The Ocelots
Brandon and Ashley Watson are on the road somewhere in England when we talk. They’re staying at an old inn, “like something from an English fairy tale,” Ashley says, where ...
News, Sessions, The Netherlands
Solo, by other people
The Influences is launching a special project: a musical tribute to Michiel Flamman, better known as Solo. In response to his serious illness, the idea arose to support him through ...
Sessions, TakeRoot festival, USA
Dalton Mills
During TakeRoot festival in November 2024, American folk singer Dalton Mills stopped by our recording space with his guitar and a handful of songs that meant something to him. Mills ...
Caitlin Rose
After a 9 year gap, Nashville-based songwriter Caitlin Rose returned in 2022 with her third full-length record Cazimi – and it is a work of art. Rose’s album features some ...
Sessions, TakeRoot festival, USA
The Pink Stones
I’ve lost track of the number of New West Records-artists that have recorded sessions for The Influences by now. All that matters right now is the newest addition: The Pink ...
Ireland, Sessions, TakeRoot festival
Adrian Crowley
Three years after filming his first The Influences session, Irish songwriter Adrian Crowley returned for another, during TakeRoot festival in late 2021. Yesterday we reached the 20.000 subscribers mark on ...
The Tallest Man On Earth
The Tallest Man On Earth and The Influences started almost simultaneously. His debut album Shallow Grave was released in 2008, the year this website started. Ever since, I’ve been following ...
Sessions, TakeRoot festival, USA
Tyler Ramsey
Not unlike myself, Tyler Ramsey some years ago moved closer to nature with his wife and daughter. For me personally, I can tell you it was the best decision I’ve ...
Adia Victoria
A lot of people sing the blues. Not many do it quite like Adia Victoria does. Her third record ‘A Southern Gothic’ blew me – and many others – off ...
Darling West
There must be something in the water up there in Oslo, Norway. So many lovely musicians and bands are coming through from there, like Ole Kirkeng, Louien and Malin Pettersen ...
Elephant
There is a big thing coming: Elephant will release their debut album Big Thing on May 27th, 2022. Elephant’s members (singer Frank Schalkwijk, drummer Kaj van Driel, guitarist Michael Broekhuizen ...
Sam Brookes
British songwriter Sam Brookes covers Father John Misty and John Martyn for The Influences and played ‘Ekarma’ off his new LP Black Feathers.
Jimmy Diamond
Jimmy Diamond is a completely new band. New music and other inspirations by drummer Ruud Gielen, bassist Floris Poessé and guitarist Jim Zwinselman as lead singer, who never really sang ...
Sessions, Nashville, TakeRoot festival, USA
Caroline Spence
The first time I heard Caroline Spence’s single ‘Sit Here And Love Me’, was in a plane – somewhere in between Amsterdam and Glasgow. When Ryan Joseph Burns picked me ...
Sessions, Down By The River festival, USA
Caleb Elliott
Caleb Elliott and I spoke about staying hungry for music, discovering fairly late there’s more than just classical music and the important people in his development; his high school orchestra ...
Senora May
Back when traveling and going to shows were still things people did, I met up with Kentuckian artist Senora May in Utrecht. Her self-released debut ‘Lainhart’ has been a very ...
Lewin
The Amsterdam Songwriters Guild has been around as long as I can remember and my friend Ro Halfhide is one of the people of the collective promoting the local songwriters. ...
Sofie Winterson
Learning and development are recurring themes in my conversation with Sofie Winterson. As a songwriter she continously seeks new methods and inspiration. That is probably what makes her music so ...
Marcus Hamblett
Marcus Hamblett is a man of many talents. Not only does he play guitar, bass, trumpet and keys, he also produces records and sometimes releases them. The chances you’ve seen ...
Carson McHone
The Austin-based songwriter Carson McHone visited us in Utrecht’s finest record store Plato with her band to record two originals and a dangerously addictive Teddy Thompson cover.
Hannah Epperson
There aren’t many feelings better than discovering new music and getting fully emerged in its beauty. When it happens, nothing else matters. Hannah Epperson’s ‘Slowdown’ did that for me. So, ...
Gregory Ackerman
Los Angeles-based songwriter Gregory Ackerman covered Jack Johnson and Neil Young for The Influences. ‘I’m inspired by anyone who is writing music that people can really connect to – music ...
Demi Knight & Ryan Joseph Burns
When Ryan Joseph Burns came to Utrecht from Glasgow earlier this year, I set up a meeting with the Dutch country singer Demi Knight. After a quick rehearsal, they recorded ...
Awkward I
Awkward I is one of The Netherlands’ finest songwriters around. He recorded this new session, including a mind-blowing cover of Judee Sill: ‘What I particularly love about her compositions is ...
Anna Burch
‘Writing ‘Quit The Curse’ was so fun, cathartic, and also the most important thing I’ve done in my life.’ Anna Burch debuted on Polyvinyl Record Company with a catchy yet ...
Twain
‘I tend to look up artists that are powerful without explanation or for mysterious reasons. And the kind that are able to speak truths that are commonly understood but never ...
Roald van Oosten
After sitting directly in front of him, focussing on filming him the best I know how to, I’m happy to report Roald van Oosten’s voice and songs still manage to ...
Emma Gatrill
‘Listening to Björk and EmilÃana Torrini always reminds me of how many sonic possibilities there are out there.’ It’s no wonder Emma Gatrill covered their songs in this session for The Influences. ‘I have ...
Frontier Ruckus
Up until a couple of years ago, Frontier Ruckus was just a band that I had heard of. Without stopping to take a moment and really give them a listen. ...
Elephant Stone
I went to Glasgow for a couple of days in November. The morning after I flew back, I managed to get myself out of my bed and on a train ...
Onder Invloed sessions in 2016
As almost every year since the start of Onder Invloed (The Influences) in 2008, last year has often managed to surprise me. After many sessions I found myself listening to ...
Kacy & Clayton
It’s hard not to think of Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention when listening to Kacy Lee Anderson’s voice, but luckily there’s a lot more to Kacy & Clayton than just ...
Yori Swart
About four or five years ago I was a judge for one of The Netherland’s biggest alternative music competition ‘De Grote Prijs van Nederland’, in the singer songwriter category. One ...
Oh Thunder
Almost a year ago, there was a big harp in the water tower that had to be carried down some stairs before one of our sessions at the Grasnapolsky festival. ...
Demi Knight
Although still only 19 years old, Demi Knight says she has discovered her own style and sound. The country singer from Tiel – who in everyday life listens to the ...
Bertolf
In November it’ll be four years since I joined Bertolf Lentink in Carpentras in the south of France where he recorded his third, self-titled record. Filming and witnessing that process ...
The Young Folk
The first person to introduce me to the Irish band The Young Folk was Davie Lawson, who you might know of one of his hundred sessions for Onder Invloed. Not ...
Nana Adjoa
Nana Adjoa is a young musician who’s played bass in quite an impressive collection of bands already, one of the latest being Janne Schra. It wasn’t until last year though, ...
Paulusma
It was still in the early stages of Onder Invloed’s existence, when Paulusma recorded his first session. Since then, he’s performed at multiple of our live events, including the book ...
Grasnapolsky, Live, Sessions, USA
Stephen Steinbrink
When I was talking to Grasnapolsky promoter Jelte Heringa about filming sessions during the festival, the first act on his line up he talked about was Stephen Steinbrink. I didn’t ...
John Paul Keith
Last year I had the pleasure of meeting and filming with John Paul Keith, whose albums have made a lasting impact on me over the past couple of years. Especially ...
Love Like Birds
When Elke De Mey confirmed to record a session for Onder Invloed at Grasnapolsky, I was really pleased. The Love Like Birds’ EP from 2011 had impressed me a lot, ...
The Staves
It started as a rather sucky day when I went to Amsterdam to film this session. It was the first really sunny day in a while, but my head was ...
Kinbrae
If you’re a regular visitor of this website, you might have seen Scottish twin brothers Michael and Andrew Truscott before as members of the incredible, but no longer existing band ...
Peter Broderick
It’s hard to keep up with the productivity of Peter Broderick, who’s released over fifteen records, EP’s and cassettes in about seven years, one of them being a website that’s ...
My Bubba
My bubba is another one of those acts that I’ve seen and read about for a couple of years, and when I heard their latest records Goes Abroader, it was ...
Onder Invloed sessions in 2014
Like every year, I’ve made an overview of what Onder Invloed did in the past twelve months. It’s a good time to look back on what has been done and ...
Daniel Romano
The first time I heard a Daniel Romano song? I can’t remember exactly, but I do recall that by the time the last note was played, I had made up ...
Three Blind Wolves
Three Blind Wolves were the final band on the bill of our The Influences night at the wonderful The Glad Cafe in Glasgow. The Wolves and me go back a ...
Courtney Marie Andrews
Whenever musicians that I like announce shows in The Netherlands, I tend to keep an eye on who their support act will be. Especially when they’re bringing someone with them ...
The Wood Brothers
‘When I die, I wanna be sent back to try, try again.’ (From: Neon Tombstone) It’s one of many beautiful sentences in the lyrics by Nashville-based group The Wood Brothers, ...
Ryan Joseph Burns
Last night at Paradiso in Amsterdam, I saw Ryan Adams play live for the first time. Somehow I never got to see him before, although I’m a big fan of ...
Hanna Leess
On the same day I filmed Parker Ainsworth‘s session at the old Tivoli Spiegelbar in Utrecht, Hanna Leess – who was touring with him – also played a session. Lucky ...
A New International
Those of you who have visited this website more often, have probably heard of A New International before. If not, then certainly you’ve heard of The Starlets, which was the ...
Parker Ainsworth
Every week a lot of musicians get in touch asking for a session. Although I have to turn down most of them, I do like getting these emails and listening ...
Moss
Early in 2009, Moss’ lead singer and songwriter Marien Dorleijn recorded this solo session, and ever since then I’ve hoped for a full band session. God knows why it took ...
Hiss Golden Messenger
One of my more recent musical addictions, has been the music of Hiss Golden Messenger. Having released a lot of albums since 2008, it wasn’t until February this year that ...
Blue Grass Boogiemen
The first time Blue Grass Boogiemen and I spoke about filming a session must have been about four or five years ago. Somehow it didn’t happen earlier than late 2013. ...
Paul Tasker
Last Sunday he ran the London marathon (well done!), but even more than his feet, Paul Tasker knows how to use his hands. On a guitar, that is. The (former) ...
Les Johnson And Me
On November 28th 2013, a dream came true for me. Really. Ever since the start of Onder Invloed in 2008 I knew I wanted to organize an event abroad sometime. ...
Jay Nash
Back in 2010 I filmed a session with three American songwriters; Joey Ryan, Jeff Klein and Jay Nash. In September 2013 Nash was touring again in The Netherlands and we ...
Bent van Looy
In the last four months of 2013 I saw Bent van Looy perform live three times: at Into The Great Wide Open at Vlieland, in Tivoli’s Spiegelbar and at EKKO, ...
William Tyler
If you don’t know the Dutch booking agency Belmont Bookings, you should check their roster, because it’s an overload of great acts to go and discover. One of them is ...
Clean Pete
Next week the debut album of Clean Pete will be released on Excelsior Recordings. The twin sisters Renee and Loes Wijnhoven have teamed up with Anne Soldaat, who’s also produced ...
Onder Invloed sessions in 2013
I don’t know about you, but within a week I got fed up with the abundance of ‘best of 2013’ lists by journalists, bloggers, venues, you name it. Especially the ...
Small Houses
If I’m honest, I didn’t know anything about Jeremy Quentin, a.k.a. Small Houses, until I received an email and started listening to his songs. Usually I’ll have been following musicians ...
What a night!
What. A. Night. I’ve had the idea to only post those three words, because I have been having difficulties finding words to describe our ‘The Influences‘ night at The Glad ...
Color Reporters
He hoped to escape for a while without creating too much of a fuss, but although he had already made the decision in the summer of 2012 – a couple ...
Into The Great Wide Open, Live, Sessions
Theo Sieben
There’s nothing better than listening to musicians who are really outstanding instrumentalists and sing their songs with every bit of heart and passion they have in them. Theo Sieben is ...
Jason Falkner
The first time I heard of Jason Falkner was when I was talking to Anne Soldaat about five years ago. Soldaat was flying to Los Angeles to record what would ...
Into The Great Wide Open, Live, Sessions
Leine
Earlier this year I published a session by Leine that was recorded in Amsterdam in 2012. In September this year, she played a live session for us at Into The ...
Onder Invloed presents The Influences in Glasgow
All right folks, listen up. I’m very proud to be announcing this. On Thursday 28th of November, Onder Invloed will host a night called ‘The Influences’ at The Glad Cafe ...
Basia Bulat
On the promotion tour for her third record Tall Tall Shadow, out now on Secret City Records, Canadian songwriter Basia Bulat made some time to record a session in Amsterdam. ...
Into The Great Wide Open, Live, Sessions
Tangarine
Tangarine were the first to play a session on the Sunday of our Into The Great Wide Open show. Twin brothers Sander and Arnout Brinks are known for their delicate ...
Into The Great Wide Open, Live, Sessions
Keaton Henson
I’ve had two weeks to think of a sufficient way to describe the weekend we had at the Into The Great Wide Open festival on Vlieland, but I’m afraid I’ve ...
Tessa Rose Jackson
She studied at the BRIT School where Adele and Kate Nash went, moved back to The Netherlands and kept writing songs until she found her sound. Her debut album was ...
Here comes the Summer
Last week, Onder Invloed was at Here Comes The Summer, the Spring version of the Into The Great Wide Open festival. At our stage, Gijsbert Kamer (de Volkskrant) interviewed a ...
Case Mayfield
The first time I recorded a session with Case Mayfield, the servers had a hard time keeping up with the amount of visitors. Now, three years later, Mayfield has done ...
Broeder Dieleman
It’s amazing to see how well Broeder Dieleman is doing since the release of his debut album ‘Alles Is IJdelheid’ in December. He’s playing all over the country and has ...
Leine
It’s taken a while, but after almost exactly a year, I now give you this session with Leine. This Amsterdam based musician, who’s real name is Marjoleine Reitsma, recorded her ...
Port Of Call
A couple of years ago I saw Port Of Call play as support act with Paulusma at EKKO in Utrecht. I couldn’t help but think of Neil Young somehow, even ...
Onder Invloed sessions in 2012
It was a strange year, 2012. I didn’t record as many sessions as I would have liked, but the ones I did, made up for it. This post is above ...
Lucie Thorne
In November, Smoked Recordings – record label of Davie Lawson, run by Dan Tuffy of Big Low – hosted a label night, featuring not only Lawson and Jeroen Kant, but ...
Peter Katz
Over the last few years, I’ve attended every official Onder Invloed show there ever was, except for one in Amsterdam. I was sick as a dog and I was supposed ...
Kim Janssen
It feels like ages since I recorded sessions for Onder Invloed. There’ve been a lot of live videos, but there haven’t been so many real sessions lately. There’s a good ...
Into The Great Wide Open, Live, Sessions
Ro Halfhide (GWO11)
There are no words to describe how much Ro Halfhide has done for this project, he even flew with me to Glasgow in 2009 to record Scottish bands. But that’s ...
Ryan Joseph Burns
It would seem you don’t need an introduction to Ryan Joseph Burns anymore on this website. He’s been featured a lot of times, not without reason though. In March this ...
Bettie Serveert completes the line up for Onder Invloed at EKKO
On Saturday the 1st of October, the Onder Invloed night at EKKO will be the kickoff of the 25 Year’s Anniversary Month of the finest small venue of The Netherlands. ...
Ben Weaver
In Middelburg, in the far South West of The Netherlands, there’s this guy called Tonnie Dieleman, who organises intimite live shows called ‘Avonduren‘. One day he called to ask if ...
Lori Lieberman
Once upon a night, Lori Lieberman saw Don McLean play live and wrote the poem ‘Killing Me Softly’. The rest is history. But if you think that’s all to it, ...
Rob Klerkx
You might have seen him on all the big stages around The Netherlands as drummer of Moke and Paulusma. This Spring, he released his debut album ‘Unleash’, on which also ...
Awkward I (live)
Awkward I played the first Onder Invloed live show in Amsterdam on Friday the 11th of September. He played songs from his recently released debut album I Really Should Whisper ...
Bertolf
Bertolf Lentink‘s solo career started off really well; his album ‘For Life’ was well received and big shows came. Before this all he was lead singer of The Junes and ...
Ross Clark (Three Blind Wolves)
From the 16th till the 23rd of March, sound engineer Ro Halfhide and I visited Glasgow, Scotland, to film sessions and footage for a documentary about the city’s music scene ...
Steve Savage (live)
They don’t get any more American than Steve Savage from Nashville. Steve’s all about the show, but don’t let that fool you; he’s got a really good voice. Take a ...
The Redwalls
The Redwalls from Chicago brought their colorful revolution to The Influences, with covers of Velvet Underground, The Beatles and Bob Dylan.
Tim Knol
Before Tim Knol even had a record, we filmed this session, with covers of Gram Parsons, The Rolling Stones, David Olney and Townes van Zandt.
Alamo Race Track
Alamo Race Track is one of the bands from The Netherlands that I just can’t get enough of. Every concert is an experience you don’t want to miss. So they ...
Steve Savage
It had been a long time since I was as much under influence as when I went to the Tivoli on last Friday night with Lukas Batteau and Steve Savage. ...