Polyphonic Size
Encyclopedia
Polyphonic Size is a Belgian New Wave band founded in 1979 in Brussels
by Roger-Marc Vande Voorde. Mixing electric guitars and synthesizers with French and English lyrics (and sometimes German or Japanese lyrics), most of Polyphonic Size records were produced by Jean-Jacques Burnel
, from The Stranglers
.
.
After several line-up changes, the band finally consisted of Roger-Marc Vande Voorde (vocals, guitar, keyboards, electronics), Kloot Per W (bass, vocals), Martine Bourlée (vocals, percussions) and France Lhermitte (vocals, percussions). Dominique Buxin wrote nearly all the lyrics, but never appeared live on stage or on any record sleeve.
Although Polyphonic Size and JJ Burnel were very close to each other, the band always kept his own personality, less dark, more European, than the Stranglers.
On April 3, 1981 Polyphonic Size gave their very first concert at the First Belgian Rhythm Box Contest, in Brussels.
Polyphonic Size's debut album, Live For Each Moment / Vivre Pour Chaque Instant, was released in September 1982. Still produced by JJ Burnel, it is widely considered as their best work, including two of their finest tracks ever : Winston & Julia (based on Orwell's 1984) and Je T'ai Toujours Aimée (recorded in 2 hours, with JJ Burnel on vocals and bass).
In November 82 the band started their first european tour, including a stop at the famous Paris club "Les Bains Douches". The whole concert was broadcast on France Inter
(popular french radio station).
Polyphonic Size second album, Walking Everywhere, was released in January 1984 on Virgin Records
. Produced in London by JJ, it is more centred on synthesizers sounds. It also includes the band new single, Walking Class Hero, as well as several guest musicians, like Daniel B (Front 242
) and Dave Greenfield
(The Stranglers). A new european tour followed, without France Lhermitte, who was now replaced by AnnVW.
, Irkutsk
and Beijing
, as part of a cultural exchange between Belgium, USSR and China, turning the Trans-Siberian train into an artistic residence. On June 24, 1988, the group played at the famous Marquee Club
in London. On April 6, 1989, they appeared at the Printemps de Bourges
Festival, opening for JJ Burnel, as part of his second solo album tour, Un Jour Parfait
, for which Dominique Buxin wrote some lyrics.
The next single was released in 1986 : L'amour / Everybody Needs Your Sex, followed two years later by a new album, The Overnight Day. Produced by Nigel Gray
, it has a more pop sound, and includes a cover of Michel Polnareff
, Tout Tout Pour Ma Chérie. New studio sessions began in England in June 1989, with the help of Daniel Darc
(from the french band Taxi Girl
), who wrote several lyrics. These sessions appeared in 1991 on The Prime Story, first Polyphonic Size's compilation CD. But the 80's were over, the magic was gone, and in November 1991, the P Size Info Service announced the (temporary) death of the band.
bass player. In July 2011, Polyphonic Size line-up changes again, with Jill and Géraldine (from the belgian band Les Vedettes) replacing France Lhermitte on vocals.
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
by Roger-Marc Vande Voorde. Mixing electric guitars and synthesizers with French and English lyrics (and sometimes German or Japanese lyrics), most of Polyphonic Size records were produced by Jean-Jacques Burnel
Jean-Jacques Burnel
J. J. Burnel , is a Franco-English musician producer and songwriter, best known as the bass guitarist with the British rock band The Stranglers.-Life and career:...
, from The Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
.
1979-1984
The first Polyphonic Size record, Algorhythmic EP, was released in December 1979, on Sandwich Records, a new independent record label founded by Michel Lambot. After a second EP (Pragmatic Songs), Roger-Marc got in touch with Jean-Jacques Burnel, who offered to produce the next single, Nagasaki Mon Amour. This first musical collaboration was followed by many others, including an outrageous and robotic cover of the Rolling Stones' classic, Mother's Little HelperMother's Little Helper
"Mother's Little Helper" is a song by the English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones. It first appeared as the opening track to the United Kingdom version of their 1966 album Aftermath....
.
After several line-up changes, the band finally consisted of Roger-Marc Vande Voorde (vocals, guitar, keyboards, electronics), Kloot Per W (bass, vocals), Martine Bourlée (vocals, percussions) and France Lhermitte (vocals, percussions). Dominique Buxin wrote nearly all the lyrics, but never appeared live on stage or on any record sleeve.
Although Polyphonic Size and JJ Burnel were very close to each other, the band always kept his own personality, less dark, more European, than the Stranglers.
On April 3, 1981 Polyphonic Size gave their very first concert at the First Belgian Rhythm Box Contest, in Brussels.
Polyphonic Size's debut album, Live For Each Moment / Vivre Pour Chaque Instant, was released in September 1982. Still produced by JJ Burnel, it is widely considered as their best work, including two of their finest tracks ever : Winston & Julia (based on Orwell's 1984) and Je T'ai Toujours Aimée (recorded in 2 hours, with JJ Burnel on vocals and bass).
In November 82 the band started their first european tour, including a stop at the famous Paris club "Les Bains Douches". The whole concert was broadcast on France Inter
France Inter
France Inter is a major French public radio channel and part of Radio France. It is a "generalist" station, aiming to provide a wide national audience with a full service of news and intelligent spoken-word programming, both serious and entertaining, liberally punctuated with an eclectic mix of...
(popular french radio station).
Polyphonic Size second album, Walking Everywhere, was released in January 1984 on Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. Produced in London by JJ, it is more centred on synthesizers sounds. It also includes the band new single, Walking Class Hero, as well as several guest musicians, like Daniel B (Front 242
Front 242
Front 242 is a pioneering Belgian electronic music group that came into prominence during the 1980s. They are known for being the premier pioneer of electronic body music and as a major influence on the electronic and industrial music genres.-Formation:...
) and Dave Greenfield
Dave Greenfield
Dave Greenfield is the keyboard player with English rock band, The Stranglers.-Biography:He is noted for his trademark style of playing rapid arpeggios...
(The Stranglers). A new european tour followed, without France Lhermitte, who was now replaced by AnnVW.
1985-1991
The second half of the 80's was not so easy for Polyphonic Size, dealing with problems and conflicts concerning their record contract. Many demos were recorded in those days, but the bulk of them still remain unreleased. The band line up changed many times, but always featured Roger-Marc Vande Voorde and Martine Bourlée. In 1987, Polyphonic Size played in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
and Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, as part of a cultural exchange between Belgium, USSR and China, turning the Trans-Siberian train into an artistic residence. On June 24, 1988, the group played at the famous Marquee Club
Marquee Club
The Marquee was a music club first located at 165 Oxford Street, London, England when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts.It was also the location of the first ever live performance by The Rolling Stones on 12 July 1962....
in London. On April 6, 1989, they appeared at the Printemps de Bourges
Printemps de Bourges
Le Printemps de Bourges is an annual music festival that is held in Bourges, France, during five days. It is now a major event in France and Europe....
Festival, opening for JJ Burnel, as part of his second solo album tour, Un Jour Parfait
Un jour parfait
Un Jour Parfait is the second solo album by The Stranglers' bassist J.J. Burnel, released in 1988.-Track listing:# "Un Jour Parfait"# "Si J'etais"# "Weekend"# "Tristeville Ce Soir"# "Via Dolorosa"# "Le Whiskey"# "Crazy "...
, for which Dominique Buxin wrote some lyrics.
The next single was released in 1986 : L'amour / Everybody Needs Your Sex, followed two years later by a new album, The Overnight Day. Produced by Nigel Gray
Nigel Gray
Nigel Gray is a British record producer. His album credits include "Outlandos d'Amour" , "Reggatta de Blanc" and "Zenyatta Mondatta" for The Police; "Juju" and "Kaleidoscope" for Siouxsie & The Banshees, as well as five albums for Godley & Creme.-Surrey Sound Studio:In 1974 Gray converted a...
, it has a more pop sound, and includes a cover of Michel Polnareff
Michel Polnareff
Michel Polnareff, born in Nérac on 3 July 1944, is a French singer-songwriter who was very popular from the mid-1960s until the early 1980s...
, Tout Tout Pour Ma Chérie. New studio sessions began in England in June 1989, with the help of Daniel Darc
Daniel Darc
Daniel Darc , born Daniel Rozoum, is a French singer, who has achieved success with his band Taxi Girl between 1978 and 1986, and also as a solo artist...
(from the french band Taxi Girl
Taxi Girl
Taxi Girl were a French New Wave band, adopting the New Romantic aesthetics of the time, such as clashing red and black clothing, synthesiser-led songs, and taking influence from mythology and literature. The group existed between 1978 and 1986, producing 5 mini-albums, and one full-length album,...
), who wrote several lyrics. These sessions appeared in 1991 on The Prime Story, first Polyphonic Size's compilation CD. But the 80's were over, the magic was gone, and in November 1991, the P Size Info Service announced the (temporary) death of the band.
Polyphonic Size 2
In 2009, VOD Records released a 4 vinyl records boxset (plus a 10" bonus), featuring the complete Polyphonic Size 1979-1982 recordings along with two hours of unreleased tracks, demos and outtakes. The group reformed in April 2010, with Roger-Marc, France and Kloot Per W, plus Martine and Roger-Marc's daughters : Mandy (keyboards) and Alice (guitar). Together, they gave two concerts in Brussels on April 30 and May 5, with JJ Burnel as special guest, singing Je T'ai Toujours Aimée on stage for the very first time. In september, they play at the Botanique, for the Nuits Du Soir Festival. Early 2011, Kloot Per W quits PS, and is replaced by Mika Nagazaki, GhinzuGhinzu
Ghinzu is an alternative rock band founded in 1999 in Brussels, Belgium.-Electronic Jacuzzi :The band released its first album, Electronic Jacuzzi in late 2000 on their own label Dragoon. Their sound is a kind of noisy rock, supported by a big and groovy rhythmic and some electronic touches while...
bass player. In July 2011, Polyphonic Size line-up changes again, with Jill and Géraldine (from the belgian band Les Vedettes) replacing France Lhermitte on vocals.
Albums
- Live For Each Moment / Vivre Pour Chaque Instant (Sandwich Records (Belgium) / New Rose Records (France),1982)
- Walking Everywhere (Virgin records, 1984)
- The Overnight Day (New Rose records, 1988)
- The Prime Story (compilation, best of) (PIAS records, 1991)
- Saison 1979 - 1982 (vinyl LPs boxset with the complete 79-82 discography + unreleased material, VOD records, 2009)
Singles and maxi singles
- Algorhythmic EP (1979)
- Pragmatic Songs (1980)
- Nagasaki Mon Amour / Hiroshima 1945 (1980)
- PS (maxi 5 titres, 1981)
- Nagasaki Mon Amour / Kyoto (version) (1981)
- Polyphonic Size (maxi 5 titres, 1982)
- Mother's Little Helper (1982)
- Winston & Julia (remix) (1982)
- Je T'ai Toujours Aimée (1982)
- Night Is Coming On / RDA-RFA (Dans Les Gares) (1983)
- Walking Class Hero / Happy Couples (1984)
- L'Amour / Everybody Needs Your Sex (1986)
- Le Soleil des Voyous / Leave The World (1988)
- Tell Me / Do The Ouagadougou (1988)
- Nosotros / Ton Physique (1991)
- Tomorrow / Tomorrow (hard mix) (1991)
Compilations
- B9 (Sandwich Records LP, featuring one Polyphonic Size song, 1981)
- Mask Production, Concert in Gent (live compilation featuring 2 Polyphonic Size songs, 1984)
Cassettes (self production)
- Black Cassette (Studio 79-87)
- Live Cassette (82-88)
- Polyphonic Size '89
External links
- Polyphonic Size official website
- Kloot Per W Wikipedia NL page
- Around Polyphonic Size - when artists recreate a sound
- New Rose records