In de wereld van de alternatieve country, blues en folkrock is de Canadese band Cowboy Junkies een ‘ingetogen’ begrip. De band heeft zijn cultstatus te danken aan zijn tweede album ‘The Trinity Session’, een opname die live en in één ruk werd opgenomen in The Church of the Holy Trinity in Toronto. Hoogtepunt van deze sessie was de bloedstollende cover van ‘Sweet Jane’ van The Velvet Underground uit 1969. Deze versie kreeg bescheiden hitallures dankzij de soundtracks voor o.a. ‘Natural Born Killers’ en ‘The Good Girl’.

De band ontstond in 1985 als een ‘natuurlijk’ groeiproces binnen de Timminsfamilie, met Margo als zangeres, Michael als gitarist en Peter als drummer. De enige niet bloedverwant is bassist Alan Anton. Al meer dan twintig jaar ontwikkelt de band een heel eigen sound, waaruit vooral een introspectieve en verstilde intensiteit spreekt. Hun muziek bestaat zowel uit originele songs, covers en traditionals, waarbij vooral figuren als Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams en Jimmie Rodgers een belangrijke stempel drukten en drukken op de creatieve muzikale trip van de Cowboy Junkies.

Enige tijd geleden vatte de groep het plan op om binnen de 18 maanden vier opnames te realiseren onder het label ‘The Nomad Series’. In 2010 verscheen het eerste deel ‘Renmin Park’ en in februari van dit jaar brachten zij ‘Demons’ uit, met een verzameling songs waarin de invloed en de geest van wijlen Vic Chestnutt nadrukkelijk rondwaart.

Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative country band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 by Michael (songwriter, guitarist), Margo (vocalist) and Peter Timmins (drummer), and Alan Anton (bassist).

The Junkies first performed publicly at the Beverley Tavern and other clubs in Toronto's Queen Street West, including The Rivoli. Their 1986 debut album, produced by Canadian producer Peter Moore, was the blues-inspired Whites Off Earth Now!!, recorded using an ambisonic microphone in the family garage.

The group's fame spread with their second album, The Trinity Session, recorded in 1987 at Toronto's Church of the Holy Trinity. Their sound, again using the ambisonic microphone, and their mix of blues, country, folk, rock and jazz earned them both critical attention and a cult following. The Los Angeles Times named the recording as one of the ten best albums of 1988.

The band was nominated for Group of the Year at the Juno Awards in 1990 and 1991. In the early 1990s Margo Timmins was named "one of the fifty most beautiful people in the world" by People Magazine. The group has continued to tour North America, Europe, Japan and Australia with extensive North American and European tours following album releases in 2002 and 2004. In 2008, they released Trinity Revisited in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the original recording of The Trinity Session.

€ 24 - 21 - 15 - 9
Aanvang: 20:00u.

Tickets • Stadsschouwburg Brugge • Greenhouse Talent • The Cowboy Junkies

GUY SWINNEN BAND

Een groep is een zanger of een zanger is een groep zegt het cliché. Niet volgens Guy Swinnen, zanger van de groep Swinnen. Hoewel hij de songschrijver is binnen de groep zegt hij toch de chemie en de interactie met de overige bandleden nodig te hebben. Op zoek naar dit groepsgevoel startte hij enkele jaren terug met samen met guitarbuddy Bert Van Hoeylandt de groep Jonesy. Als proefkonijn werd de single 'Learning to be free' op het publiek losgelaten. Radio 1 knikte instemmend en gaf het popnummer de nodige airplay. Een enkel singeltje bleek echter niet genoeg om de groep de nodige naambekendheid te geven en op aanraden van Bert werd de groep omgedoopt tot SWINNEN.
Zo weten luisteraars meteen dat ze degelijk rock- en popwerk mogen verwachten van iemand die zijn sporen al verdiende in de vroege jaren tachtig en populair wist te blijven tot een flink stuk in de nineties met zijn eerste band The Scabs. Na de split in 1997 werd eerst het ondergewaardeerde solo album 'Hazy' gereleased onder de naam Guy Swinnen (dat ondertussen niet meer verkrijgbaar is behalve via I-tunes). Dan werd het beste van de theatertour 'Hard Times Revisited' live ingeblikt en dat resulteerde in een smaakvolle akoestische CD die, hoewel low profile, toch op positieve kritieken kon rekenen. De testsingle 'Learning to be free' gaf onze beide partners in crime voldoende moed om te beginnen denken aan een eerste studio album.
Er werd samen gezocht naar geschikte muzikanten en manager Lou Berghmans kwam met de idee aandraven om Mauro Pawlowski als producer aan te trekken. Een briljant idee, zo blijkt, want het album 'Swinnen' van de groep 'Swinnen' mag rekenen op vleiende kritieken in Knack en Humo. 'Misschien het beste wat de man ooit schreef' drukte men. Goeie songs voorzien van eenvoudige doch briljante Pawlowski -arrangementen resulteerde in een goedgemaakt tijdloos album.
Live heeft Swinnen het moeilijker in deze tijden van coverbands en het vrijblijvende entertainment van leuke zangeresjes, terwijl de nieuwe helden van deze tijd de grotere podia inpalmen. Maar Guy is een survivor in meer dan één betekenis van het woord en daarom wordt kortelings het nieuwe live album van Swinnen dat vorig jaar in een nokvolle AB club werd ingeblikt op de prille fans losgelaten. De CD bevat nummers uit 'Hazy' en 'Swinnen'. Ook het nummer 'But never mind.' dat vorig jaar speciaal voor het 'Te Gek!?'-project werd geschreven en de bonustrack 'Robbin' the liquor store' met ouwe Scabsmakker Willy Willy op gitaar vervolledigen dit album. 'Live in Brussels' bevat verder nog coverversies van 'Cinnamon girl' van leermeester Neil Young en 'Fifty ways to leave your lover' van Paul Simon in een eigenwijs arrangement. Een nieuw studioalbum wordt verwacht in het voorjaar van 2007.

THE BOLLOCK BROTHERS

The Bollock Brothers zijn een Britse band die punk- en newwavemuziek maakt. De band is met een reeks cultnummers beroemd geworden.
The Bollock Brothers werden in 1983 opgericht door frontman Jock McDonald, van Schotse komaf. Ze gingen meteen de controversiële toer op door het album van de Sex Pistols volledig te coveren in een elektro-versie. Afgezien van hun voor sommigen aanstootgevende naam ('bollocks' kan zowel, in grof taalgebruik, kloten als onzin betekenen), vielen ze op door hun spottende, ironische teksten en vrolijk cynisme. De single 'God Save the Queen' werd onmiddellijk een succes. Gedurende de tachtiger jaren verwierf de band een grote status in de alternatieve muziekscène; ze spreidde een opvallende aandacht voor ongebruikelijke onderwerpen tentoon. Bekende cultsongs waren onder andere 'The Bunker' (over Albert Speer), 'Harley David (Son of a Bitch)' en 'Horror Movies'.
Na een stille periode in de vroege jaren 90 kwam de band in 1996 weer samen. Tot de vaste leden behoren Mark Humphrey op de synthesizer en de Belg Pat Pattyn (vroeger van Nacht und Nebel) op de drum. In de jaren 80 maakten ook Serge Feys van TC Matic en Bart Peeters deel uit van de band; The Bollock Brothers treden derhalve vaak in België op, waar ze vooral in Oostende nog enige faam hebben. Mark Humphrey overlijdt op 31 maart 2008.
De groep maakte vele parodieën van bestaande nummers; naast een heleboel Sex Pistols-nummers maakten ze zo ook een eigen versie van 'Monster Mash' van Bobby Pickett. Ze schijnen een obsessie voor horror-pulp te hebben: 'Drac's back' en 'For your Blood' gaan over vampirisme. Ook met religieuze thema's spelen ze ('Faith Healer', 'The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse', 'Jesus Lived Six Years Longer than Kurt Cobain'). Zangeres Lolita voegt geregeld teksten in het Frans toe (zoals in 'Wilde Anthology', over Oscar Wilde). Over het algemeen maken ze originele muziek, die naast punk-invloeden ook wave met een gothic-randje verraadt. The Bollock Brothers zijn van relatief groot belang in de niet-commerciële muziekscène.

THE BLACK TARTAN CLAN

The band, their families and fans (Clan members) are proud to present 'The Black Tartan Clan', the first Celtic Punk Rock band from Belgium. We all have a long musical past, Punk Rock for some and more Folk and Traditional for others. These diverse backgrounds is what brings the alchemy to our own compositions. You will notice that we have influences from bands such as, Dropkick Murphys, The Real MacKenzies, but also traditional Scottish bagpipe tunes, also Irish and Breton bands such as Dan Ar Braz, Alan Stivel, Tri Yan, Armen and many more. It is with this perspective that we look forward to collaborating with a wonderful festival/venue such as yours in the future. We hope for a favorable reply and remain at your entire disposition. kind and amicable regards from 'The Black Tartan Clan'.
Het muzikale gezelschap, hun families en fans hebben het genoegen jullie The Black Tartan Clan voor te stellen. Eerste Keltische Punk Rock groep van Belgische bodem. We hebben allen een lang muzikaal verleden achter ons. Punkrock voor sommigen, meer folk en traditioneel voor anderen. Het is deze combinatie dat de alchemie maakt in onze eigen composities die U kunt beluisteren via onze site. Het zal U wellicht opvallen dat onze muzikale invloeden zeer gevarieerd zijn. (Dropkick Murphys, Real McKenzies, maar eveneens traditionele Schotse, Ierse en Bretoense groepen zoals Dan Ar Braz, Alan Stivel, Tri Yan, Armen en vele anderen). Met het oog om samen te kunnen werken met een festival/organisatie als het uwe drijft er ons toe jullie dit schrijven laten te geworden ten einde een muzikale vriendschap te kunnen plannen. Hopend op een gunstig antwoord verblijven wij met de meeste hoogachting.

AROMA DI AMORE

We gaan terug naar 1980 als Didi De Paris mensen zoekt om mee te doen met Humo's Rock Rally. Dat worden Gerry Vergult, Jos Verlooy, Ria De Boodt en Luc Van Capellen. Ze doen mee onder de naam 'De Paris et Les Poseurs de Minuit de Noël', maar zonder succes.
Op een free podium in 1981 ontmoetten Gerry Vergult en Jos verlooy elkaar opnieuw. Ze besluiten samen 'iets' te doen en beginnen een groepje met ook Ria Geboodt, de vrouw van Jos. Ze halen Luc Van Capellen erbij in 1982 die de sound voller maakt. Ze kiezen de groepsnaam Aroma Di Amore. Ze veranderen hun namen naar Elvis Peeters, Fred Angst, Andrea Smits en H.K. Met het nummer 'Doe de maffia' halen ze de finale van Humo's Rock Rally '82. Dat jaar nemen ze nog 6 nummers op in de studio: Avondrood, Gorilla, dans de samba, Dobberman, Kuifje in Afrika, De nieuwe orde en Zij is blij. De eerste 3 nummers verschijnen op een 45-toerenplaat maar verkoopt slechts 75 exemplaren. Nu is het een collectors item waar enorm veel geld voor wordt gegeven.
In 1983 verlaat H.K. de band en komt L Meulen in de plaats. En ze nemen 8 nieuwe songs op in de studio. De pers moet er niet veel van hebben, maar toch ontstaat er een grote fanbasis met vele optredens tot in Nederland, Canada en Zwitserland. In 1984 nemen ze met nieuwe saxofonist Frits De Cauter 'Voor de dood' op dat in de smaak valt bij Studio Brussel. Ook 'Oor' toont interesse met een hoop optredens in Nederland als gevolg. In 1985 nemen ze in Nederland een nieuw album op. Eind dat jaar trekken Lo en Elvis naar Afrika, waardoor de groep stil komt te liggen.
Het jaar erop komen Lo en Elvis terug, maar verlaat Andrea de groep. Luc Pillards komt in de plaats. Het eerste fullalbum 'Harde Feiten' wordt een bestseller in de platenwinkels. Pillards wordt al snel vervangen door Jan Lamberts. Frits De Cauter stapt eveneens op, zodat de groep een trio wordt. Er komt een 2e album in 1987 met een korte tour in Zwitserland. De reacties vallen wat tegen en in 1988 besluiten ze er even mee te stoppen.
In 1990 krijgen ze toch opnieuw de kriebels en trekken ze opnieuw op tournee. Ze maken nieuwe songs, maar zonder reactie van platenmaatschappij's, waarna het opnieuw stil wordt rond de groep. In 1993 wordt er gedacht aan een compilatie en komen er nieuwe optredens. Meningsverschillen tussen Angst en Peeters zorgen voor een definitief einde in 1994.
Elvis Peeters hield zich verder bezig met 'De Legende', als auteur en theater. Fred Angst begint eerst de groep 'Kolk' en daarna 'Zool'. Lo Meulen speelt eerst nog in een Engelse band, maar keert snel terug naar België voor een eigen IT-bedrijf. Wout Dockx stopt met de muziekwereld en heeft een mediabedrijf. Ria De Boodt onderzoekt kunstwetenschappen en archeologie aan de VUB. Frits De Cauter is helaas in 1990 overleden na een slepende ziekte.
In 2004 is er een reünie van de groep met Fred Angst, Elvis Peeters en Lo Meulen.

NEON JUDGEMENT

Time can have a strange effect on music. It puts certain aspects in perspective and makes others redundant. Things that are important at first, no longer matter over the years, while superficial details seem to become more valuable.
Enter The Neon Judgement. Dirk Da Davo's and TB Frank's band certainly has been affected by this double time-effect. Although these Belgian Leuven-based musicians have often been considered the founding fathers of EBM (Electronic Body Music), the high-tech genre form the early 80'ies, combining industrial and electro music, from which later originated new beat and techno...
About a quarter of a century after the first single ‘Factory Walk’ (1982) The Neon Judgement appears to be overtaking time. The band's creative model – electronic music with a rock approach – now exists in many forms and varieties. Furthermore The Neon Judgement's music seems to have been rediscovered by a new and younger generation of hip musicians from all over the world. Today, renowned artists such as Dave Clarke, The Hacker en Tiga often emulate the bands early work (1981 - 1985)
Although time seemed to have forgotten about The Neon Judgement, it also re-instated the band as a hot act. The rough 80'ies wave music inspires today's hip electro-pop. Finally the band is credited for its groundbreaking pioneering work, and even after 25 years the music is far from being outdated. In other words: ahead of its time. Other remarkable fact: as the band's music is a progressive mix of electronics and guitars, The Neon Judgement now appears both on all the important rock festivals (e.g. Dour) and dance-events (e.g. 10 Days Off). Mission nearly accomplished!
With “Smack!”, their first studio album since “Dazsoo” (1998), The Neon Judgement once again prove the relevancy of their presence on today’s music scene. Here’s a band that is still angry – song titles like ‘The Great Consumer’, ‘Leash’ and ‘’Smack!’ live up to their promise – and, most of all, still vintage Neon Judgement: recognisable yet firmly rooted in the new century, brawly and without compromise yet swinging and hopeful. Its good to know they’re there. Live, The Neon Judgement will continue to give art terrorism a good name, finding new ways of marrying noise and beauty, machines and magic.
This aggressive heart keeps on beating.
Light up a legend!

THE SCHMUTZ

Meer info (vanaf 25/10/2011) op: www.itterrock.be

Tickets • Neon Judgement • Guy Swinnen • The Bollock Brothers • The Black Tartan Clan • Aroma Di Amore

I Love 2 Rock: Rock Revival • Zaterdag 18 februari 2012 Grenslandhallen (Studio) Hasselt

Wie geregeld de vermaarde Vosterstfeesten in Bree bezoekt, weet dat de organisator Xavier, net als velen onder ons, nog steeds een passie heeft voor de goede muziek uit de jaren zestig / zeventig. Waarom, omdat dit nog steeds muziek is die je zelfs na 100 jaar kunt beluisteren en zeker niet outdated klinkt. Dat konden we niet zeggen van toen wij jong waren want de muziek uit de jaren veertig klonk voor ons al oubollig… wat ook voor een stuk waarheid was. Het was met de komst van The Beatles dat de muziekwereld een harde (positieve) klap kreeg, voeg daar de beginperiode van de Rolling Stones aan toe en je komt uit op bands die de jaren zestig / zeventig mee onveilig maakten. Zo onveilig dat we ons steeds zéér goed in ons vel voelden. Dit kwam natuurlijk door de fantastische muziek maar ook door bepaalde producten waar je harde valuta voor moest betalen om net iets meer in ‘hogere regionen’ van de sixties / seventies sound te geraken.

Op 18 februari, en laat ons maar zeggen als hét antwoord op de The Golden Years, dat nog steeds ieder jaar in December plaatsvindt in het Sportpaleis van Antwerpen, stelt de organisator nu zijn ‘I Love 2 Rock’ show voor aan een groter publiek. Een show die we zeker niet aan ons mogen laten voorbijgaan…

Het programma bestaat uit:

• The Fortunes (GB)
• Fischer-Z (GB)
• The Tremeloes (GB)
• The Swinging Blue Jeans (GB)
• The Animals (GB)
• John Coghlan’s Quo (ex-Status Quo drummer)
• The Eyes (NL)
• The Sham (B)
• Clearwater (B)
• Iron Foundation (B)

Tickets verkrijgbaar op de website vanaf 5 december 2011

• THE ANIMALS

The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London. Known for their gritty, bluesy sound and deep-voiced frontman Eric Burdon – as exemplified by their number one signature song "The House of the Rising Sun" as well as by hits such as "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" and "It's My Life" – the band balanced tough, rock-edged pop singles against rhythm and blues-oriented album material. They became known in the United States as part of the British Invasion.
The Animals underwent numerous personnel changes in the mid-1960s and suffered from poor business management. Under the name Eric Burdon and the Animals, they moved to California and achieved commercial success as a psychedelic rock band, before disbanding at the end of the decade. Altogether, the group had ten Top Twenty hits in both the UK and US.
The original lineup had a brief comeback in 1977 and 1983. There have been several partial regroupings of the original era members since then under various names.
Formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during 1962 and 1963 when Burdon joined the Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo, the original line-up comprised Eric Burdon (vocals), Alan Price (organ and keyboards), Hilton Valentine (guitar), John Steel (drums), and Bryan "Chas" Chandler (bass).
They were dubbed "animals" because of their wild stage act and the name stuck. The Animals' moderate success in their hometown and a connection with Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky motivated them to move to London in 1964, in time to be grouped with the British Invasion. They performed fiery versions of the staple rhythm and blues repertoire, covering songs by Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Nina Simone, and others. Signed to Columbia Records' subsidiary of EMI, a rocking version of the standard "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" (retitled "Baby Let Me Take You Home") was their first single.
It was followed in June 1964 by the transatlantic number one hit "House of the Rising Sun". Burdon's howling vocals and the dramatic arrangement created arguably the first folk rock hit. Whether the arrangement was inspired by versions by Bob Dylan, folk singer Dave Van Ronk, by blues singer Josh White (who recorded it twice in 1944 and 1949), or by singer/pianist Nina Simone (who recorded it in 1962 on Nina at the Village Gate, remains a dispute.
The Animals' two-year chart career, produced by Mickie Most, featured intense, gritty pop music covers such as Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me" and the Nina Simone popularized number "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". In contrast, their album tracks stayed with rhythm and blues, with John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" and Ray Charles' "I Believe to My Soul" as notable examples.
In November 1964, the group was poised to make their American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show and began a short residency performing everyday in theatres across New York City. The group arrived at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport in a motorcade which featured each member of the band riding in the back seat of a Cadillac with a model. The group drove to their hotel with the occasional shriek of girls who had chased them down once they discovered who they were. The Animals sang "I'm Crying" and "House of the Rising Sun" to a packed audience of hysterical girls screaming throughout both performances. In December the MGM movie Get Yourself a College Girl was released with the Animals singing a Chuck Berry song, "Around and Around" headlining with The Dave Clark Five in the movie.
By May 1965 the group was starting to feel internal pressures. Price left due to personal and musical differences as well as fear of flying on tour; he went on to a successful career as a solo artist and with the Alan Price Set. Mick Gallagher filled in for him on keyboards for a short time until Dave Rowberry replaced him and was on hand for the hit song "We Gotta Get out of This Place" and "It's My Life". Around that time, an Animals Big Band made a one-time appearance.
Many of The Animals' hits had come from Brill Building songwriters recruited by Most; the group, and Burdon in particular, felt this too restrictive. As 1965 ended, the group switched to Decca Records and producer Tom Wilson, who gave them more artistic freedom. In early 1966 MGM Records, their American label, collected their hits on The Best of The Animals; it became their best-selling album in the US. In February 1966 Steel left and was replaced by Barry Jenkins; a leftover cover of Goffin-King's "Don't Bring Me Down" was the last hit as The Animals. For the single "See See Rider" they changed the name into Eric Burdon & The Animals. In September they disbanded and Burdon recorded a solo album, called Eric Is Here.
By this time their business affairs "were in a total shambles" according to Chandler (who went on to manage Jimi Hendrix) and the group disbanded. Even by the standards of the day when artists tended to be financially naïve the Animals made very little money, eventually claiming mismanagement and theft on the part of their manager Michael Jeffery.
A group with Burdon, Jenkins, and new sidemen John Weider (guitar/violin/bass), Vic Briggs (guitar/piano), and Danny McCulloch (bass) were formed under the name Eric Burdon and the Animals (or sometimes Eric Burdon and the New Animals) in December 1966 and changed direction. The hard driving blues was transformed into Burdon's version of psychedelia as the former heavy drinking Geordie (who later said he could never get used to Newcastle "where the rain comes at you sideways") relocated to California and became a spokesman for the Love Generation.
Some of this group's hits included "San Franciscan Nights", "Monterey" (a tribute to the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival), and "Sky Pilot". Their sound was much heavier than the original group. Burdon screamed more and louder on live versions of "Paint it Black" and "Hey Gyp". In 1968 they had a more experimental sound on songs like "We Love You Lil" and the 19 minute record "New York 1963 - America 1968". The songs had a style of being silent at the beginning and then becoming psychedelic and raw straight to the end with screaming, strange lyrics and 'scrubbing' instruments.
There were further changes to this lineup: George Bruno (also known as Zoot Money, keyboards) was added in April 1968, and in July 1968 Andy Summers (guitar) - later of The Police - replaced Briggs and McCulloch.
By February 1969 these Animals had dissolved and the singles "Ring of Fire" and "River Deep Mountain High" were internationally released. Burdon joined forces with a Latin group from Long Beach, California, called War.

The original Animals line-up of Burdon, Price, Valentine, Chandler, and Steel reunited for a benefit concert in Newcastle in 1968 and reformed in late 1975 to record again. Burdon later said, nobody understood why they did this short reunion. They did a mini-tour in 1976 and shot a few videos of their new songs like "Lonely Avenue" and "Please send me someone to Love". They released the album in 1977 aptly called Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted. The album received critical praise and Burdon and Valentine also recorded some demos at that time, which were, however, never released.

On December 12, 1982, Burdon performed together with Alan Price and a complete line-up. They reunited again in 1983 for the album Ark and a world tour, supplemented by Zoot Money on keyboards, Nippy Noya on percussion, Steve Gregory on saxophone and Steve Grant on guitar.
On September 9 they had their first gig in New York with a sold-out audience at the Mid Hudson Civic Center. The following tour included also a Wembley Stadium concert on December 31 which was released on the "Rip it To Shreds" live album in 1984 when they disbanded. The last concert at the Royal Oak Theatre in April 1984 was released on February 27, 2008 as "Last Live Show". They also shot a rare video of the reunion.
The first single "The Night" reached #48 at the US Pop Singles and #34 at the Mainstream Rock Charts. It was also a big hit in Greece. They released a second single called "Love Is For All Time". Their tour included also songs like "Heart Attack", "No More Elmore" (both released a year earlier by Burdon), "Oh Lucky Man" (from the 1973 album by Price), "It's Too Late", " and "Young Girls" (later released on Burdon's compilation, The Night). A film about the reunion tour was shot, but never released.
Chas Chandler died in 1996, putting an end to the full original line-up.
During the 1990s and 2000s there have been several groups calling themselves Animals in part:
In 1993 Hilton Valentine formed the Animals II and was joined by John Steel in 1994 and Dave Rowberry in 1999. Other members of this version of the band include Steve Hutchinson, Steve Dawson and Martin Bland. From 1999 until Valentine's departure in 2001 the band toured as The Animals.
After Valentine left these Animals in 2001, Steel and Rowberry continued on as Animals and Friends with Peter Barton, Jim Rodford and John Williamson. When Rowberry died in 2003, he was replaced by Mickey Gallagher (who had briefly replaced Alan Price in 1965). Animals and Friends is still around and frequently plays gigs on a Color Line ship that travels between Scandinavia and Germany.
In the 1990s Danny McCulloch, from the later-1960s Animals released several albums as The Animals, with a great deal of acceptance. The albums contained covers of some original Animals songs as well as new ones written by McCulloch.
Eric Burdon reformed the Animals with a new backing band in 1998 as Eric Burdon and the New Animals. This was actually just a rename of an existing band he had been touring with in various forms since 1990. Members of this new group included Dean Restum, Dave Meros, Neal Morse and Aynsley Dunbar. Martin Gerschwitz replaced Morse in 1999 and Dunbar was replaced by Bernie Pershey in 2001. In 2003 the band started touring as Eric Burdon and the Animals. After the line-up changed in 2006 original guitarist Hilton Valentine reunited with the group for its 2008 tours. The group also included Red Young, Paula O'Rourke and Tony Braunagle. After Burdon lost the rights to the name, he formed a new band with completely different musicians.

In 2008, an adjudicator determined that original Animals drummer John Steel owned "The Animals" name in England, by virtue of a trademark registration Steel had made in relation to the name. Eric Burdon had objected to the trademark registration, arguing that Burdon personally embodied any goodwill associated with "The Animals" name. Burdon's argument was rejected, in part based on the fact that he had billed himself as "Eric Burdon and The Animals" as early as 1967, thus separating the goodwill associated with his own name from that of the band.

The original Animals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Their influence can be heard in artists as varied as The Doors, The White Stripes, Joe Cocker, The Cult, Frijid Pink, The Chocolate Watchband, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Janis Joplin, David Johansen, and Fine Young Cannibals. In 2003, the band's version of "House of the Rising Sun" ranked #122 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. Their 1965 hit single "We Gotta Get out of This Place" was ranked #233 on Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list that was compiled in 2004. Both songs are included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

• THE FORTUNES

Michael Smitham
Born: 29/07/1951 Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Instrument: Guitar
Michael moved with his family from The Midlands to Whitehaven in Cumberland in 1955. Influenced by his brother Barry, with whom he later played in his first band, he soon developed an interest in music, taught himself guitar and was soon playing in local bands. One of these 'Heaven' went on to tour with Black Sabbath. Michael eventually moved south again in 1969 to pursue his musical career and played in lots of bands, a few of which included Paul Hooper & Bob Jackson.
He then turned professional in the early seventies with 'Eyes Of Blue' and served his musical apprenticeship for many years backing the likes of Del Shannon, Bobby Vee, PJ Proby, Percy Sledge, Johnny Tillotson, The Marvelettes, Anne Peebles, The Floaters, The Drifters amongst others, all over the world.
Michael was asked to join The Fortunes in the early 80's and since then has become the longest serving member of the band since it's formation in 1963.

Eddie Mooney
Born: Stoke-on-Trent, 1957
Instrument: Bass Guitar
Eddie started out in the early 70's in the Irish showband circuit as a member of teen pop group "Flame", based in Larne, Northern Ireland. In the mid 70's Eddie came to Manchester, where he formed progressive rock band The Accidents who toured the University circuit. By the late 70's, Eddie fronted new wave /punk act "Eddie Mooney and the Grave", whilst playing bass on several punk hit singles and sharing a record label with a young Mick Hucknall of Simply Red. (appearing on a recent CD and DVD compilations)
Eddie was also an occasional member of glam rock chart act "The Glitter Band". During the early to mid 80's, Eddie released several singles as a member of "Park Avenue", a "new romantic" outfit, that also had limited chart success. Eddie joined the Dakotas in the late 80's, and was lead vocalist and bassist for longer than anyone else in the band's history.
In recent years, he has presented 60's music programmes for BBC Radio in Liverpool and hosting his own 60s and 70s music radio show on Manchester's ALL FM station. In addition to being vocalist and bassist on six of the seven Dakotas albums, Eddie has also been recording solo material for release on the internet. In 2005, Eddie appeared with John Walker as an honorary member of the Walker Brothers for an American music TV documentary and DVD.

Bob Jackson
Born: 6/1 /1949 Coventry, England
Instrument: Keyboards, Vocals and Guitar
Bob's first professional band was Indian Summer. Before he joined The Fortunes, he played and recorded with a variety of other bands, including Badfinger (Come and Get It, etc.), David Byron (Uriah Heep), and many more.
In 1977, Bob formed The Dodgers, a band that also included Fortunes drummer Paul Hooper.
Session 'guestings' have included work with The Searchers, Pete Brown and Moon.
Bob is a talented songwriter, and has had 17 of his songs published, most recently 'Won't Forget You', 1998. This song was released with the biography 'Without You - The Tragic Story of Badfinger' by Dan Matovina (published by Francis Glover Books).

Paul Hooper
Born: 20/8/48, Wolverhampton, England
Instrument: Drums
Paul grew up in the Persian Gulf, and came back to boarding school in England where he learned to play drums at the age of 12.
His first professional band was called Indian Summer, formed with schoolfriend Bob Jackson. They released an album in 1970.
After playing in various bands, in 1977 Paul re-joined Bob Jackson in “The Dodgers” together with fellow members John Wilson and Ex Badfinger bass player Tommy Evans.
In the early 80s, longstanding friend and fellow musician Michael Smitham told Paul that The Fortunes required a drummer. He got the job...
In 1990 he moved from the Midlands to set up home with his partner Barbara on the North East coast of England (where the winds hit heavy on the borderline...)

• THE TREMELOES

Als Brian Poole & The Tremeloes scoorden zij in Engeland vanaf 1961 een reeks hits, waarvan ‘Do you love me?’ in 1963 aldaar de eerste plaats van de hitparade bereikte. Nadat het niet meer boterde tussen de leden van de begeleidingsband en hun voorman gingen ze in 1965 elk hun eigen weg. Brian Poole verdween al snel in de anonimiteit. De Tremeloes (Alan Blakely, Len 'Chip' Hawkes, Rick West(wood) en Dave Munden) waren echter regelmatig in de internationale hitparades te vinden.
The Tremeloes begonnen in 1967 aan een half decennium van hits, te beginnen bij het door Cat Stevens geschreven ‘Here comes my baby’. Er volgden meer successen, waarvan ‘Silence is Golden’ (1967) en ‘My Little Lady’ (1968) de grootste waren. De groep kenmerkte zich voornamelijk door pretentieloze uptempo songs, zoals ‘Even the bad times are good’ (1967), ‘Helule Helule’ (1968) en ‘Once on a Sunday morning’ (1969). Het nummer ‘Yellow River’ werd hen aangeboden door componist Jeff Christie, maar brachten ze aanvankelijk niet zelf uit. De band Christie - rond Jeff Christie en de broer van gitarist Alan Blakely - werd speciaal gevormd om het nummer uit te brengen, waarbij de zangpartij van Jeff Christie werd toegevoegd aan de reeds ingespeelde begeleiding van The Tremeloes. Het resulteerde in 1970 in een grote hit. The Tremeloes zongen ook ‘You’ en ‘What Can I Do?’ van Raymond O'Sullivan (die later bekend zou worden als Gilbert O'Sullivan). Begin jaren zeventig probeerden The Tremeloes een iets 'ruiger' imago aan te meten met rockachtige singles als 'Blue Suede Tie'. De laatste hit is ook uit die tijd, maar toch meer 'poppie' 'I Like it That way' (1972). Net als veel andere bands uit de jaren ‘60 en ‘70 zijn ook The Tremeloes steeds op revivaloptredens terug te vinden. Dave Munden is in al die jaren de enige constante factor geweest, hoewel tegenwoordig ook Rick West (die zich weer Rick Westwood noemt) deel uitmaakt van de groep. Chip Hawkes heeft de groep een paar keer verlaten om vervolgens weer terug te keren, maar hij maakt de laatste jaren deel uit van de groep Class of '64 met ex-leden van Smokie en The Rubettes.
Alan Blakely (54) overleed op 10 juni 1996.
Toch nog enkele noemenswaardige songs van The Tremeloes waren ‘Come On Home’, ‘As You Are’, ‘Call Me Number One’ uit hun ‘What State I’m In’-langspeler. De meeste diehardfans vinden dit laatste nummer hun allerbeste alhoewel ik dit tegenspreek. Maar ook niet te versmaden zijn hun versies van ‘Good Day Sunshine (The Beatles) en Dylans ‘I Shall Be Released’. Nog enkeel prachtige songs zijn ‘By The Way’ en ‘Hello World’. Hopelijk zal Dave en zijn kompanen de sixties spirit weer voor de geest halen.

• THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS

The Swinging Blue Jeans are a four piece 1960s British Merseybeat band, best known for their hit singles with the HMV label; "Hippy Hippy Shake", the follow up, Little Richard's "Good Golly Miss Molly", and "You're No Good", a Clint Ballard song that provided a change of pace and furnished the group's most enduring achievement. But subsequent singles released that year and the next made no impression. In 1966 their version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Don't Make Me Over" peaked at #31 in the UK Singles Chart, but the group never charted again.
The group was founded by Ray Ennis and Les Braid in 1957, as a jazz influenced skiffle sextet group, called the Blue Genes. The skiffle group line-up included Bruce McCaskill on guitar and vocals, Tommy Hughes on banjo, Norman Kuhlke on washboard, and Spud Ward on oil drum bass. Ralph Ellis later joined on guitar, and Ward moved to Rory Storm's band, and eventually Les Braid took over the bassist spot. Hughes and McCaskill left, the former for the army and the latter over personal disagreements, replaced by Johnny Carter and Paul Moss, respectively. By 1962, they were working full-time and playing skiffle at venues in Liverpool and at the Star Club in Hamburg. However the German audiences booed them off the stage, and the group rapidly changed direction and focus.
They switched to rock and roll, and with a name change to reflect their attire, to the Swinging Blue Jeans. This earned them a recording contract with HMV with record producer, Walter Ridley. With the departure of banjo player Paul Moss soon after, they were left as a quartet comprising Ray Ennis (rhythm guitar, vocals), Les Braid (bass, keyboards), Ralph Ellis (lead guitar), and Norman Kuhlke (drums). Nevertheless, they made their recording debut as a quintet, with an Ennis penned original, "It's Too Late Now," which made the UK Top 40.
The Swinging Blue Jeans performed on many popular TV shows in the United Kingdom and Europe, appearing with The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Searchers, and The Merseybeats. The Swinging Blue Jeans had the standard Shadows line-up of two guitars, a bass guitar and drums and achieved local fame with their appearances at the Cavern Club. They had a three year spell of success, rising and falling with Merseybeat itself.
An album Hippy Hippy Shake was released in 1964 by EMI on their HMV label. In Canada it was issued by Capitol Records (T6069), and in the US on Imperial Records (LP-9261). A second album, Blue Jeans a' Swinging was also released.
Ralph Ellis who, with Ray Ennis was one of the two songwriters in the group, left in early 1966, and was succeeded by Terry Sylvester from The Escorts. Finding themselves trying to keep up with the rapidly changing times, the band recorded a second album at Abbey Road during early 1966 which was ultimately left on the shelf though given a very limited release in Canada. The band drifted into a more polite middle of the road direction which failed to bring them any success. In 1967, the band's producer Wally J. Ridley decided to try and transform Ray Ennis into a solo star, cutting the disc "Tremblin'" with session musicians and vocal back up by Madeline Bell and Kiki Dee, but it was ultimately released under the bands name. June 1968 saw a one off disc credited to "Ray Ennis and The Blue Jeans" but this failed to bring any change in fortune and Terry Sylvester left at the end of 1968 to replace Graham Nash in The Hollies. neither did "Hey Mrs Housewife" credited to The Blue Jeans in April 1969 after which they were dropped by EMI. The band then changed their name to Music Motor for a one off single on Deram, "Happy b/w Where Am I Going" after which they reverted back to The Swinging Blue Jeans name and the band eventually retired to the cabaret circuit.
The Swinging Blue Jeans, continued with Ray Ennis and Les Braid until Braid's death in 2006, leaving Ennis as the sole original member. In early 2010, after 53 years as an active member, Ray Ennis announced he would retire after the bands next tour which is due to end back where it all began, in Liverpool on May 30th 2010.

• FISCHER-Z

Fronted by the enigmatic John Watts (vocals/guitar), Fischer-Z leaped onto the music scene in 1979 with their quirky debut album, Word Salad. This quartet (also featuring Steve Skolnick on keyboards, Steve Liddle on drums and David Graham on bass) played a rough-and-tumble form of new wave that was equal parts Roxy Music and Talking Heads with art-pop and prog-rock leanings. Watts' vocals were extremely distinctive, veering from a low baritone to a higher register that was not unlike Pete Townsend on helium. Although this schizophrenic debut didn't set the charts on fire, they did score a few minor hits with "The Worker" and "First Impressions (Pretty Paracetamol)" (a tamer re-recording of the album's opening track). Their second album, 1980's Going Deaf for a Living, was a far more cohesive effort, less prog-rock and more melodic than their debut.
It even contained a bona-fide hit in "So Long" which even drifted over to the U.S. and garnered impressive radio play. By the time Red Skies Over Paradise was released in 1981, Skolnick was gone and Watts' musical vision was more direct and less arty than before. Although European sales for this album were FZ's strongest yet, it was passed up for release in the U.S. (as has been the case with all of the subsequent FZ albums). Realising that his musical vision belonged to him and only him, Watts chose to end FZ on a high note and continue as a solo artist. Watts released One More Twist in 1982 then the slickly produced The Iceberg Model the following year, neither living up to the huge sales of the last FZ album. After EMI let him slip away, Watts formed the Cry (with Graham back on board) and released an album on Arista before quietly slipping out of sight.
Reforming Fischer-Z in 1987 (with Watts being the only original member, although Skolnick makes a cameo), FZ hit big in Europe and Australia with the single "The Perfect Day" and the album Reveal. Though the album sounded nothing like the Fischer-Z of old, Watts took his finely tuned talents and presented them to a much wider audience. Fish's Head (1989) was more of the same, albeit a bit heavier. With yet another line-up change, Watts and FZ released the absolutely stunning Destination Paradise in 1992, their best effort yet. This touching and beautiful album featured more acoustic guitars than ever before and focused on Watts' songwriting skills and passionate, earthy vocals (which had dropped an octave or so since their debut).
Trying to capitalise on the success of Destination Paradise, FZ quickly issued the rougher Kamikaze Shirt in 1993, mixing their softer side with an edge (and, in some cases, a dance beat). Two years later, FZ issued Stream, a close second to Destination Paradise as FZ's finest. Realizing he was at another crossroad, Watts laid FZ to rest again and began pursuing his solo career in earnest. His first solo album under his 'new' monicker, JM Watts, 1997's Thirteen Stories High, continued where Stream left off. With a new solo album due in late 1998 or early 1999, it's unclear whether FZ are gone for good or just on sabbatical. No matter what Watts does, FZ's spirit lives on in his music.

• JOHN COCHLAN’S QUO

For many years, John was the bedrock of the British Rock group Status Quo. Playing on drums from the beginning through to 1981. Literally touring and rocking all over the world. Since then he's played in many bands and still appears on the touring circuit today throughout the UK and Europe.
John Coghlan joined Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster in their newly-formed band in 1962 and the group went through a series of names, including Traffic Jam, before meeting up with Rick Parfitt and becoming Status Quo in the late 60s. A long string of hit records, successful worldwide tours and television appearance followed for the next 20 years: the hits included Pictures of Matchstick Men; Down Down; Caroline; Rain; Rockin' All Over the World, and many more.
When John Coghlan left Status Quo in the latter months of 1981 - during rehearsals of new material for the band's 20th Anniversary album in Switzerland, he decided to turn his attention to his own band Diesel. Coghlan had continued to revive his band, on a part time basis since his first performance as John Coghlan's Diesel Band, with a group of friends at the Marquee Club in London back in 1977. The line up for this debut show had consisted of Coghlan on Drums, with Bob Young on harmonica and backing vocals, Andy Bown playing bass, Gordon Edwards (ex-Pretty Things) on keyboards, guitarists John Fiddler (ex-Medicine Head) and Micky Moody (then with Whitesnake), and vocalist and all-round front man Jackie Lynton. The show was a great success, with the band actually playing for some three hours - although they had actually only prepared and rehearsed a 90 minute set!
By 1983, having left Status Quo, John decided it was time to put together a new band as a full-time project. The name chosen for this venture was Stranger - a four-piece band whose line up featured a fine selection of respected musicians, comprising; John Coghlan on drums, guitarist Ray Majors (ex-Mott and British Lions), bass player Ian Ellis (ex-Savoy Brown and Steamhammer), and keyboard player Jeff Banister. The band's potential was obvious from the start and they began their career on a positive note, writing and rehearsing their own original material.
Later on in the year John Coghlan teamed up with a trio of other well-known musicians in what was described as a 'side-line' project, called Rockers. The four man line up boasted Coghlan on drums, Phil Lynott (the late great front man from Thin Lizzy) on bass, guitar and vocals, Chas Hodges (from Chas 'n' Dave) on keyboards and Roy Wood (ex Wizzard, ELO and The Move) on guitar and just about everything else - including vocals. This all-star band negotiated a record deal with CBS for the release of a single comprising a medley of rock 'n' roll classic songs - where the individual segments of each number were edited together and coupled with a Roy Wood original composition entitled 'We Are The Boys (Who Make All The Noise)'. The completed medley was issued as either a seven inch or extended twelve inch single under the umbrella title of Wood's own 'We Are The Boys....' title in late November of 1983.
Coghlan's next musical project saw him once again working with guitarist Ray Majors, (who had previously worked with The Kinks and Mott the Hoople amongst other bands); Coghlan and Majors were introduced to three musicians with a view to the formation of a completely new line up. With the addition of a change of name to Partners In Crime (inspired by an Agatha Christie novel), the band began working on demo material in the early months of 1994. In addition to both John Coghlan and Ray Majors the line of the new band comprised; Mac McCaffrey on bass, Mark De Vanchque (aka Mark Booty - formerly with a band called Wildlife) on keyboards and vocalist Noel McCalla (ex-Moon and Jody Street).

The first Partners In Crime release was a single issued in October 1984 entitled 'Hold On', written by Trevor Rabin and previously recorded by 'Yes' on their 1983 album '90125'. Shortly after the release of this single the band played their first ever live show, at the Marquee Club in London on November 13th. The material included in this live set was a showcase for the tracks which would appear on their debut album. The band actually performed nine of the ten songs from the forthcoming album - playing one song called 'Gypsy Tricks' twice (the second time as an encore). Only one song which the 'Partners' performed on the night would remain unreleased throughout their career - '(Don't Let It) Slip Slide Away'.
The Partners In Crime album 'Organised Crime' was finally released in May 1985 and received favourable reviews throughout the music media, who basically hailed the band as a new AOR sensation. However, despite this increasing popularity the record company never seemed to provide the band with the support they clearly deserved - with the result that their album suffered a similar fate to the three singles that had preceded it. Although sales had steadily increased with each new record release, sadly none were destined to reach the charts. No doubt this lack of success was ultimately a major factor in the untimely demise of the band, some months after the release of the 'Organised Crime' album.
Coghlan continued to tour regularly with Diesel - featuring an ever-changing line up of musicians, throughout the next three years. Playing mainly pub and club venues the band enjoyed great success as a live band, never failing to satisfy their audiences with a mixture of hard rocking blues based material. Some of the most notable musicians to have passed through the Diesel band during this three year period included; Charlie McCracken (ex-Rory Gallagher), Dave Lloyd (ex-Nutz and Rage), and guitarists Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody and Ray Minhinnett (the two latter men having also worked with Bob Young on various projects for many years).
The following month of August saw John Coghlan re-emerge with a new Diesel Band line up, whom it was rumoured had negotiated a record deal with a small UK label for the release of the band's first ever single. The track was entitled 'Licensed To Rock' and was scheduled for release during September of 1988. The line up of the band that would feature on the record was Coghlan on drums, John Verity on guitar and vocals, Jeff Brown on bass and guitarist Ray Minhinnett.
Having completed the tour dates with Diesel, John Coghlan decided to put the band on hold once again to enable him to fly to Australia where he would once again work with Alan Lancaster. Lancaster - who had recently departed the successful band Party Boys, had invited Coghlan to join a new band he was putting together with Australian guitarist John Brewster, called the Bombers. John worked happily with The Bombers for a year, but was glad to get back to the UK in 1990.
After Australia, in the early 90s, the Diesel line up once again included former Status Quo road manager and songwriter Bob Young. Together with Coghlan the band also featured vocalist Phil May (ex-Pretty Things), guitarist Ray Minhinnett, Chris Stewart (ex-Frankie Miller and Joe Cocker) on bass, and keyboard player Hilly Briggs. The band toured regularly and performed a varied selection of material which included both cover versions as well as several original compositions, written by the band members themselves. On a typical night their live show would include such covers as; 'Big Boss Man', 'Steamy Windows', 'Bad Case Of Lovin' You (Doctor Doctor)', accompanied by self penned tracks including; 'Turn Me Loose', 'Ain't Got No Money' and 'One Way To Roll'.
John Coghlan started working with his own band, John Coghlan's Quo, during the late 1990s. The band has since toured Europe and the UK successfully for several years with various line-ups, which include Paul Carr, Mike Grady, Jon Bowers and a variety of bass players - the band performs all the Status Quo hits and favourites from the Coghlan years: 1962 - 1982.

• IRON FOUNDATION

Iron Foundation werd op gericht in 1975 door Nico Neyens. De band bestond uit Nico Neyens (gitaar), Bart Gielen (lead gitaar), Art Lemkens (bas), Patrick Hilven (toetsen) en Lode Palmers (drums). De groep zette zijn eerste schuchtere stappen op de Eerste Breese Popmeeting, de voorloper van het Breekend Festival.
In de loop van 1978 vervoegde zanger Dirk Hermans de band en werd een eigen repertoire uiitgebouwd. In 1979 nam Iron Foundation deel aan het Limburgs Orkesten Festival en behaalde de finale. Dat resulteerde in twee tracks op de LOF-elpee: Nathalie en Ways.
Iets later verlieten Bart Gielen en Art Lemkens de groep en werden vervangen door Jos Janssen en Rudi Reyners die in Limburg al naam gemaakt hadden als het akoestische duo Second Edition. Met hun inbreng steeg het muzikale niveau van de groep met een flink stuk. Iron Foundation speelde diverse concerten in Limburgse en Antwerpse jeugdclubs, in het Casino van Beringen tijdens een showcase en op een internationaal motortreffen in Bruhl bij Keulen.
Begin 1981 nam de groep de singel See my baby cry op, met een tekst die verwees naar de moord op John Lennon, enkele maanden voordien.
In 1983 zorgden muzikale meningsverschillen ervoor dat de groep besloot ermee te stoppen. Na een denderend afscheidsconcert in Bree werd Iron Foundation opgedoekt. Jos Janssen, Rudi Reyners, Lode Palmers en Patrick Hilven gingen verder onder de naam Occupé. Dirk Hermans en Nico Neyens hadden het op dat moment te druk met het Breekend Festival en hingen de stembanden en gitaar voorlopig aan de wilgen.
In 2003 besloot men om Nico Neyens voor zijn 50ste verjaardag en zijn huwelijksfeest een verrassingsoptreden te bezorgen. Het klikte opnieuw zo goed en de reacties waren zo positief dat besloten werd om af en toe nog eens samen te concerteren. Dat resulteerde in een concert op de 50ste verjaardag van zanger Dirk Hermans met o.a. Louis Tijskens (ex Experto Credo Roberto) en Guy Peeters (Schmutz) achter de microfoon. Tijdens de 2de Breese Popmeeting op 4 juni 2005 gingen de 450 aanwezigen uit hun dak tijdens het concert van IF en ook het concert tijdens het herdenkingsoptreden voor Jos Janssen (leadgitarist die een jaar eerder gestorven was) viel goed in de smaak.
Volgden nog een concert samen met de harmonie Verenigde Vrienden en een optreden als opener op het Vostert Rock Festival van 2009 waar ze openden voor onder andere Mud, The Rubettes en Suzy Quattro. De groep was toen uitgebreid met Paul en Lennert Janssen (broer en zoon van Jos), Bart Weyens en Wim Leurs. Het concert was zo goed bevallen bij organisatie en publiek dat de groep voor 2010 opnieuw gevraagd werd. Op 23 augustus speelde Iron Foundation voor zo'n 3000 bezoekers ná The Animals en Fortunes en voor The Sweet. Met een 10-koppige bezetting (saxofonist Bart Fets had de line-up van 2009 vervolledigd) speelden ze het beste concert uit hun carrière.

Tickets • The Animals • The Fortunes • The Tremeloes • The Swinging Blue Jeans • Fischer-Z • John Coghlan's Quo •

Daniel John Baird was born on 12 December 1953 in San Diego, California, USA. Later on, his family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, USA. In 1980, guitarist Rick Richards, bassist Keith Christopher and drummer David Michaelson got together. After a couple weeks, Baird sat in. They became Keith & The Satellites. Eventually, Christopher and Michaelson left the band. Baird and Richards went on and recorded a six-song EP called Keep The Faith for the British Making Waves label in 1984.
Shortly thereafter, Baird split to hook up with Woodpeckers which featured Terry Anderson. That spelled the end of the original incarnation of the Satellites. Richards hooked up with bassist Rick Price and drummer Mauro Magellan to form the Hellhounds. Eventually, Baird came back home to jam with his old buddies. Elektra Records noticed the EP - and the band quickly reformed as the Georgia Satellites.

The band released its aforementioned self-titled debut in 1986, which contained the hit single "Keep Your Hands To Yourself." After that brush with 15-minute stardom, however, the mainstream public moved on and the
Satellites floundered. The 1988 follow-up, Open All Night, tanked, despite being only slightly weaker, and 1989's magnum opus In The Land Of Salvation & Sin was basically ignored, despite being one mother of a rock record.
In 1990, Baird "fired himself" from the band. Since then, he has released two solo albums (1992's Love Songs For The Hearing Impaired and 1996's Buffalo Nickel). In 2001, he released a live album: Redneck Savant. Baird has done some producing and sideman work, with a.o. Will Hoge, Chris Knight and The Dusters. You can contact Dan Baird via: bizodaaj@earthlink.net. He also tools around with a group of rockers in the Yayhoos, featuring Terry Anderson, Keith Christopher and guitarist Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, making some of the most kickass roots rock heard in a while. The band released one disc, Fear Not The Obvious, in 2001. In 2002, Baird has toured Europe both with the Yayhoos and his 'pickup band' Dan Baird & Friends (Dan Baird, Ken McMahan, Keith Christopher and Mauro Magellan). In 2003 he toured along with Ken McMahans The Dusters and the Dan Baird & Friends European summer tour has been a great succes. The excellent outtakes-album Out Of Mothballs has been released in May 2003.
In 2005, Dan Baird realised a new band, Homemade Sin with Dan Baird, Ken McMahan, Keith Christopher and Mauro Magellan. A live CD ´Feels so Good´ was released. More touring, also with The Yayhoos, was done, especially in Europe. In 2007 Ken McMahan was replaced by Warner E. Hodges of Jason and the Scorchers fame. The Yayhoos released ´Put The Hammer Down´, a splendid CD with song writing contributions from all the members. In 2008, the self-titled CD of Homemade Sin was released, another great record, followed by an extensive tour in Europe. In 2008, Dan Baird has created his own MySpace page.

Tickets • Dan Baird

'Zoon van' zoekt en rockt en rollt zijn eigen country route.

Justin Townes Earle is de zeer capabele en credibele zoon van Steve Earle en zijn 'middlename' verwijst natuurlijk naar de notoire Townes Van Zandt, dat singer-songwriter momunent, die permanente inspiratiebron (voor vader én zoon.) Er waren sinds 2008 al de cd's 'The Good Life' en 'Midnight At The Movies.' Nu komt hij eindelijk naar de ABClub in het zog van zijn vorig jaar verschenen 'Harlem River Blues.'
Op zijn site kunnen we dan lezen: 'Woody Guthrie once said, “Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple.” On Harlem River Blues, Justin chose the simple route. The record’s not a wall of sound produced to the rafters. It’s rockin’ and reelin’ at times, sweet and slow at others—and it’s great. Like good fried chicken, a well-cut suit and a handmade guitar, there’s heaven to be found in the beautifully crafted simpler things.' Eenvoudiger gezegd: Justin is een stielman!

Justin Townes Earle is an anomaly. He’s tall as the day is long, all angles and elbows and a hard stare, both welcoming and deadly serious. He’s Nashville North, all set up in lower Manhattan now, just like his hero Woody Guthrie, with twang and charm intact.

That hard working earnestness has paid off, to say the least. Justin won the Best New and Emerging Artist at the 2009 Americana Music Awards. His record, Midnight at the Movies, was named one of the best records of last year by Amazon, received four stars in Rolling Stone and found a sweet spot in the blackened hearts of fans and critics alike. GQ Magazine named him one of the 25 best dressed men in the world in 2010. He also appeared on HBO’s Treme with his dad, troubadour Steve Earle, on whose Grammy Award-winning Townes record Justin also guests.

The aforementioned Woody Guthrie once said, “Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple.” On Harlem River Blues, Justin chose the simple route. The record’s not a wall of sound produced to the rafters. It’s rockin’ and reelin’ at times, sweet and slow at others—and it’s great. Like good fried chicken, a well-cut suit and a handmade guitar, there’s heaven to be found in the beautifully crafted simpler things.

Compared to the much-lauded Midnight at the Movies, Harlem River Blues is more mature and increasingly nuanced, while still embracing the raw voice and clean sound of previous standout tracks like “Mama’s Eyes.” Harlem River Blues kicks off hot with the title track’s choir of backing singers and electric guitar, slow dances through a decrepit tenement on “One More Night in Brooklyn,” and swings à la Jerry Lee Lewis on “Move Over Mama.” “Working for the MTA” is a modern day railway ballad, embracing the labor movement in classic folk singer style over some heartbreaking pedal steel from Calexico’s Paul Niehaus. With percussive guitar, killer standup bass lines by Bryn Davies and a guest appearance from Jason Isbell, this record hums along like a 6 train jumpin’ the tracks and heading straight for the Tennessee state line.

Harlem River Blues straddles not only the Mason-Dixon, but time itself. As versed in Mance Lipscomb as he is in M. Ward and sporting Marc Jacobs suspenders, Justin Townes Earle is a man beyond eras. With Harlem River Blues, a record that’s perfect for late Indian summer nights on either the front porch or fire escape, Justin’s found yet another way to be a timeless original.

Tickets • Justin Townes Earle

In 2009 organiseerde AB een eerbetoon aan de legendarische etno-musicoloog Alan Lomax. Die werkte vaak in de Appalachen, het gebergte aan de Amerikaanse Oostkust waar immigranten de tijd doodden met folkmuziek uit hun thuisland en zo een eigen sound ontwikkelden. In het kader van dat eerbetoon kwam het Amerikaanse Chatham County Line langs voor een concert tijdens de Feeërieën. Met z’n vieren rond 1 microfoon; het zou een intieme maar ook legendarische avond worden. Deze zomer verschijnt een live album en daarom komen zij dit najaar weer naar Europa. Afspraak op woensdag 2 november in de ABClub.

Chatham County Line is afkomstig uit Raleigh, North Carolina en grossiert in bluegrass. Hun oeuvre is inmiddels zes albums rijk waarvan het merendeel verscheen via het Amerikaanse Yep Roc label. Bluegrass zeiden we? Dus veel harmonieuze samenzang en akoestische instrumentatie? Inderdaad. Alsook straffe stemmen, banjo, fiddle, mandoline, gitaar en contrabas, dit alles mooi gecentreerd rond slechts één microfoon. Dit kwartet durft zich live trouwens – en met verve - aan het erfgoed van Bob Dylan of countrylegende Hank Williams te laven. Alan Lomax zou fier zijn op hen! En ook aan Jack White ontsnapte tijdens de opnames van Jools Holland (waar hij met The Raconteurs te gast was) een ‘What The Fuck!’ en werd terstond fan voor het leven.

http://www.chathamcountyline.com

As the original bluegrass masters die off, their mantle is been taken up by such neo-hillbilly outfits as Chatham County Line. Led by chief songwriter Dave Wilson, the Raleigh, North Carolina-based combo has relished creating atmospheric, old-timey music with a contemporary edge. Indeed, the quartet not only embraces the pure sounds of such rustic pioneers as Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and Ralph Stanley, it incorporates splashes of baby boom-era folk rock via lush Byrds-inspired harmony, as well as the tough urban lyricism of alt. rock. Their multi-generational versatility has allowed them to recast songs from other genres as crowd-pleasing barn dance numbers, while crafting original material that speaks to a younger, well-educated audience.

Despite the fact that he sounds completely authentic singing country and bluegrass, Dave Wilson's early life boasted classic rock influences with few roots music frills. "I just played in garage bands during junior high and in high school," he said in an interview for Country Standard Time. "I played the usual gamut of tunes from the Grateful Dead to Steppenwolf." He added, "Generally speaking, I didn't come from a very musical family in that we didn't listen to much country, bluegrass, or things like that. There was more exposure to the radio, so that's what I grew up idolizing because I didn't know any better."

Always listening for new sounds, Wilson's musical horizons were broadened once he began attending North Carolina State University. "There were people around who helped get me into things that I didn't know existed. I had never heard of John Hartford before or Leo Kottke or J.J. Cale. They're just some of my favorite artists now."

College jam band situations resulted in the formation of Stillhouse, a loose contingent that mixed the Southern fried rock of The Band and the Byrds with Steve Earle-influenced storytelling. Hearing the connection between "the Gram Parsons vibe of music" and traditional country music opened a new line of creative thought for Wilson. Subsequently, he was ripe for the chance meetings with the pickers who eventually became Chatham County Line.

Featuring Wilson on guitar, banjoist Chandler Holt, bassist/pedal steel player Greg Readling, and mandolin/fiddle master John Teer, CCL honed their style while struggling through low-paying road gigs and meaningless day jobs hoping for a break. It came while Wilson and Readling were still part of a country act known as the Carbines, who often served as the backing band for highly touted country songstress Tift Merritt.

"We were going out on tour to support [Tift Merritt's] first record," explained Wilson. "So, she had CCL play a send-off party and we played out in front of this old general store. Well, [producer/singer-songwriter] Chris Stamey was out there and he had done the demos for her record. He just heard us and liked us, and I'm not sure if he was just doing it so he'd have something to do, but he called the guys at Yep Roc." Stamey, renowned for his eclectic work with the dbs, the Sneakers, and Peter Holsapple, not only got Chatham County Line the recording contract they craved, but produced them as well.

Released on Yep Roc's Bonfire imprint, CCL's first album combined historically researched gems such as "Tennessee Valley Authority" with foot-stomping hoedown ditties like "Bacon in the Skillet." Further, both band and producer tried hard to duplicate the sound of original bluegrass by gathering around a single microphone and playing live off-the-floor. The result garnered strong reviews, but Wilson felt the band didn't really gel until they began touring. "The best thing that we've done is go out on the road. When we went to Colorado [in 2004], it was a great bonding experience---not only between the guys but between us and our instruments. You can't deny that repetition of playing every night. You reach a point where you don't think about what you're playing and you kind of transcend just being a guy with a guitar, a mandolin, or a banjo."

Wilson recalled the precise moment things began coming together for Chatham County Line. "We had hit the road and we had been camping and roughing it, and the pivotal point of us being a band and a team was getting up on that stage and winning [the Best New Bluegrass Band award] at the Rockygrass competition in Lyons, Colorado." Since then, the band's career has picked up momentum. Yep Roc released their second CD---on the main label this time---in early 2005. Cut at the Fidelitorium in Keanersville, North Carolina, Route 23 skillfully blended acoustic bluegrass and alt. rock-tinged lyrics. "I love the new record," Wilson said in the interview, "because it has become more about writing for our outfit and what I know each guy is going to bring to the song."

As evidenced by such atmospheric instrumentals as "Gunfight in Durango" and the up-tempo "Sun Up," the band's various creative personalities are just beginning to show their considerable stylistic range. "Chandler wrote 'Sun Up' on banjo and just brought it to the table and we were all just kind of floored by it," recalled Wilson. "Our music seems to be moving away from the clog [dancing] style, but I love the fact that we can still do that."

Defiantly modern, the band is constantly creating and still absorbing influences. Wilson has listed Wilco and Gillian Welch as among his current favorites, and although his use of the internet for song lyric research makes some purists blanch, CCL's leader insists that his group has a strong regard for traditional bluegrass. "Definitely," affirmed Wilson. "I've just studied and listened and stood there in awe. But I feel that we aren't a band that will just copy or emulate the past completely. You can never deny yourself in any way, and the fact that I've grown up with the classic rock radio hits bouncing around in my brain is going to come out in some way. We're just trying to expound in ways that we see as respectful but not flagrant."

Chatham County Line is still fighting to make a living. Wilson supplements his income by selling collectibles on E-Bay, Readling crafts and sells traditional style furniture from his workshop, and Teer gives music lessons. But until they develop a strong national fan base, they plan to "just take this adventure as it comes." Indeed, Wilson seemed to savor the hand- to-mouth existence of a traveling roots musician, quipping philosophically, "This is what an English degree gets you, I guess. A guitar and a couple of albums."

Tickets • Chatham County Line

Deze Afro-Peruviaanse zangeres timmerde al heel lang aan de weg voor ze midden-jaren ’90 plots ontdekt werd in het buitenland. Dit  omdat haar bruisende versie van het nummer “Maria Lando” op de compilatie “Soul of Black Peru” van David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label enorm positief onthaald werd. De Afro – Peruviaanse muziek stond meteen wereldwijd op de kaart bij de liefhebbers van de wereldmuziek. Vanaf de midden jaren “90 nam Baca zes platen op. Vreemd genoeg was het de nieuwe release van een oudere plaat uit 1986 “Lamento Negro”, opgenomen in de befaamde Cubaanse Egrem-studio’s, die haar  opnieuw internationaal succes bracht. In 2002 won “Lamento Negro” de Latin Grammy Award voor beste Latin-album. Als uitgesproken verdedigster van de Peruviaanse zwarten stichte ze ook het Instituto Negrocontinuo in Lima om de zwarte muziek en folklore te bewaren voor het nageslacht.
Susana Baca vat de Afro – Peruviaanse muziek zeer breed op. Op haar laatste plaat “Afrodiaspora” die dit jaar uitkwam vindt je even goed Colombiaanse cumbia, Cubaanse son, Pororicaanse bomba als funk en Mexicaanse Sob Jarocha, terug naast de trationale Peruviaanse festejos en landos.
Ondanks het feit dat de nu 67-jarige Baca nooit tot de Peruviaanse sociale of politieke elite behoorde verzocht de nieuwe verkozen Peruviaanse president Ollanta Humala haar om minister van Cultuur te worden. Dit voorstel viel uit de lucht toen Baca reeds volop haar Amerikaanse en Europese tournee voor de nieuwe plaat “Afrodiaspora” reeds had gepland. Zodoende gaat deze tournee gewoon door en krijgen we na de Braziliaanse minister van Cultuur Gilberto Gil in de jaren ’90, de Peruviaanse minister van cultuur op een podium bij ons.
Peter Desmet

Tickets • Susana Baca

The Great Atomic Power

Begin jaren zestig begon de wereld van Roland Van Campenhout vorm te krijgen. Hij was een jonge arbeider uit Boom, de zoon van een te vroeg gestorven saxofonist. Een misfit ook die met uitzicht op de plaatselijke steenbakkerijen van een uitweg droomde, en daarom veel las. Het lot speelde hem ‘On the road’ van Jack Kerouac toe, een lokkende verte van papier: wildstromende literatuur die op andere tijden preludeerde. Meteen had hij er oog en oor naar: ‘On the road’ maakte hem wakker. Eerst wou hij schrijver worden, maar het duurde niet lang of hij werd aangestoken door de jazz die in dat boek opklonk. Door helemaal in bop op te gaan, kwam hij vrijwel meteen achter dat jazz een kind van de blues was. Zelf wou hij ook wel een zoon van de blues zijn, en daarom leerde hij verwoed gitaarspelen. He woke up one morning en zag voor zijn geestesoog de lange kronkelweg die hij moest volgen, zo nu en dan met de hellehond op de hielen, want zo hoort het. Weldra predikte hij overal in het land de blues, en vrijwel alle muziekvormen die eruit afgeleid zijn, alsook een stuk of wat muziekvormen die er niét uit afgeleid zijn. Nu, veertig jaar later, doet hij dat nog steeds. Op ‘The Great Atomic Power’, zijn nieuwe cd, drijft hij het eclecticisme ten top; met groot gemak verzoent hij genres die op het eerste gezicht weinig met elkaar te maken hebben, en maakt hij er wereldmuziek van eigen vinding van.

‘The Great Atomic Power’ is in Kenia opgenomen. Het lijkt wel alsof hij alle muziek die voor hem levensnoodzakelijk is geweest even naar het moederland terug wilde brengen. Toch had Roland geen concept vooropgezet voor ‘The Great Atomic Power’, want een bluesman maakt nooit blauwdrukken. ‘Ik had vooraf wel een aantal vage ideeën,’ zegt hij, ‘en natuurlijk had ik ook een voorraad songs, waarvan ik niet wist hoe ik ze deze keer zou aankleden. Tot ik in Kenia terechtkwam, op uitnodiging van de Belgische Ambassade in Nairobi, waar ik drie keer moest optreden. Het eerste wat ik daar wilde weten was: waar zijn de cafés? En daarna: in welke cafés komen de plaatselijke muzikanten samen? En tenslotte: is er een opnamestudio in de buurt? Voor het geval dàt. En voor ik het wist was ik daar al drie nummers aan het opnemen. Die zwarte jongens met wie ik heb samengespeeld, zijn al jaren het huisorkest van een rondvaartboot voor toeristen, tevens drijvend restaurant. Ze treden twee keer per dag op, en desnoods spelen ze vijf uur lang. Het minste wat je van hen kunt zeggen is dat ze een goedgeoliede machine zijn. Ze kennen de geur van elkanders sokken, ze kennen elkanders hebbelijkheden, zowel persoonlijk als muzikaal, kortom: ze weten àlles van elkaar. Toen ik ze voor het eerst zag optreden, was ik ongelofelijk onder de indruk. Ik heb meteen met ze meegespeeld, en dat bleek nog te lukken ook. Een paar dagen later had ik al drie nummers met ze opgenomen. Toen ben ik naar België teruggekeerd.’

Twee maanden later trok hij opnieuw naar Kenia : ‘ Tegen die tijd had ik me voorgenomen een hele cd met die gasten op te nemen. Al heb ik wel eventjes getwijfeld: waren zij echt zo goed, die keer, of was ik gewoon dronken?’ Wellicht wàs ik toen zat, maar mijn dronken beslissing bleek niettemin juist te zijn.’ Het is hem in zijn leven vaker overkomen.
‘Ik had het daarnet over de plaatselijke opnamestudio, ‘ gaat hij verder, ‘maar eigenlijk was er op technisch gebied niets dat aan de hedendaagse eisen beantwoordt. ’t Was dus geen studio in strikte zin, maar wel mijn hotelkamer die we voor de gelegenheid hadden leeggehaald. Mèt goedkeuring van de hoteldirecteur, toevallig een drummer. Voor de akoestiek hebben we matrassen tegen de muur gespijkerd. En mijn zangcabine was de wc. Die ontruimde hotelkamer zag er op de duur uit als een hok waar ze in België vijftig Kosovaarse vluchtelingen in duwen. Primitiever kon het niet: als we al microfoonstatieven hadden, waren ze verroest, om van de microfoons zelf nog te zwijgen. En toch klinkt mijn cd fantastisch, niet het minst dankzij de typisch Afrikaanse plantrekkerij. Een bezemsteel is, als de nood het hoogst is, óók een microfoonstandaard. We hebben alles live gespeeld. Ik heb er geavanceerde studiotechniek leren relativeren, mag ik wel zeggen. Nu ja, ik wist allang dat je geen peperdure hightech nodig hebt om een gevoel – laten we het maar soul noemen - juist weer te geven. Integendeel.»

In Afrika was hij zich er voortdurend van bewust dat de blues en de jazz dààr vandaan komen: ‘En dat bedoel ik ook visueel,’ zegt hij, ‘ik heb wel tien John Lee Hookers zien lopen, en vijf John Coltranes, een paar Miles Davissen, en één Chuck Berry: mijn saxofonist lijkt namelijk sprekend op hem. Volgens mij is hij dé ster van de cd. Die muzikanten waren geen koorknaapjes, maar veeleer bohémiens, om het zacht uit te drukken; ’t viel mij op dat ze graag van naam veranderden: de ene dag heetten ze zus, en de andere dag zo. Soms noemden ze zichzelf The Black Banana Band. Vraag me niet waarom. Ik had ze graag naar hier gehaald, maar naar wie moet je vragen als ze zo graag van naam veranderen? Maar goed, ik ken ondertussen al een paar fantastische muzikanten uit Matonge, de Kongolese wijk in Brussel, met wie ik graag op tournee zou gaan.’


The Golden Glows is an acoustic three piece, keen on long gone melodies, with a focus on vocal harmonies. We come from the diamond mines of Antwerp, Kingdom of Bubblicious Belgium.

The Golden Glows made their debut with A Songbook From the 20’s, a two-hour live show with popular American tunes from the 1920?s: a collection of forgotten radio hits, a few torch songs, musical numbers, some early jazz, a pinch of country blues, gospel and folk traditionals.
Next was A Folksongbook. The EP, a musical meditation on the nature of love, is a blend of original music and ancient words raised from English & Irish folk traditionals, Victorian poems and 19th Century ballads. We perform this songbook live with guests: a golden horn and an enigmatic cornet à bouquin (Jon Birdsong), a glorious viola da gamba (Pieter Vandeveire) and a mystical theorbe (Pieter Theuns).
In the New Depression The Songbook of Blues took shape as a live show. In Part I we passed by an old cinema with 1920?s blues and John Huston’s ‘Moby Dick’. Part II celebrated Herman Melville’s 190th birthday in a harboured Ship Church. The White Whale was raised.

A Tribute to Alan Lomax :: The Golden Glows play Prison Songs :: with a solid bassdrum(mer) an an all-male choir was rated top 3 show of 2009 at AB, Brussels. The recording of this extraordinary evening will see the daylight someday. Meanwhile, we’re touring A Prison Songbook throughout 2011.

Tickets • Roland • Golden Glows

J.D. McPherson (USA) komt naar de rock-'n-rollhoofdstad van België voor de derde Rootsnight! McPherson komt uit far west Oklahoma en staat garant voor authentieke vintage rock met sterke rockabilly en bluesinvloeden. Zijn laatste album kreeg lovende kritieken: "...brims with honest, raw and authentic talent" (Play it Loud).
Moonshine Reunion en Lawen Stark & The Slide Boppers brengen je in de juiste rockmood en DJ Dax sluit het feest af.

Sometimes the most American of settings can reveal the deepest artistic talents the world has ever known. Johnny Cash on the farms of Arkansas, Mike Ness on the mean streets of Los Angeles, and a skinny kid from the ghettos of Tupelo named Elvis who happened to be brimming with soul. JD Mcpherson is one of those talents cut from that same artistic cloth. Growing up in southern Oklahoma, Mcpherson, the progeny of an ex-military, farming father and “good word” preaching mother, Mcpherson had an intriguing childhood and those influences shine blissfully through his music. His sound is raw it feels old, like the hum of a 50’s convertible cruising the back roads of the Mississippi delta, but it’s new and innovative.While most kids from the sticks heros were rodeo stars and country singers, Mcpherson heard the liberal screech of The Talking Heads and Bad Brains and let it empower him. But the allure of the American Roots Music scene is what made his musical mouth salivate. The honest troubadours of song that roamed from honky tonks to back alley bar rooms that machine gunned a town every night, one song at a time.

The Moonshine Reunion boys played together in the former Los Fabulous Frankies, a rockin' road machine that has seen its share of towns all across Europe. No wonder Moonshine Reunion  was a grand live act from day one. They are hellbent to take it even further, with a chain of skilfully crafted songs, the band taps into half a century of roots music, like the glory days of Sun Records to more recent Americana brilliance of Dave Gonzalez and the tender twist of Chris Isaak. Just an old Gretch guitar won't cut it for Moonshine Reunion . These excellent players master a wide range of vintage gear to enrich their authentic tone. They let the blues slide in lonesome rhymes, but before long the twang swings back to Trucking Country and Rockabilly Barnburners. Like a dear friend that's gone Hankin' and returns with new stories to tell, their first cd SEX, TRUCKS & ROCK 'N' ROLL honours a fine tradition by delivering outstanding contemporary originals. Their latest album TIRED OF DRIVIN' was recorded in October 2010 at Jimmy Sutton's Histyle Recording Studio in Chicago.

Lawen Stark & The Slide Boppers
This Belgian band was formed in the beginning of 2006. The band is inspired by stars like Sonny Burgess, Bob Luman, Sonny Fisher , Carl Perkins , Johnny Horton , the Sabres, Dwight 'Whitey' Pullen, Chan Romero, Benny Joy and many more.
They played all over Europe, in Spain, Germany , Holland , France, Sweden , Norway, UK etc. on festivals like The Rockabilly Rave, Hemsby Rockabilly Weekender, High Rockabilly, Rockabilly Day, Rockin' Around Turnhout, Béthune Festival, The Rocket Room and Sjock Rock. Member Since:.. octobre 08, 2006

Members:
Lawen Stark: Rhythm Guitar and Vocals
Mario Mattucci: Lead Guitar
Jean Mc Colling: Drums
Yung Han Oei: Double Bass