
Rick Shiver
DJ and founder at Nose Job
Describe yourself, your background and what you do today.
I’m a tropical dandy, DJ and promoter for Nose Job. I also sometimes work as a graphic designer and music producer.
How has Brussels shaped you as an individual as well as your professional activities?
I spent my youth in Strombeek, right next to the Atomium. I then moved to Brussels at the age of 18, first to Schaerbeek to study architecture, and later on to Anneessens. I now live in Kuregem, close to Brussels-South station. I’ve basically always lived here.
It was only a matter of time before I got back on a bike.
List three things you like the most about Brussels, bike-related or not.
- Brussels is a city with lots of different cultures, food and atmospheres where opposites stand side by side.
- It has a bit of a trashy side too, but with a certain surreal charm.
- Besides its small size, Brussels is an international city. Almost everything I need is at my fingertips and neighbouring cities are easy to reach as well.
List three deciding factors that converted you to bicycle use.
- It’s the only way to move fast around the centre, public transport being quite shoddy – barring the two and a half metro lines and the north/south tram connection, that is.
- It feels good to move your limbs after sitting in front of a computer or in the studio all day.
- I used to ride around on my bike all the time as a kid: to school, friends’ houses, sport clubs, parties, girls. Looking for trouble, or simply just cruising. It was only a matter of time before I got back on a bike.
List three favourite bike routes in Brussels.
- Unfortunately, I don’t have much time to bike for pleasure, but I often marvel at the different faces of Cureghem / Kuregem.
- The elevator at Place Poelaertplein, to go from down- to uptown while enjoying a splendid view.
- The cycling path along the canal is a rare setting where the cyclist is king of the road. Hopefully there’s more to come – I would love to see one be made between Rogier and Lemonnier so that I don’t have to slalom through the pedestrianised area, between parked cars and tourists.