Summer rut? IYD - In your dreams, honey. Not holidays for this lot, no way. While Berlin is taking turns in being showered and scorched to a max, we are nowhere near relaxation. Quite the opposite is the case, and for a reason! By the end of fall Berlin’s first and foremost Art Critics Orchestra will celebrate its fifth year on the stages of this world - so look out for news of a Celebratory Gig, coming soon. So what better way to celebrate but cook up our favourite flavour?Wazzat? You heard, it’s the word, listen up, world, while you are taking it to the sea, we are leting off steam in the rehearsal chauffage, working it and getting nothing less than ready, ready, teddy to accumulate it all on one record of Faustian Kraut. And Wieners. Beware!
Oh - oh, here they go again. For a tiny little gig at the legendary Oqbo gallery, in support of long time ACO fan Michael Bause’s opening, our fabulous Art Critics Orchestra was not ashamed to give a little special performance, showing off their skills in the unplugged category. And this after two shows up north, tossing at Hamburg’s Westwerk an turning on Oldenburg’s Edith-Russ-Haus ( not to mention the Oldenburg after party. Don’t believe me? Here’s the proof: I can’t recall even the name of the place…) But anyway - all this is history now. If you were there, you’ve got something to tell your grandchildren about!
Let’s move on to even greater things! One of these greater things will not only be a performance - but a proper four day residency at the
and the day after will see us support our favourite charity Joliba at Fete de la Music on the 21st of June, with a special guest that we’ve been missing far too long. To know her is to love her. Come on, come on. Or in other words - and this is a hint: it’s my party!
Raimar insisted on one of the 12 Franz West diwans for the interview. Good for us - even though: each diwan fits approx. 4 1/2 people comfortably. Notice the first media appearance of the cuckoocaster.
Endless days of Xmas put to a good use: reconstructing a 1964 Framus Strato to be played again for the first time at the Hamburg gig at Westwerk. Aplologies for such a geeky and vain post, but it’s that time of the year.
The ACO-CD “Artists’ Songs” is finished and without doubt the perfect last minute Christmas present in the €10 bracket (get it at pro-qm Berlin). Decide for yourself, here is a free sample:
Elke Krystufek: Schaukel mich in dem Schoss von Gagoschian (8:36)
Below you can find Dan Fox’s text about “Artists’ Songs” (also printed in the booklet). Above you can see the cover (click for a larger version) beneath you find the complete list of tracks:
Berlin, this is your local ACO Dealer (€10 is all it takes per CD)
pro-qm
Almstadtstraße 48-50, 10119 Berlin
Montag bis Samstag 12 bis 20 Uhr
Tel. 030.2472852-0, Fax 030.2472852-1
info@pro-qm.de
John Miller/Takuji Kogo - Why you should get to know me (2:48)
Gerwald Rockenschaub - Black (2:57)
Annika Ström - I’m in love again (3:37)
Ross Sinclair - Song for Raimar (2:45)
Dave Allen - Song for Raimar in D (0:51)
Carsten Nicolai - Tschechischer Film (3:11)
Karin Sander - In höchsten Tönen (2:31)
Andreas Schlaegel - Little Miss Risk * (2:44)
Christian Jankowski - Nächste Woche (7:12)
Øystein Aasan - Don’t ask me * (2:31)
Markus Schinwald - o.T. (2:52)
Elke Krystufek - Schaukel mich in dem Schoss von Gagoschian (8:36)
They used to say that all you need are three chords and the truth, but which three chords and in what order does truth come? Yet there’s more than one way to skin a cat and more than enough cats in this skinny old town with an eye for outsourcing and an ear for the future. ACO – savvier than Colonel Tom P. the day he clapped eyes on The King and faster than a white night with Grandmaster Flash – saw the future coming head on, so sent up smoke signals and a 12-strong cavalry of artists rode into view, each bearing a furnace-hot song or switched-on suggestion for ACO to reboot as their pop-minted hearts saw fit. They turned electricity to rock for John Miller and Takuji Kogo’s libretto of Japanese personals and painted Gerwald Rockenschaub’s ‘Black’ a shade deeper than deep space. Annika Ström’s in love again and taught ACO her serenade in person (check out Sabine’s cut crystal vox and Andreas’ Gainsbourg basso profondo). Ross Sinclair’s ‘Song for Raimar’ checked into Berlin HQ as a 4/4 pop hit and checked out as a waltz in downtown Vienna (imagine The Raincoats dukin’ it out with Kurt Weill and you’ll catch the flow of this blues Danube). Raimar got lucky again with another song for him from Dave Allen: retune your axe to DAF to karaoke this one. Like the Six Million Dollar Man, ACO were rebuilt by Carsten Nicolai into the romper-stomper motorik soundtrack to Agnes’s life a la Czech nouvelle vague. Karin Sander rocketed the ACO from the bottom to the top – a high-fidelity peak out. ‘Little Miss Risk’ is Andreas Schlaegel’s homage to Vancouver’s finest burlesque artiste (guiding spirits: AC/DC). Christian Jankowski talked the Critics into talking about passing time: Raimar chats ears and Agnes demands beers. Øystein Aasan? Don’t ask me – listen up! Markus Schinwald gave two trax and got one electro-convulsive rock Frankenstein in return, and in Elke Krystufek’s tapestry of refried pop nuggets, ACO long to lie in Larry Gagosian’s lap, and shout loud and proud: ‘make it legal Tino Seghal’!
So baton down the hatches and flip the switches. Crank it up and shake it down. It’s cold and dark out there – the situation’s critical.
