Themselves + Notwist = 13 & God

May 23, 2011 9:29 AM

The details are hazy, but somewhere outside of Toronto in the winter of 2004, on a stretch of highway near the U.S. border, a computer onboard a large bus spontaneously combusted. Some point the finger at the driver, others blame a faulty battery. Whatever the cause, Themselves and the Notwist were stranded. Gigs were cancelled. Meals were skipped. Shady motels were booked in below-freezing weather. It was the fifth breakdown of the tour, and despite those frustrations, a minor language barrier and the unfamiliar terrain, a cross-continental brotherhood was forged. Seven years later, the megagroup 13 & God have two albums, a live CD and and an EP as proof of that fateful tour. Join Doseone for a track-by-track commentary of their new album, and listen to the album, streaming on Soundcloud.
posted by filthy light thief (12 comments total)

Caught them in Philly on tour in 2005. Great show. Can't wait to listen to this new album. Thanks for posting!
posted by orme at 9:36 AM on May 23, 2011

I think I saw that Notwist tour in 2004. I don't care for 13 & God though.
posted by anazgnos at 10:05 AM on May 23, 2011

Downloaded the new 13&God album a while ago and never got into it, so deleted. I'll give it another listen, but Notwist is one of those bands that gets (likely unfairly) slotted in the "oh i kinda like them but i'm never willing to seek them out or ever actively listen to them" category. 13&God just sounded like a lot of Notwist with a little hip-hop, but again, I only listened once.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:11 AM on May 23, 2011

I've never heard of any of them, but I really want to hear more details about the story!
posted by no relation at 10:11 AM on May 23, 2011

Thanks for this. I really liked their first album, so I've started the stream, and will definitely pick this up if I like it.
posted by HighTechUnderpants at 10:13 AM on May 23, 2011

mrgrimm: 13&God just sounded like a lot of Notwist with a little hip-hop, but again, I only listened once.

I really liked their prior album, but I don't recall it sounding so distinctly like two bands collaborating. Perhaps it's the fact that the two main vocalists have such different sounds and styles.


no relation: I really want to hear more details about the story!

Agreed! Unfortunately, it seems that Google search results get skewed towards the Newest Hot Thing, so searching for Themselves / Notwist 2004 tour information ends up spitting out more about 13 & God, not the old tour. That link about the tour was the best I could find, but I'm sure there is more information lurking online.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:30 AM on May 23, 2011

I think I need to chime in on behalf of all Ontarians and correct the record here.

No "stretch of highway near the U.S. border" is close enough to Toronto to qualify as "somewhere outside of Toronto." They may have been somewhere outside of Kingston. Or somewhere outside of Buffalo (I can't expect anyone to name-check Fort Erie here). I certainly hope they weren't somewhere outside of Windsor or Sarnia. But unless we accept a debased language in which "somewhere outside of Toronto" could literally mean anywhere on the surface of this planet, their bus passed out of being "somewhere outside of Toronto" about the time their driver saw the steel fires of Hamilton or the sign for Belleville or Guelph flash past their vehicle.

The last time there was "a stretch of highway near the U.S. border" "somewhere outside of Toronto," was 1813, just before a lucky British counterattack at the Battle of Stoney Creek drove the Americans back towards the frontier.

I guess the Germans can be excused for being a bit confused, but you'd think guys from Oakland would have a better sense of geographical relativity. The U.S. border is no more "somewhere outside of Toronto" than Tahoe is "somewhere outside of San Francisco."
posted by waterunderground at 11:36 AM on May 23, 2011 [5 favorites]

I can take or leave the notwist, but I loves me some Tied & Tickled Trio.
posted by juv3nal at 3:06 PM on May 23, 2011

Awesome! I used to be a huge fan of all things Anticon, but I've fallen out of the loop over the last couple of years. Thanks flt, I would have missed this otherwise!
posted by joedan at 3:28 PM on May 23, 2011

13 & God is a "megagroup"? Never heard of 'em.
posted by Doohickie at 6:29 AM on May 24, 2011

There are lots of largely unknown "megagroups" -- my definition is the joining of two groups well known in their scenes. If you've heard of the Anticon and/or Morr Music labels (which well-known in the respective circles of indie hip-hop and indie electronic music), you probably know these two bands, even though these genres are small worlds in the larger scope of Music of the World.

In summary: two groups join to become one megagroup.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:39 AM on May 24, 2011

The new album is quite amazing. Highly recommended.
posted by Theta States at 9:43 AM on May 24, 2011