London Records has released the Superchumbo remix of the Bronski Beat hit “Why” featuring Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant. This is the third remix from the upcoming 40th-anniversary deluxe reissue of Bronski Beat’s 1984 album “The Age Of Consent”, out October 18th. It follows reworks of the classic queer anthem “Smalltown Boy” by producers Absolute and Planningtorock.

The song, originally recorded at RPM Studio in New York City and mixed at Townhouse Studios in London, features lyrics that focus centrally on anti-gay prejudice. The song was written for Martin, a friend of the Bronskis who was hounded out of the country by his boyfriend’s irate and violent parents. You could say it was a sequel to their debut single “Smalltown Boy”, continuing the tale of a young gay man suffering humiliation and animosity as he tries to live his life.

The song opens with a questioning vocal by Bronski Beat frontman Jimmy Somerville and the sound of shattering glass. It was the trio’s second Top 10 success in the UK, throughout Europe, and in Australia, and is considered a popular gay anthem today.

The drawing for the original single cover, depicting a man with his head in his hands, was created by Glasgow artist Robert McAulay, who was associated with the band at the time.

Here’s what Jimmy Sommerville says about the collaboration with Tom Stephan (aka Superchumbo) on this new mix: ”I’ve known Tom for a good few years now and when I asked him if he’d like to do a remix of ‘Why?’ he said yes straight away. The song is a part of his story. I was so moved when he shared that story with me. The lyric is our shared experience as it is for so many others…and forty years later the lyric still tells the story of LGBTQi+….the hate, the violence, the discrimination, the imprisonment and state sanctioned murder of those who dare to be their true selves and it’s happening somewhere right now as I write this.”

Speaking on the rework, Tom explains: “My goal was to create an updated mix that fits well with contemporary sounds while preserving the original intensity and energy. After I submitted the mix, Jimmy asked me if I could include a few more lyrics from the original song. I had recently watched a Pet Shop Boys documentary where Neil Tennant read some of his lyrics, which moved me to tears,” he continues. “I imagined Neil speaking these lyrics, creating a powerful contrast. I left Neil a voicemail on my way to a gig abroad and by the time I reached Heathrow I had his vocals on my phone, added them to the track on my flight, and played it that night! It is a great honour to work on this iconic song with two legends who were lifelines to me while growing up gay in a small town.”

“I was fucking whooping like a banshee round my kitchen when Tom told me Neil would like to contribute! ” adds Jimmy. “To speak the lyrics of ‘Why?’ and to hear Tom’s musical reworking of the track is fucking mind-blowing. So to hear Neil, one of our greatest pop lyricists, speaking my words… It brings it into the here and now and also retains its history with my original vocal. I genuinely felt moved.”

4CD+DVD deluxe set tracklisting

The 40th-anniversary reissue of “The Age of Consent” will be available in a variety of physical and digital formats, including a 5-disc deluxe edition (4CD+DVD): featuring 4 essays by Tom Rasmussen, Lesley Chow, Lucy Robinson, and Barney Ashton-Bullock, the original album, bonus tracks, remixes, rarities, early versions, and rare radio sessions. Its DVD comes with restored promo videos, Top of the Pops performances, and original TV adverts.

Other formats include 2CD with new reworks, 2LP (with “The Age of Consent” and its neighbouring remix album “Hundreds & Thousands”), a yellow 1LP edition (Lexer Music Exclusive), and a super deluxe edition exclusive Blu Ray edition featuring “The Age of Consent” and “Hundreds & Thousands” in Dolby Atmos & 5.1 mixes.

Disc One

The Age Of Consent – The Album Plus

1. Why?
2. It Ain’t Necessarily So
3. Screaming
4. No More War
5. Love And & Money
6. Smalltown Boy
7. Heatwave
8. Junk
9. Need A Man Blues
10. I Feel Love / Johnny Remember Me
11. Smalltown Boy (Dj 7” Edit) – Bonus Track
12. Why? (Remix) – Bonus Track
13. It Ain’t Necessarily So (7” Version) – Bonus Track
14. I Feel Love (7” Version) With Marc Almond – Bonus Track
15. Run From Love (Radio Version) – Bonus Track
16. Hard Rain (Nme 7” Version) – Bonus Track

Disc Two

Hundreds & Thousands – The Remix Plus

1. Heatwave (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
2. Why (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
3. Run From Love (Dominic Maita Remix)
4. Hard Rain (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
5. Smalltown Boy (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
6. Junk (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
7. Love And Money (Hundreds & Thousands Remix) * – Bonus Track
8. Infatuation / Memories – Bonus Track
9. Close To The Edge – Bonus Track
10. I Feel Love (Cake Mix) With Marc Almond – Bonus Track
11. Cadillac Car (Extended) – Bonus Track

Disc Three

Consent Extended – The 12 Inches Plus

1. Smalltown Boy (12” Version)
2. Why? (12” Version)
3. It Ain’t Necessarily So (12” Version)
4. I Feel Love (12” Version) With Marc Almond
5. Run From Love (Us Club Remix ‘85) *
6. Smalltown Boy (Us Club Remix ‘84) *
7. Red Dance
8. The Potato Fields
9. Puit D’amour
10. Signs (And Wonders)
11. I Feel Love (Fruit Mix)

Disc Four

Ignore At Your Peril – The Rarities Plus

1. Smalltown Boy (Capital Radio Session, May ‘84) *
2. Heatwave (Capital Radio Session, May ‘84) *
3. Hard Rain (Capital Radio Session, May ‘84 )*
4. Why? (Early Version, March ‘84) *
5. Crazy Maraquitta (Studio Session) *
6. It Ain’t Necessarily So (Early Version) *
7. Upside Down (Studio Session) *
8. Screaming (Early Version, March ‘84) *
9. The Power Of The Gold (Studio Session) *
10. Love And Money (Early Version) *
11. First Church (Feel Love) (Studio Session) *
12. Junk (Early Version 2) *
13. Walking (Studio Session) *
14. No More War (Early Version) *
15. Go (You & Me) (Studio Session) *
16. Close To The Edge (Early Alternate Extended Mix) *
17. Heatwave (Early Version) *
18. The Other Side Of The Tracks (Studio Session) *
19. Smalltown Boy (Early Version, March ‘84) *

Disc Five

The First Chapter – The Videos Plus [Dvd]

1. Official Music Videos
2. Smalltown Boy (Restored Promo)
3. Why? (Restored Promo)
4. It Ain’t Necessarily So (Restored Promo)
5. I Feel Love (Restored Promo) With Marc Almond
6. Top Of The Pops Performances
7. Smalltown Boy (Bbc ‘Top Of The Pops’, June ‘84)
8. Why? (Bbc ‘Top Of The Pops’, September ‘84)
9. It Ain’t Necessarily So (Bbc ‘Top Of The Pops’, December ‘84)
10. I Feel Love (Bbc ‘Top Of The Pops’, April ‘85) With Marc Almond
11. Original Tv Adverts
12. The Age Of Consent – Tv Advert #1 (December ‘84) *
13. The Age Of Consent – Tv Advert #2 (January ‘85) *

* Previously Unreleased

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo via London Records) London Records will mark the 40th anniversary of the iconic Bronski Beat debut album, “The Age of Consent”, with a series of deluxe reissues available on October 18, 2024. Fans can pre-order these reissues at bronskibeat.tmstor.es.

In conjunction with the reissue, London Records has released a new remix of “Smalltown Boy”’” by Planningtorock. This artist, known for queering sound and visual art, has previously collaborated with Lady Gaga, Robyn, and Christine and The Queens. The remix can be listened to below.

Jimmy Somerville, reflecting on the album, said, “When there is something we do in our life that can have such an impact on other peoples’ lives, and to be told this by others, it’s humbling. ‘The Age of Consent’ is, and always will be, such a special part of my life.”

Planningtorock shared their thoughts on the remix as well: “I first saw ‘Smalltown Boy’ on telly back in 1984 when I was twelve. I remember it having a big impact on me even then. Just loved how it told the story so directly like a mini documentary but as a music clip sharing a gay experience that was sad to watch but at the same time so empowering. Those early years as a queer trans kid were so lonely for me and Bronski Beat made me feel less alone showing me how music can help you translate a painful experience into something liberating.”

Released in 1984, “The Age of Consent” was a pioneering album addressing LGBTQ+ rights and struggles. The album remains relevant today, reflecting ongoing issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community. Its original release included a listing of ages of consent worldwide, symbolizing both the progress made and the challenges still ahead.

The 40th-anniversary reissue will be available in various formats, including a 5-Disc Deluxe Edition (4CD+DVD), a 2CD set with new reworks, a 2LP set, a yellow 1LP edition, and a Super Deluxe Edition exclusive Blu-Ray. The deluxe edition features essays, remixes, rarities, and restored promo videos.

Tracklisting for the 4CD+DVD Deluxe Edition

Disc One: The Age of Consent – The Album Plus

1. Why?
2. It Ain’t Necessarily So
3. Screaming
4. No More War
5. Love and Money
6. Smalltown Boy
7. Heatwave
8. Junk
9. Need a Man Blues
10. I Feel Love / Johnny Remember Me
11. Smalltown Boy (DJ 7” Edit) – Bonus track
12. Why? (Remix) – Bonus track
13. It Ain’t Necessarily So (7” Version) – Bonus track
14. I Feel Love (7” Version) with Marc Almond – Bonus track
15. Run from Love (Radio Version) – Bonus track
16. Hard Rain (NME 7” Version) – Bonus track

Disc Two: Hundreds & Thousands – The Remix Plus

1. Heatwave (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
2. Why (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
3. Run from Love (Dominic Maita Remix)
4. Hard Rain (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
5. Smalltown Boy (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
6. Junk (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
7. Love and Money (Hundreds & Thousands Remix) – Bonus track
8. Infatuation / Memories – Bonus track
9. Close to the Edge – Bonus track
10. I Feel Love (Cake Mix) with Marc Almond – Bonus track
11. Cadillac Car (Extended) – Bonus track

Disc Three: Consent Extended – The 12 Inches Plus

1. Smalltown Boy (12” Version)
2. Why? (12” Version)
3. It Ain’t Necessarily So (12” Version)
4. I Feel Love (12” Version) with Marc Almond
5. Run from Love (US Club Remix ‘85) – Bonus track
6. Smalltown Boy (US Club Remix ‘84) – Bonus track
7. Red Dance
8. The Potato Fields
9. Puit D’Amour
10. Signs (And Wonders)
11. I Feel Love (Fruit Mix)

Disc Four: Ignore at Your Peril – The Rarities Plus

1. Smalltown Boy (Capital Radio Session, May ‘84) – Bonus track
2. Heatwave (Capital Radio Session, May ‘84) – Bonus track
3. Hard Rain (Capital Radio Session, May ‘84) – Bonus track
4. Why? (Early Version, March ‘84) – Bonus track
5. Crazy Maraquitta (Studio Session) – Bonus track
6. It Ain’t Necessarily So (Early Version) – Bonus track
7. Upside Down (Studio Session) – Bonus track
8. Screaming (Early Version, March ‘84) – Bonus track
9. The Power of the Gold (Studio Session) – Bonus track
10. Love and Money (Early Version) – Bonus track
11. First Church (Feel Love) (Studio Session) – Bonus track
12. Junk (Early Version 2) – Bonus track
13. Walking (Studio Session) – Bonus track
14. No More War (Early Version) – Bonus track
15. Go (You & Me) (Studio Session) – Bonus track
16. Close to the Edge (Early Alternate Extended Mix) – Bonus track
17. Heatwave (Early Version) – Bonus track
18. The Other Side of the Tracks (Studio Session) – Bonus track
19. Smalltown Boy (Early Version, March ‘84) – Bonus track

Disc Five: The First Chapter – The Videos Plus [DVD]

1. Official Music Videos
   • Smalltown Boy (Restored Promo)
   • Why? (Restored Promo)
   • It Ain’t Necessarily So (Restored Promo)
   • I Feel Love (Restored Promo) with Marc Almond
2. Top of the Pops Performances
   • Smalltown Boy (BBC ‘Top of the Pops’, June ‘84)
   • Why? (BBC ‘Top of the Pops’, September ‘84)
   • It Ain’t Necessarily So (BBC ‘Top of the Pops’, December ‘84)
   • I Feel Love (BBC ‘Top of the Pops’, April ‘85) with Marc Almond
3. Original TV Adverts
   • The Age of Consent – TV Advert #1 (December ‘84) – Bonus track
   • The Age of Consent – TV Advert #2 (January ‘85) – Bonus track

About Bronski Beat

Formed in 1983 in London, Bronski Beat was an influential British synthpop trio known for their groundbreaking music and outspoken advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. The original lineup included Steve Bronski (keyboards, percussion), Larry Steinbachek (keyboards, percussion), and Jimmy Somerville (vocals).

Their debut single, “Smalltown Boy”, released in 1984, became an instant hit. The song’s poignant narrative about a young gay man facing homophobia and isolation resonated deeply with listeners. It climbed the charts, reaching number three in the UK. Later in 1984, Bronski Beat released their debut album, “The Age of Consent”. The inner sleeve listed the ages of consent for homosexual acts worldwide. The album produced other hits like “Why?” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So”.

In 1985, lead vocalist Jimmy Somerville left Bronski Beat to form The Communards with Richard Coles. Despite his departure, Bronski Beat continued, recruiting John Foster (also known as Jon Jon) as their new lead singer. The band released the album “Truthdare Doubledare” in 1986, which included the hit single “Hit That Perfect Beat”.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Bronski Beat underwent several lineup changes, with the late Steve Bronski remaining the constant member. They continued to release music, though with less commercial success than their early years. In the 2010s, Steve Bronski reformed the band with new members and continued to perform and release new music.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

A few weeks ago Psy’Aviah returned with a brand new EP, “City In Flames”, the last single taken from the band’s “Soul Searching” album. “City In Flames” handles the very current issue of psychological and physical isolation refugees are going through mixing human trauma and drama, which nowadays might even tend to be even more eclipsed by the global pandemic that keeps disrupting our society.

For this release Yves Schelpe collaborated with American artist Ellia Bisker, who is also the female singer of Sweet Soubrette and Charming Disaster.

We decided to talk with Yves Schelpe, Ellia Bisker and Bernice Van Dijck who works as a social worker in Filet Divers, an organization in Antwerp for people living in poverty. Yves met Bernice through the project “Samen Inburgeren” which matches newcomers with buddies to smoothen the integration.

A trio who clearly have a lot more to say on the subject. We threw them some questions!

SL: Can you briefly tell us what your background is and how you came to get in contact with Yves, Bernice as in meeting Yves – and Ellia as getting involved in this song. What attracted you to it?

YVES: Me and my girlfriend actually signed up for what is called “Samen Inburgeren” in the local Antwerp office, we were then matched to our “buddies” (newcomers who wanted to get someone who they can sort of explore the city with, get to learn the environment and build up a network). I met Bernice, I think, the first workshop we had together with out buddies, and later on at several other events!

BERNICE: I’m a social worker in Filet Divers, an organization in Antwerp for people living in poverty. I’m the projectleader of Samen Inburgeren. We match people who want to know the city (and its citizens) better and the language with people who wants to know what it ‘s like to be ‘new’ in Antwerp/people who want to help others with feeling good in this city. It ‘s my job to get people in touch with each other, to see if buddies are fine together, to organize multiple events a year to meet other buddies etc. Both Yves and his wife had someone who they met regularly within the project.

ELLIA: I’m an American singer/songwriter/musician based in New York City. Yves and I have never met in person, but we’ve been collaborating on and off since 2014, when he remixed a track that I had released with my project Sweet Soubrette, “Live Wire.” A little while later he asked if I would contribute vocals to one of his tracks, which I was excited about, but I also let him know I was interested in collaborating as a lyricist and he was open to that idea. Working with Yves has been great because I feel there is a lot of generosity and very little ego involved. It’s an exciting challenge to find the right words and convey a sense of meaning within another artist’s musical composition. We’ve now collaborated in this way on three Psy’Aviah tracks, with “City in Flames” the most recent. “City in Flames” was a bit different from the other two songs, as Yves had a really specific idea in mind for this one and some lyrics already written, so I had to channel his vision as well as the refugee story that he wanted the song to convey. I think the experience of people who are displaced by war or other circumstances is such an important issue, and it was an honor to try to capture it in this song in a way that would let listeners feel it for themselves.

SL: Integration is considered to be the way to get newcomers to become full citizens. However, we see it’s not a linear story where all goes as planned. What hurdles do you see?

YVES: Correct, I think people need to be aware that “integration” is a word that for me doesn’t really exist, or at least is very hard to define. When are you integrated? Even when living in Antwerp, my own city, I often wonder – am I integrated into the society as other people are? So this is where the problem starts, seeing “integration” from only one perspective (most of the time your own) is limiting the scope, and even essentially defining how a human would function as perfect or as normal in your idealized society. That’s one big hurdle I see, the tunnel vision where people get lost in. I always advice those people to visit the museum we have in Antwerp called “The Red Star Line Museum”, where you see that about 120 years ago mass immigration took place to the US and Canada from European countries – and how that affected things. It puts a lot in perspective, certainly because you see that immigration is something that has always existed, for the same reasons, and that it is a human thing to do. Most utter “integration” and “migration” without thinking about what they really mean with these words and concepts, or have no historical background – and often don’t reflect upon what it means for different people, as well as the “newcomers”. So, I’d say, creating awareness around the fact that “integration” comes in different shades of grey is the biggest hurdle, the biggest challenge when talking about this. Education thus, for everyone, is the biggest hurdle.

BERNICE: I mostly follow Yves’ ideas. You see, once we made an exercise about ‘integration’. What does it mean? What ‘s in it for the one who is integrating? What’s in it for society? Is someone who just like to sit at home and not joining the party’s in the street not integrated? Even we as professionals just got more questions instead of answers. And I think this shows how hard it can be to be new somewhere. You know you have to integrate, but what does it exactly mean? The most important thing I guess is that both society and newcomers are ready to meet eachother and respect eachother. When you can get in touch with and you are willing to learn from eachother, there can be a happy place for everyone.

ELLIA: As an American I’m not exactly qualified to answer this question, but I wanted to mention that immigration is of course an important issue here in the U.S. as well. Even though we are a nation of immigrants (my own ancestors were Jews fleeing oppression in Eastern Europe in the early 20th century), there is so much anti-immigrant rhetoric, particularly with respect to people coming from Mexico and Latin America, and so much racism (not to mention mistreatment and abuses at the border) in response to people who are often fleeing desperate situations to come here. As Yves mentioned, people migrating to find better circumstances is not a new phenomenon.

SL: In the past I have been giving extra Dutch courses to newcomers to speed up their integration. Those people were willing to integrate and did their best, but I think there is a blind spot of people which we never reached and which kinda disappeared from our radar. How do you see this?

YVES: It’s a point I wanted to touch upon in the song and music video, we often think giving materialistic & educational support is enough. The mental support often lacks in the trajectories people go through. Where within our own country we still have a big stigma talking about mental health, or giving people the much needed support – that is for me the most lacking part, and to come back upon the previous question; another hurdle. Mental issues, and gaining trust, dealing with these situations is a big step. When someone is depressed, or is struggling, it is hard to pick up & learn new things – for anyone, and especially someone who’s vulnerable and in a new country. Studies do also show that not everyone will ever be able to speak another language perfectly, or climb higher on the scale of knowing that language. Certainly the older you are, and the baggage you carry, but I’m sure Bernice can fill in the blanks more here…

BERNICE: I think as a society we still have a lot to learn. In Filet Divers – the organization where I work – I meet a lot of people who do not have a legit ID-card. Those people are extremely vulnerable. As I see it personally, those people may not even integrate: they may not volunteer nor work, they may not go to Dutch class, they may not have an entry pass for the library and so on. Even though they try their very best, life is rough on them. But even if you have a legit ID-card, life can be pretty hard. We see so many people struggling to find a proper job and a good place to live. We’re seeing every day that if your Dutch isn’t that good, the struggle is way more harder. Let me be clear: I think it’s good that you have a similar language to communicate. It makes living together much easier. But I think the focus on learning the language is too hard right now. Even research shows us that if you’re living in stress, learning new things is super hard. Just because your head is full of ‘surviving’, new things will not get in that easily.

SL: My wife who is from Mexico has been following language courses in mixed classes. She often told me that several male classmates showed no respect at all for the female fellow classmates and actually didn’t bother to listen to what the female teachers were saying or asking, because of their disdain for women. As a woman how do you cope with this?

BERNICE: Now, this is a hard one. This has something to do with preconceptions I think, from both ways. Of course, it’s not up me to say who’s wrong or right. Tough I think it must have been very challenging for both the teacher as for the classmates. In Filet Divers I’m most of the time see the opposite of what’s described here. For example: we see that in Samen Inburgeren a lot of young men are asking for a woman to be in buddy with. I never understood why, always explaining that we are not a place for dating or to find love. Ever since I started to really ask in several questions why they do prefer a man of woman, I start to understand better. Now I know that in many religions the woman is the one for the real conversations. They are the teachers, the ‘talkers’, the ones who will ‘help you out’ with psychological difficulties. Ever since I know that, it’s way more easy to have the proper conversation why man X would be much better company than woman X.

SL: In respect to that, the reaction towards LGBT fellow students was just abysmal. I doubt that pure talking will solve anything? Having said that, language is the power towards a good integration. What are the extras you pay attention to?

YVES: For me talking face to face is always the key point. Talking openly, about how I view the world and what ideas I have. But most importantly I learned to listen (even more), and to see where they’re coming from. I did not have an encounter where any of my buddies had problems with LGBTQI+ communities, so I can’t go deeper into that. But then again, the people migrating here that I worked and talked with, often are more open towards those subjects as one might initially think. I think it depends from person to person, as well as talking and getting a conversation going. I am an atheist, and in that sense we can talk about that for example. If you take the time and both parties are open to listen and form ideas, which to an extent works of course. The main part for me is, visiting places with them and showing them the world. Explaining the context. By explaining similarities we find a lot more common ground, enjoying experiences together forms a deeper bound than talking alone. So you have to combine it.

BERNICE: I totally agree with Yves! What I see, is ‘pure talking’ will never help. You also have to be able to listen properly. And that’s where it hurts a lot of the time. I’m not sure how to say it without hurting someone… You see, I am 100% supporting the LGBT movement. I truly believe that love is love. But the communication has to be ‘open’ all the time. We do not only have to talk to convince someone, but also to understand others, although they seem to think ‘wrong’. That‘s something I see a lot in the project Samen Inburgeren. Most of the people who are starting, they start from ‘the opposites’. They see someone who is new here, who doesn’t speak their language that good, who believes in (another) God(s),… After one year we do an evaluation. For me, it’s a magical moment. Almost everyone will tell me that they are not that different. In the end, they just want their kids to be happy or have a nice meal at the end of the day. Everyone likes to find a meaning in life or to love and be loved. But you see, it takes people one year to understand this. One year of talking and listening.

SL: You do book succes stories with the buddies but how do you feel about the failed stories?

BERNICE: I create the buddies, support them, bring the buddies together etc. The buddies who last a year or longer, are always the ones who are open to each other. If something doesn’t seem nice or strange, they dare to talk about it. It takes guts to do that. Sometimes it’s difficult to know if you may or may not ask about things. I know that a lot of starting buddies wonder why someone flees his or her country, if this person was a boat refugee, how long they had to walk, if they see their family,… I get a lot of questions when those kind of questions can get asked. My answer is always the same: as long as you are respectful, you can ask each other anything.

SL: Ellia, Is there any kind of buddy system like this you are aware of in the US? Where the focus on mental health + getting a “network of friends or people you can rely on” is setup for refugees, or newcomers?

ELLIA: I’m not aware of an individual buddy system like this in the US, although there are many organizations (from government agencies to nonprofit organizations to church groups) doing valuable work to help immigrants get settled, access legal and educational resources, and find a community.

BERNICE: In Belgium (and I guess in whole Europe) we have tons of buddy projects, in all kind of ways with all kinds of people. If you scroll through Google, it shows an amazing range of projects. If people reading this are interested, I would just suggest to open Google and start looking if there’s a project in your neighborhood!

SL: What is the key for succes for a good integration you think?

YVES: I think that it boils down to letting go of the word “integration”, I will likely be repeating myself, but if you think hard and deep about it, then where do you draw the line. When is someone integrated? Is it something measurable? (No). Does it change over time and generations? (Yes). So it is in constant flux, the big key to the kingdom of succes for me is that people talk and see the world from both sides. In essence, that’s the only way we will ever reach a type I civilization (or a global civilization) on the Kardashev scale, as Carl Sagan touched upon – which is both technological innovation but very much a psychological revolution as well for human race. And the implications of that, or the boundaries for reaching that I tried to describe in another song called “Our Common Future ft. Kyoko Baertsoen”, which many think is about global warming – but essentially it deals about the things or dangers that are holding us back to reach that planetary civilization (or Type I civilization). It is very cultural based, so hence why I always emphasize on education on every part of the world, and critical thinking. Without tearing apart cultural habits, or forms of theatre or music – those are two different things.

SL: Ellia and Yves, how do you feel music can make a difference in this?

ELLIA: Music — listening to it as well as making it — is an international language that rewards curiosity, collaboration, being open to new ideas as well as respecting traditions. Connecting through music is something that can happen whether or not you share a verbal language, it transcends age and ideology and national origin. I think opportunities to appreciate and participate in music are an incredibly powerful way to connect people, when those who might not have other obvious ways to connect.

BERNICE: As I see it, music connects. Some people like lyrics, others like sounds or beats, some people like dancing, others like listening or singing.. I barely know people who just do not like it at all. Just like Ellia said, it’s a language that everyone can speak in some kind of way.

YVES: For me it’s another form of talking about subjects and raising awareness. For some topics I write blogposts, for some topics I write songs and for others I do both. Music can, often without words, make us come closer together. With our buddies for example we had a lot of fun exploring flemish music, and even I discovered classic works I didn’t know or had forgotten. We go to concerts together, and just try to have fun. If then they have questions about things – we answer as we feel the world works, with as much context and differences we see. It also a means to broaden their network, bringing them out to concerts, or musea, sporting events – that’s where you meet new people.

SL: I have always thought, and am actually convinced that music can serve as a perfect medium to let people accept new ideas and cultures. For instance I have been checking out Sufism and its music because I discovered the music from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan for instance. In Istanbul I visited a sufism school, watched their dances, and so on. Not that I got converted, but I tend to try and check out several different things. The same goes for world music thanks to Dead Can Dance, Yasmin Levy, Recoil or even Peter Murphy who has been incorporating lots of eastern elements in his solo material. And now the question :). What are your worldly influences Yves & Ellia?

ELLIA: I’ve been exposed to a lot of Balkan brass and choral music through the brass music scene (I sing with a 20-piece brass-punk band called Funkrust Brass Band), and have grown to love the complex time signatures, untempered vocals and strange (to me) harmonies. And I’ve recently been getting more into African music, especially West Africa — I know that’s a huge category but there’s a great show on Columbia University’s radio station, WKCR, that has introduced me to some incredible sounds and artists from all over the African continent — Amadou Balaké, Le Grand Kallé, TPOK Jazz, Fatoumata Diawara.

YVES: As Psy’Aviah fans are aware, we don’t shy away from any form of music… from classical and traditional music of different cultures, to deep and even forgotten or small communities. I can find gems everywhere. I try to listen and take whatever influence I can get. On “Soul Searching” it was apparent of course, but there are those ethnic or other-worldly influences which stood symbol of the journey a person makes on his quest of searching: soul searching, living your life, learning every day. Even learning why you don’t like something. For me the band(s) Moby and Faithless embody this the most, if you look at their catalogue – you’ll find very different influences over and over again. They don’t shy away from it, which I like, even though it’s not always a “hit” success with the fans.

SL: What hurdles do you encounter in order to have a succes story with a newcomer?

YVES: Let me say that a succes story doesn’t necessarily exist. Making a connection face to face from human to human and getting a basic understanding, even without as little as words, can be a connection and a success story for me. I can only talk about what I have experienced so far, and for me, thus the biggest hurdle can be language. But, that is only normal, so you get quite adapted to that yourself – talking slower is key, until they pick up, being patient… The biggest hurdle I had personally is not being “a teacher”, but rather being someone “to hang out with”, and that’s thus a thing that’s so important. You’re there to have fun with, to be trusted, draw your own lines, talk openly about it, and I must say that Bernice and her team do everything they can to guide that process in workshops with the buddies. Which is a great learning experience for both.

BERNICE: As I said before, we mainly have to learn that communication is not only talking. We have to try to be open, without losing your own beliefs (tough sometimes willing to adapt..). Success for me is that people are willing to meet each other. If they don’t know how to do it themselves, they can always join projects such as “Samen Inburgeren” ?.

SL: Where will the future lead us to according to you?

YVES: I’m not a futurist, but I touched upon it when talking about the hurdles for reaching a planetary civilization. The threats that face that, which can be found in the doomsday clock, are evidently there. Fundamentally I am a rather pessimistic person when I write my songs, or when you hear them I think. But these songs are there for a reason, to let people think critically about their own thoughts. It’s why I am a big fan of the work of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science, who see a big rise and supporting those people leaving behind cruel rituals, cruel faiths. Next to that you have in Belgium voices like Maarten Boudry and Johan Braeckman, pleading for the same essence of critical thinking, moral philosophy etc.. Furthermore I must think of people like James Randi and Derren Brown, who can take you into a more edutainment world of your own critical thinking – some of their most profound stories and specials are worth watching as they teach on religion, (blind) faith, quackery, homeopathy or a perfectly working gambling systems that never fails (look up “The System” by Derren Brown). Combine that with the efforts of a lot of Humanists, for example prof. dr. Dirk De Wachter, who I worked with on the album, for a more humane approach and a not so self-centered universe we tend to fall in… I see the world as something we can improve, but we need to keep talking about it – and not on twitter or facebook, but face to face… to find solutions together.

BERNICE: This is a difficult question for me! When my thoughts are dark, I think that we are not learning from history. I see war, anger, complaining, … But on bright days (luckily, they are the majority) I do see that people create beautiful spots to live. People do come together and collaborate. They are willing to share what they have and like to see others smile. Learning (from history) is a never ending story and I believe we have challenging times coming. But we can do it, as long as we do it together.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by Rammstein) This news remained largely unnoticed in the Western press, so we are bringing it today. The Rammstein guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe have defied Russia’s anti-LGBT laws during their set at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium by sharing a quick kiss on stage. The snog was in direct violation of the country’s gay propaganda law, which has been in effect since 2013 and which stipulates that it is a crime to present any non-traditional sexual preferences or lifestyles as normal in media or any type of public space.

The law was voted “for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values”. It was unanimously approved by the State Duma on 11 June 2013 (with just one MP abstaining—Ilya Ponomarev) and was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin on 30 June 2013.

The band also shared a picture of the ‘event’ with the caption, “Russia, We Love You!”.

View this post on Instagram

Россия, мы любим тебя! Photos: @jenskochphoto

A post shared by Rammstein (@rammsteinofficial) on Jul 30, 2019 at 10:23am PDT

And there is also a video of the ‘kiss’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Erasure have released two videos from “World Beyond”, the new album out on March 9 on Mute.

The videos are for “Oh What A World” and “Still It’s Not Over”. The last track tackles the LGBT+ rights movement post-Stonewall and highlights the band’s place within that movement. Both videos were filmed during the recording of “World Beyond”. You can watch “Oh What A World” and “Still It’s Not Over” right below.

“World Beyond” is a collaboration with Echo Collective, the Brussels based collective of post-classical musicians best known for their ongoing collaborative work with A Winged Victory for the Sullen, the late Johann Johannsson, Dustin O’Halloran and Stars of the Lid and sees the entirety of Erasure’s 2017 album, “World Be Gone”, given a post-classical rework.

“World Beyond” was recorded over ten days by Andy Bell and six performers from Echo Collective. Produced by Echo Collective, mixed by Gareth Jones and arranged by Echo Collective’s Gary De Cart, Margaret Hermant and Neil Leiter.

You can watch a short film documenting the recording process here:

The original idea for the album developed from Vince Clarke, who initially suggested that a single from “World Be Gone” could be given an orchestral reinterpretation, but as the idea expanded and took shape, he spoke at length to Echo Collective ahead of the recording.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, cinematographic, ritual.

Background/Info: Operating from San Francisco (USA), the Common Eider, King Eider collective is back on track unleashing a new opus with 4 long-duration cuts. The project claims to be ‘in direct opposition to the Trump Administration. We are against racism, fascism, bigotry, misogyny, and xenophobia. We celebrate diversity. We celebrate and advocate for women’s rights, LGBT rights, houseless people’s rights, environmental protection, and indigenous rights and indigenous land struggles. We celebrate creation through destruction’.

Content: This new opus moves on there where the last year released work “Extinction” stopped. It’s a new exploration of stormy dark & ambient music fields mixed with cinematographic passages. The haunting atmospheres are constantly hanging over the work and have a strong visual appeal. There also is a kind of cello-play (or sound) reinforcing the feeling of isolation this album has been made of. It also has a mystic expression leading the listener into an imaginary rite.

+ + + : Common Eider, King Eider accomplished a new overwhelming piece of obscure ambient music. The tracks are meticulously written, leading towards a climax, which comes through on most of the tracks. I like this constant haunting atmosphere, which also has something baleful. It creates this great visual appeal, which is an essential item when listening to good dark-ambient music. It sometimes feels a bit like a secret rite awakening evil spirits. The composition has been composed with an interesting arsenal of dark sounds and field recordings. A few screams of horror reinforce the strong emotional dimension of this work.

– – – : I especially like the final track featuring Sutekh Hexen and yet I have a problem with the final part. The track is progressively evolving towards a climax of solitude, but then falls down into an endless and less fascinating final passage. I also regret the sober artwork of the album which is in a digipak format.

Conclusion: If you like dark-ambient sensation mixed with cinematographic passages you’re definitely going to like this new album from Common Eider, King Eider. It’s an overwhelming production, which moves crescendo towards a sonic cataclysm.

Best songs: “Litha feat. Sutekh Hexen”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.facebook.com/CommonEiderKingEiderCaribouPeople

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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(This interview is a collaboration between Alfa Matrix – Side Line Music Magazine & Inferno Sound Diaries)

Officially out tomorrow, but already available now for free is the 4-track “50 Shades of Gay” download EP by Junksista. The EP is being released via Bandcamp to celebrate the international day against homophobia and transphobia. We interviewed a long range of artists involved on this free EP.

For the EP they collaborated with Valkyrie Beestings (The Priscillas,Lene Lovich Band), who you might remember from the Junksista track “Likeyourshoes”. And that’s not all,  2 other legendary figures from the electronic scene also joined the cause: Claus Larsen of Leaether Strip and Claus Kruse of Gaytron/Plastic Noise Experience. Both gay musicians delivered their very own, dancefloor-compatible versions of „50 Shades Of Gay“.

Also included is a collaboration with the American dancer Gezelle Za Belle (see picture above) who is featured in a smashing (probably NSFW) video for the track which you can view below.

And here is the video!

We decided to also interview the involved artists in this great collaboration project: Junksista, Claus Larsen, Seba Dolimont, Claus Kruse, and more!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com