Arno, Dubbe, Serge Feys and Frank Vermang mourn Willy Willy: The Keith Richards of Ostend, even of Belgium

Ostend The Ostend music scene mourns the death of guitarist Willy Lambregt (59), better known as Willy Willy. “He launched the solo career of Arno,” says musician Serge Feys. “Call him, feel free to Keith Richards of Ostend, even of Belgium”, author Frank Vermang clear.

Frank Vermang launches this spring his new book, Ostend, rock & roll, " and wrote previously under more of a biography of that other, He muzieklegende, Dubbe. “Willy was fourteen years of age when he came to the then festival Kick in the Velodrome went. There he saw Frank Dubbe’ Debaillie performing with his group The Roots,” says Vermang. “The performance seemed to be worthless, but there was an impressive show performed. These included frisco's in the audience rolled. That gig is Willy will always remember and he would end up with Doubl a musical duo forms, in imitation of Arno and Paul Decoutere. They were the punkpioniers of Ostend, and he quickly got the name Willy Punk.”

Tram shut down

Their favourite pub was The Café, known as Bruxelles and now cafe City of Aalst, near the Marie-Joséplein. “They came in the café with the band Stagebeast, but that gig got out of hand. Even the tramverkeer, that for the door of the case passed, had to be shut down. If publicity could count, hey”, Frank. “With the band Stagebeast, one of the first European, and even Belgian punk bands, they brought in 1979, the final of Humo's Rockrally. The only one: Willy had his military service in Germany to finish and was not there. Stagebeast was even offered a contract for the cultsingle ‘Belgium ain't fun no more’, but Willy was not aware of.”

“Link with Ostend continued”

Ultimately it would be Willy to Brussels, moving with his good friend Dany Willems and working with the Labour Adelt!, Vaya Con Dios and of course The Scabs. “Forty years ago you had no internet, hey”, says Vermang. “You had to be in the right bars and the right contacts have to be able to break through. Beware, Oostende had a major music scene, but all the managers and record companies were in Ghent, Antwerp or Brussels. But even though he lived in Brussels, the link with Ostend remained. He possessed here, for example, an apartment. See, Willy had a big Keith Richards-level. His big example was also the bassist of The Rolling Stones. Yes, call Willy assured the Keith Richards of Ostend, and even of Belgium. He has a hard lived – where Willy was, you saw a cigarette – but he was a very gentle man.”