Posts 2011

HERE YOU FIND ALL POSTS FROM 2011

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Now I insulted the Dutch and Slovenians lets move on with the French, Belgiums, Russians, Utova’s, Palestines, Congolese, Brazilians, Puorto Ricans, Tasmanians, Islanders, Gallic’s, Musnomanials, and whoever from wherever kinda political territory. These pages are entertainment like all public events. Take it light, although sometimes I might be serious. Up to you figuring out when.

So lets hang with a light subject again. It was raining few days last week. About time. I enjoyed it, so did everything else living around here. The ground was layers of dry dust. Finally some mud. Like often in nature surroundings, beauty stays with every weather type. The forest changed. Water washes unnecessary death dry plantation away. The woods are very open and bright. In twilight salamanders leave their hidings. They like moist environments. Many on my front porch. Had to be careful not stepping on them. Beautiful black/yellow animals. Here a picture:

And the waterfall close to this house works again:

We’re back to beautiful nice warm sunny days. No prob, more rain is promised next week. Now its time for a bikecycle ride again! ?

Thursday, 27 October, 2011

Country talk is not my thing. I have been doing it last posts. Its simply fun. Don’t we all like to rouse a bit about those on the other side of the border. For me these are still no more than lines on a map that doesn’t divide cultures or good from bad. Long enough we have been brainwashed by the propaganda machines of state leaders. All this just for few to remain in power (not politicians but the cash-keepers).

Recently I met someone who believed humans are not tribal at all, but solitaire. Acting on personal motives. Sure, there have been philosophers busy with this already for centuries. On the end everything is solitaire in this ecological system where every living organism is unique. Humans seem to look for and find eachother desperately leaning on solidarity. There are solitaire living humans, but those are just a few. Lately we (humans) are with many, just ‘the few’ coming together forms a large group.

From the in-house book shelve I notice many books from ‘matured’ Dutch writers. At the moment I am wondering if this was the previous owner choice or if there is a large percentage of over-aged writers in The Netherlands. Is a complete generation releasing books? I am talking about the 55+, those born immediately after WW2. That generation reaches the age of 60. They were beatniks, mods, hippies, rockers from the 60ties. In The Netherlands a leading generation that claims to liberate the state from their Calvinistic dictatorship. Meanwhile they made the same mistake by holding on to their reformations like religious fanatics, now using it for their own financial advance. Oh well, the solitaire tribe will never change.

The writers are new to me. Mainly women staring from that small backcover photograph. Long grey hair. Wrinkled faces. Faces tattooed by traces of time and sorrows. Why so many women? Kids left home, husband making his last career moves, she sits at home bored? I thought they where the generation fighting women liberation, equal (working) rights. Anyway. those books handle the same subjects as ever. The 60ties, Calvinism, ice-skating, polder landscapes, traditional Dutch celebration days and the never ending WW2. What’s up with these Dutch and that war. Even this generation, born after, endlessly wines about it. Frustrated by the stories of their parents. I lost interest reading endless the same sad shite about ‘good old days and values’. Life goes on, ahead… Tally ho…Spur your horse, Sally…

The Dutch, lets go back to this ‘country’ stereotyping for the fun of it. There are two things I definitely hate from those low-landers. (Being born there allows me some criticism.) It are a few words they endlessly use:

-‘heb je dat goed geregeld’ (Did you arrange it well). Dutchies say this all the time. Everybody must have everything well arranged. They are good in arranging. They arranged everything. There are arrangements for everything. So many that they arranged arrangements to arrange the many arrangements. The Dutch must throw all arrangements away and stop arranging, and especially mentioning to me if I arranged all well. Arrange comes out of my ass and composts in the toilet.

– The second: ‘lekker toch’ ( tasty). Unbearable how often and in stupid context The Dutch use this fraise. It rains (tasty). Sunshine (tasty). Lost the election (tasty). Do a bikecycle ride (tasty). Change underwear (tasty)…its endless.

This is what the Dutch make Dutch, their ‘tasty arrangements’ . Most problematic is that Dutch think they have the best ‘tasty arrangements’ in the world and everybody should learn from that. Poor Dutchies don’t realize nobody wants to hear about them for long time anymore.

At the moment the Dutch tasty arranged supporting a dangerous movement with doubtful leader into one of their biggest political movements. Wilders what can I say…

‘In times of fear and uncertainty human kind tends to follow doubtful leaders, discarding its most respected skill: understanding other’s views. Instead they lower themselves disdaining and destroying fellow-men.’   ?

Tuesday, 25 October, 2011

Burned lots of weeds today. Had piles after cleaning this ground, and I am still not done. Tanx to the rain I can afford making a careful fire. Tomorrow another rainy day, than we head back to sunshine. 4 days of rain is sufficient. If we (the Portuguese) together with the meteorological institute can plan this in for lets say every two month, life would be improved much here. Should have made pictures of my burning. I would be done with this post showing a photograph right here. Pity, forgot so I am doomed to writing. Somehow I don’t feel for going into the Slovene matters for today. That comes back later.

What I noticed in Portugal is that people take life much more as it is. There doesn’t seem to be any need to be like the west. Logic, Portugal is one of the oldest European countries existing already for over 1000 years. The population established themselves on this territory for numerous generations. Safely protected behind Spain, the only bordering land. All the rest is water. Sure, Portugal is poor at the moment, but has a very rich history of wealth and culture. There is no desperate need proving country’s rights to exist (oops…). Only thing they should work on is local roads. Ok, with EC money the highways and main routes are fixed, but as soon you turn of, be prepared for hell. Some villages are still disconnected from asphalt. ?

Monday, 24 October, 2011

Ok, I know what your thinking. After moved out I can now safely do some backstabbing. Hey, left similar kind of criticism in earlier posts, and while still in Slovenia I often discussed the ‘Slovenian underdog position’ with friends using same opinions based on my experiences living there. Recent move to another very different territory makes cultural differences obvious, I now start to write in more clear texts. But that will come upcoming days. Now I am enjoying the rain plus sorted out pictures from the recent Sina festival. Since everybody shows Eric Arn pictures of shoes hanging from the ceiling (great show and images), let me show another moment from Sina 2011: DKK, yes me, myself and I turning my back to the audiences: ?

Sunday, 23 October, 2011

It rains! It rains! Finally. Is about time. Never was so happy with rain before in my life. Guess I have to get use to these long dry periods in these surroundings.

If anyone out there feels offended regarding my yesterday’s post, don’t be. Take it as healthy criticism of an outsider who had a very well extended good look inside. Slovenia is a great part of Europe. Probably one of the nicest nature areas. Nice people. Made some good friends. Just that… you know… that harmonica (accordion – or in local Limbabwe slang ‘trekbuul’). If you want to be west, throw it over the border. North preferable, where that thing fits better with ‘lederhosen’. ?

Saturday, 22 October, 2011

No rain yet, damned! Incidental cloudy sky is all I got. What the fuck…Do these fuckers at the meteorological institute know how dry it is out here! I am ready for it! Let it pour down! Think I never in my life was so eager for rain. The complete town, country, is waiting.

I just moved from one of the wettest European places. Not that it rained there so often, but if it did (almost once every day), it poured down for real! Besides, the place was so rich with water wells, nothing never dried out. Not that the forever moist was so pleasant. I seem to hop from the one extreme to the opposite other. Reflexes my typical life.

Countries are not so much my thing, but I do notice remarkable differences between my latter and present location. I might get into a touchy subject here. When moving to Slovenia I wanted to leave it all, the west life style, throw away society, yuppie control, repetitive electric computerized dance music without soul (they are still stuck in that up there), unfair and unequal dividing of basic human needs, basically everything the occupy movement protest against. I decided to hide in a small, hard to reach, village in the middle of nowhere. Finding some peace in my mind returning from hectic tours and modern rat-race life. Mistake! Yes I made a mistake here. Sure, the village was peaceful surrounded with amazing nature. It kept me there for 12 years. But I didn’t notice the warnings at arrival. In 1999 it was lesser common foreigners moving in. My first public bar visit caused a small walk up. Many locals talked to me. They didn’t understand why I moved there. “I came from heaven, what made me move to hell”, was their comment. Few years later I realized the complete society was moving very fast into the direction of what I tried to escape. Logic! No blame here. After all these years of community life without modern comfort makes people yearn for materialistic gags. The complete ‘new’ country turned quickly in a money wasting, fast life, cheap throw away society following the stereotype examples from west capitalistic communities. It brought underdog frustrations going strong until today. Yes, Slovenia is still food for psychologists. A society in desperate fear not to be sufficient ‘west’. The beautiful (deserted by humans) nature was my only reason making my stay so long. Sure, made few good friends, created a social life. But let this be a warning to those in wealthy countries who think they can get away from it all moving to different societies. The escape might turn out lesser fulfilling.

There is a lot to say about the Slovenian underdog frustration. Will come back on this another day. Make some compares with my new location. Very different here. Not that the one human is better than the other. Individuals are nice worldwide. One thing is for sure: if I ever pack my bags again the trip will be more down south. I never go back north, not even my death remains!   ?

Friday, 21 October, 2011

Have all these ‘half a post’ texts written. Don’t seem to reach ‘ready for publishing’ level. Would like sharing few opinions and thoughts. Probably next week, when it rains and I am convicted staying indoors. I am curious how it will be here when it rains. Expect the dust road to this house change into a mud-pool. Weather forecast predicts couple of days real rain, than it will ease into incidental drops. Working hard getting few important things done before. Especially mowing. Almost done with the most important parts. Have still lots of cleaning to do on this ground. Will happen when the time is there. I expect burning the piles of branches and weed end next week, when everything is wet enough to burn (funny contradictive). Keep you informed, if able too! My electricity is solar. Overcast sky means lesser quick loading. Will I have sufficient juice running this computer? Batteries are full plus I can run a generator. This ‘new’ life is exiting. Always ready to improvise. On the end I can run my bikecycle with dynamo on one wheel while working with the computer.     ?

Thursday, 20 October, 2011

Working the woods and land. Rain is expected next week. Need to have a few important things done before. About time for some rainfall. Its dangerous dry outside. Somehow I don’t expect massive pouring. Soft rainy day on Sunday followed by a bit cloudy week including incidental drops. Hopefully sufficient wet so I can burn gardening waste. After cleaning these grounds I have piles. No fire outside between half March and half October (no summer barbecue’s) is the law in Portugal. After last week forest fire I understand why. Anyway, expectations are sunny weather again after one week.

Have my first fresh chestnuts of this year few days ago. The eatable ones. Smooth and sweet. The chestnut is a native tree in these surroundings. Few grow around the house.

This week chestnuts ?

Tuesday, 18 October, 2011

Filling this spot with many short nonsense posts lately. Dissatisfaction about my texts is the main reason. Starting this blog I never bothered whatever my writing was about or grammatically looked like, now I became picky. Better said: critical. It takes many ‘proof’ readings before I find a text suitable for publishing. Therefore today another quick filler found in Wiktionary:

————————————————————————————————————

Limbabwe

Dutch

Etymology:

Blend of Limburg and Zimbabwe.

Proper noun:

Limbabwe n

(usually pejorative) Limburg.

Usage notes:

This word is used mostly disparagingly when trying to distance Limburg from the rest of the country (Netherlands or Belgium), due to its remote location relative to the economic centers of those countries. However, the term is also used by Limburgers themselves to add an exotic touch to the name.

Categories:

Dutch blends

Dutch proper nouns

Dutch pejoratives

————————————————————————————————————

Now we know. Good to have these wiki pages. Never thought about the name either way. Don’t do the nationalistic ‘country’ thing. ‘Exotic’? How do they now at Wiktionary that I moved to a warmer climate just recently? ?

Monday, 17 October, 2011

October 17. Here a picture of today! Me relaxing under the shadow of a tree.

28 Celsius. Lake @ Barrage De Cabril.

 ?

Saturday, 15 October, 2011

Lately I am writing a lot. Busy putting down memories, thoughts, opinions directly related to my personal life. Not much of that appeared here. Maybe later, or just parts. Interesting in my writing is that I do it on English, automatically. Somehow I lost relation with my ‘mother-tongue’: Dutch. Sure I still can read and speak Dutch, but when expressing serious or emotional my brains switch to English.

Dutch is a weird language anyway. Former residents in this house left a shelve full of Dutch books. Do read in Dutch, but also English and German. The shelve contains a variation of books. Some are typical ‘Dutch Literature’. Picket up one the other day. ‘Jeroen Brouwers – Geheime Kamers (Secret Rooms)’. Didn’t get further than the first 20 pages. What a weird way of expressing. Its horrible, unreadable! Usually I end books after start reading (you never know), even if finishing takes some time. But this was one of the few books I closed with the thought never to pick up again. The Dutch are proud of their ‘literature’ writers. Many say it’s a good language for writers to express in. Express my ass. After 20 pages of Brouwers I had lots of expressions but saying nothing. Meaningless empty words. Lots of conjuring language, coming from nowhere going anywhere. Mathematical, like John McLaughlin guitar riffs in the 70ties or Schoenberg piano sonata.

Was the Dutch literature always like this I asked myself? Brouwers book is pretty recent (last decade). In younger years (70-80ties) I preferred (and only did) read Dutch literature. Besides Brouwers I read complete works of Maarten ‘t Hart, Gerard Reve, D A Kooyman, and many more. This was a long time ago. Barely remember, are these books also heartless empty word-games? Or is it me growing so far away from Dutch language that I feel an outsider looking in recognizing now how crappy it actually is? Should pick up one of these old books again.

The general stereotype statement is you never lose the language growing up with. I disagree. Sure, once learned you know how to speak and understand that language for life. Personally I experience loosing touch with a language. Don’t feel the soul anymore. Long time distance with The Netherlands turned their language into a mathematical tool. Not that my English is so brilliant or feel more ‘soulful’ related too. The languages I choose to express in come natural based on my personal life-path.

At the moment I am learning Portuguese. Tried to load some of Slovene (Slavic) in my brains before this. Wasn’t very successful. The Latin based language I try to speak and understand now feels more natural. Its nice to know some languages. Makes you getting along the road. But on the end, whatever you make out of it, language is just a tool. Dutch ‘literature’ is the proof.   ?

Friday, 14 October, 2011

Picture of today. I made it cycling around trying new paths, routes. Ok, great view, have many of these. What made me stop taking this picture is that rock in the distance. You see it vaguely left. Mountain blood still flows in me. Rocks like that catch my attention. Getting home curiously I start studying maps. Have few topographic ones of these surroundings. Think this rock is beyond those. Can’t find it, not even the village stretched on the hillside. Could be Ouzenda from the point I am viewing. The direction I am watching is a lesser populated ‘rocky’ area, although tops don’t go above 1400 meters. Rock-shapes are interesting and cycling is great if you don’t mind going uphill. Its fairly easy compared with my previous location. The uphills are smooth and if becoming bit steep its only for few hundred meters (couple of yards). No sweat stepping on it for few minutes. What makes you vaporize is the hot sun. In combination with dry dusty road the inconvenient part of rides. All bearable. At home I wash the dust layer of and enjoy the sun of this never ending summer again.

Portugal is known for its long periods without rain. Living country side every move stirs up a dust-cloud. Often I empty my shoes. Truckloads of sand, dry sand, bit orange/red. Terra vermelho. Keep you informed about my ‘expeditions’ discovering that rock. ?

Thursday, 13 October, 2011

USA TODAY:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isWuatOKl6I?

Sorry, no utubepinhead vid here. Try to keep embed media minimal and show only exclusive material. Watch this link and follow.

Wednesday, 12 October, 2011

Still 30+ Celsius overhere and doesn’t seem to get down this week. Sorry for those in rainy cold climates. Last days forgot to mention the endless summer I moved to just for teasing. Full moon tonight. Wow, that moon rises fast. Within a few minutes it appears from nothing moving central sky. At least gives us a bright view on whats going on up there since satellites seem to drop down like rainfall lately. Saw some falling stars last nights, hmm, maybe not stars at all. And just to hang with Neil (Young): that ‘maybe star’ wasn’t a star at all, it was a satellite!

Confused we (inexperienced) look at the sky figuring out the systems. Due to the billions of satellite the universe is over crowded with shining lights. No way figuring out Milky Way or Great Bear (Ursa Major – more Portuguese I assume). No wonder Blackberries collapse. Too much radiation signal action going on up there. Soon more communication gets confused. Remember: nothing is infallible. Failing is a part of existence. Earth will fail one day too. Now figure out the ‘Ursa Major’: ?

Tuesday, 11 October, 2011

Not much time today but still a picture I made one hour ago. The moon, almost full (tomorrow). ?

Monday, 10 October, 2011

Few years ago I raised my eyebrows looking at the chocolate section in a supermarket. One type of dark chocolate was spiced with hot chili peppers. ‘Spicy Chocolate? Weird’, I thought. Never seen before, but hey, lets try. Purchased the remarkable product and took a bite at home. More sweet than spicy. Just a vague tickling aftertaste indicated presence of some chili-powder. Forgot the issue until lately. Why I don’t know, but the name Cortez popped up more often in books and articles I was/am reading. Maybe it has to do with my new location, although Cortez was Spanish, not Portuguese. I am talking about the Cortez who ‘conquered’ (better occupied) Mexico 500 years ago. He gained a place in history because of being the first European coming in contact with another (more than Europe?) developed society; the Aztecs. Although nowhere mentioned in the official pages, Cortez has nothing to be proud of. He killed with weapons, wrong politics and spreading deceases, many Aztecs including Moctezuma. History we know from Neil’s (Young) song ‘Cortez the Killer’.

Anyway, back to the subject chocolate. According to many history writers the Aztecs powdered the bean and created a drink with chili, vanilla and pimento. Aha, not so weird the spicy chocolate. It was the first type of chocolate Europeans got confronted with. Cortez introduced the ‘magic’ drink (supposing to stimulate brains and sex) in Europe. The Europeans tried it for some time acting sturdy, not showing abhor. It became massive popular when someone had the bright idea throwing loads of sugar in, leaving spices out.

Reading stories like this make me curious. Hmm, got all the ingredients in my kitchen: cacao, chili-powder, vanilla and pimento. Yep, I did it. Stirred up a cup and convinced myself trying a zip. Hmm, wouldn’t recommend it, but its (barely) drinkable. Sure more spicy than that factory made bar few years ago. Miss the sugar though, but feel much more mucho man now I can stand Moctezuma’s drink.

This little experiment reminded me of an exact opposite product from my childhood; the ‘Koetjesreep’. Can’t translate this. Even ‘Cow-bar’ doesn’t come close to correct feeling of this strange Dutch term. It was a popular (and cheap) snack in the 60ties. A very sweet chocolate bar. So sweet, I wonder if it had besides sugar, any other ingredients. Lets get sentimental. Here a picture:

The ‘Koetjesreep’ is still in production by a Belgium chocolate factory.       ?

Sunday, 09 October, 2011

Skipped a day posting yesterday. Simply didn’t feel for it and what the hell why not writing for a day. Anyway, Paul McCarthy got married again. Ringo Starr looks remarkable young on the pictures. Bono has a banned video. Mickey Wells (Weezer) died (overdose) and also Harry Muskee passed away. Almost forgot the Limbabwe page is from origin a music site, although none of the above themes are about music. And who the hell is Harry Muskee you might say. Probably he will be missed in some Dutch countryside ‘wedding and funerals’ local bar-backrooms where he entertained farmer sun and daughters for 30 years endlessly playing blues covers. This remark will not amuse some hardcore fans, oh well dear ‘fans’, get real. Harry assumedly was a nice guy, but not an outstanding blues innovator.

So lets get to more real news (no, not another forest fire). While the woods where burning around this location the ‘occupy wallstreet’ movement in US spread quickly. At the moment there are loads of ‘occupy…(St. Luis, Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland and many more)’. Interesting protest of dissatisfied citizens about how politics work. Similar protests where before in few other European countries. But those looked like violent street acts of drunk masses. The US protests look better motivated and organized. Latest crisis seem to spread awareness about how fucked we all are with lies from media and politics. Basically politics don’t work. Democracy doesn’t exist (never did). The power and money is in hands of few (never was different). The protests will not change this (never the goal). What it brings are good dynamics, energy and positive lifestyle. This can erupt in short moments of creativity, new inventions, ideas or art. After, everything returns to situation as usual. I like this kinda moments.

Its interesting to see how Europe deals with this unknown ‘image’ of North America. Media usually keeps the masses in the delusion of ‘Baywatch’. A community based on fast entertainment and food with war minded (previous movie-stars) politicians. Even the ‘alternative’ cultures of late 60ties turned within few days into quick cheap export products. The world couldn’t get enough of silly cash bringing gags like ‘Easy Rider’ and ‘Woodstock’.

The happenings at the moment in the US are a follow up on the anti Bush manifestations. Already for a decade the US is trembling with alternative gatherings and movements. Traveling there during ‘Bush’ I found it positive and energetic. Felt like the 70ties in The Netherlands (Squatting, No-Nukes, Pro Choice, Euthanasia, Coffee-shops,…). Oh what did the Dutch feel liberated (and ‘world-teachers’). That’s long gone now. For many non-US its probably hard to swallow that ‘America’ doesn’t seem to be stereotyped Redneck or Yankee. Logic natural reactions on previous situations. Meanwhile in Europe movements are still discussing copyrights for their books and movies. Who isn’t dreams away in ignorance. Time to wake up.

But what is that weird repeating by the crowd during an activist speech? (check the ‘occupy…’ vids) Every word is screamed back to the person talking from a riser. Can’t get used to that. Looks like religious masses following leaders…    ?

Friday, 07 October, 2011

The gig of Arthur Brown is over. Only few puffs of smoke here and there. For those unknown with Arthur Brown: he was (is?) the ‘God of HellFire, and I bring you: FIRE’ guy. I know you youngsters keep on denying great hits from the 60ties. Well stay bored with your depressive nowadays ‘college pop’. I prefer the good old dynamic days. Not that Arthur was so brilliant, but the one song was. Probably he is now on a level doing reunion tours in country site villages like this.

Enough of that. Posted about this ‘hellfire’ rockstar months ago. Back to reality: the Mimosa tree! Looking at the Portuguese landscape first impression is there are only 6 plants growing. 3 trees: pine, eucalyptus, mimosa. 3 bushes: heather, broom, black-berry. They all seem to fight and find space among eachother. Personally I am amazed anything grows on this hot and dry dust. But in contrary: it’s a human struggle creating sufficient living space yourself inbetween these 6 plants. The pine is fine. No prob with that one. Its strong, open and gives you space. Heather is easy to control. Broom sits bit in your way and gets tougher if you keep cutting. Eucalyptus annoys. Draining the ground and roots so deep, you can’t get it out, plus they grow tall and are vulnerable for wind (fall on roof) but you can keep the population down by cutting. Worst is black-berry and mimosa. Both grow faster the more you fight them. Black-berry bushes seem to be stimulated if cut. Maybe it’s a nice fruit, but impossible plant. I know you might have one in your garden easy to maintain, but here are thousands getting 4/5 meter (15 feet) high with branches 5cm (2 inches) thick. If you don’t watch it they come up everywhere. Ignoring some land means finding an impenetrable jungle of bramble-bush after one year. Worst is these thorns stick on everything. It’s a hard deal clearing and you can’t just set it on fire (read posts latest days). The mimosa persists similar but lucky has no thorns. The tree expands massively quick. Plant one and within few months you might have a field full. Not controlling means creating mimosa-only garden. Mimosa I am fighting the most lately. There where thousands on this land around the house. Problem is they grow fast. You have a house-high tree within one year. Managed getting them almost all out. Only few spots, lesser important. Here a picture of the last mimosa trees on this location.

Max 2 years old mimosa trees

Have a good look, next week they are gone. Maybe not very visual on the picture, but few of them are so close to the new phoneline that keeps me connected with the rest of the world (and maintaining this site). Tops tickle the line already. They have to go.

Still; the mimosa is an interesting appearance in Portugal. Will do some studies what/how brought this tree here. Most info says the tree only exists in South America. Understandable, it doesn’t seem to cope with cold climates at all. Although in The Netherlands you can purchase cuttings for good money (hmm, maybe some bizz in that?). Most likely the tree won’t survive the freezing winters overthere.

Positives about the mimosa: the bark is good for skin, stops bleeding and heals burning spots quick. Its fast growing burning wood. Tall and straight stem suitable for construction purposes. Grows after fires on poor burned-out fields and creates (with falling rotten leaves) new rich soil suitable for other vegetation to grow.     ?

Thursday, 06 October, 2011

Another day enjoying a local Portuguese traditional folklore: the forest fire. They seem to love it. Moms cooking, men drinking, local fanfare on the street. ‘Lets burn its down’ party! Anyway, first to all my friends and relatives checking this page regularly and are concerned; I am safe. Wind blows opposite direction of the fire (blows it away from me). Locals realized I am up here far out in the deserted woods (did I write in an earlier post I live about 1 mile from closest neighbors, in the middle of a forest?) and checked on me to see if all is ok. In disasters like this I don’t seem to get forgotten or ignored.

This is the morning view from my porch.

Huge cloud of smoke covering the sun allowing me making a picture lens facing that sun! During the day the fire got under control. At the moment I only see an incidental ‘puff’ of smoke. Dangerous days start now. The fire for sure is smoldering on many places. Attention of locals and fire-brigade dissolves. The fanfare left. Moms cooking returned to ‘family only’. Meanwhile blows a strong wind. Its fairly expectable the fire stirs up again coming days. I stay alert…  ?

Wednesday, 05 October, 2011

Those who follow news regularly are informed about the ‘famous’ Portuguese forest fires. They return every year especially after the summer, a long dry period. Not strange, Portugal is overgrown by trees. Mainly pine but also eucalyptus (imported and very ‘burnable’) plus ofcourse the Mimosa, taking advantage from the burned soil. Its amazing these plants survive in this hot dry atmosphere.

At the moment I am experiencing my first Portuguese forest fire. Its nearby, but don’t worry I am not under threat. Let me give you the news out of first hand from an eyewitness, better and faster than CNN!

It started today approximately around noon. I noticed it on return of a bikecycle trip. The fire just reached ‘visual size’. At the same time I heard lots of fire-truck sirens. Made a picture the moment discovering the fire.

Smoke in the distance, about 3 miles from my position. Down the hill you see the village my living quarters are close. The house is in the forest on the left, towards windmills. The fire started in this valley on lower level of the opposite hill. No sweat you think, but today wind blows north-east in the direction of this house. I have been avant gardening a lot lately. There was no rain for months. The soil is totally dry for at least 30cm (1 foot) deep! This fire can go fast, sneaking around in a bow attacking from left-flank. Its only forest from there to here; the nature park ‘Serre de Lousa’.

Here the second picture I made just bit down the road few minutes after the above one.

You now can clearly see the fire and how it grew in just a moment.

Arriving at the house I made this picture.

Today is clear sky. No clouds! What you see is smoke.

Few hours later, around 7pm. Twilight, almost dark I took another shot.

The smoke is more and covers wider territory. Obvious the fire is spreading, but lucky me, wind turns and blows the fire in other direction. Now the fire gets clearly in my sight. Sorry, all pictures fail. Too dark. No ‘nightview’.

At the moment (9.30pm) I am viewing from the veranda a fully red burning hill right across the valley. Beautiful sight but ofcourse also dramatic. I posted pictures of this hill before (not burning). Here it is:

Imagine that middle hilltop in total red flames at night in the dark. The usual bright yellow moon shines purple tonight due to smoke-clouds.   ?

Tuesday, 04 October, 2011

32 Celsius again today. Don’t know why I keep announcing temperatures. Probably because amazed that it still is this hot early October. Never lived in an atmosphere like this. Never will go back either. If moving again, it will be direction hotter.

Free Music is going to ‘occupy Portland’ (OR-USA) now Thursday. So if you live in Sapporo, Japan, take that plane leaving in two hours to be in time. More info about this will follow. A new thing on Limbabwe. You will be informed about the latest actions in Free Music!

More ‘new’ on Limbabwe. We (Obelix, the other admin and me) are going to change the site. It will get a bit different look, not drastically. I like this ‘practical’ design. Changes are done mainly because we move to another program controlling the admin area. Something most visitors won’t notice, besides that when the moment is there, not all Limbabwe pages will be reachable for some hours (give it a day). Still I will take the opportunity to change a tiny bit of the front page design. You will see. All is going to happen later this month, towards end of October.

After the admin program swap I will edit some pages. That will go slowly. Don’t worry, your most popular Limbabwe pages, downloads and gallery, stays available. And ofcourse, the Avant Gardenist will keep on filling the front page almost daily.

Its an it’s and bits post today. Working on new gallery, probably will get the name ‘villages’. New sounds from Dallas Kingston Kollektor based on the ‘breur’ heartbeat (see previous posts). No picture today, maybe tomorrow accompanying a Mimosa post. ?

Monday, 03 October, 2011

Promised yesterday, here is the picture of the phone-wire cutting through valley.

Amazing how clear you can see this tiny thin thing reflecting against the blue sky.

In the background, on top of the hill, you see a windmill. There are many in these surroundings. A governmental/private company project. Some moments I find ‘the view spoiled’, but on the other hand, better looking at a windmill than nuclear power station or burning installation. Maybe wind and water are lesser productive (effective) creating energy than nuclear power, its still lesser dangerous and most environmentally friendly.

Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays are my bikecycle days. Not that I have a forcing routine schedule. It can change sometimes. Just try to stay in condition avoiding the weekends. In all wine producing territories Saturdays and Sundays are suicidal cycling days. Many people drive drunk after returning from lunch or early afternoon family visit. Staying home is the safest. Here a picture from my ride today. I was exploring the Serre de Lousa, nearest nature park situated right up the road. Serre de Lousa is a rough dry hilly area with lots of pine-trees, death bushes, tumbleweed and dust. 32 Celsius I measured today, looking over valley. Great view. You see the hot air trembling.

Is that Clint on a horse down there in the far distance…? I bet for just a few dollars more… ?

Sunday, 02 October, 2011

It happened! I am on the web! Wow! The PT (Portuguese Telecom) worked for 3 days installing a cable from down the village to the house. Since this weekend I can do normal internet again. This means updating the sites (limbabwe and Sina) decently. From now on back to blogging on more regular base. Shite, forgot to make a picture of the cable, I owe you that tomorrow. It’s a shitty thin very breakable looking wire. More designed for inhouse use I would say. Oh well, as long trees don’t drop on them it will work. A lightning-strike probably dissolves it in ashes. Most important is I can regularly fill this spot again with my usual usefulless intellectual knowledge nonsense.

Last week I installed my first ‘breurram’. This is a water-pump working on its own power (hydraulic power). No electricity or other energy source needed to have it working. Pumping up water to a height of 30 meters. I wrote about the breur earlier this summer. The old breurram on this ground was worn-out and needed replacements. I went to the store purchasing the parts. Cheap stuff almost every good tool or home-improvement store in the world sells them.  What you need are two valves: foot-valve and spring-loaded check valve. These two do the job. Ofcourse you need connecting pieces, water pipes and such. The basic principle is that water comes into a chamber where both valves are connected to. (water) Pressure builds up, pushes the foot-valve up, closes the chamber and therefore opens the spring-valve that is connected with the water supply pipe. Pressure decreases. Foot-valve comes down, spring-valve closes. All starts from the beginning again. The breur I made does this every second. All works by itself tanx to pressure of water. Here a picture of the breur I made:

It pushes water up to a reservoir about 20 meter higher. If you are interested, here a site where they explain the working of the breur in English and Dutch: http://www.wot.utwente.nl

Warning: The way they explain is right but a bit too easy. Its more complicated than they tell you. It took me 4 days experimenting until the breur worked correctly, although I did everything instructed. You will be measuring pipes, moving pipes, changing heights of water flowing into the breur, hanging the supply-pipe differently and lots more. Its an accurate job. Lots of experimenting. All has to be somehow in correct position.

In contrary with what ‘wot’ writes, the breur will not start immediately by itself. You have to hand-start it numerously by pushing the foot-valve down manually. Make a little hole in the head on top of the valve (I snapped a hole in the side and used small screwdriver pushing the valve down). Repeat this often, you might be doing it for 15 minutes or longer. Reason is that the supply-pipe didn’t built up sufficient pressure to close the spring-valve. If you keep on pushing the foot-valve down you will notice it works by itself after a while.

Although I think the people at ‘wot’ designed a simple easy and cheap system that everybody can built, I have to give a little criticism on their remark the breur works (almost) endlessly and barely needs maintenance. Nothing is perfect or lasts forever. The valves wear-out after some years (I had to replace them) plus you have to regularly check if all piping is still in correct position. Still my breur works already for some days and for sure it will many years. Good invention, consider one in your garden. ?

Tuesday, 27 September, 2011

Don’t know how it is in your whereabouts, for me this summer is going on for 6 months already without interruption. Sure there was a (tropical) rainy day sometimes and few incidental colder ‘new moon’ nights, but no long period that weather dropped drastically. In whole Europe spring surprised us with early warm summer style sunny days starting late March/early April. Here I am 6 months later, and due to my move, it looks like the end of summer is far out of sight. Its great cycling around in the hills wearing shorts and shirt. Hot air trembles over the dusty roads. Flaming sun burns my skin. Temperature is above 30 Celsius. Whooee, its 27 September!! I never was in such a great autumn weather. For me this can go on forever!

Nowadays it should be legitimate mentioning publicly the companies that sell shit by their name (see last post).  People take too much for granted lately. They buy the crap under the slogan ‘oh well, its cheap’. This does not exclude the company from criticism. Especially a company like Ryan Air with their tricky set up so lesser attentive customer easily pays unnecessary too much. Had following amazing moment during recent Ryan Air flight. About half way the trip. We where hanging calmly in the air. Suddenly the ‘fasten seatbelt’ sign flashes. ‘Bad weather or turbulence coming up’ I think. Bored, nothing to do I stare to the front where the main steward dials a short number on the internal phone. Probably with same thought having a short informative conversation with the pilot. Than she announces everybody to remain seated with fastened seatbelts (no reason mentioned why). Another call is made. A young steward rushes from rear to the front. The pilot comes out of the cabin, the steward goes in. The pilot goes to the toilet! The pilot comes from the toilet, flirts a bit with the stewards and returns into the cockpit. Hmm, wait a moment… this emergency fasten-seatbelts was so the pilot could have a pee? Meanwhile a steward watch controls (a plane flights solely by computer). Ryan Air: fly cheap, get crap…but safe?

Latest I heard is that some governments plan to extra tax unhealthy food like potato crisps, sweets and such. (not so) Good idea, after killing the smokers, lets now find new victims to hype the masses against. We are living in a free world where governments decide if you want your own free body to be healthy or not. My opinion, let people decide themselves if they prefer to feel horrible because of what they intake. On the other hand, bad food is part of an environmental unfriendly industry. That must change! So lets go for the new hype. Biological produced potato crisps. Not that these are healthier. Don’t fall for the ‘new’ invention. ‘Healthy’ crap food producers might come up with the great ‘new’ healthy idea of unsalted crisps. You find a small sack containing salt in the crisps bag. Salt it by your own taste. I am old enough to know that this is how potato crisps started. In the 60ties it always came unsalted with little sack inside. I predict, and for sure it will happen, in the near future some major brands will sell this idea ‘new’ and ‘healthy’.

That was material for 3 posts today. I try to catch up. The local phone company is making progress hooking me up on a cable. They came to see few days ago and promised to do it later this week! Take in consideration that in this culture it means things will happen over one month or so. Still, things are on the move. When my internet is smooth, more regular updates and changes will happen.   ?

Thursday, 22 September, 2011

Most people hop from (major) city to city. I hop from village to village. These ‘hard to reach’ mountain villages have something. Yep, I am back home in the other mountain (ahum…hills) location. Had a refreshing bikecycle trip today.

These cheap airlines have interesting ways getting the cash out of their customers pockets. I talk about ‘Ryan Air’. Just did a flight with them (not the first time). Besides the usual attempts selling you much rubbish as possible (lottery, cheap tickets, expensive coffee,…) I noticed the chairs are very uncomfortable because they are placed close to eachother so you can enjoy the comfort of having utmost less leg-space possible. Now comes the best part. Ryan Air doesn’t sell seats. You can sit wherever you want. But… if you want to have first choice you can purchase a ‘priority boarding ticket’! Ofcourse this cost extra. Funny how people fool themselves. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes for a plane to board from first till last traveler. The ‘priority’ boarders pay extra to sit longer on an  uncomfortable chair waiting for the last passenger to arrive. That is me. I always board last because my favorite seat is always available. The alley-seat. Most comfortable, I can stretch my legs sometimes, when they don’t race by with one of these shopping-cars.

I know my posting became a bit ‘irregular’. It’s the lack of internet, or better said the very bad connection that keeps me from regular internet activities. The shitty company is called ‘TMN’. If you ever come across them avoid it. Hope to have something better soon. ?

Sunday, 18 September, 2011

DKK’s mixer ended in the garbage bin. Franz Fojdor (Wouter Jaspers) ended up spinning (dj) in a local bar until late hours. Idrija trembled on the Sina sounds. Lukatoyboy jammed the container, Peter Suklar banged the container. Eric Arn challenged the Kaiser accoustics, Bojana Saldic beated the ‘Kript’ reverberations. Sina is over. Peace will return in this sleeping mountain village. If you missed it be here next year! Sina is on the move. Above a quick edited film impression. ?

????

?

Sunday, 26 June, 2011

Silly season cucumber posts always work writing about Belgium. Do you know Belgium has 3 regions (Flemish, Wallonia and Brussels), 3 Communities (Flemish, French, German) and 4 language area’s (Flemish (Dutch), French, both mixed (Brussels) and German)? This is official! Don’t believe me? Check the Belgium constitution.

Already confused? Imagine you move to Belgium into the little town Membach (look it up on the map). You live in the province Liege, region Wallonia and are member of the French community. Living in Belgium is great so your brother follows and moves to nearby (3 miles) town called Eupen. He also lives in the Liege province, region Wallonia but is part of the German community. The official language he uses is German, although if doing administrative necessarities at town-hall, he is allowed to speak French.

Would he settle in Bever located in province Flemish-Brabant, Flemish region and Flemish community, he is not allowed to speak Flemish but Dutch! Although on official occasions (town-hall paperwork) he is allowed to speak French, not German! But his dart landed few miles east from Bever, in Brussels. The capital of Belgium is only a region. For language he must choose; French or Dutch! Taking Dutch he is (whether like or not) Flemish, becomes member of the Flemish Community. His interests are taken care of by the Flemish Community Commission and Common Community Commission. Choosing French does not make him Walloon but ‘French-speaker’ and therefore ofcourse also part of the French Community. Interests are taken care of by French Community Commission and Common Community Commission.

Regarding elections, back to the start of this article, province Liege. The inhabitant of Eupen can choose who to elect for the Walloon Parliament and German Community Counsel. His brother in Membach also votes for the Walloon Parliament, but has no choice who seats the Walloon Community Counsel. They are appointed by the Walloon Parliament and 19 members from the Brussels Municipal Counsel. Flemish inhabitants from Brussels elect the Brussels Municipal Counsel and can also vote for the Flemish Parliament. French in Brussels contribute their own elected members to the Brussels Municipal Counsel. Meanwhile if living in Bever your election is limited in choosing who joints the Flemish Parliament.

Confused? Well I am, think twice before you move to Belgium!

?

Friday, 24 June, 2011

Another cucumber post. Here a view of the front cd cover from the new Free Music ‘Ha! Ha! Ass Clown’ cd. I replaced the ‘Ha! Ha! Ass Clown’ zip with a new one that includes this cover and above video. If downloaded the zip already, take the cover from below, or re-download! Download the new Free Music here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Free_Music_Ha_Ha_Ass_Clown.zip

For Track list and album info go here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?62

Time you check out regularly the Šina festival site. This year again on 15/16/17 September in Idrija, Slovenia. One of the most cozy ‘experimental’ festivals in the world. From now on news regarding this great upcoming festival will be added regularly: http://shinafest.wordpress.com/

Okay, here the Clown cover:

Wednesday, 22 June, 2011

Not much of that posting lately isn’t it? The summer is always ‘thin’. Lesser visitors and lesser writing. Not only due to lack of time, enjoying good weather. Also because of ‘mind-set’. In the summer our minds are on vacations, beaches, hanging, enjoying, icecream, mixdrinks,… The sunny weather invites us spending lesser time indoors. In media this is called ‘cucumber time’. No news because politicians are hanging at beaches and disco’s (lots of work for paparazzi). Sure disasters, accidents, weather reporters, columnists,… are on vacation too.

The ‘fraze’ Cucumber Time I translated from Dutch but seem to have a British history, although it might be originate from German. Its all uncertain but the story goes that German tailors immigrated to the UK used the German name ‘Sauregurkenzeit’ for the empty summer period UK tailors took time of due to low bizznix. The Brith-tailors adapted and translated Sauergurk in Cucumber, what isn’t that silly, both are related veggies. The Dutch stole and translated the term (komkommertijd). Point is that in the low bizznix vacation period it was also Sauregurk/Cucumber/Komkommer harvest time. Funny; in official English language the period is called ‘Silly Season’!

Confused? Well I am, above reads more like a Monty Python story, but here some information to ease your mind: in most languages this period is referred to the cucumber! And they are cheap nowadays, tanx to the German sauergurken from Spain!

Don’t expect daily posting for a while unless the situation extorts, still I will add news few times a week, so keep checking!

Monday, 20 June, 2011

No new post but new vid on new song from Free Music ‘Ha! Ha! Ass Clown!

More info in latest post below.

Saturday, 18 June, 2011

‘Ha! Ha! Ass Clown’ 2012: The End of Times, The End of Bands.

(no image available yet)

Hey Folks,

I’m submitting a copy of the new album “2012: the end of times, the end of bands” by global rock phenomenon ha! Ha! ass clown! for review and interview consideration.

ha! ha! ass clown! is the only example EVER of the construction of a fictitious band, for the express purpose of discussing the end of bands; The only album ever produced, for the express purpose of discussing the end of album production; the only promotional existence ever created, to create the end of promotional existence.

ha! ha! ass clown! are currently distributed by ‘ur shit is done records’ but are negotiating a 3-way, multi album, 360* deal with Facebook/Youtube. This summer the band are headlining many European metal festivals (rothskilda, hulsfredt, skullfuk), gay techno concerts (love parade, schwarzwald faeiries rave braunschweig), and huge pop events (phoenix, pink pop, douchepoppe).

Grammy winning producer jacquire king (kings of leon, tom waits) has agreed to remix the 1st single, ‘free metal!/I’m a poseur’ and jack dangers (meatbeat manifesto, timo corp) is doing dubstep and chillwave remixes of ‘y.t.s.o.’ and conscientizacao’.

All additional band info (video’s, bios, tour dates, merch, etc.) will be on the Facebook site pending completion of the deal.

Thanks very much for your consideration. feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

Sincerely,

Howie Livin

Ur shit is done management

“a spectre is haunting the music industry-that spectre is free music!

Download the new Free Music here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Free_Music_Ha_Ha_Ass_Clown.zip

For Track list and album info go here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?62

Friday, 17 June, 2011

In The Netherlands is always a grey rainy sky and hairdressers are expensive. Stereotypes, but might have some truth. Although in the last months The Netherlands had a serious lack of rain, but these are exceptional situations.

Summer arrived early this year and keeps on lasting all over Europe. No complains. Love it. If up to me its always summer. Wrote this a few times last months.

The great weather invites me to extended bicycle rides. Long trips over many mountains. Great views and mind escapes. Leave the world below for what it is: crap!

Don’t feel for a long post today. My mind isn’t up for it. Need some good rest.

Enuhh the hairderessers…? Yep, they are expensive.

Wednesday, 15 June, 2011

Chickpeas. The main falafel ingredient. Find recipes in past posts published few months ago. Here how to grow them. This is a tropical/sub-tropical plant. If your domicile isn’t in hot weather environment try to grow them indoors (glass/growing house) or partly in and out. If grown in lesser ‘ideal’ circumstances the harvest might be lesser. Chickpeas take 4 to 6 months growing time. Start in February with seeds in a growing (glass/plastic) house. When few inches tall, pot every plant separately. Move outside (or indoors) in the full ground half April. Support every plant with 1½ meter stick on the Southside. The plant will grow direction sun. Use soil rich with calcium or add extra sometimes (egg shells). The plant needs heat and lots of water, a tropical moist swamp. Blooming time with white or blue/red flowers is in June/July. After that pods will grow. Each pod contains 2 to 3 peas. If the pod turns brown harvest the plant and let dry (September). Protect the drying spot for others (birds) who love chickpeas too. Dried you can store the peas for ages. Don’t grow chickpeas near to onions or garlic.

Music. Boney M sounds like pea-music, but who wants to play that overrated cash-crap from the 70ties. If you like something creepy from that time play Sparks. Remember; one half looks suspiciously similar like a certain European political dictator 70 years ago. ‘This Town Aint Big Enough for Both of Us’.

Tuesday, 14 June, 2011

The riot rebels of the 80ties turned into bizznix yups trying to cash their rebellious past. What a world we live in. Probably most ‘modern’ minds would think ‘so what! Whats wrong with making money’. It makes me cautious and aware with whom I deal with for as long my life lasts. No more fake ‘revolutionaries’ who attempt polishing Euro coins earned by jerking their ‘bomb-squat’ past. Better hang with the progressive now than these whining fools.

Good progress example is the former Waggon bunch from Stuttgart who struggle maintaining and forwarding their art location. For the summer they moved on an area nearby the old Waggons named Jakob 17. Below this months flyer. Bit late, half the events are pasts, but still some interesting gigs to come.

Its an ‘its +bits’ post before starting with my usual, more ‘serious’ writing after few weeks break. Expect an avant gardening how to grow chick peas (main falafel ingredient). Free Music download. New DKK release. New videos. Some drastic changes in this site design (if I find the time). Don’t know where you are but I am at the dawning of a new area. Change gotto come…NOW!

Monday, 13 June, 2011

Time picking up regular posting again. Lets start of easy with another announcement of Wagons activities in Stuttgart Germany. Ok, flyer comes late, 11 June passed, but you can still make it on June 18. Containers are popular lately. More updated news about the ‘Stuttgart Scene’ later this week. Expect also more ‘avant gardening’ posts and a brand new free download of Free Music.

Thursday, June 09, 2011

It has been some time and although I don’t have the time, still its time for a post to let you know I amaround. Hanging with the Dutch couple of days I figured out their ‘short-coming’ (yes lets whine about these ‘wessies’ again). Its not their greed for money, overpopulation (although partly), cheese and wooden shoes (klompen), but their hectic. These people run (and cycle) around like maniacs. Pushing, pulling, impatiently grouping in front of train/bus doors and traffic lights. Everybody seem to be in an extreme hurry on their way to something major important. That can’t be the case. The Netherlands has no ‘importancy’, unless considering your slavery job obligation life depending. But even than (understanding that work pays food and other necessareties), why do the Dutch have to push their way to destinations? Maybe it is the overpopulation, trying to spend less as possible time in the crowd. Anyway, the Dutch (and most other ‘west’ territory inhabitants except Belgium), should slow their pace. Calmly moving from location to destination is not time-wasting. You don’t gain a second running around hectic. Going relax gains many advantages, lesser stress, irritation, fights, heart (plus other) diseases and lots more. Wouldn’t you feel much better, happier and positive if arriving after a friendly calm relaxing travel? What the ‘wessies’ must do is dump the no-smoking regulations (take some time half-way for a relaxing ‘fag’), quit high tax on alcohol (have a drink with that cigarette) and make laws against being hectic in public. Life will improve!

The picture below is another of the many views I published on this page before. Surroundings I domicile, where people live in an easy pace.

Sunday, 5 June, 2011

Don’t find possebilities for posting. Next serious post will be over one week from now.

Saturday, 28 May, 2011

Stressy times plus I am travelling. Will try to post something upcomming days, maybe may be.

Thursday, 26 May, 2011

Rosemary, not the Paul Simon song ‘Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme’, but avant gardening, the plant. Anyway, I would never combine these 4 herbs in food. They don’t like eachother. Rosemary and Thyme would fit. Never combine Sage with other spices. Sage really doesn’t like competition neither other spices appreciate sage around.

Today Rosemary, ‘dew of the sea’. Great spice. Popular for thousands of years ofcourse due to the strong aroma that never seem to get less, even after some time cooking. Rosemary was (is) also used much in nice smelling ‘odors’ and has a medicinal reputation that it is good for brains, especially memory. Seed the plant in warm ground and let it grow to a small plant indoors before you put it in the garden, or buy, borrow, steal a clone (cloning will be another post). The plant is easy and will grow in your garden almost automatically. Take a few ‘rules’ in consideration: The plant is sub-tropical and therefore likes lots of sun. It doesn’t like too much water. Don’t put it in a watery environment. Dry on some rocks (create a little rocky hill beneath and around) is Rosemary’s most favorite. Rosemary does well in pots too. You might think this is unlikely but most types of rosemary survive winters.

Food. It’s a typical (and strong) flavor with ‘Mediterranean’ feel. Use it in Spanish, Italian, Greek,… dishes. Combined with other spices is possible, but be aware rosemary might overrule.

Music: Hmm, something with a strong sweet flavor and exotic accent. Not difficult. Reggae ofcourse. Toots and the Maytals – ‘Pomp and Pride’.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2011

Yesterday was Bob Dylan’s birthday. He became 70. Yep 70 years old! Unbelievable. Its time we give Bob some peace in his last years and forget he ever existed. Times don’t change back! Tanx god (or what/who-ever).

But I don’t want to write about Dylan. Again don’t have much time for posting at all. Expect more extended post tomorrow. Following up the ‘view’ picture yesterday its time today for another container. Why? Keep checking these Limbabwe pages upcoming months to find out. Enuhh, this might be the one:

Tuesday, 24 May, 2011

Yep, I am still here. Not much time for posting last days. Anyway, you are all busy avant gardening. Let me know how your peanuts are doing 2 months from today. Also this post is going to be short. Due to lack of time and travelling posting will be bit limited and irregular for upcoming two weeks. That’s why just a picture today. Another view. Why this one you will understand a year or so from now. Keep checking the Limbabwe pages.

Saturday, 21 May, 2011

Peanuts. To understand this post you have to read yesterdays post first.

In the recipe I forgot to explain you how to make peanut butter from your self-grown peanuts. Simple, peel the peanuts than crumble and press them until paste. Leave everything in. Lots of oil will come out, this is important for smoothness. By taste ad little bit salt or sweetener, preferable organic syrup.

And now the music. Promised a download and found it. This post handles several subjects at the same time. This one is also in the category: ‘records you show with pride’.

The song I mentioned yesterday ‘Krkenzi Kikiriki Evri Dej’ is performed by the band ‘Rokeris Moravu’. For most people it doesn’t mean shite. The band is from Yugoslavia. Started in 1977 and split in 1991 (history tells you why). To my surprise 17 records where produced. I was only aware of one or two. Never expected such a quantity. Rokeris was a ‘fun-folk-rock’ band mixing humor with music and theater-act. Based in Serbia and often dressed in a mix of folk and, in those days, modern ‘west’ clothes wearing traditional šajka?a caps. To finish this bio, ofcourse during the ‘Balkan-hype’ Moravu had a re-union few years ago and re-releases on cd.

I own an original vinyl (ofcourse) from 1980. Yugoton pressing (was there ever another?). Assumedly not their first record, but one of the more popular. Here the cover:

Watch the funny clothes mix, especially USA flag trousers. This picture is from 1980, Yugoslavian days!

Although popular than, the vinyl is rare and hard to find decent copies even in former Yugoslavian territory. The one I own was a gift from Serbian friend. The songs from this record are known by most people living in former YU territory, although many look surprised and amused noticing my vinyl copy.

So what does this all have to do with peanuts? Simple, the Yugoslavian word for Peanuts is (funny but true): kikiriki! A perfect word that expresses the feel, look, reputation and taste of peanuts amazingly. Those only familiar with English language are fucked here. Yes, you English speakers pronounce many words ‘wrong’. Vowels are pronounced very different in English. The i for example should be pronounced as e. Serbian is a Slavic language (the band uses Moravu, local dialect). Slavic languages are like many (most?) languages in the world phonetic. Now read that song title again: ‘Krkenzi Kikiriki Evri Dej’. Do you get the joke? They write phonetic English in Slavic style. Translate: ‘crackensee peanuts every day’. If you still don’t get it download the song here: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZBE2XTAH

One more remark to those who think Gogol Bordello is sooooo original. Sure not, frontman Eugene was long before Balkan music hypes very aware of the ‘eastern’ music scene. Listen to Rokeris ‘reggae style’ Balkan-folk ‘Kikiriki’ song. Remarkable Gogol Bordello introduced reggae in their polka few years ago. Everything is a remix!

Here a picture of one Rokeris Moravu member live on stage in the early 80ties when Eugene Hutz was still a child living with his parents in the Ukraine:

Friday, 20 May, 2011

Promised more common ‘veggie’ for avant gardening earlier this week. Here it is: peanuts! Very common, we are all familiar with peanuts, its in many food but best known as snack or spread (peanutbutter). In contrary what many think the peanut isn’t a nut but veggie. It belongs to the same sort like peas. Those who do not live at least in sub-tropical countries, forget it. The peanut plant is for sure tropical. You might give it try growing inside. The complete growing period of 4 months from seed to harvest soil must have a minimum of 18 Celsius, up to warmer when plant develops. You can plant the simple peanut in cod like on this picture.

Make sure the peanut is not boiled, baked, fried or had whatever treatment. Just straight peanuts preferable purchased at the health food/bio store. Put them in the ground as soon temperature is right and you are sure it doesn’t get colder anymore for at least 4 months. Peanuts like well drained soils, loose, no clay. Put the seed about 2cm in the ground. Keep some distance between the plants. Water well but not too much. Keep the soil loose and weed regularly. Now come the unique thing with peanut plants. After about 6 weeks the plant starts to bloom (very short, only half a day), the flower changes in a pea-like yellow shelf and curves downwards back in the ground. This takes about 10 days (be careful weeding!) The peanut cod develops in the ground and is ripe after about 10 weeks. Harvest the peanuts like potato’s, carefully with spading fork. Shake of the soil. Leave peanuts on the plant and hang to dry somewhere for about 2 weeks. Those living in colder climates can do the complete thing in a pot. Only problem is that fertilizing has to be done by hand. Keep an eye on the plant, it only blooms for few hours!

Recipe: Peanut butter cookies, ofcourse!

Ingredients: 70 grams flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, tip of salt, 50 gram brown sugar, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon syrup (any kind, not too strong taste, apple or lemon), 1 table spoon water (or juice), 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, 65 gram natural peanut butter.

Mix flour, baking soda, salt in one bowl, in another one stir all other ingredients smooth. Ad both together and make a firm dough. Create cookies (round, square or whatever shape you like), Preheat oven 165 degrees C. Bake cookies for about 15/20 minutes. Let cool of.

Music: Rokeris Moravu – Krkenzi Kikiriki Evri Dej

You don’t know this tune unless you are related to the former Yugoslavian territory. Will find a free download link soon.

Thursday, 19 May, 2011

Sometimes you hear weird ‘no time’ excuses. This one I had today: “Sorry, no time, have to finish the bullets of this rifle”. Serious, no joke! Ofcourse its a hunter talking I meet sometimes out there when exploring nature (cycling). Ok, I have the same thing if obsessed by finishing the job I am working on. Don’t like to be disturbed but never shot with rifle or other type of gun.

Don’t gonna brag about to much about my cycling. Worked up a condition I can ride the Mount Everest. Nowadays I avoid the nature park. Not much nature left there. I cycle around it. Those familiar know what distance that is! Hey, what about this: ‘visit the beautiful surroundings around the nature park (Krajinski Park) at Idrija. You enjoy peaceful area’s, see beautiful sights, inhale fresh air and experience real nature. Stay away from busy traffic, go around the protected nature’.

Wednesday, 18 May, 2011

Lets do some avant gardening again. Forgot to give you music with aubergine few days ago. This is ofcourse South American, tango: Astor Piazolla . Great accordion player. Find easy free downloads. Most of his recordings reached the non-copyright-age. Play it loud. Aubergines will love it and shine more ‘aubergine’.

Lets do another ‘weird’ veggie for once. Later this week I will pick out something more common. Today: Claytonia. The what? Yep the Claytonia. Forgotten veggie, very healthy and full vitamin C. It’s a winter veggie, should therefore return in our gardens. Winters don’t have much C to offer. Claytonia does well in the north half of this planet. North America, Europe. Doesn’t need extreme cold north, Cuba is good too. History tells that the plant reached Europe over Cuba. Germans still call it ‘Cuban Spinach’.

There is still time growing Claytonia. Seed it in June. Try to make rows and leave about 5 inches inbetween. Claytonia likes poor sandy soil, but wet. You have to keep the ground constantly wet. This plant is therefore problematic in most veggie gardens. We all go for having a rich soil. But this is avant gardening. Create a poor soil corner (the kids sand-pit/box they grew out f.e.). Other problem: Claytonia easily gets overgrown by weeds. Keep an eye on it. Harvest starts in October (young Claytonia) or November until March. Cut leafs and stem (that’s what you eat), leave the plant in ground, it will grow new. Ofcourse in territories with heavy snowfall you can’t have a winter garden.

Eat (recipe). Claytonia is mostly eaten uncooked in salads. Uncommon food for winters. You like to eat something filling and warm. Claytonia alone is not a nice salad, mix it with other possible winter salad veggies like carrot and cabbage. Anyway, here is a hot-dish variation:

‘Mashed Claytonia’ (4 people): Ingredients: mashed potatoes, 1 onion, 2 garlic toe’s, mustard, 250 gram Claytonia. Make mashed potatoes.

I assume no instructions are needed here, do it you always do it and if you do not know how to do it, do look it up, one day you have to start doing it.

While potatoes are being cooked cut the onion and garlic. Fry the onion slowly on low fire with some oil in a pan. Add the garlic towards the end. When all is nicely smooth fried add dinner-spoon mustard and mix. Meanwhile you washed the Claytonia and your mashed potato is ready. Mix everything together; ‘onion mix’, Claytonia and mashed potato. Lovely healthy full vit C winter dish. If you like add smoked tofu to the mix.

Music: Claytonia looks nice and soft. Almost sentimental with the hearth shaped leafs. It needs sweet music fondling the ears. There is only one track possible with this veggie: ‘To Be’ John Coltrane.

Tuesday, 17 May, 2011

Take a break hanging tomato plants from your roof-edge and lets discus yesterdays unnecessary notice (see below). The question is ‘what is unnecessary noise?’ This ofcourse depends a bit on where the sign is located and to what or who the notice is directed. But even than, what one person considers unnecessary noise might be necessary for the other. This can be functional f.e. you might hear bird-singing as unnecessary but I need this sound to know if it will rain. Besides that the definition of noise is extreme subjective. Sure there are cultural moral behaviors connected to the word noise. If someone screams all night loud on the street in front of your house most will hate this noise, it keeps you awake. On the other hand there might be people who drowsy fall asleep (unlikely). Ofcourse its also matter of taste and ‘fixation’. In some situations I like noise because I hear interesting sounds or attractive patterns in it. But that’s related to my profession. Others are used to noise. If growing up living besides train-tracks for example. You will be conditioned to the sound of passing trains. Conclusion is that the unnecessary noise notice is unnecessary. Could make an opposite one: Unnecessary Silence Prohibited.

Obvious the sign wasn’t forced by law. Just weird way requesting to be quiet as possible.

Humans created many unnecessary things in this world. To start with themselves, but in their regular daily life the level of unnecessary is enormous. This list is so long its unpublishable due to lack of sufficient web-space. Anyway that list is unnecessary since nobody will read it. Here few other highly unnecessarities: media; why the hell do we have them? Besides filling our life with misery they only tell nonsense and lies. Lets make a sign: Unnecessary Media Prohibited. Uhh, that sign is unnecessary since media are unnecessary anyway.

Anyway, somehow this complete planet is unnecessary (sign: Unnecessary Planets Prohibited). Meanwhile I had to type the word unnecessary that often I don’t misspell it anymore. So lets stop this unnecessary post.

Monday, 16 May, 2011

Unnecessary day today. Deserves an unnecessary picture. Tomorrow something necessary.

?

Sunday, 15 May, 2011

Did you notice I introduced a new term yesterday: ‘orsuch music’. Last two decades the industry is so obsessed by inventing ‘new’ music styles, or better said, inventing new terms for old music styles, it became a chaos. My god! I think there are about 134 different types of death-metal. Don’t even start about metal-styles. And this is just one leg of the bizznix. Sometimes they are funny ‘Turbo Folk’. These artists are endlessly in the fast lane (read ‘on speed’). Or ‘Post Rock’, is this music you get in the mail? Somehow the sampled name covering it all is ‘Pop’. Problem here is that if I use the term most people think I only refer to boy/girl-band disco music. So lets come up with a new sample name that covers all music styles besides classical and jazz; ‘Orsuch’ music. Allows me the free interpretation: ‘Orsuck’ music.

Tanx to Obama we enjoy a massive commercial explosion in ‘Orsuck style’ with veggie growing. The fast-cash bizznix yups come with one new idea after the other. You can grow tomatoes without garden, even without balcony. The plant comes in a pot, to be situated upside down (hanged) from a higher carrier (nail/bar/balcony/roof edge/street light/out of bedroom window…).

Water it from above (hmm, that makes the streetlight uncomfortable climbing the post every day, forget that one). Comfort is you can pick the tomatoes standing straight, unless you didn’t hang the plant too high. I see another efficient use. Hang above my frontdoor and don’t harvest. You never know who rings the doorbell exactly on the right time.

Aubergine. Showed the picture few days ago. Now lets avant garde! I know aubergine is not ‘official’ used in English, they call it ‘egg plant’, but I like the ‘elegant’ aubergine more. In Italy and on the Balkan its often called Melanzane. This plant is not difficult to grow but very vulnerable. It doesn’t like cold (low temperatures) at all. This site is universe wide. I do not know your whereabouts, but if you live in a territory with winters, don’t start to seed until half March. Do this inside (glass house/tunnel) or little plastic covered up protected box. Let the ground heat up to room temperature than seed, not to deep, loosely just in the ground. It will take two weeks for the seed to sprout. Keep the young plant in comfy warm environment until summer arrived. Move it in your garden end May, June. Aubergine likes heat and sun.

aubergine plant in soil

Generally you treat the plant similar like tomatoes, remove ‘false sprigs’. Honestly, here goes my English. Didn’t found a decent translation, ‘false sprig’ might be correct, otherwise, you know what I mean….

After harvest the cooking. Aubergine is boring in taste. No taste at all or little bitter. Unpeeled you have more taste. The veggie must be cooked or heated-up in another way (fried), otherwise you might get stomach problems. Cut the aubergine in slices. Best is blanching the slices before further preparing. You can also salt the slices and leave under pressure (flat plate with weight) for half an hour. Wash salt of with cold water and dry with towel, than fry in pan with garlic or other spices. I often marinate in olive oil, garlic (pressed) and oregano, than fry in pan or ‘toast’ in oven.

Saturday, 14 May, 2011

Obvious I borrowed yesterday’s article. Don’t know the origin, copied it from another copy. Being excluded from news sources (self arranged), I thought this article is very interesting. Besides the careful political attempt putting borders back on, the article tells me much more. The upcoming ultra right movements all over Europe for example. Wasn’t aware that this is becoming so massive. Italy yes, but my whereabouts is just a stone-throw away from there. Some news is blown in by the wind of gossips and bar-talk. Lucky no reason to panic. Schengen regulations (open borders in Europe) stay. This was just a proposal that didn’t make it to the European Parliament yet. They have the end decision, and that could turn out different. Anyway, I agree with the bit wiser politicians on the end not to blow up this drastically after one incident. Wisely look for a solution instead returning to old (closed borders) situation. Personally I think its all nonsense anyway. Already for few centuries countries are no longer tribes and cultures but politically decided territories. Mathematical bizznix decisions not representing inheritance of humanity. That’s why I think we should delete all borders worldwide. Let people freely move around. All this nonsense of loosing the social rights and securities you worked for. If that disappears there is something wrong with the company’s management you work for, not a few emigrants. Anyway, if the world is open we can all take better care of eachother. Whoever invented the ‘country’ or ‘state’ must have been a big idiot. Probably one of these old Rome or Athens philosophers we all like to lean on. Some of them don’t turn out to be that wise.

Fuck it, lets talk about something realy important. Ever had this situation; you attend a gig of ‘serious’ music (entertainment but not pop/rock/orsuch). The room is small. 40 people audience, seated. Peacefully everybody enjoys the music, suddenly there is this big fat bearded guy standing in front of the stage making pictures. Pulling of a ridicules show bending, crawling, standing on tip toe trying to look interesting, steeling the show, because he is the ‘photographer’. Oh god, the local farmer paparazzi. It happens here. Reason for me not to attend these gigs. Damned, the stage is 20cm (8 inches) high. The fat ugly fool spoils the view and complete show. Worst, he is not alone. Few run around here showing their amateurism. Professional photographers will never be noticed by audience or performer when making pictures. Here these ‘camera abusers’ think they are the artist. Well I didn’t take an effort attending this gig watching an old drunk fat stinking clown. His name or face wasn’t on the poster. I advice the organization to print out and hang this sign at the entrance:

Friday, May 13, 2011

European nations moved to reverse decades of unfettered travel across the continent when a majority of EU governments agreed the need to reinstate national passport controls amid fears of a flood of immigrants fleeing the upheaval in north Africa.

In a serious blow to one of the cornerstones of a united, integrated Europe, EU interior ministers embarked on a radical revision of the passport-free travel regime known as the Schengen system to allow the 26 participating governments to restore border controls. They also agreed to combat immigration by pressing for “readmission accords” with countries in the Middle East and north Africa to send refugees back to where they came from.

The policy shift was pushed by France and Italy, who have been feuding and panicking in recent weeks over a small influx of refugees from Tunisia. But 15 of the 22 EU states which had signed up to Schengen supported the move, with only four resisting, according to officials and diplomats present.

The issue will be discussed at a summit of EU prime ministers and presidents next month. But the “reforms” of the Schengen system also need to go through the European parliament, where there is likely to be strong resistance to empowering national governments to reinstate controls.

The border-free region embraces more than 400m people in 22 EU countries, as well as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland. It extends from Portugal to Russia’s borders on the Baltic, and from Reykjavik to Turkey’s border with Greece.

The move to curb freedom of travel came as the extreme nationalist right, which is increasingly influencing policy across Europe, chalked up a notable victory in Denmark, which announced it would unilaterally re-erect controls on its borders with Germany and Sweden.

The centre-right minority government in Copenhagen capitulated to the fiercely anti-immigrant nationalists of the Danish People’s party to secure parliamentary backing for long-term budget, welfare and retirement policies. “I have worked hard for this,” said Pia Kjaersgaard, the far-right leader.

Despite the ‘fortress Europe’ mood gripping EU leaders, the Danish decision stunned many because it was taken just hours before an emergency EU meeting devoted to immigration and the Schengen regime.

The German government complained that the open border should not be “sacrificed for domestic political reasons”. The European commission said it would scrutinise the decision to see if it complied with the Schengen rules. There were calls in the European parliament for Denmark to be kicked out of the Schengen regime. But the Danish government promised that border and customs checks would not extend to passport controls, and that this remained compliant with Schengen.

Denmark already has the tightest anti-immigration laws in Europe. The government there said a permanent return to national controls was aimed at combating cross-border crime.

The sudden shift in Denmark, as well as the new curbs on freedom of movement, highlighted how a resurgent Europhobic far right across the EU is translating success at the ballot box into policy victories. Italy’s anti-immigrant campaign is headed by the interior minister Robert Maroni, of the xenophobic Northern League in the Berlusconi coalition. The campaign in France is seen as an attempt by President Nicolas Sarkozy to dilute the growing appeal of Marine Le Pen, the new leader of the extreme Front National. The minority centre-right coalition in the Netherlands, as in Denmark, is propped up by tacit support from the Muslim-baiting Freedom party led by Geert Wilders. The robust nationalism, most recently evident in Finland, is fuelling demands for the repatriation of powers from Brussels.

“The problem is all about trust. How do we get out of this without bringing down the system?” said one EU ambassador. “The challenges get bigger every day and the question is whether all this can be kept under control.” The policy shift has also been triggered by acute nervousness about the impact of the Arab spring. “There are hundreds of thousands on the shores of north Africa. Something extraordinary could happen any day,” said a senior EU diplomat. “If Gaddafi uses this weapon, he can create a lot of problems for Europe.”

While a consensus has emerged among EU governments on rowing back on Schengen, the European commission maintained that national passport and border controls could only be reintroduced “as a last resort”, temporarily in extreme circumstances. The commission’s emphasis paves the way for a power struggle in the weeks and months ahead over who should police the Schengen rules and decide whether and why a country may suspend the open-borders regime. At Thursday’s meeting, Germany insisted the powers had to rest with national governments and that the European commission would be bypassed. It was supported by France, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Cecilia Malmstrom, the commissioner for home affairs – who calls the borders-free zone a “beautiful achievement” – argued that the powers should be vested in Brussels. Sándor Pintér, the Hungarian interior minister, who chaired the meeting, warned that individual countries should not be allowed to act alone in deciding to restore border controls. “That could trigger a chain reaction and shatter confidence,” he said.

There is only one solution to this problem: open all borders in the world, cancel the ID card!

Thursday, 12 May, 2011

Not much time today, tomorrow more. I used to simply skip a day posting if short of time. Lately got the routine leaving a quick note with picture. What about this one referring to yesterdays post (read that one first).

Wednesday, 11 May, 2011

Taste is a strange thing. For sure its something you develop. Most people are born capable tasting differences between sour, bitter, sweet, salt. Opinions about who likes what vary. Some like it salty, others not. There are sour lovers and haters. Many think most people like sweet, but there are people who prefer lesser sugary taste (me). These different tastes often depend on your upgrowing. Lots is psychological. Like popmusic, the reason why you like something is fed by third event. The forever unpleasant Brussels sprout smell in mom’s kitchen is a common example. Adults have grown-up attitudes towards taste. Spoiled by rational thinking they accept flavor without impulsive denials. Ofcourse, through years you learned many different tastes. There are few typical ones most people naturally don’t like but are massive popular for social reasons. Tobacco is one of them. Be honest, most of us disgusted their first cigarette. Same with first beer. Beer is a horrible taste. Didn’t drink it for long time, now I even dislike the smell. Prefer a glass of wine. Also wine and most other alcoholic drinks are tastes you have to learn.

Children react emotional to all tastes. They discover and are eager to learn. What you learn to like in young years is difficult to give up on older age. Commercial food companies are aware of this. That’s why unhealthy and crappy food/drink producers like McDonalds and Coca/Pepsi Cola mainly concentrate their advertisement campaigns on children. Yes reader, its unbelievable how horrible bad tasting chain fast food is, not to mention the disgusting flavor of sweet soda drinks. But since you grew up with it, you learned to like it. Try to stay away from this food for few years. You will puke already by the smell of it and don’t believe that anyone can eat this. It makes cooking Brussels sprout smell heavenly. I already vomit approaching a McDonalds. Besides, the crap they make is extreme unhealthy and polluting. Don’t believe their propaganda, these clowns are only out seducing your kids with lies, supplying horrible diseases on later age, cancer, diabetics, heart attacks and many more. Same with Coca Cola, Pepsi but also Afri. Too much sugar! Don’t believe the low-sugar propaganda, it means they throw other (artificial) sweeteners in it, even worst! Also with natural (fruit) sweetening, you get an overdose drinking one glass. If you need/want natural sugars eat fruit! I got myself of the sugar long time ago and now realize the horrible tastes of Cola, Fanta, Sprite or similar. Also packaged juices are undrinkable. Afri-cola is about fair-trade, not healthy drinks! Keep it on tea’s and water, sometimes a glass fizzy with zip of juice, and even that I consider too sweet.

Massive companies like McDonalds and Coca Cola worked their way so deep in society there is almost no escape. What else can you do if you have kids? They will be abandoned outcast, excluded from social life at school if you try to feed them healthy. Although knowing its going to be their slow death, for society sake you feed them on Sunday’s the McDonalds disease and purchase killing Cola during shopping. I am in doubt these company managers do the same. Lets all go down together for the bank account of a few company managers, or lets kill their taste!

Tuesday, 10 May, 2011

Not much time for posting today. To keep avant gardening vibe going here the aubergine.

Tomorrow more of my interesting nonsense…

Monday, 09 May, 2011

Rake and shuffle ready? Its time for avant gardening again. Radish (not the band, the veggie). One of my most favorites. Grew up with it. Radish is a veggie known since ancient times. But must have been forgotten and re-discovered few decennia back by this civilization. Base this knowledge on personal experience. In the 60ties the radish was barely known in West Europe. Incidentally occurring in stores exotic, eccentric, expensive. My father (market gardener/commercial veggie grower) brought an end to that (for real!). Dutch radish was unknown until he started to grow and offer it at farmers market. A revolutionary explosion of radish popularity was the result. Since that time my father gained the title ‘Radish King’, always collecting good money for high quality. Being a child I must have seen billions of radish. Helped often tying them in bundles of 25.

Ofcourse ate many. Often fresh out of the ground. Lovely refreshing taste with a light peppery edge. Despite the overload in younger years I always liked radish until today. Pity, the veggie is known but barely available overhere, and if the quality is horrible. I think most people consider it luxury. My fathers attempt populating radish for all layers in society never reached socialistic territories.

Growing is simple. You can start early (February) in glass houses or growing tunnels. Outside from March on until Autumn (September). Buy the seed, preferable bio. Spread these seeds over few square meters ground. Not too concentrated. Radish needs bit growing space. Generally Radish grows on many types of soil. Sand loam are the best. The trick is with watering. Not enough water radish will taste very sharp/bitter and looks sour. Too much water will make radish burst plus attracts all kinds of vermin.

Try to keep the soil bit loose. Thin out the plants if growing up too close to eachother. Radish can be harvest after about 4 weeks. If weather is with, you might have 4 harvests in one season. Biggest threat are snails (they love them) and a certain fly. If you have problems cover with mosquito nets or similar.

Recipe. What can you do with radish? Its not really stomach filling veggie nor eat many at once. This explains the unpopularity and ‘luxury’ image. Radish is best eaten raw and cold. Mix it with salads. Cold potato salad with radish is great (use parsley and mustard in the mix). Sliced on sandwich with mustard. Sure you figure out many variations.

Music: Radish is cheerful and should be accompanied by positive stimulating tunes. I suggest Pere Ubu. If you don’t know them surf the web. Song: ‘Not Happy’.

Sunday, 08 May, 2011

Some financial investments in my life where very well done. I am not so much of a materialist. Purchased few ‘machines’. After period of time you realize it was a worthy buy. My stereo amplifier for example, JVC tube simulator from the early 70ties.

Wasn’t cheap, but still have it in use today. Another still in use, more recent investment is my bicycle. Bought it 10 years ago. Did massive mileage summers and winters. Had only once a small repair. This bicycle made its money back. Probably 5 times.

The bike was ‘cheap’ in my perspective. Bought it in Slovenia’s pre-EC days. The period that few things you could purchase was cheap and good quality. Now EC capitalism destroyed peoples minds and money overloading them with badly made industrial cheap crap. Hooray for the crisis! Anyway, the bicycle’s price was DM (German Marks/pre-Euro time) 600,–. Price tag said 700, but I paid cash complete amount on the spot, that gave me a 100 off. Big discount in my opinion. In those days 600 Marks was lots of money in Slovenia. Most people purchased by monthly pay-offs.

It’s a Scott ‘peak’. Already considered ‘retro’. Fixed to be functional mountain and city bike at the same time with luggage carrier and front/rear fenders. I also use the bike for shopping. I am happy with this purchase and hope to enjoy many more years but probably soon on another location.

My yesterday’s post wasn’t so much exaggerating. Riding in the nature park became risky. Its an absurd but sad enough true fact: if you cycle the protected nature park you have to be careful not to get run-over by cars. Both: car drivers and local authorities (allowing this) don’t gain respect. Think about the contradiction…people visit nature by car! Worst, yesterday I saw a big coach way out there in the nature parked beside dirt road. What driver is such an idiot! How did this thing even get there? All these visitors destroy what they come to enjoy! Shame on them! My only satisfaction: the roads are in such bad condition, it will damage their vehicles. If not immediately, causing some malfunctioning in the future.

Saturday, 07 May, 2011

Welcome to Idrija; ‘Alp City 2011’ (whatever that means)

If you are here visit the beautiful ‘protected’ nature area Krajinski Park where you will:

– admire amazing sights of motorcycles and cars

– enjoy peaceful sounds of chainsaws

– smell (and inhale) pure fumes of burned-fuel

Thursday, 05 May, 2011

My plan was to write something about the record ‘Sacrifice’ from Throbbing Gristle. This is a vinyl in the category ‘Records that go’. These vinyl’s don’t stay in my collection. Not because they are not good, I never play them. Its useless weight collecting dust.

There isn’t much to write about Sacrifice. Like most of the other 10billion releases of TG it’s live recorded from a gig at the Ajanta Cinema, Derby, UK, April 12 1979. Sacrifice is remixed material from the 2 LP release ‘Thee Psychic Sacrifice’. Sure the record is interesting, dynamic and industrial. If you like TG one of both releases is a must. There is a lot to say about TG. For that surf the world wide web!

What veggie goes with industrial. Hmmm, something I should be bothered about. Veggies are often related to green or other nice colors. Industrial mostly feels dusty and grey. Egg plant maybe? No, they are so nice shining dark purple. Maybe I search too much in the look. What tastes grey? Cabbage? The plain white cabbage. That’s kinda misty taste. You always have to add something for making it tasty. But last post we had already the related sprouts. Maybe I should ask Genesis (P. Orridge – founder TG) first. Lets talk industrial veggie avant gardening later.

Sometimes its very difficult figuring out what goes around in certain peoples brains. Sure, you can call me ‘funny disturbed’ because I jump subjects here. But hey that’s you talking and guessing this. I just write a post about thoughts passing. Sure I realize today’s and many other posts are bit cynical/comical and to be taken light. Why do people often assume situations and create therefore no-need-to-exist problems? You can call it ‘putting words in other person’s mouth’. Although… Anyway, I only wanted to say that if you accuse somebody based on assuming, first ask that someone what exactly is the matter. The world wide society is too much an interaction of false accusations based on assuming.

Wednesday, 04 May, 2011

No post yesterday and not much time today so I leave you with a picture of a eucalyptus tree. Why eucalyptus tree? Find out one day in the far future.

Tomorrow another regular post again about music or avant gardening or whining or cycling or whatever…..

Monday, 02 May, 2011

Will vary with my posting but today again about avant gardening.

Btw, what music goes with Falafel (see posts last months)? Think the best is almost all soul, reggae, groovy jazz, latin and all related music recorded before 1974. Period is important due to the groove value. Developing technologies and popularity of certain styles, lots of this music sounds flat without drive recorded after 1974. I know you are insulted now I dump your favorite.

Brussels sprouts. Lets avant gardening and cook this. Weird veggie isn’t? Many people don’t like due to the smell and reputation (poor peoples food). Latter is ‘understandable’, sprouts do belong to the cabbage family, veggie often related to the poor. Nonsense ofcourse. Any cabbage kind is good healthy food with loads of vitamin c, eaten on all ‘levels’ of society ladder. Few easy tricks let the smell disappear. About that later, first we go avant gardening.

Oldest historic reference (written) is about 500 years ago in Belgium. That explains the name, besides the plant grows well in that part of the world. Sprouts are popular in UK, France, Belgium and The Netherlands. The Dutch produce most sprouts (often on the table in my childhood). The plant is winter resisting. It can stand freezing and therefore a typical winter veggie. Depending on type of sprout harvest is after 3 to 6 months. February/March: pre-grow the seeds in moist atmosphere. Use growing bins and/or glass house (growing house). In April, when become little plants, put outside in the avant garden. Keep about 40cm space inbetween. Sprouts like ‘poor’ soil. Too rich soil makes them grow fast and high, they might fall and rot! Depending on the type of sprout you can harvest from August until March. Sprouts that survived frost taste sweeter. Ofcourse in areas with piles of snow winter sprouts are unpractical (like here). They would survive, but try to find them in 2 meters snow. Hell, I can’t even find the avant garden! That explains the popularity in cold winter places without much snow.

Cooking. Be wild. Most people don’t seem to know how to be creative with them. Sure sprouts have to be cooked traditionally (about 10 minutes) in water, but what about adding spoon Indian curry mix to the cooking water? Try, you will be surprised of the great taste plus you have a nice smell in the kitchen. If cooking normal, add a peeled onion in the cooking water. No smell. Throw the onion away after done. More tips: clean sprouts by peeling of the outer leaves. Cut small notch in the bottom so they are quicker and better done.

We serve sprouts today with rice, dried tofu (cooked wet) and sweet tomato sauce.

Ingredients: sprouts, onion, rice, dried tofu chunks, tomato, peach, garlic, paprika powder, salt, pepper, water, flower.

Cook the rice like suggested on package.

Cook the sprouts with onion like written above.

Cook dried tofu chunks with the sprouts.

Add salt to these cooking waters by taste (non = ok too).

Tomato sauce: Chop one garlic toe small and slowly fry brown on low fire in a sauce pan with bit of oil. Add 2dl water and teaspoon flower stir well (when still cold) so the flower dissolves. Keep fire low. Meanwhile you mashed the tomatoes (approx 1dl). Best use the famous ripe full red Italian, but can or package of tomato juice is ok too. Add to the sauce and keep stirring. Peel and cut 1 peach in small pieces and add to the sauce. Pepper, salt by taste. Keep stirring until cooks, leave bubbling for a minute. Take the pan of the fire and cover the sauce with paprika powder. Stir well again.

Serve: rice on a plate, sprout/tofu on top, drown in sauce.

Tips: If you got the swing you can prepare rice/sprouts/sauce at the same time. Will all be ready within similar time. Start with the rice to dry out bit after cooked. Blanching, steaming is healthier for the veggie. In this case cook the tofu separately with some salt. Use broth powder instead of salt in the sauce. Make the sauce spicy (you know how).

Music: I think Brussels sprout goes well with easy jazz. Lets play Dave Brubeck – ‘Bossa Nova’ for a great avant gardening cooking swing.

Sunday, 01 May, 2011

I am getting into this growing food and cooking thing. All would become ‘complete’ if combined with music. Lets give that a try. This is an ‘avant-gardening’ music site. Take yesterdays ‘wild garlic’ post. What music would fit? Funny will be artists names, whatever type, style,…. Wild garlic makes me think of Iggy Pop. Why, I don’t know. He simply fits. More difficult question is: what song? ‘I wanna be your dog? no,… hmmm… ‘Lust for Life’, that fits. Lets take that track.

That potato post some weeks ago: AC/DC. Sure! Absolute potato music. Song: The Jack(ed potato).

Soon you all can start avant-gardening in your own yard accompanied by the right tunes. Don’t believe the mysterious bullshite that plants like classical music. That hyped news from the 70ties turned out to be a spoof. Nothing wrong with the classics, if I find a nice veggie for the avant-garden fitting with Beethoven or Wagner, sure I will mention it.

Stay tuned for more avant gardened veggies, recipes and tunes!

Saturday, 30 April, 2011

Its that celebration time of the year again, May 1st. Mostly celebrated in the evening of April 30. Neighbors are getting ready for a ‘wild’ evening.

Cycling around in nature does not only deliver great sights and sounds but also smells. It’s the time of ‘wild garlic’. There is a strong odor of garlic in the air on many spots I ride. Wild garlic, also known as wood garlic, is edible. You can use it in food replacing the familiar chumps of garlic. Wild garlic grows the best in shaded forests on moist soil that contains high quantity of calcium. That’s exactly where I am now. Rocky hills, overgrown with trees containing loads of water wells. The woods here are overgrown by wild garlic. Especially close to streams under trees. Hiking is like walking in the kitchen of ‘The Stinky Rose’ (US garlic restaurant). You can use every part of the wild garlic plant. Strongest in taste are the leaves.

Here an easy recipe of ‘wild garlic soup’ (tanx to A & P)

Ingredients: 4 potatoes/ ¾ liter water/ 10 wild garlic leaves (or more/less by taste)/ Nutmeg/ Salt/ Pepper (all by taste)/ 1 broth cube (if you think that’s necessary).

Peel and chop potatoes in smaller blocks. Cook until soft. Add wild garlic leaves, and eventual broth cube. Cook for few minutes (taste if ok). Add by taste nutmeg/pepper/salt. Mix it all up. Soup ready.

Wild garlic doesn’t grow everywhere. You might give it a try in nearby forest, but can have disappointing results. Most chance you will have on moist (water), forest mountain area’s. The plant grows massively in many parts of the Alps. Also in Schotland and Scandinavia, but f.e. rare in The Netherlands where it is protected.

Be careful, there is poisoning similar looking vegetation called Lily of the Valley. Especially the leaves of both plants look the same. You can easily recognize wild garlic by the smell. If not sure, break the leave. Strong scent of garlic will fill the air. Wild garlic and Lily of the Valley bloom very different.

wild garlic in bloom

Friday, 29 April, 2011

These ‘tourist’ information signs (read posts 9 and 10 April) local authorities recently planted to cheer up natural surroundings surprise me. After a long ride over dirt road uphill I saw one on a spot called Mrzla Rupa. Astonished I read the sign (on Slovene and English). Explanations about the surrounding plus advised cycling routes. For who? I wonder. Me? I know my way around. All these years riding here never saw anyone else cycling. This is the backland of Vojsko. Asphalt stopped miles ago. Dirt roads lead to dead-ends on steep riffs in middle of nowhere. Most tourists barely find Vojsko, for sure they never end up here.

In the last week I noticed intense tree chopping by the local log-industry. Ok, I know they are allowed picking out trees for industrial need. No prob here, humans need wood and are a part of nature too. They chop the trees randomly selected so the forest stays, and we animals (humans are animals too, remember?) barely notice the difference. Now I have the feeling the chopping increased massively. Few years ago there was only one team cutting few trees on one location in the nature park. If didn’t like to be disturbed you changed route, avoiding the spot. Now they cut on every route. No avoiding possible. Everywhere you see piled trunks and hear the disturbing noise of chainsaws. Whats going on with the local authorities. They invest into scaring tourists away? In full awareness destroying nature? Or are these the latest instructions from EC? I doubt the latter. It’s the usual wrong politically planned bullshit destroying environment. This spot as nature inheritance is slowly coming to an end. Time to orientate somewhere else.

Wednesday, 27 April, 2011

Slowly the yellow-black fire salamander crawls across. Circling around I realize timing is strange to see this beautiful animal. Bright daylight, hot weather. Must have been yesterdays thunderstorm. The atmosphere is still bit moisty. Most salamanders I see after the summer, in wet autumn periods.

Like every year in spring I write some posts about how I enjoy my cycling in  deserted nature. This is difficult to express. You should come here and experience yourself.

After I leaving outskirts of the village, passing the last ‘touristic’ stop Bela, humans become sporadic, its me and nature. Sounds of machined society disappear. I enjoy the ‘silence’. Only wind, water, animals. So more peaceful than any creation of humans. After many years of exploring I know this area pretty well. Stop at great places where I relax, watch the hawk high above me chasing his prey. Deer calmly chew on fresh leaves few yards down hill. The meadow is green, yellow and blue. Why go further returning into the world of concrete and loud stinking engines. All I look for is here, far from your hectic competitive industrial stress life.

Tuesday, 26 April, 2011

Guess the early summer is an overall European happening. Don’t know how it is in other parts of the planet. Here summer started half March and is still going on. Maybe unusual, but I like it. If up to me its summer all year! Great cycling weather. Building up good condition. Already now my condition allows doing long intense uphill rides. If want and have time I’ll ride every day. With only steep hills, cycling is an exhausting sport overhere. Even in good condition, you can’t drain yourself so extreme day after day. Usually I take rest-days after intense drives. Lately I seem to have sufficient energy pushing up the hill without leaving days out.

Amused I check daily local weather sites. There are two, always wrong. One brings always good weather, the other always bad. Today for example the first indicated 23 Celsius (average temperature depending on how high up you are), sunny with sometimes a cloud, thunder (no rain) in the evening. Thunder without rain is usual here. The other site mentioned temperatures of 14 Celsius, cloudy sky, rain!!!! Ofcourse second site totally missed the point. We had a nice sunny summer day today with incidentally clouds.

Why do we rely so much on weather forecast (sites, tv shows, papers,..)? After spending lots of time in the nature overhere I can predict weather by myself few hours ahead. Yesterday for example; in the morning drinking coffee on the balcony, said to myself ‘its gonna rain later today, better get going to be back in time’. Sky is clear blue! Early afternoon I return and meet my neighbor on the driveway. ‘It’s going to rain later’, I tell him. He looks at me with big eyes in disbelieve. Sky is cloudless blue! One hour later it rains, a thunderstorm.

No, I don’t have mysterious qualifications looking into the future. I simply keep touch with the nature. Something many humans estranged from. Nowadays people learn to read complicated invented measurements that predict weather by noticing atmospheric changes. We rely on these measures brought to us by the weather forecast. Weird though, even mostly wrong we keep relying on them. Why?

Rather rely on what I hear and see myself. The nature surroundings you live in will inform you about weather changes. Take the effort leaving asphalt and get closer to nature. Soon you don’t need the media anymore (except a trigitolic ‘Limbabwe-receiver’, for visiting my site). The nature world around you is your best information channel. Lets explain yesterdays example how I knew already in the morning it would rain later on the day. Besides the wind direction that mostly does bring rain: Drinking my morning coffee I noticed the sky was different blue than usual. The kind of hazy blue that mostly introduces atmospheric changes bringing rain. During the trip I noticed air pressure changing, even though no cloud to be seen. Typical introduction of a thunderstorm. Sure there are more signals, but my senses are mainly orientating on hearing (due to profession and born with bad sight). If it will rain the sound of birds whistling changes long before. This happened yesterday. Its that simple, no voodoo, throwing up bones, beating drums, dancing circles or whatever. Just listen and look at your surrounding. Better get your kids from school and drop them on survival trips in nature if you like them learning something useful!

Sunday, 24 April, 2011

Remember the Stuttgart Wagons? Received new flyer (see below) about a new event they organize next weekend, April 30. Looks like they crossed the rails and confiscated new ground right next to the old location. Go there and join the party on April 30 from 2 PM on. Art, performance, music, party on ‘Innerer NordBahnhof’, Stuttgart.

Saturday, 23 April, 2011

Leave yesterdays post for a day or such on top. New vid above is a rerun, suitable for this time of the year: ‘Ride with me, I am a rider…’

The last ‘Lost Limbabwe Tapes’ download is the very last Pandemonium concert. Date: March 18, 1989. This was a Pandemonium reunion. The band stopped in 1986 and did this one occasion exclusive concert. It was a benefit for the local Tegelen North rock-club OOC. The venue was under threat by local authorities. I spare you the political details but supply short history.

The club was founded in 1970 by the youngsters (hippies) than. They expressed their cult and at the same time created an important base for future generations, especially organizing and expressing music. Through the period of a decade stage, PA, rehearsal space, audio and video studio was realized. We (the first punk/Martinusstraat scene) were second generation and last who expressed a cult in the club. This was before Pandemonium joined the scene.

From 1982 it all went downhill. Not so much the visitors, but the spirit of cultural movement slowly faded. The Yuppie area arrived. The world returned to primitive standards in which cheap bizznix yups cheating population for personal wealth and power gain respect and position, sad enough by the poor people they fooled. This is still going on today. (When does this finally change? Don’t you get it people, you don’t win, only a few are rich, NOT YOU, give up the competition, start the battle, kill the capitalists.)

Anyway, back to the OOC. This became just a stage, organizing gigs, ran like any company. The club never disappeared but moved to new location and changed name. Its still there until today. New generations came to do their thing. An upliving period was early 90ties due to techno, and I understood its going pretty ok lately too. New generations, new movements doing the same old thing. No problem. All must past and rock clubs are for youngsters. We can discuss this further during our next golf weekend (joke).

Back to the gig. We organized this with a bunch to support the OOC and starting the ‘Friends of OOC Association’. Somehow we all felt this would be the last night like in the old days. Everybody who once was related to the OOC came. Some hadn’t been there for years. Many bands played, not only Pandemonium. It was for the last time with the old scene in the OOC. The place was packed, the atmosphere great (you will hear). Famous Dutch jazz saxophone player Hans Dulfer performed together with Pandemonium. Dulfer was an icon from the first OOC generation. Well planned choice joining the first and last together on this particular night.

I found the tape in my archive. It’s a reel to reel Maxell recorded on Revox B77 in slow speed (7 ½ ips). The recording is done by two room mics directly into the tape machine. The tape is pretty worn out. Sound isn’t brilliant either. Had lots of polishing work to make it listenable. This is the best I can do. If you listen don’t get shocked at the start. The beginning was heavenly overloaded distorted. Nothing I could do here. Sound improves slowly and is listenable after 10 minutes.

I give you the complete gig from beginning to end in one file. Total time approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. No song ID’s or track list. No editing of long breaks between the songs. There is lots of talking on Dutch, sorry for those who can’t understand, ask someone who speaks the language. Totally on the end I added a Pandemonium ‘gag’ lasting 75 seconds I found on another lost reel.

This recording is in typical ‘bootleg’ style, important document for hardcore fans and everybody related to the OOC until late 80ties.

Download the file here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Pandemonium_1989.zip

More free downloads and information about Pandemonium you find here: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?28

This was the last tape from the Limbabwe archive. Everything is now available on this site. The old original tapes are by now destroyed at local chemical waste factory. Lots of weight lesser, not only physical. I am very glad my back/bag got lighter. The future is what counts. Let the past be for what it is, just few easy to delete digital bits.

Thursday, 21 April, 2011

Winter is over. Slowly more friends and acquaintances I didn’t see for months since snow started, walk in for a visit or short ‘hello how’s going’ talk. Its as if people sleep the winter away like some other living species on this planet. Ofcourse winter is the reason why I don’t see them. Lots of snow and freezing cold makes the roads a hell. Nobody leaves the warm woodfire unless absolute necessary.

The one before last download from the ‘Lost Limbabwe Tapes’ is Igor En De Zwijne. There is a download page here https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?53 for more info.

I am happy I found some more material of ‘Mark-bands’, Revels and Igor. Although its not really my thing, these bands where very present and active in the scene. Mark was always very enthusiastically involved in his projects. You can hear this energy I appreciate that on all music. Revels and Igor didn’t release much. These extra downloads create nice impressions of the swampy surf side from the scene.

Igor En De Zwijne Extra file contains two songs: 1) Man with Sex Appeal and 2) This Train.

The download is here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Igor_En_De_Zwijnen_Extra.zip

Wednesday, 20 April, 2011

3 more days of downloads (Friday last day). Friday will be the ‘big surprise’.

Yesterday Delerium; Jan mailed me some more info. Titles: Track 1 “Het Bierlied”, track 2 “Agent Orange”. Bandmembers: Jan (Vox), Pip (Git), Steiger(Bas), Kriss (Drums). Kriss also played drums in Wax Pontiffs, a band from Doetichem. Delerium changed drummer few times. Other two drummers were Twan and Rowdy (Pandemonium). Later Andre replaced Jan at vocals.

Today a bunch of punkrock downloads. All small files with 2 songs.

Neuroot. 2 songs, untitled. Neuroot has a download page on Limbabwe here: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?54 where you can find more info. The 2 extra tracks you get in one zip here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Neuroot_Extra.zip

The following zips are from non-Limbabwe bands. I added these downloads on the ‘Extra’ page.

First two are Belgium hardcore/punk bands who enjoyed some fame in the 80ties. Cannot tell you much about them besides that I have these tracks here on master tapes and remember the bands performing in clubs 25 years ago. Surf the web for more info.

First one is Capital Scum with the songs ‘Capital Scum’ and ‘Untitled’.

Download here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Capital_Scum.zip

Second is Zyclome A with the songs ‘Bommen Vallen’ and ‘Sick Administration’. Download here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Zyclome_A.zip

Last free download of today is from Germany, Brigade Fozzy. Remember this band because I did a recording session with them. From Brigade Fozzy I found two songs: ‘Registrierd’ and ‘Thee Und Frieden’.

Download here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Brigade_Fozzy.zip

Tuesday, 19 April, 2011

Lately I am busy with solar energy. Interesting and popular subject. Many are doing it already. Free energy from the sun. Disadvantage is the expensive investment. Still, you can run a computer for about one hour with just few cells. Very handy on the road. And…uhhh, you don’t need sun, but light. Cloudy days are good too. Sure its possible to heat up air with sun light. The air will rise (hot air is lighter), let cool in from the bottom, and here you go…energy. Ofcourse taking such installation with on the road is a bit exaggerated. That’s why I prefer a water wheel on the tourbus built into the toilet. ‘Hey guy’s, I made some more tea, drink, my phone battery is down’.

Todays extra download is from a Limbabwe band without download page; Delerium. They never released anything for what I know. Found two tracks of them on the lost Limbabwe tapes. Delerium was a band from the second punkrock Martinusstraat generation. Think they had a short existence. Don’t remember their line up. Jan for sure was in the band, he might be able to fill in the rest of this story. Two songs, no titles. First one I name ‘Bier’ (Beer) listen en guess why, second is difficult understanding lyrics so I called it ‘untitled’. The download link will be added on the ‘Extra’ page or download the zip here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Delerium.zip

I am almost there playing all reels. Soon every lost track will be available here. Found something very special I will upload in a few days. It needs some polishing. I am sure fans, friends and relatives will be happy with this surprise. Stay tuned…..

Monday, 18 April, 2011

These old rotten tapes poison me. Some are in such bad condition I can smell the chemicals in the air. Its their last spin. After I digitalized all the ‘forgotten’ tracks these tapes will be recycled at the chemical waste shop. Some are so sticky I have to clean heads every 2 minutes otherwise the tape doesn’t roll. Surprised I am about the quantity of material. Some weren’t Limbabwe bands. I will upload these recordings anyway. Can’t remember how they ended up in my archive. These tapes look like masters starting with official test-tones. Analogue master tapes open with series of test-tones in several frequencies. No analogue master recorder is identical, even same model and make. Also not if following up in the factory production line. A minimum difference in recording-head setting can change the sound. Plus every recorder is adjusted to a certain type of tape. In the mastering room where ‘mother’ cd or vinyl is cut, the reel-player heads and tape-type are adjusted with using these test-tones.

Maybe I am the only one in possession of these non-Limbabwe masters. That’s why I decided to digitalized them. Oh oh, what a responsibility. When finished I will upload them on the ‘Extra’ page in ‘downloads’.

Yesterday’s untitled Last Post song is called ‘Touch Me I’m Sick’ and appeared on their first demo (tanx for the info Jan).

Today its two songs from Oh’ Dev: ‘Hey Joe’ and ‘Black Baby’. They also have a download page https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?57 .The two tracks are not unknown to me. I remember these recordings, but was never released on Limbabwe. Don’t know if appeared somewhere else. Anyway, found them in the middle of an old sticky reel that snapped just before ‘Hey Joe’ started, saved just in time. The zip is called ‘Oh Dev Extra’ and isn’t included with ‘Oh Dev Complete’. Download here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Oh_Dev_Extra.zip

Sunday, 17 April, 2011

I came, saw and won….again. Went to Texas yesterday, uhh Texas in Sebrelj. The club was named ‘Texas’, where Sebrelj is? Forget it, not important, its ways beyond Texas. Had a local rock (gig) job. Many pre warnings that the place has one of the worst acoustics in this part of the world. A bathroom, swimming pool or however people tried to explain me this ‘sound-horror’ place. It’s a basement underneath the shopping centre of Sebrelj. Every village with population higher than 300 has it. That grocery store. In this case (like also most others) at the same time local bakery, bar, coffee shop, veterinary, doctor, priest, dressing room for sportground (really) and rockclub. All run by one person with help of wife and kids. The warnings turned out true. The place sounds like weird reverbing bathhouse. Again I managed. Ok, it was loud, but hey in a place like this even with the PA turned of its unbearable loud. Compliments from audience and musicians. Again the local colleague felled uneasy and talked ‘average’ trying to deny and ignore only for keeping up his reputation (and ofcourse suffering the ‘underdog syndrome’ – read post 2 days ago). Anyway, I just did my job without need for competition. Its entertainment bizznix so let us all entertain ourselves, including the working crew. I had a good time and came home bit drunk.

From the rotten, dusty, rusty, forgotten Limbabwe tapes another download added today: The Last Post ‘Extra’. Found this track on the end of another forgotten recording of Neuroot (will be up later this week). I must have done some ‘administration’ in the past. I wrote ‘The Last Post’ on the reel (after Neuroot), otherwise I wouldn’t know who the band was. No songtitle, although you can easily make it up I name it ‘Extra’. More info about Last Post plus the download link you find on the ‘Extra’ page in downloads https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?61 . Last Post was not a Limbabwe band, but related to the scene. You can also download the one song directly here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Last_Post_Extra.zip

Friday, 15 April, 2011

Tomorrow gotto go do another local show. Fighting thee acoustics, technics, beatniks and nixniks. Keep you updated later. Today is today and I went on cleaning my archive. Its tapes time. Have too many kilo’s of reel to reel tapes. Sorting them out found some interesting material. Am not sure if all this is unpublished, disappeared or that I hold an original where others keep copies from in dusty boxes on lofts. To complete the download section I will add these recordings upcoming week. Not that’s so much fun staying busy with that forsaken damned stupid past, but because all tapes will be dumped in the chemical waste soon. Everything on these tapes, not digitalized earlier, I will safe and offer to those who are interested. Many tapes are in bad to worse condition. Time did his part, no drama, everything must (and will) past. It’s the unavoidable future we and everything will fall to dust some day.

Still in possession of playing devices for these reels (Revox) I am trying to get most out what I can. Thick sludge sticks on tapewheels. Often have to repair snapped parts, eaten by atmosphere to fragile thin ribbon. Why did we use these ‘professional’ tapes? Now time proofs that the in those days ‘inferior’ cassette tape turns out to be much reliable information keeper. Almost all my cassettes from the last 40 years still play and sound like new, meanwhile barely no reel to reel survived. You can hear this on the end of first surprise download. The tape slips a bit. It’s a recording session with The Revels (more info about the Revels on their download page). The recording is rough. Live in the studio. Especially in the beginning not well balanced. I remember that we (Klank Studio) did these low-price offers. Your demo recorded live in the studio in one evening directly on stereo 2-track. No mixing or dubbing. Think this is one of these sessions. I don’t remember it at all. Assumedly a colleague handled the technics. Wasn’t aware I had this reel in my possession until today.

The Revels sound like an old Stooges bootleg recording. You hear 10 songs in one file. No titles, don’t have a list neither know who jams on this session. For sure Mark (the bandleader) playing guitar and sings. Plus Michael on drums since I recognize his voice (talking in the background).

I like these type of recordings. Rough and honest, how rock and roll suppose to be. I named this file ‘The Revels Demo’.

You can download the file from The Revels download page: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?37 or directly here: https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Revels_Demo.zip

Might be to busy tomorrow for posting. If so expect next one on Sunday.

Thursday, 14 April, 2011

Yes, I am working on a new video.

Yes, there will be a new Dallas Kingston Kollector soon.

Yes, the site will go through a facelift soon.

Yes, there will be another Sina festival this year.

And yes, I know it sounded brilliant. After 30 years experience I figured how too…. Will take a long time until nation wide frustrations this population suffers from is cured. Talked with many so often what crawls deep under these people skins: frustrations not to be good enough, not doing it like…, afraid of foreign skills; ‘The underdog syndrome’!

It’s a small territory (country?), low populated (2 million). Always inbetween. Inbetween sea and mountains, south and west, Balkan, Latin and Germanic cultures,…. I understand, but hey, you are people who I work with and suppose to know me better. What was that weird comment on my sound during local gig last Saturday: ‘These bad speakers sounded great tonight’. What do you mean by that? And ‘you took the time’! What, time? I came in at 3pm and started from zero. Had to clear the stage from tables and chairs. Than sorted out the equipment, borrowed scrap from 3 different deliveries. Anyway, its common in the rest of the world (also you’re great example ‘the west’) that technical crew arrives at 3pm, or even earlier. In this case the crew was only one person: me. And again I did it, a professional result. You know there is nobody in the area capable achieving this standard. Plus you know me. So what’s the problem if you are this satisfied to simply say: ‘great job Matski’. Best is to say nothing if you can’t get that over your tongue. No, I don’t brag about myself here. See myself professional, just doing the job. Don’t expect any compliments, but if you give some, get to the point.

Oh well, taking the population ‘frustrations’ in consideration (I am a foreigner after all), lets accept these positive de-toured remarks as personal directed compliments. Anyway, it was a person (me) who did the job, not ‘time’, ‘speakers’ or ‘nation’.

Wednesday, 13 April, 2011

Not many songs I remember are about containers (read yesterdays post). The Fall had a song called ‘The Container Drivers’ closing side A on ‘Grotesque’. This is probably the only one I can think of. Lots of songs are about trucks and trains. Delete all your downloads regarding these two subjects and the hard-drive is almost empty, especially if you like country or folk music.

Aha… country, remember that Robert Altman movie ‘Nashville’ (1975). Great film you should see again, or if unknown with it, download or rent. ‘Nashville’ is kinda ‘Spinal Tap’ (10 years before Tap), but than about country stars. Following their few day stay in Nashville ending up at a political campaign gig. The movie is funny and full with weird Altman moments. Like ‘Spinal Tap’ you have to watch this film few times picking up all details. Altman let several actors talk at the same time in many scenes. Meanwhile you focus on the main actor, but the second time you realize missing crucial moments in the background that introduce you to main moments in next scenes. Ofcourse the movie contains many surprises for keen observers. Give you one tip: watch the audience at the live concert. They all nicely applaud after every song, but while the musicians play their interest is vanished. Everybody is busy with something else. Altman doesn’t make this obvious. Artists performing shots are in close up, audience stays background.

Ofcourse with the movie came the soundtrack. Recently I have a vinyl of it here (tanx Lazy). The music on this record is more country than country, similar how Spinal Tap stereotypes hardrock. Also on Nashville the lyrics are overdone excessive. Extreme religious, family loving, patriotic, cowboy….. and funny. Not dangerous like ‘Bob Roberts’, the soundtrack that never was released to avoid abuse. You never heard of ‘Bob Roberts’? Very funny movie like Nashville and Spinal Tap, try to see it.

The lyrics of Nashville were ‘safe’ for release. Playing the record the first time I laughed. Taking these songs out of visual context made me even more aware what the artists are singing. Artistically sticking out is Ronee Blakely. She plays the famous star Barbara Jean singing songs ‘Tapedeck in His Tractor’ and ‘My Idaho Home’. Ronee sings, plays, wrote and produced these songs herself. She got my attention so I read something on the internet about her. Blakely appears to be reasonable successful actor and musician with talents. Was noticed by larger press and audience for the first time in this movie ‘Nashville’. Hmmm, so did I. Must be a remarkable moment. Somehow I missed her complete career, also as singer/songwriter. She plays the mother in ‘Nightmare On Elm Street’, but also performed with many famous artists like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and such.

Anyway, I will look (listen) into Ronee Blakely, meanwhile you pick up the movie ‘Nashville’ if never seen before.

You May Say

That I Ain’t Free

It Don’t Worry Me

Tuesday, 12 April, 2011

Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation (rail, ship, and truck), without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and losses, and allows freight to be transported faster. Reduced costs over road trucking is the key benefit for intracontinental use. This may be offset by reduced timings for road transport over shorter distances.

Containers, also known as ISO containers because the dimensions have been defined by ISO, are the main type of equipment used in intermodal transport, particularly when one of the modes of transportation is by ship. Containers are 8-foot (2.4 m) wide by 8-foot (2.4 m) high. Since introduction, there have been moves to adopt other heights, such as 8-foot-6-inch (2.59 m), 9-foot-6-inch (2.90 m) and 10-foot-6-inch (3.20 m). The most common lengths are 20 feet (6.1 m) nominal or 19 feet (5.8 m) – 10+1?2 in (0.27 m) actual, 40 feet (12 m), 48 feet (15 m) and 53 feet (16 m), although other lengths exist. They are made of steel and can be stacked atop one another.

Intermodal transportation goes back to the 18th century and predates the railways. Some of the earliest containers were those used for shipping coal on the Bridgewater Canal in England in the 1780s. Coal containers (called “loose boxes” or “tubs”) were soon deployed on the early canals and railways and were used for road/rail transfers (road at the time meaning horse drawn vehicles).

The early 1900s saw the first adoption of covered containers, primarily for the movement of furniture and intermodal freight between road and rail. A lack of standards limited the value of this service and this in turn drove standardisation. In the U.S. such containers, known as “lift vans’, were in use from as early as 1911.

Truck trailers were first carried by railway before World War II. In the United Kingdom the big four railway companies offered services using standard RCH containers which could be craned on and off the back of trucks.

In the 1950s container use started to revolutionize freight transportation. The United States Department of Defense produced specifications for standard containers for military use of 8-foot (2.4 m) by 8-foot (2.4 m) square cross section in units of 10-foot (3.0 m) long, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) issued standards.

Why this container info? Visit Limbabwe sometimes the upcoming 6 months too find out.

Sunday, 10 April, 2011

To deny incidental remarks that my posts incline negative tendencies let me re-write yesterday’s blog:

Too supply tourist from extra information local authorities had the sublime idea installing information tablets on outskirts of town. The tablets are efficiently positioned on several entrances of the protected nature park. The information gives adequate clear insight of interesting scenic spots on the route the visitor is about to enter. Almost all points of interest in the park are conveniently accessible by car. Locals support this great idea and brighten up the well design information signs with neatly decorated colorful blooming plants. The whole idea was initiated by the town mayor. A well done investment that accents the interest in tourism now Idrija is Alp-city 2011.

Not bad hey? Did I pas writing little articles for the Slovenian tourist organisation? Positive posts turn out to be shorter. Probably there is lesser ‘good’ to say about this subject.

Saturday, 09 April, 2011

Temperatures get close to 30 Celsius. You don’t believe me? I almost don’t myself, but experience on the spot, its true. Come here yourself to feel this. Far too hot for early April. Don’t complain, love it. Is this the ‘Global warming’? Start of new Ice-period? End of the world? Whatever people like to make of it, I see it as an exception. Nature is fickle. Sometimes its reaction is extreme out of the regular pattern. This probably always was and will be. Upcoming 20 years spring starts as usual.

Local authorities installed information tablets on outskirts of town, where roads dissolve in nature. Information about where you are, what direction you go and point of interests on that route. I somehow miss the point why. For tourists? What tourists? Those 5 tourists a year who manage to escape the town center ice-cream and lace stores? Exactly those 5 hope to find rough untouched nature, away from human interference. They will not be pleased by those signs. Hmmm, wait…maybe there are elections soon and town mayor like to impress population. After all, this is Alp-city (Alp-Shitty) of 2011. A status nobody in town could figure out the meaning of so far (except that mayor). And yes, I can see it works. The locals are proud of ‘their’ information tablets. But wait… they know the location and scenic’s, I assume? Anyway, I see my neighbors proudly brighten up the cold-steel black-white wall contrasting in the surrounding of green bushes and trees, by planting neat colorful blooming summer plants around it, imported from tropical cultures. How much more can we do to make the nature park more unnatural? Meanwhile cars are still allowed to enter the park. For me every mayor is a looser if nature protected area is accessible by cars.

The complete ‘tablet’ action has this typical stereotype idea many ‘west’ countries have about ‘south’ and ‘east’ in Europe. City notables taking useless actions wasting money jacking-up private interest.

Keep you informed about who won the elections.

Thursday, 07 April, 2011

What a heat. Midsummer temperatures today. Couldn’t resist, dropped everything and jumped on my bikecycle. Great day, nice ride. One day I stay there forever.

No post yesterday. Couldn’t access my own site. The server was down. Every time when I notice something is wrong I contact the server by live-chat. Lucky this is not often. The first few times I was pretty satisfied with the chat, but yesterday, hmmm. Not that I was mistreated, the chat was impersonal. Had the feeling the person (Fenar) on the other side was not really communicating but pasting standard phrases. Here the communication:

Fenar: Thank you for using Interactive Online Support. My name is Fenar. How may I assist you?

you: My website www.limbabwe.com doesn’t seem to load or very slow.

Fenar: hello there

Fenar: okay

Fenar: Please hold on while I check

Fenar: We are aware of the issues that we are having on the server of your domain and are doing our best to get this fixed as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you and we appreciate your patience in this matter.

you: Ok, thanks. Hope problems are solved soon. Matski

Fenar: You are welcome. Feel free to contact us again for any further assistance. Bye and hope you have a nice time : )

Got what I mean? Ok, I know nowadays technology allows us ‘easy work’, but do we have to become inhuman too? Maybe I am a bit ‘old fashioned’ but if you like winning me to be customer, throw personal ‘personality’ in.

Many people make the awful mistake approaching life situations mathematical or scientific. They forget to include nature, or in this case better; human behavior. Like I said so often on these pages, naturally nothing is metric, people ‘invented’ that system. Excluding the soul/feel/energy/dynamics/… of live is wrong.

How often I have to hear that my work is just a job. Its not! Yes its technical, but a pure technical sound engineer will fail. You gotto like music, become involved, drive it, get creative… Most devoted (and successful) engineers I know are musicians themselves.

Imagine there are ‘techs’ commercially creating paint mixes for art painters who have the exact technical know-how how to mix the exact color you want. Do you think these colors will be right if ‘paint-engineers’ have no affection with painting at all, just technical know how?

Some years ago I showed some visitors around. Drove into the Cekovnik valley behind the house, over the hill. Two people cycled the steep uphill road in front of us. The boy in low gear peddling slow, the girl in high gear, faster. They cycled together keeping similar speed. While passing one guest in the car said the guy in the low gear was the smartest using lesser strength, explaining this with scientific calculations. His figures where probably right but cycling this hill myself often, I told him that he forgets the human ‘feel’ factor: strength depending on person’s mood

Tuesday, 05 April, 2011

Time for more free music. Some time ago I promised more Zoo material. The Zoo releases don’t really reflect the band live. It was a funky dynamic trio. Kor on sax and vocals, Ger on guitar and Hans (Ger’s brother) plays bas. Drums was performed by a Dr Rhythm, a basic monotone drum machine with standard patterns.

Pity, I don’t have much more from Zoo than just music. No pictures or video, but below anyway a picture of Kor in that time.

Zoo performed Bauplatz in Venlo often. It was their home-base. I recorded bits of two shows. The first was on 25 October 1981, second on 31 January 1982. On that gig they performed before Pandemonium. Barely no audience. Pandemonium just grew out of their diapers. It was one of their first shows. You find that gig on their download page: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?28

Zoo kicked as that night and did a funky freaky (too) short set. You find it on their download page or get it directly here:

https://www.limbabwe.com/music/Zoo_Live_In_Bauplatz.zip

Monday, 04 April, 2011

Saw my friendly house pets for the First time today since winter started. Lizards, they live around the house. Sometimes come in. Posted about them before. I am not really familiar with Lizards way of life. Do they survive winters? Do I see the same from last year? They all look so similar. Fact is that it is a family. 2 or 3 are younger (smaller) and behave as if they discover the world for the first time.

Potatoes in a bag. Promised some time ago to explain how to grow your own potatoes even if without garden. You can grow potatoes on your balcony. Its almost time for planting. My advice, start half April. What you need are few compostbags, mould (mixed with compost) and planting potatoes. Quantities depends on your space and how many potatoes you want. 1 plant delivers about 600 gram potatoes. One compostbag can handle 3 plants.

Scroll the compostbag down until about 20cm. Fill bottom with mould and plant 3 potatoes. If the potato plant is about 10cm (4 inches) high, roll bag up a bit after filling with more mould. Repeat until the bag is completely rolled out. The potatoes are ready for harvest after the plants are done blooming and start dying of. This is after 3 to 5 months. Empty the bag by turning upside down. Collect your potatoes.

Make sure there are holes in the bottom of the bag to let water out. Potatoes don’t like it too wet, neither dry ofcourse. Mould that isn’t too rich works the best. Clay and loam mix is advisable. You still have about two weeks for preparations and such. You can go wild and invest your money in the local ‘garden-super-store’, but potatoes are easy plants. Grows almost always in every circumstance. Everybody can do it. Invite me for dinner.

Sunday, 03 April, 2011

Once a year is ‘large waste’ week. Here always early April. You can put your soaky couches, rusty fridges and such on the street with usual weekly bag. This time of the year Gypsies come out and take everything still usable from the garbage. Engine of washing machine, clothes, steel scraps,…. It’s a good thing. Waste gets recycled this way. I am in doubt the local waste authorities do. They probably dump it at the dumpster. Burry under piles of sand. ‘Forever’ forgotten by human kind. Somehow Gypsies are kinda ‘Freegans’ (see many posts ago).

Another vinyl that popped up from my collection. Great piece of music. Will play it more often. Very atmospheric minimal music. The record was released in 1985. US contains than out of 38 saxophone players plus 36 musicians singing or playing other instruments. Here their short story:

Urban Sax is an ensemble founded by the French composer Gilbert Artman made up of massive numbers of saxophones, accompanied by percussion and sometimes voices. The group is directed by Artman and performs his compositions, which are generally repetitive and minimalist, often sounding somewhat mechanistic rather than conventionally expressive. The group was formed in 1973, when Artman organized a concert by a group of eight saxophonists he had produced at a classical music festival in Menton, in the south of France. In subsequent years, the number of players grew to 12, 16, 20, 24, and 30, and by the early 21st century, the group consisted of 52 musicians (with saxophones ranging from the soprano to bass registers). Artman frequently integrates local musicians and dancers into his performances, and thus the ensemble can encompass as many as 200 performers. Urban Sax has performed throughout Europe and in Asia. The group’s performances are performance art happenings; players wear metallic space suit-like costumes together with gas masks, and each performance is a unique ritualistic event that is planned for the particular architectural or natural space where it is to take place.

Some links to check out:

http://urbansax.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tizC7KjXD4I

Saturday, 02 April, 2011

Tomorrow another music post, it will be about US and their record FSLT. Getting into this name-shortening. The Trigital language (TTL). The writing of the future (TWOTF). Its more creative. You can fill in your own expectations of what the other tries to tell you. The way you interpret says more about you, you’re mood, state of mind, feelings towards the person who tries communicate. Trigital communication is meeting yourself by communicating with others. Lets give it a try. Figure out what I try to tell you: YAAGR. WAANP. T, TFANS.

And that is the Šina festival. Also this year the experimental festival Šina on same location: Idrija, Slovenia, Europe. Dates: 15/16/17 September. To keep the festival ‘experimental’, set up and scenery will be totally different than last year. Program is unknown yet. The Šina site http://shinafest.wordpress.com/ only shows the dates. Visit them in a while for more information. Ofcourse also here, at Limbabwe I will keep you informed about the latest. Anyone knows a container driver? AKACD?

Friday, 01 April, 2011

April already. Time goes fast. Not much time for posting in March due to travelling and lack of time. Inspiration is always here, there and everywhere. Will try returning my regular rotation upcoming months.

Are you all busy trying to make falafel? Can imagine catastrophes in several kitchens around the world. Falafel falling apart in the pan. Black burned bread. Bitter garlic sauce. Don’t give up. Keep trying. You will improve. This is an easy dish.

Time for music again. This is the ‘falafel and free music’ site.

Busy with another round of separating useless records in my collection from the useful. These events make me aware of some great vinyls I often oversee. Lets talk about one today in the selection: Records You Show With Pride:

Dutch band from Eindhoven with German name. Also album title is German. Translation: The Young Dogs – Old and Fools Aren’t Much in Demand. Released on Kremlin. Small Dutch indie label. Existed short in the 80ties with only few releases.

Der Junge Hund also had a Limbabwe release called ‘Vervormd’. You find it on this site here: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?40

‘Alte und Idioten’ is a bit different. Lesser ‘punky’ more freaky-jazzy-funky. It’s a nice record. Great for listening. Some tracks you can dance on. Der Junge Hund was clearly influenced by James Chance. Still they had their own sound. An ‘avant-garde’ record that shouldn’t be forgotten, pity, the band seems to be. Not much available on the web. No pages about their history, background or what happened with the members. You will find the 5 releases they did in their existence: 3 tapes and 2 vinyls.

Main members of DJH where Horst Rickels, Renz Sanders, Rik van Iersel and Kim Buekovich. On the Limbabwe release jammed Zoo members along with DJH crew. That was the connection. Free download DJH – AUIWNVG here:

http://433rpm.blogspot.com/2007/08/der-junge-hund-ridders-12-kremlin-1981.html

Wednesday, 30 March, 2011

Yes, I am still here. Sudden last minute activities kept me from posting. No time to write the last ‘falafel’ post I promised: ‘How to eat falafel’, last Sunday, so here it is, 3 days too late:

Its simple. You take the pita with falafel in your hand. Lift up to you’re mouth. Take a bite. Chew. Swallow.

Not very funny? Oh well, for those who get involved in the subject ‘falafel’ for the first time, here few instructions and tips. Slice the pita bread open with thin sharp knife that has a longer blade. Open only one side of the pita, you slice the knife through the bread keeping the bottom and sides closed. Fill the open pita with salad, falafel and sauces.

This is how I do it: I spread some hot sauce on the inside of the pita. Fill the bottom with little bit salad. Than 2 pieces falafel (my falafels are bigger than the usual little balls in falafel-stands). Over the falafel I pour some garlic sauce. Fill up the empty spaces with salad and also top-of with salad. If you like you can finish with more hot and garlic sauce.

Have napkin ready. Eating pita falafel on hand can be messy.

Many readers will probably think I try to be funny writing so detailed about falafel. Hey, this is an international site, visited worldwide. The falafel is known in West Europe and North America for the vegetarian variation on Kebab that you can purchase at the many fast food places. Originally it’s a dish from the Middle East. Traditional food in countries like Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and even Egypt (I had Egyptian falafel). Traveling around I came in many places where people never heard of it. Variations on the well known Kebab (meat in bread) are discovered in many cultures meanwhile vegetarian interpretations are often forgotten.

Locally at my current whereabouts falafel is by most unknown besides for those I showed how to make it. Once I had a conversation with a girl about her moms cooking. One of the dishes she made included burger looking patties made out of mashed chick-peas. “Ohh, she makes falafel”, I reacted. Both, mom and daughter heard the word for the first time. Obviously the typical structure and taste of chick-peas has been discovered in several cultures.

Saturday, 26 March, 2011

The sauces (read yesterday and day before yesterday first). Whatever you like, feel free, go wild. Throw mayonnaise, mustard or ketchup on your falafel, what the fuck, who cares, you are the one who is eating. I think best sauces that go with falafel are garlic sauce and something hot-spicy. Like I mentioned yesterday, try not to use Tabasco, it spoils the taste, unless you are addicted. Best is sambal. Very spicy paste made from red hot chili’s. Has its origin in Indonesia, Java, Sri Lanka and such. All former Dutch colonies therefore sambal is also very common in The Netherlands. Still it seems to be fairly easy available world wide. Try the local ‘exotic’ or Asian specialty store. Be careful if you are not familiar with sambal, it can be surprising spicy. If that’s the case mix it with tomato juice. You can also mix tomato juice with cayenne pepper or another grinded hot spice to create hot sauce.

Ofcourse all my recipes are vegan. How to make vegan garlic sauce: take ½ dl soya milk, add half tea spoon dill (dried), press one garlic toe with garlic press, add a zip of sweet lemon syrup. Mix all well.

Remarks and tips:

Both sauces taste better if stand for a while. Best is to make them the day before or in the morning if you eat falafel in the evening. You can keep these sauces for days in the fridge.

Add little vinegar or/and olive oil if you like.

In my cooking I like to use lemon syrup. Get a natural one. Quality is important for good food results. Lemon acid in combination with the sweetness of the syrup is one of my private kitchen secrets…uhhh, oops, was ones a secret…. Use in very limited small little minimal bits.

Salad: How to grow salad is another post. I will start posting about (avant) gardening some veggies, potatoes and salad in the future. For now (if you are not already gardening) purchase the salad ingredients in the store. Also this depends on your personal preferences. I think falafel goes well with tomato, carrot and lettuce plus some fruit, pineapple for example and maybe bit fresh parsley. Cut all fresh ingredients in small pieces it will fit with the falafel in the pita.

Tomorrow: How to eat falafel.

Friday, 25 March, 2011

Fixed up my old Volvo today. Was parked away for months, almost all winter. Repaired and cleaned the carburetor, change filter water and oil. Than called a friend with car getting the engine going using starting cables on his battery. Ofcourse my battery was completely without juice. The engine jumped on, bit shaky… anyway, time for a test drive. From the driveway turned left into ‘nowhere’. No guts mixing with local traffic yet. Hmmm, little bit under power going up on steep hills. After about 5 miles the car felt more smooth and better sounding. When returning all felt like old days. In the garage I kept the car running (in park). Too irregular after such warming up. Noticed few more issues on the carburetor. Manage to make engine run smoother. Time for village cruising. Showing my old Volvo. Last months I drove mostly around in a local borrowed Renault 5. Bit small for me plus hey….. what do locals think? Saw some of them raising eyebrows. I drive the same type Volvo for 6 years. People got used to it. Locals scornful talking slowly changed to admiration. Time to re-gain some of that. Proudly I cruise with my 26 years old Volvo through town on the busiest hour. Had many looks. Yep, old timer like this gets noticed. I am back and ruling!

Ok, ok, ok I know. Its just stupid macho behavior that ‘me-and-my-car’ attitude. I agree and am totally not the ‘type’. Still I am proud being able keeping a 26 year old car running.

Pita bread (read yesterday post first). Make dough like how you make bread. Best is to make more pita’s at the same time. You can easily freeze them in. For 4 to 5 breads (8 to 10 pita’s) you need 500 gram white flower, 22 gram fresh yeast, or 7 gram dried, 1 tea spoon salt, 2 tea spoons sugar, 200 gram (apprx 350 ml) hand-warm water. I know its weird to measure water by grams. Measuring cups indicate gram for flower (or set your digital scale on flower-grams), fill it until 200. Best is doing it this way, exact measurements is important, makes mixing easier and result better. If in doubt, bit lesser is better than bit too much. Mix salt, sugar and flower in a big bowl. Dissolve the yeast (fresh or dry) in the hand-warm water. Add to the flower in bowl. With your hands slowly start to mix and knead until you have a smooth tight texture that isn’t sticky anymore (about 15 minutes). Now you have dough. Leave this in the bowl to rise. Cover with moist-wet kitchen-towel and put in room temperature surrounding (living room). Never in a drafty place. After about 2 hours the dough will be raised. Knead again the dough (push air out) and divide in 4 or 5 parts (balls). Make some space on kitchen table and roll one ball out to round flat shape, diagonal about 16 cm/7 inch (like small pizza bottom).

Now here comes how I do it avoiding using an oven. Take a deep pan (something between pan and wok). Find lit big enough it closes about halfway. Put little bit sunflower oil in (really just a bit, lets say about tea-spoon). Heat up the pan with oil until very hot. Put rolled out round bread in and close the pan immediately with lit. Bake for a minute, turn bread around. Bake other side for a minute. Ready, let cool of on grating. Cut in two pieces, slice the half’s open and fill with falafel and salad plus sauces.

Remarks and tips: Add zip of olive oil to the mixture (before kneading), this makes the bread smoother. Use a bit lesser water if you do this.

I always use a little bit lesser liquid, also when baking normal bread. Leads to better results. Be careful, this might have something to do with my measuring equipment.

Kneading in the beginning ‘looks’ messy and impossible. Don’t give up, the texture will slowly become easier to handle.

Mostly an oven is used making pita bread. The way I do it is a personal ‘invention’ in the period I was without oven but until today keep on making pan-bread. Leads to better result.

While one bread is in the pan, I quickly roll out the next one. Within no time you bake many breads. You will be surprised about the excellent result.

Using oven you can make few breads at the same time. Do pre-heat well!

If dough is sticky use a bit flower on hands and working space.

Find out how similar your bread is to the well known Indian nan.

Don’t get depressed if your first time is not very successful. You need to get the ‘feel’ of it. That’s what cooking is all about. Not every pan is made out of same material and heats up differently. You have to get into ‘mixing-groove’ (not remix, Kirby!). Experiment and you will get there after few tries (also with making falafel). If I eat falafel I make all ingredients myself. Nothing is pre-prepared bought, even not the sauces.

Tomorrow how to make sauces and salad….uhh…make or grow salad?

Thursday, 24 March, 2011

Tropical heatwave in March overhere. Don’t know how it is at your place, but here temperatures reached over 20 Celsius on my thermometer outside in the shadow. You don’t hear me complaining. If its up to me temperature never sinks below these 20 C anymore. But that’s just a wish. Lets stay realistic, it still can get fuckin cold within few weeks. Few years ago it snowed in May!

Falafel:

Basic: Take a can of chick-peas. You might take fresh, but those you have to soak in water for a day and than cook for hours, so take cans, its cheap & easy. Take the water of the chick peas (leak out) and turn the peas into a big bowl. Add tea spoon grinded cumin, grinded coriander, two tea spoons flower, little small shopped onion, 2 toes garlic preferable grinded in garlic press. Mix all well and mash to a smooth paste. Heat up oil, make little balls or burger patties and bake them in the oil.

Remarks and variations:

Add parsley (lots) or use fresh Coriander (lesser than lots) to get a nice lightness.

Want it spicy add sambal (hot pepper paste) or hot pepper powder. Don’t add Tabasco, it spoils the taste.

By taste add salt and pepper.

Best is to mix and mash by hand. Machines might lead to wrong result (too wet/dry).

Don’t add too much flower, spoils the taste.

If your paste is too dry add carefully bit of water. Your paste is too wet, youre fucked, start over.

Falafel doesn’t need to be deep-fried. Make flat (burger like) patties and bake them with little bit oil in a pan (healthier). Make sure the oil is hot before putting the falafel in.

Wet your hands and spoon when making patties or balls.

Serve with pita bread and salad.

Tomorrow: how to make pita bread.

Wednesday, 23 March, 2011

Not much time today. Leave it with my new slogan:

Tuesday, 22 March, 2011

Lets talk a bit more about Kirby’s ‘discovery’ that everything is a remix. Did you check his site? (see yesterdays post for the link). I only watched the vids. Am not such web freak wasting time exploring every corner of his space. Didn’t look into the forum but observed people contributing the long list of ‘done before’ songs and movie scenes. Well, if its up to Kirby, we humans are just a remix of water! Funny, he is right, but again, old news. Don’t know what people write in his forum but the more I think about it, the more I have the feeling we are dealing with a spoof here. The subject is approached very short-sighted. Sure his information about who copies who is true, but nothing more is questioned neither researched. Like I said yesterday, he didn’t even bother talking with some or even just one ‘remixer’. More suspicious is that Kirby has the guts asking for donations (money) on the end of each episode. Hmm, maybe not such horn pinching goat at all. Just another yuppie sheep lost in the herd? Don’t fall for the trick!

Stuttgart, the wagons. A more realistic event on this planet. The performing/bar section disappeared. Dismantled and cleared. Working/living wagons of the artist are moved to that former entertainment/bar section. Lets hope they manage to get another location in Stuttgart.

Ideas ideas and more ideas plus time for change. I know, it’s the spring-fever. Sunshine and more comfortable warm weather are injections for impulsive ideas. Lets be enthusiastic about it and fulfill them all. Upcoming months I will work on: – The Story That Should Never Have Been Written

– Trigitology

– How To Grow Potatoes In A Bag

– New Vids and Music downloads……

……… Plus….. NEW: Falafel And Free Music!

Gonna have busy times.

Monday, 21 March, 2011

21 March, isn’t that by human timeframe start of spring? As if nature knows its March. Yep, yep, I know, have been whining lots about this useless human attempt making nature metric. Probably it snows next week.

Some younger kid pointed me this out last weekend while I was peaceful nipping some Refosk (Slovenian wine) in a bar this weekend: http://www.everythingisaremix.info/ Curious I watched it. Don’t know if you heard about this. Might be pretty recent. Part two was just published. Some kid called Kirby tries to have a bite of the media cake with re-chewing an old issue presented in new jacked. Sorry, despite the (funny?) attempt bringing re-discovered issues under attention, I have to comment this negative, but will write something good about it on the end of the article. You should check the link if unknown with this, before or after reading today’s post.

Kirby created two short documentaries. He found out that in pop entertainment (music/movie/tv/games) creators massively copy and steal. In his opening episode: everything is a remix part 1, Kirby comes with hard proof Led Zeppelin used many riffs in popular songs stolen from previous recordings by others, without giving the original artist credits. True, although I must say that Led did credit Willy Dixon several times on their early recordings. Kirby’s point is that even well-respected pop musicians and movie makers are influenced or copy from existing material. His conclusion: ‘everything is a remix’.

Uhh? What new thing is discovered here? Ok, majority of watchers will be shocked of the amount of stealing by highly adored Led Zeppelin but isn’t the rest of the theory very similar to Darwin’s evolution? Ofcourse we all steal from eachother, copy and are influenced. Earth tanx its existence due to everything is a redo of what is done before (mostly with just a slight change). Plus hey! Kirby limits his two short movies to the popular entertainment industry. We all know that pop music/movie/tv/games are not about originality, but making money. Endlessly repeating patterns to entertain masses is what this industry is all about. Disappointing; Kirby forgets talking with creators of ‘remixes’.

Ok, the dry moderating tone does not immediately indicate criticism, but watching the two episodes there is no other conclusion to make. What else does Kirby try to do? Especially nowadays makers of cheap fast entertainment would not deny that they copy, imitate and steal. You don’t make big money being creative! The documentary would be useless having an ‘accused’ in your movie saying: “sure kid, how else you think we make the big bucks?”

Somewhere in one short sentence Kirby does wonder if this is the kind of entertainment audience want. Would be more interesting finding answers to that question. There are still two episodes expected. Hopefully these other aspects are discussed than.

Years ago I wasted 3 posts on this spot proving Led Zeppelin to be the most overrated band in pop history. And do you remember when I wrote about Michael Jackson’s dance moves? They are exact copies of Broadway musical West Side Story, on stage before he was born! Can I conclude now that Kirby is ‘remixing’ Matski in his short films?

Ofcourse not, he never heard of me. He discovered something and enthusiastically tries to inform the world. That’s the good part of it. Criticism became rare with today’s generations. Most turned into brave sheep’s swallowing this cheap remixed entertainment, and those who do protest mostly drown in the massive herd. Lets hope Kirby knows how to use his goat-horns.

Sunday, 20 March, 2011

Hotels, lets pick this up from last Friday post. Did I waste whining writings about hotels already? Assumedly! Can talk about hotels forever. Stayed last 20 years more nights in hotels than at home. Whatever interior designers do, the biggest problem of hotels is that they are impersonal. Nothing helps to take that away. The room can look very nice, personally (individual) designed. Art, copies or real on the wall. Comfortable furniture, shelves with books, plants, stereo with cd collection and fashionable bathrooms. Still the room is impersonal simply because nobody lives in it. The room is ‘death’. Functionally cleaned after every stay.

Sometimes little country side hotels try to give rooms ‘individual’ touch. Especially if old and originally built for different use like farm or family mansion. Mostly due to lack of sufficient financial funds rooms are furnitured with leftovers or simply kept how it was. Incidentally you see a family portrait or picture on the wall, but most personal items ofcourse disappeared. Sure these kind of hotel rooms feel bit more homy but don’t surround you with the comfortable feeling of someones personality.

Way of approach at check-in might help a bit. The cold professional smiling helpful receptionist behind computer is absolute a failure. Types like earlier mentioned country side hotels often don’t have reception desks. You walk into the hallway while friendly lady rushes out of the kitchen, picks handful of keys from a cupboard and shows you the room. Real blooming flowers on the windowsill. Colorful drapes plus good old fashioned tv with ray tube screen and touch buttons to change channels. Bit more comfy than the usual cold ‘modern’ chains.

On the other hand, why do I bother? In most rooms I spend only few hours. Arriving late night, in the morning we move on to next gig. Doing the job I found cheap and basic hotel chains most functional. Located away from noisy centers. Clean rooms. Good showers with endless hot water and coffee ready in the morning. Self service, as much you like.

Besides I discovered and started to appreciate the private accommodations at peoples homes. The forgotten dust on cupboards, needle hanging above the last played vinyl record, unwashed dishes in kitchen sink, other peoples toothbrushes in bathroom, it all looks so much more normal, alive like how we humans are!

Friday, 18 March, 2011

Travelling. One of the most exciting and educational things to do. See something of the planet. Learn to know the people by direct approach. Wrote this so often on this spot. Lucky, my job requires lots of travelling.

Route de Napoleon I wrote about yesterday was an interesting experience. There are more territories I would like to have a closer look at. Russia and Ukraine for example. Ok, have been there more often, but flying. Only saw major cities, never roamed the country site. Would be an interesting experience. You never know, maybe one day someone dumps a Renault 5 I can borrow to explore the far east of Europe.

Rain stopped today finally. Was pouring down since my return. How depressive. Looking forward on a cycle trip next week. The mountains are calling.

Its an its and bits post again. Busy getting some shit together. Work on some new items for the site. Video, gallery, science of trigitology and The Story That Never Should Have Been Written. Lots to do! Crazy? Depends how you look at it. I suppose the regular visitors of this site have sufficient brains to cut crap from serious material. Anyway, its fun creating nonsense. We need some entertainment too. Life is already taken too serious by too many.

Meanwhile this town, Idrija, suppose to be Alp city of the year 2011. Whatever this means? Don’t notice anything of that. Probably the usual bizznix corruption of getting financial funds that disappears in certain private pockets. Tourism never got of the ground in this place anyway. The locals don’t have the ‘touch’ for that. Local factory raised the ugliest hotel on the ugliest industrial spot of town last year. Not very inviting.

Idrija, Tourist Shitty

Thursday, 17 March, 2011

On my most recent trip I had to go up north from Antibes, South France. For the lesser geographic orientated among us, Antibes is in the famous Cote d’Azur, close to Cannes (direction Nice). I wasn’t in hurry plus driving an old slow Renault 5. Highway looked like kinda de-tour, so why not cheap and scenic inside roads to Valence. On the map it looked interesting. The route I was planning even had a name ‘Route De Napoleon’. Best plan in ‘voyages of discovery’ like this is following signs to next bigger town. Grasse would be my first landmark, easy to find since street in front of the hotel is Rue De Grasse. Turning left out of hotel parking brought me 22 km uphill to Grasse. Interesting this part of Europe where the Alps touch Mediterranean. Half France, half Italian (in political territories) but local driving leaned more towards Italian style. Don’t be insulted! In my opinion Italians are the best European drivers (read some posts many years ago).

Already in Grasse signs for Digne appeared. That’s way far up on the route. Nice, no more need consulting map. I love to drive without navigation systems. Makes me much more aware of where I am and go.

After many roundabouts (Grasse must have had a mayor who loved driving in circles) I left busy Grasse behind climbing higher. Driving here the scenery looked very familiar to me. Dry rocky mountain landscape bathing in early spring sun. The road leaning against hillside swerving softly bending slowly higher. The canyon edge market by low stone wall. Here few pictures:

Do you recognize this road? I did, driving there I realized this scenery is used in many France movies from the 60ties plus used for lots of other UK and USA films. So this is where that road is. My memory goes to scenes with sport cars, women waving long blond hair in the wind accompanied or followed by ‘James Bond’ looking men. Meanwhile you see this endless mountain view over valleys while road swings dangerously due to high driving speed.

Hmmm, after 30 years of intense traveling I thought seen it all, especially Europe. Should leave highways more often. Curious I surfed internet what this route is about. It was titled after Napoleons return from Elba. To avoid confrontations with enemies Napoleon shored in Cannes and travelled through the mountains (instead over Marseille) to Grenoble. In those days difficult mountain dirt track. The famous road was built in 1930.

Half way the route, at Sisteron, I turned direction Valence, my destination. Still, this was worthy sightseeing I advice if you are in Cannes or Nice and have some spare time if the direction is North (Lyon, Genève, Paris,…)

Wednesday, 16 March, 2011

The piano was old of no more use. Thrown out of the building. Rain and sun worked wood and strings. I opened the lit. Yellow keys in urgent need of toothbrush. Most still seem to work. Played a tune in dissonant. “lets take it apart and thrown away”. The owner said, alarmed by my playing. Hmmm, pity and sad. The instrument can easily start a second life. I often feel attracted to unexpected sounds. You never know what such a piano can create. On the other hand I wasn’t able to take the piano with. Slowly the owner started to dismantle. Keys and hammers came of in one piece. Than top, pedals and bottom. After removing wooden sides only the shelf with strings stayed, lying flat on the ground. Searched for few mall pieces of wood, useful sticks. For a while I played the naked piano strings. An idea came in my mind to drag the thing up on the mountain allowing wind ramble the strings. An avant garde concerto lasting for the time weather allows.

broken piano

Monday, 14 March, 2011

Soon back home. Hope to pick up regular posting again from tomorrow on.

Wednesday, 09 March, 2011

In the morning the sun is glowing gently east of the hill. Soft frost shined the field white. Still cold, but different than my usual whereabout. My hands (usually bloodless white in the morning) feel warm and normal. Usually I hold my painful hands tight around the warm cup. Everything I touch is painful. But non of this in the last days. I was wondering what is the cause. I keep that house in mountains warm, at least the living quarters. It can’t be te cold. Must be the atmosphere. Probably lesser moisty. It’s the moist in combination with cold freezing my bones. Fuck it, pure out of health reasons I should consider another location.

Yes I was not posting for few days. Not so much lack of internet, but simply no time. For about two weeks I will be busy travelling therefore lesser frequent posting. Once a while I will let you know I am still alive. Meanwhile did you inform yourself how to grow potatoes in a bag? Would be good spending time on that, believe me will fill your belly more than endlessly looking for financial wealth in a corrupt bizznix world of a bunch stressed out loosers. Stay tuned, in a few weeks I will start to explain how to create your own food without excess to a garden. I assume those who own ground know what to do.

Saturday, 05 March, 2011

Have internet and time to write a few lines. It was very nice leaving the cold Alp winter behind. Sun shines, warm weather (for this time of the year). Driving local roads, leaving the hectic for the masses. Trigital driving, getting in touch with the further than 3D world.

Growing potatoes! Maybeshould spend some time on that. Nowadays ‘society’ sucks so much energy out of you without delivering results on the end, its more efficient to invest some on growing potatoes. These kinds of investments always bring you something to eat on the end. Growing potatoes is possible without a garden. You can do this on your balcony, grow them in a bag. Be Trigital, go further than the furthest technology, grow potatoes!

Thursday, 03 March, 2011

My first post in March while the month is already going for few days. Due to travelling I have lack of time and internet access for decent posting. Will be moving until 17 March. Still giving it a try to drop you a post once a while, just don’t get nervous when I miss a day or two/3/4.

It’s a chaotic period. First Stuttgart now direction France. Winter came back in full. Strong winds, cold, snow.. fuck it, have enough of all this. Leaving the house, even for just a week or two, is an intense operation. To prevent from freezing, heating system must be emptied (next winter I fill it up with anti-freeze), water disconnected, doors secured. This house is free standing, no direct neighbors. All kinda shit can happen when gone. Sure a nearby neighbor keeps an eye open, but still it takes half a day taking all these precautionary measures. Its easier in the summer, or I move to endless summer spot. I know, have been whining lots about this on these pages. Winter is something to avoid for me. Don’t see the fun of it anymore.

Expect towards end March a new Dallas Kingston Kollector release. This should become catalogue number Limbabwe 51, but somehow I am over that numbering. 50 is a nice round stupid figure. Time to start doing things differently. Lets call it Limbabwe Peach release. Not that now all releases will be named after fruit, the one after can be called ‘carburetor’, or whatever…just what comes up in my mind. Its good to get away from numbers, they shrink your brain to statistic thinking…More later, maybe tomorrow, maybe Saturday, Sunday or a day….

Monday, 28 February, 2011

Back from Stuttgarter Waggons. It was a great event, theater, dj’s, live music and ofcourse Jan and Dallas Kingston Kollecter. The Waggons closed in honor with a great party. Jan and DKK performed in the cinema wagon. A beautiful designed and well isolated space. Warm and comfortable. Rows of soft seats covered with blue cloth. White walls and on the end a little space for Jan and DKK to perform.

The Wagon was packed (due to rain outside), but for some who came to dance on the dj-tunes DKK was to straining and choose shower instead of wind. Meanwhile inside intense feedbacks and soundwaves crumbled rust from its wheels and brought the wagon almost to ride.

Jan performed an excellent set with deep electronics sometimes going into slumbering beats, accompanied by a happy video showing his Ljubljana neighborhood.

After this it was time to party with several dj’s in several wagons. From old psychedelic underground rock to modern electric. A worthy ending of a spot where culture lived for some years. The wagons hope on a re-start on other location.

Saturday, 26 February, 2011

On travel to Waggons in Stuttgart. The last performance day on this location ever. Tomorrow it will be definitely over. Jan and Dallas Kingston Kollector will perform there tonight with many other artists. Come and see (hear) this Trillinggital performance. Hope to be able giving rapport tomorrow, if not it will be for sure on Monday. Picture of my Trigital Freegan gear before packing:

Friday, 25 February, 2011

Limbabwe presents the new technology of the future: Trigital

Regular readers here had few pre-warnings announcing the arrival of this progressive new technology that let you drop digital in the dust-bin. Trigital goes way beyond digital. The era of ‘old fashioned’ micro-chips is over. Trigital replaces these with macro-grips. But it is too early going deep into the complicated Trigital technology. Fact is that Trigital is absolute reality! Trigital outrises the clumsy virtual reality and lifts you into the eartual reality. 3D, 3HD are history! Trigital let you experience the high technology of absolute reality further than the fake 3D simulated realities. Trigital = reality!

To introduce this new complicated technology a new science is developed called Trigitology. The father and inventor (first Trigitologist) is developing a learning scheme for students to understand this new science. Events will be organized to bring this amazing technology that beats all others to the people. Soon you will have the chance experiencing Trigital. You will not believe how more real than any other real this complicated technology will let you feel, hear, see, smell and taste. Experience life for real, experience Trigital!

In the near future Limbabwe hopes to present the first Trigital recordings ever!

Come back to the Limbabwe pages regularly and be part of this historic revolution in science.

Just a quick one today. Interesting logo:

Ok, for many readers not a related subject, this is only for those from Tegelen Noord. The logo is from the local youth/rock club, former OOC/Bauplatz. After some local small town riots they moved to other (new) location and there was lots of arguing about the new name. Now, 20 years later I see their logo: Perron SS. Couldn’t hit it better. How obvious. Now compare here the logo of the Nazi Waffen SS:

Always suspected these Tegelen Noorders moving towards a doubtful political direction! Wilders?

Wednesday, 23 February, 2011

Sorry for the soso posts last days. Doing lots of things. Coming up with a decent post every day is almost impossible. Not only time but also mind needs to have some space. Looking back into my posting history I did regularly quick notes, short remarks with picture and such. I like to write my longer whining posts, its just not everyday in me. Hmm, maybe I can whine about that….

Anyway. Do you remember my Vision sci-fi? Its still there, in the navigation on the left. V for Vision. Although written last year, this ‘futuristic’ story is partly becoming reality. Read this somewhere today:

‘The LG Optimus 3D cannot supply 4G but contains 3D-technology. The LG G-Slate can connect to 4G if 4G network is offered by a server. Besides the LG there will be a Honeycomb (Android) based Motorola Xoom and Asus Eee Pad competitive with BlackBerry Playbook, Hewlett-Packard Touchpad and Samsungs Galaxy Tab.’

I know my English is bad but is this even ‘language’. Sure I am joking and not so far gone (yet) that I even know what they are talking about (phones). Imagine you are frozen in 1985 (not that long ago) and thaw today. Wew, you wouldn’t have the slightest idea what the fuck this is all about. I bet even majority of people on this planet don’t. Just so you know, we are all supposed to purchase these machines in 2011. Warned you few posts ago, don’t throw your money away. Believe me you better spend it on Limbabwe 50 release Zebra! That’s on cassette tape, a technology going steady for decades. Safe investment! Next year all above will be replaced by LD Minimus 5D able to supply 8G with easy access to Moneycomb technology from Andro-Axy. Hewlett Packard has become an underground anarchist movement trying to undermine new technologies with illegal ‘Do-Not-Touch-Me-Pad’. Don’t go for any of all that either, soon there will the latest of all: TRIGITAL

Tuesday, 22 February, 2011

Today

I am repairing 2 cars

Fixing the house

Repairing a printer

Repairing my vacuum cleaner

Besides that chopped wood for two days, socialized with friends (in the morning), cook, eat,…. no time for cycling. Do you think I have time left for a decent post?

Shit, still have to prepare few things for the DKK gig Saturday…. Uhh… a picture… whatever it is… guess… nothing to win… no time for contests… tomorrow more…

Monday, 21 February, 2011

The last Waggon Party in Stuttgart. They definitely leave. This is your last chance! Come this weekend, 25/26 February to Stuttgart. More info (in German): http://secondtake.blogsport.de/2011/02/20/waggon-abschieds-dings-25-26-02-2011/

Limbabwe will be there represented by the acts: Jan and Dallas Kingston Kollector. See you this weekend…

Sunday, 20 February, 2011

The day is almost over. Quickly a short post. Been sitting behind this screen for hours trying to book one of these ‘cheap’ flights. You ever noticed there is something ‘weird’ in European thinking regarding directions. Everything goes from north to south and back. Nothing goes from east to west/west to east. Ok, I do understand the historic reasons, but hey, lets stay ‘west’. Even flights. If you like to fly from Rome to Barcelona, through air just a short hop, easiest is to fly over Oslo. Uhhh, I loose logic here. Try to go from Triest to Bordeaux. Best is to fly to London. “Excuse me miss, I brought a parachute, see Bordeaux down there, can you open the door please?” Same is with roads. Until few years ago it was impossible driving from east to west in central France. Finally now they connected the 3 main north/south highways with east/west connections. Bit clumsy, but with good navigation system or map reading you can do it, since 2 years! Did anyone ever researched this strange European behavior only wanna go up and down? The US is not different, but than exactly opposite. All major routes go east-west. Also here the historic explanation is clear, but now its time to get over that and get connected all directions everywhere!

Tito in his army years. Here a picture.

Saturday, 19 February, 2011

Its and bits post today. Year zero…hmmm, sometimes the choice of certain words look funny, multi interpretable or contradictive. Nothing wrong with. I make these mistakes every other sentence. Yesterday I ended the post with a Crass quote. Last words of the ‘Bloody Revolution’ song: ‘The truth of revolution, brother… is year zero’ It’s a funny remark, year zero doesn’t exist. At least not in the Gregorian (Christian) calendar. Reason is simply because the Romans didn’t had a number zero. Their counting started with 1. Kinda logic ofcourse, how do you count nothing (zero)? For that reason a decade starts with the 11th year. What most people celebrate is the end of a decade, the 10th year, thinking a new started. Probably 10 invites more for intensive partying than 11. Not that it matters, time is made up anyway. Useless attempts of humans to make nature metric.

More interesting is the use of this term by the Crass. Hindu and Buddhist calendars have a year zero. Their counting does start at null. Are the anarchists from Dial House into Asian religions? That would be contradictive. Or do they refer to that non existing Gregorian year? But that’s recognizing Christian religion. They might also refer to Red Khmer (Cambodia) who announced the year 1975 (won the revolution) ‘year zero’! No, that’s totally against the song’s message. Crass would never support Khmer’s bloody revolution. I am joking a bit, but it’s a thought. I understand the term ‘year zero’ in the song context. The choice of words involves besides meaning also rhythm and rhyme plus hey…there is zero truth in revolution.

Was more a pot smoking soldier than revolutionary, but that’s another post. This is about the portrait you see. It hangs in my living. Yep, this is not a picture borrowed from the web, but made by myself of thee actual portrait. It hangs there without political meaning, what ever you want to make about me saying this, well… blow your brains to zero.

The picture in frame was presented at the opening party when I moved into this house. A local friend thought it was something still missing in the house. Many people in former Yugoslavian territories have Tito still up on the wall. So what the heck, just a picture, local culture, so gave it a spot. Reactions vary. Nobody negative, mostly raising eyebrows. One neighbor got enthusiastic and yelled in adoration ‘wow..Titooooo’ when walking in for the first time. I give everybody the same explanation as above.

Friday, 18 February, 2011

Cristiania-Land the free-town art/alternative life community in Copenhagen Denmark is one step closer to eviction. This week a higher judge decided the town with 800 inhabitants must go. Sure it will take awhile before Cristiania disappears. Its there since 1970, one of the oldest continuing free communities in the world. Through the years the town became an important centre for culture, art and lifestyle in Copenhagen. One of the most touristic attractions of the Danish capital. Cristiania got accepted and visited by all layers of society. This wide support will make it difficult wiping it of the map. I was in Cristiania very often performing with bands in their venue Loppen. The place is huge. Don’t think of one big building, Cristiania stretches to village size. Surf the web for more info.

With the Wagons in Stuttgart it looks like the world is physically closing an era started in the 60ties. It hurts me a bit, but don’t cry no tear. History learned us alternative cultures and communities grow really well on dirty rotten corrupted societies. Since this fertile soil never seems to disappear we can look forward to many Cristiania’s and Wagons in the endless future.

Bloody Revolutions/Persons Unknown just played that 7” again from Crass/Poison Girls. An amazing little vinyl I purchased when it came out.

Released to raise money for the Wapping Autonomy Centre in London Docklands. This was in 1981/82. On Bloody Revolution the Crass again explains what it is all about. And again I am surprised how many ‘fans’ don’t seem to get their message. Being fan is doesn’t fit in Crass ideology anyway. Surfing the web I am amazed how easy ‘punk’ fans throw all that music on one pile. The clash and Crass often praised in the same article. Did these people ever hear a Crass record? On their 4th album (Christ The Album) Steve Ignorant says after a few minutes “They say that we are trash. Well our name is Crass not Clash”. Doesn’t that say enough?

In my opinion the Crass doesn’t play punk music. Its some kind of industrial noise with punk energy. Punks never understood Crass message anyway, they just used and abused their symbols and Slogans. I mentioned and quote The Crass very often here. I am not an adoring fan. They are one of the few artist groups expressing pretty much how I think plus I like avant gardistic noise music.

Well, freedom has no value if violence is the price

Don’t want your revolution, I want anarchy and peace

Few lines from ‘Bloody Revolution’. I will quote some more below (They criticize revolution).

The Crass collective created many slogans and symbols. Political art! The famous A in circle came from them, or this one:

But what about those people who don’t want your new restrictions?

Those that disagree with you and have their own convictions?

You say they’ve got it wrong because they don’t agree with you

So when the revolution comes you’ll have to run them through

You say that revolution will bring freedom for us all

Well freedom just ain’t freedom when your back’s against the wall

Probably the symbol on the flag shown on this sites background is originally Crass. The quote ‘Grab your dreams…’ under the video is from Dial House, the Crass collective home base (still there, not going to disappear….yet). If you comment/think that I do injustice with copying them you understand the Crass wrong. I don’t exploit their messages, I support and spread. Making people aware they can live a free life of their choice without violence (physical and psychological) is their idea too!

It all seems very easy, this revolution game

But when you start to really play things won’t be quite the same

Your intellectual theories on how it’s going to be

Don’t seem to take into account the true reality

The Crass created society critical graffiti street art when Banksy was still a very young child (with all respect for the artist Banksy now). Crass never claimed credit for what they did. Not it would contradict their message but because there are people who are truthfully free, its not in their heart to exploit others.

Nothing changed for all the death, that their ideas created

It’s just the same fascistic games, but the rules aren’t clearly stated

Nothing’s really different cos all government’s the same

They can call it freedom, but slavery is the game

There’s nothing that you offer but a dream of last years hero

The truth of revolution, brother………………. is year zero

Thursday, 17 February, 2011

Winter returned today or better to keep it in music terms: the winter come-back or revival. 20 cm of snow poured down within couple of hours. Here a picture:

I am not very happy with this. Makes cycling in the hills impossible. Even if stops snowing now, it will take days before the roads are cycleble again.

Revolution! Didn’t get confronted with that word for a long time. Somehow I thought people are jaded with the idea having a revolution. Not strange, we had too many last centuries. Revolutionaries are still around. These are people who like to change world. Make it a ‘better’ place. Sure the thought is good, but what is better? We all have our own individual ideas about that. Forcing yours upon another is very questionable. This happens all the time though, not only by dictators and corrupt elected politicians. Also those who think they have the right on their side fighting the established society can violently force opinions on you. Sure its rotten, corrupt and full of lies, but didn’t history show that after a revolution we all move to the next corrupt, rotten system? Still I like to support people pointing out the rotten apples among us. This awakes few, but more important, keeps the power abusers cautious. If nobody would stand up and yell righteous over the corrupted the complete world would look like that famous Frits Lang movie Metropolis. Ok, I know, somehow we did develop into a big brother/metropolis dictatorship of capitalism, but every individual has a free choice to step out. Read some former posts to figure out few examples.

Examples is one of the basic problems. Many people don’t know how to stand up for themselves against injustice. They never learned this. Even worse, they never want this because majority of the people on this planet is either swimming in the middle class wealth of our wasted society or busy surviving out of poverty. So those who want to change and protest or such are our revolutionaries who sett or follow an example. Few more post will follow upcoming weeks about this subject. Viva La Revolution?

Wednesday, 16 February, 2011

Yep, still here. Skipped a day posting yesterday. Was doing pretty good last weeks with reasonable amounts of reasonable posts.

People jump on old stuff like flies on smelly shit. Of the announced machines for sale last Monday, only the 8-track is left. Ok, I understand. Some think its risky to maintain an old multi-track, but out of experience I know its not. Don’t believe the ‘Wild-West’ stories that tapes are out of production, parts unavailable and such nonsense. All not true, like in my recent post about vinyl (only small % is still a market of millions), same is with these old analogue machines. Minimal minority of the world population is very into professional analogue. Humans overpopulated earth, this ignorable % is still big market. Sufficient for companies manufacturing fulfilling needs of these buyers. Same with maintenance service, you will find one in your town.

There is a difference in interest between population of ‘wealthy’ (or what used to be) and not wealthy or recent wealthy territories. In the traditional ‘rich’ territories (by most called ‘The West’) old analogue machines seem to have a high amount of fans. In territories recently joining the poor rich (or still poor) is barely interest. This might have several reasons. There is ofcourse the ‘fear of underdog’. New ‘West’ territory inhabitants are afraid not keeping up, not good enough to join so they deny all what is not the latest and newest. They wanna be ‘one of them’! A psycho situation so to say. Understandable, but bit childish.

Still this might crawl under the skin, it is not the main reason. Take Europe as example. Especially if it comes to amusement industry (computers, cars, ipods, video…) former socialistic territories where lesser advanced and developed. Logic, this useless crap didn’t fit in the functional socialistic workers ideology (if this material brought more or less ‘freedom’ is another post). When the gates to the ‘west’ opened 20 years ago, nobody east wanted to deal with old shite anymore. I experience this myself last 12 years trying to survive in such a territory with antique machines. It’s the joke of town. Meanwhile these jokers got fucked over by west bizznix yups. Early 90ties was also the highlight of cd. Lots of east vinyl records pressing plants dumped their belongings in nearest scrap yard where smart west salesmen picked that up for no money. Now the east finally has their vinyl revival, former socialist inhabitants pay big euro for a vinyl pressed in the west on a cheap east machine. Yep, that’s how it goes, welcome in capitalism, if you don’t watch it you might buy shit at the frontdoor after just flushing the toilet. Funny is though that many European pressed vinyl is made in the Czech Republic. Probably cheap labor is the reason.

Do I swerve from the subject? Oh yeah, why old analogue is more popular in ancient capitalistic countries than those who just joined?

Well, I think the two above mentioned reasons are pretty valid but the main is reason is probably an economical one; money! Digital machines are simply a lot cheaper than analogue. At least, on first look. But like I mentioned also some posts ago, the digital technology is still in its diapers. You can probably ‘freegan’ an ‘ancient old’ digital 8-track built in 2004 out of a dumpster (I would). Sure the thing will work, but limited and probably its bits will be unreadable by latest digital technology. Meanwhile the ‘cheap’ digi gag you purchased today is due to fast developing technology useless next year. Your cheap money had a short life. My TEAC 80-8 analogue 8-track spins already for 40 years!

Monday, 14 February, 2011

So I am gonna sell some of that old stuff. (read yesterdays post first). No I am not gonna give up working with analogue machines, its simply time for a change. Few machines I have too long. Used them often and it blocks my creativity. Changed machines more often in my life. New perspectives open up if forced moving into ‘unknown’ territories. This is exciting and interesting.

Watch it you audio freaks I am going to sell 3 machines and you, the visitors from my site, gets first choice. Lets start of with the known:

Item no. 1: Korg SE 500 Stage Echo. Read yesterday post for detailed info.

Item no. 2: Roland SDE 1000.

This was one of the first professional built digital delay units. Operating the machine is still manual with turning knobs, therefore quicker than many later digital delay’s. You have the option to store 8 pre-settings, but can also quickly move the feedback and modulation turning knobs. Until today you see this 30 year old model in use, especial at live concerts.

This SDE 1000 was the key-machine while recording ‘The Door’ (Dallas Kingston Kollector/The System – The Wheel).

Item no. 3: Last but not least, TEAC 80-8 analogue 8-track recorder. Those who know me will not believe this. Matski is going to sell his ‘baby’. Yep, I don’t use it anymore. All recordings I did with DKK after The System where directly live, no multi-track overdubs. I like to keep my creative explosions that way. Its more honest, dynamic and direct. The TEAC 80-8 is one of the best recorders ever built. I do not write this to sell, it’s a fact confirmed by every recording specialist. If you have records at home from the 70ties (when this machine was built) of Led Zeppelin, Boston, Focus, Jimi Hendrix or who-ever, the recording was made on a TEAC 80-8. There are still many around, the machine does not break! Service, parts, tapes all is still an easy to find on-going market.

With the recorder come empty reel, 4 tapes, quick-lok stand and flightcase made for this machine.

Nice picture isn’t? A real ‘porno jerk’ for the collectors. Besides recorder and such you see the Korg Stage Echo in the back, Revox B77 on the left and the real Russian army green Big Muf on the right. Wow this is gear!!!!

All gear is in perfect operating condition. If interested or want to know more drop me a mail: matski@limbabwe.com

Sunday, 13 February, 2011

Lets do some tech-talk today. Regular readers know I am a soundengineer plus like vintage analogue stuff. Got some great old machines here. Lets pick a very special one the analogue freaks can start to jerk-of now (oops a porno-post?).

Purchased this machine in Belgium while on tour. Don’t remember what band I was traveling with neither year. Was some time ago, have the feeling it was late 80ties. This Korg is outrageous amazing super and is responsible for important moments in Dallas Kingston Kollector recordings.

Tape echo’s are popular. Don’t know how the hype is today, I remember these machines had a total return in the 90ties when reggae-dub music started a second life. In those days everybody was enthusiastic about the Roland Space Echo. O.k. Great machine that Roland, no prob, but I had this Korg nobody never heard of. To my surprise and disappointment the so called ‘dub invaders’ where not interesting innovators or pioneers. They barely looked further than the one big feedback knob on that Space Echo. Meanwhile Korg SE 500 had so much to offer. Besides the usual fun (dub) playing around with very long or real short delays, effect sound changes hand-controlled with the speed knob, the SE 500 has a sound-on-sound function. You can record, replay and record over that again, and again, and again,… These recordings can have a duration of almost a song, endlessly replayed by the machine, very slowly fading. Sometimes I took the machine with at a live sound job. The band’s last song was still repeating over the pa while the musicians where already packing the van. The Roland Space Echo doesn’t have this funny ‘sampling’ sound on sound function. On the other hand the Space echo has reverb you can mix with echo effects. The Korg is without reverb. Later Korg created the SE 300, a Stage Echo with reverb, but this model didn’t had the great Sound On Sound function. Its either the one or the other. Why it wasn’t possible developing something with all possibilities in one is still mystery to me.

Non-technical here who managed reading this far through might wonder what the big ‘fuzz’ is all about. Well let me tell you, the machine isn’t digital with transistors and sampled pre-settings. The Korg SE 500 is a full analogue machine. Inside the machine is a tape that registers the sound you want to ‘effect’. That signal is re-played by several heads. How fast, long, often depends on your settings with the operating knobs. Here an inside picture of tape and heads:

What I like most is when the tape gets old and bit worn-out. The replayed effect gets a cracked sound, like you play a record from 1930. Now download all Dallas Kingston Kollector recordings and try to figure out when I use this machine.

Saturday, 12 February, 2011

Words I use too often. Rereading some post I realize I do use certain words very often. Check it out, here a small list: Anyway (every time I change subject). It or its and a or an. Think that has to do with how I construct my sentences. I am not a writer, mostly write down my thoughts not dealing with proper English language constructions. And ofcourse I use the word I a lot but hey, Its I who fills this site.

Anyway (oops do it again) enough of this nonsense. Other things I do is moving older posts to the post ‘Post 2011’ https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?63 for several reasons: The site system allows only a certain amount of data on this spot. Sometimes I reached the limit. You see ‘html’ written in the upper left corner and on the bottom text disappeared. That’s annoying but other reason is also that I don’t like to have too much text here. Today I feel I reached kinda limit so I moved most posts to the above mentioned page.

Sometimes I like certain posts to stay on this home-page bit longer. I leave them here. Think they have an ‘official’ computer term for that: ‘sticky’. Will never get into this new language. Its all to weird for me. First ‘blog’ now ‘sticky’. Did somebody come up with a computer – English / English – computer dictionary already? I might need one in the near future.

Anyway (again!) kept a few posts temporally ‘sticky’ because I think they are still up to date topics. Below are sticky the Limbabwe 50 Zebra release, because I celebrate this anniversary for a while. Plus two posts about the Stuttgarter Wagons. They are going to be evicted next month, it’s a shame that’s why this must have extra attention. But before they definitely disappear Jan and Dallas Kingston Kollector will perform at the Wagons. You must come and see/hear this, wherever in the world you are: Support the Wagons. The big ‘Abschied’ party will be on February 25 and 26. More exact news and dates will be mentioned here soon. Stuttgart has an airport. Book your flights now!

Friday, 11 February, 2011

Yep, although not in their assignment I herewith apologize for the crappy software from Microflop who’s caused the incidental invisibility of certain items on this home-page. Yes, it happened again, visitors using the bad browser of Microsoft(flop) ‘Internet Explorer’ where not capable to see the video and read latest posts for a few days. This happened couple of times before. Problems are solved again. Please notice me: matski@limbabwe.com  if you notice this again. On the home-page you should always see a video running and my blog section ‘The Avant Gardenist’.

Problems are solved again, but honestly out of the deepest from my heart, get away from Microsoft, it sucks, it is a flop. I advice Linux, the best of the worst. I changed to Linux and my life improved massively. My physical and mental health became lots better. Also finances increased (lesser doctor bills).

I know Microflop was pioneering the pc, but that doesn’t mean they own outstanding technology. In contrariety, others raced them by in the development of digitechnology.

Anyway enough of this bullshite. Best healing method for every disease is listening to music. uhhh…. plus drink lots of Slovenian red wine.

Slovenian red wine. Did I ever whine about that wine in a post? Its no joke, Slovenia is a wine country but doesn’t have international reputation for that. The wine production is so massive, they are not able to drink it. I assume export barely exist never noticing Slovenian wine abroad. Somehow that’s a good thing. Keeps wine cheap (overproduction). You want believe it, but in Slovenia you can buy a reasonable wine for about 1 Euro per liter straight from the vineyard, but also in stores. These are maybe not their very best wines, but still a good average. The better wines go for prices between 2 and 4 euro per liter. Paying more means you are the stupid tourist being ripped of. Don’t trust wines cheaper than 1 Euro. They are really rubbish.

Tastes vary, my most favorite wines are Refošk and Teran. Red wines, very full and rich. Again, you might have a different preference for wine, but I think you can never go wrong with wines from Kras, Koper, Vipava and Goriška Brda (funny hey, I have Slovenian letters on my keyboard I can switch to – š -). Somehow I think you should go to Slovenia for a (one?) day and try all wines to find your most favorite. While trying don’t spit it out, swallow! Otherwise you never reach the heavenly effect.

Thursday, 10 February, 2011

Found this picture in the deepest darkest corner of my hard-drive.

Fire. I am born Aries. The religious uneducated astrologists always dropped this on me: ‘You like fire, its your friend’. ‘You’re most favorite color is red (or brown), the color of fire’. I always hated how self confident these surrogate guru’s analyze you. They are wrong. Ok, I am not a fanatic fish, but like water shores and swimming plus my most favorite color is blue! And yes, I do like to be surrounded with natural material that keeps its original color. Wood is very natural material, colored very light to extreme dark brown. That’s why I like my wooden furniture to be brown. Blue painted wood is ugly, also if this is my most favored color. Prefer more to go out and look at the natural blue sky. Those hobby-hippies are mostly the people destroying nature. They like to paint their soulless vegan restaurants (with tasteless food) in unnatural nerve wrecking ‘soft’ colors. In that case I prefer the natural environment of a brown pub eating vegan beanburger with chips!

Short note about records again. This happens when you are around for some years. Talked with a record store owner late 80ties, he complained. Just stocked up many Tom Waits ‘Franks Wild Years’ vinyls. Late 80ties was the top cd, worst vinyl period. He didn’t manage to sell them so dumped the price, 10 guilders (5 Euro), brand new. Felt sorry, so I bought one (hey, for that price!). Still got it (not for sale…uhhh…yet). 20 years later (few months ago), talked with another vinyl store owner who cheerfully announced that all Tom Waits releases will be re-pressed on vinyl. He is looking forward to this. There is a large demand for Waits on new vinyl!

Wednesday, 09 February, 2011

Throwing another log in the wood-burner made me think of one my trips to Tokyo. Once I visited the Buddhist Sensoji temple. Pure tourism, I am not religious. The temple was built in 628, so its old (although regularly re-built). Anyway, while travelling its interesting visiting local sights. Inside Sensoji is an oracle you can ask questions. Write it down, pay 100 Yen and choose an answer (tube with written piece of paper). My Japanese guides (friends) insisted, so what the heck, its only 90 cents, temples admission is free, a monk can eat from this, lets do it. Don’t remember the question, but very clear the reply: ‘You will burn the house’! Wow heavy reply! My Japanese friends assured me not to worry, tradition is that all answers can be interpreted ‘negative’.

Now I realize the oracle’s answer was kinda right. I am renovating this house and burned all replaced wood like floors and such. Some I set on fire in the field next door, lots ended up in my burner supplying heat. Hmmm, these Buddhist… Oh well, I stay atheist.

Fire! The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown. Who remembers that one? It was a major hit in 1968. I remember the song really well and owned the album. Yep, owned, this LP left my collection. Must say, the one hit song was great, the rest of the record (Arthur Browns first LP) was not sufficient impressive to keep. Brown is a ‘one hit wonder’. ‘Fire’ was his only success. Doing some research I found out that he kept on working in music bizznix. Recording records under several names until now. All without success. He made some rent-paying-cash with appearances on others recordings and performances. Don’t know if his deal was straight back in those days. If so his yearly ‘Fire’ royalty check covers the water bill. But again with respect; the ‘God Of Hellfire’ burned an interesting tune worthy to remember and download. Forget the complete album.

Tuesday, 08 February, 2011

Musicians with certain fame in name fall like flies. Not strange, pop (rock,…) is getting old, and so do the ‘legends’. Many don’t seem to reach respectable old age, touring is a life-sucking job. Although some are ‘die-hards’. Take John Mayall, 77 years old and still on the road. Or Harry Belafonte, 83! Ok, he doesn’t tour for a long time anymore. That allows him few extra years. Better we change the ‘list of death’ into ‘who is still alive list’. Easier because shorter and you only need to delete instead adding.

Macabre subject, especially after being on the road myself for 30 years. I write this because Gary Moore passed last weekend. It was all over the ‘media’ that even I didn’t miss it. What I must have missed is that he was so ‘famous’. Ok, I know Gary Moore by name but did he really enjoy large following? Major record sales? Or very important influential musician? Media did lots of referring to Thin Lizzy. That’s even ‘Moore’ strange. Gary wasn’t an original member. Joined Lizzy after existed 5 years of and stayed for barely one year. Re-joined again 4 years later for one record and jammed half a gig with them towards (Phil Lynott) band end in 1984. Did Gary put so much weight in Lizzy for that half a day he was with them?

Only long lasting member besides Lynott was the drummer Brian Downey (still alive, not dangerous). In their 15 year career Thin Lizzy changed guitar player very often. Lizzy was obvious Lynott and Downey. Bass and drummer are in many bands unbreakable companions. Not strange, musically they rely on eachother and on them leans rest of the band.

With all respect for Gary Moore. Colleagues who worked with him said he was a great personality. It is ofcourse always sad when a good guy passes, especially for the people who where close.

Lynott and Downey during the ‘Alive & Dangerous’ tour

Monday, 07 February, 2011

Weather is with me this mid-winter. Its cold, but snow stays out. Achieved good condition cycling often this early in the year. Time for a ride to Vojsko (highest near top). Damned! Never thought I would ever cycle to Vojsko early February. And pity, I didn’t. Optimistically I push uphill, after Tratnik I had to stop. The road in front of me was disappeared. A massive gap about 8 meters long and 15 meters deep. No way passing this. On the right steep rock-wall, left deep canyon. Don’t make too much out of what I call ‘road’. Its just a dirt-track full with mud, rocks, snow and ice. To far from decent detour possibilities there was no other option than turning back. I know what weather, especially winters, can do with nature in these rough mountains and hills. Warn visitors often for the dangers. Wonder if the road ever will be fixed. Its one of my most favorite routes.

Like to add few things regarding yesterdays post (read that one first).

Its strange to see how many people jump on the new digital technology. Did we never learn from recent history? Why do so many people waste their hard-earned money on digital gags that are out of fashion two weeks after purchase? From the moment Edison came with the phonograph it took 70 years until the final model, the vinyl record we know now, was designed. In these years customers had to deal with many different interpretations, formats, sizes, speeds, recording technology, players, amplifying, speakers and what all more came to it. To keep updated with the record playing technology was a costly bizznix in those days. Imagine you where investing lots of money in those machines from 1900 until 1940. 10 years later you could throw all that useless shit away. Same happened in the car industry or, more recent example, the video. Remember (if you are old enough) that total chaos of all these different systems late 70ties for home taping and playing movies? Imagine you invested into systems that disappeared few years later. They simply didn’t make it in the free-market competition. Meanwhile you burned your money!

I don’t have anything against free market. Let these bizznix fools compete eachother as long human basic instincts aren’t evaluated (read post Feb 2). This keeps nowadays economy going and prices down. Still, with the quick rise of digital technology (pc), consumers again fall for the trick and run to store wasting their money on latest gag. Meanwhile the manufacturer knows the thing is a failure and not lasting for few months, but investments have to be earned back. Don’t know how this is with you, but I learned and rather sit back and wait for 50 years before spending serious cash on a new technology. Until then I seem to do fine in ‘Freegan’ style using ‘old’ (one year) dumped machines.

Sure I download music in my PC like everyone else. I am not against using new technologies. But when I get really attached, purchasing vinyl seals a bond. And sure there are people who stayed faithful to other music playing technologies. The reel to reel tape recorder/player is popular with some. Have a few myself. It survives tanx to the professional music bizznix where reel to reel recorders are often still in use. Tapes, machine parts and such are manufactured and available.

I mentioned so often here, the only other analogue recording/playing format surviving after vinyl is the cassette. Its still massively in use, not only in the underground of the alternative underground scene, but also in lesser ‘wealthy’ territories (Africa/Asia/South America). At the moment lots of music is released only on cassette. You actually are in the home of one cassette label (Limbabwe). Release number 50 is until now only available on cassette. Nowhere a digital version to find. You better hang on to that player if still owing one.

In 2008/2009/2010 vinyl had the best sales of the last 20 years and this is still rising. Also related playback technology returned in the stores. Solves my needle problem.

Sunday, 06 February, 2011

Like most music freaks I am into vinyl phonogram records. I handle the subject in many posts. Especially the last decennia were un-easy times. I am not talking about purchasing records, but people around me. Records have always been easy to get. Even in the minimum vinyl years late 80ties/early 90ties. In that period many people digitalized their collection. Second hand stores where loaded with interested vinyl I always wanted, and now finally could buy cheap. New records weren’t a problem either. In ‘alternative’ music vinyl stayed popular. Bigger problem was the players and needles. I owned already a pro-Technics but changed the cartridge into Stanton (dj format) to be sure I could always get new needles (until today available).

The problem with new developed technology is people with stupid remarks that I am old-fashioned. Don’t these people see that I also owe a cd player and have computer. I was there when digital developed. Heard the first cd in 1977 from a demonstration model, early 80ties experimented with digital recordings (Analogue-Digital converter on VHS recorder), few years later tried Q-bass.

Now time proved all these ‘modern’ people where just a bunch of arrogant idiots. The vinyl gramophone record was the first mechanical recording technology invented and survived until today every other system. In 1860 Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville developed the first pre-record recorder and player. 20 years later Edison came with the phonograph.

First 50/60 years many different versions (sizes, speed, material) were produced by the industry. First commercial vinyl records came after WW2. Since than it survived every play/recording format; tape-recorder, 8-track, cassette-recorder and now even the cd. Vinyl records even increased in popularity last years, it actually never disappeared.

There can be many reasons why vinyl records stayed so popular. The discussion what sounds better is not relevant here. It is the mechanical format. The vinyl record is very organic, you can see the music. Its an actual thing you have in your hand. The vinyl did survive due to the high value music listeners give to the product. Probably everybody does digital formats too, but if you really appreciate the music/artist, vinyl fulfills a certain need few bites in your computer do not cover. For many this might be nonsense. I am now talking about those for whom music is thee thing in their live. This group is big! Besides sport, music is the most practiced hobby. Even if the hardcore are just few %, we talk about millions.

Imagine the analogue soccer ball is replaced by a virtual! How many would start to collect and worship the good old fashioned leather ball you can really kick?

Saturday, 05 February, 2011

Someone informed me there is a protest in The Netherlands against some ‘wind-park’ (group of windmills gathered on piece of land). Sure, why not. These things are horrible polluting. Your beautiful view is gone. I suggest a nuclear power-station on the same location. Hope you realize I am cynical here. The Dutch are pretty good in keeping their society moving endlessly discussing and protesting. Ofcourse an over-populated country with barely space doesn’t leave much choice. Everything must be discussed and arranged to keep the masses somehow in order. And there will always be unsatisfied people. I don’t know about the ‘windmill’ discussion, just heard it. Sure there will be other places to install the ‘park’ but than someone else will have ‘the view’. Travelling The Netherlands it seemed to have some space, on closer look not. Even in country side there are houses everywhere. All these people use energy, so somehow it should be manufactured. The Dutch have lots of wind in their flat land. Wind energy is easy, cheap and environmental friendly. If I would be the government I hand the people options what to build on the same land: nuclear reactor, coal burner or windmills. Probably most will react: ‘I have to watch Ajax-Feyenoord on my 3HD superscreen, so I don’t give a damned as long its not in front of my door’. Well, thats impossible. Whatever brings the energy, it will always be in front of somebody’s door.

Did the Dutch ever look into getting energy out of the seawater salt? There is sufficient of that. Or maybe try to catch all energy wasted by endlessly discussing these matters. Attach little tweezers on their jaws connected with little wires to a battery in pocket. Each time talking energy is generated. Must be a massive result after whole day discussing in committees, interviews and coffee with neighbors.

Ok, I know this is bullshit, but so is the whole issue. Sure you wanna have clean and efficient energy, so built that wind-park there, or return to pre-electricity life-style.

Friday, 04 February, 2011

For some time now I listen to internet radio. Well, ‘listen’ is bit exaggerated. The radio plays in the background. Wall paper. It’s a jazz station. Surfed the internet trying to find a station broadcasting music that doesn’t bother me much, without interruptions from moderators or commercials. Took me some time and found one. It’s a stream from Switzerland, ‘Swissradio’. They broadcast few streams ‘serious’ music. Classical and Jazz. The stream I listen is called ‘Modern Jazz’. Randomly jazz passes by from early Charlie Parker till recent Mahavishnu.

Ofcourse I do not like everything they play, especially the ‘jazz-rock’ is not much my thing. Lucky Coltrane, Coleman, Roach, Chicago Art Ensemble, Sun Ra and more my taste fills up a high percentage. Sometimes I hear horrible ‘elevator jazz’ or even traditional rock and roll or soul. Ok, Sun Ra did a few traditional pop recordings, but somehow I expect common sense from editors working streams like this. I know how this functions. Randomly a program selects tracks from a hard-drive. But first someone must have put the music on that drive. Sun Ra is labeled ‘Jazz’, but that doesn’t mean he only recorded music fitting that category. Swissradio approach in this is what I call ‘pop’. Sun Ra makes Jazz so we can play this! Uhh, but I don’t hear Jazz, I hear R & B. Ok, whatever is Jazz can be widely interpreted but looking at the label instead listening to the music is what happens in pop. It’s the definition of pop (all about the package, not whats in it). From a serious music radio station I would expect bit more intellect here.

Ofcourse the ‘elevator’ tracks are a welcome relief inbetween the freaky chaos of Free-Jazz. Although big fan I would not be able to listen this 24/7. The poppy Sun Ra tracks are funny interruptions too, but if editors had that in mind I am in doubt.

If you are interested here a link to the stream:

http://www.swissradio.ch/menu/discography/jazz/modernjazz/index.htm

Thursday, 03 February, 2011

Wrote some long posts last days therefore keep it short today, easy with a picture proving that the video above (me moving snow) is not a digital trick. Here the same driveway viewed towards garage this time. This snow is not from one winter, but after one night! Imagine this comes down 3 times a week. Next winter I spend in an area where palm trees grow.

Wednesday, 02 February, 2011

Warm dressed I ride the bikecycle out of the shed. Routine check breaks and such, swing on the saddle and roll down hill. Sun is peaking out, it will become a nice midday. On centre mainstreet the Albanian coffee bar owner puts tables and chairs on his terrace. Bit optimistic, despite the sunshine temperature is still about 6 degrees Celsius below zero. I am in doubt anyone would enjoy their coffee outside. I wave hello to Egon, the village scavenger doing his underestimated but very respectable job. Nobody looks weird at me anymore. In the beginning I was often declared an idiot cycling in the winter with freezing temperatures. Since I ride regularly, it became a part of the daily village routines. Only outsiders would rise eyebrows replied by locals “oh, that’s the Dutch guy”. Funny to see how quickly a community adapts something that looked weird to them first. With every time starting around midday (warmest hours) I probably must be a ‘biologic clock’. Workers watching me passing think ‘aha, lunchtime!’ On the main road the city bus passes me by honking. I stick an arm up greeting. The bus will turn around at Podroteja the furthest out of village stop. There I turn right, away from mainroad direction Bela leaving everybody behind. Now temperature sinks few degrees more. For 7km the road follows the river in a deep canyon. High steep rockwalls don’t allow sunlight shining in. Freezing cold mountain water helps keeping temperature down. On the end, in Bela opens a wide valley. Grateful I enjoy sun-warmth.

Freegans part 3 (last episode). Read posts of last two days first if you do not know what this is all about. While cycling I was thinking about this and wanted to add it to the story. Its remarkable and interesting that all ‘alternative’ scenes make the same basic mistake similar to the system they fight. Freegans found eachother and are organized. They organize activities, set up free markets, have websites, meetings, release books,… From history we learned that this is the beginning of the end of a movement. Bringing in structure means dealing with regulations, leaders, norms of behavior. Even if you try not to, this will natural expose without realizing. Look at one recent example: the Dutch squatting scene collapsed because they got organized. Suddenly certain people where more important, others wanted meetings to discus behavior of some squatters. Some squats where put as an example. Hey I thought that these people where all going for the same goal, a free live! Meanwhile they built up an organization functions the same like any other (state, company, football team….). We all know; organizations do not function. The democratic state is a joke, countries don’t really exist (cultures do, but that’s not related with eachother). On the end the conclusion is that as soon people get organized it becomes messy. This is unavoidable because its natural. In their instinct (due to feeling of safety and protection) people are tribal. They have to live in groups. This forces organization. Than comes quarreling about ‘rights’ plus worship and fight for leaders or leadership. I am amazed that in our existence barely anyone tried to take our instinct one step further releasing humanity from their desperate tribal organizing need; the basic fundament of our problems.

Freegans started to dig their own grave. I still respect the attitude, opinions and lifestyle. It brings direct solutions to problems. Acting amateur philosopher (what I do right now) does not get food on the table. Like I wrote yesterday, I am not so worried about the future either, the wheel will be reinvented after Freegans slowly faded. Make way for ‘Freediginism’!

Tuesday, 01 February, 2011

Lets talk a bit more about Freegan (read yesterdays post). Sure it’s a very respectable life-style. Freegans are political motivated. Often squatters, vegans, animal right supporter, into alternative energy sources and positive approach towards everything that lives. If society wasn’t so fucked up consumerish, freegans had no life. But than ofcourse everything would be ok, and freegans unnecessary.

The bit older among us would say ‘whats else is new?’ Sure nothing in a freegan lifestyle. Alternative communes criticizing ridiculous consuming attitude existed already 100 years ago. Especially in the first decennium of 20th century there was a large scene (mainly artists, scientists, philosophers,…) seeking for other ways of living often supported by rich people. Industrialization was already going on for some time. Intellects realized the downside of it. But even after 100 year of preaching, the masses don’t wanna listen. They jump in their car to media-markets purchasing latest Ipod gag. The sheep’s are convinced wealth can’t come an end. ‘They will think of something’ is the common used comment. Whoever ‘they’ is, saying this is joining up in the 8billion people long line of sheep’s, followers and slaves.

In Europe 2 major wars stopped activities trying to live alternative lives. Being busy surviving everybody was somehow doing it. But with the re-stabilization of wealth few started seeking for other ways spending time different than boring 9 to 5 days. First growing in the USA ofcourse, they had lesser damage from these wars. In the 50ties you had the weird Beatniks slowly developing into the world wide exploding hippie scene 10 years later. In the 70ties, when the US was settling a bit again, in Europe environmental issues became mass awareness (and big bizznix).

Ofcourse I am talking here all the time about capitalistic countries. In other political climates evolution of people’s consciousness went a bit different.

In the 80/90ties everything had a bit of downfall with yuppie attitudes. The youngsters were tired of protest and preferred to drive Golf GTI. Lucky, nowadays often with the awareness again it should be hybrid. Sometimes I wonder though if that is for social or financial reason! Anyway, I am happy with the Freegans, even if they repeat what anarchists, beatniks, hippies, punks, free-loaders and squatters did before. There is no problem with the wheel being re-invented once in the so many years. It keeps our world fresh and is an indispensable necessarity.

Monday, 31 January, 2011

In the freezing cold wind I pushed myself cycling over the hill today. Why not? Its refreshing and good exercise. The weather man predicted sunshine today, the weather gods thought different. It was cloudy, windy and cold. So cold that I didn’t really warm up despite the exercise and wearing 4 layers: shirt/long sleeve/sweater/jacket. Give it another try tomorrow with more clothing.

Few years ago this was ‘news’. The new trend for hipsters was (is) eating out of a garbage can. ‘Dumpster Diving’. Protesters against made the ‘news’. Besides unhealthy they eat the food of poor homeless. Uhhh, eat the food of poor homeless? Protest? The world really makes some strange turns lately. If these (assumedly middle class) protesters think the homeless need food than give them some you rich bastards.

Often dumpster divers are homeless themselves. Mostly out of choice. They live in squats and prefer anti-consuming life-style. They live from what society doesn’t use or throw away. Good way to recycle, I can only support that. Especially in the capitalistic ‘West’ countries people live a wasting life. Food is often thrown away because over-dated the next day, or looks don’t match within consumer ‘idea’ (potato too small/pepper weird shaped). Besides food lots of good machines, furniture and more is dumped. Whats wrong with other people re-using this. The owner doesn’t want it anymore.

The re-users of society dumps are organized and call themselves Freegans. Surf the web for more info

Ok, so that became hip with youngsters few years ago. Whats the problem here? We know youngsters (have been ourselves). A new trend is hyped for some Sunday afternoon. On Monday morning everything is as usual, except a bigger group of people learned something new whether by experience or from media (learning from media???? Uhhh yeah, how to write bullshit stories). Anyway, you shouldn’t think of students eating out of the garbage can on the main square. They pick food out of dumpsters behind supermarkets and restaurants. Often still packed and good food is thrown away for whatever reason. This clean food is what dumpster divers eat.

Although I would like to consider myself free from labels I partly practice the ‘freegan’ thing. Living in squats years ago, eat vegan (still now) plus my whole life I barely never purchased furniture or machines for in the house. People wanna follow the latest fashion and throw the still working micro-wave, tv, speakers, computers and what so more, away. I use that stuff.

My music project Dallas Kingston Kollector is completely based on freegan ideology. I make music with electronics other musicians throw away. Mostly effect pedals. Ok these things are broke and difficult to repair. At home I make some adjustments and the pedal starts its second life, not working as suppose, but making some noise or effect that is special and usable. The other week I knobbed a disposed Cry Baby (wah wah pedal). The complete mechanism was broken. Removed the bad parts, took out the wheel with pot that activates the effect, placed that on top of the case, screw knob on and hey…works! I have now a hand-operative Cry Baby. Freegan rules!

Sunday, 30 January, 2011

For months I am staring at the huge amount of (digital) pages I wrote already for the story: THE STORY THAT NEVER SHOULD BEEN WRITTEN. Still I am not satisfied with what I have until now. Is this what they call ‘writers block’? I am not even a writer!

The subject is very complicated, personal and emotional. Clear facts have to be explained. Critical: good opinions. Dangerous: people I have/had close contact with are involved. How get the message across to readers who have no relation with the subject at all? Will those involved reflect themselves correctly? Some might feel insulted without me meaning to. Others take blame but shouldn’t. Do those that I accuse realize? Should I use everybody’s full name, or only those that are public anyway? Many questions that for sure Johan Hauser, John Verstraelen and Kitty Borghouts never asked themselves. Otherwise the story would never been written and I would not need to write this.

It will already be a hell explaining to everyone, involved or not / close or far, that I am forced to write this, against my will. I never wanted this story to be written!

The story includes many different periods, subjects and side-tracks. How to combine them all to an understandable logic? Sure I can follow just a main track leaving lesser important subjects out, but that’s one mistake (of the many) Johan, Kitty and John made. Don’t want to write a shite bullshit story like they did; suggestive, full with lies and misinterpretations.

Oh well, maybe I should throw some weight of and have a lighter approach without leaving minor and major essentials out.

All the time I took working on this story wasn’t (and will not be) for nothing. It brings me closer to the final concept. I don’t believe in losing. You can only win in life. I know, its not a ‘modern’ opinion anymore in nowadays world where mainly materialistic results count. Losing is only for those who count in figures. I count on gaining experience, you always win that. How much did you experience in life? Are you on my (our) side: the winners?

It can take a bit longer before the first pages of THE STORY THAT NEVER SHOULD BEEN WRITTEN appears on these pages.

Friday, 28 January, 2011

Have many new visitors here lately. Ofcourse this is great but somehow I realize opening my home-page you fall into a lot of ‘chaos’ and noise. It might be very confusing for the new visitors. To explain a bit I added an introduction page: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?64 with the following text:

So you found the Limbabwe pages. Hope you have a good time here. Surfing this site you find a variety of subjects but most pages are about music.

Limbabwe is a music label especially very active from 1982 until 1985. Read more about this here: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?2 (Limbabwe history)

About 10 years ago I had many requests regarding Limbabwe past. To answer questions I created this site. Starting of to be ‘historic’ pages this site was very static first two years. Getting active again creating music I brought more live into Limbabwe label and site. Last 6 years Limbabwe produced 8 new releases and this website grew massively. Besides ‘historic Limbabwe’, you find many articles about my job (technician and tourmanager in music bizznix) plus artists working with. I added articles and galleries about my other interests, hiking and cycling. You even find cooking recipes (another hobby).

Almost every day I write a post handling variable subjects, published on the home page (scroll down, below video) under the title ‘The Avant Gardenist’. You can still find all former posts on this site ranged under year, pity, not by subject. It will be hell finding a certain old post. On the other hand you can have fun randomly reading some.

Irregular, but with certain frequency, I add something new. This can be a download, gallery, video or new medium.

Most popular pages are:

Image Gallery: https://www.limbabwe.com/e107_plugins/autogallery/autogallery.php Here you find galleries from tours and other subjects

Downloads: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?32 . Yep, almost all Limbabwe releases plus a bit more you can get here for free in mp3 files. The list will appear if you click on ‘Downloads’.

But there is a lot more. Don’t be shy discovering.

This site has my personal touch how I think, feel, talk, create. An uncommon approach in media nowadays. Society’s rat-race, easy digital technology and world wide communication possibilities leaded to uniform standards. Lately many people have a homepage due to the rise of popular sites like Facebook and MySpace offering free services. I adapted the Limbabwe pages to be my home page. One little private spot in a forgotten corner of the world-wide-web. Free from Face/Space and other regulations, simply doing my own thing. Rousing within the territory of own responsibilities fits me better.

Thursday, 27 January, 2011

Wanted to write a post with list of bands I really dislike. Stopped that. Realized that the subject is very personal related towards the musicians. Maybe this sounds strange, but if you know the artist personally it influences your taste. If the musician appeared to be not very nice, you also dislike his/her’s music. Sometimes I can flip over, just because of a negative experience. Mostly that results in giving away or selling those artist vinyls, cd’s and other collectables for fans.

Meeting the artist in person is sometimes the downside of working inside the music bizznix. Many outsiders only know the selling crap like love, equipment, drugs,…. Believe me reader, these stories, even if published in ‘serious’ press, are straight lies. Its all about selling the product. Most artists don’t even know what bullshit is thrown to the masses by promotion offices. They probably don’t care either to busy with creating, or too stupid!

Was more often approached by fans during my career. They talk about how great it is traveling around with such marvelous musicians performing unbelievable music. Often I think ‘you should now whats really going on, you would immediately stop idolizing’. Meanwhile say that ‘the job is great, creative and lots of travelling, what I like the most’. On the remark that ‘she/he envy’s me and wanted to be on the road too’, I often reply honestly ‘you prefer not too, it would change your perspective about this artist. Believe me, if you are a true fan, you are better of on the consuming side’.

Maybe that’s why all my most favorite artists passed away long time ago. For sure no chance getting to know the ‘real’ person behind the record cover picture.

Wednesday, 26 January, 2011

Records. Didn’t do a vinyl post for long time. So lets pick a record out of my collection. This is a ‘weird’ release:

“Johnny Cash – Ballads Of The American Indian/Their Thoughts And Feelings/The Battle Of Wounded Knee”.

Don’t know what the idea was, but someone gave it a try to release a record with the longest title ever (record holder is Chumbawamba with 865 characters title of “The Boy Bands……”)

Anyway, I am swerving from the subject Johnny Cash. I always listened his music, already in the 60ties. Therefore have some old Cash records (not for sale). Don’t need to go into the history of Johnny. Although it passed me by I assume it has been milked endlessly since his passing. So lets go straight to this strange vinyl.

“Ballads….” was released in 1973, but the record was already 10 years old. It saw its first release in 1962 under the title ‘Bitter Tears’. On ‘Bitter Tears’ the cover shows Cash looking like a desperate and tired ‘Stallone’. Funny, this kind ‘American Hero’ image became popular in the 70ties with Rambo and The Boss (Springsteen). Cash was his time ahead even in fashion!

‘Bitter’ or ‘Ballads’ are the same record with the exception of one song that was called ‘Custer’ on the first release and replaced by ‘Big Foot’ on the 70ties issue. You guessed it, all songs on the record are critical notes about how USA politicians treat native Indians. A very good protest album before Dylan was around. Many songs on this record are written by protest/folk singer Pete La Farge. Unknown by most of us nowadays. He passed away in 1965 after a short unsuccessful career. La Farge and Cash both claimed to have far related Indian blood.

In 1962 Columbia (record company) and press ignored this record. It was an insult to America. But Cash fought this by making public statements and managed to score high on the billboards without promotion, reviews or airplay.

The opening song handles an in those days (1962) recent subject, the building of the Kinzua Dam. Because of this Dam lots of Indian land that was promised the Senecas tribe forever (treaty with George Washington) got flooded.

Johnny Cash sings: All across the Allegheny River/They’re throwing up a dam/It will flood the Indian country/A proud day for Uncle Sam.

I own the second version of this record. Dutch pressing bought in the 70ties. Strange, there is barely any info about this second release. Why Columbia re-released the record. Why with a different cover and title? On internet the record is barely mentioned. I found only one vague picture:

Many non Northern Americans have stereotype opinions about USA inhabitants. Its not a very good one. Their known not to be very educated or revolutionary, and if… its mostly ‘protest for the money’. Traveling in the US I learned the opposite. Like everywhere in the world also in America many people protest unacceptable behavior of individuals, companies and government. Even in the 50ties and 60ties lots of famous artists stood up for injustice. Marlon Brando refused to attend (nor pick up) his grammy award due to the horrible stereotyping of native Indians in popular western movies (John Wayne). Harry Belafonte publicly supported minorities in the 50ties. There are many examples, but that didn’t get sold to the ‘outside of the USA’ world. We had to swallow the exported ‘Disney Dream’ for the sake of cash.

Johnny never gave up performing the ‘Bitter Tears’ songs.

Tuesday, 25 January, 2011

Damned! Looking for gigs, time is running out. Brilliant artists. If you promote, organize and like to have quality ‘in tha house’ book the following on these empty dates:

Karyn Kuhl is the former singer/songwriter/guitarist of Sexpod, cooperated with Genesis P Orridge (PTV), Arthy Mcfly and many others. Now she mainly plays solo. She performed in Europe during a short tour successfully last year.

Music: rock/punk

Easy production: 2 people sleep/eat/drink.

Technical: Fender Twin or Marshall Tube amp/Voc mic/3 DI (acoustic git/drum-computer)

Fee: ask/negotiate.

Karyn can play one or two sets, whatever is preferred.

Period: April 3 / 4 or 10

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/karynkuhl

http://www.myspace.com/sexpodmusic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgk-CuOQOeg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wnsxZ74xVo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjxZyur2MHc

Sensational/Spectre

Period: First week May

Has good exposure especially last 2 years (Wire magazine, Roskilde, Era New Horizons…..)

Electro/Dubstep/Rap/Underground

Easy production: 3 people sleep/eat/drink.

Technical: Dj set up, Mics, Video + negotiated fee

More info:

www.wordsound.com

www.myspace.com/wordsound

www.mypsace.com/spectretheillsaint

www.myspace.com/chunkobliss

Check these links and drop me a mail: matski@limbabwe.com

Monday, 24 January, 2011

No wagons for a day. Like the idea of living in a wagon. It’s the gypsy in my blood. Travelling around the globe for 30 years makes steady housing uncomfortable. I am not very used to be on one spot for long time. Ok, have ‘home-bases’ but change that every 10 years. The idea of not living in a house, but more movable device like camper van, sounds pretty attractive to me at the moment. With a camper van you can move where the good weather is. Never winter anymore.

Never understood these people who are stuck to one place their whole life. Ok, I know that family work or physical disable can keep you on one spot, but do never bother me with arguments like, habits, cultural heritage, economy, ground of birth and what all more. These reasons are crap. Its just covering up that you don’t have the guts to travel or try something different. Life is there to discover. If you always stayed within your safe environment and never tried to step out of it, you never lived! Yep, most people never live! They just waste their lives on boring routines and feel happy with it. This post start to sound like an average pop-song lyric. The freedom so called ‘alternative’ music bands like to sing about. A cheap sell-out. Funny, most people like to dream about their freedom but never make a move obtaining some.

GRAB AT YOUR OWN DREAMS

BEFORE SOMEONE TURNS THEM INTO A NIGHTMARE.

Is written on my front page for long time. An advice from Dial House out of my heart. It will stay on the front page. Somebody did try to turn my dream in a nightmare. Lucky I already lived that dream, the nightmare came 25 years after. Now its my turn to be the boogie man. 2011 is the year of the dreamers who fulfilled them, ready to turn your life in a nightmare…….

Few changes on this site. The pages from Dial and The System became in-effective to maintain and are gone. The System story is moved to The System download page.

Saturday, 22 January, 2011

To extend yesterdays post here few pictures from the Wagons in Stuttgart. I am not much of a photographer. On all my trips never cared much about making pictures. There are only few pictures visiting the Stuttgarter Wagons in my possession.

The first you see here below I posted year or two ago. Its Sensational and Spectre performing in one of the Wagons.

Second picture is set up/soundcheck.

Took above two pictures myself. The picture below is made by Karyn Kuhl. You see Moritz (left), a wagon resident, artist and organizer, and me outside at the Wagons.

Now (re) read yesterdays article:

Friday, 21 January, 2011

In western cities you find often communities living and working differently than common masses do. Often these communes are set up by a gathering of people who look for different life styles. Artists, anarchists, scientists find eachother pioneering. Call them the conscious of society. The future of the mass generations (read posts January 20 and 18). Nowadays we call them outcast (100 years from now they will be remembered as genius). Often they live on abandoned grounds and old factories, forgotten industrial waste land and buildings. Society doesn’t want these ‘weirdoes’ as neighbors. The pioneers don’t want to be too close to society. That forgotten rotten dumb on edge of town is a perfect place. The wasteland is being used and kept in condition. It decreases crime locations and keeps the ‘freaks’ controllable on one spot.

These communities are not recent phenomenon’s. Already 100 years ago alternative communes survived in big cities. In those days mostly kept alive by rich people supporting art and science. 50 years ago these ‘outcast’ societies gained a different place in society. Due to 60’ties life-style search for ‘alternatives’ on common daily routine became popular. Large groups formed communities. Squatting became popular. Many joint the offered alternatives to opposite wasting consuming behavior of society. Through the 80ties slowly these communes faded. 80ties called up different (yuppie) life-style with the youngsters. Getting older, married, careers made people leave. Others became legal community centers and are now big commercial art companies. Few stayed forever. Famous is Christiania Land in Copenhagen. Sadly, also many disappeared by violent force of governments

But still blood is thicker than water. Incidentally new communes where created in the last decenniums. There is the Kolbhalle in Cologne, Germany and the one I like to talk about now briefly, the Wagons in Stuttgart Germany.

The Wagons in Stuttgart is a small artist collective who moved in on an empty railway site with abandoned train-wagons ready to be turned into scrap. The squat happened in 1999. The DB (German Railway) somehow tolerated the group and agreed that they can stay until the site was needed for other purpose. The artists started to fix up the wagons. Turned them into ateliers, galleries, living quarters and bars. They started to organize events, gigs, festivals, dance nights and more. The wagons gained an important place in the cultural life of Stuttgart.

I’ve been there few times with artists (Sensational, Karyn Kuhl). Great people and amazing atmosphere. I always loved it.

A year ago DB informed the artist they needed the site back late last September. This date is moved forward regularly. The uncertainty created frustrations. Events, concerts can not be arranged long in advance. That makes organizing almost impossible. Finally DB came with a more definite date. They can stay until July 2011. Suddenly, last week the artist community got ordered to clear the site within 2 weeks. Chaos all over. Some artists aren’t even there. It would be impossible anyway moving 40 homes/ateliers in such short notice.

Governments exist only to be amusement theater nowadays. Democracy never existed. It’s the companies (money) that takes/makes decisions. The artists at the wagons are fucked and need support. Visit their site: http://waggons.wordpress.com . Its on German. If you don’t understand German, figure out an email address (kontakt) and write them to support or ask English explanation.

Think about the future of mankind. Keep innovation going and support alternative communities.

Thursday, 20 January, 2011

No, I don’t see myself a ‘pioneer’ or ‘innovator’ (see post January 18). Some friends hanged labels on me in that direction. Think that most ‘discovery’s’ and ‘inventions’ are found by coincident. Often by people who aren’t thinking about getting into something new. Although nowadays is that stupid rat-race about ‘inventing’ new electronic gags for commercial reasons. Most of these electronic devices aren’t ‘new’. Its just babbling on re-furnishing existing methods.

Believing in these selling tricks makes you nobody. It’s a state of mind. Most people (the masses) might be happy with their pre-programmed machine and nicely follow designers rules. I simply like machines to operate by my wishes and needs (and not only apparatuses). So I spend some time re-building until operation obeys my needs and satisfaction. Where possible I do that with my complete life, taking others in consideration (good year ago I found out some do not show that respect). That’s creating freedom, not the advertisement slogan of latest purchase. In this case I like to be the outcast or prefer: Coolcast (see Vlaaikots download).

Its gonna be one of these its and bits post. Maybe old news (I don’t follow news). By coincident found out that Disney is teaching English in China to kids until 12. They call it ‘Disney English’. Ok, great marketing move creating new customers. No prob either with kids learning a language (but why only English?). Ofcourse questionable is if commercial companies should take these society tasks on them. Is the world already so far commercialized? Imagine, 20 years from now you meet a Chinese bizznix person introducing him/her-self like “Yabadabadoo, Meep Meep, I thought I saw a pussycat”. Next year I take a cycle through Sony forest over the Volkswagen hill.

Messages reach me that my former whereabout is suffering the annual flood again. Funny, its South Netherlands, the higher part. Floods more often than the polder below sea level. Melting water from the hills raises river water. Every year they build walls, pile up sandbags and dig channels. Nothing never really helps. Lived there myself. Watched the water rising with my own eyes. It doesn’t come from direction river towards you but slowly bubbles up from sewer systems and other underground spaces. The Netherlands is a designed country where every inch is planned, controlled and cultivated. That will never stop nature going its way. Here a picture of me somewhere in the 90ties with high water behind the house. I am standing on the street, not in a river.

Wednesday, 19 January, 2011

Wood. Half way the winter and I am working the fire wood today. Cleaving big peaces, chopping smaller to fit the burner. Some big trunks of tree I cut with a chainsaw. Hard work to have it warm until spring comes. Can’t wait for the day.

Some readers might know, somewhere in the 90ties I hanged with Dee Dee Ramone. Took care of him for the period he lived in Europe. He stayed and recorded at Studio Klank (I owned with another sound colleague). Stressful but also exciting years. Dee Dee tried to do things solo. Working on his career he asked for a photoshoot. The photographer recently mailed me a few pictures of that shoot. Here is one (tanx C). Dee Dee is left, on the right is John Carco, musician from New York Dee Dee worked with a lot in those days. They sit on the windowsill in the ‘living’ belonging to the studio. Through the window you vaguely see the back alley following studio buildings. On the end a garden with big tree.

Tuesday, 18 January, 2011

Skipped a post yesterday. Weather is too good letting the occasion pass by enjoying it. Am cycling for two days. Got to talk with a hunter in the middle of the forest yesterday. He invited me to his house for a coffee. Oh well, for those who live in ‘modern’ west societies (everybody for themselves) don’t know what this means. All others on the planet guess it right. Cycled down the mountain late, in the dark, bit drunk of all that excellent home made wine. Didn’t stop me doing another ride today.

People look weird in these surroundings if someone passes by cycling. Its not common to do this here in the winter. Logic, snow makes cycling impossible. But every year in January temperature rises. Roads and main tracks are free from snow. And yes, every year in January I see myself going on a few cycling trip. It’s a beautiful ride. Snow everywhere. Sunny hills, great views, amazing colors created by foggy damps due to sun warmth. This is a unique special moment of the year. The locals call me crazy.

Hmm, made me think of something. Often people tell me ‘do what everybody does, than all is fine’. Mostly my reply is ‘if humans would always been doing what all others do, we would still run around naked in the woods trying to catch a rabbit without success’. Think about this. All pioneers, discoverers, inventors and innovators were always called idiots, fools, dumb, outcast and everything else ‘bad’ for society. Meanwhile through time the ‘new direction’ accepted by few becomes mass habit and accepted. No, I don’t want to compare myself with great pioneers and inventors of our history. But be aware that most of these historic dinosaurs got ignored, scoffed at or even convicted in their time. Just so you know; we all live a live constructed, arranged, designed, edited and organized by outcast, fools, idiots and hermits.

Sunday, 16 January, 2011

New video! Finally. Again Dallas Kingston Kollector. Nobody else supplies me with vids. This vid is with the track ‘Bananas Republikas’ from the latest DKK release called KINGSTON. You see me digging a way out of the house. I know you DC/NY and Dutchies had similar amount of snow this winter, but only once. If it winters I have to do this exercise at least 3 times a week, wanna be able to do some shopping. Meanwhile I dream of tropical beaches. Places I will be next winter!

Did you all purchase anniversary release LIMBABWE 50 already? Only 50 available and only on cassette tape. Get that collector release. It can take years before I put up the free download. Since it ended on this page bottom, here again the story:

Zebra – De Limbabwe Tape

In the early 80s young Roel Meelkop lived in the Dutch city of Tegelen North and tried his hands at playing in punk bands. Tegelen North had a fair sized punk scene, circling around a cassette label called Limbabwe. Later Roel moved to Rotterdam, discovered different kinds of music, started playing with THU20, later also in Kapotte Muziek, Goem and Zebra. He played all over Europe, the USA, Canada and Japan, but never in Tegelen North. In 2010, a slightly older Roel Meelkop played Tegelen North for the first time, doing a solo concert, one with Kapotte Muziek and one with Zebra. Someone in the audience tips of Matski, the man behind the original Limbabwe label, who invites Zebra to play on the Sina festival, Idrija. Material was prepared based on the original Limbabwe releases (punk, post punk, crisis funk, poets and impovisation) and performed for a likewise small but bewildered audience in Idrija. A trip that wasn’t easy made, missing airplanes, heavy rainfall and departing after a long bus ride from a

different airport. The live recording is released on the a-side, while the b-side sees Zebra doing short laptop punk pieces based on the original samples, leaving the beat more at home. Not a departure from the signature full on Zebra sound, but rather deepening that sound. Released by Limbabwe, but only available, on green cassettes, by Korm Plastics, in a full color cover and in a limited edition of 50 copies. Price: 10 euros (including postage) send an e-mail if you want to order any or all: info(at)kormplastics.nl

Saturday, 15 January, 2011

Keep it short today (do I write this every day and end up with endless long story anyway?). Read yesterday’s post (again) below. It was fun.

I am familiar with revivals in pop music. Old crappy tunes become re-runs to support record companies bank accounts. That this happens in science is new for me. Last week great ‘news’ reached many media in the world. ‘Listening to music you like creates dopamine in your brain; result: positive stimulation, you feel better’. Uhh! News? They mean ‘old’! This is already known for decades. Whats so new about it. Friends of mine know that I state this for many years (positive reactions when listening favorite music, lesser ear-damage and such). In the 90-ties articles appeared where this was scientific explained. Somewhere around the year 2000 a Canadian university came with dopamine-music relation reports.

Whats going on here? Shortage of news or science? In the recent articles favorite titles of classical music were mentioned. Hey, you favorites are personal! Everybody their own taste. Maybe these classical tunes don’t do shit to me. I might hate them. Better put a Trane record on before I freak out. Can use some positive dope-a-mine!

Friday, 14 January, 2011

For 9 months I am busy cleaning up. Try to get ‘light’. The house is too much ‘stuffed’ with useless crap from the past. Why saving everything? Ok, ofcourse what I saved had a certain value. Personal memories, gifts, or because it’s a nice thing to have and would be a pity throwing away. Some things are unique, there is only one, and I have it. Somehow I felt it a duty keeping those things. Now I am over with and started to sell or give away. This goes slow. Lots of things I have are precious items from the past. I prefer it moves to careful owners, eager to obtain and maintains with respect.

Today I found two posters. One is from 1985. It announces an Einsturzende Neubauten concert on March 4 1985 at V2 in Den Bosch. I know it was in 1985 because the poster was send to me then, address written and stamped on the backside. The poster is special because its not a multiple print. V2 was (still is?) an artist collective. They didn’t print but hand-painted all poster separately. That makes every poster unique. Would you not save that handmade poster of a Neubaute gig? I possess it for 25 years, surviving every move. Now I look for a new careful owner.

But I found an even more than 30 years old poster, announcing a concert in the Tramshed, London at Woolwich Arsenal. It was a gig of Splodgenessabounds.

Don’t know if you ever heard of this band, scored a minor hit early eighties. They were from the UK. I visited one of their very early shows. Must have been 1976, 77 or 78, but for sure not later. Years before Splodgenessabounds gained some fame. I was in London for the second time of my life. First time was with a schoolclass terrorized by teachers who forced a busy whole week schedule on us poor pupils. I remember getting rebellious (its in my blood) refusing to follow the boring museum scheme on my birthday. Yep, that trip was exactly when I had my birthday. But that’s another story. Now we talk about my second visit I did with two friends.

We stayed at family of Dutch friends in one far out suburb called Woolwich. Even further from centre than Greenwich. Woolwich was a typical boring working class neighborhood and must have stand example for the endless boring BBC tv show ‘Cornation Street’ in those days. Nearby were big train works and other industry. The people we stayed never left the street. On one end was their factory, other end the pub, in the middle grocery store. They never had let it hang out catching the train to Soho partying. They born-lived-died in London without visiting Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace…… Anyway, me and my friends were already very into punkrock. Around the corner at the Woolwich Arsenal Railway Station is a club called ‘Tramshed’. Funny, its still there, run as ‘comedian club’ (maybe it was already then). On a poster we saw The Splodgenessabounds played in the week we stayed. Wow, that’s related to punkrock. It was very exiting visiting a punk gig in the ‘Mecca’of punk (London) when in its highlights. After our hosts assured us we really wanted to go there (they where a bit older) we left walking the street in the evening dark accompanied by the traditional UK drizzling rain. Support band was already on stage. Lots of movement at the entrance. This would become exciting. Admission was only 1 pound. How it all was inside I can’t clearly remember. Ofcourse busy, hectic and chaotic. Typical club atmosphere. We drank many (warm) beers. Than Splodgenessabounds climbed the stage. Don’t remember songs, but for sure the show. The stage was crowded with funny dressed people. 2 singers, 2 guitars, sax, key, bas, drums. Lots of jumping around. This was fun-punk or comedy-punk. Found a link of their lip-sync performance at Top of the Pops in 1980. The show I attended years before was very similar to this. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeYwTIC2-TI

Later the band was labeled ‘Oi’. Bit of a wrong ‘skinhead’ related nonsense punk. I never could deal with that term. Splodgenessabounds was simply a total nonsense comedy fun punk band. Nothing political.

Satisfied we left the Tramshed after the gig. I took the poster of the wall:

Splodgenessabounds has been on and off performing since that time with periods of 10 years non activity inbetween. Nowadays they incidentally appear on punkrock festivals.

Thursday, 13 January, 2011

Funny isn’t? Ofcourse this site is not under construction. Although, somehow I am endlessly, almost daily, constructing something on this site. Found the picture on a Slovene site. Amazed I was that they used English. Under the picture it said: zatcwekn. On Slovene you would have to pronounce this as sattsuhweknuh! Whaaaahh its difficult to write something in phonetic English. Some vowel pronunciations do not exist, especially not in US English. Pronounce the a ‘ah’, short, not long as if you say eeehh. The u sounds like uhhh like in ‘hum’. And ofcourse the e is not an e but ehh, like in….uhhh…..ehh… o well, enough of grammar bullshite. The word probably doesn’t mean shit, its non-existing, also in Slovene.

New vid of Karyn Kuhl you should check out. Karyn goes Hip Hop, hanging with the homies like Arthy McFly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjxZyur2MHc

Wednesday, 12 January, 2011

Keep it short today. Bizzy with the music bizznix. Working on a new vid. Yep, your gonna miss the one above after the swap. Or do you like this loud noise? If not, move your curser in the vid frame. Buttons appear. Pause or stop the vid or take volume down. It will get amazingly quiet. Honestly, I switch the vid off immediately when entering the side. Have seen and heard it 600 times. Ok, I am not modest about this, I do like and listen my own music, but not 60000000 times in half a year the same song. Expect something new this, or beginning next week.

Meanwhile I will do some re-reading and re-organizing of all my yelling at the Tegelen North scene last years spring. Will re-write things as introduction for my new continuing story ‘The Story That Never Should Been Written’. This will become a long story with many episodes. I will analyze the written articles about my past. Explain you how and where they fail, what really happened. Where necessary names will be mentioned. This is not a revenge, its an explanation how press works and how unreliable journalists are. A story about loosing faith in friends who turned out to be backstabbers. I will try to explain all in a way that those who weren’t there, still understand what I am talking about. I plan to talk also, record the stories so you can download and listen.

Those who say I live in the past or on bygones are wrong. I react, analyze, criticize and re-write something that happened one year ago. Ok, the story published than handles 30 year old history. What forces me to re-write this history was a recent act. I will take my time. Carefully compile every chapter that will appear irregular on these pages until finished.

The time has come to do it. I am ready to write you ‘The Story That Never Should Been Written’.Soon on these pages.

Tuesday, 11 January, 2011

Press. Upcoming months I will frequently write on these pages about the behavior of press. All press. Especially the traditional-popular. Newspapers, tv-news, magazines, internet news. Out of habit we are used to consume news. We are also used to believe press. I remember on school we were told to read the newspaper. ‘It is good for your development to be informed’. Now, few decades later I take that statement in doubt. Its obvious that what once was ‘reliable’ ‘educative’ information about the world (with still the options taking the information in doubt), turned now into a cheap ‘news comic’ full with lies, blown-up nonsense, sensation, violence and twisted facts. If you like to be educated and informed, the traditional press is nowadays last place to be. Better get your information somewhere else. Lucky many options are offered. Meanwhile press is slowly lowering itself into a cheap entertainment sell-out, doomed to disappear somewhere in the future.

Lets start with a minor issue, but fun since it’s a bit related to this site. The ‘flute’ found in a cave close to my current whereabouts. Pass by the location cycling regularly, just few miles down the road above the river. The ancient discovery is a bone local scientists think it is a men-made flute. Well… this is a music site. Here a quote:

‘In 1995, Ivan Turk found an approximately 43.100 year-old juvenile cave bear femur at the Divje Babe site. Because it has characteristics of a flute, he has called it the “Neanderthal flute”. Whether it is actually a flute created by Neanderthals is a subject of debate. It is broken at both ends, and has two complete holes and what may be the incomplete remains of one hole on each end, meaning that the bone may have had four or more holes before being damaged. The bone fragment is the diaphysis of the left femur of a one to two year-old cave bear, and is about 11 cm long. The maximum diameters of the two complete holes are 9.7 and 9.0 mm. The distance between the centers of the holes is 35 mm.

Soon after its publication, the status of the object as a musical instrument came under scrutiny by taphonomist Francesco d’Errico, Holderman, Serangeli, and Chase and Nowell all of whom suggest it is more likely to be the result of carnivore chewing than Neanderthal construction and claim that the bone has been damaged on all sides by the chewing of a carnivore.

If the bone is a flute it would be evidence of the existence of music 43.000 years ago, and of the making of music by Neanderthals. Thus Ivan Turk has asserted that whether the holes are of “artificial” (made by Neanderthals) or “natural” (punctures from a carnivore bite) origin is the “crucial question.”

The arguments for one or the other interpretation are based on the available taphonomic evidence derived from direct study of the artifact, as well as related studies of Neanderthal tools and of carnivores of the time period.

April Nowell stated in an interview that “at Turk’s invitation, Nowell and Chase went to Slovenia… They came away even more skeptical that the bear bone had ever emitted music. For one thing, both ends had clearly been gnawed away by something, perhaps a wolf, seeking greasy marrow. The holes could have simply been perforated in the process by pointed canine or carnassial teeth, and their roundness could be due to natural damage after the bone was abandoned. The presence of marrow suggests that no one had bothered to hollow out the bone as if to create an end-blown flute. Says Nowell.

Despite the disagreement about the bone’s markings, the bone has become a noted attraction in its Slovenian museum, publicized on official Slovenian websites aired on TV with tunes played on a clay replica and is a source of pride for the country. In the West, paintings were made, models constructed, and musicians such as Biology Professor and flautist Jelle Atema have played them publicly.’

No real scientist will ever confirm whatever kind of discovery unless its 100% proven. This is almost never the case. On the end you look at all the possibilities and assume most likely. But press has to blow it up. Yep, I hear everyone saying it. A flute was found in a cave. Not true! A bone was found in that cave. All the rest is the press lying. Burn the newspaper, blow your tv, smash the radio and get informed. (I wonder, were there Neanderthals jamming like Trane?)

Monday, 10 January, 2011

Rain washes snow away. This weird ‘warm’ moment happens every winter here. An unexplainable twist of nature? In January temperature rises above 10 Celsius. I remember one winter reaching temperature of 18+. Wanna go for a swim in January? Lots of snow and ice is melting. This winter I enjoy the warmer week. At least its not so unbearable cold for short time. Like every year, winter will return.

Remarks on my use of language. Ahum, you know… Language is a tool. As long we understand eachother the use is correct. If William Boroughs writes books with endless sentences never ending with dots, full with personal grammatical interpretations, language teachers consider that art and force students to study these books. But I am corrected by these same teachers. Ok, I don’t compare myself with Boroughs, but hey, like I wrote above, language is a tool. If the message comes across the use is correct. All whining about is just teachers and others keeping jobs. It’s the people who make language (culture) not the rule makers. If you don’t understand something, drop me a mail, I will be happy to explain. Meanwhile I’ll wait until long after my death when some idiot discovers these bullshite writings and declares it ‘artistic interesting interpretations’ just for the sake of sale.

Tanx for the picture Piet. Today one of Integendeel drummers emailed me a picture when the drum-duo was still around. Limbabwe released a tape. Great music, in my opinion one of the better Limbabwe releases. You can find a free music file in the download section, or click here: https://www.limbabwe.com/page.php?60 Added the picture of Piet performing with Integendeel plus post it here:

Sunday, 09 January, 2011

Cooking club today and this is what we will cook:

Dal Soup (red lentil soup) 1 litre- 4 persons

Ingredients:

4 spoons lentils 1 spoon/handful a person)

Oil or butter or margarine.

1 liter water

Garlic/Onions/Cumin/Koriander/Lover/salt/pepper

Fresh spring-onions or celery or koriander.

1 dl milk/ juice of half a lemon.

Clean red lentils well until the water stays clear. Leave them in the water for 10 minutes. Frye Some garlic and onions in a pan until brown. Add spices : Djintan(Cumin)/Koriander/Lover/. Bake with for a short moment. Add water, salt/pepper. When the water boils add the lentils Let the lentils boil until soft. Add fresh spring onions/celery/fresh koriander. Mix the milk with the lemon juice. Take the pan of the fire and add the milk/lemon mix.

Ofcourse you can use more spices or a curry mix spice. Be creative; experiment.

Alu Gobi & Nan (cauliflower/potato curry with bread)

Ingredients:

Dough/oil

Cauliflower/Potato for 4 people

Tomatoes/coconutmilk

Garlic/Cumin/Koriander/Lover/Ginger/Cardemom/sojasauce/Yellow Powder/salt/pepper/lemon syrup

Make bread dough as you are used too. When dough ready (risen) take a piece, roll it out to a flat circle. Heat up little bit oil in a baking pan (that fits a lit) really hot. Add the flat dough, close the pan immediately with lit. Turn after a few minutes the bread.

In baking pan bake Garlic in oil until brown. Ad species Cumin/Koriander/Lover/Ginger/Kardemon/sojasaus Bake for a short moment. Add tomatoes (cut in pieces) Add cauliflower and potato Stir the mixture well and keep it on a low fire for a moment. Empty the can coconutmilk in an oven pan (with lit) Add salt/pepper/yellowing powder/Cumin/Koriander/lemon Syrup Heat up until boiling. Add the cauliflower potato mixer from the other pan and put in a pre-heated oven on 180 degrees until done. You can also cook this in a pan on the fire.

Serve with small cucumber salad / Remove Lover and Cardamom (cannot be eaten!)

Saturday, 08 January, 2011

Lucky temperature rose a bit. Its not so ridicules cold anymore. Bearable weather conditions feel better.

The story that never should been written. It exist. From my side longer period silence regarding the subject, but that doesn’t mean its still slumbering under my skin. I will never forget how I got betrayed by some ‘old’ friends one year ago. Yep, I come back to this subject again. I am not done yet, probably never. The rage will stay inside me, like the Olympic flame, burn forever. Ofcourse time made me scale the subject. Balance it out. Calmly I come to the conclusion the damage is much worst than I thought. Not about materialistic lost or loosing ‘friends’. How could they be so stupid anyway. Those ‘friends’ I talk about here know who they are. They new on forehand the story would be a pile of nonsense. How could they be so dumb cooperating with this failure? Maybe it was a set up to gain fame and fortune. Lucky that didn’t happen either. Anyway, its ignorant and inhuman making me the victim for others personal satisfaction. I became the victim of something I didn’t want, neither cooperated whilst the responsable slaver from self-conceit. That’s the damage. Trust. I don’t trust anyone anymore. People are unreliable, especially those who call you ‘friend’. The hope in human kind is definitely gone. How can I ever encounter someone of these instigators again without showing my hate and disrespect? They showed to be dirty and vulgar. Backstabbers! They called it upon themselves. So did the writers and their supervisors. All guilty of history forging. How can people get so low? Garbage smells better. Meanwhile I got the blame.

Funny, for what they accuse me the most, I wasn’t even there. The person responsible for setting up bombs gives himself away in the same article. Why? Lust in sensation? Trying to get some profit out of it? Or still living in the past taking revenge for unimportant and unnecessary events happened 25 years ago. How stupid he must be thinking it would ever bring something. I never liked violence against individual persons. I didn’ support these actions in those days. Nobody did. These actions where not carried by the group ‘Martinusstraat’, but by instable individuals. Those threats on humans where thoughtless. The person responsible brought unnecessary fear to innocent who had (have) to live with this the rest of their live. Children, neighbors, passers by,… No well minded person can support something like that. The story tellers who wrote it down are of the same ‘kind’. Telling lies and making innocent guilty is simular way of terrorizing. Shame on you all who where involved in writing this unimportant story that caused so much damage. The story that never should been written!

If you don’t understand what this is all about go back to posts starting somewhere in April or May last year. This is not a made-up story. Sadly all is true. Anyway, I will come back on these pages more often with ‘The Story That Never Should Been Written’.

Thursday, 06 January, 2011

Had a hike today up to Hlevica. Not a long or far trip. Easy to do. Didn’t want to be out too long. Started to snow plus not much time. Another strange experience in the mountains are these quick change of temperatures. The difference between cold and colder does not depend on the height, but where the sun reaches on not cloudy days. Suddenly it can get lots colder going around the bend. Piles of ice, untouched by sunlight, lower temperature drastically. On top it was warmer than many stretches on the way up.

Did I drop a few lines about the job sound-engineering last year? Passing on some skills to an eager-to-learn youngster recently made me give him some advices. ‘The job is not pure technical, you have to like and understand music’. Here this sounds for many ‘weird’. After living for 50 years in a very pragmatic organized society, many people lost touch of the very wide range in approach of almost everything you do. Quality doesn’t come with only the know-how of operating tools and machines. Interest, drive, soul, heart and many other factors lead to a better result than just mechanical approach. Sound engineerers work with music. Sure, you are not the musician on stage. First of all you must have the quality to transfer what happens on stage to the audience. For that you must understand music. And although the job does not require interference in the creation on stage, quality soundengineers have artistic skills.

I am listening to Max Roach/Anthony Braxton ‘Birth-Rebirth’ while writing this. Each time I hear these recordings the very nice original drum-sound from Roach on this recording (and many others) impress me. Although already a late 70ties session, the drums sound they are recorded with one microphone. For sure no close mics. That’s unnecessary taking Roach control skills in consideration. On the first track he kicks the bas-drum so hard (probably pure enthusiasm) it comes out loud on the recordings. A dry, almost wood, sound. Real bas-drums sound like this if banged hard. I enjoy it. Much better than the fucked up unnatural plastic sounds of pop and rock music nowadays. Don’t worry if you want to hire me for that new indie rock project. I know how to operate the machines and will create that ‘modern’ sound. Its easy, but meanwhile I am very aware about the drums actual character.

Wednesday, 05 January, 2011

Promised a post yesterday. Had to do lots of local socializing, no time for posting. But I did post one day earlier than promised (Jan 3). What the heck, I am excusing myself for no valid reason whatsoever. Anyway, no real post today either. No time. Keep it short. Still…, people around me seem to be a bit ‘itchy’, ‘annoyed’, ‘easily touched’,… Not everybody, but some yes. What is it? The holidays? Cold winter? Crisis? Too busy? Is it me? Well, I am not much different than usual. Stay happy and be ok after these holidays… Here a picture of the freezing cold Zala, I passed 2 nights ago, brrrrrrrr… Tomorrow more.

Cold Zala

Monday, 03 January, 2011

Leaving the house for few days in the winter is hell in these surroundings. Coming back, home is freezing cold. Even inside its below zero Celsius. Takes half a day warming up reaching comfortable temperature. Was busy all day getting the house going.

Anyway, end and beginning of a new metric period agreed upon by most human tribes on planet earth always brings the lists like best release of the year, best movie of the year, best gig of the year….. I never make lists but for sure always think of one best record/cd or gig of the year and ofcourse the worst.

Lets skip the best cd of last year, because in my opinion this is ’60 Flights’, but since I am too modest showing of with myself its better to drop this.

Concert of the year is different. Here we go:

Best concert of 2010: Horda Grdih, September 17, Sina festival, Idrija Slovenia.

Worst gig of 2010: Bob Dylan on June 26, Azkena Festival, Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain.

Horda is a man from the mountains. Builds his own instruments and surrounds himself with lots of shit he finds in other peoples garbage. With that he creates improvised music. The concert at Sina was one of the best I have seen for years. Horda performed dynamic, wild, intense, energetic, emotional and creative. Seldom have I seen an artist so involved in creating on the spot. Besides playing the instruments, several times he spontaneous burst into mystical singing. His performance touched the ritual vibes of voodoo, Indian funerals or Serbian weddings. An amazing surprise gig by complete unknown local artist. I am grateful being one of about 40 people in the audience who all seemed to share simular appreciation.

Bob Dylan. Another rock icon getting old. Let me be short. The band was compiled with brilliant individual musicians. Sure, Bob can afford them, but like mostly, the musicians are not a band. The gig was weak without drive. Performers pushing personal ego resulting in weird ‘Dylan free-jazz’. They all lost themselves in chord structures never reaching ‘band-playing-together’ status. One of the most boring concerts I ever listened too. Sure, these old musicians are used to ‘life on the road’ and can’t sit at home. Advice: let them do charity tours in old-peoples-homes and keep the real stages free for young enthusiastic artists.

Saturday, 01 January, 2011

Still on the move. No posting until Tuesday, January 4.