Stage 12, The Netherlands

The Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland. This is not terminologically precise, as the provinces of North and South Holland in the western Netherlands are only two of the country's twelve provinces.The Netherlands is a densely populated and geographically low-lying country and is popularly known for its windmills, cheese, clogs (wooden shoes), dikes, tulips, bicycles and social tolerance. Its policies are liberal toward drugs, prostitution, same-sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia.

The term Dutch is stems from the early middle ages when the whole area was described as deutsch(german) or dutch in english, it still pops up in the national anthem when they sing they are from 'dietsen' blood.

After having been a republic for 3 centuries the victors at Waterloo forced the Netherlands to become a monarchy again, the regents had a family available who'd been involved since the start of the republic and so the Oranges were elevated to monarchs. Constitutionally the monarch has considerable powers, but in practice it has been a ceremonial function. Dutch politics and governance are characterized by a common strife for broad consensus on important issues, within both the political community and society as a whole. That said the country is largely controlled by the Holland axis Amsterdam-The Hague with an independant powerstatus for Rotterdam (before China's rise the largest harbour of the world). Plenty of good old boys have been networking there for centuries now.

The Dutch rank third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the United States and France, with exports earning $55 billion annually. A significant portion of Dutch agricultural exports are derived from fresh-cut plants, flowers, and bulbs, with the Netherlands exporting two-thirds of the world's total (flowerpower !). The Netherlands also exports a quarter of all world tomatoes, and one-third of the world's exports of peppers and cucumbers. Not within this reckoning Dutch weed (marihuana) it's quality has made it a top export-in market value. (In all not bad for such a small and densely populated area).

Half of this flat country lies just 3 feet above the current sea level, possibly the reason why the Dutch are the tallest people around ( 2006 average male height 6ft), but no its the veggies and all that milk of cause.

I'm sure you can name half a dozen of famous painters so i wont bother here, rests me to say that coffeeshops should be avoided, the aroma can be mindboggling and the coffee too strong for weakly adjusted stumachs. It's uncertain at the moment if it will remain legal to smoke in bars even those geared to it like the coffeeshops ("no man this is pure ganja man..no nicotine"). Wiki, Wanna check out the Dutch ? Visit the old masters museums or one of the many coffeeshops.

In Sports the Dutch have reached considerable heights, specially in teamsports like soccer, hockey , volleyball they manage to stay in the top on a global level, no mean feat considering there's only 16,5 million of them, they shoot some mean pool and belong to the topranking darts players in the world, these flatlanders even have gotten their own F1 racing team Spyker launched this year. Wiki's Dutch Treat

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Stage 12, The Netherlands contains

Clan Of Xymox - Clan Of Xymox ( '85)
Clan Of Xymox - Subsequent Pleasures ( '84)
Kraak n Smaak - Boogie Angst ( '05)
Mecano - Subtiteld & Untiteld ( '80)
Gathering, The - Souvenirs ( '03)
Speedy J - G*Spot ( '95)
Herman Brood - My Way ( '01)

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Clan Of Xymox - Id + Subsequent Pleasures '84 ( 409mb)

Clan of Xymox, also known as Xymox at various parts of their career, are a darkwave/gothic rock band founded in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, in 1983. The Subsequent Pleasures EP was self-published under the name Xymox, at that time consisting of Moorings on guitar and vocals, his girlfriend Anke Wolbert on bass and vocals, and Pieter Nooten on keyboards. A chance meeting with Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance led to an invitation to support that band on a UK tour, and then a recording contract with their record label, 4AD Records.

Their debut album, self-titled under their newly adopted name Clan of Xymox, was released by 4AD in 1985, and drew comparisons to Joy Division and The Cure. 1986 saw their second album, Medusa (considered by many fans to be their finest work), continuing in this dark vein. They released two albums and a number of singles on 4AD before shortening their name to Xymox in 1988 and signing to a subsidiary of Polygram. Their releases as Xymox were in a more synthpop/dance music vein.

Twist of Shadows was the band's most commercially successful album, selling 300,000 copies, but 1991's follow-up Phoenix (with Nooten back on board) was less successful, and when their recordlabels executive nitwit declined to release the next album, Metamorphosis, Nooten and Wolbert left the band for good.

With only Ronny Moorings remaining they moved to an independant releasing Metamorphosis and Headclouds The Xymox era ended in 1997 when, in the midst of a revival in the Gothic scene, Ronny Moorings made the decision to restart Clan of Xymox and return to his musical roots. Since then, the band has released 5 critically rated albums.



Clan Of Xymox - Clan Of Xymox(1984)

01 - A Day (6:40)
02 - No Words (4:27)
03 - Stumble And Fall (5:05)
04 - Cry In The Wind (5:17)
05 - Stranger (7:41)
06 - Equal Ways (5:44)
07 - 7th Time (4:38)
08 - No Human Can Drown (3:23)

Subsequent Pleasures E.P. Mini-Album 1984, Only 500 copies were pressed on their own label, it's a highly sought after collectors item ! Silk screen hand pressed sleeve.note: 4-track recordings



09 - Going Round (4:43)
10 - Moscovite Musquito (4:32)
11 - Strange 9 to 9 (4:33)
12 - Call It Weird (3:53)
13 - Abysmal Thoughts (4:33)

Clan of Xymox @ Base
Clan of Xymox @ Wiki
Clan of Xymox @ Amazon

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Kraak 'n Smaak - Boogie Angst(05* 430mb)

Behind funky break beat outfit ‘Kraak & Smaak’ (Crunch & Taste) are Dutchmen Wim Plug, Oscar de Jong and Mark Kneppers. Sharing a love of eclectical dance music, they have been working together since 2001. Mark Kneppers is widely known in the Netherlands as DJ Knuppelhout. Oscar de Jong studied music production at the music conservatory in Rotterdam, spends therefore a lot of time in confined areas and is a gifted Fender Rhodes player. Needless to say, he is also the primary knob twiddler of Kraak en Smaak. DJ Wim Plug and his alter ego Dr. Fröbel (vinylmeister in the tongue-in-cheek musical theater show ‘Dr. Fröbel’s Retro Revue’) have played all over the country, including a residency at ‘t Paard in The Hague and in clubs as Paradiso, the Effenaar, 013 and a number of festivals.

Boogie Angst is a heady soundclash of styles, beats, breaks and funky basslines. Yet those searching for something a little less esoteric will find sanctuary on the jazz-influenced "Danse Macabre" - a chilled mind-enveloping journey into never-never land with equally eerie vocal ad-libs. Kraak & Smaak have concocted a refreshing and innovative record that melds elements of traditional funk with ambient-dub, samba rhythms and house grooves. The result is an edify 70's Blaxploitation vibe that sounds like a lost master from the Stax vaults.




Kraak 'n Smaak - Boogie Angst (430mb)

01 - Money In The Bag, Ft. Shondel Moore, Tiffany Gore (K&S Remix) (3:45)
02 - One Of These Days, Ft.U-Gene(4:09)
03 - Keep On Searching, Ft.Amy Bumgarner (5:10)
04 - Jolie Banane (5:45)
05 - Keep Me Home, Ft. Dez (5:39)
06 - Danse Macabre (5:34)
07 - 5 To 4 (5:25)
08 - Say Yeah (5:00)
09 - No Sun In The Sky, Ft. Tiffany Gore (4:27)
10 - Mambo Solitario (4:44)
11 - Maputo Express (5:20)
12 - Hello Big Mama (14:02)

Kraak n Smaak @ Base
Kraak n Smaak @ Amazon

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Mecano - Subtiteld + Untiteld (1980 * 304 mb)

The story of Mecano starts with a painting, made in 1977 by founder Dirk Polak after finding an old booklet belonging to a Meccano construction box, as fabricated and sold in the thirties.While scanning the booklet, Dirk was struck by a vision of a world built out of Meccano, in painting, sculpture and even lyrics and music.

The examples in the instruction booklet set Dirk to paint his Meccano figures, surrounded by surrealistic landscapes and interiors. In those days punk was booming and Dirk thought it was time to start a band and together with Pieter Kooyman and a few hired guns he recorded Face Cover Face, b/w Fools as Mecano Ltd. for the “No Fun” label. But Dirk wanted a real band and so he asked Ton Lebbink to be the drummer. Ton, immediately introduced the brothers Tejo and Cor Bolten, who also worked at Paradiso, Tejo as floor-manager and Cor, the band was formed in the blink of an eye. Another advantage of Ton and the Bolten brothers, beside their musical abilities, was that they had unlimited acces to Paradiso, the best rehearsing place a band could think of and they started experimenting and putting the music together, mainly based on the ideas of Dirk and the Bolten brothers.

Emerging from the punk-era, Mecano is best described as new wave, adding poetry and remarkable arrangements, colored with unusual guitar harmonies, converting into an ashtonishing eclectric blend.

Early 1980 newly founded Torso Records had released the mini-lp Untitled and in that same year Subtitled, both nowadays reaching high prices amongst collectors . After that the band split up, to be reunited in 1982 without Ton Lebbink and Pieter Kooyman and a smaller size Mecano started recording Autoportrait, which came out early ‘83 and on which Pieter Kooyman is present on Suggestive Sleep and To Life's Reunion.

After 22 years of comparative silence Mecano released 'Snake Tales for Dragon 'in 2005 and "Sophya Third Wish" last fall . At Mecano's website there's live video's and you can download an epic 24 min xxl remix of one in a million excellent ! Dont miss it.

So what do we have here, as noted above a couple of collecters items with original artwork, aswell as a specially made combined by me version for this occasion .



Explication Side (SUBTITELD)
01 - Meccano
02 - Permanent Revolt
Conclusive Side
03 - A stroll In Spring
04 - In Still Life
05 - Links
Considerable Side (UNTITELD)
06 - Dissident Lament
07 - Untitled
Danceable Side
08 - Posterity Chant
09 - The Chassis Force
10 - Robespierre's Re-Marx

Mecano @ Base
Mecano Store

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Gathering, The - Souvenirs (2003 * 337mb)

The Gathering name connected to the initial bandmembers after watching the movie "Highlander " together in 1989. Their first two albums, The Gathering - Always... (1992) and The Gathering - Almost a Dance (1993), which played a part in the formation of doom metal / gothic metal, were recorded with four different vocalists. Their subsequent release, The Gathering - Mandylion (1995), on which Anneke van Giersbergen sang for the first time, was a dark, haunting, and emotional piece of music. It was also one of the first albums of its kind in respect to female fronted metal bands, and it is still considered a standard by many female fronted metal bands.Their following studio albums The Gathering - Nighttime Birds (1997), How to Measure a Planet? (1998), The Gathering - If Then Else (2000)

With this album Souvenirs, which came after a 3 year break in which they set up their own label "Psychonaut Records" , ( they had become frustrated with the industry ripping them) . It presents a break with the musical past aswell. The music found on 'Souvenirs' is dark and melodic. I'm reluctant to call this Gothic Metal but it does pertain to some of their arrangements; however, there's thankfully no screaming or growling here and the rhythms are as elegant as they are heavy. Anneke Van Giersbergen got an impressive range that's striking and emotive, her dramatic singing style captivates and tantalizes the listener .There's an excellent, informative page to be found on The Gathering @ Wiki



01 - These Good People (5:55)
02 - Even The Spirits Are Afraid (5:12)
03 - Broken Glass (4:59)
04 - You Learn About It (5:09)
05 - Souvenirs (6:07)
06 - We Just Stopped Breathing (6:51)
07 - Monsters (5:02)
08 - Golden Grounds (4:53)
09 - Jelena (10:09)
10 - A Life All Mine (5:08)

The Gathering @ Base
The Gathering @ Amazon
live video Waking Hours

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Speedy J - G Spot (1995 *362mb)

Speedy J (born Jochem Paap), is a Dutch techno producer based in the city of Rotterdam. His breakthrough came with the release in 1992 of the minimal techno track Pullover. Subsequently his material became more mellow as he moved away from the hardcore sounds that were then becoming popular in Belgium and the Netherlands.

His debut album Ginger (1993) was released on Richie Hawtin's Plus 8 record label in the US, while in the UK it was part of Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence series of electronic listening music. A further, more introspective release, G-Spot followed in 1995. Afterwards his work, which included Public Energy No.1 (1997) and A Shocking Hobby (2000)) became more experimental, importantly influencing the development of what is known as "intelligent techno". The album Loudboxer (2002) saw a return to a more minimal four to the floor style of techno. He collaborated with Mike Paradinas on the project Slag Boom Van Loon, through which they have released two CDs on Paradinas's record label, Planet Mu. In 1999, he also released two ambient albums for the FAX +49-69/450464 label under his real name.

This album is electronic / dance / trance at its best. It is a very 90s sound. Speady J is a master of sound and uses an incredible trick of hinting at sounds from the next tracks as some are finishing. G*Spot fills a room or headphones equally well, an achievement in itself.



01 - The Fun Equations (4:36)
02 - Extruma (4:56)
03 - Ping Pong (9:19)
04 - Fill 25 (2:36)
05 - Lanzarote (8:20)
06 - The Oil Zone (8:59)
07 - Treatments (6:18)
08 - Fill 17 (2:32)
09 - G Spot (8:14)
10 - Grogono (5:05)

Speedy J @ Base
Speedy J @ My Space
Speedy J @ Amazon

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Herman Brood - My Way (2001 * 125mb)

Herman Brood doesn't play rock and roll but he is rock and roll. He's not about technique in music but deals with emotion and intensity.You immediately feel the soul in his music. Herman Brood (pronounced "Broat") Zwolle, November 5, 1946 – Amsterdam, July 11, 2001) was a Dutch musician, painter and media personality. Brood was the Dutch personification of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll.

In 64 he went to the art academy at Arnhem, founded his first band the Moan and got his first taste of drugs, a messy decade of involvement with that landed him in jail for trading and kept out of the official (clean ?) music scene. After a short spell with Vitesse 1975, he launched his first album with the Wild Romance, "Street" to much acclaim. One year later followed by "Shpritsz" (a play on the German word for injection needle) which contained Hermans first big hit Saturdaynight.

But even more than his music, it was his outspoken statements in the press about sex and drug use that brought Herman Brood into the public arena in the Netherlands. In the early 1980s he was romantically involved with the German artist, Nina Hagen, with whom he appeared in the film Cha Cha. Brood relished the media attention and became the most famous hard drug user in the Netherlands In the 1990s he took up painting again and became as successful as a painter as he was as a musician.

When in 2001, he found out that he had only a few months left to live, Herman took matters into his own hands and, depressed by the failure of his drug rehabilitation programme, committed suicide on July 11 by jumping from the roof of the Hilton Hotel at the age of 54. The song My Way, which he recorded 2 years before but which got left out from the album Back on the corner was played at his funeral. Brood really translates his life into the song, not like Sinatra in a glamorous way, but as a man who's come to the end, his body spend. After it was released by popular demand, it gave him a posthume no 1 hit in the Netherlands. TubeVideo My Way

Brood's art work has been steadily gaining recognition, in 2002 he had his first 'official' expo in the Cobra museum, besides many murals, silk and screenprinting his work appeared on cups, mugs, glasses, trays, duvet covers. you name it. Even falsifications of his work have turned up. No wonder then he's gotten his own official Herman Brood Museum* (*alas only Dutch) at Wageningen



All tracks by Herman Brood and His Wild Romance, except where stated differently.

Herman Brood - My Way  (529mb)

01 - Saturday Night (3:42)
02 - Love You Like I Love Myself (3:33)
03 - Still Believe (3:14)
04 - Never Be Clever (3:04)
05 - Hot Shot (3:26)
06 - Too Much Grace (3:07)
07 - Blew My Cool Over You (3:08) Herman Brood
08 - Als Je Wint Heb Je Vrienden (3:38) Herman Brood & Henny Vrienten
09 - Hold On Tight (3:12)
10 - Tattoo Song (3:10)
11 - Checkin' Out (2:59)
12 - If Love Is Dead (2:29)
13 - All The Girls 're Crazy (3:30) Herman Brood
14 - Street (2:45)
15 - I Don't Need You (3:39)
16 - 50 Jaar (4:31) Herman Brood & Henny Vrienten
17 - Pijn (3:04) Herman Brood & Van Dik Hout
18 - Sleepin' Bird (4:11) Herman Brood
19 - Rock 'N' Roll Junkie (2:49)
20 - Saturday Night (Big Band Version) (2:30) Herman Brood
21 - Back On The Corner (2:34) Herman Brood
22 - Dance On (3:41)
23 - When I Get Home (1:42)
24 - My Way (4:47) Herman Brood

Herman Brood the artist pages with thumbnails of his work.
Planet Brood
Herman Brood @ Amazon

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*All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !