Siglo XX Siglo XX

2020 re-press of an in-demand Onderstroom title from 10 years ago. “I hear noises, imaginary sounds”. Re-issue of Siglo XX's first tape. Recorded in April 1981 and distributed among friends and at gigs, this tape was the first product of their collaboration. And what a tape this is! Heavily influenced by the likes of Joy Division & the whole Factory scene, Belgian’s finest produced a total of nine incredible dark but catchy cold wave tunes. Add to this two bonus tracks from their first demo cassette & you have an essential document of the first Siglo XX years. In 1978 a few friends started rehearsing and playing music together in a garage in Genk, an industrial and former mining town in Belgium. They called themselves Siglo XX. The group's name is Spanish for "Twentieth Century" and refers to a Bolivian mine named Siglo XX, where there was social unrest, so the link with the city of Genk was obvious. Genk also had to cope with social issues as unemployment, poverty and drug related problems after the closure of the coal mines. The members of Siglo XX were Erik Dries (vocals), Antonio Palermo (guitar), Dirk Chauvaux (guitar, bass), Klaas Hoogerwaard (drums), Chris Nelis (synthesizer ; 1980–1982) and Guido Bos (bass ; 1978–1984). Under influence of the punk spirit coming from England, they wanted to make their very own kind of music that expressed their feelings, emotions and views on society.