LISTEN: Shocking Blue - "Send Me A Postcard"

Dutch rock band Shocking Blue is probably better remembered in America for their big 1969 hit "Venus," because Americans are often all about one song with great bands. It became particularly big after English pop group Bananarama covered the track, a cover which happened to accompany a Gillette Venus razor commercial (clever). And if you happened to own a Korg keyboard in the early '90s like me, then you probably remember it serving as the demo song that played when you pressed a little yellow button -- granted it was more of a midi file. I'm hoping this isn't the legacy of Shocking Blue in America, because, like most bands with one big song, they actually have other great songs -- songs that are even better than the big hit.

The Ex Return With New LP Catch My Shoe, Hear First Single "Cold Weather Is Back"

By Nick Helderman

While studying abroad a few years back in Slovenia, I stayed at a hostel in the capital, Ljubljana. The hostel sat inside the walls of a cultural arts center called Metelkova, a sort of artistic and social oasis set in the heart of the city. One night, I was informed by a professor that a "Dutch punk band" was playing with an "Ethiopian jazz saxophonist" at one of the venues located in Metelkova. I didn't think much of it at the time and decided to pass on the show, exhausted from a day of walking around the city. This decision was, most definitely, one of the dumbest I have ever made in my life. A few days later, I watched video that another group member had taken and was floored by what I saw.

Back in 2006, legendary anarchist punk band The Ex collaborated with Ethiopian saxophonist Getatchew Mekuria (or Mekurya) to produce Moa Anbessa, an album that that epitomizes fusion as it mixes the aggressive, energetic muscle of The Ex's punk roots and Mekuria's one-of-kind jazz style. Moa Anbessa would be my introduction to The Ex, a band that has been true to their roots and ideals for years, baring their collective soul since 1979. Their last release as a band was 2004's double-LP Turn, but they toured the world with Mekuria supporting Moa Anbessa up until the first half of this year.

2009 marked the band's 30th anniversary, but it wasn't until this year that they released an album of brand new material: Catch My Shoe. The album is the band's 25th CD/LP release on their own Ex Records and 123rd release overall. While Catch My Shoe has already been released in Europe (out September 6th), it won't receive it's official release Stateside until January 25th of next year via Carrot Top Records. The album is the first without original vocalist G.W. Sok, who left the band in 2009, and the first with new vocalist Arnold de Boer of Zea. It was produced/recorded by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago. Hear the first single from Catch My Shoe entitled "Cold Weather Is Back" and watch video of The Ex performing with Getatchew Mekuria after the hop.