Wages of the Imagination + The King of Dutch Rock & Roll

With the fourth year of successful collaboration between IFFR and WORM it is time to rejoice you with another programme: IFFR <8> WORM present EarWORM. Three nights with documentaries and live music around a central theme: punk ~ electronic music ~ rock ‘n roll.

Programme
Wages of the Imagination by Dries Meddens
With their psychedelic noise rock and mind-expanding gigs, London-based band TerminalCheesecake never achieved wide popularity, but they did obtain massive cult status. After eight eventful years, in 1993 the band split, relaunching again in 2013 with Gnod’s Neil Francis replacing original vocalist Boniface. Wages of the Imagination provides insight into the worlds of veterans Russel Smith (guitar/noise) and drummer John Jobbagy. The latter works as a gravedigger, whilst Smith tinkers with bikes in the French countryside, under the watchful eye of his mother.

Filmmaker Dries Meddens uses vignettes to construct his portrait. Excerpts from (Skype) interviews, Smith washing up, a practice session, a cluttered living room, all book-ended by quotes from Aldous Huxley and Jean-Luc Godard. Much however remains unsaid as Terminal Cheesecake’s music is a physical experience that is impossible to put into words. After years of frustrating silence, the band once more becomes a release for Smith and Jobbagy’s indomitable imaginations.

next
De koning van de Nederlandstalige rock & roll (The King of Dutch Rock & Roll) by Bastiaan Bosma
Rotterdam singer-songwriter Eric de Boer, better known as Ricky de Sire, has worked since the early 1980s on an imposing oeuvre but it has so far remained completely unknown and unrecognised. Nevertheless, this uncrowned king of Dutch-language rock ‘n’ roll keeps working untiringly on his repertoire and his physical condition, so he’ll be ready for the big breakthrough.

In this directing debut by Bastiaan Bosma, justice is finally done to his unique talent, which is primarily writing songs that are as alienating as they are poetic: "I feel a cunt around my cock / But that woman has a bag over her head [...] it feels as if she is robbing me of my seed". "Aren't you in cabaret?", a radio-maker asks. De Boer corrects him: "This is vocal art, and it’s about things that really matter." In restrained black-and-white shots, the musician reflects on his work, life and dreams for the future – an intimate portrait of an extremely committed artist.

Live performance by Ricky de Sire & Band
Singer: Ricky De Sire
Guitar: Pieter Molenaar, Michael Barkey
Keyboard: Nick Haakman
Bass: Rick Lourens
Drums: Hjalmar Verdonschot
In collaboration with Excelsior Recordings

Wednesday 30 January 2019, 20:30 doors open, WORM, Boomgaardsstraat 71, Rotterdam