EL PINO AND THE VOLUNTEERS
Country / Southern Rock / Pop
While in Vancouver on an exchange project, Wiseguy singer David Pino meets two headstrong Canadians that kindly introduce him to a style of music very popular in North-America. El Pino trades a lager six pack and a tank of propane for a dead man's acoustic guitar, and in cushy Canadian company he roams the local bars at night, playing songs for fun, cash and/or free beverages. Back in the low lands he rounds up a group of likeminded musicians and founds El Pino and the Volunteers. With all members playing in other bands EPTV is merely a side project; now and then the outfit lumps together at El Pino's for dinner, drinking and playing, and occasionally they swap the living room for a live stage. However, as the buzz grows louder, the band obviously becomes more ambitious and starts working on the recordings of a promotional sampler.
Cougar release party, May 2005
The Cougar EP, named after the opening track and released at Stardumb, is unleashed at Rotown (Rotterdam) in May 2005. Over 250 copies are sold that very evening. Four months later the EP is out of stock and has to be reprinted. It earns praise from the Dutch music press, amongst others in AltCountry.nl, Musicfrom & leading music mag OOR: "The four songs from this modest debut vary from the Beatlesque choirs in Cougar and the nice melancholy lead-off track A Cloud And A Face, to the unexpectedly imploding ballad Sodium Soaked Streets and the greatly unfolding desert waltz of Road of Recovery". In December the band's featured at MTV's "Brand New". At that stage the 'bird had already flown'; Pino had left Wiseguy in which he'd been playing for nearly a decade in able to direct his full attention to El Pino and The Volunteers.
The year 2006 marks their 5th anniversary in style; In January the band plays at the acclaimed Noorderslag festival in Groningen. Their show makes it into an article by Gijsbert Kamer in Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, who describes their music as "pleasing country rock like we havent heard since The Jayhawks". The band attracts attention from the industry and signs with acclaimed record label Excelsior Recordings, home of Spinvis, Johan, Daryll-Ann and GEM. In February they hop on stage at Club 3voor12, a show broadcasted live on national radio. Afterwards, Jaap Boots, host of the show, writes: "Wild bunch El Pino and the Volunteers high point Club 3v00r12".
Noorderslag, January 2006Photo: courtesy of Daniel Baggerman
The band marches on at a steady pace. They contribute the Apers' cover "I Hate Guys With Girlfriends" to the Do The Aper jubilation album in March and make a brief appearance at the Motel Mozaque festival in April. National radio station 3FM hosts a live session by the band in May on the occasion of Excelsior's 10-year-existence. In July the band plays a set at the Metropolis festival, of which 3voor12 notes: "A band that passionately proves to be ready for the next level". Preperations for the full-length are already in full effect. Sixteen songs are recorded throughout May and June at the studio of producer Reyn Ouwehand. August 31st the album will be released at the band's favourite venue, Rotown. Shortly after, in September and October, EPTV will support Johan on their Dutch club tour.
Location: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Members:
