LPG (band)
Encyclopedia
LPG is a Dutch indie-pop band, signed on Excelsior Recordings
/V2 Records
. In April 2005, their critically acclaimed debut album I fear no foe was released in the Netherlands, receiving positive reviews from established magazines and websites, such as Oor, VPRO 3voor12 and Volkskrant. There were few negative reviews, which mostly struggled with the applause in the opening track Speech, and the diversity of the band.
Shortlty after releasing the debut album, the band released a homemade music video to the song Sparrow, which consisted out of more than 1500 separate photos, resulting in an artistic animation. All in their early twenties, the band toured the Netherlands and supported such acts as The Cribs
and Zita Swoon
. In January 2006, the band announced the song Belly Rollercoaster from their debut album I fear no foe was to be used in a worldwide TV commercial for the Nokia 6280 mobile phone. The music video to this song proved a struggle to make, and was released several months after its premature release party.
, a small municipality
in Groningen
. After sending the demo to several friends and people in the record industry, they receive positive feedback and decide to form a band. Gerald Kooistra (bass), Christiaan Nijburg (drums) and Rob van Essen (keys) join in and the basement of Christiaan's parents house is turned into the band's recording and practicing room.
The first gigs were either really good or really bad. One of the most talked about gigs in the early years is to be played in Volta, where a girl takes place on a bar stool behind a microphone stand, only to drink wine and smoke cigarettes.
In 2003, VPRO 3voor12 and Excelsior Recordings discover the band. On 3voor12 several items about the band are placed in one of which Niels Aalbert (A&R
for Universal Music Group
in the Netherlands) praises the band for their ambition and commitment, comparing the band to The Lemonheads
and Guided by Voices
, yet he feels the band would be better at place at a smaller label such as Konkurrent or Excelsior Recordings
. The latter take on the challenge, and give the band the gigs and time they need to grow before they can record their debut album. As a taste, the band release a handmade 7" vinyl split-single featuring the demo version of Sparrow, with the previously unreleased Spinvis
song Goochelaars en geesten as the B-Side.
In 2004, Rob decides to leave the band and focus on college even before the band started recording in the studio. A replacement is quickly and easily found: Martien ter Veen. In several sessions LPG record their debut album at the SSE studios in Weesp, with Frans Hagenaars as their producer. They finish recording at the end of 2004, after which the tracks are being mastered in the Wisseloord Studios
by Darius van Helfteren. The band find themselves a manager in Sander Zuidema and prepare themselves for the release of their debut album by performing on both the Eurosonic and Noorderslag festival in January 2005.
On April 4, 2005, the band release I fear no foe. With positive reviews coming in from several established magazines and websites, they finally find themselves a booking agency in Mana Music
. An intensive tour through the Netherlands
follows. The band shares the stage with such acts as The Cribs
, The Dears
, Voicst
and Zita Swoon
. Peter Weening of VERA - a famous club for the international pop underground - asks the band to perform on his 25th anniversary of this award-winning venue. Spinvis
asks the band to join them, supporting his completely sold-out club-tour throughout the Netherlands. Throughout the year the gets a good name in the media, and steals the hearts of many die -hard music fans, yet fails to take the next step in becoming a mainstream act with international fame.
In 2006, after a wild and successful year, the band start with more good news just before their second appearance on Eurosonic. Thanks to Massive Music (a company specializing in composing or selecting the right tracks for the right commercials, TV-shows or movies) the band get the attention of Grey advertising
and Nokia
, who select the song Belly Rollercoaster to be used in a worldwide TV and Radio campaign to introduce their new Nokia 6280 cellphones. This news alone gets the band a lot of international attention in the media, with several appearances on TV and Radio as a result. A week later, the band perform in a completely sold out Paradiso (Amsterdam)
together with Spinvis
, filmed and broadcast by Fabchannel. It takes more than 4 months after that until the Nokia commercial first airs, and the band release the music video to Belly Rollercoaster. In the mean time, the band focus on their performances and promotion on MySpace
, attracting an increasing amount of fans on the LPG MySpace profile
In June 2006 the band announce a change of management. Sander Zuidema, who has managed the band from the start, is to focus more on internet promotion, whilst a new manager Maarten van der Helm, bass-player of Skik, is attracted in order to let the band take the next leap forward. During live performances the band start to play new songs and in the media they hint their next album might become a bit more consistent and up-tempo. In the summer they perform - and are to perform - on several festivals in the Netherlands, closing down with a theatre performance in their hometown Hoogezand-Sappemeer
.
In 2007 LPG record their new album, to be released in 2008, with Frans Hagenaars in the SSE studio's in Weesp. In October 2007, they use 11.000 Tomato paste
cans to recreate a band photo on the Spui square in The Hague
. The resulting photo, taken from great height, will be used as their new album cover. Video footage of the band creating this artwork can be found over here.
LPG is a versatile band from the Netherlands, full of ambition. In their songs, you can clearly hear the old legends of the 60s and 70s (Beach Boys, Beatles, Velvet Underground, Neil Young
), combined with influences from the more recent indie-scene (Beck
, Beta Band, Blur
, Pavement (band)
, The Shins
, Sufjan Stevens
), resulting in catchy, polyphonic pop songs full of surprising twists and bends. LPG is also greatly involved in creating their own artwork, merchandize and promotion. The band's motto is 'to accomplish as much as possible by doing as much as possible' for a reason. With performances on Eurosonic, a Nokia
commercial and plenty of new songs for a second album it's more than clear that LPG is still to accomplish a lot more than they already have.
Excelsior Recordings
Excelsior Recordings is an independent record label located in Utrecht, Netherlands, born out of a love - for 7" vinyl, and anger - over almost-famous Dutch band’s Daryll-Ann's luck. First up was a single release; Nothing sucks like Electrolux...
/V2 Records
V2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
. In April 2005, their critically acclaimed debut album I fear no foe was released in the Netherlands, receiving positive reviews from established magazines and websites, such as Oor, VPRO 3voor12 and Volkskrant. There were few negative reviews, which mostly struggled with the applause in the opening track Speech, and the diversity of the band.
Shortlty after releasing the debut album, the band released a homemade music video to the song Sparrow, which consisted out of more than 1500 separate photos, resulting in an artistic animation. All in their early twenties, the band toured the Netherlands and supported such acts as The Cribs
The Cribs
The Cribs are an English three-piece indie rock band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-The Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr who was made a formal member of the group...
and 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...
. In January 2006, the band announced the song Belly Rollercoaster from their debut album I fear no foe was to be used in a worldwide TV commercial for the Nokia 6280 mobile phone. The music video to this song proved a struggle to make, and was released several months after its premature release party.
History
In 2002 Anne van Wieren and Arend-Jan - two friends from high-school - decided to start a band and record a demo on their own. They both had been in bands before, but wanted to take a fresh and new approach to music, one without concessions. They record their first demo at home in Hoogezand-SappemeerHoogezand-Sappemeer
Hoogezand-Sappemeer is a municipality in the northeastern Netherlands. It is the second largest municipality in the province of Groningen, after the city of Groningen. It is well known for its ship building industry....
, a small municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Groningen
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
. After sending the demo to several friends and people in the record industry, they receive positive feedback and decide to form a band. Gerald Kooistra (bass), Christiaan Nijburg (drums) and Rob van Essen (keys) join in and the basement of Christiaan's parents house is turned into the band's recording and practicing room.
The first gigs were either really good or really bad. One of the most talked about gigs in the early years is to be played in Volta, where a girl takes place on a bar stool behind a microphone stand, only to drink wine and smoke cigarettes.
In 2003, VPRO 3voor12 and Excelsior Recordings discover the band. On 3voor12 several items about the band are placed in one of which Niels Aalbert (A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
for Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
in the Netherlands) praises the band for their ambition and commitment, comparing the band to The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
and Guided by Voices
Guided by Voices
Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio. Beginning with the band's formation in 1983, it made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard...
, yet he feels the band would be better at place at a smaller label such as Konkurrent or Excelsior Recordings
Excelsior Recordings
Excelsior Recordings is an independent record label located in Utrecht, Netherlands, born out of a love - for 7" vinyl, and anger - over almost-famous Dutch band’s Daryll-Ann's luck. First up was a single release; Nothing sucks like Electrolux...
. The latter take on the challenge, and give the band the gigs and time they need to grow before they can record their debut album. As a taste, the band release a handmade 7" vinyl split-single featuring the demo version of Sparrow, with the previously unreleased Spinvis
Spinvis
Spinvis is a Dutch one-man project centred around Erik de Jong . Using experimental, lo-fi music, Spinvis became an instant success in his home country, earning two gold records in the process and performing sold-out tours in both the Netherlands and Belgium.-Spinvis:In 2001, Erik de Jong, or...
song Goochelaars en geesten as the B-Side.
In 2004, Rob decides to leave the band and focus on college even before the band started recording in the studio. A replacement is quickly and easily found: Martien ter Veen. In several sessions LPG record their debut album at the SSE studios in Weesp, with Frans Hagenaars as their producer. They finish recording at the end of 2004, after which the tracks are being mastered in the Wisseloord Studios
Wisseloord Studios
The Wisseloord Studio is a recording studio in Hilversum, Netherlands. It was officially opened on 19 January 1978 by Prince Claus.The studios were founded by electronics company Philips, to enable their PolyGram artists to record in a professional environment. Initially there were three studios,...
by Darius van Helfteren. The band find themselves a manager in Sander Zuidema and prepare themselves for the release of their debut album by performing on both the Eurosonic and Noorderslag festival in January 2005.
On April 4, 2005, the band release I fear no foe. With positive reviews coming in from several established magazines and websites, they finally find themselves a booking agency in Mana Music
Mana Music
-Screen Composers:David Bridie, Dale Cornelius, Peter Dasent, Elizabeth Drake, Joel Haines, Mick Harvey, Philip Judd, Johnny Klimek & Reinhold Heil, David Long, Don McGlashan, Plan 9, Richard Pleasance and David Thrussell.-Films:*Perfect Strangers*Whale Rider...
. An intensive tour through 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...
follows. The band shares the stage with such acts as The Cribs
The Cribs
The Cribs are an English three-piece indie rock band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-The Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr who was made a formal member of the group...
, The Dears
The Dears
-History:The band formed in 1995 and released their first album, End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story, in 2000. Their orchestral, dark pop sound and dramatic live shows cemented The Dears at the foundation of the then-emerging Canadian indie renaissance...
, Voicst
Voicst
Voicst are a three-piece indie rock band hailing from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. "Voicst" was the name of a stray cat at the band's very first practice space in Amsterdam.- Band members :* Tjeerd Bomhof * Sven Woodside...
and 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...
. Peter Weening of VERA - a famous club for the international pop underground - asks the band to perform on his 25th anniversary of this award-winning venue. Spinvis
Spinvis
Spinvis is a Dutch one-man project centred around Erik de Jong . Using experimental, lo-fi music, Spinvis became an instant success in his home country, earning two gold records in the process and performing sold-out tours in both the Netherlands and Belgium.-Spinvis:In 2001, Erik de Jong, or...
asks the band to join them, supporting his completely sold-out club-tour throughout the Netherlands. Throughout the year the gets a good name in the media, and steals the hearts of many die -hard music fans, yet fails to take the next step in becoming a mainstream act with international fame.
In 2006, after a wild and successful year, the band start with more good news just before their second appearance on Eurosonic. Thanks to Massive Music (a company specializing in composing or selecting the right tracks for the right commercials, TV-shows or movies) the band get the attention of Grey advertising
Grey EMEA
Grey EMEA is the largest division of Grey Group, a global advertising and marketing agency and member of the WPP network...
and Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
, who select the song Belly Rollercoaster to be used in a worldwide TV and Radio campaign to introduce their new Nokia 6280 cellphones. This news alone gets the band a lot of international attention in the media, with several appearances on TV and Radio as a result. A week later, the band perform in a completely sold out Paradiso (Amsterdam)
Paradiso (Amsterdam)
Paradiso is an iconic rock music venue and cultural center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.-History:It is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century and that was used until 1965 as the meeting hall for a liberal Dutch religious group known as the "Vrije...
together with Spinvis
Spinvis
Spinvis is a Dutch one-man project centred around Erik de Jong . Using experimental, lo-fi music, Spinvis became an instant success in his home country, earning two gold records in the process and performing sold-out tours in both the Netherlands and Belgium.-Spinvis:In 2001, Erik de Jong, or...
, filmed and broadcast by Fabchannel. It takes more than 4 months after that until the Nokia commercial first airs, and the band release the music video to Belly Rollercoaster. In the mean time, the band focus on their performances and promotion on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, attracting an increasing amount of fans on the LPG MySpace profile
In June 2006 the band announce a change of management. Sander Zuidema, who has managed the band from the start, is to focus more on internet promotion, whilst a new manager Maarten van der Helm, bass-player of Skik, is attracted in order to let the band take the next leap forward. During live performances the band start to play new songs and in the media they hint their next album might become a bit more consistent and up-tempo. In the summer they perform - and are to perform - on several festivals in the Netherlands, closing down with a theatre performance in their hometown Hoogezand-Sappemeer
Hoogezand-Sappemeer
Hoogezand-Sappemeer is a municipality in the northeastern Netherlands. It is the second largest municipality in the province of Groningen, after the city of Groningen. It is well known for its ship building industry....
.
In 2007 LPG record their new album, to be released in 2008, with Frans Hagenaars in the SSE studio's in Weesp. In October 2007, they use 11.000 Tomato paste
Tomato paste
Tomato paste is a thick paste that is made by cooking tomatoes for several hours to reduce moisture, straining them to remove the seeds and skin, and cooking them again to reduce them to a thick, rich concentrate...
cans to recreate a band photo on the Spui square in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. The resulting photo, taken from great height, will be used as their new album cover. Video footage of the band creating this artwork can be found over here.
Biography
(taken from the official LPG website)LPG is a versatile band from the Netherlands, full of ambition. In their songs, you can clearly hear the old legends of the 60s and 70s (Beach Boys, Beatles, Velvet Underground, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
), combined with influences from the more recent indie-scene (Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
, Beta Band, Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
, Pavement (band)
Pavement (band)
Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
, The Shins
The Shins
The Shins are an American indie rock band comprising singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Mercer, guitarist/bassist Dave Hernandez, Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats, drummer Joe Plummer and bassist Ron Lewis. Their sound draws on several musical genres, including pop, alternative rock, indie rock,...
, Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
), resulting in catchy, polyphonic pop songs full of surprising twists and bends. LPG is also greatly involved in creating their own artwork, merchandize and promotion. The band's motto is 'to accomplish as much as possible by doing as much as possible' for a reason. With performances on Eurosonic, a Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
commercial and plenty of new songs for a second album it's more than clear that LPG is still to accomplish a lot more than they already have.
Discography
- 2004 - Sparrow/Goochelaars en geesten (7" split single with SpinvisSpinvisSpinvis is a Dutch one-man project centred around Erik de Jong . Using experimental, lo-fi music, Spinvis became an instant success in his home country, earning two gold records in the process and performing sold-out tours in both the Netherlands and Belgium.-Spinvis:In 2001, Erik de Jong, or...
)
- 2005 - I fear no foe (Full-length debut album)
Band members
- Anne Caesar van Wieren (Guitar/bass/vocals)
- Arend Jan van der Scheer (Guitar/vocals)
- Gerard Halbe Kooistra (Bass/guitar/vocals)
- Martien ter Veen (Keyboards/guitar/vocals)
- Christiaan Jan Paul Nijburg (Drums/vocals)