The people of Helbaard and Sub71 are doing a great job for this area. More and more good bands are visiting from all over the globe so that’s very inspirational…
The people of Helbaard and Sub71 are doing a great job for this area. More and more good bands are visiting from all over the globe so that’s very inspirational…
Incendiary interview the Julie Mittens.
http://www.myspace.com/juliemittens www.rococorecords.com
Where would we be without the wondrous Julie Mittens? Recently we cornered Aart-Jan Schakenbos to answer a few questions. A lot has happened since we last spoke, releases a-plenty (check our review of April-June) and critical acclaim. It’s all good…
IN: So what’s new in Julie Mittens world? Still fighting the good fight?
A-J: If all goes as planned we’ll have a busy year ahead of us… the new CD’s due for release. First one will be out on Holy Mountain soon. We’re doing a total noise record for Cut Hands… Also we have plans for some tours abroad. We’re still working on that though…
IN: How do you view the Dutch underground scene at the moment? You weren’t too impressed last time we interviewed you.
A-J: It’s much more lively than it was several years ago. More and more people are sticking their heads underground in a good way. The people of Helbaard and Sub71 are doing a great job for this area. More and more good bands are visiting from all over the globe so that’s very inspirational… Sub71 is one of the smallest venues in the Netherlands run by some crazy, open minded music fanatics. They’ll book anything they like and it works! Punk, Noise, Psych, Folk, Stoner… The house is packed out easily, so the atmosphere is always good. The people at Helbaard are the best! They had everyone play in their little basement… The place is heaven if you’re into the kind of Music that could be called experimental/drone/psych/outsider/noise … And when the Skaters are residing there, there’s even a chance they’ll have a beach party going…
IN: Why do you think the underground has changed? Is it clubs or do you think it’s the attitudes of the bands? Or maybe its the new ethos following the record / publish things yourself movement (i.e. stick things up on Myspace etc, etc)
A-J: Yeah, I think more and more bands in the Netherlands are beginning to see the value of finding their own creative languages… finally people are starting to make music in stead of demos… there are more obvious means of putting your music out there nowadays than there were some years ago of course but I think it has to do with a certain attitude as well. It’s good to be the critic of your own work instead of waiting for some bobo to rip your demo apart…
IN: But a lot has changed anyway; new venues, technology, blah blah… Do you see these as positive changes?
A-J: Yeah!
IN: How do you think your muse has progressed? Do you think the Mitten’s muse is a two sided one?
A-J: Well I haven’t got a clue really. The three of us seem to be able to dive into our own thing with a lot of concentration and make the machine go. It’s like three bands playing at once in a way, but at a certain level we seem to play together very tightly. Maybe that’s a two sided approach but in the end there’s only one single sided muse. Close your eyes and you will hear one music… We do not have any collective preconceptions when we start playing other than play! It works differently all the time, although we tend to have a serious issue with loudness…
IN: You were talking about making a hell of a racket for your new LP.
A-J: The next CD will be out on Holy Mountain shortly which is a very intense recording and we’re very proud of that one! We’re also doing a noise record soon! I hope that wíll be a hell of a racket for we never did a noise record before… mostly it’s all very melodic don’t you think?
IN: And touring Europe was on the cards was it not?
A-J: We had plans for a European tour with a Japanese band but they postponed their visit to Europe… we’ll see… maybe later.
IN: Anything we should be listening to?
A-J: Yes! Listen to your heart! That’s what my mom always says, and my mom listens to John Coltrane…