peek edition January/February/March 2025 free ofcharge, not for sale aboo music & subcultmagazine quarterly publishedmusic magazine 49 GAVINFRIDAY PORTIONCONTROL SUICIDECOMMANDO SUNSHINEBLIND THEULTIMATEDREAMERS LESRAMONEURSDEMENHIR STEVE IGNORANTBAND FULGURETMORTE
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peek aboo contents music &moviemagazine 01. GAVIN FRIDAY 04. Interview SUNSHINE BLIND 08. 12. 14. 18. Interview IGAVIN FRIDAY Interview LES RAMONEURS DE MENHIR 20. Interview PORTION CONTROL Reviews 24. 26. Interview SUICIDE COMMANDO 23. Concert review BELGIAN ELECTRO WAVE IS NOT DEAD InterviewTHE ULTIMATE DREAMERS Interview FULGUR ET MORTE 28. Reviews 31. Calendar Want to support your sene & contribute to our magazine? English, Dutch, French, German … It’s all good! Come and join us and send an to e-mail [email protected] peek aboo music &moviemagazine ORGANISATION BODYBEATS PRODUCTIONS Marleen MASTBOOMS www.BodyBeats.be PORTA NIGRA Peter Verreycken www.PortaNigra.eu LE FANTASTIQUE Frédéric COTTON www.LeFantastique.net YOUR ORGANISATION HERE? Join us & support (y)our scene! WE NEEDYOU! Peek-a-Boo is always looking for new partners, distributors, writers, editors and translators. Mail to: [email protected] LAYOUT Fred GADGET Veerle DE BLOCK EDITORS / TRANSLATORS Leanne AITKEN Kevin BURKE Michael BOGHE Tine SWAENEPOEL Gea STAPELVOORT PHOTOGRAPHERS Elke BREDENBRUCH Luc LUYTEN Yvo Moeys WRITERS Jurgen BRAECKEVELT Dimi BRANDS Joeri BRUYNINCKX Hayley CLX Jan DENO Peter DOLPHEN Fred GADGET Hamis HIREK Kurt INGELS Xavier KRUTH Lena DAUTEL Tom PLOVIE - 3 - colophon WRITERS (continued) Dany QUETIN Henk VEREECKEN Malcolm Nix Chris WHEATLEY William ZIMMERMAN François ZAPPA PARTNERS & DISTRIBUTION BODYBEATS PROD. (Antwerp) www.BodyBeats.be DARK BALLOON (Retie) www.darkballoon.be BUNKERLEUTE (Leuven) www.bunkerleute.be DARK ENTRIESMAGAZINE (B) www.darkentries.be GOTHVILLE (Hasselt) www.gothville.com INFRAROT (Germany) www.infrarot.de PORTA NIGRA (Aarschot) www.PortaNigra.eu CONCEPT / WEBSITE Ward DE PRINS (RIP) Peek-A-Boo Magazine • Heilig Geesthoek 87A • BE-2070 • Zwijndrecht • Contact: [email protected] / Promo: [email protected] www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
SUNSHINE BLIND Incoming darkness, invading night. Holds all my dreams from the light. It is the early 1990s. In New Jersey a new band rises who would very soon distinguish themselves by fusing elements of New Wave, Post-Punk, Dark Folk, Punk & Alternative music giving them a quite remarkable Goth Rock sound. The lineup of this band comprised of CWHK alias Charlie Kocornik (guitars, synths, programming, etc), one‘Cousin Al’on bass, a drum machine and…Caroline Blind (vocals, guitar). Caroline’s ‘torch-singing’ took the band to a next level, making them a unique band in the history of Goth. Now more than 34 years later I have the honor speaking with Caroline about the early days, the history of the band, and, the present days. www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 4 - Hello Caroline. Let me start with giving you a big thank you on behalf of Peek-A-Boo for doing this interview. The year is 1991, the time that Sunshine Blind was formed. Tell us about those early days, what were they like? How did Sunshine Blind come into existence? The New Jersey and New York area were great places to play live music. It was easy to find other people to work with, and the scene itself was relatively supportive of each other. I didn’t realize at the time that it was not like that in other places. If it hadn’t been so easy or supportive, I’m not sure we would have started or continued, so we were lucky to start and be there.
Is there a special meaning behind the name 'Sunshine Blind'? Probably. I’m sure it’s a reference to drugs. Your emotional singing style is often compared to ‘torch-singing’ (lament an unrequited or lost love). Wherefrom your passion to sing this way? I’ve always been overly sensitive and have suffered from what I perceived to be neglect or loneliness in growing up. I moved around a lot, and always looked for a place to fit in. I’m convinced now that I simply enjoy being alone and feeling occasionally lonely, it’s preferable to living with anyone. Imagine this Caroline; a well-known director approaches you and the band to do a ‘on-stage’ performance scene in a famous television series. Which television series would you like it to be? And what song would you choose to perform in the scene? I don't watch enough television to know what a good series would be, but hopefully something dark and dramatic, and any of our songs would be great! Sunshine Blind shared the stage with other renowned bands in the scene. For instance Switchblade Symphony, Dave Vanian and the Phantom Chords, Faith And The Muse, Spear of Destiny & The Wake. Any fun/ interesting anecdotes from that time you'd like to share with us? Too many, and I’m so fortunate to be in close contact with many of them to relive the memories, and to make new memories, too. I recently used George Earth from Switchblade Symphony to play guitar for my live shows, I will see William Faith in two weeks when he plays bass for our Sunshine Blind reunion show, and I did some booking and tour managing for The Wake on their recent live shows, as well, so we’ve made recent memories of hijinks and hilarity. A live highlight for Sunshine Blind was the performance at the world-renowned German ‘WaveGotik-Treffen’ in 2000. No doubt you must have very good memories of that? Ha! It was the year 2000.The year that the promoter left town with all the cash, and left all the bands stranded! We played an outside stage somewhere. It was great to be there, and to see the full spectacle of it, for sure, but it was a bit difficult on the logistical side. - 5 - The 1992 self-titled cassette not counted Sunshine Blind released 3 albums: ‘Love The Sky To Death’ (1995),‘Liquid’ (1996) &‘I Carry You’ (2006). Striking on ‘I Carry You’ was the change in direction, from Goth Rock to more Triphop & Darkwave. Why this change? Was it a more conscious decision or just to try something new? It was just what we were feeling at the time, and it had been so many years since we put out an album, that we didn’t think it would matter. We always think it sounds like “us” no matter what we do, but we can be pretty experimental, it’s true. In 2007 the Philadelphia-based record label ‘Dancing Ferret Discs’ released a retrospective 2 CD ‘best-of’ compilation. How did the cooperation with them happen? Patrick Rodgers, who ran the label, was a concert promoter who booked us often through the years. We knew him from touring. He was the promoter that brought the Sisters of Mercy to the USA for the first time in years back in 1997. He booked us, Switchblade Symphony and the New Creatures to open the show, and Andrew Eldritch threw us all off the bill just days before the show for looking “too Goth”. Switchblade managed to get back on the bill, but the rest of us didn’t. It pretty much ended our touring career, because our record label lost so much money over it, and so did we. Many years later, when I wanted to release a ‘best of’ CD, I contacted Patrick, since I knew him well, and he agreed to release it. © Unknown @ time of printing To put the focus purely on you as a musician, you have been busy! A 2020 solo album (‘The Spell Between’), guest vocals on songs of The Wake, with Wolfie of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry the project Voidant, … Have I forgotten something? I often collaborate with other people, or contribute vocals to projects. I enjoy it. I am currently working on new Sunshine Blind songs with the original members. This year I also sang on one song for Sweet Ermengarde’s latest album ‘Sacrifice’. I did a solo Love and Rockets cover song for an ‘All Love and Rockets’ covers compilation, and I also sometimes release Christmas songs. I recently did a collaboration with Tim of Gothzilla for some songs, too. I’m always www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
SUNSHINEBLIND The album I did with Wolfie from Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – the project called Voidant was a very electronic and experimental venture for both of us, but the songs are great, it’s a great and spooky mood. I have also been doing some booking and tour support for my friends – I helped The Wake with their shows in Spain and in Mexico City. We had a great time, I got to travel and be on a tour, without having to do the show itself. I enjoy playing, but I enjoyed just helping, too. Then I booked a tour for Daniel, the drummer of The Wake, he has a new Industrial side project called 2 Forks. I booked him and two other bands an East Coast tour just recently*, so yes, I have been keeping very busy. (*’The Imperfect Waves’ tour, featuring Plasmata, [melter], and 2 Forks.) That brings me to our present time. Sunshine Blind is back alive and kickin’ for sure. New live shows, new music. Please tell us more! I guess my original partner was ready to re-visit doing music again. He had taken a break from it for a long time.We have been working on some new songs, which we hope to release soon. The chance to do one show came up (the promoter saw me doing a solo show when I opened for The Wake two years ago), and we are going for it. I don’t think there will be any more shows with this line-up, it’s just a coincidence that we were all available and willing. I hope to play out more, as I have been, but I need to find musicians who are local to me, who are able to travel and play live a couple times a year. looking for projects... Keeping fingers crossed you will. Alright Caroline, this has been a pleasure. Thank you again for making time for us. Here’s to a Bat-tastic future! Thank you! Hayley CLX sunshineblind.bandcamp.com facebook.com/sunshineblind
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PORTION CONTROL Once, in 1984, they toured with Depeche Mode and since then they are regularlymentioned as a source of inspiration by other legendary bands in the genre such as Front 242 and Skinny Puppy. Portion Control proves like no other that one does not necessarily have to become corny and dull during maturing because after more than 40 (forty!) active years this British electro combo is still going strong! Soon (22.02.2025) they will (rightly) headline Bodybeats' yearly 'International EBM day' festival, so it's time for a chat and update! Portion Control has been credited as an influential force in electronic and industrial music since the 1980s. Looking back, how do you feel your sound has evolved over the decades, and how do you view your legacy within the genre? John Whybrew: Our sound has become confident, tighter and more defined. We still gravitate towards a punk aesthetic and the anger certainly hasn’t diminished. We have always been fascinated by the edgier, darker forlorn of England and it stains our music inspiration. I would also include the John Peel show. I’d listen and record, onto cassette, anything remotely electronic or avant garde and swap mix tapes at college. Dean: Initially, when the genre was in its infancy, we were not really aware of what was going on with the other emerging bands. Our main influence was the new, affordable technology that suddenly appeared coupled with naive enthusiasm and a 'punk/do-ityourself ethic'. Before 1980 I only really knew Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire that were doing anything interesting with electronics. That said, there was always the desire to search out new sounds. I spent hours in Rough Trade records looking for anything 'weird'. Also we knew Ed Ka-Spel (Legendary Pink dots) who had an amazing collection of vinyl which we regularly rifled through. In 1984 you supported Depeche Mode on their UK tour. Do you have any (fun) recollections from that tour experience? John:: We took international soccer on a Commodore 64 (I think) and organised a big knockout tournament Living in England every decade has been a mixture of depression, detritus, dark humour and grey, it’s hard to be honest and not reflect this.. and visuals. We’re trying to blend shitty simple atonal with a clubbier or darker outcome. As to legacy we again owe a lot to our punk (attitude). We were simply drawn into a post punk, industrial scene and stuck to our guns. Dean Paviani: I've never really worked out the 'evolving' thing as I don't tend to look back and analyse. Every release is a fresh start. Instinctively we know how we want to sound and technically we are more competent but that's it. I'm definitely far more cynical and harbor more anger with the world and I think this is reflected in our sound, though I must add on a personal level I'm very happy. As for legacy I'm proud of what we've done, but I'll let the fans decide. Your music has inspired many well-known artists, including Front 242 and Skinny Puppy.Who were your key influencers when you first started, and how have your inspirations changed over time? John: We always cite Wire, The Pop Group etc for our www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 8 - with a few of Depeche, the roadies, sound crew etc. The computer was confiscated by the tour manger as the shows started to run a bit late as the soundman was locked in extra time at 2-2 with one of the door security guards… so we organised races round the theatre with our Tamiya Frog remote control car… Dean: Well, we had fun doing it. We took a games console and a radio controlled car to keep us occupied. This also proved to be a distraction for the road crew much to the annoyance of their tour manager.The tour introduced us to a different audience which was interesting. We hadn't anticipated that some DM fans were quite young and consequently we had to remove some of the more extreme content from the visuals after a parent claimed her daughter was distressed by it. Can you walk us through your creative process when developing new tracks? Is there a particular method or philosophy that consistently shapes your music?
John: I normally start new tracks with a Digitakt 2 as I can dial in loops and counter rhythms more organically than with a DAW,where I get a bit bogged down sample hopping. I also use the m8 tracker to start tracks and this is so liberating as you can write anywhere. Very recently, for the first time ever I’ve moved from PC to a Mac mini and spent months re-installing all our plugins. It’s incredible how small, powerful and inexpensive that thing is. For the first time in my lifetime computing power is an irrelevance. Dean: There is no set formula. Generally we'll both write and play around with ideas. I'll sort the lyrics and vocals, whilst John is the engineer and technical wizard. Your lyrics often explore dark and thought-provoking themes. What draws you to these topics? John: Living in England every decade has been a mixture of depression, detritus, dark humour and grey, it’s hard to be honest and not reflect this. Our music - 9 - isn’t trying to be escapism it’s trying to pull you down with us. Dean: I don't deliberately set out to be dark but I do make an effort to keep them interesting, if only for my own satisfaction. There is an element of anger with some of the shit that goes on in the world, but I'll avoid any political rants. Themes of decay often surface, maybe it's age related..ha ha. Being early adopters of samplers and other electronic gear, how has technological advancement impacted your approach to creating music? Are there any tools or trends in electronic music today that excite you? John:: Probably covered this in a previous answer. I still get inspired by lumps of electronics. I prefer the more consumer friendly samplers and groove boxes. No interest in keyboards or synths really. I like the thought of modular but then it’s too niche and seems to be an exclusive club.Anything that can distort, twist www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
PORTIONCONTROL or degrade sounds is good. When I was migrating to the Mac mini I realised just how many distortion fx I have … and it’s not enough… Dean: The thrill of the new is always there, but personally I like something that is relatively straightforward to learn. Being able to work remotely these days is a huge bonus. I don't miss sitting on the underground late at night with a synth on my lap. How do you approach translating your studio sound to a live setting? Are there specific challenges or elements you prioritize when preparing for performances? John: Definitely we try to inject as much energy into the songs as possible, and shorten them down so we make more impact. I always like songs when they start but they can outstay there welcome. It’s too self indulgent, for us, to play long tracks. The visuals also play a critical role in pushing the tempo and adding to the vocals and sentiment of the song. It’s also good for inserting what’s in our minds to the screen. Dean: We'll try and keep it fairly energetic so some of the tracks get shortened a bit. I don't fret too much about it being polished. The visuals have always been an integral part of the live performance so it's fortunate that the venues are generally better set up for them these days. As artists who’ve maintained an independent ethos for much of your career, what advice would you give to musicians navigating the modern music industry? John: Haven’t really got any advice as we’ve never cared for or about the music industry. I don’t even feel qualified to give advice. We’ve shamelessly ignored any form of marketing or even trying to promote ourselves. Even this being written under duress. I suppose the biggest problem is establishing your own sound. Forget the cookie cutter you tube tutorials and bullshit, listen to what others tell you and do the opposite. Dean: In terms of the music industry my only experience of it was 30 years ago so it's irrelevant now. The industry was shit back then and I'm not sure it really exists now so my only advice would be to do it because you enjoy it and try to avoid ultra processed food. Oh, also, listen to 'Y' by The Pop Group, it still blows anything else out of the water. From cassettes and vinyl to digital formats, you've witnessed significant changes in how music is released and consumed. How do you feel about the www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be current state of music distribution, and what do you miss about the earlier days? John: Don’t miss anything. Vinyl was shit it scratched and the covers went dog eared, cassettes were worse, took ages to wind backwards and forwards, CD’s were absolute brittle garbage with no soul, I hated sending stuff by post, its a bind and it cost a fortune, downloads and streaming have driven the value of music to micro pennies… Dean: As a teenager music was the single most important thing in the world. We were defined by our musical taste. It was an essential part of the social fabric growing up. It feels much less important now. Maybe that is, in part, due to the format changes and how we listen to music. However, there are many more 'distractions' these days. For me the thrill of discovery and the mystique has vanished. I'd love for something new to come along and blow me away but I'm not holding my breath. Your music has resonated with fans for decades. Do you have any particularly memorable interactions or experiences with your audience that have stood out to you? John: Better kept private :) Dean: Can't think of anything specific but I'll always make the effort to speak to them. We're eternally grateful for any support or abuse we receive...!! What’s next for Portion Control? Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or goals you’re particularly excited about? John: We are working on new material and new live sections so hopefully we can release something soon. We never really like collaborations although we have been involved in a few over the years. The only thing that we are inspired to do is create so at least that bodes well for the future Dean: Definitely, some new material in 2025. Can't see us ever giving up ' pissing about with music' We don't really collaborate much but I wouldn't rule it out.Apart from that I'm in the queue for a knee replacement. Auwch! Good luck with the knee replacement Dean! Thanks for this interview and looking forward to your show at International EBM Day in St-Niklaas! Fred GADGET 22.02.2025 International EBM Day featuring Portion Control, Armegeddon Dildo's, Tyske Luder, Deleritas & Skren > www.bodybeats.be - 10 -
PLAN C - Rewind (Digital EP) (Self-Released) Plan C has its first EP out, titled Rewind. As an appetizer, we already got the single 'Tuesday Skeleton'. Gin Devo signed on to contribute to this industrial song. It is a solid, industrial metal song. And with that the tone is set. Because 'Fight Or Fly' is also a relentless cutting industrial metal song. Halfway through, Olivier's synths get a little space, but soon the guitars overwhelm things again. And on 'My Machine Gun', Plan C gets the vocal support of Hans Verbeke. Once the forntman of the WestFlemish hardcore band Liar, today, together with Oliver Moulin, frontman of The Mars Model. This song does stand out. At the start, a rather techno-like vibe runs rampant. Halfway through, the guitars tear up again and you can hear Hans sing out heavily. The synths contribute to a softer sound.Well: what you call soft... Nightlife' is the fourth and final song on this first EP. Jana Komaritsa lends her voice. The industrial vibe is a little less present. The electro gets more space. [JB]. ORANGE SECTOR - Feuer & Flamme (Digital) (Infacted Recordings) Orange Sector has been in business for 32 years.A journey that is far from over. Feuer & Flamme is the band's 13th album. Besides the musical allegiance to EBM, the lyrics are raw.About the pain of separation, equality, depression, disappointment. Some songs, dixit Martin, are about personal tragedies. For example, 'Nobody' is about a personal tragedy that affected the Bodewel family. “Making music offers me joy and it helps me process events.” That the fans are also extremely important in this regard is echoed in In 'Deiner Haut',which is about fans sending pictures of tattooed Orange Sector logos or musicians. And musically?Well: the album bangs as ever.With the ingredients that make EBM sound oldschool. Stomping beats, and on this album a very conscious choice to give a place to the old analog synthesizers. Not just with the bass. There was extensive tinkering with the drum sounds. At times they sound as if they were played live. 'Tanzfabrik' is such a song. Stomping feet with minimal orchestration. Heavenly.'Traumfrau' has a similar vibe. Another high-quality album for fans. [JB]. OTHER-ED - Until All Are Free (CD/Digital) (Scaresquare Recordings) With amore atmospheric approach to Industrial and Synthpop,Other-ed is the solo project of Laur,who you might know as the singer of Darkwave duo Vagua Scare and the FrenchAustralian project Golem Dance Cult. Other-ed came into being as a solo side-project in january 2020. Laur: “Since it all started with the animal liberation theme, I was looking for a name that could have a meaning relating to this too... The fact that animals are considered as "other beings" to justify the waywe treat them...“First release was the digital EP‘Disruptive Synthetic’, followed a little later by the (during Covid 19 pandemic) at home recorded debut album ‘Sentient’ (march 2021) and a handful of singles (2022/2023). Present time there is now the new album ‘Until All Are Free’. From the opening ’Abstract Heroes’‘till the finishing ‘Eat Yourself’,‘Until All Are Free’ is a dark bitterly-cold minimalistic album with a taste of 80s Synths and Punk conciseness. 10 songs of dystopian soundscapes with a strong message best to be absorbed far away from daylight. [HC] BLACK ANGEL - Elektra (CD/Digital) (Self-Released) Matt: “I’m a little bit of a workaholic. If I’m not working on movies or TV shows my dayjob is writing music for Black Angel. I’m an 80’s kid, for me records are a journey: put on side A, listen through, flip it over, put on side B. Read the lyrics on the gatefold, artwork of the album. You know, that kind of thing, making my albums a journey.”‘Elektra’ goes back to the more Gothic roots.The sound is deeper.A big influence is The Mission’s 1986‘Gods Own Medicine’.And same howBlackAngel’s previous albums came to existence,the process was once again starting with about 30 songs,lessen themdown to about 20 before sending to Corey (BlackAngel’s enigmatic vocalist) to do his magic.Record a few, cut a few,ending up with 10 staple tracks.Tracks that all bathe in mythical ancient eastern influences. 80’s era captioned Goth Rock, taking you over all sorts of wasteland, guiding your darkest dreams.This Black Angel you do not only need at your side, but in your collection too! [HC] www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 12 - Read full reviews on http://www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be/en/reviews/
A NIGHT WITH DARK BALLOON GC DEN DRIES - RETIE (B) SAT. 26 APRIL 2025 A NIGHT WITH DARK BALLOON SAT. 26 APRIL 2025 GC DEN DRIES - RETIE (B) - 13 - www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
GAVIN FRIDAY 13 years after the release of his previous album, Gavin Friday is back, alive and kicking with a new studio album called 'Ecce Home' and a European tour. Reason enough to interview the former head and voice of one of the most beloved and eccentric alternative / gothic bands ever! After a 13-year hiatus since your ‘Catholic’album,'Ecce Homo' presents a fuller, more sonorous expression. Could you elaborate on the artistic journey and experiences that influenced this evolution in your music? Tough to say, the 13 years were busy on son many side project from Film Score / The Casement Sonata Sound Installation in 2016 / Peter and the Wolf Animation Film / Numerous Bespoke Live Performances with Hal Willner’s Entourage and Gavin Bryars Ensemble, to making an Album with French Musician Renaud Pion the Atonalist / Atonalism Album, to looking after caring for my dying Mother yeah real life does get in the way but also feeds the seeds of inspiration. www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 14 - This album features production by Dave Ball of Soft Cell, Michael Heffernan, and Riccardo Mulhall. How did these collaborations shape the sound and direction of Ecce Homo, and what was the creative process like working with them? I started the writing process of Ecce Homo with Dave Ball and Riccardo Mulhall from 2014 till 2017, on and off random sessions over 3 years a fewweeks then a few months later a week or two. In 2018 brought sessions back to Ireland and worked on adding more with more classical instrumentation and finished recording in 2020 and was delayed mixing till post pandemic. It was a quick process writing and for finishing we took our time. What shaped the sound was so many things, the title track Ecce Homo was very influenced by my dislike of the rise of far right POLITICS … fuck that shit! The title Ecce Homo, meaning "Behold the Man," suggests themes of self-revelation and human experience. What central messages or emotions did you aim to convey through this album, and how do
they reflect your personal and artistic growth over the past decade? Behold the Man as in here I am … This is me … Take it or leave it! The Album is as much inspired by Joy as it is by Rage.As said above, the kicking against the pricks in ‘Ecce Homo’ to the feelings of loss in ‘Lamento’ to the remembrance of ‘Beautiful Youth’ and freedom of expression in ‘When the world was young’. The past the present and the future all embraced in a human way … well my own sense of the world according to me. You’ve mentioned before how influential David Bowie and other avant-garde artists were to you growing up. Can you tell us about the first moment you realized you wanted to pursue art and music? Yeah Bowie opened up doors and was a huge touchstone as a kid but it was Punk and its explosion that hit hard and inspired me to form a Band, the then Virgin Prunes in 1978. It just jumped in and DIY was the philosophy. As a founding member of the Virgin Prunes, you pushed boundaries in both sound and performance. Howdo you look back on that time, and how has it influenced your solo career? Hugely influenced the today Gavin Friday … it made me who I am …Have nothing but love and respect for the Virgin Prunes era … but that was then this is now. Your solo albums, like Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves, showcase a theatrical and cinematic style. What inspired this shift from the experimental punk roots of the Virgin Prunes? Travels in Europe and Touring in early 1980s opened up the world of Euro Influences from Brel to Brecht to Classical and Jazz. You’ve collaborated with U2 and Maurice Seezer, among others. What do you think makes a creative partnership successful, and do you have any dream collaborators for the future? Hard work basically and a zone / connection where one can get lost in the music. Its almost like a magical unseen glue but its all about focus, hard work and a connection to the Heart. Always open to new collaborators … As a visual artist, your work often intersects with your music. How do you balance the two, and do you see - 15 - www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
GAVINFRIDAY them as complementary forms of expression? I’ve always seen a visual connection with the music I make i see / hear song visually as well as musically. Sometimes the balance swings more towards one than the other but ultimately for me they are deeply connected. Ireland has such a rich cultural and musical heritage. How has growing up in Dublin shaped your artistic identity? I am 65 years old now, the Ireland I grew up in was a very different country almost a different planet. It was very very tough being a young Gavin Friday dressing and thinking / acting like i did. The Rage was huge against the so called World I grew up in, the Music gave me a Shield and as weapon to fight. I seriously needed the Virgin Prunes to survive and vice versa. Over the decades, your work has been described as www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be avant-garde, emotional, and daring. How do you hope your art and music are remembered? Thats not for me to say… I adore making Music and performing. It’s my lifeline and expression, strangely i have been hearing the last few years how Virgin Prunes were so out of sync with the times and only now they are being understood. So be it! I don’t look for approval, I just shoot my shot! Are there any upcoming projects—whether music, art, or film—that you’re particularly excited about and can share with us? Excited to be touring soon! I so missed live performances! Also more recording sessions soon but at the moment so so excited for being on Stage soon! www.gavinfriday.com All photo’s by © Barry Mc Call Fred GADGET
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LES RAMONEURS DE MENHIR Breaking Barriers, the festival that reminds us yearly that punk is not dead, is not only inviting punk pioneers like Steve Ignorant and UK Subs this year, but also a cult band from France, or should we say Brittany? Les Ramoneurs de Menhirs are connected to that other French cult band, Bérurier Noir, via their guitarist, and are causing a stir with their original mix of punk and folk. Breaking Barriers organizer Malcolm Nix asked them about their music and their ideals. Les Ramoneurs de Menhirs are a very well-known band in the alternative scene, but almost exclusively in the French-speaking world. It's a bit surprising, because you don’t even sing in French, but in Breton. Whydid you choose a language that most people don’t speak? Our songs are not only in Breton. There are a few songs in French, precisely so that French-speaking people can understand the spirit of the band. We also cover traditional Punk-Rock in the original language, most of the time in English. Singing in Breton is a cultural resistance. We are for diversity at all levels. From time to time, you play in Belgium, but not very often. Are there other countries or regions outside of France where you have success? We play everywhere where there are Bretons and Punx. In French-speaking countries like Quebec, Switzerland and Belgium, but also throughout Europe. Success is obviously a debatable concept. For some, it’s a bank account full of millions, for others, it’s the adoration of young fans or, in our digitalized times, clicks on Instagram. What is the goal that Les Ramoneurs want to achieve? At what moments do you feel that you have actually achieved something? Indeed, we don’t really like the phrase “being successful”. For us, as musicians, our role is to unite the tribe. Our concerts are ceremonies where people are united with their differences. It’s a beautiful demonstration against the single-track thinking and withdrawal that fascism represents. Bringing families together around values such as sharing, solidarity, conviviality and living together is achieved at each of our concerts. www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 18 - It’s always difficult to achieve a goal without the help of other people. Do you consider yourselves as a part of a bigger scene? And howwould you like to describe this scene? It is obvious that strength comes from unity.We are part of the traditional Breton scene and the independent and alternative Punk-Rock scene. The strength of the Ramoneurs de Menhirs is to unite families and young people.At our concerts, there are often four generations, the young children that we bring on stage with us, the older brothers or sisters, the parents and the grandparents. That is the concept of “Uniting the tribe”. Together, we are dynamite! You clearly present yourself as a Breton group. Where does this fascination with Celtic culture come from? Is it a reaction to certain elements of French society that you consider incompatible with life in Brittany? We are indeed a Breton separatist group. We reject the “Jacobin” dictatorship of France. For us, France as such does not exist. We defend diversity, which is the complete opposite of Jacobinism, which imposes a single culture for all by force. France should have been a federation that respects its cultural diversity: Ch'ti, Alsatian, Occitan, Catalan, Corsican, Kanak, Basque, Savoyard, Gascon, Gironde, Vendée, Norman, Berry, Provençal, Burgundian, Landes, Gallo and Breton... Otherwise, the Celtic matriarchal culture obviously has nothing to do with the patriarchal culture of the Franks. Nowadays,we must of course be careful with thoughts and words about popular identity, because in many regions, there are nationalist movements with farright ideas, especially in our country in Belgium. Is the situation different in Brittany? In Brittany, tradition does not belong to the Nazionalists. We do not leave our music and dances to them.We believe that people who live in harmony with their roots are also open to the roots of others. Racists are people without roots who cannot stand the roots of others. Nationalism is a very popular discourse in contemporary politics.We have seen the results of the European elections on June 9. Do you understand the
We want to “unite the tribe”. Together, we are dynamite! success of the extreme right? Where does this frustration and the desire to recreate a romanticized past that never really existed come from? In fact, apart from inbreeding, the extreme right has nothing to offer. The success of the extreme right is due to the incompetence of political parties in general. Politicians only think about their personal interests and their career plans. We defend the self-management of the people for a real associative and voluntary policy, managed by collectives and not leaders. We sing for an independent, fair, united Brittany, respectful of “Mamm Douar” (Mother Earth), libertarian and mixed. Another element of your music is the surprising choice of instruments. There is a guitar, but there are also traditional instruments, and then, to confuse people even more, you also use electronic rhythms. How did you arrive at this original sound? Les Ramoneurs de Menhirs are a total fusion between traditional Breton music and Punk-Rock. The obvious link between the two is the spirit of insubordination. Originality is the result of the mixture of the two, which generates a very beautiful osmosis. On one side, we have Loran with his guitar and his old drum machine who sings in French, and on the other the historical channel with the couple of sonneurs, bombardes and binioù and the songs in Breton. The originality of a group is essential. One of the primordial ideas of the - 19 - spirit of Punk-Rock is nonconformism. The presence of the drum machine of course takes us to your past in Bérurier Noir. What is, in your opinion, the main difference between the Punk scene of the 80s and the contemporary scene? The difference is obvious. The spaces of freedom are melting like the ice floes. Do you see a renaissance of Punk or anarchist groups in France? There are countries where the scene is rising, lit by a new wave of young anti-patriarchals. Do you also see these people at the Ramoneurs concerts? If the songs of groups like Bérurier Noir are still, or even more, relevant, it is because unfortunately we are totally regressing. We are only a handful left, but we exist and we resist… The Anarchists. Finally, do you have any advice for young musicians or alternative groups who do not have your experience and who have yet to discover how it works in the world of music? Light the fire of your passions… it is up to the youth to create the world of music, not the major companies… Long live Free Rock! Malcolm NIX www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
SUICIDE COMMANDO I was at the 22nd edition of BIMFEST. The 'Belgian Independent Music'festival that saw the light of day in 2002. One of the acts who was there from the beginning is anno 2024 present again. And, let there be no doubt, we find that blood-dripping awesome! Perfect time to have a head-to-head talk with the man behind this project. Allright Night Beings. Let’s just cut right to it; Peek-ABoo presents to you: Johan Van Roy aka Suicide Commando. Hello Johan, A real pleasure meeting you again! 22 years BIMFEST, which you, with Suicide Commando, were also an important a part of. How many editions have you performed there? Can you recall them all? I do not doubt that BIMFEST must be special to you. Well, to be honest I lost the count. but I guess this must be our 6th appearance at BIMFEST, even though not all of them were announced. I remember us replacing Die Krupps on one of the latest editions. I must admit that I don't recall all of them, but I sure remember our very first appearance at the first BIMFEST when it still took place at Hof Ter Lo in Antwerp. Of course our appearances at BIMFEST always been special to me, being a Belgian band on probably the most legendary Belgian Festival supporting the Belgian Underground scene. Not many festivals can top that. 1986 was the year it all started for you. Present-time that’s 38 years of Suicide Commando. 38 years of overwhelming your fans with dark, dystopian and often unsettling music. How do you look back on all those years? On everything that you have achieved? It's been one hell of a ride, 38 years! It's been a real rollercoaster with so many highlights (from releasing my very first demo tape in 1988 to charting at position 9 in the official German album charts with my last album "goddestruktor", from my very first live show in the basement of a club in St.-Niklaas (OJC Clichee) as support act for Plastic Noise Experience to playing the biggest festivals across the world...) but also a few www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be setbacks (tearing my ligaments and meniscus on stage during our 2014 US tour, being on tour when my dad suddenly died...). But to be honest, I never ever expected that Suicide Commando would become one of the leading acts in the electronic scene. I'm so grateful for all the things we achieved, I'm so grateful for all the support we got from fans from all over the world, I'm so grateful that I could make my music, my passion to a (part time) job. It also costed me a lot of sacrifices, but nonetheless I'm so thankful for all the things it brought me in life. This year you celebrate 30 years of‘Critical Stage’, your debut album. For BIMFEST XXII there will be an exclusive old-school set with only material from that era. What can you tell us about that? Yes, 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of my very first ‘Critical Stage’ album, so I thought it was a good moment to put that album in the spotlight again for one more time, as it surely set a milestone in the career of Suicide Commando. “Another murder. Another war. Living in pain. Living insane.” Unfortunately some family matters disrupted the preparations for this special show, but expect a throwback into the deepest parts of my soul. I guess some people never even heard those old songs, I guess some people were not even born when I released these songs, so basically I've been making music for 2 generations... Today I often see and meet parents coming to our shows with their daughter or son, which is a great thing, but it also means that I'm getting f***ing old *smiles*. Suicide Commando shows are always on a high - 20 - ‘energy-packed’ level. How do you stay in shape? Any healthy advice for your fans? I’m basically the best example of how NOT to stay in
- 21 - www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be Photo © Luc Luyten / Who Cares Photo © Luc Luyten / Who Cares
SUICIDECOMMANDO shape and live healthy. I don’t do any work outs, I don’t eat healthy … guess it’s all about the music. It’s the music that keeps me fit & young (at heart). You shared the stage with a lot of bands, a lot of established names in the underground scene. Are there bands/artists you have never shared the stage with but would very much love to do so? Not really, I'm happy I could share stages with most of my heroes and influences, from Klinik to Front 242 to Neon Judgement... so I can die happy! For live performances you get the assistance ofTorben Schmidt on keyboards and Mario Vaerewijck on drums. How did you meet with each other? For that we have to go way way back in time, into a land far far away when dinosaurs were still existing and shitting my lawn … no seriously, I did meet and know Mario already from his days with Insekt back in the nineties. While working with Eric Van Wonterghem for my first album recordings/masterings I also got to meet Mario. How I met Torben I don’t exactly remember, but it must have been at some concert for sure. Picture this Johan; you get the opportunity to do a Suicide Commando show at the heart of Transylvania, in the castle of Dracula. Condition, however, is that you replace your drummer and keyboard player with 2 wellknown Vampires.Which living dead will that be? Choose wisely. Does the Addams Family (Fester & Lurch) count as vampires? No? Your home studio located in Leopoldsburg is where you create/make all your music. Have you ever thought about naming your studio? Or does a name for it already exists? It did already have a few names, but in the last years I tend to call it “the suicide commando Headquarters”. It’s where all the magic happens and turns into pure horror. Speaking of Horor; Somewhere in the course of time… In order to find inspiration for the lyrics of a new album you get a night-time visit from ‘The Demon of a Future Yet To Come’ who presents you with 2 options. One: a visit to Haddonfield, Illinois, Hallowe'en time. Second: to open a mystical puzzle box that summons the Cenobites. What option would you choose? One or two? Oh, that’s a difficult one,guess I’d go for option 1, having some fun time with Michael Myers. With the new year on the doorstep, what may the fans expect for 2025? Any news you like to share? End of 2024 and beginning of 2025 will see the release of my first 3 studio albums on vinyl, also available as a limited boxset called “impressions of death”. I also hope to be releasing some new stuff in 2025, but how and when I don’t know yet. And we’ll be touring a LOT again in 2025, with new shows in the USA, Mexico, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Estonia … and more. Okay Johan, let me end this interview with giving you on behalf of Peek-A-Boo a big big thank you. Here’s to an awesome time at BIMFEST and a great further musical & healthy future! Thank you very much! Always a pleasure.. Hayley CLX www.suicidecommando.be/ Photo © Marquis(pi)X - 22 - Photo © Marquis(pi)X
BELGIAN ELECTROWAVE IS NOT DEAD 3 (November 16, 2023) (Concert) It was a fine day when the announcement came, on November 16, 2023, that exactly 1 year later, on November 16, 2024, IC434 would celebrate their 30th anniversary,and that noteworthy on the stage where it all started in 1994: at the fortress ofWommelgem.Back then with Stin Scatzor, Ionic Vision and Suicide Commando,nowwith HerrNia,Deleritas and Euphoric Existence.As the event approached,HerrNia was replaced by Darkvolt. Darkvolt, who played their very first live concert here. Something that is actually hard to believe: this was an opener that stands out from anything else. Now, with the well-known Sam Devos on keyboard, vocalist Frederik was backed up by someone with experience (he was part of For Greater Good, among others). It was an almost perfect set, in which they played a series of top songs from their 2 albums.Yes: their first live set, but they already have 2 albums to their credit.Piece by piece great danceable tracks formed a fine coherent whole.Both visually and musically the picture was perfect.We can only hope that they get picked up and can be seen more often on various stages. In any case, it tasted sweet. After them: one of the leading bands in the Walloon part of our country when it comes to industrial and danceable beats. I simply cannot be more objective about Deleritas. I was a fan from their first album and have seen them at work several times, especially during home games in Liege. Now, our country is a molehill and yet there is a noticeable difference between the Flemish and Walloon scene. So I was somewhere nervous on their behalf (though they were nervous enough themselves), because what would that give? Well, they outdid themselves. AND you can tell that from the reactions on social media after the performance. I already read that it was their best set ever (dixit IC434),'pounding show that will be remembered for a long long long time' (according to one Vain, also known as the singer of CauseNation and organizer of the evening) to a 'add a guitar and you've got Feindflug' according to a visitor. In short: it was more than just good! On to the party animal of the evening. IC 434,Geert De Wilde's project, joined on keyboards this time by Jan Dewulf, one of those other icons but from the coast. For those who can't find the clapper: feel free to look up Mildreda. It was clear that the roomwas in the right mood.Moving bodies from front to back.And who would think that after 5 years of silence the music would rust I can say that Geert used a whole carton ofWD40.No trace of rust to be found. With a setlist neatly divided between the various releases, IC 434 brought an overview of what they had (and still have) to offer. Let's face it: their catalog is not that extensive with 5 albums, but quality over quantity: each and every one of them are gems that really should be in everyone's collection.A re-release of the out-of-print pieces is imminent! The same clearly applies to the performances. Only sporadically does the intergalactic horsehead take the stage, only when the stars are really good. But when they are right, then you can take it as venom that they actually pop like comets.When the band and audience align and feel like it, you get what we got here too: a touch of magic. I'm already taking out my star calendar to see when the stars will align, because who knows, maybe someday we'll make it and see IC 434 back on a stage... Never say it was one last concert. Euphoric Existence was given the difficult task of ending the chapter. With noticeably fewer people (a lot of corpi were looking to cool off outside) Koen and Bart put on a very solid performance. I think it was the 4th or 5th time I saw them and each time they still managed to captivate the listeners.Only downside: I had the feeling that it all sounded a bit louder now and a splitting headache caused a forced pause in the corridors of the fortress.Too bad,because after all, this is a band that can come out solid live. The afterparty (and the interludes between performances) were provided by DJ's Peter Melis and DJ PK.No surprises in the sets, but great (and at times nostalgic) beats that still got me on the dance floor for a while before returning home. Satisfied, tired and with what would turn out to be sore feet the following day: the body felt it had been good. - 23 - [PD] www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
THE ULTIMATE DREAMERS rpm/7” single, and that is what we did by founding our own label,Komakino Records. Photo © Luc Luyten / Who Cares The Ultimate Dreamers are making new music at full speed. Last week,their newsingle‘Digging’was released,and it is the precursor to the album ‘Paradoxical Sleep’, which is due for release in January2025.That will be the group’s second album since the 2021 reunion, when a compilation was released of their work from their early years from 1986 to 1991. On Saturday 12 October 2024, they will play at a Dark Entries Night in Ghent’s Kinky Star, and that drove us to contact Ultimate Dreamer Frédéric Cotton again. Hi Frédéric. The Ultimate Dreamers seem to be very busy. Since the band’s reunion in 2021, you have released a single, an album, an EP and a second single announcing the second album, which will be released in January 2025. How do you manage to be so productive? In 2021, The Ultimate Dreamers woke up from a very long sleep.Initially,the idea was just to promote‘Live HappilyWhile Waiting For Death’, the compilation of old demos released by Wool-E Discs.Soon the desire to expand it came,and I realized that we were a new group: the three original members had a new role – except for me who kept the vocals, but without guitar – and a new experienced keyboard player had joined. The context was very different. This, I think, explains our productivity: there was a thirst and a desire that was specific to young groups, even if we are all over fifty years old. Let’s talk about your new work since the band’s reunion in 2021. So let’s start with the single ‘Polarized’, which was released in September 2022. What was your ambition at that time? After the archaeological excavations of our repertoire from the past, its rediscovery and restoration, 'Polarized' was the first completely new piece we have written. In that sense it is more modern in sound and energy. Our ambition at that time was to show who The Ultimate Dreamers were, in 2022: a group that had decided not to dwell in nostalgia, but to start a new adventure instead. I had a strong desire to release a 45 www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 24 - A few months later, in January 2023, ‘Polarized’ was released in digital EP format with several additional remixes.This is one of the first releases of the Spleen+ label, a newsection of the electro labelAlfaMatrix that focuses on cold wave and post-punk. Howdid you manage to do this? At the end of 2022,‘Echoing Reverie’ was ready. I approached a few labels, several of which showed interest. Finally, we signed with Wave Tension Records for a vinyl release. I was also in contact with Alfa Matrix, but we fell a bit outside their electro catalogue.After some long discussions,Séba Dolimont took the opportunity to realize an idea he had had for a long time: the creation of a post-punk/cold wave/minimal wave sublabel. He proposed that we release ‘Polarized’ as a digital EP as a foretaste of the release of ‘Echoing Reverie’ in CD format, the label’s first production. He also asked me to collaborate on the creation of the magnificent compilation ‘Resurgence’ that will be released in December this year. We are now committed for a long-term collaboration with Spleen+, a label that is dear to us. In March 2023, the album‘Echoing Reverie’ is released. The record contains six songs, supplemented by two additional remixes in digital format. We notice complex and varied compositions, which evolve considerably over the course of a song. In that sense, the album is very different from what you recorded in the 80s. How do you look at the difference between‘Echoing Reverie’and the older songs? In fact, the ‘Live Happily…’ compilation mainly contained our very first songs,which we were able to record at home with the available means during the first phase of the group, when we relied mainly on synthesizers. We wrote other songs afterwards, with guitars and drums, but we were not able to record them in decent conditions. Four of the six songs on ‘Echoing Reverie’–‘ADay in the Life’,‘Big Violent’,‘Midnight’and ‘Piano Ghost’ – were part of it. We reworked and re-recorded them in 2022, but they remain representative of the old Ultimate Dreamers. As I said before: ‘Polarized’ is completely new and belongs to the Ultimate Dreamers of today. The following EP‘Violent Ghost’ contained several remixes and very creative covers of three songs from ‘Echoing Reverie’. What was the band’s involvement in the composition of this EP? ‘Violent Ghost’ originally contained alternate mixes of ‘Big Violent’ and ‘Piano Ghost’ that I did with Len Lemeire in his studio. I wanted versions that were more muscular than on ‘Echoing Reverie’. These are also the versions that we play at concerts today. For ‘Midnight’ I wanted to use the classical
S musicianship of Sandrine, our new keyboardist. She helped write the piano and cello lines for a new acoustic version. For the remixes, which are a bit of a tradition at Alfa Matrix, I called on three musicians I admire: Luca Bandini from Shad Shadows / Schonwald, Sébastien Carl from Hørd and Patrick Codenys from the legendary Front 242. I gave them carte blanche and the result is perfect. It was Patrick’s version that impressedme the most.He completely reconstructed the piece and appropriated it to do something different, but with the same spirit. Many people thought it was Jean-Luc De Meyer singing on this remix, but it is indeed my voice that we hear! And now there is the new single ‘Digging’, which came out mid-September. I see again that the composition is intelligent and consists of different sections. How does composing songs work within The Ultimate Dreamers? Do you use guidelines, for example for the complexity of the song or the variation in different sections? Thank you so much.‘Digging’ is a piece I wrote in the summer of 2023, while on vacation in the area around Lübeck, Germany. It was a very enjoyable and productive two weeks, from the point of view of composing. There are no precise rules for composing and even fewer guidelines. Most of the time it’s me who comes up with proposals that are already quite elaborated, and then they evolve with the input of the other musicians. Sometimes I let the song mature for a few weeks or months before starting over again.Other times Bertrand (guitar) and Joël (bass) come up with ideas that I then work on in my corner before bringing them back to the group where everyone adds their own touch. The final phase takes place in the studio of Len Lemeire,who brings a new perspective with his production and mix, which makes the piece evolve further. Len’s background is different from mine, but our collaboration gives a typically Belgian connection in my opinion.At least that’s what people pointed out to me during our mini-tour in England. We can modestly compare this mix to the music of The Neon Judgement,with a good balance between post-punk and electro. With ‘Digging’ you announce the new album ‘Paradoxical Sleep’, which will be released in January 2025. Can you already tell us something about this new record? The vinyl version will contain ten new compositions, and a newversion of‘Envoler’.It’s a song that was already present on ‘Live Happily…’ and that the public really likes. We thought it was worth a rework. It’s our only piece in French, but I sometimes sing it in Dutch also... The CD version will have two bonus tracks: a second rerecorded old song, and an instrumental that we already play regularly on stage. The album is quite varied, with heavier parts and more intimate parts. In general it is dark, both in sounds and in the themes covered. Kelly O’Hara, a Scottish friend, co-wrote the lyrics. Two songs have two singers that I really like.They are very pleasant collaborations. I think you will see a clear evolution if you compare ‘Paradoxical Sleep’ to ‘Echoing Reverie’, but the few people Read the full interview on http://www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be/en/interview/ who have heard it still consider it The Ultimate Dreamers. Besides Len’s work, I have to emphasize the important contribution of Patrick Codenys,who gave me valuable advice for the mix and structure of certain pieces. For‘Digging’and for a number of other songs,youmade very professional videos, for which you called upon talented directors. What is your goal when you decide to release a clip for one of your songs? I read somewhere that fewer videos are made these days than in the past. However, I believe that the image remains an important vehicle for music. I like to work with directors who bring their own sensitivity to the music. For ‘Echoing Reverie’ we mainlyworked with Thomas De Moor (son of the cartoonist Johan).He produced four original videos.For ‘Paradoxical Sleep’ we work with Nele Vereecke from Ghent-Brussels, alias Amanita Noir, who has worked with many metal bands. Her creation takes ‘Digging’ to another level. It is a real success because the images give another dimension to the song. You are also known as the organizer of Fantastique.Nights in Brussels, a series of concerts that I have always enjoyed very much. You announced that you would stop your activities as an organizer when The Ultimate Dreamers started to give a lot of concerts. However, I see that you continue to organize concerts from time to time.Howdo you plan to combine these two activities in the future? For more than 20 years I put all my passion into these events. I thought about it morning, noon and night. It was almost obsessive and addictive, but the COVID pandemic freed me. Organizing concerts is an exciting but also very thankless activity.I had a lot of fun and met a lot of nice people,but I am relieved that I (almost) stopped.Nowadays I still organize one or two events a year,mostly to please friends,but I do not plan to return to the rhythm of the years 2015-2020. I am sure that your activities as an organizer have also opened doors to obtain gigs. When I see your concert schedule, it is always full. Howdo you respond to this? Many people think so, but it is not really true. With my activities as an organizer I have certainly built up a well-filled address book and a few people even returned the favor in the beginning, but there are many more who have a very short memory... However, these activities gave me a good understanding of how things work. Finally, I would like to thank the whole Dark Entries and Peeka-boo teams for their support to the Belgian underground scene and to our project in particular. Your work and passion are very important.Thank you, really. You're welcome. Xavier KRUTH - 25 - www.the-ultimate-dreamers.com/ www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
FULGUR ET MORTE Fulgur et Morte is 39-year-old Brussels-based musician, producer and Opus Magnum Studio owner Olmo Lipani (Déhà, Cult of Erinyes, Silver Knife, Horrible, amogst many others). He released two atmospheric black-metal albums recently, called 'Possesed By The Unholy' and 'Devourer Of Light', taking you back to Judas Iscariot, Leviathan, Burzum and Xasthur. I like the two Fulgur et Morte albums you just released. What does 'Fulgur et Morte' mean? Olmo Lipani: First, thank you for appreciating these two releases. Fulgur et Morte means "Thunder and Death" in Latin. It stands for the unevitable and the beauty of these two events. Nature can be insanely violent, death is certain. And they can both happen at the same time. Why did you want a new moniker for this project? I released in the past a couple of albums of raw black metal under my "Déhà" name, which is a kind of potpourri of many different styles encompassing metal & beyond.At some point, I thought that it would be better to divide it, since this music style is so important to me, and so much more myself at times. It takes its name from the first release I did in this style, actually. The www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 26 - second one, "Mortem Animae", was also released under "Déhà" too. Now, it's the time to have something separate, in which I can really dive myself into. Is Fulgur Et Morte something you do on your own? I am my own master, hence I will answer to no one other than myself. I can trust the work in bands with some chosen people, but for this particular band, I will rely on what I can do, and only what I can do. It also challenges me to create better, to become a better musician. Black metal is personal, never to be explained, never to be taught or spoken about. Its elitism drives me to this chosen and assumed solitude. On your Bandcamp, you wrote you wanted a 'Judas Iscariot' outlet. Can you explain this to me? Judas Iscariot is a band that, in my opinion, brought the "one man band" beyond how it can be seen. He was doing everything himself, real, true, without compromises. This is what I am doing as well. It is a hidden tribute to one man bands that understand the meaning of it all. Leviathan, Judas Iscariot, Burzum, Xasthur...
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PLACEBO EFFECT - GALLERIES OF PAIN (CD/Digital/Vynil) (Dance Macabre) Not a new release, because originally released by Danse Macabre in the golden 90s, 1992 in particular. I am talking about the masterpiece "Galleries Of Pain"by the German Placebo Effect who are now also among us live again (in 2023 at Bimfest) and released the album "Shattered Souls" in 2020. Placebo Effect was founded in 1989 and their debut “Galleries Of Pain” immediately hit like a bomb, and is in my opinion leading in the genre with electro,ebm and horror that are masterfully knitted together seamlessly to create a very ominous atmosphere. An album with 14 songs between suppressed tension, existential fear and life pain of which about half would grow into hits on the dance floor.“Mystress”,“Poison Tree”,“Galleries Of Pain”,“Move”,“Devoid Of Soul”,"Dawn &Death"and“AgonyOfMind”are and remain cult in the genre in 2025& excel in their intensity and uncomfortable sitting atmosphere,which nevertheless encourages you to move with body&mind…In other words,an album that should be in your collection [KI] THE ULTIMATE DREAMERS - Paradoxical Sleep (CD/Vynil/Digital) (Alfa-Matrix) The Ultimate Dreamers take inspiration from timeless moods by bands like The Cure, Joy Division and even Trentemøller, the Belgian quartet’s music is a mix of Post-Punk, ColdWave and Dream Pop with a touch of Goth Rock.Present day, Peek-A-Boo is happy to present you their brand-new album ‘Paradoxical Sleep’. An album of entirely new material that no doubt solidifies their standing at the forefront of the alternative underground scene. Fred (vocals, second bass guitar): “All the songs on the album are new compositions, except ‘Envoler’,which is a new recording of an old song that people loved live. Some songs were already written in 2022, in the aftermath of the recording of ‘Echoing Reverie’: ‘Spiritchaser’, for example.‘Traum’ too, but we completely reworked those later.‘Deafness’&‘Energene’were contributed by Bertrand (guitar) and Joel (bass guitar)…” Synopsis: a guide through your most inexplicable dreams, expressed in 13 songs that you will want to listen to over & over again. [HC] MEPHISTOWALTZ -The First Release (Vynil) In 1986 Mephisto Walz emerged from the ashes of death-rock icons Christian Death. MephistoWalz was founded by Bari-Bari and John Schuman (RIP) when cult figure Rozz Williams (RIP) had left the band Christian Death a year earlier and a dispute arose with newChristian Death frontman Valor Kand.That same year, the band already released its first album, the EP“Mephisto Walz” containing 6 songs in the Death-Rock tradition that would each become cult and would later appear on numerous compilations.The name Mephisto Walz was immediately etched into the black-wallpapered bedroom wall of every Death-Rock and Gothic-Rock lover. Now Bari-Bari, still the great inspirer of his MephistoWalz in 2025, is once again bringing these songs to the attention on a limited edition of 300 vinyl copies.Songs that had already been released on CD in 2000 on the compilation “Eary Recordings 1985 -1988” (Cleopatra). On this self-released vinyl you get masterpieces like “Tribal Conflicts”,“Alle In Asche”,“Oh Fallen Angel”,“Painted Black” (indeed a cover of The Rolling Stones, but in my opinion better in the Mephisto Walz version),“Porecelain Gods”,“Eternal Deep”,“Forest Dying”and“Aboriginee Requiem”...[KI] (Self-Released) FRONTLINE ASSEMBLY - Mechviruses (Digital) (Artoffact Records) www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be The new Frontline Assembly is somewhat special, because it is not really a new FLA album and yet it is. On these “Mechviruses” the group pushes its boundaries by joining forces with numerous artists from the alternative, dark genre of synth-pop over postpunk to even industrial metal. The result is these “Mechviruses” that has been released digitally, on CD (with bonus tracks) and on limited pink (yes) vinyl. In a sense you could call it a tribute to this legendary Canadian band but in a sense it is also a groundbreaking style exercise, a challenging experiment that sometimes works better than other times. To get acquainted with the music of Frontline Assembly there are albums that are much better suited for this, these “Mechviruses” are therefore mainly aimed at old and newer fans and introduce fans of a new generation of postpunk, darkwave, dark-pop and manymore acts to one of the pioneers of electro industrial.. . [KI] Read full reviews on http://www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be/en/reviews/ - 28 -
FULGURETMORTE 'Possessed By The Unholy' and 'Devourer Of Light' are both recorded at the Opus Magnum Studio. Is this your own studio? Is running a recording studio what you do as your profession? Absolutely. My producing works are under the name "Opus Magnum Studio", while I work in a cult studio in the Brussel's suburbs, the Blackout Studio, initially formed by two members of Enthroned back then. It was the first studio I ever went. It was back almost twenty years ago, recording the vocals for "Yhdarl -Ave Maria". The experience was unique, strong and lifechanging : to the point that I knew, then, that this is what I want to be. Now, I am working there. The circle is complete. You release a lot, using many different monikers. And you play and played in manybands. Is being a musician what you do as your job? Producing (recording, mixing, arranging, composing, mastering,...) for bands or else is my job, yes. Being a musician is still a passion that I cherish. I work every day on music, whether would it be mixing, recording, mastering, arranging, composing and more. Today, for instance, I had the pleasure to welcome my friend Kim Carlsson from Lifelover/Hypothermia, with whom I worked for three days, resulting in an amazing album that would see the light of day when it will be time for it. I am also working these days for bands like Inborn Suffering (Death Doom, France), Angellore (Goth doom, France), Wynter Arvn (Dark folk, France), Mirror (Raw Punk/Black metal, Belgium) and more. I will not name the other styles (pop, hiphop etc) in this interview, as it's not the place for it. I am a part of Cult of Erinyes (BM), Silver Knife (BM), Horrible (Modern extreme metal) as studio and live member, Oerheks (atmo BM) as live musician, and studio projects are Acathexis (atmo BM), Brae (raw BM), Chaînes (raw harsh BM), Drache (raw "epic" BM), Iniquitatem (funeral ambient doom), Lykta (raw BM), Imber Luminis (atmo doom), Impending Triumph (epic heavy metal), Maladie (fucked up avantgarde extreme metal), Slow (atmospheric funeral doom), Ana ana (black n roll), Transcending Rites (transcending raw bm), Yhdarl (cathartic extreme raw doom/black/drone/whatever). That's quite enough and a funny long list no one cares about but here it is. Oh and of course, add 7 anonymous bands.At least. Why did you choose te be a metal musician? Or don't you see yourself this way? I see myself as my own. I am not to be etiquetted. If people know about me, they'd know because of the various styles that I'd be doing (from extreme metal to - 29 - electronic to classical to hiphop to pop to noise... anything I can put my hands on). Hiphop is how I've grown. Black metal is what I have become. I am myself, I think it's enough. What's your favorite album at this moment? I wish I had time to listen to music, other than myworks. Right now, I am listening to Gallhammer - Ill Innocence. Nature can be insanely violent and death is certain An album that, despite being with different styles in it, destroys me with two songs : "At the onset of the age of despair" and "Long scary dream". These two songs are emotionally immense. What's your all time favorite album? Too many. But I'll name a few. Burzum - Hvis lyset tar oss / Darkthrone - Transylvanian Hunger / Pink Floyd - Wish you were here / Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory / Shape of Despair - Shades of... / Wormphlegm - In an excruciating way... / Dr Dre - The Chronics / Chopin - Nocturnals / Guiseppe Verdi - Requiem / and many more. Joeri BRUYNINCKX deha.bandcamp.com/album/devourer-of-light Want to contribute to this magazine? Drop us a line: [email protected] www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
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peek aboo calendar music &moviemagazine 04.01 FRONT 242 (SOLD OUT) @ Concerthall Vooruit, Ghent [BE] + Neon Electronics - Sold Out! 05.01 FRONT 242 (SOLD OUT) @ Concerthall Vooruit, Ghent [BE] + Neon Electronics Sold Out! 11.01 MIXED VISIONS' 21TH ELECTRO & INDUSTRIAL TOP 100 @Aalmoezenier, Antwerpen [BE] 11.01 THE OBSCURE (THE CURE TRIBUTE BAND) @ Djingel Djangel, Antwerpen [BE] 18.01 DARK ENTRIES NIGHT WITH KREGEL EN FACTHEORY @ Kinky Star, Ghent [BE] 23.01 FRONT 242 + DANIEL MYER @Ab, Brussels [BE] - Sold Out! 24.01 FRONT 242 + REIN @Ab, Brussels [BE] - Sold Out! 25.01 SHADOWPLAY @Walhalla, Deventer [NL] Alternative 80s / New Wave Party With Dj Sl!m 25.01 LA LUNE NOIRE (NL) & D:ZINE (BE) @ Poppodium De Piek, Vlissingen [NL] 25.01 FRONT 242 + REIN @Ab, Brussels [BE] - Sold Out! 01.02 PURIFICATION CONCERT @ Vortn Vis, Ieper [BE] Erato (be), Von Veh (nl) + Afterparty: - Dj Vetz Aksje … 01.02 INDUSTRIAL #27: MONOLITH / THEY DIE / AMBASSADOR21/ CODE 150 @ C'picaud, Cannes [FRE] 08.02 WOL'N BAK @ Jh De Schakel, St Lambrechts Woluwe (bxl) [BE] Motor!K, Vosh,Trouble Faith, Korintians 08.02 THE ULTIMATE DREAMERS, CURTAIN + DJ SETS & AFTERPARTY @ Caliclub, Drogenbos / Brussels [BE] 09.02 ACTORS + SOFT VEIN + FACTHEORY @ Le Garage, Liège [BE] 13.02 ELECTRABELGE NIGHT @ Djingel Djangel, 2000 Antwerp [BE] Zool. Onsturicheit Nevel Sebastopol 14.02 PLAN C + LETHAL THEORY @ Canal 10, Hautrage [BE] 15.02 DZINE & THE NIKTI REVOLT+ DJ @Art Vortn Vis, Ieper [BE] 22.02 INTERNATIONAL EBM DAY 2025 @ De Casino, 9100 St- Niklaas [BE] Portion Control (uk) Armageddon Dildos (d) Tyske Ludder (d) Deleritas (b) Skrten (d)+ DJ BORG. More Info & Tickets: www.bodybeats.be 22.02 GOTH, WAVE, ELECTRO, INDUSTRIAL PARTY @ T Omgekeerd Kruis, Merelbeke [BE] Djs: Blackwaver, Bagger 01.03 XXX PARTY 4 @ Rumba & Co, Leuven [BE] Kinky Surprise Acts - Dj’s:The Black Widow, Bagge, Evan Hell 05.03 JE T'AIME + DENUIT @ Le Garage, Liège [BE] 07.03 CLAN OF XYMOX @ Schakelbox, Waregem [BE] 07.03 LARVA + DELERITAS @ Le Garage, Liège [BE] 08.03 CAPTAIN POGO AND THE SEX TOYZ + AWEEK IN DOGGERLAND @ Le Garage, Liège [BE] 14.03 FUN DEPARTMENT - JOY DIVISION LIVE @ Jh Opsenter, 9980 Sint-laureins [BE] 15.03 THE GODFATHERS - 40th ANNIVERSARY TOUR @ De Klinker, Aarschot [BE] 15.03 MUSIC AGAINST CANCER @ Het Entrepot, Brugge [BE] D:zine , Erato , Dark Minimal Project , Imperior De Percusion , 6-pack & Dj Fapnoir 15.03 GHOST DANCE (UK) + KORINTHIANS (BE) @ Le Garage, Liège [BE] 22.03 E-TROPOLIS FESTIVAL @ Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen [DE] Solar Fake, Hocico, Rotersand, Empathy, Test Chrom, Orange Sector, Rue Oberkampf, Alienare. 22.03 11DE NEWWAVE PARTY @ Zaal Torengalm, Aaigem (erpe-mere) [BE] vDj Maxalto & Dj Zanni + Hashtag Heroes 29.03 NEW-WAVE-CLASSIX PARTY @ De Casino, St.-niklaas [BE] 16 Years Black Celebration By Dj Filip Delie 29.03 LAMUERTE - SHA-LA-LEES - DELINQUENCY @ Jk2470, Retie [BE] Kastelse Metal-dj’s De Geu & De Valse. 10.04 D:ZINE & SUBATOMIC STRANGERS @ Snuffel, Brugge [BE] 12.04 THIS IS NOT A DARK FEST. II @ Salle René Magritte, Lessines/lessen [BE] Nnhmn (de), Lifeless Past (nl), AWeek In Doggerland (be), Dead Crush (sp/be) + Dj Sets Graftak (club Solitaire) & Misty (so New Wave) 12.04 A SPLIT-SECOND + THE JUGGERNAUTS @ Barock, Brugge [BE] Ebm Night In Bruges, With 2 Live Bands: The Infamous A Split-second + The Juggernauts - Info & Tickets: [email protected] 12.04 LAMUERTE + HORSK + VELVET MIST @ Stadsfeestzaal, Aarschot[BE] + New Wave Club Classix Party 26.04 A NIGHT WITH DARK BALLOON @ Gc Den Dries, Retie [BE] Platenbeurs + Electronic Body Movie + Q&A with Marc Ickx (a Split-Second), Patrick Codenys (F242) & Wolfgang Flür (ex-Kraftwerk) + Live: Wolfgang Flür + Dirk Ivens (The Best Of, The Klinik, Dive) + A Split-Second + dj Patrick Codenys (F242) + dj Thedarkone 26.04 BLACK PLANET FEST @ B52, 8480 Eernegem [BE] 'n Tales , They Feel Nothing , Silent Presence + Dj Fapnoir 03.05 DONKERE TIJDEN (2) @ Dvg Club, Kortrijk [BE] Partikul - Dark Minimal Project - Cryptochroma 10.05 BLACK SPRING LIEGE FESTIVAL 2025 @ Salle Des Lilas, Grâce-hollogne [BE] Then Comes Silence, Date At Midnight, Nine While Nine(tribute To The Sisters Of Mercy), Desinteresse 10.05 THE OBSCURE @ Schakelbox, Waregem [BE] Een Jukebox Aan The Cure-hits. 16.05 DOUBLE-DARE FEST DAY 1 @ Concerthall Vooruit (viernulvier), Ghent [BE] Calva Y Nada Diary, Of Dreams, Absolute Body Control Der Klinke Partikul + After-show 17.05 DOUBLE-DARE FEST DAY 2 @ Concerthall Vooruit (viernulvier), Ghent [BE] Anja Huwe / Xmal Deutschland Lebanon Hanover La Bande-son Imaginaire Potochkine Prager Handgriff Ruhr + After-show Tba 06.06 THE MEMBRANES (UK PUNK ROCK) + FROM THE DUST @ Le Garage, Liège [BE] 13.06 DUCTAPE + AUX ANIMAUX @ Le Garage, Liège [BE] 28.06 PEKKERSFEESTEN @ De Leest, 8870 Izegem [BE] Suicide Commando , Pink Turns Blue , Star Industry , Dear Deer , Ground Nero , Krank ( Plays Joy Division ) + Dj's Fapnoir & The Master 10.07 FAMILIEN XVIII TREFFEN - DAY 1 @ Sportplatz Sandersleben (anhalt) [DE] With An:kst, Armageddon Dildos Akalotz, Bagger 258, Endzustand, In Absentia, Negant, The Juggernauts, Planet 69, Project-x, Spark … 19.07 +20.07 AMPHI FESTIVAL XIX @Amphi Eventpark / Tanzbrunnen, Köln [DE] VNV Nation, Lords Of The Lost, Camouflage, Anne Clark, Oopmh!, Die Krupps, Suicide Commando, She Past Away, SITD, Skynd, Rein, Qual, Stahlmann, Psyclon Nine, Zanias, Wiseborg, Second Sight, Klangstabil, Erdling, Auger, Dunkelsucht, X-RX, Abu Nein, Traitrs, Unify Separate, Sanz, Spiritual Front, The Nosferatu, Rome, Nachtblut, Hell Boulevard, Eisfabrik, Gulvoss, Ductape, Alien Vampires, Ashbury Heights, Bloody Dead & Sexy, … >>>>>>>>>>>>>>Can’t find your event here? 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