Opgericht tijdens de hoogtijdagen van de Amsterdamse kraakscene. Bijna 40 jaar na de oprichting is The Ex still going strong, al is van de oorspronkelijke bezetting alleen Terrie Hessels nog over. Bang voor experimenten is de Ex nooit geweest, zoals o.a. blijkt uit Scrabbling At The Lock, een samenwerkingsproject met de (inmiddels overleden) avant-garde cellist Tom Cora. Van dat album State of Shock, één van mijn persoonlijke favorieten uit het oeuvre van de Ex.
I’m moving towards a state of shock
Repeats again of what’s already been said
The same mistakes keep hitting us like booby trap blanks
We still learn nothing, living in Tinseltown
My apartment’s on the umpteenth block
Some neighbours don’t really treat me so bad
One used to live in a life-size tank
He thinks it’s sad that this wall fell down
Outside they’re selling pieces of rock
Well, i want nothing of this daily threat
Loads of that crap in the local bank
Easy targets for our wasteful clowns
But hey, one day i’m gonna find this precious frog
Might be my princess, maybe her name is Fred
Those stupid clouds will fade to reveal my thanks
This state of shock is a merry-go-round
State of shock been said booby-trap Tinseltown
Umpteenth block so bad life-size tank fell down
Bits of rock daily threat local bank of clowns
Precious frog named Fred my thanks go round
One might wander about in caverns of doubt
But why be afraid to find reasons to banquet
Sure, one can hide but there’s a world outside
Must be pretty safe under a fire-proof blanket
