Belgian electro pioneers Telex release previously unreleased take on Sonny & Cher’s ‘The Beat Goes On’
(Photo by Frank Uyttenhove) Telex have shared their previously unreleased take on Sonny & Cher’s 60s hit, “The Beat Goes On”. The track, here renamed “The Beat Goes On/Off” was recently discovered when Telex were compiling the first release in an ongoing partnership with Mute, “This is Telex”, a brand new 14-track compilation – out on 30 April 2021.
Listen to the track below.
“This is Telex” features singles from across the Belgian synthpop trio’s career, from their debut single, “Twist à Saint Tropez” in 1978 through to their final album release, “How Do You Dance?” in 2006. Tracks on the compilation are newly mixed and remastered from the original tapes by band members Dan Lacksman and Michel Moers. These new mixes often involved subtracting from, rather than adding to, the original multi-track recordings. “We simplify,” explains Lacksman. “We take away, to create something more efficient, more Telex.”
The band famously entered the Eurovision Song Contest, representing Belgium with “Euro-vision”. Moers says he regarded their entry as “very Situationist International, the worm in the apple.” and they resolved either to come first or last. They didn’t achieve that goal, but became part of the Eurovision saga. Moers saw Johnny Logan (who went on to win the contest twice for Ireland) and told him, “you’re going to win”, Logan replied: “Yeah. But if I win it’s good for me. If you win, it’s good for music.”
Telex announced their retirement in 2008, following Moulin’s death, This new partnership with Mute will see a comprehensive reissue series of the back catalogue, starting with the new compilation.
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