Wow, I haven't been here for some time, guys. Seems blogs are more something for the winter, yknow, put another blog on the fire and tell us a story... There's quite a few to tell from the trip to old Europe where the lakes are blue, the sails shine in the sun, the forests welcome the hiker with cool green shadow. Enuff. The international Supergroup of Rorschach SG chanced upon each other and discussed the record they didnt make in '82 and split with vague plans of beaming down to planet Bodensee in a near future and music is always possible and life just a little bit less hectic.
Mind you, there's riot. A voice to wake the Swiss up from the pacifying harmonizer that mother nature has lulled them into is Göldin, on his third full length CD "Fantasy is Fucked", again aided by trusty Bit-Tuner and his infallible ear. The Eastern Swiss poet rapper Göldin is rough, is mean, is british-understated in swiss german. His stories tell of everday swiss life, political divides, binges, crazy ideas and little joys like the upcoming local soccer game, furnished with an eternally bittersweet melancholy. Brooklyn rapper Sensational adds some of his flavor. Check out "Up in smoke" on Goeldins MySpace.
Meanwhile, one of my early idols, Stephan Eicher released a new record, Eldorado, which shows him at his very best, at ease with himself and the world, tender, authentic, and, especially in the title track, mighty - no one touches the king of Swiss pop, not any Adis or Baschis. For those mean bastards of you who always put an 'S' in front of his last name, listen to "I cry at commercials" - one of the first truly great fusions of Indie and Jazz. Chapeau, M. Eicher!
Respect also to Die Aeronauten whom we went to see on a float in Basel. Despite a rainy day, hundreds of people showed up at the shores of the river Rhine and danced the rain away to the vivid sounds of these old friends, who rolled out a series of hits with fat, big band sound. Go figure, Green Day.
What else? greetings to all the lovely people we met over the three weeks, good luck to all the new kids on the block, and especially to their parents, it doesnt always have to be rock'n'roll, does it? A nice sunset on a mountain top. Picking rasperries in a garden and eating plum pie. Shoving the ball over the wall into the right upper corner of the goal. Enuff again.
Back in New York, the heat seems on the way back to hell, but just to make sure, we'll all go to musical camp at Anton Fine's summerhouse in the Catskills, guitars and all. Most people seem to have been lying low during August. Went to Chico's for welcome drinks, he said he's retiring - well'see! Anyway, it was hear what was going in musically in the meantime: Melomane, according to Pierre, were in the south of friends, excuse me, France, and recorded five new tracks besides playing holiday resorts and enjoying good food. Heather and Jay's new project Peng! has banged out three songs already, says Alfred. Watch out, Europe! Overlordis playing Monkeytown on reservation only next Wednesday, come sing the Gospel according to George. Oh and yeah, Damien photographed David Beckham and therefore started a blog about the Superleague, you find it here. Bongers the bass man meanwhile played with Maroon 5 (ask him about it!) and met Beckham backstage at the Box. He was impressed, he says. More soon. Off to the Catskills now! I leave you with a picture of my beautiful hometown of Rorschach, ach.
