- Milk Inc.
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Milk Inc. 
Regi Penxten (Left) and Linda Mertens (Right)Background information Origin Belgium Genres Eurodance
Dance
Vocal trance
Electronic musicYears active 1996–present Labels ARS Entertainment
Antler Subway
Zooland RecordsMembers Regi Penxten
Filip Vandueren
Linda MertensPast members Nikkie van Lierop (1997)
Sofie Winters (1997)
John Miles Jnr. (1997–2000)
Ann Vervoort (1997–2000); deceasedMilk Inc. (Also known as Milk Incorporated) is a Euro House band that formed in the commercial house-scene in Belgium in 1996.[1][2][3][4] The Discography of the band includes a total of six studio albums and thirty-four singles (as of September 27, 2011.)[5][6] In 2006, to celebrate their 10th anniversary, Milk Inc. decided to surprise fans with a two hour live concert at the Sportpaleis Arena in Belgium. They performed many of their well known hit songs as well as songs from the album Supersized. Concerts are performed annually by Milk Inc. at Sportpaleis.[7]
Contents
History
Milk Inc. released their first single "La Vache" in April 1997. At first they were only successful in Belgium and the United Kingdom, but are now available in many European countries and in the United States. Milk Inc. have had several tours throughout Europe. Their music is characterized by a specific emotional mood, which is created through the use of appropriate synthesizers. In its early days Milk Inc. the band had also had a guitarist and harp-est, John Miles Jr., which is unusual instrument to be used in Dance Music. The band also experimented different genres such as death-metal, punk and opera, but their music was unsuccessful in these genres.
The band has had many line-up changes throughout the bands history. The band has found much success in Europe, with many of their singles charting in countries like Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Spain. They are most successful in their native country Belgium, where they have twenty-seven hit singles which have been in the Ultratop Chart, twenty-two of them being inside the top ten and four of them being number ones.[8] Further more, All of their their seven albums have charted there, with two of them reaching number one.[9] The band are the current record holders for the number of TMF Awards in Belgium & The Netherlands, with a total of 17 awards received.
Members
Current
Linda Mertens
Linda was born on 20 July 1978 in Wilrijk,[10] Belgium. From her early years Linda dreamt of becoming a performing artist, she studied Art and after high school spent two years studying Hairdressing. In 2000 Linda went to a club with some friends where Regi was deejaying, whilst there she asked him if he needed a singer for any of his projects and was asked to audition. At the time she didn't know that Regi was looking for a new singer for Milk Inc, she has been the lead singer for Milk Inc ever since.
Regi Penxten
Regi was born on March 4, 1976 at Hasselt in Belgium. At the age of 12, he got his first computer connected with a synthesizer. This marks the beginning of his passion for music. He studied at the music academy to learn to read music and he also played the guitar on an early age.
Regi Penxten decided to make music as his career after, at the age of 18, he released some Underground and Trance EP on the Dance Opera and Illusion Label. Despite this, his parents wanted him to have a good education, thus he studied Telecommunication-Electronics in Belgium. His success in the music industry started with "La Vache" in 1996 which was a big hit in France.
The Milk Inc. project wasn't enough for him, so he has more music projects ongoing with several singers and other producers.[11] Regi's first solo album Registrated went gold before its release date. It is a compilation of various Belgian artists.
Filip Vandueren
Filip Vandueren co-produces Milk Inc. with Regi Penxten, and plays keyboards in the band's full live shows and concerts.
Vandueren works as a producer under several names, including Philip Banks and Jedidiah Albertson. He started as a hard trance and underground producer at the DanceOpera Label. He has different projects to his name, such as K-Lab (known for Reunion — old school trance with a happy late-nineties feeling), The Klan, Karnak-X (Sky-Trance), Vidts and Vandueren with Quality Trance at the Oceanic Records label, and Dj Jan vs Vandueren with progressive and hard trance with remixes for Dj Tiësto and Dj Esteem.
Former members
Nikkie Van Lierop
Born 7 March 1963 in Simmern, Germany, Anita Dominika Cornelia van Lierop, better known as Nikkie Van Lierop, and by her artist name "Jade 4U" (Co-Founder of Lords of Acid.) In the spring of 1997 Praga Khan produced a remix of the song La Vache. Since then the singer Nikkie along with Praga Khan contributed parts in lyrics and melody. In the music video "La Vache" that was filmed in England, Jade 4U can be seen. After the resounding success of the songs she sang in the performances during the first tour of Milk Inc. in France and Corsica, conflicts between her region and the former dancer Tamara occurred. She left the band, in order to concentrate on Praga Khan and Lords of Acid which had gained a cult following in the United States.
Sofie Winters
Sofie Winters was born 22 May 1976 in Leuven, Belgium. She replaced Van Lierop for a few months. During her time at Milk Inc., Winters was a singer in the song "Free Your Mind". Winters was then, and still is today a model and actress.
Ann Vervoort
Graphic designer Ann Vervoort (10 March 1977 – 22 April 2010) was a dancer for Pat Krimson before she joined Milk Inc. She was brought in by Regi Penxten in 1997 as a replacement for Sofie Winters as a singer for appearances. Karine Boelaerts, a Belgian studio singer, who was already working for other projects such as 2 Fabiola was hired to record all the songs.[12]
In the middle of September 2000, Vervoort left Milk Inc. and moved to Ibiza with her boyfriend Patrick Claesen (alias Pat Krimson) producer of 2Fabiola, Nunca and Leopold 3, where they founded the record company, Beni Musa Records. Vervoort was replaced by Linda Mertens. On 22 April 2010, Vervoort was found dead at her house in Houthalen-Helchteren. According to the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, a large amount of Alcohol and Drugs were involved.[13][14]
John Miles Jr.
John Miles Jr. is the son of the renowned musician John Miles. Miles studied pop music at Newcastle College and worked as a guitarist already known as "Popmusikern", including Debbie Harry, Bryan Ferry, Joe Cocker and Andrea Bocelli. Miles co-wrote songs with Regi Penxten and Filip Vandueren when he became a group member in 1997 and performed as their guitarist on stage. The first single he was involved in making: "In My Eyes", was a commercial success. That was partly Miles' merit, his influence as a songwriter and the new style of the music effect he brought to the group. This in combination with the voice of Ann Vervoort brought the music to a new level. All the songs he co-wrote were published during his time at Milk Inc. At the same time Vervoort stopped as a singer, Miles wanted to leave Milk Inc. as well. He accompanied the group until the beginning of 2001. In 2000, the group had two top ten hits in the UK with "In My Eyes" (UK #9) and "Walk On Water" (UK #10). In the years 2006–2008, he rejoined Milk Inc. as a guitarist on their Supersized and Forever shows at the Antwerp Sportpaleis. Miles has since gone on to join the another Belgian dance act, Sylver.
Discography
Singles
Year Song Album Chart positions BEL
(VL)
[8]BEL
(WL)BEL
(Dance)UK
[15]NLD
[16]GER FRA
[17]SWE
[18]AUS SPA
[19]DUT
[20]1996 Cream Apocalypse Cow Vinyl Only La Vache – 24 18 23 86 – 8 26 – – 86 1997 Free Your Mind – – – – – – – 54 – – – 1998 Inside Of Me – – 6 – – – – – – – – 1999 In My Eyes 2 – 2 9 – – – – 29 – – Promise 3 – 3 – – – – – – – – Oceans 8 – 2 – – – – – – 8 – Losing Love Land Of The Living 2 – 1 – – – – – – 4 16 2000 Walk On Water 1 – 1 10 3 47 – – 11 1 3 Land Of The Living 2 – 2 18 16 – – – – 7 – 2001 Livin' a Lie 3 – 3 – 44 56 – – – 4 44 Don't Cry Promotional Single Only Never Again 17 – 2 – 69 – – – – 12 69 Wide Awake Closer 2 – 9 – 50 – – – – 5 50 2002 Sleepwalker 6 – 2 – – – – – – 5 – Breathe Without You 7 – 7 – 45 92 – – – 5 45 2003 Time 10 – 4 – – – – – – – – The Sun Always Shines On T.V. 5 – 2 – 82 71 – – – – 82 2004 I Don't Care (Featuring Silvy) 3 – 7 – 66 – – – – – 66 Whisper Supersized 1 – 14 – – – – – – – – 2005 Blind 5 – 2 – – – – – – – – Go To Hell 4 – 7 – – – – – – – – 2006 Tainted Love 7 – 2 – 37 – – – – – 37 Run 7 – 14 – 56 – – – – – 56 No Angel 10 – 12 – – – – – – – – 2007 Sunrise Forever 3 – – – 13 – – – – – 91 Tonight 6 – – – 44 – – – – – 44 2008 Forever 7 – – – 91 – – – – – 91 Race 18 – 10 – – – – – – – – 2009 Blackout Nomansland 1 – – 84 – – – – – 84 Guilty Forever Canadian Digital Single Only 2010 Storm Nomansland 1 7 3 – – – – – – – – Chasing The Wind 10 29 17 – – – – – – – – 2011 Fire 5 – – – – – – – – – – Shadow 42 – – – – – – – – – – I'll Be There [La Vache] 15 6 – – – – – – – – – – Albums
Year Title Chart positions Cetifications
(Ultratop)[21]BEL
(VL)UK
[22]DUT
[23]1998 Apocalyps(e) Cow 5 — — 2000 Land Of The Living 26 — 58 2001 Double Cream 39 — — 2002 Milk Inc. — 47 — 2003 Closer 11 — — 2004 Best Of Milk Inc. — — — 2005 Essential — — — 2006 Supersized 3 — — - Platinum
2007 Best Of 2 — — - Gold
2008 Forever 1 — — - 2x Platinum
2011 Nomansland 1 — — - Gold
Filmography
Music Videos
Year Title Director 1997 La Vache Caswell Coggins Free Your Mind 1998 Inside Of Me 1999 Oceans Steven Buyse 2000 Land Of The Living Filip Vandueren 2001 Walk On Water Frank Schneider Livin' A Lie Peter van Eyndt Never Again Wide Awake 2002 Walk On Water Stuart Fryer In My Eyes Damian Bromley Land Of The Living Andreas Tibblin Sleepwalker Peter van Eyndt Breathe Without You 2003 Time The Sun Always Shines On TV Alex Diezinger 2004 I Don't Care Raf Verbeemen Whisper Peter van Eyndt 2005 Blind Go To Hell — 2006 Tainted Love The Black Sheep Run Peter van Eyndt No Angel 2007 Sunrise Tonight 2008 Forever Alex Diezinger Race — 2009 Blackout Peter van Eyndt 2010 Storm Peter van Eyndt 2011 Fire — 2011 Shadow — DVDs
Year Title Notes BEL DVD
Chart2004 Milk Inc. - The DVD - Acoustic sessions and a collection of Music Videos.
3 [24] 2006 Milk Inc. - Supersized - Contains footage of a concert.
4 [25] 2008 Milk Inc. - Forever in Sportpaleis - Footage of a Concert in Sportpaleis.
1 [26] Awards
Year Award 2010 - MIA Award – Beste Dance/Elektro
2009 - MIA Award – Beste Dance/Elektro
- Kids Awards 2009
- TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National
- TMF Awards Belgium – Best Live Act National
2008 - MIA Award – Beste Dance/Elektro
- TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National
- TMF Awards Belgium – Best Live Act National
- TMF Awards Belgium – Best Album National
2007 - TMF Awards Belgium - Best Dance Act National
2006 - TMF Awards Belgium - Best Dance Act National
2005 - TMF Awards Belgium - Best Dance Act National
- BelgaDance Awards Belgium - Best Producer Regi Penxten
2004 - TMF Awards Belgium - Best Dance Act National
- TMF Awards Belgium - Life Time Achievement
2003 - TMF Awards Belgium - Best Dance Act National
2002 - TMF Awards Belgium - Best Dance Act National
2001 - Hitkrant The Netherlands - Best International Artists
- Hitkrant The Netherlands - Best International Single "Walk On Water"
- TMF Awards The Netherlands - Best Dance Act International
- TMF Awards Belgium - Best Dance Act National
- TMF Awards Belgium - Best Video "Never Again"
2000 - Top Radio Awards Belgium - Best Vocalist Ann Vervoort
- Radio Donna Awards Belgium - Best Holidaysong of the year "Oceans"
- TMF Awards Belgium - Best Single National "Walk On Water"
1999 - Radio Donna Awards Belgium - Peper Award "In My Eyes"
- Move X Dance Awards Belgium - Best Dance Single "In My Eyes"
- TMF Awards Belgium - Best Dance Act National
References
- ^ http://www.discogs.com/artist/MIlk+Inc.
- ^ http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Euro+house
- ^ http://www.milkinc.be/bio.php
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurodance#House_music
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDoBRBbumpk
- ^ http://www.milkinc.be/disco.php
- ^ http://www.google.com/search?num=20&hl=en&safe=off&biw=1098&bih=483&q=%22annual+mega+concert%22+%22milk+inc.%22&oq=%22annual+mega+concert%22+%22milk+inc.%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=1&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=222l222l0l429l1l1l0l0l0l0l138l138l0.1l1
- ^ a b http://www.ultratop.be/nl/search.asp?search=milk+inc&cat=s
- ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/search.asp?search=milk+inc&cat=a
- ^ "Linda Mertens official site". http://www.lindamertens.be/. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
- ^ "The official Regi Penxten site". http://www.regipenxten.be/. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
- ^ Milk Inc biography on Dancevibes
- ^ Milk Inc. singer dies of drug overdose
- ^ Voormalige zangeres van Milk Inc. (33) overleden - Het Laatste Nieuws (Dutch)
- ^ http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=9886
- ^ http://www.dutchcharts.nl/search.asp?search=milk+inc&cat=s
- ^ http://lescharts.com/search.asp?search=milk+inc&cat=s
- ^ http://swedishcharts.com/search.asp?search=milk+inc&cat=s
- ^ http://spanishcharts.com/search.asp?search=milk+inc&cat=s
- ^ http://www.dutchcharts.nl/search.asp?search=milk+inc&cat=s
- ^ http://www.ultratop.be/fr/certifications.asp?year=2011
- ^ http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=48455
- ^ http://www.dutchcharts.nl/search.asp?search=milk+inc&cat=a
- ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Milk+Inc%2E&titel=The+DVD+%5BDVD%5D&cat=a
- ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Milk+Inc%2E&titel=Supersized+-+Live+At+Sportpaleis+%5BDVD%5D&cat=a
- ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Milk+Inc%2E&titel=Forever+-+Live+At+Sportpaleis+%5BDVD%5D&cat=a
External links
Categories:- Belgian trance music groups
- Eurodance groups
- Techno music groups
- Belgian house music groups
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