Bernthøler
Belgian pop/avant garde band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bernthøler was a pop/avant garde band formed in Brussels, Belgium, active between 1981 and 1985.[1]
Bernthøler | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Belgium |
| Genres | Pop, new wave |
| Years active | 1981–1985 |
| Labels | Putovsky, Blue Feather, Blanco y Negro, LTM, Starman Records |
| Past members | Drita Kotaji Simon Rigot Manuel Poutte Pol Fourmois Pierre Sorvil |
History
Originally just a "musical experiment" named after a line in a Virna Lindt song, the band found surprise success with their single "My Suitor"/"Emotions", recorded in August 1983. Championed in the UK by DJ John Peel and appearing in his Festive Fifty for 1984,[2] the group signed to the UK label Blanco y Negro. The band released one more record, a long version of "My Suitor" with additional parts by Wim Mertens and Drita Kotaji and, despite occasional gigs, disbanded in 1985.[3]
In 1999, radio station Studio Brussel chose "My Suitor" for its Bass-tard remix competition, won by Buscemi - who later released his version as a single and on the album Our Girl in Havana - and the song was nominated by DJ Chantal Pattyn as "one of the classics of Belgian new wave".[3] The song was also covered by Kahimi Karie on her 2001 album of the same name. In 1997, Simon Rigot put together a compilation of studio, live and other tracks covering the group's whole career, A History of Bernthøler 1981-1985, issued as a limited release. An official issue was published in 2004 by LTM.[4]
A 12" vinyl issue was published in 2015 by Starman Records including the UK EP, the first single, demos from 1984 and the never-before released song "Heartbeat" from 1983.
Several other artists have covered "My Suitor", including the following:
- 1998: Figurine on Moshi Moshi compilation
- 1999: Buscemi on Our Girl in Havana
- 1999: Das Pop on Electronica for Lovers EP
- 2001: Kahimi Karie on My Suitor EP
- 2002: De Flandriens on De popklassiekers live CD
- 2011: The Arch on Engine in Void CD (with Drita Kotaji on vocals)
- 2025: Elias Rønnenfelt on Little Gods / My Suitor (feat. jonatan leandoer96 ) single
Post-breakup
Keyboard player Manuel Poutte later became a film director, winning the Palme d'Or for a short film in 1992.[5]
Singer and writer Drita Kotaji is running a solo career and is also involved, amongst other projects, in the INK. duet.
Composer, guitarist and keyboard player Simon Rigot played and recorded with many bands (Les Cactus, Resurrection),[6] learned the sitar in the '90s and now plays synthesizer, Hammond organ and Wurlitzer electric piano with Belgian band the Narcotic Daffodils.[7]
Bass player Pol Fourmois is working as an electro-technician at the cinema.[8]