“Where the heck are those Ertebrekers anyway?” You could hear it whispered among fans, if you listened closely. With an underlying sense of anxiety: they haven’t split up, have they? Well, not at all. They are still alive and kicking and will emerge from hibernation in the spring of 2026 like fiery butterflies, with a new album.
Almost ten years ago, Ertebrekers unleashed “Otel” on humanity – with the well-known singles “De Zji” & “Eva Mendes,” they nestled into a niche where they immediately became kings – only to continue that story three years later with “Crème.” Yes, corona threw a spanner in the works, although Ertebrekers managed to cash in on their album with the singles ‘Paranoïa’ and ‘Shimokitazawa’.
And now they're back. With one difference: Flip Kowlier is no longer part of the band. Did that break the hearts of Peter Lesage and Jeffrey Bearelle? No. Or as Lesage himself puts it: "It's a shame, for sure. But it's no easy feat to combine two successful bands and a solo career: 't Hof Van Commerce, Flip's new solo album, and a new album by Ertebrekers... Flip still plays bass on two songs on the new album. The other songs are all written by Jeffrey Bearelle and myself."
“The recording of the album went very smoothly. In the studio, Peter listened to the demos I had recorded at home with my cell phone. He nodded briefly and immediately knew what kind of song it could become,” says Jeffrey. "From rough demos to full-fledged songs, with the right dose of funk and soul. We were off. The game was on, as they say in West Flanders.”
Fans from the early days can rest assured. Ertebrekers may have slimmed down to a duo, but they are eagerly and enthusiastically launching the first single from their third album in November. Stay tuned!
