We are just seedsmen and our story is seldom told.
Anton van Doornmalen is here to tell exactly these stories. With a guitar, a melting voice and a lot of feelings. Vegetable seeds and music – these are the topics that drive Anton. The long player “Seed Songs” combines both things. Anton currently serves as chairman of the company's supervisory board.
Music is no longer just a balance to work in the office, it is clearly the focus of his life. “I experience the most beautiful moments in this new phase of life with my band,” says the singer and adds: “Simply playing and rehearsing music together, that’s the core of music. That's what I enjoy the most. That touches me and the musicians too. Every time.”
"Passion in Seed"
The CD ”Seed Songs” build a bridge between both worlds. Mainly, the songs tells us more about the passion for the job in the vegetable seed industry. The song “Passion in Seed” is a good example for that: “People, Ambition, Sincerity / everything is there / Smile, Innovation, Optimism / With nothing to compare”, with these lines Anton begins the vibrant opener. Originally, the song was komposed and written for a Japanese competitor. This shows how good the atmosphere and the feeling of togetherness in the vegetable seed industry is.
Apart from Dutch songs (“Waar het om gaat” (What Matters), “Hé, kom aan” (Hey, come on)), you will find English songs like “A healthy future for all” or “You´re not leaving” and two German songs: “Die Zeit” (The time) and “Tomatensalat”. The song consists of just one word in different pronunciations and it puts delicious tomatoes definitely in the focus.
"We are just seedsman", "FIS" and "ISF"
The song “We are just seedsman” is based on the famous song by Paul Simon with a text written by Anton van Doornmalen. The song is about what it's like to work as a seedsman. It's about the goals and the challenges in the industry: “We have to leave our homes and our families / When we want to do our job (…) Looking out for the best area where quality seed can be sown”. The song is about Rijk Zwaan and working for the company headquartered in De Lier.
Anton originally wrote the lyrics for the “FIS” congress in Amsterdam in 1996 for the seed industry. At the “ISF” congress in Rotterdam 2024, the song will be back in its original form, but then with the title “ISF”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9VOytaWWrY
In 1996, when Anton originally performed the song “FIS”, the World Seed Congress was still called: Fédération Internationale du Commerce des Semences. In 2002, the FIS and ASSINEL became today's organization ISF, International Seed Federation. You can find out more here.
All "Seed Songs" are to be found on Spotify.
How to get the longplayer "Seed Songs"?
At the ISF Congress in Rotterdam, the “Seed Songs” are clearly in the creative center of Anton´s music. If you would like to have the CD, just send us an email (medien@avdmusic.com) and then transfer 15 euros to the Sibusiso account (Iban: NL73 RABO0385812167) Afterwards we will send the CD to your adress.