The Ex
The Ex in concert on 16 June 2004 in Germany. Left to right: Rozemarie, G.W. Sok, Katherina Ex, Andy Moor.
Background information
Origin	Amsterdam
Genres	Punk, Anarcho-punk, Punk jazz, Post-punk[1]
Years active	1979–present
Website	www.theex.nl
Members
Terrie Hessels Arnold de Boer Katherina Bornefeld Andy Moor
Former members
G.W. Sok Luc Rozemarie John Colin Han Buhrs Nicolette René Bas Yoke Massimo Pupillo Geurt Wim Sabien Han Bennink

The Ex is an anarchist band from the Netherlands. They formed in 1979 at the height of the original punk explosion and have released more than twenty full length albums since.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Band members 2.1 Present 2.2 Former 3 Discography 3.1 Studio albums 3.2 Live albums 3.3 Collaborations/splits 3.4 EPs and singles 3.5 Compilations 3.6 Videos/DVDs 4 Footnotes 5 External links

[edit] Biography

The Ex's music has undergone significant evolution over the years from their beginnings as a simple lo-fi anarcho-punk band. Founded in 1979 by singer G.W. Sok, guitarist Terrie Hessels, drummer Guert and bassist René, the band debuted with a single titled "Stupid Americans" on the Utregpunx vinyl 7" compilation released by Rock Against records in Rotterdam. The release of their first 7" All Corpses Smell the Same came shortly after in 1980. Through the decades their music has gradually developed into its current form of highly intricate, experimental punk/post-punk/no wave-inspired work.

Breaking from the relatively narrow confines of punk rock, The Ex have incorporated a wide array of influences, often from non-Western and non-rock sources. Some include Hungarian and Turkish folk songs, and more recently music from Ethiopia, Congo and Eritrea (whose independence song is covered by The Ex on Turn). Other examples of branching out stylistically include the improvised double album Instant and a release under the moniker Ex Orkest, a 20 piece big band assembled for performances at Holland Festival.

The band has had successful collaborations with many disparate artists, including UK anarchist band Chumbawamba (sometimes using the name Antidote), the Dog Faced Hermans (one former member of which band, Andy Moor, currently playing electric guitar in The Ex), and with the late avant-garde cellist Tom Cora in the early 1990s, resulting in the album Scrabbling At the Lock (1991) and the follow-up And the Weathermen Shrug Their Shoulders (1993). The album In the Fishtank 5 (1999) was made with Chicago's Tortoise, and on In the Fishtank 9 (2001) they collaborated with members of Sonic Youth and the Dutch improvisers ICP.

Bass guitar player Luc left the band in 2003 after 19 years with the group, to be replaced by double bassist Rozemarie.^[2] Then in 2005 Rozemarie in turn left the band.^[3] The Ex is the subject of a documentary, Beautiful Frenzy (2004) by Christina Hallström and Mandra U. Wabäck, and the concert film Building a Broken Mousetrap (2006), directed by Jem Cohen.^[4]

In 2009, after 30 years with the group, singer and co-founder G.W. Sok announced his departure from the band. Sok did so believing he lacked sufficient enthusiasm to continue with the group, having decided to focus on writing and graphic design. He plans on continuing to "participate in Ex activities, one way or another" ^[5]. His replacement is Arnold de Boer from the Dutch group Zea, with whom The Ex have toured and collaborated. In addition to singing, de Boer plays guitar and utilizes samples with The Ex.

[edit] Band members

[edit] Present

• Terrie Hessels – guitar, baritone guitar (1979–present)
• Katherina Bornefeld – drums, vocals, percussion (1984–present)
• Andy Moor – guitar, baritone guitar (1990–present)
• Arnold de Boer – vocals, guitar, samples (2009–present)

[edit] Former

• G.W. Sok – vocals (1979–2009)
• John – vocals (1986–1987)
• Han Buhrs – vocals (1995–1997)
• Nicolette – guitar (1987–1989)
• René – bass (1979–1980)
• Bas – bass (1980–1983)
• Yoke – bass (1983–1985)
• Luc – bass (1983–2002)
• Colin – bass (1993–1994, 2005)
• Rozemarie – double bass (2003–2005)
• Massimo Pupillo – bass (2005)
• Geurt – drums (1979–1981)
• Wim – drums (1981–1982)
• Sabien – drums (1982–1984)
• Han Bennink – drums (1997)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

• Disturbing Domestic Peace, 1980
• History is What's Happening, 1982
• Tumult, 1983
• Blueprints for a Blackout, 1984
• Pokkeherrie, 1985
• Too Many Cowboys, 1987
• Aural Guerilla, 1988
• Joggers and Smoggers, 1989
• Mudbird Shivers, 1995
• Starters Alternators, 1998
• Dizzy Spells, 2001
• Turn, 2004

[edit] Live albums

• Antidote Live in Wroclaw, 1987

[edit] Collaborations/splits

• Villa Zuid Moet Blijven w/ Svatsox and De Groeten, 1981
• The Red Dance Package w/ Alerta, 1983
• Enough is Enough w/ Awara, 1984
• Support the Miners' Strike w/ Zowiso and Morzelpron, 1985
• Pay No More Than 6 Fr. w/ Svatsox, 1985
• Destroy Fascism! w/ Chumbawamba, 1987
• Treat w/ Dog Faced Hermans, 1990
• Keep on Hoppin'/Crap Rap w/ The Mekons, 1990
• 6.2 Ceme Ryne/Millitan w/ Brader, 1991
• Scrabbling at the Lock w/ Tom Cora, 1991
• 6.4 Bimhuis 290691 w/ guests, 1991
• 6.5 This Song is in English w/ Kamagurka and Herr Seele, 1991
• Live at the Bimhuis w/ guests, 1992
• And the Weathermen Shrug Their Shoulders w/ Tom Cora, 1993
• Instant w/ guests, 1995
• In the Fishtank 5 w/ Tortoise, 1998
• Een Rondje Holland as Ex Orkest, 2001
• In the Fishtank 9 w/ Sonic Youth and Instant Composers Pool, 2002
• Moa Anbessa w/ Getatchew Mekurya and guests, 2006

[edit] EPs and singles

• All Corpses Smell the Same, 1980
• New Horizons in Retailing, 1980
• Live-Skive, 1980
• Weapons for El Salvador, 1981
• Dignity of Labour, 1983
• Gonna Rob the Spermbank, 1983
• 1936 - The Spanish Revolution, 1986 (UK Indie #6)^[6]
• Rara Rap/Contempt, 1988
• Stonestampers Song/Lied Der Steinklopfer, 1990
• Dead Fish, 1990
• 6.1 Slimy Toad/Jake's Cake, 1991
• 6.3 Hidegen Fujnak A Szelek/She Said, 1991
• 6.6 Euroconfusion/Bird in the Hand, 1992

[edit] Compilations

• Hands Up! You're Free, 1988
• Ample, 1991
• Singles. Period. The Vinyl Years 1980–1990, 2005
• 30 Years of The Ex, 2009

[edit] Videos/DVDs

• Beautiful Frenzy, 2004

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: The Ex

• Official band website
• The Ex discography
• The Ex at Discogs.