| Herman Brood | |
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 Herman Brood in Amsterdam in 2000
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| Background information | |
| Born | November 5 1946 |
| Origin | Zwolle, Netherlands |
| Died | July 11 2001 (aged 54) |
| Years active | 1964–2001 |
| Associated acts |
The Moans, Cuby and the Blizzards, Stud, Jan Akkerman, Vitesse, Wild Romance |
| Website | www.brood.nl |
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 made their first, and best known, album Shpritsz—a play on the German word for injection needle—in 1978 This album contained anti–drug use songs like "Dope Sucks", but also "Saturday Night". "Saturday Night" was their first hit single. 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. He was romantically involved with the German singer, Nina Hagen, with whom he appeared in the film Cha Cha, 1978. He is reputed to be the subject of her song "Herrmann hiess er" (Herrmann is high), Unbehagen, 1979[1], about a drug addict. Brood relished the media attention and became the most famous hard drug user in the Netherlands. "It is usual that an artist uses drugs, but tells everybody he doesn't. I admit that it scared me that my popularity could make people start using drugs", he once said in an interview. [2] 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 Amsterdam Hilton Hotel at the age of 54.[3] 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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Visual arts career
In the 1990s he took up painting and became as successful as a painter as he was as a musician. 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 atelier had been entirely re-built in the museum. During the 90's Herman Brood's studio 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.[4]
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)
- Back on the Corner (2000)
50 The Soundtrack is a tribute album for Herman's 50th birthday, on which he sings duets with various guests.
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)
- Herman Brood Uncut (documentary).
Literature
- "liebes blutbad", Revonnah Verlag, Hannover, ISBN 3927715239.
- Brigitte Tast, Hans-Juergen Tast "be bop - Die Wilhelmshoehe rockt. Disco und Konzerte in der Hoelle" Verlag Gebrueder Gerstenberg GmbH & Co. KG, Hildesheim, ISBN 978-3-8067-8589-0.
Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- 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 is based entirely on stories from Brood's life and work, and includes a cover of one of Brood's songs, "You Can't Break a Heart and Have It".
