Late Stage Empire Dementia

ART BERGMANN / Late Stage Empire Dementia Art Bergmann’s music is meant for our current times. As we struggle to make sense of world events and the conflicts they have spawned, Art’s songwriting – as it has consistently done for the past four decades – cuts through the bullshit and hypocrisy with unflinching focus with the aim of finding some remnants of humanity that will pull us through. It’s what used to be called “punk rock” when Art first established his reputation in Vancouver during the late 1970s, even though he’s never been a fan of that term. Yet, his status as one of Canadian punk’s foundational artists remains unquestionable, to the extent that in late 2020 he became the first of his peers to receive the Order of Canada, an honour bestowed upon the country’s most revered cultural figures. Art’s latest album, Late Stage Empire Dementia, to be released May 21, 2021 on Toronto-based Weewerk Recordings, demonstrates exactly why he deserved it. On eight songs that sonically run the gamut from the jagged, speaker-shredding rock he’s long been known for, to the experimental, acoustic-based soundscapes he introduced on his 2016 Polaris Prize long-listed album The Apostate, he takes aim at political corruption, the dual unchecked epidemics of guns and drugs, and the plight of refugees yearning for a better life. He states, “The Apostate was more a long view of human history, whereas this new record is a reflection of what’s occurred over the past four years in terms of the masks of fascism being stripped off. These songs say, here it is folks, your history is right in front of you and these are the reasons why. Since the advent of social media, and with cameras everywhere, everybody now knows about police killings, the plague and climate catastrophe, and who these purveyors of this nightmare are. Who needs sci-fi anymore when we're living in the best Philip K. Dick novel ever?” Late Stage Empire Dementia was recorded throughout 2020, with basic tracks laid down at Lorrie Matheson’s Calgary studio Arch Audio and most other tracks completed at Russell Broom’s Broom Closet studio in Vancouver. Although Broom and longtime Neko Case collaborator Paul Rigby handle the bulk of the guitar playing, the song “Christo-Fascists” features a rare guest appearance by legendary MC5 co-founder Wayne Kramer, whose trademark buzzsaw tone remains as potent as ever. Yet, for each great example of politically charged rock on Late Stage Empire Dementia, such as the first single “Entropy,” there is an expansive, hypnotic piece like “Los Desaparecidos (Border Art)” or the nearly 10-minute title track that further illuminates Art’s evolution as a songwriter—completely unafraid to enter uncharted territory. It is that bravery that makes Art Bergmann’s voice as important as ever, and places Late Stage Empire Dementia easily among his finest works. Credit Details: All songs written between 2016 and 2020 by Art Bergmann, except "California Sun" lyric written by Henry Glover All songs published by Mixed Marxist Art Copyright 2021 - Art Bergmann / (weewerk) / SOCAN All bass and drum tracks recorded by Lorrie Matheson at Arch Audio in Calgary, early 2020. Christo-Fascists was recorded by Russell Broom at The Broom Closet in Vancouver in 2020. Paul Rigby tracks recorded at the Hoj Loj by Erik P. H. Nielsen in Vancouver on February 8th, 2020. All over-dubbing engineered by Russell Broom at The Broom Closet. Musicians / Instrumentation: Art Bergmann - Electric and Acoustic Guitars and Voice Russell Broom - 10,000 More Guitars Peter Clarke - Bass Ian Grant - Drums and Percussion Individual Song Credits: Entropy - Ghost of French speaking drowned refugee: Zoe Da Silva, added vox: Danny Vacon, Kate Stanton and Art Bergmann Christo-Fascists - added vox: Danny Vacon, electric guitar: Wayne Kramer, keyboards: Russell Broom Your Second Amendment - added vox: Kate Stanton, acoustic guitar: Paul Rigby La Mort de L'Ancien Regime - Revolutionary Volunteers: Danny Vacon, Ian Grant, Russell Broom, Andrew Jessman, Guergana Brittain, Ann-Laure Hug, Laurie Meredith and Sylvie Matheusik, Ghost of Steely Dan: Russell Broom Amphetamine Alberta - added vox and cowbell: Ian Grant Los Desaparecidos (Border Art) - added vox: Kate Stanton and Art Bergmann, slide and steel and e-bow: Paul Rigby Late Stage Empire Dementia - added vox: Danny Vacon and Kate Stanton, keyboards: Russell Broom, acoustic guitar: Paul Rigby If...Animals (The Anthropocene) - added vox: Kate Stanton, keyboards: Russell Broom Serious gratitude and love to the 164 odd donors who made this possible thru GoFundMe. Big ups to Colin, Gordo, Gordon, Jason, and Phil (TeamART). MIXED by Russell Broom (Jann Arden, Chixdiggit, Sam Roberts, Josh Groban) at The Broom Closet, Rusty's Troubled Youth Ballet and Mixed Marxist Arts MASTERED by Greg Reely (Skinny Puppy, 3 Inches Of Blood, Sarah MacLachlan, Fear Factory, Spirit Of The West) in Vancouver PRODUCED by Russell Broom and Art Bergmann EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Phil Klygo (weewerk) Limited Edition of 220.