Having previously played in minor punk and new wave bands, Dirk formed Absolute Body Control as a project more influenced by the prototype synthpop sound being produced by the likes of Suicide and D.A.F. The project originally feature Marc De Jonghe (synths) and Veerle De Schepper (backing vocals), though Mark was replaced in 1981 by Eric Van Wonterghem.
The project released a number of cassettes, but only one 7" (Is There An Exit?) and no studio albums during its brief initial run. Through their connection with Sandy Nijs - sometimes collaborator and, later, founding member of The Klinik - and his involvement in the international cassette trading network, Absolute Body Control gained more of a following outside of Belgium. Through these connections, Absolute Body Control received an offer to tour Norway in 1985.[1]
Dirk and Eric later joined forces with Marc Verhaeghen in The Klinik, and the duo of Ivens and Van Wonterghem would later collaborate on a number of other projects, most notably Sonar.
A compilation of Absolute Body Control tracks entitled 'Eat This' was eventually released in 1993. A more comprehensive 2CD compilation 'Lost/Found' was issued in 2005. A 5-LP box set of all their cassette releases followed in 2007. Dirk and Eric also took the project back on stage in 2006 and continue to tour with the project.
In 2007, 22 years after splitting up, Absolute Body Control re-formed and released Wind[Re]Wind,[2] which contains newly recorded versions of select older tracks alongside the new EP "Never Seen", including a remix by The Horrorist. Two new recordings were released in 2010, Shattered Illusion & Sorrow. In 2011 came the album Mindless Intrusion & Surrender No Resistance with remix by the French project Millimetric (aka
François-Xavier Michel of Binär Code and Digital Blood).[3] Later in 2011, the band did a European festival tour with dates in Belgium, the UK, Germany, Norway, and Poland.
2013 saw the project remix tracks by post-punk/electro-wave band Section 25, namely "Microgroove" on the "Invicta Max" 10" and "Beating Heart" on the 2013 remix CD "Eigengrau".
