the Defectors are a Danish band who formed in 1997 and found a stable form as a quintet in late 1998. The debut album, ”Let Me” was released in 1999, followed by ”Baby Gimme Love” in 2001 and the most recent studio album, "Turn Me On" in 2004. Later same year, the limited edition, vinyl-only "Live at Gutter Island" album followed. The band also appears on several compilations and split 7” singles.

The band consists of Jess 'Yeah' (drums) - Martin Budde (organ) - Mort Harder (vocals) -
Morten 'Hell eye' (bass) - Kristian Westergård (guitar)

Having heard their share of 60’s next-door-garage-hero records, they have made it a mission in life to take that mixture of innocense and irreverence into the 21st century.

Their debut album " Let me..." was released in 1999 by Danish label ESP Recordings (Kick Music) and features the song "Anglia". The video for the song "Alright Girl" also featured the Anglia.

Check out the official Defectors site at www.thedefectors.com

Obit: Death of a car - death of an image?

Cars die. It's a fact ...

"... Cars grow old, get rickety, lose exhaust pipes, spill various fluids on the ground, cough, spit and rattle, and finally they die. When a car is nothing but your salesman neighbor's Toyota, it's hard to get emotional about the demise. When the car in question is the car that graced your album covers, figured prominently in your music videos and was central to the whole imagery of your band, the picture is somewhat different. The '65 Ford Anglia that was all that plus some (e.g., a means of transportation for Jonas the drummer) to The Defectors is no more.

It was a worthy goodbye. In fulfillment of its last will, the Anglia was cremated at a ceremony attended only by the nearest few: the band, good friends, including cinematographer Martin Redlich and yours truly, and 50-odd volunteers from the local fire department. The flames licked and the smoke billowed towards the sky to the sound of The Oblivians and Mr. Quintron playing "Final Stretch", as a few drops of rain fell towards the end of the first real spring day here in Aarhus.

Former proud owner Jonas shed a tear or two, but soon got his act together, as Redlich whipped out a few cameras and started filming the black-clad band saying a last goodbye to a friend in flames. If all goes well, the spectacular footage will wind up in a future Defectors video. -"We've got lots of new material coming up. I can't say where we'll be using today's pictures, though" the drummer commented when I asked him. After taking a thoughtful sip of post-ceremonial grappa he continued -"I must admit that burning cars might be a topic we've totally overlooked in our lyrics so far..."

Maybe it was the dreaded Harry Potter-association, maybe it was an act of celebrating the oncoming of spring, maybe it was symbolic, maybe it was just for the hell of it. The Anglia is gone. Can't wait to see what's gonna take its place!

Ed Defector ... "

(© the Defectors - April 2003)