VI.BE

BIO TROUBLEMAN has enjoyed many highs over the years. An early demo of their song 'Hanging it up' got picked up by Studio Brussels and indirectly led to them being signed by Sony Publishing. They were featured artists on the Shades soundtrack, the controversial Mickey Rourke vehicle with the acclaimed song 'Random Acts of Kindness'. The song also enjoyed extensive air play on Belgian radio.

Regularly appearing at prestigious venues and events, such as the AB, the Botanique and the Dour festival, the band cemented an explosive live reputation that has seen them venture to venues as far away as the UK, France and Germany playing over two hundred and fifty shows over the years.

In 2005, TROUBLEMAN released its first album Penny Symphonies to glowing reviews and radio exposure of the album’s lead song 'Great Expectations'. A labour of love, ... Symphonies was recorded over several years in deepest France. Over thirty songs were recorded and mixed. Only thirteen made the cut. Due to line up changes, the band chose not to tour.

In 2008, TROUBLEMAN released its second album Suburbia, on Parsifal records. A love affair with all things pop, Suburbia documents a boy’s growing pains in a humdrum Northern English town. With stylistic nods to everyone from The Beatles, XTC, The Style Council and Pulp, Suburbia weaves classic small town tales of teenage angst, estranged lovers meeting by the underpass and the solitary practice of a walk in the park with one’s dog.

WHAT THE PRESS SAYS 'The Belgo-British outfit whip up a murderously intense noise that slams you in the chest, knocking your ticker for six'. THE BULLETIN ‘...déboulant de nulle part et partant vers une possible réussite. A découvrir assurément’ RIF RAF ‘... en pleine ascension...’ LE MATIN‘... the catchy, radio friendly melodies should hit the spot.’ THE BULLETIN ‘... Troubleman heeft zich ondertussen een uitstekende live reputatie bij elkaar gespeeld.’ RIF RAF ‘Krachtig groepje!’ DE MUZIEKKRANT On the Troubleman contribution – the ballad Random Acts of Kindness – to the soundtrack of the Mickey Rourke film Shades, De Standaard said the following: ‘Het beste nummer komt nog van ene Troubleman.’ DE STANDAARD ‘Troubleman is a new band from Antwerp that show a great deal of talent with the track Random Acts of Kindness’ BELGIAN POP & ROCK ARCHIVES ‘...de muziek van deze Belgen [weet] direct bij de eerste noten te overtuigen en [blijft] dat ook doen. [...] Penny Symphonies[...] blijft uiteindelijk probleemloos overeind door de kwaliteit van de songs en het enthousiasme waarmee een en ander op plaat is gezet.’ JACOBVISSER.NL