-> EMILIUS FINGERTIPS:

A Donkey Story about Mil Fingertips

Ever since I started to write material for Donkey Diesel, I knew that the first thing to do was to pay respect to the likes of Ferre Grignard. His music has been with me for more than 20 years, so why not confess it right from the start...

I wrote 'Bar Grignard' to evoke a Fierce Melancholy which, in my opinion, distinguishes Ferre's style from the more happy go-lucky 'Lonnie Donegan' approach to skiffle (eventually drifting away from skiffle even). Allthough you couldn't escape Ferre's joie de vivre, it was all but too obviously rooted in Apetown Anger. This contrast, by any means, I hope to accomplish with all things Donkey Diesel as well.

It was Gregor who first met Ferre Grignard's Washboard Player at Bar Napoleone and gave the kick-start to what was to become our first Donkey Mission : tracking down Mil Fingertips and asking him to play with us. It took us exactly 1 Phone Call and one night of "Alcohol-driven Apocalyps Wow!" for him to connect to the Donkey Spirit. A Reefer Rally fueled with laughter, cheers, storytelling, drinks and a chance for Mil to be flabbergasted by the Donkey Freaks. I remember Buni being there in all his Mindbending Glory, Gregor freestylin' on the blah blah horn, Kike, Han,...

As for me, I was impressed by the many stories of this Apesville Original, mixing facts with fiction to a very amusing reality, but also by his strong awareness of the colourful music scene in Antwerp: the Antifa movement which had spread into Traktor & Ambrassband, The Seatsniffers, Stijn, DAAU, Stef Kamil, Stafke Fabri... He could pinpoint each one of them..

Another great moment to cherish, came a few weeks later, when I was at Mil's place, letting him hear 'Bar Grignard' for the first time. After he had listened to the track, he complimented me, disappeared for a moment and came back with a plastic bag full of old metal. It turned out to be the first washboard he'd ever owned. Furthermore, it was the very instrument he was playing on the first Ferre-album and he decided right then and there that it should be on 'Bar Grignard' as well. The next thing I knew, we were trying to revitalise it, with me jumping for joy...

For the recording session itself, we had waited to bring in Milleke up until the last day. That way, he could effortlessly bring the first set of Donkey recordings (spread over 18 months), to an acoustic climax. Each Donkey was there (except Kasper), together with both Han and Simon, just to pay respect to Mil. Once again he illuminated us with his stories and his ever amicable Self. We had a big 'Beggar's Banquet' afterwards in the one restaurant that would still serve food at 24.00h, that lasted well into the early morning...

-GUNTER-