HEIDEROOSJES

Bio:

Which Dutch punk band has kept the same line-up for 20 years, won a GRAMMY AWARD and has played over 1500 gigs? The only possible answer to that question is: The HEIDEROOSJES (pronounced: ‘Hi-The-Rose-Yes’). This year the band will be celebrating this very special anniversary with a double-album and a big tour.

Punk was never big in Holland. Even in the seventies, when safety pins and roadsign-sized buttons were all the rage, no band had ever made it past the unemployment office. But twenty years after the first wave of pissed off loudmouth bands, four boys from the south of Holland changed all the rules: they sold hundreds of thousands of records, had hit singles, played sold out tours, and were the subject of a best-selling book. All that without a proper record deal.

The genesis of the Heideroosjes is a classic rock ..n.. roll story: Starting in 1989 with four teenagers, who got together in a barn to exorcise the boredom with loud, fucked up music that scared away the cows and made the neighbors complain. In the small rural town where they lived and went to school, they were considered outsiders (of course they..re local heroes now). They looked funny, acted funny and dug records no one else in the local youth club wanted to hear. The Heideroosjes were not cool.

But while the Heideroosjes were being snubbed by the Punk Rock Police, they struck a nerve with kids all over the country. The crowds that came to their shows could relate to every word singer Marco screamed into the mic. No poses, no frills, just straight from the heart rock ..n..roll. The Heideroosjes were for real. Their first self-produced albums sold by the bucketload. Purely by word of mouth, they sold out clubs everywhere they went. And by the time the media finally noticed the band, they had landed a spot at the most prestigious major Dutch festival called Pinkpop (1995). It proved to be their breakthrough performance. From that moment on, their trademark red T-shirts dominated all the festival fields, and not only in Holland and Belgium.

The Heideroosjes managed to get their records out all over the world with the help of the famous Epitaph label. In the meantime, the boys became men and their little band became a rocking tour monster. New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Milan, Berlin, London, Sarajevo, Dublin, Tokyo Japan, Johannesburg South Africa…! You name it, they played it. They toured with Bad Religion, The Misfits, Pennywise, and The Offspring prompting Offspring guitarist Noodles to write in his tour diary: "I have a new favourite band, The Heideroosjes. Imagine the energy and level of NOFX, and multiply it with Rage Against the Machine. These guys rock and make me feel old."

In 2007 the Heideroosjes released their 8th studio-album called CHAPTER EIGHT, THE GOLDEN STATE, with vocal contributions from MOTORHEAD chief Lemmy Killmister and IGNITE singer Zoli Teglas. Esteemed producer Cameron Webb (who has worked with Motorhead, Sum 41, Pennywise and Social Distortion) gave the album the sound it deserved.

And now in 2009 the band is celebrating their 20th anniversary with a double-album full of new songs and a musical ode brought to them by other punk/pop and rock bands. “Being in this band for so long feels like living an adventure novel ” explains singer/guitarist Marco. The new album presents a band which has the added advantage out of being together for so many years, resulting in a loud mix of punk, hardcore, metal and folk. All of this teamed up with powerful lyrics in Dutch and English. “I’m still pissed about all the shit that’s going on in this world” says Marco about his explicit lyrics.

Their 20 year-anniversary will keep the band on the road for the entire year, where they’re bound to once again impress audiences all around the world. Like they did at the SouthBySouthwest festival in Austin, Texas. In a raving review the Austin Chronicle wrote; “They burn more calories and write better songs than the standard-issue American punk band, and blew the first two bands right out the front door. Now there's a lesson in how to rock.”

And now you probably want to know what the name Heideroosjes means. It means... oh fuck it, go find a dictionary!

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Member Since:

May 03, 2006

Members:

Marco Roelofs (voice/guitar), Frank Kleuskens (guitar/voice), Igor Hobus (drums), Fred Houben (bass)

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Heideroosjes - My Funeral videoclip


Heideroosjes - Lekker Belangrijk videoclip


Musicvideo of our song "Lekker Belangrijk"

Influences:

Zillions of bands! To name just a few: Ramones, Rancid, Misfits, Minor Threat, The Clash, Ignite, Pennywise, Rage Against The Machine, Metallica, Foo Fighters, Sick Of It All, Rise Against, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, Green Day, Boy Sets Fire, Descendents, Anti-Flag, Sex Pistols, System Of A Down and many more!

Sounds Like:

listen and decide for yourself

Record Label:

Epitaph (Europe) & I Scream Records (USA)