EXCEPT-2

Historie

Coincidence ?
	Each historical review contains dry facts and data, and the same applies to this review. However if we would limit ourselves to this, the backside of a stamp would suffice to write the information down. But then the question "how did it all happen" remains unanswered. Let alone the question "why". Can we talk of "coincidence", and if so, is "coincidence" really coincidence ? Let the reader judge for himself !

Two Bands.

EXCEPT-2 started as a mix of 2 bands.
It consisted of a "Delft" part and a "Voorne-Putten" part.
One member of each band, namely Jaap Spijk and Ron van Doorneveld,
happened (?) to meet in Noordwijkerhout mid February 1994.
They had come there to listen to a country concert.

After the concert both simultaneously showed interest in a dobro,
standing on the stage and both got to talk to the dobro-player of the band.
Next they looked at each other as if wanting to say: "hey, you also play dobro ?"
And after actually having said this,
they decided to exchange experiences in due time and they swapped addresses.

The first contact.
The first contact was made by Jaap in a letter on 29 - 03 - 1994, in which he summed up the study-material in his possession. Ron reacted in the same way and suggested a meeting to exchange dobro-experiences. This took place in Rockanje on 16 - 10 - 1994. Both gentlemen still look up at the time in between as time lost!

The love.
After talking about their dobro-playing, it turned out that Ron was one of the remnants of the Voorne-Putten band "Country Stuff" and Jaap a "left over of the Delft band "Country Target". Both (acoustic playing) bands mainly performed in a homely setting, while "Country Stuff" also enjoyed some local fame. "Country Target" played Ballads and "Country Stuff" played Bluegrass. The idea to combine these two remnants in one band was for the taking. After some preliminary actions, both groups met in Delft on 24 - 02 - 1995. They got along fine from that very first start ! Their love for both kinds of music (bluegrass / ballads) together with mutual respect were the foundation.

The beginning.

So 24 - 02 - 1995 is considered the day of birth of the band; from that day onward, the weekly rehearsals were held.
On 28 - 10 - 1995 the first "small scale" performance took place and on 18 - 11 - 1996
the first nation-wide announced "public" performance in the "Altena Hoeve" in Delft followed.

In between these two dates there were another 3, more or less small scale, performances.
After playing together for some time, the musical level of the group improved
and the musical direction into which EXCEPT-2 was heading became more clear.

The name EXCEPT-2.
	A new band, a new team, a new unity. With this thought in mind, all members reflected on the name of the band. They couldn't come up with a name, until one of the two ladies in the band (Ida), stated that she and Mireille formed the "exceptions" in a group consisting of (5) men, thus: EXCEPT-2. Although the men tried to alter the name in "EXCEPT-5"..... they bit the dust ! Emancipation could not be stopped any longer.....

Growing and Changing.
Since mid-2000, Ida no longer was able to put sufficient time in EXCEPT-2 repertoire on a regular basis due to a busy schedule (study / other performances). Since that time we have been looking thoroughly for a successor for Ida.	Growing and Changing.

Growing and Changing.	In spring 2001 Con Stotijn joined EXCEPT-2, starting as the pedal-steelguitar player, but he changed over to playing the bass after Rob Overdijk stopped playing with EXCEPT-2, that very year. Rob returned in the band as the bass player after Con stopped in October 2003. In 2007 Rob Overdijk stopped playing with EXCEPT-2 From that moment on Mireille plays the standing bass.

In 2001 Will Pieters picked up the bow of a Cajun-fiddle-player with EXCEPT-2. In this periode mainly the Cajun-repertoire of EXCEPT-2 flourished. But Will, being a "Cajun"-man, did not feel quite at home in the Country-repertoire of EXCEPT-2, and he left the band in March 2002 to form the Down Town Cajun Band.	Growing and Changing.

Growing and Changing.	In september 2003 Ed and Ron also left EXCEPT-2, to join Will playing 100 % Cajun-music. in the Down Town Cajun Band.

In 2003 Ruud and Berend have taken their places, respectively as the lead-singer and the banjo-player of the band. In January 2004 Noëlle joined as the fiddle-player of EXCEPT-2, thus restoring the the name EXCEPT-2 in full glory !	Growing and Changing.

Growing and Changing.	In spring 2005 Wout Mostert (who had played with EXCEPT-2 from the very start) had to stop playing.

In the summer of 2005 mandoline / banjo / guitar-player and singer Rob Nijman joined EXCEPT-2. From that moment on the band did start to play more Bluegrass-style music.	Growing and Changing.

Growing and Changing.	In March 2008 Noëlle and Berend have stopped playing with EXCEPT-2.

Since September 2009 Franklin Smith is playing the guitar with EXCEPT-2. With Franklin the "swing" is garanteed, and... We do have an extra "harmony-vocal" !	Growing and Changing.

The mission.
"Let's have as much fun as we can playing and see where it gets us."
The "where" was influenced quite a bit by the accidental (?) meeting with a sound-engineer (also from Delft), during the performance in the Altena Hoeve on 18 - 11 - 1996. He was (and is) taken by the sound of "EXCEPT-2". As a sound-engineer, he spontaneously offered his assistance; which eventually resulted in producing a promotion tape.
It became more than a tape for internal / promotional use; It turned into a promotion CD; in total 200 copies. In no time at all, the demand exceeded the supply ! Therefore the first CD "EXCEPTIONAL", launched in June 1997, is no longer for sale.
After "EXCEPTIONAL" in 1998 a second CD ("TAKE-2") was released. Five out of nineteen songs on this CD are self-written! One of the new Cajun-songs was also recorded on the CD "TAKE-2".
We also can look back on many succesful performances and (national) radio-broadcasts.
At this very moment already 5 CD's have been recorded successively ! The fifth CD "JUNCTION" was released in summer 2006 during the prestiguous 26e Floralia Festival;
And of course we have lots of ideas for the next CD composing and producing our own songs will be the "hot item" for this CD !
And the "mission" was changed into:

"We will see where it will lead us, as long as pleasure remains
and as long as we feel that the audience enjoys our music!".

?? curious ?? any questions ?? order a CD ??

Sending an E-mail to Jaap Spijk via the address except2@xs4all.nl is the easiest way for a first contact !

Please inform us immediately if any right is being infringed !

except2@xs4all.nl