Belgian indie veterans Tommigun return with new single "Heavy Bones"

Belgian indie veterans Tommigun are back after a long hiatus with ‘Heavy Bones’, the first single from the album of the same name, due for release on 20 November. The band previously released three albums via Excelsior Recordings and 9000 Records and toured Europe for years as Daniel Johnston’s backing band. ‘Heavy Bones’ is a groovy, life-affirming track about growing older: raw and unpredictable, but above all full of zest for life, despite all the odds.

A new Tommigun record. Ten years after the previous one: Wooden Son.

Coming home after all sorts of wanderings? Is that it?

Coming home to that ugly, beautiful city, Brussels.

Brussels, where Tintin (and Bobbie) greet you with a wry smile as you arrive at Zuidstation and send you off to the dirty, rugged Baraplein. Onward to unpredictable adventures.

Brussels is actually simple. The city touches you, and then you want to get lost in it; or it doesn't, and then you want to leave as fast as possible. Brussels, the home city of Tommigun.

Songwriter Thomas Devos makes small, simple sketches of a few chords and a vocal melody in his music room in Molenbeek. He then brings them to Tommigun in Joeri's garden shed on the outskirts of Brussels. The magic lies in the simplicity and the different personalities who get to work with it:

Kaat Arnaert, a driven theatre maker, engaged, with her finger on the pulse, and a teacher at Brussels theatre school RITCS.

Joeri Cnapelinckx, busy touring with music theatre productions, and besides that the driving force behind several bands such as De Anale Fase and SBR, and also a composer for theatre makers Schippers and Van Gucht.

Pim De Wolf, the sound engineer for a whole string of bands: Arno, The Subs, Ila, Black Leather Jacket, too many to name... producer and mixer, and also a musician in Derek & The Dirt.

Mattijs Vanderleen, a rhythm jack-of-all-trades in several bands such as Marble Sounds, Madou, An Pierlé, and other, more groove-oriented projects.

Bertel Schollaert, saxophonist, teaches at several music academies, also plays in more experimental musical groups such as the Nadar Ensemble, and makes music productions for Lod.

Finally, Thomas Devos, driving force behind the rebirth of cult band Madou, the Belgian pop group of his mother, Vera Coomans. Also active as a composer and musician for dance company Kabinet K and other bands such as The Swimm.

Tommigun, then, as a kind of beacon and creative engine for this restless crew.

Their heartbreak-hangover tunes are bittersweet songs with an underlying threat and, every now and then, a scorching outburst.

A bit like Brussels. Raw and unpredictable, but with a great zest for life, despite everything.

And with Heavy Bones, a fresh can has been opened. The record Heavy Bones feels like a statement: “Heavy bones, heavy bones, I know... yes we head to the bones, head to the bones I know...”

We're all on our way to the end, but not without first making it an intense party.