THE SPADES

The Spades

Rock band from the city of Eindhoven that plays speed rock in the tradition of Peter Pan Speedrock en 7Zuma7. In 2002 the Spades release Learning The Hard Way (Not To Fuck With The Spades).
Full biography

Members

Denvis   gitaar, zang

Former members

Sander van Baalen   drums
Vincent Koreman   gitaar
Mark Trash   drums
John Peate   gitaar
G. Charger   drums
Ries Doms   drums
Enus   gitaar
Tony Leeuwenburgh   gitaar
Berry Hoogveldt   gitaar
Richard Nijhuis   basgitaar, zang
Veetje   gitaar
Chriz Garrit   gitaar
Arno Landsbergen   toetsinstrumenten
Pit Maypole   drums
Frank Kimenai   basgitaar
Roel Blommers   gitaar
Björn van der Doelen   gitaar
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Mentioned in the biography of

1997   Tupelo Honey
2001   Vitamin X
2002   The Nitwitz
2003   Travoltas
2004   AA & The Doctors
2005   Jovink & The Voederbietels
2009   Denvis
2010   The Kik
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Biography The Spades

Rock band from the city of Eindhoven that plays speed rock in the tradition of Peter Pan Speedrock en 7Zuma7. In 2002 the Spades release Learning The Hard Way (Not To Fuck With The Spades).

1999

When the Wank-A-Lots break up, members Denvis and Dick and G Charger form the Spades. They are later joined by ex-7Zuma7 guitarist John Peate. The group's style holds the middle between that of Dead Boys, the Stooges and the New York Dolls.

7Zuma7

2000

Mark Trash replaces G.Charger in April. The group's first single, Friday Night, comes out. In November John Peate is replaced by Barry Black and Enus.

69 Charger

2001

Drummer Mark Trash has to make way for Son of a Cop.

2002

The Spades record their full-length debut, Learnin' The Hard Way (Not To Fuck With The Spades), with Vincent Koreman and Perry Leenhouts from the Travoltas. The Spades keep being mysterious about their background. The cover of the album shows five black men. Press releases have announced that at least one band member has been involved with the police. Again a new drummer joins the band: Ries, who previously played in straight edge bands like Reaching Forward. The Spades receive an Essent Award music award and an invitation to play at the 2003 edition of South By Southwest.

B.G.K. JudasVille Loveslug The Nitwitz Travoltas Vitamin X

2003

Early in the year the band tours Germany (partly as support act for the UK Subs). In March the band can be seen at the South by South West (SXSW) music conference in Austin Texas. Following that the Spades will travel to Seattle to record four songs with Jack Endino (producer of Nirvana's Bleach and one of the most renowned producers of the Seattle scene). In April the band tours France. After guitarist Barry Black has left the band Vincent 'Vice' Koreman (Travoltas) joins them for a summer tour. The Spades play the Lowlands festival and in September Learnin' The Hard Way... comes out in the US on the indie label GoKart. In October and November the Spades go to the States to promote the album.

Travoltas

2004

The adventures of Sir Denvis Wankalot are televised by pubcaster VPRO's popular website 3voor12. After constant arguments guitarist Tony Slug leaves the band. The remaining band members have lost the appetite to look for a replacement. Denvis does some solo gigs in Zürich, Switzerland. On July 27 the Spades debut album Learnin' The Hard Way is released Stateside on GoKart.

2005

For the second time in their career (after 2003) the Spades are invited for a showcase in March at South By South West (SXSW), the annual music conference in Austin, Texas. They open the show at a packed Red-Eyed Fly with a stunning cover of Hocus Pocus by Focus. After SXSW the band cuts a four-track session with Jim Diamond (Dirtbombs) in his Detroit studio. At home the band plays at the Black Motorcross in Halle, organised by Jovink en de Voederbietels. Spades guitarist Veetje and singer Richard Plukker (ex-Candybar Planet) play in the band Gold Sputtered Membranes (GSM).

Jovink & The Voederbietels

2006

The Relapse label (US) releases a split single by the Spades with Toronto's Maximum RNR. The Spades contribute with the tracks CCCP Motherfucker and Get Outta Line. In October both bands tour Canada and the US. Denvis releases his solo album Coming Home. It's a singer/songwriter album in a Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes style. Denvis has written eight out of the 11-track set. Furthermore he covers Tom Waits and The Nerds. With journalist Leon Verdonschot he performs live at Lowlands in August.

Denvis

2008

On the band's new album Above The Law & Below The Belt (April) The Spades make use of a horn section, keyboards and female backing vocals. The album is released through Drugmoney Records, which is owned by Denvis. The line-up of the band on this record is: Denvis, Vee (guitar), Rule nr. 1 (guitar), Frank Drank (bass) and Pit Maypole (drums). The Spades also record a song with former PSV Eindhoven footballer Björn van der Doelen. Former keyboard player Arno Landsbergen composes music for theatre, film and commercials and also releases the album Dirty Rock under the name Ammo. Dirty Rock contains rock-influenced tracks recorded in the period 2004-2008. The title track is also released as a 7”.

2009

Denvis and The Spades again go on a farewell tour, this time for the very last time. The Rock'N Roll Revue 2009, together with Fury161, The Deaf, Ottoboy and DJ Dikke Dennis, kicks off on 1 May and ends on 3 July in hometown Eindhoven. The band's final line-up consists of Denvis, Pit Maypole (drums), Frank 'Drank' Kimenai (bass), Roel 'Rule no. 1' Blommers (guitar) and Björn 'The Talent' van der Doelen (guitar). The band is joined on stage by Claxon Five horn section (from Let's Quit). On 26 August journalist Leon Verdonschot (1973) presents his first book Denvis, a rock novel based on the life of singer Denvis.

Photos The Spades

Audio/Video The Spades