In a brunettes, under the sea: the ten best belgian rock bands in history
Submitted by cramoukji on Mon, 03/14/2005 - 08:50
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- Les Tueurs de la Lune de Miel aka The Honeymoon Killers (highly influential band who were pioneers of the post-punk electro-rock scene at the turn of the 80's, only belgian band ever to be featured on the cover of the New Musical Express in the UK) (Les Tueurs de la Lune de Miel)
- TC Matic (this alt-rock foursome found success in Belgium, Germany and Scandinavia from 81 to 87, its frontman Arno though now aged and toned down keeps on following a solo career, recently capped by the equivalent of a grammy in France) (TC Matic, Hey Hey, Choco)
- Deus (the currently most recognized belgian rock band started out in the early 90's and its brand of alt-rock/blues/jazz fusion remains successful) (Worst Case Scenario, In a Bar-Under the Sea, The Ideal Crash)
- Telex (this electro trio is highly underrated but critics and historians of electronic music usually only classify them second to Kraftwerk for importance and influence) (Looking for Saint-Tropez, Neurovision, Belgium One Point)
- Front 242 (these innovators of industrial/electronic/house music have always been more successful outside of Belgium where strangely they only have a cult following) (Geography, No Comment, Tyranny for you)
- Machiavel (I strongly dislike this prog-rock band but they have been having success for four decades now (70's-00's), though basically only in Belgium for the last twenty years) (Machaivel, Mechanical Moonbeams, Urban Games)
- K's Choice (unlikely success story from the mid-90's for this sibling duo who were selected by the Kellog's corporation for a US tour only after their first album was released) (The great subconscious club, Paradise in me, Cocoon crash)
- Ghinzu (this upcoming new rock sensation is currently enjoying heavy rotation of its newest video on MTV Europe and could get themselves noticed in the US soon) (Electronic Jacuzzi, Blow)
- Soulwax/2 many DJ's (The Dewaele brothers have their rock band named Soulwax but they are probably best known for their creation under the name 2 Many DJ's of "bastard pop", a concept in which they blend two songs together to create a new track - a concept that was copied by MTV) (Soulwax-Much against everyone's advice, Any minute now, 2 Many DJ's-2 Many DJ's)
- Wallace Collection (this one-hit wonder was the first belgian band to break into the Billboard Singles chart with their "Daydream" song in the late 60's and for that reason deserve inclusion in this list) (Laughing Cavalier, Serenade)
Author Comments:
You may or may not have heard of these bands before... but these select ten have at one time or another massively been selling records outside of Belgium and even outside of Europe.
For your listening inquiries, I have included selected album titles.
And later, when I have time, I will add links.
I've heard Deus and Soulwax. I also like Zita Swoon and DAAU.
I guess you know that Zita Swoon (formerly Moondog Jr.) is a spin-off of Deus, the band that founding Deus member Stef Kamil Carlens launched after he left Deus. I had seen Die Anarchistische AbendUnterhaltung in your list of CDs, yes... but don't ask me, I have no idea why this crazy belgian band has a german name.
Actually, I didn't know that Zita Swoon/Moondog Jr. was a spin-off of Deus. I don't really know bands and people - I just know music.
and there is nothing wrong with that because after all music is the only thing that matters... the world and reality as we experience it might be an illusion but music is real.
First Frank Oz and now K's Choice!
I remember being compelled into looking them up and being non-addicted for a while. Ahhh... those were the days. Are they still "rockin'?"
apparently K's Choice best of compilation "ten years 94-04" was their swansong as guitarist-singer Sarah Bettens issued a solo album earlier this year to a lukewarm commercial and critical response.