The Blue Van

Growing up in rural Broenderslev, Denmark, Steffen Westmark (vocals/guitars), Søren V. Christensen (Hammond organ), Allan F. Villadsen, and Per M. Jorgenson (drums) were inspired by the classics -- Cream, Kinks, Pretty Things, Them -- and they used that hard R&B, primal rock influence to drive the revivalist sound of the Blue Van. The combo moved to Copenhagen in 2003 and scored gigs at rock festivals like Spot 9 and Roskilde. That exposure helped land them a deal, and a five-song EP was soon recorded in Hamburg, Germany. The raucous full-length The Art of Rolling was issued stateside by TVT in April 2005, and the Blue Van hit the road that summer for a tour with Hot Hot Heat. The guys followed up with Dear Independence on Halloween 2006, supporting the record as openers on U.S. dates for the Electric Six.