The Blue Van

Hailing from the countryside surrounding Broenderslev, Denmark, Steffen Westmark handled vocals and guitars while Søren V. Christensen played Hammond organ, Allan F. Villadsen contributed on bass, and Per M. Jorgenson sat behind the drums. Drawing from foundational influences such as Cream, Kinks, Pretty Things, and Them, the quartet channeled hard R&B and primal rock energy into the Blue Van’s revivalist approach. After relocating to Copenhagen in 2003, the group secured appearances at festivals including Spot 9 and Roskilde, which in turn secured a recording contract. A five-song EP was tracked in Hamburg, Germany, soon afterward. TVT released the band’s energetic debut album, The Art of Rolling, across the United States in April 2005, prompting a summer tour alongside Hot Hot Heat. Dear Independence arrived on Halloween 2006, with the quartet serving as support on Electric Six’s American dates. The third album, Man Up, followed in 2008. In the years after its release, the Blue Van’s recordings surfaced in multiple television placements, most prominently when “Independence” became the theme for Royal Pains while additional tracks appeared on Scrubs and 90210.