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Clan of Xymox

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Clan of Xymox

Clan of Xymox, also known as Xymox, founded in 1984 by Ronny Moorings & Anka Wolbert in Nijmegen the Netherlands . In the 1980s they knew moderate success, even scoring a hit single in the United States; they have been referred to as the "founding fathers of goth."[2] Though the band is still active and continues to tour and release records, of the original members (Ronny Moorings, Pieter Nooten, Frank Weyzig, and Anke [also Anka] Wolbert[1]),Moorings remains in the band today.

History

1984–1991

Ronny Moorings, Anka Wolbert and Pieter Nooten, 1989
Ronny Moorings, Anka Wolbert and Pieter Nooten, 1989

The band formed in Nijmegen in 1984, consisting of Ronny Moorings and Anka Wolbert and released a mini-album, Subsequent Pleasures, in 1984.[1] They were invited to support Dead Can Dance,[4] and were signed to the indie label 4AD, which released their eponymous debut album in 1985.[1] The track "7th Time" was picked up by John Peel, leading to the band recording two of the Peel Sessions at the BBC.[5][6]

In 1987, they released their second and last album on 4AD, Medusa, before signing with PolyGram.[1] was mostly a dark record, in places a chilling exercise in atmospherics and modern pop dynamics. Aided by the impressive 12 inch single "A Million Things" the band really started to create a buzz. Clan Of Xymox were now not only inhabiting the arthouse but filling dance floors in the more discerning clubs [7]Simultaneously, Pieter Nooten recorded and released his album Sleeps With The Fishes (4AD, 1987), in collaboration with Michael Brook.[8]

The band began to sound more accessible with their third album, Twist of Shadows (Polygram, 1989), being described as "electro-pop" and their biggest selling album to date. The album's artwork was done by Vaughan Oliver, and Tony Visconti provided string arrangements. A single, "Imagination," made the US charts.[1] SPIN, praised the album and called it "still ethereal, big and foreboding" and praised the production by Peter Walsh (of Simple Minds fame).[9] By this time the band had moved to England, and released their fourth album, Phoenix, on PolyGram in 1991;[1] after this album with PolyGram not taking a further option on another album , Anka Wolbert and Pieter Nooten left the band; Ronny Moorings released the same year Metamorphosis (1992) and Headclouds (1993) independently [1]on his own X-Ult label.

Solo careers: Pieter Nooten and Anka Wolbert

Both of these original Xymox members continued their musical careers. Anka Wolbert collaborated with Toni Halliday (1993–1994) and was signed to EMI in 1996. She released a solo album Cocoon Time on I-Rain records in 2006. With Pieter Nooten, she produced Sophie Zeyl's solo album, Two Ways of Running (2006).

Nooten released a number of EPs in the 90s under the names First Contact[10] and Cyberia,[11] both dance house projects. In 2006 he released a solo album, Ourspace, on I-Rain Records. His second solo album, Here is Why, was released in 2010.[12]

Clan of Xymox 1991 – present

reference bio Clan Of Xymox, Trisol Records & Metropolis Records , Orkus & Zillo Magazine [13] In 1995 Ronny Moorings toured under the banner of Xymox in the Netherlands with former Clan Of Xymox band mates Will Anvers and Frank Weyzig and his girlfriend Mojca on keyboards. Ronny Moorings made in 1996 for Domark music for computer games with classical music and ambient sounding tracks.[citation needed]

In 1997 Ronny Moorings ended the Xymox era and restarted Clan of Xymox; he recruited besides Mojca new live members and started touring. The band signed with the independent US label Tess Records and released Hidden Faces.[14]

The live band, consisting of Ronny Moorings guitars and vocals, Mojca Zugna bass guitar, and vocals, Rob Vonk guitar, Rui Ramos drums, and Nina Simic keyboards, co-headlined the Wave-Gotik-Treffen and Zillo festivals in Germany[citation needed], where two singles from Hidden Faces, "Out Of The Rain" and "This World," both reached the top 10 in the independent charts.[citation needed]

In 1998 Clan Of Xymox got signed by Metropolis Records in the USA and Pandaimonium Records in Europe. In 2000 the band released Live, a double CD with nineteen tracks and two videos The lineup consisted of Moorings on guitars & vocals; Mojca on bass guitar, keyboards and vocals; Rui Ramos drums; and Nina Simic on keyboards. The tracks were recorded during their Central and South American tour in 1999. with the climax for the band in Mexico City's being the former Olympic Stadium Palacio d' Deportes in Mexico City where 20.000 people attended their concert.


1999 saw the release of Creatures, produced by Dave Allen. Also that year 4AD re-released in the USA the first album, Clan of Xymox. Clan of Xymox backed up the album Creatures with an extensive world tour in 1999[15], starting in the United States with COX headlining on the [[Convergence_(goth_festival)|Convergence Festival in New Orleans, continued to tour the USA and returned a few months later again. n the year 2000 Clan of Xymox concentrated also on a tour and promotion in Europe, East Europe the USA/Canada and Latin America and continued to play a great number of Festivals during the summer in Europe with a personal highlight for the band being the former Olympic Stadium Palacio d' Deportes in Mexico City where 20.000 people attended their concert.

In August 2000 Ronny Moorings mixed the final Live Recordings of the South and Central American Shows, finishing the single "Liberty" and Mojca keeping pace with her beautiful artwork. Both were released in October with the double album simply named "LIVE" whilst Clan Of Xymox kept on touring Europe! Again both releases and tour got ecstatic reviews.


September 2001 saw the Clan live at big festivals such as Mera Luna, Zillo and Eurorock but also the release of " Notes From The Underground ", acclaimed by critics as their best work ever. The album ranked already No 1 in the USA 's Musicfolio chart as the best album of 2001 and reached No 2 in the well known DAC charts plus numerous chart positions around the globe.


The year 2002 saw in April a new tour plus a very first Remix Album of the band, all tracks of "Notes From The Underground " remixed by renowned artists like Front 242 or Assemblage 23 etc, called REMIXES FROM THE UNDERGROUND" and included was also the very first video disc of COX.

A few months later the single " There's No Tomorrow" was released with various remixes on it and soon 2003 saw the release of their latest album" Farewell",It topped the DAC charts with a number 1 position, number 2 on the World DJ charts, was voted number 1 in Zillo Magazine soundcheck , basically topping in many alternative charts around the world.

Touring the Album"Farewell"the band gave a concert in Lima,Peru where they never had a gothic / electro band performing before. Hundreds of fans were waiting for the Clan to arrive at the airport and caused chaos for the airport security! [16]

Other Latin American countries were included on this tour like Chile & Argentina were COX already played before. Between 2002 & 2003 saw Clan Of Xymox touring many countries in Europe, playing festivals, a return to Mexico, in short playing many shows for thousands of people. In 2004 a new live members joined the band on guitar,Mario Usai. ( known from playing the bass with Sophya)

In September 2004 Best Of Clan Of Xymox album was released

January 2006 the EP" Weak In My Knees", included are remixes of Azoic, Destroid ,Grendel and Siva Six plus a video .followed by the release of the album " Breaking Point" got 5 star reviews, entered high on all charts possible and imaginable , COX embarked on a further tour , this time operating from Germany, where the album Breaking Point got finished. 2007 Saw the release of the single Heroes ( David Bowie ) and On A Mission , a kind of taster/teaser for the forthcoming album Clan Of Xymox. March 21st 2008 saw the first double DVD ( Visible, limited edition )release of Clan Of Xymox ever. The DVD is full of clips , live material , a Live special at Mera Luna , backstage scenes , an interview with Ronny Moorings, impressions of personal footage during the foreign tours It reached number 1 sales charts, backed up by an extensive tour in 2008 including many festivals.

Early 2009 Clan of Xymox switched labels, going to Trisol Records in Europe but staying on Metropolis in the USA and Gravitator in Russia. In July 2009 the single "Emily" was released.July 2009 saw the release of the single "Emily" ,a fortaste for the new album and reached nb 1 in DUC & DAC


The last album "In Love We Trust"came out worldwide August the 18th 2009 and reached nb 1 in the DUC & DAC nr.4 and is now already considered another classic of the band. The band announced a new album release for May 2011[17]

Discography

1983–1991: Ronny Moorings, Pieter Nooten and Anka Wolbert

Studio albums

  • Clan of Xymox – (LP Album) 1985 - 4AD, Boudisque • (CD Album) 1985 - 4AD • (1986) - Relativity
  • Medusa – (CD Album) 1986 - 4AD • (
  • Twist of Shadows – (CD Album) 1989 - Wing Records • (LP Album) 1989 - Wing Records, Polydor • (CS Album) 1989 - Wing Records
  • Phoenix – (CD Album) 1991 - Wing Records, Polydor (UK) •
  • "Phoenix" (CS Album) 1991 - Polydor (UK) • (LP Album) 1991 - Mercury, Polydor

Singles/EPs

  • "Subsequent Pleasures" – (12" Mini Album) 1983 - no label • (CD Album, Ltd. Edition) 1994 - Pseudonym
  • "A Day" – (12") 1985 - 4AD, Boudisque • (12") 1998 - Old Gold
  • "A Day/Stranger" – (12") 1985 - Contempo Records
  • "Louise" – (7") 1986 - Megadisc
  • "Muscoviet Musquito" – (7", Single Sided, Promo) 1986 - Virgin France
  • "Blind Hearts" – (12") 1987 - 4AD, Rough Trade (Germany) • (12") 1989 - Wing Records
  • "Obsession" – (12") 1989 - Wing Records, Polygram Records
  • "Imagination" – (12") 1989 - Wing Records • (CD Single) 1989 - Wing Records • (7" Single) Wing Records, Polydor
  • "Phoenix of My Heart" – (CD Maxi) 1991 - Wing Records, Polydor (US, UK), Polygram • (12") 1991 - Wing Records
  • "At the End of the Day" – (CD Maxi) 1991 - Wing Records • (12") 1991 - Wing Records

1992 – Present

Remixes

  • "Dream On/XDD" - (12") 1992 - X-ULT Records Ltd.
  • "Reaching Out" – (CD Maxi) 1993 - Zok Records • (12") 1993 - Zok Records
  • "Spiritual High (Club Mix)" - (12" Promo) 1993 - Zok Records
  • "Remix" – (CD Album, Ltd. Edition) 1994 - Zok Records

Singles/EPs

  • Subsequent Pleasures – (CD) 1994 - Pseudonym • (CD Album, Reissue) 2001 - Metropolis (RE-RELEASE)
  • "Out of the Rain" – (CD Maxi) 1997 - Tess Records
  • "This World" – (CD Maxi) 1998 - Tess Records
  • "Consolation" – (CD Maxi) 1999 - Metropolis
  • "Liberty" – (CD Maxi) 2000 - Metropolis, Pandaimonium Records
  • "The John Peel Sessions" – (CD EP) 2001 - Strange Fruit • (CD EP) 2003 - Celebration (Spain)
  • "There's No Tomorrow" – (CD Maxi) 2002 - Pandaimonium Records
  • "Weak In My Knees" – (CD Maxi, Enhanced) 2006 - Pandaimonium Records
  • "Heroes" – 2007 - Pandaimonium Records
  • "Emily" – (CD Maxi) 2009 - Trisol Music Group GmbH

Live Albums

  • Live – (CD + CD Enhanced) 2000 - Metropolis, Pandaimonium Records

Compilations

  • Remixes from the Underground – (2xCD) 2002 - Metropolis, Pandaimonium Records
  • The Best of Clan of Xymox – (CD Album) 2004 - Metropolis, Pandaimonium Records, Vision Music, Irond
  • Visible – (2xDVD) 2008 - Pandaimonium Records, Gravitator Records, Vision Music

Studio albums

  • Metamorphosis – (CD Album) 1992 – Mogull Entertainment, X-ULT Records Ltd.
  • Headclouds – (CD Album) 1993 - Zok Records, Off-Beat Records
  • Hidden Faces – (CD Album) 1997 - Tess Records • (CD Album) 2000 - Pandaimonium Records • (CD Album) 2006 - Gravitator Records
  • Creatures – (CD Album) 1999 - Metropolis • (CD Album) 1999 - Pandaimonium Records • (CD Album) 2006 - Gravitator Records
  • Farewell – (CD Album) 2003 - Metropolis, Pandaimonium Records, Irond, 2007 - Gravitator Records
  • Breaking Point – (CD Album) 2006 - Gravitator Records, Metropolis, Pandaimonium Records, Vision Music

Notes from the Underground – (CD Album) 2001 - Metropolis, Pandaimonium Records, 2007 - Gravitator Records

  • In Love We Trust – (CD Album) 2009 - Trisol Music Group/Metropolis/Gravitator Records

Remixes

COX has made several remixes, recently for the Geman group ASP , In Strict Confidence, the female fronted industrial metal act I:Scintilla who released their album "Optiks" on the Belgian industrial label Alfa Matrix holding a bonus disc with a remix by COX beside others by Combichrist, Mortiis and many more.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Strong, Martin Charles (2003). The great indie discography. Cannongate. ISBN 9781841953359.
  2. ^ a b "RPM News". CMJ New Music Monthly. 23 August 1999. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  3. ^ Axel Schmidt, Klaus Neumann-Braun, Axel (2004). Die Welt der Gothics: Spielräume düster konnotierter Transzendenz. VS Verlag. pp. 269–70. ISBN 9783531143538. Retrieved 31 December 2010. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Sutton, Michael. "Clan of Xymox: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Peel Sessions: 04/06/1985 - Xymox". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Peel Sessions: 03/11/1985 - Xymox". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  7. ^ Melody Maker 1987
  8. ^ Robins, Ira A. (1997). The Trouser Press guide to '90s rock: the all-new fifth edition of The Trouser Press record guide. Simon & Schuster. p. 116. ISBN 9780684814377.
  9. ^ Wright, Christian Logan (August 1989). "Rev. of Xymox, Twist of Shadows". SPIN. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  10. ^ http://www.discogs.com/First-Contact-I-Call-Upon/release/253000
  11. ^ http://www.discogs.com/artist/Cyberia+(3)
  12. ^ https://rocketgirl.co.uk/label/artist/pieter_nooten
  13. ^ source : bio Clan Of Xymox www.clanofxymox.com/bio
  14. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=6QwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA14&dq=clan+of+xymox&hl=en&ei=qt8gTdv2N8zJswb-w8jsDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=clan%20of%20xymox&f=false
  15. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=6QwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA14&dq=clan+of+xymox&hl=en&ei=qt8gTdv2N8zJswb-w8jsDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=clan%20of%20xymox&f=false
  16. ^ Canal N , entrivista Clan Of Xymox : ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-DQHcX9RGE
  17. ^ interview Ronny Moorings Orkus magazine Nov. 2010
  18. ^ I:Scintilla remixed by Mortiis, Combichrist, KMFDM and Clan Of Xymox for new album
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