Clan of Xymox, also known as simply Xymox, are described as a gothic darkwave band formed in Nijmegen, Netherlands in 1981. Clan of Xymox featured a trio of songwriters – Ronny Moorings, Anka Wolbert, and Pieter Nooten – and gained success in the 1980s, releasing their first two albums on 4AD, before releasing their third and fourth albums on Wing Records. Their 1980s releases included synthpop/electronic dance music. The band is still active, continuing to tour and release records with Moorings the sole remaining original songwriter.
Links to Peel
The indie label 4AD, released their eponymous debut album in 1985. The track 7th Time, with Anka Wolbert on lead vocals, was picked up by John Peel, leading to the band recording two of the Peel Sessions at the BBC, in June and November 1985. Peel referred to the band's dark and melancholic sound as "darkwave".
In 2001, their Peel sessions album was released with Ronny Moorings praising Peel and describing their first session in the sleevenotes:
"In the eighties John Peel was for us quite a mythical figure, a great discoverer of new bands. The best support you could get as a starting band would be being played on Radio 1 by John Peel. When we got a phone call from 4AD to come to the UK and prepare songs for a John Peel session we were thrilled and nervous at the same time. On arrival at the BBC studios we met the technicians informing us we had four hours to record. The pressure and strain was rising. Also adding to our nervousness was that all the plugs on our equipment had to be changed to standard UK plugs. However, according to the BBC's rules this only could be done by a BBC engineer, 'Regulations, sorry'. This took one hour off our time to record but luckily, in the end, everything turned out fine for us. Later in the evening everything was mixed by the two BBC engineers, but the only shame was that we never met on that recording session the great John Peel in person..."
After Peel's death, it was later found he had their first two albums in his Record Collection: X.
Sessions
CLAN OF XYMOX 🎵 The John Peel Sessions 🎵 Full Album ♬ HQ AUDIO
All sessions available on The John Peel Sessions (2001, CD, Strange Fruit)
1. Recorded: 1985-06-04. First Broadcast: 17 June 1985. Repeated: 19 August 1985
- Stranger / Moscoviet Mosquito / Seventh Time
2. Recorded: 1985-11-03. First Broadcast: 13 November 1985. Repeated: 26 November 1985
- After The Call / Agonised By Love / Mesmerised
Other Shows Played
- 1985
- 05 May 1985 (BFBS): '7th Time (LP-Clan Of Xymox)' (4AD)
- 03 June 1985: Stumble And Fall (album -Clan Of Zymox) 4AD
- 24 June 1985: A Day (re-mix) (12") 4AD
- 1986
- 14 April 1986: Muscoviet Musquito (Remix) (v/a LP - Abstract Magazine Issue 6 - Audio Visual) Sweatbox
- 31 July 1986 (BFBS): '7th Time (LP-Clan Of Xymox)' (4AD)
- 01 October 1986 (VPRO): 7th Time (LP - Clan Of Xymox) 4AD
- 03 December 1986: Lorrentine (LP - Medusa) 4AD
- 1987
- 07 December 1987: Blind Hearts (12") 4AD
- 2001
- 14 November 2001: Moscoviet Mosquito (EP – The John Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
- 29 November 2001 (Radio Eins): Moscoviet Mosquito (EP – The John Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
- Other
- U.K. Buzz: A Day
