Recently, I moved back to one of the poorest regions of The Netherlands. The Mijnsteek Oost (eastern mining region) used to be one of the wealthiest areas in Europe. In the 1950s and 1960s, the coal mining industry was booming. Cities like Heerlen, Brunssum, and Kerkrade were among the Netherlands’ top 10 most liveable cities.… Continue reading heerlen fucking city
comeback
The start of autumn brought a pleasant surprise: ‘Love Insurrection’ by Primal Scream. It is the first song by the band from Glasgow in a long time that set my heart on fire. To be honest, I haven’t particularly loved Primal Scream’s output since Evil Heat in 2002. Since then, the band has released four… Continue reading comeback
floating in stasis
The serene ambient of Collection is a monument to stasis. Time and movement do not exist in Hiroshi Watana’s, aka Kaito’s, musical world. The collection of music he made during the COVID-19 pandemic is probably his best work to date. Since his debut album Special Life, Kaito has been at the forefront of electronic ambient… Continue reading floating in stasis
in praise of video clips
I’m too swift, don’t tell Taylor ’bout this shit Finally, the ‘Taylor Swift’ video clip by A$AP Rock has been released. And I love it. Because I love good videos. And I am hoping for an upcoming renaissance of the music video. Now that social media platforms are imploding, videos can be the next thing… Continue reading in praise of video clips
I’m just a gigolo
My favorite radio show (or podcast) is recorded in Amsterdam: Beneden NAP (Below Sealevel). Last week, the show did a special on the International DeeJay Gigolo record label run by the infamous DJ Hell. In the early 2000s, I interviewed DJ Hell in Utrecht for the underground music magazine Opscene. Back then, his label led… Continue reading I’m just a gigolo
welcome back
After three years, STASIS is back as a propper blog. In May 2021, I moved my blog to Ghost. Early last year, Substack replaced Ghost. On the one hand, the whole idea of a newsletter was promising, but I dearly missed the spontaneity of early blog culture: publishing when you feel like it. For me,… Continue reading welcome back
Move over!
This blog has moved to Ghost. Follow us here: stasis.ghost.io. Or stay tuned!
A Minor Problem – Good Grief
It’s nearly 15 years ago that Heerlen was hailed as the Seattle of The Netherlands. In a few years’ time, dozens of rock bands spawned from the city. The hype didn’t last. Although pop culture in the city definitely got a boost by De Nieuwe Nor. The pop venue, only a few hundred meters away… Continue reading A Minor Problem – Good Grief