The journey of Futureworld Orchestra.
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the Journey of Futurworld Orchestra
When Robert and Gerto first crossed paths in 1980, one thing was clear from the start: they shared an insatiable love for synthesizers. By happy coincidence, they each owned a collection of synths that fit together like puzzle pieces. Robert brought along a Polymoog, a Korg MS-20, a drum machine, and an 8-track tape recorder with a mixing desk—an impressive setup in those days! Gerto contributed a Korg-3200, ARP-2600, an ARP-sequencer and a reverb/echo to the mix, and just like that, Futureworld Orchestra’s journey began.
The pair soon decided to pool their gear and talents, setting up their first demo studio in the spare room of Gerto’s parents’ house. This was no ordinary bedroom setup but a pioneering studio where Futureworld Orchestra’s first recordings came to life. After a few months of intense late-night sessions, Robert and Gerto had crafted around five rough demos. Young, bold, and full of ambition, they took the plunge and called Dureco, the Dutch record company behind legends like Shocking Blue. In no time, they had an appointment, and a week later, with demo tapes in hand, they headed off to Dureco’s office.
At the same time, they reached out to Hilversum 3’s legendary DJ Wim van Putten, who took an immediate interest in their work. So keen was he, in fact, that he soon featured three of their tracks on his popular show LP Uur (LP Hour), a programme renowned for showcasing fresh and obscure music.
By early 1981, Robert and Gerto’s dedication paid off, and they inked their first record deal with Dureco. This contract sealed plans to record four tracks with the possibility of a full album. Unsure of where to begin, they opted to re-record their four demos in a professional studio in Hilversum, where they were paired with producers Bernard Oates and Rob van Schaik, members of the internationally successful group The Limit. Together, they polished up Desire, I’m Not Afraid of the Future, Casablanca Nights, and Airborne.
Their debut single, Desire, was released in October 1981 and quickly became a hit. Frits Spits, the biggest DJ at the time, was so captivated by it that he featured the track daily on his show, De Avondspits (Evening Rush Hour). The buzz grew, demand surged, and soon Robert and Gerto were invited to perform on iconic TV music programmes Toppop and Nederland Muziekland. Overseas interest wasn’t far behind, especially from Spain and Italy. With their rapid success opening doors, they set out to record a full album in the spring of 1982, launching Futureworld Orchestra onto the international stage.
