Weekender #7 Peter Schuyff

Peter Schuyff was born in the Netherlands in 1958 and left in 1967. His ambitions as an artist brought him to New York at age 18. During most of the eighties and nineties he lived at the Chelsea Hotel where his art was collected by Dennis Hopper and Sylvester Stallone amongst others; he is given high-profile commissions by Gianna Versace. His work can be seen here.

Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquiat were friends and colleagues. Herbert Hunke, Dee Dee Ramone and whatshisname, the guy who married Uma Thurman are friends and neighbors.

 All this is still not enough and so after the turn of the new century, without ever having so much as warbled in the shower, he starts writing and singing songs. Peter says that these songs are the paintings he has always wanted to make. He moves to Amsterdam and records his first album.

At the opening you will hear some of his songs and some of his works will be on view, amongst others his collection of carved pencils he makes whenever he is feeling nervous.

More about his music

The Woodwards’ eponymous 2009 debut album was produced by Attie Bauw (Judas Priest, Bootsie Collins, Simple Minds) and featured Rob Kloet (The Nits) on drums, Gwen Cresens on bandonion, and Signe Tollefsen’s backing vocals. The single I wanna woman was released with an accompanying music video directed by Tycho van Zijderveld.

 Since then The Woodwards have seen two new EP’s (Burn Everything, Twenty Toes), 2 changes of line-up, regular shows across the Netherlands, a tour in the US and 4 tours across Europe.

 In 2010 after the release of Burn Everything, The Woodwards became a duo when Peter was joined by British singer Stevie Guy who can be heard on the latest EP Twenty Toes.

 The Woodwards are currently preparing for their 5th UK tour, a remix EP of tracks from Burn Everything, a book about Peter’s life in New York and a brand new album.