Parade Ground - The Golden Years (2025 Remaster) [Dark Entries]

Parade Ground has always been the duo of brothers Jean-Marc and Pierre Pauly from Brussels, Belgium, formed in 1981. Taking influences from Post-Punk, Coldwave, Dadaism and Surrealism, Parade Ground channeled suffering, tension, and anger through pulsing synthesizers, skeletal guitars, stark basslines, and Jean-Marc’s expressive vocals, considering them the most melodic and emotional instrument. The Golden Years is a 11-song collection spanning Parade Ground’s entire career, featuring their long out-of-print 7” and 12” singles, as well as rare compilation tracks from the pioneers of body music created between 1982 and 1988.

Parade Ground first appeared on the LP Nationale Rockmeeting in 1982, hitting straight to the heart with the passionate plea “I Shut My Eyes”. Later that year, the brothers met Daniel B. and Patrick Codenys of Front 242, initiating a collaboration that continues to this day. In 1983, they released their debut 3-song EP Moan On The Sly on the New Dance label, a musical blend of Joy Division and Fad Gadget. 1984 brought new explorations into the world of body music with the 3-song EP Man In A Trance and 2 tracks on the Mask Promotion live concert compilation, both released on Front 242’s Mask Music label. The following year, the 12” single Took Advantage/Moral Support was released, incorporating state-of-the-art modular synthesizers programmed by Daniel B. and backing vocals by Flo Sullivan (A Formal Sigh, Shiny Two Shiny). In 1987, the brothers collaborated with Colin Newman of British post-punk band Wire, who produced and lent his vocals, guitars, and keyboards for two songs (Moans/Action Replay), while Daniel B. produced the B-side Gold Rush on the Dual Perspective EP, which stands alongside 80s anthems by Tears for Fears, Modern English, Echo & The Bunnymen. Finally, in 1988, their debut album Cut Up was released on Play It Again Sam Records and featured the singles Strange World and Hollywood. In 1993, the brothers wrote and composed vocals for two Front 242 albums, Up Evil and Off. After 15 years of silence, the brothers released their second album Rosary in 2007 and continue to write new material and tour with their extensive catalog of dark dance classics. Each LP includes a 6-page press kit with lyrics, discography, photos, and liner notes by Daniel B. of Front 242. The history of Belgian electronic music would not be complete without a tour through Parade Ground’s “The Golden Years.”