Tag: DIY punk

Making Happy – 16th September 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

Here lies the glory days
The laughter, love and pains
Stashed ragged in a box
A jumbled collection of remains

Dried disintegrated flowers
Scattered at the grave of who I’ve been
Now forever falling forward
Towards whatever I wish to dream

Once I came back to visit
But couldn’t force myself to stay
The memories are happier now
And I’d like to keep them that way

inspired by this post at Spinning Visions blog

Today I’m feeling:

Tired from a long reasonable sleep. My body is aching from all the exercise this week so I’ll happily give it a little break. No plans in particular for today though I might watch the AFL replays as they should be good games. I’ll get some reading in today as I skipped it a lot this week, running out of time and energy. I need to pick up the guitar too. Suddenly I’m filling a relaxing day but at least there’s no real stress right now.

Today I’m grateful for:

A dreamy afternoon nap, spacing in and out of the jazz core podcast. Is that weird? I remember one time as a teenager Jez came around and he couldn’t believe I was sleeping and listening to Crass’s Yes Sir, I Will album cranked up and to be fair I wasn’t in a deep sleep but spacing in and out. I guess I’m well-practiced.

The best thing about today was:

Drinking late morning coffees and getting a super buzz off them. I contemplated a third but managed to restrain myself. I wish I could drink endless coffees without getting so jacked up on them.

What is it that makes you a weirdo in your space?

To answer this I might have to figure out what ‘my space’ means. In fact, I might be considered a weirdo in any space these days. But I’m projecting that onto other people. I don’t think of myself as weird at all.

My space as a teacher: not just as a teacher but as a teacher in Thailand. By being a foreigner, that immediately makes me an anomaly. We are treated differently by other teachers and students alike.

My style of interaction with the teachers is relatively normal but I am one of only two teachers I ever see engaging with kids outside of class. This could also contribute to how the students treat me differently too. 

They don’t show the same respect but they are more interactive at least. I don’t see myself as being on some kind of untouchable pedestal that this status could afford. I’d rather connect on a more friendly level. That means also having to deal with all their emotional ups and downs and behavioural issues as they are navigating their teenage growth. 

What the Thai teachers think about my style of interaction with the students I have no idea or particular interest. I’m doing the best I can with the little skills I have and if it improves my student’s lives in any way then I consider what I’m doing to be positive.

My space as a music supporter: as demonstrated with tenzenmen I have a broad range of musical interests and whilst this makes for an unsuccessful business model I don’t wish to be defined within a limited genre because that’s just boring to me. Some people get it. 

As a person that was in the middle of a ‘scene’ in Sydney, I was also, somewhat purposefully, separate from the other people involved. In many ways, I just didn’t want to deal with all the personal bullshit going on in their lives or share any of mine. Our interactions were intentionally just involving music and getting that out there. I felt that about 80% of the people were my friends whom I could trust if I ever needed but always managed to keep myself in a situation where that need would never arise. This didn’t make me close friends in their eyes but it did for me.

My space as Amy’s partner: Amy may consider me a weirdo in many ways but she understands my aesthetic and ideals whether she understands my interests or not. 

For other people outside our relationship, I don’t really know what they might think about me as an individual but they are often confused about our relationship. For Amy and I, it is not confusing at all.

Many of her friends do not understand how we can trust each other and maintain our relationship when we are not together but that is hardly a statement on us and says more about them.

My space as a father to Hayden: I guess I’m not particularly weird in this space. I have never been much of a hands-on controlling kind of father and therefore have not been particularly stressed about his growing pains and even when it has been frustrating to watch him make mistakes I have always trusted that he will find his way in the end and slowly he seems to be doing that. I may be wrong but I feel many fathers deal with their sons in the same way.

There are other spaces I fill too but these feel like the main.

What would make today great?

Well, the day is almost done and it was a standard good day without anything particularly great occurring. It was great that the rain that threatened all day managed to hold off until I had brought the washing in. Small wins.

Noey took this picture because I got up late and Utopia were wondering where I was. That’s nice to be appreciated as a customer or even as a friend.
Fatman report

There’s Cake – 12th August 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Security kills me
Anxiety keeps me alive
The paranoid and prudent
Get to survive

I don’t want to be happy
I don’t want to want
I don’t deserve it
There must be more
More than survival

A life without pain
Would often be short
Our wealth is unhealthy
But we’re mostly bought

Found in abundance
At a temporary table
Making me so fat
And mentally unstable

I don’t want to feel good
I don’t want to want
But I want to be good
My biology
Keeps eating my cake

Denton, Texas befuddlers Flesh Narc pile together the nicest grapes they could find, herein compiled from the first song they wrote in 2013 to the band’s first tour in summer 2017. Witness the genre whiplash that Flesh Narc is capable of from their beginnings as a slacker post-punk power trio to their descent into electronic abstraction and back to a retightened, haywire rock band. A comprehensive review of Flesh Narc’s early years, off-the-wall lyrical content and confused music guaranteed.

tracks 1-4 recorded October-November 2014 by Michael Briggs
tracks 5-7 recorded October, December 2015 by Michael Briggs
tracks 8-10 recorded June-July 2016 by Michael Briggs
tracks 11-13 recorded October, December 2015-February 2016 by Sinevil
track 14 recorded live February 10th 2017 at Cleemus & Ploumplesti’s, Denton
tracks 15-18 recorded May-June 2017 by Justin Lemons
track 19 recorded live August 4th 2017 at Archer Ballroom, Chicago by Steve Gassen

1-4: Optical Intrusion (January 2015)
5,6: Slow Deep and Narc (March 2016)
7: Narc That! (June 2016)
8,9: TS/FN ❤ (split with Thin Skin) (November 2016)
10: Dinner’s Served (Thanksgiving 2016)
11-13: Eyes on the Fabric (Narc Infinitives) (February 2017)
14: Hailey’s Fan Club (July 2017)
15-18: Frisky/Gardens (July 2017)
19: Split with Slackbeat (March 2018)

Flesh Narc is Matt Burgess, Rick Eye and Reece McLean.

In early 2013, Rick joined Reece’s project Bukkake Moms and they formed the freewheeling collective Problem Dogg. In the midst of that chaos, Matt’s long-time band Eat Avery’s Bones began playing shows more regularly, and it wasn’t long before Matt became involved in the Problem Dogg consortium. Matt, Reece and Rick practiced for the first time together in November 2013 and wrote their first song, “Jack Off Cubes”. 8 more songs were written but they got distracted by mineral trading drama and decided to stop practicing for 5 months. Upon remembering they were a band, they quickly recorded their 9 unrehearsed songs and made up about 9 more on the spot, some of which were better. Their first album “Optical Intrusion” and companion EP “Narc It!” were released in early 2015 and the first live shows followed. Human microphone stands were utilized and instrument switches were abundant and time-consuming.

Improvised electronics slowly crept in, eventually usurping the live set for a brief part of 2016. A 2nd album “Slow Deep and Narc” with companion EP “Narc That!” followed and not long after a split cassette with Thin Skin.

The band’s slacker rock sound was running its course, and the radical left-turn electronic album “Eyes on the Fabric (Narc Infinitives)” was still held up in post-production. Thankfully, refreshment was found through the joining of Beth Dodds from Bukkake Moms on drums and occasional guitar/bass/keyboards in January 2017. The band gained a new intensity and confusion factor. “Eyes on the Fabric (Narc Infinitives)” finally released in February 2017, featuring stark electronics and free-associating vocals lost in the dark. The new 4-piece Flesh Narc prepared for a summer tour with Thin Skin and produced “Frisky/Gardens”, originally a demo, but later canonized by default. “Hailey’s Fan Club”, a live album of electronic material that verges on comedy, also made its way to tape in time for the tour.

Flesh Narc’s performance in Chicago at Archer Ballroom (later released as a split with Slackbeat in 2018) showed the band in a demented form on the home stretch of tour. In the Loop Magazine reviewed the show calling Flesh Narc, “noise going nowhere” and urged readers to “leave immediately” upon encountering the band (beintheloopchicago.com?p=20995).

In the immediate wake of the tour, the 4-piece line-up of Flesh Narc dissolved. The band’s next album, intended to be called “Grapes” (consisting of rerecorded “Frisky/Gardens” songs and new material), was scrapped before recording. The band reverted back into a trio again and replaced drums with manually-tapped drum machine and tapes.

And what happens after that is for another compilation another time.

From 2017 to the present day, things in the land of Flesh Narc have grown very complex, with numerous releases of varying styles with new collaborators. As a quick primer, and to fulfil the unrealized dream of the “Grapes” album, this compilation of Flesh Narc’s early years should suffice.

Today I’m feeling:

Slooow to go! I had a weed gummy last night which I thought didn’t really have much effect beyond focusing concentration on playing guitar. And trying to fix the Canna butter bottle that broke, I had a drop or less of that which seemed to get me thinking sideways for the rest of the evening that rapidly disappeared. I had deeply thought-provoking dreams that felt quite negative in that they reminded me of my age and my place in the world. I woke up a little shook. I feel pretty damn relaxed now though. The heat and rain have gone for a while and it’s nice enough to sit outside again with a soft breeze stirring. I’ve been out here for an hour already. 

Today I’m grateful for:

Bruno picking me up at the Nissan dealer in the afternoon. We went up to Ahka Cottage for coffee whilst the car was being ‘serviced’. I put that in quotes as it’s sometimes a little difficult to know if they really check over everything or just change the oil and filter and things you ask them. Presumably, they’re doing a good job.

I’m also grateful to Gong at Utopia who called ahead to Daytripper about a pipette for me for my CBD oil.

What was the best thing today?

Seeing Amy happy back in her room in Sydney, already thinking about how to enjoy her last eight weeks there.   She was happy to return to more comfortable temperatures although it has been a little cooler here too today.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

It was odd to be in the passenger seat of a car for a change. Weird not to have a car key in my pocket.

Something I learned today?

Watching Brian Dunning’s inFact explained why there are suddenly lots of military UFO sightings in the last six months. It all seemed to be down to a core group of connected people who have pushing their theories for the last 15 years. They’re not presenting anything new but they are all presenting it at the same time, presumably to inspire funding from the government. Which country? You can guess, it’s your friend and mine, the USA! It’s rare to hear about UFO sightings anywhere else.

What is my favourite time of day?

Although I struggle to do it without external motivation I’ve come to enjoy the mornings, especially living here in Chiang Rai. Age and location also have an influence, as well as circumstances of obligations.

I pretty much like any time of day. I’m alive and the passing of time is increasing. It’s not impossible to enjoy every breath but the last one should be spent in contentment.

I took this picture because I sat outside in the cooler air with this smelly boy rolling around at my feet and His Royal Highness Cappuccino in the apparent safety of the dining room behind the screen door.

I Know What You’re Thinking – 23rd July 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 23 Comments

Dieter, where did you come from?
And where are you going on that train?
A coat and cigarette keep warm
There’s a look on your face I can’t explain

Your eyes reflect the blur outside
You look lost in what’s gone past
Speeding headlong backwards, onwards
Out into the cold world so vast

Moving at speed whilst quietly sitting still
The dust of the morning on your mind
Stepping onto the platform, time stood still
As you contemplated what you’d find

When you look out, you’re looking for me
I don’t mean for me to be seen
I mean you’re seeing the things I see
Reflected in all the places that I’ve been

I recognise your heart and passion
I see you collecting everyone’s thoughts
The future is heading right toward us
As we must navigate these ports

inspired by the attached photo, written about at Spinning Visions blog
15th Mar 2024 – Submitted to dVerse ONL
19th Jun 2024 – Submitted to dVerse – traveling by train

Today I’m feeling:

Struggled to get up after a difficult sleep. It was still over 30 degrees in my bedroom at midnight so I had to shove the fan next to the open window again and by the time it was getting light, I started to feel cool. Having the weight of the two fish I ate last night sitting in my stomach didn’t help either. Finally, I slowly stretched, cobra, child’s pose, cat and cow and opened my eyes. I felt okay. I talked myself into riding my pushbike to Utopia and eventually (see picture below) am relaxing with caffeine, considering a third cup to cap it all off.

Today I’m grateful for:

Window polish/cleaner. And Amy. Combined they made the kitchen window clean again. Free of lizard shit, cobwebs and other detritus. I can see clearly again as I chug down a glass of water or wash out the cat bowls.

The best thing about today was:

Feeling like things are coming together around our house again as Amy tidies, cleans and rearranges everything to her fancy. When I’m here by myself I’m just living but when Amy is here with me it feels like home again.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I guess the morning start going to Utopia with Tangmo following along was a little test as I had to leave again before I could even have coffee and ride back, taking Tangmo home. But I dealt with it with calm acceptance and just enjoyed the ride and tiring ‘mo out.

Something I learned today?

I must’ve learned something today! Oh! I read a couple of interesting interviews in the Punk Planet book. 

That whole book has me reevaluating certain things about my role within the punk/DIY scene. I think when you are deep in the middle of something like that you take it very seriously. Sitting a little outside of that scene now puts into clearer context how others might have viewed it at the time. 

One of the interviews was about a scene member’s frustrations with the changes he’d seen at the time (mid-90s) and it felt a little trivial in retrospect but I also understand that a lot of time has passed since and more world experience gathered.

Of more interest was the other interview about protests about the gearing up for bombing Iraq in 1998. 

The interviewee was from our scene but had somehow found himself on live TV (CNN) addressing the warmongers in the US government. In the interview, he was hopeful about the movement of protest against this but history ended up differently as political manipulations saw to it that Iraq would be crushed and crippled for a long time. 

Almost every on-the-ground report I have heard was about how welcoming the average Iraqi was to strangers. The same propaganda that is currently loose on Russia and China must not be allowed to lead to military conflict. 

But the warmongers will continue to beat their drums until the tide of opinion is so overwhelming that it cannot be ignored. 

We hoped for that in 1998. Hoped for it in 2003. Hoped again and again. As situations in the most powerful Western countries deteriorate maybe we are edging nearer that change. Perhaps the world is waking up.

What are some things that help me feel calm and relaxed?

Meditation seems to help a little though I’m never quite relaxed when actually doing it. Perhaps the accumulation and habit is part of this process. Exercise helps too. I still don’t use my body enough but I’m slowly getting there.

Medication has ironed out my wavering emotions and I’m comfortable with that. 

I took this picture because crazy Tangmo ran beside me as I rode my push bike all the way to Utopia. Crazy dog. He was scared when I sat down because he wasn’t sure where he was. He couldn’t come in and if I came in he would’ve scratched at the door so there was nothing to do except ride him back home and come back for coffee on the motorbike as it was hot and sunny by then.

Balloon – 3rd February 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Let go and let fly
Gathering data from the sky
To understand a stormy why

Unsteered and set adrift
To heavens, the air will lift
Arriving as an unwanted gift

A drama begins to bloom
Gossipped hot air fills the room
Fills and refills the balloon

Tricked and deceived by lies
It comes to no one’s surprise
The balloon contained no spies

Debut album for Melbourne Noise Punks Ad Interim
now available for pre-order on vinyl with two bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere at adinterim.bandcamp.com/merch or stockrecordsperth.bandcamp.com/merch

A joint release by Tenzenmen and Stock Records

CD/digital originally released April 11, 2022

Guitar + Vocals – Max Ducker
Bass – Michael McQueen
Drums – Roger Newall
Guest vocals on “Sideways” – Prue Elyn

Recorded and Mixed at Cellar Sessions Studio by Max Ducker.
www.cellarsessionsstudio.com
Mastered By Alan Smith at Bergerk Studios

Today I’m feeling:

Tired and a little rundown. Reasonably happy though despite some of my annoying students.

Today I’m grateful for:

The lady who I bought the salted fish from as she gave me extra sauce. Not that I could use it today. One pack is sure to be burning my ass tomorrow.

The best thing about today was:

Enjoying my classes and students despite what I mention below. We had a playful time and enjoyed learning and carried on into the playground during lunchtime.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

As usual, it was some of my students and their disrespectful attitudes and I handled it by kicking them out of my class. Other students asked if I was angry or upset but I wasn’t. I told them I was happy now that those students were gone. I think they were happy too.

Something I learned today?

I learned not to give Cap and Tig the special treats we have as it’s only for Kim. I found out when Amy watched me feeding them via video call. I thought I’d seen her giving it to them before but I was mistaken.

What word or phrase would I like to give this year?

2023 – The Year of…..

Maybe this question will be better answered at the end of the year.

I took this picture because Tigger just loves the dust and dirt of our garden. I don’t know if it’s ever going to be possible to clean up his skin without keeping him inside, which he would hate.

The Bull Remains – 30th September 2022

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 4 Comments

The rain makes the dragonflies dance
Across the green rice field sea
Stalks quivering under droplets weight
Bent to the breeze in a quiet tango
Four rainbows beam from the mountain
Tin rooves announcing progress
Animals seek out shelter
Yet the bull remains, unamused

4th Sep 2024 – Submitted to Moonwashed Weekly Prompt

In recent seasons of being, I have had occasion to reflect on the utterly improbable trajectory of my life, plotted not by planning, but by living.

Carl Jung

For vinyl pre-order: cowman.bandcamp.com/album/slaughter

Hand-numbered limited edition of 50. The first 10 include a copy of “Eye”, a handwritten and numbered book (handmade in Nepal) of aphorisms and poems.

For tape release (available soon): cruelnaturerecordings.bandcamp.com

Everyone involved in this release:
cowman.bandcamp.com/album/slaughter
cojurecords.wordpress.com
cruelnaturerecordings.bandcamp.com
www.inguerecords.com/cowman.html

released September 30, 2022

Recorded and mixed at the Slaughterhouse
January-February 2022
Mastered masterfully by Carl Saff

♥Juju, Steve, Cruel Nature, Lucie, Audrey, Gyeong-ryeong, Fai, George, birdbath, Ingue, Simon, Shaun, Tenzenmen, Seb, Dan, James, Tong-ann, Yuting, EBSN and my Mum

Today I’m feeling:
Happy and relaxed.
Today I’m grateful for:
The coconut shop that makes delicious iced coconut water drinks. They are delicious but disappear too quickly like good things are supposed to.
The best thing about today was:
As I was walking to the coconut shop a school van pulled up, the door opened and I heard ‘teacher!’ and it was my student Baipad, who I found out lives next door but one to Black Smooth cafe. I think there are a couple of other students in my village but Baipad is the first I’ve actually seen around and all because I decided to walk instead of going by motorbike.

I took this picture because it was only by chance that I saw these strange star-shaped flowers on this cactus. Pretty and pretty interesting.

Know-all – 12th June 2022

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

All I mean to say
There’s a bridge to Coolidge
No, all I really say to mean…
A man in a van can seem
Of age already, cameage
So many impressions
Of the ice man
And what do these clean sheets mean?
In need of a pep talk
As the all-o-gistics are denying caffeine
Living a schizophrenia dream
Sometimes Uranus is a bonus cup
But there’s no need to be jealous of the world

If you know, you know.

It is not what happens that determines the quality of our lives, it is what we choose to do when we discover that the wind has changed directions.

Jim Rohn

Band members:
Lionel Beyet: Bass, Samples
Yves Vranckx: Bass, Samples
Vincent Desantos: Drums
Saxophone on Ghost Whale by Bruno Margreth:

Recorded by Mehdi Ayari at Magasin4, Brussels, 20 & 21 January, 2022
Mixed; by Raphaël Terlinden, April-May 2022
Mastered by Nicolas Beyet , June 2022
All tracks by Ghost:Whale
Artwork by Mr Lib

Respect to labels that support us, love you:

FRANCE/BE:
P.O.G.O. – pogorecords.bandcamp.com
FRANCE:
Bonobo stomp – bonobostomp.blogspot.com
FRANCE.
Bitume Records – bitumeprods.bandcamp.com
SWISS:
Urgence Disk – www.urgencedisk.ch – urgencedisk@bluewin.ch
THAILAND:
Tenzenmen – tenzenmen.bandcamp.com
USA:
Forbidden Place Records – forbiddenplacerecords.bandcamp.com
SPECIAL EDITIONS:
SWEDEN
A special edition handmade digipack limited at 33 copies is available in by Clouded Mind Records
cloudedmindrecords.bandcamp.com
USA
Tape edition is available by
The Ashton Velvet Rock Club Recording Company (USA)
avrcrc.bandcamp.com

OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKC3oFN97AA&list=PLFtGH3IdUh26ETJy1_bdR9bGrHAw4qVym&index=2

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful that I can use Facebook to stay in contact with my old students and I can watch them grow and develop into adults over the years. It’s a very amazing feeling to be a part of their journey, even if it is only a small part.

New Names – 12th December 2021

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 9 Comments

40 years or many aeons
It’s all exactly the same
What more is there to see?
Just give it a new name

Every empire risen
Has since fallen away
It’s the rhythm of events
There’s nothing that will stay

Do not dwell further on it
Neither choose to ignore
Every atom recycled
And we will be no more

14th Jun 2024 – Submitted to Poets and Storytellers United Friday Writings #131

Eremo are a four-piece math-rock band fighting their way out of Milan, IT since 2015

L’ego in un pagliaio recorded at Trai Studio
Mastered by Snug Recording

Artwork by Federico Verde
eremo.bandcamp.com – released May 2021

s/t originally released December 2016

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for the cheap rope I bought for Tangmo to play with and that I found it again in the field opposite after he ran away with it last night.

Ploughed through all my recently downloaded music. Some genius works there and lots of perplexing nonsense. I have too much and also not enough. I have half a plan to do another new podcast for a while. We’ll see. I want to get on top of my blog more than anything.

The daylight is weird today. It’s warm but looks like it will rain but it is 100% unlikely to rain. It’s making me feel tired. Or maybe I am tired. I think I just want to go and watch crappy TV for a while. Give my brain a break.

Annual Caper – 15th June 2021

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

Running around, filling in forms
Photocopying passports and paper
Wasting time and wasting petrol
On this stupid annual caper

“You’ve done it wrong, take it back”
Take it to another station
Always use blue ink, never black
For those lovely folks at immigration

“Thanks for coming, we’ll take your money
But go away and do it right”
Said one thing and meant another
“Now get the hell out of my sight”

Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full
Please let me stay in your land
It’s enough to make you want to leave
This isn’t what I’d planned

It’s like you don’t want us here
Unless we pay through the nose
Your useless corrupt system’s
Designed just to keep us on our toes

I’m trying to make it along here
A house with pets, a job and a wife
But maybe it’s time to reconsider
Where I spend the rest of my life

Does anyone read promotional blurb anymore? Is it necessary? I say No! But this is what is done, so this is what we’re doing.

For those in the know, Trumans Water have been deconstructing indie rock conventions (and grammar rules) for more than 100 years now (or at least since the early 90s) and there’s a reasonable chance you have totally missed out! But Trumans never stop.

Too true, the vet American “spazz-rock”/”squiggle-core” quartet has been scarce in their native land in recent years: releases mostly on Euro-labels (and now a label based in Thailand!); touring almost exclusively “over there.” One co-founding Branstetter brother, singer-guitarist Kevin, even settled down in France; the other, guitarist-vocalist Kirk, remains in Portland, Oregon, where TW set up in 1995 (formed in San Diego circa 1991).

The 14 tracks of O Zeta Zunis, album #13,14,15 or 16 depending on how you may wish to count, manage one helluva collective double-feat: sounding like distinct, engaging, chance-taking, raw-boned guit-stoked rock to any given listener — whether they know the Water or no — and coming off to TW fans as strikingly fresh while hearkening back to classic Trumans material.

Yes, the latter means going all the way back to 1992’s debut Of Thick Tum — enthusiastically tracked by legendary Brit radio DJ John Peel in its entirety, c’est vrai — and their 1993 2xLP follow-up, Spasm Smash XXXOXOX Ox & Ass. (Note: you’re still on your own in unravelling Trumans-ian title-age.)

O Zeta Zunis sports a few slowed-up passages that help accentuate the melodic riff-drive of “Last Time” or the balls-out whizz-bang of “Greased Water,” the twitchy-catchy frolic of “5-7-10 Split” or the rubbery buzz-chug of “You Live Out Loud.” There’re loping jams and snappy sonic sputter-blasts as well. Essence of Trumans.

Chèvre Au Lait slows things down with subtlety, yet remains as twisted as ever, in the fashion of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band, fusing madness with restraint and even devolving into post-punk reminiscent of England in the early 80s, which has become popular again with the punk youth of today.

Folks, this ain’t history — this is … living, loopy rock and/or roll! Trumans Water never left so won’t you please welcome them back?

Thailand based label tenzenmen has long been a fan of Trumans Water and was so disappointed that their last two albums were not available on CD, and unable to complete the collection in their music library, that they invested their inheritance monies into bringing these albums to the most unpopular format in recorded history. 

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to meet my students again and to meet some of the new classes. It was a lot of fun and I felt relaxed and enjoyed the day very much despite other stresses going on.

We got that attitude! – 9th February 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

I am so happy and grateful for our friends taking care of our house and cats.

Ask truly curious questions that don’t have the hidden agenda of fixing, saving, advising, convincing or correcting.

Kate Murphy, NYT

To-do list

  • Talk with John (he will be busy though!) ½
  • Talk with Kyaw Kyaw and Zarni ✅
  • Get Kyaw Kyaw and Zarni to do TCRAH spot
  • Talk to as many people as you can ½

A very lazy day finished off by going to the show at Mohawk Bar. I met Kyaw Kyaw and talked with him a few times through the night which was rewarding and it was good to finally meet.

I probably wouldn’t have stayed around too long if I hadn’t met Christopher Luppi. As the older punk members club we swapped stories and he introduced me to a few others he knew. The evening passes quite quickly in the end. I had lots of opportunities to talk to more people but didn’t make the best of it, still a little shy and reserved.

Struggle Session – Sudamérica Ruido y Amor – 4th July 2019

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Cat #: 198TZM

“33 shows in 37 days, the numbers seemed unreal as we set off screaming through 7 countries, crossing an entire continent. It was a tour we’d dreamed about, some of us for years others for just the past six months, excited about new places to explore and new people to meet, different languages and different cultures. An utterly DIY tour that we’d planned and booked ourselves; we slept on floors, played in houses, in squats, in burnt out buildings, anti-fascist boxing gyms, and on the street. We played with amazing bands in cities we’d never even heard of before. We shared food and philosophies of life. We got free tattoos, free CDs, and free beer. We didn’t sleep for days on end. We ran out of clean underwear. We got tired and worn down, we fought and got sick, yet had no choice except to continue. We met amazing people and fell in love, with new friends, and with life. We may have even learned something about the world, each other, and ourselves. As the days flew by, each felt like a lifetime, each city a whole world onto itself. The tour became too much to take in all at once, its totality became a blur, while each individual memory burnt itself into our minds and our hearts.

Sudámerica Ruido y Amor is about that trip. 33 songs speed by in under 10 minutes, one for every city we played. Each track recounts a unique moment, a shared joke, or a crystallized emotion inspired by the people we met, the bands we played with, and the cities we visited. Styles clash and collide as the days bleed together and cities come and go, yet through the chaos, a common theme appears, one of the kindnesses of strangers and the power of community. We hope that this EP will stand as a document, not only of what we’ve done but also of those who helped us along our way. We also hope that it serves as an inspiration for others to seek out all the vibrant scenes supporting DIY music both on and off the map, in South America or wherever the music takes you. Above all these are love songs to all those we met on our tour. Sudámerica ruido y amor!”