Adventurous Belgian rock-band formed by the Dewaele-brothers, who rose to the
scene with music in the tradition of Soundgarden, the Black Crowes and Pearl Jam,
later throwing in lots of Prince, Beck, and corny 80's kitsch into their mix.
"Too Many DJ's"
59,4 sec. - 117 Kb.
songs : Soulwax
Produced : David Sardy.
Year : 1998
Record co. : PIAS
The centre of the band is formed by Stephen and David Dewaele, sons
of one of the first Belgian sixties radio-Dee-Jays Zaki. Stephen on this : "We
grew up among thousands of records. Between the bio's, the sleeves and the merchandising.
When we were at the age of getting interested in music, we discovered amazing
things in our attic : the first Jimi Hendrix singles. The Beatles. My father was
the first to receive things from Apple and EMI. The Small Faces have slept in
our house. Stan Getz came to visit. Amazing." - Quotes are from a 1996
interview of the band with the Belgian newspaper "Het Nieuwsblad". Stephen
Dewaele was also one of the makers of the short-lived rock-program on Kanaal 2
"Rock Rapport".
In 1995, they made their debut with an E.P. called "2nd Handsome Blues",
after a remarked participation in the talent search Debuutrock.
For their debut album "Leave the Story Untold", the group
wanted to work with producer Chris Goss (of Masters of Reality, Kyuss ...), so
the recordings took place in California ("Not the coke, babes and party-people
L.A., but very low-budget. Chris Goss has worked under his normal price. Less
than the average Belgian producer. He really wanted to do it, because he really
liked our music." The result was something to be proud of.
As Humo wrote at the time "It was rumored for some time now that the
sons of Zaki were playing in a band, and it was added "a good band too".
Just how good they are, can now be discovered on their debut CD "Leave the
Story Untold". ... David Dewaele has a razor-sharp guitar, the rhythm section
thunders and the singer tears the lyrics from his lungs. Sire, this is youthful
violence, restlessness of the heart lead into melodic paths, wild and angry noise,
yes indeed : rock'n'roll." Jacky Huys was less impressed : "It's
a mystery to us why Soulwax - very retro, by the way - insist on playing like
the Black Crowes".
Anyhow, "Kill your darlings" and "Caramel" became big radio
hits consequently.
In 1998, they had the honor of being able to do a cooperation with Einstürzende
Neubauten for their "Ende Neu" project. They remixed a version of the
whispering song "Stella Maris". David also did a numbe of productions
for singles of another band based in Ghent Das Pop.
In 1998 also, they re-went into the studio in Los Angeles to record
their second album "Much Against Everyone's Advice". The producer
on this one was Dave Sardy (of Barkmarket), who also has just produced another
Belgian band : Evil Superstars. Prior to the
release of the album, a single "My cruel joke" was released in June,
with a large part of the vocals on the song performed by the American singer Traci
Bonham.
"Much Against Everyone's Advice" demonstrated that Soulwax had definitely
grown in stature, with plenty of new influences thrown in there still heavy mix
of music (strings, beats and loops, think Prince, think Beck) and with a much
greater variety between the tracks. Best track was probably the overwhelming "Too
Many Deejay's" with the legendary line "If only I could sell myself
the way that even I would buy" and a video featuring the biggest losers as
DJ's (quite an ironic statement, as Stephen & David also have a very active
career as DJ's beside their activities in Soulwax, as the "Flying Dewaele
Brothers" or sometimes "Fucking Dewaele Brothers").
This album - totally in style with faux-45rpm/singles covers for all the tracks
in the booklet and sleeve - caused a big breakthrough of the band in Belgium and
the Netherlands, and then provided some momentum for the band even further abroad.
In 2000 they played a lot of the big European festivals (Glastonbury, Werchter,
Rock am Ring ...), as their playful yet powerful podium act convinced people all
over Europe.
In March 2000, Soulwax did a contribution to the "Glittering
2000" project, on which belgian bands covered songs from the glamrock
era, by doing a version of Marc Bolan & T. Rex's "Children of the Revolution".
Meanwhile their tour with the show from "Much against everyone's advice"
kept on being prolonged and prolonged, while the Dewaele Brothers also kept on
playing their DJ-sets and even got their own show on Belgian clip-station TMF
(Alter8). Especially the British isles became more and more aware of the quality
of the band, convinced by the funny video's (one featuring the gigantic S.O.U.L.W.A.X.-letters
going after the band) and declaring - pushed by BBC-Radio1 - Soulwax the hippest
thing in town in 2000.
A new and third Soulwax album can be expected by spring 2002.
Band members :
- Stephen Dewaele (vocals, keyboards, percussion)
- David Dewaele (guitars)
- Piet Dierickx / Stephane Misseghers(drums, loops)
- Stefaan/Stef Van Leuven (bass)
- Inge Flipts (keyboards)
Buy CD's of this band at
Albums :
- 2nd Handsome Blues (MCD, PIAS, 1995)
- Kill Your Darlings (CDS, 1996)
- Leave The Story Untold (CD, Play it again Sam, 1996)
- Caramel (CDS, 1996)
- Great Continental Suicide Note (CDS, 1996)
- My Cruel Joke (CDS, 1997)
- Much Against Everyone's Advice (CD, PIAS, 1998)
- Much Against Everyone's Advice (CDS, 1998)
- Conversation Intercom (CDS, 1998)
- Saturday (CDS, 1998)
- Soulwaxmas (promo-CDS - cover or "Last Christmas" - 1998)
- Too Many DJ's (CDS, 1999)
- When Logics Die (CDS, 1999)
Websites :
- the completely wacky official Soulwax-site is at www.soulwax.com
- tour dates and info can also be found at the site of [PIAS]
- Tabs of some Soulwax-songs at guitarfiles.be
- www.soulwax.co.uk, an english fan-site
- dewaeles.soulwax.com, site focusing
on the extra-soulwax-activities of the Dewaele's
- Kill Your Darlings, comprehensive fan site by Caroline
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