Beehoover

Beehoover
Background information
Origin	Esslingen am Neckar, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Genres	Stoner Rock, Progressive Rock, Experimental Rock
Years active	2003 - Present
Labels	Exile on Mainstream, Unundeux
Website	Beehoover Official

Beehoover are a German bass-and-drum duo residing in the city of Esslingen am Neckar. Forming officially in 2003 this duo focuses on distorted bass and accentuating sounds that mix progressive rock with stoner rock. The band also draws from elements of Americana, Krautrock, Free Jazz and Avant-garde to compose a distinctive sound. The band has attained praise for their live performances, described as a band that can "easily walk on to a festival stage and have the whole crowd excited within minutes, being just a two piece band of bass and drums" according to an attendee via Vampster whom witnessed them at Doom Shall Rise.

Initally the band intended to be a standard band but quickly found their niche as a duo once the group were unable to find a singer. Musically the band draws influence from the likes of Primus, NoMeansNo, Tool and ISIS among others, while composing lyrics inspired by life experiences or historical facts. Since forming Beehoover have released five studio albums and have toured regularly throughout Europe since forming.

History

Beehoover initially was conceptualized around 2001 or 2002 by Ingmar Petersen. Initially he had envisioned a proper band featuring a guitarist, bassist, drummer and vocalist but ultimately Petersen and drummer Claus-Peter Hamisch would be unable to find a guitarist or a long-standing lead singer, establishing themselves as a bass-and-drum duo with both members handling vocal duties. In an interview with Leb Metal, Ingmar explains the origins and the recording of their first studio album.

“	"We met in 2001 and realized that we share the same ideas about making music. We actually wanted to form a “normal” rock band with bass, guitar, drums and a singer but couldn’t find people to support our idea about a dominant bass. We then decided to try it without a guitar and recorded a demo in 2004 with a Rob Halford-type singer. The first recording with just the two of us was our EP in 2005. We’ve always produced all our music ourselves and we own all the necessary equipment. It’s a part of the whole process of making music and putting it on a record. For the first album we rented a small house and recorded bass and drums there, vocals were recorded at Claus’ home. The album was mixed there too and mastered at Haford Mastering."	”
	— Ingmar Petersen, Leb Metal

The duo would release a demo in early 2005, followed by their debut EP in A Mirror Is A Widow's End that same year. Beehoover's first live performance would be on 22 October 2005 at the Pirate Cove in Berlin. The next year the band would sign to Exile on Mainstream and largely perform at festivals such as Doom Shall Rise, Umsonst & Draussen, South of Mainstream and Decembers Doomsday. The duo would release their first studio album, The Sun Behind The Dustbin on 26 January 2007 to positive reception. This would follow by the band's first shows outside of Germany with two dates in England, followed by a full European tour in support of the album. The first segment of the tour would be part of a showcase known as Blisstrain while the second segment would be supporting The Hidden Hand.

Work quickly began on a follow-up and following a Spring tour of mostly Germany with a host of other countries, Heavy Zooo saw release on 10 May 2008, praised by the likes of Aural Innovations, Sputnik Music, W-Fenec, Thrash Pit, and Guts of Darkness among others. The band would follow with several festival appearances such as South of Mainstream, Stoner Hands of Doom and Roadburn Festival the next year. Notably they'd share the stage with the likes of Neurosis, Wino, Bulbul and many others around this time.

Beehoover would spend early 2010 recording their next record in their own rehearsal space in less than thirty hours. Notably the band would work with Belgian artis Wim Delvoye who became famous through his tattooed pigs and even more his invention and installation of “Cloaka”, the “poo machine”, a fully functioning machine that simulates the human digestion process. Wim Delvoye kindly gave permission to use pictures of his laser-cut steel worked sculptures figuring things like cement trucks and caterpillars in a cathedral-like way. Exile on Mainstream would describe this third album as "touching prog-laden textures and unexpected changes, creating distinct walls of sound and incorporating structures that make them leaving the heavy rock cluster at ease, “Concrete Catalyst” is a monolith that is so much more than a collection of songs." Concrete catalyst would be released on 3 September 2010 to positive reception the likes of Heavy Planet and Metal Reviews among others.

The duo would tour in support for Concrete catalyst, including a host of mini-tours with noise rockers Ulme and a full European tour with Sons of Otis in 2011. 2012 would see the band further concentrating on new music and sporadically appearing at shows, namely individual gigs with Karma To Burn and Black Shape Of Nexus along with an appearance at Stoned From The Underground.

Following two shows in Germany in February 2013, Beehoover would begin recording their fourth album. Eventually the band's fourth album The Devil and His Footmen on 27 September 2013 and praised by various underground critics. Beehoover would tour that November with Horn of The Rhino and Conny Ochs. In an interview with The Sleeping Shaman, drummer Claus-Peter Hamisch would elaborate on the band's tenth anniversary and reception of The Devil and His Footmen:

“	"[On the band's tenth anniversary] In the beginning we were a bit worried how people would take a band like us of course. Turned out it went alright. We’ve never thought about quitting and although we get into a rant with each other once in a while we really get along very well and our musical relationship is exceptional close. We’ve developed a similar way of working in a way that must appear chaotic to outsiders. We’re an all democratic band, all we do is decided by the majority of us two so whatever we do each band member stands behind it 100%. It’s a privilege to be able to continue this band besides families and daytime jobs. [On the reception of The Devil and His Footmen] Overall the responses have been good, some even enthusiastic. However there are also some ambivalent reviews. It’s interesting what critics seem to have expected from this album and what they find or miss in it. However, we sometimes don’t understand their points and not really sure they get it. [On the rehearsing/recording process] We don’t rehearse on a regular base. If preparing for an album we work on parts Ingmar has come up with. We record all the bits and pieces with and without drums and listen to them again and again until we get a picture, which of them will make it to the record and how they can possibly fit together. We listen to it not from a musician’s but from a fan’s point of view. This period can take years and we then finally produce songs out of those bits within a couple of days of serious work."	”
	— Claus-Peter Hamisch, The Sleeping Shaman

Beehoover would tour all over Europe throughout 2014 and 2015, eventually culminating in an appearance at Void Fest in late 2015. Ever productive, Beehoover would start composing a fifth studio album that same year setting up for an early 2016 release. Notably the band would leave their longtime label to sign with Unundeux, ultimately releasing Primitive Powers on 26 February 2016. Primitive Powers would see praise from several underground critics such as Teeth of The Divine, Echoes and Dust, and Those Once Loyal to name a few. Beehoover would tour heavily that year in support of Primitive Powers though through the next two years the band would focus on mini-tours. Beehoover remain active in the German heavy rock scene to this day.

Beehoover would release their sixth album Low Performer on 21 February 2020.

Discography

Studio Albums

• The Sun Behind The Dustbin (2007, Exile on Mainstream)
• Heavy Zooo (2008, Exile on Mainstream)
• Concrete catalyst (2010, Exile on Mainstream)
• The Devil and His Footmen (2013, Exile on Mainstream)
• Primitive Powers (2016, Unundeux)
• Low Performer (2020, Unundeux)

Other Releases

• Demo (Demo) (2005, Self-Released)
• A Mirror Is A Widow's End (EP) (2005, Beardhead)

Members

• Ingmar Petersen - vocals, bass, acoustic
• Claus-Peter Hamisch - drums, vocals

Tours

NOTE: All dates can be sourced from the band's official page. Further sources provided where applicable.

• The Sun Behind The Dustbin European Tour (With The Hidden Hand) (2007)
• Blisstrain: The Exile on Mainstream Road Show (With Dÿse, A Whisper in The Noise) (2008)
• Heavy Zooo April European Tour (With Black Shape Of Nexus, Lord of The Grave)(2008)
• Blisstrain: The Exile on Mainstream Road Show (With Bulbul, We Insist!) (2009)
• April 2009 April European Tour (With Wino) (2009)
• December 2009 Mini-Tour (With Ulme) (2009)
• Concrete catalyst Tour (With Rising) (2010)
• December 2010 Mini-Tour (With Ulme) (2010)
• Spring 2011 European Tour (With Sons of Otis) (2011)
• November 2011 German Tour (With Ulme) (2011)
• November 2012 Mini-Tour (2012)
• November 2013 German Tour (With Horn of The Rhino, Conny Ochs) (2013)
• The Devil and His Footmen UK Tour (2014)
• The Bass & Drum Mayhem & Doom Tour DK (With Fossils) (2014)
• November 2014 German Tour (With Tschaika) (2014)
• January 2015 Mini-Tour (With Horn of The Rhino) (2015)
• 2015 European Tour (2015)
• Primitive Powers Mini-Tours (2016)
• Primitive Powers UK Tour (2016)
• 2017 Mini-Tours (2017)
• 2018 Mini-Tours (2018)

External Links

• Beehoover Bandcamp
• Beehoover Facebook
• Beehoover on Discogs
• Exile on Mainstream's page on Beehoover
• German Wikipedia on Beehoover
• 2016 Interview via Wondrous Metal
• 2016 Interview via Battle Helm