The ripple felt around the globe in 1977 from New York to London, The Ramones to The Sex Pistols, the aggression and angers built in the youth culture could not be contained any longer and the last remnants of the hippy dream was extinguished with a flamethrower of angst.

The Radiators From Space landed at the right time and the right city, cut with a blade of stinging guitar into the right audience. They released their debut album 'TV Tube Heart' on 21 October 1977.

They had inspiration, the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland, the lack of jobs in the cities, the depressive atmosphere was finally given a voice, an album, suddenly an anthem grew from the littered streets. The album, 'TV Tube Heart' is an unequivocal masterpiece, make no mistake, and they did on this recording, the perfection lies in the imperfect delivery.

Not well honed or soaked with perfection, but then again neither is life. This is what the album mirrored in a time capsule of angst, Dublin- in -1977 and the atmospheric, downtrodden mood of the inner city.

The album opens with the distorted screech of feedback but nobody cared about the delivery as they got caught up in the speeding juggernaut of free speech.

Up until this point we were subject mainly to the lush sounds of progressive rock, organ and keyboard driven music with complex structure and melodies, when this album arrived it dragged away that format from the streets of the capital and replaced it with simplicity, of two guitars, one set of drums, one singer and one bass player, the only organ to be had been held back behind a ripped, dirty pair of jeans.

This was music so basic it could easily be repeated when young kids picked up instruments and so its influence spanned across a generation of musicians, not to put together a punk band but to play an instrument and in turn finding another type of escapism. This was the cause and reaction in its most direct form held together with the glue of; Philip Chevron, Pete Holidai, Steve Rapid, Jimmy Crashe and Mark Megaray.

The signing to the UK Label Chiswick in 1977 was a turning point and meant distribution outside of the island, within the island however the debut single 'Television Screen' became the first and one of the few true punk releases to break the Irish top twenty, proving their arrival was well-received, not just by critics but the actual buying public, heightened by their support of fellow Irish man Phil Lynott and his band Thin Lizzy on their Bad Reputation tour across the UK.

Then there is the follow-up, sometimes they do not match the intensity of the debut album, they lack at times the hunger, in this case however it is the opposite. With the departure of forming member Steve Rapid, which only led to a shortening of the name to simply the Radiators and under the watchful eye of Bowie supremo Tony Visconti the now four piece reconvened to record the staggeringly brilliant 'Ghostown'.

A concept album of sorts, drenched with heavy theme of society, force-fed paranoia and the isolation felt through the working classes; 'Who Are The Strangers', ‘Walking Home Alone Again', every note licked the grime from the streets of Dublin in the 1970s and was immediately hailed as one of the most important releases of the era. An importance not translating In sales and the band dissolved shortly afterwards after a relocation to London in an attempt to heighten the public attitude towards the band.

The following is a brief Question and Answer session we had in 2019 with Pete Holidai, guitarist with The Radiators From Space and The Trouble Pilgrims.

What drove you as a person to the punk style of music? Was there a particular event you witnessed, a band or even a particular song?

PH;”My first real Interest in music was the Glam-Rock era of the early seventies T. Rex, Bowie, Roxy Music in particular-guitar music that was full of energy was always a style I was drawn to although like most 'Punks' we like the occasional tearjerker”.

Do you feel that The Radiators debut album ‘TV Tube Heart’ is more so a result of the environment than any outside musical influences?

“It was recognized by the UK press as an Irish version of Punk where our anger was focused at our reality...the church, the politician, the guard and the other so called pillars of society..we needed to be free from their shackles of emotional oppression”.

What do you think is the high-point in the career of The Radiators?

”All of it. The very fact we created and lead the scene in Ireland before leaving these shores to seek our fortune just like those before us..’TVTH’, ‘Ghostown, ‘Trouble Pilgrim’ and ‘Sound City Beat’ is our legacy”.

Looking back do you feel The Radiators achieved what they set out to do?

”Yes we did, we helped kick this God-forsaken island into the 21st century”.

Why do you think that a band who brought out an album of such a high quality as ‘Ghostown’ did not make it bigger?

”The reality is you need major financial backing to reach the bigger audience via marketing etc...however we were released in all the major territories via licensing deals”.

DISCOGS

[KB]

Musique Non Stop – Kraftwerk’s Pulse of the Machine Age

Released on October 20, 1986, “Musique Non Stop” stands as one of Kraftwerk’s most iconic and forward-thinking singles, a track that perfectly captured the German group’s fascination with the intersection of music, technology, and the human experience. Emerging during a period of transition for the Düsseldorf pioneers, the song was the lead single from their 1986 album Electric Café (later reissued under its original intended title Techno Pop), marking a bold new phase in their electronic evolution.

Built around a hypnotic, loop-driven rhythm and minimal yet infectious synth patterns, “Musique Non Stop” distilled Kraftwerk’s aesthetic to its purest essence. Its robotic vocal samples — chopped, processed, and reassembled — embodied the group’s signature “man-machine” philosophy, while also foreshadowing the sampling and sequencing techniques that would soon dominate electronic dance music. The title phrase, repeated with mechanical precision, served as both a mantra and a prophecy for the endless continuity of electronic sound.

The single’s innovative video, directed by Rebecca Allen using early 3D computer animation, was groundbreaking in its use of digital motion graphics. It featured virtual representations of the band members’ faces, synchronized with the music in an eerie yet mesmerizing display of human-machine fusion. At a time when computer graphics were still in their infancy, the video’s aesthetic was a revelation — a glimpse into the future of audiovisual art and digital identity.

Musically, “Musique Non Stop” bridged the gap between Kraftwerk’s pristine 1970s output and the emerging electronic genres of the late ’80s and early ’90s. Its influence rippled through the burgeoning techno scenes of Detroit and Chicago, inspiring artists such as Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and The Orb. The track’s repetitive precision and synthetic clarity became a blueprint for generations of producers exploring the relationship between rhythm, circuitry, and emotion.

Though Electric Café received mixed reviews upon release, “Musique Non Stop” has endured as one of Kraftwerk’s defining works — a minimalist masterpiece that encapsulates their enduring mission to explore the music of the future. Decades later, its pulse still feels alive, its message as relevant as ever: in the electronic age, music truly never stops.

Die Krupps – “Wahre Arbeit, Wahrer Lohn” (October 1982): A Blueprint for Industrial Resistance

In October 1982, that is 43 years agao, German band Die Krupps released “Wahre Arbeit, Wahrer Lohn” (“True Work, True Pay”), a single that would come to define the early shape of industrial and EBM (Electronic Body Music). Emerging from Düsseldorf’s post-punk and avant-garde underground, Die Krupps — founded by Jürgen Engler and Bernward Malaka — fused metallic percussion, synthesizers, and political critique into a sound that was as mechanical as it was militant.

The title track’s pounding rhythm and relentless metallic clangs evoked the noise of factories and assembly lines, turning industrial labour itself into music. Its lyrics, delivered in German, drew attention to the alienation of modern work and the false promises of productivity and progress. The refrain, “Wahre Arbeit, Wahrer Lohn,” was both a slogan and a provocation — echoing socialist rhetoric while questioning its exploitation under capitalist systems.

Musically, the single marked a decisive shift from the band’s earlier experiments with steel percussion toward a more electronic sound, foreshadowing the emergence of EBM. It shared aesthetic territory with contemporaries like D.A.F. and Einstürzende Neubauten, yet Die Krupps’ approach was more disciplined and anthemic, laying the groundwork for the industrial dance sound that would later influence acts such as Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, and Ministry.

Released on the German label Schneeball, the single also featured a B-side instrumental version that amplified its hypnotic, machine-driven pulse. Over the years, “Wahre Arbeit, Wahrer Lohn” has remained one of Die Krupps’ most iconic works — not only a cornerstone of early industrial music but also a timeless statement on the mechanization of human life. Four decades later, its rhythm still pounds like a factory heart, unrelenting and defiant.

DISCOGS

The 7” single Baby Turns Blue, by Irish band Virgin Prunes, turns 43 ! It was released on 9 October 1982 and was the preliminary single for their iconic upcoming album … If I Die, I Die, also released by Rough Trade Records one month later. The single as well as the whole album were produced by Colin Newman of Wire. The remixed 12' version was retitled “The Faculties of a Broken Heart”.

Baby Turns Blue (UK 7' single RT 119)

1. 'Baby Turns Blue' – 3:43
2. 'Yeo' – 2:17

Baby Turns Blue (UK 12' single RT 119T)

1. 'The Faculties of a Broken Heart (What Should We Do If Baby Turns Blue)'
2. 'Chance of a Lifetime'
3. 'Yeo'

Baby Turns Blue

Mary be so proud, things like that are'nt allowed,
To take your own life, stab it with a knife.
They put you in a box, they send you to heaven, heaven.
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?

Give me money, give me sex,
Give me food and cigarette.

Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
What should we do if baby turns blue?

You broke my heart, it came in two.
The faculties of a broken heart.

I go out on Monday, looking for a Tuesday.
Nothing ever makes such sense.
You don't seem to make much sense.
Shooting out in someone's dream.
Shooting out in something else.
It was an accident, I didn't mean it.
It was an accident, I didn't mean it.

Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
What should we do if baby turns blue?

John had a bomb and he lit his head,
Went to bed for seventeen weeks,
Took too many drugs, now he don't eat.
They put you in a box and send you up to heaven, heaven.

Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?

Give me money, give me sex,
Give me food and cigarette.

Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?

What should we do if baby turns blue?

DISCOGS

BIMFEST XXIII – 2026

Full Line-Up Announced!

St-Niklaas, Belgium — BodyBeats Productions proudly presents the complete line-up for BIMFEST 2026, taking place on 19 & 20 December 2026 at De Casino, St-Niklaas.

Since its start, BIMFEST has been a unique meeting ground for lovers of EBM, industrial, wave and dark electronics. The 2026 edition brings together international pioneers, cult favorites, and fresh underground talent for two nights of uncompromising beats and atmospheric soundscapes.

The BIMFEST 2026 line-up (alphabetical order):

• AKALOTZ (DE) – Crushing old-school EBM fused with modern dark electro, known for their raw live intensity and powerful albums like Angry Body Machine (2024).

• CAT RAPES DOG (SE) – Swedish electro-punk/industrial provocateurs, legends of KK Records, returning with chaotic, energetic live shows.

• CRYPTOCHROMA (BE) – Atmospheric Belgian wave/electro project blending analogue synth textures with dark moods; acclaimed release Ominous Clouds (2023). Selected 2025 Demo(n)!

• EMPATHY TEST (UK) – London’s cinematic synth-pop duo, praised for emotional, filmic soundscapes and worldwide fan devotion.

• EUFORIC EXISTENCE (BE) – Antwerp’s hard-hitting EBM/industrial powerhouse, chosen by the audience at Dark Demo(n)s 2025 for their ferocious live energy.

• FRETT (PL) – Experimental industrial from Maciej Frett (Job Karma), mixing IDM, tribal rhythms, noise, and retro synth atmospheres.

• HAUJOBB (DE) – Genre-defining pioneers of electro-industrial and IDM, celebrating three decades of innovation, including their acclaimed 2024 release The Machine in the Ghost.

• MAJESTOLUXE (SE) – Stockholm’s minimal EBM/industrial pop act, delivering stripped-down but intense retro-futurist soundscapes.

• NORDAR (DE) – Raw and analogue German EBM act, channeling rebellion and pure old-school body music energy.

• PROJECT-X (SE) – Cult electro/EBM band from Stockholm, notorious for their pounding beats and biting, ironic social commentary.

• THEY FEEL NOTHING (BE) – Dark analogue synth-wave project from Bruges, praised for brooding atmospheres and visceral stage presence. Selected by by the Dark Demo(n)s 2025 audience!

• ZWEITE JUGEND (DE) – Analogue-driven EBM duo from Osnabrück, Germany, known for their emotionally charged trilogy of albums.

Organizer Statement:

“With this year’s program, we proudly present a mix of underground legends and exciting newcomers. BIMFEST is not only about music — it’s about passion, energy, and the unique spirit of the scene. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to St-Niklaas in December for an edition that will be both uncompromising and unforgettable.”

• Tickets, Line-Up & Festival Info: bodybeats.be

Join us at BIMFEST 2026 for two nights of pounding beats, dark atmospheres, and pure underground spirit!

www.bodybeats.be/en/bimfest