Welcome to V. Vale's RE/Search Newsletter #172, January 2018 Part 1
TO RECEIVE LAST-MINUTE LOCAL S.F. BAY AREA NEWS OF RE/SEARCH-recommended EVENTS, click here.
SPONSORSHIP NEEDED! Support independent publishing. Help us keep this newsletter going. For $72 you will receive a website listing, plus space for a small message, for 6 months.
Follow V. Vale on Twitter and Instagram!
Find our podcast, RE/Search Conversations on iTunes or your favorite podcast app.
Table of contents
0: SRL GALLERY Show in New York
1: Zora Burden interviews Messer Chups (Sveltiana Zombierella)
2: Forthcoming events
3: RE/Search Conversations
4: BOOKS/ZINES/PRINT/FILMS/MUSIC/Etc
5: Recommended links
6: Quotations
7: Letters from readers
8: Sponsors (Check 'em out! - they make this newsletter possible!)
0: Survival Research Labs gallery show in New York
SRL **New York** Marlborough Gallery Show, Saturday Jan 6, 2018 - meet SRL and also RE/Search/V. Vale! NOTE: If you want V. Vale to bring you any RE/Search items for yourself or gifts for friends, please email me at [email protected] and you will save on shipping $$—meet me at the SRL event!
FREE Sat Jan 6, 4-8pm **NEW YORK CITY** Marlborough Gallery hosts a gallery show featuring Survival Research Laboratories (SRL) Mark Pauline and crew in person. Again, RE/Search plans to attend – meet us there! 545 West 25th St, NY 10001. tel 212-463-8634. Exhibition hours: Mon-Sat 10-5:30pm.
Last Copies: RE/SEARCH #4/5: Burroughs BrionGysin ThrobbingGristle paperback
Last Copies: RE/SEARCH #4/5: Burroughs BrionGysin ThrobbingGristle paperback
$30.00
View
Incredibly Strange Films
Incredibly Strange Films
$25.00
View
RE/SEARCH #6/7: Industrial Culture Handbook HARDBACK
RE/SEARCH #6/7: Industrial Culture Handbook HARDBACK
$40.00
View
PRANKS paperback "will change your life!"
PRANKS paperback "will change your life!"
$25.00
View
1: Zora Burden Interviews Messer Chups (Sveltlana Zombierella)
Zora Burden: What music were you listening to in your youth? Were there any bands or performers that inspired you to become a musician?
Sveltlana Zombierella: I preferred to listen to foreign music—never Russian. My parents, too. I grew up like lots of other kids: watching MTV with my brothers, watching other music shows. I realized it's not just nice melodies or songs or moods; MTV was eclectic, so I grew up on eclectic. We didn't have strictly rock’n'roll programs or radio shows. Looking back, I like that it was that way. If you want to choose what is yours and what you want to do, better to know all the varieties! Then it's your rational choice.
ZB: Did you have any formal musical training or are you self-taught? What about playing bass guitar interested you, and will you talk about the kinds of bass guitars you own and why? Does playing vintage bass help with a more genuine garage/surf sound?
SZ: I’m self-taught. I used to play and have different bass guitars. One of the first, was a GDR '70s vintage bass from Germany with a great sound, but it had some technical troubles, like too heavy a neck compared to the body. After that, I played a 2006 Fender Jazz Bass from the U.S., which is a classic—an absolutely perfect instrument. But my favorite ones are short-scale basses like the Danelectro Longhorn 90 (from Korea) and my little treasure, a vintage 1966 Fender Mustang Bass. In the future, I want to try the new bass guitar from Hammersmith Music (Toronto-based company), which will be custom-made for me. Yes, vintage basses bring some drop in the sound, but other details [matter] like flat-wound strings (which I use), the proper tube amplifier, short-scale [neck] and many more details.
ZB: How many other musical projects have you been a part of before Messer Chups? Will you talk about your band Bonecollectors?
SZ: Messer Chups is my first and my main band. But we decided to make The Bonecollectors as a side project because we wanted to create a band with a more “Billy"—Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Horrorbilly; call it what you want—sound. Alexander Loginoff, our friend and upright bass player, joined us for this project. We liked the project, but don't have too much time for it at the moment (plus, I prefer to play bass). But at least we recorded an album called Bone to Bone, as well as using some Bonecollectors tracks in the Messer Chups LP and the compilation The Voice of Zombierella.
ZB: What drew you to joining Messer Chups? Do you feel you've influenced the sound and aesthetics since joining the band?
SZ: I met Oleg Guitaracula when I was 17 or 18 years old. We were together, and he asked me if I wanted to play the bass guitar in Messer Chups. I said, "Sure, why not?!" Oleg was already an experienced musician, having been in a few different bands before Messer Chups (which was formed in 2000) and he already had his own vintage-surfy B-movie and horror-influenced style. We decided to play surf live together. After time, a live drummer joined us. These days, the drummer for most shows is Dr. Boris.
ZB: What does the name Messer Chups translate to? Why did the band decide on that name?
SZ: Messer means ‘the knife’ in German. Chups is like part of Chupa Chups which is Spanish for ‘to suck’ and ‘the lollipop.’ Suck the knife of a knife-lollipop is a combination of something scary and funny. Horror and comedy is our style. Also, Oleg used to have a band called Messer fur frau Muller, so to keep that connection, he took the word ‘Messer' from that band's name.
ZB: Who writes the music and develops the concepts for the MC sound and visuals? Would you say it's an equally collaborative process?
SZ: Mostly Oleg Guitaracula; he’s the mastermind of our sounds and visuals and other processes. But that aesthetic is part of all of us. I grew up as a kid watching horror and horror-influenced stuff like The Addams Family, Elvira, Beetlejuice—I guess I’m pretty goth inside. And yes, I’m also part of the visual presentation of Messer Chups, aesthetically and stylistically. I do a lot of the lyrics and the titles for the vocal songs and I bring some dark and black-humour attitude to the process. Guitaracula is also very smart with the fun titles for our songs.
ZB: There are so many incredible Messer Chups videos available to view online, will you talk about the creative process involved in making the videos? The actual recorded music of Messer Chups is fairly hard to find in the US; will more be available soon?
SZ: We invite Chupacabra, Octopusman, Stephen Kong and other creatures to a party, get them some nice bloody Margaritas and have fun while filming all of it—that's the secret! It will be easier soon, as we will open our online store with all the Messer Chups-related ‘merch' available there. For so long a lot of people all over the world have been asking about this. And—good for U.S. fans—the main merchandise office will be based in the U.S. So, some good news for us and for everyone.
ZB: Which Messer Chups album was your favorite to perform on? How many have albums have you recorded so far?
SZ: Around 10 or more. I like different albums. For me, they all remind me of different times, places where it was recorded, and people who helped us.
ZB: Will you describe the band and its sound for those who may not be familiar?
SZ: Messer Chups is an adventure into the spooky and funny world of vintage surfing guitars and the aesthetic of B-movies, classic (and not classic) horror, 60s soundtracks, sexploitation and sci-fi. A little creepy, funny and an exciting trip.
ZB: Why did you choose the name Zombierella and what about zombies appeals to you?
SZ: I used to be a Zombie girl in the beginning. Later, I grow up a little bit and became Zombierella. Don’t remember exactly but it has some reference to Vampirella—or a kind of a Zombie-Cinderella! Zombie, maybe, because I like different kinds of delicatessens: brains, for example. Or I’m just too slow sometimes.
ZB: Your look is reminiscent of vintage burlesque or pin-ups. Is there a particular pin-up model or burlesque performer who you admire?
SZ: For sure Bettie Page has the most classic look of a black-haired pin-up. She was playful, cute, sexy, and pretty. There are also a lot of modern pin-ups and performers. This past October, we were playing at Theatre Bizarre in Detroit, which takes place in a beautiful Masonic Temple. Such an impressive party, and the place! We played few songs together with our friend Roxi D’Lite, a talented pin-up and burlesque dancer. She’s absolutely great onstage.
ZB: What is it about surf music and rockabilly culture that interests you? What other genres of music do you listen to or perform?
SZ: I’m trying to get to know everything in these styles and scene, because I love it. But I’m curious about other music outside rock'n'roll genres as well—if it's good and true music.
I will have other projects coming up, which are outside of surf and rockabilly. One is a post-punk project and the other a more electronic one. Both are still dark and mixed with horror. There will also be some interesting collaborations coming soon, which I'm working on. The post-punk music is called The Bleak Engineers; the electronic project is called Trivia. I'm curious about doing something which is not so common for me, but still mystical and dark. Trivia will be released on vinyl pretty soon, I hope, in February of 2018: a 3-track EP with songs that are very moody and dark with my vocals. And also 3 remixes done by some respected DJs. I also want to do a little radio show/podcast, where I introduce my favorite dark music, etc.
ZB: How does Messer Chups choose which bands to tour with, especially here in the U.S.? What type of venues do you prefer?
SZ: All the bands we've played with in the U.S. are, first of all, great guys and professionals. Second, they are good friends of ours. On this last U.S. tour (the Halloween Howling tour), we did the east coast with The Black Flamingos, and the west coast with The Boss Martians. It was so great to tour with these guys. I like different kinds of venues.
ZB: Of all the music festivals you've participated in, which ones did you enjoy the most and why did the band decide to perform at them?
SZ: Some favorites include Surforama in Valencia, Spain, Surfer Joe in Livorno, Italy, North Sea Surf Festival in Amsterdam, Surf Guitar 101 Convention in L.A. and Tiki Oasis in San Diego. They are all great festivals and part of the surf scene, which is like a big rock'n'roll family. But it’s also exciting to perform on bigger-stage festivals, like EXIT in Serbia which has some of the top world artists performing on the main stage. “Different" doesn’t mean it’s bad.
ZB: For years, your fans have been trying to get Messer Chups to perform in the US. What was the difficulty—why do you think your travel visas have been denied in the past?
SZ: For Russians, coming to the US has the most difficult visa process as artists, it seems. But I hope that it will get much better going forward, 'cuz we have a good team now with our record label MuSick recordings, our manager, and our booker—all based in the USA.
ZB: What are your favorite horror or exploitation films? If you could have starred in a horror film, what would it be about and who would your character be?
SZ: I like Mario Bava’s movies; their aesthetic. They are sensual. I could imagine myself as a character in one of his movies… a victim girl—and I guess some maniac or creature will be hunting after me! Or it could be something opposite, like during the night I become a "werewolf woman" and bite some people. Or a classic Hammer film starring Vincent Price. If a zombie aesthetic is needed, I think I would choose something in the Lucio Fulci style.
ZB: If you could go back in time, what band or musician would you have loved to have seen perform? What is your favorite era of music and why?
SZ: Too many! I like the '60s and '80s. I always liked 60s surf and garage, R&B, early soul. As a DJ, I'm spinning that music from 7-inch records—which I collect. I could imagine attending a real California beach party with live surf bands from the '60s and twist dances—all that sort of fun. Also, seeing The Shadows, The Ventures, Link Wray and many more. I was born in the '80s, and my mother was listening to all that stuff when I was a kid, so it could be fun to visit shows by Bauhaus or Human League in the '80s. But really, I would say each era has so many great artists that I would like to see performing live.
ZB: What are your interests outside of music? What is an average day like for Zombierella?
SZ: Actually, music is a big part of my life. If I’m not on tour, or DJ'ing, or collecting records, or doing new music, well, I’m staying as a mistress of dark: painting my nails black, reading Goth literature and walking in the forests. I like nature, 'cuz I’m spending a lot of time in the nightclubs, so I need something that is the opposite of that.
ZB: For this year’s tour, how did Messer Chups celebrate on Halloween?
SZ: Messer Chups are always performing on Halloween night—we call it our professional holiday! This year in 2017, we played in Mexico City, and it was wild and very fun. It was very crowded and we also were feeling lots of love from our Mexican fans! [end]
2: Forthcoming events
(San Francisco unless otherwise noted.)
() $ Dec 29-31 Closing Weekend for “Soundtracks” - very interesting sound installation(s) at SFMOMA. Last chance to experience this audio walk-through - recommend starting at the 7th floor and working your way down - lots to see; well worth a visit… (Rauschenberg, Walker Evans, et al)
() $ Dec 31, 7pm (?) **OAKLAND** Doug Katelus plays Solo Organ at First Church of the Buzzard, 26th and Adeline.
() Dec 31-Jan 13: Mr Lucky is doing various tribute shows to Ralph Carney, recently R.I.P.https://groups.google.com/group/mr-lucky
() FREE Jan 4, 5-7:30pm: Anne McGuire opening at Gregory Lind Gallery, 49 Geary 5th floor, SF
() FREE Fri Jan 5, 7-10pm **OAKLAND** Lauren Corden's "Things Change" (stop motion videos & large-scale sculpture). She has made set designs for Burger Boogaloo. Artist's Reception Thur Jan 11, 7-10pm. Classic Cars West Gallery, 411 26th St, Oakland 94612 www.classiccarswest.com
() FREE Sat Jan 6, 4-8pm **NEW YORK CITY** Marlborough Gallery hosts a gallery show featuring Survival Research Laboratories (SRL) Mark Pauline and crew in person; attend the OPENING!! RE/Search plans to attend – meet us there (and email us if you want us to bring a RE/Search item just for you and save shipping!) 545 West 25th St, NY 10001. tel 212-463-8634. Exhibit hours: Mon-Sat 10-5:30pm.
() $ Gray Area Jan 9, 7pm Ryoji Ikeda live set! RE/Search will attend!!! https://grayarea.org/event/ryoji-ikeda-supercodex-live-set/
() Now through Jan 28, 2018: BAMPFA **BERKELEY** Miyoko Ito Art Show! Also, Jan 17-May 6 BAMPFA has a huge show titled "Way Bay" of Bay Area artists like Bruce Conner, Joan Brown, Jay DeFeo, Richard Diebenkorn, and many others – a must-see! www.bampfa.org
() Now through Jan 28, 2018: BAMPFA **BERKELEY** Miyoko Ito Art Show!
() Free Wed Jan 31, 7pm City Lights Bookstore Jen Pelly from NYC presents her 33-1/3 book on The Raincoats - live conversation with Greil Marcus!
PERENNIAL FORTHCOMINGs to CHECK OUT:
() Support the Roxie Theater: great programming EVERY NIGHT (our opinion). http://www.roxie.com
() Castro Theater: a beautiful Film Palace! Amazing built-into-the-walls pipe organ often played before shows, so get there early... () The Balboa, too! Go OUT to the movies! See films with others & buy popcorn! It's FUN! () The Embarcadero Theaters: walking distance from RE/Search office. We often go here!
() S.F./BAY AREA EVENTS to Google Regularly: The Long Now Foundation. Goethe Institute. The List (Punk Rock). Dorkbot. Bottom of the Hill. The INdependent. Thee Parkside. The Chapel. Brick & Mortar. ATA Gallery (last "underground" film place?). Mule Gallery. Live Worms Gallery on Grant Avenue. The Lab under Dena Beard. Southern Exposure Gallery under Patricia Maloney. SF Cinematheque under Antonella Bonfanti. Gray Area on Mission St/23rd St: very avant-garde programming; go to their website.
3: RE/Search Conversations
Most of us are too busy to sit down and watch a "TV show," so now (while you're driving, gardening, walking) you can listen to some of the conversations that happen around the table at the RE/Search office.
New podcast: Wolf Eyes! The extremely well-read "Psych Jazz" band-of-outsiders improvised a compelling performance with guest musicians at The Peacock Lounge, 552 Haight St. Thanks to Decker for all hospitalities extended.
Wolf Eyes podcast: https://simplecast.com/s/464dccae
Nate: https://twitter.com/ffwolfcone
John: https://twitter.com/olsonpower
https://www.facebook.com/wolfeyesinc/
Coming up soon: performance artist. Linda Montano, who is featured in RE/Search Publications' book Angry Women, discusses persona-based art, escaping reality, performance art, and gender exploration, among many other topics.
Recent episodes: Peter Sempel, German experimental documentarian from Hamburg, who visits San Francisco periodically, often to show his films at The Goethe Institute
AND author Sumeet Banerji [The Ice Party] and record producer Jerry Connolly, shooting the s#!+ at the RE/Search office with V. Vale (warning: over 2 hours long!).
Go to our website podcast page to see a full list. All are also available free of charge at the iTunes podcast "store" under "RE/Search Conversations."
Please send us feedback if you listen to these podcasts so we'll know someone out there is listening!!
Here are links to a few others that are available:
Christopher Coppola [filmmaker]
Thorsten Schutte [director of Frank Zappa documentary "Eat That Question"
Mike Watt [bass-player/ musician]
Daniel Miller [synth musician/ DJ]
Diane diPrima [Beat poet]
4: BOOKS/ZINES/PRINT/FILMS/MUSIC/Etc
() Dieter Rams rules. Seek and find books on and by him! SFMOMA Bookstore is a good start… Several great shows there right now...
() Tom Wolfe’s Kingdom of Words is very thought-provoking! Also read Henning Mankell’s An Event in Autumn (great closing essay), Lucy Kellaway’s In Office Hours (trashy), Eric Wendell’sPatti Smith, Patti Smith’s M Train; Michael Connelly’s Two Kinds of Truth and Lee Child’s The Midnight Line - both on the U.S. opioid epidemic.
() We saw part of the great Dennis Hopper Festival at the Roxie Theater (Blue Velvet; Out of the Blue; Along for the Ride). Also saw & recommend: The Shape of Water, Florida Project, Lady Bird.
Terminal Punk 7th Edition B&W Zine by V. Vale
Terminal Punk 7th Edition B&W Zine by V. Vale
$10.00
View
V. Vale Bio-Comic: Search For Weird #0 by Krusty Wheatfield
V. Vale Bio-Comic: Search For Weird #0 by Krusty Wheatfield
$10.00
View
V. Vale Bio-Comic: Search For Weird #1 by Krusty Wheatfield
V. Vale Bio-Comic: Search For Weird #1 by Krusty Wheatfield
$5.00
View
5: Links (send us some!)
() "Token Promises" – electronic soundscape offering from La Mère (Marian "RE/Search" Wallace). On bandcamp at this link: https://lamere1.bandcamp.com/. Take a listen for free – or download to your phone – for 99¢
() "Once Upon A Time" – the 2nd latest electronic soundscape offering from La Mère. On bandcamp at this link: https://lamere1.bandcamp.com/. Take a listen for free – or download to your phone – for 99¢
() V. Vale on "radio" or podcast: Alea Balzer NTS2 facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LuciferOverLA/
() Ballardian color-plus photos: www.flickr.com/photos/lostamerica/ by Troy Paiva
() theguardian.com - search for "Trevor Paglen: art in the age of mass surveillance "
() from Dave S: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperNormalisation
() from Chris T: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/arts/music/sex-pistols-documentary-doa-a-right-of-passage.html
() The Lab has many 2017 videos available for free viewing online:
Annea Lockwood: Jitterbug
Man Forever
The Black Aesthetic: Dreamstates with Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman
Laraaji with Arji OceAnanda: In the Zone
75 Dollar Bill
Camille Norment
Brontez Purnell: Unstoppable Feat, The Dances of Ed Mock
Dynasty Handbag: I, An Moron
False Starts: David Abel, Brent Cunningham and Trisha Low
Kyle Bruckmann’s Degradiant: Dear Everyone
Susan Alcorn
Julz Hale Mary: Trauma is a Party (of One)
Kal Spelletich: Split Brain Robotics
Arnold Dreyblatt
Martin Creed: Words and Music
False Starts: Alan Bernheimer, Stephanie Young and Matvei Yankelevich
Brontez Purnell: No New Art No New Dance Festival
Brontez Purnell: Screen Tests
Norma Jeane: Scene with ShyBot
The Necks
False Starts: Kathleen Fraser and Steve Dickison
Moe! Staiano Ensemble
Las Sucias perform at Constance Hockaday: Noise Club
() Danielle Neu Photographer: recent print bibliography:
Willem Dafoe in Dazed Winter 2017
Chanel New World Order in Pop, Fall/Winter 2017
Leather Prowler in Dazed, Fall 2017
Noon Magazine (Editorial) Spring/Summer 2017 (instagram: @_danielleneu_
() Henry Rollins has [great] columns online. a must: http://henryrollins.com/news?utm_source=Henry+Rollins+-+2.13.61&utm_campaign=d6668634df-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_12_21&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ab61b76c69-d6668634df-147726237
() If there is just one magazine you subscribe to, let it be Jack Rabid’s Big Takeover. The recent Chrissie Hynde interviews are just stellar! Each issue is chock-full of trustworthy “opinions” and informed reviews; not to mention classic interviews that stand the test of time. Google and subscribe!
() http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/lifestyle/30334593
6: Quotations
V. Vale’s Editorial Policy (partial; w-i-p):
1. Edit for WIT
2. Every word must earn its keep (but if you remove too much, you risk damaging the speaker’s style)
3. Strong Beginning, Strong End
4. Emotional Logic [Rules]!
5. Aim for Clarity, Visual Beauty & No Typos!
7: Letters from readers
() “How I miss you!” (sent from someone who moved away years ago - who says brevity can’t express volumes?!?)
8: Sponsors
(Without them you would NOT be receiving this newsletter – Please go to their websites!)
Here, a personal thanks to our pal Dave S and to Paul L. And this newsletter would not exist without Andrew B. and Emily.
If you would like to be a sponsor, a year costs $144; we ask for a 6-month minimum of $72.
1. BEYOND BAROQUE: Only bookstore in L.A. with a complete stock of RE/SEARCH BOOKS! Please patronize them... (Also, some RE/Search titles at The Pop-Hop in L.A.; thanks, Rhea Tepp!) RE/Search books now at bozomag's store in L.A.!
2. $0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0
V. Vale's RE/Search Newsletter is cordially sponsored by "Beyond the Beyond."http://archive.wired.com/beyond_the_beyond
http://brucesterling.tumblr.com @bruceshttp://flickr.com/brucesterling
Information Wants To Be Free WE MEAN IT MAN!
$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0
3. Hicks Metal Design & Production: Supporting creativity in the Bay Area since 1994 (x4-30-18)
4. We Heard You Like Books accepts the dominance of RE/Search in all matters, but here's our website anyway: weheardyoulikebooks.com (The Ice Party) (x4-30-18)
5. DRYLAND: Los Angeles Underground Art & Writing—uniquely based in South Central L.A. Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reviews, interviews. https://drylandlit.org/ (x10-31-17)
6. What’s CBD and how is it related to harm reduction and vaping? To learn more, visit our blog at http://CascadiaVape.com To purchase CBD and Kava supplements visit http://CascadiaVape.net (x/end1/18)
7. Support & visit NYC Gallerist Margaret Lee! 47 Canal (gallery). (x/end1/18)
8. WorkshopSF, located in Western Addition, offers creative, affordable DIY classes for adults, taught by awesome local artists, woodworkers, and makers, since 2009. http://www.workshopsf.org/ (x03/18)
9. Uncertain is a post-industrial musick project by Florian-Ayala Fauna (2007 on), influenced by the Occult and work of artists like Coil, Current 93, Aleister Crowley (the esoteric tradition). https://uncertain.bandcamp.com (x03/18)
10. Paul M. Hertzmann, Inc. Vintage Photographs, POB 40447 SF CA 94140; [email protected], www.hertzmann.net (x10/30/18)
11. realvalueproductions.com a San Francisco music production company creates original music for YOUR films/videos, CD’s, et al: http://www.realvalueproductions.com/utopia-or-oblivion/ (x5/31/18)
12. Paul L. many many thanks!! Also, thanks much to Dave S. and Billy H.
The end, for now
Abby the cat
January 2018 Part 1 RE/Search Newsletter #172 written by V. Vale & other contributors. RE/Search website powered by Laughing Squid.
