Asstrolab

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KITCH-HIKING GUIDE TO THE ASSTROLAB GALAXY(a kind of bio for the band)On January 1st of 2005, when 4 young people where pushing the door open of a creepy rehearsal room (at least as creepy as they where themselves on that New Year’s Day) nothing would have let to presume that you would be reading today these few sentences of what we’re gonna call a short bio of the band. I mean, that’s what they asked me to write; don’t make me lose my job…Asstrolab --which wasn’t called Asstrolab at that moment: it wasn’t called anything at all as a matter of fact…-- wasn’t exactly resembling a young and promising Rock band.And I’m not talking about the band yet, just about the life expectation of its members…That is, if I can trust the vague memories they have about that day, it was more like a bad kind of remake of “Zombie’s Attack” shot from the synopsis of “Leaving Las Vegas” than a first rehearsal: coke-killed brain cells and strong liver-cancer smell might quite precisely describe the atmosphere of the room. Anyway…Behind the anecdote of the first musical meeting of the band, which I gave you as a little story to feed the debate on alcoholism in Rock bands … What’s Asstrolab’s chemistry all about?To make a long story short, Asstrolab is the result of the gathering of 4 (more or less, but more and more since then…) musicians -- Anne Fidalgo (bass guitar and vocals), Pieter Buekers (vocals and lyrics), Emmanuel Simonis (guitars) and Ludwig van Waes (drums) – based in Brussels and basically linked by a “night-living-bar tending-love and friendship bound” who decided 2 years ago to stick together for a project rooted in the compositions of Pieter and Anne and to put together the “Rock-something” they had in common.Coming from quite different fields (from progressive, 70’s rock to ska-punk thru acting for the singer), the result of their common electric cooking is not exactly within the frame of what we can call “the actual Belgian rock and pop scene”.All this resulted in the eclectic “Rock and lots” tender musical experience linked by their common search for a minimal and effective Rock music that you see before you today…Influenced by solo artists like Beck or Jimmy Tenor (considering the voice of the singer), 90’s bands like Porno for Pyros, sonic youth, Ride, as well as 80’s bands like the B52’s, PIL, Depeche Mode, Au Pairs, The Clash and many 70’s Bands, the classical comparison they have to undergo is: “you know, you have this little something of the Pixies, dudes”…Thanks for their music.And I must add: their female bass player is sexier than Kim Deal…But seriously.Neither too poppy nor just a garage band, with a dancing background, Asstrolab’s music is a trip thru all Rock and Roll periods in search of the most effective atmosphere for sustaining the “story-teller” style of the singer…Simple Binary or disco rhythms, groovy bass lines and a touch of Madness’ guitar sound, are the main ingredients of their style: borderline and “cliché” but ironical and reworked enough to sound interesting.Now celebrating their first year of gigs with a set composed by eight hands and the old “I like it, I don’t…. Do you want my fist in your face, you musical wanker…” way of collaborating, the band (except perhaps for the singer who wants to change the world thru singing….) has no other pretension than to make you Rock and Dance without insulting your cleverness.Enjoy their depressed-enough-to-freely-make-fun-of-everything-galaxy.Sul ivan W. de Wag(Perhaps for the new musical Observer)