Herman Brood & His Wild Romance
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1976 in Groningen, Netherlands |
| Founder | Herman Brood, Koos van Dijk (manager) |
| Headquarters | Groningen , Netherlands |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Wild Romance, alternatively called The Wild Romance and most famously known as Herman Brood & His Wild Romance, served as the backing ensemble for Dutch singer and pianist Herman Brood.
Though frequently categorized under new wave, Ariola's director challenged this label during the band's 1979 U.S. promotion, attributing the genre association more to Brood's European background than the band's style.[1]
Background
The lineup most commonly identified with the band, active between November 1977 and October 1979, featured:
- Dany Lademacher — lead guitarist
- Fred van Kampen (known as "Freddie Cavalli") — bass guitar
- Cees "Ani" Meerman — drummer
- Monica Tjen-a-Kwoei and Anna Dekkers (Dee Dee), collectively called The Bombita's — backing vocalists
Later additions such as saxophonist Bertus Borgers joined temporarily; however, the group was unable to replicate the commercial success of their late-1970s era.
Career
Established in 1976 in Groningen, the band's name was inspired by a line from American jazz and blues artist Mose Allison’s 1957 track Lost Mind, reflecting the admiration both Brood and his manager Koos van Dijk held for Allison.
Their eponymous album released in the U.S. in 1979 received varied critiques. Laurie Cobb from KTYD highlighted songs including "Never Enough," while Rich Piombino of WKLS pointed out both merits and flaws.[2] The album entered the RMR chart at number 40, with "Saturday Night" reaching number 48 on the Top-50 Album Cuts list.[3] It also gained rotation on prominent radio stations such as KYYS-FM in Kansas City and WMMR-FM in Philadelphia.[4]
In 1980, they released Go Nutz under Ariola OL1500, produced by Tim O'Brien. Billboard offered favorable commentary, noting Brood’s expanding influence in the U.S. market and likening his rhythm and blues-infused rock sound to that of Bruce Springsteen and Graham Parker. Notable tracks included "I Love You Like I Love Myself," "I'll Be Doggone," and "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep."[5]
Band personnel
Key configurations of the band comprised:
Initial lineup
The founding members consisted of:
- Ferdi Karmelk — guitar
- Gerrit Veen — bass (who later departed to join Dutch group The Meteors)
- Peter Walrecht — drums
- Ellen Piebes and Ria Ruiter — backing vocals
Shpritsz
By the time of the Shpritsz tour in 1978, the ensemble included:
- Dany Lademacher — guitar
- Freddie Cavalli — bass guitar
- Cees "Ani" Meerman — drums
- Monica Tjen A Kwoei and Dee Dee Dekkers — backing vocals
This formation produced hits such as "Saturday Night," "Still Believe" (featuring Bertus Borgers on saxophone), "Never Be Clever," and "I Love You Like I Love Myself." Both Shpritsz and Cha Cha albums from 1978 earned gold and platinum status respectively, with Brood receiving the platinum award for Cha Cha from celebrity bank robber Aage Meinesz.
In October 1979, Meerman was succeeded by Peter Walrecht on drums. Later changes included Erwin Java replacing Lademacher in 1981, followed by David Hollestelle. Renee Lopez joined as bassist in 1983.
Around 1986
Lademacher made a return in 1986, with the band consisting of:
- Dany Lademacher
- David Hollestelle on guitar
- Ruud Englebert handling bass
- Cees Meerman and Roy Bakker on drums
Final lineup
Between 1993 and 2001, the group’s last formation included:
- David Hollestelle, guitar
- Ivo Severijns, bass
- Guzz Genser, drums
Associated projects
In 1982, Cees "Ani" Meerman joined forces with Fred Van Kampen to create "The Managers."
Later, in 2010, ex-members Dany Lademacher and Ruud Englebert established "Lost in Romance," which was renamed "The Romance" in 2011. The lineup for 2010 featured:
- Dany Lademacher on guitar
- Jan Willem van Holland also on guitar
- Ruud Englebert playing bass
- Ronald van Beest ("Stick") as vocalist
- Ramon Rambeaux on drums
Studio albums
- Street (1977)
- Shpritsz (1978)
- Cha Cha (1978)
- Go Nutz (1980)
- Wait a Minute... (1980)
- Modern Times Revive (1981)
- Frisz & Sympatisz (1982)
- The Brood (1984)
- Bühnensucht/Live (1985)
- Yada Yada (1988)
- Hooks (1989)
- Freeze (1990)
- Saturday Night Live! (1992)
- Fresh Poison (1994)
- Back on the Corner (1999)
- Ciao Monkey (2000)
- The Final (2006)
- Kidstuff (2006)
DVD releases
| DVD Titles Charted in Dutch DVD Top 30 | Year | Entry Date | Peak Position | Duration on Chart | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live at Rockpalast 1978 + 1990 | 2012 | May 4, 2012 | 15 | 5 | featuring Herman Brood |