Neerlands Hoop in Bange Dagen

Biography

Neerlands Hoop In Bange Dagen (often referred to simply as 'Neerlands Hoop') was a Dutch comedy/cabaret duo, legendary for the music in their shows and their rock & roll intensity. They were successful in The Netherlands and the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium throughout the 1970s. Founded in 1967 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Neerlands Hoop consisted of Freek de Jonge (sketches) and Bram Vermeulen (music). Active from 1967 to 1979, they are widely regarded as the most innovative and influent...

Neerlands Hoop In Bange Dagen (often referred to simply as 'Neerlands Hoop') was a Dutch comedy/cabaret duo, legendary for the music in their shows and their rock & roll intensity. They were successful in The Netherlands and the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium throughout the 1970s.

Founded in 1967 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Neerlands Hoop consisted of Freek de Jonge (sketches) and Bram Vermeulen (music). Active from 1967 to 1979, they are widely regarded as the most innovative and influential Dutch cabaret act of all time, a duo that changed Dutch theatre and comedy forever.

De Jonge, Vermeulen and Johan Gertenbach, all of them students at Amsterdam University, met in 1967 and formed the cabaret trio, Cabariolet. Music was a key ingredient of their performances from the outset. Fiercely left wing and anti-establishment, Neerlands Hoop continued as a duo after the departure of Gertenbach, early 1968, and became the voice of a Dutch generation, a cabaret/comedy duo in many ways connected to rock culture.

The group wrote five major theatre shows and several shorter shows for special occasions (including the legendary, loud-rocking 'Bloed Aan De Paal': an attempt to get the Dutch national football team to boycott the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, a military dictatorship at the time). They also released five 'music only' albums of Dutch-language pop songs.

Neerlands Hoop incorporated pop and rock music in their high-speed theatre shows. 'Neerlands Hoop Express' (on tour from 1973 to 1975) featured a live (and loud) rock band. Rock guitarist, Jan de Hont (of ZZ & De Maskers and De Maskers), who was in the 'Express' band, became a permanent member of Neerlands Hoop from 1977 onwards. Also part of the 'Express' band was Thé Lau, future frontman of Dutch rockband, The Scene.

In 1979 Freek de Jonge decided to carry on as a solo comedian and performer, leaving Vermeulen devastated. Bram Vermeulen had a respectable solo career as a composer/singer-songwriter. He died unexpectedly in Italy, in 2004, whereas De Jonge is still notoriously prolific and energetic today.

Albums

Neerlands Hoop in Bange Dagen (1970) (live theatre show; songs and sketches)
'Live' in Wadway (N.H.) (1971) (live theatre show; songs and sketches)
Neerlands Hoop in Panama (1971) (studio album; songs)
Plankenkoorts (1972) (live theatre show; songs and sketches)
Weerzien in Panama (1973 (live theatre show; songs and sketches)
Neerlands Hoop Express (1974) (live theatre show; songs and sketches)
In genaaid of gebonden (1975) (live theatre show; songs and sketches)
28 Liedjes van Bram en Freek (1975) (compilation; songs)
Hoezo jeugdsentiment? (1976) (studio album; songs)
Een kannibaal als jij en ik (1976) (live theatre show; songs and sketches)
Interieur (1977) (live theatre show; songs and sketches)
Heimwee naar Holland (1977) (studio album; songs)
Bloed aan de paal (1978) (live theatre show; sketches and music)
Ik ben volmaakt gelukkig (1978) (studio album; songs)
Offsmboet Ippq Dpef (1979) (live theatre show; sketches and music)
De Toetjes (1981) (compilation, unreleased recordings) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.