Sharko
Encyclopedia
Sharko is a Belgian indie pop-rock band formed by David Bartholomé (bass guitar, guitars, vocals) in 1997.
Sharko released its first album, Feuded in 1999, on the indie Belgian label BANG! The album has also been released in France and Holland and received a very positive press coverage. Helped on stage by guitar player Teuk Henri, Sharko toured those three countries in 2000 and gained a reputation as a live act. On this tour, they opened for acts like Muse
, Venus, Arno
, or Paul Weller.
The second album, Meeuws 2, was released in February 2001 in Belgium
, France
, Switzerland
, Holland, and Italy
. Produced by Mike Mogis (from the American band Bright Eyes), Meeuws 2 includes "I Went Down" which became an underground hit in Belgium
, Holland and France
. David and Teuk were then joined by drummer Julien Paschal. In 2003, the album was released in Britain
where it got good reviews in papers such as NME
, The Face
and The Independent
. The band toured England
in the summer while recording their third album ("TimeOut" even declared their London gig "concert of the week").
Released in September 2003 in Belgium
, Sharko III was later released in France
, Holland, Switzerland
, and Japan
. In February 2004, Sharko played with fellow bands Ghinzu
and Girls in Hawaii
a sold out Ancienne Belgique
in Brussels
. The album received great reviews, especially in France where Sharko became an acclaimed indie act as the single Spotlite enter the playlist of french mainstream radio France Inter
.
The year 2005 was a dark year for David Bartholomé who almost decided to end Sharko. Instead of this, the trio entered in contact with producer Dimitri Tikovoï
(Placebo
, The Horrors
, Goldfrapp
) to start the recordings of their fourth album. Molecule was released in October 2006 in Belgium and Holland and received great reviews. The sound of the album differs from its predecessors, having more density and depth. Molecule ended the year reaching number 1 on the iTunes French download indie chart. In January 2007, Sharko sold out the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels. Molecule was later released in France, Switzerland and Australia.
In 2008, Sharko toured in Canada and in New York City, they played in clubs such as Arlene's Grocery
or Piano's.
During the summer, Julien Paschal quit the band and was replaced by Charles De Croix.
In 2009, they released fifth album "Dance on the Beast" which tried to surf on a more dance-oriented wave. The album was not very well received, either by the press or the audience. "Dance on the Beast" surprised many fans by its "dance" sound and didn't instantly find the irony which suited the previous albums.
In July 2010, a compilation "BeAst of Sharko" was released on digital platforms. Sharko then went on tour with new drummer Laurens Smagghe.
Sharko released its first album, Feuded in 1999, on the indie Belgian label BANG! The album has also been released in France and Holland and received a very positive press coverage. Helped on stage by guitar player Teuk Henri, Sharko toured those three countries in 2000 and gained a reputation as a live act. On this tour, they opened for acts like Muse
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
, Venus, Arno
Arno Hintjens
Arno Hintjens , usually referred to as Arno, is a Belgian artist born in Ostend. He was the frontman of the group TC Matic. After the band split in 1986 he went solo....
, or Paul Weller.
The second album, Meeuws 2, was released in February 2001 in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Holland, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Produced by Mike Mogis (from the American band Bright Eyes), Meeuws 2 includes "I Went Down" which became an underground hit in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Holland and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. David and Teuk were then joined by drummer Julien Paschal. In 2003, the album was released in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
where it got good reviews in papers such as NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, The Face
The Face (magazine)
The Face was a British music, fashion and culture monthly magazine started in May 1980 by Nick Logan.-1980s:Logan had previously created the teen pop magazine Smash Hits, and had been an editor at the New Musical Express in the 1970s before launching The Face in 1980.The magazine was influential in...
and The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
. The band toured England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the summer while recording their third album ("TimeOut" even declared their London gig "concert of the week").
Released in September 2003 in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Sharko III was later released in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Holland, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In February 2004, Sharko played with fellow bands Ghinzu
Ghinzu
Ghinzu is an alternative rock band founded in 1999 in Brussels, Belgium.-Electronic Jacuzzi :The band released its first album, Electronic Jacuzzi in late 2000 on their own label Dragoon. Their sound is a kind of noisy rock, supported by a big and groovy rhythmic and some electronic touches while...
and Girls in Hawaii
Girls in Hawaii
-History:In 2000, Antoine Wielemans and Lionel Vancauwenberghe began recording songs on an 8 track-recorder, and a few months later they formed the band by recruiting their brothers: Denis Wielemans and Brice Vancauwenberghe, and two friends: Christophe Léonard and Daniel Offermann.In May 2002 they...
a sold out Ancienne Belgique
Ancienne Belgique
The Ancienne Belgique is a concert hall for contemporary music in Brussels, Belgium. Located in the historic heart of Brussels, it is one the leading concert venues in Belgium, hosting a wide variety of international and local acts.-The venue:...
in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. The album received great reviews, especially in France where Sharko became an acclaimed indie act as the single Spotlite enter the playlist of french mainstream radio France Inter
France Inter
France Inter is a major French public radio channel and part of Radio France. It is a "generalist" station, aiming to provide a wide national audience with a full service of news and intelligent spoken-word programming, both serious and entertaining, liberally punctuated with an eclectic mix of...
.
The year 2005 was a dark year for David Bartholomé who almost decided to end Sharko. Instead of this, the trio entered in contact with producer Dimitri Tikovoï
Dimitri Tikovoi
Dimitri Tikovoi is a French record producer and DJ who has worked with bands such as Placebo, The Horrors, John Cale , Hope Of The States, Goldfrapp, etc....
(Placebo
Placebo (band)
Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
, The Horrors
The Horrors
The Horrors are an English band from Southend on Sea, formed in 2005. Their debut Strange House, was released in 2007 and reached number thirty-seven on the UK Albums Chart, their second album Primary Colours was released in 2009 and peaked at number 25 in the UK...
, Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory ....
) to start the recordings of their fourth album. Molecule was released in October 2006 in Belgium and Holland and received great reviews. The sound of the album differs from its predecessors, having more density and depth. Molecule ended the year reaching number 1 on the iTunes French download indie chart. In January 2007, Sharko sold out the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels. Molecule was later released in France, Switzerland and Australia.
In 2008, Sharko toured in Canada and in New York City, they played in clubs such as Arlene's Grocery
Arlene's Grocery
Arlene's Grocery is a bar and music venue in the Lower East Side, Manhattan. It is located at 95 Stanton Street, and has been a bar/venue since 1996....
or Piano's.
During the summer, Julien Paschal quit the band and was replaced by Charles De Croix.
In 2009, they released fifth album "Dance on the Beast" which tried to surf on a more dance-oriented wave. The album was not very well received, either by the press or the audience. "Dance on the Beast" surprised many fans by its "dance" sound and didn't instantly find the irony which suited the previous albums.
In July 2010, a compilation "BeAst of Sharko" was released on digital platforms. Sharko then went on tour with new drummer Laurens Smagghe.
Discography
- Feuded (1999)
- Meeuws 2 (2001-2003 UK)
- Sharko III (2004)
- Molecule (2007)
- Dance On The Beast (2009)
- Beast of Sharko (2010)