Fruitcake - Revision history

Plopilpy: removed the overview header since it was messing up the table of contents box

2026-09-05T16:49:24Z

removed the overview header since it was messing up the table of contents box

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:49, 5 September 2026
Line 21:		Line 21:

	}}		}}
	~~== Overview ==~~
	'''Fruitcake''' (フールツケーキ) was a Dutch Disco/Jazz Fusion band lead by Rob Taekema and Benny Baan. Having minor success in the Netherlands, the band's music sold better in Japan, being used for television and radio jingles. Their first album was only released in Japan, titled ''Fruitcake''. In total, the band released three records in Japan under record label [[:en:Victor_Entertainment\|Victor]].		'''Fruitcake''' (フールツケーキ) was a Dutch Disco/Jazz Fusion band lead by Rob Taekema and Benny Baan. Having minor success in the Netherlands, the band's music sold better in Japan, being used for television and radio jingles. Their first album was only released in Japan, titled ''Fruitcake''. In total, the band released three records in Japan under record label [[:en:Victor_Entertainment\|Victor]].

Plopilpy: just moved the infobox to the top of the article (for consistency with other pages)

2026-09-05T16:45:39Z

just moved the infobox to the top of the article (for consistency with other pages)

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:45, 5 September 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	~~== Overview ==~~
	{{Infobox musical artist		{{Infobox musical artist
	\| name = Fruitcake		\| name = Fruitcake
Line 22:		Line 21:

	}}		}}
			== Overview ==
	'''Fruitcake''' (フールツケーキ) was a Dutch Disco/Jazz Fusion band lead by Rob Taekema and Benny Baan. Having minor success in the Netherlands, the band's music sold better in Japan, being used for television and radio jingles. Their first album was only released in Japan, titled ''Fruitcake''. In total, the band released three records in Japan under record label [[:en:Victor_Entertainment\|Victor]].		'''Fruitcake''' (フールツケーキ) was a Dutch Disco/Jazz Fusion band lead by Rob Taekema and Benny Baan. Having minor success in the Netherlands, the band's music sold better in Japan, being used for television and radio jingles. Their first album was only released in Japan, titled ''Fruitcake''. In total, the band released three records in Japan under record label [[:en:Victor_Entertainment\|Victor]].

BramStroker at 16:13, 5 September 2026

2026-09-05T16:13:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:13, 5 September 2026
Line 10:		Line 10:
	* [[Funk]]		* [[Funk]]
	}}		}}
	\| years_active = <span title="De-facto hiatus">1980-~~1999~~</span>		\| years_active = <span title="De-facto hiatus">1980-1996?</span>
	\| label = {{flatlist\|		\| label = {{flatlist\|
	* EMI		* EMI
	* High Fashion		* High Fashion
			* Dureco
	* Victor		* Victor
	* Riff		* Riff
	}}		}}
	\| website = {{URL\|https://taek.nl/}}		\| website = {{URL\|https://taek.nl/}}
	\| past_members = Rob Taekema<br />Benny Baan<br />Jan-Paul Driessen<br />Bart Adrichem<br />André (Pietje) Louhenapessy<br />Mildred Douglas<br />Jo-Ann Collins<br />Marita Lie-Atjam<br />Walther Sell<br />Johannes Blanksma		\| past_members = Rob Taekema<br />Benny Baan<br />Jan-Paul Driessen<br />Bart Adrichem<br />André "Pietje" Louhenapessy<br />Mildred Douglas<br />Jo-Ann Collins<br />Marita Lie-Atjam<br />Denise Jannah<br />Walther Sell<br />Johannes Blanksma<br />Jeroen Molenaar<br />Bob Schimscheimer

	}}		}}
Line 26:		Line 27:

	=== Formation ===		=== Formation ===
	Guitarist Rob Taekema likely met bassist Jan-Paul Driessen and drummer Bart Adrichem during his school years, as he played with them in the band ''The Djeepiez''. Rob Taekema and Benny Baan first met Dutch night club Citadel, after Benny was asked to fill in as the keyboardist for Rob's band while they were looking for a permanent keyboardist. Benny fit into the band well, so they kept him as their permanent keyboardist. It is after this that the name ''Fruitcake'' was born, a name Benny Baan had used for a band before. Percussionist André Louhenapessy also became a part of the band. Later on, two female vocalists joined the band: Mildred Douglas and a woman only mentioned as Wendy. This started the first lineup of Fruitcake.		Guitarist Rob Taekema likely met bassist Jan-Paul Driessen and drummer Bart Adrichem during his school years, as he played with them in the band ''The Djeepiez''. Rob Taekema and Benny Baan first met Dutch night club Citadel, after Benny was asked to fill in as the keyboardist for Rob's band while they were looking for a permanent keyboardist. Benny fit into the band well, so they kept him as their permanent keyboardist. It is after this that the name ''Fruitcake'' was born, a name Benny Baan had used for a band before. Percussionist André Louhenapessy also became a part of the band. Later on, two female vocalists joined the band: Mildred Douglas and a woman only mentioned as Wendy. This started the first lineup of Fruitcake, around July 1980.

	=== 1980-1982: Golden ~~Dutch~~ Years ===		=== 1980-1982: Dutch Golden Years ===
	Fruitcake ~~becomes~~ the home band of the Jazzland Discotheque. Several record labels ~~gain an~~ interest in the band, mainly because the previous Jazzland home band, ''Spargo'', which was lead by Jan-Paul's brother Ellert Driessen, was becoming increasingly successful in the Netherlands. Fruitcake eventually signed to record label [[:en:EMI_Records\|EMI]].		Later in 1980, Fruitcake became the home band of the Jazzland Discotheque. Several record labels were gaining interest in the band, mainly because the previous Jazzland home band, [[:en:Spargo_(band)\|Spargo]], which was lead by Jan-Paul's brother [[:nl:Ellert_Driessen\|Ellert Driessen]], was becoming increasingly successful in the Netherlands. Fruitcake eventually signed to record label [[:en:EMI_Records\|EMI]]. It was here that they released their first single, ''My Feet Won't Move'', which was written by Rob and produced by Frans Smit. The B-side features the song ''You Cheer Me Up,'' with vocals by Mildred Douglas.

	<p style="visibility: hidden;">we are fruitcake and we can we are live</p>		Around the coming of the new year, both Mildred Douglas and Wendy left the band and would be replaced by Jo-Ann Collins and Marita Lie-Atjam in January 1981. Despite ''My Feet Won't Move'' not hitting any charts at release, it gained large amounts of traction at the start of 1981. The single hit the carts, with highest positions for the single being #8 in the [[:nl:Nationale_Hitparade\|Nationale Hitparade]], #8 in the [[:en:Dutch_Top_40\|Dutch Top 40]], and #7 in the [[:nl:TROS_Top_50\|Tros Top 50]]. The single would spark Fruitcake's popularity in the Netherlands, as they would start appearing on television programs such as Dolly Dots' Popcorn and Star Club. Fruitcake would go on to release the singles ''Fruitcake'', ''Talkin' All Night'', and ''A Second Try'' in 1981, though none of the singles hit any charts. André would leave sometime in 1981. Despite the band's plans to release an LP in 1981, this never happened. Jo-Ann Collins and Marita Lie-Atjam left the band, and would be replaced by Denise Jannah and an unknown other vocalist.

			1982 would bring Fruitcake's popularity back to life, with the release of the single ''I Like The Way'', which reached #30 in the Nationale Hitparade, #26 in the Dutch Top 40, and #29 in the Tros Top 50 in September 1982. Another single, ''Put On Your Specs Again'', would be conceived in 1982, though it failed to hit any charts. Once again, the vocalists leave the band.

			=== 1983-1986: A Second Try ===
			In 1983, Fruitcake went on to release the single ''Summer Melody'' in the Netherlands, though it did not hit any charts. In the summer of 1983, Cees van Leeuwen, manager of the [[:en:Dolly_Dots\|Dolly Dots]], came up with the idea to bring Fruitcake's 1982 single ''I Like The Way'' to Japan, where he would go on to sell it to record label Victor, promising the label a full album in 10 days. Fruitcake would release their first LP ''Fruitcake'' in Japan, bringing session percussionist [[:en:Nippy_Noya\|Nippy Noya]] to the studio to do percussion for the album. The album went on to receive a cult following in Japan, with songs from the album being used for several radio stations and television programs as jingles. However, because of the declining popularity of Fruitcake in the Netherlands, bassist Jan-Paul Driessen and drummer Bart Adrichem would leave the band soon after.

			1984 would once again prove to be a fruitful year for Fruitcake in Japan, with the band announcing a tour through several cities in Japan. Along with the tour, the band would release yet another LP, ''Fruitcake 2'', to commemorate the tour. The album was played with Rob and Benny as the only consistent musicians, as the rest of the instruments are credited to several session musicians. In May of 1984, Fruitcake would tour Japan with support members Jan-Paul Driessen on bass, Walther Sell on synthesizers, and Johannes Blanksma on drums. They went on to play at Shiba Postal Savings on May 9th, Osaka Postal Savings Hall on May 11th, Fukuoka Postal Savings on May 12th/13th, Tokyo Shibuya Live Inn on May 14th, and Sendai Electric Power Hall on May 15th. In interviews, Benny revealed Fruitcake would also be performing at North Sea Jazz 1984 and touring mainland Europe, though it is unsure if this ever happened.

			Fruitcake's last album with Victor was released in 1986 titled ''Summer Reminiscence''. It once again featured only Rob and Benny as consistent musicians, with the rest of the musicians being session musicians. Many sources claim Fruitcake disbanded in 1984, but the album proves otherwise.

			=== 1986-1992: Time Of Uncertainty ===
			Not much is documented about Fruitcake in this time period. A single and an album of Fruitcake would release. Fruitcake released the single ''I Need A Nurse'' with hip-hop artist Larry "The Jack" Jackson on the High Fashion label in 1989, though it is unsure who plays on the single besides the mentioned musicians. In 1992 Fruitcake released their fourth album ''Where's England?'', which would become their only album released in the Netherlands. It features Jeroen Molenaar and Bob Schimscheimer, with Bob Schimscheimer likely playing drums and Jeroen Molenaar playing bass.

			=== 1993-1996: Television Intermissions ===
			Between 1993 and 1996, Fruitcake would play covers as well as the occasional song off ''Where's England?'' on some television programs, most notably 'N Goeiedag Met Minoesch Jorissen and Jos Brink's daily talkshow, where they were the home band.

			=== 2009: Reunion ===
			The final concert Fruitcake ever performed was on October 18th, 2009 at The Beach in Aalsmeer, in the Netherlands. Rob, Benny, Jan-Paul Driessen, Bart Adrichem and Mildred Douglas along with two other vocalists were present. Some pictures imply a brass section to be performing.<p style="visibility: hidden;">we are fruitcake and we can we are live</p>

BramStroker at 10:39, 5 September 2026

2026-09-05T10:39:26Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:39, 5 September 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	Fruitcake was a Dutch band ~~who~~ played in ~~sendai but~~ their ~~sound engineer sucks~~. 💋		== Overview ==
			{{Infobox musical artist
			\| name = Fruitcake
			\| image = Fruitcake_JapanVenue.jpg
			\| caption = Fruitcake performing at an unknown venue in Japan, 1984
			\| origin = Amsterdam, Netherlands
			\| genre = {{flatlist\|
			* [[Jazz Fusion]]
			* [[Disco]]
			* [[Funk]]
			}}
			\| years_active = <span title="De-facto hiatus">1980-1999</span>
			\| label = {{flatlist\|
			* EMI
			* High Fashion
			* Victor
			* Riff
			}}
			\| website = {{URL\|https://taek.nl/}}
			\| past_members = Rob Taekema<br />Benny Baan<br />Jan-Paul Driessen<br />Bart Adrichem<br />André (Pietje) Louhenapessy<br />Mildred Douglas<br />Jo-Ann Collins<br />Marita Lie-Atjam<br />Walther Sell<br />Johannes Blanksma

			}}
			'''Fruitcake''' (フールツケーキ) was a Dutch Disco/Jazz Fusion band lead by Rob Taekema and Benny Baan. Having minor success in the Netherlands, the band's music sold better in Japan, being used for television and radio jingles. Their first album was only released in Japan, titled ''Fruitcake''. In total, the band released three records in Japan under record label [[:en:Victor_Entertainment\|Victor]].

			== History ==

			=== Formation ===
			Guitarist Rob Taekema likely met bassist Jan-Paul Driessen and drummer Bart Adrichem during his school years, as he played with them in the band ''The Djeepiez''. Rob Taekema and Benny Baan first met Dutch night club Citadel, after Benny was asked to fill in as the keyboardist for Rob's band while they were looking for a permanent keyboardist. Benny fit into the band well, so they kept him as their permanent keyboardist. It is after this that the name ''Fruitcake'' was born, a name Benny Baan had used for a band before. Percussionist André Louhenapessy also became a part of the band. Later on, two female vocalists joined the band: Mildred Douglas and a woman only mentioned as Wendy. This started the first lineup of Fruitcake.

			=== 1980-1982: Golden Dutch Years ===
			Fruitcake becomes the home band of the Jazzland Discotheque. Several record labels gain an interest in the band, mainly because the previous Jazzland home band, ''Spargo'', which was lead by Jan-Paul's brother Ellert Driessen, was becoming increasingly successful in the Netherlands. Fruitcake eventually signed to record label [[:en:EMI_Records\|EMI]].

	<p style="visibility: hidden;">we are fruitcake and we can we are live</p>		<p style="visibility: hidden;">we are fruitcake and we can we are live</p>

Plopilpy: Added content

2026-02-19T01:25:18Z

Added content

New page

Fruitcake was a Dutch band who played in sendai but their sound engineer sucks. 💋
<p style="visibility: hidden;">we are fruitcake and we can we are live</p>