Occasionally on REC/LIVE: Gregory Remy/Benjamin Clement/Darius Clynes/The Push-Ups/Manu Low and The Kids
Influences
Harry Belafonte, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, Ennio Morricone, Elvis Presley, Lou Reed, Bowie, Louis Armstrong, Marvin Gay, Elvis Presley, Frank & Nancy Sinatra, Prince, Iggy Pop, Lee Hazlewood, Radiohead, Nirvana, Stray Cats, Costello, J.J. Cale, Violent Femmes, The Cramps, Bauhaus, The Virgin Prunes, Gospel, The Pixies, Wagner, Miles Davis, Rosetta and so many more…
Sounds Like
Crime and Passion... Heaven and Hell... Home...
FROM HERE TO GRACE
Here we are, about to release the second part of a trilogy entitled “Rise & Down of the Black Stallion”.
The conception was easy but giving birth was something else. There we were, face to face with a scenario going off the wall: All of a sudden things got unexpectedly rough…
why did the wind abruptly change, blowing us off course… challenging us to leave the straight and narrow… when times are tough we stay… (even though hymns can drive a demon nuts… repeat… in RIP eat…) the sailor held strong, the ship kept steady and the captain pulled his guts...
The helmsman cried as the compass died and we all sang to god… Black Stallion neighed the curse obeyed by the powers of the sea… the end of the road the womb of the boat carried the load across the water… Black stallion cried… many have died let he and his kingdom come… return the hitch onto the mountain slope… to the soil of our motherland…
through the desert sand... we proudly unfold something magnificent… a brave black score… your heaven’s door… behold… Rise & Down of the Black Stallion!
This is the second album of a trilogy and I presume that on a short term… there is one more down…one more to come…”
Rise and down of the black stallion
Songs of crime and passion
Side Projects
1989 - Blue Train
A threesome with my old friend Michel Lazic from the Lazic Family and
Hans op de Beeck.
1990 - Manic Depression
Odd name for a band I formed with Stef Kamil Carlens and Luc van Deuren, inspired by the sound of Jimi Hendrix. Luc was an absolute guitar genius.
1991 - dEUS
I played drums & piano on early 'Jack & Johnny' recordings and we rehearsed in my bedroom. My father occasionally shut down the main power engine when the music got too loud. It was real fun.
1991-1992 - Way Beyond Bitch
My first compositions played by my first band. They were awesome. We rehearsed in the house of Nadine Hugo and her dog Fuck.
1993 - Los Cojones del Torro
Theater Company with Arnaud Jacobs. It was a musical collaboration between me, Jef Mercelis and Pedro Destrooper. I remember we dressed up like girls and we had five brown chickens hanging out on stage.
1994-1997 - 801 KD Concept
My second band. A very interesting time experimenting with songs, melody, rhythm, and other mind-blowing things I'd rather not talk about.
I guess we were trying to make pop music. Very ambitious but way too eclectic. We made a lot of excellent demos and ended up with a place in the finals of Humo's rock rally.
1998 - Aka Moon
When I and my friend E.T. (Eric Tatepo-Kembo) were on tour right after the release of the album ..Fe is a Male Mystic.., we played some support acts and a double bill with the guys from Aka Moon, one of the best and craziest Jazz bands around. Later they invited me personally to perform some of my songs together with some excellent fellow musicians on a tribute concert in the Opera house 'La Monnaie'
It was a remarkable and unforgettable appearance.
2000 - A Rock 'n Roll Bizarre
After the release of 'Boy, 26' I hosted a series of singer-songwriter nights in the famous jazz & cocktail bar The Archiduc. I got to know a lot of the singer songwriters who came down to play with me and some of them became true friends and excellent fellow musicians.
Oh lord, it was decadent and overcrowded and the cocktails were for free. I cherish these precious souvenirs.
1999-2002 - A Winter's Tale
An opera from Philippe Boesmans. I wrote a couple of ..tunes.. and sang the part of the prince in this tale, written by Shakespeare. I sung in English while all the real opera stars sang in German. Aka Moon was backing me up.
It was weird and hallucinating but there is one thing I can say for sure.. Philippe..s music is inspiring and so is the man himself.
2002-2005 - Waits/Weill
Contemporary music ensemble ICTUS rearranged songs of Tom Waits (The Black Rider & Franks wild years) and Kurt Weill. I sang ..two whiskeys and a pack of cigarettes- the songs of Tom Waits. It was an honor and I sure honored TW in my own particular way. We toured all over Europe and played in South Korea as well. An excellent experience and a big success.
2003-2006 - Ghinzu
I worked on the album 'Blow' (guitars-keyboards-effects-vocals) and toured for over two years with them in Europe and occasionally in the UK. Blood, sweat and tears and a lot of rock 'n roll. They call me the black stallion. We had a lot of fun. Thanks to John, Mika, Fab, and the crew. Special thanks to my roommate Greg.
2005 - Mercelis
I really enjoyed being the artistic producer of the album ..Western Union... I played a lot of instruments on it as well. I'm looking forward to work with Jef again anytime.
2006 - Frankilizer
My good friend Franki needed some help with the mix of his upcoming electro-crooner album. I enjoyed working with Franki, basically I enjoy doing almost anything with Franki.
++ CURRY AND COCO ++ 21 sept 08 / BRUSSELS (BEL) / Ancienne Belgique 02 Oct 08 / KORTRIJK (BEL) / Student Festival 09 Oct 08 / TOURCOING / Grand Mix Radar Festival 11 Oct / ATHENS (GRE) / 8th Hellenic Fashion Week 15 Nov / BARCELONA (ESP) / Razzmatazz 12 Dec 08 / LILLE / ALIENOR Festival tbc _____________________________________
-- BUZZ -- 04 Oct 08 / LILLE / Cyberclash Festival 25 Oct 08 / LIEGE (BEL) tbc 15 Nov 08 / CARNIERE (BEL) 12 Dec 08 / LILLE / Alienor Festival 2008 ___________________________________ -- KRIS DANE -- 26 Sep 08 / BRUSSELS (BEL) / Cirque Royal 22 Nov 08 / NEUFCHATEAU (BEL) / Festival (Bigmana myspace for more) ___________________________________ Thx a lot for your love ! Mike Black
Hey there! The Rise and down of the black stallion is striking and hypnotic, I love it! Hope you come to Paris sometime soon. Is there gonna be a tour in France? Peace
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