About The Ex Were just about to release a 7 inch single Maybe I Was The Pilot / Our Leaky Homes. The first release with our new singer Arnold De Boer and the first 7 inch release on Ex Records for 20 years. The last time was for the 6. series. Six singles we released in 1990/1991, which hopefully we ll re-release this year on a CD. You can hear Maybe I was the Pilot and Our Leaky Homes at our myspace page. www.myspace.com/theexnl Maybe I was the Pilot is available as a free download at the Pitchfork website: http://www.pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11713-maybe-i-was-the-pilot/ The title Our Leaky Homes comes from the title of a chapter of a book called HEAT (How to stop the planet from burning) by English journalist George Monbiot. The main riff of Maybe I was the Pilot was borrowed and adapted from a song called Elosi aberu akipore imaniti abiro by Ugandan singer and adedeu (harp) player Iganitiyo Ekacholi. It appears on the CD Secular Music from Uganda SWP Records 024, one of the re-releases of Hugh Tracey recordings from Eastern and Southern Africa from the early 50-ies Distribution: http://www.konkurrent.nl >>> THE EX AND BRASS UNBOUND UK TOUR JAN 29 TO FEB 7 Were working just now on rehearsals and preparation for The Ex & Brass Unbound tour in the UK, which will start end of the month. Brass Unbound (the name comes from an incredible film by documentary filmaker Johan Van de Keuken) are Wolter Wierbos, Ken Vandermark, Mats Gustafson and Roy Paci. A quartet we hand picked ourselves for this project. The set will consist of a collection of new and older Ex songs plus a few Ethiopian hits. We will do the whole tour with Bristol based band Zun Zun Egui http://www.myspace.com/zunzunegui The tour is set up by http://www.qujunktions.com Watch here on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BVmqs0MpRM >>> RECORDING NEW CD WITH STEVE ALBINI In March this year well return to Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago to record again with Steve Albini. While we are there well do a one off concert in the Lincoln Hall in Chicago with Shellac and after the recording sessions well play the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville. We will mix and master the CD ourselves and it will be released in September on Ex Records. We will tour in Europe in the autumn and winter. http://www.electrical.com >>> ETHIOPAN TRIP DECEMBER 2009 We are just back from an incredible week in Ethiopia. The third chapter in our project of bringing adventurous music to Ethiopia, for mutual inspiration and exchange of ideas. This one was based around the saxophone. We went with reed-players Ab Baars and Ken Vandermark, plus The Ex Guitars (Andy&Terrie), drummer Paal Nilssen-Love from Norway and Zea (Arnold). Plus Friso Heidinga from the saxophone repair-shop Amsterdam Winds. http://www.amsterdamwinds.nl Ethiopia had its musical highlight in the 70-ies with many big bands. All brutally brought to an end in the communist time (75-91). Friso was busy! He repaired more than 25 saxophones and clarinets and gave much practical advice to Joseph, the young repairman at the Yared Music School, also leaving behind tools and parts. There were workshops and concerts at the Africa Jazz School, Hager Fekir Theatre, the Yared Music School, the Fendika nightclub, Bateau Ivre club, a music school for blind people and the Asni Art Village. All in one week! It was great to see so many Ethiopian musicians participating and taking initiative. There were many unexpected combiniations and plenty of unheard music! Soon photos and film will appear on our site. >>> RENEWED WEBSITE / NEW CD PRICES www.theex.nl Colin has been working hard on our website and its beginning to take shape. Lots of free downloads many new releases and most of the CDs with lower prices than before. http://www.theex.nl/mailorder ..Also check our You Tube site for recent and archived videos of The Ex and all its related projects. http://www.youtube.com/THEEXBAND ......[Read Less]