TC Matic

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TC Matic was a Belgian rock band, originating in 1980 from the duo Tjens Couter (Arno Hintjens, vocals and Paul Decoutere, guitar). Decoutere was replaced shortly after the establishment of TC Matic by Jean-Marie Aerts, who cooperated with Hintjens in the majority of the band's compositions.

TC Matic mixed diverse styles: new wave, blues, funk, hard rock, avant-garde and even French chanson, resulting in nervous metropolitan rock with American influences but a distinct European character. TC Matic's sound of the early 1980s can be called unique, and had quite an influence on musical contemporaries, notably in the Benelux.

The band released four albums ("TC Matic", "L'Apache", "Choco", "Ye Ye") that received excellent reviews. In 1981, the band scored a Belgian hit with "Oh La La La". "Putain Putain" (from the album "Choco") became an alternative European hymn among fans.

The band was celebrated especially for its live performances, focussing on the intense singing by Hintjens. It performed all over Europe, but a real international break through didn't happen. After a disappointing tour with the Simple Minds in 1986, the band ceased to exist.

Arno Hintjes started a solo career as Arno, receiving quite some approval in Europe. He continued to cooperate with Jean-Marie Aerts, who is now working as a producer (for Jo Lemaire and the Urban Dance Squad, among others), and with two other ex-TC Matic-members, drummer Rudy Cloet and keyboard player Serge Feys. In 1984, the Dutch bass player Michael Peet replaced Ferre Baelen.