The Ex

The Ex are an anarchist band from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. They formed in 1979 at the height of the original punk explosion and have released nearly twenty full-length albums since, making them one of the longest-lived and most influential punk bands (along with The Fall) still in existence. They are known and respected worldwide for their longevity, their explosive, energetic live shows and their political edge.

The band's music has undergone significant evolution over the years, beginning as a simple lo-fi anarcho-punk band. They debuted with a single titled "Stupid Americans" on the Utregpunx vinyl 7" compilation released by Rock Against records in Rotterdam. The release of their first 7" All Corpses Smell the Same came shortly thereafter in 1980. Through the decades they gradually developed into their current form of highly intricate, experimental punk/post-punk/no wave-inspired work. Always involved in a large number of projects, both in and outside the band, its members have been able to keep their music fresh and exciting, and, some opine, constantly better.

Breaking from the relatively narrow confines of punk rock, The Ex has incorporated a wide array of influences, often from non-Western and non-rock sources. Some include hungarian and turkish folk songs, and more recently music from ethiopia (including collaborations with Ethipian saxophonist Gétatchèw Mèkurya, congo (shown in their tribute to Congolese street band Konono Nº1 and Eritrea (whose independence song is covered on Turn). Other examples of branching out stylistically include the improvised double album Instant and a release under the moniker Ex Orkest, a 20 piece big band assembled for performances at the esteemed Holland Festival.

The band has had successful collaborations with many disparate artists, including UK anarchist band Chumbawamba (sometimes using the name Antidote), Dog Faced Hermans, and with the late avant-garde cellist Tom Cora in the early 1990s, resulting in the watershed album Scrabbling at the Lock in 1991 and the follow-up And the Weathermen Shrug Their Shoulders in 1993. They have also collaborated with members of Sonic Youth, Dutch improvisers ICP Orchestra, and released a collaborative EP with America's Tortoise.

In January 2009, front man and founding member G.W. Sok announced on the band's website he will quit the band. Arnold de Boer from the Amsterdam band Zea will replace him.

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