THE TRAPPISTS LIVE AT 2m3 - WALT VAN BEEK

This friday The Trappists will perform at the 2M3-gallery space with Walt Van Beek.

UNTIDY CHRISTMAS (WHAM TRIBUTE TO CASSETTEBOY MIX) VIDEO EDIT

We're proud to present the quickly-cobbled together video for The Trappists' christmas re-edit. The video was shot in Aalst on Saturday. It stars De Piejemp and Gilles from De Gilles Spot. You can click on the link to watch the previous 'De Gilles Spot Kerstspecial'. It's also produced and filmed in Aalst and is therefore in Dutch. That might preclude many of you making much sense of it but you may well still enjoy the visual comedy anyway.

Back to the re-edit. We hijacked several parts of Cassetteboy's 'Festive Christmas' CD for the re-edit (especially in the full length version). The CD was originally released back in 2002, the follow-up release to their classic first album 'The Parker Tapes'. We find ourselves coming back to it year after year as, quite frankly, it dwarfs pretty much all other Christmas themed musical entertainment. If you don't know much about Cassetteboy but have a twisted and juvenile humorous side then check out the Cassetteboy channel on youtube. We've also embedded the 'Festive Christmas 2010 Edit' from Cassetteboy's Soundcloud below.

Cassetteboy (feat. Tony D'Money) - Festive Christmas 2010 by Cassetteboy

A DOUBLE PORTION OF BLANCMANGE

REFERENCE POINT The Trappists 'Pocket Of A Friend'

This is one of the first re-edits we produced - from the now legendary (for us) Ghent 'cellar' sessions (actually in an attic). The original track 'Feel Me' was released in 1982 but failed to make the UK top 40, peaking at no.46. The follow up single was their biggest hit 'Living On The Ceiling'. They have been touring again this year and released a brand new album 'Blanc Burn' in March 2011 (complete with retro sleeve art).

We've selected a nice bit of live Blancmange action for this post. Here's the footage from The Tube, performed in December 1982 (not 1983 as stated in the youtube info). 'Blind Vision' followed by 'Living On the Ceiling' both performed in the classic synth duo style. We love the raw sound, particularly with 'Blind Vision'.

LUCKY LEIF AND THE LONGSHIPS

REFERENCE POINT The Trappists 'Ragnarök Abbaye'

Robert Calvert's second solo LP 'Lucky Leif And The Longships' came out in 1975. It was produced by Brian Eno and features writer Michael Moorcock (on banjo) as well as members of Hawkwind and Pink Fairies. It tells the tale of a mythical viking invasion of America and features some excellent tracks including 'Ship Of Fools' and the sublime Beach Boys surf-pop pastiche 'Lay Of The Surfers'. The undoubted highlight is the album's closing track (and Trappists re-edit source) 'Ragna Rock'. It's here where the fusion of Eno and Hawkwind can be best appreciated.

The album can be downloaded here. If you like it then check out Calvert's first album, 'Captain Lockheed & The Starfighters', as well. Generally a more consistent album, there's no Eno and a lot more Hawkwind on board.

DJ-GIG: KERSTMIS-SHOPPING WITH THE TRAPPISTS

The wonderful people of Jeugddienst-Stad Aalst invited The Trappists to do a 2 hour DJ gig at Aalst Twinkelt. Friday the 9th of December, between 6-8pm, we will be located at the Kaviaar store in de Kattestraat. A bit of an atypical environment for the Trappists-madness, so pass by if you're up for some mutant christmas sounds and psychedelic disco vibes in fashion store surroundings.
christmas-shopping in de Kattestraat in the 1950's.
The Kaviaar store is 55 years and 55 metres further on the left.

BEER OF THE YEAR: 2011

Seeing as it's December there was only really one choice. Affligem Patersvat. It's Belgium's best (actually, only) blonde Christmas beer. We love it at Trappists HQ. We know it's an Abbey rather than a Trappists beer but we're not too elitist about these things. If you're in Belgium then treat yourself for the festive season. If your not then clearly you'll have to settle for something inferior. We would advise buying enough to enjoy through Easter into summer as well.

Alcohol: 6.8%
Serving temp°: 4-12° C
Serving tip: serve slowly
Head: thick
Color: gold
Aroma: light and fruity
Taste: light and mild
Brewery: Affligem Abbey

P.S. That's not us in the picture

CLEROMANCER - NIGHTMARE ANGEL OF THE EXPRESSWAYS

REFERENCE POINT Pale Trappists At The Madmen's Discotheque-mix

Another blatant plug for a Trappists related blog. Ultra-Nostalgische Pop contains a fine selection of tracks with some complimentary visual experiences...

Check out the ultra nostalgische pop-blogspot

nightmare angel of the expressways from ultra-nostalgische pop on Vimeo.

JOHN CALE & UNTIDY WHORES

REFERENCE POINT The Trappists 'Untidy Whores'

So yeah, 'Untidy Whores' is The Trappists' re-interpretation of John Cale's 'Rosegarden Funeral Of Sores'. The original track is hidden away on the b-side of 'Mercenaries (Ready For War)', an IRS 7" from 1980. We think the original is still unavailable on CD or digitally. Anyway, Bauhaus must have loved it as their (much more famous) cover-version appeared on the b-side of 'Telegram Sam' the same year.

Back to Mr. Cale. There are so many reasons to admire him. Here's six of ours...

1. 'Church Of Anthrax' (w/ Terry Riley)
2. 'Hanky Panky Know-How' from Paris 1919
3. Nico 'Desert Shore'
4. Happy Mondays '24 Hour Party People'
5. The Stooges 'The Stooges'
6. Velvet Underground 'The Gift'

...and here's a seventh, a clip of John on 'I've Got A Secret' in September 1963.

MARY - HIJ WAS MAAR 'N NEGER

REFERENCE POINT De Groot-Nederlandsche Miks

'Hij was maar 'n neger!" is a tearjearker released around christmas 1965 by the Dutch singer Mary aka De Zangeres Zonder Naam. Here is some interesting info (in Dutch) on the track.

You can also hear it in all it's glory here