Herman Brood & His Wild Romance
Wild Romance, also known as The Wild Romance, but best known as Herman Brood & His Wild Romance[1] was the backing band of Dutch singer-pianist Herman Brood.
While labeled as a new wave band, the director of Wild Romance's record label, Ariola, disputed this categorization when first promoting the band to the American audience in 1979, saying it came about "because he [Brood]'s a European artist".[1]
The band was formed in 1976 in Groningen and had various lineups. The band got its name from the lyric "...and I lost my mind in a wild romance" which they heard on the American jazz and blues singer, Mose Allison’s 1957 recording of the song Lost Mind, which was written by Percy Mayfield in 1951; both Brood and manager Koos van Dijk were fans of Allison.
The best known lineup of the band, which lasted between November 1977 and October 1979, was:
- Dany Lademacher — lead guitar
- Fred van Kampen ("Freddie Cavalli") — bass guitar
- Cees "Ani" Meerman — drums
- Monica Tjen-a-Kwoei and Anna Dekkers (Dee Dee), together known as The Bombita's - backing vocals
Following this a number of musicians, including Bertus Borgers on saxophone, joined, left and rejoined the band, however the success of the late 1970s was never repeated.
Band personnel
The major incarnations of the band were:-
Initial lineup
The first incarnation of the band was:
- Ferdi Karmelk, guitarist
- Gerrit Veen, bassist (left to join the Dutch band The Meteors)
- Peter Walrecht, drummer
- Ellen Piebes and Ria Ruiter, backing vocals
Shpritsz
In 1978, at around the time of the Shpritsz tour, the lineup was:
- Dany Lademacher, guitarist
- Freddie Cavalli, bass guitar
- Ani Meerman, drummer
- Monica Tjen A Kwoei and Dee Dee Dekkers backing vocals
This incarnation of Herman Brood & his Wild Romance scored the hits "Saturday Night", "Still Believe" (with Bertus Borgers on saxophone), "Never Be Clever" and "I Love You Like I Love Myself". Albums Shpritsz and Cha Cha from 1978 were certified gold and platinum respectively, with the platinum disc for Cha Cha being presented to Brood by celebrity bank robber Aage Meinesz.
Meerman was replaced in October 1979 by Peter Walrecht. In 1981 Lademacher was replaced by David Hollestelle, who was in turn replaced by Erwin Java. In 1983 Renee Lopez joined the band as the new bassist.
Circa 1986
1986 saw the return of Lademacher and the lineup at this time was:
- Dany Lademacher
- David Hollestelle, guitar
- Ruud Englebert, bassist
- Cees Meerman, Roy Bakker, drums
Last incarnation
The last incarnation of the band from 1993 to 2001 consisted of:
- David Hollestelle, guitarist
- Ivo Severijns, bassist
- Guzz Genser, drummer
Related acts
In 1982 Cees "Ani" Meerman and Fred Van Kampen formed the band "The Managers".
In 2010 former band members, Dany Lademacher and Ruud Englebert, formed a band using the name "Lost in Romance", in mid-2011 this was simplified to just "The Romance". The lineup in 2010 was:
- Dany Lademacher, guitarist
- Jan Willem van Holland, guitarist
- Ruud Englebert, bassist
- Ronald van Beest performing as "Stick", vocals
- Ramon Rambeaux, drummer
Discography
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)
DVDs
| DVDs Chart position in the Dutch DVD Top 30 | Year | Charted | Highest chart position | Total number of weeks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live at Rockpalast 1978 + 1990 | 2012 | May 4, 2012 | 15 | 5 | with Herman Brood |
References
- Cary Darling (28 July 1979). "Ariola Move: Label Plans Extensive Promotion To Launch Debut Into Rock Field". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 30. ISSN 0006-2510.