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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
Rock out!
may 19, 2016
Zev was always filming & creating!
Today would have been his 53rd bday. I will be forever grateful that he was born and that he was a huge part of my life.
This is a photo from our last trip to Venice.
Go rock out to Roughage, Nimrod or the Sleazy Listeners to celebrate love !
http://youtu.be/8V4JwDowZ9M
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y4HfbiWLV98
http://squirrelgirl.com/IMG/mp3/Blacked_Out_Again.mp3
We all miss Zev!
August 7, 2015
My thoughts go out to his loved ones on the 2 anniversary of his death.
Zev’s birthday is today
lets celebrate with Bustmonster footage
BUSTMONSTER
December 19th 2014
Zev Asher (1963-2013) a été membre de diverses formations amusicales telles Nimrod, Roughage, Flying Testicle, Bustmonster, The Sleazy Listeners ou encore Starlet Fever. Il avait notamment vécu à Vancouver, Tokyo, Zagreb et Shangai. Son engagement artistique et son attachement à tout ce qui incarne l’anormalité et la déviance l’ont amené à travailler sur les personnes en marge. De ceux croisés en route, certains ont été immortalisés à travers des documentaires propices à créer la controverse.
What About Me: The Rise of the Nihilist Spasm Band (2000) [76 min] (anglais, non sous-titré)
L’exubérant documentaire signé Zev Asher dresse admirablement le portrait de the Nihilist Spasm Band, ces bruiteurs avant-gardistes sans précédents formés à Londres (Ontario) en 1965. Restés dans l’obscurité pendant plusieurs décennies, ils sont restés ensemble suffisamment longtemps pour être redécouverts et célébrés à l’échelle internationale en tant que pionniers du genre dans les années 90. (Ils jouent encore ensemble à ce jour !) (Synopsis par The Cinematheque/Vancouver/Canada)
Subcultural Revolution: Shanghai (2008/10) [71 min] (anglais/chinois, sous-titré en anglais)
Le dernier documentaire réalisé par Zev Asher se focalise sur Torturing Nurse, un projet originaire de Shangai et mêlant l’art du bruit et de la performance. Ces jeunes musiciens appartiennent à une scène underground fondamentale dans Shangai. Le bombardement d’images dans ce documentaire visuellement saisissant est typique de l’œuvre de Zev Asher. (Synopsis par The Cinematheque/Vancouver/Canada)
Ouverture des portes 19h15/1ère projection 20h/2ème projection 21h40 (selon l’ordre indiqué)
PAF 10€
(location de la salle et donation, selon la volonté des ayant-droits, à une fondation effectuant des recherches sur la leucémie dont est décédé le réalisateur en août 2013 http://www.bdrd.umontreal.ca/actualites/Don_ligne_WilliamBrock.html)
Les Voûtes/19 rue des Frigos 75013 Paris M°L14 Bibliothèque-François Mitterrand
http://www.lesvoutes.org/
http://les.sons.paranormaux.free.fr/
Zev in Osaka
photo by Y. Kaneko
October 21st 1990 at Osaka Zeokei-center
Performers: Syohei Iwasaki, Yoshinori Motoki, Rouhage,
Keishi Kiyokawa, Fujio Kimura, Toyohiro Okazaki
thank you Toyohiro Okazaki for the photo
Zev by the lake
photo: J. Morris circa 2005
