English
Bound To Drive You Crazy
The band BluesMotel, having earned its merits in the Dutch blues circuit, will release its second album Bound To Drive You Crazy in October. The album contains mostly brand new original work.
The CD includes 13 tracks, all deeply rooted in the well-known Chicago blues with an occasional foray into other styles. Besides the traditional raw Chicago blues shuffles that BluesMotel is known for, there are now clear rock, funk and soul influences on some tracks, producing a broader and better picture of the band’s capabilities. The 12 original songs prove that BluesMotel is mature and ready for the next step.
Like the previous album Built For Comfort this album was recorded in just two days in a professional studio. Led by professional engineer Erwin Palper, the band only had to play their live repertoire in the studio. This new release has that same raw and honest live sound present on the previous album.
Built For Comfort was lauded by the Dutch blues scene and press and received raving reviews. The old-fashioned sound, excellent production and great musicianship were praised, but there was one frequent point of criticism: the fact that the band had recorded only one original composition. With Bound To Drive You Crazy and its 12 original songs mostly written by the duo Kevin de Harde and Micha Sprenger, this point has become moot.
About BluesMotel
BluesMotel is a Chicago Bluesband from The Netherlands. The band tries to be as authentic as possible and plays in the style of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter and Elmore James. The band distinguishes itself by it’s drive on stage, an awesome repertoire and by playing downright tasty blues.
In 2009 the current line-up got together and in September 2010 the band released their debut album “Built for Comfort”. The Dutch press has lauded it as an excellent debut album. You can listen to the whole album here. It’s also available on Spotify, iTunes and BandCamp.
As a reviewer put it: “The tireless groove of bassplayer Hans Wielaert and drummer Frank van Tijn, both about sixty, combined with the expressive front line of twenty-somethings Kevin de Harde, Tim Benniks and Micha Sprenger seem to be enough for a national breakthrough.”
You can book the band by calling +31 6 23 62 50 63 or by sending an e-mail through our contact form.
Kevin de Harde
Vocals, bluesharp
I’ve been singing in some form of “BluesMotel” since 1999. There have been a couple of different iterations of the band, but this combination of mucisians is an absolute hit for me. They give me every opportunity to just let go and play blues the way I want to.
The blues harmonica really is my kind of instrument. How can hardly imagine how I ever managed without it. And it fits in your pocket, I always carry one on me.
My favorite subgenres of the blues are Delta and Chicago blues. Delta blues is pretty hard to play if you’ve never picked one boll of cotton in your life. The Chicago blues is more forgiving, I suppose. I just try to give the music and the people who play it the respect they deserve.
Micha Sprenger
Guitar
I was picked out of the gutter of Amsterdam by Kevin at age 19. Since then I’ve been a dedicated member of BluesMotel.
Besides my studies at the Codarts School of Arts I play guitar in this awesome blues band. I’ve always been a huge blues fan. Blues is all about spontaneity and raw emotions while making music. That really appeals to me.
I love to play gigs and on the stage I’m completely in my element. The enthusiasm of the audience really inspires me.
My musical heroes are J.J. Cale, Hubert Sumlin and the incomparable songwriter Bob Dylan.
Tim Benniks
Guitar
Of all the various styles of music I´ve played I came back to the blues every time. Making music is my outlet for raw emotions.
In this great blues band I can let go of technique and play on emotion. I have learned much as a session musician playing multiple styles of music and it really helps to add texture and finesse to my playing.
I´m a team player in the band, the song is what is really important. In BluesMotel we give each other every opportunity to shine, but we usually opt for the whole. This results in raw emotional blues and that´s where I feel right at home.
Hans Wielaert
Bass
I´ve played the bass since I was 16. I come from a family of bass players: my father, grandfather and uncles in the Wielaert clan all play the thick strings. Grandpa Wielaert was a music teacher in the army, so there was no escape for his four sons.
I’ve embraced the bass with great love. It’s my thing, my sound, that wonderful deep sound. I have played a lot of pop music in bands, but always had a preference for jazz. That has influenced my playing in BluesMotel: not as direct and purely on timing. As long as it ‘grooves’.
I play everything. From Strauss to tango, to blues to Django Reinhardt, and with great love. My big examples are Ray Brow and James Jamerson (Motown): real groove makers.
Frank van Tijn
Drums
Frank graduated in musicology, was a guitar player and vocalist and eventually drummer. After working as a music teacher for twenty years, he reacquainted himself with his gorgeous old Ludwig drum kit. After a life that hasn’t always been easy, the music is his most important outlet.