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DAAU |
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Antwerp, Belgium. 10 years ago,
4 young lads with a classical music education started making
music together in a rather unconventional way: using clarinet,
accordion, violin and cello, the foursome produced a dynamic
blend of Beatles, eastern-european music, Zappa, even dEUS,
folkmusic and classic music.
Soon they became a live band much in demand: everyone in the
Benelux countries wanted to see the hyperkinetic foursome and
hear their unconventional music.
The band shared stage with hip rock- and popbands, playing in
front of young and 'hip' people. Every time, the Abendunterhaltung
surprised their audience with their instrumental, long compositions
who combined the energy and spirit of punk with the virtuosity
of classic musicians, the dance-ability of folk-music, the variety
of jazz.
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DAAU anno 1992
Buni Lenski (violin) - Simon Lenski (cello) - Han Stubbe (clarinet)
- Roel van Camp (accordion)
The band played a lot and built up a renowned live-reputation.
Soon they recorded their independent debut-CD live in a small
studio. It became a great success in the low countries, and
even on export the album sold well.
Soon after that, they were offered a lucrative record deal by
Sony Classic, who believed the band was a pioneer in a new kind
of 'modern classicist movement' and were promised world-wide
distribution.
By the end of 1997, the second album was recorded in Ronda,
Southern Spain, but much to the surprise of the record company
people, little was left of the classical element. Instead, the
musicians had discovered contemporary music, and were now blending
their original DAAU music with digital technology, vocals, electronic
rhythms and percussion. This troubled the dialogue between the
new, corporate record company and the band, who each had different
perspectives of musical evolution in mind. The clouds between
them would never clear up.
Sony sent the masters to an engineer who had worked with Peter
Gabriel but who had no feeling with the band. They spent ridiculous
amounts of money sending the tapes out to Los Angeles to record
drumtracks with an American drummer, and mixing the album in
the Realworld Studios in Bath. The band stood, watched, listened
to the result and did not approve.
"We Need New Animals" was released in Europe but clearly,
Sony Classic had problems marketing it as they were used to
work with more conventional material. The album sales barely
matched the sales of the first album.
Meanwhile, the band was invited to tour France and Italy with
artists such as Bjork and 16 Horsepower, and the live act evolved
into an intriguing programme spanning acoustic classical parts
and heavy electronic dub sessions.
Intensive touring followed the release of the second album.
Apart from the Benelux, the band played in Spain, Switzerland,
Austria and Germany with positive critical acclaim.
Matt Johnson of The The heard DAAU-music, decided to become
a fan and asked the band to make an interpretation of the first
single of his come-back album.
Then, it was time for a third record: Adrian, the eldest brother
of the Lenski family and virtuoso pianoplayer and composer,
now joined his younger brothers and their colleagues, and a
new dimension was added to the DAAU sound.
At Sony, they decided to move the band to the Columbia label
rather than insisting on marketing in a classical circuit.
"Life Transmission" was recorded at the DAAU home
studio and mixed at Dan Lacksman's in Brussels. The result was
much more to the likings of the band, and in a certain way contained
more 'commercial' elements such as the vocals of Ya Kid K. ('Technotronic')
and a sunny reggae tune. For the first time in history, the
band got airplay on popular radios and even scored a minor hit
in Belgium.
The whole album however, remained an eclectic gathering of influences
from all kinds of music, displaying the band's virtuosity with
both classical and modern elements.
Sony released the album in April 2001 only in Benelux and Switzerland.
Again, the band had a successful live-year. To be able to perform
the sound produced on the album, they added a live-drummer (Janek
Kowalski) and after a sold-out club tour, they were invited
to play the biggest summerfestivals in Benelux and Montreux
Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
In October it was clear that album sales were disastrous and
Sony and Daau split up, both relieved.
Meanwhile, the band has recorded a new EP, 32 minutes of original
music that was written especially for a piece of Modern Dance
by Choreographer Thierry Smits and Compagnie Thor: "Richard
Of York Gave Battle In Vain". Each initial representing
a colour, a mood in the act.
This recording was released in May 2002 and was the first release
on DAAU's own label: Radical Duke Entertainment. It contains
three video tracks of the dance performance of Compagnie Thor.
This release marked the beginning of a new era for the band,
in which the return to the original roots and the independent
spirit is emphasised. |
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