Today when I returned from my field trip I got a bonus when I was walking the dogs. For the first time in my life I saw (or: I was aware that I saw) a couple of Egyptian geese.

Labels: birds, splogman shoots photographs

It's forbidden in Europe to collect Lapwing's eggs (except in Frysland, because of an ancient tradition.) This one however we've picked up from an abandoned nest. This morning I was out in the country near Zwolle with two experienced bird-watchers to mark Lapwing's nests (in Dutch Kievit). They are monitoring a few fields so that farmers can mow and work around the nests of protected birds. We also saw some hares, one of which only noticed us when we were allready two or three meters close. What a beautifull animal to see in the wild so closely. There was a huge colony of swans too and falcons, godwits, curlews and even some snipes, not to mention the usual multitude of crows, seagulls and sparrows ...

I'm slowly learning more about the sounds the birds make. But it's difficult to tell them apart, even (or is it especially?) when you're a musician. The Lapwing alone makes a variety of sounds, all of which my companions called "variations on 'Kee weet'", but I heard the bird making completely different sounds too, like "Cue Wilp" or "Coo Wééééét Tjilp Tjilp Tjilp".

But I enjoyed it, I had a field day.

Labels: birds, diary, splogman shoots photographs

Study the Falcon (I don't know the english word for this particular subspecies) live in sound and vision
And finally I managed to shoot a clear picture of this couple of oyster-catchers that are strolling around in our neighbourhood, in the mornings and early evenings.

Labels: birds, splogman shoots photographs

that we got married. We celebrated it the evening before with a Turkish dinner in our favourite café-restaurant.
The last two days the weather was excellent so we spent a lot of time outside. I've been working on some new splogwroughts too however.

(update)
Earlier today there was a very sad message here about one of our dogs. Further test-results did indeed confirm Cushing's disease, but since she is young and since the tests also proved that she is in excellent health otherwise and doesn't suffer from any pain, in this particular case there's absolutely no hurry to take action of any kind. So she will be walking around our garden and scaring neighbours with her unexpected barkings for a bit longer ;-)

Labels: diary

Don't forget to check out my contribution to 365 days

Labels: kids music, sharity

Labels: dutch popstars

(round 1986)

Labels: dutch popstars

Today's the Lalala Global Festival, a singing festivity for kids in Zwolle. All participants have to sing a song originating from an other culture than ours. As you can hear, the final rehearsel yesterday went as it should: wendakker-20-3-2007-13.30.MP3

Labels: De Wendakker, diary, Geert Grote School, kids music, music from zwolle, Zwolle

thanks to http://visualguidanceltd.blogspot.com

Labels: nostalgia

Ruud and Riem de Wolff: The Blue Diamonds, an Indorockgroup (musicians that came from families that had immigrated from Indonesia to The Netherlands after WO2) first became famous for their Everly brothers covers. Their international breakthrough was "Ramona" that was recorded in several languages. Ramona was based on a slow waltz from the 1920's and turned into a foxtrot by producer Jack Bultermann.

Ruud died in 2000 at the age of 59, while still active as an artist with his brother. Riem keeps on performing

Labels: covers, Dutch_popstars, nostalgia

One of the most important Dutch comedians in history: Wim Sonneveld. In those days (60-70ies) one spoke of "The Big Three": Toon Hermans, Wim Kan and Wim Sonneveld.
This is a fragment of his: "Zij kon het lonken niet laten" ('She couldn't stop the winking')

Labels: other Dutch stars

from: http://www.park.nl/park_cms/public/index.php?thissection_id=47

On friday march 16th, 2007 - ensemble with Jan Turkenburg - ookoi headbanged live in the studio of Radio Zwolle (the Netherlands), in the weekly symfo-corner of Jan's Vreemde Geluiden ('Strange Sounds') emission.
On the other side of the weekend, in Cergy (France), ookoi re-appeared on the evening of monday march 19th, 2007, in Cedric Angl's emission La Pointe de l'Iceberg on Radio RGB ... Now listen to this ... it's a Raudio Broadcast ...

http://www.park.nl/digidivi/RPodC/34_RaudioRadioPodcast.mp3


www.raudio.nl
www.harsmedia.com
www.petermertens.nl

Labels: music from zwolle, ookoi, radio, Radio Zwolle, raudio

22. ookoi - Autobahn

ookoi

Labels: 50 ways-project

More about De Maskers (=The Masks) coming soon ( i hope) here and at the group

Labels: Dutch_popstars, nostalgia, videoclips

Labels: uhm..., videoclips

I've modified the 50ways-project a bit, so it's easier for both you and me to submit our own renditions: recordings made in the past can be sent in as well, as long as you were involved in it someway. If you have a complete home-made cover-album on the shelves and would like to send it in at once, it will count as one submission and I will pick my favourite song for the archive and add a link to where the complete album can be downloaded.

See/hear how the changes have worked out in the 50ways-archive

Labels: 50 ways-project

Just took a stroll in between rain showers and tried to shoot as much birds as possible (slideshow, update april 28: I've added more pictures to that folder so now the slidehow turns out to begin with birdpics from a later date. I'll leave it like that, letting the pictureshow grow longer and longer).

Labels: birds, splogman shoots photographs, Zwolle

Weirdomusic radio is a weekly item by Marco Kalnenek in my local radio show Vreemde Geluiden (= strange sounds) in Zwolle. Last friday we promised to re-broadcast the second episode but we didn't have the time, so here it is as download:

Weirdomusic Radio Episode 002

Playlist:

- André Popp - Turlututu (van de lp "Po... Pop... Popp!")
- André Popp - Tintin et le mystère de la toison d'or (van de cd "Tintin au cinéma")
- André Popp - Chasseurs sachez danser (van de cd "Popp musique")

More Weirdomusic on Weirdomusic.com.

Labels: Radio Zwolle, sharity, weirdomusic

I've been writing a new (Dutch) song this morning and I recorded a demo-version, but I've decided not to post it untill it sounds just like in my head. I'm kinda busy with all kinds of projects. I had a cool radioshow at Radio Zwolle last friday with Harold Schellinx and Peter Mertens. It's probably going to be published almost entirely at archive.org and it certainly will be part of a coming Raudio.

I saw two doves mating just a few minutes ago on a flat roof in the heavy wind. I couldn't determin which kind of dove, probably turtle-doves, but I'm far from certain.





Yesterday I rehearsed with three classes in the theatre for the coming lalala-festival (no I'm not going to link everything ....)
Afterwards i couldn't resist to go to my favourite second hand record and CD store I did some really nice purchases (ZZ and the Masks, Yma Sumac, Gruppo Sportivo, Swedish popmusic that I can't pronounce ;-), Joop Visser, etc, etc...) and Hank introduced me to Gluid, a local duo that I didn't know yet and that is probably interesting for my radio programme. They also did the sound for the store's website.

Yesterday I played apart from these new LP's and CD's the records that Harold gave me friday. Wow, this is wonderfull stuff!

Not so wonderfull: one of our dogs probably has Cushing's disease. We have to collect an exact amount of her morning pee for three days, giving her medication during the second day, but I'm afraid the sample we collected this (second) day in the pouring rain is worthless... So probably we'll have to do it all over again (...)

Thursday my contribution to 365 days edition 2007 is scheduled. There will probably be some more coming up, but the year is still young.

I whish I could take the train to Antwerp now and stay for a few days ...

Labels: birds, diary, splogman shoots photographs

Here's ELO performing "Whisper In The Night" at Granada Studio's in 1972, for a programme called "Set At Six". I love it!



Thanks to Kuiama from Wizzard Brew

Labels: nostalgia, videoclips

(but you can't allways get what you want...)

Labels: 50 ways-project, covers, splogman sings

How to use the internet when there's not enough time to rehearse all schoolorchestra material well:

teachtheworld-klok...

Labels: Geert Grote School

Today this bird guide was delivered. I needed this, because the book of Hans Dorrestijn is just a tiny bit more a bird guide then Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is about motorcycle maintenance and zen.

This book I've got now is awesome. There are a hell of a lot of birds in it, wowy!
I'm really becoming more and more enthusiatic about ornothology.

This is what I'm going to do, because I've found out that determination of birds is far more difficult than I thought. There are so much varieties per species and even the differences between two complete different species can be tiny, let alone the differences between sub-species. I'm first trying to learn which birds I can expect in a radius of 8 km round my home and then I'm going to learn to recognize them visually and by sound.

Labels: birds, wow

embedding disabled, click picture to see this clip at youtube.

Labels: Dutch_popstars

Labels: covers, Dutch_popstars

Yesterday i was technician for opera-singer and radio-host Sytse Buwalda. You finally get to see "The Building" and on the third picture, and example of modern technique: Sytse simultaneously communicating with listeners on chat and sms.

Labels: other Dutch stars, Radio Zwolle

you can always start painting with fastfood

Labels: uhm...

Ramses Shaffy, one of my all time heroes! I mentioned him before. I'm not going to explain, but this video gives me the goose skin. I know some Shaffy-fans hate this rendition, but I love it. So beautifull! Just realize what's happening here and what a great artist he still is in spite of a mild form of Korsakoff....



Ramses Shaffy, Liesbeth List, Alderliefste

Labels: Dutch_popstars, nostalgia

Of course at some point we're going to see Shocking Blue here, but first a little further into history: The Motions, founded in 1964. Bobbie van Leeuwen (guitar) composed this "protest song". It made them known abroad as well. In 1967 Bobbie leaves the band to form Shocking Blue




download this clip at higher resolution at google video

Labels: Dutch_popstars, nostalgia

Hans Dorrestijn is right. Today i caught my first "sijs" (siskin) in my looking glasses and my joy was tremendous. Back at home I immediately looked it up and after comparing several drawings and photographs I was certain: I had seen a little female pine siskin in the woods near our house. Woopy! Of course I've seen other birds as well: blackbirds, starlings, cormorants, ducks, two kinds of seagulls and a bird of pray up in the sky, so I couldn't determin exactly, but most likely it was a brown harrier.

I've got a new obsession, I've got a new obsession!!!

Labels: birds

It has arrived. Hans Dorrestijn's "bird guide". If I'm not updating this blog too often anymore (or it must be with bird pictures and sounds) this is the reason why!

Labels: birds

Click to enlarge front and back cover.

download
(please right click and save, before playing)


Marie-Cécile Moerdijk, singer, writer, poet (Zuidzande, 1929) grew up in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen (southern coast Netherlands) but lived in several places. She studied music in Amsterdam, Caracas and Vienna. She has performed as a vocalist in various styles and languages but mainly folk music. In 1960 she won the Ima Sumac contest (and if you listen this record you will hear why). She had her own theatre in Brabant, where she invited vocal groups and children's choirs to perform. Nowadays she lives just across the border in Belgium (Lommel). Appearently she still sings in public on (rare) special occasions.
This recording is probably from the early sixties. There's a date written on the sleeve that says 9-1-'64, the purchase date?
Mustn't forget to mention that the orchestra is directed by Jos Cleber

Labels: other Dutch stars, sharity

Labels: birds, splogman shoots photographs

The Outsiders (1964 - 1969 and a reunion tour in 1996) were founded by Wally Tax who only died fairly recently: april 10 2005. After the Outsiders he went solo, quite succesfully and he produced some other bands too. Alcohol, drugs, tax-debts and the death of his girl-friend meant the end of both his carreer and his health.

I couldn't find a lot of video's, especially the there's a TV-series called The Outsiders as well. That's a pity because the had a style of their own, often compared with The Velvet Underground for instance.

Lying all the time



Thinking about today

Labels: Dutch_popstars

Okay, let's start with their world wide hit in 1975, Una Paloma Blanca that ensured Bakers' finances for life. (btw, Alet Meier told me the other day that nobody in the band could play the recorder-intro properly during the recording so they had to make a last minute phonecall to the Royal Music Academy in The Hague to get a student to play it for them. The girl (José Zuiver) earned 200 guilders (= appr. 90 Euro) that day and that was it...) Here's one of the Toppop performances:



But earlier in May 1970, The Netherlands had allready noticed them making a slightly different style of popmusic. It reached number 21 in the top 40. Little Green Bag



Little Green Bag was the title track of their debut album in 1969 but it also appeared on "Love on the world" (1970) which had the following opening track:

Over and over



This is as interesting as it gets, but for everybody who longs for more:

More video's of George Baker

The group suddenly split up in 1978, after a few small hits in the una-paloma-style.

Official George Baker website

Labels: Dutch_popstars

Toppop was the most important source of popmusic on Dutch TV from 1970 untill the early eighties. Toppop host Ad Visser now presents Toppop The Golden Years: a series of compilations on digiTV as well as stream on internet, through this page. In the website promo he promises to continue weekly for at least one year.

episode 1. disco

coming up:

epsido 2. erotica

Labels: nostalgia, toppop, videoclips

Well, back to "Normaal". First the original video that went with their debut in 1977. A bunch of farmer boys that rocked:



and then a song that represents their "crusade against hypocrisy": "I'm just a simple farmer prick (and I'm not ashamed)"



They've written a lot of songs but have never been afraid to play any cover. They even "Normalized" the Sabre Dance:



And although they've played in various styles and have never feared any experiment most people know them because of hits like this:

Hendrik Haverkamp



Alie




Deurdonderen




Finally a farmer's blues:

Labels: Dutch_popstars

Mostly this blog is safe to watch at work, but be carefull with this video.

Labels: uhm..., wow

I knew Mr. Dante Fontana was going to do a Swede week, so in response I allready started my Dutch Popstars theme yesterday. (So it's me imitating him ;-) It looks like Visual guidance is kicking off with contemporary groups. Hopefully we'll see some historical clips as well.

Entombed - Chief Rebel Angel (Performed with the Stockholm Royal Ballet for the Swedish Grammy awards)

Labels: links, videoclips

uploaded by jan317

Labels: videoclips

This song is considered to be the first real Dutch language rock and roll song. Of course that is open for debate. It certainly is the most succesfull early dutch language r&r-song. It was re-released and re-recorded over and over again and it allways reached the top of the charts.




so boys and girls, I hope you've enjoyed your first day in this class ...

Labels: Dutch_popstars, videoclips

Talking about Dutch Pop History: these guys wrote an important part, especially with this song, their debut single: Oerend Hard (=damn fast), being the first big dialect rock hit in The Netherlands. With doing so they made way for a number of other bands from different regions of the country, all singing rock or pop in local dialect. They (Normaal) remained very productive (and survived several serious car- and motor accidents themselves)

Labels: Dutch_popstars, videoclips

No doubt one of the most popular Dutch language bands ever.

Is dit alles/De Bom



Een nacht alleen

Labels: dutch popstars, videoclips

Labels: uhm..., videoclips

Bonnie St. Claire


(from the legendary Sjef van Oekel show)



No, I am not going to make fun of Bonnie. She does a far better job herself...

Anyway, another factory scene clip:

The Sandy Coast




The Cats




same song different clip:



other song:

Labels: Dutch_popstars, videoclips

Labels: splogman shoots photographs

Watch the development over the years ;-)

Labels: Dutch_popstars, videoclips

Labels: Dutch_popstars, videoclips

And of course Dutch pop music would never be the same again after Spinvis came in:








more

Labels: Dutch_popstars, videoclips

Yes, let's do this dutch popstar thing right:


First watch/listen to their best song ever:

"Rock ´n Roll" was Gruppo´s second single & first hit in Holland, in England however "Beep Beep Love" was released as a single & later "Disco Really Made It" as a "specially reduced 12" single" in a 12" sleeve. Gruppo humor, still a strange duck in the bite! By the way, both singles never made it in England. (from MieTV)



Now glide down along...