A BRIEF HISTORY OF BELGIAN NEW BEAT

New Beat originated in Belgium and gained worldwide exposure briefly in the late nineteen eighties as all eyes in the worlds then fledgling dance community homed in to Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels. Characteristically New Beat tracks were between 95 bpm and 115 bpm. Tracks were often repetitive with heart stopping bass and explosive percussion.

Originally the style was started by accident as DJ Marc Grouls played the maxi version of "flesh" by A Split Second at 33rpm instead of 45rpm. Ronnie Harmsen (Fat Ronnie) was the originator when he then began to spin Maxi Singles at 33rpm instead of the stated 45rpm in several Antwerp clubs. People liked the slowed down versions and the scene was born. Influenced by this slowed down sound musicians started making records which were spun at clubs in the Belgian region.

The two most famous clubs became the "Boccaccio" in Destelbergen, Ghent and the "Acienne Belgique" in Brussels. Clubbers from around the Lowlands and the UK flooded into both clubs to hear the latest New Beat sounds.

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