In case you are thinking of purchasing the new global version of Amazon’s Kindle for Christmas, be aware that there are still quite a few places that the global version will NOT work.  I was disappointed to find that the new version still will not work in my country.

Apparently the new global version will only work in SOME countries.   I thought it would be helpful to most expats to have a complete list of which countries it will, or will not work in (below).

It’s also interesting to note the PATTERN of groups of countries where the Kindle doesn’t work–some countries probably lack satellite coverage or delivery systems, while others probably don’t WANT readers to be able to download whatever they want by satellite.

STARRED (*) countries marked below indicate that Kindle needs to be ordered from a SPECIAL PAGE on the Amazon site.

The Global Kindle version DOES work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Aland Islands, Albania, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia*, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Boznia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Leichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozembique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,  Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands – British, Virgin Islands – U.S.,  Wallis and Futuna, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The Global Kindle version does NOT work in (as of Dec. 2009) the following countries:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Antarctica, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, French Southern Territories, Gambia, Guinea, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea – Democratic People’s Republic of, Korea – Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco (including the Western Sahara), New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Pitcairn, Qatar, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, Sudan, Svalbard and Jan Mayan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan,  Yemen.

As these recent photos of Kenzo Lee Hounsou shows he got his looks from his famous parents Djimon Hounsou and Kimora Lee Simmons. What a handsome little fella that they have!

Kenzo was accompanied by his sisters Aoki Lee and Ming Lee out to the Cross Creek Park in Malibu this past Sunday. The sole son to the Hounsou-Lee family has already gotten a taste of celebdom via his taped appearance on his mother’s reality show AND his first Baby Phat runway finale gig.

Cute family all around! Head on over to Global Grind for more photos of the Hounsou-Lee family.

photos: BCK/Fame

Photographed by Moi of Ra

These guys were kind of scary and had covered themselves in yellow palm oil.

– License

Nigerian airline Arik Air has announced 2 new international routes to the UK and USA. Beginning 26 November 2009, the airline will begin non-stop flights from Abuja to London (Heathrow), with services between Lagos and New York commencing from 29 November 2009.

Abuja-London

Arik Air will fly a 2-class Boeing 737-800 aircraft configured with 20 Premier Class and126 Economy Class seats on the route. Flights will operate 5 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Flight W3 105 departs Abuja at 1030 hrs, arriving into London at 1605 hrs. The return flight, W3 106, takes off from London (Heathrow) Terminal 4 at 2150 hrs, landing back at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 0520 hrs the next morning.

The flights connect a second Nigerian city to the UK, following the existing Lagos-London flights launched in December 2008. 

Lagos-New York

Arik Air will also launch transatlantic flights from Lagos to New York. The airline is the first Nigerian airline to connect the country with the USA in over a decade.

The airline has scheduled the flights to allow for convenient connections at both ends of the route. Flight W3 107 departs Lagos at 2320 hrs and arrives in New York at 0550 hrs the next morning. The return flight, W3 108, takes off from John F. Kennedy International Airport at 2200 hrs, landing back in Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 1440 hrs.

Arik Air will fly 3 times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays using a 2-class Airbus A340-500 configured with 36 Premier Class seats that convert into full-flat beds and 201 Economy Class seats. Premier Class passengers will also enjoy the use of a private bar and lounge area onboard the aircraft, with all passengers offered personal screens and audio-video on-demand inflight entertainment.

From its hubs at Abuja and Lagos, Arik Air currently flies to 21 airports across Nigeria and internationally to Accra, Banjul, Cotonou, Dakar, Freetown, Johannesburg, Niamey and London with a fleet of 30 aircraft. For more information, visit www.arikair.com.

Amazon's Global Kindle Reader

I heard that Amazon now has a global version of Kindle. I was disappointed to find this morning that the new version still will not work in my country.

Since I’ve wanted one for some time, but have been waiting until they got a version that would work in my country, I checked out their website this morning, only to be disappointed again. Apparently the new global version will only work in SOME countries.

In case you are thinking of purchasing the new Global Kindle for a Christmas gift this year, since the new version will only work in SOME countries, I thought it would be helpful to most expats to have a complete list of which countries it will, or will not work in.

STARRED (*) countries marked below indicate that Kindle needs to be ordered from a SPECIAL PAGE on the Amazon site.

The Global Kindle version DOES work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Aland Islands, Albania, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia*, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Boznia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Leichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozembique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands – British, Virgin Islands – U.S., Wallis and Futuna, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The Global Kindle version does NOT work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Afghanistan, Algeria, Antarctica, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, French Southern Territories, Gambia, Guinea, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea – Democratic People’s Republic of, Korea – Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco (including the Western Sahara), New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Pitcairn, Qatar, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, Sudan, Svalbard and Jan Mayan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Un equipo de ocho profesionales sanitarios, siete de ellos del Hospital de Elda, han realizado 264 consultas y 43 intervenciones quirúrgicas de traumatología y cirugía plástica (28 de ellas a niños) en Togo, Ghana y Benin.

Según la Conselleria de Sanidad, estos médicos pertenecen a la ONGD alicantina Oasis y han participado en una expedición humanitaria entre el 16 de octubre y el 4 de noviembre a estos países africanos para atender diversas patologías.

El equipo desplazado contaba con especialistas en cirugía ortopédica y traumatología, cirugía plástica y reconstructiva, anestesiología, enfermería y auxiliar.

Ésta es sólo la última acción de la citada ONGD ya que durante los últimos siete años han realizado un total de 1.545 consultas y 193 cirugías, 144 en niños.

Las patologías atendidas con más frecuencia en estas zonas de África han sido retracciones por quemaduras, secuelas en rodilla y pie por poliomelitis, deformidades, úlceras, labio leporino y fracturas.

Más información: Adn.es

Nesta sexta-feira, 20 de novembro, é o Dia da Consciência Negra. A data existe para celebrar Zumbi, líder do emblemático Quilombo dos Palmares, símbolo de resistência contra a escravidão. O Conversa de Menina, porém, escolheu falar sobre uma líder negra, outro ícone  de luta pela liberdade, uma mulher que, tal qual Zumbi, tem os fatos de sua vida real confundidos com a ficção. Um ser quase mitológico. Em celebração ao Dia da Consciência Negra, conto para vocês a história de Luiza Mahin, a liderança feminina da Revolta dos Malês. Confiram:

==============================

Quem é Luiza Mahin?

Gravura representando uma negra nagô da Costa da Mina. Não há registro da existência de imagens de Luiza Mahin, mas se ela era nagô do Daomé (atual Benin), como diz Luiz Gama, então seu estilo de trajar era semelhante ao da gravura acima

A primeira descrição de Luiza Mahin de que se tem notícia consta de uma carta escrita pelo poeta Luiz Gama, em 25 de julho de 1880. Luiz descrevia a própria mãe como uma africana livre, de baixa estatura, magra, bonita, preta retinta com dentes alvos, altiva, geniosa e nagô (como os africanos de origem iorubá eram chamados na Bahia colonial). Ainda de acordo com os escritos do poeta abolicionista, Luiza deve ter nascido por volta de 1812, no antigo Daomé (Benin), Costa da Mina, um dos portos que viveu intenso tráfico negreiro entre os século XVI e XIX. Chegou à Bahia como escrava, mas na África, era uma princesa. Alforriada, trabalhava como ganhadeira (vendedora de quitutes) pelas ruas do centro de Salvador e morava no Solar do Gravatá, onde hoje funciona a Casa de Angola. Quando Luiz Gama tinha oito anos, e após o fracasso do Levante Malê de 1835, Luiza Mahin teria entregue o filho aos cuidados do pai e fugido para o Rio de Janeiro, onde ajudou a organizar outras revoltas de escravos e onde morreu, em data ignorada.  Fora os relatos do poeta, o outro registro sobre Luiza Mahin é uma obra de ficção, o romance Malês – A insurreição das senzalas, escrito pelo jornalista baiano Pedro Calmon, em 1933, quase um século após a rebelião malê ter fracassado. Neste livro, Calmon descreve Luiza como uma das duas mulheres que trairam a revolta, entregando os planos dos malês à polícia. Na obra, Luiza é descrita como arrependida da rebelião e disposta a “retratar-se” perante os brancos. O movimento negro porém, rejeita essa descrição, que na opinião de seus membros, era uma tentativa do escritor, branco e pertencente à elite baiana, de anular a importância histórica de uma líder revolucionária negra. Até onde se sabe, não existem documentos considerados oficiais que atestem a existência de Luiza, tais como certidões de batismo ou carta de alforria. A ausência da certidão, defendem os historiadores que usam como prova da existência dela a carta de seu filho, justifica-se pelo fato de Mahin ter rejeitado o sacramento cristão e ter continuado até sua morte, professando a crença nos orixás tal qual veio da África (sem o sincretismo). Para uma corrente de pesquisadores, Luiza é fruto da imaginação de Luiz Gama, uma tentativa do poeta em exorcizar os fantasmas do seu passado. Aos 10 anos, Gama foi vendido pelo pai como escravo e levado para São Paulo, onde morou para o resto da vida. Formado em Direito, poeta, também jornalista, ele defendia escravos acusados de matar seus senhores e conseguiu livrar 500 da morte por execução, ao alegar que os escravos agiram em legítima defesa, uma vez que a escravidão, sendo um regime extremo, requeria medidas extremas das vítimas. Eloquente, era um dos homens mais admirados dentro do movimento abolicionista. Já a corrente de pesquisadores que defende a existência de Luiza, além de basear-se nas memórias de Luiz Gama, também se baseia em pesquisa feita nos anos 40, quando foram recolhidos diversos relatos sobre os personagens populares que lideravam revoltas de escravos na Bahia do século XIX. Na época dessa pesquisa, um dos nomes mais citados por pessoas que beiravam os 90/100 anos de idade e que por sua vez, tinham escutado essas histórias de seus pais ou avós, era o de Luiza Mahin.

A revolta malê

O poeta Luiz Gama. Nascido na Bahia, Gama foi vendido aos 10 anos como escravo, pelo próprio pai, que era viciado em jogo e usou o filho para quitar uma dívida. Depois de ter sido escravo na infância e adolescência, já adulto, era jornalista, poeta e exerceu o Direito, defendendo escravos que matavam seus senhores em nome da liberdade

Malê era o nome pelo qual os africanos islamizados (muçulmanos), que eram alfabetizados em árabe, eram conhecidos na Bahia. Ao longo da primeira metade do século XIX, diversas revoltas irromperam na província sob articulação dos malês. O objetivo era além da liberdade da escravidão, uma imposição do Islã como religião oficial no reino que seria fundado em Salvador. A revolta mais famosa foi o levante de 1835, quando os malês chegaram a ameaçar o poder colonial e instituiram um quartel general na sede administrativa da cidade. Traídos, os líderes foram presos e executados e a revolta barbaramente dispersada, com diversos assassinatos de escravos e ex-escravos de origem iorubá. Luiz Gama, em suas memórias, revela que após o levante, as demais províncias do Brasil recusavam categoricamente comprar escravos de origem baiana, pois temiam que eles articulassem revoluções. O próprio Gama, quando estava em um dos mercados de escravos em São Paulo, quando criança, foi rejeitado por vários compradores, sob a alegação de que sendo baiano, podia trazer o germe da revolução dentro dele. Buscando pistas nas memórias de Luiz Gama e nas pesquisas que mostram o comportamento das mulheres negras no século XIX, é que se pode especular sobre o fato de Luiza Mahin ser uma das articuladoras do movimento malê. Na verdade, por trabalharem nas ruas, vendendo e por serem menos vigiadas que os homens escravos, as mulheres podiam formar uma rede de solidariedade e comunicação, que tanto servia para espalhar as mensagens das revoltas, quanto para formar irmandades cuja missão era juntar dinheiro para a compra de alforrias. Diversas pesquisas recentes colocam as mulheres em pé de igualdade com os homens na articulação da liberdade, embora elas se organizassem de forma distinta e usassem muitas vezes armas como a sedução e a proximidade com a casa-grande, gozando de maior confiança dos patrões, para articular seus planos.

Um mito de autoafirmação

Independente dos debates históricos sobre a existência real ou a invenção de Luiza Mahin, a importância da personagem, sobretudo em tempos de resgate da história afro-brasileira nas escolas, é imensa para reafirmação negra e feminina. Ícone libertário, Luiza Mahin serve de inspiração porque desconstroi a ideia ainda vigente de que a abolição foi uma concessão generosa, quando diversos fatos revelados demonstram que na verdade ela foi fruto de uma árdua luta que durou mais de 300 anos, combinada com interesses políticos do império brasileiro. Por isso, a necessidade de Mahin ser lembrada no Dia da Consciência Negra, figurando ao lado de Zumbi como um dos emblemas da reparação.

*O post foi escrito a partir de uma reportagem que fiz em 14 de novembro de 2004, para o suplemento cultural Correio Repórter, do Jornal Correio da Bahia, em Salvador. Na época, para aprender sobre a vida de Luiza Mahin, contei com material bibliográfico como as memórias de Luiz Gama e com a ajuda de históriadores como o doutor em História e professor titular da UFBA, João José Reis; da coordenadora do Ceafro, Vilma Reis e da mestra em história Mariele Araújo, que além de me concederem entrevistas esclarecedoras,  me indicaram livros e documentos onde ampliar minhas pesquisas.

=================================

Para saber mais sobre Luiza Mahin e os malês:

>>Rebelião escrava no Brasil – A história do levante dos malês. De João José Reis, editora Companhia das Letras. Este é considerado um dos estudos brasileiros mais importantes sobre as rebeliões de escravos do século XIX. Fundamental para quem quer saber mais sobre a resistência negra e a conquista da liberdade.

>>Entre o popular e a historiografia, uma imagem controversa: o caso Luiza Mahin. Artigo acadêmico de Aline Najara da Silva Gonçalves, graduada em História pela UNEB (Univeridade do Estado da Bahia),apresentado em 2009, no Enecult. Arquivo em PDF.

>>Verbete sobre Luiza Mahin na Wikipédia

====================================

Outros posts sobre heroínas negras:

>>Maria Felipa: Guerreira de Itaparica

Popular French DJ David “When Love Takes Over” Guetta recruited Estelle for  his latest single, “One Love.” Estelle, the current GAP brand Holiday face, in the has been busy recording a follow-up to her critically acclaimed US debut, Shine.

I’m digggin that black Balmain-esque mini Estelle has on in the video. Below is Estelle’s tweet on the song…

Thanks for all the on the @daveguettalife video the song was a great release for me to write, I’m happy folks like it! X directed the vid! 8:02 AM Nov 12th from UberTwitter

The Homeschool Records labelmate was also seen in THIS all black ensemble at the 2009 Glamour Women of The Year Awards – the same event Iman and Rihanna attended. As you can see from the following photo collage, Estelle also hit the stage to perform with the support of a choir.

Estelle was honored at the UK 2009 Glamour Women of the Year Awards in a Stella McCartney dress and Nicholas Kirkwood lace peep-toe pumps. (She won Editor’s Special Award!) (Check it out…

In case you missed it, Estelle teamed up with Busta Rhymes for his single, World Go Round. Check it…

Estelle’s working it!

Your Community Realtor Specializing in the Needs of the Afircan Community

Don’t think you can’t own your own home today! With historically low interest rates, owning a home has never been more affordable! Did you know that mortgaging $200,000 is only about $850.00 per month.

Some of the opportunities available right now in the quiet, safe residential community of Port Coquitlam is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, renovated townhome with parking and a backyard for the kids!

5% down ($15,700) and your payments are only $1261.00 monthly! You can’t rent for that little. Don’t let today’s opportunity pass you by.

There are many other places available all over the lower mainland of Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Real Estate is the greatest wealth builder and the key to a successful future and security for the family.

Call me today as I specialize in helping the African community and their unique needs.

Temi Aluko 778-883-4002

Close to 100  African tribes make and use masks.

African tribal mask makers are not free to make any mask they want.  They must follow religious and spiritural rules.

Before cutting down a tree,  the mask-maker has to visit a wizard to undergo a purification ceremony and make a sacrifice to the spirit of the tree.  This purification ceremony protects the mask-maker against the rage of the tree spirit.

Once the first blow is struck with the axe, the mask-maker puts his lips to the tree and sucks out a small amount of sap.  This makes him become a part of the tree’s “family.”  After the tree is cut down, it must be left alone for a few days for the tree spirit to find another dwelling.  Even after the tree is chopped down, it continues to have miraculous powers, requiring the mask-maker to follow specific rules and practices.

When the mask-carver starts carving, he cannot freely make whatever shape he wishes.  The first rule is that the mask must represent his own ethnic group (of which there are over 1,000 ethnic groups).  If  not, he risks the anger of his entire village, and the rage of the tree spirit.  While the mask is taking shape, it is believed that the powers of the wood are increasing.

When the mask is finished, the wizard must hold a consecration ceremony which turns the mask into a dwelling place for the spirit to which it is dedicated, and afterward, the mask can be used in religioius ceremonies.

African masks vary in shape and appearance.

Ancestor masks have a serene look, while masks of non-human spirits have a bizzare face.  Masks with horns are used in exorcism ceremonies, while protruding eyes and cold expressions represent spirit posession.

White masks represent the dead looking in on the living, and round faces represent high degrees of spirituality.  C heckerboard patterns represent separations.  These can be separations between good and evil, men and women, or intelligence and stupidity.

Religious ceremonies with masks are allowed to be viewed almost excusively by men.  Regardless of the sex of a mask, the wearer is always a man.  Some villages even believe that if a woman sets eyes on a mask, she will die.  The mask represents a supernatural living person.  The person wearing the mask is considered to be in direct contact with the mask’s spirit. A mask offers a chance to a supernatural being for incarnation.  Because a mask is sacred, violating the rules of its use is punished severely, even by death.

23 teams are in. Nine more to go before the field in South Africa is complete. There’s going to be a lot of drama this weekend. In Africa, this weekend’s games will determine the three country that will advance to the finals. New Zealand and Bahrain will be playing a winner take all game since the first leg ended in a 0-0 tie, while European qualification begins the two-legged playoffs. Costa Rica and Uruguay will also kick off a two-legged playoff.

Teams already in: Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, United States, Mexico, Honduras, Denmark, Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany, Spain, England, Serbia, Italy, Netherlands, Australia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, South Africa, Ghana, Ivory Coast

Saturday’s qualifiers (11/14)
AFRICA
Mozambique vs. Tunisia
Togo vs. Gabon
Morocco vs. Cameroon
Rwanda vs. Zambia
Kenya vs. Nigeria
Burkina Faso vs. Malawi
Côte d’Ivoire vs. Guinea
Egypt vs. Algeria
Sudan vs. Benin

EUROPE (1st leg)
Russia vs. Slovenia – 10:55 a.m. ET/Setanta (Live)
Ireland vs. France
Greece vs. Ukraine – 1 p.m. ET/Setanta (Live)
Portugal vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina – 3:25 p.m. ET/Setanta (Live)

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA/SOUTH AMERICA PLAYOFF (1st leg)
Costa Rica vs. Uruguay

ASIA/OCEANIA PLAYOFF (2nd leg)
New Zealand vs. Bahrain – 2 a.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Live)

Au Bénin les camions “camionnette” fermés ne sont pas légion… Seules quelques entreprises privées en ont, et elles les gardent pour elles. Aussi pendant la semaine de préparation, la régisseuse était très pessimiste sur nos chances de trouver autre chose qu’un camion baché (cf Lost in Cotonou). Mais pour la sécurité du matériel il fallait une meilleure solution…

Avec Matthieu ils sont donc partis à la chasse au camion et ont ramené… un bus!

Oui oui un bus! Avec des sièges (qu’ils ont enlevé), des vitres de partout (qu’ils ont couvert de tissu), une porte latérale coulissante (bien pratique) et même des barres avec bouton “Arret demandé”!

Et j’en profite pour vous présenter la roulante caméra “made in Cotonou”, toujours orange anti-rouille.

Un tour du camion ne serait bien sûr pas complet sans son chauffeur: le précieux Habib.

MC 011 – Themselves,  Ergo Phizmiz,  Amon Duul II ‘Made In Germany’ and ‘Legends Of Benin’

We have a lot to get through with this edition so I shan’t keep you to long.

The 20th anniversary of the Berlin wall coming down seems apt as I finally reach Amon Duul II’s LP ‘Made In Germany’. My article is full of information on the records subject matter, a 150 year journey through Germany’s history with all its references to war, art, opera and literature. This grand opus of a rock opera shares the same criticisms that most concept albums attract. Much lauded even by fans of German music this album has had a thorough kicking, in part due to its controversial topics. Recently Kasabian have come out and admitted to using the cover artwork as a backdrop to their own ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’.

We have three albums up for review this time round. The  left field Hip Hop of Themselves, Surrealist experimental musician Ergo Phizmiz and the latest compilation from German label Analog Africa all make an appearance.

I shall leave you to it.

(DV)

Themselves - 'Crowns Down' 2009

Themselves – ‘Crowns Down’

Anticon 2009

Vinyl (double)

Side 1.

1.    ‘Back II Burn’

2.    ‘Oversleeping’

3.    ‘The Mark’

Side 2.

1.    ‘Gangster Of Disbelief’

2.    ‘Daxstrong’

3.    ‘You Ain’t It’

Side 3.

1.    ‘Roman Is As Roman Does’

2.    ‘Skinning The Drum’

Side 4.

1.    ‘Dead Catcher II’

2.    ‘Gold Teeth Will Roll’

In recent times we have seen a flourishing underground movement in Hip Hop that has moved towards a rawer and more left field indie direction. Both in the use of their original beats and the style of delivery artists such as MF Doom, Madlib, Mr.Lif, Aesop Rock and Edan have remained low key in the background busily reinventing the scene. They all make the ridiculous blown up pretensions of commercial Hip Hop look frankly out dated and stale. Just because the likes of Kayne West sample Daft Punk it doesn’t mean that he has taken any risks.
You see it’s all calculated to the nth degree so that he can sell more of his pop lite banal brand of rap, we seem to have created a monster! His rival to the crown of most over-rated rapper is Jay Z whose recent headline at Glastonbury just made the case for yet more of that smoke and mirrors nonsense of epic proportions.
The last decade in Hip Hop has ended up being watered down for the X-Box generation, either brute force messages about killing to stay alive or boring ditties about girls and money by 50 Cent seem to be the only choices on offer to the masses. But there is an amazing scene that runs counter to its bloated rival helped by social networking sites and low key gigs that have promoted some of the more cutting edge and experimental groups out there.
Artists like Yo! Majesty and Uffie have broken through yet remain gritty and carry a lot of kudos, granted that they may not have the most politically charged of subjects in their resume. Like Spank Rock they may just want to shake their booty. All these artists have incorporated a back to basics approach into their music, rocking beats from the golden period of Hip Hop in the Eighties and merging them with an updated style of now.

Which leads me to the inventive duo of Dose One and Jel, who have both been involved in a long list of creative projects including the highly acclaimed cLOUDDEAD and Subtle, whose influence is heavy on this the third album from their creatively successful moniker Themsleves.
Dose One and Jel return to the old skool set up of MC and DJ to create an extraordinary poetic slice of never ending prose, set to a mix of beats and samples that conjure up memories of the golden period in Hip Hop of 1985 to 1989.
On top of this we get a layer of industrial strength effects and abstract sounds familiar to those used on Subtle’s ‘Exiting Arm’ LP.
The rapping features the distinct nasal style of Dose who never lets up on the tracks ‘Oversleeping’ and ‘The Mark’, in fact it sounds like he’s not going to ever come up for a breath. He uses this delivery style almost like an instrument in its own right as he spits rapid readings like a form of lyrical autism.
Famously back in the day Dose faced off against an unknown Eninem at a scribble jam, which he lost by the way though I think we know who the real winner is!
Partner Jel supplies the music and drum beats though some cool and dazzling effects, he borrows from Ultramagnatic MC’s, Kool G Rapp and Marley Marl. Like on the opener ‘Back II Burn’ which uses a heavily influenced electro break fest from Graig G era Transformer’, or the darker tones of past masters Paris and Big Daddy Kane on the track ‘Roman Is As Roman Does’.
His drum machine creates some deeply unwieldy moods that threaten to crush who those that step up to the challenge.

Highlights on the album include ‘Skinning The Drum’ which has samples flying around with nods of recognition to the pioneers, much in similar fashion to Edan on his ‘Beauty And The Beat’ LP.
The lyrics further back up the mood with the repeated refrain of “who was inventing it, who was wrenching it”,
On ‘Daxstrong’ a swirling playground ambience turns into an assemblage of breaks that could have been on the cLOUDDEAD album as Dose eloquently builds up a picture of social ills expressed in his clever use of lyricism.

My only criticism is in the track ‘You Ain’t It’ which sounds like a horrible vocoder pastiche of Californian bump and grind mixed with Hal Mar Superstar’s smooth brand of funk.
I’m not sure what they are trying to do with this song but it doesn’t in my mind sit well with the rest of the album.

This album thoroughly deserves your attention even if you don’t usually follow Hip Hop. A mix of experimental sound collage and subliminal wordplay suffused with the inventive use of samples ‘Crowns Down’ could be the equivalent of TV On The Radio’s ‘Dear Science’ LP from last year.
It will defiantly make my best of 2009 list.

Dominic Valvona

Ergo Phizmiz himself steering the Dada ship ever forward.

Ergo Phizmiz (& The Rock ‘n’ Roll Machine) – ‘Dadaphone’

Available through FMA (Free Music Archive)

1.    The Bomb
2.     It’s A Sin
3.    Saturday Night
4.    Karma Police
5.    A Little Respect
6.    Lets Get Ready To Rhumba
7.    Turn Around
8.    Slap My Bass Up
9.    I Think We’re Alone Now
10.  That Bassline

Ergo Phizmiz is the modern day equivalent to the Surrealist Max Ernst and Fluxus movements La Monte Young.
His work across installation, sound and performance pushes the ideals of Dada to more extremes with his nonsensical and childlike approach to sometimes-heavy themes.
An in demand composer who has had work commissioned for numerous art institutions as well as the BBC, his back catalogue is far and wide in range.
The common thread that runs throughout is that he doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously, a joyful abandon cannot be contained no matter how stiff the subject.
I actually briefly contributed to one of his projects a while back. At the time he was artist in residence at the Dimbola Lodge gallery on the Isle Of Wight, famous for being the home of Victorian photography pioneer Margaret Cameron; the Annie Leibovitz of her day hanging out with Tennyson and Darwin among many other renowned characters.
Ergo weaved a set of recordings around the history of the place with his storytelling sound collages, I found myself taking part with a conversation piece between us being cut up and added.
Anyway I’m diverting attention away from the album, let me continue back on track so to speak.

This ten track scattering of covers entitled ‘Dadaphone’ is a strange mix of Nineties commercial dance anthems, Eighties pop and some more credible labelled songs such as ‘Karma Police’ by Radiohead.
Erasure, Pet Shop Boys and shopping mall teen queen Tiffany all spring up and receive a tongue in cheek deconstructive form of dismemberment.
Ergo’s brand of medicine produces a mix of Captian Beefhart era ‘Electricity’ and Bonzo Dog band ‘Gorilla’, which on the Ant and Dec adjusted titled song  ‘Lets Get Ready To Rhumba’ is evident in the Bonzo’s Cambridge Footlights vaudeville humour.

The stand out tunes include The White Stripes style trash of ‘It’s a Sin’, which erupts into a slavishly grinded out blues number via the sonant ‘Greensleeves.’
As I mentioned before Radiohead’s ‘Karma Police’ is given the Ergo treatment, though his version becomes a jaunty polka knees up that drops a lot of the original sentiment out yet still captures some of the soul.
‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ is now a romantic mandolin led waltz through medieval France in the age of Chretien De Troyes. Both pleasant and joyful his appropriation of this Eighties pap actually lends it some gravitas that the original never envisioned.
By far my most favourite cover is Erasures classic ‘A Little Respect’, which in the hands of Ergo becomes a maelstrom of raw emotion played out by krautrockers noise merchants Faust.
Heavy yet not ridiculous it is a pretty deserving tribute.

Lesser highlights yet still worthy of your attention is the broken down cacophony of ‘That Bassline’. The bass line in question is Chic’s, which is accompanied by a mash up of competing riffs and refrains. Pure Beefheart in approach and spirit everyone sounds like they’re playing completely different tunes at the same time. It amusingly starts to work and instead of falling completely apart resignedly triumphs in its chaos.
Also on the album there are experimental nods to dance acts such as the Prodigy and pop princess Kylie as well as a sea shanty inspired rendition of the annoying hit ‘Saturday Night’. I can’t for the life of me remember who had the original hit but she was defiantly Dutch.

All of the tunes are freely available on the music site Free Music Archive, where you can choose at will or download the lot. My advice is to grab them all as everyone eventually grows on you.

God bless you Ergo Phizmiz! May your avant garde ship of tomfoolery continue to set its course through the oceans of mediocrity and boredom.
Not too strong I hope!

Dominic Valvona.

Analog Africas 'Legends Of Benin' compilation 2009.

‘Legends Of Benin’ (Afro Funk – Cavacha – Agbadja – Afro Beat 1969 to 1981) –  Gnonnas Pedro/ El Rego/ Antoine Dougbe/ Honore Avolonto.

Double Album available on both Vinyl (version reviewed and CD)

Accompanied by the following backing bands: -

Dadjes
Panchos
L’Orchestre Poly-Rythmo
L’Orchestre Black Santiago

Compiled by Samy Ben Rejob for Analog Africa Records, 2009

Track List:-

Side A

1.    ‘Dadje Von O Von Non’ – Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Dadjes (3:53)

2.    ‘Feeling You Got’ – El Rego et Ses Commandos (3:44)

3.    ‘Honton Soukpo Gnon’ Antoine Dougbe  (7:05)

4.    ‘E Nan Mian Nuku’ – El Rego et Ses Commandos (4:26)

Side B

1.    ‘Tin Lin Non’ – Honore Avolonto et l’Orchestre Poly-Rythmo (8:48)

2.    ‘Okpo Videa Bassouo’ – Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Panchos (3:30)

3.    ‘Ya Mi Ton Gbo’ – Dougbe et l’Orchestre Poly-Rythmo (6:34)

Side C

1.    ‘Nou Akuenon Hwlin Me Sin Koussio’ – Antoine Dougbe (5:03)

2.    ‘Na Mi Do Gbe Hue Nu’ – Honore Avolonto (6:44)

3.    ‘Vimado Wingnan’ – El Rego et Ses Commandos (3:01)

4.    ‘Dou Dagbe We’ – Honore Avolonto et l’Orchestre Black Santiago (4:26)

Side D

1.    ‘Djobime’ – El Rego et Ses Commandos (2:31)

2.    ‘Kovito Gbe De Towe’ – Antoine Dougbe (6:39)

3.    ‘La Musica en Verite’ – Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Dadjes (7:08)

Afro beat; Afro funk and all its many bewildering sub genres have always slightly perplexed me. I’ve often taken a peek and thumb through the African music section in all the record shops that I regularly frequent, though until now I have left it well alone. The sheer depth and number of styles have often left me confused, as a novice I feel a little shy to point out my ignorance, though it never usually stops me from having a punt and purchasing a record on chance alone.
Well on this occasion my first ever-actual buy was aided by complete chance.
I happened to be in Borderline Records store in Brighton, an emporium of reissues and forgotten gems from bygone ages. On that day they were playing some pretty groovy foot tapping sounds, a quaint version of early Stax mixed with liberal lashings of James Brown’s infused funky Zaire period soul.
Instantly I became hooked as my whole body decided to break out into some embarrassing Paul Simon induced dance routine. Cut a long story short I ended up asking the owner what he was playing, he kindly showed me what it was and I ended up with ‘Legends Of Benin’ a lovingly compiled album of 14 tracks by four of the African country of Benin’s finest artists. In case your knowledge of African geography is shaky, Benin is in the west and borders Togo, Nigeria, Burkino Faso and Niger. Tightly caged in by its neighbours the influence of all these regions leaks into the music to create a unique mash up of rhythms and beats, that switches from rhumba to rocksteady in the blink of an eye.

The artists on this album include the likes of Gnonnas Pedro, a politically charged crusader, El Rego, an entrepreneur of dubious enterprises including a brothel and a boxing club, Antione Dougbe a much feared Vodun priest and Honore Avolonto, responsible for the country’s biggest selling album of all time.
These pioneers of poly-rhythmic charged music were all collected together by German based label Analog Africa’s Samy Ben Redjeb, an honourable sounding advocate of the genre who should be commended for his efforts.
His personal sleeve notes lavishly grace the record with a real fondness and warmth, though he had many problems licensing and obtaining permission to release this record. Three of the four artists are no longer with us so their legacy has been left in the hands of relatives and old musical comrades, not all of them initially eager or trusting in the beginning.

The music itself is a combination of funk, rhumba, soul and an attempt at reggae, all served with a thick dose of infectious grooving traditional African rhythms and instruments. Local bands to the region back each of the artists, from the military moniker Commandos to the exotically named Black Santiago.
Being a former colony of France the songs are titled and sung in the former interlopers language, if it makes sense these tracks even sound like their being played in French.

Highlights on this record include El Rego’s ‘Feeling You Out’, which has an inviting bass line that introduces a prime slice of James Brown at the Apollo rawness whilst the sax sounding squeaks coupled with a break beat backing make this into sound like a missing Northern soul stomper.
Antoine Dougbe, the high priest of some primal religion who professed to be the spirit of a dead relative sent back to this world so he could heal and curse those who cross him, concocts a swinging style of pulsating and joyful abandon on ‘Ya Mi Ton Gba’. His more down to earth day job as a musician is less frightening then his reputation precedes.
Honore Avolonto on ‘Tin Lin Non’ delivers an Afro beat groove behemoth that just never lets up, whilst Gnonnas unleashes a call and response soul spine tinkler with ‘Okpo Videa Bassovo’. His ‘Dadje Von O Von Non’ opens with ghostly sounding twanging guitars and features catcalls over a bouncing melody.
Some of the tracks are more laid back and quite subtle evoking comparisons to ska.
There is a real sense of authenticity running through these tunes and they come across as quite fun to make.
All the musicianship is tight with plenty of space to let it breath, there are no solos or hogging of the limelight to be found.
As to all the different genres I’m still not too sure how they’re prescribed only that it has something to do with timing, the instrumentation and that some of the styles are derived from ceremonies and folklore. None of this matters of course as they all sound great.

Chuck this on to get any party moving and to impress your know it all friends.
Thanks Analog Africa for introducing me to an untapped rich library of quality world music.

Dominic Valvona

A German Music Odyssey – (1968 to 1975)

Part 8 – Amon Duul II   ‘Made In Germany’

Background: -

Sadly this will be the last in the series dedicated to Amon Duul II before I go to work on Colognes finest Krautrock advocates Can.
But I’m ending it with the bands sensational Teutonic rock opera of 1975 ‘Made In Germany’.
This epic homage to the Who’s ‘Tommy’, broadly mixes in all the low and high points of Germanys history, from the birth of a united country in the 1800’s to the fall out of World War II. Along the way countless references incorporate a host of cultural figures, from composers such as Wagner to the philosopher Kant.
Politically charged and self-mocking this album both courted mock disdain and controversy, which we will come to later.

Firstly that’s rewind back to 1974, a stressful period in the bands career. Coming home after a tout and emotionally draining tour the guys needed a little down time, members had upped and left whilst the direction of the music was in turmoil.
Along comes the A&R man Jurge S. Korduletsch, a man of considerable means who had recently set up his own label Lollipop Records. Certain promises were made and before you knew it he had signed them up.
At once he pushed the band into a recording session, this hastily orchestrated session became the backbone of their next release ‘Hi-Jack’. This strange record became their most commercial marketable album yet and oddly borrowed heavily from Bowie and glam rock.
It was at this point that Atlantic records came calling offering a deal to release their music in the states, though they would also release the LPs under the ATCO division in the US and Canada. This may have been in response to the relative success that Virgin were having with bands from Germany, Tangerine Dream and Can amongst others.
After some initial success with ‘Hi-Jack’ it was agreed that now would be the time to follow up with something quite ambitious, as well as a great fuck you to the establishment and sensibilities of the man.
John Weinzierl puts it that they basically become disillusioned with the so-called changes in society and empty gestures of the underground youth movements. Also it was apparent to him that history itself was not moving on and that his fellow compatriots were still seen as the bogeyman of Europe. Even though his generation had seen the horrendous fall out of the former regime and reacted to it by pushing the leftist antidote forward, they were still envisaged as bad guys. As much as they tried to separate and fight against it, the world carried on viewing them with suspicion and always eager to remind them of the war.
With all this in mind Weinzierl and the group embarked on a grand project which would see them releasing a double album of songs based around a central theme of irony and self-provocation. This would take both real and made up figures from the rich history of the country, borrowing heavily from literature, film, opera, fantasy and real life events.
The Weimer Republic, Fritz Lang, King Ludwig, Hitler and Marlene Dietrich all make an appearance in this cliché heavy diatribe. From the unification under the heavy brow beating of Prussia, which came after the eventual victory over Napoleon to an initial story involving a character named Mr.Kraut, this LP has it all crammed in.
‘Made In Germany’ is like nothing they’ve done before and continued instead a move towards a crossover rock and pop experimentation, which ‘Hi- Jack’ had tried before.
By this point they shared nothing in common with any of their fellow countrymen in style or direction as they went out on a limb with their new brand of classical music and intelligent rock.

In the krautrock fraternity this record is usually given a wide berth, which is unfair. A loyal bunch of us have a certain fondness though and will go on about it quite a lot, spreading the word so to speak. Recently to my surprise a new champion in the form of Kasabian came forward, who both rate the record and admit to using its cover as inspiration for ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’.

The cover artwork of ‘Made In Germany’ is itself different depending on which of the two different versions you have.
In both the US and UK a compressed single LP version (see track list) was released. This had Renate dolled up to look like Marlene Dietrich from the movie ‘The Blue Angel’, she has an alluring but contemptuous gaze as she straddles a chair in true Cabaret style.
The original version used a picture of the band sitting for an old fashioned portrait bedecked in various costumes including Bavarian pomp, what looks like a Zeppelin pilot and Renate as a heroine from Wagners Ring Cycle. This is the picture that Kasabian re-enacted for their album.
This original was included in the single version on the inlay sleeve as well, so not sure why they buggered about with it.
The reasons for their being two variations comes down to a fall out with Atlantic boss Ahmet Ertigon, who was mightily surprised to find his latest signing offer up this platter of Germanic mayhem and political satire.
Finding it in poor taste and completely misreading the concept he got cold feet and cut the album down, only Germany itself to my knowledge received the proper double album. Rumours that Ahmet’s Jewish background played a part, though on being told that Amon Duul II wanted to embark on a US tour/invasion by travelling over in a Zeppelin can’t have helped matters. Remember this is only thirty years after the end of World War II itself.
Also the original contains a mock shock DJ interview with Hitler himself, which uses his speeches as the DJ pokes fun with a knowing wink and some poor taste quips. All this has been available on CD for years now so you don’t have to miss any of the stuff that was cut out on the single album.

The recording itself included session players such as Thor Baldursson, the Icelandic keyboardist and singer who worked with Giorgio Moroder and Grace Jones, Heinz Becker, Lee Harper, Bobby Jones and Helmut Sonnlestner, who all had a background in jazz.
New boy Nando Tischer became a fully ingrained member of the band playing guitars and singing as well as composing some of the songs. Robby Heibl was back on duty again and mucked in on near enough everything, he was also now the designated bass player of the group.
John Weinzierl is credited as guitarist but was the leader so to speak of Amon Duul II and is responsible for a far old share of the concept and composition.
Renate and Chris Karrer do most of the singing whilst Falk U Rogner supplied his sonic delft touches on synth and organ.
The talented Peter Leopold, who gets some room to show of his old ‘Yeti’ solos, supplied drums as usual.
All of the musicians do a sterling job and it is amongst the best of their whole catalogue. Obviously the songs are more structured but there is always room for inventiveness and some great lead guitar work.

Right I think that covers the background details now its time for the review.
I’ve chosen the original double album version to write about but have included both track listings for completion.
Also at the end of the review there is a complete list of all their releases up to date.
Weinzierl and some of the core members continue to tour and are embarking on a new album. Also they are set to be busy with showcasing some of their old material for a one off filmed performance that will take place in the original Bavaria studios.
Of course I will update you on when this will happen.

Review:-

‘Made In Germany’ 1975

Double gatefold LP on Nova Records, only released in Germany at the time.

Record 1.

1. Overture    (5:12)

2. Wir Wollen    (1:32)

3. Wilhelm Wilhelm    (3:10)

4. SM II Peng    (2:16)

5. Elevators Meets Whispering    (1:26)

6. Metropolis    (3:27)

7. Ludwig    (2:32)

8. The Kings Chocolate Waltz    (2:28)

9. Blue Grotto    (3:33)

10. Mr.Krauts Jinx    (8:44)

Record 2.

1. Wide Angle   (4:06)

2. Three-Eyed Overdrive    (1:17)

3. Emigrant Song    (3:21)

4. Loosey Girls    (5:13)

5. Top Of The Mud    (3:45)

6. Dreams    (4:08)

7. Gala Gnome    (3:52)

8. 5.5.55    (1:39)

9. La Krautoma    (6:08)

10. Excessive Spray    (1:41)

Single version on one record released in 1975.

UK – Atlantic Records

US/Canada – ATCO

Side A.

1. Dreams    (4:08)

2a. Ludwig    (2:33)

b. The Kings Chocolate Waltz    (2:52)

c. Blue Grotto    (3:33)

3. 5.5.55    (3:13)

4. Emigrant Song   (3:23)

5. La Krautoma    (4:45)

Side B.

1. Metropolis    (3:38)

2. Loosey Girls    (5:20)

3. Gala Gnome    (1:18)

4. Top Of The Mud    (3:44)

5. Mr.Krauts Jinx    (8:48)

Personal: -

Renate Knaup: Vocals

Robby Heibl: Vocals, Bass, Guitars and Violin

Chris Karrer: Vocals, Guitar, Banjo and Violin

Peter Leopold: Drums and Percussion

Falk U Rogner: Synthesizer and Organ

Nando Tischer: Vocals and Guitar

John Weinzierl: Guitar

Thor Baldursson: Keyboards

Heinz Becker: Timpani, Gong and Percussion

Lee Harper: Trumpet, Brass Section

Bobby Jones: Saxophone (Solos on ‘Loosey Girls’)

Jurgen S.Korduletsch: Additional Backing Vocals and Producer

Helmut Sonnleitner: First Violin and String Section

A rolling timpani and clashes of cymbals announce the theatrical opening bars of ‘Overture’. A prelude orchestral snippet of all the tunes to come, it is used in a similar fashion to the same titled song on The Who’s ‘Tommy’.
This Wagner evoking composition transcends his ‘Ring Cycle’ stiffness and is instead an uproarious celebration of this inspired requiem that Amon Duul II have set sail on.
Played out in full classical pomp this overture of sorts’ sets us up for the 150-year journey through Germanys history.
The track makes its way through all the different melodies on this album, 8 bars or so of each song to come is given the ceremonial treatment before a final clash of the gong and the next track ‘Wir Wollen’ strikes up.
Roughly translated as Come On!, this rock steady instrumental groover continues the classical mood. Old joy de vie orchestral pieces from past dead German composers interact with the lead guitar of John Weinzierl as the percussion crashes about in the background., culminating in an epic finale.
‘Wilhelm Wilhelm’ breezes along on some hip riffs as Renate and Chris Karrer enter the fray with their harsh Germanic tones that tell the tale of King Wilhelm I of Prussia (between 1861 – 1888) and later on the whole of united Germany (1871 – 1888).
Wilhelm had fought against Napoleon in his youth and went onto to rule the kingdom of Prussia before eventually brow beating all the separate states, of what was to become Germany, into eventual unification.
He famously appointed Otto Von Bismarck as his Prime Minister, which was in part due to the ill feeling and distrust between the royal household and parliament. Bismarck was to act as his man on the inside and to be sympathetic to the Kings views but this gave way to him taking on most of the decisions and led to him gaining most of the real power.
Added to this the founding of the a new Fatherland were plots of assassination by anarchist and left wing groups, which led to draconian laws being introduced against the liberals and free thinkers. King Wilhelm was lucky to escape with his life and was wounded in one of these attempts, which he saw as a wake up call and prompted a lock down mentality and placed the country in a militarised state, ring any bells!
Our three-minute funky number encapsulates all this background into a poppy little ditty that is both sung in English and their native tongue. A chiming melody and a crunchy wah wah effects driven guitar gives this song an almost rock disco feel, whilst Peter Leopold lets loose on the cymbals that end in an eruption.
The strange and exotic titled ‘SM II Peng’ is next up, another instrumental interlude. It ambles along in fine fettle abandon riffing off a 12 bar blues boogie with the accompaniment of some spooky sounding effects from Falk U Rogner. The track sounds like a cheerful wander through a graveyard or a sit down at an séance in a Gothic palace.
This is followed by another instrumental segue way entitled ‘Elevators Meets Whispering’, which apart from its strange use of English is another slice of mysterious creepy and misty fog bound graveyard atmospherics.
Our odd curio is given some gravitas from Weinzierl and his strung out haunting guitar strums before this short interruption abruptly ends and makes way for the big guns.
‘Metropolis’ begins with a grand piano, which accompanies a staccato riff of rock as Renate’s sultry Teutonic tones gloriously paint a picture of 1920’s Weimar through the films of Fritz Lang.
Lang and his most famous work of art ‘Metropolis’ is dissected and referenced throughout the tune, nods to both locations and the underlying plot are connected to paint a picture of disillusionment. Angles, Dr.Mabuse and Zeppelins all pop up, as the workers remain left at the bottom of a modern day version of the Tower of Babel. As in the biblical tale a common language is lost between those in control who reached the peek by standing on the underclass’s faces and those who ended up in a shitpile after building futile monuments to false ideologies.
This expressionistic romp both mixes Sparks and Roxy Music into a boogie Euro stomp; Renate adds a dose of eccentricity with her approach to the vocals that are sung with enthusiasm but also with the hint of cynicism. She sounds like a heroine from one of Klimts paintings or an oracle from Wagners ‘Valkyrie’. This is one of the albums many highlights.

Next up is the three-part story arc suite of poor old King Ludwig, a much maligned and ridiculed figure from German history.
The first of these acts is ‘Ludwig’ which tells the tale of his apparent suicide by drowning, though a strange plot to get rid of him by his ministers makes for a good conspiracy theory.
Ludwig II of Bavaria was brought up in a privileged world and he inherited his fathers’ exuberance for fantasy and myth. His love of arts and music led to him patronising the controversial Richard Wagner, who had been involved in anti-establishment intrigues and had run away once after taking part in protests. This lonely king was more at ease with images of old folklore and Arthurian legend then with the day-to-day running of his country.
After the unification of all the individual kingdoms by Wilhelm, Ludwig stayed on his throne but with a diminished role. Following his late fathers building plan of extensive palaces and castles, he plunged his domain into bankruptcy. Not wishing to take advice from his ministers he threatened them with being removed.
Plots to have the king certified as mentally unstable were slowly put into place, a hasty draft was sent for approval to Bismarck himself who dismissed the claims.
Another attempt with the involvement of four prominent physicians of the day sealed his fate, though he didn’t come quietly and its alleged he may have been shot whilst escaping on Lake Starnberg. It was announced to the world that he had committed suicide but we know better – right?
‘Ludwig’ crams all of this background into a satire inspired boogie that has Renate on lead vocals again.
‘The Kings Chocolate Waltz’ is an instrumental stopgap built around a sad sounding Wurlitzer loop. Some echo and deep reverb drenched guitars are added to the stirring ambience.
Our short story arc is finalised with ‘Blue Grotto’, with its poetic and crooned delivery from Renate. Ludwig and his eccentricities are given an airing in this ballad to the misunderstood actions of the deluded king.
What chance did he have when he was famously brought up in the Disney like palace of Neushwanstein, which was situated near to Schwansee or under its better-known moniker Swan Lake. In fact Ludwig was nicknamed the Swan King after it.
All the references in this song are adhered to in the true misfortunes of the foppish monarch, moonlight picnics and hanky panky in the nude with his male servants add to the fascinating tale of a little boy lost.
Renate has named this her favourite song in the whole Amon Duul catalogue.

Leaving behind the fateful old charming Ludwig we end the first part of the album with the eight minute long tale of ‘Mr.Krauts Jinx’. A heavily German toned vocal from Karrer sets up the story of our unfortunate character Mr.Kraut, more of that tongue in cheek approach of self-disdain.
Our character is exploring the Valley Of Kings in Egypt on some cheap package tour I expect though this one ends with him being beamed up by extra terrestrials. This unforeseen addition to his holiday sees him travel through the cosmos before he is promptly placed in a space zoo as the latest exhibit. Some anthropologist type of table turning or reference to the search by right wing ideologist for a white superman we can’t be sure. But over the course of the song we go from a warm acoustic introduction in the vain of Dylan before we progress to what amounts to some thrashing out rock aspirations.
The end of our story is a kind of positive as Mr.Kraut is thrown a concubine of well-equipped proportions to spend his eternity with; our man now has a smile on his face.
A final refrain of “Cause future ain’t tomorrow, future is today” rings out in uplifting defiance or because ones fate is finally sealed.
Karrer seems to have a few problems with singing this track, as he almost goes out of tune with some of the lines.
I’m at odds with this track as it remains in my eyes a bit of a filler and lets the whole album down with its almost Euro embarrassing direction.

The second part of the album starts with the country rock inspired buoyant jaunt of ‘Wide-Angle’. Renate is at her ‘All Years Round’ best as she reminisces about the days of self abandon in the Munich communes. Dropping acid and hanging onto every word of a lost love interest that long since moved on and left the original principles of change back at the bed-sit.
Both the aspirations and drugs are now replaced in the stars backstage with “compromised cocktails” lavishly bestowed upon our band by the new suit wearing management. I can’t help but think this is a dig at how their music has been adopted into a more commercial arena along with bands like Can who after 7 or 8 years have finally to a point compromised their sound.
‘Three Eyed Overdrive’ is another one of those instrumental interludes, which features more haunting synths and organs. This time the main thrust is a pulsating synth that becomes pretty disturbing as it moodily stews away.

Karrer delivers a heavy burdening thick German accent in the next tune ‘Emigrant Song’. Cuckolding a parody driven lament to the story of the first German settlers to try and make their way in the USA. Escaping all the loons and stiffs from back home they hope to take a slice of the new world but end up in the inhospitable lands of Sierra Nevada. It would take brave men indeed to tame this mountainous region which had the worst of both climates, it could be either stiflingly melting hot or become snow bound frozen tomb.
Some stereotyping of German traits is delivered with an outburst of banjo and homage to the Native Indians history as penned by Bob Dylan.

The paintings of Otto Dix, Max Beckmann and George Grosz influence the Weimar Republic hedonism of ‘Loosey Girls’.
Heavy doses of Pink Floyd era ‘Meddle’ are played out over this alluring jazz number, which features a saxophone solo and the hard pressed vocals of Karrer.
A cabaret inspired world of depravity in the days before the stirrings of the far right put an end to such loose times, this song weaves a heartfelt poem of woe as our prostitute heroine falls into a society of despair. It all sounds like Karrer has seen it happen too many times, though it has quite a moving melody and hits the right spot even though it carries some sentimentality.
‘Top Of The Mud’ ups the tempo as we get a heavy rock rendition of blues that ends in a glam infused knock at the current music scene. Renate and Karrer sing in unison as they lampoon their own route from space rock troubadours playing music from another dimension to the more structured ambitions of recent years. With lines like “might not be much fun, without any fans” they comment on their own situation within the industry and sound jaded and knocked about by the increasing lack of faith in what they are doing. Though it is unfair as this album could be their best.

Confidently sweeping in is the heavy South American tango tinged ‘Dreams’. Passionate Cuban like sounds and melody infused with the ruminants of a flamingo style shindig add to this track that has Karrer swoon about sharing thoughts of a love that got away through his dreams.
A segue way instrumental ‘Gala Gnome’ intrudes proceedings with an ambient brief interlude. Delayed synth combined with a low engine like hum produce an unnerving breather before the next song ‘5.5.55’ arrives to much anticipation.
Better known as the 5th of May 1955 this is the date that West Germany gained full sovereignty, though the US kept its presence there hoping to put off any plans the Soviets might have creeping over the boarder.
The economic miracle of which this track speaks started off through the seeds of the Marshall plan and catapulted the Germans to becoming one of worlds most productive and eventually rich economies. By 1973 they had help found the G6 nations group and became the industrial capital of Europe, all within thirty years of the end of the war.
Contrary to belief they didn’t exactly get away with it easily as both culturally and scientifically all intellectual property was either appropriated by the US or swallowed up into the allied nations own companies.
Both France and the UK received more money through the Marshall plan then Germany, it wasn’t until the Eighties that we in the UK paid our debt off. Germany had paid a higher interest fee off and eventually by the mid Seventies had got rid of its debt.
All this is adhered to in the song as this rock heavy jolting tune asks what could have been, space programmes are both mentioned in the sense of lost opportunity but also pilloried as being paid for by those who can’t afford it.
A reference is also made to the Kraupp dynasty, a 400 year old industrial family who owned some of the biggest steel and ammunitions factories in the country. Sympathetically playing to whoever was in charge at the time the family business survived most leaderships. A cosy relationship with the Nazi party helped them get all the major contracts to supply the army.
Alfried Kraupp was head of the company at the time of the thirties and forties, an opportune shady wheeler-dealer he used slave labour during the war supplied by an ever-helpful Herr Hitler. Alfried got cold feet after the failure of the German invasion of Russia and started to siphon off money and try to keep a distance from the regime. After the war he was put up for war crimes and received a 12 year sentence and made to sell off his company, but here’s the sickening part. No one brought his business and after spending half his initial sentence incarcerated he was allowed out to take control again. This reinforces in part the underlying mistrust by the next generation who inevitably ended up trying to overthrow the system.

At the end of ‘5.5.55’ there is a short interjection. In the style of a shock jock US radio interview, a rambling 80 syllables a second ranter puts across questions to Hitler as though he was questioning the leader of some band. Hitler answers with snippets of his original speeches as our DJ mockingly goads him. This interview builds up with what sounds like an audience waiting in a theatre for the performance to begin. All of a sudden they all break out into a feverent applause and cheering as Amon Duul II strike up their last jam. It becomes apparent that this audience is the one at Nuremburg.
The six minute instrumental ‘La Krautoma’ is based on the popular South American derived ‘La Paloma’, an old folk type song that has been recreated a million times across every country. Hell Elvis used it for his hit ‘No More’.
This space rock balling freak out mixes in the old country tune as Peter Leopold lets rip with one of his most ambitious drum solos of all time.
Aggressive guitars intercede as notes are left on sustain and put through pitch shifters, whilst all hell breaks loose as pure flights of fancy take hold of the band.
As the last galactic charging rhythms and effects fade out ‘Excessive Spray’ draws this grand opus to a close.
Military played recall on the snare accompanied by ‘Yeti’ era subtle ambient stirrings end in triumph. Falk’s synth has its last say with some Gothic pretensions, whilst we feel a sudden sadness loom over the horizon. Never again would we hear Amon Duul II in such a creative manner, complete sounding even if it is a move away from the improvised jams of yore.

So ends Krautrocks most overtly ambitious and aspiring work of art, a beacon of farce that attracts only those willing to learn and willing to experience a direction in music rarely repeated.
To be fair I’ve dissected this album to the point of obsession but hope in doing so that my enthusiasm sends you in the right direction and that you don’t dismiss the record as folly or high jinx theatrics.
Though I hate bands who gabble on about their influences, Kasabian’s unexpected nod to ‘Made In Germany’ may give it some attention, the richly deserved sort of attention that bands like Neu! and Can attract with ease. Though these guys sound practically stiff and cold in comparison to this.

Amon Duul II - 'Made In Germany' 1975.

DISCOGRAPHY:-

1969 – ‘Phallus Dei’

1970 – ‘Yeti’

1971 – ‘Dance Of The Lemmings/ Tanz der Lemminge’

1972 – ‘Carnival In Babylon’

‘Wolf City’

‘Utopia’ (Side project)

1973 – ‘Live In London’ (Live)

‘Vive La Trance’

1974 – ‘Hi-Jack’

‘Lemmingmania’ (Compilation)

1975 – ‘Made In Germany’

1976 – ‘Pyragony X’

1977 -  ‘Almost Alive’

1979 – ‘Only Human’

1981 – ‘Vortex’

1987 – ‘Anthology’ (Compilation)

1989 – ‘Milestones’ (Compilation)

1992 – ‘Live In Concert :BBC recording from 1973 (Live)

1996 – ‘Eternal Flashback’

‘Kobe’ (Reconstructions)

‘Nada Moonshine’

‘Live In Tokyo’ (Live)

1997 – ‘Flawless’ (Compilation)

1999 – ‘The UA Years: 1969-1974’ (Compilation)

2000 – ‘Manana’ (Compilation)

Official site:-

http://www.amonduul.de/main.html

PART 9:- We’re off to Cologne next as we leave our Munich friends behind for the first part in the series on Krautrocks most popular group Can.

The freethinking improvised masters of everything from west coast rock to world music via cut up experimentation, changed music forever during the Seventies.
We kick off with their first album ‘Monster Movie’, heavily influenced by The Grateful Dead, Hendrix and that West Coast of the US psychedelic rock. This record includes some pretty amazing beats and playing from the guys.

Dominic Valvona.

Last week, I published a post regarding Remembrance Day.

This week, I came across an article by BBC regarding the over 1.3 million African troops that helped fight Nazis and Fascists. The article, written by Martin Plaut, BBC Africa analyst, shows Africa’s contribution to World Peace during the Second World War by fighting aggressive invaders with in Africa and even going to Europe fighting the Nazis and the Fascists.

Thanks to Martin Plaut and the BBC for brining this to its readers’ attention. I hope that the West will remember Africa’s forgotten soldiers and patriots, who fought for World Peace side by side with peace loving nations.

Ethiopian Patriot Jagamo Kello (shown in the middle) left home at just 15 to fight Italian invaders
Photo Circa 1936

Martin Plaut says,

“The 70th anniversary of World War II is being commemorated around the world, but the contribution of one group of soldiers is almost universally ignored. How many now recall the role of more than one million African troops?

Yet they fought in the deserts of North Africa, the jungles of Burma and over the skies of Germany. A shrinking band of veterans, many now living in poverty, bitterly resent being written out of history.
For Africa, World War II began not in 1939, but in 1935.

Italian Fascist troops, backed by thousands of Eritrean colonial forces, invaded Ethiopia.
Emperor Haile Selassie was forced to flee to the UK, but others, known as Patriots, fought on. Among them was Jagama Kello. Fifteen years old at the time, he left home and raised a guerrilla force that struck at the Italian invaders”.

Africa’s WWII Forgotten Soldiers in Graph

The sad part is Eritrea had 60,000 colonial troops that took side with Fascist Italy and attacked Ethiopia while the rest of Africans helped the British and Americans.

As you can see from the image above, Africa had four major colonial powers at the time:

• Britain
• France
• Italy, and
• Belgium

Ethiopia was / and has always been free from Colonialism and the 30,000 Patriots depicted on the graph are those actively participated in the defeat of Fascist Italy either with in Ethiopia or abroad. Other sources say that the 30,000 figure is way too small and estimate it to be 100,000 plus.

Ethiopia has been one of the leading countries in the UN’s peace keeping activities in the 50’s and 60’s. Ethiopian soldiers did go to Korea in early 1950’s and Kongo in early 1960’s to help out with peace keeping in those countries. Most of the Ethiopian soldiers who went to Korea and Kongo have passed away, but their legacy lives forever.

I believe nations like South Korea have a moral responsibility to help Ethiopian soldiers who were there for them in times of war. If the soldiers have died, then South Korea should help the children of those soldiers. This could be done in many ways, like giving scholarship to some universities in Korea, opening an elementary school and/or library in Ethiopia, paying a small monthly stipend to those soldiers who are still alive or their surviving family members.

On a different note, the Ethiopian governments past and present have not done much for fighters like Jagamo Kello, Abdissa Aga, and many other patriots who fought hard Fascist Italy. It is true that some have been recognized, like Balcha Hospital in Addis Ababa (named after the great warrior Balcha Aba Nefso), Belai Zellekke (a street named for his bravery). But, generally, most of the patriots have been forgotten by the government; no schools, no streets, nothing in their names.

I believe that Ethiopian historians at Addis Ababa University can bring names of forgotten Ethiopian patriots to the attention of the government for a recognition. and I hope that the time will come when all patriots will get the much deserving appreciation from the government.

The full BBC article can be read here

Have a great weekend.

My next article will be posted on November 19, 2009

The Republic of Benin, a small West African nation known for its vibrant and innovative music scene, is also home to one of the world’s leading contemporary artists: Romuald Hazoumé.

Working with many forms of media, including discarded petrol cans, oil paint, canvas and photography, Hazoumé uses art to illustrate the danger of ignoring history and to bring attention to political and cultural issues that affect his native Benin.  Breaking on to the international scene in 1992 with his brilliant collection of masks featured at the Saatchi Gallery’s Out of Africa show, Hazoumé has continued to win critical acclaim for his original works.  Jackie Wullschlager, the Art Critic for The Financial Times called his 2007 show “the most exciting thrilling art show in the world, because it is genuinely of the world rather than a Euro-American take on global culture.”

His latest exhibition, Made in Porto-Novo, is currently featured at London’s October Gallery in Bloomsbury through November 28th.  If you are unable to make it, download the program, including photographs from the show, by clicking here.  Alternatively, watch the BBC interview with a humble Hazoumé discussing this exhibition below: