| Rutger Smeets | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth Name | Rutger Smeets |
| Born | 29 March 1977, Netherlands |
| Died | 8 October 2015, Netherlands |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Genres | Stoner Rock, Psychedelic Rock |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, Vocals |
| Years active | 2000s - 2015 |
| Labels | Elektrohasch Schallplatten, Much For Your Wings |
| Associated acts | Sungrazer, Cigale, Reckless Pilots |
Rutger Smeets was a guitarist and vocalist based out of the Netherlands. Primarily active in the 2010s, he is best known for his tenures with the psychedelic stoner bands Sungrazer and Cigale, both of whom attained critical praise in their short tenures. He would compose three releases with the former band and one with the latter.
History[]
For more details, feel free to view the Riffipedia pages on Sungrazer and Cigale.
Smeets was born in the Netherlands on 29 March 1977. Little is known of his early life and bands but it is known he was briefly involved with a stoner rock band known as Reckless Pilots, before founding Sungrazer in 2009. By the release of the eponymous Sungrazer in 2010 the band would play many gigs like Pinkpop and the Dutch TV show 'De Wereld Draait Door'. They signed with Elektrohasch Schallplatten in May and their first album was pressed on CD and LP.
In 2011 they toured through Europe for 18 days with Colour Haze and Rotor as part of Up In Smoke. They also played with the likes of Fu Manchu, Karma To Burn and Goatsnake among others. And they got to play on the Roadburn Festival, Stoned From The Underground and at Duna Jam.
On July 8 2011 they released their second album called Mirador. In April 2012, Sungrazer played DesertFest London at the Camden Underworld. They released a The Machine & Sungrazer with The Machine in February 2013 via Elektrohasch. However, Sungrazer disbanded in June 2013[1] just days before their gig at Duna Jam and roughly two months before their last confirmed gig at the Lake on Fire Festival.
It was at the Bruisfestival 2012 in Maastricht (NL) that Rutger Smeets, at that time still active with Sungrazer, asked his former bandmate Roel Imfeld to make music together. Soon Romy Endeman joined and the three began composing at home. After one year needed a drummer to amplify their intentions and broaden their musical possibilities. They found one in the very talented and eclectic Hans Mulders ex-Sungrazer. Thus, Cigale would be formed.
Their first album, containing seven songs, was recorded in a small house in a forest somewhere in the Netherlands. It was created (almost) completely by the band itself, from the recording to the mixing and from sleevedesign to the final product. Cigale was released on 18 April 2015 to critical praise. The band would host a release party the same day and also perform at DesertFest Berlin that same year. The band would remain active until October 2015.
Rutger Smeets would pass away on 8 October 2015, taking his own life. Several people in the stoner rock scene would pay tribute to him in light of his passing.[2][3]
Bands[]
- Reckless Pilots - Guitar (2007? - 2009)
- Sungrazer - Guitar, Vocals (2009 - 2013)
- Cigale - Guitar, Vocals (2012 - 2015)
Discography[]
- Reckless Pilots - Temerity Noise Takeover (Studio Album) (2008, Much For Your Wings)
- Sungrazer - Sungrazer (Studio Album) (2010, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
- Sungrazer - Mirador (Studio Album) (2011, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
- Sungrazer - The Machine & Sungrazer (Split with The Machine) (2013, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
- Cigale - Cigale (Studio Album) (2015, Self-Released)
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ Sungrazer Information - Facebook Accessed 09 January 2015
- ↑ The Obelisk
- ↑ r/stonerrock
| V·T·E Sungrazer | |
|---|---|
| Members | Rutger Smeets • Hans Mulders • Sander Haagmans |
| Releases | Sungrazer (Album) • Mirador • The Machine & Sungrazer |
| Associated Bands | Cigale • Cigale (Album) • The Whims of The Great Magnet |