The Emigrantski Raggamuffin Parties of Rotfront

The Emigrantski Raggamuffin Parties of Rotfront

One of the coolest (party)bands of the moment is certainly Rotfront. That's why DJ Scurio spoke with Yuriy Gurzhy, besides Simon Wahorn he's one of the founders of the band. There's a new album out and an upcoming tour in the Netherlands, so there's enough to talk about!

You and Simon are both 'emigrantski' living in Berlin, so the concerts at The Kaffee Burger (where it all started) there are still something special for you guys I guess?

Yes, believe it or not, Burger is still full of surprises. But our original crowd is there, and all the new songs (i've been writing quit a lot lately) are played there for the first time.

Or are the concerts in other counties the most special still because it's new and fresh to play elsewhere?

Ok, every concert is special, lets put it like that :)

Rotfront was founded in 2003 and the band developed to great partyband in Berlin. How long were you allready busy trying to get a recording contract and how did it finally come true?

We didn’t care that much about the recording contract.... not about the recordings, actually....at least not in the first years of the band existence. It was more about playing live and figuring out what it was that we wanted to be. At some point we switched from cover versions to original material, and then we felt like recording an album. A mutual friend introduced us to Kraans de Lutin, we've met and liked each other from the start - we knew his productions (he's responsible for some of the best german not-only-reggae productions in the last years, including Martin Jondo, Culcha Candela, his own band Tiger Hifi, among othgers) who produced our album then - it was a great experience, I dare say both parties learned a lot from each other...

When I listen to the album Emigrantski Raggamufin it's a partysound al over the place including many cultures and languages, but I guess between the musical notes there are still some messages or....am I wrong and is it just a lot of fun and you want to entertain the audience?

Of course we DO want to entertain our audiences, but the messages are there, too.

The song for me works the best is the fine track Berlin-Barcelona, great song, I think this is a personal story?

There are personal elements in it, yes.

Can you tell me something about this song?

We've been working on the song for many years, it was one of our first tunes. There's been a lot of versions, we even recorded it a couple of times, with different lyrics. Then we gave it up, as none of the versions really worked. We rediscovered it while working with Kraans de Lutin - one month before going into the studio we stayed for a week in a old half-abandoned castle in Eastern Germany, drinking and playing the songs over and over 24/7. One early morning after many liters of wodka and tequila Kraans suggested to write a chorus, and that proved to be the right decision. We had it in 15 minutes, and the song was saved.

Another song that needs a question is the YouTube song, who made this up and in what way we must interprete this song, because I don't understand the language, sorry:)

Its about a guy living in a parallel world. Thats so common, I meet people like this pretty often. He sings "My wife and son left me, there are spiderwebs everywhere in every corner of my flat, no water in the bathroom, the fridge is empty, but I dont care, I'm so happy that people from all over the world read my blog, and on YouTube I've been nominated as the Man Of The Year, and if I win you will all see me, and regret that you've been treating me like shit".

Last month I interviewed Shantel, I'm sure you know him?

Of course i know him :) We are on his recordlabel, Essay Recordings.

He told me most of the times the music comes first and then the lyrics...

I can prove that, yes. I've been writing with him for his latest two albums.

How is that with the recording-proces of Rotfront?

Sometimes I have the lyrics or ideas for lyrics before I have the music. I just feel I have to write about this or that, like in the case of "Emigrantski Raggamuffin" - I knew it was a must for us to explain it to the audience. For the new record I already have a vague concept and have been writing new songs on particular subjects - "Visa Cumbia", "Wodka Garlic / Emigrantski Republic", "Wedding in Wedding".

Who are your musical 'heroes' and inspirators and why?

There are so many.... First and foremost, it's the music from my granddads collection. He was a passionate music fan, his records have been the first music I've ever heard - yiddish swing classics like Barry Sisters, russian chansonniers from the 60s and 70s like Vladimir Visotsky and Bulat Okudzhava, some soviet soundtracks (Zatsepin and Tariverdiev) - this is the stuff I've been growing up with. Apart from that, a lot of roots reggae and heavy heavy dub from the 70's, original punk and garage rock, greek rembetika, oldschool hiphop....

Nowadays there are many bands, just like Shantel and Rotfront, who mix many  Eastern musical and cultural influences, introducing old and new styles. How do you look at these other bands, is there a kind of sportive 'competition', to be better or more popular than the others? Or is there still enough  'space' in the musicbusiness for all these groups?

I neither believe in cometitions, nor in "scenes". Everyone's doing his own thing. I dont want to be described as a part of any scene, you dont have to belong to this or that trend to be good.

Rotfront has many bandmembers and you play in many different settings because many members also have other creative jobs and things. Ain't that sometimes difficult when playing live or does that keeps you sharp and fresh, because none of the shows will be the same?

Thats exactly the way it is :)

In november and december Rotfront plays in The Netherlands, what can The Dutch expect of A Rotfront concert?

The ultimate emigrantski raggamuffin party!

What do you and Simon like best of Holland?

We loved the audience we had at the Lowlands and in Wageningen last time we played there, we are very much looking forward to play in Holland again!

Oh yeah, and i LOVE the stroopwafels :)

Sananda Maitreya - Nigor Mortis (A Critical Mass)

Sananda Maitreya's Nigor Mortis (A Critical Mass)

Somewhere between ‘Rigor Mortis’ and ‘Vigor Mortis’ lies ‘Nigor Mortis’. ‘I know what it feels like when the heat comes up and the hammer comes down and ‘Nigor Mortis’ sets in’ Sananda wrote on the back of the albumcover. Of course, such a quote makes every listener curious about what can be expected. But before ‘the hammer comes down’ we let the needle (or cd-laser) come down to step inside Sananda’s new Arena of Post Millennium Rock. Following up the dare-to-be-different but really praised double album Angels & Vampires, including 40 great songs, Nigor Mortis continues Sananda’s musical path that leads to another 23 Post Millennium Rocksongs, all recorded and kept in real time using real instruments.

The first song O Lovely Gwenita immediately brings a litte smile on my face, realising Sananda’s love for many women, at least in his PMR-songs. I sometimes wonder what the beautiful Francesca (Mrs. Maitreya) thinks of these songs? Maybe they’re all about her with Sananda using different nicknames to keep the songs and inspiration fresh:)?  ‘A wife knows’, one of the true highlights of Nigor Mortis, may be an answer to this private and musical irrelevant question. ‘A wife knows her man’s pain....and she brings out the bitter tears that remain’, A wife feels her man’s pride....and she brings out the best of him by his side,  Sananda sings in this truly beautiful and emotional powerballad. At the crossroads is another song I can hear over and over again, everything on this song works, a summer sound but with a deeper meaning and great lyrics. Other personal favourites on Nigor Mortis are This Town, If I just stay with you, Has it been too quiet?, If I just stay with you and the funky ‘Superstar’, with the funny lyrics: ‘ Flashback to the early eighties, you coudn’t even sing .. Al hits were written for you, you couldn’t even play....Superstar where did you go?, why did you leave? They say you don’t need the money..but you ALWAYS need the money!  But you knew someone who knew someone who knew someone’ I’m curious who Sananda had in mind, but on the other hand, in that time there were so many ‘artists’ who fit that label.  I must also not forget to mention a song like Mrs. Gupta, with a fine threatening opening: I’m gonna get you girl and I’m gonna knock on your door...because you are a widow and you’re gonna need my love...Scary Sananda!  Just like the many songs on Angels & Vampires it’s hard to love ALL songs on Nigor Mortis, it all depends on your personal flavours and taste. Personally, I don’t like most of the few country-stylish songs but to be honest I must admit I do like The lost higway which closes the album.

 The hammer finally came down and Nigor Mortis set in, there is no way to escape the heat! Sananda still rocks and you’d better listen to this Critical Mass. Compliments to the artwork too,  the album is delivered in a beautiful DVD-box, wich makes this another unique must have item for the fans. You can even buy the instrumental version of Nigor Mortis on his site www.sanandamaitreya.com , Sananda’s still got a great sense of humour too: ‘we present you a project where the vocalist walked out on!’

Short Reviews september

Short review 1 september 2009

This year I went to Seville with my girlfriend who really love the Flamenco-sound. Though it was too hot (above 40 degrees) to do more than learning the word 'siesta', we enjoyed the music on almost every streetcorner and the relaxed ambiance in the bars en restaurants. The new album by Somarmusic, a collaboration of Zaranda, Voss, Miras&Voss, Tonefabric, Fandango and Voss&Alvarado Guitar Duo, combines both Flamenco and Siesta in twelve beautiful and relaxed songs. You feel the passion of the guitar-driven instrumentals and the music brings back memories of the heat in the South of Spain, when al you can do is relax and wait till the evening sets in or order a cool gazpacho to refresh your mind! ***1/2

Márcio Local - Says Don Day Don Dree Don Don

Márcio Local - Says Don Day Don Dree Don Don (Adventures in Samba Soul)

The Samba Soul album of last year was Seu Jorge's 'America Brasil O Disco'. This year Samba Soul is back again but now to stay, with Márcio Local Says Don Day Don Dree Don Don. Wow, what a summer-classic this album is! Márcio crowns himself King of Samba Soul 2009 with this homage to earlier generations of black artists in Brazil who forged new combinations of R&B, soul, funk, bossa nova and other Brazilian Sounds. Collaborating with Armando Pittigliani, who worked with Jorge Ben at the beginning of his carreer in the 1960's, Márcio's great voice and style are clearly influenced by the great Jorge Ben but also we hear the sound of Wilson Simonal, who was known as the 'rei do pilantragem' (king of the hustlers). Pilantragem was a playful style of soul samba, bolstered by a fat horn section.  Márcio Local combines the two great traditions in Brazilian Music: samba and soul, exploring the modern soundscape of Rio and celebrating the pleasures of every life and the power of a catchy tune. And there are a lot of catchy tunes on the album. I seldom think about playing an album over and over again, because there is so much great music available but with Márcio Local Says Don Day Don Dree Don Don, it's easy to make an exception. Really EVERY song on the album is way above average. The seductive grooves, the repetetive choruslines, the laid-back and relaxed 'feel', the subtle horn arrangements, just everything works out fine. It's hard to pick out the highlights but for me the powerful Preta Luxo, the title track Soul do Samba and Happy Endings are true new classics but to be honest I could almost mention any track on this fantastic album! Let's hope Márcio Local will come to Europe for a concert tour soon, so we can enjoy his magnificent Samba Soul live! **** (for more information about Márcio Local: www.luakabop.com )