Hooverphonic enter new stage of career, sans lead singer

Hooverphonic is back and the electronic group behind the hits “Mad About You” and “2Wicky” is bringing a number of surprising changes onto the scene. For starters, the band is now a duo, and its new album In Wonderland is perhaps the most varied one yet with no less than six guest voices.

“At a certain point in your life, you start seeing things differently,” says the band’s leader Alex Callier (pictured right). With just himself and guitarist Raymond Geerts (left) remaining, it is the first time in the band’s 21-year history that they will perform as a duo. In their ongoing successful career, Hooverphonic has seen seven members come and go, including five singers.

The story with the band’s female vocalists reads like a fast-paced record. The first three came and went in the first three years. In 1998, Geike Arnaert became the voice of the band, but she departed in 2008 to pursue a solo career.

Two years later, Noémie Wolfs filled the spot. The band released two albums that included major hits like “The Night Before” and “Amalfi”. But last year, the collaboration came to an end.

Although Wolfs didn’t quite match with the rest of the group in terms of style, Callier argues that that wasn’t the main reason behind her departure. “We just didn’t hit it off anymore. There are no hard feelings, and we still talk when we see each other. But the chemistry you need to feel between the band members was gone.”

No hard feelings

Callier says the decision to part ways was mutual, but he regrets that Wolfs has since “stated that she was the one who chose to leave”. Crisis breeds opportunity, however, and the break up, he adds, has worked out for the best. “Noémie is bringing out some solo stuff, and we’ve recorded an album that we couldn’t have put together before.”

Meet In Wonderland. Musically, it is arguably the most varied album Hooverphonic has ever released. “Thanks to streaming services, we’ve gone back to the era of individual songs,” Callier says. “Albums have become less important, especially for the younger generations.”

The change compelled the band to opt for a less uniform album, something that “feels like an eclectic soundtrack for an art house film”. When they were making it, Callier says, “we felt like kids in a candy store”.

Two songs on the album, “Moving” and “God’s Gift”, were written more than 10 years ago. “They were meant for the album No More Sweet Music, but they didn’t fit Geike’s voice,” explains Callier, referring to the band’s vocalist at the time.

Instead of looking for another female singer, Callier says, “we wanted to seize the opportunity to finally release these records” and opted for a male singer.

Songs unsung

Then they dug up even more songs they hadn’t used in the past and went looking for more singers. In the end, six voices, male and female, can be heard on the new album.

Does this mean the quest for a lead vocalist is over? “You never know,” Callier says. “But it will have to be a damn good singer. That’s the nice thing about being a musician ‒ you know where you start, but you never know where you’re gonna end up.”

He’s quick to dismiss any notion that In Wonderland is a collection of remnants of a bygone era. “We have selected these songs purposefully,” he says. “They’re not leftovers. Don’t forget that you can cook up a delicious new meal with whatever uneaten food you find in the fridge.”

As for what the critics might think, he couldn’t care less. “We’ve been nurturing these songs for years. We couldn’t release them because our formula was limited, but those limitations are gone now.”

In Wonderland is a vivid and poignant album that runs just past the half-hour mark. It is a collection of five singles with an A and B side, and comes in both a digital and physical forms, CD and vinyl. There is even a box set version of five seven-inch records, but it’s limited to 300 copies.

“It’s an album that reflects perfectly who we are,” Callier says. “We have very diverse taste in music. I can easily switch from ‘Wichita Lineman’ by Glen Campbell or Françoise Hardy to the new semi-psychedelic album by Ray LaMontagne.”

The free spirit of the album runs the risk of disappointing some dedicated followers. When the band released the song “Cocaine Kids” as a teaser last year, they heard from plenty of their fans, Callier says. “A lot of them wrote that if the whole album was like that, they wouldn’t buy it.”

High winds

Sitting next to Callier is Geerts, the only other founding member still active in Hooverphonic. But the solemn guitarist keeps to himself and doesn’t say much during the entire interview. As usual, Callier does most of the talking.

It is this relationship between Callier’s loud and persuasive character and Geerts’ more reserved one that has led to the misconception that Hooverphonic is mainly about the former. While Callier does most of the songwriting, he is quick to dismiss such speculations.

“High winds blow on high hills, right? I really believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We make all decisions together and really complement each other.”

This wasn’t always the case for Hooverphonic. Following the release of their second album in 1999, the other founding member Frank Duchêne left the band. “The problem with Frank was that he wanted to hold the same spot in the band as me. But an orchestra can’t have two conductors.”

Callier, on the other hand, knows his role: “Writing, producing and mixing songs. That’s a very privileged position. If I did it as a solo artist, it would never be the same.”

Photo courtesy Greenhouse Talent