FROM RUSSIA WITH LAUGH excerpts.
Only few things in 'New Russia' are working the way the three musicians of Luedi possibly imagined. No sleep, but short sips of Vodka. Nevertheless there was a lot of action during gigs.   If you come to 55°45`' northern amplitude and 37°37'' eastern longitude, you reach the metropolis of the big moroseness.  One idea: how to speed up a totally indifferent person? You must sort out him, this means: to offend him virtuously. Offend him completely, but stay indifferent yourself and even funny. This attitude provokes that moroseness, which will develop to wild roughness in the family. This atmosphere of permanent irritation, based on the lack of interest and strong intimidation, can be seen in the faces; that's what spoiled our mood so often behind the dirty bus- and train windows.  It is time to inform you, dear readers: 'Moroseness and melancholy show, that the masses are inspired by hope. But joyfulness and laughter proof that there is no hope at all anymore.' That's how life is going on.   I try to realize that I am at a place, which on the one hand, brought the best parts of man to absolution, but also made prominent his darkest sides.  Inscription at a grave: 'the only way to avoid horror is to abandon oneself to horror.'  Since everything is allowed, there is no stop anymore. Who ever witnessed the provocations of Sergey Kuryokhin knows what I am talking about.  So also Luedi do not spare themselves and the audience. This tour melted the particle-exhilarating Wittwer-Wertmuller-machine with me as a 'blocked piston' to a homogen band - tight and great.   Farewell, goodbye at the Minsk Train station. Night train to Vilnius. Once more good chances for a long loud night in the wagon restaurant. And? At home you long for these days, which you wave away now nearly carelessly. So far. So true.  Werner Luedi  
DIE WOCHENZEITUNG (Zurich, Switzerland) NR. 11 / 12. MARCH 1998 (pages 22-23)