Saturday 3 October 2009

Soundtrack Of Moi Non Plus' Lives

This Is Fake DIY are running a great feature with Dutch twosome The Moi Non Plus with Leon and Bas providing commentary about some of the records that have shaped their approach to music and it's an impressive soundtrack ranging from Dylan to Jetplane Landing favourites The Lapse. Follow the link above to hear the songs on Spotify, in the meantime, here's what L and B had to say -

Bob Dylan - It's All Right, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

Leon: I grew up with my father's records. When I was a kid, there was always music playing in the house. Stuff like Neil Young, The Beatles & Dylan. And even though I went through a rebellious phase, listening to trashy top 40 pop music in the early 90s, I soon discovered that this is where it's at. Dylan is like a force of nature. Especially his early records.

Chavez - Lions

Bas: This song completely changed my idea about song structures. Chavez had an amazing drummer whose ferocious beating did not allow any normal song structure to take shape. All their songs, but especially this one, have no choruses or refrains or any repeating parts. They simply start at one point and end at another, and still sound very natural and logic.

Dinosaur JR - Out There

Leon: I discovered Dinosaur JR when I was about 15. I borrowed 'Where You Been' off a friend of mine, and it blew me away. I never heard anything like it. I was listening to a lot of grunge bands at the time, but after hearing Dinosaur I was cured. I soon discover Sonic Youth too and those bands really influenced me as a musician. I went to see Dinosaur in Amsterdam the same year that 'Where You Been' came out and they opened with 'Out There', something I'll never forget.

The Walkmen - Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone

Bas: I put it on again, and I still love it. This amazing song still sounds so relevant. The album it is on is from 2002 but It is almost prophetic for the music that is made at this moment. The fast beat combined with the lucid melancholy synths and vocals make it very Brooklyn 2009... 2010 may be. And great kick drum sound!

Liars - We Fenced Other Gardens With The Bones Of Our Own

Leon: Another key band for me are Liars. When I first heard 'They Were Wrong So We Drowned', it sounded like complete revolution. That record was way ahead of it's time. Arguably 'Drums Not Dead' is the better record, but this was the first step toward a whole new concept of music. If those records came out today they'd still be super relevant.

The Lapse - Infinite Me

Bas: This band gave singing a new definition. Sort of a high pitched Mark E Smith ranting. And somehow secretly this obscure band turned out to be very influential—at least in my surrounding. I remember being in a building where a lot of bands practiced and at one point it seemed that from every room came The Lapse (Chris Leo) type vocals.

Gang Gang Dance - House Jam

Leon: I hear Gang Gang Dance are a cursed band. A lot of people have told me they always have bad things happen to them, which is really odd for a band that sounds so positive. And that's exactly what I like about them. The last record is just bursting with positive energy, which is really inspiring. I've been into dark, angry bands for so long that this is really what I want to hear right now.

My Bloody Valentine - I Only Said

Bas: What I like best about this band is the way they developed an über cool enigma - a mystic cult status - that derives from only one very distinct, very unique and very uncompromised album. I think this song really shows how important it is to make very clear choices and turn the knob to eleven.

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