Rats On Rafts, September 4th 2010

Rats On Rafts (Rotterdam), 2-Track recorded.
Saturday September 4th 2010, ‘Gouwestad Radio Studio 2’ Gouda.
Tracks: The Moneyman (Tk 1-3)/Orangeoranutan (Tk 1-3)/Kevin In Cabbagetown (Tk 1)/A Plastic Plaster (Tk 1-3)/Sleeping In Rotterdam (Tk 1-3)

Note: Young Rotterdam lads, playing Postpunk/Wave inspired by early Fall, Wire, Kiem, De Div etc. As the people living near the studio prepared for a quiet evening after a busy market day, I helped the band offload their gear and set things up in the studio for a fully electrified set. They were eager to record, so we took off after saoundcheck. Several takes broke down, but some outtakes are quite nice. Take 2 of ‘Kiem’-cover ‘The Moneyman’ was the ultimate version, but lacked enough second guitar to be aired. As some songs needed reverb, the second part of the session was recording with vocals put through a guitasr-amp, causing this very weird, but fantastic eerie voice-soiunds. Ending up with two different versions of ‘Kevin In Cabbagetown’ (One with clean voice, one with the eerie one) and three attempts to record ballad ‘Sleeping In Rotterdam’, we did an additional interview and went our happy, separate ways again. After finding the bassplayers I-Phone, he had put in one of the most impossible corners of the studio.

Rats On Rafts, April 10th 2009.

Rats On Rafts (Rotterdam/Hoek van Holland), live on air.
Recorded: April 10th 2009. Studio 2.
Tracks: (I Can’t Be) Bothered/Alone/My Only Friend.

Note: Stumbling upon this amazing young band, as I got to review their third demo, I immediately fell for their ‘Wire’ and ‘early ‘Fall’-like sound. Causing them to perform a legendary riotous gig in ‘Paradiso’, they agreed to play in my show. When the technicia of a simultaneously recorded program signalled me to lower the volumes, I could only decrease the singer’s mike by 15 decibels, as he came up with a timy megaphone!