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REVENGE 88 -Punk legends write another page of Belgian Rock history- By Thomas ‘thomaxe’ Goze 1978 Belgian Rock is dead…almost… As an answer to the lethargic scene, Stagebeast (Frank Dubbe, Willy Willy, Johnny & Danny Markey) decide to perform at the first Humo’s Rock Rally. Stagebeast hit the stage like a thunderstorm, wrecking the place with cream cakes, firecrackers and beer…front man Dubbe screaming out the song Belgium Aint Fun No More. It makes sense. "We decided to do that contest more as an attack on those people than to get the prize" remembers Dubbe. To the band’s surprise, Stagebeast wins the 2nd prize and gets a deal with EMI, kick starting the Belgian punkscene. As for Humo’s Rock Rally, it becomes the most important battle of the bands in Belgium, happening every two years from then on. A couple of years later, Dubbe and his pals, now playing as Revenge88 (after Stagebeast got kicked out of EMI for bad behavior), are back at the Rock Rally and make it to the final again…becoming Belgium’s greatest punk band of all time... 2006 Belgium Ain’t Fun No More…The Belgian Rock scene is dead…almost… One band is keeping it alive…Revenge88 (Dubbe, Misty, Lucky, Glenn,). Fed up with mainstream rock and its conformity, Revenge88 signs up for Humo’s Rock Rally 2006. Hundreds of bands try to make the list, but only a few are chosen to play. Amongst them, Revenge88. On the first day, Dubbe declares that the band doesn’t care about winning, and if they do they’ll just waste the 10.000 Euros (approx. $10.000) prize on a trip to Disneyland…adding that they just want the jury to acknowledge the fact that Revenge88 is the best rock band that Belgium ever had…and Dubbe is damn right about it. Revenge88 wins the pre-selection and soon the controversy starts. People either love them, or hate them (saying that a younger band should win). They play again, and win again. It’s just too late to stop Revenge88, you shouldn’t have let them play in the first place if you didn’t want that to happen . It’s obvious that they are much better than everyone else. On the day of the semi-final, it’s in a bus with 70 fans and a film crew (working on a documentary about them) that Revenge88 make their entrance. They drive the whole crowd wild with another in-your-face performance, and make it to the final which is now scheduled March 26th. Earlier this year the KDX fair released a free limited edition promo CD with the old Stagebeast/Revenge88 singles as a tribute to the band. Dubbe will soon be seen in a movie called "The Ex-Drummer" in which he plays a small part as himself . Five Revenge88 demos recorded in 1980 were recently found back. I am personally working on the project to re-release the old songs along with unreleased stuff as a full length lost album. I already heard from labels in LA, Italy and Japan who showed interest. Revenge88 is planning to storm Belgian radio stations with three new singles which will be released in the next six months. The band will then be looking for a record label to release a new album. Many shows are scheduled, including the Schwung festival in May with Alice Cooper « Stage Beast » Frank Dubbe is back ! He’s the Belgian David Johansen" says the website of the festival. They aren’t wrong about the comparison. Try to think of a mix of David Jo, Iggy Pop, Jim Pursey of Sham69, with the street tough attitude of the Ramones…you’ll get an idea of who I am talking about. But keep in mind that Frank Dubbe is no copycat and never loses of his own personality, he is a true original. A unique front man who sang and penned some of the greatest punk songs ever. Of course, the band wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for the fabulous Misty on guitar/arrangements, the great Lucky Stone on drums (both Lucky and Misten have been Dubbe’s partners in crime since the 80s). But also Glenn on bass and Erik on guitar. The both of them joined the band in the 90s and have nothing to prove as far as talent and attitude are concerned. (Glenn toured the world with Marky Ramone, and Erik is also a member of Gorki). Keep an eye opened for their upcoming releases, check them out online and go see them if you get a chance. Revenge88 is not only the best thing that ever happened to Belgian rock, but simply one of the best band this world ever had. The Belgian scene is dead , but -once again- Revenge88 is bringing it back to life. Never try to stop a legend...cause it might come back stronger than it ever was. www.revenge88.tk special thanks to Kristof Kimpe, and to the families & fans of Revenge88[b]