european son

pop is art

Andy Warhol died twenty years ago, February 22, 1987. In many ways Warhol refined and expanded the idea of what it means to be an artist. He was a painter, an avant-garde filmmaker, a commercial illustrator, writer and celebrity. He defines Pop Art: a philosophical and practical incorporation of art into popular culture and society, and art offered to us as a product of that society. So Warhol painted dollar bills, brand name products and celebrities. By the end of the sixties he was a celebrity himself.
Warhol adopted The Velvet Underground in 1966, Nico was added on his instigation. Warhol "produced" the first album as well as providing the famous album art: 'The Velvet Underground and Nico' is often referred to as the banana album as it features a Warhol print of a banana on the cover. Early copies of the album invited the owner to Peel slowly and see; peeling back the skin revealed a flesh-colored banana underneath. John Cale later admitted that Warhols actual participation in the album's production consisted of not much more than paying for the studio bill. Money well spent.

alaaf!

making moves

Three days from now we'll be in back in the studio, re-recording 'All in between' (on a breeze), 'Gentle' (Morninghead) and 'Umbrella' (it's gonna rain), for which we've written some new words to replace the old mambo jambo intro. Not exactly new stuff, we know, but you'll understand why we're doing these songs again as soon as you here the results. They truly deserve proper arrangements. And lets be honest: who has listened to EP01 anyway? While at it, we'll try and throw some of of our instrumental miniatures ('Kam', 'Boyke relax') on tape as well. So by Sunday we'll have 10 tracks recorded. Still think we'll never get that album out? Think again. Cheerio.

real mothers for ya

freak out!

"On a personal level, Freaking Out is a process whereby an individual casts off outmoded and restricting standards of thinking, dress and social etiquette in order to express CREATIVELY his relationship to his immediate environment and the social structure as a whole. Less perceptive individuals have referred to us who have chosen this way of thinking and FEELING as "Freaks", hence the term "Freaking Out".
(f. zappa)

witch doctor