TC Matic

{{Short description|Belgian rock band (1980–1986)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = TC Matic | image = TC Matic-1980.png | image_size = 260 | landscape =  | alt = | caption = TC Matic in 1980: From left: Ferre Baelen, Jean-Marie Aerts, Arno Hintjens, Serge Feys, Rudy Cloet | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Belgium | genre = Rock | years_active = {{start date|1980}}–{{end date|1986}} | label = | website =  | current_members = | past_members = {{unbulleted list| Arno Hintjens | Jean-Marie Aerts | Paul Couter | Ferre Baelen | Rudy Cloet | Serge Feys | Michael Peet}} }} '''TC Matic''' (also stylised as '''T.C. Matic)''' was a Belgian rock band founded in 1980 in Brussels. Centered on singer Arno Hintjens and guitarist Jean-Marie Aerts,<ref name=keunen>{{cite book|last=Keunen|first=Gert|title=Pop! : een halve eeuw beweging|year=2002|publisher=Lannoo|location=[Tielt?]|isbn=9789020948714|page=205|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZK_GapFTzi8C&pg=PA205}}</ref> the band played a kind of music sometimes referred to as "eurorock", containing various styles including new wave, blues, funk, hard rock, avant-garde and French chanson. The band released four studio albums and attained a measure of commercial and popular success, and disbanded in 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 April 2024 |title=Muzikant Jean-Marie Aerts (72) overleden, bekend als gitarist van T.C. Matic en producer van tal van Belpopbands |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2024/04/21/muzikant-jean-marie-aerts-tc-matic-overleden/ |website=VRT |language=nl}}</ref>

==History== The band has its origin in the duo Tjens-Couter, composed of Arno Hintjens and guitarist Paul Couter,<ref>His last name is spelled variously, also as Decouter, Couter.</ref> which played rhythm and blues<ref>{{cite book|title=Belges en France|last=Mercier|first=Jacques|year=2006|isbn=9782873864781|page=121|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pj8A6TTd2cwC&pg=PA121}}</ref> since the early 1970s, and in 1974 were augmented with Ferre Baelen (bass) and Rudy Cloet (drums), and in 1977 with Serge Feys (keyboards).<ref name=wangermee/> Two albums were released, ''Who Cares'' (1975) and ''Plat du Jour'' (1978).<ref>{{cite book|last=Jeffries|first=Stan|title=Encyclopedia of world pop music, 1980-2001|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofwo0000jeff|url-access=registration|year=2003|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=9780313315473}}</ref> In 1980, the group was renamed TC Matic after the Yugoslav surrealist poet Dušan Matić.<ref name=wangermee/> Decoutere was soon replaced by Jean-Marie Aerts, who cooperated with <ref>book|last=Robbins|first=Ira A.|title=The Trouser Press guide to new wave records|year=1983|publisher=C. Scribner's</ref> Hintjens in the majority of the band's compositions and produced the first three albums.<ref name=wangermee/> Their debut album, ''TC Matic'', was described as a mixture of Killing Joke and Gang of Four;<ref>{{cite book|last=Robbins|first=Ira A.|title=The Trouser Press guide to new wave records|year=1983|publisher=C. Scribner's Sons|isbn=9780684179438|pages=[https://archive.org/details/trouserpressguid00robbi/page/316 316]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/trouserpressguid00robbi/page/316}}</ref> they scored an early hit in Belgium with "Oh La La La" in 1981,<ref name=keunen/> and another with "Putain putain" from 1983's ''Choco''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mercier|first=Jacques|title=Belges en France|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pj8A6TTd2cwC&pg=PA121|year=2006|publisher=Lannoo Uitgeverij|isbn=9782873864781|page=121}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Gerardy|first=Denis|title=Histoire du rock et de la chanson française|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z1EBvgcIlfgC&pg=PA138|year=1987|publisher=Editions Dricot|isbn=9782870950470|page=138}}</ref>

In 1984, the Dutch bass player Michael Peet replaced Ferre Baelen. In 1985, the band toured Europe, opening for the Simple Minds,<ref name=wangermee>{{cite book|last=Wangermée|first=Robert|title=Dictionnaire de la chanson en Wallonie et à Bruxelles|year=1995|publisher=Editions Mardaga|isbn=978-2-87009-600-0|pages=63|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=70wwbh-ZXYkC&pg=PA63|author2=Pascale Vandervellen |accessdate=14 January 2011}}</ref> a tour which proved that Belgian bands could attain commercial success outside the country.<ref>{{cite book|last=Grijp|first=Louis Peter|title=Een muziekgeschiedenis der Nederlanden|year=2001|publisher=Amsterdam Univ. Press - Salomé [u.a.]|location=Amsterdam|isbn=9789053564882|pages=866|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nbJFc77yvxEC&pg=PA866|chapter=The opkomst van de Belgische rock in de international popmuziek}}</ref> A final album, ''Ye Ye'' (1985), was produced by Howard Gray. The band broke up in 1986.<ref name=wangermee/>

==After the breakup== Arno Hintjes started a solo career, under the name Arno.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 January 2022 |title=Arno, de Belgische Tom Waits |url=https://focusonbelgium.be/nl/Kent%20u%20deze%20Belgen/arno |url-status= |access-date= |work=focusonbelgium.be |language=nl}}</ref> He continued to cooperate with Jean-Marie Aerts, who went on to work mainly as a producer (for Jo Lemaire and the Urban Dance Squad, among others), and with two other ex-TC Matic-members, drummer Rudy Cloet and keyboard player Serge Feys.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 May 2024 |title=PRODUCER a selection from the archives |url=https://www.jeanmarieaerts-jmx.be/producer-2/ |website=jeanmarieaerts-jmx.be |language=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=21 April 2024 |title=Gitarist en producer Jean-Marie Aerts, bekend van T.C. Matic, overleden: ‘Hij zal gemist worden door zijn talrijke vrienden en muzikanten’ |url=https://www.humo.be/muziek/gitarist-en-producer-jean-marie-aerts-bekend-van-t-c-matic-overleden-hij-zal-gemist-worden-door-zijn-talrijke-vrienden-en-muzikanten~b9e445bd/ |url-status= |access-date= |work=humo.be |language=nl}}</ref>

==Members== *Arno Hintjens - vocals *Jean-Marie Aerts - guitar *Ferre Baelen - bass (1980-1984) *Rudy Cloet - drums *Serge Feys - keyboards *Michael Peet - bass (1984-1986)

==Discography== *''TC Matic'' (1981)<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 March 2025 |title=T.C. Matic |url=https://www.musicmeter.nl/artist/13114 |website=musicmeter.nl |language=nl}}</ref> *''L'Apache'' (1982) *''Choco'' (1983) *''Putain Putain'' (1983) *''Ye Ye'' (1985)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Discogs artist|TC Matic}} * {{imdb name|9289180}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tc Matic}} Category:1980 establishments in Belgium Category:1986 disestablishments in Belgium Category:Belgian new wave musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1980 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1986 Category:French-language Belgian musical groups Category:English-language Belgian musical groups