Front 242 – A Listeners Guide

The Feel Of The Action – Is Far Behind?

And that’s essentially it. Front 242 have just announced their farewell tour, which should provide one final chance to enjoy the classic on stage. , In terms of new music, you’ll have to check out the side projects, of which there are many. Jean-Luc’s vocals for Cobalt 60, Cyber-Tec/C-Tec and 32Crash, Patrick and Daniel’s adventures under the Male of Female name, the recent revival of the Under Viewer and Prothese projects and a recent colab between Jean-Luc De Meyer and Jean-Marc Lederman (of The Weathermen and countless others). Even Richard 23 occasionally emerges from his European Commission day job to vocalise – most notably a tour with Revolting Cocks in 2017.

One day, I’ll write an article devoted to them. But for now, it’s the quick reference lists for the TL;DR generation……

Top XX Lists

There’s going to be several devoted fans who want to “Rant 242” at me for getting this all wrong.  My response to them is – write your own article and tell your own story.  We need more long-form music writing out there!

The Early Era

The key tracks from their formative years.

1. Body To Body
2. No Shuffle
3. U-Men
4. Kampfbereit
5. Operating Tracks
6. Take One
7. Don’t Crash
8. Controversy Between
9. Funkahdafi
10. Commando Mix

The Hits

The most enduring anthems from their “middle era”. 10 isn’t enough so I put 15.

1. Headhunter
2. Tragedy >For You<
3. Welcome To Paradise
4. Until Death Us Do Part
5. Quite Unusual
6. Circling Overland
7. W.Y.H.I.W.Y.G.
8. Masterhit
9. Sacrifice
10. Moldavia
11. Rhythm Of Time
12. In Rhythmus Blieben
13. Felines
14. Rerun Time
15. Neurobashing

The Later Years

Some people write off their stylistic changes from 1993 onwards, but there’s plenty of material of value to be had.

1. Religion
2. Motion
3. Together
4. Crushed
5. Flag
6. Crapage
7. Animal
8. Mutilate
9. Hymn
10. Modern Angel (check below for the real highlight….)

The Alternate Versions

Live and remixed versions of songs that are well worth hearing. Anyone who thinks that Space Frog mix belongs here hasn’t been reading.

1. Tragedy >For You< (Punish Your Machine)
2. Happiness (Re:Boot Live Version)
3. Religion (Pussy Whipped Mix by J.G.Thirlwell)
4. Kampfberiet (Live Moments Version)
5. Headhunter (Live Code)
6. Headhunter (Empirion Mix)
7. Happiness (Underworld Dance Mix)
8. Headhunter (Apoptygma Berzerk Mix)
9. L’Ange Moderne
10. Religion (Trance U Down mix by The Prodigy)

Terminates Here Personal Choice

Finally, it’s the ‘favourite tracks on a smartphone SD card’ selection from yours truly……when I like more than one version of a song, I’ve made it clear!

1. Tragedy >For You< (with Punish Your Machine mix at 1½!)
2. Headhunter (Live Code, V1.0 or the Apop/Empirion versions!)
3. Welcome To Paradise
4. Motion
5. Crushed
6. Religion (original, maybe J.G.Thirlwell’s version for a variant!)
7. Sacrifice
8. Quite Unusual
9. No Shuffle
10. Together
11. Flag
12. Kampfbereit (especially Live Moments version)
13. Happiness (Re:Boot version!)
14. Until Death -Us Do Part-
15. Circling Overland
16. Moldavia
17. W.Y.H.I.W.Y.G.
18. U-Men
19. Masterhit
20. Rhythm Of Time
21. Crapage
22. Felines
23. Mutilate
24. Body To Body
25. In Rhythmus Bleiben
26. Operating Tracks
27. Neurobashing
28. Don’t Crash
29. Geography I
30. Animal (either Radio or Extended mix from EP)

There’s no more – back to the Articles page?