Friday 28 August 2015, 8pm
Action Beat are an improvisational instrumental noise rock act from Bletchley UK who usually perform with 3-4 drummers and an inordinate about of guitarists. G.W. Sok is the legendary former frontman of Amsterdam's The Ex. In late 2012, Action Beat went into Seizures Palace in Brooklyn, NY with engineer Jason LaFarge (Swans, Akron/Family) and recorded a days worth of music that they spent the next 6 months editing down into the segments that would become the 10 tracks on A Remarkable Machine. The songs were then handed off to G.W. Sok who lent his unique vocal delivery and perspective to the record, resulting in one of the most unexpectedly structured creations in the band's 8 album catalog.
Action Beat are an improvisational instrumental noise rock act from Bletchley UK who usually perform with 3-4 drummers and an inordinate about of guitarists.
“A Remarkable Machine, the new collaboration between British noiserockers Action Beat and G.W. Sok – frontman of legendary Dutch postpunks the Ex – is the rare album that’s so intense that you can only listen to it once all the way through without taking a break. Some people will take one a lot earlier. It’ll clear a room in less than a minute. That’s why it’s so awesome.... To say that this is the best album or most whatever album of the year is beside the point: it’s in a class by itself and will probably someday be regarded as a classic, at least by the people who can stand to listen to it for more than a few minutes at a time.” – New York Music Daily
G.W. Sok (born 1957, real name Jos Kleij) is a Dutch singer, best known for his 30 year career as the frontman of the The Ex. G.W. Sok left The Ex in 2008 to focus on a solo career and collaboration projects with other musicians, participation in theatre performances and spoken word performances. Apart from his musical career he's also active as a writer and a graphic designer.
After leaving The Ex, Sok started to collaborate with several acts among which the French experimental free jazz band Cannibales & Vahinés and the Italian band Zu. In 2010 the single "2-2-3 Fridges/Rid" appeared on Sickroom Records. He joined the Dutch collective Beukorkest on their 2011 tour.
In 2011 Sok released the book A Mix of Bricks & Valentines, a 400 page collection of The Ex lyrics and other lyrics he wrote. Also in 2011 De Eeuwige Optie (The Everlasting Option) was published, an experimental film by SpOp featuring Sok as an actor. He also wrote the words for the film's ending track "Illusies". This track was also released as the 7 inch "Illusies 1 & 2" under the bandname Zoikle, consisting of Sok, guitarist Lukas Simonis, cellist Nina Hitz, drummer Cor Hoogerdijk and Maarten van Gent on metal percussion. King Champion Sounds arises from the ashes of the band that was called The Bent Moustache, the musical act of Krommenie-based, Kenya-born, UK-raised Ajay Saggar. This incarnation sees Saggar teaming up with, amongst others, Oli Heffernan (Year of Birds, Shrug) and G.W.Sok. In 2014 he published a double 10" with the UK noise act Action Beat.
TRASH KIT, formed in 2009, are Rachel Aggs, Rachel Horwood and Gill Partington. They've become one of London's most exciting bands with a hypnotic, melodic take on post punk moves with a distinctive sound informed by each members own style. Rachel Aggs plays guitar in a fantastic African high-life fingerstyle action while Rachel Horwood and Gill present their own singular dynamic on bass and drums.Their latest LP "Confidence" on Upset The Rhythm is an in-the-moment no frills document of a completely inspired and inspirational trio.
