A Discussion with Frans de Waard about Korm Plastics Books

Started by FreakAnimalFinland, October 02, 2023, 09:56:19 AM

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FreakAnimalFinland

Frans De Waard (Kapotte Muziek, Vital Weekly, etc etc)
Part 1 is c. 40 minutes. Check out here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNMrJGS70oo

QuoteEarly October 2023 talk with Frans de Waard about his Korm Plastics publishing house, which continues from where his label of the same name left off. In this first of three such talks, we touch on a few of the books he has published so far and also sometimes go off at tangents about his own music, 'noise' and more besides.

Most of the books Korm Plastics has published are in English and well worth getting if interested in post-punk electronic music, cassette culture, the early '80s DIY scene and certain groups that emerged from it, Dutch music and a whole lot more. They can be ordered here:

http://kormplastics.nl/index.html

And, as always, if interested in supporting Fourth Dimension Records and its affiliated labels and books, please go to the shop here:

https://fourthdimensionrecords.bigcartel.com/products

Labels/publishing houses such as Korm Plastics and Fourth Dimension always welcome direct support.

It is hoped that more talks of this nature will be added to the channel in due course. The second talk with Frans, meanwhile, should follow during the next two weeks.

Huge thanks to Alan Rider for his editing work.
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

FreakAnimalFinland

Extra good news found from this discussion is ongoing work for RRRecords book. Frans mentions multiple long talks already happened and few more to come.
Broken Flag book of course nice, but I guess many heard of it already, so been just waiting..
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

FreakAnimalFinland

Another thing I was going to mention, is the funny moment where they talk about discussing with.. was it Asmus Tietchens, who had mentioned that its about the time we start to write the history of this genre, as nobody else is doing it for us, it has to be done by ourselves. So Frans been active putting together more books.

In a way, it may seem odd that topic is Popol Vuh (band), Broken Flag, RRRecords etc... and indeed, when you sometimes see some youngsters complain that never getting publicity or recognition etc, yet even the biggest names out there may be largely undocumented and totally in the shadow. Was it Noisextra Christoph Heemann episode when man mentioned that doesn't play live much as nobody asks to do so. It seems like pretty rare occasion when someone is out there, being asked to, booked to, part of "festival circuit" so to say. Perhaps with legit promoter.

When two soon 60 year old guys discuss that nobody else is doing it for us, it has to be done by ourselves, and both end up in doing books about some sort of noise, there is something quite inspiring in it!
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

FreakAnimalFinland

QuoteThe second of three conversations with Frans de Waard about his Korm Plastics publishing house, which continues from where his label of the same name left off. In this one, we touch on a few more of the books he has published so far and also sometimes veer into persiflage concerning listening habits, review material, the daily routine, the label and far more besides. Most of the books Korm Plastics has published are in English and well worth getting if interested in post-punk electronic music, cassette culture, the early '80s DIY scene and certain groups that emerged from it, Dutch music and a whole lot more.

They can be ordered here: http://kormplastics.nl/index.html

And, as always, if interested in supporting Fourth Dimension Records and its affiliated labels and books, please go to the shop here: https://fourthdimensionrecords.bigcartel.com/products


Labels/publishing houses such as Korm Plastics and Fourth Dimension always welcome direct support. It is hoped that more talks of this nature will be added to the channel in due course. The third talk with Frans, meanwhile, should follow during the next two weeks. Please note that these chats are not intended to be direct interviews, as such. The intention is to keep them relaxed or informal and make them hopefully interesting and informative. Feedback always welcome. This Fourth Dimension channel on YT replaces the previous one (which got hacked). If you subscribed to that, please consider doing so with this and/or spread the word.

Once again, massive thanks to Alan Rider for his editing work here (although we know this video ends rather abruptly and was our fault rather than Alan's!).

YouTube interview with Frans (part two): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4CpJNF6mY4
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

FreakAnimalFinland

Sent link here earlier morning just to I remember to listen later on. So, part two, its 30 minutes more. They mention that free zoom meeting restricts video recording function to certain limit, so they can do only ths length without upgrading program. hah..

Related to that, one of most interesting things Frans talks is how he actually makes living with what he does. Since quitting to work with Staalplaat already 20 years ago, man was living out of his label and 2015 onwards just Vital Weekly and book publishing.

It is curious to listen when he talks that he does treat it like real job. Discusses daily routine, and how listening review albums he gets works out fine, when it is not really about music listening he needs to "like", but something he has to do as work. Some may assume this has effect on your reviews, but I am sure there are plenty of "music journalists" who don't need to "feel like it", just start the day at work and get things done, hah...

However, someone making living out of music journalism is less surprising than that it would be Vital Weekly and putting out marginal music & noise related books that sell mostly few hundred copies!

Very much apprediated and mentality of someone who simply operates systematically in way that every day working few hours editing book for very marginal audience, I am not surprised that Richo says that one reason for this interview was hopes it would make some more people aware of the books that are coming out and place orders.

I suppose I'll have to take a look on whats available at the moment!
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net