ORIGIN:
3RIOTAPES was first a collaboration between Dirk Ivens, Henk Wallays and Sandy Viktor Nys. In those times (1983) their was only snail mail and phones, so 3RIOTAPES was run soon solely by Sandy Nys. It was a low budget, self-made scene. Tape desks and photocopy machines and snail mail were the chosen weapons in the urge of being independent and creating our own way of an uncensored worldwide communication. The first project was the “ audio communication “ series. A tape (K7) compilation with bands and artists from the world wide underground. Each contributor got one chrome master tape and sleeve cover to copy and distribute to his connections. More than 10 compilations where distributed world wide, an immense collection of tape releases followed, from Merzbow to Attrition… This music scene was connected to the mailart scene and backed up by American college radios and free radio stations, in Belgium and Holland, organizations like EE TAPES ( B) and HAMANDAHA productions ( H) were organizing independent K7 festivals with music gigs and labels selling their independent mostly self made releases.
Around 1983, Sandy Nys joined RADIO CENTRAAL, Antwerpen with “NETWERK” a radio show dedicated to those independent tape releases. NETWERK lasted until 1997. During those years, 3RIOTAPES collected an immense amount of music on tape and limited vinyl and CD.
We are working on a database of this collection and in the future we want to offer this archived collection to the world as free MPG. Radio Centraal and his many crazy people (Bobby Colombo!) resulted in weird audio projects and everlasting friendships. ( Spectre, Ah Cama Sotz, Hypnoscull , Insect/Monolith, Dive….) Sandy Nys got involved with music projects like the KLINIK (1985) and HYBRYDS (1986) and released and promoted their first music on 3RIORECORDINGS.
In 1992, 3RIOART vzw became an official organisation.(Registration number, Belgium : 0449.654.584 )
Its aim : to promote underground art and music. It also became home of HYBRYDS, the ritual industrial music and art project from Sandy Viktor Nys.
During the years many artists have used the structure of 3RIOART for their creativity. A music recording and graphical / video studio is available for members.
