The Blue Van

History

The Blue Van formed in Brønderslev, Denmark when the members were in the 6th grade. They later moved to Copenhagen, where they recorded two EPs before releasing their debut full-length album, The Art Of Rolling, in April 2005. The band built a following in the United States through numerous shows in and around New York City prior to that album's release, and by playing events such as the Austin City Limits Music Festival and the Village Voice's Siren Festival.

Their second album, Dear Independence, came out in October 2006, and they toured extensively with Australian band Jet to promote it. During that tour, fans heard early versions of "Rico", "The Odyssey", and "Don't Leave Me Blue". In early 2007, the band announced they would enter a recluse state at a farm house to write material for their third album. The lead single from that album, Man Up, was "Silly Boy", which appeared in a 2008 US commercial for the Samsung Behold cell phone.

That sync was the first of many from the band's catalog, with songs like "Man Up", "Silly Boy", and "I'm a Man" featured in television series including Beverly Hills 90210, Call Me Fritz, Revenge, Shameless, Free Radio, Private Practice, the German series Countdown-Die Jagd beginnt, CSI: NY, NCIS, Entourage, Mercy, Dallas, Lie to Me, and in commercials for Scrubs, Red Lobster, Samsung, Common Law, Telus, Time Warner Cable, and NFL football. "Silly Boy" was used in the movie The First Time, and "Man Up" appeared in the MLB 09: The Show video game.

The song "Independence" became the theme for USA Network's show Royal Pains. "There Goes My Love" was featured in a debut Apple iPad commercial that first aired during the 2010 Oscars. The title track from the 2010 album Love Shot appeared in the 2012 film Magic Mike and in an episode of The Hard Times of RJ Berger. "I'm a Man" was used in the film American Reunion and its soundtrack, and "Man Up" appeared in the trailer and soundtrack for Adam Sandler's That's My Boy. "I'm a Man" was also used in the trailer for Fright Night.

Did You Know?

• The band name is derived from "Den blå vogn" - a van that collected mentally ill people in Denmark.
• Others believe the name may be a tribute to a band from near the Deutschtown neighborhood of Pittsburgh who had a hit song of the same name in the late 1990s.