Rewind to the future: A brief history of MMM

After this month, Music Muziek Musique, the monthly club for music lovers, will be taking a break. This season-long (August 2007-May 2008) experiment to see if Brussels could support a club night with an experimental, but pop, approach to programming, will be winding down till the autumn. And the result of the experiment? Ask us this time next year! (;-). If you look through this blog's archives, you can read the complete story of the night so far (flyers, playlists and all). Here's a brief recap:

August 23 - As well as your eclectic residents, DJ Jammer and The Phantom, doing their thing, Gilli from Torpid plays a solo set as Yikez! and DJ Sensu spins his favourite soul and disco tracks (first in the 'Another Side of...' series of guest sets).

October 5 - We play the Flaming Lips album Zaireeka in its entirety on a bunch of CD players and boomboxes. Sweet. The Balkan Hot Step Soundsystem from Ghent do their thing.

November 2 - The fabulous Tapedeck come over from London for a DJ set. Plus we hear another side of Radio Limburg's Gijs Ramboer, a very talented techno DJ, when he's not being a sports reporter!

November 23 - MMM relocates from Windows to Smouss Cafe to be able to include the huge talents of guest DJ, James Holroyd. The Bugged Out! and Back to Basics resident comes straight from the Chemical Brothers show in Antwerp, where he has been warming up the crowd for the main event, to play Another Side of... for us. Awesome! The full bill is a full-on Vaudeville experience, starting with Davyth Hicks (ex-Revenge, ex-Lavolta Lakota) playing his favourite classic rock, punk, post-punk, goth and grunge records). Hicksy is followed by DJ Slick from Eddy Tornado et les Scandaleux, perhaps the best Rockabilly DJ in Belgium. Closing the night we have the subtle skills of minimal techno DJ, Fernando Daxta (Sirius Pandi records).

December 21 - A pre-Xmas party - Fight Night! Beatles vs Stones, Kompakt vs Kitsune, etc.

January 18 - Back to Smouss after December's show at Windows, and a guest appearance from The Human Jukebox (aka Guillaume Maupin), plus a second slot for Davyth Hicks.

February 22 - Music Muziek Musique presents Unknown Treasures, 'an evening of illegal, unreleased and rediscovered music' at a secret location in Brussels.
Probably my favourite MMM - the secret location turned out to be my flat - yes, I threw a 'facebook party' and survived! There was something kinda cool about random strangers showing up at my front door asking for 'the club'. The guests were very cool too - the illegal part was supplied by DJ Le Clown from Rennes, a lovely guy who makes great audiovisual mash-ups; the unreleased part by Tarzan, a Brussels-based duo with a fine line in downtempo electronica mixed with rock. We also had the pleasure of DJ Jammer's rediscovery of an unreleased Pete Shelley acoustic set, recorded for Piccadilly Radio in Manchester in 1979.

March 21 - Music Muziek Musique presents The Long Good Friday. Harold Shand would have been proud: we brought over three awesome, up-and-coming DJ duos from the UK - Team Mega Mix, STDJs and MeMeMe - for a night of wonky basslines and sick beats. Appalling weather conspired against us, but the Barrio Cafe still rocked.

May 31 - So, here's where season one ends - at Nouveaux Russes with Dance Europe Express (Cardiff-Brussels-Lausanne-Budapest). Our special guests will be Rockem Sockem Robots (Cardiff), Nauru (Brussels), Leo & Tamara (Lausanne) and Polymorphin (Budapest). Eclectic, international, experimental, but accessible, just like MMM as a whole. Seems like the ideal way to sign off for the summer. Hope to see you there! Thanks to everyone who has supported us, and especially Jodie Davies-Coleman in Durban for the great posters and flyers. Till the next time...

Dance Europe Express (Cardiff-Brussels-Lausanne-Budapest)

Music Muziek Musique presents Dance Europe Express (Cardiff-Brussels-Lausanne-Budapest)

From Cardiff - Rockem Sockem Robots (Deep House and Breaks)

From Brussels - Nauru (DJs Sensu [Manna, Plain, Café Belga] and Tuks [Toma!] play underground pop music in the broadest possible sense. When your name references a former tax paradise now run by an ex-Olympic weightlifter, there's few limits to what you might expect. Hearing is believing though, so no boasting ... just music ... loud ...)

From Lausanne - Leo & Tamara (It's more than passion that links Leo & Tamara behind the turntables, open-minded and always interested in new sounds and exciting vibrations, they play their fine slices of electronic, rock, techno, experimental, hip-hop, noise, pop and more to build up a no-genre alike set that will leave you stuck to the dancefloor!)

From Budapest - Polymorphin (minimal techno from the Schallschnelle Records recording artists)

Plus your eclectic and danceable residents, DJ Jammer & The Phantom

Venue: Nouveaux Russes, Rue Haute 4 Hoogstraat, Brussels 1000
Date: Saturday May 31 2008 (doors: 23h - till late)
FREE ENTRY

www.myspace.com/musicmuziekmusique

"One more time..."

The Long Good Friday - 21.03.08

Music Muziek Musique presents

THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY

Starring 3 of the UK's hottest new DJ duos

Team Mega Mix
STDJs
MeMeMe

MeMeMe say: "We like electro, bmore, house and techno... We like BASS! We've been billed alongside Sinden, Nightmoves, Crystal Castles, The Presets..."
STDJs say: "We play bass heavy dance music. We make bass heavy dance music. We've been billed alongside Erol Alkan, Switch, Digitalism, Chromeo, Bondo do Role..."
Team Mega Mix say: "We don't take anything too seriously. Originally our outfits got us bookings, but now we can make any night good. We'd never play anything by Tiësto, trance, Trash Fashion or shite indie bands." Team Mega Mix have played alongside Tapedeck, Partyshank, Punks Jump Up, The Coconut Twins...

www.myspace.com/musicmuziekmusique
"a little bit more than a hot dog"

A night to treasure

Thanks so much to everyone who came to Unknown Treasures last Friday - the best MMM yet.

If you weren't there here's what you missed:

A brilliant live set by Tarzan launching their debut album, Every Cut a Boom Cut! (The band has 50 copies of the CD for sale, each one in a unique handmade sleeve - well worth getting)

A fantastic live set by DJ Le Clown - His audiovisual mashup of Soeur Sourire (The Singing Nun) brought a smile to everyone's face.

Plus, DJ Jammer rediscovering such Unknown Treasures as a Pete Shelley acoustic set and The Phantom going Booty crazy in the wee small hours.

See you for The Long Good Friday at Barrio Cafe, March 21!

Unknown Treasures - Feb 22

Music Muziek Musique presents

UNKNOWN TREASURES: An evening of illegal, unreleased and rediscovered music

Featuring DJ Le Clown: France's king of the bootleg brings his unique brand of audiovisual mashups to Brussels (http://www.myspace.com/djleclown)

+ a special live set by Tarzan - playing tracks from the classic (and as yet unreleased) album "Every cut a boom cut" (http://www.myspace.com/tarzanbxl)

+ your eclectic residents: DJ Jammer & The Phantom

Fri 22.02.2008 at a secret location in Brussels
(Email: mmmbrussels@gmail.com, leave your name and contact details and we'll let you know how to find the party!!)
Doors: 21:30; we play what we like, you pay what you like

www.myspace.com/musicmuziekmusique

"Shhhh. Don't tell SABAM!"

The Human Jukebox

Thanks to everyone who came down to Smouss last Friday on a typical cold, damp Brussels January night. And a big round of applause for Guillaume Maupin, aka The Human Jukebox, for two fantastic and highly entertaining sets - check out the video!

Music Muziek Musique is back at a secret location in Brussels on February 22nd for an all-illegal special. Shhhh, don't tell SABAM! More details very soon.

Peace out, The Phantom

FREE PARTY - JAN 18

To kick off 2008, Music Muziek Musique is throwing a free party at Smouss Cafe. Roll up, roll up for:The Human Jukebox, the brilliant creation of Mr. Guillaume Maupin - feed him money and he plays the song of your choice (from a selection of hundreds) live from inside his purpose-built jukebox.

Fight Night II (sometimes the sequel is even better):
Funk vs Disco; Glam vs Grunge; Ska vs Reggae

Plus the very best new music we could find (Indie. Rock, Booty House, BMore, Electro, and beyond).

With your electic residents, DJ Jammer and The Phantom, plus special guest Davyth Hicks (Revenge, Lavolta Lakota).

Friday January 18 (from 21:30 till late)
Smouss Cafe, Rue du Marche au Charbon 112 Kolenmarkt
Brussels 1000

"rewind to the future"

Loving the Pistols loud!

Thanks to all of you who braved the cold to come to the Fight Night last night. For the record, here's who we think won each fight:

Rolling Stones
Costello
Arctic Monkeys
Stax
Bowie
Prince
The Smiths
The Clash
Kitsune
Detroit Techno
East Coast Hip-Hop
and
Magical Mystery Tour.

Have a great break and see you when Music Muziek Musique returns in 2008.

Your eclectic residents,
DJ Jammer & The Phantom

Fight Night - Friday December 21

Nov 23 playlists: The Phantom

Bob Wills and his Western Playboys - Get with it / Konono No. 1 - Kule Kule reprise / Jakobinarina - His lyrics are disasterous [sic] (Beat Totem remix)
Dub Offenderz vs Justin Timberlake - My Love (4x4 vocal dub)
Sean Kingston - Beautiful Girls (Suicidal) (DJ Kucia Speed Garage/4x4 remix)
The Teenagers - Homecoming (Gentlemen Drivers Rave Remix)
Roisin Murphy - Dear Miami
Cocktail Vomit - Everybody
Madonna - Everybody ('81)
Kate Nash - Foundations
GoldieLocks - Waste Man
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - This Year's Girl
Jack Penate - Torn on the Platform
Fixkes - Kvraagetaan (reggae remix)
The Chemical Brothers - Das Spiegel
Royksopp - Remind Me
The Whip - Divebomb
DJ Herve - Cheap Thrills
BT vs The Doors - Break on Through (to the other side)
Tapedeck - Destiny (Lillica Libertine's Knight Club remix)
Dragonette - I get around (Midnight Juggernauts remix)
Ike & Tina Turner - Nutbush City Limits
The Majestics - Funky Chick
Talking Heads - The Great Curve
Suzy Q - Get on up and do it again
Franz Ferdinand - Take me out
Colourbox - Breakdown (Original 12" version).

Nov 23 playlists: DJ Jammer's video mix

From Extra: A Selection of Outstanding Electronic Music Videos:

DJ Shadow - Six Days
RJD2 - The Horror
Stereo MC's - We Belong in this World Together
Leftfield & Roots Manuva - Dusted
Red Snapper - Some Kind of Kink
Funkstörung - Grammy Winners.

Another Side Of...James Holroyd

We said to expect the unexpected and that's what we got. Everything from M. Craft's cover of 'She sells sanctuary' to the League Unlimited Orchestra. A thoroughly entertaining and thoroughly danceable hour and three quarters from Mr. James Holroyd. Many thanks to Boggy, and to Carl for driving him down from Antwerp (not forgetting Tom and Ed for letting him play for us). Respect!

DJ Jammer's second set (from second November)

Squarepusher - My red hot car
Spooky - Stereo
Simian Mobile Disco - System
Digitalism - Pogo
Todd Rundgren - Breathless
Harry Thumann - Underwater
Junior Boys - The Equalizer
Hot Chip - Shake a fist
Magazine - Sweetheart contract
The Beatles - Hey Bulldog!
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Going to Hell

The Velvet Underground - Rock and Roll
Neu! - E-Musik.

DJ Jammer plays the 'cocaine cowboys'

Pete Drake - Star Gazing
The Everly Brothers - So sad (to watch good love go bad)

The Flying Burrito Brothers - Hippie Boy
Gram Parsons - Hearts on Fire

The Byrds - Tulsa County

Slim Westerns - Gulch
Bonnie Raitt - You've been in love too long
Mike Nesmith - Highway 99 with Melange
Joni Mitchell - California
The Grateful Dead - Attics of my life

Judee Sill - There's a ragged road

JD Souther - Some people call it music
Jackson Browne - Fountain of sorrow

David Crosby - Song with no words (tree with no leaves)
Gene Clark - No other
Carole King - I feel the Earth move
Little Feat - Juliette

Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl

Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy.

Plus selected images from Two Lane Blacktop and Grand Theft Parsons.

It's like a mini-festival!

Here's the complete line-up for our show on November 23rd at Smouss Cafe. Hope to see you there!

Windows, come alive!!!

A big thanks to Tapedeck, Gijs and everyone who came Friday night!! Lots of great memories. Look out for some video footage shortly.

See you on Friday the 23rd for Another Side Of... James Holroyd, plus a set from Belgium's finest rockabilly DJ (and in a country where rockabilly is a serious business, that's no mean feat). Slick, guitarist with Eddie Tornado et les Scandaleux, will be the man with the vinyl. All this and the usual high-quality fare from Jammer & The Phantom. Don't miss out!

Reminder - Tapedeck tonight!!!!

Tapedeck is coming to Brussels...

Music Muziek Musique is very pleased to present London's Tapedeck DJs, organisers of the infamous BOSH! parties and remixers par excellence (Klaxons, Kate Nash, Good Books, Jack Penate, etc, etc).

Plus, hear Another Side Of...Gijs Ramboer. The Radio Limburg man proves there's more to him than a Kim Clijsters novelty record (Kimburg).

All this and your eclectic residents: DJ Jammer & The Phantom

Friday November 2nd@Windows
Rue Philippe de Champagne 50 Champagnestraat, Brussels 1000 (near Anneessens/Rue du Midi)
21:30 till late
Entry: 6 euros (free before 22:30)

www.myspace.com/musicmuziekmusique

Another Side Of...James Holroyd

Friday November 23: Music Muziek Musique presents

Another Side Of...James Holroyd
(Chemical Brothers tour DJ, Bugged Out [not Bugged Out], Back to Basics)
...Expect the unexpected. But expect to dance.

Plus your eclectic residents: DJ Jammer & The Phantom

Doors: 21:30
Entry: 6 euros (free before 22:30 - open late)
Smouss Cafe, Rue du Marche au Charbon 112 Kolenmarkt, Brussels 1000

A quick note on the visuals

Visuals last Friday came courtesy of Brian Eno and his 77 million paintings, and from a DVD entitled The 70s Dimension (a collection of US TV ads from the decade that taste forgot, as well modern reinterpretations by the likes of People Like Us).

A big thank you also to Jodie at JDC Design in Durban for her fantastic logo and flyers. In case you were wondering, here's the brief we gave her: "We'd like you to try and design something that is a bit like a Victorian Circus poster, a bit like a 1960s West Coast Psychedelic poster, but slightly futuristic and very now." I think she's done all that admirably!

DJ Jammer number 1

Getting ambient early doors...

Cluster - Grosses Wasser
Sun Electric - Northern Lights
The Irresisible Force - Waveform
Massive Attack - Protection (Eno Mix)
Megans Present - Khonnor.