The Names

這支比利時樂隊最初成立于1977年的布魯塞爾，適逢英國的后朋浪潮興起初期。當(dāng)時他們還叫The Passengers，成日混跡于當(dāng)?shù)匮莩鰣龊?，為了制作他們的首支單曲《Spectators of Life》，樂隊正式改名為The Names。發(fā)行這支單曲也是為了測試家鄉(xiāng)當(dāng)時新浪潮音樂的市場反響。
The Names一直希望簽約于英國廠牌，而在79年布魯塞爾一場集結(jié)眾多英國樂隊(包括Joy Division，Cabaret Voltaire)的Plan K公演使他們?nèi)缭敢詢敚彤?dāng)時在曼城創(chuàng)立不久的Factory廠牌取得合作。1980年8月，The Names前往曼徹斯特錄制第二首單曲《Nightshift》，由一手包攬Joy Division兩張專輯的Martin Hannett擔(dān)任制作。黑暗的后朋氣息，形似Magazine、Joy Division等樂隊的《Nightshift》是他們整體風(fēng)格的一首絕佳代表，單曲曾攀升到英國獨立榜的35位。1982年2月時，樂隊為John Peel的BBC Radio 1錄制了一場演出。
1982年，The Names在80年代的唯一一張錄音室專輯《Swimming》在Les Disques du Crepuscule(由比利時記者Annick Honoré創(chuàng)立，她是Ian Curtis當(dāng)時的情人)旗下發(fā)行，同樣由Martin Hannett制作。專輯在當(dāng)時的反響平淡，樂隊在比利時、法國等地的巡演過后發(fā)行了最后一張單曲《The Astronaut》。由于后朋浪潮在當(dāng)時逐漸褪去，樂隊宣告解散。
1994年，原樂隊的4個成員以Jazz的名義發(fā)行過一張專輯。
到了2007年12月，The Names重組參加了A Factory Night (once again)的演出，2009年4月，生平的第二張專輯《Monsters Next Door》在Str8line廠牌發(fā)行。(by Siren)
by Andy Kellman
Belgian post-punk band the Names were originally called the Passengers, electing to change their name just prior to the release of their first single in 1978. The group first came together in late 1977, with drummer Mike S. Christophe den Tandt, guitarists Marc Deprez and Robert Franckson, vocalist Isabelle Hanrez, and bassist Michel Sordinia eventually filling out the lineup. Franckson and Hanrez would leave by the beginning of 1978, with Sordinia taking over on vocals.
After several gigs supporting the like-minded Magazine and Simple Minds, WEA Belgium became interested in the band and released the band's first single as a one-off. In a seemingly backward sequence of events, the band shopped their major-label single to a couple of their favorite independents, hoping to gain a deal with either Factory or Fiction. Before hearing back from Fiction, the band struck a deal with Factory, home of Joy Division and Durutti Column. 1981's excellent Nightshift single led to the band joining with the Factory-related Crepuscule, a label based in Belgium. However, the one single with Factory proper had both good and bad effects -- good because the label drew immediate attention, and bad because they would forever be unfairly compared to Joy Division. Their linking with Joy Division producer Martin Hannett, although entirely fitting, would also prove to be a double-edged sword.
Their debut LP, Swimming, was produced by Hannett and released in 1982 through Crepuscule. Finished within a week, the album fell through the cracks both critically and commercially. New drummer Luc Capelle sustained a major injury on his motorcycle soon after its release. Temporarily replaced by Michel Silverstein, the band limped through the recording of a final single. The band called it quits before releasing it.
Four members of the band reunited with a new member in 1994; they recorded a full album as Jazz for the Pazz label. Swimming has since been reissued on CD, in addition to the release of the Spectators of Life compilation.