History of the Dutch Rock Scene

So much has been written about the history of rock music. Whether it was the early days of Rock n Roll with the likes of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and countless others. Or during the 1960’s with the advent of Surf Music, Motown and the British Invasion. Bands such as the Beach Boys, The Temptations and The Beatles were legendary acts. These artists paved the way for numerous bands to copy their sound as well as to create their own. Not just in England and America, but all over the world.

One country in particular that was influenced by these two countries was The Netherlands. The Netherlands produced many great acts but most people have no idea that this country was a forerunner with the rock movement during the late 1960’s into the 1970’s.

During the 1950's in Holland, there was a scene called Indorock. This was a fusion of Indonesian & Western Music. The Tielman Brothers and The Bintangs were the founders of this scene. The scene was starting to fade by the mid 1960's. Indorock however influenced the Proto-Punk movement of the late 1960's.

During the mid-1960’s a new genre was emerging from Holland called Nederbeat. Most of the influence was coming from the British Invasion: The Rolling Stones, The Kinks etc.. Nederbeat had energy. Young teenagers wanting to make a name for themselves and the determination to get acclaim outside of their homeland. Groups like The Golden Earrings (predecessor of Golden Earring), The Outsiders, Q65 and Tee-Set were creating a stir in and around The Hague.

By the late 1960’s the beat sound was disappearing. Psychedelic music and the counterculture was sweeping The Netherlands, as it did already in America, England and Germany.  The post war generation was outspoken towards the government, the environment and social & economic concerns. Venues such as the Paradiso and Fantasio were attracting larger acts like Pink Floyd, The Soft Machine and Captain Beefheart. Bands such as Group 1850, Sandy Coast, Shocking Blue and Golden Earring were becoming heavier, moodier and experimenting with sounds and technology. The scene began to explode.

Some Dutch bands began having some moderate success in and outside of Holland. In 1970 Tee-Set had a top 10 hit with “Ma Belle Amie” in many countries. In 1969 Shocking Blue were the 1st Dutch act to have a worldwide #1 hit with their single “Venus”. UK pop group Bananarama covered this song and also made it a worldwide hit in 1986. Also, Shocking Blue's 1969 album "At Home" has a song called "Love Buzz". In 1988 a little Grunge band out of Aberdeen,Washington named Nirvana would record this song. The band released it as their 1st single. It was released on their debut album "Bleach" in 1989.

Dutch musicians began capitalizing on a musical freedom that began separating them from their American & UK counterparts. By 1970 the psychedelic scene was beginning to unravel with many of these bands writing much longer compositions and also adding a classical influence. The Netherlands boasted many music schools and conservatories for classical music. This is probably why many progressive rock acts incorporated classical in their compositions. Bands like Earth & Fire, Ekseption, Brainbox, Supertramp, Golden Earring, Taurus, Kayak and Focus all became well respected acts that had success in The Netherlands.

Jan Akkerman’s Focus was around a few years when the band exploded with their hit song “Hocus Pocus” in 1973. The band became a household name in Progressive Rock circles and fans of “Head Music.”  Golden Earring broke through to a worldwide audience in 1973 with their massive hit “Radar Love”. They did it again in 1981 with the more New-Wave driven song, “Twilight Zone”. Supertramp struggled for several years until they hit the big time in 1979 with their Art Rock/Pop Rock Album “Breakfast in America”. The album spawned a bunch of hits including: “Take The Long Way Home”, “Goodbye Stranger” and “The Logical Song”.  

Other major acts that followed through the 1980’s into the new millennium were The Nits, Urban Dance Squad and Vandenberg (who had a worldwide hit in 1982 with “Burning Heart”. By the 1990’s their was an explosion of symphonic metal that was coming out of Holland. Acts such as Ayreon, Within Temptation, The Gathering, After Forever, Epica and many others. These bands combined the progressive rock of the 1970’s with classical and metal. Some acts had operatic vocals, while some had a much more low & gothic sound. Also during the 1990’s a much more extreme scene was happening with a style of metal called “Death Metal”. Bands like Gorefest, Pestilence, Sinister, Asphyx, Altar, Orphanage, God Dethroned, Celestial Season and numerous others.

During the 2000’s bands like, Intwine, Kane, The Sheer, Anouk, Voicst, John Coffey and many others pave the way for future acts to be influenced by the scene in The Netherlands.

Now get out there and listen to any of these above mentioned bands. You won't be sorry.