Interview
Activist András Istvánffy on ‘Hungary's permanent protest culture since 2006’
While the Hungarian government has been closing popular venues, the 4K! or fourth republic! movement has been attempting to reclaim public places through flash mobs and other actions. We meet the platform's coordinator
interview, fidesz, activism, civil society, hungary, youth, budapest
Dario Ivkovic: 'people don’t seem interested in roots of Balkan music'
Best-known as a member of both the German touring group Shantel & The Bucovina Club Orkestar and French band Les Yeux Noirs, the Serbian accordionist is an electrifying personality onstage. We talk music legends, Balkan beats and why 'girls like guitarists better'
Slovenian journalist: death threats after arms trade trilogy
In Slovenia, a trilogy published between summer 2011 and spring 2012 has exposed the secrets of the arms trade during the Balkans war and the role of the country's politicians in it. It's been an ache in the sides of those in power and with money and interests whom the book denounces. Co-writer Blaz Zgaga, 38, may be in hiding but he won't stay down
interview, united nations, corruption, balkans, international trade, yugoslavia, ljubljana
Activist Ahmed el-Senussi: Libyan prince and human rights hero
Currently a member of Libya's national transitional council, the prince was in solitary confinement during his imprisonment and did not speak to a single person for nine years. We meet in Strasbourg where the former prisoner of conscience was one of five Arabs to win the Sakharov freedom of thought prize for 2011
interview, activism, brunch, prison, libya, arab spring, muammar al-gaddafi
Brooklyn-based pop band Chairlift: once 'music for haunted houses'
Patrick Wimberly and Caroline Polachek probably never thought their music would end up on a commercial for an apple product. After meeting the duo in Paris, we are advised to go back to the future, turn the sound down on a silent film and crank up our headphones to their fresh electronic pop offering
Journalist Irakli Berulava: ‘Georgia has lost opportunity that rose revolution created’
‘Gloomy’ is how the correspondent of reporters without borders (RSF) in Georgia describes the media situation in the South Caucasus countries. Self censorship, governmental pressures and democratical regression after the rose revolution of 2003 are mining the field of journalism, says the man who is also a blogger, film director and producer
interview, georgia, corruption, youth, media, caucasus, blogs
Hungarian singer Erzsi Kiss: ‘My language is based on musicality’
It’s much more meaningful gobbledygook, says the singer in the Hungarian band 'Egy Kiss Erzsi Zene' about her lyrics. The musician and puppeteer talks to us about singing 'in no language'
interview, hungary, culture, budapest, music, theatre, culture calendar
Rock band Turbo: ‘absence of taste’ an ‘incurable disease’ in Hungary
When it comes to psychedelic-progressive rock music, Turbo is Hungary’s number one. Bass guitarist Jero and singer Balázs Tanka on genres, role models and taking different viewpoints on music tastes and truths in general
interview, bands, festivals, bulgaria, hungary, culture, budapest
German writer Hatto Fischer on Greece 'madness' and 'European debts’
The Bavarian-born philosopher and co-founder of the NGO Poiein Kai Prattein (‘create and do’), which launched in Athens in 2003, explains why Europeans have thought that the Greeks were mad, and how we can learn from their current fiscal tragedy
interview, germany, brunch, greece, athens, philosophy, politics
Gravity Co: 'We shy away from traditional Bulgarian limelight’
They have scooped practically all the music awards in Bulgaria, such as the national music channel MMTV's 'band of the decade' gong in 2008, like magnets deftly reinvigorating progressive music in a post-socialist country. The four-piece Sofia-based rockers stand out from the Bulgarian musical landscape like liquorice-black aliens - and a fourth album is promised for 2011. Interview
Croatian writer Olja Savicevic: 'We have never lived in a normal society'
The writer from Split, 36, recently published her debut novel 'Goodbye Cowboys' in German. Her award-winning short stories and poetry have been translated in over ten languages. We talk war, youth and why she one day hopes to speak about the 'tragedy' of her family 'more openly'
Istanbul 'sex bus': student beaten for defending couple speaks
On 17 April a young Turkish couple were asked to leave a city bus because the driver considered their kissing and hand-holding as too obscene. Events worsened: whilst arguing with the driver at the stop in Taksim Square stop in the couple's defence, fellow passenger and politics student Gökçe Koç, 28, was assaulted by a stranger getting on the bus. We meet via facebook where Koç started a protest group, Seks Otobüsü (‘Sex Bus Number…’): 34 TN 1992 25T
interview, istanbul, mustafa kemal atatürk, best of cafebabel.com, turkey, taksim, sex
Simon from Is Tropical: ‘England is very oversaturated in music, London especially'
The boy from Bournemouth explains why his low-fi British band, signed to French label Kitsune, is more European than English. The three-piece of former London squatters, who perform with masks, are on a mini European tour in mid-April. Their debut album Native To is released on 13 June
Salvador Martín: 'Paranormal will be normal as soon as we rid ourselves of prejudices'
Convinced of the soul’s eternity, spiritists overcome stereotypes and fears to explore the space where life and death meet. They follow a tradition that dates back to the Egyptians, the Vedas and even the bible, itself a catalogue of 'paranormal' events. We slip into the unknown with an appropriate guide, the president of the Spanish spiritist federation
Belgian singer Selah Sue, no Amy Winehouse
She’s a singer with American, even Jamaican soul, but Sanne Putseys is also just like any other young angel-faced Belgian girl, despite her groove sisterhood
Ferran Adria, culinary avant-garde
In his own words, he’s just a 'chef with a restaurant', but this Spanish master is in fact so much more. Read cafebabel.com's interview with Europe's master chef from 2005
interview, catalan, food, cooking, restaurant, gastronomy, chef
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