Based around the complementarities of brothers Sam and Max Bodson, Patton formed as a trio on 94 in Belgium.Their first EP, Love Boat, was recorded with the help of groovy bassist Philippe Koeune and issued on Prohibited Records in 97. At the time, the sound of Patton was one of a angular and electric post-rock with text material inducing a narrative approach in otherwise abstracts atmospheres. They pursued their efforts on that basis until the completion of their first full-length: "J-R for jaune-rouge", recorded by producer f.lor and issued in 2002 on Prohibited Records. Back from the interest provoked by "JR for jaune-rouge", the two brothers went in for an underground and reflexing phase, as both had been hit by the haunting sound of early 30's rural blues, and a will to reformulate their rock n' roll. Through the exposure to more primitive music such as the one of John Fahey or even AC/DC, they stripped down the sound, and through the use of acoustic instruments but also homemade electronic devices, managed to get into rougher moods and excentric sonologies. The band is now a two-part, using their disitinctive talents as diy experimentalists, inducing the resulting unadorned whines and drones of electronic oscillators into the heart of their otherwise blues-tainted sound. While Max plays the acoustic guitar but also the bass, Sam is playing the drums and electronic elements. It's through the confinment of these heterogenic sounds and an extravagant twin-tongued lyrics (both in french and english), that Patton creates a sequential music, with the confrotation of cut-up texs acting as references to the listener. Between 2007 end 2008, they recorded the material for the full-length at home, using their own talents to craft this one-of-a-kind album: "Hellénique Chevaleresque Récital".

The Ex will play an exclusive show with appearance of Ken Vandermark   The adventurous, innovative Dutch band The Ex just celebrated its 33â…“ year anniversary with a series of festivals. Not merely retrospective but primarily forward-looking and adventurous. Among the many guests invited were young as well as seasoned experimental, improvising and other exciting musicians from Amsterdam, Berlin, New York, Chicago, Ethiopia, Scandinavia and Great Britain. The Ex have defied categorization ever since they started playing in 1979. Born out of the punk explosion, when anything and everything was possible, the band have still managed to retain both curiosity and passion for their music. Using guitars, bass, drums and voice as ther starting point The Ex have continued to musically explore undiscovered areas right up to the present day: the early 1980s saw collaborations with jazz musicians and an Iraqi-Kurdish band. In the 90s the group found a myriad of partners from varied musical and non-musical backgrounds including Kamagurka, Tom Cora, Sonic Youth, Han Bennink, Jan Mulder, Shellac and Wolter Wierbos. In 2002 The Ex set up a lively musical exchange with Ethiopia, which eventually led to two CD recordings and hundreds of concerts with the legendary saxophonist Getatchew Mekuria. After 33â…“ years, more than 25 albums and around 1800 performances the band continues to work as they did in when they began, completely independent of record companies, managers or roadies. Because of this ‘do it yourself’ work ethic The Ex is still a great example for other forward-thinking bands and musicians. “Staying a bird, staying independent, free if you will, for three decades, that takes skill and something else, something more like heart.” Music journalist John Corbett on The Ex. CURRENT LINEUP... TERRIE HESSELS - guitar, baritone guitar ARNOLD DE BOER - vocals, guitar, sampler ANDY MOOR - guitar, baritone guitar KATHERINA BORNEFELD - drums, vocals THE EX: CV Founded in mid 1979. Ever since independent in their own management (Stichting Ex) and own record label (Ex Records). To date over 1500 performances and some 25 albums. Concerts in North America, Russia, Canada, Ethiopia, and nearly all of Europe. Worked with a.o. Tom Cora (USA), Brader Musiki (Kurdistan), Lanaya (Mali), Jan Mulder, Kamagurka + Herr Seele (Belgium), Chumbawamba (England), Fugazi (USA), Sonic Youth (USA), Djibril Diabate (Mali) , Konono No. 1 (Congo), Mohammed Jimmy Mohammed (Ethiopia), Getatchew Mekuria (Ethiopia), Anne-James Chaton (France), Jaap Blonk, Instant Composers Pool, Han Bennink, Ab Baars, Wolter Wierbos, Theatergroep d'Electrique, Magpie Dance Company, Tortoise (USA), Tsehaytu Beraki (Eritrea), Mats Gustafsson (Sweden), Ken Vandermark (USA), Roy Paci (Italy). Winner BV Popprijs 1991 Sub-labels: Unsounds (improvised music + modern composition), Terp (improvised music and African), Zea (grind-popmusic).