Armand

Armand is the stage name of Herman George van Loenhout, a Dutch protest singer from Eindhoven who is active in contemporary folk, folk rock, kleinkunst and singer-songwriter music. He is also known as Herman van Loenhout.

Career

He releases his first single in 1965 and scores several hits in the 1960s. His best-known song is “Ben ik te min”, released in 1967, which becomes a Nederbiet classic. After the first part of his career ends in 1969, he goes through a period of heavy hard-drug addiction and enters rehabilitation. He returns in 1971, but no longer focuses on writing hit singles.

As an album artist, he remains successful in both the flower power scene and the Nederpunk scene, which is unusual for the period. His lyrics are critical of Dutch society, and two out of three singles he releases are banned from Dutch radio.

Style and views

Armand is often described as “the Dutch Bob Dylan”. He stays associated with flower-power ideas and becomes an icon in campaigns for the legalisation of drugs.

Later work

In 1990, he decides that he will never again release a record on a major label, arguing that no one gives him complete freedom over his music and lyrics. In 2015, he revisits thirteen of his lesser known songs with the contemporary beat group The Kik, who act as his backing band on the album released under the name Armand & The Kik.