Innumerable years he has spent in dark cellars, behind closed doors, in midst of heaps of sheet music and instruments, chewing on cable salad, brooding and hell-bent on blinking tentatively into the light of day for the first time again – the squintaloo.
What is this squintaloo? He stands under the rule of a mysterious, extremely powerful, dark and often furious OMA. The squintaloo is under her spell, she steers his actions. His task is to come up with music for the entertainment of OMA. If he does not comply, the anger of the OMA will come upon the squintaloo and he needs to repent.
She is very demanding and does not allow any tooling. She knows all the notes! If someone plays the wrong note he will be punished. If a member of squintaloo does not meet OMA’s particular demands he will be sorted out rigidly.
To paint or even publish an image of the OMA is strictly prohibited to the squintaloo and hardly possible. Since the OMA can be everything and nothing specific after all. Others have tried again and again to capture the shape of the OMA figuratively.
Here a woodcut from the year 1725 addressing the furious reign of the OMA over the squintaloo.
Before the squintaloo had to go into the basement for years, to record he had to demonstrate to the OMA that he was hardboiled enough to stay in her service. That is why she sent him to the sea. The swell made him roam about relentlessly. Wondrous creatures did he encounter. A stately galley, whose crew invariably consisted of wild animals, was on a sea raid and invited the squintaloo for carrion with tea and rum aboard. Nigeraurak, the ship’s cat with her mangy fur who had experienced such a great deal told the squintaloo what was going on in her dreams. And the squintaloo was allowed to travel by the side of Don Pipone the fakir on his flying carpet and could so take a look into Eastern countries from above. But one day he fell into the hands of the foul smelling Captain Peg Leg Copperjaws and his ruthless gang of pirates. With his last ounce of strength, the squintaloo could free himself. He went overboard and fell into a dreamlike state. He saw three octopuses that were gleaming in all colors and whose entangled dance should remain in his memory forever. Totally tattered the squintaloo regained consciousness again after some time and found himself in the presence of the OMA. He had survived the journey.
Squintaloo is:
Enrico Antico – guitars, mandolin, synthesizers
Heinrich Schiffers – guitars, saxophone, synthesizers, singing saw.
Klemens Klarhorst – basses
Daniel Eichholz – drums, percussion
The Members of SQUINTALOO are also active parts of the Berlin Philharmonics and successful German bands like 2Raumwohnung, The Baseballs, and other acts. They love the wealth of colors, fantasy, the complexity, and variety of bands like King Crimson, Zappa, Yes, Mr. Bungle, Rush, Mastodon or Henry Cow. Also part of the SQUINTALOO universe is classic music and jazz, minimal music and edgy experimental soundscapes. If you blunder into the dead water of this musical work there is no escape. But it never becomes a maelstrom; instead, the album leads the listener through phantasmagoric sequences.
Squintaloo’s new album “Über Bord!” will be released June 30, 2017, on Hänsel & Gretel / MIG Music!