Grunnen Rocks Home Willem Kolvoort
!!! GRUNNEN ROCKS !!!
the "class of 19 september, 2010":
CmOns / Drtbmbs / JLHkr / MrkLngn / Mnrs / NwBmbTrks / NGds / SpdbllBb / WhtHssl / HM / yyo.com

tuesday september 21, 2010

A day late and 15 records short(er).

All 15 year jubilee give aways are over. The winner of the last one still has to be picked. This probably will be done tomorrow. Thanks for the numerous emails and supportive messages. Be sure to tell any body interested in music about this website!

Until further notice this website will give away free vinyl every week (again). Giveaways will be weekly, starting on a thursday probably, beginning ... eh ... yes ... upcoming thursday!

In the mean time be sure to check out psychedelic aussies Tame Impala. Their "Innerspeaker" LP (Modular Recordings) is among this year's best and the 4th track "Lucidity" is an epic one, cool stuff.


sunday september 19, 2010

15 Years - 15 Years - 15 Years

today this website has its 15th birthday

OK I'll be short today. I take it anybody can see this website is a labour of love dedicated to my autistic mind enjoying music since 1969. Back in 1995 it started a couple of days before I was going to be DJ at a Railroad Jerk gig in VERA, Groningen and today it's up and running 15 years.
Off course during all those yours a slew of people contributed to this site: THANKS for that. Besides those "contributors" THANKS go out to everyone paying 1 or more visits included in the over 6 million (!) visits that this website had so far. Off course there's a THANK YOU to my beloved ones, Brbr G+1 and my mom in the first place, and for all the rest a good old you know who you are. But most notably THANKS go out to VERA, it's numerous voluntary coworkers, everybody who played there ever, etc. This website would not have existed in this or any other form without that deservedly called "best club of the world". THANKS! And just in case you wonder about the future: me is a stupid baboon but me will not stop with this labour of love, it's too darn beautiful.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #114)
Untill I update the newspage again only one of you can win a grand prize of 8 ten10"es, 6 seven7"es and 1 LP, that's 15 records in one cardboard packet. And just to be as clear as my aching head can be: anybody emailing me can win, anybody who won something in the past can win again, even in the winner of yesterday! These are the 15 records in the grand prize:

  1. White Hassle 7"
  2. Waistcoats 10"
  3. Monroes 7"
  4. Kempes 10"
  5. Green Hornet 10"
  6. Green Hornet LP
  7. Fatals 10"
  8. Dèche Dans Face 10"
  9. Dangerous Chickens 10"
  10. Cheeraks/Normals 10"
  11. Bush League 10"
  12. bonus 7" #1
  13. bonus 7" #2
  14. bonus 7" #3
  15. bonus 7" #4
    (In order to make it a grand prize of 15 real, vinyl, records I'll stack 4 extra 7"es into the already quite impressive package, will decide on which 4 later on).

OK, all you have to do is email me, rules for the giveaway can be found below. Only new thing is the subject for this one, it should read: free vinyl giveaway #114 or congrats or hip hip hooray or whatever.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #113)
And the winner is Jacob Zetterholm from Malmö, Sweden, only one email and he won an awesome LP and a cool 7".




saturday september 18, 2010

15 Years minus 1 day: Evolutions LP + Monroes 7"

free vinyl #112 just ended, the winner is mentioned below, #113 just started.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #113)
Untill I update the newspage again only one of you can win a LP and a 7" !
The LP is by cool Evolutions on No Fuckin' Chance Records.
The 7" is by cool Monroes on my own label High Maintenance.
You can try and win this LP + 7" by emailing me once.

While filing in your address through email you off course just keep on rocking while continuating the reading of the excellent "WE NEVER LEARN" by the mighty cool Eric Davidson. The most necessary music book in your life as a "Grunnen Rocks watcher"?

For the giveaway there's not that many rules,
except:
- forget to make the subject include "113" and you're out
- mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
- forget to include your street address and you're out
- send me anything through snail mail and you're in
"out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #112)
And the winner is ...

  1. Metal Mat from New Brunswick, Canada.

Only one email and he won an awesome LP and a cool 7".

Last thing for today: the prize for the actual jubilee-day (upcoming sunday, september 19) will be a package of vinyl with eight (8!) 10"es, a bonus LP and two (2!) bonus 7"es. Might be the coolest prize ever to be given away through this website. The records are on the 3rd pic to the right (or click on this paragraph).

These are the 11 records:

  1. White Hassle 7"
  2. Waistcoats 10"
  3. Monroes 7"
  4. Kempes 10"
  5. Green Hornet 10" + LP (LP added today just because)
  6. Fatals 10"
  7. Dèche Dans Face 10"
  8. Dangerous Chickens 10"
  9. Cheeraks/Normals 10"
  10. Bush League 10"



friday september 17, 2010

15 Years minus 2 days: Killer's Kiss LP + Monroes 7"

free vinyl #111 just ended, the winner is mentioned below, #112 just started.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #112)
Untill I update the newspage again only one of you can win a LP and a 7" !
The LP is by cool Killer's Kiss on No Fuckin' Chance Records.
The 7" is by cool Monroes on my own label High Maintenance.
You can try and win this LP + 7" by emailing me once.

While filing in your address through email you offcourse just keep on rocking while continuating the reading of the excellent "WE NEVER LEARN" by the mighty cool Eric Davidson.

If I'd know a way to assure only people reading that book were to win these give away vinyls I'd do so instantly.

For the giveaway there's not that many rules,
except:
- forget to make the subject include "112" and you're out
- mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
- forget to include your street address and you're out
- send me anything through snail mail and you're in
"out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #111)
And the winner is ...

  1. Daniele Luconi from Belvedere Osrtense (AN), Italy

Only one email and he won an awesome 7".

Last thing for today: the prize for the actual jubilee-day (upcoming sunday, september 19) will be a package of vinyl with eight (8!) 10"es and two (2!) bonus 7"es. Might be the coolest prize ever to be given away through this website. The records are on the 3rd pic to the right (or click on this paragraph).

These are the 10 records:

  1. White Hassle 7"
  2. Waistcoats 10"
  3. Monroes 7"
  4. Kempes 10"
  5. Green Hornet 10"
  6. Fatals 10"
  7. Dèche Dans Face 10"
  8. Dangerous Chickens 10"
  9. Cheeraks/Normals 10"
  10. Bush League 10"



thursday september 16, 2010

15 Years minus 3 days: Missing both Jay and the Nervous Patterns

free vinyl #110 just ended, the winner is mentioned below, #111 just started.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #111)
Untill I update the newspage again only one of you can win a 7" by the immaculate Nervous Patterns. It's the one-and-only 7" by and band consisting of cool Alicja and sadly missed Jay. You can try and win this 7" by emailing me once.

While filing in your address through email you offcourse just keep on rocking while continuating the reading of the excellent "WE NEVER LEARN" by the mighty cool Eric Davidson.

For the giveaway there's not that many rules,
except:
- forget to make the subject include "111" and you're out
- mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
- forget to include your street address and you're out
- send me anything through snail mail and you're in
"out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #110)
And the winner is ...

  1. Jeroen Peeters from Eindhoven, NL
    Apparently the americans don't wanna join in?
    They're too busy with themselves (once again)?

Only one email and he won an awesome 7".


Jay "by" Esther Nina © NYC 2009

wednesday september 15, 2010 #2

15 Years minus 4 days: The No-Goods

free vinyl #109 just ended, the winner is mentioned below, #110 just started.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #110)
Untill I update the newspage again only one of you can win a 7" by the immaculate No-Goods. It's their 2nd 7" and as far as I'm concerned it ranks among the top 10 ever dutch-made garage-sixties-beat 7"es. You can try and win this 7" by emailing me once.

While filing in your address through email you offcourse just continue reading "WE NEVER LEARN" by the mighty cool Eric Davidson.

For the giveaway there's not that many rules,
except:
- forget to make the subject include "110" and you're out
- mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
- forget to include your street address and you're out
- send me anything through snail mail and you're in
"out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #109)
And the winner is ...

  1. Esther Nina from Groningen, NL.
    Tomorrow we'll give away a 7" with the late Jay Reatard playing on it and there'll be a NYC made picture by Esther.

Only one email and she won an awesome 7".


wednesday september 15, 2010

Take Root!

Now and then you have a day that loads of plans come together. Yesterday was such a (wonderfull!) day. Main reason was that I'll be able to go and see the wonderfull duo Isobell Campbell & Mark Lanegan upcoming saturday.

It'll be in town, @ De Oosterpoort. They are among the headliners of a quite big "americana" festival called Take Root. The timetable for the festival can be downloaded here. Funny enough (almost) no american uses the genre-specifying "americana", I think "real" americans call it "the american songbook", I'd prefer rootsey country x rock x ballads. Anyway there's a cool line-up and there's still tickets available.

Anyway I'm happy to see one of my alltime heroes again. Always managed to miss the SEMINAL! Screaming Trees, any solo- or bandgig, QOTSA and the Gutter Twins. Only saw The Twilight Singers back in 2006 @ Lowlands.

And since it's party-week this week: next saturday I'll take 10 singles with me to the festival. Anybody who wants one should just ask for it.

Oh and if you wanna make this week a true party (for me) please go and get me to talk to Mark and or Isobell. I'd love to record a station call with them.


© Klaas J Guchelaar

tuesday september 14, 2010

15 Years minus 5 days: New Bomb Turks & "We Never Learn" by Eric D.

free vinyl #108 just ended, the winners are mentioned below, #109 just started.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #109)
Untill I update the newspage again only one of you can win a 7" by the immaculate New Bomb Turks. It's their 2nd 7", their one and only on Get Hip (see 2nd picture to the right). You can try and win this 7" by emailing me once. Off course the Turks are the best garagepunkband from the 90's. This 7" is one of their best singles, it has the seminal "I'm Weak" on the a-side. Awesome, classic 7" would be my judgement.

While filing in your address through email you must read "WE NEVER LEARN". An essential book on the music this website was started for. This is a must, I mean a must, a must, etc. There's a website also (We Never Learn), but the book must be bought and read, right, nuff said.

For the giveaway there's not that many rules,
except:
- forget to make the subject include "109" and you're out
- mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
- forget to include your street address and you're out
- send me anything through snail mail and you're in
"out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #108)
And the winners are ...

  1. Erik de Wilde from Amsterdam, NL
  2. Dejan Todorovic from Groningen, NL
  3. Jahna Rain from Hoboken, NJ, USA

Only one email and they won an awesome 7" each.

And again:
Next saturday 24:00 CET (when sunday sept 19 starts) there will be the final free vinyl giveaway for this celebration series ;-)
The winner will get at least 100 euros (estimated) worth of proper PolyVinylChloride aka PVC aka vinyl.
That giveaway will end when sunday is over for this entire planet, somewhere around noon CET (Central European Time) monday 20 sept.


monday september 13, 2010

15 Years minus 6 days: The Monroes

free vinyl #107 just ended, the winner is mentioned below, #108 just started.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #108)
Untill I update the newspage again Three Of You can win one 7" (see picture to the right) by emailing me once. It's the 4th (and last so far) 7" on my own label High Maintenance. There's 3 copies of the 7" available and it is by the first installment of the cool Monroes (dutchies, not the american ones).

There's not that many rules for that
except:
- forget to make the subject include "108" and you're out
- mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
- forget to include your street address and you're out
- send me anything through snail mail and you're in
"out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #107)
And the winner is Ingmar Griffioen from VPRO, NL.
Only one email and he won 2! awesome 7"es.

Last thing for today:
Next saturday 24:00 CET (when sunday sept 19 starts) there will be the final free vinyl giveaway for this celebration series ;-)
The winner will get at least 100 euros (estimated) worth of proper PolyVinylChloride aka PVC aka vinyl.
That giveaway will end when sunday is over for this entire planet, somewhere around noon CET (Central European Time) monday 20 sept.



Josje "by" Henx ©

sunday september 12, 2010 #2

15 Years minus 7 days: White Hassle & Speedball Baby (NYC)

free vinyl #106 just ended, the winner is mentioned below, #107 just started.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #107)
Today it is NYC-day, this to commemorate those who died on or suffered from 9/11. And just to make clear to you that this Geert Wilders guy never will get my vote, nor does he represent me or my loved ones in 1 way or the other. Nuff said about politics, bah!

Untill I update the newspage again you can win 2 7"es (see picture to the right) by emailing me once. The first one is the 2nd White Hassle 7" and the 2nd one is a rare and soldout Speedball Baby 7" (both on my own label High Maintenance). FYI: The sleeve of the White Hassle one is designed by Iris Kiewiet (2nd picture).

There's not that many rules for that
except:
- forget to make the subject include "107" and you're out
- mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
- forget to include your street address and you're out
- send me anything through snail mail and you're in
"out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #106)
And the winner is Frank Metselaar from Hoogeveen, NL.
Only one email and he won an awesome 7".



"ADHD Politics" by Iris Kiewiet ©

sunday september 12, 2010

yadayadaoink.com

Allright: here's an unsollicited unpaid advertisement for a good friend of me doing what he wants to do the most, no kidding here.

Need any cartoon? On anything? Say ... Geert Wilders?
Anybody really cool? Hansje Brinker? Greg O'Neill? Jack Cartwright? Mick White? Meg Collins? Peg White? Dan Kroha? Me? HAHA!

Almost any cartoon/drawing/animation can be made by yadayadaoink.com!

EMAIL Remco through remcodrijverATyahooDOTcom.

Do NOT forget to tell him I did send ya, do just say "HI" or something.

saturday september 11, 2010

15 Years minus 8 days: John Lee Hooker

free vinyl #105 just ended, the winner is mentioned below, #106 just started.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #106)
Today it is John Lee Hooker-day & The Come Ons-day. Both need no long introduction, so I'll be short.
My single candidate for a 78RPM or vinylsingle to be the first garage-rock-single of all time is John Lee Hooker's "Sally May"/"Boogie Chillen'" on Modern, 20-627, november 1948 (pic to the right). This also is my utmost wanted release, anybody who might want to sell a copy please be sure to email me, please? The last about JLH for now: among the coolest websites dedicated to the late JLH is www.jlhvinyl.com.
The Come Ons are from Detroit (who isn't?) and they feature way-out cool lady Deanne and released loads of poppy garagestuff. Anything comes recommended, but "Dollar In My Pocket" and "Whatcha Got?" do rule the most.
Untill I update the newspage again you can win a (2nd picture to the right) Come Ons 7" (on defunct? Sweet Nothing) by emailing me.
There's not that many rules for that
except:
- forget to make the subject include "106" and you're out
- mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
- forget to include your street address and you're out
- send me anything through snail mail and you're in
"out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #105)
And the winner is Benoît Roux from Paris/Poitiers/France.
Only one email and he won an awesome 7".


friday september 10, 2010

15 Years minus 9 days: The Dirtbombs (again)

OK, let's see if I'll be able to run a giveaway for some days in a row ;-)
free vinyl #104 just ended, the winner is mentioned below, #105 just started.

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #105)
Today another Dirtbombs-day. The reasons why were listed yesterday.

Untill I update the newspage again you can win a first pressing second sleeve copy of that darn Dirtbombs 7" on my own label (still) called High Maintenance (pict. above) by emailing me.
There's not that many rules for that
except:
- forget to make the subject include "105" and you're out
- mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
- forget to include your street address and you're out
- send me anything through snail mail and you're in
"out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly

GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #104)
And the winner is ... Philip Swartz from Pomona, CA, USA.
Only one email and he won an awesome 7".


thursday september 9, 2010

15 Years minus 10 days: The Dirtbombs

All right celebrations start here and now. This website was started @ the url http://iglo.cpedu.rug.nl/~evert back in 1995 on tuesday september 19.

10 more days and this website will reach the unlikely age of 15 years.

This comes down to this website being older than www.google.com and a shitload of other non-essential, non-unique, non-important sites ;-)

And for my personal labour of love's: it's my oldest one.
Next up were B and G and a 2nd kid is expected early april 2011.

Today it's Dirtbombs-day. Day #1 of the celebrations is dedicated to the coolest live-band of the latter 10 years. Off course MC is a legend in the "Grunnen Rocks World", but this band featured/s lots of other mighty cool people as well. We're not gonna name 'm here, but I can assure you they all do rock.

Today it's Dirtbombs' day because of 5 things ...

  1. My label, High Maintenance, debuted back in 1998 with a Dirtbombs 7".
  2. Untill I update the newspage you can win a first pressing first sleeve copy of that 7" (pict. above) by emailing me. There's not that many rules for that
    GIVE AWAY (aka Free Vinyl #104)
    except:
    - forget to make the subject include "104" and you're out
    - mail me any MP3 or any other attachment and you're out
    - forget to include your street address and you're out
    - send me anything through snail mail and you're in
    "out" and "in" referring to the (digital) basket from which the winner will be chosen randomly
  3. The Dirtbombs enter at #1 in the (very personal) All Time Cool Band list = ATCB.
  4. There's a new album upcoming for them.
  5. Grunnen Rocks Radio #2.0 will start some time soon. First new episode will be #230 since GRRadio 1.0 featured 229 episodes at 3voor12. That particular first episode will open with The Dirtbombs, like GRRadio #1 btw. Opening track will be the blistering "Cosmic Cars" (originally by Cybotron) of that upcoming Dirtbombs' album.


monday september 6, 2010

2+1=3?! & 3+1=4!?

Let's do some sort of 2 logical puzzles today. Some non-cryptographic/cryptic stuff added aswell.

  1. CONGRATS to Amse & Yukiko! 2 + 1 is a minor step for humanity, but who the fuck cares for humanity these days ;-)
  2. Anybody going to see Dum Dum Girls + MGMT in Paradiso, early october?
  3. Anybody knows an english band called Ginger Ninja?
  4. Anybody knows an american band called Paramore? With the acclaimed Hayley W.?
  5. Anybody likes that great 2xLP by Caro Emerald?
  6. Any band that wants me to go and see them next year march or april in VERA better be warned, I won't be there, eh might not be there, eh ... anyway.
  7. BTW sept 19 this website will be 15 years old, hope to release Grunnen Rocks Radio #230 that day.
  8. And my fave records of this year so far are ...
    1. Cords
    2. Dirtbombs
    3. Dum Dum Girls
    4. Caro Emerald
    5. Harlem
    6. Keefmen
    7. Moon Duo
    8. Sixtyniners
    9. Soft Pack
    10. Super Wild Horses
    11. White Drugs
    12. Woven Bones
    13. ... and 0/1/x more

monday august 30, 2010

15 Years of Cool Music on September 19!
Party that day? Maybe later.

Allright, allright, we'll be short and clear about this.

Sunday september 19 this website will exist 15 years. VERA's Pepr and me have been looking for 1 or 2 cool bands to play at the jubilee-party that evening or if there's no other options in the weeks after that date.
So far we tried Nico Dijkshoorn and his band but he appears not to want to play along. And the best dutch band ever, Claw Boys Claw, can't play cause their singer Peter is in Japan sept 19. Other options are ...

  1. Caro Emerald
  2. Kylfa
  3. Keefmen
  4. Urban Junior
  5. your band?
  6. your label's band?
  7. any other band (that I really like and/or love)?

But all those are still in the works/mail/etc or need to be explored asap.

So any band that wants to play at the 15 years jubilee party of this website is seriously asked to email the address on the (newly made, me is pretending to be a serious company ;-) business card to the right. Please do so asap, cause time is running out of our hands.

And for the rest of the world: any help is appreciated, me is dying for a really cool party! Especially since the website was out of order this morning ;-)


saturday august 28, 2010

Barbara & Remco & Chad

Today it's a local (Grunnen Rocks City) celebration of something happening in the 17th century. It's called BOMM'N BER'ND and it's a little like a local take on our main national holiday called Queen's Day (april 30th). Off course the entire city will be drunk all over town tonight, but sadly I won't. I'll go to a birthday party in Zwolle, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to (now 4yr old) VERA.

If little VERA would not be having her birthday today I'd go to the Kunst Strip Beurs. My friend Barbara Stok today presents her new comic book overthere. Another friend, called Remco Drijver (not him), will go there and buy her new book and have it signed for me. Everything Barbara or Remco does comes recommended, check their websites at barbaraal (dutch) and yadayadaoink (english).

OK and now for the seriously autistic only one mind living there "Grunnen Rocks World". This week apparently it's "Ni-band" week. Saw the brilliant Nine Pound Hammer last thursday and before that I got a mail from Chad Channing. He used to be in a band called Nirvana and somehow I like that I got a mail from him? Why?

Well it's a little bit of an egomaniac thingy, but I always loved Nirvana. I loved that band back then and I still love specific songs like ...

  1. "Love Buzz" (originally by dutchies Shocking Blue, 5th pic)
  2. "Negative Creep" and the rest of the 1st LP
  3. "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
  4. (if there's a girl around) that "Unplugged" live LP
  5. and off course "Liar" (hello to Marieke)
  6. and more

Back in 1994 when that nasty suicide was all over the music world I was seriously offended by loads of comments on that sad thing. I'm quite sure I'd need an entire week of Hex Dispensers gigs late in the afternoon and at night to keep my head in the correct groove if I'd read that stupid remarks, newspaper articles, etc again. By the way for those who don't know: my father committed suicide when I was 9 and I can safely say I turned an expert in dealing with that later on.

Nuff said, back to the real important stuff in life: MUSIC. I never talked or emailed with anybody ever in Nirvana, except (now) for Chad. He played in VERA back in 1989, plays on "Bleach" and Sliver" and here's a warm welcome to a "name from cool record sleeves". I hope him and his 2 new bands will be playing again somewhere else in dutchie-land next year, now that would be cool. And btw Gosse & me like "Doll In Time" by Before Cars (6th pic).






friday august 27, 2010

If you wanna go to heaven ... You better raise a little hell!

Howdy folks ;-)

Yesterday we had the 2nd "last ever VERA show" by NINE POUND HAMMER in VERA ever. The first one, end of the 90's, was released as a double LP (right, 1st pic).

The usual suspects should have been with 5 but due to familly trubbles "singing" singer Scott L. was missing in action. The 4 remaining victims were Brian, Earl, Mark & Blaine, according to the sleeve of new released WANTED! CD. Except the drummer was replaced by the drummer for "Smokin' Taters", will find his name asap. Anyway: they played VERA for the 6th? time all 'n all. The first time was back in jan 1992?. I missed that show but never missed a later one.

I can be short now:

The high point imho for a band to reach is to define a music genre. NPH's genre is COWPUNK. This is a mix between say Motörhead, AC/DC, Ramones and every male-vocal-with-guitar traditional country you can imagine. And for the young and intelligent: OK there's a Supersuckers reference as well, except NPH outdates them with some years. Yesterday they executed it as well as ever. Blaine C. did an awesome job in a really cool AC/DC shirt, but next "last ever VERA gig" I want 2 singers again.

Here's a salute to a great band!

Since they are a TRULY GREAT BAND they enter my All Time Cool Band list @ 9 (so far). This will probably mean that they'll stay in my best 50 bands ever list 'till I retire.


thursday august 26, 2010

New stuff from Bachelor Records!

Here's good news for one of the coolest euro-labels ...

Bachelor Records

They released new LPs by Mess Folk, Sugar Stems and The Humms. They will be releasing the euro-version of the debut Pizzas LP and a Quintron 7" as well.

monday august 23, 2010

Loads of small but important (pfew) things ;-)

OK, lazy ass hole post today. Just a shitload of things in random order.

  1. Thanks to Remco "YADAYADAOINK" Drijver.
     
  2. Thanks to Rob Kooiman from Hoorn/SWAF/etc. EMAIL ME!
     
  3. The start of "garage rock" was in 1948? eh .. "The Detroit Lion" was actually from Clarksdale, Mississippi and his name is John Lee Hooker. His first single "Boogie Chillen" from now on is considered the "1st garage rock record ever", until further notice off course ;-)
     
  4. Cool label: Kent, JLH to the right, 3rd pic
     
  5. Eh ... a label?: Bellaphon, JLH to the right, 2nd pic
     
  6. MIGHTY Cool website #1: platenkasten.nl
     
  7. MIGHTY Cool website #2: spotifette.wordpress.com = relay-spotify-thingy
     
  8. Cool chartbustin (!!@!) record by Caro Emerald (on Grandmono).
     
  9. Best records of 2010 so far:
    1. Dum Dum Girls
    2. Moon Duo
    3. Harlem
    4. Sixtyniners
    5. White Drugs
    6. Caro Emerald 2xLP CD's suck in the wrong way ;-)

     
  10. Best live bands of 2010 so far:
    1. Hex Dispensers, An H-band from Austin, TX.
    2. Harlem, Another H-band from ... eh ... Austin, TX.

     
  11. Would love to see Woven Bones in VERA, now come on Hozac, KissnRun.com's Robert & VERA's pepr, that ain't too difficult ;-)
     
  12. Oh and these bands would be cool too:
    1. Kylfa
    2. Keefmen
    3. Dum Dum Girls
    4. Urban Junior
    5. and more ... ;-)

     
  13. OK, and now for some booze ... eh ... @KingsleyAmis ... gin?



saturday august 14, 2010

"NEW WAVE": Joy Division, New Order, Army Of Lovers, etc.

Here's a post on 2 legendary bands, 1 legendary album, 1 cool hit and some awesome sleeves. And OK some nagging about a former label-owner and music-genres.

Back in the 70's there was a legendary compilation record named "New Wave" (to the right, 1st pic). That record was released on Vertigo in the UK and in The Netherlands on Philips. That had the Talking Heads and loads of punk, punkrock and hardrock bands on it. Later on (in the 80's) you had a fairly poor designed music-genre called "new wave". Main acts were The Cure and The Smiths and (back then for the alternative people) Joy Division. Off course there were loads of others, most notably for me Depeche Mode, but you'll have to get yourself a music encyclopedia (a book) in order to have a good list of those.

Had been looking for it for some time but last thursday I ran into Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" LP. A big thank you goes to Johannes Tonckens. He is one of 30+ neighbouring men and we traded that LP (and some more) for a bottle o' whiskey. It seems like a good deal for both of us. Funny to finally hear this seminal album at home. Sounds like dark doomey danceable music to me. Most people would call this postpunk nowadays. A strange reference if I might add. Lady Gaga and the Army Of Lovers are postpunk too ;-) The Editors and Interpol referring to Joy Division is a no-brainer, but I heard some influences for Birthday Party and Claw Boys Claw too. Anyway a legendary album, good music, AND a great sleeve (to the right, 3rd pic).

Being fully predictable I dug up some old New Order stuff. Always liked their monsterhit "Blue Monday". Back in 1983 this was the first ever 12"-only hit in NL. If I recall correctly (I usually do) they even had to alter the "rules" (as if) behind the charts to officially be allowed to include it. That record has one of the best record sleeves ever (to the right, 2nd pic). It was made by Peter Saville who used to make a load of artwork for Factory. The sleeve resembles an (early 5") floppy disc. I do have a CD sleeve with the same idea but that sleeve is a little less cool ;-) Oddly enough later on in 1988 "Blue Monday" returned as a hit, this time in the 7"-format. That 2nd coming was released on a combination of Factory and Rough Trade. Later on in 1991 the Factory label went bankrupt.

Years later in 2005 I saw Factory's former (main?) owner Toni Wilson in Austin, TX in a music panel. He stated "downloading mp3s is theft". Won't discuss that remark too much but it ain't theft mister, violence of copyrights maybe, but that's a matter of time haha. Off course he's right in one respect though. Anyone who wants to hear new music the rest of his life (like me) should be aware that the music makers of this world need to be payed.

New music is the essence here, newly made that is.
Citing old influences like Leadbelly, Carter Family, Hank Williams or new bands like the Ramones, the Gories or the Oblivians is fine with me. But whatever happens never use the term #retro for any music. That new Keefmen LP on Dirty Water Records is great btw (to the right, 4th pic). And especially don't use #retro for newly made music and you make me happy.
And off course go and see Harlem, Moon Duo, Dum Dum Girls, The Soft Pack and others.

NEW MUSIC is the best music you can buy, PUNK ROCKS and most NEW WAVE wasn't interesting at all!




thursday august 12, 2010

Harlem plays in VERA on saturday august 21

Allright!

Cool poppy garageband Harlem (from Austin, TX) play in VERA saturday 21. Not officially, but for me this is the opening of a new VERA-season.
Be sure to check 'em out on their MySpace page. Do this especially if you think you'd like a mix of Beach Boys and Black Lips and ...
And off course, as always: BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!


tuesday august 10, 2010

Popquiz #7 is done

The seventh popquiz (2004-2010) is done. A longer report might follow soon in case I find the time but for now we'll leave you with the name of the winner: Wino. Dikkie was 2nd, and Eltjo and 2 guys from Elpee (Jan and Gerhard) were 3rd/4th/5th (don't know in what order exactly). The questions were quite difficult this year. My fave question was the one on "the history of vinyl, shellac, celluloid" etc. There was not that many music in the quiz, and offcourse not too many new music. Lots of people were attending, especially younger (than my girl or than 30) people. From next year on the quiz will have way more focus on younger stuff, since I don't want to become a kind of Leo Blokhuis. Dutchie Leo makes nice quizzes and tells cool stories (in cool books), but I always miss newer and more alternative music. Which bands were not in te quiz? There's not many of them ;-) Here's a few that didn't get mentioned in yesterday's quiz.

  1. Coïtus Int. (thanks GHMS)
  2. Rudy & His Fascinators
  3. John Lee Hooker
  4. Caro Emerald

And here's some stuff besides music:

  1. Congrats to Carline & Bert-René --> +1 is among the best things you can do in life imho.
  2. Congrats to me (twice) since I turned 41 last sunday. Thanks for al congrats coming from you.
  3. I got an AUDIO MIXER at home (thanks to B&G). It's a KAM Audio Pro 1500. Good stuff, this will lead to the next best thing in my musiclife:

GRUNNEN ROCKS RADIO #2.0

Details will remain unclear but I think you should check out garagepunk.com regularly from now on.


Rudy & His Fascinators

thursday july 22, 2010

The Dirtbombs new album will be called "Party Store"

FYI:
Oh and another member of the Detroit HQ says the new album by The Dirtbombs will be called "Party Store".

And in case you have the debut 7" by The Fix on Touch And Go, do go and visit this eBay auction:
THE FIX - VENGEANCE - ORIG TOUCH & GO RARE KBD 7" NM!!!
(auction number: 370410136493)
.
You'll be surprised, at least I was.

I don't have it, never saw it in a local store for anything less than 10 guldens. I wouldn't have bought it yesterday if I had seen it offered for say 10 euro's. And I wouldn't have bought it on eBay, gemm.com or anywhere else online for anyting over 10 dollars.

Why the hell is that record so expensive?

And what's better I still don't want to have it, though a free copy would fit nicely inbetween my Touch And Go 7"es. I think I'd prefer to play the still übercool Brainiac one called "Go Freaks Go".

Played these records today:

  1. Moon Duo, "Escape" LP
  2. Dum Dum Girls, "I Will Be" LP (Hozac Records), debut LP, mighty cool record indeed
  3. My only 8" 78 RPM shellac record
  4. The Beatles, "Help!" LP, an oldie for breakfast with my girl and without my boy ;-)
  5. Cords, seminal dutch 90s noisy band, new CD+DVD called "Collage", music is neat as always, but the "sleeve"-design should be an instant classic
  6. Billie Holiday, first CD only of a 10 CD box.
  7. Talking Heads, "Speaking In Tongues" LP, b-side, black vinyl.
  8. Dulce Pontes, "Garça Perdida" (from CD)
  9. Cords, "Eat Your Heart Out" debut 7", great noisy 90s single
  10. ... (might be added later today)

Oh and btw I need ...

  • space for new records
  • to get money for releasing a 7"

I do need both asap, so anybody wanting to trade stuff on my own label (High Maintenance) for new records or anybody wanting to buy stuff on that label is mighty welcome!
I myself am looking for cool stuff.
Cool meaning cool (concept-)artwork, odd formats, phonographic cylinders, old records, 78RPM records, 3", 4", 13" records etc. And off course good music on the record is welcome any day.
Any tradelist or wantlist is welcome as long as you love anything MickC did.
Last thing:
I'll be selling (some) (more) stuff soon @ grunnen on eBay.



wednesday july 21, 2010

The Dirtbombs cover Cybotron on their new LP

Oh lala, cool news form Detroit HQ.
The Dirtbombs will cover Cybotron's "Cosmic Cars" on their new LP.
Already heard the track and it rocks, it reminds me a little bit of A-Frames' "Modula".
All tracks on the new LP will be covers of Detroit 80s techno bands.
And there's no doubt in my Mind here that this album will have the bands' sound all over it, looking forward to it a lot.
ENJOY!

monday july 19, 2010

Once In A L ... The TALKING HEADS were the best band in the world
aka
"The band or artist formerly known as my Best Band Ever"

Oh lala, the music in my head can't wait today. Years ago, say around the time I discovered Girls, Drugs and my own "Mind" I thought the NYC band Talking Heads were the best band ever. Later on they were passed by three+ bands at the least, 1 from NYC, 1+ from Detroit and 1+ from Memphis. We'll explore those bands at some other time.

Some time ago the Talking Heads even were out of my all time top 10, but last week they were by far the most played band. This week they enter at #2 in the ATCB. They won't stay at the #2 position in this mighty personal list, but I don't think they will leave the top 10 ever again ;-) Who knows?

Me and the TH started off when I read in a national newspaper, De Volkskrant, about the then new movie "Stop Making Sense". That was back in 1983 so Tina + 3 and me go back a mighty long time.

Actually I never saw 'm live, not in any line-up. Some things are worse in my life but I still regret this quite a bit now and then.
I only saw David Byrne "solo", 3 times though:

  1. Amsterdam @ The Drum Rhythm Festival
  2. Pinkpop 1992
  3. Oosterpoort

There'sa lot of cool stuff with the TH, but the funny, slightly autistic (it takes a "C-BRainMan" to know a "RainMan") lyrics are among them. Also there's quite a bit of cool artwork/design. Highpoint in this is the special sleeve (said to be released in 5000 copies) of "Speaking In Tongues" by Robert Rauschenberg. To the right you can see two pictures of this class artwork for a classic release. The above one is with a clear plastic sleeve, without the sunny ultraviolet light having degraded it. The lower one is with yellow plastic, I have 2 (!) copies like that. You can read a cool story @ vinylhistory.com about this cool artwork. RR won a Grammy for it in 1983.

Here's some personal opinions on TH-related stuff ...

  1. Their best album: "Fear Of Music", great sleeve too, especially the 1st edition one with "relief".
  2. TH is by far the coolest arty-fart band ever.
  3. TH is, except for the bands releasing HM 002, HMLP 001, HM 003 and HM 004 (High Maintenance), the band I own the most (copies of) records of.
  4. They made the best combination of intelligence, dance and new wave imaginable.
  5. TH were a great very white band, no black guy/girl in the band, while about anybody playing with them was black.
  6. The cool people in my neighbourhood know 'em even better. Hanneke opened up for them in 1977 in Huize Maas and Ken saw 'm twice in NYC, snif.
  7. A female bassist is awesome, never a bad thing when women are responsible for the beat. Drummer girls Peg & Meg are mighty cool aswell.
  8. Loads of solo-projects, besides David there's Tom Tom Club and there's more. Next update might be on Jerry Harrison's solo-releases, you never know ;-)
  9. Mick Collins loves "I Zimbra", same here.

And now it's up to new music and other bands higher in the ATCB then the TH, ENJOY!



sunday july 11, 2010 #3

Eh ... huh? Soccer?

The dutchies, Gosse and me, myself and I, all 5 of us will have a difficult day tomorrow. Pfew, to say the least.
Now we need to fight 3 trauma's, 1974 (GER), 1978 (ARG) and 2010 (SPA).
Off course the spanish (garage)rockers will make it up to us.
Next update of this website will take 32 years, no kidding ;-)


sunday july 11, 2010 #2

"WE" LOST

And now le'ts go and play a decent JSBX 7" ;-) Congrats to Spain.

sunday july 11, 2010

It's a beautiful ORANGE day

ORANGE ORANGE ORANGE

Orange Music

Here's a list of "orange music":

  1. JSBX's "Orange" LP, by far thee best record of today and the first ever VERA-band that I was DJ with/for.
  2. Orange Midnight 7" (on Noiseville), haven't played that in ages.
  3. Cruijff's "Oei Oei Dat Was Me Weer Een Loei" not on a 7", but on a creepy "Blokker" Compilation CD ;-( At some point today we'll play this horrible track today. Hope it'll be 20:30 CET + 15 + 2x45 + 2x15 + extra time, cause I dislike penalty kicks with soccer, though if we need to take 'em we'll do ;-)
ORANGE ORANGE ORANGE
ENJOY

friday july 9, 2010

Good things coming up? Yes!

OK, new season coming up. Let/s start with the (for me, myself and I "perfect") newspage, "close but no cigar" ;-) Sad things coming up? Nope, sad things passed, we're gonna go for the good things. What did I miss in june/july 2010?

  1. june 12 Apers VERA
  2. june 12 Beavers + somethin' else played somewhere in town
  3. june 12 Black Box Revelation + The Van Jets VERA
  4. june 17 Local Natives + I Am Oak VERA
  5. june 18 Apache Crowbar
  6. june 24 21:00 TweetUp with PS and PU, sorry boys, #willdobetternexttime #musicbizz
  7. july 1 Strange Boys VERA

What did I see last weeks?

  1. june 27 - july 3 Jutberg, Laag-Soeren
  2. july 5 Japandroids VERA

What's ahead?

  1. july 9 won't be with the A-Bones + Green Hornet - dB's in Utrecht
  2. july 10 Drs S. Rigter Vos turned 37, congrats! birthday present to the upper right ;-)
  3. july 10 Cheap Thrills & Gascoigne VERA
  4. july 11 WORLD CUP SOCCER Dutchies in the Final!
  5. july 15 Paulina en Hanneke #2 @Home
  6. july 15 Iron Lung & Rush 'N' Attack VERA
  7. july 31 POPQUIZ + SWING VERA
  8. august 19 LEGACY ROCKS @ KPN
  9. august 21 Harlem VERA
  10. august 20-22 Lowlands? with Leon Verdonschot's Zomer-Gasten #dromenzijnbedrog
  11. august 22 Caribou Noorderzon
  12. august 23 Fool's Gold Noorderzon
  13. august 23 Isbells Noorderzon
  14. august 25 HEALTH VERA
  15. august 26 Nine Pound Hammer + The Works VERA
  16. august 28 BBQ @Home
  17. september 2 Nobunny VERA
  18. september 16 Fresh And Onlys VERA
  19. september 19 GRUNNEN ROCKS 15 YEAR VERA
  20. september 30 The Ex VERA
  21. october 13 Wheels On Fire VERA
  22. october 27 Melt-Banana VERA
  23. november 18 Drive By Truckers VERA
  24. november 23 Swans VERA
  25. december 1 Moss VERA

As always all communication from you to me is best done by using good old-fashioned email an typing in: [evert[AT]grunnenrocks{DOT}nl].
For the upcoming months most communication from me to you is done through this website or Twitter English or Twitter Dutch.

And for all the rest:

Let's Dress Up The Naked Truth !!!




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