The Ex (band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
The Ex

The Ex in concert on 16 June 2004 in Germany.
Left to right: Rozemarie, G.W. Sok, Katherina Ex, Andy Moor.
Background information
Origin Amsterdam
Genre(s) Punk, Anarcho-punk, Punk jazz, Post-punk[1]
Years active 1979–present
Website www.theex.nl
Members
Terrie Hessels
Arnold de Boer
Katherina Bornefeld
Andy Moor
Former members
G.W. Sok
Luc
Rozemarie
John
Colin
Han Buhrs
Nicolette
René
Bas
Yoke
Massimo Pupillo
Geurt
Wim
Sabien
Han Bennink

The Ex is an anarchist band from the Netherlands. They formed in 1979 at the height of the original punk explosion and have released more than twenty full length albums since.

Contents

[edit] Biography

The Ex's music has undergone significant evolution over the years from their beginnings as a simple lo-fi anarcho-punk band. Founded in 1979 by singer G.W. Sok, guitarist Terrie Hessels, drummer Guert and bassist René, the band debuted with a single titled "Stupid Americans" on the Utregpunx vinyl 7" compilation released by Rock Against records in Rotterdam. The release of their first 7" All Corpses Smell the Same came shortly after in 1980. Through the decades their music has gradually developed into its current form of highly intricate, experimental punk/post-punk/no wave-inspired work.

Tom Cora performing with The Ex.

Breaking from the relatively narrow confines of punk rock, The Ex have incorporated a wide array of influences, often from non-Western and non-rock sources. Some include Hungarian and Turkish folk songs, and more recently music from Ethiopia, Congo and Eritrea (whose independence song is covered by The Ex on Turn). Other examples of branching out stylistically include the improvised double album Instant and a release under the moniker Ex Orkest, a 20 piece big band assembled for performances at Holland Festival.

The band has had successful collaborations with many disparate artists, including UK anarchist band Chumbawamba (sometimes using the name Antidote), the Dog Faced Hermans (one former member of which band, Andy Moor, currently playing electric guitar in The Ex), and with the late avant-garde cellist Tom Cora in the early 1990s, resulting in the album Scrabbling At the Lock (1991) and the follow-up And the Weathermen Shrug Their Shoulders (1993). The album In the Fishtank 5 (1999) was made with Chicago's Tortoise, and on In the Fishtank 9 (2001) they collaborated with members of Sonic Youth and the Dutch improvisers ICP.

Bass guitar player Luc left the band in 2003 after 19 years with the group, to be replaced by double bassist Rozemarie.[2] Then in 2005 Rozemarie in turn left the band.[3] The Ex is the subject of a documentary, Beautiful Frenzy (2004) by Christina Hallström and Mandra U. Wabäck, and the concert film Building a Broken Mousetrap (2006), directed by Jem Cohen.[4]

In 2009, after 30 years with the group, singer and co-founder G.W. Sok announced his departure from the band. Sok did so believing he lacked sufficient enthusiasm to continue with the group, having decided to focus on writing and graphic design. He plans on continuing to "participate in Ex activities, one way or another" [5]. His replacement is Arnold de Boer from the Dutch group Zea, with whom The Ex have toured and collaborated. In addition to singing, de Boer plays guitar and utilizes samples with The Ex.

[edit] Band members

[edit] Present

  • Terrie Hessels – guitar, baritone guitar (1979–present)
  • Katherina Bornefeld – drums, vocals, percussion (1984–present)
  • Andy Moor – guitar, baritone guitar (1990–present)
  • Arnold de Boer – vocals, guitar, samples (2009–present)

[edit] Former

  • G.W. Sok – vocals (1979–2009)
  • John – vocals (1986–1987)
  • Han Buhrs – vocals (1995–1997)
  • Nicolette – guitar (1987–1989)
  • René – bass (1979–1980)
  • Bas – bass (1980–1983)
  • Yoke – bass (1983–1985)
  • Luc – bass (1983–2002)
  • Colin – bass (1993–1994, 2005)
  • Rozemarie – double bass (2003–2005)
  • Massimo Pupillo – bass (2005)
  • Geurt – drums (1979–1981)
  • Wim – drums (1981–1982)
  • Sabien – drums (1982–1984)
  • Han Bennink – drums (1997)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Cover of the "Disturbing Domestic Peace" LP (1980).

[edit] EPs and singles

The cover art for the "6" series of 7" singles was influenced by Alexander Rodchenko's 1924 portrait of Lilya Brik.
  • 1980 All Corpses Smell the Same (4 track 7")
  • 1980 New Horizons in Retailing (7" flexi)
  • 1980 Live-Skive (live 7")
  • 1981 Weapons for El Salvador (7")
  • 1981 Villa Zuid Moet Blijven (split 7" flexi with Svatsox/De Groeten)
  • 1983 Dignity of Labour (4x7")
  • 1983 Gonna Rob the Spermbank (12")
  • 1983 The Red Dance Package (split 12" with Alerta)
  • 1984 Enough is Enough (split 7" with Awara)
  • 1986 1936 - The Spanish Revolution (2x7" + photobook) (UK Indie #6)[6]
  • 1987 Destroy Fascism! (7" with Chumbawamba)
  • 1988 Rara Rap/Contempt (7")
  • 1990 Stonestampers Song/Lied Der Steinklopfer (7")
  • 1990 Dead Fish (10" LP/3" CD)
  • 1990 Keep on Hoppin'/Crap Rap (split 7" with The Mekons)
  • 1991 6.1 Slimy Toad/Jake's Cake (7")
  • 1991 6.2 Ceme Ryne/Millitan (7" with Brader)
  • 1991 6.3 Hidegen Fujnak A Szelek/She Said (7")
  • 1991 6.4 Bimhuis 290691 (2x7" with guests)
  • 1991 6.5 This Song is in English (7" with Kamagurka and Herr Seele)
  • 1992 6.6 Euroconfusion/Bird in the Hand (12")
  • 1998 In the Fishtank 5 (with Tortoise)
  • 2002 In the Fishtank 9 (with Sonic Youth and Instant Composers Pool)

[edit] Compilations

  • 1980 Utregpunx (Rock Against, Rotterdam, NL)
  • 1987 Viva Umkhonto! (anti-apartheid benefit LP, featured the song "Dallas, Texas 1988")
  • 1988 Hands Up! You're Free (3 Peel Sessions on LP)
  • 1991 Ample (compilation tape)
  • 2005 Singles. Period. The Vinyl Years 1980–1990 (CD)

[edit] Videos/DVDs

  • 1992 Live at the Bimhuis (live video with guests)
  • 2004 Beautiful Frenzy (DVD)

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ The Ex at Allmusic
  2. ^ "Newsletter 12". The Ex homepage. http://www.theex.nl/news12.htm. Retrieved on 2007-06-18. 
  3. ^ "Newsletter 14". The Ex homepage. http://www.theex.nl/news14.htm. Retrieved on 2007-06-18. 
  4. ^ "List of Works". Jem Cohen Films. http://www.jemcohenfilms.com/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=29. Retrieved on 2007-06-18. 
  5. ^ http://www.theex.nl/home.html
  6. ^ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1999. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4. 

[edit] External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: The Ex
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ex_(band)"
Personal tools