David Berman Two Years Later

I always meant to include this history of David Berman's college band, Ectoslavia, in my Believer interview, but there was no room. Gate Pratt generously took time to write this history for me in 2019 and I am sharing it with you today, a day and two years after David Cloud Berman's death. 

A History of Ectoslavia

 by Gate Pratt

Ectoslavia was A DIY noise-punk band formed in Charlottesville, VA in 1987 that at various times notably included David Berman (Silver Jews), Steve Malkmus (Pavement), James McNew (Yo La Tengo). The band was formed and rehearsed in the basement of “The Red House”, an address with a long and colorful history of artists, musicians, writers and creative types. Ectoslavia was both an artistic musical collective and a house band. The name can be credited to David Berman, an exquisite wordsmith and the band’s leader, instigator and lyricist. A punk-rock DIY ethos was the inspiration, and lack of musical ability was no barrier to participation. Although many of the band members were capable musicians, equally important was a “up-yours” attitude that prized punk passion and energy over technical mastery. 

The sound of the band could be described as a rhythmic wall of noise, consisting of layers of screeching guitar, throbbing bass, crashing metal percussion and howled minimalist lyrics. Think Fall meet Einsturzende Neubauten. Early efforts were a rowdy, undisciplined racket, loosely organized around anarchic lyrics. 

Gradually, a set of songs developed and Ectoslavia ventured beyond The Red House basement to play several nightclub gigs. The first gig was a live on-air performance at the beloved college radio station, WTJU, where many of the band members were DJs. Another performance at a club in Richmond (Rockitz? Opening for Psychic TV?) resulted in the plug being pulled and the band being booed off the stage and told by the management never to return (this was viewed as a badge of honor by the band). A final gig (of three total?) was in Blacksburg, VA, near Virginia Tech, in an old church converted to a bar, with the stage located on the altar. That gig was the band’s most coherent and organized, and had a full house cheering and swaying with the band. Despite the fleeting taste of success, the band broke up shortly thereafter, with Berman, Malkmus, McNew and others spreading to the winds to take on other musical projects. Very few recordings exist, perhaps only a single cassette tape that was occasionally featured on WTJU. For fanatics, a single track made it onto a Jagjaguwar compilation. 

 In addition to Berman, Malkmus and McNew, an ever revolving line-up of musicians included Rob Chamberlain (guitar, bass, percussion & vocals), Jeffrey Honker (guitar), Bob Nastanovich (percussion & vocals), Ken Ganfield (Bass), Jim Ryan (Bass), Gate Pratt (Percussion) and many more who ventured into the Red House basement to add to the chaos. To borrow from The Flatlanders, Ectoslavia was more a legend than a band. The legacy is not the musical output, but the energy, spirit and verve that was imparted to the various members and to the few that were witness to the spectacle and aural assault. 

Gate Pratt