About Me
Patrick Delabie started his musical career in the early eighties when he formed punk rock band The Scoundrels. Their melodic and energetic songs were reminiscent of The Ramones and The Germs, but there were also traces of Hüsker Dü and The Replacements.Their first album, the rather new wavey Don't Cry for the Moon (Swaddle 1986), suffers from a tinny production but already shows Delabie's songwriting talent.Their sophomore effort, Join Hands (Swaddle 1988), is a much more aggressive sounding punk record on which the songwriting has clearly matured. Both vinyl albums were released on Delabie's own Swaddle label and never reissued on cd.Shortly after the Scoundrels' demise, Delabie joined three ex-members of Breda-based new wave band Scream Therapy in a new band called Betty Ford Clinic. In this band he shared songwriting duties with singer/guitarist Hans Ford, but Delabie was mainly lead guitarist. BFC gained much critical acclaim in Holland and Belgium with their debut album Tralalapompompom (Gap 1993). Their unique sound was a strange yet accessible blend of Beefheart, Zappa, punk, country and jazz. Around the same time Delabie began his own recording studio, Studio 195, where he has recorded many Dutch and Belgian bands, such as The Travoltas, Club Diana, Krezip and many others.After one more e.p. (Bettie, Gap 1996), Betty Ford Clinic called it quits in 1994. Hans Ford pursued a solo career as Ford's Imaginary Inferno, while Delabie concentrated on studio work.In 1998 Delabie joined the band Mitch, this time as a drummer. The band released two albums. The second one, Razzle Dazzle (MFSW 2000), received a great deal of attention in the Dutch press.After leaving Mitch in 2000, Delabie released his first solo album I Don't Wanna Be Your Dog (Off The Records, 2000) under the moniker of Specimen. On this album he returns to his punk rock roots wearing influences like Black Flag, The Germs and Hüsker Dü on his sleeve.
In 2005 his second solo album, the first released under his own name, Correct Me If I'm Right (Off The Records 2005) shows a very different approach indeed. This album has a strong country-feel and shows influences of Fred Eaglesmith and Johnny Cash.Thanks Steve !!
