The Higher Layer

most people's life revolves completely about direct, tangible things. their work, their family, their house, their city, their district, etc.
yet there is also a higher layer, the layer of politics and economics, that is above this, and in the end complete decides and influences their "everyday" experiences; politicians, big corporations, national economies, conflicts, wars, multinational trade agreements. these effect work, city, house & home and can make people lose their jobs or their money or their till-then way of life.
now, in the past, both the more "advanced" thinkers of the right and left claimed there is an even higher level: the social classes for example; the bourgeoisie of seemingly hostile nations will stick together to fight a threat by a possible takeover led by the lower classes; the national politics are defined by higher economical issues that are above the national level; and so on. while the right would claim that there is a general leftwing / communist threat not bound to any nation or politician.
but, there is an even higher layer. this is the layer of art, of music, of language, symbols, philosophy, and everything related to it and so much more.
of course, to the everyday citizen, this will be completely absurd. most people find it hard to realize art and music could be more important than work and family (as most teenagers in a conflict with their parents will find out) - to believe art could be more important and powerful than the goverment is insanity to them.
but yet - think of it. it is true. elvis presley's music had a bigger impact and did a deeper change to western and general society than any single US president in the 20th century. british citizen at first were more shocked by punkrock then by the threat of a soviet war.
this is because in this layer lies the actual power. a change of art in society can change its politics, its structures, its modus, and then by this how everyday life is lived and its conditions.
now, the very everyday citizens will dismiss this claim. but it shows they're hypocritical and contradictionary about it. if rock'n'roll was just meaningless rubbish, auditive waste - why were they so afraid it, why did they fight it so heavily? if it was of less importance - they could've just ignored it. same could be said for any new art movement that was introduced in the last centuries, or even fashion - also subcultures, new modes of language, of symbolism, such as in rap or graffiti culture (although for today's kids it might be hard to realize how deeply their parents' parent generation was scared by these things).
the introduction of a new, brilliant art form was almost immediately met by panic and outrage of politicians and conservatives of any camp. this is a testament to the power of art.
why is this this way? i'll give an attempt at an explanation - that is hardly complete or objective. politics is not just politics or economics; they're based on philosophies, on a thesis, on concepts, thought out structures, an analysis. and this is where we reach the realm of - philosophy, and symbols, and language, from which these concepts and programmes are created and taken. thus, language, philosophy and symbolism is the very basis, the root, the creating power of political programmes and economical strategies, which are then employed by politicans and CEOs and effect the workplace and everyday life. art and music is the other side of the coin of philosophy - not visibly seen as "philosophy" or reflected thinking by many, but also based on thoughts, concepts, ideas, creative, conceptualism. art is connected to symbolism and logic and language.

most people do not even look at political philosophy or likewise things when considering their dire everyday life and work situation anymore. even harder would it be to them to look up further and see that art and language towers above all this.
yet, art and music and language have this power; even if it was forgotten it can be resurrected; and we as artists should have good intentions to better the world and give people something to hope & inspire for, and should use art and other forms to achieve this.

Hardcore, Hardtrance and Politics

almost anything, any type of music of the 90s is being revamped now. there are bands that sound like smashing pumpkins again, like soundgarden, even like eurohouse, or 90s "american" soul. in the dance and electronic scene there is a lot of this "retro" activity again. yet, there is a huge blind spot, that most people do not even realise. there is no return to mid 90s hardtrance, as in the production of jam&spoon (gotta say yes) or sunbeam. there is no return to experimental hardcore, like fischkopf or anticore records. and there is not much of a return to early 90s 'hardcore' "techno / house".[1]
what is even more bizarre is, that this fact is even logical to many people. it makes sense to them, that eurodance cheesiness is resurrected, or techno methods and beats are used; but that oldschool hardtrance production are not brought back to life is obvious to them.
to see why this is the case, i should mention how i've seen these things, as i lived to them. i missed the period of 1990s hard techno, as i was too young to join a subculture then (i.e. didn't have the chance / connection). i experienced the hardtrance rave boom that took all of germany and half of europe. for me, the music was the solution; an artistic solution on how music, art should be created; a final point, a step to perfection, the music i wanted and loved and that made me happy and content.
then i slipped into the experimental hardcore scene and rejected the dying trance-rave scene for it's "cheesy" emotions and commercialism. now, this was also a version of artistic vision & brilliance to me; a solution; but also, a political and cultural solution and answer and way and revolution (as it was very politically and culturally charged then).
yet i turned my back completely on them after the 2000s.
this was because i formerly felt that this music was the right way; but came to the "enlightment" that i must be wrong.
this was part of what i call the "new dilemma". you meet this dilemma when you talk anarchist politics for example. people will tell you: "you think the goverment is evil, and a free society could be constructed". "but, obviously, this thought is wrong". why is this so obvious? what makes it wrong? the fact is, it is not wrong. the goverment can be overcome, or any other authority. we can create a free society. within our lifetime.
why *should* it not be that way? what should prevent this from happening? the thing is, that the debate with these people takes not part on a rational level. they act out of a *feeling* of helplessness in the face of oppression, some supposed archaic knowledge that the world always has to be shitty. but it doesn't. this is not part of a rational debate.
so, the same thing was with oldschool hardtrance and experimental hardcore. "of course, we couldn't be right". "out of all music scenes and producers and cultures and social groups, it would be very likely that we had the solution to the artists' dilemma, the lack of vision, and the various problems associated and not associated with it". but maybe, just maybe, we were right. maybe we had it. maybe we were on the right, perfect way.
and i intend to go back to this sound, and find out.

footnote 1: i should add, that at the date i am writing this, there is a slow, almost invisible return to this style going on already; but it will be seen wether this grows further; i dearly hope so.

How Music Has Become Meaningless - Addendum

i should explain where i am getting at: that music is made, produced, and bought for "personal pleasure" or as a "personal hobby" is a historical anomaly. music was always tied in to societal, political or cosmological structures. made for royal ceremonies or religious events. even in the 19th century, when the power of pope and king had waned, there was a consensus that art should not be created for its own sake, but for the betterment of mankind and society. even in the 20th century, in the soviet union, art was not seen as a personal but a political thing, and "unpolitical" music like rock'n'roll music was banned for this very reason. (of course it was wrong they banned it - but it shows that music was understood political back then - even if the soviets were in the wrong and acted wrong in this matter).
that music is a hobby or a "simple leisure" in todays society, is something bizarre and basically wholly new in the last 5000 years. art was always seen as something with a higher purpose, a higher goal, that was far beyond "everyday experience" or a hobby, as it is now.
sure, in tribal societies, or medieval times, there were also all-out parties were people got drugged to oblivion and danced till they dropped - but even those were usually societal or religious in nature - not just "pleasure for everyday's sake".

How Music Has Become Meaningless

there has been a lot of talk that contemporary music, and its associated scenes, are kinda shallow, superficial, devoid of meaning. while others dismiss this is purely subjective opinions. what people rarely realize is that music has become meaningless in the most literal of senses.
let's take a look at the past; people in the 60s believed that their music would lead to a revolution, to a whole new society, to a whole new world; that it would be able to sweep away all old structures and the negativity enforced by them. punks believed their music would enable them to beat society, to break all rules - and get away with this, win with it.
does todays music still have these powers? does anybody believe that music still could have these powers?
does someone who electronically buys a minimal techno track, believe he could cause a political, social or cultural uprising, a change by this? no.
so music has really no meaning anymore. it's just a good for consumption; restricted to leisure; to get the shallow, limited, cut down joy that capitalism allows its slaves to have for a few minutes between working and sleeping.
the ironic thing is that the last trace of meaning today is found in the megapop productions of the big corporations. because the teenagers still believe their stars are something special, and would lead them to a wonderful escape from everyday life. of course this is nothing to build on; it's just a last refuge; and of course based on lies; but, as it is the usual matter with belief, it's still better to believe in something wrong, then to not believe in anything at all.
but let's leave this pop business behind. music has to have a meaning outside of itself - outside of the track, song itself - to be meaningful. music that is just for leisure time or consumption doesn't do the trick. there has to be a political, cultural content, movement, struggle, party, organisation associated with a certain music to elevate it from the boring rubble of mass content. structures have to be created, leaflets printed, things shouted down the street. music, left to itself - just an isolated song, or track - is an impossibility. it has to be part of a bigger plan, scheme.
and this is still possible. music has the power to change the world. music has the power to change your life; to something wonderful, to something special; to lead you out of oppression or the banality of everyday life. to lead you to adventure, to lead you to excitement.
let's not get stuck with mere political goals. any concept, structure, organisation, that can be tied to music, that brings the unknown, the daring, the amazing to people's life is worth supporting. there is nothing wrong with gaining pleasure by music; just the consumer society non-pleasurable banal "joy" that is associated with common music, is the problem; you can reach pure, true ecstatic pleasure by music, so don't bother with less.
the possibilites are still there. we just have to realize them, and utilize them.

Comicreview: Les Cités obscures / Die geheimnisvollen Städte

in keinem anderem medium ist der anti-moderne impuls so deutlich sichtbar wie momentan in den comicwelten. ganze nicht-moderne epochen werden in abenteuern wiedererweckt; das alte ägypten, rom, die azteken, wikinger, das mittelalter. während dies, auch in comics die man eher "pulp abenteuern" zuordnen würde, auf sehr clevere und durchdachte weise geschieht, fehlt doch eine wirklich *intellektuelle* beschäftigung mit der moderne und der anti-modernen strömung, die sich aufmacht, die moderne von ihrem sockel zu stossen. diese intellektuelle beschäftigung findet man aber bei einer serie, die schon viel früher entstanden ist, in einer zeit als die moderne zwar schon alle möglichkeiten und energie verspielt hatte, dass den meisten aber noch lange nicht bewusst war, so um anfang der achtziger herum. Les Cités obscures, oder der etwas merkwürdige titel "Die geheimnisvollen Städte". in den ersten bänden findet man vor allem einen großen einfluss postmoderner gedanken; so wird im ersten band, der umgeschrieben werde musste weil er scheints zu unverständlich war, das "simulacrum" verflucht und der protagonist versucht dem zeitalter der repräsentation zu entkommen (ob er erfolg hat, wird hier nicht verraten).
andere protagonisten finden sich auf einmal in medialen bildern wieder, die die europäische geschichte ad infinitum wiederholen. dass die erschaffer der comics sich und ihre fangruppe als obskuranten bezeichnen, und sich damit explizit auf die gewichtigen anfänglichen gegner der aufklärung und der moderne beziehen, lässt ahnen, das die moderne kritik etwas mehr tiefe hat als der sonstige "postmoderne" schwachsinn. während sich die ersten bände oft in einer allgemeinen sinnlosigkeit und konfusion auflösen, werden in späteren bändern durchaus lösungsansätze und gedanken zum modernen dilemma formuliert, und echte, interessante nicht-moderne gedanken und konzepte entworfen, was insofern besonders lobenswert ist, da dies ja den meisten menschen, die in die moderne geboren wurden, bis zu ihrem lebensende im normalfall nicht möglich ist. vielleicht kann man diese entwicklung über mehrere jahrzehnte so sehen, dass zeitgleich in der realen welt der ausbruch aus der modernen welt auch immer mehr eine reale möglichkeit wurde, und sich dies im werdegang der comicwelten wiederspiegelt.
fast schon gegensätzlich, aber sinnvoll, ist das andererseits in den comics ein wahrer fetischismus der moderne betrieben wird, und zwar der hochzeit der moderne im 19ten und anfang des 20ten jahrhunderts; es wimmelt nur so von altmodischen wissenschaftlern, politikern, den merkwürdigsten wissenschaftlichen und industriellen erfindungen (nahe am steampunk), die aber immer wieder in konflikt mit anderen konzepten geraten.
einen klaren, eindeutig begehbaren nicht-modernen weg, oder gar eine "lösung", bieten die comics selbstverständlich auch nicht, wobei die frage wäre, ob dies überhaupt möglich oder wünschenswert sei. für meinen geschmack ist die ausgebarbeite anti-moderne ideologie auch eben zuviel mit postmodernen konzepten verzwirbelt, vorallem dem nervigen credo das man die jetzige gesellschaft, die doch zu den altlasten der moderne gehört, doch nicht so einfach überwinden kann. ich will den autoren auch gar nicht unterstellen, dass sie irgendein konkretes ziel haben, ausser sich in gedankenspielen zu ergehen oder eben "post"moderne gedanken einfach mal in comicform zu verarbeiten, anstatt eine aufwendige focaultkritik zu schreiben z.B.
trotzdem sind in diesen büchern einige sehr interessante gedanken enthalten, die, soweit ich das beurteilen, *wirklich* nicht-modern sind, und abgesehen davon, werden einfach interessante geschichten erzählt die sich in sehr interessanten fantasiewelten entfalten.

Thesis: Inner Circle

there has been some talk, about how the fact that anyone now can easily produce and distribute music, has brought its own problems with it; a flooding of newly released music; a decline in quality.
but what is rarely debated, is, that it is also a problem, that anyone nowadays can listen to every music he wants too.
this was very different in the past. industrial, punkrock, even metal, or goth, and other experimental and interesting subcultures, were based on close-knit, social groupings and structures; sure, everyone knew the sex pistols, or the cure, or iron maiden; but to be really in the know about what was going on in the punk scene, or the industrial world, you had to be an insider; a part of the circle; of this "secret society"; because that's were the information was shared, and the titles of the important tracks was mentioned.
this led to a huge amount of "quality control"; not everyone was admitted to this circle, and when you 'misbehaved', you risked being run out of it. that musical taste was based on a social setting in itself was already a merit, and it brought other pros with it. politics were closely associated with music; reactionaries probably would have had a hard time trying to get into the hippie groupings of the 60s; while nowadays even rightwing people often listen to the 60s rockbands; when they would have risked getting their teeth punched out when they went to a social happening of this music in the 60s - possibly.
that you were part of a group meant - you met girls. while nowadays, having an - really - obscure music taste hardly (or rarely) gives you an advantage with the gender you're interested it.

the thing is, there is a reason most people listen to dumb pop music. interesting, creative, daring music has no place amongst the "masses". you wouldn't say that a scientific theory has its merits only when it is based on approval by general populance, would you? the general population did not understan einstein's theories when he formulated them - and the general populance cannot understand truly daring, groundbreaking art. it never did - cue all the artists who are now legends but were unknown during their lifetimes.

art is too precious, too special, too important, to let it be handled by - general society. it belongs to the artists, who really know what they're doing and can understand it.

now the interesting thing is. that art is bound to obscure, small circles is a fact. and the developements of the past years did not, and could not, change this. we now have an onslaught of social networks, streaming sites etc. that seemingly make art available to everyone. but behind this, outside of this, the real interesting stuff is still shared - by these informal circles. oh no i don't talk about underground "piracy" sites. i mean legal stuff.
for example, almost every artist, unknown or superstar, has a number of unreleased or other private tracks that he just shared with his close friends. but even with released stuff - released stuff that remained lesser known - the information of it is often shared by these social circlcs. when a truly interesting release is made, the word is spread from friend to friend and travels through the interconnected social threads.
often - generally? - you get to know more good stuff by recommendations of your circle of friends, then all the social and streaming sites. or rather - you get a lot of stuff by these channels - but the exquisite, outstanding stuff, comes through these personal ties.

these circles are in many ways similiar, but also different from past circles. they're often completely informal. they're literally just your "circle of friends", or in artist cases - your circle of artist friends.
this is a plus, because the informal nature means that popular culture, the streaming sites, the social networks, can't really tie into this. if your friend suddenly starts spamming your favorite recommandations, or invites bullshit people to your party by posting it to the larger social networks; you just stop sharing this stuff with him.

but i think we need to move. we can take on more. the more "formal" circles had its plusses too. it was good you had a punkclub where you could meet likeminded people, or an industrial anti-fanzine to get to know more music - and political theories.

i have two ideas: first, really create circles, in which some music is shared *only*. for example, as a producer, while still doing regular releases, to produce every now and then some killer and exquisite tracks only for that circle.
if this secret circle has a large number of members and artists, an interesting outcome can be had, and a community created.
it should be noted, that it's best that no outsider knows this circle or this music exists, or has ever existed.
it's also a plus when political and social theories are circulated in this grouping then.
maybe it would be possible to make the existance and the name of the circle public, but not letting everyone in - but that would be risky, and could lead to failure.
the second idea, to find another way to limit the amount of people that can access the art of a given artist. that you have to pay for some releases is a step in this direction, and maybe the price should be set higher - you would have exclusive art if you pay 10 euro for a single track, right?
but it would be awkward and extremely negative that of all things, money, this capitalist bastard, would be the measure of who can access art and who not.
but i am sure other barriers of accessibility could be found for art.

there is a lot to be done, and a lot to be achieved. but regardless of wether one succeeds with these concepts; art will still be for special circles.

Why I Left Breakcore - Addendum

a while ago, i wrote the text "why i left the breakcore scene".
this text created more discussion and feedback than i thought it would... as it was more intended as a personal text.
i feel that in many cases, the point i was trying to make, was cut short. the discussion seemed to revolve more around wether "breakcore" of the past or of the present was better, or more creative, etc.
this was not what i wanted to say. what i felt was, that in the beginning, the scene around breakcore music, was open to a certain ideology, to certain "political", cultural ideas. and i tried to use breakcore music to spread these ideas. a few while later, i felt that it had become virtually impossible to still push these ideas with breakcore music. as breakcore had been infused with a quite different ideology and politics, that were very conformist, pro-consumer society and pro-hierarchy. and i saw no way to counter this process, or rather, i decided it would be wiser to use my energies to spread these ideas in different musical settings, such as speedcore or hardcore, were these ideas could still be communicated and pushed forward. that's why i left breakcore and followed different musical ways.