Showbiz On his 41st save One, the youngest son of singer Willem Vermandere (79), a way in which he has always shunned. After three English cds he releases his first album in his own dialect, the juicy West Flemish. “Or my dad is proud of? He is happy that I m’s occupation, but he will be my cd certainly not for his pleasure, impose,” says Augustin in Day All.
Augustijn Vermandere has a hate-hate relationship with his famous last name, though he himself never in so many words admit. “My father was already a legend when I was born,” he says. “And yes, of course it is an advantage to Vermandere to be called. So there was immediately attention for my music. But now I am in the West-Flemish sing, I decided to that if One to do. Already there are organizers that my family name to it on the poster.”
From commercial considerations?
It will be more commercial for as a Vermandere to act, but actually, I think One is enough as a name. You can hear my first name, not a lot, so remember the people who do.
You have indeed a remarkable name. Augustijn is a well-known…
… beer!
A well-known saint, I wanted to say. Augustine wrote the first monastic rules down. Did you want to father as referring to his own past in the monastery?
I don’t know why my parents were so called. My father was also not in a augustijnenklooster, but at the instance of the missionary oblates. My own son is called Moses, a figure with a long history. Joke and I found that just a beautiful name.
You grew up in Steenkerke, a tiny village near Veurne. You realized as a child who your father was?
At school was regularly asked if I’m ‘the son’ was. I have never had problems with it. As a child, sometimes I went to performances of him and he is really good, though. I am proud of my father.
You have however years in the English sung. But not following in his footsteps to act?
In high school I played in a few groups. Usually we brought covers and then it is obvious that your English, play songs. Dutch was absolutely not hip at that time. That is now changing. I play currently in a cover band that only Dutch songs.
do you Play also covers of Willem Vermandere?
Perhaps that is yet, but currently I am not yet there.
Should you play music as a child?
One of my earliest memories is that I have a kinderviool got from my father. I have a year or three. Then I felt something of the force and maybe I’m there for that reason on afgeknapt. But our house was full of musical instruments and on my sixth I started out myself on the piano to play.
learn to play the Piano requires discipline. Could you pay for that?
Absolutely. For my 16th I taking piano lessons in school. In my last year I found myself trotting along with rock’n ‘ rollpartituren. That was my teacher nice, but I had my scales, keep practicing, and study of the compulsory pieces. Meanwhile, I played guitar and bass in groups with friends and I’ve stopped with the music lessons.
Do you also together with your father play?
My brother, my two sisters, my father and I play together in midnight mass on christmas day. At home was the radio, usually on a classic post, already explained to my mother sometimes, on an album of The Beatles, but actually had my father prefers that we made music. There encouraged us to lie in.
You say it as if you have nowhere else to in has stimulated.
He has us released. My sisters have him still blamed that she was never a push in the back from him. A child may need. But he found that we plan to attract. Also our studies.
Did your father stand aloof?
He was often away from home to act and that was brilliant. All friends of the village came to our play because it was so fun. But if he was home, we had to on our toes to run to him, certainly not to disturb. Engaged with his children was not really the father thing.
he Realized that himself?
Now. ‘Where was I when you were small?’ he sings. We need it to do. He can talk and write about the paternity, but to the father, he did at least not much.
what studies do you have ‘the plan’ drawn?
After my secondary school, Latin-mathematics, I am in Brussels informatica study.
Informatica? You’re not going to say that your father a computer?
My parents live today, still very primitive, but when my pa one day a new typewriter needed, someone said that he is better of a computer could buy. He was not going to be sufficient, so I have that computer rap started. When I was eleven, I think.
Do you also if it worked?
I work constantly with my computer. All the music that I write, I take immediately. I make my own video clips, make my own websites. That study computer science is so useful, although I am there we stopped after a year.
For you to music, to devote?
not Yet. I wanted to free graphics study, but on the entrance examination realized they are nothing of my motivation. Because I already have a kot had, I then started to study mathematics in Ghent.
First computer science, then math. Were those studies as a way to rebel against your artistic origins?
No, I just do what I want. My life already. And mathematics I found the most interesting subject in computer science. Until I was in the third grade and to Amalia, my youngest sister, said that I had my doubts about that study. “What do you really want to do in life?”, she asked. ‘If I could choose I would get the music going, ” I said.
So did you at that time not what you really wanted.
I needed a shove and that has my sister given me. Because Amalia to Norway wanted to leave, I was in this house come to live. I have a music studio built for other bands.
did you want producer?
at First, but soon I had that I wanted to create. With my group The Johnsonz, we got a contract from Universal to six plates. We had already signed, then Universal is the whole of the Belgian department opdoekte.
And you could again start?
The RVA found that I could do something with my studio experience. Then I’m seven seasons as a sound engineer working for the Kaboutershow in Plopsaland. That was very nice. I have also made music for the animatiefiguurtje Hopla on Ketnet. And I have three English cds included as Willemsson.
Now you will sing in the West-Flemish. Did you also push?
No, I had to understand all alone. When the Joke was on a journey with Moses in Italy, I was suddenly with a phrase in my head about West-Flemish people who are never content. In English I got that is not said, but in the West-Flemish, I immediately had a stanza and the refreintje. ‘I can’t in the West-Flemish to begin”, I thought.
Because you are not with your father compared want to be?
I am my whole life, compared to him, but now it will be that much stronger. Therefore, I have also a song written that my father is better. So am I the criticism. (laughs)
he Has your new album already heard?
Yes. ‘Do continue,’ he said. And that he is my music still more interesting is now that I’m in the West-Flemish sing. But I also know that my cd will not impose, just for fun. He is all content that I have my occupation.
On march 1, will your cd be festively launched in The Great Post in Ostend. Is he?
I don’t think so, and my mother certainly are not. She sits in her garden, my father is always busy with sculptures, paintings and linocuts. That is, for him real work, not the gig with his guitar. Actually, neither of them like to be outdoors. Certainly not if there are a lot of people.