OMG! It's 9:30 AM And I'm Listening To Front 242!

(I'm in Belgium, so I've just ordered a ticket for their 25th anniversary (a double show on March 3rd and 4th))

Alfa Matrix newsletter, yesterday:

Important news concerning FRONT 242 double gig Brussels !

On Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th March, Belgium's electronic music pioneers FRONT 242 will be celebrating the band's 25th anniversary with their fans and friends at the legendary Ancienne Belgique concert hall in Brussels - Belgium for two explosive sold-out nights...

To make the event even more special, the band's label ALFA MATRIX will be offering you CD's and DVD's from FRONT 242 (and related) at very special "anniversary" prices... Make sure you visit our merchandising stand at the Ancienne Belgique and receive on top one exclusive FREE 17-track CD compilation (until stocks are exhausted).

In related news, when visiting FRONT 242 during their rehearsals, we picked up rumours that the following songs will also be played during one or both nights: Until death us do part, Circling overland, Tragedy for you, Quite unusual, ...

See you all there to join the rhythm...

That's about it, I think.

I LIE.

And the visuals. I haven't mentioned the visuals yet. They were incredible. Unfortunately, I've only seen one big camera near the PA and nothing else, so I'm going to have to assume these two shows aren't going to be released on DVD. :-(

can any front 242 fans help me out? heard "headhunter v1.0" the other day for what might have been the first time, but I've heard chunks of it before - I can place the opening bit as sampled by dennis dj's "cerol na mao", but the bit which starts at around thirty seconds in - where have I heard that before? kraftwerk? miami bass? blackstrobe? the ingame music for the first command & conquer? argh!

-- etc (et...), August 31st, 2005

. . . wait, maybe I've gotten it the wrong way round - that pulsing keyboard bit's sampled by the avalanches on "flight tonight", isn't it?

01. first in, first out
02. body to body
03. no shuffle
04. don't crash
05. religion
06. welcome to paradise
07. commando remix
08. quite unusual
09. melt
10. circling overland
11. gripped by fear
12. loud
13. moldavia
14. (don't know this one) ("inspired by the freedom fight"? "I feel home again"?)
15. take one
16. headhunter
----
17. kampfbereit
18. punish your machine
----
19. soul manager
20. rhythm of time

*finally shuts up now*

I was going to check out their first album recently, haven't gotten around to it yet. One song sounded pretty good anyway.

Oh, and they did Masterhit and Crapage too, by the way.

01. first in, first out
02. body to body
03. u-men
04. lovely day
05. religion
06. welcome to paradise
07. masterhit
08. tragedy > for you <
09. crapage
10. 7rain
11. until death (us do part)
12. one with the fire
13. moldavia/neurobashing
14. together
15. im rhythmus bleiben
16. headhunter
----
17. operating tracks
18. happiness
----
19. loud
20. take one

what i would give to have witnessed this!

(wtf?)

OMG! It's 10:20 AM And I'm Watching The Awesome "Take One" Video!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9dFpJ6GiwRc

just spent the day revisiting a large chunk of the F242 catalogue.
damn it stands up well.
i'd completely forgotten the pleasures that headphone listening to 242 can induce.
i was lucky to see the Front By Front tour, and fuck it was good.
easily one of my favourite gigs.
when cruising the ILM archives, i expected a barrage of hatred towards the band, so this thread came as a pleasant surprise i have to say.

Hmm, I have to disagree re. the test of time. Recent spins have left me a bit cold.

ahh well.
its all to do with nostalgia innit.
i'm sooo loving the old technonlogy sounds today.
then again, the love maybe due to the fact i shaved my head this morning.
Oh, and surely Front 242 are meant to leave you feeling cold.
Warm and cuddly they were never meant to be ?

New free 2-track single available for download now:

http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1534_0_8_0_C

Dear Alfa Matrix, please provide more than two initial seeds next time you announce something like that.

http://i28.tinypic.com/2je4qiw.png

Contents: live versions of U-Men and Im Rhythmus Bleiben, plus this comment in the mp3 files:

Tune in on www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1533_0_8_0_C on July 4th 2008 for further moments.

(I'm hoping they're going to announce the release of the two anniversary gigs in the Ancienne Belgique)

mail from alfa matrix:

Dear Front 242 fan,

After the free "First moment" download teaser, FRONT 242 brings you the live release "Moments..." including the very best of Front242's compositions recorded during the band's worldwide "Vintage Tour" that is still running strong today.

Available as an 18-track digipack CD (holding 4 tracks in alternative versions not featured on the box edition), there will also be a pure vintage collector limited double-disc edition with in total some 32 tracks: 2 picture discs inside a 23 cm square deluxe carton box with 1 poster, 2 stickers and 1 button.

Also available is an exclusive vintage "Kommando" 242 T-shirt which was also designed for the occasion. The shirt is available in various sizes (M, L, XL).

We present you 6 packages:
- Digipak CD (holding 4 tracks in alternative versions not featured on the box edition)
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1540_0_8_0_C
- Limited 2CD Carton Box (including "Sounds From the Matrix 007" in all boxes)
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1541_0_8_0_C
- Kommando t-shirt (sizes: M, L, XL)
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1542_0_8_0_C
- Limited 2CD Carton Box (including "Sounds From the Matrix 007" in all boxes) + CD digipack
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1543_0_8_0_C
- Limited 2CD Carton Box (including "Sounds From the Matrix 007" in all boxes) + Kommando t-shirt (sizes: M, L, XL)
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1544_0_8_0_C
- Limited 2CD Carton Box (including "Sounds From the Matrix 007" in all boxes) + Kommando t-shirt (sizes: M, L, XL) + CD digipack
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1545_0_8_0_C

IMPORTANT: for 5 days (UNTIL Tuesday July 8th, 12 PM) you - as a downloader of "First Moment" - can purchase the digipak, the double CD boxset (or both in one package) for 3 euro cheaper than the normal price ! Follow the links below in order to benefit from this special fan discount ! This offer expires on July 8th, 12 PM so be quick !

- Digipak CD (holding 4 tracks in alternative versions not featured on the box edition)
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1547_0_8_0_C
- Limited 2CD Carton Box (including "Sounds From the Matrix 007" in all boxes)
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1546_0_8_0_C
- Limited 2CD Carton Box (including "Sounds From the Matrix 007" in all boxes) + CD digipack
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1548_0_8_0_C

Or order the Limited 2CD Carton Box + Kommando t-shirt (sizes: M, L, XL) + CD digipack in one go !
http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=1545_0_8_0_C

Tracklisting Boxset:

CD1
1. Happiness
2. Body to Body
3. U-Men
4. Lovely Day
5. Religion
6. Welcome to Paradise
7. Commando Remix
8. Funkhadafi
9. 7Rain
10. Until Death
11. Moldavia
12. Together
13. Im Rhythmus Bleiben
14. HeadHunter
15. Operating Tracks
16. Punish Your Machine

CD2
1. First in First Out
2. No Shuffle
3. Don't Crash
4. Welcome to Paradise
5. Commando Remix
6. Quite Unusual
7. Master Hit
8. Crapage
9. Melt
10. Gripped by Fear
11. Loud
12. Moldavia
13. Take One
14. HeadHunter
15. Kampfbereit
16. Punish Your Machine

Tracklisting Digipak:

1. Happiness
2. Body to Body
3. Religion
4. Welcome to Paradise
5. Commando Remix
6. Lovely Day
7. Until Death
8. Moldavia
9. Funkhadafi
10. 7Rain
11. Loud*
12. Together
13. U-Men
14. Take one*
15. Im Rhythmus Bleiben
16. HeadHunter
17. Kampfbereit*
18. Punish Your Machine*
(*) alternative versions not featured on the box edition

OMG no one should be listening to Front 242 at 9:30 AM unless they are on some heavy drugs or alcohol.

I posted that at 6:20 AM :-(

Great news! Got me the itch for ebm and now I'm playing some Mussolini Headkick.

I was into Mussolini Headkick for about a month in 1990. Everyone I've mentioned them to thinks I've made them up for a laugh. Few bands have been so firmly consigned to history's dustbin as second/third-tier EBM groups.