Jump to content

Hooverphonic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by ApprenticeFan (talk | contribs) at 03:45, 21 June 2020 (→External links). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Hooverphonic
Alex Callier (left), Raymond Geerts (right) and Luka Cruysberghs (center) in 2019.
Alex Callier (left), Raymond Geerts (right) and Luka Cruysberghs (center) in 2019.
Background information
Also known asHoover
OriginSint-Niklaas, Belgium
Genres
Years active1995–present
LabelsPIAS
Epic Records
MembersAlex Callier
Raymond Geerts
Luka Cruysberghs
Past membersEsther Lybeert
Frank Duchêne
Liesje Sadonius
Kyoko Bartsoen
Geike Arnaert
Noémie Wolfs
WebsiteHooverphonic.com

Hooverphonic is a Belgian band that formed in October 1995. Though originally categorized as a trip hop group, they quickly expanded their sound to the point where they could no longer be described as a lone genre, but rather encompass alternative, electronica, electropop, rock, and a mixture of others. The band originally called themselves Hoover, but later changed their name to Hooverphonic after discovering other groups were already using the Hoover name and to avoid any legal issues with the vacuum cleaner company.

Since their formation, Hooverphonic's lineup consisted of bassist Alex Callier, guitarist Raymond Geerts, and various lead singers. Prominent ones included Liesje Sadonius (1996–1997), Geike Arnaert (1997–2008), Noémie Wolfs (2010–2015), and Luka Cruysberghs (2018–present).

They were supposed to represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam with their song "Release Me".[1] However, on March 18, 2020, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They will instead represent Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.

History

A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular

The original members of the group were vocalist Esther Lybeert, keyboardist Frank Duchêne, bassist Alex Callier, and guitarist Raymond Geerts. Lybeert recorded several demos with the group; however, she backed out of the band on the day they were to sign their contract with Sony Music.[2] The band then brought in Liesje Sadonius to record the album. Sadonius left Hooverphonic on amicable terms shortly after the release of A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular. Kyoko Baertsoen, singer for fellow Belgian trip hop band Lunascape, filled in for Sadonius for three months of a European tour in 1997 before Geike Arnaert was made the permanent singer later that year.[2]

The band achieved international recognition through the inclusion of the Stereophonic track "2Wicky" on the soundtrack to Bernardo Bertolucci's 1996 film Stealing Beauty. "2Wicky" also appeared on the soundtracks of I Know What You Did Last Summer and Heights. The track's main riff is sampled from Isaac Hayes' recording of the 1960s hit "Walk On By".

Additional session musicians for Stereophonic include Eric Bosteels, a session drummer with Hooverphonic from 1997–98 (replaced by Mario Goossens until 2005) and David Poltrock, a keyboard player with the group on and off from 1998 until 2005. In 1998, Hooverphonic also contributed to the Depeche Mode tribute album For the Masses with their cover of "Shake the Disease".

Blue Wonder Power Milk

After an extensive European tour with artists such as Massive Attack, Morcheeba, and Apollo 440, and a tour opening for Fiona Apple in the United States in 1997, the band released Blue Wonder Power Milk in 1998 with 18-year-old Arnaert on vocals. A marked departure from their debut, the album is driven less by breakbeats and samples and more by organic string elements and traditional song structures.

The single "Club Montepulciano" was a hit in native Belgium and a minor college hit in the U.S., while "Renaissance Affair" was featured in the North American commercial campaign for the new Volkswagen Vapor Beetle. "This Strange Effect" and "Eden" were both featured in American cell phone commercials; "This Strange Effect" for the Motorola SLVR, and in 2006, "Eden" for the Cingular 8525. "Eden" was also used in the 1998 slasher film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. At the time of their release, both songs were also featured in two separate third-season episodes of La Femme Nikita. Shortly afterward, Sarah Brightman recorded a cover of "Eden" on her 1998 album "Eden". Yoko Kanno samples the opening track "Battersea" on "Cyberbird" on the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. 2.

At this point, Frank Duchêne decided to quit the band: "Having made two successful albums for Sony Music with his band Hooverphonic, and after extensive touring as support for Fiona Apple, Moloko & Massive Attack, he was unhappy with the project and near the end of 1998, decided to leave."[3]

Early 2000s: The Magnificent Tree

The band followed up Blue Wonder Power Milk with 2000's The Magnificent Tree, which expands on the sound of Milk with a warmer, more approachable sound.[citation needed] Highlights from the album are the string-laden "Out of Sight", "Mad About You", and the title track.

The same year, Hooverphonic was asked to write a song specifically for the opening ceremony of the 2000 European Football Championship, which took place in Brussels, Belgium. The result – a 12-minute-long track called "Visions" – became the theme song of the championship, and Hooverphonic's performance at the opening ceremony was heard/seen by more than 1 billion people.

On the heels of Tree's success, the band became the first Belgian outfit to headline the Belgian musical festival Rock Werchter in 2001.

2002: Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane

2002 saw the group shifting gears again, this time releasing the concept album Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane. The album tells the story of the fictional title character, a celebrity and singer catapulted into stardom at the expense of her relationship with her twin sister. Driven to the brink of insanity by the pressures of fame, Jackie quits show business and returns home to attempt reconciliation, where her sister kills them both with a poisoned last supper.

Jackie Cane retains the dreamy elements of Hooverphonic's previous works, most notably on songs "Nirvana Blue" and "Human Interest" (which contains references to "Echoes" by Pink Floyd), but tracks like "The World Is Mine" (the first single) and "Day After Day" have a clear Broadway influence and quality to them.[citation needed] The album went platinum in Belgium and won the group ZAMU's Best Pop/Rock Band and Best Album awards in 2002.

2003: Sit Down and Listen to Hooverphonic

In 2003, the band released an album performed live in a studio with an orchestra entitled Sit Down and Listen to Hooverphonic, featuring a selection of songs from the band's body of work, as well as the new songs "Antarctica" and "The Last Thing I Need Is You", and a cover of Lee Hazlewood's "My Autumn's Done Come". The band launched into an extended European tour in September 2003, performing in over 100 concert halls.

No More Sweet Music

The band's fifth studio album, a double CD entitled No More Sweet Music/More Sweet Music, was released in December 2005. Both CDs include the same 11 tracks, however, they are all different versions.

Singles '96 - '06

In 2006 the band left Sony/BMG, complaining of lack of label support for No More Sweet Music. A best-of album (Singles '96 - '06) was released to end the relation with Sony/BMG. The band went on to work without a label.

The President of the LSD Golf Club

Geike Arnaert of Hooverphonic in the Effenaar in Eindhoven on 24 January 2008.

In an interview for the Spanish TV program Nosolomusica, Alex Callier gave some hints of a new, more psychedelic orientation for the band's forthcoming music. During a show in Moscow (October 2007), the band revealed the first single of the new album, "Expedition Impossible".[4]

The President of the LSD Golf Club was released in October 2007 in Belgium and the Netherlands. The album was released in Europe in March 2008. Following the release, the lead singer of the band, Geike Arnaert announced on 10 October 2008 she would be leaving the band to pursue a solo career.[5] Arnaert had been working on solo material for a few months.[5] The last concert Hooverphonic did with Geike was on 13 December 2008 in Tele-Club, Ekaterinburg, Russia. It was filmed by the local MTV station and was shown on Russian TV in 2009.

On 4 November 2010, the new lead singer Noémie Wolfs was announced on De Laatste Show at the VRT, the Flemish public broadcasting organization.

2010s: The Night Before , re-release of A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular

On 29 October 2010, Hooverphonic announced a new single on their website. The videoclip showcased fourteen possible singers but only one of them, Noémie Wolfs,[6] proved to be the real successor to Geike Arnaert. The single "The Night Before" to introduce new singer Noémie Wolfs. This was followed on November 26 by the release of the full-length album "The Night Before". The album went platinum in Belgium soon after its release.[7]

On 9 November 2011 they announced the re-release of their first album, A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular.[8]

On 26 March 2015, Hooverphonic announced that Noémie Wolfs would be leaving the band "in mutual agreement". In April 2018, Hooverphonic introduced their new singer Luka Cruysberghs.

2020s and Eurovision Song Contest

They were supposed to represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam with their song "Release Me".[1] The event was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hooverphonics were the only Eurovision entrant for 2020 who refused to take part in the "Love Shine a light" performance[9], where entrants each contributed sections of the song.

Band members

Timeline

Discography

Main article: Hooverphonic discography

Use of music in television and movies

Fête Iris in Brussels' Grand Place, 2007

Hooverphonic's music has also appeared in a number of commercials and other TV series:

References

  1. ^ a b Farren, Neil (1 October 2019). "Belgium: Hooverphonic to Eurovision 2020". Eurovoix. Retrieved 1 October 2019. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b Callier, Alex (2005). 10 Years With Hooverphonic - Alex Callier Interview (television interview) (in Dutch). ëën. Event occurs at 1:47. Retrieved 29 November 2012. In fact the demos were done by Esther. She also did all the showcases and on the day we had to sign our record contract at Sony Music she said: "I don't think I can do this..."
  3. ^ Biography, Frank Duchêne Website. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  4. ^ "Hooverphonic - Expedition Impossible (Live @ B-2 / Moscow)". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  5. ^ a b "Hooverphonic front woman Geike Arnaert quits band". Side-line.com. 1999-02-22. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  6. ^ Noémie Wolfs is new Hooverphonic-singer Archived November 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ The Night Before goes platinum Archived January 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Hooverphonic releases deluxe box set version of debut album A New Ste…". 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013.
  9. ^ ""I don't feel it" — Alex Callier explains why Hooverphonic sat out of the "Love Shine a Light" segment". wiwibloggs.com. 2020-05-17. Retrieved 2020-05-17.
Preceded by Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
2020 (cancelled)
2021 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hooverphonic&oldid=963672266"