Normaal

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Normaal is a rock band from the Netherlands, more specifically from the Achterhoek, which is what they base their image on, singing in local dialect. This plus their rowdy style has actually helped them gain national fame. They're the band with the most Dutch top 40 hits without ever getting a number 1 hit. The band started in 1975 as a reaction to disco and glamrock.

They have a very loyal following of 'Achterhoekers' who follow their tours. The concerts are usually given in tents and are more focused on booze, dames and partying (which they call 'høken') than sound quality. On stage they wear clogs. The music could be typified as 'heavy country rock' (although it couldn't be further from US 'country' music), and possibly as a rowdy version of ZZ Top.

Their first and biggest hit was Oerend hard ('bloody fast'), about two motor riders who "never heard of slow driving". Predictably, the song ends with them crashing, after which they never drive fast again. The band should know what they are singing about because several members have survived serious motor accidents.

In September 2006, Normaal released their climate neutral album Hier is Normaal ('Here is Normaal'). Following bands like Coldplay, Pink Floyd and Atomic Kitten who also released albums which didn't affect the climate. Not only their album, but both concert tours of that year didn't affect the climate. The energy needed for all 44 concerts is completely compensated via investments in Renewable energy in India. Normaal is the first Dutch band who did so much against global climate change.

[edit] External links

• http://www.normaal.nl/, the official website, in Dutch