Henk Koorn – vocals, guitar
Peter Konings – bass
Henk Jonkers – drums
The name Hello Venray comes from the NCRV radio program "Los Vast", broadcasted in the 80s on a Dutch radio station from a random location in the Netherlands. Presenter Jan Rietman always started the show with "Hello ...", followed by the name of the place they visited. When Los Vast settled in the town of Venray (Limburg), it became "Hello Venray!".
The band was founded around 1987 by Henk Koorn and among others guitarist Anno Houwing, shortly afterwards followed by drummer Dim Veldhuisen and bassist Peter Konings. The band still had Dutch language repertoire back then. Guitarist Toon Moerland replaced Anno Houwing. In 1989 the album You Don’t Hit a Guy With Glasses On was released in-house. The year after that the album King was released.
In 1992 the breakthrough came with the album "The More I Laugh, The Hornier Due Gets", produced by Henk Jonkers. Singles from that album, including "Slow Change", were played on Radio 3 and followed by a performance on the main stage at Pinkpop Festival. Henk Koorn stole the show by appearing in fishnet stockings and dancing around the stage on a pogo stick.
"A Million Planes To Fly" was released in 1993. The band toured a lot in the Netherlands and abroad, like in France with the band Texas.
"Merry-Go-Round", released in 1995, was not the success that had been hoped for. It became quiet around the band. The "Hallo Venray" album was released in 1997. Dim Veldhuisen left the band during the promotion tour. He was replaced by Henk Jonkers who previously played drums in bands 13 and Fatal Flowers.
The following years were characterized by many side projects.
"Roll Another Number" was released in 2000, an album with Neil Young covers and later that year "I'm Not a Senseless Person, At Least I Don't Want To Be" released. This album was also released in England with the Lo-Max label. In that same year the band signed a contract with Excelsior Recordings. Other side projects included Dakota Love Beach and the Abba’s/Supertroopers, who covered/edited songs from ABBA.
The album "Vegetables and Fruit" was released in 2005, followed by a long tour in the club circuit.
In September 2008 the album "Leather on My Soul" was released. "Leather on My Soul" is a double CD that contains an acoustic and an electric version of all songs. This edition was followed by a Dutch club tour.
At the end of 2012 the band celebrated its 25th anniversary with a real "The More I Laugh, The Hornier Due Gets" tour, in which the "new" composition provided the support for the "old" composition, which played the album in its entirety.
In 2015, the tenth anniversary of "Vegetables and Fruit" gave rise to a second "anniversary tour".
In 2013 Hallo Venray also performed at the Neil Young Festival Zuidhorn. That was at the Café Hotel in’t Holt. This year they're back again on the main stage of Zalencentrum Balk.