Maandag Middag Matinee: Herinnering special (including a short phone interview with José Hoebee)

Yesterday, Dutch local radio station Omroep Helmond broadcast a special Maandag Middag Matinee show to celebrate the reissue of the Herinnering album by Bonnie St. Claire & José Hoebee on CD and DVD. The program was hosted by Anton van Stekelenborg-Poirters in association with Franklin van Liempt, the initiator of the crowdfunding project that led to the new Deluxe edition of Herinnering.

Between two songs aired on the radio, Franklin was interviewed by Anton and he told anecdotes about the ABBA songs recorded in Dutch by Bonnie & José.

Recap of the first hour of the radio show (1.00 to 2.00 pm) - click here to listen to it. 

• 1st song played: Bonnie & José: Is't Zo Bedoeld (I Let The Music Speak)

José Hoebee gave a short phone interview.  When asked how it felt like to see the reissue of Herinnering, the singer answered: "It's very nice of course. I'm surprised that it never came out on CD before. I don't know the reasons. But we're so happy that now it finally happens in such a good way". Here's what she told about the appearance of Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA) on the Bonnie & José in Sweden TV special (included on the DVD): "Björn was asked to express his opinion on the album we recorded. First, he wanted to listen to it and then he accepted to comment on camera. He said he appreciated our versions of ABBA songs. It was such a great compliment".

Anton asked José if she knew if Bonnie liked the reissue on CD/DVD. The former Luv' singer replied: "Not directly. But I assume that she likes it". It was a diplomatic way to say she was not on speaking terms with her. 

When asked what her favourite song from Herinnering was, José said: "Zonder Hem because of my current situation and Is't Zo Bedoeld which is a classic song to me".

Finally, here were José's words to her admirers: "I want to thank all the loyal fans and friends for their support all through the years. I hope everybody remains safe. I hope to see you soon". 

• 2nd song played: Bonnie & José: Zonder Hem (Soldiers)

Franklin read Bonnie's comments on the CD/DVD (which are more or less the same as those she made in Eindhovens Dagblad - see news posted on November 20th, 2020). Bonnie liked the collaboration with José and the TV special as well.

• 3rd song played: Joel Corry feat MNEK: Head & Heart

Franklin told that Cassandra was Bonnie and José's first collaboration in 1984 before the release of the Herinnering album. Benny Neyman wrote the lyrics of this song dealing with the Argentian Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo (see article posted on May 2nd, 2017). Zoals Vrienden Doen came out one year later.

• 4th song played: Bonnie & José: Cassandra
• 5th song played: Eruption: I Can't Stand The Rain
• 6th song played: Bonnie & José: De Flierenfluiter (The Piper)
• 7th song played: Audrey Landers: My Favorite Café on the Harbor
• 8th song played: Donna Summer: State of Independence - it was my request!!! Thank you Anton! I wanted to play this track in honour of  American recording engineer Bruce Swedien who passed away. He worked on Michael Jackson's Thriller and many other recordings (including the 1982 Donna Summer album featuring State of Independence)
• 9th song played: Bonnie & José : De Postkoets - this non-ABBA song appears as a bonus track on the 2020 edition of Herinnering. Bonnie & José were asked to record a song which didn't belong to their repertoire for the Nederland Muziekland radio and TV shows in 1986. 
• 10th song played: Ultravox: Vienna
• 11th song played: Bonnie & José: Weet Wel Wat Je Doet (Lovers)

Recap of the second hour of the radio show (2.00 to 3.00 pm) - click here to listen to it. 

• 12th song played:  ABBA: Super Trouper (remix)
• 13th song played: Bonnie & José - feat. Ron Brandsteder: Waarom (Move On) - Franklin explained that Ron wrote the Dutch lyrics of this track. Ron also discussed his work with Bonnie & José. His comments appear in the booklet of the 2020 edition of Herinnering. He declared that it was a beautiful album and he was happy it came out on CD. He added that it was performed by the two best pop singers from the Netherlands. 

Franklin was astonished that the Bonnie & José album included beautiful orchestrations and arrangements by Dutch conductor Harry van Hoof at a time when Synth-pop dominated the charts. "Such an approach is the best way to cover ABBA songs," he asserted. 

• 14th song played: Conny Vandenbos: De Noorderzon Scheen - Franklin mentioned Marc Bijlsma (who digitally remastered Herinnering) on that occasion. Marc worked previously on a 15-CD Box of Conny Vandenbos via a crowdfunding campaign. 

Anton asked Franklin when he started to plan his project to reissue the album. "In October 2016, I started to send emails to the record company. This idea came from the UK where small independent labels are used to re-release material which doesn't interest major companies through crowdfunding.  That's why I decided to launch my own company CD-Licious and to do the same with Bonnie & José. We did it so well that we reached our goal in a few days. We decided to add bonus tracks on the CD and the DVD with the additional money," Franklin explained. 

• 15th song played: Bonnie & José: Ligt Dat Aan Jou Of Aan Mij (Why Did It Have To Be Me) - It's Anton's favourite track from Herinnering.
• 16th song played: Van Houwelingen & McRay: Het Gebed - Anton sings the male part of this wonderful duet released in 2018.
• 17th song played: Ava Max: Kings & Queens
• 18th song played: Kids From Fame: Starmaker (live) - Franklin told he was a big fan of the 1980s TV series Fame. Last year, members of the cast (Kids from Fame) performed two reunion concerts in Liverpool, UK thanks to the initiative of fans without the support of mass media. It was Franklin's way to compare this project with the Herinnering 2020 plan. 
• 19th song played: Bonnie & José: Herinnering (Andante, Andante)
• 20th song played: Dolly Dots: Dance With Me
• 21st song played: Steps: Something In Your Eyes - It sounded like ABBA.
• 22nd song played: Bonnie & José: 'N Engels Als Jij (Engel Wie Du) - "10 years after their duet LP, the ladies recorded this single which was a cover version of Engel Wie Du originally performed by Juliane Werding, Viktor Lazlo & Maggie Reilly.
• 23th song played: Janis Joplin: Me and Bobby McGee

Anton on Maandag Middag Matinee

Recap of the third hour of the radio show (4.00 to 5.00 pm) - click here to listen to it. 

• 24th song played: Lily Allen: F**k You
• 25th song played: Bonnie & José: Vriendschap (Arrival)

Franklin: "A first Dutch version of ABBA's Arrival had already been recorded. It appeared on the Abbacadabra musical performed by Dutch artists prior to the Herinnering album. The first Dutch cover was entitled Bij Mij and sung by Bonnie St. Claire and Benny Neyman. Bonnie & José recorded their own version and named it Vriendschap". 

• 26th song played: The Weeknd: Save Your Tears 
• 27th song played: Bonnie & José: Chiquitita - Franklin: "The majority of the songs on the ladies album are not ABBA hits except this one".
• 28th song played: The Supremes: I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do My Walking
• 29th song played: Bonnie & José: Hart Voor Een Kind (I Have A Dream - live) - Franklin: "This song is a bonus track on the new edition of the album. It was performed live during a charity show on TV for Polish children with medical problems in late 1984. That's why special lyrics were written on that occasion".
• 30th song played: Pussycat: Somewhere Someone
• 31st song played: Bonnie & José: Een Man (One Man One Woman)
• 32nd song played: Vicky Leandros - Verloren Zijn We Niet (Dutch version of Verlorenes Paradies)

At the end of the show, Franklin said a big thank you to the following persons who contributed to the project:

* Marc Bijlsma for remastering the original master tapes.

* Marinus de Graaf for the design (cover, booklet, DVD menu and the crowdfunding video).

* Stany Van Wymeersch for writing the booklet. Previously he published the books "Let's Talk About ABBA" and "We ALL Love ABBA".

* Casper Janssen for supporting this project thanks to his long experience in the music industry.

* Karin Angeleyes who launched a Facebook page (Herinnering - Bonnie & José) to promote this initiative.

* Govert de Roos who photographed Bonnie & José for this album.

* Last but not least: Luv's tour manager and dear friend David Hay Gibson who helped Stany with English translations. 

Franklin also thanked the 191 people who took part in the crowdfunding campaign via voordekunst.nl. 

• 33rd song played: Bonnie & José: Zoals Vrienden Doen (The Way Old Friends Do) - the duo's signature song.

Source: Omroep Helmond, Facebook (Anton van Stekelenborg-Poirters, Maandag Middag Matinee)