This band spits Rock & Roll thunders. Raw material, great sound. Endless Boogie are at their best with ‘Long Island’, an album which is already considered one of the best albums of the year. Let’s hear it from them…
Dimitris Antonopoulos: First of all, it’s an amazing record! I am talking about 'Long Island' of course... So, tell me a few words about the 'making' of such a great album…
Jesper Eklow: We recorded it pretty much we recorded our other records... Some new jams that we record on the spot, fully improvised, and some 'songs' that are already pretty much finished. We record everything live in the studio and then listen to the stuff to figure out what to keep and work on more... A couple of gtr overdubs on top of that, perhaps some crude editing and vocals then mixing and that's usually it...
D.A.: An ATHENS gig maybe?
J.E.: Would love to, nothing in the cards yet though...
D.A.: Can you tell me a good Rock & Roll story? I am talking about your early days as a band...
J.E.: Nothing too wild, but we had to cancel several London and UK shows a few years ago due to the fact that Paul and Harry weren't allowed in to the UK for some reason. Me and the bass player had no idea as we were on a train from Brussels to the UK that Paul and Harry missed. So we sat around London waiting for them for a loooong time. Ended hanging out in the UK for five days with nothing to do... I'll save the X-rated stories until we meet.
D.A.: 'General Admission', what a song really. Between Stooges, MC 5 & ZZ Top...Just great! How do you feel about this one?
J.E.: It’s a fav of mine already! That was a kind of random jam that just happened. First time we ever played it was at a show at Glasslands in Brooklyn about three years ago, Ι just told the drummer to start and then this riff just came out of nowhere. It went on for a good ten minutes. Really fun to play. Then I forgot about it until we were in the studio this year. A minor tweak in the 'arrangement' and it seemed to work pretty well. It’s an ode to The Faces it seems to me, at least in the way it came out.
D.A.: Playing your music @ my radio show (channel one/rockzone) for many years now, I was wondering about the New York 'scene'… Is there a scene really? So many diffrent bands, artists...
J.E.: There definitely are a lot of bands in New York, but not much of a 'scene' perhaps. Well, maybe there is one, but not one that we're part of, we're probably too old! We hang with some bands, Degreaser, Call Of The Wild et al but we really don't have that much in common with the Bushwick or Williamsburg goings-on, we mostly hang out on the Lower East Side in Manhattan still anyway...
D.A.: Here’s my classic question. Let’s have a trip with a time machine for the next 24 hours (!) So, where and why would you really wanna go for a whole day? Past or future?
J.E.: I dunno, so little time, so many historical assassinations to see. But music-related... hmmm, well I’d live in the Sun Ra house for a day. Or go see Coloured Balls play in 1973 or so. I mean there’s a lot of things one can do with a time machine... Ayler playing at Coltrane's funeral? Skip James playing some saloon in the 30’s. The Canned Heat and Troyka show in Alberta in 1971, etc etc. etc. etc.
D.A.: 5 of your fav albums ever?
J.E.: The Saints - I'm Stranded
Morgen - Morgen.
Cpt Beefheart & the Magic Band - Strictly Personal
Hairy Chapter - Can't Get Through
Lobby Loyde - plays George Guitar
D.A.: What is Rock & Roll in 2013..?
J.E.: Almost 60 years old.
D.A.: For the end, Ramones or Television?
J.E.: Ramones. Rock music usually doesn't require the intellectual component. I mean it is pretty much always better if there is no college degree involved.
Dimitris Antonopoulos: First of all, it’s an amazing record! I am talking about 'Long Island' of course... So, tell me a few words about the 'making' of such a great album…
Jesper Eklow: We recorded it pretty much we recorded our other records... Some new jams that we record on the spot, fully improvised, and some 'songs' that are already pretty much finished. We record everything live in the studio and then listen to the stuff to figure out what to keep and work on more... A couple of gtr overdubs on top of that, perhaps some crude editing and vocals then mixing and that's usually it...
D.A.: An ATHENS gig maybe?
J.E.: Would love to, nothing in the cards yet though...
D.A.: Can you tell me a good Rock & Roll story? I am talking about your early days as a band...
J.E.: Nothing too wild, but we had to cancel several London and UK shows a few years ago due to the fact that Paul and Harry weren't allowed in to the UK for some reason. Me and the bass player had no idea as we were on a train from Brussels to the UK that Paul and Harry missed. So we sat around London waiting for them for a loooong time. Ended hanging out in the UK for five days with nothing to do... I'll save the X-rated stories until we meet.
D.A.: 'General Admission', what a song really. Between Stooges, MC 5 & ZZ Top...Just great! How do you feel about this one?
J.E.: It’s a fav of mine already! That was a kind of random jam that just happened. First time we ever played it was at a show at Glasslands in Brooklyn about three years ago, Ι just told the drummer to start and then this riff just came out of nowhere. It went on for a good ten minutes. Really fun to play. Then I forgot about it until we were in the studio this year. A minor tweak in the 'arrangement' and it seemed to work pretty well. It’s an ode to The Faces it seems to me, at least in the way it came out.
D.A.: Playing your music @ my radio show (channel one/rockzone) for many years now, I was wondering about the New York 'scene'… Is there a scene really? So many diffrent bands, artists...
J.E.: There definitely are a lot of bands in New York, but not much of a 'scene' perhaps. Well, maybe there is one, but not one that we're part of, we're probably too old! We hang with some bands, Degreaser, Call Of The Wild et al but we really don't have that much in common with the Bushwick or Williamsburg goings-on, we mostly hang out on the Lower East Side in Manhattan still anyway...
D.A.: Here’s my classic question. Let’s have a trip with a time machine for the next 24 hours (!) So, where and why would you really wanna go for a whole day? Past or future?
J.E.: I dunno, so little time, so many historical assassinations to see. But music-related... hmmm, well I’d live in the Sun Ra house for a day. Or go see Coloured Balls play in 1973 or so. I mean there’s a lot of things one can do with a time machine... Ayler playing at Coltrane's funeral? Skip James playing some saloon in the 30’s. The Canned Heat and Troyka show in Alberta in 1971, etc etc. etc. etc.
D.A.: 5 of your fav albums ever?
J.E.: The Saints - I'm Stranded
Morgen - Morgen.
Cpt Beefheart & the Magic Band - Strictly Personal
Hairy Chapter - Can't Get Through
Lobby Loyde - plays George Guitar
D.A.: What is Rock & Roll in 2013..?
J.E.: Almost 60 years old.
D.A.: For the end, Ramones or Television?
J.E.: Ramones. Rock music usually doesn't require the intellectual component. I mean it is pretty much always better if there is no college degree involved.