The Ex (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Ex

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Img_capt = The Ex in concert on 16 June 2004 in Germany. Left to right: Rozemarie, G.W. Sok, Katherina Ex, Andy Moor.
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Landscape = yes
Background = group_or_band
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Origin = Amsterdam
Genre = Punk, Anarcho-punk, Punk jazz
Years_active = 1979–present
Label =
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URL = [http://www.theex.nl/ www.theex.nl]
Current_members = Terrie Ex
G.W. Sok
Katherina Ex
Andy Moor

Past_members = Luc
Rozemarie
Notable_instruments =

The Ex is an anarchist band from the Netherlands. They formed in 1979 at the height of the original punk explosion and have released more than twenty full length albums since.

Biography

The Ex's music has undergone significant evolution over the years, beginning as a simple lo-fi anarcho-punk band. They debuted with a single titled "Stupid Americans" on the "Utregpunx" vinyl 7" compilation released by Rock Against records in Rotterdam. The release of their first 7" "All Corpses Smell the Same" came shortly thereafter in 1980. Through the decades they gradually developed into their current form of highly intricate, experimental punk/post-punk/no wave-inspired work.

Breaking from the relatively narrow confines of punk rock, The Ex has incorporated a wide array of influences, often from non-Western and non-rock sources. Some include Hungarian and Turkish folk songs, and more recently music from Ethiopia, Congo and Eritrea (whose independence song is covered by The Ex on "Turn"). Other examples of branching out stylistically include the improvised double album "Instant" and a release under the moniker "Ex Orkest", a 20 piece big band assembled for performances at Holland Festival.

The band has had successful collaborations with many disparate artists, including UK anarchist band Chumbawamba (sometimes using the name Antidote), the Dog Faced Hermans (one former member of that band, Andy Moor, is currently part of The Ex), and with the late avant-garde cellist Tom Cora in the early 1990s, resulting in the album "Scrabbling At the Lock" in 1991 and the follow-up "And the Weathermen Shrug Their Shoulders" in 1993. They have also collaborated with members of Sonic Youth, Dutch improvisers ICP, and released a collaborative EP with America's Tortoise.

Bass guitar player Luc left the band in 2003, replaced by double bassist Rozemarie. [ cite web |url=http://www.theex.nl/news12.htm |title=Newsletter 12 |work=The Ex homepage |accessdate=2007-06-18 ] In 2005 Rozemarie left the band. [ cite web |url=http://www.theex.nl/news14.htm |title=Newsletter 14 |work=The Ex homepage |accessdate=2007-06-18 ] The Ex is the subject of the documentary film "Building a Broken Mousetrap" (2006), directed by Jem Cohen. [ cite web |url=http://www.jemcohenfilms.com/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=29 |title=List of Works |work=Jem Cohen Films |accessdate=2007-06-18 ]

Discography

Albums

*1980 "Disturbing Domestic Peace" (LP)
*1982 "History is What's Happening" (LP)
*1983 "Tumult" (LP)
*1984 "Blueprints for a Blackout" (2xLP)
*1985 "Support the Miners' Strike" (split live LP with Zowiso/Morzelpron and Nico)
*1985 "Pay no More than 6 Fr." (split live tape with Svatsox)
*1985 "Pokkeherrie" (LP)
*1987 "Too Many Cowboys" (2xLP)
*1987 "Antidote Live in Wroclaw" (live tape)
*1988 "Aural Guerilla" (LP)
*1989 "Joggers and Smoggers" (2xLP)
*1990 "Treat" (split live tape with Dog Faced Hermans)
*1991 "Scrabbling at the Lock" (LP with Tom Cora)
*1993 "And the Weathermen Shrug Their Shoulders" (LP with Tom Cora)
*1995 "Instant" (2xCD as The Ex and Guests)
*1995 "Mudbird Shivers" (CD)
*1998 "Starters Alternators" (CD)
*2001 "Dizzy Spells" (CD)
*2001 "Een Rondje Holland" (CD as Ex Orkest)
*2004 "Turn" (2xCD)
*2006 "Moa Anbessa" (CD with Getatchew Mekurya and Guests)

EPs and singles

[
Alexander Rodchenko's 1924 portrait of Lilya Brik.]
*1980 "All Corpses Smell the Same" (4 track 7")
*1980 "New Horizons in Retailing" (7" flexi)
*1980 "Live-Skive" (live 7")
*1981 "Weapons for El Salvador" (7")
*1981 "Villa Zuid Moet Blijven" (split 7" flexi with Svatsox/De Groeten)
*1983 "Dignity of Labour" (4x7")
*1983 "Gonna Rob the Spermbank" (12")
*1983 "The Red Dance Package" (split 12" with Alerta)
*1984 "Enough is Enough" (split 7" with Awara)
*1986 "1936 - The Spanish Revolution" (2x7" + photobook) (UK Indie #6)cite book |last=Lazell |first=Barry |title=Indie Hits 1980-1999 |year= 1997 |publisher=Cherry Red Books |isbn=0-9517206-9-4 ]
*1987 "Destroy Fascism!" (7" with Chumbawamba)
*1988 "Rara Rap/Contempt" (7")
*1990 "Stonestampers Song/Lied Der Steinklopfer" (7")
*1990 "Dead Fish" (10" LP/3" CD)
*1990 "Keep on Hoppin'/Crap Rap" (split 7" with The Mekons)
*1991 "6.1 Slimy Toad/Jake's Cake" (7")
*1991 "6.2 Ceme Ryne/Millitan" (7" with Brader)
*1991 "6.3 Hidegen Fujnak A Szelek/She Said" (7")
*1991 "6.4 Bimhuis 290691" (2x7" with guests)
*1991 "6.5 This Song is in English" (7" with Kamagurka and Herr Seele)
*1992 "6.6 Euroconfusion/Bird in the Hand" (12")
*1998 "In the Fishtank 5" (with Tortoise)
*2002 "In the Fishtank 9" (with Sonic Youth and Instant Composers Pool)

Compilations

*1980 "Utregpunx" (Rock Against, Rotterdam, NL)
*1987 "Viva Umkhonto!" (anti-apartheid benefit LP, featured the song "Dallas, Texas 1988")
*1988 "Hands Up! You're Free" (3 Peel Sessions on LP)
*1991 "Ample" (compilation tape)
*2005 "Singles. Period. The Vinyl Years 1980–1990" (CD)

Videos/DVDs

*1992 "Live at the Bimhuis" (live video with guests)
*2001 "Beautiful Frenzy" (DVD)

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.theex.nl Official band website]
* [http://www.southern.com/southern/band/EX000/disc The Ex discography]
*amg | id = 11:difqxqe5ldje | label = The Ex .
*Discogs artist | artist = Ex%2C+The | name = The Ex .