Fuse: 30yrs of making noise (pre-order).

AfterClub and Fuse are proud to present the first book ever about one of the longest running nightclubs in the world.

Pre-order now, get a 10 euro discount and your name written in the book.

Pre-order runs until September 15, 2024. The book is expected for November 2024.

The above price doesn't include shipping. Shipping will be calculated during check-out. A free pick-up option in Brussels is available at Sono Ventura, just a stone's throw away from Fuse.

Everyone who pre-orders will have their name written in the book, as a token of gratitude for supporting the book from this early stage. By default the name used for the order will be printed. Want another name? Contact koen@afterclub.be

The book "Fuse: 30 yrs of making noise" chronicles the evolution of Fuse, showcasing the DJs, the dance floors, the backstage, the staff, and, most importantly, the clubbers. It presents a unique photographic archive of the unforgettable moments that have defined its remarkable 30-year legacy, alongside tons of flyers and posters from the extensive Fuse archive. The book brings dozens of artifacts and memorabilia back to life, objects quintessential to the club’s identity. Lastly, it shares many stories from the protagonists, completing an oral history that stitches together triumphs and challenges, highlighting the collective resilience and spirit that define their shared heritage. 

"The world wasn't waiting for a techno club." Reflecting on 1994, Fuse's founding year, co-founder Peter Decuypere dispels the glamorous cliché associated with launching a new venture: a nightclub.

Indeed, it was touch and go when, after several months, Peter and his co-partner Thierry Coppens decided to pull the plug and cracked open a bottle of champagne on a Saturday night that again seemed to draw too few people. Until head of security Dominique Martens, still at Fuse's door today, came to tell them that people did show up that night. Lots of people even. 

Welcome to the start of something special. 'I ♥ Fuse - Overwhelming After Club Techno,' the title of the first compilation CD from the club in 1995, carries a wealth of meaning. It references the exploration of a new genre, techno music, pioneered by Black producers in Detroit and introducing fresh breaths of air across the Old Continent with Intelligent Dance Music. Unlike the bold and trance-induced rave music played in other clubs, the DJs and producers performing live at Fuse drew inspiration from the futuristic and experimental new sounds. 'The First Techno Club in Belgium' was proudly stated on the club’s initial artwork.

The CD's title also employs the heart emoticon (♥)—long before our daily chats were bombarded with these digital shortcuts to emotion. At the time, it was a clever and witty adaptation of the 'I love X' slogans that consumer culture in the Western capitalist world had popularized.

The opening track of the compilation is courtesy of Fuse, an early alter ego of Richie Hawtin. It’s a tribute to the Canadian producer, after whom the club was named. I ♥ Richie appeared on a Fuse t-shirt, alongside Laurent (Garnier) and Carl (Craig), other early heroes of the club. Artists like Black Dog, Luke Slater, and Autechre performed in those initial years, as did Aphex Twin, The Orb, Speedy J, Juan Atkins, and many more. The young, unmasked, and then-unknown duo Daft Punk made an appearance in Brussels, as did the enigmatic Björk. Among the first resident DJs were Quinten, Pierre, Deg, and Trish, with many others to follow.

Fuse has its roots in techno but has never been confined to just one music genre. Quirky and allergic to pigeonholing, the artistic direction of the club remained open to other emerging electronic dance music genres that sprouted like mushrooms. House, trip hop, ambient, drum & bass, and even trance found their way into the three rooms of the former cinema. In retrospect, this openness to new trends is what has kept Fuse alive. With techno as the always respected mother genre, the venue has been a powerhouse of electronic music culture for three decades and counting. Long live Fuse!

Written by Koen Galle
Published by AfterClub in kind collaboration with Fuse
Graphic design by Otis Verhoeve
Language: English

Kindly supported by La Ville de Bruxelles / De Stad Brussel

Do you have anything to offer to the book? Vintage flyers? Cool pictures? A fun story? Please do get in touch with koen@afterclub.be

Please note that while you can purchase additional items from our webshop in the same order as this book, we will ship the complete order in one package. Therefore, shipping of other items will be delayed until the Fuse book is ready.