Real name: Beatgum

Effective period / Period of releases: 2019

The story of Beatgum starts back in the year 2003 in the legendary pop temple Atlantis. Situated in Alkmaar, a city 40 km to the north of Amsterdam, bass player Daan Baars, keyboardist Pelle de Leeuw and Kiwi expat singer Johnny Hollenberg first came together as members of the Atlantis houseband. Here the seeds were sown for what would be a long and varying musical ride together.

Fast forward a couple of years as the threesome form Southern Lights, a band playing iconic 80’s covers such as Maniac, Cold as Ice and 90’s songs the likes of Shiver and Muse’s version of Feeling Good. The band does not exist for very long, but the seeds have rooted.

In 2008, the David Bowie tribute band Run Bowie Run is formed, initiated by drummer Wietse Igesz, and guitarist Gerben van der Veen, a long time collaborator of Daan, is recruited into the ranks. Run Bowie Run play for a good couple of years throughout the country. As extremely satisfyingly as it was playing The Dames music, the will to create their own songs prevailed and, upon Bowie’s death in 2016, Beatgum was formed.

The band start slashing, kneading and experimenting with the material. Gerben has proven to be a gifted songwriter in former bands Zilch and Roscoe, and Pelle is also rapidly developing his songwriting skills. Johnny’s lyrics add the missing link to the songs. Beatgum acquired two new drummers, Gerben Wester and Erik Bekker, to replace Wietse. After they leave the band again, Matthijs Ament is hired to be the bands new drummer.