Question: please name a rockband,
which is together for more than 36 years in the same line up, and has
never had a change inbetween. Not even the Rolling Stones can say that.
And to be honest, spontainously I can only think about one artist, and
that's Golden Earring. Noone really can explain this phenomen, if it is
actually one, or just the fact of a brilliant personal foundation and
friendship over all those years. Founded in 1964 by George Kooymans and
Rinus Geritsen, these two got Barry Hay in in 1967 and Cesar
Zuiderwijk in 1970. And since there nothing has changed, as I said
before. Yep, they are a so called Living Legend, and apart from the
Netherlands Golden Earring has survivid all these years with
exactly two songs - 'Radar Love' and 'Twiglight Zone' - in the rest of
the world. What a shame! Because they have got so much more great music
to offer. Only in their homecountry most probably every tune, they've
ever written is well known. And there, the band is still constantly
touring and on the road and playing their asses off. - 'Just let's have
fun' is the slogan and not money anymore in first place.
And yes the dutch band has neclected
us for about at least 10 years with their Live presence - in Germany and
beyound, which is probably the fault of the ignorance of the media world,
who has put Golden Earring as a fossile with cultstatus to the cut
out files. The radiostations here still play 'Radar Love' and 'Twilight
Zone' but ain't aware about the fact, that now and then, there is a new CD
out as well.
Thanks to this fact, the average musiclover in Germany knows exactly those
two tracks and not much more of this really great rockband, who still know
their job sooo good damn well after almost four decades.
However, Golden Earring are here right now, tonight and luckily we live in
Munich. George
Kooymans, Rinus Gerritsen, Barry Hay und Cesar Zuiderwijk have made
the one time move from the Netherlands to southern Germany to play this
single show included in the program of our yearly summer tollwood festival.
Playing in the usual tend with an athmosphere of aprox. + 35 centogrades
and starting at 7 p.m. (CET) which is far too early for a
Rock'n'Roll show. But as all Tollwood events run this early, there's
nothing you can do about it. No need to mention, that the acoustical
circumstances are more than critical as usual in this place. And this is
definately not the band's fault. No supportact happening, Golden Earring
start off with 'Love Chain'. Later on the play another title named 'Gambler's
Blues' - both from the, in my opinion best album they've ever put out. Not
the most successful though.
Whatever the cultstatus means, the guys are still brilliant musicians and
do not seem like a tired Oldieband from the sixties. In the Netherlands
they are still the biggest band ever. And there is still drive and
this certain sparkle within their performance. But they make one mistake
by not thinking about, that 90% of all those classic hardrock friends are
only familiar with the, above mentioned ,two cult tracks.Only some
freaks here know all the music of Golden Earring and complain within the
next second about some pieces, which are not included in tonight's setlist
like ‚Back
Home’ oder ‚Kill Me Ce Soir’. But as Life goes, you can't
please everyone, can you. At least the band proves, - exspecially
with a very long version of 'Radar Love' including some interesting
soundstructure improvisions , - the art of their kind of Rock'n'Roll.
Maybe a little less would have been more, and instead puttin' in 'Back
Home'.
Back home that's where they head straight after the one and only show here
in Germany. And we are left with the hope, that Golden Earring will be
returning for more in the future, - hopefully under different
circumstances - next time....
click Diary
for Aftershow Pics
.... and a complette Picture Gallery of this gig - here
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