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A little storyTom Janssen is born in 1963 in a little village in the Netherlands. As a kid he likes to play with a cheap cheesy organ and listens to the records of his older brother. This is mainly rock music: Thin Lizzy, Kiss, Rainbow, Deep Purple, etc. Soon he discovers his own taste for symphonic rock music: Rush, Genesis, Yes, Kansas, UK, etc.At the age of 17 he buys his first very cheap bassguitar. A few hours later he plays the famous bassline from Queen's number one record, Another One bites the Dust. He plays in a few local bands and soon he starts to study doublebass with jazz bassplayerHenk Haverhoek, who lives in the same little village. The result is a doublebass study at the conservatory in the "big" city of Arnhem. In this period he likes to listen to jazz and specially to the music of Pat Metheny and Weather Report. He likes the sound of the fretless bass of Jaco but even more he loves the colours, Joe Zawinul creates from all his keyboards and synthesizers.Since 1992 Tom Janssen is a bassteacher at the musicschool of Arnhem and a professional bassplayer. For ten years he plays mainly in jazzbands and in the disco weddingband "The Nightbirds". He records two CD's with the Markus Turk Quintet.The turn of the century, the year 2000. A friend gives him a CD from a band called Spock's Beard. This awakes his old love for symphonic rock music. He discovers that this kind of music is still very alive and kicking. He starts listening to the new generation of prog: Flower Kings, Transatlantic, Magenta, Neal Morse, etc. He rediscovers the works of Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Marillion, Pink Floyd, etc.He starts to build his own STUDIO 737. Now he can record his own music. In 2004 he releases his solo album Are You Surprised. The critics are good, but he doesn't sell much CD's. For some people the music is to poppy. Tom Janssen also likes good songwriters like Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell, Crowded House, Paul Simon, John Mayer, etc. For other people it was to progressive.The birth of a second child delays new recordings. After a year without much sleep and with lots of napkins, he starts writing and recording again.Now it's time for the new album. This one is focused on symphonic rock. It's a concept album called Scenes from the Box.When Tom Janssen is not in his Studio, or teaching, or with his wife and two children, you can find him on stage with pop/rock band Ellessprings and with singer-songwriter Bernard Brogue.To be continued......... A little story Bittertown Bittertown photo by Petr Sulc Bittertown |