(1977 – 1979)

Meaning Bandname: The name is invented by Max Factor, a classmate who screamed along the choruses at gigs. The meaning speaks for itself.

Bio: The band is formed in Amsterdam-Noord by Dick, Erik and Pierre in the summer of 1977. Erwin, a classmate, joins later. In the beginning there’s also two chorus screamers who create ambiance, Little Ron and Max Factor. Concerts were also done under the name Little Ron And The Filth. The first concert is in February 1978 in a high school in Amsterdam with sex leaflets that were thrown into the public and a blow up doll was fingered by Max and Little Ron.. After one year the band continues as a four piece.

The first gigs were chaotic, in Purmerend it got slightly out of hand and in north Amsterdam it got totally out of hand.
During the gig a big group of guys walked in that didn’t care much for punk and so a massive punch-up occurred. The roadies had to get our equipment out by kicking the hotheads off the stage with the aid of the microphone stands. There were tons of incidents of gangs in North Amsterdam in those days, on on nights that The Filth went out in the local pub or other occasions the emergency exit were sought to escape the fights which didn’t always work.

After agreements with the neighbours, rehearsals are done in the sleepingroom of the drummer.

Dick Bakker and Pierre Brachel had, put together a demo from the first gigs that Pierre brought to a record shop called ‘No Fun’ on the Rozengracht in Amsterdam and there it was played frequently, and it was there that Wally Middendorp heard it. Wally had already brought out a single with his own band The Tits on the Plurex Label. The Mollesters were the second band and brought out the track “Plastic’, The Filth were third.

At the beginning of march The Filth went into the studio where groups as Gruppo Sportivo and Golden Earring record to make the single with on the A side “Don’t hide your hate” and on the B side ‘Sex” and “Nothing for me”. At the end of march 1978 the single was available in some shops in the scene and were sold pretty good through the whole of Holland and so there was more reaction especially the tracks on the single wherever The Filth played. All 7″ songs are written by Dick. Also a tape is floating around with rehearsal recordings.

The Filth played for the first time in the “Paradiso” (Amsterdam) in April, firstly due to a band dropping out an then two weeks later in the line up with two other bands. During this time the line-up of the band changed, the two singers Little Ron and Max Factor, actually the wild  chorus screamers didn’t fit in anymore and so it was agreed that they would stop after the second gig in the Paradiso. Max didn’t even show up on stage that night.

The music got serious and the more shocking tracks such as “We Want War” and “We’re Boys From Amsterdam” were dropped, instead songs like “Protected Life” and “My Romance” took there place.

In January 1979 it began to get a bit of a mess, there was a meeting with Plurex for a possible LP and there were a frequent number of gigs, there was thought to evolve the music to make it sound more mature and a bass player, Frank Cambach was brought in, originally from the band “The Softies” so that Dick Bakker changed from bass to keyboards, an instrument that he knew well.

The LP was postponed and the gigs were disappointing and sometimes bad and then to top it all Erwin and Frank started to play from April 1979 in another band “The Speedtwins” so that sometimes both their gigs and ours coincided.

The last drop was at the end of June that year at the “Rock Against Racism” gig in the Amsterdam forest (Amsterdamse bos) with a big stage.  We borrowed a drummer from another band and still managed to play but the damage was done. This meant the end of The Filth.

Description: Punk with own songs. Written by Pierre and Dick. With a slight poppy impact and sometimes harmony vocals which distinguish itself from other punkbands.

Lineup:
Pierre Brachel – guitar & vocals
Erwin de Ruiter – guitar
Erik Hofsteede – drums
Dick Bakker – bass & vocals (1977-1979), vocals & keyboards (1979-1979)
Frank Cambach aka Frank’n Stein – bass (1979-1979)

Little Ron – vocals (1977-1978)
Max Factor – vocals (1977-1978)

Other bands:
Erik Hofsteede – The Bugs, Addix, Helmettes
Frank Cambach – The Softies, Helmettes, Only Ones, Speedtwins, Voices, The Name
Erwin de Ruiter – Speedtwins
Dick Bakker – Young Americans
Pierre Brachel – The Dream

Discography:
1978 – demo (Unreleased, NL)
1978 – Don’t Hide Your Hate 7” EP (Plurex Records, NL)
Recorded @ Artisound Studios, Amsterdam 03.1978
2001 – The Filth CD (Not On Label, NL)
Recorded @ Secret Records Studio
2010 – Don’t Hide Your Hate 7” EP (1977 Records, JAP)
2020 – Don’t Hide Your Hate 7” EP (Mad Butcher Classics, GER)

Various:
1989 – Killed By Death 4 LP/CD (Redrum Records, USA)
1989 – Killed By Death 4 TAPE (Faction Records, USA)
1994 – Back To Front #5 CD/LP (Incognito Records, GER)
1996 – I’m Sure We’re Gonna Make It – Dutch Punkrock ’77 – ’82 CD (Epitaph, EUR)
1996 – Punkrock From Holland: A Compilation Of Original Early Dutch Punk LP (Not On Label, NL)
1997 – Killed By Death 77 LP (Not On Label, GER)
1998 – I’m Sure We’re Gonna Make It – Dutch Punkrock ’77 – ’82 2x LP (Not On Label, USA)
2000 – Killed By Death 77 CD (Not On Label)
2013 – Punk’s Not Deaf 2x LP (Repunkerator Records, NL)
2015 – I Don’t Care (The No Fun And Plurex Singles) LP (Pseudonym, NL)
2016 – I Don’t Care Collection (Dutch Punk 1977-1983) 2x CD (Pseudonym, NL)
2017 – Piss & Hate (Punk Rarities 1977-’83) CDr (Fab Fuhrer Records, BEL / Second Chance Records, BEL)
20XX – Hardcore History Volume 7 TAPE (Destroy Tapes, UK)

Interviews/Articles:
1979 – Use A Wall 2
2006 – Erwin de Ruiter Interview
2007 – Frank Cambach Interview

Concerts: (assorted)
1978.02.06 Otto Hederingstraat, Amsterdam
1978.03.03 Ivo School, Amsterdam
1978.03.17 Hollandia, Purmerend
1978.03.18 Het Zwanenmeer, Amsterdam
1978.04.12 Paradiso, Amsterdam (+ Blitzz)
1978.04.15 Tennisclub, Lelystad
1978.04.22 Buurthuis, Houten
1978.05.20 Buurthuis, Abcoude
1978.05.30 Om Shanti, Landsmeer
1978.05.31 Paradiso, Amsterdam (+ Flying Con, Lulu Zulu, Whizz Guy)
1978.06.11 Crataegus, Amsterdam
1978.06.12 Drieluik, Zaandam
1978.06.18 Posthoornkerk, Amsterdam
1978.06.30 Oktopus, Amsterdam
1978.07.02 Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam
1978.09.01 Paradiso, Amsterdam (+ Speedtwins)
1978.09.09 Plurex Gala, Oudenbosch
1978.10.21 Paradiso, Amsterdam (+ The Clash)
1978.11.22 Paradiso, Amsterdam (+ Crass, Divorce, Captain Coke, Milestones, Ivy Green, Los Mismos, Cygnus, Panic, Normaal) (Rock Against Racism Festival)
1978.12.11 KRO Radio, Hilversum
1978.12.28 Paradiso, Amsterdam (+ Panic)

1979.01.20 Gigant, Apeldoorn
1979.04.06 Otto Hederingstraat, Amsterdam
1979.04.20 Buurthuis, Aalsmeer
1979.06.01 Youth Festival, Amstelveld (+ Inside Nipples and more)
1979.06.09 Paradiso, Amsterdam (+ Rondos, Ivy Green)
1979.06.30 Amsterdamse Bos, Amsterdam (Rock Against Racism)