Ruben Hoeke Band – 30 Years Live

Ruben Hoeke Band
30 Years Live

Release date: Friday, November 3rd 2023
Label: Munich / V2 Records

“Ever since I saw my dad perform with his band, when I was still very young, I knew one thing for certain: I would become a drummer. No doubt in my mind. Night after night I studied the drummer’s every move. The next day I would try to copy his style, ‘air-drumming’ in my boys room, while dreaming of being a real musician in a kick-ass rhythm & blues band.

It wasn’t until my sister brought an acoustic guitar to our home that things changed around. And then, when I heard Guns N’ Roses guitarist ‘Slash’ play that beautiful ‘Sweet child o’ Mine’ intro, I was sold on the spot. Years later I got the chance to thank him in person for this decisive moment. It sparked a lifelong musical journey, that took me places I could have never imagined and, most importantly, brought me so much joy and excitement.

By now, at age 46, I’ve been playing live for over thirty years and still, to me, there’s nothing better than doing just that. Playing my guitar with a band, making the best music I can. It helps when you have a great drummer in the band who also happens to be your brother. As for our bandmates Mike and Lucas; they are both crazy like us, so that makes for an interesting bunch of pals. Now that I come to think of it: in those seven years that we’ve been together as a band, there hasn’t been the slightest argument or typical ‘band-struggle’. It’s all fun and music, which is something to cherish.

The songs you’ll find on this ’30 years live’ double album are those of our former studio albums ‘All Saints’ (2019) and ‘Reloaded’ (2022). It’s funny that we actually never played the ‘Reloaded’ songs in front of an audience before that recording night on November 17, 2022 at De Flux, Zaandam. Due to it being midwinter, we actually froze our hands off that night, but listening to the recordings I must say it turned out great. It’s all very edgy, with a certain risk and I like that. It keeps things interesting.

Pieter Bas Borger recorded the ‘frozen-show’ as we got to call it and I think he’s a true master at preserving the spirit and energy of a live performance. Great job. After the mixing was done, Erwin Musper helped me out by mastering the album, something I’m very grateful for. Jan Blaauw once again captured the music and colours in his artwork, supported by the photography of Ron Koffeman. I’m blessed having good friends who love music as much as I do.

Since playing live has always been such an essential part of my life, I’m very proud to have a follow up to our 2017 ’25 Live’ double album. I also notice that, while it’s still the same band, we have made musical progression. So, from an artistic point of view, I think our best work still lays ahead of us.

‘30 YEARS LIVE’ makes for 22 songs and almost two hours of pure, no-nonsense rock & roll, soul, blues, ballads, boogie, hardrock and pop music made by real human beings instead of Artificial Intelligence. We hope you enjoy this double live album as much as we did making it. So here’s to the next thirty years of playing my guitar anytime and anywhere. I feel like I’m only just getting started! Cheers!”

Ruben Hoeke – September 2023

Ruben Hoeke Band – 30 Years Live
Tracks

CD1
1 Get Bit
2 Busy Boys
3 Beast and a Dog
4 Hoped For
5 My baby Knows
6 Just Because
7 Before the Choir
8 (I’m a) Cheap Trick
9 All Feels
10 Sally went to the Shore
11 The Devil’s Toil

CD2
1 Forafter Always
2 Cold dead Hands
3 Ramblin’
4 Oblivion
5 Been a long time Comin’
6 Tunnelling Dream
7 We Talk
8 Easy does It
9 Keep playing that Rock & Roll
10 Follow the Stars
11 Love is Blindness

Ruben Hoeke – Guitar
Lucas Pruim – Vocals
Eric Hoeke – Drums
Mike Kamp – Bass
Guest appearance by Niels Schutten – Keys

Ook op Blues Magazine ...