For discussion...

[mrph]

The British artists listed in the 2004 Leipzig WGT line-up (so far):

Anne Clark & David Harrow (UK) - Aslan Faction (UK) - Coil (GB) - Fixmer/Mc Carthy (F/GB) - Killing Ophelia (GB) - My dying Bride (UK) - Sexgang Children (UK) - Skeletal Family (UK) - Skinflick (UK) - Tactical Sekt (UK) - Wakeford/Howden (UK)

The US contribution:

Antiworld (USA) - Diva Destruction (USA) - Mephisto Waltz (USA) - The Crüxshadows (USA) - Unto Ashes (USA)

...and this year there are (so far) no bands identified as Canadian.

As ever, the UK names are an eclectic mix. A few reasonably big names from Ye Olden Days, a couple of more recent bands on European labels... and one or two that just perplex me.

At least with the US bands, you can understand why they're playing. There may be other American bands who ought to get the chance at Leipzig, but all the ones they've chosen are (IMHO) known quantities with a successful track record.

Which isn't to begrudge any of the UK names their shot at hitting it big in Leipzig. Just to wonder how they managed to get the slot, and why so many of the current British bands never manage to get their hooks into Germany... surely it can't just be a label thing, can it?

Comments

[blu-muse.livejournal.com]

Curious. I'm wondering how Diva Destruction is gonna play without a band? they all quit on her after the last European tour. She must have wrangled up a whole new group of unsuspecting victims.

[mrph.livejournal.com]

Y'see, I thought this post would get some comment. :)

I was never entirely sure what happened with DD, but I knew the band had pretty much departed - and she'd announced that they'd never actually been "band members" in the first place - so I had been wonderering about the new line-up...

chimera_s tells me that their last WGT show was less than triumphant, mostly due to sound problems. I guess the pressure's going to be on to get it right this time.

[blu-muse.livejournal.com]

Stevyn - the drummer - never was a permanent member true -he just filled in on their last tour, however, the guitarist and keyboardist were very much members of the band. Debora suffers a bit from uh - selective memory I think. I hear she's not a very nice person to work with - to put it nicely. ;)

[dave-exile.livejournal.com]

Yep, I caught them at Leipzig '02, and they did have problems sound-wise.

Basically, Debra adds reverb to her vocals from the stage, which works fine in a small venue. Unfortunately, they were playing Haus Auensee, which has buckets of natural acoustic reverb of its own, so of course everything was just drowned in vocal reverb. As the reverb was being added onstage, the sound engineer could do very little about it.

[liz-lowlife.livejournal.com]

Believe me, we have tried.

It's a crappy label cock sucking affair if you want my opinion.

True.
And fucking irritating.

[mrph.livejournal.com]

Mmm. Not entirely surprised.

I have to say I'm oddly disturbed by this year's decision to basically 'sell' one night at Haus Leipzig for use as a label showcase (to Noitekk/Black Rain, iirc), too.

I know WF did the extra stage at Eurorock thing... but, well, that was an extra stage, wasn't it? Not one of the usual venues for the fest. It makes a difference, somehow.

I want to buy a ticket and see bands the organisers think will put on a damn good show. Not buy a ticket and see bands because their label has cut a deal. And yes, I know it's a mostly imaginary distinction, but... *grump*

[liz-lowlife.livejournal.com]

We'd just like a chance to play.

Cryonica just aren't able to suck hard enough, it would seem...although they have tried!

[mrph.livejournal.com]

*sigh* There has to be a way. We need Swarf at Leipzig, damnit.

At least there's Swarf in London in the mean time... I see Frank's now announced that IOC gig...

[liz-lowlife.livejournal.com]

Has he?

Whahay!

[mrph.livejournal.com]

Yup. No flashy colour flyers yet, but it's listed here:
http://kaosuk.myftp.org/flag/full_list.txt

Don't think I've ever seen you play downstairs @ the Garage, come to think of it. Guess that means I should make an effort and turn up. :)

[liz-lowlife.livejournal.com]

Go on!
Make that effort!

:o)

[oryctolagus.livejournal.com]

Yep it's a label thing - we can't do it either.

Oh and thanks for the Meltdown review Morph - took us completely by surprise.

[mrph.livejournal.com]

..it just seems like a very odd attitude to a festival. Especially when they're prepared to look the other way and allow unsigned deathrock bands. Oh well.

[filthyrikky.livejournal.com]

IN our case we didn't even really try this year. WGT2000 still rankles as a logistical nightmare. I rate Eurorock (tho it be gone now) and M'era L'una as much more important musically as WGT, much like whitby suffers from being "an event" and also there are so many bands you tend to get...lost.

I think the booking teams show a bit of a bias as well personally but worrying over individual festivals is pointless anyway. Experience would seem to show that support touring is much more productive than one offs in central europe and then reasonably heavy touring at that. Sulphur's spree with 69 eyes has put them in a good position in europe..which is why they don't seem to bother with the UK anymore (wise people).

At the end of the day to break the touring barrier in europe you#'ve gotta really get your label to fork up enough money to buy onto a decent tour. Which is what the KM live plan for 2004 is. Make a success of that and a relationship with a decent agent beckons. Pluswelt being the obvious one for most UK goff/ industrial acts. In our case Helter Skelter / Clear Channel etc. WE've already been getting out foot in the door with PL / CoF/ Mortiis, but kicking it open requires persistance and the ability to take allot of shit on the chin.

WGT really like bands doing the nostalgic thing (Xymox) or adding that "look how hardcore we are" electro / folk rubbish edge. To get on beyond that is politics / money and not really worthwhile if they are not THAT interested otherwise you get a crap slot and little support. Which will make it a waste of time anyway.

[filthyrikky.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah and just further clarification. We're definately not approaching them this year as there's no guarantee our album will be out in time !!

[mrph.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on most of this - especially the support touring and M'era Luna (or, for that matter, Zillo).

A big festival with one or two stages gives you a chance to shine in front of a large crowd, whereas with Leipzig (unless you get a slot at the Agra or the Werk - as Seize and RbN did last year) it's pretty much pot luck - you're one of many options, and if you're not well known then it all comes down to who's before/after you, and who you're up against. I've seen early bands in some of the more obscure/awkward venues get pretty small audiences.

Having said all that, Leipzig's introduced me to a whole host of bands worth seeing, mostly just because "they were on" and it was easier to stick around and see what they were like than to dash across town to see a known quantity elsewhere.