NEWSARCHIVE

Period : August 1 - 8, 1999
In this issue : Zomerhit '99, K3, Pukkelpop, Jacques Brel, Janez Detd., Philippe Robrecht, Zita Swoon, Johan Verminnen.

August 8, 1999

ZOMERHIT '99
Amidst gigantic (incrrrrrredible, unbelieeeeeevable) attention from the huge (enorrrrrmous, fannnnntastic) crowd that was gathered at a pier in Blankenberge, the sympathetic (hot, talented) presenter Johan Verstreken handed out the important (hissssssstorical, signnnnnnificant) trophy of "Zomerhit '99" to the brilliant (wwwwonderful, terrrrrrific) girls-band "K3" for their fantastic (mmmmmarvellous, grrrrreat) summer hit "Heyah Mama".
Other prices during the three hour long radioshow of Radio 2 were handed out to Will Tura (for his career), Belle Perez (for "best production"), Yasmine ("best dutch song") and Vanessa Chinitor (as "best debut").
There's also less euphoric news for the "Flemish Showbizz" though, as the rumours that both "Tien Om Te Zien" and "De Muziekdoos" (the television shows on the commercial and public chain that broadcast this kind of music) will be cancelled this year have been confirmed.
More info : the Radio2-website, the "Showbizz"-site

PUKKELPOP ANNOUNCED LAST NAMES
The line-up for Pukkelpop, the bigget "alternative" festival in Belgium, is finally complete. Chokri Mahassine found enough time in between his political activities to sign Public Enemy, dj Spinna (who replace The Dust Brothers), Orgy, Skinny, Mc Justiyc & Mc Flux, Mc Kela and Lite.
The programme thus gives one "dance"-oriënted day on Friday 27th, with no less than four stages being invaded by all kinds of Deejays and dance-acts from the Creamfields-festival (including Paul Oakenfold, Roger Sanchez, Todd Terry, Coldcut, DJ Shadow, Gangstarr, David Holmes, Leftfield, Derrick May, Basement Jaxx, Ken Ishii, Grooverider, Goldie ...), a hip-hop stage with the Sugar Hill Gang, The Pharcyde, Postmen and 't Hof Van Commerce, and a Main stage with Sebadoh, Soulwax, Zita Swoon and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
On Saturday the emphasis is more guitar-oriented, with a Skate Stage (Sick of it all, Heideroosjes, Good Riddance, Godsmack ...), a Club (Dead Man Ray, Smog, Steve Wynn, Johnny Dowd, Daan, Cornelius), a Marquee (with Gay Dad, Ultrasound, Liquido, Flaming Lips, Sneaker Pimps & Suede) and a well-populated main stage including Luscious Jackson, Dog Eat Dog, Biohazard, Silverchair, Kula Shaker, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Offspring and Orbital.
More info about the festival at http://www.pukkelpop.be

August 4, 1999

FRANCE BREL CHANGES HER FATHER'S GRAVESTONE
The daughter of the late Jacques Brel, one of Belgium's most renound singers & composers, just has returned from a visit to Hiva Oa, the burial ground of her father. She went there with a mission too : not only did she speak with people who knew her father during his last days, but she also made some changes to the tombstone.
A relief depicting Brel and Maddly Bamy (Brel's "maîtresse" during the last years of his life) was removed from the stone, and was replaced by two commemorative plaques. One says "Six Pieds Sous Terre, Tu Chantes Encore" (a line from the song "Jojo" which means "six feet under, you're still singing") and carries the names of Brel's wife, children and grandchildren. The second plaque carries a poem by France herself (translated : "Passerby, like a sailor, a man from the stars, this troubadour enchanted our lives from the North Sea to the Marquises. The poet, from the blueness of his eternity, thanks you for your passage").
France wrote a long letter to the local press to explain this gesture under the title "After the time for respect, now the time for history", in which the family announces it will break the silence around the last years of the singer's life. Most sources about these last year so far have always had to tap from a biography that Maddly wrote a few years after his death, a fact that caused some bad blood.
The evidence that Brel indeed is "Six feet under, but still singing" can be found on many occasions. In "Les Inrockuptibles" of last week for instance, there was an interview with Ian McCullogh - singer of Echo & The Bunnymen, this Saturday on Eurorock - in which he states : (about Scott Walker) "he has learnt everything from Brel, who is infinetely bigger than him, since the melodies and the impact of his chansons is a thousandfold that of Walker. And Brel had a lot of charisma, while Walker has the appeal of a bag of potatoes". (About the Beatles) : "I worshipped the Beatles ... On the other hand, they were from Liverpool and that made them a lot more "common" than the Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop or even Jacques Brel. A chansonnier from Belgium was a lot more fascinating and exotic than a band from Liverpool, Beatles included".
(sources : Fondation Jacques Brel, De Morgen, Nieuwsblad, Humo).

August 3, 1999

JANEZ DETD SIGN DEAL WITH VIRGIN
Janez Detd. - one of the best-known contemporary punkrock-bands in Belgium formerly known as Jane's Detd who have changed the bandname after a few of the original members left the band - have signed a record deal with Virgin. They are currently a recording an album in the renound Galaxy-studio's in Mol.
The band got known outside of the hardcore-cirlces while it was still on the independent label I-scream-records, mostly due to their summer hit of last year "Beaver Fever", which brought them a place at the Beachrock Festival as the Belgian People's Choice last year.
The label I-Scream has already found a good replacement for the band, since they have signed the re-united garage-rockers the Paranoiacs (current single "Dog Day Afternoon"is at n° 14 in the Belpoptop. A full cd will come out in the Fall)
A (dutch) interview with the guys in the studio at Surf-Inn

August 1, 1999

PHILIPPE ROBRECHT RELEASES NEW CD IN SEPTEMBER
Philippe Robrecht, the man who is still best known for the single hit & album he had in 1992 "Magie", is getting ready for the release of his fifth cd in September. The album will be called "Dwarsligger" (a term which means both "obstructionist, troublemaker" and "railway sleeper, crosstie").
Currently he has formed a trio (himself on bass & vocals, Peter Buytaert on guitar and Nico Manssens on drums) and has recorded a cd at the studio of Pino Guaracci in Genk. He claims to have written an album "more personal than ever".
The album will include an extra little bonus cd, with new versions of his older work, such as an "exclusive" version of Magie. From September onward he will tour the country with his trio and also in a programme together with Vera Coomans (ex-Rum, ex-Madou).
More info can be found at his website http://www.philippe-robrecht.com

ZITA SWOON HEAD THE FIRST BELPOPTOP
After one week of voting, the first ever edition of the Belpoptop has been made public. Only in the lower regions does it contain some surprises, but this chart certainly is filled with great quality songs :

JOHAN VERMINNEN WARMS UP TO 30TH ANNIVERSARY
Another release to expect in September is a double CD by Johan Verminnen.
"Vroeger en Later" (before and later) will be an album celebrating the fact that Verminnen has been standing on all kinds of podia for over 30 years now. However it will not be a mere retrospective album. The first CD will be a "Best of", but the second one will be a cd with new songs for which he has teamed up with various talented musicians such as Jo Lemaire, Raymond van het Groenewoud, Roland and Kris De Bruyne.
Any moment now, a first single "De Zomer", together with the girlies of Laïs, will be released.

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