Klinik
Encyclopedia
Klinik, is an industrial music
band from Belgium
, originally formed around 1982 by electro-synthpop practitioner Marc Verhaeghen, who is the only constant member.
(with Dirk Ivens
and Eric van Wonterghem), and "The Maniacs" (Sandy Nys) to form one "super group" "Absolute Controlled Clinical Maniacs". This rather unwieldy name was soon dropped in favour of the shorter name "The Klinik". Nys soon left the band to form "Hybryds", followed in 1987 by van Wonterghem, leaving The Klinik as the "classic" duo of Dirk Ivens and Marc Verhaeghen.
The Klinik soon made a name for themselves with their cold and harsh EBM
sound and their live shows, where both Ivens and Verhaeghen performed with their heads wrapped in gauze, wearing long black leather coats. Ivens' hissing vocals and minimalist lyrics were complemented by Verhaeghen's synthesizer skills and distorted trombone playing (the latter giving the music a slightly feverish sound). This however, did not last forever; after Time, an album neither member was fully pleased with, musical differences became too great, and they decided to go their separate ways.
Ivens concentrated on his own project Dive, and Verhaeghen continued as Klinik (dropping the definite article from the bandname at this point); sometimes as a solo project, sometimes with various other members. Recently, Klinik is a Verhaeghen solo project, making mostly instrumental techno.
Most Klinik members have also been active outside the band. Ivens has been in bands such as Absolute Body Control, Dive, Sonar
, and Blok 57; Eric van Wonterghem played with Ivens in Absolute Body Control, and has later been part of or collaborating with bands such as Insekt, Monolith, Dive and Sonar. Sandy Nys formed Hybryds already around his departure in 1986, a project which is still active.
Verhaeghen has been involved in several projects outside Klinik, including Noise Unit
(with Bill Leeb
and Rhys Fulber
of Front Line Assembly
), D.Sign (with Philippe and Eliane Fichot of Die Form
), X10 (with Niki Mono, Marc Ickx of A Split-Second
and Vidna Obmana
), and Para (with his own wife Sabine Voss).
Ivens and Verhaeghen briefly reunited for a few concerts in 2003/2004, one of which was released as a CD in September 2004.
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
band from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, originally formed around 1982 by electro-synthpop practitioner Marc Verhaeghen, who is the only constant member.
History
In 1985, Verhaeghen joined forces with two other bands, Absolute Body ControlAbsolute Body Control
Absolute Body Control is an electronic music project from Belgium. It is notable as the first significant project of musicians Dirk Ivens and Eric Van Wonterghem.-History:...
(with Dirk Ivens
Dirk Ivens
Dirk Ivens is a Belgian musician and performer in the industrial music genre. In 1978 he started as singer and guitar player in the punk band Slaughterhouse but left the group after one year to form the new band The Few. In 1980 he formed the electronic band Absolute Body Control, influenced by...
and Eric van Wonterghem), and "The Maniacs" (Sandy Nys) to form one "super group" "Absolute Controlled Clinical Maniacs". This rather unwieldy name was soon dropped in favour of the shorter name "The Klinik". Nys soon left the band to form "Hybryds", followed in 1987 by van Wonterghem, leaving The Klinik as the "classic" duo of Dirk Ivens and Marc Verhaeghen.
The Klinik soon made a name for themselves with their cold and harsh EBM
Electronic body music
Electronic body music or industrial dance is a music genre that combines elements of industrial music and electronic dance music...
sound and their live shows, where both Ivens and Verhaeghen performed with their heads wrapped in gauze, wearing long black leather coats. Ivens' hissing vocals and minimalist lyrics were complemented by Verhaeghen's synthesizer skills and distorted trombone playing (the latter giving the music a slightly feverish sound). This however, did not last forever; after Time, an album neither member was fully pleased with, musical differences became too great, and they decided to go their separate ways.
Ivens concentrated on his own project Dive, and Verhaeghen continued as Klinik (dropping the definite article from the bandname at this point); sometimes as a solo project, sometimes with various other members. Recently, Klinik is a Verhaeghen solo project, making mostly instrumental techno.
Most Klinik members have also been active outside the band. Ivens has been in bands such as Absolute Body Control, Dive, Sonar
Sonar (band)
Sonar is the name of a Belgian musical group, combining rhythmic noise, soundscapes, and industrial music. It was formed as a side-project of noise artists Dirk Ivens and Patrick Stevens.- Members / History :...
, and Blok 57; Eric van Wonterghem played with Ivens in Absolute Body Control, and has later been part of or collaborating with bands such as Insekt, Monolith, Dive and Sonar. Sandy Nys formed Hybryds already around his departure in 1986, a project which is still active.
Verhaeghen has been involved in several projects outside Klinik, including Noise Unit
Noise Unit
Noise Unit is a musical band, a side-project of the prolific Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber, of Front Line Assembly. Its members have included Marc Verhaeghen and Chris Peterson...
(with Bill Leeb
Bill Leeb
Bill Leeb is an electronic musician.He moved to Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada with his family when he was 13...
and Rhys Fulber
Rhys Fulber
Nowell Rhys Fulber is a Canadian electronic musician and producer. He was a member of Front Line Assembly and Delerium along with Bill Leeb, and now records on his own under the name Conjure One.- Biography :...
of Front Line Assembly
Front Line Assembly
Front Line Assembly is a Canadian electro-industrial band formed by Bill Leeb in 1986 after leaving Skinny Puppy. Influenced by early Industrial acts such as Cabaret Voltaire, Portion Control, D.A.F., Test Dept, SPK, and Severed Heads, FLA has developed its own unique sound while combining...
), D.Sign (with Philippe and Eliane Fichot of Die Form
Die Form
Die Form is a French post-industrial and electronic band formed in 1977-78. The name 'Die Form' means ' form/shape' in German, like the Bauhaus diary and is a play on the English homonym 'deformed' and on the French homonym 'difforme' ....
), X10 (with Niki Mono, Marc Ickx of A Split-Second
A Split-Second
A Split-Second was a Belgian electronic body music band. The duo — Marc Ickx and Peter Bonne — were active from their debut in 1986 until they split up in 1991, and A Split-Second continued as an Ickx solo project.After signing to Antler Records, A Split-Second made their debut in 1986...
and Vidna Obmana
Vidna Obmana
Vidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
), and Para (with his own wife Sabine Voss).
Ivens and Verhaeghen briefly reunited for a few concerts in 2003/2004, one of which was released as a CD in September 2004.
Klinik members
- Marc Verhaeghen (1981–present)
- Dirk Ivens (1985–1991 and 2003–present)
- Eric van Wonterghem (1985–87)
- Sandy Nys (1985)
- Mark "Merlin" Burghgraeve (1981–82, 1995)
- Thorsten Stroth (1995)
- Tom Claes (1996)
- Stefan Mertes (1996)
- Nickanor (2002)
Albums
- SabotageSabotage (Klinik album)Sabotage is the first album by Belgian industrial music band The Klinik. -Track listing:#"Decay" – 5:00...
- LP (RIO 1985) - Melting Close & Sabotage - DLP/CD (Antler 1987)
- Plague - LP (Antler 1987)
- Face to FaceFace to Face (Klinik album)Face to Face was the third full-length album by The Klinik. The CD release, shown here, had the four tracks from the Fever EP as bonus tracks, and was consequently titled Face to Face – Fever.-Track listing:-CD bonus tracks :...
- CD/LP (Antler 1989) - The Klinik Box SetBox (Klinik album)Box, a compilation of rare and unreleased tracks by Klinik, was released as a 3LP or 2CD box with a 24 page booklet, containing song lyrics and photos by Sabine Voss. The 2CD was re-released in 2004 by Hands Productions.-Disc one:-Disc two:...
- 3LP/DCD (Antler 1990; re-released on Hands Productions 2004) - TimeTime (Klinik album)Time is the last studio album by the "classic" Klinik lineup of Dirk Ivens and Marc Verhaeghen. Due to mounting tensions and musical differences, Ivens left shortly after the recording to pursue a solo career as Dive.-Track listing:...
- LP/CD (Antler-Subway 1991) - StatesStates (Klinik album)States is a best-of compilation with Klinik, released after Dirk Ivens and Marc Verhaeghen decided to part ways.-Track listing:...
- compilation LP/CD (Antler-Subway 1991) - BraindamageBraindamageBraindamage is a bootleg CD of a 1988 Klinik concert. It was allegedly recorded at the Kulturfabrik in Krefeld, Germany, although Dirk Ivens claims The Klinik never played in Krefeld.-Track listing:#"Cold As Ice" – 4:50#"Murder" – 1:56...
- CD (Bootleg 1992) - ContrastContrast (Klinik album)Contrast is the first Klinik album after Dirk Ivens' departure.-Track listing:#Operation – 5:00#Recognition – 8:40#Right Way – 4:05#The Street – 2:50#Hostage – 4:26#Contrast – 5:40#Patient – 5:38#Humiliate – 5:02...
- CD (Antler 1992) - LiveLive (Klinik album)Live was recorded in Germany and Belgium between April and June 1993.-Track listing:#"Contrast" – 8:12#"Operation" – 5:05#"Right Way" – 4:00#"Recognition" – 4:15#"The Street" – 2:50#"Hostage" – 4:22#"Humiliate" – 5:10#"Disgusting" – 4:24...
- CD (1993) - To the KnifeTo the Knife-Track listing:#"Intro" – 3:59#"The Knife" – 6:20#"In Your Mind" – 4:54#"Opposite" – 5:18#"Forest" – 9:22...
- CD (Zoth Ommog 1995) - StitchStitch (Klinik album)Stitch is one of the two Klinik albums released in 1995.-Track listing:#"Different People" – 7:38#"Train" – 5:29#"Landscape" – 4:35#"Stitch" – 5:31#"Station" – 5:12#"Mirror" – 4:37#"Subway" – 6:14#"Dream Kill" – 6:12#"Switch" – 4:50...
- CD (Off Beat 1995) - AwakeAwake (Klinik album)Awake is a studio album by Klinik, released in 1996.-Track listing:#"Awake" – 4:30#"Touch" – 5:02#"Backwards" – 4:01#"Chips to Connect Us" – 5:11#"Sense" – 4:05#"White Shadows" – 4:30#"Silence To Create And Discover" – 5:19...
- CD (Off Beat 1996) - Blanket of FogBlanket of FogBlanket of Fog is a studio album by Klinik, released in 1998.-Track listing:#"Blanket of Fog" – 6:30#"There is no Time to think" – 6:53#"You'd make a Saint Swear" – 4:50#"Piece of News" – 4:46#"You shall dark my Door no more" – 8:40#"E.B.N." – 3:57...
- CD (Off Beat 1998) - End of the LineEnd of the Line (album)End of the Line is a 2001 retrospective 4 CD box set by Belgium Industrial band The Klinik.-Track listing:CD 1 - REMIXES:# "Nautilus" – 6:39...
- compilation 4CD (Dependent 2001) - Sonic SurgerySonic SurgerySonic Surgery is Klinik's 2002 album. The lineup on this release is Marc Verhaeghen and Nickanor.-Track listing:# "Pyramid" – 9:53# "Organism" – 7:21# "On Silk Roads to the East" – 5:26# "Redolence" – 6:34# "Yell" – 6:49# "Green Desert" – 8:55...
- CD (Hands Productions 2002) - Akhet - DCD (Hands Productions 2003)
- Dark SurgeryDark Surgery-Track listing:# "Lava" – 6:35# "The Fog" – 7:21# "Reversal" – 7:16# "Orbit" – 4:56# "Fade" – 7:20# "Rotary" – 7:00# "Blue" – 8:02# "Cats Eyes" – 21:53...
- CD (Hands Productions 2004) - Live at Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2004Live at Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2004Live at Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2004 features the "classic" Klinik lineup with Dirk Ivens on vocals and Marc Verhaeghen on electronics.-Track listing:#"Cold as Ice" – 9:16#"Murder" – 1:53#"Walking with Shadows" – 4:23#"Hours and Hours" – 5:39...
- CD (Hands Productions 2004)
Singles and EPs
- Walking with ShadowsWalking with ShadowsWalking with Shadows is a 1986 mini album by The Klinik, released in Spain in a limited edition of 500 copies, to coincide with a Spanish tour...
- MLP (Auxilio De Cientos 1986) - Pain and PleasurePain and pleasure (EP)Pain and Pleasure is an EP from The Klinik.-Track listing:# "Go Back" – 4:48 # "Drowning in Your Sleep – 2:10...
- 12" (Antler 1986) - Fear - 12" (Antler 1987)
- Fever - 12" (Antler 1989)
- Insane Terror/A SignInsane TerrorInsane Terror is a 7" single by The Klinik that came with the Swiss and Swedish editions of the music magazine New Life....
- 7" (1989) - Black LeatherBlack LeatherFor the song, see Black Leather Black Leather is a 1990 EP by Klinik. The CD version contains three older EPs as bonus tracks.-Track listing:...
- 12"/CD (Antler-Subway 1990) - Touch - EP (1996)
Split releases
- Melting CloseMelting CloseAttentie is a 1986 split LP with Belgian bands De Fabriek and The Klinik. The Klinik's part is called Melting Close.-Track listing:# De Fabriek: "Mensen Die Hun Planten Slaan"# The Klinik: "Never Get Out" – 4:30...
- MLP (split LP with De Fabriek, 1986) - Brain - EP/CD (split EP with Paracont, 1993)
Collaborative releases
- Gluttony (with Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
) - CD (Hands Productions 2005) - Greed (with Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
) - CD (Hands Productions 2006)