T.C. Matic

Formed in 1980, TC Matic was a post-punk / alternative rock band from Brussels, Belgium. The roots of the band extend back to the 1970s when singer Arno Hintjens and guitarist Paul Couter (aka Paul Decoutere) formed the rhythm and blues band Tjens-Couter. The group – which later included Ferre Baelen (bass), Rudy Cloet (drums), and Serge Feys (keyboards) - recorded two albums in the second half of the 1970s. After a lineup shuffle, they embraced the new wave, punk, and post-punk esthetic and changed their name to TC Matic in 1980. They released their self-titled debut album in 1981, which featured the hit single “Oh La La La.” Their second album, L'Apache (1982), was also a success and was followed by the 1983 album Choco, which included their best-known song “Putain putain.” In 1985, they released their fourth album, Yé Yé, and the hit single "Elle adore le noir pour sortir le soir." TC Matic toured Europe with Simple Minds in 1985 in hopes of reaching a wider audience. However, the band broke up in 1986 in the wake of chaotic stage performances. Singer Arno Hintjens then pursued a long and successful solo career. In 2020, Arno, who has been referred to as the ‘Belgian Tom Waits,’ revealed that he had pancreatic cancer. He died on April 23, 2022, almost exactly a year after the death of his former bandmate Paul Couter, who also died of cancer on April 27, 2021.