THE KIDS play 'The Kids' (1978)

'We're The Kids and we're the first really Belgian punk band.' said frontman Ludo Mariman in Humo.

The band The Kids, from Antwerp, was established in '76 and is (according to Het Nieuwsblad), to date, the only real punk band that Belgium has ever known. Frontman/singer Ludo Mariman discovered his ideal means of expression in punk and - following the split in '86 - they left an oeuvre of 5 albums and one live album ('If The Kids...'). These were last year released in fine box form under the title 'Anthology', including the album 'Living In The 20th Century', which according to Gust De Coster (author of the standard text 'Wit-Lof From Belgium' about Belgian pop/rock music) can truly be called 'the first fully fledged rock LP in Belgium'. Also belonging to them: the classic 'There Will Be No Next Time', once described by Humo as 'a world hit that never was' and used by Tom Barman on the soundtrack of his film debut 'Any Way The Wind Blows'. In '96 - 20 years after their establishment - The Kids got together once again and in '01 (a quarter century after the beginning of the band) they recorded the explosive live-CD 'Flabbergasted!' in our very own AB.

The Kids' debut of the same name was released in '78, exactly 30 years ago. This album can, without a doubt, be called the only real punk classic in our country. Focus Knack wrote of it: 'Ludo Mariman imports the uppercut called punk.' Guy Mortier in Humo praised them with: 'The Kids present punk in a way that is good to heard: fierce and fast, enthusiastic and sharp, and excellent compositions without pretentions.' Extremely remarkable: 'The Kids' was released barely a year after 'Never Mind The Bollocks' by the Sex Pistols and the punk explosion raged in London. Never before in Belgium was there a fully-fledged answer offered so quickly to a newly established genre. The album was recorded in only one day (with the twelve year old Danny De Haes on bass) and was remarkably produced by Leo Caerts, Will Tura's late conductor and author of 'E Viva Espana'. Songs like 'Do You Love The Nazis', 'Bloody Belgium' and 'Fascist Cops' remain immortal. The album developed into a world wide collector's item in the underground and is simply the most sought Belgian punk album. The version in red vinyl is now worth 125 euro... Indeed: the record is only 25 minutes and 44 seconds long. Want to bet that after this The Kids won't be stopping yet?

Before the concert you will be presented with old images of The Kids. Afterwards, as is now tradition, The Kids will be interrogated by Jan Delvaux (author of 'Big In Belgium. Het Verhaal Van De Belgische Pop') and Knack journalist Wouter Van Driessche.

Line up:
Ludo Mariman (vocals, guitar)
Danny De Haes (bass)
Luk Van De Poel (guitar)
Frankie Saenen(drums)