Telex

Utilizing synthesizers and processed vocals, Belgian trio Telex debuted in 1978 with a bright and futuristic sound that at the same time raided pop's past. They scored a Top 40 U.K. hit with their mellow version of "Rock Around the Clock," which was soon followed by two placements on Billboard's U.S. club chart: "Moskow Diskow," essentially a supercharged spin on Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express," and "Euro-Vision," a purposefully trite entry in Eurovision Song Contest 1980. After their two first albums, Telex enlisted Sparks' Ron and Russell Mael as lyricists for Sex (1981), and then reverted to self-contained status for Wonderful World (1984) and Looney Tunes (1988). How Do You Dance? (2006) ended a long hiatus with a renewed emphasis on irreverent covers. Telex effectively ended with the death of Marc Moulin in 2008, but surviving members Dan Lacksman and Michel Moers have since overseen a thorough reissue program.