1990… Harder and harder to remember… Must’ve been some of the last concerts we did with ‘Ear Damage’. We were a bit fed up with all of it. Nevertheless, a pity ‘cause we were writing some songs that sounded less crossover/metal-punk. Some of them were elaborated for ‘Kloaka’ [Brob: New band Dirk did a bit later with Erwin Reynders (‘Heibel’ bassist) & Bie (‘Ear Damage’ drummer)] (Aliens, Deja Vu) and others got totally forgotten (Chauffageke). I doubt that ‘Heibel’ were still going in 1990, I believe they’d started ‘Triptych’ by then [Brob: Sep. 29th 1990 they played in Herk-De-Stad, supporting ‘All’ and for Smurfpunx 91-03-23]?
Dirk Ceustermans, ‘Ear Damage’ guitarist
‘Heibel’ (who had already performed for Smurfpunx in the early days – 87-04-17) actually still played. Singer Bollie was already asked to leave the band after their 1987 UK tour. Peter Daniëls took over vocal duties since then… They did a tour through Spain (end of December 1989; with ‘Ear Damage’) but can’t remember anymore when exactly Steven (Luts, guitarist) actually left…
‘Ear Damage’ were buddies since way-back-when… Marc Verbeeck (bass & vocals, ex ‘Zyklome-A’), Dirk Ceustermans (guitar & vocals, ex ‘Koyaanisqatsi’) and Robin ‘Bie’ Puttemans (drums, ex ‘Zyklome-A’; later ‘Tachyon’, nowadays ‘Belgian Asociality’) filled 2 albums (‘Progress of Humanity’ & ‘The Hangover of Loneliness’) with their metal-influenced hardcore; and played a whole bunch of shows, of which 3 for Smurfpunx (86-09-07, 87-06-27, 89-02-25)…
‘H.D.Q.’ were touring a lot those days. This is between those that brought them to Smurfpunx (89-10-01 & 90-12-22) and they came on their own. The backbone of the band was Richard ‘Dickie’ Hammond.(guitar) and Dave ‘Golly’ Golledge (vocals); the rhythm-section changed a couple of times during their existence. I’ve always liked their melodic hardcore (British sometimes say they sounded “too American”, what-ever that means)…
For ‘Decadence Within’ this was probably the end of the tour that brought them to Smurfpunx for the 3rd time (90-03-31). I’d booked most of their shows the previous years they came over but this time, Kurt Horemans (who was goin’ to release a 7” on his label, Hurry recs – he might’ve gotten help from ‘D.O.L.’s Stefan Joosten) offered to help them out. At this time they were about to record their second album, had a new vocalist (Rid, replacing Kev) and were moving away from the many bands that were playing fast grind with grawling vocals… “A constantly evolving band, from England. After their 1st crossover-album, they got a new singer. Their music got more complex and power.”.
This was a concert that, even though a few of the Vort’n Vis collaborators were involved, wasn’t actually in the pub or the hall in Ieper. Myself, I was still in the Smurfpunx collective so – I’m not really sure but – I think the V.V. wasn’t always available in the early days or they considered it was ‘too small’ for ‘bigger’ bands. The place (‘De Gilde’) was like a parish-hall in Bruno’s hometown Poperinge…
Brob
Concert-review in Pyrobolum #3
additions wellcome!…
Vort'n Vis in the 90s 