Go to Luckywood!

Last weekend: On tour in Brandenburg with The Magnificent Brotherhood of Eternal Love & the Happiness's Close Companions. Going up the country from Berlin down the Highway 101 to Luckenwalde, Teltow Fläming county. A small town, one mediaval church, one market place & one club for bands to play. 20.000 inhabitants, seemingly no people aged between 20 & 50 left in the city due to high unemployment rates & the general decline of the east german regions. Much to our surprise though 64 young alternativ people, the majority of them way under 18 years, show up for the concert. During the band's soundcheck & while we're hanging out in the Alhambra's backstage before & after the show the DJ's mix attracts my particular attention: appropriately interspersed with lots of classic 1960s material (Jefferson Airplane et al.) he employs lots of Motorpsycho tunes throughout the evening, including selections off of "Trust us", "Let them eat cake", "Phanerothyme", "It's a love cult" & "Black hole/blank canvas". Approaching the guy who runs the club & who booked us about that he smiles broadly & goes on to tell me that "Motorpsycho are incredibly IN here among the people!". Upon that information I leaned back impressed & satisfied & continued to groove along to "Go to California" -- I think this anecdote strikingly illustrates the phenomenon Motorpsycho & the longevity of their popularity among an independent & (left)alternative audience (in Germany).

Merry Christmas!