Meindert Talma & the Negroes
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| Meindert Talma & the Negroes | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Origin |  The Netherlands |
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| Genre(s) | Lo-fi, Alternative | |
| Years active | 1995- present | |
| Label(s) | Excelsior Recordings | |
| Website | Official website | |
| Members | ||
| Meindert Talma – vocals, keyboards Jan Pier Brands – drums, guitar, vocals Janke Brands – bass guitar vocals Niek de Vries – drums, guitar, vocals |
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Meindert Talma is a Dutch lo-fi artist, his backing band goes by the name of ‘the Negroes’. Talma sings in Dutch as well as Frisian and has released seven albums. In 2006 Nu geloof ik wat er in de bijbel staat (‘Now I believe what is in the bible’) was released on Excelsior Recordings.
[edit] Biography
In 1995 friends of Meindert Talma press some of his home recordings on a single, as a birthday gift. Unexpectedly the record becomes popular and Talma becomes a local hero in the alternative music scene in Groningen. Two years later Talma and a group of friends (the Negroes) record debut album Hondert punten (‘Hundred points’).
In 1998 the follow-up album Ferhûddûker is recorded in the Pet Sound studio, produced by Jan Heddema. The album is released by Hooverflag (De Konkurrent). With this album Meindert Talma & The Negroes becomes a solid unit. Aside from Talma the band now consists of Janke Brands (bas), Janpier Brands (drums, guitar) and Nyk de Vries (guitar, drums).
Dammen met ome Hajo (‘Checkers with uncle Hajo’) is the third release by the Talma & the Negroes. Recordings take place in Studio Enterprise and are produced by Frans Hagenaars. The album functions as soundtrack to a book of the same title. It is released in 1999 on esteemed indie label Excelsior Recordings. The album and book are based on childhood memories and his early student years in Groningen.
In early 2001 the band records Leave stumper. Frans Hagenaars takes the production chair once again. The album is released in November and contains a special cd booklet with illustrations from Gummbah and Jeroen de Leijer. In May Ben Onderstijn takes the place of drummer Nyk de Vries. Not for long though, as the latter returns at the end of 2002.
For his next album Talma asks labelmates from Excelsior Recordings to participate. As such Anne Soldaat (guitar), Jeroen Kleijn (drums) and Cor van Ingen (bas) lend their services. This album is also accompanied by a book which appears with publisher Thomas Rap. The covers of the book and the cd are created by Peter Pontiac. Titled Kriebelvisje, the album is released in March of 2003. The Negroes return for the subsequent touring dates. Next to these band shows Talma also performs solo as support act for Spinvis during a theater tour.
With the song Callgirl Talma previews his English language project Tamango. The song appears on the compilation The Pet Series volume 3. In addition to this Talma also contributes a cover of Someone loves you honey (June Lodge) to the compilation More Than A Woman in February 2004. Later that year, in October, Meindert Talma & the Negroes win the Frysian songfestival with the song Dunsje wyldekat dunsje.
This song also appears on the fifth untitled release by the band, once again released by Excelsior Recordings. The album is self-produced and was recorded in home studio in Drachster Compagnie. Meindert Talma & the Negroes contribute to Schaamte en woede (‘Shame and anger’), a charity compilation. The band chime in with the song Datst du net mear bestiest.
On January 11 Iemand moet het doen (‘Someone has to do it’) opens in the Grand Theatre in Groningen. It is the first theater show that Meindert Talma & the Negroes have to their name. Together with media artist Jan Klug the band play out a filmic love story.
Later that year in December album number six, Nu geloof ik wat er in de bijbel staat (‘Now I believe what is in the bible’) is released. The album is recorded in a little abandoned church in Drachster Compagnie and consists of Dutch reworkings of old American folk traditionals. Meindert Talma selected 12 songs of the Anthology of American Folk Music by Harry Smith and made these his own. Coinciding with the album release the band celebrates ten years of Meindert Talma & the Negroes at Vera in Groningen.
[edit] Selected Discography
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