Golden Earring biography
Golden Earring are a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings (the 's' was dropped in 1969). They had international chart success with the songs "Radar Love" in 1973, "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. 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). Golden Earring have sold millions of albums worldwide, and they are one of the longest existing rock bands in the world that are currently performing in the same line up. Golden Earring were planning to record an album at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London in the summer of 2011. However, due to voice problems of co-singer George Kooymans the record was delayed. As the studio was fully booked when the band was able to return, an alternate studio was booked.
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 The Golden Earring when they discovered that the name The Tornados was already in use by another group. The name The Golden Earrings was taken from a song called Golden Earring performed by the British group The Hunters, whom they served as opening and closing act for. Initially a pop-rock band with Frans Krassenburg on lead vocals, The 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. While The Fab Four had their 'Fifth Beatle' in George Martin, the Earrings used session pianist Cees Schrama on their records. Dissatisfied 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, prevented only from reaching the number one position by The Beatles' "Michelle."
In 1967, Barry Hay joined the band, replacing Krassenburg as frontman for the group. The following year, the band earned their first number one hit in the Netherlands with the song "Dong Dong Diki Digi Dong." Over in the USA, ground work for entering the US market was being laid by East Coast FM radio Disc Jockey and music critic-Neil Kempfer-Stocker, who is credited as the first radio DJ to champion the band stateside. This single was followed by a successful psychedelic album Eight Miles High, which featured an 18-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, in the middle of the hippie and flower power era in the same year Woodstock was organised: 1969. The band's USA records at this time period were issued by the Perception Records label in New York, run by a pack of infamous and shady characters-a decision that Fred Haayen will regret to this day and the band's superb so-called 'Wall of Dolls' LP. and the single 'Back Home' sadly sank without a trace.
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