ALLEZ ALLEZ

Allez Allez is the funky follow-up of the Brussels-based collective Marine (see Marine). The more experimental part of Marine also continued to make music, under the flag of the wild and wonderful La Muerte (see La Muerte).

Although Allez Allez (which means "well, well" or, with a different intonation "Go! Go!") was very successful, it - unfortunately - lasted only a few years. Only from 1982 to 1983 in fact.

The trademark of Allez Allez were highly danceable and catchy rhythms, African influences and high quality singing. Together, this formed a powerful and funky mixture. Their motto was "wrap your legs around your head". The group was headed by the American singer Sarah Osbourne, who came to Belgium with her group Repetition that was signed by the Belgian record label "Les Disques du Crépuscule", where Marine also had their contract.

In the slipstream of the successful debut-single "She's stirring up", the mini-album "African Queen" arouses a lot of interest and becomes a gold record. It even earns them a place at the famous Torhout-Werchter festival that year.

The song "African Queen (pour la grâce)" of the same album is a tribute to Grace Jones.

In November they record a full album in the Garden-studio of John Foxx in a production of Heaven17-mastermind Martin Ware. This time it's a more refined funk-album with some soul-influences. The road for an international breakthrough seemed open, but then singer Sarah Osbourne left the groups and married the singer of Heaven 17, Glenn Gregory (they divorced three years later).

A replacement was found in the Afro-American Jackie Irwin of New York. She never managed to truly replace the sensual and flexible Sarah. The 12 '' "Boom boom" flopped, although it was produced by the discoverer of Madonna, Mark Kamins.

Of the members of Allez Allez, the biggest fame would later come for the bass-player who got renowned in the French-speaking world under the name Marka.

Due to his popularity, the first two records of the group were re-released on one CD by Virgin in 1997. Jacky Huys wrote "In the beginning of the eighties this group from Brussels caused quite a bit of waves. On this album, you can hear that their best work is still very much valid today, but that their lesser moments sound quite poor."

Band members :
- Sarah Osbourne / Jackie Irwin (vocals)
- Marcassou (bass)
- Christian Debusscher (guitar)
- Nico Fransolet (guitar)
- Robbie Bindels (drums)
- Roland Bindi (percussion)

Buy CD's of this band at

Albums :
- African Queen (1982 - EMI/Scalp)
- Promises (1983 - Virgin)
- Boom-boom 12'' (1985 - Sounds of the Future)
- African Queen + Promises (1997 - CD-re-release)

Singles :
- She's stirring up (1981, Scalp)
- Allez Allez - African Queen (1981, Scalp)
- Valley of the kings - Wrap your legs (1982, Virgin)
- Flesh and blood - The time you cost me (1982, Virgin)
- Don't bother me - Strange people (1984, Vogue)
- Boom boom - The brain  (1985, Sounds of the Future)

Websites :
- Allez Allez in Trouser Press, a reference work of 80's-bands.

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