IndusTree
We are IndusTree
We are, or rather, we were Dutch industriambiexperimenoisewave band IndusTree. There were only two people in this outfit: Guaka and Scarum (that’s me).
Both originating from the southeast of the Netherlands, we lived in the city of Nijmegen in the middle-east of the low country.
We met many years ago in a different place and by chance (and much alcohol and some mind altering plants) Scarum kissed Guaka’s hand in return for eternal life.
Upon our reunion, we started spending nights together in Guaka’s haunt, scraping hollow electric noises out of metal boxez. Within half a year we were performing and the first steps to what was to become IndusTree were made.
After 7 years (1996 – 2003) of being the weirdest electronic music outfit in the whole of East-Netherlands, and maybe The Netherlands entire, IndusTree has been on hiatus. Maybe one day IndusTree will be re-activated…
Noistr - YoutubeListen to what Guaka has been up to with his new project Noistr. Acid, kids playing piano and noise...
This page purports to be an archive of sorts. Here you’ll find many recordings of live performances, but since all that was left of the source material were MP3’s, oftentimes of questionable quality, things might be a little rought around the edges. We don’t mind. In fact we like it.
Also on this page you’ll find recordings we made with friends over the years during strange nights in unexpected places with weird substances, esoteric electronics and a recording device…
I’ve tried my best to accurately and fastidiously complete all information about the recordings, the circumstances surrounding the recordings and the people involved in the recordings. I have not always succeeded.
For now this compendium is incomplete and will remain so until I have completely the task of scraping up every bit of media and info and giving it its proper place. It’ll take me a while, but I’ll get there. Eventually. That’s a lot of words to say that this page will be updated in the future.
Metro Mind EP 1997
These tracks were recorded in 1996 / 1997. All tracks were recorded in Guaka’s student housing, usually late at night.
Main equipment was Impulse Tracker running on a pc, a crappy mic (I don’t think I had bought my Shure Beta 57A yet at this point) and a Zoom 3030 FX Unit.
These three tracks remained in the repertoire through all years of IndusTree’s existence and are among the most iconic recorded.
IndusTree’s first gig at De Boerderij, Geleen, October 24, 1997
Our first ever gig, at the inaugural party of the new Dwars-Geleen chapter (GroenLinks youth). They had organized exactly zero electronic-music shows before us, and it showed: the fuses blew almost immediately and it took about an hour to get back up and running.
Once we did finally play, the audience hated us in real time. Councilor Sonja van Nuil held a literal cloakroom poll among the Dwars members in attendance; "Creatieve vrijheid is mooi, maar deze herrie moet stoppen" was the majority view. The sound guy cut us off mid-song.
The press review captured the night perfectly. Leon Verdonschot filed the article under the headline Dwarsliggen tegen saaiheid, onrecht en vervelende muziek, "Resisting boredom, injustice, and annoying music" and classified IndusTree as annoying music. Dwars showed their true colors by cutting off our set mid-song. A Dwars member declared victory afterwards: "Onze boycot heeft gewerkt. Zie je wel: je moet gewoon even dwars liggen." Verdonschot printed our name as "Industry", a prime example of the accuracy of Limburgse journalistiek.
We thought it was hilarious at the time and we still do. We don’t count it as a real debut. The real debut came six days later at Diogenes.
No recording survives.
IndusTree Live at Diogenes, Nijmegen, The Netherlands October 30, 1997
The next show, scheduled at the 30th of October 1997 at Diogenes, a popular club in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, things turned out completely different. A whole night was planned around this event, the huge stage props were towering high on the stage. A big party afterwards in the basement, videoscreens, treatments, special decorations helped to make this one unforgettable night for everyone in attendance.
Many people turned out for the debut night, lured by the provocative announcement in Diogenes’ magazine, hinting at a psychedelic experience without equal. With a frightening theatrical performance, the eery sounds and haunting lyrics, darkness and smoke, strange images conjured on tv screens, the audience certainly got their money’s worth.
Including IndusTree’s best rendition of "Sick" ever!
Credits:
- Programming, Synths, Treatments, Guitar, Noises: Guaka
- Vocals, Treatments, Sounds: Scarum
- Video: Erik Urlings (https://www.erikurlings.com)
- Sound Engineer: Tibor Fülop
- Light & Smoke Engineer: Michiel van Kampen (DJ 4I’s)
- Visuals: Scarum
- Stage Prop Director: Joshua Quicken
- Stage Prop Crew: Joshua Quicken, Haifen Hu, Mike Zelke, Danielle Willems, Martijn Smeets, Maureen, Peter Ziekenheiner, Guaka, Scarum
- Diogenes: Edwin, Tibor, Barpeople, Deco-crew
Project Spiral Staircase at Diogenes, March 31, 1998
IndusTree provided sounds and musical accompaniment for a theatre / poetry perfomance built around Gerrit Achterberg’s Thebe, the Orpheus myth in poem form. The piece was written by Marcus.
No recording survives.
IndusTree Live – De Roos Van Nijmegen ’98 – Diogenes
Recorded live April 22nd 1998, at De Roos van Nijmegen ’98 at Diogenes, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. De Roos van Nijmegen is an annual bandcompetition.
Open-air chill session at the KUN, May 15, 1998
IndusTree accompanied Ron Gielen’s performance outside on KUN campus grounds in front of CultuurCafé. Ron played instruments from India and we added electronic sounds (created on a TR-606, amongst other gear).
No recording survives.
IndusTree live at Merleyn, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 20th of May 1998
One of the earliest IndusTree gigs, playing Nijmegen’s Merleyn club.
This was videotaped 20th of May 1998, by artist Erik Urlings. It gives an insight into the early days of IndusTree and the most beautiful rendition of Vacuum Incognito ever…
Credits:
- Guaka: Sounds, programming, synths, guitar, treatments
- Scarum: Vocals, treatments, percussion, effects
- Scarum: Visuals
- Erik Urlings: Video (https://www.erikurlings.com)
- Merleyn Crew: Sound Engineer
IndusTree at Diogenes, July 30, 1998
A summer show at Diogenes.
No recording survives. To be honest, neither does a memory… 🤔
IndusTree at Cultureel Centrum KUN, August 18, 1998
At the KUN cultural centre, on campus. Late summer. I think this is the gig where I destroyed CultuurCafé’s microphone, by having my hands wrapped in toilet paper and sprayed with red paint, to make it look like I was bleeding. The mic turned into a papier-mâché type object. They were not amused. Soon after I bought my own Shure beta 57a.
No recording survives.
IndusTree Live at Willemeen 1999
Recorded live in Willemeen, Arnhem, The Netherlands on March 19 1999.
Industree Live at Xtreactor 1999
Recorded live on 25-06-1999 at the Xtreactor festival at Willemeen, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
IndusTree was invited to play as opener at the Xtreactor ’99 Festival, alongside acts like Ah Cama Sotz, Hellsau, Suicide Commando and L’Ame Immortelle.
IndusTree in the kitchen at Hoogeveld, Nijmegen, 1999
Played in the communal kitchen at Kasper’s hall at the Hoogeveld student housing complex on Prof. Bromstraat, Nijmegen. Probably sometime in late summer of 1999. A short recording from the set survives.
IndusTree at Flexival ’00, Nijmegen, March 11, 2000
A joint set with pH at Flexival ’00, held at a kraakpand in Nijmegen. A recording from the set survives.
pH live at Doornroosje – Roos van Nijmegen 2000 (IndusTree supporting)
Recorded live on March 22nd 2000 at Doornroosje, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, during the preliminaries of the annual Roos van Nijmegen band competition.
A hectic performance by a group of artists surrounding pH, who formed the beating, percolating heart of this project. Members of IndusTree helped create the atmosphere, bouncing the sounds off the walls of this legendary club.
Two years earlier (1998) IndusTree had landed 15th place in the same competition – a result that didn’t sit well at the time. The 2000 return brought the full AV operation along, with pH (Ernest) manning a huge stack of electronics and k2 (Olaf) running live video projected onto a big screen behind the stage. Kasper was on midi-guitar and modified guitar, Marcus on vocals, didgeridoo and djembe; and another guy who’s name I’ve forgotten was on bongo’s.
Too many drugs, too little incentive to conform and just sheer fuck-it-all-ness made for a chaotic storm of a set.
Credits:
- pH (Ernest): Performance, electronics
- IndusTree (Guaka, Scarum): Sounds, vocals, treatments – supporting
- k2 (Olaf): Live video projection
IndusTree Live at Diogenes ’01
Recorded live July 5th 2001 at Diogenes, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Performing 36 tracks in the span of just over 2 hours, this is the longest show IndusTree has ever played. It might also have been the most chaotic they ever played. Kasper left the stage a number of times during the set to get beer. This turned out to be the penultimate IndusTree show, as Kasper was leaving for Paris shortly after, only to return for the final show happening a year and half later at the same venue.
IndusTree live at Diogenes, July 05 2001 photos
IndusTree at Koninklijk Conservatorium, Den Haag, December 18, 2001
A late-2001 show at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag, billed as a Discussion Concert. Kasper was in the back behind the audience performing the music, Marcus was on stage with a camera in his hand that was streaming on a screen behind him, performing poetry and vocals. Konrad Boehmer was in the audience and had very kind things to say afterwards.
A snippet of recording from the set survives. There is also a video on a Hi-8 / Digital-8 tape, not yet digitised.
IndusTree’s final show at Diogenes, Nijmegen, January 3, 2003
Our last show, a year and a half after the Diogenes ’01 set. Back at Diogenes where this journey started 5,5 years earlier.
A recording from the set survives.
