Fruitcake

Fruitcake
Fruitcake performing at an unknown venue in Japan, 1984
Background information
Origin	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Genres	Jazz Fusion Disco Funk
Years active	1980-1996?
Labels	EMI High Fashion Dureco Victor Riff
Past members	Rob Taekema Benny Baan Jan-Paul Driessen Bart Adrichem André "Pietje" Louhenapessy Mildred Douglas Jo-Ann Collins Marita Lie-Atjam Denise Jannah Walther Sell Johannes Blanksma Jeroen Molenaar Bob Schimscheimer
Website	taek.nl

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 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, around July 1980.

1980-1982: Dutch Golden Years

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, Spargo, which was lead by Jan-Paul's brother Ellert Driessen, was becoming increasingly successful in the Netherlands. Fruitcake eventually signed to record label 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.

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 Nationale Hitparade, #8 in the Dutch Top 40, and #7 in the 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 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 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.

we are fruitcake and we can we are live