DE KREUNERS

One of the most successful Dutch-singing Belgian bands ever.

The career of the Kreuners could be described as a brilliant debut, a slow decline and then a triumphant comeback in the 1990's.

Finalists in the first Rock-rally of 1978, it took de Kreuners (the Moaners) two more years to produce their first vinyl. In the meantime, however the group had written a repertoire (Dutch-sung loud rocking songs à la the Kinks) and had built themselves a live reputation.

Noteworthy is that it's at the gig celebrating the release of their first single "Nummer 1" (Number 1) Arno (Tjens Couter) and Jean-Marie Aerts (the producer of the single and guitarist with Big Bill and Raymond Van Het Groenewoud) meet and decide to form TC Matic. The single becomes a big hit, as is the second single "Nee oh nee" (no, oh no), which paves the way for a record contract with WEA and a brilliant debut album "'s nachts kouder dan buiten" (at night colder than outside - nonsensical).

The record is very well received with critics and public alike and leads them to sold out gigs all over the country and even an appearance on the famous Torhout-Werchter-festival in the slipstream of their hit "Zij heeft Stijl" (She has style). Two more singles are taken of the album. At the end of the year, de Kreuners finish first in the major national popularity polls (best singer, best group, best single, best album ...).

After an in-between single (a Dutch adaptation of "Dancing with myself" of Billy Idol's Gen-X), the second album is probably the best they ever made. Another production of Jean-Marie Aerts, the record is deeper on a textual level and still very powerful, a feature which begins to lack in the following records.

From this album another two very successful singles are taken : "Cous-cous kreten" (cous-cous-cries), a song about immigrants and their difficulties adapting, and Layla, a song about the daughter of the singer's first marriage which was broken just before the recording. The lyrics to the record are very bitter, with the song "Beest" (Animal) even being a parade of insults to his former wife.

Although still successful as a live band and together with the declining record-sales in Belgium, the following records take a plunge. Numerous changes in the lineup of the band occur.

In 1987, they release a Christmas-single ("Rum-a-dum-dum", the B-side = "Christmas time is coming", on which Ludo Mariman of The Kids sings along) : the only problem with the single is that the record company fails to get it in the shops before the second week of January of 1998 ! Needless to say the single was a flop.

A re-recording of "cous-cous kreten" with major politicians of all parties as a pledge against racism) bring de Kreuners back to life. Two of the more recent personnel in the band provide the band some new energy for a big comeback in the beginning of the 1990's. Drummer Ben Crabbé (Big Bill, Ben Crabbé & the Floorshow ...) and bass-player Berre Bergen (the Scabs, Linx) have a big influence on the record "Hier en nu" (Here and now) and the subsequent hits "Verliefd op Chris Lomme" (in love with Chris Lomme - an actrice who played in a lot of screenplays at the time in which the band-members where young), "Ik wil je" (I want you), and "Zo jong" (so young - not a cover from the Suede song). The record even becomes the best ever selling album of the group.

Sometimes pathetic because of their age (which is now in the 40's), but still good-time rock-n-roll, the Kreuners even have managed to survive the nineties.

Loudmouth and macho Walter Grootaers, the singer of the band, has developed a successful career on television (e.g. a pop-quiz). Drummer Ben Crabbé is also a very popular TV-figure who had his own talkshow called Morgen Maandag (comparable to Jay Leno's show) en a daily quiz-show (Blokken).

In February 1998, the Kreuners announce yet another comeback (isn't this sounding like Spinal Tap yet ??) : over 40 gigs have been planned and a new record is coming out. As Walter said in Het Nieuwsblad "The motor for the restarting of the group is as always Erik Wauters : while I let these thing drag on, he always comes up with new ideas that make the others want to give it a go again. He is the original Kreuner : he has never played with another band"). Berre Bergen has joined the group again (they met again in the backstage of "Het Swingpaleis", nota bene) and has produced the new material they have recorded. Due to busy TV-schedules, Ben Crabbé is no longer in the band. On stage, the drums will be beaten by Dirk Jans, the drummer of De Mens.

The first single released of album was "We kleuren de nacht". According to Berre Bergen "the new thing is that there are a lot of instruments to be heard on it : brass, keyboard, strings. Contrary to the last CD, this one is not so much a rock-album, much more a poprock-album. There even a song with a programmed beat on it. The taboo of "we have to be able to play this live" has been abandoned for this album".

Asked how long the Kreuners want to stay active, Walter said : "we will never split, more likely die a natural death. In 2003, the year Erik grows 50, we certainly will do another tour. If needed, a tour of the homes for the elderly".

Buy CD's of this band at

Albums :
- 's nachts kouder dan buiten (WEA - 1981)
- Er sterft een beer in de Taïga (WEA - 1982)
- Natuurlijk zijn de Alpen geen Pyreneeën ( WEA - 1983)
- Weekends in België (Live-album) (WEA - 1984)
- Dans der onschuld (Mercury - 1986)
- Hier en nu (EMI - 1990)
- Knagend vuur (EMI - 1992)
- De Kreuners (EMI - 1995)
- Pure Pop (?? - 1998)
compilations :
- Het beste van de Kreuners (EMI - 1991)

Members :
- Walter Grootaerts (vocals)
- Jan Van Eyken - Luc Imants (guitar)
- Eric Wauters (guitar)
- Berre Bergen- Joris Schelfout - Herman Maes - Marc Van Puyenbroek - Kloot Per W (bas)
- Ben Crabbé - Patrick Van Herck - Marc Bonne (drums)

Websites :
- De Kreuners now have an official website at kreuners.mypage.org.
- Some kreuners-tabs at guitarfiles.be