Inspiration for Apocalypse Town: Hosenfefer

A lot of this performance is about one town in Kosovo called Mitrovica. There is a punk band in Mitrovica, and they are called Hosenfefer. Five years ago, when I moved to Kosovo, they were the only band playing their own songs in that town. They wrote great punk songs and put on great shows, and they still do today. And they are a big part of my show Apocalypse Town. Because, when I realized that I needed songs for the show, I called up Filip, who plays guitar and writes songs for Hosenfefer, and Filip told me what Hosenfefer songs I should use. Including one called “Apocalypse Town.” And he was right.

Since I moved to Kosovo, I've seen Hosenfefer play in tiny bars and on big warehouse stages. I've seen them play on tour and at home. I've seen them play in various stages of preparedness and various stages of sobriety. But I've never been disappointed, because they meant it every time. They inspired me, and a lot of other people too. As a person who spends a lot of time trying to write songs, I admire material like “Get Back in the Hole,” which tells you everything you need to know in its title, and then pounds its point home with perfectly crafted verses and guitar hooks. Never too much, never too little. (And there were times when I was frustrated by people, and found that my thoughts were nothing more than the lyrics to Hosenfefer's “Too Stupid To Rock.” That's one sign of a good song: it reads your mind and replaces your shaky thoughts with better ones.)

I don't think they've gotten it together yet to have their own website, but you should like them in all the usual places. And you can hear two of their songs (and a third one inspired by them) in our show in Houston. For me, they are quintessentially punk, and they've treated me real well in my time as a stranger in their country. It's good to know the punk band in the town where you live, in Kosovo or anywhere.

- tony

p.s. I love you, Ex-Yugo music. Here's a beautiful performance by Ljiljana Petrović in Yugoslavia's very first entry ever in the Eurovision song contest.

p.p.s. I love you too, Houston.