I discovered Savages at the Berlin Music Festival and I can’t really say I was thrilled right from the start. There were a lot more interesting acts to see like Blur, Bjork, lots of DJs and all that. There were a lot of stages and while the main stage was getting ready for the Bjorkness, my friends and I were jerking around to pass time. We saw lots of interesting graffiti art and some very cute people were selling home made stuff in one of the little rooms. And next, we came to one of the small stages, with a small group of people carefully listening to the band, which I later discovered was Savages. I had nothing else to do, so I stood a little far from the stage and listened. Actually, it was hard to listen because there was all the noise/post-punk thing going on, and I wasn’t really into it at that time (after I discovered Swans, though, it made it easier for me to understand almost any kinds of music). So I was kind of bothered by the noise, but people loved it really much. What caught my interest though, was the vocalist – Jehnny Beth – with short, boyish black hair, black shirt, black trousers and red shoes with small heels. She immediately made me think – She is so cool! And the movements she made and her noisy voice and her French accent. Another thing I thought – She is the female Ian Curtis! But then Bjork came on and we pretty much forgot about Savages.
It was a few months later, when I found the Berlin Festival brochure in my bag, that I really got into them. I was simply reviewing the bands we had seen and Savages was on the list and I remembered the Joy Divisionness of the band so I checked it out and let me tell you – This time I WAS thrilled! Especially after watching the Shut Up video, which was one of the songs they performed at the festival. The video got to me just as the song did. The bass, the voice, THE VOICE! The monologue at the beginning. How can you not love it? I’m not really good at explaining why I love certain things, so you can just watch the video. But don’t listen to the song once! Never listen to a new song once! Listen to it a few times before it really gets you.
I guess what happened to me, concerning the whole fact of hating Savages at first and then falling in love, was something unexplainable that happens to me very often. Sometimes I decide there is a certain band I have to listen to, and at first I really hate them. But after a little time passes, they resurface into my mind and at that point I just become obsessed. I just can’t help it! This always happens to me. I hate on the band, then I fall in love with it so much I never stop listening. So here is my advice – never trust the first impression. (well, except for the times when you are writing or painting or just generally making art. At this moments, it like this – first thought, best thought)
Artistic Notions 