Venus (Belgian band)
| Company type | Collective (band) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Brussels , Belgium |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Venus emerged in 1997 as a collective of five musicians hailing from Brussels and Belgium. Their mission centered on crafting a unique auditory experience that conveyed a spectrum of emotions through instruments like the guitar, violin, double bass, organ, percussion, and synthesizer. Patric Carpentier, a former member, enhanced their stage presence by contributing to the scenography. The band reached commercial recognition with their 2003 Capitol Records album Vertigone, featuring the singles Beautiful Days and Wanda Wultz. Notably, Beautiful Days was included in the soundtrack of the film Immortel, which is adapted from Enki Bilal’s graphic novel series. Their name draws inspiration from the Velvet Underground song Venus in furs.
List of former band members
- Marc A. Huyghens – Lead vocals, acoustic and slide guitars, mandolin, banjo, electric piano, xylophone, organ, mellotron, synthesizer (1997–2007)
- Christian Schreurs – Violin, acoustic and electric guitars, organ, sound effects (1997–2007)
- Pierre Jacqmin – Double bass (2000–2007)
- Jean-Marc Butty – Drums, both acoustic and electronic percussion (2001–2007)
- Patric Carpentier – Scenography (1997–2001)
- Thomas Van Cottom – Drums, acoustic and electronic percussion (1997–2001)
- Walter Janssens – Double bass (1997–2000)
Origins in Belgium
Venus debuted with the Royal Sucker EP released through BGM/RCA. After parting ways with RCA in March 1999, they aligned with the Italian label Sonica. That same year, they earned the Best Rock Act accolade at France’s Le Printemps de Bourges festival. Their ambition was to deliver a full-length album before year-end.
In November 1999, their first full album Welcome To The Modern Dance Hall was launched across Europe, showcasing their natural instrumental approach. The album featured singles such as Pop Song and the vinyl EP She's So Disco, which garnered extensive airplay. This period also saw multiple Belgium-exclusive EPs released via 62 TV. Concurrently, double bassist Walter Janssens departed and was succeeded by Pierre Jacqmin.
Throughout 2000, Venus embarked on an extensive tour across Western Europe to broaden their radio audience. Their live shows earned considerable praise from fans. In autumn of that year, composer Renaud Lhoest reinterpreted their compositions with Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles, fusing elements reminiscent of John Barry’s style and Jewish folk traditions. This collaboration culminated in a sold-out performance at Brussels’ Cirque Royal that was recorded and issued as The Man Who Was Already Dead, an album highly regarded for its orchestral arrangements combined with contemporary instrumentation. Following a demanding touring schedule in 2001, the group paused activity and experienced lineup changes with the departures of Patric Carpentier and Thomas Van Cottom. Thomas was replaced by French drummer Jean-Marc Butty, noted for his previous work alongside P.J. Harvey on To Bring You My Love as well as his solo project White Hotel before joining Venus.
Achievement with Vertigone
In 2003, Venus transitioned from Italian label Sonica Factory to major label Capitol Records, allowing for enhanced production quality on their new record. They unveiled Vertigone on 3 March alongside three singles. The initial single Wanda Wultz served to promote the forthcoming album; the second single Beautiful Days was issued in several formats including a Belgian release, a radio-only version, and an official release featuring a radio edit. The third single appeared on a special edition of Vertigone, containing four tracks: three recorded during radio sessions plus a cover of U2’s Love Is Blindness from their 1991 album Achtung Baby.
The album enjoyed favorable reception across European radio stations with its singles gaining airplay; one track was incorporated into Enki Bilal’s 2004 film Immortel. During the band’s downtime, lead singer Marc A. Huyghens explored other creative avenues through his side project Little Hotel.
The Red Room
In the spring of 2006, the group unveiled The Red Room, an album that embraced a denser yet more streamlined sound while preserving their characteristic melodic essence. The record garnered favorable critiques throughout Europe and achieved sales comparable to their earlier works, although their label Tôt Ou Tard had expected a more robust commercial outcome.
Co-produced by Head, recognized for collaborations with PJ Harvey and Massive Attack, the album revolves around the concept of "the red room"—a sanctuary representing both comfort and estrangement. All lyrics were penned by Marc A. Huyghens, except for Everybody Wants To Be Loved, which incorporates text from Gena Rowlands' monologue in the film Opening Night. The band supported the release with tours across Western Europe and the United Kingdom.
Venus says Goodbye
On 23 March 2007, what was initially planned as a 10th anniversary show at Brussels' Ancienne Belgique transformed into a farewell concert following Marc A. Huyghens’ announcement of his exit to explore new ventures. The event included guest appearances from members of Girls in Hawaii and Ghinzu, alongside former bassist Walter Janssens. To commemorate this milestone, Venus issued an EP featuring cover versions of songs by Daniel Lanois, Björk, and Belgian artist Jacques Brel.
After Venus disbanded, Marc A. Huyghens joined forces with Françoise Vidick and Anja Naucler to establish JOY, releasing their debut self-titled album in autumn 2010.
Discography
| Year | Albums/EP/Singles | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Royal Sucker EP | BGM/RCA |
| 1999 | Welcome To The Modern Dance Hall | Sonica Factory |
| 1999 | She's So Disco EP/Vinyl | 62 TV/Sonica Factory |
| 2000 | Pop Song EP/Single | Sonica Factory |
| 2000 | I Am The Ocean EP | 62 TV |
| 2000 | Perfect Lover EP | 62 TV |
| 2000 | The Man Who Was Already Dead | 62 TV |
| 2003 | Vertigone | Capitol |
| 2003 | Vertigone French Edition | Capitol, Delabel |
| 2003 | Beautiful Days EP/Single | Capitol, Delabel |
| 2006 | The Red Room | BANG!/Tôt Ou Tard |
| 2006 | O Marie EP | BANG!/Tôt Ou Tard |
| 2007 | Best Of & Live | BANG!/Tôt Ou Tard |
External links
- Tôt Ou Tard record label website featuring music samples
- Official MySpace
- Unofficial MySpace
- Out of Breath fan page
- Concert images by Laurent Orseau (Black Session)