Thijs de Boer (music) biography
At the age of five, Thijs starts to sing himself asleep. While headbanging, he phonetically sings the songs he heard on the radio.
When he gets his first transistor radio as a present from his uncle Klaas, he’s excited.
But thrilled when he gets his first record player from his neigbor Henk vd Tempel.
Outside his brothers (Tjeerd) bedroom, he hears The Beatles at The Hollywood Bowl for the first time. Not even the music, but the yelling makes a big impression on him.
Also, a compilation record from The Rolling Stones is played to death.
One day, at the age of eleven, he visits his friend and neighbor Werner Draaisma who’d just got a huge
collection of singles from the sixties. Together they play the tunes over and over. The Kinks is the most favorite.
By accident Thijs breaks an arm and this suddenly stops to sing and headbanging himself to sleep.
All members of the family are very relieved.
But this silence won’t take long.
He starts to play the drums in a marching band. This won’t last a long time; he won’t play a live show.
In puberty he discovers a new style of music: New Wave.
Bands like Joy Division, The Smiths, The Comsat Angels and also the local hero Der Junge Werher are a great pleasure to his ears
At the age of sixteen he plays the drums in a garage rock band for a while. Thijs wants to sing, but for lack of a drummer, right.. he becomes the drummer and not the singer.
Music like The Replacements, Stooges and REM are most played at home. REM is the great inspiration.
The garage rockband won’t exist long and to keep playing the drums he plays in a party band.
At a legendary practice session with local musicians Hans de Beer and Bas Ridder, he met a soulmate. Egbert van der Werff. Like him he also just discovered Big Star.
Charming, a great singer and songwriter as he is, they start of a band.
As Thijs just started to write songs and Egbert to, they make a great couple.
First called the Palomines and later on Travis, they make a demo No 1 in Dallas, Texas, recorded on the island Texel. Bass guitar player Johan Kramer and great talent Hans lotstra join the band.
When Hans leaves, his place is taken by Rene Monsma and Michel Scheltema.
In 1997 Travis- Wicki Purrs has born. The media are most positive, especially when they compare this album with Travis from Scotland.
The Scottish Travis wins the lawsuit about the name and become more well known in Europe.
The name Travis is changed to Lucas. And in january 2000 the album Undesired lonely story is released with 7 tracks written by Thijs. Again, great critics from the media.
Thijs quits in march 2000 completely with making music caused by a new relation, a change of management and musical disagreements within the band Lucas.
Again silence, this time for a long, long time.
After 12 years and 1 divorce, he met Judith. She encourages him to play again.
With their friend Ilonca vd Ven he starts a new band I-Lonca. Together with brothers Peter and Romke vd Wal they record an EP in the end of 2018
Again great critics and their EP wins the first price for best EP in Friesland 2019.
The single Tessa’s Parties becomes second. Also, a song written by Thijs.
After too much occupation changes in this band, Thijs again quits this band.
Also, his disease arthritis makes it hard for him to play the drums for a long time.
He decides to go on solo.
At his home, he makes a tiny studio right behind the garage.
When he is almost ready to record something, disaster strikes.
He cuts two tendons of his left hand.
After two and a half months rehabilitation he kicks of with his first solo single;
Funtime.(oktober 2021)
In the end of september 2022 he released the double single Three Times in a Row / Deaf On the left Side.
Under the name tummy soother he will bring you melodic, honest, dramatic songs, straight from the heart to you.
About nine songs will be collected on the album Almost There.
With friend(ly) musicians ; Romke vd Wal, Egbert vd Werff, Ronald Moerman, Rene Monsma and maybe more, he is making a great album in due time.
Enjoy or annoy.