Philippe Galand was bitten by the percussion bug twenty years ago and has already had the opportunity to play a few times at Tomorrowland’s Dreamville campsite. By day, he continues his motivated work at Van Moer Logistics as operations coordinator.
“About twenty years ago I started taking djembe lessons. That percussion instrument was very popular then. I soon got the hang of it, partly thanks to my neighbour, the now deceased drummer Filip De Corte. Filip really motivated me and literally pushed me onto the stage. In time, I took over bookings from him or we started making music together,” Philippe Galand says. “After my tourism studies, I studied percussion at the Antwerp Jazz Studio for a while, while also working full-time in the hospitality industry. There was no question of a career in logistics back then.”
From the hospitality industry to Van Moer Logistics, a remarkable career switch?
“To start at Van Moer Logistics, I started studying transport and freight forwarding through the Flemish Employment Service. As a twenty-eight-year-old father of a young son, I was then back at school among fellow students who were ten years younger. That was a very special experience. I graduated magna cum laude and almost immediately got to work as a team leader at Katoen Natie. Today, I am a very enthusiastic and motivated operations coordinator at Van Moer Logistics.”
Yet you have always managed to combine your musical pursuits with a full-time job?
“True, although it’s not always easy. In logistics, you also often have to deal with long and changing hours. Fortunately, I usually play late at night or on weekends. One has never actually got in the way of the other, although I regularly have short nights,” he laughs.
Do you have a regular spot as a percussionist in a band?
“Yes, recently I became one of the three percussionists in the Antwerp band ‘El Niño’. We play old Latin American music with Antwerp lyrics. In the weekend of 24 and 25 August, for example, we play at ‘Bar Oost’ in Antwerp and the following week during the Brasschaat Village Day. We try to get together every Sunday evening to rehearse. I am also regularly booked as a solo percussionist to play together with a DJ. Sometimes there is also a saxophonist or a violinist. With that combination, I have already played regularly during the Tomorrowland parade. I also play annually at Dreamville, Tomorrowland’s campsite.”
What do you still want to achieve musically?
“If I had to choose between either playing at a big festival or recording a CD, I would resolutely choose recording. Recording a CD with ‘El Niño’ seems great to me. We’ll see what else comes along. I enjoy every concert and in any case I try very hard to improve as a musician. Maybe I will soon start working on a solo programme with digital drum loops.”
