After Corona (Covid-19 for insiders), the delays at the record pressing plants, and the high energy prices (which truly made no sense at all), there's a glimmer of light on the music horizon: Burnout Boys. After a few years of literally and figuratively making the rehearsal space unsafe, they are now taking cautious but rightfully self-aware steps onto the stage.
The members all have way too much experience, which is why it took quite a while for everyone to get on the same page. First, all (!) records of all (!) members had to be listened to (Spider Rico, Feverdream, Organisms, Bismuth, Microtec, Jimmy Barock, At No Bikini Beach, Life Savings, Fine China Superbone, Ervelien, Eklin, The Union Ares, Dad Bod Surfers, Yuri Landman Ensemble, Boutros Bubba, Petrified Host, Damo Suzuki Network), and then all (!) TV programs of all (!) members had to be watched (Wipeout, Rude Tube (!), So You Think You Can Dance, the Pain Game, Expeditie Robinson, Wie is de Reisleider?, Killer Karaoke, the Hit (never seen but sounds good, red.), Project P: Stop met Pesten, Tourette on Tour, Bizarre Eters (see the rider, red.), de Vijftien Vetste Video’s van Vandaag (nowadays known as the Jeugdjournaal, red.), Blind naar de Top, Battle on the Dancefloor, Bizarre Slapers, Adam Zkt. Eva VIPS, Zon, Zuipen, Ziekenhuis: hier is het Feestje!, Levenslang met Dwang, ADHDennis, Ink Master. We Want More, and an online BBC special about the ATP of the Mars Volta). It was long and fantastic evenings, and after the information overload (and a "small" personnel change on bass), the five members thoroughly went back to the drawing board, each with a blue IKEA bag full of ideas to create a worthy rock set, as we can expect from members of the aforementioned Spider Rico and a presenter from the aforementioned Bizarre Slapers.
Burnout Boys nowadays guarantee songs with a nod to the past but with an eye on the future. Late '90s rock meets the flair of the 00s (from 2000). Hot Snakes on Dischord and with a slightly busier singer of Protomartyr, with a bit of Guided by Voices and Steely Dan (with the latter, you can go in any direction, and that's why it's mentioned here).
A kind of male version of Lois Lane, but then with five of them and also with a completely different repertoire.
After an intimate but well-attended show in a studio in The Hague, an online Corona session in the main hall of the Paard (The Swans did play there!), a gig at the Sniester Festival, and a private party in the Paard café, Burnout Boys are now truly ready to step out. The Burnout is behind them, babysitting is arranged for the kids, and with a studio visit to capture some things (in Amsterdam!), the gentlemen are fully charged, ready to show the audience that age is just a number and that in alternative guitar music, there's only one thing that matters: alternative guitar music. And "hooky" but "edgy" songs. That too. And an entertaining show. Also that. Good musicians perhaps? Yes, that too. In other words: Burnout Boys.
Burnout Boys are:
Arnold van de Velde (bass)
Dennis Weening (vocals)
Gabry de Waaij (drums)
Lennard Kruithof (guitar, backing vocals)
René van Lien (guitar, backing vocals)