Herman Brood & His Wild Romance sound like a high-speed chase through the red-light district of 1970s Amsterdam. It is a collision of classic American rock and roll, frantic boogie-woogie piano, and the sharp, cynical edge of early new wave. The music is propelled by Brood's own percussive piano playing, which hits with the force of a rhythm instrument, and a backing band that swings with a dangerous, loose-limbed precision.
What makes them distinctive is the sheer authenticity of the 'rock and roll animal' persona. Brood did not just play the part; he lived it, and that frantic, drug-fueled urgency translates directly into the recordings. While his peers were often polishing their sound for the radio, the Wild Romance kept things raw, gritty, and slightly desperate, blending the soul of the blues with a speed-freak's tempo.
Start with the 1978 album Shpritsz. It is the definitive document of their peak, containing the hit 'Saturday Night' and perfectly capturing the band's blend of technical skill and street-level grit. It is the sound of a man who knew exactly how much trouble he was in and decided to dance through it anyway.
Wild Romance, also known as The Wild Romance, but best known as Herman Brood & His Wild Romance was the backing band of Dutch singer-pianist Herman Brood. While labeled as a new wave band, the director of Wild Romance's record label, Ariola, disputed this categorization when first promoting the band to the American audience in 1979, saying it came about "because he [Brood]'s a European artist".
Shares live recording, analog warmth, stripped back (production style); gravelly, raspy, deadpan (vocal style)
Shares live recording, analog warmth, stripped back (production style); gravelly, raspy, deadpan (vocal style)
Shares rebellious, energetic, defiant (moods); live recording, analog warmth, stripped back (production style)
Shares blues rock, classic rock, garage rock (subgenres); live recording, analog warmth, stripped back (production style)
Shares live recording, analog warmth, stripped back (production style); rebellious, energetic, defiant (moods)
Shares live recording, analog warmth, stripped back (production style); blues rock, classic rock (subgenres)
Shares live recording, analog warmth, stripped back (production style); rebellious, energetic, defiant (moods)
Shares blues rock, garage rock, gravelly, stripped back (signature)
Shares blues rock, classic rock, piano, live recording (signature)
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