The story begins when Canadian-born, Netherlands-reared Carol van Dyk was hired as the live-sound mixer for the celebrated underground band de Artsen (the Doctors). Bunskoeke and Visser were already members, Dubbe was their roadie and the musical side project in which all four friends participated became Bettie Serveert. (Since you ask, the name means “Bettie to serve” after Dutch tennis player Bettie Stove, who lost the Wimbledon Ladies Final in 1977).
After a false start in 1986 when they dissolved after only one gig, the band ‘reformed’ in 1990 and quickly caught the ear of Matador, Brinkman and 4AD’s Guernica label for whom they kindly agreed to record their first album Palomine. Carol van Dyk’s seductive voice, the band’s bittersweet melodies and a cool cover of Sebadoh’s Healthy Sick made for an impressive debut which endeared them immediately to the press.
Of Palomine, US magazine Spin enthused: "The band’s warm, engaging musical personality makes you want to be pals o’theirs. No matter how edgy or ‘deep’ the lyrics get, they rarely distract from the whiskey bar of aura of the music.... awe-inspiring, with fantastic guitar sounds and lazy, sprawling leads. When did indie-rock ever sound this mature, this developed?"
With its mournful, desolate feel, and Carol’s typically striking lyrics, Bettie Serveert had (a-hem!) served an ace. A full year later in January 1995 the band recorded their second album Lamprey, which was hailed by Melody Maker as "the most tangled, desolate, real life guitar sound of the year".
After extensive touring with the likes of Belly, Dinosaur Jr, Buffalo Tom, Superchunk, Come and Jeff Buckley, the band soon climbed to the top of the indie underground with their unique and unmistakable heavy sweet guitar sound. In the increasing pile of flattering press coverage that now surrounds them, they have been compared to Neil Young, The Lemonheads, The Throwing Muses, The Sundays, Velvet Underground... the list goes on. Let’s just say they’re the best thing to come out of Holland before and after 2 Unlimited.
1997 sees the return of Bettie Serveert in even finer form with the release of the long awaited third album Dust Bunnies. The product of a year hard work, during which songs were written, books were read, more songs written. It was the first time the Betties benefited from the studio guidance of producer Bryce Goggin, who’s past credits include Pavement, Come, John Zorn, Kim Deal, Lemonheads and Spacehog. It’s also the first Bettie Serveert disc that was recorded entirely within the contiguous United States, specifically at Bearsville studio in scenic Woodstock, New York.
After touring with Counting Crows, Wallflowers and Wilco, Berend Dubbe left the band early 1998 and was replaced by Reinier Veldman, former drummer of De Artsen.
In 1998 the group releases a live album of Velvet Underground cover versions ‘Bettie Serveert Plays Venus In Furs’.
Then, after a period of relative radio silence, Bettie Serveert proudly enters the new millennium with their first studio album in two years. To the amazement of friends and foes alike Private Suit turns out to be their most accomplished effort yet. Produced by John Parish of PJ Harvey fame they manage to deliver an intriguing album of almost majestic beauty. Private Suit was well received resulting in extensive touring in Europe (Crossing Border, Lowlands festivals) and the US (headlining and supporting Counting Crows and Live).
Then in 2001, the band decides to take a break…
The sabbatical is spent meditating, re-fuelling, studying and writing. Peter Visser is a hired gun for a while, Herman Bunskoeke learns a trade and Carol releases a record of inspired country songs under the guise of Chitlin’ Fooks (a collaboration with talented Antwerp based songwriter Pascal Deweze). Chitlin’ Fooks tour the US as a duo in the summer of 2001, an extensive club and festival tour through Holland and Belgium follows highlighted by successful gigs at the Crossing Border and Pukkelpop festivals.
Then, by the summer of 2002 Carol van Dyk and Peter Visser are ready to go into the studio to record Log 22.
...and the rest, as they say, is history.
