Clouseau

by Matt Collar
The Flemish pop group Clouseau has been a popular and recognizable entity throughout Belgium and the Netherlands since the '80s. Taking its name from the iconic Peter Sellers character Inspector Clouseau, the band formed in the Dutch-speaking area of Belgium in 1984. They achieved some success with their debut 1987 single, "Brandweer," and two years later, after coming in second in the Eurovision Song Contest, they released their debut album, Hoezo? They released their sophomore effort, Of Zo..., in 1990 and participated once again in Eurovision. Clouseau released several albums during the '90s, including the English-language album Close Encounters in 1991 and Doorgaan in 1993, behind which they toured with Roxette. Despite several lineup changes over the years, Clouseau has continued to perform. They released Vonken & Vuur in 2007.