APRIL 28TH 2009

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!



THE EAST END FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTS THE PREMIERE OF



ON/OFF: MARK STEWART

POP GROUP TO MAFFIA



Dir. Toni Schifer 2009



Location:

Genesis Cinema, 93-95 Mile End road, E1 4UJ, LONDON

time: 19h



Party feat. DJs Adrian Sherwood,The Bug, Toni Schifer & Russell Haswell:

The Rhythm Factory at 16-18, Whitechapel Road, E1 1EW, LONDON

time: 22h








The East End Film Festival is proud to announce the premiere of "ON/OFF: Mark Stewart - Pop Group to Maffia" Directed by Toni Schifer, (Crippled Dick Hot Wax, Monitor Pop), this documentary gives us a unique insight into one of the most innovative and inspirational artists of the last thirty years. Exclusive interviews and footage of Mark travelling and performing as well as interviews with those who have worked with him, (inc. Gareth Sager, Adrian Sherwood, Keith Leblanc,Doug Wimbish, Skip McDonald, Daniel Miller etc.), and those who have been inspired by him, (inc. Nick Cave, Massive Attack). This means we finally get a chance to learn about this true outsider from the regular music industry.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Mark Stewart and Toni Schifer conducted by Mark Fisher, (K-Punk, The Wire). Afterwards Adrian Sherwood, The Bug, Russell Haswell and Toni Schifer will DJ as well as some other musical treats to be confirmed.

MARK STEWART

Mark Stewart first made his presence felt as the front man for The Pop Group in the late 1970’s. They were pioneers of the post punk dance sound and had success with singles such as ‘She is beyond good and evil’, and ‘We are all prostitutes’. When the band split in 1980, Mark joined the emerging On U Sound crew as a part time member of The New Age Steppers. He then went on to form his own band with Keith Le Blanc and Doug Wimbush, the rhythm section of the Sugar Hill Gang, and guitarist Skip McDonald. With Adrian Sherwood and his production magic at the controls, The Maffia unleashed an awesome mix of styles that sounded like Bootsy Collins jamming over a bootleg Jah Shaka tape in an urban warzone. This incredible mix of funk, dub and electronic overload pre empted Techno and Drum & Bass by years. Mark Stewart, often copied, never bettered.

TONI SCHIFER

Toni Schifer is a film-maker, graphic artist and an expert at making compilation LP’s. Working as part of Crippled Dick, Hot Wax, and its sister company Monitorpop, Toni has worked on many music DVD’s, including BERLIN SUPER 80, ATARI TEENAGE RIOT or DIE TOEDLICHE DORIS as well as compiling the LP’s Beat at Cinecitta, the Bruce LaBruce Soundtrack "Otto; or, Up with dead people" and the very successful Vampyros Lesbos series. His DJ sets invoke an incredible mix of the exotic and the downright funky.

ADRIAN SHERWOOD

Adrian Sherwood started out in true reggae fashion by delivering records in a van. He then formed the Hitrun label with Prince Far I, releasing such classics as ‘Dub From Creation@ by Creation Rebel , and ‘Down in Jamdown’ by the great Bim Sherman. On forming the On U Sound label, Sherwood could use his genius in the studio to work with some of the most inventive musicians of his time. The New Age Steppers, African Headcharge, Singers and Players, Tackhead, and the ever changing Dub Syndicate were some of the artists in his roster as well as such legends as Prince Far I and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. His remix skills have been used by artists as diverse as Depeche Mode, Primal Scream and the Asian Dub Foundation. His second sols LP, ‘Becoming A Cliche’ will be released soon.

RUSSELL HASWELL

Russell Haswell is a multidisciplinary artist. He has worked with video art and public sculpture as well as audio presentations in both art galleries and concert halls. His ongoing collaboration with Florian Heckler using Iannis Zenakkis’ graphic input ‘UPIC Music Composing System’ is one of these projects. He has worked with the Aphex Twin, Jake & Dinos Chapman, Yasunao Tone and Whitehouse. His 2002 debut LP ‘Live Salvage 1997-2000’, (Mego), received Pris Ars Electronica Honourable Mention for Digital Music.

THE BUG

The Bug is the main current music project of London-based producer Kevin Martin. Kevin has been a part of a number of groups including Curse of the Golden Vampire, Techno Animal, God and Experimental Audio Research. The Bug’s music draws influence from dancehall, noise, grime, and hip hop. More subdued influences would include dubstep and broken techno.

The Bug’s first album Tapping The Conversation was released in 1997 on the seminal Wordsound label. The album was conceived as an alternative soundtrack to the 1974 Francis Ford Coppola film The Conversation. In this incarnation The Bug consisted of Kevin Martin and DJ Vadim.

From 2001-2004 The Bug collaborated with UK reggae soundsystem veteran The Rootsman on a number of limited edition 7” singles, released on the Razor X label. The project went by the name of Razor X Productions. These releases were characterised by their harsh, aggressive nature both musically and vocally (vocal artists including Jamaican MCs such as He-Man and Wayne Lonesome).

The Bug’s second album, Pressure was released on Rephlex Records in 2003. It included a number of more ambient, dub-flavoured tracks alongside the ragga-tinged onslaughts.

In 2004 the Bug collaborated with Warrior Queen on the track Aktion Pak..