User:Remis Velisque/sandbox/Orange Grove (band)

Orange Grove is a reggae and rock band from Sint Maarten, based in the Netherlands. formed in 2001 by three Sint Maarten students living in the Netherlands.

The group's current line-up consists of Michael Maidwell (vocals), Jacob Streefkerk (guitar), Tim Kesteloo (guitar), Daniele Labbate (bass guitar) and Robert Biesewig (drums).

2001: Origins and formation
Bassist Edsel "Touché" Eusebius, Guitarist Jacob Streefkerk and singer Michael Maidwell were childhood friends on Sint Maarten before moving to the Netherlands. Both signed in at the Fontys Rockademie of Tilburg in 2001, where they met Aruban vocalist Roger Peterson. These three young musicians, who all crossed the Atlantic, started to perform roots reggae band, Orange Grove. Beside from their activities in Orange Grove, they also formed another band "Intwine" in 2001, with fellow students Erwin Gielen (drums) and Kevin Hissink (guitar).

2002–08: Genuine Orgins and Some Live Stuff
In 2002 lead singer Roger Peterson was a participant in Idols, the Dutch version of Pop Idol, and reached the last ten finalists. Yet he decided to quit the show, after refusing to sign the Idols contract, because it wasn't supposed to allow him to play his own songs and with his own band. For him and Intwine, however, it yielded a lot of publicity and a record deal with Dureco. Regarding Idols, Peterson later said in an interview: "The show has been a friend in court for us (Intwine), but has also been a millstone around our necks. Idols invested a lot in our notoriety and we are grateful for that. However, people relate us with a show that didn't bring any good. Be honest: that show flopped."

Their first single "Happy?" was released in February 2003 in the Netherlands and Belgium and hit the third spot in the Dutch Top 40. Their debut self-titled album came out that same year on October 3 and spawned three more singles: "Way Out", "Get Outta My Head" and "Let Me Be". The band was nominated for the TMF Awards and for an Edison Award.

In 2004 Intwine released the DVD/live album The P.U.R.E. Session, a registration of one of their live shows, for which the band was joined by percussionist Ferdinand van Duuren. The same year the band composed and recorded the song "Cruel Man" as soundtrack for the Dutch film De Dominee (The Preacher). It was the first single of their second studio album Perfect, released through V2 Records on September 27, 2004. On March 19, 2005, Perfect was awarded with the 3FM Award for best album. "Cruel Man" reached seventh position in the Dutch Top 40 and even became number one in the Turkish charts. Drummer Erwin Gielen left the band in 2004 and was shortly replaced by Jeremy Bonarriba. In December 2004 Rocheteau Mahuwallan became Intwine's drummer.

In 2005 Intwine was nominated again for an Edison Award. Intwine played at the Pinkpop festival on May 13 and also performed at Madrid's MetroRock festival on June 25. The same summer guitarist Kevin Hissink left the band and Jon Symons, earlier playing in a heavy metal band called Primal Rage, became his permanent substitute.

In 2007, Intwine toured the Dutch theatres for the first time with The Acoustic Rumshop Sessions. With these shows Intwine returns to their Caribbean roots, playing their songs in styles such as reggae, bolero, zouk, soca and cumbia. For this tour Intwine was joined by percussionist Roël Calister of Orange Grove.

2009–13: Fingerprint and Children of the Wind Soundtrack
In February 2006 the band visited the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and incorporated the impressions of this trip into the non-album single "Peace of Mind". They donated the single's sales profits to the Millennium Development Goals project. Percussionist Ferdinand van Duuren left the band in 2006, due to personal and creative dissents.

Intwine wrote and recorded "Feel It" as the soundtrack for the 2006 movie Nachtrit (Nightrun), which also features Intwine's "For Goodness Sake". "Feel It" was also the first single of their third full-length album Pyrrhic Victory, released on October 9, 2006. About the record, the band stated on their website:"Pyrrhic Victory was recorded with sound artist Gordon Groothedde, who also worked with Intwine on their previous albums. The result is the most impressive project so far. This is a dark record. Spare, without any filler or frills. The gloves are off in songs such as "Cut Me Loose", "For Goodness Sake" and "Solo". Disappointment and pain have seldom been conveyed so beautifully and at the same time as grippingly as they have on this third CD. Yet the record also conveys a genuine fighting spirit. Intwine is rocking harder and sounding more honest than ever."

As the soundtrack for the video game Assassin's Creed Intwine released the non-album single "The Chosen (Assassin's Creed)" featuring Brainpower in November 2007.

2014–present: Live at Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta
In 2014 Orange Grove released the DVD/live album Live at Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta, a recording of their performance at the 34th Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta. Intwine signed to German record label Tiefdruck-Musik in 2008 to start recording their new album. During the recording process bassist Touché Eusebius and drummer Rocheteau Mahuwallan left the band and were replaced by Pablo Penton and Eric Spring in 't Veld respectively.

Intwine released their fourth studio album Kingdom of Contradiction on August 14, 2009. The album is their first international release and contains fifteen songs that appeared on previous albums which Intwine re-recorded to present themselves abroad of the Netherlands. The album is produced by Jochem Jacobs, known of his work with Dutch metal band Textures. 3VOOR12 wrote that the band had given the songs a nu metal twist and sounded heavier, harsher and darker than before on this album. Comparisons were made to alternative metal bands such as Deftones, Incubus, P.O.D., Taproot, Godsmack and Ill Niño. Beside of the fifteen "old" tracks, the album also contained one "new" song, namely a cover of The Police's "Walking on the Moon", featuring Belgian vocalist Sarah Bettens.

With their new sound Intwine opened for American alt-metal band Sevendust on June 1, 2009 for their gig in Utrecht and four times for Welsh "ragga-metal" band Skindred in February and March 2010.

Musical style and influences
Intwine's musical style has been considered a fusion of rock with reggae, Latin, and hip hop influences. Throughout the years and with several line-up changes, the band shifted from the pop rock of their debut album Intwine (2003) and second album Perfect (2004) to a heavier and darker sound containing more heavy metal elements on the albums Pyrrhic Victory (2006) and Kingdom of Contradiction (2009).

Beside their regular shows, Intwine also played The Rumshop Sessions, in which they performed their songs acoustic and in Caribbean styles such as reggae, bolero, zouk, soca and cumbia. A collection of these songs were captured on their EP The Original Acoustic Rumshop Sessions Vol I (2010).

Regarding their influences, the band has been cited to have been inspired by musical groups ranging from heavy metal to reggae such as Metallica, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Sublime, Wyclef Jean, Pearl Jam, Steel Pulse.

Current members

 * Michael Maidwell – vocals (2001–present)
 * Jacob Streefkerk – guitar (2001–2002, 2011–present)
 * Robert Biesewig – drums (2005–2010)
 * Tim Kesteloo – guitar (2008–2010)
 * Daniele Labbate – bass guitar (2005–2010)

Former members

 * Roël Calister – drums
 * Quincell Adolphin – bass guitar
 * Bruce Harms – guitar
 * Danny Fuljhari – guitar
 * Kadjatou – vocals
 * Edsel "Touché" Eusebius – bass guitar
 * Roger Peterson – vocals
 * Jasmir "Jazzy" Abdul-Hamid – vocals
 * Gregory Pataca – drums
 * Efraim – drums
 * Eric Spring in 't Veld – drums
 * Rik Kraak – bass guitar

Studio albums

 * Genuine Orgins (2007)
 * Fingerprint (2009)

Live album/DVD

 * Some Live Stuff (2008)
 * Live at Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta (2014)

Singles

 * "Cryin'" (2006)
 * "These Days" (2007)
 * "You Decide It" (2009)
 * "White Daisy" (2009)
 * "Feel That Fire" (2010)
 * "Some Things Last Forever" ft Glennis Grace (2012)
 * "When I Return" (2013)
 * "Ready For It" (Bob Sinclar Remix) (2014)
 * "Easy Love" (2015)
 * "All The Same" with Brainpower (2016)