Golden Earring Biography

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Biography Golden Earring

Golden Earring




Golden Earring is a Dutch Hard rock/pop/Heavy metal band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings (the 's' was later dropped). They had international chart success with the songs Eight Miles High in 1969, Radar Love in 1973, and Twilight Zone in 1982. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and platinum albums. Current members of Golden Earring are Barry Hay (vocals, guitar, flute and saxophone, member since 1968), George Kooymans (vocals and guitar, founder of band), Rinus Gerritsen (bass and keyboard, founding member), and Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums and percussion, member since 1970).

History

Golden Earring was formed in 1961 in The Hague by 13-year-old George Kooymans and his 15-year-old neighbour, Rinus Gerritsen. Originally called The Tornados, the name was changed to Golden Earrings when they discovered that "The Tornados" was already in use. The name Golden Earrings was taken from a song, originally sung by Marlene Dietrich in 1947 and a hit for Peggy Lee in 1948, with which they opened their concerts.Initially a teenybopper band, Golden Earrings had their first chart success with their debut single Please Go, recorded in 1965. It reached number 9 on the music charts in the Netherlands. Unsatisfied with Dutch recording studios, the band's manager and co-discoverer Fred Haayen arranged for the next single to be recorded at the Pye Records studios in London. The record cut at Pye, That Day, reached number two on the Dutch charts, having been prevented from rising to number one by The Beatles' Michelle.

In 1968, the band earned their first number one hit in the Netherlands with the pop song Dong Dong Diki Diki Dong. This was followed by a successful psychedelic album Eight Miles High, which featured an eighteen-minute version of the title track, itself a cover of the 1966 hit song by The Byrds. The live version, which could last 45 minutes, was considered by some to be a highlight in their first and second American tours.

Golden Earring embarked on their first major US tour in 1969 - 1970, and were among the first European bands to do so.Due to American influences, their music evolved towards hard rock, and they performed along with Led Zeppelin. Between 1969 and 1984, Golden Earring completed thirteen US tours.During this period, they performed as the opening act for Santana, The Doobie Brothers, Rush and .38 Special. In the early seventies, when Radar Love was a hit, they had KISS and Aerosmith as their opening act.They enjoyed a brief period of US stardom but were unable to secure further chart success until 1982's Twilight Zone. After a disappointing reaction in the US to When the Lady Smiles in 1984, Golden Earring turned their focus towards Europe where they continue to attract standing-room-only crowds. Golden Earring has recorded over 30 gold and platinum albums and singles, and a number of artists like U2, White Lion, R.E.M. and Bryan Adams have covered their international hit and rock classic Radar Love.In total, over 200 covers exist of this song.

Golden Earring is known for powerful live performances, performing over 200 concerts a year, mainly in home country The Netherlands and occasionally in Belgium, Germany and the UK.Their energetic live performances have led to several live albums. Live, recorded at London's Rainbow Theater in 1977, 2nd Live, 1981, Something Heavy Going Down, 1984 (also released on DVD as Live from the Twilight Zone.) Last Blast of the Century, a live registration of their last concert of the 20th century, is available on both CD and DVD.

While Golden Earring has almost faded from the international concert scene, they still maintain a core group of loyal fans abroad, and their music is still played on US, Canadian, British, Australian and other radio stations. However a new American or European tour is something the band is undecided about, although their 2003 record Millbrook USA was recorded in Millbrook, New York state, at the studio of fellow-musician Frank Carillo, which indicates the band has not lost touch with the US.

Golden Earring celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2006 and has been performing almost continuously ever since its start in 1961, and in the same line-up since 1970. It is one of the oldest rock bands in the world.

Music

Golden Earring has released music worldwide and enjoyed brief international superstar status in the Seventies when the single version of Radar Love, from the album Moontan became a hit in both Europe and the USA. A non-nude album cover was distributed for the North American release. Moontan itself was awarded a gold record in the US. Radar Love has its own website http://www.radar-love.net listing hundreds of covers of the song, voted "best car song ever" by readers of USA Today in 2005 and second best "greatest driving song" in a poll of BBC's program Top Gear, after Don't Stop Me Now from Queen.The Twilight Zone, written by Kooymans in 1982, brought Golden Earring a second international round of success. The song was accompanied by one of the first rock videos, directed by Dick Maas. As MTV had just launched their music television channel in 1981, the airplay helped The Twilight Zone secure a Top Ten hit in the States.

When the Lady Smiles, from the album N.E.W.S., was the next international hit in 1984, again helped by a video, although it never became a hit in the US as the original video was banned from MTV due to nudity and the portrayal of the rape of a nun, and a newly cut version of the clip failed to convey its original intentions. When the Lady Smiles topped at #3 in Canada and became the band's fifth number one hit in their home country.

When touring the United States in 1984, Golden Earring played the Great Arena of Six Flags Great Adventure on May 11, 1984 and were in the midst of their concert when the fire at the Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure began on the opposite side of the theme park, killing eight teenagers.

Their best selling albums were Moontan of which over a million copies were sold worldwide, and the unplugged acoustic live CD/DVD The Naked Truth in 1992, which sold over 500,000 copies in the Netherlands alone and laid the foundation of their successful unplugged theater tours that started in 1992 and continue to date. This album was followed by Naked II, and the trilogy was completed in 2005 with Naked III Live at The Panama.

Discography

Albums

  • 1965 Just Earrings
  • 1966 Winter-Harvest
  • 1967 Miracle Mirror
  • 1968 On the Double (2lp)
  • 1969 Eight Miles High
  • 1970 Golden Earring (aka Wall of Dolls)
  • 1971 Seven Tears
  • 1972 Together
  • 1973 Moontan
  • 1974 Switch
  • 1975 To the Hilt
  • 1976 Contraband (titled "Mad Love" with different cover art and alternate track list in USA)
  • 1977 Live (live 2lp)
  • 1978 Grab It for a Second
  • 1979 No Promises...No Debts
  • 1980 Prisoner of the Night
  • 1981 2nd Live (live 2lp)
  • 1982 Cut
  • 1983 N.E.W.S.
  • 1984 Something Heavy Going Down (live)
  • 1986 The Hole
  • 1989 Keeper of the Flame
  • 1991 Bloody Buccaneers
  • 1992 The Naked Truth (unplugged)
  • 1994 Face It (partially unplugged)
  • 1995 Love Sweat (covers)
  • 1997 Naked II (unplugged)
  • 1999 Paradise in Distress
  • 2000 Last Blast of the Century (live)
  • 2003 Millbrook U.S.A.
  • 2005 Naked III, Live at the Panama (unplugged live)
  • 2006 Live In Ahoy


Compilations

  • 1968 Greatest Hits (Polydor)
  • 1970 The Best of Golden Earring (US)
  • 1973 Hearing Earring
  • 1977 Story
  • 1981 Greatest Hits, Vol. 3
  • 1988 The Very Best, Vol. 1
  • 1988 The Very Best, Vol. 2
  • 1989 The Continuing Story of Radar Love
  • 1992 Radar Love
  • 1994 Best of Golden Earring (Europe)
  • 1998 The Complete Naked Truth
  • 1998 70s & 80s, Vol. 35
  • 2000 Greatest Hits
  • 2001 Devil Made Us Do It: 35 Years
  • 2002 Singles 1965-1967
  • 2002 Bloody Buccaneers/Face It
  • 2003 3 Originals
  • 2006 The Edgar Schumacher Band


References

  • Biography by Golden Earring founder and bass player Rinus Gerritsen published on the band's website.
  • Biographical books on the Golden Earring: "Haagsche Bluf" by Pieter Franssen, 1993, and "Rock die niet roest" by prof. Maarten Steenmeyer, 2005. Both titles are in Dutch.
  • "The Story of Golden Earring" by Karin and Mechteld Beks, Pictura publishers, an authorized biography published on the occasion of the band's 45th anniversary.
  • Interviews with the band over the years, many of which can be traced back through the Golden Earring Museum website.


External links



Dutch rock music groups1960s music groups1970s music groups1980s music groupsNederpop

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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden Earring
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