June 2003, GEM have their first gig ever, supporting The Libertines in front of a sold out venue in Amsterdam. The band is only together for a couple of months, the 40-minute setlist contains all the songs the band has, and drummer Ilco Slikker has been found in a local boozer only a few days before the gig, giving him time to practice with the band only twice (but he somehow never left the band again...). For The Libertines the gig is the beginning of the end, with singer Pete Doherty not showing up for one of the first times. For GEM however, it's the beginning of a true Rock'n'Roll Blitzkrieg through the Dutch music-scene.
This first sizzling energetic gig ensures the band straightaway of national press coverage, making them press darlings number 1 in the Dutch alternative media almost overnight. With the music GEM makes, a delicious cocktail of the best Rock'n'Roll gave us the last decades (Beatles, Stooges, Ramones, Buzzcocks, The Jam, Sex Pistols, The Smiths, Oasis) and the best of "hip-bands-of-nowadays" (Strokes, Libertines, Hives, Interpol) it offers the Dutch music-scene something that failed before. Namely, a young, hip, energetic Rock'n'Roll band, with a firm belief in their own capabilities, ready to take on anyone and anything that comes in their way. Not forgetting their ability to write songs you will find yourself waking up to, singing in the bathroom, or thinking of while having hot sex. Yes, it WILL hunt you for days, and days, and days... Typically the type of band that will make lots of kids pick up a guitar and start a band of their own.
Before the year 2003 comes to an end GEM clinch a record-deal with the prestigious Excelsior Recordings (Daryll Ann, Zzz and Johan). The debut-album - Tell Me What's New- is released on the 24 th of May 2004. Reviews of the album , by traditional and new media alike, are raving. The tour that follows takes the band to famous clubs like Paradiso, Melkweg, Tivoli, 013 and Vera, and big festivals like Lowlands, Metropolis, Noorderslag/Eurosonic and The Music In My Head.
In 2005 the band focuses mainly on touring Germany and recording their second album, which is due for release at the beginning of 2006. In June 2005 the band plays all over Germany for some weeks, and the response is amazing, getting once again rave reviews of the gigs as well as of the debut-album. This ensures the GEM-tour-van to cross the Dutch-German border frequently throughout the rest of the year. Their latest single Good To Know You (taken from their forthcoming album 'Escapades') was released as a single and swiftly enters the higher regions of the Dutch national charts, which leads to GEM being invited by Top Of The Pops to come over and play the single.
Where does it end? Who knows? Who cares? It's only Rock'n'Roll, and GEM likes it!
GEM THE SUBTERRANEAN PARADE
..
