Nacht und Nebel (band)

Nacht Und Nebel
Patrick Nebel, 1985.
Background information
Origin	Belgium
Genres	New Wave Synthpop Electropop
Years active	1982–1986
Labels	Antler Records Vogue Records Carrere Records Laguna

Career

Nacht Und Nebel were a Belgian New Wave band, founded by the late Patrick Marina Nebel (born Patrick Marina Schools, 23 November 1958, Merskem - died 15 March 1986, Ekeren) that became famous for their 1984 hit single, "Beats of Love".

The name the band chose as a pun made after their leader's alias, echoes the Nacht und Nebel - German for 'Night and Fog' - directive designed by Adolf Hitler and resulting in the kidnapping and forced disappearance of most enemies of the Third Reich. The French translation of it - Nuit et Brouillard - is also the title of a 1955 documentary short film made by French director Alain Resnais about the Nazi concentration camps.^[1]

Originally, Nebel debuted as a solo artist with a 4-track single, in 1981, before finally forming the band and releasing a single with them a year later. Their first album, Casablanca followed right after, along with a series of gigs where Nebel, a very "exuberant figure" - so said Roland Beelen, founder of Antler Records - would "[disguise] himself in a decadent nightlife outfit, sweating like hell and hurrying between the front of the stage and a percussion set".^[2]

The next 1983 album, Beats of Love came with the eponymous track that was to become their biggest hit.^[3] The single, sold 150,000 copies in Belgium and France and was covered by The Bollock Brothers on their 1989 album, Mythology.^[4]

In those days, though, Nebel was a man with a weight condition which forced him into following a treatment in a Swiss sanatorium. He came out of it a slimmer man, self-confident, happy in his love life and the singles "Ready to Dance" and "Victoria 2000" - another single taken from their eponymous album - made it to the local charts, with minor success.^[2]

Nebel also got addicted to alcohol and pills which caused him to have heart disease, which proved fatal in 1986. Therefore, Nacht Und Nebel ceased to exist, although there was one final album, Songs for Ever.^[2]

Discography

^[2]

Albums

• Casablanca (1982, Antler)
• Beats of Love (1983, Antler)
• This Is/This Was (1984, Antler)
• Victoria 2000 (1985, Vogue)
• Songs for Ever (1986, Antler/Carrere)

Singles

• "Alcatraz" - "Presidents On Dope" - "Arabian Town" - "Mister Meanie" (Nebel's solo artist single) (1981, Laguna)
• "Movoco Synthaca" - "Strange Desire" (1983, Laguna)
• "Zafari" - "In the Jungle" (1983, Antler)
• "Beats of Love" - "Walk On" (1983, Antler)
• "Beats of Love" - "Everything is White" (1984, Antler/Vogue)
• "Etoile du Nord" - "Ancient Times" (1984, Antler)
• "Ready to Dance" - "Soul, Body and Mind" (1985, Antler)
• "Victoria 2000" - "Jenny" (1985, Vogue)

Band members

• Patrick Marina Nebel (vocals, drums & percussion, piano)
• Fil IJzerdraad (real name Van der Auwera - bass)
• Albano Bentano (real name Bentein - keyboards).

also :

• Koen Claeys (guitar)
• Herman Celis / Pat Pattijn (drums)^[2]

See also

• List of New Wave bands and artists

References

1. ^ "Nuit et Brouillard on imdb
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Article about "Nacht und Nebel"
3. ^ Discogs article about Nacht und Nebel
4. ^ Mythology by The Bollock Brothers

External links

• Website dedicated to Nacht und Nebel
• Beats of Love