NEWSARCHIVE

Period : June 1-6, 1999
In this issue : Uncle Meat, Wizards Of Ooze, Lowpass, Akyra, Marktrock Zottegem, Marktrock Leuven, Dranouter, Filet d'Anvers, Belgian R&B-festival, Johan Verminnen, Raymond van het Groenewoud.

June 6, 1999

UNCLE MEAT BACK ACTIVE
Uncle Meat, the guys from Limburg who traded heavy metals of all sorts a few years ago and were mentioned as the big hopes to succeed Channel Zero, were almost completely gone in 1998 when singer Zonny and guitarist Daniel had left the band.
Those who remained haven't stood still in the meantime : they have put the band back on it's feet again with new members (singer Peter E. and guitarist Danny C.), have written a bunch of new songs, have recorded a demo ("The album will be fucking great, more powerful and intense than anything you ever heard by UM") and now there's even a new single : "In You".
More info on the whereabouts of Uncle Meat can be obtained at their official website.

WIZARDS OF OOZE BACK ON TRACK
The Antwerp band Wizards of Ooze have got a new portion of acid jazz, funk and other danceable materials ready for release onto the world. The cd will be called "Almost Bikini" and will hit the shops somewhere in September.
As a taster there has recently been a release of the single "Big Red Balloon", a song that suggests they have ventured onto poppier paths. Record firm Arcade also asks to watch out for the video that accompanies this song since it is "a totally freak-out wacko masterpiece made by Wizards of Ooze member Peter Tops himself".

LOWPASS IS NOW AKYRA
Lowpass, the triphop-band with Marlon Waegemans & Mario Vaerewijck & Canadian female singer Juliette Caron is no more. However, two-thirds of the band (Marlon & Mario) now have got a new act going under the name "Akyra", teaming up with British singer Nina Babet.
According to the record company, the music will not be completely comparable to the thing Lowpass was making : now it's "catchy hi-tech popsongs with strong rock, rhythm 'n' blues & drum 'n' bass influences".
A first single will be "Future Culture", a full album will follow in September, with mixes by Tony Platt & George Shilling.

June 4, 1999

MARKTROCK ZOTTEGEM
Nice line-up the people in Zottegem have put together for their "Marktrock" (Rockmart), on Saturday Jun 26th from 16h30 onwards :
1. Wrong in the garett (start-up from Nevele, winner of the "night of Zottegemse rock)
2. Belgian Asociality
3. 't Hof van Commerce
4. De Heideroosjes (deranged nutty punk from Holland)
5. Neven
6. Arno
7. De Mens
For the first time this festival will be held in a tent, income is a mere 100 fr. More info can be found on their website, or by phoning to 09/360.88.30.

MARKTROCK LEUVEN
Marktrock Leuven, the big brother of all mart-rocks, is also getting ready for their edition of 1999 (from 13 to 15th of August).
The first names that have been leaked are :
- Mozaïek, Volumia! and Clouseau on the traditionally commercial Friday.
- Das Pop, Ilse De Lange and Purple Prose (the new band of Dani Klein) on Saturday
- The Rosswells (winners of Marktrock-podium, Apollo 440 ("ain't talking about dub", "Krupa"!!) and Jovanotti (dance-miracle from Italy).

FREE ENTRANCE AT DRANOUTER
Those who want to attend the interesting folkfestival in Dranouter and know to play an instrument of some kind, stand a good chance of getting in for free. The organisers hold a free podium and reward those who participate with free weekend-tickets to the festival. The concerts are meant for solo-artists or groups with a small line-up. Those interested can send a description + demo to Dranouter, vrij podium, Douanestraat 34, 8950 Loker. More info also available at 057/44.69.33.
Meanwhile, the largest part of the festival-line-up is also ready. Between 5 and 8 August the following artists will be there : Steeleye Span, I Muvrini, Laïs, Zita Swoon, Manau, Tri Yann, Leahy, Bouquet Garni, Marjan Debaene, Baaba Maal, Ruben Gonzalez, James Taylor en Afro Celt Sound System. The complete line-up can be found at website of Dranouter.

June 2, 1999

A NEW SLICE OF FILET D'ANVERS
Charles Van Den Bossche and company, who together make up the Antwerp "plezante liekes"-band Filet d'Anvers, proudly want to announce a newborn single : "Wa Ne Nacht"(What a night) is out on Hans Kusters Mucic and is being distributed by Dino. The single is about a man who goes out into town and watches the Jerry Springer Show on his return. The song is on it in two versions: a version with beeps and an "uncensored" one.
The group, that exists with a number of peronnel changes since 1985 already, has specialized themselves in rather witty lyrics in the Antwerp dialecth, without being - musically speaking - a new version of The Strangers.
You can find more info on Filet d'Anvers at their website hun website, departement "Cold Cuts'.

PEER
One of Belgium's most internationally renound festivals, the Belgian Rhythm & Blues Festival in the little town Peer, has almost completely finished this year's line-up.
- On Friday July 16th there is a Belgian blues night, with Froidebise, Burning Plague, Marc Lelangue Blues band and finally the impressive Fred & The Healers (still not in this archive, what a shame!)
- On Saturday July 17th, The Blues-O-Matics, Michael De Jong, Dana Gillespie, The Paladins, Paul Lamb & The King Snakes, Roben Ford & The Blue Line and Ruth Brown & Band will be pouring their sweat on the stage.
- On Sunday July 18th, The Boyd Small Band, Corey Bell & Band, Olu Dara, Kenny Neal, Popa Chubby en Eric Sardinas have been signed.
More info on the history of the Bluesfestival in Peer at their website.

June 1, 1999

VERMINNEN RECEIVES VAN ACKER-PRIZE
Johan Verminnen, the nice bard from Brussels with a history on stages of over 30 years, has been awarded the "Van Acker"-prize 1999. This award, called after the name of a Belgian socialist Prime Minister with the first name Achilles, goes every two years to "an artist or institution that has an oeuvre or endeavour that has a strong social bias." The actual prize is a statuette by Vic Gentils and a cheque worth 200.000 Belgian Francs in the bank.
With this award, singer Johan Verminnen joins the ranks of other illustrious people who have been awarded this, including Frans Masereel, Louis Paul Boon, Willem Vermandere, Hugo Claus, Toots Thielemans, Jan Decleir en Walter Vandenbroeck.

RAYMOND VAN HET GROENEWOUD TRY OUT
Raymond, that other Flemish big wheel of the better flemish songs, is heatin up his engines to get a new tour rolling. This Thursday, June 3, there will be a first try-out of the tour at the Vooruit in Ghent.
The "Straffe Mannen" that will accompany RvhG this time on his tour of the Culturan Centers of Flanders and Holland will consist of Jean Blaute on various keyboards, Thomas Van Elslander on guitar, Vincent Pierins on the bass and César Janssens on the drums. This time the tour will not carry an official sounding name but will simply be called "Tot Morgen" (See you tomorrow, the title of his latest CD).
Manager Johan Kerckhofs is also spreading the news that Raymond will say goodbye to the current century in Bruges on December 31st at De Burg. There, he will play a 2 hour-long concert that will look back on the century with his own songs and hits from past years

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