In The Trashcan Records
GARBAGE26
"1977: a
Belgian fake punker rules the global charts with Ca Plane Pour Moi. Here you
get some different versions of this classic followed by some lesser known
Belgian inventions like french fries! Fries are from Belgium, not France!!!
Did you know that the first European punk band was also Belgian not English?
Belgium is the center of all..."
Everybody knows “Ca plane pour moi”, the plastic punk parody by Belgian singer Roger Jouret aka Plastic Bertrand. Plastichke was a market vendor who also recorded songs in the Brussels dialect, a mixture of French and Flemish. I’ve got a full album containing this cover version, but also the 45 which is much sought after by die-hard Damned collectors. See next entry why.
From around 1966, Jim and Steve recorded only one 45 using this moniker. Maybe they sang with other bands as well, I don’t know. Lots of horns but it’s fast and you can swing to it. And it’s very hard to find with a picture sleeve.
In 1975, before even The Sex Pistols were invented, a Belgian punk band called Strip was founded featuring Brian James (later Damned!) and sound technician Alan Ward (aka Elton Motello) who recorded the never released “Dr. Wrong” which contained the basic riff of the Damned “New Rose”. After hearing Plastic Bertrand’s world hit he translated the lyrics and changed the title into “Jet boy jet girl”. When he returned to England, The Damned recorded it as well as “Jet boy jet girl”. But this 1978 version is the first one in English. It’s also available on Elton’s first album “Victim on time”. The B-side is “Pogo pogo”, also the b-side of Plastic Bertrand’s release and that song was originally recorded by Roger Jouret’s first band Hubble Bubble one year earlier.
In the 60s he was a teen hero who recorded a lot of songs in French but he’s Flemish and became one of Flanders’ best known actors in comedy soaps. This song about beatniks is better than you could ever expect from this fake Italian playboy whose real name is Marijn DeValck.
Another rip-off: it’s actually Pogo Pogo with different lyrics sung by two Belgian girls. Of course it was also released in 1978 to cash in on the success of Plastic Bertrand who never had to work again thanks to the royalties.
Another 1967 beatnik tune by Jo Alan (see vols 24 and also 41). A laid back recording featuring a hot wailing sax. Perfect to dance to on the Nice promenade facing the sea.
And if you thought you heard enough already: here’s even more rip-off in the fourth degree. Hansje was the assistant of Ad Visser, the host of the popular Top Pop on Dutch television. She recorded her own version of “Silex pistols”. The single was released both in Holland and Belgium with two different sleeves.
From another Ep about ye-ye at Waterloo. It’s the same Ep that features his “Le vampire”, already available on vol 24. Like so many French mid 60s songs this 1966 release is a mix of chanson, beatnik and cool pop.
Now it’s time to mix “Ca plane pour moi” and “Pogo pogo”: add a sax and take three bubblegum girls and change the lyrics once more: then you get the hilarious but enjoyable version by Les Marylenes. The B-side is the instrumental version.
From Lebbeke (the hometown of the legendary King Koen) they released at least 5 singles. This was their third and last on Flora. A cool beat tune with an organ and a fuzz guitar at the end just before the unnecessary break.
And what about a folky version? Almost a capella.. It’s in the same line as The Cramps’ “Human fly” sung by The Horseflies. Weird. Super bad.
The best known Belgian instrumental combo was The Cousins or Les Cousins. Everybody knows their “Kili Watch” and maybe also their “Kana kapila”. This 1963 song however is from a rare 45 on the Belgian Palette label.
And then the most sought after of them all, but not here in Belgium: all Damned completists want this 45. It contains a Flemish version sung in the Antwerp dialect. The Strangers existed for exactly 50 years (1951-2001) and they translated almost simultaneously each big hit and made it their own, often resulting in hilarious parodies, certainly in their first 25 years. But this one is a classic. Just watch the sleeve and love it!
A vocal b-side in the same tradition of aforementioned Kana Kapila and Kili Watch. For more info on this great band read their story on vol 20 and also listen to vols 21 and 41.
It’s the sole release I know by these guys. It’s a drummer and an organ player and together they create a powerful sound only equaled by Andre Brasseur who did it solo.
And to end this side and volume: time for part 2 of “Big L”. Enjoy the drum solo.
