Im still trying to fully discover what this is all about. Originally I thought this was a store in Vancouver, but it appears that it's something much more than that. Is it a guerrilla store that vanishes only to appear in the next abandoned warehouse or underground bunker it finds? I have been trying to follow Komakino's (named after Joy Division's 10,000 limited press single) movements for over a year now, with a new store titled 'Darklands' in Berlin, something very transient is going on.
Also heavily influenced by the 13th Floor Elevators and the psychedelic ethos, The Black Angels (named after the Velvet Underground song - 'Black Angels Death Song') are a band emerging from a small scene in Austin, Texas. Mostly known through word of mouth and internet corridoors they are creating a devoted following amongst the festival scene. Singles such as 'Black Grease' and 'Empire' display their ability to blast face-melting riffs where as tracks such as 'Manipulation' and 'You On The Run' excrete layer upon layer of psych drenched instruments and menacing drone. Recenlty they have played SXSW and opened concerts for the Warlocks and BRMC.
Mati Klarwein, Born 9th April 1932, his work remains unknown by many, even though he produced some of the most iconic images
of the 60's and 70's. Pigeon holed by critics as a psychedelic artist during this time, Mati's work is much deeper than that, displaying an enhanced perception of beauty that most of us experience only occasionally in our lives.
13th Floor Elevators, one of the first psychadelic rock bands were at the head of an exciting new counterculture. Their name, a play on the superstitions that led to many tall buildings not having a 13th floor at all, the Elevators pioneered the use of reverb and echo, sometimes dubbed 'acid-drenched guitar'. Another special aspect of The Elevators' sound came from Tommy Hall's innovative electric jug. The jug with a microphone held up to it while it was being blown, sounded somewhat like a cross between a minimoog and cuica drum. The band played most of their live shows and recorded their albums while under the influence of LSD, and built their lifestyle and music around the psychedelic experience. Intellectual and esoteric influences helped shape their work, with some worthwhile reading from Alfred Korzybski, and the psychedelic philosophy of Timothy Leary.
