Their first album, Electronic Jacuzzi, was released in December 2000 labelled by their own Label Company Dragoon and sales quickly topped several thousand. Recorded over several sessions in the spring and autumn of 1999 and 2000, it marks a turning point in contemporary pop and features 12 tracks that travel between groove and noise in an inimitable style.
The rhythm section is relaxed, radical and original, producing a soaring, elastic groove in perfect contrast to the sound of the guitar and doublebass. This adds a tragic quality to the elegance that the group exudes. This vicious aesthetic evokes the essential elements in pop: piano, trash synths, no-wave melodies and addictive rhythms that create a dramatic tension, bringing to the forefront the tragic necessity that drives rock. But this maturity allows for experimentation: bass duos, piano ballads accompanied by cutting breakbeats, distortions and self-deprecating humour, speed-pop and of course the noise holding it all together. It is modern music whose very conception demands a fresh approach to listening to and playing music. Ghinzu brings out the sounds of the instruments rather than playing them in the standard way.
The first two singles from the album are "Dolly Fisher" (a song about the possibilities of romance between man, plastic and voodoo dolls) and "Electronic Jacuzzi" (dedicated to dancefloor fetishists). "Dolly Fisher" was immediately put on the Radio 21 playlist before it was even released. This success was followed by several appearances on different Belgian TV stations and a tour that started in 2000 and finished in 2002, taking in around 50 gigs and a mini tour of Flanders.
Ghinzu released their second album, Blow, in February 2004, an album full of the soul that drives those who live rock as a passage to a different life. The pleasure of listening to this album is in losing yourself within the music and discovering the most incredible characters, the maddest adventures and the most poignant of destinies. An album made to move you without a second thought, in the same way that rock and roll is played. The lyrics exude a kind of venomous dandyism, a sarcastic yet tender vision that draws out social vignettes showcasing the heroes of daily sex and taunting the aristocracy. This exquisite finesse clashes with the controlled and jubilant anarchy of their concerts, as if to assert the undercurrent of the album.
Everyone has the right to boredom, and only a handful have the duty to fight it- Ghinzu is one of them.
In August and September 2003, Ghinzu played several festivals to try out their new compositions on stage with their new multi-instrumentalist Kris Dane. Kris has already proved his talents as a solo artist, and he strengthens Ghinzu on stage, playing keyboards and guitar as well as singing. These dates included very well received concerts at Nandrin Festival and the Nuits Botaniques.
Convinced of the talent and relevance of the group to the modern music world, they were signed by Bang! for distribution and Ghinzu returned to the studio to finish "Blow", after four years of sharpening their venomous dandyism.
Ghinzu was also selected by RTBF to represent Belgium in the European showcase festival "Eurosonic", which took place in the Netherlands on 9 January 2004. Following this gig, a number of foreign festivals in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK showed in interest in attracting Ghinzu.
2004 was also the year of a sell out gig at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, where Ghinzu played together with two other bands (Girls in Hawaii and Sharko), which was covered by all the Belgian Media.
In the summer of 2004, Ghinzu played all the major national festivals: Dour, Nandrin, VerdurRock, Pukkelpop etc.
In Autumn 2004, Ghinzu played a French Tour of around 20 dates to promote their new album (released 7 September). The album was released under the 'Atmospheriques' label (Tarmac, Tahiti 80...), while Radical (Placebo, Moissec, Blonde Redhead) took charge of the French leg of the tour.
In 2005, Ghinzu started the new year with a tour of a few dates in the Netherlands (Venlo, Nijmegen, Tilburg, Den Bosch), where they had been eagerly awaited since the release of Blow and their appearances at several festivals the previous summer (Valkhofaffaire in Nijmegen, Zinin Festival in Utrecht).
This was followed by a second sell out gig at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels on 26 January, this time all by themselves.
After another sell out gig at Paris' L'Elysee Montmartre on 1 February, Ghinzu played their first few gigs in Switzerland. Their tour ended with an invitation to participate in the Montreux Jazz Festival on 15 July supporting the.
Ghinzu is now in the process of winning over the European public by their irrepressible live performances, backed up by an album which has already made its mark. Before starting their summer festivals tour they will be playing the mythical Olympia on 13 June which has already sold out.
Dragon
Ghinzu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Secret orders in human blood letters gone in smoke
I was given a porno kamikaze ninja mission
Locate, dislocate, ladies and gentlemen the Ghinzu Dragon
So like Luke and Yoda, sweating in the force
I was moving in a roolle boolle fashion yoga, rolling in the bone dusts of the previous show
I had to spend an hour on the glue to master my stress
But I'm loaded, clips and guns ready for my rendez vous
Haven't sleeped for a week, haven't died so many time, where does it go,
where does it fly, where does this fucking reptile lie?
An I heard so many things, 50 feet long, a real nagazacrime,
where does it go, where does it hide, where does the Ghinzu baron die?
So I entered the last room of the dungeon
Couldn't believe what was the scene before me
70's brown tuxedo, well dressed human red lizard, shaking slowly, his roxy brandy at the bar
"Be my guest!" he said, "have a rest!", before I let you taste it all of my mystical mixture
It is made of your soul, sour cream, lava Cole, it will teach you to die, your honour against mine
Haven't sleep for a week, haven't died so many time, where does it go, where does it hide, where does this fucking reptile lie?
And I heard so many things, 50 feet long, a nagazacrime,
Where does it go, where does it hide, where does the Ghinzu baron die?
The song "Dragon" by Ghinzu tells a mysterious and intriguing story about a mission given to the singer, whose objective is to locate and dislocate the Ghinzu Dragon. According to the lyrics, this mission involves secret orders written in human blood letters that disappeared in smoke and a porno kamikaze ninja mission. The singer is portrayed as having spent time mastering his stress, loading clips and guns, and not having slept or died for a week.
As the singer enters the last room of the dungeon, he encounters a well-dressed human red lizard shaking slowly while sipping his brandy. The lizard offers the singer a mystical mixture, composed of sour cream, lava coal, and the essence of their soul, which will teach the singer to die with honor against the lizard's.
The lyrics suggest a deep narrative about a dangerous mission with supernatural undertones. The lyrics also hint at a struggle between the singer and the Ghinzu Dragon, portrayed as a mysterious and powerful being. The song paints a vivid picture of a darker world in which danger and death are commonplace, where secrets are written in blood, and mystical mixtures alter one's destiny.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember the envelope and the trace of itself destruction
I recall the envelope that carried secret orders written in human blood letters which were destroyed and left no trace behind.
Secret orders in human blood letters gone in smoke
The secret orders that were written in human blood letters were destroyed and vanished without a trace.
I was given a porno kamikaze ninja mission
I was assigned a dangerous mission that required me to take great risks, like a kamikaze, while also requiring ninja-like stealth and skill, and it involved pornography.
Locate, dislocate, ladies and gentlemen the Ghinzu Dragon
The mission was to locate and capture the Ghinzu Dragon, a dangerous creature that needed to be dislocated from its current location.
So like Luke and Yoda, sweating in the force
Similar to Luke Skywalker and Yoda from Star Wars, I was using my powers and skills to complete the mission, sweating from the effort.
I was moving in a roolle boolle fashion yoga, rolling in the bone dusts of the previous show
I was moving and rolling like a yoga practitioner, in a way that was flexible and fluid, while in the presence of remains from previous events or shows.
I had to spend an hour on the glue to master my stress
To calm my nerves and deal with the stress of the mission, I had to use some sort of glue or adhesive for an hour to achieve a state of balance.
and check my Vega tattoo
I had to make sure that my tattoo of Vega, a star in the constellation Lyra, was still visible and intact for personal significance or identification.
But I'm loaded, clips and guns ready for my rendez vous
I was fully prepared for my meeting with the Ghinzu Dragon, carrying clips and guns for protection and defense.
Haven't sleeped for a week, haven't died so many time, where does it go, where does it fly, where does this fucking reptile lie?
Due to the intensity of the mission, I haven't slept in a week and have faced death many times, wondering where the Ghinzu Dragon is hiding or fleeing to.
An I heard so many things, 50 feet long, a real nagazacrime, where does it go, where does it hide, where does the Ghinzu baron die?
I've heard rumors about the Ghinzu Dragon, including its size of 50 feet and its evil deeds. I'm wondering where it is and where its leader, the Ghinzu Baron, will meet his end.
So I entered the last room of the dungeon
I finally arrived at the final room of the location where the Ghinzu Dragon was believed to reside.
Couldn't believe what was the scene before me
I was shocked by what I saw in front of me.
70's brown tuxedo, well dressed human red lizard, shaking slowly, his roxy brandy at the bar
I saw a humanoid red lizard wearing a brown tuxedo from the 70s, looking sophisticated and relaxed as he sipped his Roxy brandy at the bar.
"Be my guest!" he said, "have a rest!", before I let you taste it all of my mystical mixture
The red lizard invited me to rest and sample his mystical concoction before he would let me continue my mission.
It is made of your soul, sour cream, lava Cole, it will teach you to die, your honour against mine
The mystical mixture contained ingredients such as my soul, sour cream, and lava coke, and would teach me about death, while challenging my honor against that of the lizard.
Haven't sleep for a week, haven't died so many time, where does it go, where does it hide, where does this fucking reptile lie?
Despite the red lizard’s offer, I still struggled with the lack of sleep and constant near-death experiences, and was still wondering where the Ghinzu Dragon was hiding or traveling to.
And I heard so many things, 50 feet long, a nagazacrime,
I continued to hear stories about the Ghinzu Dragon, including rumors of it being 50 feet long and committing heinous crimes.
Where does it go, where does it hide, where does the Ghinzu baron die?
I pondered where the Ghinzu Dragon was hiding or fleeing to, and where the Ghinzu Baron would meet his end.
Contributed by Luke G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.