DAVID ELMY
David Elmy
Move This: The Oral History of Technotronic
Technotronic was a phenomenon.
A platinum selling music group that exited the music scene just as quickly as they conquered it. They introduced electronic music to the mainstream and set off a sonic revolution the likes of which hasn't been seen since four tiny Englishman brought their mop tops to America. EDM owes a great deal to Rave and Techno music.
Rave and Techno owe a great deal to Acid House and Eurodance. And before any of that there was...Technotronic.
​​​​​​​​​In the early 1980’s Jo Bogaert was a bassist in a Velvet Underground tribute band. Filled with drive, ambition, and outrageously stupid beats Bogaert rose to the forefront of the Belgian New Beat movement. Bogaert stretched himself across various projects, but his focus and passion always seemed to point at one above the rest...Technotronic. Now let's hear from some of the people who bravely danced through this revolution and lived to tell.​
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Mike Miller, Music Express Monthly
Belgium was known for beer and waffles before 1989. Jo Bogaert opened the world up to this country. And when he stopped making music Belgium got just a bit darker and chillier.
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Sarah De Smet, Belgian UN Delegate
We are still known for beer and waffles.​
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​Lucie Verbeke, EDM Critic for the Belgian StandardI first saw Technotronic at the Purple Shandor in Ghent in East Flanders. They were raw but the beats were in place. Bogaert had such presence on the stage, like a giant beacon of rhythm dancing. The lyrics were not up to snuff though, one early song entitled “Dance” is just the word “dance” repeated 28 times. Bogaert needed a lyrical muse and he found that in Ya Kid K.
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Elvis Costello, Musician
Sorry, can't say I know who Technotronic is. Also, how did you get my number?
​Jack Sikora, SBK Records A&R
When those two got together, it felt like Belgium had found it's Lennon/McCartney.
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Susan Dubowski, Frequent Sam Goody* Customer
Technotronic? Can’t say I remember them, and I spent a lot of time in the “T” section of Goodies. I was a huge Tony, Toni, Tone fan.
Lucie Verbeke, EDM Critic for the Belgian Standard
People focused on the beats but the other parts of the tapestry were exquisite. The synthesizers were so heavy and buoyant all at once.
Bert Grant, Technotronic Roadie
Synthesizers aren’t that heavy. I can fit one under my arm, and I have two arms so I can carry two if need be.
Sarah De Smet, Belgian UN Delegate
When “Pump Up the Jam” went number one our stock market surged. Some said that waffle futures were up but everyone knew that it was Technotronic that had rallied the franc. There was talk of renaming the Belgian franc the “Bogaert”.
Wilfried Martens, Prime Minister of Belgium
We stayed out of Gulf War I at the urging of Jo Bogaert which turned out to be a blessing because our soldiers would have tracked sand back into Belgium. I hate sand.
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Lucie Verbeke, EDM Critic for the Belgian Standard
I’m not saying that Jo Bogaert is the most important composer since Mozart...but Jo Bogaert is the most important composer since Mozart.
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Wilfried Martens, Prime Minister of Belgium
Every child in Belgium can recite the names, Jo Bogaert, Kid Ya K, Reggie, MC Eric, Daisy Dee, Pigsty, Jealous Ricky, The Fountain of Melissa, and Little Doo-Doo. May God bless and keep Technotronic.
Susan Dubowski, Frequent Sam Goody Customer
Oh right, “Pump Up the Jam”. Cool?
Manuela Kamosi was a teenager when she sang lead on “Pump Up the Jam”. For reasons only known to Jo Bogaert, God, and a PR team, the decision was made to have Congolese model Felly Kilingi pretend to be the lead singer when the smash music video came out. When their second single “Get Up” debuted to critical acclaim another decision was made to put Manuela aka Ya Kid K front and center. The reason for this reversal is only known to Bogaert, God, and a PR team desperately trying to right a wrong.
Mike Miller, Music Express Monthly
I can't blame Bogaert for the Felly Kilingi scandal. A big part of music is selling an image and Jo was feeling tremendous pressure to come up with a visage that the music community would respond to. But yeah, it was a dick move to Ya Kid K.
Jack Sikora, SBK Records A&R
Ironically it was Ya Kid K’s personal style that shot the group into a completely different stratosphere. I got the band on SNL. I met Fred Savage backstage, really nice kid, salt of the Earth. I loved Wonder Years, never missed an episode.
Ronald McCormick, Owner of Lids Retail Franchise in Hennapeck Mall
Oh yeah, Ya Kid K. She is a legendary spokesmodel for baseball caps. When Technotronic exploded on the world baseball cap sales rocketed into the multi-millions. Those were the salad days in the hat business. I was operating seven Lids locations. Now I just have the one kiosk here by the food court, the golden eagle had to die at some point.
Jack Sikora, SBK Records A&R
There were so many offers coming in and we did them all. Everyone got too rich too quick. Most of my 'tronic money is gone, thanks to my scumbag brother-in-law Barry. Bad land deal in Phoenix. Someone sold him the Sonoran desert.
Barry Thomas, Jack Sikora’s Brother-in-Law
The deal seemed legit at the time. Anyone of you would've done it!
Lucie Verbeke, EDM Critic for the Belgian Standard
If you’re asking me to talk about the New Beat movement and Technotronic separately I can’t.
Mike Miller, Music Express Monthly
They were shot out of a cannon and they pointed the world into a new musical direction. A path that people still follow today. Modern dance music will forever owe a debt to Technotronic. They are that important.
​​Elvis Costello, Musician
Please leave me alone, I already told you I don’t know who Technotronic is.
Elvis Costello, Musician
This has moved past annoying and into harassment. I have notified the authorities. And don’t tell me this was an accident. I understand that accidents will happen, but this is ridiculous.
