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Albums12
Songs110
AboutDI-RECT is known for its energetic live shows and extraordinary history. This is the story about one of Holland's most successful bands, DI-RECT, a rock band made up of band members Bas van Wageningen, Spike van Zoest, Jamie Westland and Vince van Reeken.
Then
After a quick start in 1999, DI-RECT soon met with immense success with their first single "Just the way I do". Throughout the years DI-RECT has released 5 albums and has reached the top of the charts a number of times. For the past 12 years the band has had a lot of airplay on the most important radio stations in Holland and they are a very welcome guest on stations like 3FM, radio538 and QMusic. DI-RECT has built a career playing at major festivals like Lowlands, Pinkpop, Parkpop, Beatstad, Appelpop and many others. With its explosive and energetic live shows, DI-RECT is a much wanted artist at festivals.
Throughout the years DI-RECT has received many awards, they received a number of TMF Awards, 3FM Awards, Edisons, Sena Awards and several Golden Records.
After having spent 10 years together, lead singer Tim Akkerman decided mid 2009 to quit his career with DI-RECT and focus on a solo career. The rest of the band was shocked, but decided not to give up.
Moving on,
They started their search for a new singer. Public broadcaster BNN followed the band on their search. After several months DI-RECT chose Marcel Veenendaal as their new lead singer and at the same time keyboard player and songwriter Vince van Reeken became part of the band. From that moment on DI-RECT was made up of band members Marcel Veenendaal, Vince van Reeken, Spike van Zoest, Jamie westland and Bas van Wageningen.
Exploding with energy and creativity, the band was more motivated than ever before. Their first joint single 'Times Are Changing' was released on the 9th of November in 2009 and became an immediate hit. Within a week the single hit number 1 in the MegaTop50, the iTunes Charts and the download top 50. It became MegaHit (highest rotation) with 3FM, Superclip (highest rotation) with TMF and best watched Dutch music video on YouTube.
After the release of this single DI-RECT immediately retreated into the studio to work on their first album together. Working with producer James Lewis (Arctic Monkeys, The Wombats, Noisettes) they spend months in The Hague, Liverpool and London to record the album 'This is who we are'.
After its release, the 2nd single 'This is who we are', from the album of the same name, immediately got picked up by all of the major radio stations. Again, they were superclip TMF and the single became Alarmschijf (highest rotation) with Radio538. Furthermore, it entered rotation on all of the major Dutch radio stations, like 3FM, QMusic, 538 etc. And again, the single could be found in the Top 10 iTunes, the Download Top50 & the single Top100.
The album 'This is who we are' entered the Top100 charts at #3. It was received with glowing and complimentary reviews which was precisely the warm and positive response that the band had hoped for with their new sound. During the festival season it became more than obvious that the audience had embraced DI-RECT in its new formation and the club tour in the fall only emphasized this by the number of sold out club shows. Two more singles were released from the album: 'Hold on' and 'Natural High'. Again, both singles got a lot of airplay on the major radio stations and they contributed to the strong new identity of the band.
Now
By the end of 2010, after a full year of playing on diverse stages in over 80 shows and being together, experiencing each other's creativity, character and energy, the band is overflowing with inspiration and they retreat again to focus on their second album. An intense period of time follows which the band uses to write new songs and record demos in their Basement Studio in The Hague, the band's headquarters. When their ideas have taken shape and become real they join up with James Lewis to enter the ICP Studios in Brussels, where they are completely absorbed by, and focussed on, recording their new record. The entire summer of 2011 is used to commute between The Hague, Brussels and the UK. On the 9th of September, when the band is still working on finishing the last songs for the album, their first single 'The Chase' is released. Again, with overwhelming enthusiasm the single is picked up by the radio stations. On the day of release it becomes the MegaHit on 3FM and Alarmschijf on radio538.
DI-RECT is on a roll, the new album 'Time will heal our senses' will be released in the fall of 2011 and the band is more than ready to enter a new chapter in their already 12 year adventure.
Then
After a quick start in 1999, DI-RECT soon met with immense success with their first single "Just the way I do". Throughout the years DI-RECT has released 5 albums and has reached the top of the charts a number of times. For the past 12 years the band has had a lot of airplay on the most important radio stations in Holland and they are a very welcome guest on stations like 3FM, radio538 and QMusic. DI-RECT has built a career playing at major festivals like Lowlands, Pinkpop, Parkpop, Beatstad, Appelpop and many others. With its explosive and energetic live shows, DI-RECT is a much wanted artist at festivals.
Throughout the years DI-RECT has received many awards, they received a number of TMF Awards, 3FM Awards, Edisons, Sena Awards and several Golden Records.
After having spent 10 years together, lead singer Tim Akkerman decided mid 2009 to quit his career with DI-RECT and focus on a solo career. The rest of the band was shocked, but decided not to give up.
Moving on,
They started their search for a new singer. Public broadcaster BNN followed the band on their search. After several months DI-RECT chose Marcel Veenendaal as their new lead singer and at the same time keyboard player and songwriter Vince van Reeken became part of the band. From that moment on DI-RECT was made up of band members Marcel Veenendaal, Vince van Reeken, Spike van Zoest, Jamie westland and Bas van Wageningen.
Exploding with energy and creativity, the band was more motivated than ever before. Their first joint single 'Times Are Changing' was released on the 9th of November in 2009 and became an immediate hit. Within a week the single hit number 1 in the MegaTop50, the iTunes Charts and the download top 50. It became MegaHit (highest rotation) with 3FM, Superclip (highest rotation) with TMF and best watched Dutch music video on YouTube.
After the release of this single DI-RECT immediately retreated into the studio to work on their first album together. Working with producer James Lewis (Arctic Monkeys, The Wombats, Noisettes) they spend months in The Hague, Liverpool and London to record the album 'This is who we are'.
After its release, the 2nd single 'This is who we are', from the album of the same name, immediately got picked up by all of the major radio stations. Again, they were superclip TMF and the single became Alarmschijf (highest rotation) with Radio538. Furthermore, it entered rotation on all of the major Dutch radio stations, like 3FM, QMusic, 538 etc. And again, the single could be found in the Top 10 iTunes, the Download Top50 & the single Top100.
The album 'This is who we are' entered the Top100 charts at #3. It was received with glowing and complimentary reviews which was precisely the warm and positive response that the band had hoped for with their new sound. During the festival season it became more than obvious that the audience had embraced DI-RECT in its new formation and the club tour in the fall only emphasized this by the number of sold out club shows. Two more singles were released from the album: 'Hold on' and 'Natural High'. Again, both singles got a lot of airplay on the major radio stations and they contributed to the strong new identity of the band.
Now
By the end of 2010, after a full year of playing on diverse stages in over 80 shows and being together, experiencing each other's creativity, character and energy, the band is overflowing with inspiration and they retreat again to focus on their second album. An intense period of time follows which the band uses to write new songs and record demos in their Basement Studio in The Hague, the band's headquarters. When their ideas have taken shape and become real they join up with James Lewis to enter the ICP Studios in Brussels, where they are completely absorbed by, and focussed on, recording their new record. The entire summer of 2011 is used to commute between The Hague, Brussels and the UK. On the 9th of September, when the band is still working on finishing the last songs for the album, their first single 'The Chase' is released. Again, with overwhelming enthusiasm the single is picked up by the radio stations. On the day of release it becomes the MegaHit on 3FM and Alarmschijf on radio538.
DI-RECT is on a roll, the new album 'Time will heal our senses' will be released in the fall of 2011 and the band is more than ready to enter a new chapter in their already 12 year adventure.
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