Thé Lau
A poetic, raspy-voiced frontman who became a beloved and resilient figure in Dutch rock for over four decades.
1952–2015 (age 63)·Dutch musician and writer·Birthday: July 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Thé Lau was the thoughtful, cigarette-scarred voice of Dutch alternative rock. Emerging from the coastal town of Bergen, he co-founded The Scene in the late 1980s, a band that distilled a distinctly European blend of melancholic melody and gritty guitar rock. Lau’s lyrics, often introspective and literary, set them apart. With hits like 'Iedereen is Van De Wereld,' The Scene achieved massive national success, their anthems soundtracks to a generation. Lau’s solo work, beginning in the mid-90s, revealed an even more personal and acoustic side, earning him critical respect as a songwriter's songwriter. His battle with esophageal cancer, which he documented with stark honesty in his music and writing, only deepened his connection with the Dutch public. He continued to perform and write until his death, leaving behind a body of work celebrated for its emotional authenticity and poetic grit.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Thé was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Thé Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Thé's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Died at 63
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Led the Dutch band The Scene to major success with their 1991 album 'Blauw,' which topped the Dutch charts.
- Wrote and performed the enduring Dutch anthem 'Iedereen is Van De Wereld' (Everyone is of the World).
- Authored several books, including the novel 'Zondag' (Sunday), showcasing his literary talent beyond music.
- Maintained a prolific solo career, releasing over ten studio albums that explored folk and introspective rock.
Did You Know?
He was a trained sculptor before fully committing to music.
His stage name 'Thé' is the French word for tea, a nickname from his youth.
He publicly documented his cancer treatment in a 2011 documentary titled 'Thé Lau: Het Einde van een Oorlog' (The End of a War).
The Scene's music was used in the popular Dutch film 'All Stars.'
“I write about the small things, the cracks in the pavement where life grows.”
