Gelesen: 05. – 09.07.2023 (netto 250 Seiten plus Nachwort von Claus Biegert).
Aus dem Englischen von Friedrich A. Hofschuster.
Und gleich der nächste Band von Tony Hillerman, diesmal muss Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn von der Navajo Police gleich mehrere Labyrinthe meistern:
Zum einen ist da ein direkter Angriff auf ihn, der Angreifer flieht in die Wüste. Dann ist da ein Doppelmord, bei dem weit draußen in der Wüste bei einem Ritual zwei Navajos umgebracht wurden, während die Listening Woman (so der Original Titel) die richtige Lösung für dieses Ritual überlegte.
Und dann sind da noch Arbeitsaufträge: Ein verschwundener Hubschrauber, die Sicherheit eines Pfadfinder Meetings sicherstellen und nach einer jungen Weißen Ausschau halten – die darf auf keinen Fall in Navajo Land abhanden kommen.
Aus all diesen Parametern macht Tony Hillerman ein perfektes Labyrinth. Und in diesem mentalen Labyrinth versucht Joe Leaphorn auf Navajo Art immer das richtige zu tun. Bald muss er das auch real, weit draußen in den Mesas, den Canyons und der Weite der Four Corners.
Alleine. Verfolgt von Gangstern und einem Killerhund.
Ganz einfühlsam nimmt Tony Hillerman den Leser mit auf die Reise in dieses Labyrinth und beschreibt die Wände dieses Labyrinths mit Geschichte, Kultur und Religion der Indianischen Stämme – und packt das ganze in eine ganz dichte Atmosphäre die einem den Sternenhimmel über dem Canyon in das Kopfkino zaubert.
The worlds best band (at least according to me mate Luke, who is someone i would blindly trust as he is a lawyer by trade) seems also the worlds most unorganized lot, be it timing the record release party for the evening when all of St. Pauli is being pillaged by Schlager Fans (or is being annoyed, pissed upon, vomited into – choose your chore) during the annual Schlager Move. Bad timing.
Equally bad was setting the start of the procedure via a Facebook announcement to 1900 (where the Komet almost would have been unreachable by anyone with a sane mind).
From where i sit also having this at the Komet would be underselling the abilities of The Harmorrhoids but on that day i guess it was not even sold out. Many of the regular supports where already en-route to Bergamo for Punk Rock Raduno #6, where this record release party would have been a worthy addition (as me and other locals desperately want this band to break big internationally).
As support they had invited Neon Bone from Münster, like minded when it come to #ramonescore. They are around in the genre a wee bit longer and have plenty of releases out. They kicked off around 22:30 and graced the Komet with medium tempo and sugar coated #ramonescore.
Neon Bone (Komet, Hamburg, 08.07.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
What they do get done quite neat is multi-vocal harmonies and they center many songs alongside that ability. And that sugar coated thingy most of the time delivers a love song (at least as far i was able to pick up the lyrics) and i would guess it is generally in the category of enjoyable mu-sick (without getting me registered as a fan).
Here is one of these:
I guess they where a fitting (and to the extend they musically rounded off the evening) partner in crime for them Haermorrhoids. Once they were done with their rather short & crisp set they grabbed a towel and lined up in front of the stage to praise the worlds best band.
The Haermorrhoids not only premiered their new record, they also premiered their new Bass player Martin to me (as i missed an earlier show in April), who joined after the recording of the record was completed (as Jan moved to focus on his other band).
And brave as brave could be – or better bold as bold must be (for the best band of the world) they choose to play the new record (just leaving poor Captain Isolation out) in full first thing:
The Haermorrhoids – Setlist (Komet, Hamburg, 08.07.2023)
And this is how they kicked into their set (after some setup problems as Yannik had to be both drummer and sound man (as he is resident sound man at the Komet)):
Bang! Off it went into a perfect and fast set of these soon-to-be classics. The sound though was never perfect, but down in that tiny cellar below the Komet Bar it rarely is anyway. What they won over though immediately was the audience, plenty of happy folks singing and dancing away.
The Haermorrhoids (Komet, Hamburg, 08.07.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
And what fueled the lot? It is timeless beauties like “Timewarp Incest“, the so far untold alternative story line within “Back To The Future”. Sure some expert moaners will moan sounds like … Riverdales, Queers, Screeching Weasel or what the fuck else – but that won’t change the position of The Haermorrhoids being at level with those. And better.
Go – here is “Timewarp Incest”:
What was a feel during the show turned out to be true by validating numbers at home:
Where the first LP clocked in with 20 Songs at 00:32:52 the new one pushed the boundary to 16 Songs at 00:28:20 – thus moving the songs from average 1:38 to 1:46, all still within (and much nearer) to the magic “around the 2:00 mark” as set by experts like Undertones and Ramones.
The songs are a wee bit longer, a wee bit more complex and … a wee bit better without loosing punch.
The Haermorrhoids (Komet, Hamburg, 08.07.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
What also was fun to see is that somehow the new LP reads like a concept album, both song rooster, cover (expert design by Patt Whelan at Thrillhaus!) and lyrics – pretty much themed into one direction. As a concept i do like it, if all of that is really purpose (more than coincidence) than hats off to the lot for making that silly but grand idea real. That would make the record an extra gem!
The Haermorrhoids (Komet, Hamburg, 08.07.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
Fun also to see the old bass player upfront in the audience to party along to the tracks he used to play (and recorded) and cheering up the band (and the new bass player) along the way.
And as on every occasion they finished their set with my personal favorite – so here is “Overdose” yet again:
Great set, shitty light, no oxygen, loads of sweat, not really perfect sound, too small stage and hopefully loads of records sold. But whatever – the record release show simply confirmed that Hamburg has nurtured a mighty force ready to take on #ramonescore anywhere on #planetramone – can someone please hook them into a successful tour of the US, followed by more shows in Japan and say … Italy.
#worldtouragesponsor anyone?
Me mate Luke for the remainder of the evening was unstoppable (as long as had a Jever in his hand – and i rarely see him without) to point out that they are the best band of the world. I have to admit that they are currently the most non-German band around in Hamburg and at par with classic #ramonescore bands from the US and Italy, say.
As ever when a band convinces me live i take home vinyl (or other merch), at the Koment i actually took in the new LP even ahead of the show, as some few where around of the red vinyl version (100 pressed?), so my greedy #recordcollecorsarepretentiousarseholes self was very very satisfied.
The Haermorrhoids - At The Earth's Core (released 08.07.2023)
The stroll home though was a pain – still to many Schlager fans pissing, vomiting and littering in our path. So me and me mate Thomas more or less ran the beauties home in record time to Altona-Altstadt, where it was a little less filthy and loud (but still annoying).
Get your own version via Monster Zero Records, Mom’s Basement Records or directly form the band. It is fucking worth it!
Tony Hillerman – Tanzplatz Der Toten (UT Metro, 2023)
Gelesen: 28.06. – 04.07.2023 (netto 212 Seiten).
Aus dem Englischen von Helmut Eilers.
Wow, der Unionsverlag bringt in der UT Metro Reihe Neuauflagen von Tony Hillerman, cool!
Als ich angefangen habe Krimis zu lesen waren das erstmal billige Taschenbücher: Diogenes (Ross Macdonald!), Ullstein (James Ellroy! Charles Willeford!) und RoRoRo (die dünnen schwarzen Bände – Chester Himes! Jerry Oster! Charles Willeford! Victor Headley!)
Und in der rororo-Serie sind mir auch ein paar Bücher von Tony Hillerman untergekommen, leider sind die vor etlichen Jahren im Rahmen eines Umzuges aus Platzgründen abhandengekommen (da ich auch nur 2 oder 3 Bände hatte).
Da ich das Setting schon damals ziemlich spannend fand werde ich mir jetzt alle Bände (16 insgesamt) reinziehen. Hoffentlich in der richtigen Reihenfolge.
Der erste Band ist im Original von 1973 und ist daher beim ersten Lesen so ganz anders als heutige Krimis oder Noir Bücher. Langsamer, weniger hart und so ganz ohne heutige Technik (kein Internet, kein Telefon, kein Computer). Es geht um die Menschen und die Landschaft.
Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn ist bei der Navajo-Polizei und soll für Ordnung sorgen. Bei den Navajo. Andere Stämme interessieren ihn nicht. Als ein Navajo Teenager verschwindet, muss er sich aber doch mit den Zuñi auseinandersetzen. Und die haben andere Götter und von diesen Göttern scheint der Navajo Teenager angezogen.
Auf der Suche nach dem Teenager wird von Morden begleitet, der Junge ist nicht zu finden und entlang des Weges gibt es Tote. Mit viel Ruhe und einem Auge für Details geht Joe der Sache nach, lässt sich auch nicht vom FBI und der DEA aus der Ruhe bringen, die eine Hippie Kommune auf Navajo Land im Blick haben … Heroin Schmuggel? Egal, die Indianer und die Weißen haben eh nix miteinander zu tun.
Ein kurzes und ehr knappes Buch, das viel über die Kultur den Indianer und die Landschaft im Südwesten der US of A erzählt. Die Krimi-Geschichte (whodunit?) rückt in den Hintergrund und geschickt legt Tony Hillerman Fährten aus.
Das Ende ist überraschend und doch zielführend. Den Opfer sind die Indianer. Und das aus ganz billigen Gründen.
Ich freu mich auf den Rest, die Reihe bringt eine coole Atmosphäre rüber.
