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Luc Van Acker is without any doubt the only true chameleon of the Belgian music scene. From Dutch wavepopband Arbeid Adelt!, to his solo stuff, to the industrial act Revolting Cocks (now reanimated into RevCoWorld) Luc always not only stayed true to himself but he put a stamp as no one else. We were very pleased to have a chat with this legend.

Hello Luc, your first release was a DIY (do-it-yourself) release, how logic was that in those days.

A very logic decision as DIY was the only way to release something for me as I had no idea how to reach record labels in these days and the punk generation showed us before how to do such things.
The multi-track recordings which I recorded with a 4 Track Tape player gave me the possibility to record everything without a band.

You were in Arbeit Adelt!, which was a band that used a lot of lyrics that criticised the society we are living in, something that’s impossible today I believe...

It are different times now, you know. Heavy drinking, drum ‘n bass and putting on the wrong clothes is also a form of protest against the wellness society: extreme pleasures!!!

I think you are a monument...

Yeah but most of the times I feel like some mummy who they took out of the grave to expose. But I try to keep it interesting though…

You say it yourself that you are some ‘enfant terrible’, is that a decision you made yourself?

Yes, I love the spontaneity and the pureness that goes without rules…just the feeling. I still feel that same kid inside my head that wants to play.

‘The Ship’ was overruled by the success of  ‘Zanna’, a genius tune but not a very Luc van Acker-like tune. Don’t you regret that most people only know you from that song?

No, because I adore that song. It’s only so that this song has become the propriety of the masses who have their own story that goes along with it. But In Canada they know “Feels like love” and in Spain they fall for “Heart And Soul”.

Why didn’t you return to the studio after the huge success of ‘The Ship’?

Because the record company decided that at that moment they want to invest in stuff like Soulsister and The Radios and yours truly was told to pack his bags.

So then you decided to go to America, a logic step for a Belgian Artist?
I was standing next to Richard 23 (Front 242) at the DNA Club in Brussels and before I knew it, I was standing next to Al Jourgensen from Ministry in the States.

From Nine Inch Nails to Marlyn Manson, you stood at the cradle of the American industrial/EBM movement...

Yes, all those people I know myself and I also know that all of them have lend stuff from Revolting Cocks, but I see it as a honour as it’s great to pass on the torch anyway…

Revolting Cocks were most of the time quite shocking ... I can imagine some people in the US thought that was very cool?

Hahaha, never we felt something from that as we always played in clubs that only allowed people from above 18. At the same time in the US everything’s forbidden and everything’s allowed, but everything in the right context.

The search for controversy... Do you seek that yourself?

Absolutely as I’m a sick bastard!

Some say you collaborated with Timothy Leary?

No, he was just the roommate from Al in LA but I never met him, I kind of skipped the “heroin”-part from Ministry :-)

What do you think of that American Part of you life?

Most beautiful thing in my life, no doubt! I enjoyed it so much and that it’s why I’m only NOW working on a serious career…

And then there was silence ...

I had a family with 2 kids whom I didn’t want to get involved in the whole musicbiz. My kids still don’t understand if someone comes up to their dad and telling me that they’re a fan. They know me as good daddy, but having said that : I knew that I couldn’t find any new creative input as well , something I hope to find on my new album “Extreme Gentleman”.

So why now back on stage?

Because my heart says so and the kids are almost out of home so..

RevCo World, is that a temporarily project or not?

After the US Tour in 2006 I wanted to get on with Revolting Cocks but Al wanted to do it with young people and I decided to do it my way which he thought was a great idea!
We still are in touch and I even got to remix his new material even if it’s not my style but I stay supportive, of course!

Revco World is like the old dude surrounded by some youngsters too!?

Well, I think they’re good and some new sauce over old stuff always works!

Why you play allot of covers?

Well, we are working on new stuff too.

How does it feel to be the Tom Jones of Belgium?

Very disappointed! ...As I found out that the knickers I got thrown at me during the BodyBeats festival were trew by a man!!!!

Thanks Luc!

(Interview by Didier Becu)