- Tim Brean -- keyboards, vocals (1970-71)
- Big Friswa (RIP 1998) -- guitar, vocals (1970-71)
- Pierre Raepsaet (aka Peter Rapsat) (RIP 2002) -- vocals,

  bass (1970-71)

- Chris Tick (aka Christian Servranckx) -- drums, 

  backing vocals (1970-71)

- The Tim Brean Group (Tim Brean)

- Flesh Colour (Big Friswa)

- Big Friswa (solo efforts)

- Laurélie (Pierre Raepsaet)

- Les Partisans

- The Pebbles (Tim Brean)

- Pierre Raepsaet (solo efforts)

- Tenderfood Kids ( Pierre Raepsaet)

- Tim Turcksin (Tim Bream)

- Two Man Sound (Big Friswa)

- The Wallace Collection (Big Friswa)

Genre: rock

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Well Cut

Company: Barclay

Catalog: 920.313T

Year: 1970

Country/State: Belgium

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: Belgian pressing

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5192

Price: $250.00

I spent some of my teen years living in Belgium and walked away with a deep affection for Benelux-based bands.  Though not well known outside of collector circles where this is a sought after rarity, Jenghiz Kahn's "Well Cut" remains one of the treasures in my collection.   

Formed in Brussels in 1970, the Jenghiz Kahn line up consisted of keyboardist Tim Brean (former front man of The Tim Brean Group), guitarist Big Friswa, former Tenderfood Kids and Laurélie singer/bassist Pierre Raepsaet, and drummer Chris Tick. With support from Belgian music journalist/manager Pierre “Piero” Kenroll the group was signed by the French Barclay label.  Released later in the year their debut LP teamed them with producer Eric Vion (who had previously played with Raepsaet in Tenderfood Kids).  First let me warn you that big ticket dealer descriptions labeling this a 'psych masterpiece' aren't even close to the mark. In fact the band occasionally recalled a second rate Ten Years After ('Campus B'), or a more talented, but less pretentious Uriah Heep. The eight songs were actually collaborations with Kenroll (credited as “Piero”) providing the lyrics and Brean and Friswa respectively turning in the music.  Tracks like the lead off number 'Pain', 'Hard Working Man' and 'Mad Lover' were actually conventional guitar and keyboard propelled hard rock, though there were occasionally nods to a more progressive sound ('Trip To Paradise').  Still anyone looking to hear something totally unique was liable to have come away disappointed, though there was something quite endearing in Pierre Raepsaet's heavily accented Paul Rodgers-inspired vocals and the band's clear enthusiasm for the genre.  Kicked along by Brean's keyboards and Friswa's buzz saw guitar, material like the bluesy 'Campus A' and 'Trip To Paradise' was every bit as good as material being churned out by their UK and US competitors. By the way, credited to Jamic and manager Kenroll the cover wasn't something for the squeamish.

photo credit: Paul Corten

"Well Cut" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Pain   (Pierre “Piero” Kenroll - Big Friswa) - 7:38
2.) Campus A   (Pierre “Piero” Kenroll - Big Friswa) - 1:16
3.) The Moderate   (Pierre “Piero” Kenroll - Tim Brean) - 4:07
4.) Campus B   (Pierre “Piero” Kenroll - Big Friswa)  - 1:32

5.) The Lighter   (Pierre “Piero” Kenroll)  - 5:06

(side 2)
1.) Hard Working Man   (Pierre “Piero” Kenroll - Big Friswa)  - 4:40
3.) Mad Lover   (Pierre “Piero” Kenroll - Tim Brean) - 3:05
3.) Trip To Paradise   (Pierre “Piero” Kenroll - Tim Brean)  - 10:00

Though the group apparently recorded some material for a planned second release, they subsequently called it quits.  Raepsaet enjoyed a solo career including representing Belgium in the 1976 Eurovision song contest with 'Judy et Cie'.  Only 56, he died of cancer in April 2002.

clip from Raepsaet's Eurovision performance

There's also a website dedicated to Raepsaet, though it's in French:

http://www.amisdepierre.be/

Friswa released a couple of solo sides, played with Two Man Sound and The Wallace Collection.  He died in 1998.

Tick is apparently alive and working as a baker in Steenokkerzeel, Belgium.