‘I think death is the ultimate form of freedom’

admin/ “View allposts by admin”)

Which song do you want to play at your own goodbye anyway?

“Spread Your Wings by Queen.”

Why this particular number?

“This song has been very close to me from an early age. I think I was aboutseven years old when I hit it hard. I come from a reformed liberatedenvironment, in which this kind of modern music was not really appreciated.One day I walked into my neighbor’s house and he put a pair of headphones onmy head, “Here, listen up, I’m sure you’ll like this.” That was a Queen album,I loved it and whenever I could, I’ve been looking for more of Queen and otherrock music.

For a long time I couldn’t pinpoint what it was about this song, why ittouches me the most. I now know: it is the feeling of freedom. Freddie Mercurysings ‘spread your wings and pick yourself up when the going gets tough’. Ifeel that too. Ironically, this song came out in my birth year. I think deathis the ultimate form of freedom, which is why this song fits me so well.”

And what does it say about your life?

“That freedom is the highest good. I grew up in Friesland and left there as aseventeen-year-old with the idea that there should be more to life. I had asteady job, prestige and responsibilities and I gave it all up to pursue mydream. Becoming a writer. With the little savings I had, I wrote my debutnovel. Fortunately, there was a publisher who saw the potential. I can nowpublish my fourth novel and this is the book it has to go to do.

The way I write is all-encompassing. Full-time drives and that for a year. I’mnot one of those people who can write for three hours and then have a job witha boss on the side. I need freedom. The rules and laws imposed in a job makeme feel very unsafe. Now it remains to be seen whether I can really make aliving as a writer.

My previous books did well and with some clever tricks I just made it. I had avery extensive record collection and occasionally sold some unique copies inorder to keep writing. Of those 200 euros I could still pay for somegroceries. Well with the deal that if my work takes off later, I can buy thatLP back from them.”

Where do you prefer to listen to music?

“At my desk. When I’m writing, I also use music to get into the right flow_to come. If I write a scene in a certain zeitgeist, I adjust the musicaccordingly. For example, my last book is set in a juvenile psychiatric clinicin the 1990s, so I listened to a lot while writing _Gaia from Valencia. Acracker of a hit from that time and completely fitting for the melancholyatmosphere in the story. Music is very important to me. Not only for my deathbut also for my life.”

How many lists do you have on Spotify?

“About fifteen anyway. Those are lists of classical music, especially Chopin,but also very hard metal. Also great when you’re in a traffic jam and someonein front of you isn’t paying attention. Sometimes I’ll drive next to it justfor fun, then, with my window down and Machine Head blaring out of thespeakers, so they know who they’re dealing with. Or when I have a deadline tomeet, that works so well. I also choose a certain music for each character inmy book to bring that person to life. The choice for melancholic music, orclassical, therefore has an effect and even determines my choice of words atthat moment.”

What is your guilty pleasure?

“Hey, I don’t have that at all. Is that boring? No, right? I just come outpontifically for everything I like.”

A la que los africanos se animaron, convencidos de que su gol no dependía deljuego, sino de la fortuna, de un centímetro, de un toque o de un rebote, cadavez más presentes en campo contrario y menos verticals y veloces, mejorótambién Suiza porque dispuso de campo para correr, no tuvo que procesar sujuego ofensivo y confió también en la estrategia: Akanji, solo, cabeceó fuerael saque de esquina previo al descanso de un partido dinámico en el estadio AlJanoub. Los remates no habían cogido portería para suerte de Onana y deSommer. Hasta que empezó la segunda parte y compareció la versión sofisticada

R. En el futbol, ​​ninguno porque no juego. En la vida, aunque supongo queun gol es algo que uno no quiere que le hagan, me gusta considerar goles todoslos textos de autores a los que no conozco y que, al leerlos, me producen undeslumbramiento.

P. Un gol en propia puerta, algo de lo que se arrepienta.

R. No uso el arrepentimiento. Pieza tocada, pieza movida, como en elajedrez.

P. Y un gol en el 90: su gran golpe de suerte.

R. Mi gran golpe de suerte fue que alguien, en esos años, se diera cuenta,antes que yo, de que era periodista y me ofreciera un trabajo en su diario.Despues, trabaje esa buena suerte tanto como pude.

P. Su primer partido en el campo. ¿Donde fue? ¿Quién le llevó ao quién sellevó?

R. Un partido en la cancha de Boca, al cual llevé a un conocidoextranjero. Ese día Boca perdió por 6 a 0, y casi morimos en el intento desalir de la cancha. O sea: vivimos un típico día de fútbol en la Argentina.

P. ¿Cuál es el mejor partido que ha visto?

R. No puedo responder esta pregunta, porque todos me resultanindiferenciados. Sólo despierto del letargo en los Mundiales, y es unejercicio demasiado acotado como para generar memoria.

P. ¿Alguna vez se escaqueó de algún compromiso por el fútbol?

R. no. Sí por quedarme escribiendo o por ir al cine.

P. ¿Alguna superstición antes de salir al campo? ¿Rituals para las grandesocasiones?

R. No uso supersticiones de ninguna clase, ni siquiera antes de subirme alos aviones, pero cuando juega la selección argentina aprieto mucho los puños.

P. Le haria la ola a…

R. Stephen King.

P. Pido la hora al arbitro cuando…

R. Cuando en rarísimas ocasiones, porque jamás voy al teatro, tengo –es elverbo indicadoque ver una obra y me resulta interminable y aburrida.

P. Tres momentos que recuerde de los Mundiales.

R. Un Mundial que vi en mi casa junto a mi amigo chileno Matías Rivas, queme descubrió cosas del juego que yo jamás había visto antes y que, porsupuesto, ya olvidé. El día en que, saliendo de la boca del metro, me topé enel televisor de un bar con la noticia de que el test anti-doping the DiegoMaradona había dado positivo. La final del Mundial 78, por motivos tristes.

El dominio en el fútbol de clubes es aún más claro. Todo huele a Europa, a lascinco grandes ligas y esta tendencia se ha intensificado desde la creación dela Liga de Campeones en 1992. Los últimos futbolistas de talla mundial quemaduraron fuera de Europa fueron Pelé y Zico. Diego Maradona pasó sus mejoresaños en España e Italia. Lionel Messi se fue al Barcelona de niño, Neymar alos 21 años. Del once inicial de los últimos campeones del mundo no europeos,Brasil 2002, solo uno no jugó en Europa en su carrera: Marcos, el portero.

“Imagínate que, cuando era un niño, le preguntábamos a quién quería parecerse,y él decía que a Toni Kroos. Tenia solo 14 anos. Y ya ve, ahora está jugandocon él”, recuerda casi como una lección de vida Alejandro Garay, de 64, elprimer entrenador que lo llevó con las categorías inferiores de la selección.Él y todos los que lo vieron entonces coinciden en que su catálogo actual yaestaba en sus inicios. “Federico siempre fue de hacer cosas en el campo quenosotros ni veíamos. Era un talento, con una pegada maravillosa, un líderfutbolístico que se manifestaba a través del juego porque fuera, con el grupo,era bastante retraído. Le costaba habar. En ese momento, fue muy importante suamistad con Diego Rossi [hoy en Fenerbahce]”, apunta el técnico, que, en mediode las flores, también lo retrata como mal estudiante (no llegó a acabarlos) yofuscado cuando se le gritaba. “Se enfadaba y se paraba. Lo hablamos mucho conél para que no se guardara nada. Iba a su habitación, me sentaba a su lado ylo convencía por todo lo que tenía para darnos. Ahi se sentía importante. Locaptó rápido, siempre fue un tipo dócil y obediente en el buen sentido”,relata Garay.

Mas informacion

Una situación que coincidental en el tiempo con un trance que vivió en Peñarolotro de sus entrenadores de referencia, el Chueco Perdomo. Casi paradójico sise piensa en lo que es hoy el futbolista. “Fisicamente, era un privilegiado,el mejor. Pero medio vago, no le gustaba correr mucho ni marcar. El unico temasuyo era su cabecita, entender el juego. El solo queria divertirse. Así que leavisé que lo dejaría en el banco para que entendiera qué necesitaba de él. Ala tercera semana, vino y me dijo: ‘Chueco, quiero que me enseñes a marcar’.Él pensaba que solo tenía que marcar y no disfrutar. Yo le respondí que nodebía ser el que recuperara más pelotas, sino estar en la posición”, explicael técnico con parsimonia, masticando cada palabra, después de toda una vidaen Peñarol captando niños.

Con el paso de los años y su asentamiento en el Bernabéu, muchos de los que locontemplaron, e incluso formaron, en Montevideo se unieron al grupo depersonas que le pedía más descaro con el Madrid, que se atreviera a hacer loque ellos ya sabian. “Cuando se empezó a mostrar con Zidane, le reclamaba porqué no remataba y pisaba más las áreas. Pero claro, son processos demaduración. Por su personalidad, es de esos que van ganando poco a poco eseespacio. De palabra nunca va a exigir cosas, solo con el juego. Es muyrespetuoso con los roles. También hay que tener claro que es un niño, tiene 24años. Aún no ha tocado su techo, ni por asomo”, señala Alejandro Garay.

El gran clic se gestó hace un año, aproximadamente, en medio de una crisis dealcance casi personal, víctima de una lesión que lo tuvo un mes fuera,desplazado después por el invariable Casemiro-Kroos-Modric, y con su cabezapensando como una hormigonera si tal vez había perdido su sitio en el equipo ysi era hora de abrirse a otras opciones de futuro. Por su casa aparecióentonces el nuevo seleccionador, Diego Alonso, y la charla, más emotiva quedeportiva según las dos partes, tuvo un efecto sacudida. The ahí,además, salióel cambio de apodo ideado por el técnico: de Pajarito a Halcón, como unrecurso extra para potenciarlo.

El medio buscó (y encontró) ayuda en un coach para confesarse en laintimidad y en un nutricionista, y sobre el campo todo cambió en primavera, lanoche de cuartos de Champions de Stamford Bridge, cuando Carlo Ancelotti leordenó que hiciera de todo: ayudar atrás a Carvajal, hormigonar el medio ydesplegarse arriba por la banda. Aceite tres en uno. Él nunca ha ocultado quesu sitio favorito es como interior clásico (el Madrid lo llegó a considerar -ydescartar- en su día como un sustituto de Casemiro), aunque su explosión havenido desde una ubicación muy suya que él ha ido llenando de contenido .

Con Uruguay, con la que todavía solo suma cuatro goles en 44 partidos, se leespera en su posición preferida, aunque El Tornado Alonso ya le ha advertidode que recurrirá a su función multipistas si lo necesita para un equipo quemezcla jóvenes y veteranos. En todo caso, más allá de la demarcación concreta,Valverde confesó recientemente que con la selección se carga de másresponsabilidad, y trata de hacer cosas que no debería o no le tocan, algo queno siente en el Madrid, con un reparto de tareas más definido, sobre todo conKroos y Modric. “En esas conversaciones que teníamos, nos decía que el dueñode la pelota quieta es Toni [Kroos]. ‘Yo estoy ahi; estando él, no la toco, nime arrimo’, nos decía”, desvela Alejandro Garay.

“Siempre he trabajado al máximo con el Athletic para estar [con la selecciónespañola], pero me ha tocado tomar otro camino”, concede Iñaki Williams(Bilbao, 28 años), que aparece sonriente en la recepción de su hotel en Dohaantes de la hora del almuerzo. “Hoy Ghana come a la una, son estrictos”,advierten miembros del equipo africano, el sorprendente destino mundialistadel delantero rojiblanco. En 2016, llegó a debutar con La Roja, en un amistosoante Bosnia. Sustituyó a Marco Asensio y disputó los últimos 30 minutos, perohasta ahí llegó. Fue un hola y adiós muy rápido con su país de nacimiento.Esperó un lustro más a que le volvieran a llamar y, en vista de que laspuertas de Las Rozas se le habían cerrado, se animó a saltar de continente ydar el sí a la tierra de procedencia de sus padres, Ghana, que este juevesdebuta en Qatar versus Portugal (5pm, Movistar) en el estadio 974 con esteleón como argumento ofensivo. “Quiero poner a Ghana en lo más alto”, exclama.

Mas informacion

“Era ahora o nunca. No era fácil salir de la zona de confort, viajar, jugar enÁfrica y hacerlo por el país de mi familia. Tenía miedo de como iba arecibirme la afición al no haber vivido nunca allí. No sabía si lo entenderíany me verían como un jugador más. Pero la gente está muy orgullosa de midecisión, sabe dónde están mis orígenes, los que me inculcaron mis padres. Yhoy me toca representarlos. Espero que me tengan la misma admiración que enBilbao”, confía Williams.

Pretendido por las estrellas negras (así es conocida la selección), hastamarzo no aceptó dar el paso. “El Mundial era importante, pero no influencemucho. Aun habiéndose ya clasificado, no lo tenía claro”, puntualiza. Lo tratócon sus seres queridos y, según cuenta, una conversación con su abuelo lo sacóde dudas. “Me dijo que, si tenia esa posibilidad, la aprovechase. Sabía que noera algo fácil porque suponía muchos cambios, pero él nunca me ha pedido nada,y que lo hiciese con 90 años y viviendo allí… Ese ha sido uno de los mayoresmotivos, su ilusión por verme jugar un Mundial con Ghana”, confiesa.

Era ahora o nunca. Tenía miedo de cómo iban a recibirme por no haber vivido> allí, pero la gente está orgullosa de mi decision

“He viajado a Ghana, pero me hubiera gustado hacerlo más. Al principio, por eldinero no era sencillo ir todos, aunque ahora, que los años han ido bien y heconseguido ser futbolista de Primera, sí he podido disfrutar de mi familia,mis abuelos y mis primos. Este verano me llevé a mi novia ya su hermana”,relata. “La primera vez tendría cuatro o cinco años, y sí recuerdo jugar en elbarro, sobre tierra y descalzo, con mis primos. Fue uno de mis mejoresveranos. Futbol a todas horas. Incluso iba al colegio porque pasamos allícuatro meses. Después hubo un parón de seis o siete años, hasta que volamos alfuneral de mi abuela materna”, añade.

Unas estancias que, según narra, le abrieron los ojos sobre otras situacionesmás complejas. “En España, en comparación con la gente de mi alrededor, yo erael que menos posibilidades tenía. Pero luego iba a Ghana y era el que mejorvivía. Algo raro. Porque cosas básicas que tienes en Bilbao, allí la mayoríano las disfruta. Te haces preguntas, por qué tú tienes esta vida y otros no.Son cuestiones para las que no he encontrado la respuesta. Sí es cierto que enEspaña muchos problemas se hacen una bola y en África lo tratan con otracultura, pero la intención es ayudar y hacer lo posible para que muchoschavales de allí tengan una infancia más parecida a la mía”, desarrolla antesde zanjar est asunto. “En realidad, es lamentable porque mis padres, paratener esas ventajas en Europa, arriesgaron su vida. Por eso tengo esa hambrede ser cada día mejor”, exclama.

En lo futbolístico e inmediato, a Doha hallegado con apenas tres encuentroscon su nuevo equipo. Se estrenó en septiembre como suplente ante Brasil(derrota 3-0) y luego fue titular en las victorias contra Nicaragua (0-1) ySuiza (2-0). “Siempre los intentaba ver cuando jugaban. Son jovenes. Desde miexperiencia y posición, aquí lo que me piden es estirar el equipo, dar líneasde apoyo y tirar desmarques de ruptura. Arriba tenemos rapidez. Son lasvirtudes que debemos explotar”, indica Iñaki Williams, al que ahora le havenido bien haber aprendido en casa el ghanés, el twi. “En casa siempre noshan hablado en ese idioma, por eso la adaptación ha sido más fácil. Loentiendo a la perfection. Lo que me cuesta un poco es hablarlo, aunque elmister se dirige a nosotros en inglés. Esto me está sirviendo de master con elinglés”, cuenta con una sonrisa.

It remains remarkable how some rock stars can no longer do any harm at anolder age. From civilian terror to unsavory rebels, they have become newsaints of modern culture, who go on and on. Leading the way is Mick Jagger(79), who is still playing his young self after half a century. But there isalso veteran Bob Dylan (81), who does not repeat himself, but has reinventedhimself in a masterful way.

Somewhere between the two extremes of nostalgic reuse and artistic innovationwe find Neil Young (77). The originally Canadian singer, now American,continues to release new and old albums. Most recently his 42nd studio album(and his fifteenth with the band Crazy Horse), World Records. Hot on theheels of a deluxe jubilee edition of his most famous LP, Harvest (1972), therecord that launched him to mass stardom.

The ‘Christmas’ combination – an at times excited new album with band and atranquil classic – is striking. Neil Young has always had two incarnations:the loner with guitar and jew’s harp, and the electric rock beast who indulgesin therapeutic indulgence on six strings. He has continued to swing betweenthese two extremes, with his integrity as the most important virtue. Young hasalways followed his own whims and intuition in an uncompromising, almostchildlike way, albeit with gradually diminishing returns.

on World Records he again surrenders to his muse, who is now in the serviceof the climate and Mother Earth. Young is a convinced eco-activist who, hesaid recently, no longer wants to tour halls that source food from factoryfarming. He also sings about the endangered planet on this album. The fun ofthe man and his old companions from Crazy Horse, once described as “a rustytractor,” is evident and will please die-hard Young fans.

Yet the album, the best of Young’s three consecutive with Crazy Horse since2019, sounds like yet another repetition of moves. With a very sweet ballad(‘Love Earth’) and the inevitable elongated rocker (‘Chevrolet’, which clocksin at around fifteen minutes). Lyrically there is again little to experienceon the album, the edifying lyrics are of the caliber the sky was blue, theair so clean/ the water crystal clear.

Pissing into the wind

Now, for years, Young has been known for his tendency to spontaneously releasewhatever his muse tells him, once held back by his assertive manager andproducer, who dared to tell him when he was “pissing into the wind.”California veteran Rick Rubin, known from the Beastie Boys, AC/DC andMetallica, signed for the production of this album. That is paying off,especially compared to records that Young produced himself. But it cannotdisguise the predictability of the material.

How bad is that? You don’t want to blame the 77-year-old’s energy andrelentless production as time is running out. In the final of his career,Young is busy setting up a mausoleum for his music.

Occupied in that monument Harvest , turned gray in countless teenage rooms,a place of honor. For Young, this album (with his only number one hit, theclichéd but irresistible ‘Heart Of Gold’) became a watershed. The record madehim an icon of the early 1970s. “Where Dylan was once a kind of God, at leasta higher thing, Neil Young is the comrade who puts a comforting hand on yourshoulder,” wrote Hague Post pop journalist Bert Janssen in 1975. Janssen, afan for some time, thought Harvest incidentally, Young’s “most shaky record”to date.

That wobblyness was the charm. The hypnotic rhythm of the slow songs, the thinsteel guitar, striking melodies and Young’s uncertain, high-pitched vocals -it all fit the zeitgeist like a glove. Just like the fact that the alwayseccentric Young had partly recorded the album himself in a barn on his farm inNorthern California. The story goes that he rowed his friend Graham Nash on aboat to his private lake for a stereo preview of the album, which blasted fromspeakers in his house (left) and shed (right). “More Barn!” Young must haveshouted to his crew.

Young found no comfort in himself. The 27-year-old superstar had an allergicreaction to the success. ‘Heart of Gold’, which quickly became supermarketmuzak, landed him „ in the middle of the road he later complained. “I gotbored of that quickly, so I drove into the ditch. A more difficult ride, but Isaw more interesting people.”

The commercial pressure from his record company and a series of personaldramas – a threatening breakup, friends dying from drink and drugs – didn’thelp either. A monster tour of sports halls to celebrate the success of_Harvest_ turned into bitter, alcohol-fueled quarrels.

Stripping rock

Young’s drive through the ditch quickly produced albums that were not instantsuccess, but each of which is now considered the pinnacle of his musicaloeuvre. A live album ( Time Fades Away ) that sounds like a nervous exercisein proto-punk; a nightly dirge about the Hollywood dope scene ( Tonight ‘sthe Night_hailed as his most penetrating work) and a hushed album that soundshalf like a whispered call to a helpline ( _On the Beach ). Fit with thelashing rock of Zuma (1975) Young found fun in life again.

Fifty years later sounds Harvest just as autumnal and hypnotic. Apart fromthe bombastic orchestration of a single song, which already hit many listenersin the wrong ear at the time. As a bonus to the anniversary box, threepreviously unreleased songs from the barn, a (known from bootlegs) BBCperformance by Young from 1971 and a home video about the creation of thealbum. The grainy images from the barn seem like an intimate, Proustian belchfrom a distant past.

Of the hip quintet sitting there on straw bales, only Young himself is stillalive. Pianist Jack Nitzsche, session drummer Kenny Buttrey, steel guitaristBen Keith and bassist Tim Drummond have all passed away and, in Young’s words,friends who “leave their mark in sound” have disappeared.

And what sound. It’s an unfair comparison, but still. World Records is atbest an energetic reminder that Young himself is very much alive, but quicklyfades away with the first, wistful harp notes of Harvest. Or that one gruffguitar solo in the slow trudging song ‘Words’. Young himself seems to realizethat too. His most recent Dutch concert, three hours in the Ziggo Dome (2019),was supported by a wide selection of his 1970s work. Not for nothing.

Balls of fire, ball gowns, cutting guitars, angelic singing… symphonic metalis the extravagant, brakeless sister of heavy metal. Sits her brother lookingout the window on a birthday, sulkingly waiting for grandpa and grandma toleave; she is standing on the table singing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in itsentirety. It’s a subgenre where ‘over-the-top’, ‘bombastic’ and ‘nerdy’ arenot dirty words, but compliments. The combination of hard metal with cleansingers can fill the largest venues. This weekend there are no less than fourevenings filled with them in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam: twice Nightwish, andtwice Within Temptation. And then later in January you can also go to Epicaand Apocalyptica in the Afas Live. What exactly is it, what’s great about itand why is it so popular?

Symphonic metal is simply metal, so heavy rock music, with elements fromclassical music. Strings, horns, choral vocals and other additions that arenot very common in metal are there for a lush or bombastic effect. Sometimesfrom a keyboard, sometimes with a whole orchestra. The best bands in the genrehave a very good singer, who sometimes sings almost operatic, often (butcertainly not always) next to a roaring singer, for contrast. The textsregularly come straight from the fantasy literature or science fiction world.That helps accessibility. Incidentally, it sometimes goes further behind thetexts. For example, Epica wrote the song ‘Feint’ in response to the murder ofPim Fortuyn.

Musically, the barrier to entry is also low. Unlike much other heavy music,symphonic metal is hardly aggressive, the lyrics are fairly bloodshed andthere is a pleasant lack of testosterone – or at least that is somewhatbalanced by the female vocals and the catchy melodies.

Symphonic metal attracts a wide audience: at concerts of these kinds of bandsyou see many women and people of all ages. Metal is no longer the man’s sportit once was, and symphonic metal is partly responsible for that.

Also read an interview with Floor Jansen from Nightwish: ‘ The Netherlandsis just a shitty country in terms of music’

Fairytale metal

“I found the great attraction that there was more female vocals than in othermetal,” says Charlotte Wessels, until recently the singer of the symphonicmetal band Delain and now pursuing a solo career. “Not because I wouldn’t feelwelcome as a girl in the metal scene, but because as a metal lover who lovesto sing, I finally found music with vocals in my register.”

It is also sometimes referred to as fairytale metal or even Eftelingmetal, dueto the lyrical tendency towards fantasy themes combined with the fairytalevocals and, at times, the elements of folk music. A bit condescending, that’sfor sure, especially in the early days. Sharon den Adel, the singer of WithinTemptation, recently said in NRC that they embraced those terms: “If somethingis extreme, and for many people we were quite extreme, then it is easy tocaricature it. That also means that you have the attention.”

It kind of started with Therion, a Swedish band that combined blissful strings(from a keyboard) and reverberating choirs (really) with their death roar andraging guitars on the album in 1996 Theli. But in the meantime things werealready brewing in Waddinxveen, where former band members of the death metalband The Circle were working on a cassette tape in a new formation with asinger like Within Temptation: Enter. The album hit the metal scene like abomb in 1997. And then on second album Mother Earth the death rattle ofRobert Westerholt disappeared and Sharon den Adel got all the focus, the bandslowly broke through to a large audience.

“Promoters and other labels made a bit of a joke about it in the early days,”says Anthony van den Berg, who released the early albums of Within Temptation,Trail of Tears and Orphanage with his record label DSFA, among others. “Butfans, and then female fans in the first instance, went along with it en masse.It was really something new, and even though the radio didn’t play it, I knew:if the general public hears this, the roof will go off. And it did, it workedwith ‘Ice Queen’, Within Temptation’s first hit.”

Within Temptation with singer Sharon den Adel during a concert at the AFASLive in Amsterdam in 2018.

Andreas Terlaak’s photo

Singer Sharon den Adel recently wrote about this in this newspaper: “What wedid before that was almost a gimmick, at least it felt that way. It was donetoo many times.”

But it wasn’t done that often. The symphonic elements, the fantasy atmosphere,that mix of gothic and doom, the ripping guitars with heavenly vocals, thatwas really quite new. But before them there was a band that had popularizedsome of those ingredients: The Gathering had already made two albums full ofdragging death metal when the very young singer Anneke van Giersbergen walkedinto the rehearsal room. On the first album with her, Mandylion her voiceworked naturally on the heavy guitar music and became one of the absoluteclassics and an important source of inspiration.

All those Dutch people, what about that? “The magic word is Anneke,” saysArjen Lucassen, the man behind Ayreon and Star One, who has worked with dozensof singers from the symphonic world over the years. “Anneke van Giersbergenwas the first and immediately the best to do it with The Gathering: combiningthat beautiful vibrato with nail-heavy metal. I still remember when I firstheard it, holy shit, I was an instant fan. I think that also applies to manyother well-known Dutch singers, they must have looked at her and thought: Iwant that too.

In 2017, the Dutch pop music sector broke through the 200 million mark inforeign income for the first time: money that was earned from rights,recordings and performances. Three-quarters of that was due to dance and alittle bit to André Rieu, but symphonic metal is also a successful exportproduct. Bands like Epica and Within Temptation play in sports stadiums andarenas all over the world, especially in South and Central America, but theyalso have a lot of fans in Germany and Japan. Epica already received the BumaRocks Export award in 2015 for their foreign successes.

Brabant singer Floor Jansen sings in the Finnish band Nightwish (and lives inSweden, to make it easy), but received the prestigious Pop Prize in 2019 forher contribution to Dutch pop music at home and abroad.

“It seems a somewhat hidden scene, because the music press in the Netherlandsis less inclined to write about it,” says Anneke van Giersbergen, “but itdraws full houses all over the world. I notice that Dutch bands in this genrequickly approach it professionally and I also think that the fact that youcome from the Netherlands ensures that there is immediate attention in theinternational press, a bit comparable to Dutch DJs, or a grunge band fromSeattle . And there are just a number of very good and talented female singersin the Netherlands, who also choose a career in heavy music.”

Also read an interview with Anneke van Giersbergen: Getting out of TheGathering was the hardest thing I ‘ve ever done

Cheesy

According to Johan van Stratum, team leader of the only metal training in theworld, the Metal Factory in Eindhoven, and bass player in the bands Stream ofPassion, Ayreon and Blind Guardian, it has to do with the business climate,but also with quality and technology. “A band like Epica is a seasoned metalmachine, very high in terms of playing, production and technical. This alsoapplies to the often female vocalists. Not for nothing that Floor brought thewhole of the Netherlands to its knees Dear Singers.”

Isn’t it a little cheesy , and geeky? “Naturally! I am the chief nerd”, saysArjen Lucassen with a laugh. “Symphonic metal is absolutely nerdy, it’s pureescapism and that’s a dirty word for a lot of people. I also have that withAyreon when I approach some guest musicians. Steven Wilson from PorcupineTree, for example, when I say it will be a science fiction album, heimmediately drops out. I never get it very well: when there is a big Star Warsmovie everyone flies to the cinema, but when it’s in music it’s the same_cheesy_.” But, yes, he admits: there is a lot of cheesiness in between. “Themajority even, it often goes too far for me. But if it’s done really well,then it’s really great. The really good songs that have that little bit extrawhen it comes to melody and use of chords, you hear that in bands likeNightwish and Within Temptation and there aren’t many of them.”

Still, Lucassen, always looking for new blood, also has the name of new talentready: „I can hear it from Blackbriar, who have just signed a contract withNuclear Blast. That is a new tire that also has that little bit extra.”

Nightwish plays 27 and 28/11 in the Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam. Within Temptation and Evanescence play 29 and 30/11 in the Ziggo Dome. Epica and Apocalyptica play 27/1 in the Afas Live, Amsterdam.

Netflix, HBO Max, Viaplay: the streaming services are popping up likemushrooms. Nevertheless, ‘old-fashioned’ television is still winning outagainst these new competitors, Stichting KijkOnderzoek (SKO) informed NU.nlwhen asked. The streaming services are keeping their figures scrupulouslysecret for the time being, but SKO’s new measurement system is going to changethat.

“It is no longer of this time. Why don’t they reveal Ziggo’s figures? Theremust be something. The mafia is behind it. Yes, I really think so,” Gordonsaid in 2020 when his new program with Patty Brard didn’t do as well as heexpected.

The following often applies to program makers: if the viewing figures are bad,the system is no good. The measurements are outdated or everyone is suddenlywatching via streaming services. It is also often said that a program(afterwards) is viewed much better via Videoland, KIJK or NPO Start.

It is difficult to determine whether a program has really done better via astreaming service. To date, Netflix, HBO Max and Videoland rarely disclose howmany people have watched a series through them.

Netflix is ​​finally going to share numbers

After years of waiting, that is finally about to change. Although things arenot going as fast as in the United Kingdom, the measurement system there isahead of the rest of the world. The Broadcasters Audience Research Board(BARB) recently announced that Netflix has joined its audience survey. Thestreaming service has always been selective with such information in the past,but now thinks it is time for independent measurements. There are also newsystems for this in the Netherlands.

SKO director Sjoerd Pennekamp understands the need for development. “We’reredefining the television landscape,” he says. “Netflix now offers asubscription with advertising and Disney will soon do the same. At such atime, advertisers would like to know how a streaming service compares tocommercial channels or the STER.”

To be able to measure those figures, old techniques need an update. SKO istherefore updating its research. In the new panel, the members not onlyreceive a special box that measures what they look at. “They now have a routermeter for that,” says Pennekamp. “We can use this to see whether they watchNetflix, Videoland or Prime. That way you can see how channels and streamingservices relate to each other.”

And guess what? Streaming services are not nearly as dominant as thought.”From our provisional figures, we can already see that Netflix is ​​not thelargest channel in the Netherlands,” says Pennekamp. “Large channels of NPO,RTL and Talpa are still above it. We expect to be able to publish such figuresin the course of 2023, so that you can compare everything properly.”

The viewing figures of the Linda de Mol series Five Live are not high, butaccording to SBS, the series is still widely viewed afterwards.

Photo: Roy Beusker

No more excuses for bad grades

In a response to NU.nl, Paul Hek, manager of audience research at the NPO,says it is good that a more complete insight into modern media behavior cansoon be provided. “That is good for understanding the viewing behavior of ouraudience at the public broadcaster, but also for the entire market in theNetherlands. The European market is also watching with great interest thedevelopments of viewing research in the Netherlands. If the NMO (NationalMedia Research, which includes SKO, ed.) really starts, the Netherlands is atthe forefront of media research.”

Looking online is therefore sometimes used as an excuse for disappointingfigures. A program maker can easily say that his fans do not watch regularbroadcasts, without those figures being publicly available. With the newviewing survey, that is about to change. “Broadcasters themselves also want toknow where their viewers are,” says Pennekamp. “Some programs really attract alot more audience online.”

The mystery surrounding broadcasts on streaming services does not reallydisappear completely. The new measurement system provides insight into whereviewers go, but not yet which programs they watch there. When asked by NU.nlwhat Netflix’s considerations are for not sharing this information, thestreaming service does not want to respond. An answer is also not forthcomingfrom HBO Max and Amazon Prime. For the time being, it remains (partly) a guesswhether a program really works with those providers.

Researchers estimate that a quarter to half of all young people (12-34 yearsold) in the world are at risk of hearing loss. That’s because they turn theirmusic up too loud and go out in places where the sound is too loud.

Researchers at the University of South Carolina wanted to know how many youngpeople (12-34 years old) listen to music that is too loud. They sifted through33 studies, in which a total of 19,046 people had participated. Itinvestigated how loud young people turn up their sound, and how often theycome into loud clubs and cafes.

Young people especially vulnerable

They calculated that 18 to 29% of young people regularly listen to music thatis too loud. And that almost half goes out in places where the sound is muchtoo loud. They estimate that between 665 million and 1.35 billion young peopleare at risk of hearing loss, out of 2.8 billion young people (12-34 years old)in the world.

In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) also estimated that more than abillion young people are at risk of hearing loss due to their listeninghabits. According to the WHO, young people are particularly vulnerable tothis.

Volg Generatie NU

Receive notifications of new young adult explainer articles __Stay informedwith notifications

Crazy

“Young people often listen to music that is too loud through their EarPods,and also for too long,” explains Wil Verschoor. She is director of StichtingHoormij/NVVS. “But going out and events also play an important role.” It cancause hearing loss, or tinnitus, or both.

“Hearing loss means that you hear worse,” says Verschoor. Tinnitus is anotherform of hearing loss. With tinnitus, the cilia in your ear are damaged. Theysend no or wrong signals to your brain, so that you hear sound that is notthere. “That could be the sound of a gently murmuring brook, but also of afighter jet that continuously races through your head. It can drive youcrazy,” says Verschoor.

Not good numbers

It is not exactly known how many Dutch people suffer from hearing loss andtinnitus, says Saskia Kloet of SafetyNL. “It is not systematicallyinvestigated in the Netherlands.” The definitions also often differ, she says.According to the latest research by Safety NL, 1.2 million people over fortyhave a hearing loss of at least 35 decibels.

Estimates of people with tinnitus range from 1 to 2.5 million people. “We doknow from research that children also suffer hearing damage. And that there isa relationship with listening to music through earphones.” Reason for concern,says Safety NL. “Especially when you know that hearing damage is piling up.”

One loud bang

According to Verschoor, you can already suffer hearing damage after one loudbang, for example from a fireworks bomb. But it can also accumulate if you arein the noise too often or for too long. “It cannot be cured yet,” saysVerschoor. “So you have to learn to live with it.” Cognitive therapies anddiscussion groups with peers exist for this purpose.

So you better prevent it. “You do this by limiting the number of decibels andby not turning on the sound too often,” says Verschoor. In the Netherlands,the maximum noise level is 103 decibels per quarter. “You can already sufferhearing damage from 80 decibels,” says Verschoor. That’s why earplugs are soimportant. “Simple earplugs help somewhat, but not enough. It is best to buycustom earplugs.”

Stefan (27) has a noise in his ears.

Photo: Stads/Pixs4Profs

Stefan: “I have a noise in both ears, but in one a little more. It sounds likea signal is lost on such an old TV. It started about five years ago at a partyin the pub, where the sound was very loud. The stupid thing was that I hadearplugs, but they were forgotten. I was too lazy to cycle home to get them. Iwent to bed with a ringing and a ringing in my ears.”

“When that noise had not disappeared after two days, I panicked a bit. But Idid nothing, because I knew it could not be solved. I was also ashamed,because it is your own fault.”

• Wat vind jij van dit artikel? Laat hier je mening achter

__

Sleep with the radio

“Although I have a mild variant, I am working on it every day. I hear itespecially when it is quiet. When I go to sleep I have to turn on my radio andthat also wakes me up. Furthermore, I think in everything I do : is thispossible? For example, I will not drive with the window open. And in thecinema I do not sit too close to the speakers, because I want to prevent itfrom getting worse. “

“I now have custom earplugs and wear them on my key ring so I can never forgetthem. If the music is too loud somewhere, I sometimes walk outside to give myears a break. Fortunately, I can now open them talk about it. I even made twofilms about it. This is how I try to do my bit and warn people.”

This way you prevent hearing damage

Unfortunately, this content cannot be displayedWe do not have permission forthe necessary cookies. Accept the cookies to view this content.