It’s hard not to like the Ex, the Dutch anarcho-punk band that has transformed into a wild improv ensemble over the last 35 years. Back in 2002, when they were stumped as to how to book a tour of Ethiopia, they just showed up in the country with a PA and a generator, then drove from town to town and played wherever the locals would let them. If everyone acted more like the Ex, you would love your job.
“Pukebox,” posted on the Ex’s website, is a list of the 50 songs the band hates the most:
The 50 most sickening songs according to The Ex; most heard in gas stations and supermarkets, creating physical discomfort[...] There are enough top 50s out there. Here is our Vomit 50, The Ex Pukebox. Feel free to post yours on our facebook page.
Imagining the Ex’s suffering as they encounter these songs on the road cracks me up, and it’s hard to imagine a more deserving candidate for first place than Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”
1 Band Aid - Do they know it’s Christmas Time (1984)
2 U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name (1987)
3 John Miles - Music was my first Love (1976)
4 Wings (Paul McCartney) - Silly Love Songs (1976)
5 Meat Loaf - Paradise by the Dashboard Light (1977)
6 Queen - We Are the Champions (1977)
7 Boomtown Rats - I Don’t Like Mondays (1979)
8 Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder - Ebony and Ivory (1982)
9 USA for Africa - We are the World (1985)
10 Billy Joel - Uptown Girls (1983)
11 Robert Palmer - Addicted to Love (1986)
12 Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (1977)
13 Culture Club - Do You Really Want to Hurt Me (1982)
14 George Michael - Careless Whisper (1984)
15 Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney - The Girl Is Mine (1982)
16 Minnie Riperton - Lovin’ You (1975)
17 Wings (Paul McCartney) - Mull of Kintyre (1977)
18 Rod Stewart - Sailing (1975)
19 OutKast - Hey Ya! (2003)
20 A-ha - Take On me (1984/1985)
21 Toto - Africa (1982)
22 Coldplay - Clocks (2002)
23 The Police - De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (1980)
24 Elton John - Candle in the Wind (1973)
25 Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven (1992)
26 R.E.M. - Shiny Happy People (1991)
27 Phil Collins -Sussudio (1985)
28 Starland Vocal Band - Afternoon Delight (1976)
29 Starship - We Built This City (1985)
30 Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died (1974)
31 The Knack - My Sharona (1979)
32 Genesis - I Can’t Dance (1991)
33 Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart (1983)
34 Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart (1983)
35 Enya - Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) (1988)
36 David A. Stewart (feat. Candy Dulfer) - Lily Was Here (1989)
37 Sting - The Soul Cages (1991)
38 Elton John - I’m Still Standing (1983)
39 Christopher Cross - Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) (1981)
40 Steve Miller - Abracadabra (1982)
41 Wham! - Last Christmas (1984)
42 4 Non Blondes - What’s Up? (1992)
43 UB40 - Red Red Wine (1983)
44 Eurythmics - Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four) (1984)
45 Guns N´Roses - November Rain (1991)
46 Herman van Veen - Anne (1986)
47 Barry Manilow - Copacabana (1978)
48 Vangelis - Chariots of Fire (1981)
49 Herbie Hancock - Rockit (1983) [except the hi-hats]
50 Sting (feat. Stevie Wonder) - Brand New Day (1999)
Here’s “Contempt,” the Ex’s fine song about sickening things:
The definitive documentary about the band, Beautiful Frenzy, is only available on DVD, but here’s an interesting IKON documentary about the band’s 1990 tour of the US. Some of the dialogue is in Dutch, but most is in English. Ian MacKaye makes an appearance shortly after the four-minute mark.