Laibach Radio Special

For a brief period of time, here’s the three hour Laibach special I put together on the 10th.

Kathy of the Autonomy Hour was kind enough to help and pitch during the pledge breaks, which I left in because I didn’t really feel like editing it too much and KBOO could really use a few spare shekels if you have them. So you’ll have to sit through a sermon or two to get the soup, so to speak.

Here it is volks:

Download part 1 (70.9 megs @ 192kbps)
Download part 2 (82.3 megs @ 192kbps)
Download part 3 (94.1 megs @ 192kbps)

Look at playlist here.

Cut straight to my interview with Ivan “The Terrible” Novak here.

Friday, October 10th, Laibach Special

‘ve been putting the finishing touches on my show, which will go on tomorrow evening, from 9PM to Midnight (Pacific).
It’s my hope that those even fairly familiar with Laibach will find some surprises and new sounds and that those unfamiliar will become illuminated.

I was fortunate enough to not only secure a long enough slot to go into the length and breadth of the Laibach/NSK phenomenon, but was also able to get Laibach founding member and spokesman Ivan Novak on the phone for an interview on the eve of the Portland show. That was exciting for me, as I am a huge fan.
I don’t want to go into too much detail as to what’s going to happen, but I do hope you tune in, if you can.

Blurb below:

A Three Hour Laibach Special
Join us for a three hour marathon of music from Laibach and NSK (Neue Slovenische Kunst).

For over twenty years, Laibach has been twisting insipid pop songs into sinister anthems, turning the art world upside down with menacing imagery and film, utilizing political propaganda systems as readymades in an unrelenting assault on dogmatic beliefs while revealing the ‘hidden reverse’ inherent in Western culture.

We’ll explore the world of Laibach’s music, their cryptic and often purposely contradictory ideology, hear from compatriot Slavoj Žižek, as well as music by side projects 300,000 V.K., Germania and an interview with founding Laibach member and spokesman Ivan Novak, recorded on the eve of their Portland show.

Laibach is currently on tour in the US and their latest album Volk turns anthems from around the world – both ancient and modern – into lovely pop songs.

That’s on KBOO Community Radio at 90.7 FM in Portland, 100.7 FM in
Corvallis & Albany, and 91.9 in The Gorge and streaming worldwide at kboo.fm/listen

Kultur Shock

Amazing Balkan Gypsy Punk band from Seattle, Kultur Shock, captured live at the Doug Fir Lounge.
I was there and have the ringing ears and crushed insteps to prove it.

More here and here.

Thanks to uploader Mr. Toasty for putting these up.

I recommend their album We Came to Take Your Jobs Away.
They are not too dissimilar to Gogol Bordello, only much harder rocking, with dual guitars and electric violin.
Highly recommended for those who like their Yugo/Bulgarian/Russkie-punk straight up.

Laibach on Hungarian TV

Brief interview with Ivan Novak from Laibach, which – fortunately for us – is in English.
Go to it here.

Preceded by a cellphone commercial that – fortunately for us – is NOT in English.

Repost: Goran Bregovic’s Underground OST

Goran Bregovic
Mercury, France

An excellent soundtrack to one of the greatest movies of all time, Emir Kusturica’s Underground, aka Once Upon a Time There Was a Country.
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing this film from the former Yugoslavia, the sound of the Gypsy brass band that is in virtually every other scene will be stuck in your head for months. The raucous sounding Kalasnjikov, which is heard throughout the film, is here, as is the haunting War, complete with a tragic children’s choir.
Here, rather than simply lift the songs from the soundtrack, many have been recreated and in some cases rearranged completely by Bregovic and his band.
Some songs are a beautiful fusion of Balkan folk with electronica, such as The Belly Button Of The World with great sounding Middle Eastern percussion as well as a pulsing electronic beat, which sounds oddly appropriate for a film that covers fifty years of the history of Yugoslavia.
Missing in action is the German hit song Lili Marleen that crops up throughout the film. First heard when the protagonist’s city falls to the Nazis and later when the Allies defeat them, it’s used throughout the movie to underscore the tragi-comic events. I’ve included it inside as a bonus track.
Lovers of traditional Balkan music, Euro-Folk, Klezmer or any exotic music will find this soundtrack enjoyable whether they’ve seen this film or not.

“A catastrophe!”

By request.