The Crooks and their Wives - Album Demo Version

Home recorded - Demo EP

PARADIgM defined a striking change to the elements of Backseat Drivers. While the band struggled to define themselves, the demo was the turning point where a distinct and specific sound was captured. The songs on the EP describe a period of extreme growth for the band and signify the search for clearer perspective. With a harsh and progressive design the band aims to evoke a musical journey in the listener.

Tunnel

Grand Design

Thelema

Roam

Over It All

Point Of View

Ladder (Draft Demo)

Backseat Drivers was started in late September, 2011 by members Kahlam Merchant (Rhythm guitar and Vocals) and Gerhard Smith (Bass Guitar). What started out as a form of social outlet, quickly turned into the pursuit of forming a band as the two realised that the potential of the music being created and the need of other members to further capture the sound that they were seeking. The addition of Joshua Verschuur (Lead Guitar) and Klaas-Jaap van der Heide (Drums) saw the band make its first appearance around the local gigging scene and by December 2011, the band entered Hotwiel Studio to record their first Demo ‘Never Eat Silk Worms’, showing the tenacity of the individuals in the growth of their repertoire and the expansion of their sound.

The demo included four tracks and songs such as ‘Maze’ and ‘Fire and Brimstone’, demonstrated the band’s first exploration in the development of what would become their own unique sound. The usage of elaborate vocal line melodies and a metaphorically direct approach to lyric writing used by Kahlam Merchant accompanied by driving drums beats, intricately entwined lead riffs and pulsating busy bass lines left the music flowing from one piece to the next, taking the listener on an emotional journey while providing a glimpse that these musicians intended to create music that didn’t fit into the mainstream approach. The group then embarked on a flurry of local performances and created a strong local following enjoying support from the audience as well as local demand from venues in the North Holland circuit cultivating in their appearance at ‘Pop Podium Romein’ in May 2012 and being invited to play in ‘3 voor 12’.

In September 2012, Backseat Drivers went through a transition gaining Derk Luchies as their new drummer. It was during this time that the band started writing more defined tracks, straying away from elaborately composed somewhat progressive music to more straight forward rocking tracks that would later become the foundation around their writing. Demos of songs such as ‘The Sucked Inn’ and ‘Ladder’ show the transition into groove and feel orientated music, a move that allowed these talented musicians to lock into a unique alternative rock sound that sucks you in and takes you for a drive, each song being a road of its own. The newly formed Backseat Drivers exploded on the scene supporting Dutch rock outfit ‘Kin Kroba’, playing the prime slot at ‘Pop Podim Romein’ in Leeuwarden’s ‘Freeze on Friday’, ‘538 for Warchild’ in Herenveen, as well as taking part in local competitions such as the ‘Kleine Preis van Friesland’.

In March 2013, Backseat Drivers went through another drummer change and Tuaq Pijlman was introduced as the new drummer. This new addition allowed the band to solidify their sound which can only be described as Alternative Post Grunge taking an influence from bands such as ‘Bush’, ‘Queens of the Stone Age’, ‘Civil Twilight’, ‘Tool’ and ‘The Mars Volta’. The chemistry among the members allows for their epic groove orientated driving music to be produced and the intensity of commitment in the members sees the band entering the studio to produce their first album titled ‘The Big Crunch ‘ due for release in late November 2013 with the single ‘Ladder’ released earlier in August. 

Backseat Drivers

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