeezed in a stage there are Punk, Metal and Garage Rock clubs taking turn doing gigs. Last nights club host was Club Dislocated.

The Crowd?   **
Not to many but not to few as well. The Moshpit factor wasnt to high. No wreckless pogoing and moshing as can been seen at some punk venues. My youngest Brother point out that if a band get the audience to move as much as an eyelash they should be proud. Stockholm have during my 25 years here always been a stiff place. So no shadow over the bands efforts.

The sound? *
It sucks, the brick or stone in the basements walls and cieling makes the sound just loud and gained with no really punch in it.



First band up was the relative new band It Sucks 2BU.  

http://www.myspace.com/suckstobu
A peculiar mix of skate, street, oi and whatever and thats possible that is the problem. The many directions the band seems to move in dont apeal to me. what I like with them is the rock feeling in theirpunk, they just dont go for the speed record, they have actually some good songs. They sounds like competent band with some fine tunes. And over all they seem to be a new and comming band.



The Dräpers  

http://www.draeperz.se/

The Dräpers is from the city of Västerås. A hard labour city an one hour train ride from Stockholm. Västerås is a smaller city with big city problems. And that will be heard in the Dräpers music. Its faster and harder then the first band. And very tight. Both on record and live they dont slow down in their Aska Kask kind of punk. My brother point out that he could wish for a bit more attitude from both those first band. -Dont be such nice lads on stage, is his point. And if not so, at least be a bit funny. All that would the last band come up with.


         Pure joy makes people take part in the show

Ligisterna (means The Thugs)  

http://www.myspace.com/ligisterna

When I first came across Ligistern I was struck. It was like I was 17 again listen to Ebba Grön. Swedish lyrics with a lot of political rage. With songs like "Mata asen med bly" (Feed the scumbags with led), Vilket jävla skitliv (What a fucking shit life) and comments about the current situation for worked out unemployed workers in the tune SAAB, puts them in the same genre as Ebba Grön and Incest Brothers back in the days, but with a modern touch. This band is by no way nostalgic, they are where there are right now, singing about getting to drunk and messed up. And its not posed that I can say for sure, because they are far from sober onstage which show in their speak between the songs.
With drunken ramble about "Piss Minor Chords" and the bass guitar neck up their asses makes me, them and the rest of the audience laugh. They are funny, they are whitty and they are angry. My brother point out that it sucks that they play in a place like this. They deseve at least a 1500 people crowd he told me. Im pleased that I dont have to be packed in with so much people to see something good like this. In my opinon Ligisterna played their best gig so far, of what I seen. A punk festival in Falköping and as support act to Hudson Falcons in Gothenburg will follow for Ligisterna.


As ususal after punk gig people mix and get along in a brotherly and sisterly manner. Bands and Audience get along in an easy manner. People from all over Sweden and Germany. A fun night worth its 100 SKr (10 Euros) in entrance fee.