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Racoon (band)

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Racoon
Racoon at Parkpop, 2008
Racoon at Parkpop, 2008
Background information
OriginGoes, Zeeland, Netherlands
GenresPop rock[1]
Years active1997–present
LabelsSony Music, Roadrunner
Members
  • Bart van der Weide
  • Dennis Huige
  • Maarten van Damme
  • Paul Bukkens
Past members
  • Stefan de Kroon
Websitewww.racoon.nl

Racoon are a Dutch pop rock band from Goes, Zeeland, formed in 1997. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Bart van der Weide, guitarist Dennis Huige, bassist Maarten van Damme and drummer Paul Bukkens. Stefan de Kroon was the bassist from 1998 to 2017.

The band experienced a breakthrough in 2005 with their third album Another Day and the single "Love You More", which reached number three on the Dutch Top 40 and became one of the biggest hits of the year.[2] They have since recorded four number-one albums on the Dutch Albums Chart[3] alongside the top ten singles "No Mercy", "Oceaan" and "Het is al laat toch".[4] The band released their first Dutch-language album Spijt is iets voor later in 2021.

History

[edit]

Racoon started in 1997 as an acoustic duo made up of singer Bart van der Weide and guitarist Dennis Huige. The two previously played in a hardcore punk named Vict'em, but left to make a different style of music. As a duo, they released three songs for a compilation by The Dutch Rock & Pop Institute. The band relocated to Utrecht in 1998, adding bassist Stefan de Kroon and drummer Paul Bukkens.[5] Bukkens came up with the band name Racoon after watching a documentary about raccoons.[6]

After self-releasing the demo It's an Ice Cream Day and playing the Noorderslag festival in 1999, the band received several offers and signed to Sony Music.[6] They released two albums on Sony: Till Monkeys Fly (2000) and Here We Go, Stereo (2001). They had a few minor radio hits, but the band would later say that they view their second album with mixed feelings, as the label insisted on releasing a follow-up soon.[2] When Marlboro asked Racoon to cover a favourite band for a "flashback tour", they chose Faith No More.[7]

In 2002, Sony dropped Racoon because their head office in the United States wanted the label to dump all the Dutch bands. Now unsigned, singer Van der Weide worked as a garbage man for a year and a half before Racoon were picked up by an independent label, Play It Again Sam. Their third album, Another Day, was released in 2005 and sold 60,000 copies in the first year, more than their first two combined.[7] The single "Love You More" reached number three on the Dutch Top 40, and was followed up by further top 40 hits "Laugh About It" and "Brother".[8] Racoon played the main stage of the Pinkpop Festival in 2006.[9] In 2007, they embarked on their first American tour, opening for The Lemonheads.[10]

Racoon released their fourth album Before You Leave in 2008. Their fifth album Liverpool Rain, was released in 2011 and featured string arrangements recorded in Abbey Road Studios with the London Chamber Orchestra, arranged by Andrew Powell.[11] The lead single "No Mercy" reached number three on the Dutch Top 40. In 2012, Racoon recorded "Oceaan", their first Dutch-language song, for the soundtrack to the film Alles is familie.[12] It became their third top ten hit, peaking at number six.[13] In 2013, they made the song "Shoes of Lighting" for NPO 3FM's Serious Request fundraiser, against child mortality from diarrhea.[14] Their sixth album, All in Good Time, was released in 2015 and also went to number one on the Dutch Albums Chart.[15] This was followed by Look Around and See the Distance in 2017, which was their last album with bassist Stefan de Kroon, who announced he would leave the band at the end of the year.[16] De Kroon was succeeded by Maarten van Damme, formerly of the bands Abel and Rosemary's Sons.[17]

In 2020, Racoon announced their first Dutch-language album, inspired by the death of Van der Weide's sister. Its lead single, "Het is al laat toch", peaked at number two on the Dutch Top 40 in 2020, their biggest hit yet.[13] The album Spijt is iets voor later (2021) reached number one again.[18] For their ninth album It Is What It Is (2024), the band returned to English songs, supported by the lead single "Nickel for Goodbye".[19][20]

Members

[edit]
  • Bart van der Weide – lead vocals (1997–present)
  • Dennis Huige – guitars (1997–present)
  • Maarten van Damme – bass (2017–present)
  • Paul Bukkens – drums (1998–present)

Live member since 2006:

Previous member(s)

[edit]
  • Stefan de Kroon – bass (1998–2017)

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
  • Till Monkeys Fly (Sony, 2000)
  • Here We Go Stereo (Sony, 2001)
  • Another Day (Sony, 2005)
  • Before You Leave (Sony, 2008)
  • Live at Chasse Theatre, Breda (live, 2009)
  • Liverpool Rain (2011)
  • The Singles Collection (compilation, 2013)
  • All in Good Time (2015)
  • Live at HML, Amsterdam (live, 2016)
  • Look Ahead and See the Distance (2017)
  • Spijt is iets voor later (2021)

Singles

[edit]
  • "Feel Like Flying" (2000)
  • "Blue Days" (2000)
  • "Eric's Bar" (2001)
  • "Happy Family" (2005)
  • "Love You More" (2005)
  • "Laugh About It" (2005)
  • "Brother" (2006)
  • "Close Your Eyes" (2007)
  • "Lucky All My Life" (2008)
  • "Clean Again" (2008)
  • "No Mercy" (2011)
  • "Took a Hit" (2011)
  • "Don't Give Up the Fight" (2011)
  • "Liverpool Rain" (2012)
  • "Freedom" (2012)
  • "Oceaan" (2012)
  • "Shoes of Lightning" (2013)
  • "Brick by Brick" (2014)
  • "Guilty" (2015)
  • "Bring It On" (2017)
  • "Soon" (2018)
  • "Het is Al Laat Toch" (2020)
  • "De Echte Vent" (2020)
  • "Hee Joh Jip" (2021)
  • "Geef Je Hart Niet Zomaar Weg" (2021)
  • "Nickel for Goodbye" (2023)
[edit]
  1. ^ https://3voor12.vpro.nl/artikelen/overzicht/2011/januari/festival-en-stad-versmelten-verder-met-grunnsonic.html
  2. ^ a b "Racoon wilde alleen maar beuken met akoestische gitaar". Het Parool. 2013-04-05.
  3. ^ Febre, Arnold le (2021-10-08). "Racoon met nummer 1-album richting Rotterdam Ahoy". Entertainment Business (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  4. ^ "Racoon start in oktober met nieuwe theatertour | Top 40-nieuws". Top40.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  5. ^ "De avonturen van Racoon". Eindhovens Dagblad. 2009-12-08.
  6. ^ a b "Racoon Special". NPO 3FM (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  7. ^ a b Pot, Menno (2005-12-29). "Racoon zingt niet meer over meisjes en ijsjes". De Volkskrant.
  8. ^ "Racoon | Top 40-artiesten". Top40.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  9. ^ "Racoon op Pinkpop 2006 - utrecht". 3voor12 (in Dutch). 2006-02-02. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  10. ^ Rivera, Eric (2007-12-22). "When Life Gives You Lemonheads". SPIN. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  11. ^ "Racoon miept niet over tien dagen zonder douche". Nu.nl. 2011-05-06.
  12. ^ "Reconstructie: Racoon - Oceaan (Alles is Familie) - VARAgids - BNNVARA". VARAgids (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  13. ^ a b "Vandaag: Racoon opnieuw in het Nederlands | Top 40-nieuws". Top40.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  14. ^ "Racoon ontvangt platina voor 'Shoes of Lightning'". NPO 3FM (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  15. ^ "‘All in good time’ van Racoon op één binnen in Album Top 100". www.internetbode.nl (in Dutch). 2015-02-20. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  16. ^ "Racoon-bassist Stefan de Kroon stopt er mee". 3voor12 (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  17. ^ Heijstek, Annemijn (2017-11-07). "Deze Bredanaar wordt de nieuwe gitarist van Racoon". indebuurt Breda (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  18. ^ "Album Racoon komt binnen op 1 in Album Top 100". www.omroepzeeland.nl (in Dutch). 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  19. ^ "'Frisse wind' op negende studioalbum Racoon". DenD. 2024-10-04.
  20. ^ "Racoon brengt weer Engelstalige plaat uit: 'Nederlands was gewoon een uitstapje'". www.omroepzeeland.nl (in Dutch). 2023-08-31. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
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