Bearforce 1
Encyclopedia
Bearforce 1 was a gay
dance music
band
from the Netherlands
, known mainly for a YouTube
hit video, "Bearforce 1." Founded in 2006 and promoting an image as bears (that is, hairy gay men), they released three singles accompanied by YouTube videos, they invited comparisons to the Village People
and scored hits in the Netherlands before breaking up in 2009.
(Ian Turnel, Peter Johansson, and Yuri) and an Irishman
(Robert Brown), led by actor and producer Roeland Fernhout. Their eponymous single "Bearforce 1," a medley of dance songs accompanied by a video clip in which the four bears dance and lip-sync, was a YouTube phenomenon and ended as #20 on LOGO TV
's Ultimate Queer Videos Countdown. Praise by Perez Hilton
led to a tour in the United States
and attention in the US media--The Washington Post
wrote of the band, "Finally, there's a boy band for older, hairy gay men."
They released a second single, "Christmas is here," in 2007, also accompanied by a popular YouTube video (shot in the snow in Austria
, in which the four men danced in red boxers, tank tops, ski outfits, and Santa Claus suits), The song entered the Single Top 100 at #7. In December 2007 they played a series of concerts in Ahoy Rotterdam with Gerard Joling
, and in 2008 they played at the first same-sex marriage
ceremony to take place at the Tilburg
Pink Monday fair. A third single, "Shake That Thing," was again praised by Perez Hilton.
In 2008, Turnel left the band and was replaced by Konstantinos Zouganelis. The same year, Johansson and was replaced by Peter Gerrist. On Saturday 3 January 2009, Andrew Lloyd Webber
and record company executive Colin Barlow dismissed an attempt by Bearforce 1 to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
on BBC1's Your Country Needs You as "hopeless". The band broke up in late 2009.
In 2011 the group came to light in Chicago, Illinois on the Boers and Bernstein
show on WSCR
AM sports radio station. A conversation was being held about the NFL's Chicago Bears
traveling to London, England to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. "Bear Force One" was the familiar name of the team jet internally and among the press, apparently unaware of the connotation in Europe. Producer Matt Abbatacola instructed Bernstein to "google
" "Bear Force One". As a result the band has found its way back into mainstream media to at least some degree, and Dan Bernstein has hinted that the station will be doing something as a tribute to the band for the upcoming 2011 holiday season.
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, known mainly for a YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
hit video, "Bearforce 1." Founded in 2006 and promoting an image as bears (that is, hairy gay men), they released three singles accompanied by YouTube videos, they invited comparisons to the Village People
Village People
Village People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
and scored hits in the Netherlands before breaking up in 2009.
History
Bearforce 1 was founded by three DutchmenDutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
(Ian Turnel, Peter Johansson, and Yuri) and an Irishman
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
(Robert Brown), led by actor and producer Roeland Fernhout. Their eponymous single "Bearforce 1," a medley of dance songs accompanied by a video clip in which the four bears dance and lip-sync, was a YouTube phenomenon and ended as #20 on LOGO TV
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
's Ultimate Queer Videos Countdown. Praise by Perez Hilton
Perez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. , better known as Perez Hilton , is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities...
led to a tour in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and attention in the US media--The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
wrote of the band, "Finally, there's a boy band for older, hairy gay men."
They released a second single, "Christmas is here," in 2007, also accompanied by a popular YouTube video (shot in the snow in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, in which the four men danced in red boxers, tank tops, ski outfits, and Santa Claus suits), The song entered the Single Top 100 at #7. In December 2007 they played a series of concerts in Ahoy Rotterdam with Gerard Joling
Gerard Joling
Gerard Jan Joling is a Dutch singer and television presenter. Known for his high tenor voice, he rose to fame in the late 80's and released a string of singles including "Ticket to the Tropics", "Love is in your Eyes", and his biggest hit, "No more boleros", a song that reached the top 10 in...
, and in 2008 they played at the first same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
ceremony to take place at the Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....
Pink Monday fair. A third single, "Shake That Thing," was again praised by Perez Hilton.
In 2008, Turnel left the band and was replaced by Konstantinos Zouganelis. The same year, Johansson and was replaced by Peter Gerrist. On Saturday 3 January 2009, Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
and record company executive Colin Barlow dismissed an attempt by Bearforce 1 to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
on BBC1's Your Country Needs You as "hopeless". The band broke up in late 2009.
In 2011 the group came to light in Chicago, Illinois on the Boers and Bernstein
Boers and Bernstein
Boers and Bernstein is an afternoon drive-time sports talk show on Chicago's WSCR hosted by former columnist Terry Boers and Dan Bernstein. The program airs weekday afternoons from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. On days when the Chicago White Sox have a 7:10 start time, the program will often be extended half...
show on WSCR
WSCR
WSCR is a sports radio station in the Chicago, Illinois radio market. The station is owned by CBS Radio and transmits on 670 kHz on the AM dial. Its transmitter is located just off Army Trail Road in Bloomingdale, which is a western suburb of Chicago. It is known as "The Score," and has been on...
AM sports radio station. A conversation was being held about the NFL's Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
traveling to London, England to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. "Bear Force One" was the familiar name of the team jet internally and among the press, apparently unaware of the connotation in Europe. Producer Matt Abbatacola instructed Bernstein to "google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
" "Bear Force One". As a result the band has found its way back into mainstream media to at least some degree, and Dan Bernstein has hinted that the station will be doing something as a tribute to the band for the upcoming 2011 holiday season.
Singles
- 2007: "Bearforce 1"
- 2007: "Christmas Is Here" (reached #28 in Dutch Singles Chart)
- 2008: "Shake That Thing"