Marc Holland er is a Belgian musician, producer and creator of the independent record label, Crammed Discs. Holland er was a founding member of the Belgian avant-rock group Aksak Maboul in 1977, which released two albums, Onze Danses Pour Combattre la Migraine (1977) and Un Peu de l’Âme des Band its (1980). He joined Art Bears for their European tour in 1979, and was a member of The Honeymoon Killers and Cos. Holland er has also collaborated with a number of musicians, including Fred Frith and Chris Cutler. In 1980 Holland er founded Crammed Discs. In 2014, Crammed Discs released an album entitled Ex-Futur Album, by Véronique Vincent & Aksak Maboul.

Facts

1: Personal identity and ‘roots’ are a delusion

2: According to a folk legend, swallows use celand ine flowers to cure the baby swallows’ eyes problems

3: The TR 808 refuses to die

Questions

1.What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Trying to combine diametrically opposed styles of music I like, failing miserably, and seeing something original result from the crash

2. How and when did you get into making music?
Piano lessons when I was 10, picking up blues harmonica when I was 14, dabbling in psych-rock-cum-free-jazz when I was 18

3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
The list keeps changing… Instead, here’s my top 5 of albums released in 1969:

Captain Beefheart “Trout Mask Replica”
The Soft Machine “Volume Two”
Miles Davis “Bitches Brew”
The Mothers of Invention “Uncle Meat”
Alice Coltrane “Huntington Ashram Monastery”

4. What do you associate with Berlin?
In general: a lot of mythology… On a personal level: mostly a regret to always come to play or attend concerts and never stay long enough to hang out… A couple of memories: driving to a show in a circus tent near the Wall in 1981 with the crazy Honeymoon Killers and being slightly nervous while the East German border police searched our van… strolling through the streets with 25 Congolese musicians in 2007…

5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
The Tropismes bookstore in central Brussels, the dinosaur gallery at the science museum, the view over downtown from place Poelaert.

6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
Read books and hike in the Alps

7. What was the last record/music you bought?
If getting into possession of a first copy of a new album on my label counts, then it is Juana Molina’s forthcoming album, “Halo”

8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
French band Aquaserge (oh, I recently did, actually…)

9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
As a performer:
old: Here & Now, Brussels, 1969
recent: the Aksak Maboul ‘Revue’ feat. Laetitia Sadier, Jaakko Eino Kalevi and members of Aquaserge, London, Nov 2016

As a spectator:
old: This Heat, London, 1981
recent: Acid Arab, Paris, Dec 2016

10. How important is technology to your creative process?
Different sounds drive me to find new ideas, or to give new shape to old ideas.
Technology is also super useful for structuring pieces from various bits & pieces.
Lastly, every music instrument involves some form of technology, from an Africa log drum to a music production software…

11. Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career/art?
I have a sister, she can’t believe I’m back to playing shows after a 30-year gap

Link: Website