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Golden Earring

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For the type of earring, see Earring.
Golden Earring

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's upcoming studio album will be recorded live at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London during spring 2011.

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 Golden Earrings when they discovered that The Tornados was already in use by another group. The name Golden Earrings was taken from a song, originally sung by Murvyn Vye in 1947 and a hit for Peggy Lee in 1948, with which they opened their concerts. Initially a pop rock band with Frans Krassenburg as lead singer, 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. Unsatisfied 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 from reaching number one by The Beatles' "Michelle".

In 1968, the band earned their first number one hit in the Netherlands with the pop song "Dong Dong Diki Digi Dong". This was followed by a successful psychedelic album Eight Miles High, which featured an eighteen-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.

Lead singer Barry Hay in 1974

The band enjoyed brief international superstar status in the Seventies when the single version of "Radar Love", from the Gold-certified album Moontan became a hit in both Europe and the USA. Golden Earring embarked on their first major US tour in 1969 - 1970, and were among the first European bands to do so. Owing to American influences, their music evolved towards hard rock, and they performed along with Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Between 1969 and 1984, Golden Earring completed thirteen US tours. During this period, they performed as the opening act for Santana, The Doobie Brothers, Rush and .38 Special. In the early seventies, when "Radar Love" was a hit, they had KISS and Aerosmith as their opening act.

They enjoyed a brief period of US stardom but were unable to secure further chart success until 1982's "Twilight Zone". The music video of the song, directed by Dick Maas, was one of the first rock videos played on the recently-launched MTV in the United States, and helped the song to become a Top Ten hit.

"When the Lady Smiles" became an international hit in 1984, reaching #3 in Canada and becoming the band's fifth number one hit in their native country, but received a disappointing reaction in the United States. The reason for this lack of success was the that the music video of the song was banned from MTV, because of nudity and a scene portraying the rape of a nun. An edited version of the video was shown, but failed to convey its original intentions. While touring the US in 1984, the band played at the Great Arena of Six Flags Great Adventure on May 11 and were in the midst of their concert when a fire at the Haunted Castle began on the opposite side of the theme park, killing eight teenagers. Following this tour, Golden Earring turned their focus toward Europe where they continue to attract standing-room-only crowds.

In 1991, Golden Earring scored another hit in the Netherlands with "Going To The Run", a rock-ballad about a Hells Angels motorcycle club member who was a friend of the band and died in a crash. A "run" is what a motorcycle club calls an event consisting of riding their bikes somewhere together. The Russian rock band Aria made a successful cover of "Going To The Run" as "Беспечный ангел" ("Careless Angel"). From 1992 to 2004, the band released three acoustic live unplugged albums, which became an instant success. Since 1992, they have performed acoustic unplugged theater-shows which continue to this date and usually sell out. The acoustic albums feature unplugged versions of famous hits of the band, and have been some of the band's best selling albums, such as The Naked Truth, which sold over 500,000 copies in the Netherlands alone.

Known for their powerful live performances, Golden Earring perform over 200 concerts a year, mainly in their home country of the Netherlands and occasionally in Belgium, Germany and the UK. These energetic live performances have been recorded on several live albums - Live, recorded at London's Rainbow Theater in 1977; 2nd Live, 1981; Something Heavy Going Down, 1984 (also released on DVD as Live from the Twilight Zone); and Last Blast of the Century, a live recording of their last concert of the 20th century (available on both CD and DVD). Furthermore, the band's acoustic live albums include The Naked Truth (1992), Naked II (1997) and Naked III (2005). Their latest live album, Live from Ahoy 2006, is a DVD with bonus CD.

Golden Earring have not toured in North America or other continents since 1984. They have never toured Asia, South America or Australia.

Currently, the band is working on their latest studio release, their first studio album since the 2003 album Millbrook USA. This album was recorded in Millbrook, New York state, at the studio of fellow musician Frank Carillo.

March 2009 Golden Earring will do two gigs in the UK for the first time in thirty years, with one concert on 14 March 2009 at The Shepherd's Bush Empire in London and one show at Ipswich Regent Theatre on March 13, 2009.

Golden Earring celebrated their 47th anniversary in 2008 and have been performing almost continuously since their founding in 1961. They have had the same unchanged line-up of the same four musicians and friends since 1970, augmented from time to time with a fifth member (Dutch keyboardist and leader of legendary band Supersister, Robert Jan Stips). Along with the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, and Germany's The Lords, Golden Earring are the oldest rock band that are still performing today, and Golden Earring has arguably the most stable lineup of these veteran bands. For now, Golden Earring's gigs are scheduled on a "one month on - one month off" basis. This is mainly due to lead singer Barry Hay's relocation to the Dutch Antilles island of Curaçao in the Caribbean, where he put up his new residence and lives during the band's time off.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

  • Greatest Hits (1968, Polydor)
  • The Best of Golden Earring (1970, US)
  • Hearing Earring (1973)
  • Story (1977)
  • Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 (1981)
  • The Very Best, Vol. 1 (1988)
  • The Very Best, Vol. 2 (1988)
  • The Continuing Story of Radar Love (1989)
  • Radar Love (1992)
  • Best of Golden Earring (1994, Europe only)
  • The Complete Naked Truth (1998)
  • 70s & 80s, Vol. 35 (1998)
  • Greatest Hits (2000)
  • The Devil Made Us Do It: 35 Years (2000)
  • Singles 1965-1967 (2002)
  • Bloody Buccaneers/Face It (2002)
  • 3 Originals (2003)
  • Collected (2009, triple CD)

Singles

  • "Please Go" / "Chunk of Steel" (1965)
  • "Lonely Everyday" / "Not to Find" (1965)
  • "That Day" / "The Words I Need" (1966)
  • "You Leave Me" / "Waiting for You" (1966)
  • "Things Go Better" / "Rum and Coca Cola" (1966)
  • "Daddy Buy Me a Girl" / "What You Gonna Tell" (1966)
  • "Don't Run Too Far" / "Wings" (1966)
  • "In My House" / "Smoking Cigarettes" (1967)
  • "Sound of the Screaming Day" / "She Won't Come to Me" (1967)
  • "Together We Live Together We Love" / "I Wonder" (1967)
  • "The Truth About Arthur" / "Gipsy Rhapsody" (1968)
  • "I've Just Lost Somebody" / "The Truth About Arthur" (1968)
  • "Dong-dong-di-ki-di-gi-dong" / "Wake Up - Breakfast!" (1968)
  • "Just a Little Bit of Peace in My Heart" / "Remember My Friend" (1968)
  • "Where Will I Be" / "It's Alright, But I Admit Could Be Better" (1969)
  • "It's Alright, But I Admit Could Be Better" / "Song of a Devil's Servant" (1969)
  • "Another 45 Miles" / "I Can't Get a Hold on Her" (1969)
  • "Eight Miles High" / "One High Road" (1970)
  • "Back Home" / "This Is the Time of the Year" (1970)
  • "Holy Holy Life" / "Jessica" (1971)
  • "She Flies on Strange Wings, Part 1 & 2" (1971)
  • "Buddy Joe" / "Avalanche of Love" (1972)
  • "Stand by Me" / "All Day Watcher" (1972)
  • "Radar Love" / "The Song Is Over" (1973)
  • "Instant Poetry" / "From Heaven From Hell" (1974)
  • "Candy's Going Bad" / "She Flies on Strange Wings" (1974)
  • "Tons of Time" / "Love Is a Rodeo" (1975)
  • "Ce Soir" / "Lucky Number" (1975)
  • "The Switch" / "The Lonesome D.J." (1975)
  • "Sleepwalkin'" / "Babylon" (1976)
  • "To the Hilt" / "Violins" (1976)
  • "Bombay" / "Faded Jeans" (1976)
  • "Radar Love" (live) / "Just Like Vince Taylor" (live) (1977)
  • "Movin' Down Life" / "Can't Talk Now" (1978)
  • "Weekend Love" / "It's Only a Matter of Time" (1979)
  • "I Do Rock 'n Roll" / "Sellin' Out" (1979)
  • "Long Blond Animal" / "Triple Treat" (1980)
  • "No For an Answer" / "Annie" (1980)
  • "Slow Down" / "Heartbeat" (1981)
  • "Twilight Zone" / "King Dark" (1982)
  • "The Devil Made Me Do It" / "WShadow Avenue" (1982)
  • "When the Lady Smiles" / "WOrwell's Year" (1984)
  • "Clear Night Moonlight" / "Fist in Glove" (1984)
  • "N.E.W.S." / "It's All Over" (1984)
  • "Something Heavy Going Down" / "I'll Make It All Up to You" (1984)
  • "Quiet Eyes" / "Gimme a Break" (1986)
  • "Why Do I" / "Gimme a Break" (rock version) (1986)
  • "Why Do I" / "Love In Motion" (1986)
  • "They Dance" / "Love in Motion" (1986)
  • "My Killer, My Shadow" / "My Killer, My Shadow" (alternative version) (1988)
  • "Turn the World Around" / "You Gun My Love" (1989)
  • "Distant Love" / "Nighthawks" (1989)
  • "Going to the Run" / "Time Warp" (1991)
  • "Temporary Madness" / "One Shot Away From Paradise" (1991)
  • "'Pouring My Heart Out Again" / "Planet Blue" (1991)
  • "Making Love to Yourself" / "In a Bad Mood" (1992)
  • "Another 45 Miles (Live)" (1992)
  • "Radar Love" / "Bloody Bucaneers" (1992)
  • "I Can't Sleep Without You" (1992)
  • "Long Blond Animal" (live - acoustic) / "Twilight Zone" (live - acoustic) / "Jangalane" (live-acoustic) / "Don't Stop the Show" (live - acoustic) (1993)
  • "As Long as the Wind Blows" (live - acoustic) / "Please Go" (live - acoustic) / "Sound of the Screaming Day" (live - acoustic) (1993)
  • "Johnny Make Believe" / "Minute by Minute" (1994)
  • "Hold Me Now" / "Freedom Don't Last Forever" / "Livin' With Me (Ain't That Easy)" (1994)
  • "Gotta See Jane" / "Try a Little Tenderness" (1996)
  • "This Wheel's on Fire" / "My Little Red Book" (1996)
  • "Burning Stuntman" / "Bombay" (1997)
  • "The Devil Made Me Do It" [unplugged] / "Mood Indigo" (1998)
  • "Paradise in Distress" / "Are You Receiving Me?" (1999)
  • "Whisper in a Crowd" / "The Vanilla Queen" (1999)
  • "Miles Away From Nowhere" (2000)
  • "Yes! We're on Fire" / "Yes! We're on Fire" (orchestral version) (2000)
  • "Albino Moon" (2003)
  • "Colourblind" (2003)
  • "I've Just Lost Somebody" (2005)
  • "Angel" (2005)

References

Other references

  • Biography by Golden Earring founder and bass player Rinus Gerritsen published on the band's website.
  • Biographical books on the Golden Earring: "Haagsche Bluf" by Pieter Franssen, 1993, and "Rock die niet roest" by prof. Maarten Steenmeyer, 2005. Both titles are in Dutch.
  • "The Story of Golden Earring" by Karin and Mechteld Beks, Picture publishers, an authorized biography published on the occasion of the band's 45th anniversary. Text in Dutch. (2005)
  • Interviews with the band over the years, many of which can be traced back through the Golden Earring Museum website.
  • "What happened in Golden Earring history on..." at Golden Earring Research Website.
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