Bløf

by Chris TrueA Dutch rock act made up of (as of 2007) Norman Bonink, Paskal Jakobsen, Bas Kennis, and Peter Slager, Bløf was founded in 1992. Their first show, in 1993, was followed a year later by recording sessions for their first album, Maakt Onder De Hemel, which was released in 1995. The self-produced, self-promoted record was a regional hit, as well as a critical success, and the band landed a distribution deal with EMI. The band began recording their next album, Helden, in January of 1997. In addition, the band got major league management, as well as finalizing a full-on recording deal with EMI. It was at this point that drummer Chris Götte joined Bløf, after original trapsman Denk Tjoonk called it a day. The live record XXL followed in 1998, as well as a string of successful singles, and by 1999 the group was selling out shows with some regularity. Third album Boven was released later that year. In 2000, the band would go on to win the Edison Award for Best Dutch Group, and play at they Sydney Olympics. 2001 was to be a year of trial and tribulation for Bløf, as they lost drummer Chris Götte to a motorcycle accident. Norman Bonink was the replacement, and the band soldiered on. A live album, Oog In Oog, was released in honor of the fallen drummer, and the band went into the studio to record their next full length, Blauwe Ruis, early in 2002. Over the next couple of years, Bløf was to receive even more awards, and play even bigger shows to bigger audience, and by 2005, the group was ready to release a greatest hits compilation, entitled Het Eind Van Het Begin.