Fixkes

Formed in Antwerp, Belgium, during 2005, the Belgian outfit Fixkes fused acoustic pop with hip-hop ingredients and reached relatively swift prominence. Guitarist and vocalist Sam Valkenborgh and his brother, drummer Jan Valkenborgh, founded the group and promptly completed its roster with Peter Deckers on guitar and harmonica, Johan Pauwels on bass, and Bart Palmers on piano. The name Fixkes derived from a childhood nickname once given to Sam Valkenborgh. Early in 2007 the band secured a recording contract with Dutch Excelsior Recordings, and within a month their debut single, “Kvraagetaan,” reached listeners. The track topped the national chart for a record-setting 16 weeks. Their self-titled first album arrived soon after and attained a solid third-place ranking.