In spring 2009, Minco Eggersman travelled to the town of Hamden, put on an old preacher’s suit, and set up camp in an old, empty church. The musician, producer and record label owner had spent half the winter in bed at home in Amsterdam, feeling ill, tired, and generally miserable. Though he’d been forced to cancel a tour with his band at the close of every day, in the end, music seemed the only possible cure. Minco decided too take a plane to Chicago to take some time off and buy his dream guitar, an old Gibson J-45, and started writing songs for what would become his most personal solo album yet, ‘Hamden’.
After ‘The Wagon Fair’ (2004) and the soundtrack to the movie ‘Ooit’ (2008), this third ME album visits darker territories than before, addressing Minco’s deepest doubts and fears, but once again is not without hope. It’s a search for God, that inevitably ended inside a church. There, ‘Hamden’ was recorded in one stretch, mostly live, unlike the previous records. Minco was joined by Ruben Bekx on guitar, Korean harp and other instruments, and background vocalist Marieke Borger. Too restless to sleep, engineer Jan Borger and Minco often recorded his vocals at night. The job was completed in five days, a tiring, but ultimately satisfying experience, which was caught on camera by filmmaker Jaap van Heusden.
The recording process resulted in a remarkably intimate, crystal clear sound, mixing the typical hushed ME style with a new wave feel remniscent feel David Sylvian and Talk Talk. Adding to the intimacy is the presentation of this album: a wooden box featuring some exclusive souvenirs from this unique period of time: a piece of carpet from the old church, exquisite pictures by Albert Korf, a piece of recording sheet, and a hand-made booklet.
Discography:
ME - ‘The Wagon Fair’ (VOLKOREN - 2004)
ME - ‘Ooit’ (VOLKOREN – SYMBOLIC INTERACTION 2008)
ME - ‘Hamden’ (VOLKOREN 2010)
| 10.10 | 
Tivoli-de Helling, Utrecht NL
|
| +People Get Ready +Eins, Zwei Orchestra +Borgaard +Lingby |
