Fixkes
| Fixkes | |
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| File:Sam Valkenborgh 675.jpg
Sam Valkenborgh (2007)
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Stabroek, Antwerp, Belgium |
| Genres | Alternative |
| Years active | 2005; present |
| Labels | Excelsior Recordings |
| Website | [1] |
| Members | Sam Valkenborgh, Peter Deckers, Johan Pauwels, Jan Valkenborgh, Bart Palmers, Joris Van den Broeck |
Fixkes is a Belgian band from Stabroek, near Antwerp. The band mixes acoustic pop and rap in their music. In February 2007, they released their first official single, Kvraagetaan. The single was an enormous success in Belgium and reached highest position in the local hit charts, Ultratop.
Band history
In November 2005 Fixkes was formed by Sam and Jan Valkenborgh. The name Fixkes is a nickname that Sam got in his teens. Jan plays the drums, Sam sings and plays guitar, he is also the songwriter of the group. The rest of the band's line-up was: Peter Deckers (guitar, harmonica), Johan Pauwels (bassguitar) and Bart Palmers (piano).
In January 2007, the band was picked up by the Dutch Excelsior Recordings. Fixkes released their first single only one month later, in February 2007. The lyrics of "Kvraagetaan" mainly appeal to nostalgic feelings of people in their 30s, who went to primary school in the 80s (the title is a typical Flemish dialect term of that era, which can be roughly translated as "I ask him/her", and refers to a young boy or girl asking another kid to become "engaged", in a puppy love context). Radio station Studio Brussel launches the single as Hotshot. As a result, the single is the most played record for the next week on the radio station.
Kvraagetaan was first being released as an iTunes-song on February 5, and next also on CD (February 12). The next week the single reached the number 1 spot in the Belgian iTunes-charts.
In March 2007 the Fixkes reached the number 1 spot of the Ultratop 50, remaining so for months. In June 2007 they broke the Belgian record for being at the number 1 position for 16 weeks. The previous record was 12 weeks. Local star Laura Lynn took the top position for one week at June 16. Fixkes took back their first place the next week, which was their last at number one. On June 30, Rihanna took over the first spot with Umbrella.
