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Zev Asher
Zev Asher was a great filmmaker, musician, and artist.
Zev was talented, charming, strong, courageous, intelligent, original, generous, but above all…hilarious. As he liked to remind me often, he opened for Jim Carrey when he was at the ripe age of 16. He would steal other people’s jokes and rephrase them, which made it all the more whimsical.
He loved to play chaotic, but always conceptual audiovisual live shows all over the world. His documentary films were personal and intense.
Zev would beam with pride when telling stories about his days in Japan. He was especially satisfied while talking about swinging his bratwurst on stage. He enjoyed challenging his audience.
Even while he was sick during these past years, there were many moments of fun. Zev loved to travel. We were able to go to Venice to visit family and we went to Quebec City for a show. His determination and courage were absolutely inspiring.
I recently spent weeks by his side. He would always find ways to entertain me with totally perverse jokes that pushed all levels of decency. He was not well, but he was still creative. We made an effort to maintain this together. He would select images to make collages with and he would order me to shot video to see how much I could take. We watched great movies and listened to tons of Zev-style playlists, which would rage anywhere from Cheap Trick to Nick Cave to screaming jazz, death metal, and of course noise…and then back to unbelievably dated pop.
Zev taught me almost everything I know, but most importantly, he taught me that absolutely unwavering and profound love can exist.
Today, I am honoured to share his amazing voice with you.
I have made his album ‘The Romance is Over’ by The Sleazy Listeners (his duo with Lasse Marhaug) available for your downloading pleasure.
Donations in Zev’s memory may be made to "The William Brock Fund for Research and Education on Blood Cancers at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital" c/o the Université de Montréal, (514) 343-6812
portraits of hope
Guest book at Legacy.com
love Jen Morris
Music
free download
‘The Romance is Over’ by The Sleazy Listeners
if you would like to purchase a real copy please email me at jenlmorris [at] gmail [dot] com
“Blacked Out, Again”
The Romance Is Over
"Coupon Clipper"
by [sic] & Roughage
released in 2004 on some NYC label (anyone know?)
"Grupo de Tres"
by Roughage, [sic] and Anla Courtis
2003
Videos and Film
SUBCULTURAL REVOLUTION: SHANGHAI excerpt
CASUISTRY The Art of Killing a Cat
(NB: this is a documentary film please don’t send death threats! Zev loved cats)
WHAT ABOUT ME: The Rise of the Nihilist Spasm Band
RAT ART and Aqua Alta excerpts coming soon.
Links
ZEV ASHER / ROUGHAGE
Roughage
Zev Asher WIKIPEDIA
Tumblr
YouTube
TRIBUTES
The Globe and Mail
The influence of noise artist Zev Asher
The Georgia Straight
Keith Parry
Allan MacInnis
The World Provider
Broken Pencil
ARTICLES / INTERVIEWS
Broken Pencil written by Zev
Vivoscene article
Zev Asher: the Casuistry Interview
TF1
REVIEWS OF NOTE
New York Times
Variety
MUSIC
Nimrod on bandcamp
Roughage on bandcamp
Please consult the MUSIC section on this page
MEMORIES
What About Me Screening at LUFF 2019
Honoured to have Zev Asher’s film What About Me: The Rise of the Nihilist Spasm Band screen at the LUFF 2019 // Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival this year.
The artist fee will go to the Maryse & William Brock Chairin Applied Research into Stem Cell Transplantation at the Université de Montréal which carries out ground breaking research and clinical trials which have already improved patient care and survival.
http://2019.luff.ch/…/what-about-me-the-rise-of-the-nihilis…
The band plays on the 17th of October!!! http://2019.luff.ch/programme/music/the-nihilist-spasm-band
NORTHERN RESONANCE #1: WHAT ABOUT ME? THE...
NORTHERN RESONANCE #1: WHAT ABOUT ME? THE RISE OF THE NIHILIST SPASM BAND Directed by Zev Asher
THU 29.03 - 19:30 // SCREENING // ACUD STUDIO
This event is part of the Northern Resonance Canadian Music Series, presented by ACUD Macht Neu with support from the Botschaft Von Kanada. It features a selection of Canadian artists and music-related film, to share the depth, scope, history and future of the nation’s rich music culture with the city of Berlin. Each edition is a reflection of Canada’s position on the world stage as a vital and active contributor to the arts. Curated by Shub Roy.
TRACKS on Arte does report on NSB
exerpts from Zev’s What about Me film used
So proud of Zev that his work is being shown so much this year on different platforms, festivals, tv and internet. The renaissance man still lives through his work.
Parts of Zev’s film What about Me: the Rise of the Nihilist Spasm Band played on Arte in France as part of a report on the NSB.
skip to 3 minutes 20 seconds to see the NSB segment
TRACKS show click here
What about Me Screenings in France
March 2017
More info here, be sure to scroll down for dates outside the fest
Photo booth !
Thank to Matt Holland, an amazing friend of the Asher family, for this shot of Zev in a photo booth. So representative of who he was. Just stunning!
3 years
August 7,2016
https://roughage1.bandcamp.com/album/yen-for-noise
Three years gone, so thankful that we can still listen, watch, enjoy and remember.
We love you Zev!