Dutchs Progressive and Symfo Bands.
I
87PM
Two guys from the nabourhood of Maastricht who paste beautiful pictures with hteir elektronic stuff.
Please check them out, ambient tunes with adventureos landscapes.
Marc Weerts &
Percy Flint.
ALQUIN
Top band from Delft, with roots in classical- and jazz-rock.
Michel van Dijk- vocals,
Ferdinand Bakker - guitar,
Dick Fransen- keys,
Ronald Ottenhoff - sax & flute,
Jan Visser- bass,
Job Tarenskeen - drums.
Marks ('72) and Mountain Queen ('73) are the highlights, later they got a hit with
Wheelchair Groupie. In '77 the group felt apart and went over in the Meteors.
This isn't the end of the story. On November 18 1995 Alquin does a successful reunion concert in youth
center De Eland in Delft. The line up consists of Van Dijk, Bakker, Franssen, Tarenskeen, Ottenhof and
Dick Schulte-Nordholt. A year later is involved in a short tour, where they visit some Dutch university cities.
And again in 2003 they perform in several cities in the Netherlands and they have plans to release a DVD
with a registration of these concerts but also with archive material.
The line up this time is: Michel van Dijk (vocals), Ferdinand Bakker (guitar, vocals), Dick Franssen
(keyboards), Job Tarenskeen (drums, percussion), Ronald Ottenhoff (saxophone, clarinet),
Frans Koenn (bass), Trudie van Starrenburg (backing vocals) en Caroline Dest (backing vocals).
In 2003 the new double cd and dvd are released as One More Night. The cd contains also a new Alquin track,
Sweet Surrender. In 2004 Alquin returns with a dutch tour. This time with a new bass player,
Walter Latuperissa (he worked with
Snowy White!).
A new excellent album Blue Planet is released in 2005.
Ferdinand Bakker - guitars, violin, piano, vocals,
Michiel van Dijk - lead vocals,
Dick Franssen - hammond, keyboards,
Ronald Ottenhoff - saxes,
Walter Latuperissa - bass
(he worked with
Snowy White),
Job Tarenskeen - drums and vocals,
The Fabulous Styler Horns.
A great excellent performance from these older boys made my day complete at Symforce 2008.
What an energy what a great wonderful craftmen with humor. Festival organisators, book this band, they are a must on every
Prog or Rock festival!
Live Photo’s by Bert Treep.
Tour dates 2009! Please check them out!
SAILORS & SINNERS ('09).
Is the new album from those Dutch Rockers, and it became a young fresh good old fashioned super album. Great psychedlic jazzy rock songs,
performed with a lot of energy and fun.
With Robert Sinclair.
AVALON
This cult band of eighties sympho, hardrock metal has tried to be forgotten but is always remembered by
underground metal lovers over the world for their keen arrangements, catchy songs and intricate
guitar parts.
One of the driveing forces of this Dutch band is Jack Pisters, he played in SOYLENT GREEN
and played with Anouk and
Keith Caputo. Currently he is in the band S.C.A.R.
Some notable members of Avalon were:
Richard Muermans (vocals)
Jack Pisters (guitars)
Maarten Huiskamp (guitars)
Eric Fox (bas)
Jacques Kraal (Drums, Angels of Decay)
Giovanni Pileri (keyboards, Horizon & Robbie Valentine)
Jan van Dinteren (bas)
Frankie Woodhouse (drums, Jewel)
Jos Zoomer (drums, Vandenburg & Shiver)
Peter Struyk (vocals, Horizon, Vandenburg & First Avenue)
Marije Driessen (vocals)
Avalon did some support acts with Uriah Heep.
Their latest line upp was:
Richard Muermans - zang
Jack Pisters - gitaar
Jan van Dinteren - basgitaar
Maarten Huiskamp - gitaar en toetsen
Jax Kraal - drums
Their latest album is called "The Final Move" and is a double album. You can read a review at
this place.
And their farewel gig was held in De Boerderij, 10 Novmber 2007. A great gig and of a great band.
S.C.A.R. released their debut album "The Awakening" on which the band displays great dynamics,
superb songs and a beautiful sonic quality by an inventive production with a tasty vintage vibe.
The style of the band is a mix of what fans describe as a mix of alternative rock, new wave moods, a twist
of grunge and a deep love for the great bands of the seventies!
S.C.A.R. is:
Jack Pisters - guitars & vocals
Jaimie van Hek - bass &
Victor Dirks - drums
More of that band soon.
They supported the Reasoning in Heerlen on the 23th of May 2008.
wonderful gig, great support band that Rocks.
PBII.
PBII is a new name in the land of progressive rock. Founded in april 2008, but
with a load of experience. Let’s give a explanation of the name: “PBII” stands
for “Plackband 2”.
Plackband started in the late 70-ies. And the music was heavenly influenced by the old prog.
In 1994 they recorded a CD with Michel, Ed Wernke (FAF) and Karel Messemaker called “The First of November”.
In the new millenium they did several gigs, but they to throw away the old shoes and start walking on some fresh boots.
A brief introduction:
Tom van der Meulen (V-drums)
Harry den Hartog (V-bass and backing vocals)
Michel van Wassem (Lead vocals and Keyboards)
Ronald Brautigam (V-guitars and backing vocals)
The remaining ex-plackband members Tom van der Meulen (drums), Michel van Wassem
(lead vocals & keyboards) and Ronald Brautigam (Guitars & backing vocals) will
be completed with bassplayer Harry den Hartog, also member of the well known
rock cover band “de RockenJagers”.
Harry was already searching for a good progressive rock band, to better express
himself. His versatility and fabulous skills will do right in PBII! The former
members of Plackband wanted to further develop their recently change of musical
direction, which resulted in the new formation under the new name: “PBII”.
The new style of PBII is a mixture of modern progressive rock, jazz-rock and neo
symphonic rock. “Impressive, surprising and dynamic” are remarks of people
hearing the new material of PBII. As well the comparison with UK-based progband
“Frost*” is sometimes made, which is no real surprise knowing this band has
stimulated and influenced PBII doing a mutual gig at “the Classic rock Society”
in 2007. A further cooperation between these two bands is a true possibility.
Among the new songs, some old (30+ yrs!) material can still be heard in a PBII
show.
The first album of this formation is scheduled to be released in December 2009 and will
feature Heide Jo Jones; "To make the CD more versatile we’ve decided to invite
some guest musicians for appearing on our album. The first to agree was UK based and very
talented Heidi Jo Hines.
We met Heidi Jo at our mutual gig in Rotherham (UK) last December ’08, we were very impressed
by her, which made us to ask her to participate in our CD.
The first beautiful result “It’s my live” a song written by Heidi Jo, is already available
for listening on our myspaceprofile .
Heidi is the daughter of the well known Denny Laine, one of the founders of “the Moody Blues” (Go Now) and singer/guitar player with Paul McCartney’s Wings.
We are talking to other guest musicians for participation, more news to come soon.
April 10 “de Boerderij” in Zoetermeer (NL) with Heidi
April 11 in “The Rock Temple” in Kerkrade (NL).
With Magenta &
RPWL!!!
Criticize The Critics is the working title of the new album that will be released at the start of 2010. As we know
Heidi Jo Jones will do some vocals. John Jowitt will
be doing some bass lines and John Mitchell wll play some guitar
on this one. So i guess it is good to keep an eye on them.
Picture by Bert Treep from De Boerderij Zoetermeer 10th of April.
NEWS:
The new album wil be called Plastic Soup and will be presented at the Boerderij Zoetermeer, dd 23 of Januari 2010.
Guest apperances of:
John Jowitt,
John Mitchell &
Heidie Jo Jones.
The cd sounds great, fine prog tunes and well crafted songs. The song with Heidi Jo Jones is my fav at this moment. More next week.
If you be there you'll get the new album for free!
23.jan.2010 CD Presentation @ De Boerderij Zoetermeer Netherlands
30.jan.2010 CD presentation Germany (pROCKclub) Bielefelt
13.mrt.2010 The Rock Temple Kerkrade, Limburg
17.apr.2010
IDUNA Poppodium POSTPONED Drachten
21.mei.2010
Het Buescafe Apeldoorn, Overijssel
13.nov.2010
Rockcafe The Rambler Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant
Contract signed with and American label:
Plastic Soup is the first album of the new Dutch Progressive rock band PBII, the successor to the well known Plackband of the 70's and 80's, often called the Dutch Genesis. Plastic Soup however, has a sound that is absolutely 2010: modern, fresh and rocky but still with some great symphonic influences of the past. Stylistically, you could place it somewhere between Spocks Beard, Porcupine Tree, Frost*, Marilion, Linkin Park and Genesis. Special guests include John Mitchell (Arena, It Bites, Frost*), John Jowitt (IQ, Frost*) and Heidi Jo Hines (daughter of Denny Laine of Wings. Though not a concept album, the central theme of the album is the environment. Plastic Soup is another name for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, floating in the ocean with a size twice that of the US.
Discoverer of this plastic soup is captain Charles Moore, who also did some voice overs on the album. PBII wishes to get more attention to this environmental problem.
Ronald Brautigam of PBII had this to say: "PBII is very proud to announce that we have signed a worldwide license deal for our new album Plastic Soup. The first release was done by ourselves, but the prog fans and media reacted so overwhelming that we couldn’t handle the sales anymore. So we decided to look for a record company that was well organized, with a good marketing machine on one hand, and with a personal touch on the other. We knew Shawn Gordon of ProgRock Records from his frequent emails with the latest releases and news. No flowery language, just strait the point! That was what we were looking for, no dark hills, just beautiful horizons with challenging paths to go for! We believe in a very productive partnership with Shawn, so let’s pour out the Soup!".
“This was quite a please surprise when it came across my desk, I didn’t even realize the guys were looking for a label, but we quickly came to an understanding, what a pleasure to work with such professionals. The concept on this album is also something that spoke to me as an avid sailor and fisherman, welcome aboard.”, said Shawn Gordon, President of ProgRock Records.
“Plastic Soup” is the new worldwide ProgRock Records release from PBII and can be found at http://www.progrockrecords.com/artists/view.php?id=134.
The album will be released late March 2010 and
available in stores on July 13, 2010 but is
available for immediate pre-sale at a $2 discount.
Best Regards,
Shawn Gordon
President
ProgRock Records
www.progrockrecords.com
www.mindawn.com
www.nos.nl
Dutch review
DeWolff.
3 youngsters from the lovely South of the Netherlands, who try, and i must confess, they succeeded very well,
to lay down a mix of Jimmy Hendrix, the Doors, the old Floyd and Led Zepplin.
The youngest is just 14 (2009), the other 2 members are 17. But believe me; live it;s an sensation, with video imagines and a perfect set.
Robin Piso - Organ/Vocals
Luka van de Poel - Drums/Vocals
Pablo van de Poel - Guitars/Vocals
EARTH & FIRE.
A progressive and pop-rock group arround Jerney Kaagman. George Kooijmans (from The Golden Earing) writes their first hit Season ('70). Members; Jerney Kaagman (7-9-47)- vocals, Ton Scherpenzeel (8-6-52, KAYAK)- keyboards, Bert Ruiter (11-26-46)- bass, Ab Tamboer- drums, John Pistoor- keyboards, Age Kat- guitar.
Atlantis ('73), Reality fills Fantasy ('79, with the very strong titletrack and Rick van der Linden EKSEPTION and Max Werner KAYAK), In State of Flux ('82).
Top band from Delft, with roots in classical- and jazz-rock.
EKSEPTION.
Pop and classical influences ('70-'73), with Rick van der Linden, who played later in Trace and Eart&Fire. Other members started Spin
FOCUS.
Dutch band (begin '70) with guitarist Jan Akkerman (first in Brainbox with Kaz Lux), Thijs van Leer on flute, piano, keyboards & jelling, Pierre van der Linden- drums (also from Brainbox later in Ekseption) & Bert Ruiter- bass (played in numerous dutch bands).
Very popular even in the States. The story goes that the boys of Yes where visitors and that Frank Zappa did the support act!
Again pop with classical influences. Both, Jan and Thijs, gone solo, Jan Akkerman even was called the fastest guitarist of the world! He made a numerous of solo albums, from arabesque new age, heavy rock till some floydian stuff (Noise of Art '90). Thijs went best known album is Introspection ('72).
The band got a revial in 2002, Thijs gathered some new boys to set up the band, gigs in Europe and the
States.
ILLUMION.
Illumion has finished recording their first full length album!
It contains 11 original songs, mainly inspired by travelling experiences and books of authors/poets like Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe,
Franz Kafka and William Blake.
The album will be called HUNTING FOR SIGNIFICANCE ('09).
Fine prog with sometimes a bit harder edge, if you like Magenta from Wales and Magenta from Norway,
this is the mix between those both band.
Eveline van Kampen - Guitars/composer
Esther Ladiges -
Vocals/grunts/percussion
Emile Boellaard - Drums
Peter H. Boer - Bass/keyboards/producer
Previous members
Annemieke de Boer- Keyboards
Eveline Simons- Keyboards.
Peter H.Boer plays also in "Dwaalspoor" and together with Emile Boellaard in S.O.T.E. (if you like Rush pleas try them out!),
somtimes he play with Ulysses.
Ester Ladiges is involved in Unicorn & Ixion, also with Peter and also with Sylvester Vogelenzang & Michale Hos from
Ulysses, Gerben Klazinga from Knigh Area.
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Symfo-Index.
Updated Sept 2009 by Nick.
Shine On!
www.mostlypink.net
