Flemming (Dutch band)
Encyclopedia
Debut
In April 1998 the band (as Lemming) released a self-financed debut The Search EP. It consists of five songs, recorded in a cheap and obscure studio in Amsterdam in two days. Mainstream popPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
critics were positive about the recordings, and Flemming was offered a spot on the main stage of the London Calling
London Calling (festival)
London Calling is a music festival held twice a year in Paradiso, Amsterdam and focuses on the latest trends and bands in music, with the main focus on the UK. Since the festival started in 1992 it has been acknowledged as the main showcase festival of the Netherlands for British music and is...
festival in Paradiso, Amsterdam in October 1998. Flemming then played at the annual Noorderslag Festival in Groningen. Warner Music offered Flemming a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
and preparations for the recording of the first full length album, to be produced by label mate Tom Pintens of Flemish band Zita Swoon
Zita Swoon
Zita Swoon is a Belgian indie rock group. They entered the music scene of Antwerp in 1993, still under the name A Beatband with the EP "Jintro Travels The Word In A Skirt". The group is typical of the music scene in Antwerp, with members playing in numerous other groups. Best known member is singer...
, were made.
Name change
Because of legal problems concerning a reunion tour of 1970s horror rockHorror Rock
Horror Rock is a rock lying 3.5 nautical miles west of South West Point, Annenkov Island, South Georgia. Named by United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee from the circumstances of the rock's discovery by HMS Owen on February 21, 1961. The ship avoided striking the rock in rough weather...
act Lemming the band name was officially changed to "Flemming". In July 2000, Flemming's official self-titled debut was released. Dutch established pop watchers and critics were positive about the album. Pop magazine LiveXS chose the album as album of the month. The first single released from the album was the song "Name?". The promotional video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
in which the band performed the song next to the set of an adult movie
Pornographic movie
Pornographic films are motion pictures with the purpose of promoting sexual arousal in the viewer, often featuring depictions of sexual activity. They are sold and rented out on DVD, shown through Internet and special channels and pay-per-view on cable and satellite, and in adult...
was banned from the Dutch music channel TMF
The Music Factory
The Music Factory is a pop music television channel that operates in Belgium .TMF previously operated channels in the Netherlands , the UK with TMF UK and Australia with . The brand is owned by MTV Networks International...
during day time. A censored version did reach day time television.
While promoting their debut album in Dutch live circuit Flemming also made numerous appearances on Dutch TV and radio during 2000/2001. Programs like 2-metersessies, TMF Café and De Plantage featured TV performances of the band. On the radio Flemming performed on Leidsekade live, BNN Live and Isabelle. In 2001, Flemming played at the Noorderslag Festival once more, and in May 2001 "Starry Night" became the second single from the debut album. The song was orchestrated by Robert Kirby
Robert Kirby
Robert Kirby was a British born arranger of string sections for rock and folk music. He is best known for his work on the Nick Drake albums, Five Leaves Left and Bryter Layter, but has also worked with Elton John, Ralph McTell, Strawbs, Paul Weller and Elvis Costello.-At Cambridge:Patrick...
, well known for his work with English singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
(1948–1974).
Second Album
In 2002 Flemming recorded the second album We love the Industry. It was however not released until February 2004, because Warner Music dropped all artists signed to the Dutch branch of the company. We love the Industry was released by independent labelIndependent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Idol Media. The first single drawn from it was titled "Old Boys". The arrangement was by Robert Kirby, and also featured Dutch female singer Birgit Schuurman
Birgit Schuurman
Birgit Schuurman is a Dutch rock singer and actress.-Biography:Schuurman was born in Utrecht and raised in Bunnik as the daughter of a Dutch father and a Chinese-Surinamese mother; she's the younger sister of Katja Schuurman. Schuurman started her singing career several years before her graduation...
.
Lineup
- Vocals/Guitar: Rutger van Mourik
- Guitar: Jigal 'Jiggle' Krant
- Bass: Pepijn 'Pup' Grimmelikhuizen
- Piano/Synths: Eddy Steeneken
- Drums: Mark Edelman