April, 2024
Ancient Champion: Columnist
We’re not really sure who Ancient Champion is as we only ever communicate via email, text, and the occasional postcard. There's so much we don't know, yet every article written lets us in a little more. Where’s Ancient Champion from? "Nowhere and everywhere and nowhere,” was the typically annoying oblique and evasive response from the Champ when we asked.
What we are sure of is that as a musician the Champ once dabbled in lo-fi garage rock & roll, years before revivalists like The Strokes made it popular. About 20 or so years ago, AC put the electric guitars and effects pedals into storage, and dusted off his old keyboards and drum machines to record a series of pieces described as “easy listening for difficult people.” Electronic instrumentals dripping with misanthropy and melancholy. It's a good mix to chill to.
In 2021, a collection of short stories emerged by way of Disco City Books, ‘Six Stories About Motoring Nowhere’ mainly featuring the minutiae of lives slowly wasted behind the wheel. An early edit of one of the stories is here (Would You Spend The Rest of Your Life With Me?). Subsequently the Champ was spotted at the more obscure lit festivals and events that would have him, not exactly honouring the form. “I am more of an entertainer”.
In 2022, Ancient Champion formed a live band alongside drummer Adrian, Pete Piano on organ and Agata on bass. Performing at art openings and summer festivals, the sound was described as Iggy Pop meets Talking Heads while drinking Orange Juice.
What’s next for Ancient? 2024 will see more works -- more singles, an LP MLLAC, an EP of easy listening punk cover versions; the live band has been reanimated by Brandon from New Jersey on electric fuzz bass. More articles, a second short story collection, provisionally called Public Transport and more. That’s a lot. The hardest working Champ in showbusiness? We’ll see.
Find the Champ on:
AncientChampion.com
Bandcamp
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Spotify
Adventures in the archives
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