The Names - Swimming (1982)

The Names were a Post-Punk band from Brussels in Belgium that formed in 1978 around bassist and songwriter Michel Sordinia. After playing in local gigs as The Passengers, they changed their name in time for their debut single, Spectators of Life, released by WEA in 1979 to test the market for home-grown new wave music.

The band were keen to sign to a British label, and connected with Factory Records at a gig by Joy Division at the Plan K venue in Brussels. The Names recorded Nightshift in Manchester in August 1980, with producer Martin Hannett. The single is representative of their overall sound: dark, controlled modern rock in the mould of Magazine, Comsat Angels and Joy Division/early New Order, with accomplished keyboards and songwriting.

The Names enjoyed a long and rewarding relationship with mercurial producer Hannett, who also oversaw their next single Calcutta (Factory Benelux, 1981) and debut album, Swimming (Les Disques du Crepuscule, 1982).

The group played live mostly in the Benelux countries and France, including the ambitious Crepuscule multi-media package Dialogue North-South in February 1982. The group had also been booked to appear in Manchester in July 1980 as support to A Certain Ratio at The Beach Club. When The Names were delayed, New Order stepped in for their first live performance after the end of Joy Division.

A final Names single, The Astronaut, appeared in 1982, again produced by Hannett, who had by then split from Factory Records. However the post-punk era was ending, and the band split.

In 1995 original core trio of Michel Sordinia, Marc Deprez (guitar) and Christophe Den Tandt (keyboards) reunited as Jazz, releasing one album, Nightvision.

In 2007 the band played a one-off night, titled "A Factory Night (Once Again), at the legendary Plan K venue in Brussels alongside Section 25, Peter Hook and Crispy Ambulance. This was a return to live music and a return to the venue where they got their break when Rob Gretton liked their music enough to invite them back to Manchester and record with Martin Hannett.

In 2009 Hannett was revered on the track "Zeroes", 1 of 13 songs released as the album, "Monsters Next Door". They launched the album at the BIFFF (Brussels International Fantasy Film Festival) in April. The new line up features the 3 original members plus friends Eric Debruyne (bass) and Laurent Loddewijckx (drums). The album appears on French alt label STR8line records and shows a rockier vein but no less atmospheric and dream-like. The band still live in Brussels.