Bettie Serveert Biography
The story begins when Canadian-born (Vancouver), Netherlands-reared Carol van Dyk was hired as the live-sound mixer for the celebrated underground band ‘de Artsen’ (the Doctors). Herman Bunskoeke and Peter Visser were band members, Berend Dubbe was their roadie and the musical side project in which all four friends participated became Bettie Serveert. (Since you ask, the name means "Bettie to serve" after Dutch tennis player Bettie Stöve, who lost the Wimbledon Ladies Final in 1977).
After a false start in 1986, when the band called itself ‘Betty Serveert’ with a ‘y’, they dissolved after only one gig. The band reformed, this time with Berend on drums, in 1991 in Amsterdam as Bettie Serveert and quickly caught the ear of Matador Records, Brinkman Records and 4AD's Guernica label for whom they kindly agreed to record their first album 'Palomine', which was released late 1992/early 1993. Two years later, in January 1995, the band recorded their second album 'Lamprey''Lamprey', which was hailed by Melody Maker as the most tangled, desolate, real life guitar sound of the year.
They toured extensively with the likes of Belly, Dinosaur Jr, Buffalo Tom, Superchunk, Come and Jeff Buckley.
1997 saw the return of Bettie Serveert in fine form with the release of the long awaited third album 'Dust Bunnies'. It was the first time the Betties benefited from the studio guidance of producer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Lemonheads). It was also the first Bettie Serveert disc that was recorded entirely within the United States, at Bearsville studio in scenic Woodstock, New York.
In 1998 the group released a live album of Velvet Underground cover songs 'Bettie Serveert plays Venus In Furs and other Velvet Underground songs'.
After touring with Wilco & Counting Crows, Berend Dubbe left the band early 1998 and was replaced by Reinier Veldman, former drummer of De Artsen.
In 2000 Bettie Serveert started their own label, Palomine Records.
Then, after a period of relative radio silence, Bettie Serveert entered the new millennium with ‘Private Suit’, their first studio album in two years. Produced by John Parish.
In 2001, the band decided to take a break.
The sabbatical was spent refueling, studying and writing. Peter Visser was a hired gun for a while, Herman Bunskoeke learned to be a cook and Carol released 2 records of 'Americana' songs under the name Chitlin' Fooks (a collaboration with Antwerp based songwriter Pascal Deweze).
Between 2003 and 2006 Bettie Serveert released 3 albums: the double LP 'Log 22', the trippy 'Attagirl', and a semi-acoustic cd/dvd called 'Bare Stripped Naked'. Between 2006 and 2008 they toured in the USA, Canada, Germany and Spain and did a long theatre tour in the Netherlands.
In October ‘09 Peter and Carol did a project with 'In A Cabin With' in Australia. In cooperation with Australian musicians Russell Hopkinson (You Am I), Matt Wicks, Andrew Morris and Ben Salter (The Gin Club) they recorded an album in Sydney and Byron Bay. The CD that came out of this project is called 'ME & STUPID’: recorded & mixed with Jesse Beuker and released in Jan 2011.
Between April 6 and 10 2009 the Betties were in the La Chapelle Recording Studios in Belgium, recording a CD with Joppe Molenaar (of the Dutch band Voicst) as their special guest on drums. On 'Pharmacy of Love', the band found itself 'back to basic': capturing their raw, contagious energy people have come to know from their many live performances throughout the years.
On Nov 27th 2009 their Single/EP ‘Deny All’ was released on iTunes, together with their entire back catalog.
Their 8th CD 'Pharmacy of Love' was released on January 11th 2010, followed by a tour in the Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Canada & the USA.
In August 2011 the Betties had their 20th Birthday Party at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, playing the entire ‘Palomine’ CD with Berend Dubbe on drums.
In April 2012 they returned to the La Chapelle Studios in Belgium to record an album with Joppe Molenaar on drums. The single/EP 'Had2Byou' was released on Oct 18th ’12 (digital only). Their 9th studio album 'Oh, Mayhem!' was released on Jan 11th '13.
Their single 'Never Be Over' feat. Prof. Nomad & Co was released (digital only) on January 11th ’16 worldwide through PIAS.
On their 25th Birthday, Bettie Serveert released their brand new album ‘Damaged Good’ and the ballad ‘Never Be Over’ was included on their 10th record, followed by an extensive tour in the Netherlands.
‘Damaged Good’ is one of the Betties’ most diverse albums so far, including songs barely 60 sec long up to an 8 min epos and everything in between. It’s a ‘big story’: intense, raw, tender, but mostly passionate and fierce. Some songs will definitely remind people of their classic ‘Palomine’, the debut album that started everything 26 years ago. The album was recorded and mixed with Jesse Beuker, with whom Peter and Carol have worked before on their Australian project 'ME & STUPID’.
The release date of the CD ‘Damaged Good’ was Oct 28th 2016, the LP was out a week later on Nov 4th and it was released digitally worldwide on Palomine Records and PIAS (Distribution). Prior to the album there was a single called ‘Love Sick’ on Oct 14th: a rock-duet with Peter te Bos, the singer of the famous Dutch band Claw Boys Claw. ‘Damaged Good’ was also released on April 22 ’17 as a limited edition pink vinyl LP on Schoolkids Records in North America.
Almost 26 years after starting the band, Bettie Serveert finally met the Dutch tennis player Betty Stöve on April 13 ’18. Her ’70’s tennis instruction books called ‘Betty Serveert’ were the inspiration for their band name.
On Nov 27th ’19, exactly 22 years after doing their Velvet Underground tribute tour in the Netherlands & recording their show at de Paradiso in Amsterdam with Berend Dubbe on drums, they re-released their album 'Bettie Serveert plays Venus In Furs and other Velvet Underground songs' digital-only, including 4 extra tracks that were never released before.
In 2023 Matador Records reissued their debut album Palomine worldwide as a special 30th Anniversary edition on translucent orange vinyl, including the original 7”. The band released a ‘Palomine 30th Anniversary 2CD Deluxe Edition’ through their own Palomine Records in the Benelux.
The Betties did 2 sold-out shows at the Paradiso (Amsterdam) and Tivoli (Utrecht) to celebrate their ‘birthday’, where they played the entire album with their 1st drummer Berend Dubbe and also a 2nd set containing all the other favorites of the past 20 years with their current drummer and keyboard player. At the forthcoming shows the Betties will play a combination of all their favorite songs, including the best-loved Palomine tunes.
Bettie Serveert websites:
www.bettieserveert.com
www.facebook.com/bettieserveert/
www.instagram.com/bettieserveert.official/
www.youtube.com/c/DeBetties-bettieserveert-official
www.youtube.com/@johndarmy/videos
vimeo.com/bettieserveert
soundcloud.com/bettieserveert
twitter.com/bettieserveert
Bettie Serveert Management:
Postbus 14642
1001 LC Amsterdam
The Netherlands
bettieserveert2010@gmail.com
Booking Agency in the Netherlands:
Double Vee Concerts
www.doubleveeconcerts.nl/
Jacco van Lanen: jacco@doubleveeconcerts.nl
Tel: +31 (0)6 2451 4870
Discography
Albums
Palomine 1992
Lamprey 1995
Dust Bunnies 1997
Bettie Serveert Plays Venus In Furs 1998 (Limited edition - Velvet Underground covers)
Private Suit 2000
Log22 2003 (also as a double album on LP)
Attagirl 2004
Bare Stripped Naked 2006 (incl. a DVD)
Pharmacy of Love 2010
Oh, Mayhem! 2013
Damaged Good 2016
Palomine 30th Anniversary 2CD Deluxe Edition 2023
CD singles
Tom Boy
Palomine
Kid’s Allright
Crutches
Ray Ray Rain
Something so wild
Co-Coward
What Friends?
Rudder
Our New Demo White Tales
Private Suit
Smack
Wide Eyed Fools
Dreamaniacs
Hell=Other People
Deny All
Had2Byou
Shake-Her
Never Be Over (feat. Prof. Nomad & Co)
Love Sick (feat. Peter te Bos)
Say You Will (feat. Prof. Nomad & Co)
