Hello everyone just a short newsletter to start the new decade:
–The new 7″ single.
–The Ex & Brass Unbound tour in the UK.
–Back from Addis Abeba.
–New CD recording with Steve Albini.
–New mailorder prices.
–More concerts.
>>> NEW 7 INCH SINGLE Release date: Feb 8, 2010.
Were just about to release a 7 inch single “Maybe I Was The Pilot / Our Leaky Homes”. The first release with our new singer Arnold De Boer and the first 7 inch release on Ex Records for 20 years. The last time was for the “6.” series. Six singles we released in 1990/1991, which hopefully we ‘ll re-release this year on a CD.
You can hear “Maybe I was the Pilot” and “Our Leaky Homes” at our myspace page. www.myspace.com/theexnl
“Maybe I was the Pilot” is available as a free download at the Pitchfork website: http://www.pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11713-maybe-i-was-the-pilot/
The title ‘Our Leaky Homes’ comes from the title of a chapter of a book called ‘HEAT (How to stop the planet from burning)’ by English journalist George Monbiot.
The main riff of ‘Maybe I was the Pilot’ was borrowed and adapted from a song called ‘Elosi aberu akipore imaniti abiro’ by Ugandan singer and adedeu (harp) player Iganitiyo Ekacholi. It appears on the CD ‘Secular Music from Uganda’ SWP Records 024, one of the re-releases of Hugh Tracey recordings from Eastern and Southern Africa from the early ‘50-ies
Distribution: http://www.konkurrent.nl
>>> THE EX AND BRASS UNBOUND UK TOUR JAN 29 TO FEB 7
We’re working just now on rehearsals and preparation for The Ex & Brass Unbound tour in the UK, which will start end of the month. Brass Unbound (the name comes from an incredible film by documentary filmaker Johan Van de Keuken) are Wolter Wierbos, Ken Vandermark, Mats Gustafson and Roy Paci. A quartet we hand picked ourselves for this project. The set will consist of a collection of new and older Ex songs plus a few Ethiopian hits.
We will do the whole tour with Bristol based band “Zun Zun Egui”
http://www.myspace.com/zunzunegui
The tour is set up by http://www.qujunktions.com Watch here on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BVmqs0MpRM
The dates: (check also our website http://www.theex.nl/concerts)
29/01 Brisol (England) – Fleece
30/01 Glasgow [Scotland] – CCA
31/01 Gateshead [England] – The Sage
01/02 Birmingham [England] – Hare + Hounds
02/02 Brighton [England] – Audio
03/02 London [England] – Tufnell Park Dome (+ John Butcher)
04/02 Manchester [England] – Deaf Institute
05/02 Liverpool [England] – Kazimier
06/02 Belfast [Northern Ireland] – Black Box
07/02 Dublin [Ireland] – Button Factory
>>> RECORDING NEW CD WITH STEVE ALBINI
In March this year we’ll return to Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago to record again with Steve Albini. While we are there we’ll do a one off concert in the Lincoln Hall in Chicago with Shellac and after the recording sessions we’ll play the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville.
We will mix and master the CD ourselves and it will be released in September on Ex Records. We will tour in Europe in the autumn and winter. http://www.electrical.com
>>> ETHIOPAN TRIP DECEMBER 2009
We are just back from an incredible week in Ethiopia. The third chapter in our project of bringing adventurous music to Ethiopia, for mutual inspiration and exchange of ideas. This one was based around the saxophone. We went with reed-players Ab Baars and Ken Vandermark, plus The Ex Guitars (Andy&Terrie), drummer Paal Nilssen-Love from Norway and Zea (Arnold). Plus Friso Heidinga from the saxophone repair-shop Amsterdam Winds. http://www.amsterdamwinds.nl Ethiopia had it’s musical highlight in the ‘70-ies with many big bands. All brutally brought to an end in the communist time (’75-’91).
Friso was busy! He repaired more than 25 saxophones and clarinets and gave much practical advice to Joseph, the young repairman at the Yared Music School, also leaving behind tools and parts.
There were workshops and concerts at the Africa Jazz School, Hager Fekir Theatre, the Yared Music School, the Fendika nightclub, Bateau Ivre club, a music school for blind people and the Asni Art Village.
All in one week! It was great to see so many Ethiopian musicians participating and taking initiative. There were many unexpected combiniations and plenty of ‘unheard’ music!
Soon photo’s and film will appear on our site.
>>> RENEWED WEBSITE / NEW CD PRICES www.theex.nl
Colin has been working hard on our website and it’s beginning to take shape. Lots of free downloads many new releases and most of the CD’s with lower prices than before. http://www.theex.nl/mailorder Also check our You Tube site for recent and archived videos of The Ex and all it’s related projects. http://www.youtube.com/THEEXBAND
>>> OTHER EX CONCERTS THIS WINTER
16/01 Amsterdam – OT301 http://www.ot301.nl (w/Henry’s Phonograph and Lucky Shots, foto’s of the Ex by Malgorzata Haduch)
23/01 Wormerveer – De Groote Weiver http://www.degrooteweiver.nl
19/02 Utrecht – Ekko http://www.ekko.nl
20/02 Tournai (Belgium]) – D’Hiver Rock Festival www.myspace.com/dhiverrock
20/03 Chicago (USA) – Lincoln Hall (w/ Shellac)
26/03 Knoxville (USA) – Big Ears Festival http://www.bigearsfestival.com/2010
