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And what a truly vile night it was! If you missed it, YOU MISSED OUT!
Batcave - 'Teaser' July 11th 2008
Jon Klein - Pre Production décor animation for July 11th 2008
Specimen played, recorded and Alive at The Batcave -
Album released Oct 13th!
BUY IT NOW - HERE
Not since 1986 has The Batcave graced us with it's now iconic, genre forming and legendary presence! Often imitated and responsible for shaping if not birthing an entire genre: GOTH!
Specimen formed in Bristol, England in 1981 and the band opened the notorious and now iconic Batcave in London's sleazy Soho district in 1982, and invaded America dressed to kill in 1983. The 25th Anniversary Tour was the first part of this historic event on July 11th.
2008 The original 1983 line up of Specimen (and playing for the first time since 1986!) reform for The Batcave 25th Anniversary Tour AND hosting the Batcave at London's Colosseum on July 11th with the 1984 original line up of Sex Gang Children headlining the debauched proceedings. DJ Hamish the resident original Batcave DJ will headline the DJ proceedings. With additional support acts : Avoidance of Doubt and The McCarricks.
4th June 2008 - STOP PRESS!!
Batcave Update: We are extremely proud to announce that Youth (Killing Joke) and his new band Vertical Smile featuring Zodiac Mindwarp have been added to The Batcave bill. The event just gets BIGGER and better with each passing day.
As I've mentioned there will be 2 elements to The Batcave on July 11th. First off you have the only Worldwide date for the Batcave Club which is spread over 5 lavish themed rooms/zones. Co hosted by Olli Wisdom, Jon Klein and d.Void and Missy from Club AntiChrist.
This includes ALL night performers and cabaret. With additional art areas and installations, plus original Batcave props and new art by Jon Klein lavishly filling the entire venue. You must of course also expect LOTS of VERY special guests!!
You'll also have an ALL night 600 capacity Goth dance floor with headline DJ slots from original Batcave DJ Hamish along with the UK and Europe's finest Goth and alternative DJs. So Far we are very excited to confirm Dead and Buried Dj Cavey Nik, Tanz Macabre's DJX and Martin Old Goth - MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED.
Secondly you have an historic gig, with the original 1984 line up of Sex Gang Children headlining and of course the Batcave would just not be the Batcave without Specimen, who have reformed with the full original '83 line up and this will be their ONLY European date. Tickets for the gig also include full access to the Batcave Club.
Specimen created the original Batcave in 1982.
Jon Klein interview excerpt from Orkus Magazine, 1997:
"We met many bands in a similar postition to ourselves...nowhere to play! Ollie found a club called "The Gargoyle" that had been open since 1927 that ran as a strip bar during the day but Wednesday nights it would become The Batcave. We'd built up a team of people to deal with many aspects of the club including finding cabaret, bands, decoration and the Press. Initially the English Music Press responded well to our intentions and consequently people knew we were opening the club and a lot of people turned up! We had a 200 metre long queue on our opening night and this queue would become an integral part of the scene. Travelling up four floors in a tiny elevator, you passed through a coffin gateway into a well dressed labyrinth featuring a cinema/cabaret theatre, hybrid disco, live music and an atmosphere of midweek mayhem! The success of the club attracted record companies and it seemed we'd broken the circle at last..."
Interview with Jon Klein here about the reunion of Specimen and the Batcave in 2008.
Visit Specimen's website here and Myspace here
Avoidance of Doubt
AOD is fronted by d.Void and Missy, your hosts at AntiChrist. We hadn't considered booking our own band for AC or the Batcave, but were most honoured to be asked by Specimen to support them on July 11th. Avoidance of Doubt is a blend of goth, industrial and metal with a theatrical stage show.
Visit Avoidance of Doubt's Myspace here
The McCarricks
The McCarricks began their project in 2002, debuting with a show at The Horse Hospital in London on Halloween of that year. Previously Kimberlee was a professional violinist with the Kansas Symphony Orchestra, whilst Martin was guitarist and electric cellist with Therapy? Prior to that Martin had worked as musician/writer and string arranger, touring, recording and creating a large back catalogue of work with the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees, This Mortal Coil, Dead Can Dance, Kristin Hersh, Marc Almond, Skunk Anansie and Therapy? to name but a few.
Performers at the Batcave
View their myspace here
Miss Elyssia and Orka will perform "Samurai Tea Party", an 18 rated gore fest...
Veil of Visions will be putting on a fashion show, with outfits of varied origins - Victorian goth, gothic lolita, industrial, cyber, UV, steampunk etc. With corset creation by Veil of Visions and La Vey Corsetry.
AND more to be announced!!
Specimen and Batcave probed by the AntiChrist!
Last week Missy and I sat down to ask Olli Wisdom and Jon Klein a few probing questions, here's the results for your delectations. If you have a question for Specimen or about the Batcave drop us an e-mail and we'll ask away for you......
So the Batcave is back! Why did you want to do the Batcave again after such a long break?
It's been brewing for some time, we've been gradually drawn together, though there was never a plan.
For many the Batcave is iconic, and it had has a big impact on popular culture and is synonymous largely with the Goth movement. Why do you think The Batcave has had such a big impact?
It happened at the right time with the right name in the right place.
Do you think the Batcave is still relevant today?
How will The Batcave in 2008 compare with the earlier Batcave incarnation?
The club will be set up with the same intent of providing a fantastic place for people to express themselves and have fun.
Many bands originally associated with the Goth movement now publicly denounce their gothness and or Goth roots, what are your feelings on this and how do you feel about Goth?
We never worried about name tags ...NME said that we were ‘Heavy Metal Glam Punk Sleaze'.
How did the Batcave start? Why? And what happened in 1986 to stop its continuation?
The London club scene was dead, and we wanted an environment that could showcase ourselves as well as bands such as Alien Sex Fiend and Test Department. Specimen had previously been banned from other clubs for not having a 'Rock'n'Roll Attitude'
Is the Batcave 2008 about money? What is your motivation for doing it?
No, it's for fun.
Will Specimen be recording a new album with the original line-up?
Never say never.
You’ve teamed up with Club AntiChrist to co-host The Batcave, please tell our readers what the AC 'team' are bringing to the event and why did you choose to work with them?
From the 1st moment we met the Antichrist team it was obvious that we were on the same wavelength & the decision to work for them was easy.
How does running a Batcave now differ from the 80's? And did you learn anything from the original Batcave that you are doing differently now?
In the 80s it always a good crew and the same is true now, with lots of creative ideas bouncing back and forth.
For any of your older fans like me, do you have any make up tips?
You'll have to ask Jonny Slut.
Or perhaps more importantly Specimen were always associated with being a very visual band, will this still be the case in 2008? What do you plan to wear?
It will be a surprise!
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