{{Short description|Dutch gay dance music band}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Bearforce 1 | image = Bearforce1Switzerland.webp | caption = Bearforce 1 in 2015 during their campaign to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest. | origin = Netherlands and Northern Ireland | genre = Pop, Dance | years_active = 2006–Present | label = C+R Records | associated_acts = Spice Girls | website = | current_members = Robert Brown (2006–present) <br /> Paul Bloomer (2014-Present) <br /> Brian McBride (2019-present) <br /> Ambrose Donnelly (2019-present) <br /> Yuri (2006–2009) <br /> Ian Turnel (2006–2008) <br /> Peter Johansson (2006–2008) <br /> Peter Gerrist (2008–2009) <br /> Eddi (2007–2008) <br /> Ryan Wilkinson (2014–2018) <br /> Simon Crawford (2014–2019) <br /> Alan Gordon (2019-2022) }} '''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,<ref name=muzikale>{{cite news|title=Muzikale hoogte- en dieptepunten van 2007|url=http://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/article1750796.ece|accessdate=24 January 2011|newspaper=Trouw|date=6 January 2008}}</ref> 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 (Ian Turnel, Peter Johansson, and Yuri) and an Irishman (Robert Brown),<ref name=reservebeer/> led by actor and producer Roeland Fernhout.<ref name=groots/> Their eponymous single "Bearforce 1", a medley of popular dance songs including Sabrina Salerno's Boys and Dead or Alive's You Spin Me Round, accompanied by a video clip in which the four bears dance and lip-sync, was a YouTube phenomenon<ref name=reservebeer/><ref>{{cite news|title=Bearforce 1: Una Banda de Gais 'Osos' triunfa con un video en Internet|url=http://www.diariocordoba.com/noticias/noticia.asp?pkid=354563|accessdate=24 January 2011|newspaper=Diario Cordoba|date=7 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721050131/http://www.diariocordoba.com/noticias/noticia.asp?pkid=354563|archive-date=2011-07-21|url-status=dead}}</ref> and ended as #20 on LOGO TV's Ultimate Queer Videos Countdown.<ref>[http://www.logoonline.com/shows/dyn/the_click_list_ultimate_queer/videos.jhtml The Click List: Ultimate Queer Videos: Videos | Logo Online]</ref> Praise by Perez Hilton<ref name=reservebeer/> led to a tour in the United States<ref name=reservebeer>{{cite news|title=Bearforce 1 vindt reservebeer |url=http://www.depers.nl/entertainment/109925/Bearforce-1-vindt-reservebeer.html |accessdate=24 January 2011 |newspaper=De Pers |date=7 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311225521/http://www.depers.nl/entertainment/109925/Bearforce-1-vindt-reservebeer.html |archivedate=11 March 2012 }}</ref><ref name=groots>{{cite news|title=Bearforce 1 heeft grootse plannen voor 2008 |url=http://www.rtl.nl/%28/actueel/rtlboulevard/nieuws/%29/components/actueel/rtlboulevard/nieuwsfeed/2008/week01/novum_01_01_2008_0196.xml |accessdate=24 January 2011 |newspaper=RTL Nederland }}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and attention in the US media--''The Washington Post'' wrote of the band, "Finally, there's a boy band for older, hairy gay men."<ref>{{cite news|title=Five Click-Worthy Videos on the Web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/23/AR2007082300945.html|accessdate=24 January 2011|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=26 August 2007}}</ref>
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),<ref>{{cite news|title=Bearforce 1 is klaar voor een harige kerst|url=http://www.spitsnet.nl/nieuws.php/47/7743/online/Bearforce_1_is_klaar_voor_een_harige_kerst.html|accessdate=24 January 2011|newspaper=Spits|date=13 November 2007}}</ref> The song entered the Single Top 100 at #7.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bearforce 1 scoort kersthit van het jaar|url=http://www.nu.nl/muziek/1365109/bearforce-1-scoort-kersthit-van-het-jaar.html|accessdate=24 January 2011|newspaper=Nu.nl|date=21 December 2007}}</ref> In December 2007 they played a series of concerts in Rotterdam Ahoy with Gerard Joling,<ref>{{cite news|title=Bearforce1 met Gerard Joling in Ahoy|url=http://www.trouw.nl/cultuur/article1520088.ece|accessdate=24 January 2011|newspaper=Trouw|date=3 December 2007}}</ref> and in 2008 they played at the first same-sex marriage ceremony to take place at the Tilburg Pink Monday fair.<ref>{{cite news|title=Allereerste homohuwelijk op de kermis |url=http://www.blikopnieuws.nl/bericht/79677 |accessdate=24 January 2011 |newspaper=Blik op Nieuws |date=22 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724150446/http://www.blikopnieuws.nl/bericht/79677 |archivedate=24 July 2011 }}</ref> A third single, "Shake That Thing," was again praised by Perez Hilton.<ref>{{cite news|title=Perez Hilton looft nieuwe clip Bearforce 1|url=http://www.nu.nl/achterklap/1621421/perez-hilton-looft-nieuwe-clip-bearforce-1.html|accessdate=24 January 2011|newspaper=NU.nl|date=20 June 2008}}</ref>
The same year, Johansson was replaced by Peter Gerrist. On Saturday 3 January 2009, Andrew Lloyd Webber 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".{{citation needed|date=January 2011}} The band broke up in late 2009.<ref>James, Andrea. "[http://boingboing.net/2010/08/19/gone-but-not-forgott.html Gone but not forgotten: Bearforce 1]", Boingboing.net. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2012.</ref> In 2014 Bearforce 1 reformed with three new members, Robert Brown being the only returning member.<ref name=Comeback>{{cite news|title=Bearforce1 announce Comeback |url=http://essentiallypop.com/2014/11/04/bearforce1-announces-comeback/ |accessdate=5 November 2014 |newspaper=essentially pop |date=4 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106203107/http://essentiallypop.com/2014/11/04/bearforce1-announces-comeback/ |archivedate=6 November 2014 }}</ref> The band's comeback single 'Action Man'<ref name="Action Man">{{cite news|title=Bearforce1 Comeback Single|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM60fRbnQ1Y |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/zM60fRbnQ1Y |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|accessdate=5 November 2014|website=YouTube|date=4 November 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Eurovision Entry for Switzerland">{{cite news|title=Eurovision Entry For Switzerland |url=http://esc.srf.ch/en-ch/bearforce1-0?sorting=alpha |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107023345/http://esc.srf.ch/en-ch/bearforce1-0?sorting=alpha |archivedate=2014-11-07 }}</ref>
==Discography==
===Singles=== *2007: "Bearforce 1" *2007: "Christmas Is Here" (reached #28 in Dutch Singles Chart) *2008: "Shake That Thing" *2014: "Action Man"
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{facebook|officialbearforce1}} *[http://www.myspace.com/bearforce1music MySpace page]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Dutch boy bands Category:Dutch YouTubers Category:Dutch LGBTQ-themed musical groups Category:2006 establishments in the Netherlands Category:Bear (gay culture)