Dial Nits

«The Nits are friends and a family», says music executive Marc Thonon. They are autonomous, as self-sufficient as is possible. They produce their own music, they had their own work space, they film their own videos and design their own sleeves. This episode is dedicated to the people who work with the Nits or have played with them, as part of the extended family. Which includes manager Aad Link, who has been a friend of Robert Jan Stips forever and throughout the career of other bands. Featured are the brothers Paul and Tom Telman on sound and light, but also the French concert producer Bernard Batzen who has organized many of their concerts in France; and we meet The Squirls. Four musicians who have been members of the Nits or have played with them: Arwen Linnemann, Titia van der Krieken, Vera van der Poel and Oli Hartung sit down in a holiday hut in Holland. Last time they played together was in 2010.

Sound design : Darren Hayne.

On the morning of November 2nd 2004, the publicist and film director Theo van Gogh was murdered by a 26 year old Dutchman of Moroccan descent. This happened in Linnauesstraat in the east of Amsterdam, right around the corner from Henk Hofstede’s house. Three of the songs on this album refer back to that incident that changed Dutch society – or at least indicated that changes had taken place in this society that considered itself very liberal.

There is an intimate connection between the musical and the visual work of the Dutch band Nits. Some names that have influenced the songs, the record sleeves and videos Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Mondriaan, Picasso, L.S. Lowry, Georgia O’Keefe, René Magritte, to name but a few.

Back to the core trio Hofstede, Kloet and Stips. The first time since 1992, they record an album in this smaller line-up: «1974» is not a best of-compilation, and it does not convey any nostalgia. The resulting album is viewed controversially by the audience of the Nits. Some fans consider this to be a weaker effort, with songs that sound rushed, unfinished; other fans laud the band for its searching of new approaches to its music, without losing their character. As usual, it sounds nothing like the album before, in this case the jazz and R&B-influenced «Wool» from three years before. After recording the album, the band set out on tour as a quartet with keyboarder Titia van Krieken.

Other voices, other rooms. In this episode, you will hear the opinions and observations of people who have crossed paths with the Nits or who have admired them from a distance.

In a career full of stylistic twists and turns, the album « Wool» is a stand-out. The music is intimate, sort of jazzy, a low-key, but finely wrought set of songs. Slow tempos, sober atmospheres – this is a meditation about life, eternal childhood and death, with at least one of the most poignant songs of their whole career. « Ivory Boy » is a tribute to Nits fan Patrick Iliohan who died of cancer after having recorded an album with Rob Kloet and Henk Hofstede. The latter, but also bassist Arwen Linnemann, keyboard player Titia van Krieken and singer Vera van der Poel share their memories of recording the album, about Patrick, about meeting up with musicians from Switzerland for some special concerts. And composer Harke Jan van der Meulen explains why « Wool » is his favorite album with the Nits.

Postcards used to be little signs of life that you would send home. They would inform them that you were still alive,that you were doing well and that your room was where the arrow pointed at in the picture. Here’s a bonus postcard from Switzerland.

A special event takes place in November of 1996. Henk Hofstede from Holland collaborates with the Swiss band «Stop the Shoppers» and guest singer Chessy Weaver for a short tour in their home country. Their repertoire : old Nits-songs like «The train» or «A touch of Henry Moore» plus a collection of new songs by Hofstede that were never played before. Many of these songs will be recorded in January of 1997 for inclusion on the next Nits-album.

Kent is a well-known musician and author from France. And, he is a fan of the Nits which he has made public a number of times. Also in print. Here’s an excerpt of what he wrote for « Télérama » on April 29th of 1998: «Why is one of the most interesting bands in the world not so well-known? Henk Hofstede is an excellent singer and the concert are a wonder for eyes and ears. Perhaps the Nits’ have too much taste. » This idea is at the basis of this episode. We have encountered Kent, the artistic director Marc Thonon who has worked in the music industry for a long time, and the musician and philosopher Agnès Gayraud who is known under the stage name La Féline and Richard Robert, director of the music venue «Opéra Underground» in Lyon. Includes several exclusive cover versions and a Dutch band singing in French.

These are years with a tremendous workload. The Nits release one album, film videos for some of the new tracks, record a number of songs for B-sides and contributions to other compilations, assemble a Best of-album accompanied by an album of outtakes. And they tour a lot, expanding their usual territories : they play at the WOMAD-festivals in Japan and England, they play in Canada, France, Finland, Germany and are invited to Senegal. A five piece-band, dynamic, solid and playful. Nevertheless and despite the success, some cracks begin to appear. At the end of another tour in August 1996, keyboard-wizard Robert Jan Stips embarks upon a solo career, taking along bassist Martin Bakker.