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The band formed in November 1994 from the
ashes of various small Genoese bands. After several changes
in the line up of the band and the release of a demo
tape, "Tensione del niente", with the
name Kafka band, they played some gigs out of Genoa. Their
style, in this period, is bound more to the classical HC/punk,
with lyrics and voice inspired by CCCP (an Italian punk band).
In december 1996 a promotional tape, "Kafka", was
released and it allowed the band to play several gigs around
Italy and a couple of dates in Switzerland.
Their style evolved towards new school HC, looking at the
metal origins of some members of the band. From this moment
on, the voice, the music and their general attitude tend to
beeing more powerfull and heavy, even if there are some intense
parts reminding screaming emo.
Black out, their first 7", was released
in November 1997. It was recorded at the Acqualuce Studio
in Tourin, it contains 5 pieces of intense hardcore. It is
inspired, from the point of view of sonorities, by the last
Snapcase. The lyrics are introspective and existential, they
usually deal with everyday life and the feelings connected
to it. This 7" is a totally DIY one, and it was released
by NO! RECORDS, a "non-label" of the band, with
the cohoperation of Massimo di Carmine, a friend of theirs.
They also organized a small distro, in order to finance, at
least partially, the activities of the band and to make easier
the exchange of stuff and opinions among different realities,
especially the foreigner ones.
In January of the following year, after some gigs to promote
the 7", Alejandro, the first guitarrist of Kafka, left
the band to go to live in London for one year. In the meantime
Luca G. joins the band. Kafka then record a pair of songs
for a compilation of the Animal Liberation Front. After few
days they record a song for another benefit compilation.
In the spring of 1998 the band plays a series of gigs in Italy
and France to complete the promotion of the 7",
which is nearly sold out. In summer Kafka finally have a studio
of their own where to play. Their current project is recording
a song for False Identity in Belgium and
a song for an Australian compilation. In the meantime Alejandro
is back, and Kafka have two guitars. In March they go on tour
in Belgium and UK (with Profane), an amazing experience.
After some shows in Italy the band goes on with concerts all
around Europe and in the spring/summer 1999 they played in
Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and again in Uk, where they
played at the "Evilfest", the biggest
Uk hardcore and metal event with bands like Murphy's law,
Knuckledust, Arkangel, Guilding line, Drowning, Out for Blood,
Up Front, Area Effect, Canvas, Stampin' Ground and many more...).
They also put a song in a promo CD on Overcome rec. (5000
copies), and partecipated in various tape compilations all
around Europe with some old songs and some songs of the 7".
In Summer '99 they recorded 5 songs + outro for the first
MCD "truths" that was out in September
on Householdname rec. (London) and No! records. To promote
the MCD Kafka played several shows in France (September/November
'99), Belgium, Uk (with Inner Dam, NY) and in Italy, as in
Genoa with Inner Dam or in Florence with
Morning Again...
In Winter there were some more shows in Italy and Europe (Milan,
Vicenza, Turin, La Spezia but also Austria and Slovenja...)
and a tour in Spain and France (Lyon, Aix
en Provence, Toulouse, Santander, Bilbao, Sant Sebastian)
with the French band Scornless. In Spring 2000 Kafka recorded
some new songs for a split Cd with Compact Justice
(cool hardcore rock band from Germany) on Invictus crew rec.
and No! records, which will be out for mid September of 2000.
At the end of April they toured for 15 days around
Germany, Belgium And Luxemburg. In this period they
have also played some local shows with band like Earth
Crisis, Indecision, Kill Your Idols.... In
November 2000 Kafka played a 3 weeks tour all around
Europe, meeting old and new friends from UK, Belgium,
Germany, Austria, Croatia, France, Luxemburg, and Slovenia...
It was another amazing and unforgettable experience!
In april 2001 Kafka played 8 dates in Spain and France,
meeting new and old friends like Olivia and Xavier, who followed
and helped us duringthe tour, and Fuerza de Lucha,
the band who toured with Kafka. In summer 2001 Kafka collective's
energies were focused on the release of the compilation Plastic
Culture, a benefit comp for "Food not Bombs"
. Concerning live activities, After the last tour Kafka played
a couple of shows in Switzerland and Austria
with Crush my calm and Dark Day Doungeon.
They also played somegigs in Italy, among which there was
Disinfest with Locust, With Love, Lack and others plus a festival
in Novara, Savona, Milan, Vicenza.
Besides this, in July 2001 we recorded 4 brand new songs with
Endstand, a finnish band, for the split
CD released in February 2002 for the Fuxony rec.
from Brighton and for No! records. To promote the Cd the Kafka
have been in playing in Novara, at the Dufresne festival
in Ortimino with Inedia, To die for, Bellicosi, The diamond
Sea, Receipt, Nativist, To the ansaphone and many others,
in Turin, Cremona, Savona, Rome, Viterbo, La Spezia, Pistoia
and, of course, Genoa. In May we also went on a one-week
tour with the Endstand in Germany and Austria, where
we had the chance to meet lots of old friends, in particular
in Forst ( "birthplace" of the Compact justice)
but also to become very good friends with our travel and stage
mates!
In June, the Kafka were back on the road, in the Netherlands
this time. Our first gig was in Belgium, with the Defdump,
(with whom we have decided to release a future split 7")
and the second one at the Unity fest, in the Netherlands.
At the end of July we took part to the Maizza Festival,
a two day hc-punk, held every year in the very south of Italy:
it was one of the most exciting concert we have ever done!
In 2002 we have managed to make a project, we really care
about, come true. The Italian edition of “ food
not bombs handbook”, Fratelli Frilli the editor.
We cared about the edition and the translation of the text
as well. We are really happy with what came out.. “inspired
by the book a couple of FNB groups are born in Italy too and
several other cities are getting close to it.
In summer 2002 we have recorded a couple of new songs for
a new split, a 7” vinyl , with Defdump,an uprising
band from Luxembourg. We are very satisfied with the final
result of the record, released at the start of 2003, a 1000
copies first press, indeed everybody liked the white vinyl
very much. The graphic bit has been very much in tune with
the song’ themes. It is a work which well represents
our reality!
About our live activity, we have played pretty much everywhere
in Northern Italy, especially around Milan. Above all, during
easter vacation we were back on tour again in Europe, 2 very
special weeks. We went all the way to eastern Europe
(Austria, Hungary, Slovakya, Czech Rep and Germany),
as usual we had lots of fun. We met lots of cool people, and
we had the chance to know Matteo (hurry up! Rec) and Aga better,
they are both 2 lovely people. They followed and helped us
in those days. All gigs went very well. In Lipsia we did one
of the most beautiful concert we have ever done. It was in
an old factory, model social realism. There were more than
400 people, supporting all groups with enthusiasm (apart from
us there were, among the others, the Four Sivits, Compact
Justice, Farmer Boulevard.). We played last. It was just great,
we didn’t wanna stop playing anymore.
For
the second part of the tour we went to England,
with the STAND (a very good band from Grimsby).
They were really gratifying gigs, so many kids asking for
old song of our first mcd Truths: Generazione stupidità
is almost a classic, ah being celebrities.
Back to Italy we took part to a few concerts in Padova but,
above all, we gave it a go with new songs, because we want
to have our own full cd.. at last.. We also have inmind to
release another cd containing all Kafka “ from the origins
to our days”. For this reason we are currently looking
for old registrations, unknown songs, all piled up in our
storage room, 9 years is a long time.
Other news to finish. A few friends gave us a wonderful present:
a videoclip. They put together some bits from some gigs of
us (among them: Liberation day Fest in Luxembourg in front
of a thousand people, with bands like : Oi polloi, Yage, Defdump,
Engrave, Judoboy, One Dimensional man...) on Una vita all'inferno
(one of the songs of our last split 7"). The result was
amazing: we really look like professionals. Really good, friends.directors,
thank you so much.
Then this year we also kept doing FNB business”. After
the italian version of the book, the fist gripping a carrot,
ther were meetings, mini.conferences with the new born Italian
FNB, manifestations. It makes us really happy to know we have
contributed to the circulation of the ideas of this movement
and, why not, to be a bit its italian referent..
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