Wallace Collection (band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Defunct | 1971 (initial disbandment) |
| Headquarters | Belgium |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Wallace Collection was a Belgian pop rock ensemble active between 1968 and 1971, primarily recognized for their 1969 global hit single "Daydream".
History
Originating from members of Sylvester's Team, including bassist Christian Janssens and two instrumentalists from the Belgian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Wallace Collection operated out of the United Kingdom. The band's name was inspired by the renowned museum located near EMI's offices. Their first album, Laughing Cavalier, was produced at Abbey Road Studios and released in 1969. The track "Daydream" reached number one in 21 countries, Belgium among them. Capitalizing on this achievement, the group embarked on tours across Europe, North America, Mexico, and South America, and composed the soundtrack for the 1970 French film La Maison. While follow-up singles such as "Love" and "Serenade" saw moderate chart performance, the band ultimately dissolved in 1971. A reformation with a different lineup occurred in 2005.
Members
- 1969–1980
- Sylvain Vanholme (guitar, vocals)
- Freddy Nieuland (drums, vocals; deceased 10 January 2008)
- Marc Hérouet (keyboards)
- Christian Janssens (bass)
- Raymond Vincent (violin; deceased 5 November 2018)
- Jacques Namotte (cello; deceased 23 December 2012)
- Genesio Di Cesare (guitar; deceased 23 October 2024)
- 2005–present
- Sylvain Vanholme (guitar, vocals)
- Freddy Nieuland (drums, vocals; died 2008)
- Marc Hérouet (keyboards)
- Christian Janssens (bass)
- Cédric Murrath (violin)
Raymond Vincent
Following his time with Wallace Collection, Raymond Vincent established Esperanto, releasing three albums under A&M Records: Esperanto Rock Orchestra, Danse Macabre, and Last Tango. He also produced 'Metronome', an original string quartet composition album released by Izarra Records. Vincent passed away at age 75 on 5 November 2018.
Sylvain Vanholme
After Wallace Collection disbanded, Sylvain Vanholme joined forces with songwriters 'Pipou' and Lou Deprijck in the Latin-inspired pop group Two Man Sound, which scored several international hits. He further pursued a successful career as a producer, collaborating with Belgian acts including The Machines, The Kids, Gorky, and Jo Lemaire & Flouze.
Marc Hérouet
Keyboardist Marc Hérouet experienced limited commercial success with the band Salix Alba.
Freddy Nieuland
Freddy Nieuland, who played drums and provided vocals on "Daydream," died on 10 January 2008 at the age of 63.
Albums
- Laughing Cavalier (EMI/Parlophone, 1969)*
- Serenade (EMI/Odeon, May 1970)**
- Wallace Collection (EMI/Parlophone, 1970)**
- La Maison (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, EMI/Odeon, 1970)
- Tax Vobiscum (Espera, 1981)
- The Best Of… The Wallace Collection (Ariola, 1990)
- Wallace Collection (EMI France, 1990)
- Candelights to Satellites (1992)*** (unreleased)
- Live Concert with the Best of Wallace Collection (RM Records, 1999)
- Laughing Cavalier + Serenade (EMI Belgium, 2004)
*In the United Kingdom, 'Laughing Cavalier' was among the final EMI releases available in both MONO and STEREO formats; however, the mono version was a fold-down from stereo.
In the United States, Capitol Records issued a twelve-track version retitled 'Wallace Collection'.
**The band's second EMI album was globally titled 'Wallace Collection' but released in France under the name 'Serenade', which remains its common unofficial designation.
***'Candelights to Satellites' was intended as a comeback album recorded between 1989 and 1990 featuring the original members except Jacques Namotte. Finished in January 1992 with a mix of studio and live recordings, it was never officially released due to management and publishing complications. Only one single was released in January 1991.
Singles
- "Daydream" (EMI, 1969)
- Rêverie / Le Monde Est Fou (EMI, 1969)
- Love / Fly Me To The Earth (EMI, 1969)
- Dear Beloved Secretary / Hello Suzannah (EMI, 1969)
- Serenade / Walk On Out (EMI, 1970)
- We Gotta Do Something New / Where (EMI, 1970)
- Parlez-Moi d’Amour / Stop Teasing Me (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “La Maison”) (EMI, 1970)
- Il Sorriso, Il Paradiso / Just A Little Matter (EMI, 1971)
- Stay / My Way Of Loving You (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “Un Beau Monstre”) (EMI, 1971)
- You’re Gone / Hitting The Road (EMI, 1971)
- Like A Rose On The Table / Listen To My Song (EMI, 1971)
- Baby Love / Think About Tomorrow (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “Les Intrus”) (EMI, 1971)
- Anthinea / Deep Down In My Bed (EMI, 1972)
- Les Avions Décollent / Mais Qui Sont Les Sauvages (with Jacques Hustin) (EMI, 1972)
- Take Life With A Grin / Together (EMI, 1980)
- Jack / Tax Vobiscum (Espera, 1980)
- Velvet Moon / Politicians (Wallace Collection, 1991)
- Daydream 93 / Daydream (Concert Version) (Wallace Collection, 1993)
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, singles were issued in either MONO or STEREO formats depending on the market. EMI began releasing stereo singles in the UK by spring 1969; however, France and several other European countries did not adopt stereo singles until around mid-1972. Given the predominance of French releases, mono editions remain more commonly found.
Certain international pressings feature exclusive genuine stereo mixes: for example, US and Canadian versions of 'Daydream' and 'Baby I Don't Mind'; German editions of 'Hello Suzannah'; UK, German, and Japanese copies of 'Walk On Out'; Mexican and Japanese soundtrack releases of 'Baby Love' and 'Think About Tomorrow'; and Italian pressings of 'Il Sorriso, Il Paradiso'.
Important: Although labeled as stereo, the Japanese release of 'Stay'/'My Way Of Loving You' is actually presented in mono.