#eurocks

[ammonitetestpatterns]

back of the sixteenth issue of eurock magazine, created by archie patterson, 1980.

[agiantmonster]

2/19

[cryingoflot49]

Book Review

Eurock: European Rock & the Second Culture

edited by Archie Patterson

By 1970, psychedelic music had begun to fade in popularity in America and the U.K. At the same time, there was a small scene of musicians in Germany that began experimenting with rock styles that started where psychedelia and acid rock left off. The British press condescendingly labeled this scene “krautrock”. The influence of bands like Tangerine Dream, Can, Amon Duul II, Kraftwerk, Neu, Faust, and others spread throughout continental Europe and soon bands like Magma and Heldon formed in France. Krautrock would later merge with progressive or prog rock, space rock, cosmic music, fusion, and a whole bunch of other genres. Little of this music was known in America, but one man named Archie Patterson fell deeply in love with it and so formed a fanzine named Eurock to promote it in the underground American music market. His attempt at bringing this wide-ranging music to the narrow minds of American people largely failed and yet his journal lasted until 2002. In Eurock: European Rock and the Second Culture, Patterson provides us with articles from the thirty year lifespan of his underground music journalism. It is a treasure trove of archival information for people who either love this kind of rock or for people who are familiar with it but want to explore it on a wider and deeper level.

The initial articles are not easy to read. Patterson and others attempt to put into words what they hear on some of the pioneering krautrock records. The descriptiveness is neither clear nor accurate. If you read one of these essays and then listen to the music being described it is difficult to find any connection between the two. It is possible to write prose or poetry that sounds musical, just try James Joyce or Jack Kerouac as examples, but using words to described music is entirely impossible. Frank Zappa famously said about rock journalists, “You can’t write about music for the same reason you can’t dance about architecture.” Had Patterson and crew continued on in this vein, I would have given up on this book half way through or maybe even sooner.

The writers at Eurock saw the light though. They ditched their futile attempts at achieving the impossible and took the fanzine in another direction. From then on, their articles consisted of band biographies, scene reports, interviews, and essays on music theory. The scope also expands to a more global perspective. From Germany and France, they begin covering bands from all across Europe and eventually touching on musical projects out of Japan and Latin America. Many of these bands are included in the Nurse With Wound List; if you don’t know what that is, look it up. While the intended purpose of Eurock is to bring international underground music to the attention of American listeners, some American and British bands do get attention when they are radical or experimental enough. Brief articles on bands like Chrome, the Legendary Pink Dots, Lemon Kittens, and Nocturnal Emissions are included although the harsher sounds of post punk and industrial music are only mentioned briefly. Some interesting reoccurring themes are the ongoing struggles of the legally persecuted Plastic People Of the Universe in communist Czechoslovakia, the Rock in Opposition movement and festivals, the Leftist /utopian political visions of the musicians, the way in which the introduction of cassette tapes made it possible for non-commercial musicians to record and distribute their works, and ways in which changing technology affected the production of underground music particularly in relation to synthesizer and moog oriented electronic music.

This anthology also gives a broad overview of the trajectory of this kind of music. By the 1980s, krautrock and prog rock had reached their peak and these journalists struggle to find new bands and scenes to report on. There are a lot more interviews with old guard musicians like Klaus Schulze and Richard Pinhas. Some of them go quite in depth and retrospectively reveal a lot about the history of their careers. On the downside, more and more articles are included about new age musicians which tend to be just as bland and vapid as the music that these artists made. In the chapters from the mid-1980s and 1990s, you begin to see that Patterson’s vision of futuristic and creative rock music has become less and less relevant in the horrid Reagan/Thatcher era. However, in terms of interviews and writing, the passages from 2000 to 2002 are some of the most well-written ones in the whole book.

Not all of the bands covered in Eurock are good. Some have definitely not stood the test of time. The articles also vary in quality, ranging from creative and mind-expanding to vague, confusing, and sometimes shallow. But this big long book stays interesting most of the time. Some of the best writing comes from interviews with musicians I have never heard of who inspired me to go out and look up their music. The best articles have also done a lot to enhance my understanding of the underground music scene in Europe and the importance of non-commercial music in a world dominated by excessive media coercion and corporate control over art and entertainment. Some of us are just hungry for alternative visions of the world when the society of consumerism and mass-conformity have us surrounded on all sides. These experimental musicians are like islands of sanity in a world gone to hell, where most people insist on marching in lockstep with all the others on the road to brain death. These musicians are saying, “Look, there are other possibilities, other modes of existence that may be more meaningful and exciting so try it out and see what it’s like.”

As a document and archive, Eurock is an outstanding book that provides a detailed overview of a musical scene that is destined for obscurity. It is niche literature for one of the most specific niches you can imagine. Not all of the writing is great, but most of it is good enough and when the writing is strong it really shines. The honesty and dedication of Archie Patterson’s lifelong project ring true loud and clear. If Patterson and the bands represented in this volume never get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, at least we have Eurock to remind us what cross-current and counter-cultural possibilities lie outside the mainstream.

[clhook]

Je vis dans la région du festival des eurockéennes et chaque année en voyant la progammation je dis "purée trop nulle la prog des eurocks cette année 🙄" comme si j'envisageais vraiment de foutre les pieds dans un endroit boueux plein de moustiques avec une foule énorme et de la musique à plein volume càd : ma vision de l'enfer sur terre

[jungheeseo]

DOCUMENTARY FILM . 16/9 . 17MIN17. COLOR/B&W . STEREO

SYNOPSIS The film is about old women divers in Jeju Island of Korea, who keep their unique manual way of working from their very young ages. These women who, are disappearing due to social and environmental reasons, somehow testify to the basic energy of life and of human beings itself. The film follows their daily routine, traced by their movements, their voices, their breathing, and their force on living.

TECHNICAL CREDITS HD . 16/9 . 17min17 . Color/B&W . Stereo Preview format: digital file (h.264, mp4, mov) Screening format: digital file (prores444), DVD

ARTISTIC CREDITS Director : Jung Hee Biann Seo Camera: Jung Hee Biann Seo, Jean Julien Pous Editing: Jung Hee Biann Seo Coordination: Soo Young Song Local coordination: Mi Hyun Ryu With Participation (Women divers): Mi-Hyun Ryu, Suk-Ja Kang, Moo-Ok Kang, Gyeon-Ja Gong, Song-Han Ko, Chun-Ja Kim Cooperation/financial support: [Gyung-gi Culture Center] 1116-1 Ingyedong 16473 Suwon, South Korea

AWARD Award OF EUROCKS. Belfort international film festival, Belfort, France

[seojunghee]

DOCUMENTARY FILM . 16/9 . 17MIN17. COLOR/B&W . STEREO

SYNOPSIS The film is about old women divers in Jeju Island of Korea, who keep their unique manual way of working from their very young ages. These women who, are disappearing due to social and environmental reasons, somehow testify to the basic energy of life and of human beings itself. The film follows their daily routine, traced by their movements, their voices, their breathing, and their force on living.

TECHNICAL CREDITS HD . 16/9 . 17min17 . Color/B&W . Stereo Preview format: digital file (h.264, mp4, mov) Screening format: digital file (prores444), DVD

ARTISTIC CREDITS Director : Jung Hee Biann Seo Camera: Jung Hee Biann Seo, Jean Julien Pous Editing: Jung Hee Biann Seo Coordination: Soo Young Song Local coordination: Mi Hyun Ryu With Participation (Women divers): Mi-Hyun Ryu, Suk-Ja Kang, Moo-Ok Kang, Gyeon-Ja Gong, Song-Han Ko, Chun-Ja Kim Cooperation/financial support: [Gyung-gi Culture Center] 1116-1 Ingyedong 16473 Suwon, South Korea

AWARD Award OF EUROCKS. Belfort international film festival, Belfort, France

[444names]

Names generated from musical styles/genres and instruments.

Acel Acid Acks Acore Afre Afres Afrock Aljano Alrobion Alsal Ambard Amelamic Amelly Anat Anclads Ardcore Ardcounk Audgarte Auter...

Balsamal Banatone Bancemet Bard Bare Barimpop Barkcolk Basblues Bassiva Basslind Bassouse Beatic Bigiolk Bill Billasse Billy Bioneock Bitch Blud Blue Boares Bony Boxier Brapunk Bres Brisepop Britteco Brock Brockst Brohonce Bubaltz Bubster Bubtroco Buge Bulblue Bullodio Bune Buse Busic Busive Calsad Calte Carder Cardiep Cehiphon Cele Celevat Celistic Chal Chap Chapal Charance Chardcon Chare Charial Charock Cher Cherga Chern Chhopop Chhounk Chica Chicarom Chiphon Chiphop Chno Choroid Choustry Chrinic Chto Chtop Chumkind Clad Clads Clambal Clap Clardco Classive Colk Conicpop Corcolk Corep Cores Corlgrum Coul Couljazz Couse Coustep Crass Crock Crolk Cronjazz Crum Dang Dange Danharp Dano Danpop Danues Darga Darial Darnglop Darommet Dead Deaku Deerock Dele Dellwave Delo Demetal Denic Denstrap Derolk Derotop Derp Detalhop Dical Dicanta Diefuse Diemuse Dienbern Dienic Dighet Dirind Dism Dock Dojazz Drogreat Dronics Drumba Drunk Duba Duse Duses Dustick Dustrog Eathrise Elaca Elad Eleass Elech Elecolk Elegga Elegre Elhare Elhop Ellacid Eltino Eltz Emet Emetal Eupe Euphount Eurbal Eurfbal Eurock Eurogre Eurogrum Expetall Find Findism Flue Flues Flutepop Flutiolk Foldwam Folkmet Folkres Froca Frockent Frogrog Fuse Gardhop Garkwave Giolk Glectry Glepung Goretal Gregga Grem Gristica Grobieta Gromba Gron Grungae Guid Guise Gypsoul Gypunk Hace Hack Haco Halrody Hamassic Haming Handusic Hano Hantal Hanuess Hara Harang Hard Hards Hares Harock Harsno Hedic Herock Hillounk Hindmet Hipe Honce Honet Hophoul Houl Housical Imance Imba Imenimal Imetal Improck Ince Incehic Indmuse Indock Indub Inge Ingep Inglic Ingstga Inic Inpop Insco Irldmuse Jitfunk Jitton Jronine Junk Kent Kentry Keyblues Kpopop Kpunce Kpunk Lamba Lambio Lassic Lathme Lick Linduse Lore Louder Manoise Mare Markwal Memo Mencern Meta Metable Metal Metalla Mete Mial Mibal Mibass Mind Ming Mingle Mingspe Minic Minicba Modbeat Monijazz Muffing Music Mustep Neock Neop Nerock Netblues Nethcorp Noidhop None Obble Pacele Pacise Pance Panfol Piangem Piphonic Piphop Piphoul Piphounk Plichop Plife Plincla Popop Popsal Porrage Posoul Postive Postrial Postry Powees Power Powern Powerna Powery Powes Praise Prock Prog Progre Prom Prop Psic Psofolk Psych Psyjazz Punk Punkco Quards Raku Rass Reaku Reedcore Reepowes Rehilly Restent Rhounkme Roca Rocapso Ronica Roval Sady Saefunk Salsar Saly Samet Samush Sare Sarto Satife Saxopop Saxopunk Skabion Skaphone Slife Slud Smootop Smuffine Soud Sounk Souphop Souse Sousica Soustep Sout Southcop Spago Spante Speempet Spees Spern Sperock Spetal Spiem Spiphoul Stent Stial Stiana Stive Stpunk Stre Stritial Strock Sunkrova Surfba Surock Surolk Swamind Swava Swave Swinimet Sych Sycoreep Sycounk Syjazz Symn Symphoul Synt Tetal Texass Therock Thgress Thpop Traggar Trine Trobeba Trock Turfpop Turfre Unkca Urogra Vahordub Vance Vathcore Vaudga Vaudge Violk Viom Vock Voclamin Wobblue Wobead Woolk Woomuse Wootepop Wore Wores Wormuse Worn Worrock Yode Yody

[pagingdrmusic]

Eurock Articles: The Year... 1980 pt 2 by AlexRichardon

[ammonitetestpatterns]

the first and fifth track, produced by shimizu akemi and kumio kurachi respectively, from green tape, released on caligari records around 1982. 5時のサイレン was also featured, alongside a few other tracks from green tape in identical track order, on red tape, released by caligari in 1984 with a far broader pool of contributors, ranging from DD. records regulars koshirou yoshimatsu and takafumi isotani, to takeshi kanno, sympathy nervous, and hanatarash. there is a certain gauzy folk sensibility imprinted especially throughout the first half of the cassette, that i find so keen. only on red tape have i heard the shakuhachi placed in the rattling echo bed of the stylistic signatures blooming from the constraints and allowances of the technological paradigm that hued the early eighties japanese underground tape/flexi lexis in xerox faded dreams, if justice can even be given in such generalizing classification! archie patterson of eurock would locate this palette of expression in an international continuum, relating it to parallel german and english developments like lutz berger and werner pieper's label transmitter, dependent on the tape trading/mail network that set the backbone of this culture, an other world that would decline by the end of the nineties.

[tourneurfreezermanagement]

Et j’ai crié : ALLIVM !!!

Une nouvelle artiste vient de rejoindre le pôle Management de Tourneur-Freezer, ALLIVM. Engagée, dynamique, teintée de pop, de rock et d’influences urbaines, nous préparons avec Allivm la pré-sélection du printemps de Bourges, avec une résidence à la salle de la SOURIS VERTE à Épinal, un concert à l’AUTRE CANAL de Nancy, et de nombreux projets en préparation ! http://tourneur.freezer.free.fr/allivm.html

[sugarinabowl]

Pourquoi tu veux mettre des étoiles (quand y'a les lumières des Eurockéennes) ?

[artliteram]

Locuri din #București prin care nu călcasem, partea a doua #HardRockCafeBucharest #HardRock #HardRockCafe #Bucharest #drums #notcandles #clubbing #EUrocks #May9 #pixel2xl #nofilter https://www.instagram.com/p/BxdkUHtIwR4/?igshid=1heimhxm5o8si

[plaidpastaandlove-blog]

Mes premières Eurockéennes !

Fauve en live c'est une tuerie. Bordel, faut vivre ça au moins une fois dans sa vie. Crier les maux de millions de personnes, chanter en cœur sur des musiques qui nous touchent. C'était magique, c'était Fauve aux Eurockéennes !

[rgvideo]

[dustedmagazine]

Tim Story — Threads (Dais)

Tim Story made Threads at the dawn of the 1980s, alone, in a basement apartment in Ohio, experimenting with a Tascam 4-track reel to reel recorder, a piano, a junk shop vibraphone, a PAiA synth constructed from a kit, a guitar and a Yamaha CS-30. There he recorded these eerie, luminous tracks, where surging surfs of low-end synth sound roil under music box melodies of pristine clarity, where church organ solemnity coincides with soft, slow arpeggios sustained so that after tones shimmer with almost as much solidity as the main notes. Within a few years, Story would be collaborating with German ambient pioneers like Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Mobius, and indeed this early work has some of the glowing electro-lyricism of Cluster or Ulrich Schnauss; it is spectral and disconcertingly beautiful.

The album would have been released in 1981 if all had gone well. Story sent cassette demos to a few labels and got a bite from Klaus Schulze, who ran the Atem label, which handled This Heat, Univers Zero and Art Zoyd out of Paris. Schulze was looking to start a new imprint called Labyrinthes focused on electronic instrumental music and got as far as a test pressing with Threads before folding, leaving the music in limbo. By the time Story found another label, this time the Norwegian Uniton, he had another album’s worth of music in hand; he released In Another Country with them instead in 1983. Threads fell by the wayside, though the European ambient/electronic label Eurock launched reissues in 1992 and 1996.

This new reissue presents Story’s earliest work in lucid clarity, allowing delicate tone-washes and trebly keyboard figures to unspool serenely, full of light that seems to glow from within. Although you don’t hear much piano in most tracks—“Scene and Artifact” is the exception—you can tell that Story’s sensibility was shaped by the instrument. The chords and melodies and counterparts feel very pianistic, even where they are clearly played on other keyboards. Whatever the instrument, Story favors the lingering sounds created by a sustain pedal; his notes dissolve, but don’t disappear.

Story’s music has a folktale-ish quality that mixes dread and wonder, as on lovely “The Moors” where music box chimes and pennywhistle tones step tentatively top darker chillier currents of synthesized sound. At one point, a tone very much like an oboe—though god knows how he made it—snakes out of shifting, twinkling auras of sound, a sinuous, witchy curve in its deep resonant magic.

“Iso” is, perhaps, the prettiest of these tracks, soft, indefinite bloops of sound dropping into shivering foundations of reedy sustain, very much like warm rain pattering down on an ocean. More muscular sounds erupt later, a frayed guitar-like timbre pushing up and out of the nursery room calm.

Story is frequently lumped into the New Age category, and, indeed, his work has a wonderfully calming, radiant quality. Yet there’s a rigor and architecture in this cuts that’s pretty far from what plays at your typical neighborhood alternate healing space, and an undercurrent of, if not exactly menace, at least a chilling unknowability. After Threads, Story went on to work with Rodelius and Mobius, to experiment with sound installations and to compose for film and TV. He is still working, still in Ohio, still pushing the conjuncture of natural and synthetic sound. This first album was only the beginning, but it is a very beautiful beginning and full of promise.  

Jennifer Kelly