Formed in 1965 by guitarist George Kooymans, Dutch band Golden Earring worked a basically bubblegum routine and built a reputation through support slots with visiting bands like The Who and Led Zeppelin.
Kooymans ultimately changed their style into a harder, more aggressive blend of rhythm and blues which first registered with the British public in 1973.
The band moved out of Holland, first to Germany for two years and then on European tours with The Who, to the States twice, and eventually to England.
Singer Barry Hay, bassist Rinus Gerritsen and drummer Cesar Zuiderwijk all pushed Golden Earring through several new areas of pop and rock and used quadraphonic sound on stage – an innovation which was to become widespread for a while.
They re-recorded their 1974 hit Radar Love in 1977 when it re-entered the UK charts, but America – with the patronage of MTV – was to prove kinder to them in the 1980s.
George Kooymans
Vocals, guitar
Rinus Gerritsen
Bass, keyboards
Barry Hay
Vocals, flute, saxophone
Frans Krassenburg
Vocals
Peter De Ponde
Guitar
Cesar Zuiderwijk
Drums
Joap Eggermont
Drums
Sieb Warner
Drums
Ellco Gelling
Guitar
Bertus Borgers
Saxophone
