El Pino & the Volunteers

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El Pino & the Volunteers
Origin Rotterdam, Netherlands
Genre(s) Alt. country, Indie
Years active 2000- present
Label(s) Excelsior Recordings
Website Official website
Members
David Pino
Mark van der Waarde
Wouter de Waart
Job Roggeveen
Former members
Skip Ross
Cary Da Costa
Harm Goslink Kuiper
Tjirk Deurloo

El Pino & the Volunteers is a band from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The band’s music mixes alt. rock with Americana. In 2006 the band’s debut album Molten City is released on Excelsior Recordings.

Contents

[edit] Biography

During an exchange project in Vancouver David Pino, singer of Wiseguy, meets two Canadians who introduce him to alt. country. In exchange for a six-pack of beer and a tank full of gasoline El Pino obtains an acoustic guitar. Together with his Canadian accomplices he travels across the country playing for cash or free beers. Back in the Netherlands he brings together like-minded musicians and El Pino & the Volunteers is born. The band gets together every once in a while and concerts are held on an incidental basis.

After a couple of months of playing the band starts to get more serious. This newfound professionalism is solidified with the band’s first EP Cougar. It is released in May of 2005 by the small Stardumb record label. The EP sells out in no-time and receives much praise in the Dutch music press.

In December MTV airs a special on the band in its Brand New show. Pino decides to leave his main band Wiseguy to focus completely on El Pino & the Volunteers.

In early 2006 the band is invited to the prestigious Noorderslag festival in Groningen. The press is enthusiastic and praises the band for its musicality (de Volkskrant). Dutch Excelsior Recordings, home of Johan, Daryll-Ann and GEM, signs the band immediately. Playing at Club 3voor12 in February, recording an Apers song for a tribute album in March, and performing at Motel Mozaique in April. And, in May, the band performs at the 10th anniversary party of Excelsior Recordings together with several of their labelmates.

In May and June the band records 16 tracks for its debut album. Reyn Ouwehand produces. On August 31 the album, named Molten City, is presented in Rotown in Rotterdam. The album is received well by the music press, becoming album of the week at 3voor12 (link). In September and October the band supports Johan during their Dutch club tour.

The band rounds out the year by performing at the Fine Fine Music tour in December of 2006.

[edit] Discography

Title Release Remarks
No One Knows A Thing These Days (split single with Mono) 2007 Excelsior Recordings, Zabel, LVR en Rara Records Exclusively on vinyl
Molten City (album) 2006 Excelsior Recordings On vinyl and CD
Cougar (EP) 2005 Stardumb Records
These Are Not The Days (EP) 2001 Eigen beheer Exclusively on vinyl

[edit] Band Members

  • David Pino – vocals, lead guitar, acoustics guitar & harmonica
  • Mark van der Waarde – bass, backing vocals
  • Job Roggeveen – keys
  • Wouter de Waart – drums, percussion

[edit] Former Band Members

  • Skip Ross - drums
  • Cary Da Costa - lap steel, mandoline, melodica
  • Harm Goslink Kuiper – 5-string banjo, dobro / lap steel, mandolin, accordion
  • Tjirk Deurloo – acoustic & electric guitar, backing vocals

[edit] Links

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