Essay af Frederik Denning. A Decade of Mayhem er illustreret af Zven Balslev.

Gennem mit liv har jeg lavet musik under mange forskellige omstændigheder. Jeg har eksempelvis øvet i kælderen på et lejlighedskompleks, hvor der blev klaget over, at vi spillede rock. I kælderen på ét kollegie måtte vores guitarist selv slæbe en guitarforstærker med hver gang, vi skulle spille; på et andet føltes øvelokalet som en slags aula med klinker og parketgulv, og atmosfæren var lige så meget matematiktime som rockmusik. Der var øvelokalekomplekset på det yderligste Amager, hvor cigaretrøgen hang tyk i luften, mens en stortromme gennem væggen satte tempoet for et evigt Metallica-cover. Der var øvelokalet på Nørrebro, hvor der hverken var vinduer eller udluftning, og hvor gear stod stablet som rock-obelisker, der måtte navigeres, før to akkorder kunne sættes sammen.

Nogen klarede det bedre end andre, og jeg husker, at Folkeklubben som en Peavey-labyrintens Theseus klatrede ud af dette undergrundens mørke og ind på FM-båndet. Jeg selv vandrede imidlertid videre ud af Jyllingevej, ud til sidelokalerne til et stort studie i Vanløse, hvor jeg engang på rekordmanér punkterede tre gange på en uge på turen frem og tilbage mellem Vanløse og Nørrebro. Så skiftede studiet ejere, og vi blev skiftet ud med Suspekt, der havde et mere attraktivt netværk. Læs resten

By Sonja LaBianca

It is (something)
Like being alone
And
Then not
alone, because
of sound
The presence
of sound
The sound
of sounds
Surrounding
the sound
And around me
It is something
It is (sound) Læs resten

By Jenny Gräf

Introduction: Sameness is not a quality that can be counted on in the realm of avant garde music spaces and scenes. To return to a space for experimentation means to be open and prepared for inconsistency. A return to unknowns. Despite the tendency of many of us weirdos to use time and energy to establish zones outside the norm, we can never draw comfort from predictability of these cultural spaces. Sameness just doesn’t grow here. Their physical, fiscal, existential, architecturally unstable nature present a kind of catch 22 for the people who inhabit them; we can never rely on the specific non-normalcy to which we are drawn. Comfort must be derived instead from admiring the living, changing nature of underground scenes and spaces. Isn’t this, fundamentally, what we are seeking anyway? Something that cannot be duplicated, packaged into a marketable consistent “known quantity”? Læs resten

“Den dominerende motivtype i Balslevs produktion tager udgangspunkt i automatismen, som den defineres af André Breton (De surrealistiske manifester, 1924), og frembringes tegneteknisk spontant. Motiverne her myldrer med organiske former, menneskelignende organer som tarme og blodårer; udposninger, bylder og knogler; symboler på kønsåbninger, fallos, sperma og sekret. De organlignende former kan optræde isoleret indsat i tomme, golde landskaber eller interiør; eller i selskab – i mange værker i et kæmpe mylder, balancerende på hinanden, sammenhængende, “kopulerende” – og kan minde om en organisme, hvor den enkelte del giver næring til helheden, der fremtræder som en art maskine eller mobile. Ofte bindes de omtalte former sammen af abstrakte og dybt groteske tegneserie-lignende figurer – monstre og zombier. Enkeltstående eller i selskab kan disse ophobninger, kødbjerge, antage skulpturel, ja monumental karakter. Man er dog ikke i tvivl om konstruktionernes skrøbelighed, og at de kan kollapse hvert øjeblik – ja, vel egentlig står på trods af alt logik.” Læs resten

Despite the name of the event Mayhem Noise Fest is not exclusive to a certain sound or tradition such but rather a broad definition of noise music including freejazz, drones, punk music, conceptual sound art and sometimes even far beyond the noise idiom. Visual artist Zven Balslev, a regular noise fest-musician himself, has made the festival posters for 10 years, and per usual the poster and the line-up is announced on the night. Læs resten

Martin Breidahl is one of Copenhagen’s most dedicated live music fans. He is also a recording musician and contributing photographer for Passive/Aggressive.

A Decade of Mayhem is open 28.12.2019-27.12.2020. Læs resten

Ten years ago – on December 15 2009 – the entity we now know as Mayhem was officially established. The Copenhagen venue, which also contains rehearsal spaces, music studios and artist workspaces, hosted its first concert in March 2010 and has since presented an impressive number of artists within the realm of ‘extreme sounds’ of both international and local acclaim. This has only been possible thanks to its many independent organisers, an ideological commitment to being a nonprofit venue and a thorough understanding of the balanced relationship between audience, artist and host.

To celebrate the first 10 years of Mayhem, Passive/Aggressive proudly presents an online exhibition space that will show the diversity of the community around Mayhem. It will tell some of the many many stories of this cultural landmark’s origin, explore its future possibilities and consider its relevance for other DIY-spaces. With contributions (sound, text, image, data, graphics a.o.) from writers, musicians and visual artists, “A Decade of Mayhem” will evolve throughout a year, following the exhibition’s opening on 28.12.2019. Læs resten