The Arch

There are two bands with the name The Arch: 1) The Arch were a math rock band from St Louis, Missouri featuring members from such bands as The Conformists and Yowie. The only recording of them that there is, is a live recording. 2) About 1987 a lot of things were happening in Belgian music. In Brussels an electronic scene was developping (with bands as Pseudo Code, Digital Dance and others), in Leuven Ludo Camberlin (now co-producer of Praga Khan and Lords of Acid) started his own label Anything but Records and created opportunities for bands who tried something new (amongst them Neon Judgement, Poesie Noire, Men 2nd, Aimless Device and others). In Beveren, Dirk Ivens (ex-The Klinik, now Sonar, Dive and labelmanager of Daft-Records) started Body Records, and in a small village, called Breendonk a group of young people also tried a new direction with a combination of samples, synths and guitars. The Arch sent their first demo, Revenge Revival, to Body Records and the track appeared on the compilation Expo 87. Ludo Camberlin immediately felt the potential of the band too and released a new Revenge Revival mix and 3 other tracks on Anything But Records. The first Arch-EP, As quiet as was a fact. . Most of the Belgian press kindly ignored the new movement except for a fanzine called Mad in Belgium (editor-in-chief was Eric Didden, who now runs Gentlemanagement and manages bands as D.A.A.U., Buscemi and Janez Detd). An interview was published in M.I.B., but it was clear The Arch had to focus abroad where their music was called crossover. It appeared to be the right decision. They had gigs in places other beginnning bands could only dream of : Amsterdam, Berlin, Hamburg, Zagreb, Belgrade, Budapest etc. The first album, A Strange Point Of You was also released on Anything but Records, then Antler-Subway became their record company. After The Only thing in 1991 The Arch split. Wim Danzig and Ludo Camberlin left the band and then it became quiet. Months became years but in 1997 a German label released a new album called In Sofa and afterwards a compilation and a double compilation CD was available over there. Again there were a few gigs in Germany and Vienna but then it seemed quiet again, though it really wasnt. New songs were written, a drummer joined the band and left again, and Pieter De Clercq became a permanent member on guitar. The result will be a new album in fall . Wim Oosterlinck (one of the most famous radio DJs in Belgium) liked the new single Containerpark and put it as the first song on his podcast from and about London : The London Tapes. At their 20th anniversary the future or The Arch looks promising again.. Check out past and present and the link section for additional info. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.