Johan Herkens and Tom Van Sweevelt met on one of Zumo’s rehearsals, the former band of our vocalist, in october 2004. Tom came to do a try-out for a second guitar part in Zumo. It didn’t happen. The reason? One can only suspect that Tom was too much class for them to handle.
After a long and weary discussion between Johan and the other members of Zumo, it became clear that there was no common ground between the musical vision of Johan and Zumo. Thus Johan decided to call it quits, in search for a better future in the musical landscape. He re-contacted Tom and asked him how he feels about founding a kind of hard-rock band from scratch. Tom jumped on board immediately, as did his slightly older brother Peter “Mic Mac†Van Sweevelt.
So now the band consisted of a vocalist (Johan), a guitarist (Tom) and a drummer (Mic Mac). So what does any band do that just has been founded? That’s right, they went on to search a bassplayer. Peter Amelinckx was the first the guy to take the test and he got the job.
One could say that finally, there was a band founded. But after written a few songs, the band felt a lack. The four discovered soon that what this band also needed was two guitarists instead of one. So searching the Belgian music scene went .. testing a few guitarists, the band came to the conclusion that Jorn Van der Straeten was the missing link. With the right vibe that led to harmonious jamsessions, he was asked to join the band. And so he did. As of May 2005, the original line-up was complete.
Off course, you can’t go out there as “The Band†(well, you could, but what about creativity?). So, after a while, we baptized the band as After Life. Why you ask? Well, if certain amusical music-critics declares our genre for dead, then we must be in the afterlife, cuz we’re still playing that good old hard-rock with a grunge attitude! (Actually, I just made this up…but who cares why we’re called After Life anyways?)
In January 2007, Peter, our bassplayer, decides to leave After Life due to a personal overloaded agenda. We wish him all the best in the future and he'll always be a friend of After Life. Que sera, sera. We were back to four and in search for a true fifth member for After Life. After a long search, and thorough investigation of the Belgian musicscene, we can announce that since March 2007 Michael Konovaloff will be the new bassplayer for After Life. We are sure that, with him on the team, there will be a new dawn to the world of After Life.
In the end of 2007, Tim Augustynen of Rockstar Recordings Niel and After Life decided to work together on a demo-album. Eventhough the demo needs some mastering, the results are - as far as After Life is concerned - solid and ready to rock! You can hear the fruit of our co-operation on this myspace.
In April 2008, the band and Johan felt they had to go into different directions. We want to thank Johan for his dedication, inspiration and warm friendship throughout the years. We are saying goodbye to a dear friend and we wish him all the luck.
In September 2008, the band had actually arrived at the afterlife. Michka gigged with his former band Ashville for a one-time reunion, but due to the positive vibes on stage, it turned out to be a full reunion. Jorn decided to leave the band in order to concentrate on his new musical studies at the conservatory of Ghent. As for the brothers Van Sweevelt, they are still working together but they are taking their music into another direction and so they will probably found a new band in the near future under a different name. Be sure to check them out!
On a general note we would like to point out that the split was amicable and that there were no hard feeling between any of the members. We all felt it was time to set sail for a new direction. We would like to thank all the people who supported us throughout the years of musical craftmanship. And who knows what the future may bring, 'cuz according to the latest news I heard: there is life after the After Life.
Peace!
