Kane (Dutch band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 in The Hague, Netherlands |
| Founder | Dinand Woesthoff, Dennis van Leeuwen |
| Defunct | 2014 (hiatus), reunited 2023 |
| Headquarters | The Hague , Netherlands |
Area served | Netherlands, Europe |
Key people | Dinand Woesthoff (lead vocals), Dennis van Leeuwen (guitar) |
| Products | Music albums, singles, live performances |
Kane is a rock ensemble from the Netherlands, established in 1998 in the Hague. The band’s enduring members are Dinand Woesthoff, who provides lead vocals, and Dennis van Leeuwen on guitar.
During the early 2000s, Kane emerged as the foremost Dutch rock group, securing three chart-topping singles on the Dutch Top 40 and achieving three number-one positions on the Dutch Albums Chart.
Although the band dissolved in 2014, they made a comeback in 2023 with their first new track in ten years and announced five reunion shows scheduled for June 2024, all of which sold out rapidly.
Formation and rise to fame
Kane originated in the Hague in 1998 when Dinand Woesthoff and Dennis van Leeuwen crossed paths while employed at a cafe in Scheveningen. Initially performing under the name Citizen Kane for modest crowds, their talent was soon recognized by scout Henkjan Smits during a performance at a local cafe. This led to a recording deal with BMG. The band later expanded to include guitarist Tony Cornelissen, bassist Aram Kersbergen, and drummer Cyril Directie.
Their breakthrough arrived in 1999 with the single "Where Do I Go Now". Their debut album, As Long as You Want This, launched in 2000, achieved double Platinum status, remained on the Dutch Album Chart for an impressive 105 weeks, and reached a peak position of No. 2. That same year, Kane earned the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Dutch Act. In November 2000, they released a live album titled With or Without You, featuring covers of U2 songs recorded during their Marlboro Flashbacks tour.
The band's second studio album, So Glad You Made It, was aimed at expanding their presence internationally with distribution throughout Europe. The music video for its title track encountered censorship from MTV due to scenes containing partial nudity. Their third single from this album, "Rain Down on Me", became a fan favorite and climbed to No. 38 on the UK singles chart. A remix by Tiësto of this track was included on the soundtrack for FIFA Football 2004.
On June 28, 2003, Kane made history as the first Dutch rock band to headline at the Amsterdam ArenA, selling over 26,000 tickets. The concert featured opening performances by Ilse DeLange and concluded with an afterparty hosted by DJ Tiësto.
Tragedy, continued achievements, and dissolution
In 2004, Woesthoff experienced the loss of his wife, Guusje Nederhorst, who passed away at the age of 34 due to breast cancer. He honored her memory with the song "Dreamer," which became the top-selling single in the Netherlands that year.
Their fourth album, Fearless (2005), featured "Something to Say" as its lead single, marking Kane’s first chart-topping hit on the Dutch Top 40. Later that August, they achieved a second number-one with the album’s title track "Fearless," a tribute to Woesthoff's cousin battling kidney disease.
In 2008, Kane introduced "Catwalk Criminal" as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Everything You Want, which was recorded in various international locations. The song "Shot of a Gun" secured their third number-one position. On 28 June 2008, they performed their largest concert to date at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam, attracting an audience of 42,000.
Their sixth album, No Surrender, was released on 27 November 2009. The title track served as the lead single and peaked at No. 3 on the Dutch Top 40. In January 2010, Woesthoff collaborated live with actress Carice van Houten to perform this song during a televised fundraiser for the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The seventh studio effort, Come Together, arrived in 2012 after being postponed due to the unexpected success of their compilation album Singles Only.
In September 2013, Kane declared a hiatus from live performances. After sixteen years together, they officially disbanded on 27 December 2014. Their farewell message reflected on their journey: "We expressed all we intended to say, for longer than anticipated and with more support than imagined. Respecting the passion, it is now time to conclude this chapter."
Reunion
Kane announced their return in September 2023 with plans to reunite in 2024. Their five reunion concerts at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome, titled "reCONNECT," quickly sold out. On 26 September 2023, they released "What Are You Waiting For?", their first new single in a decade. This was followed by another release in December 2023 called "War Ends Today," a protest song addressing the ongoing Gaza War, with all proceeds directed to Save the Children in Palestine.
Musical style and critical response
Kane’s sound is characterized as post-grunge rock with clear influences from U2. Critics at AllMusic have drawn parallels between their style and that of Matchbox Twenty. Alongside artists like Anouk and Di-rect, Kane’s success during the 1990s played a pivotal role in positioning The Hague as a hub for Dutch popular music for the first time since the 1960s.
While commercially successful, Kane often faced negative criticism for what some described as an overblown rock sound and Woesthoff’s distinctive "growling" vocal delivery. Woesthoff himself was perceived by some as arrogant and challenging to collaborate with—a notion supported by the fact that the band had nineteen former members over its history. Several ex-members have publicly commented on internal tensions and leadership dynamics within the group. Woesthoff’s response was pragmatic: "Don’t get caught up emotionally; just focus on your own path." The newspaper De Volkskrant compared Kane’s public image to that of Canadian rock band Nickelback.
Personnel
Current
- Dinand Woesthoff – lead vocals (1998–2013, 2023–present)
- Dennis van Leeuwen – guitar (1998–2013, 2023–present)
Former
- Tony Cornelissen – guitar, backing vocals
- Cyril Directie – drums, percussion
- Aram Kersbergen – bass guitar
- André Kemp – drums
- Martijn Bosman – drums
- Paul Jan Bakker – guitar
- Matto Kranenburg – bass guitar
- Dion Murdock – bass guitar
- Yolanda Charles – bass guitar
- Robin Berlin – guitar
- Joost Kroon – drums
- Ivo Severijns – bass guitar
- Nico Brandsen – keyboards
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Rankings | Official Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL |
BEL | |||
| As Long as You Want This |
|
2 | — |
|
| So Glad You Made It |
|
2 | — |
|
| What If |
|
1 | 24 |
|
| Fearless |
|
1 | 9 |
|
| Everything You Want (nl) | 1 | 25 |
| |
| No Surrender |
|
2 | 89 |
|
| Come Together |
|
3 | 64 |
|
Live albums
| Album Title | Release Data | Peak Chart Position | Certification Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL | |||
| With or Without You |
|
22 |
|
| Live in Rotterdam |
|
— | |
| February |
|
2 | |
| Live 05 |
|
— | |
| De Kuip Live |
|
21 |
Compilations
| Compilation Title | Release Details | Highest Chart Position | Certification Achieved |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL | |||
| Singles Only |
|
2 |
Singles
| Single Title | Year Released | Peak Chart Positions | Certifications Earned | Album Source | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch Top 40 | Single Top 100 | BEL | UK | ||||
| "Where Do I Go Now" | 1999 | 29 | 45 | — | — | As Long as You Want This | |
| "Damn Those Eyes" | 26 | 30 | — | — | |||
| "I Will Keep My Head Down" | 2000 | 12 | 20 | — | — | ||
| "Can You Handle Me" | 10 | 45 | — | — | |||
| "So Glad You Made It" | 2001 | 4 | 7 | — | — | So Glad You Made It | |
| "Let It Be" | 10 | 17 | — | — | |||
| "Rain Down on Me" | 2002 | 14 | 29 | — | — | ||
| "Hold on to the World" | 25 | 19 | — | — | |||
| "My Best Wasn't Good Enough" | 2003 | 5 | 3 | — | — | What If | |
| "Before You Let Me Go" (featuring Ilse DeLange) |
"4 | 3 | — | — | " | ||
| "Rain Down on Me (Tiësto Remix)" | "6 | 1 | — | " | |||
| "Dreamer (Gussie's Song)" (Dinand Woesthoff) |
"2004 | 1 | 1 | — | — | "Fearless"' | |
| "Can You Handle Me" | "— | — | 52 | — | "What If"' | ||
| "Rain Down on Me" | "— | — | — | 38 | " | ||
| 'Something to Say' | "2005 | 1 | 1 | 33 | — | "Fearless"' | |
| 'Fearless' | "1 | 1 | 57 | — | "Fearless"' | ||
| 'All I Can Do' | "12 | 9 | 59 | — | "Fearless"' | ||
| 'Believe It' | "2006 | 4 | 4 | 58 | — | "Fearless"' | |
| 'Catwalk Criminal' | "2008 | 4 | 2 | — | — | "Everything You Want"' | |
| 'Shot of a Gun' | "1 | 2 | 52 | — | "Everything You Want"' | ||
| 'Wanna Make It Happen' | "34 | — | — | — | "Everything You Want"' | ||
| 'It's London Calling' | "10 | 25 | — | — | "Everything You Want"' | ||
| 'No Surrender' | "2009 | 3 | 1 | — | — | "No Surrender"' | |
| 'No Surrender (Live)' (featuring Carice van Houten) |
"— | "No Surrender"' | |||||
| 'Love Over Healing' | "2010 | 20 | 26 | — | — | "No Surrender"' | |
| 'In Over My Head' | "27 | 43 | "No Surrender"' | ||||
| 'Scream' | "50 | "No Surrender"' | |||||
| 'High Places' (with Ilse DeLange) |
"13 | 12 | "No Surrender"' | ||||
| 'Come Together' | "2012 | 16 | 12 | 79 | — |
Come Together | |
| 'I Love This City' | '2013' | 31 | 68 | 93 | — |
Come Together | |
| 'First Crash Overthrow' | '—' | — | 96 | — |
Non-album singles | ||
| 'What Are You Waiting For?' | '2023' | 33 | — | — | — |
Non-album singles | |
| 'War Ends Today' | '—' | — | — | — |
Non-album singles | ||
| 'What If I Want You Now' | '2024' | — | — | — | — |
Non-album singles | |
Additional charted tracks
| Track | Release Year | Dutch Top 40 |
Included on Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "My Heart's Desire" | 2004 | 69 | February |
External links
- Kane at the Popinstituut via the Wayback Machine