* En anglais uniquement
Katjonband mark a collaboration between members of two uncompromising, politically charged bands that have been engaged in musical troublemaking since the late '70s --
Jon Langford of
the Mekons and Katrin Bornfeld (aka Kat Ex) of
the Ex. While
the Mekons were formed in Leeds, England, in 1976, with the bulk of the group relocating to Chicago, IL, in the '90s, and
the Ex were founded in Holland in 1979, the two groups often found themselves crossing paths while touring, and
Langford produced several albums for
the Ex, beginning with Tumult in 1983. Bornfeld was also drafted to play drums for a 1985 performance in Amsterdam by
Langford's side project
the Three Johns when their drum machine went on the blink, and
the Mekons were frequent guests at
the Ex's communal squat when they toured in Holland. In 2004,
the Ex staged a special 25th anniversary concert in Amsterdam, and
Langford was invited to serve as master of ceremonies.
Langford was eager to perform at the show as well, and he and Bornfeld did an improvisational set, with
Langford on guitar and vocals and Bornfeld on drums and vocals; the performers and the audience were enthusiastic about the results, and
Jon and Kat agreed to continue their collaboration. Writing songs when they were both in the same city and sharing ideas via the Internet, they began working up material and did a short tour of Germany and Austria together in 2005. In 2006, the duo made its American debut at Touch and Go Records' 25th anniversary festival in Chicago (where
the Ex also performed and
Langford also performed with fellow
Mekon Sally Timms) and began work on an album. The duo's debut CD, simple entitled
Katjonband, was released by the respected Chicago-based indie label Carrot Top Records in the fall of 2008. ~ Mark Deming