That question,
@popitup , could easily provoke a story of at least half an hour.
But I’ll try and keep it as short as possible!
My mum and dad made music, so normal, I didn’t register it.
Big bill broonzy sat me on his lap, encircled me with his arm an guitar and played and sung for me when I was three. The sun shone on the coach where we were sitting and I felt a sort of happiness I never had before.
So from age three I started making music. Small percussion etc.
Ben Webster lived in Amsterdam. A crucial factor. He defined my guitar playing. And with my frien Jan I hauled Ben up to the second storey after gigging.
Up came the polite side of US music. The writer of Needles and Pins/When you walk in the room, Rick Nelson, Bobby Vee, Eddie Cochran. And most importantly, the girl groups. And the fabulous music of Carole King.
I thought (and still do) the yardbirds making much more honest music than the Beatles. Early Stones.
Neil Daimond’s UNI years. Garage rock. Still have a huge amount of pre-psychedelic music.
And Rain, the only Beatles track I really love.
I do still have the PinkFloyd’s first three singles plus the mono, as well as the stereo piper at the gates of dawn.
I was involved in recording Tim Buckley for Dutch TV and as far as I know I have all there is out there by Tim as well as Jeff.
Fairport convention, specially the first single and LP.
From 68 I worked in an ‘underground’ record shop, so I was surrounded by music day and night. Stopped that when I got bored.
I put my music on the backburner during the time we had our kids at home. And I seriously started writing again some thirteen years ago, when caring for our children and eventually work played a lesser and lesser role in my life.
According to the instructions of a very famous Dutch painter, I work (write a song) every day.
According to a Dutch photographer, I write series of songs, picking the ones I like out of the series.
Over the past 13 years I relied on sunshine pop for my vocals and dream pop/shoegaze for my backings.
The prompt writing is simple. I think: The ultimate forum idea of looking at some things together, good naturedly comment and kicking some ideas around. And not taking ourselves too seriously. Thanks important too.
Have a look around in the older version. It’s elaborately explained there. And I hope you will be joining us too in the newer version.
Are you looking for something that happened on a Dutch stage and you are unable to find it? Write a pm. And who knows?
Kind regards, Gus