Belgian cult minimal wave act Pas De Deux compiled on CD and double vinyl

Out on April 1st is “The Vinyl Collection” by the Belgian cult minimal wave act Pas De Deux. The release comes as a limited edition double vinyl with a special etched D side. The CD version is titled “The CD Collection”.

Pas De Deux is best known for their participation in the 1983 Eurovision Song Contest with the excellent track “Rendez-Vous”. The song caused quite a stir and protest in the national pre-selection at the time. It only features the phrase “Rendez-vous, maar de maat is vol en m’n kop is toe” and when it was chosen by the jury to represent Belgium, riots almost broke out in the venue where the show was taking place.

Here’s a video of said evening, which most Flemish readers will remember really well, it was the talk of the town for weeks. Top entertainment.

On this complete collection you’ll find songs which were made between 1982 and 1983, including the cult hits “Cardiocleptomanie”, “Mani Meme” and various versions of “Rendez-Vous”.

Also included are some new photos from the band’s first video and all the info, credits and lyrics of the songs. The track “Rendez-vous in München” is being released for the first time ever here.

The band performed “Rendez-Vous” accompanied by the Dieter Reith Orchestra, directed by Freddy Sunder, on a backing track with synthesizers and drum machines. Apart from the Eurovision broadcast on 23 April 1983, there is a (mono!) recording “Rendez-vous in München” which is being released for the first time ever here together with 4 other alternative versions of the original song.

Pas De Deux consisted of Walter Verdin, Dett Peyskens and Hilde van Roy. The band was founded in 1982 in Leuven.

After Pas De Deux Walter Verdin continued as videomaker and graphic artist. Hilde Van Roy became a journalist and worked for the TV1 news, among others. Dett Peyskens remained active in the music world and later became part of Red Zebra, among others.

Since you’re here …

… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.

If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The donations are safely powered by Paypal.