Bearforce 1 is a gay dance music band from the Netherlands, known mainly for a YouTube hit video, "Bearforce 1". Founded in 2006 and promoting their image as bears, they released three singles accompanied by YouTube videos, and scored hits in the Netherlands before breaking up in 2009. The band reformed in 2014 with 3 new members, with only the lead singer, Robert Brown returning.

History

Bearforce 1 was founded by three

Dutchmen The Dutch (Dutch: ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Netherlands. They share a common history and culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Arub ...

(Ian Turnel, Peter Johansson, and Yuri) and an Irishman (Robert Brown), led by actor and producer Roeland Fernhout. Their eponymous single "Bearforce 1", a medley of popular dance songs including Sabrina Salerno's Boys and

Dead or Alive Dead or Alive most commonly refers to: * Dead or Alive (band), a British pop band * Dead or alive, a phrase on a wanted poster Dead or Alive may also refer to: Film and television * ''Dead or Alive'' (1921 film), an American silent film dir ...

's You Spin Me Round, accompanied by a video clip in which the four bears dance and lip-sync, was a YouTube phenomenon and ended as #20 on LOGO TV's Ultimate Queer Videos Countdown. Praise by Perez Hilton led to a tour in the United States and attention in the US media--'' The Washington Post'' wrote of the band, "Finally, there's a boy band for older, hairy gay men." They released a second single, "Christmas is here," in 2007, also accompanied by a popular YouTube video (shot in the snow in Austria, in which the four men danced in red boxers, tank tops, ski outfits, and Santa Claus suits), The song entered the

Single Top 100 The Dutch Single Top 100 or Single Top 100 is a Dutch chart, based on official physical single sales, legal downloads and since July 2013 streaming and composed by Dutch Charts. It is one of the three official charts, the other two being the Du ...

at #7. In December 2007 they played a series of concerts in Rotterdam Ahoy with Gerard Joling, and in 2008 they played at the first same-sex marriage ceremony to take place at the Tilburg

Pink Monday Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...

fair. A third single, "Shake That Thing," was again praised by Perez Hilton. The same year, Johansson was replaced by Peter Gerrist. On Saturday 3 January 2009,

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...

and record company executive Colin Barlow dismissed an attempt by Bearforce 1 to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 on BBC1's '' Eurovision: Your Country Needs You'' as "hopeless". The band broke up in late 2009.James, Andrea.
Gone but not forgotten: Bearforce 1
, Boingboing.net. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2012. In 2014 Bearforce 1 reformed with three new members, Robert Brown being the only returning member. The band's comeback single 'Action Man' has been entered into the competition to be selected as Switzerland's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. In 2020 a new line up of Bearforce1 auditioned for Britain's Got Talent.

Discography

Singles

*2007: "Bearforce 1" *2007: "Christmas Is Here" (reached #28 in Dutch Singles Chart) *2008: "Shake That Thing" *2014: "Action Man"

References

External links

*
MySpace page
{{Authority control Dutch boy bands Dutch YouTubers LGBT-themed musical groups Viral videos