Herman Brood
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Herman Brood (pronounced "Broat" /bro:t/; 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.
After playing piano in Cuby and the Blizzards and several other bands since 1964, Brood started his own group, Herman Brood and His Wild Romance, in 1977. The band had their first hit single, Saturday Night, in 1978. 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.[citation needed] In the 1990s he took up painting and became as successful as a painter as he was as a musician.
With the band 'Herman Brood and his Wild Romance' he made his best known album 'Shpritsz' (a play on the German word for injection needle), containing anti-drug use songs like 'Dope Sucks', but also 'Saturday Night'. Brood swore off most drugs, reducing his drug use to alcohol and a daily shot of speed. 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.
Being a friend of Herman Brood, Bart Chabot wrote about his life in several biographies: "Broodje gezond", "Broodje halfom", "Brood en spelen" and "Broodje springlevend".
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[edit] Herman Brood, the artist
Although Herman Brood was known outside of Holland mostly among music fans, in his homeland he was also well-known and loved for his paintings, poetry and contributions to public art and for creating murals in various public spaces around Amsterdam. Most art critics have difficulty trying to describe his unique style, but his paintings (and murals) are considered by many to be a valuable contribution to Dutch culture and art.
On 5 November 2006 the Groninger Museum (Museum of Groningen) opened an exposition devoted to Herman Brood's life and work, comprised of paintings, lyrics and poetry, portraits by photographer Anton Corbijn, a collection of private pictures (from the family album), concert photos and videos. The exhibition was on show until Jan 28th. It was centered around Herman's atelier (studio) where he created most of his paintings. The studio had been entirely re-built in the museum. During the 90's Herman Brood's atelier was located on the second floor of the gallery in the Spuistraat in Amsterdam and has remained untouched since his death in July 2001.
The work of Herman Brood continues to have a significant impact on new generations of Dutch painters, as well as street and public artists. See also: Herman Brood as an artist
[edit] Discography
- Street (1977)
- Shpritsz (1978)
- Cha Cha (1978)
- Go Nutz (1980)
- Wait a Minute... (1980)
- Modern Times Revive (1981)
- Frisz & Sympatisz (1982)
- The Brood (1984)
- Bühnensucht/Live (1985)
- Yada Yada (1988)
- Hooks (1989)
- Freeze (1990)
- Saturday Night Live! (1992)
- Fresh Poison (1994)
- 50 The Soundtrack (1996)
- Ciao Monkey (2000)
50 The Soundtrack is a tribute album for Herman's 50th birthday, on which he sings duets with various guests.
[edit] Movies
- Cha Cha (1979)
- Total Love (2000) (Cult Movie from Israel)
- Rock 'N Roll Junkie (1994) (Documentary)
- Wild Romance (05 November 2006) (Scenes from Herman Brood's life)
- Uncut (documentary).
[edit] Literature
- "liebes blutbad", Revonnah Verlag, Hannover, ISBN 3927715239.
- Brigitte Tast, Hans-Jürgen Tast „be bop - Die Wilhelmshöhe rockt. Disco und Konzerte in der Hölle" Verlag Gebrüder Gerstenberg GmbH & Co. KG, Hildesheim, ISBN 978-3-8067-8589-0.
[edit] Trivia
- Herman Brood never gained an audience in the USA , but a poster of 'Herman Brood and his Wild Romance' can be seen in the David Cronenberg film Scanners (about 53 minutes into the film).
- Black Francis' 2007 album Bluefinger, which has not yet been released, features several songs that reference Brood.
