URBAN DANCE SQUAD

Urban Dance Squad

Rock-rap group from Utrecht that combines a unique mixture of rock, funk, rap, hardcore and, blues. The group's first album, Mental Floss For The Globe, also means their international breakthrough.
Full biography

Members

René van Barneveld   gitaar
Michel Schoots   drums
Silvano Matadin   basgitaar
Patrick Tilon   rap, zang
DJ DNA   draaitafels

Mentioned in the biography of

1983   GaGa
1987   All Star Fresh
1987   Div
1987   Silvano Matadin
1988   Div
1989   Michel Schoots
1990   Div
1990   Quazar
1992   The Rumble Cats
1993   Palinckx
1994   Cobraz
1994   Peer Rave
1995   Osdorp Posse
1995   Shine
1997   16Down
1997   Junkie XL
1997   Seven Eleven
1997   UJ
1998   DJ Git Hyper
1999   Erik Van Den Broek
1999   Gellybooty
2000   Ellen ten Damme
2000   League of XO Gentlemen
2001   Anouk
2001   Cooper
2001   Palinckx
2001   The Yearlings
2002   Rosemary's Sons
2003   Bart van Poppel
2004   Sjako!
2005   Andy Tielman
2005   Beef!
2005   De Zingende Fresia's
2005   Kane
2005   Whipster
2009   Astrosoniq
2009   The Phantom Four
2011   Mala Vita
2015   Michel Schoots
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Biography Urban Dance Squad

Rock-rap group from Utrecht that combines a unique mixture of rock, funk, rap, hardcore and, blues. The group's first album, Mental Floss For The Globe, also means their international breakthrough.

1987

The foundations of the Urban Dance Squad can be found in youth centre De Vrije Vloer in Utrecht. Drummer Michel 'Magic Stick' Schoots (ex-Div), guitarist René 'Tres Manos' van Barneveld (ex-Hi-Jinx, Judy Nylon, Gaga, Rufus Thomas and Fatal Flowers) and bassist Silvano 'Silly Sil' Matadin (the Scene, Gaga and Rufus Thomas), are regular visitors of the Vloer. Arjen Vreede, better known as DJ DNA, is the centre's resident DJ. When rapper/singer Patrick 'Rudeboy (Remmington)' Tilon, from Amsterdam teams up with them the Urban Dance Squad is born. Initially, the band also uses horns and also a second rapper: MC Dreams. Rock, blues, funk, rap and scratch are the most important ingredients of the band's sound. But also some reggae and hardcore are added. Rudeboy's lyrics are inspired by the 'black awareness' of leaders like Chuck D, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. Besides UDS, Rudeboy also works frequently with All Star Fresh. Despite the Squad's unique style the group's sound is similar to that of bands like Fishbone and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Over a short period the group, now without horns and MC Dreams, manages to build up a good live reputation. With the money earned by the many gigs they hire a mobile studio to record their debut album. But the bandmembers are not at all pleased with the result and without the album even being mixed it ends up in the safe. The unreleased debut album of UDS contains songs that won't end up on the official debut Mental Floss.

All Star Fresh

1989

The Squad is still without a recording contract, but with financial support and under the supervision of producer Jean-Marie Aerts, ex-guitarist of TC Matic, UDS starts recordings for its debut album in the ICP studios in Brussels. Soon after that the band is signed to BMG/Ariola, which releases Mental Floss For The Globe worldwide. Graphic designer and Claw Boys Claw singer Peter te Bos designs the UDS logo, which is based on a police badge. Te Bos also designs the album cover of Mental Floss. With the release of the album UDS is being touted as the next big thing in rock music. In the Netherlands the Mental Floss is awarded an Edison music award. In July the Squad plays at the renowned New Music Seminar in New York. Also the UK and other countries are very enthusiastic about the Squad. The Dutch are very proud of the band, but despite all positive reactions the band's two singles Deeper Shade Of Soul and No Kid do not enter the Dutch charts.

Claw Boys Claw

1990

Early in the year the Urban Dance Squad returns to the US. For the second time the band appears at the New Music Seminar in New York where they are programmed as the opening band. Back in Europe the band tops the bill at the Pinkpop and Roskilde festivals. Following that comes an extensive US tour supporting Living Colour. The Squad is doing extremely well in the land of Uncle Sam despite the fact that the record company is not at all pleased with the album cover, the video that goes with Deeper Shade Of Soul (filmed by Rogier van den Ploeg in the Netherlands for Dfl. 500) and the band's name. A new video is shot in Los Angeles and Mental Floss is provided with a sticker that says 'don't be fooled by the name'. Deeper Shade Of Soul reaches number 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 and Mental Floss For The Globe sells over more than 250.000 copies. Back home, chart success is still lacking. As happened with Deeper Shade Of Soul and No Kid a year earlier, the remix of Fast Lane doesn't even manage to enter the Top 40.

Rogier van der Ploeg

1991

In May UDS receives the Popprijs ('Pop award'). Five months later the band releases the album Life 'N Perspectives Of A Genuine Crossover, which is even more versatile and provocative than Mental Floss For The Globe. The Squad again receives an Edison Music Award. The band's US career is coming to a stop when they decide not to go ahead with the US promotion campaign. Although Life 'N Perspectives Of A Genuine Crossover fails to make any impact Stateside, the album is very successful in Europe. To promote the album the bands embarks on a successful European and Japanese tour.

1992

UDS steals the show at (Belgian) festivals like Torhout/Werchter and Pukkelpop. To be able to record a new album, the band asks for an advance of Dfl. 600.000, but with the lack of success of Life 'N Perspective still fresh in mind the record company doesn't regard this as a useful investment. By the end of the year UDS is dumped by Ariola.

INDO

1993

The Squad is touring Europe when DJ DNA suddenly quits after a row. The rest of the band doesn't seem to care and are still going strong, despite being without a scratcher and a record deal. Without the turntables everything is focussed on straight-on rock songs based upon a smooth running rhythm section and only a touch of funk.

1994

Early in the year Urban Dance Squad signs to Virgin. In April the Squad's third album Persona Non Grata is released. The album, produced by US top guns Phil Nicolo and Stiff Johnson and the band's first without scratcher DNA, receives positive reviews and the single Demagogue is a small hit. In order to promote the album the band goes on an extensive tour of Europe. In the summer UDS plays both the Pinkpop and Dynamo Open Air festivals.

1995

UDS leaves a good impression supporting the Beastie Boys in the Netherlands. Following that the band again leaves for the US. in another attempt to break the market there.

1996

Early in the year UDS goes into the studio to start recordings for a new album. Late August the band presents the new material at the Lowlands festival. Shortly afterwards the new album Planet Ultra comes out preceded by the single Dresscode. The album sounds very different from the band's earlier work with Rudeboy singing rather than rapping. Also surprising is the cooperation with Seda from the Osdorp Posse and guest appearances by keyboardists Wim Tops and Peter Revalk from Belgian band Wizards Of Ooze. The CD cover, designed by the bandmembers themselves, contains illustrations from US cult and underground cartoon like Warlock and Sin City. All lyrics go accompanied by such a cartoon so that people will have better understanding about what the band wants to say with the songs. The front cover shows a photograph by press photographer Krassowski of a couple of Rwandans who are listening to the news on a ghetto blaster on top of a mountain of refuge. The music press is divided about the quality of the album, which is produced by Andrew Weiss (Henry Rollins). The singles Temporarily Expendable and Ego barely make the charts and also the European tour is not working out as it should. Conflicts between Rudeboy, Tres Manos, Silly Sil and Magic Stick in combination with bad press cause much tension and rumours about a split are surfacing. In the meantime, the band members occupy themselves with various other projects. Rudeboy starts writing a column for music mag Watt, Tres Manos occasionally performs as a solo artist, and Magic Stick, who's not only a drummer but also a photographer and graphic designer, starts producing albums for other bands. Magic Stick's best-known production thus far is probably Claw Boys Claw's 1992 album Sugar. After the European tour the band returns to the Netherlands for several sell-out club gigs. The fans obviously are still behind the band. In December UDS in plays with bands like Dog Eat Dog, Sick Of It All, Liberator and Undeclinable Ambuscade at the Rai Unlimited Rock Night in Amsterdam's Rai Congress Centre.

Claw Boys Claw Eugene Latumeten Osdorp Posse Robin Bezuijen The Undeclinables

1997

Rumours about an upcoming split are still surfacing, but much to everyone's surprise the band releases the album Beograd Live. The album was recorded on 20 November 1996 shortly before the student protests against the dictatorial regime in the former Yugoslavia. The album also features keyboardist U-Gene (Eugene Latumeten) who joined the group for the Planet Ultra tour. Initially, Beograd Live is regarded as the band's final feat, but immediately after the release of the album it is announced that UDS and Arjen Vreede, alias DJ DNA, have put their differences aside and that he has rejoined the Squad. With this successful first line-up the band starts rehearsing. Rudeboy also becomes lead singer of Junkie XL (JXL), the successful project by producer/musician Tom Holkenborg, with whom he goes on tour in Europe.

Eugene Latumeten Junkie XL Tom Holkenborg

1999

The album Artantica comes out and is preceded by the single Happy Go Fucked Up. The single is received positively, but sales of the album are disappointing despite the fact that band can be seen at the important festivals this year: Pinkpop, Roskilde and Drum Rhythm. Rudeboy can be heard on the new Junkie XL record.

Junkie XL

2000

After thirteen years Tres Manos decides he's had enough and as a result the Urban Dance Squad breaks up. In November Rude Boy announces he is working on a hiphop album with DJ DNA and CIXX (Tom Colenbrander, ex-Head First). Tres Manos plays pedalsteel in roots band the Yearlings and guitar in the Secret Combination (with in its line-up former members of Secret Sounds). Magic Stick starts doing production work for bands like Billy the Kid, Kane, Cooper and Ballerina Liberation Front. DNA is awarded the National Phonographic Award for his work as a DJ.

Billy The Kid Cooper Headfirst Kane Secret Sounds The Combination

2001

Rude Boy, DJ DNA and CIXX perform together in the newly opened Vloer in Utrecht under the name L.E.O.G (League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen).

League of XO Gentlemen

2002

DJ DNA leaves L.E.O.G (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), the hiphop project he had started with Rudeboy. According to DNA negotiations with record companies were put on hold for such a long time, that he lost interest. DNA is replaced by DJ Rockid (ex-Head First).

Palinckx

2003

In the autumn René van Barneveld, Bart van Poppel (Lois Lane), Robin Berlijn (Fatal Flowers), Felix Maginn (Supersub) and Rob Klerkx (Supersub) form a new band.

2005 - 2006

The deal with Virgin expires, a new licensing deal with UDS's first label Sony BMG is closed. Urban Dance Squad's catalogue albums are re-released along with the Singles Collection. The reissues trigger the band to reunite (without DNA) for a series of festival shows only, among which Lowlands in August.

2007

Halfway through 2007 the entire back catalogue of Urban Dance Squad is re-released by SONY-BMG.

2008

Urban Dance Squad's debut album Mental Floss For The Globe is proclaimed Best Ever Dutch pop/rock album by 100 Dutch rock journalists.

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