TOOL 02

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TOOL02 - BITCH ((from upcoming EP Tool 02)

Adam Vandal | DCT records | Cirkus Alien
booking: booking@soundundergroundmusic.com

The mid-1990s was an interesting period when the alternative scene was a sort of world open to new impulses from outside … from the West in particular – no matter it was alternative art, hardcore or for example graffiti. All and sundry had an urge to do something so they formed bands of various genres, created art projects, squats and all things around it. And when at that time travellers Spiral Tribe and MWC, Vox Populi, Bedlam, Plan B and other initiators of free parties came to the CZ we were lucky to witness it first-hand. Or maybe havin’ a little bit of bad luck … it depends;). Anyway, it definitely changed lives of some people more or less. Somehow naturally we with a bunch of friends wanted to create somethin’ similar, to start mixin’ vinyls with techno, dub, jungle and other styles, to make decorations, fireshows, to build sound systems, to make scrap metal sculptures, to live on wheels, to travel and to give people free music, dance, ritual and all the things around including the psychedelic trance. Everybody could take part in, use his/her piece of talent and to add somethin’ from him-/herself to the whole audio-visual show. It was somethin’ different than we were used to …. it had its – hidden for many until then – spiritual dimension. And also it was a possibility to define yourself against the majority style. And as the background of people around CA was rather squat and punk from the very beginning, it was also rebelling enough, independent and really very much wild. In summer CA organized free parties on meadows, during the rest of year in squats and alternative dens in Prague and around, at the first technivals in Hostomice etc. Notably collaboration with the old-hand DJs from UK and their Prague posse Technical Support contributed to the music development. Psychospores and their live act brought CA the own, unmistakable sound that keeps changin’ and developin’ until today. DJs went to Berlin, Holland and elsewhere for acid techno, hard trance and hard techno records which we couldn’t get here. There was usually a – often very wild – fireshow at the partieHowever, the best time was when we finally hit the road because that was what we generally wanted. And so we went by a yellow bus for horses and sometimes also by other cars from place to place in CZ and at the early of 2000 we went abroad – first to Berlin, then to France, Italy… It was fascinatin’ experience we tried to repeat in the following years. Later when I read books by Ken Keyse and Tom Wolf about Merry Pranksters I had to laugh what similar mad incidents had happened to us and what similar mad ideas had come to our mind.
“You’re either on the bus or off the bus,” that was Kesey’s motto often reminded by Luxz Psychospor, which was typical for that time. We spent several following years on the move and those who know what this is about certainly know how varied and adventurous life you can live in this way. However, of course, after some time everythin’ wasn’t as ideal as before no matter it was the decadence of the big French technivals we were at or the dark side of all sorts of the traveller sites. Anyway, we got to know a great lot of interesting people in the similar frame of mind … and what’s more an independent and free life on the move. That was the thing, that was what we looked for and found it … As time passed our tribe atomized into many different interests and personal priorities, we were no longer together on the same horse waggon but everybody had his/her ‘cubbyhole on wheels’ and was self-sufficient in a way. Besides the Ladronka squat – our long-time base – fell and there was no place to return. While one kept punkin’ rudely, the other found a job he enjoyed and the other started a family …. So naturally Cirkus Alien is different than in the past. However, the need to have friends and a common project keeps survivin’ somewhere and here and then it forces us to get our act together and do somethin’ that others, e.g. newcomers, follow.