LAVVI EBBEL

Hypernervous and unstoppable energetic funk-rock band of the early eighties.

Fronted by hyperactive Cas Van der Taelen, this 9 heads strong band battled their way trough endless clashes with their record companies. Only 2 years later this exercise in group democracy gave up the fight.

Producer Jean-Marie Aerts recalls producing Lavvi Ebbel as one of the most difficult jobs he had to perform : "Once I really had to lift heavy rocks. That was with Lavvi Ebbel. Heavy! The records where recorded in a rush and I had to use all my energy to keep the bunch together. Lavvi Ebbel, that was chaos." At another time (Humo, 1985) he said something altogether different about the experience with Lavvi Ebbel : "that group looked at me as a guru. That way, a group is to dependent on me, and that's not healthy. Not that they have to hit me on the head, but they have to feed me, and then I'll feed them. Only then you can make a fantastic record".

The B-side of the first single "Give me a gun" got received very well. The breakthrough came a year later with the mini-album "Albü Meth" of 1982. "Victoria" became a radio-hit.
They were consequently signed by record-company Les disques du Crépuscule who hire New-York producer David Avidor to record the album "Kiss me Kate". That turned out to be a disappointment.
Cas Van der Taelen : "I think the group was over its creative top at that time. Initially the group got its strength from its spontaneity and its dynamism. But at the end the musicians started to play better and make the music too complicated. The spark was gone."

Van der Taelen took the brass section with him to a newly formed band "La Cosa Nostra" and still later in "Cas and His Organized Crime". These bands, who also performed a kind of nervous city-funk, never got the impact of their predecessor though.

Later Cas Van der Taelen became a celebrated and controversial TV-reporter, with highly acclaimed documentary programs for BRT and RTBF. He also is a so-called "BV" (Bekende Vlaming or Well-known Flemish person) who ventilates his opinions on Belgium to everyone who wants to hear, which ultimately led him to a career in politics (for the green party Agalev).

Members :
- Cas Vander Taelen (vocals)
- Mark De Wit (guitar)
- Chris Van Ransbeeck (guitar)
- Francis Gehys (bass)
- Bea van Ransbeeck (keyboards)
- Erik de Wit (drums)
- Jan Weuts (trumpet)
- Erik Michiels (sax)
- Christine d'Haeger (vocals)

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Albums (Lavvi Ebbel) :
- Albü Meth (Polydor - 1982)
- Kiss me Kate (Les disques du crépuscule - 1982)
Singles and 12''
- Out of the Blue / Give me a gun (Lavvi Ebbel - 1981)
- On the telephone / Desire ( Vogue - 1981)
- Victoria (Polydor - 1982)
- Telepathia (Crépuscule - 1983)

Albums (La Cosa Nostra) :
- La Cosa Nostra (Crammed Disks - 1985)
Singles and 12'' :
- Coming closer (Crammed Disks - 1985)

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