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Mr. WR,
>>the indorock scene is still maintained by a small group of die hard
fans,
>>they had an annual festival in The Hague. Andy Tielman played there.
Very good to have your Hollandesque take on things to give a complete
picture to those of us in the "States". Thanks for the translations! I
never
get tired of learning something new to us.
>>>The Indo influence is what set apart the Treble Spankers (NL) in the
>>> 90s. They covered "Black Eyes" and other Indo classics along with
>>> their own originals that were Indo-influenced.
>Are you sure about that? I've always heard that Frank was way into
>arabic and north african ethnic music, but i never heard of the indo-
>connection?
My assumption is that after you combine all of the musical influences
that tint Mr. Phantom Frank's songwriting, Indo-Rock is just another
small part. The Spankers certainly were groundbreaking when combining
surf music with other influences in the Netherlands. (Yikes, a decade
ago!)
>I just ordered his recent solo album 'dead man surfin'" (not strictly
>surf) and the fisrt album of the Phantom4 (spankersh as far as eastern
>influences go, but more raw sound) with him - I'll post a review when I
>got 'em. I'll drop him a line and ask about the indo-connection.
BTW, I think "Dead Man Surfin' is a brilliant piece. Mixing about as
many influences as songs on the album. (minuscule surf content) This
being
the transition in Phantom Frank's return to a surf format makes it even
more
significant to me. Many of the songs are a blend of the Karaoke style of
his
band "Spi-Fi" (tape loops, sampling some melodies, and some mood altering
lapsteel) The inclusion of the steel guitar is what really got me
hooked.
He plays the electric Sitar on a song or two from the Phantom Four
CD
"Live at De Diepte". The sound on the "live" album is definitely raw, but
showcases the songwriting of Phantom frank, using all of the influences
from the past. In Franks own words...........
(The Phantom Four is playing mostly new, selfwritten material: Spanish,
Middle Eastern, Gypsy and a few songs inspired by British New Wave
and Punk from the 80's. Very interesting when combined with surfguitar.
Also I bought myself an electric sitar so psychedelic 60's is played as
well.)
I will be anxiously awaiting your review.
Trode
Santa Barbara
PS. I am looking forward to hearing your band.
>
> Trode
> Santa Barbara
wrote:
I will be anxiously awaiting your review.
- hmm, you appearantly allready have both albums!
I just got 'em in today - paypalled the money yesterday aternoon -
now that's what i call service.
I thought dead man surfin' to be a bit more surfy then you describe -
but its defintly on the boundries of the genre if not over 'em. not
for purists, but i like it a lot.
Live at the diepte, by popular demand, comes from a video they made
of their first gig for private purposes. the sound is rough, but not
bad, and i am sure that in time it will be a collectors item, given
its a limited run.
anyone who digs instro stuff outside the strict genre should get both
albums now!
btw, Frank wrote me that the phantom four will record a 'proper' cd
in october. fingers crossed ....
> PS. I am looking forward to hearing your band.
Now, you're not, but in the meantime you can check us out at
the site is half under contruction because its the drummers job to do
the site, and despite verbal abuse, good cop bad cop routines and
what have you, without actually using physical force we have not been
able to shift him into next gear and get him to F*&%ING DO SOMETHING
on the site.
WR
