Faust

'Who the fuck’ are Faust I once thought? Apparently it is German for 'Fist’ or the protagonist of a classic German legend,but then there is a band! They are playing down the road (to me, & now to you) at Corsica Studios. And as I live in the south east end of London, I should share; and it would be silly not to have a look. I’d heard about Corsica Studios but I’d only heard. I am going and now we are going because I had invited any interested (in case they were interested) people or soon to be interested after the initial 'who the fuck are Faust?’ look that I once thought.

1st things first for all newcomers to the Corsica Studios, there is no establishment entrance. Your Street/Google Map guide will take you to the location of what looks like the back door/backstage fire door flaps of any seemingly non entrance. But this is it. So we went in looking for the entrance, only to be shown the entrance, and chucked out, does that make sense? I hope not? Because that is how we felt finding the best possible hole into the venue only to be told 'excuse me, can I help you?’, and shown an exit through the soon to be entrance.

Next door, the Latin bar is a very welcome place, and the beer goes cheap. I say this because once you get back in the entrance to Corsica 'there is a no re-entry, unless, you’re going to a cash point’ policy going on. You see what he did there? Not only quash plans of getting a hand stamped and then bending a few elbows over the road at the nearby Spoona (Wetherspoons); and at Gentleman’s prices I add but you’re going too have come in and spend spend spend.

Busy it is, and a noticeable iconic picture of Dickie Davies is looking down straight at me. That Cheshire cheese grin has a million connotations waiting to be had. Now I know I’m in the right place. So yeah, this place gets cramped fast and you are not sure about where to hang out. You will just hang back and absorb the situation. Follow the empty spaces around and it will take you outside to an alley with sofa’s etc and the smell of takeaway back doors, but the good smell kind. What is brilliant about this venue is its use of space. It’s tight, it keeps it close, it’s contained and there is no getting away. Something amazing will have too happen.

Looking around peoples faces as it gets busier & busier, I half expect to see someone famous within the creative world as we are seeing something that is name dropped in the music when it comes to influential and pioneering. A spot was spotted in the name of Richard File, one half now & then collaborator to UNKLE, and currently going for the Nosferatu look.

The special guests on the flyer were Bo Ningen. They played the second room. Don’t get me wrong this place is still cramp and tiny. But we are in a creative space. This is brilliant. Welcome 'Bo Ningen’. 3 Japanese Lads dressed like San Francisco 1969 buddy.
Lead singer is upon stage. He is also the bass player. The drummer is out of sight but I know he is there through the drowned vision of view that the crowd is before me. The guitarist is more or less about a few metres ahead of me but also drowned in the view of the crowd, because I cannot see fuck all. These guys are on ground level whilst playing up to the singer/bass player in a prism type fashion. This is different, and this is certainly fucking good. Those other entrances back in the venue from back sofa alley will lead you right into the prism of Bo Ningen if you know what I mean? I’m having this. This is great. Once Bo Ningen finishes their swirling of instruments in the air, you see they have as many foot pedals as a great sound demands it. These guys are good and the show is fantastic in this venue setup.

Now onto Faust.

I do not know much about these guys. Not so much 'word of mouth’, and, in fact never apart from name drops during interview type articles and influence type coverage. A band anyone interested in music should know about to be honest. Here is a little fast intro - the band that were once seeked by Polydor Records (Virgin) who wanted at find an electronic Beatles but this is what they came up with. A band that had used the funds to do what they wanted. Just so happens, not punk, but a freedom of sound that is the spirit of punk and funded by the beardy c**t known as Richard Branson who went on to fund The Sex Pistols. What do they sound like? Well, you'll always find them labelled under Krautrock but it is more accurate to say experimental and psychedelic.

The gig kicks off, and it’s fucking fantastic. Tribal bashing going on. With Jean-Hervé Pérone leading and the big man Werner "Zappi" Diermaier taking seat to bash drums within the enclosed unit. You should know that about up to 12 members are on stage. It is on. It is there. But you have to squeeze in. No matter how painful it gets. No violence allowed because as much as you would like to kick out, it is not violent music,is it? The sound/level/atmosphere will prove any dicomfort worth it. The layers of sound is enlightening if you are bored of the norm, which I most certainly am. It’s all about give and take allowing all the sounds to mold in.

You don’t have to be lazy, as the senses will make you dance or chin stroke. My friend was bobbing up and down like he was showing off in front of a new frontier. And it was. It always will be with a band like Faust. They are pasting new sounds. I’d hate someone to spoil the fun by saying it was only average, it’s a bit like saying everything else is just the same. This worked for me and it seemed like it was working for everyone around me stood still or not. A lot of people on stage showed potential for the novice Faust fan like myself. I was just happy seeing a glint of powertool sheen against the circular saw and a bash against the sheet metal above big man Werner "Zappi" Diermaier.

We cheered for the encore and as cliché’s go it happened but not without sound problems. An intrusive feedback drone plagued and threatened it but it worked out sooner rather than later, for an ending worth noting for the big man Werner "Zappi" Diermaier walking off stage in ultra slow motion. Forgive me as I am a Faust gig virgin but is that the big man’s party piece? I’d definitely make the effort for this noise. And I’m glad that I did. And I’m glad you read.