Klinik

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Klinik is an industrial music band from Belgium, originally formed around 1982 by electro-synthpop practitioner Marc Verhaeghen, who is the only constant member.

In 1985, Verhaeghen joined forces with two other bands, "Absolute Body Control" (with Dirk Ivens and Eric van Wonterghem), and "The Maniacs" (Sandy Nys) to form one "super group" "Absolute Controlled Clinical Maniacs". This rather unwieldy name was soon dropped in favour of the shorter name "The Klinik". Nys soon left the band to form "Hybryds", followed in 1987 by van Wonterghem, leaving The Klinik as the "classic" duo of Dirk Ivens and Marc Verhaeghen.

The Klinik soon made a name for themselves with their cold and harsh EBM sound and their live shows, where both Ivens and Verhaeghen performed with their heads wrapped in gauze, wearing long black leather coats. Ivens' hissing vocals and minimalist lyrics were complemented by Verhaeghen's synthesizer skills and distorted trombone playing (the latter giving the music a slightly feverish sound). This however, did not last forever; after Time, an album neither member was fully pleased with, musical differences became too great, and they decided to go their separate ways.

Ivens concentrated on his own project Dive, and Verhaeghen continued as Klinik; sometimes as a solo project, sometimes with various other members. Recently, Klinik is a Verhaeghen solo project, making mostly instrumental dark ambient techno.

Most Klinik members have also been active outside the band. Ivens has been in bands such as Absolute Body Control, Dive, Sonar, and Blok 57; Eric van Wonterghem played with Ivens in Absolute Body Control, and has later been part of or collaborating with bands such as Insekt, Monolith, Dive and Sonar. Sandy Nys formed Hybryds already around his departure in 1986, a project which is still active.

Verhaeghen has been involved in several projects outside Klinik, including Noise Unit (with Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly), D.Sign (with Philippe and Eliane Fichot of Die Form), X10 (with Niki Mono, Marc Ickx of A Split-Second and Vidna Obmana), and Para (with his own wife Sabine Voss).

Ivens and Verhaeghen briefly reunited for a few concerts in 2003/2004, one of which was released as a CD in September 2004.

Klinik members:

Marc Verhaeghen (1981-)
Dirk Ivens (1985-1991)
Eric van Wonterghem (1985-87)
Sandy Nys (1985)
Mark "Merlin" Burghgraeve (1981-82?, 1995)
Thorsten Stroth (1995)
Tom Claes (1996)
Stefan Mertes (1996)
Nickanor (2002)

[edit] Discography

Sabotage LP (RIO 1985)
Melting Close MLP (De Fabriek 1986)
Walking with Shadows MLP (Auxilio De Cientos 1986)
Pain and Pleasure 12" (Antler 1986)
Melting Close & Sabotage DLP/CD (Antler 1987)
Fear 12" (Antler 1987)
Plague LP (Antler 1987)
The Klinik compilation CD (1988)
Fever 12" (Antler 1989)
Face to Face CD/LP (Antler 1989)
Insane Terror/A Sign 7" (1989)
The Klinik Box Set 3LP/DCD (Antler 1990; re-released on Hands Productions 2004)
Black Leather 12"/CD (Antler-Subway 1990)
Time LP/CD (Antler-Subway 1991)
States compilation LP/CD (Antler-Subway 1991)
Braindamage CD (Bootleg 1992)
Contrast CD (Antler 1992)
Brain EP/CD (1993)
Live CD (1993)
To the Knife CD (Zoth Ommog 1995)
Stitch CD (Off Beat 1995)
Touch EP (1996)
Awake CD (Off Beat 1996)
Blanket of Fog CD (Off Beat 1998)
End of the Line compilation 4CD (Dependent 2001)
Sonic Surgery CD (Hands Productions 2002)
Akhet DCD (Hands Productions 2003)
Dark Surgery CD (Hands Productions 2004)
Live at Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2004 CD (Hands Productions 2004)
Gluttony (with Vidna Obmana) CD (Hands Productions 2005)