Earth and Fire
{{short description|Dutch rock band}}
{{hatnote|Not to be confused with Earth, Wind & Fire. Earth and Fire are also the pseudonyms of the owners of Erowid.}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=August 2016}}
{{Update|reason=No text for period from 1980 to 1990|date=August 2016}}}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Earth and Fire
| image = Earth & Fire.png
| alt =
| caption = Earth and Fire in 1971
| image_size =
| alias =
| origin = Netherlands
| genre = {{Hlist|Rock|pop|disco}}
| years_active = {{Start date|1968}}–1983, 1987–1990
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website =
| past_members = Gerard Koerts
Chris Koerts
Hans Ziech
Cees Kalis
Manuela Berloth
Jerney Kaagman
Ton van der Kleij
Theo Hurts
Bert Ruiter
Ab Tamboer
Johan Slager
Ronnie Meyjes
Age Kat
Jons Pistoor
Ton Scherpenzeel
Mark Stoop
}}
Earth and FireEarth and Fire adopted their name about a year before Earth, Wind & Fire. were a Dutch rock and pop band. Formed in the Netherlands by twin brothers Chris and Gerard Koerts, and most popular in 1970, after adding singer Jerney Kaagman, who became its frontwoman.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
Earth and Fire's first eight singles were a practically uninterrupted string of top-5 hits in the Netherlands (1970-1974). Also charting in continental Europe, primarily in neighboring Belgium and Germany, the band never gained much popularity in the United Kingdom nor the United States. After moving to pop, their biggest hit was "Weekend" (1979), a number one disco track in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, and Switzerland. American copies were labeled as E & F [Polydor 2118].{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
History
=Early history: The Singing Twins and The Swinging Strings=
Earth and Fire originated with the brothers Chris and Gerard Koerts from Voorschoten. As "The Singing Twins" they made music for family and friends since 1960, achieving a breakthrough of sorts at a talent show in 1962, at which future bass player Hans Ziech was present—Ziech, at the time, was already interested in rock and roll and thought The Singing Twins a bit on the mild side, Jan & Kjeld-like. In 1963, influenced by beat music, they joined a local beat band, playing mostly instrumental music until early 1965; the Koerts brothers were remembered as musical perfectionists even at an early age. They changed their name to The Swinging Strings in 1965 and began singing and covering hits by the Beatles, the Byrds, and others. They played regularly and saved enough money to buy equipment and add three female dancers. While they played all over the provinces of North and South Holland, they rarely performed in their area as The Hague had its scene of beat bands.Hermsen and Hermsen, 6-8. By the end of 1966, however, they had won a few talent shows near their hometown, had a fan club with over 250 members, and had drawn the attention of radio DJ Willem van Kooten.Hermsen and Hermsen, 9, 11.
=Opus Gainfull, transition to Earth and Fire=
File:Optreden Earth & Fire, juni 1970 - 04.jpg
File:Earth & Fire - TopPop 1973 03.png television program, 1973]]
By 1967 the Koerts brothers were dissatisfied with playing cover music and were looking to increase the technical level of their music. Somewhat abruptly, according to the other members, they broke up the Strings and renamed the band Opus Gainfull, and were looking for a rhythm section. They found a bass player in Hans Ziech (born 1943) of the local band The Soul, and also picked up that band's drummer, Cees Kalis. The Soul's guitar player, Eric Wenink, also joined, for a couple of years. Throughout 1968 and 1969 the band practiced new music while listening to the music of Jimi Hendrix, Moby Grape, Jefferson Airplane. The decision was made to look for a singer, and Manuela Berloth joined them.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
Meanwhile, their music continued to evolve, with ideas for concept albums brought in from the US West Coast and improvisational practice sessions. In 1968, before a show in Beverwijk, the band's name was changed to Earth and Fire. The band recorded two songs as the prize for winning a talent show in 1969, but were not offered a record contract; by the end of the year, Berloth, who in Gerard Koerts' words "was not a rock 'n roll woman", left. The Koerts brothers, who were graduating from school at the time, took over on vocals, and the band continued touring, opening for established beat band Golden Earring. In September 1969, they met and hired Jerney Kaagman.Hermsen and Hermsen, 14-17.
The band's first album, Earth and Fire (1970), produced three hits: "Seasons" reached no. 2 on the Dutch charts, with an estimated 60,000 copies sold; the second single, "Ruby Is the One" (later covered by the Claw Boys Claw for Hitkillers) reached no. 4 and sold 40,000 copies.Hermsen and Hermsen, 26.
By 1977, after four albums and nine hits, particularly songs such as "Memories" (which became their first number one single, and was named song of the year in Israel) and "Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight", the band found the Dutch musical atmosphere had changed considerably: new bands, influenced by disco, punk, and new wave, threatened to render many of the previously popular Dutch groups obsolete. They therefore moved away from the heavier pop sound they had been making and moved to a more mainstream style, focusing on Disco. 1977's Gate to Infinity suffered a cool reception and the album's lead single, "78th Avenue", failed to break into the Dutch top 10. Drummer Ton van der Kleij left in August 1978, followed shortly thereafter by bass player Theo Hurts. Despite rumors that Kaagman would go solo or take a job at TopPop (the leading pop-music TV-show in Holland and Flanders), she stayed with the Koerts brothers, who quickly found another drummer, Ab Tamboer, and another bass player, Bert Ruiter (Kaagman's partner in life and formerly with Focus). In 1979 they achieved their second number one single "Weekend", but soon afterwards, Chris Koerts left, feeling that he had achieved everything he wanted with the band.Hermsen and Hermsen, 4-6.
The band split in 1983, with Kaagman moving onto a solo career, before a short lived reunion in 1987. Later, Kaagman became a judge on the very successful Dutch "Idols" adaptation of the Idols franchise. Ton van der Kleij died in 2015.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} Gerard Koerts died in 2019.{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.pzc.nl/show/earth-and-fire-toetsenist-gerard-koerts-71-overleden~a2f0446f/?referrer=https://www.google.com/ |access-date=2024-11-05 }} Bert Ruiter and Chris Koerts{{Cite web |date=2022-11-11 |title=RIP Chris Koerts - |url=https://www.synthforbreakfast.nl/rip-chris-koerts/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |language=en}} died in 2022.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
Personnel
= Members{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} =
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
- Gerard Koerts - keyboards, backing vocals, flute (1968–1983; died 2019)
- Chris Koerts - guitars, backing vocals (1968–1979; died 2022)
- Hans Ziech - bass (1968–1974)
- Cees Kalis - drums (1968–1970; died 2006)
- Manuela Berloth - lead vocals (1968–1969)
- Jerney Kaagman - lead vocals (1969–1983, 1987–1990)
- Ton van der Kleij - drums, backing vocals, percussion (1970–1978; died 2015)
- Theo Hurts - bass, guitar (1974–1978)
{{col-2}}
- Bert Ruiter - bass (1978–1983, 1987–1990; died 2022)
- Ab Tamboer - drums, percussion (1978–1983, 1987–1990; died 2016){{cite web|url=http://denhaagfm.nl/2016/08/27/haagse-drummer-ab-tamboer-earth-and-fire-overleden |title=Den Haag FM » Haagse drummer Ab Tamboer (Earth and Fire) overleden |website=Denhaagfm.nl |date=24 January 2013 |accessdate=29 August 2016}}
- Johan Slager - guitars (1979–1980)
- Ronnie Meyjes - guitars (1980–1983)
- Age Kat - guitars (1987–1990)
- Jons Pistoor - keyboards (1987–1990)
- Ton Scherpenzeel - keyboards (1987–1990)
- Mark Stoop - drums (1990)
{{col-end}}
=Timeline=
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:25
PlotArea = left:120 bottom:100 top:10 right:10
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1968 till:12/31/1990
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1968
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1968
Colors =
id:lvocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals
id:bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals
id:guitars value:green legend:Guitars
id:bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:studio value:black legend:Studio_album
id:bars value:gray(0.95)
BackgroundColors = bars:bars
LineData =
layer:back
color:studio
at:10/01/1970
at:10/01/1971
at:10/01/1973
at:10/01/1975
at:10/01/1977
at:04/01/1979
at:10/01/1981
at:10/01/1982
at:10/01/1989
BarData =
bar:Manuela text:"Manuela Berloth"
bar:Jerney text:"Jerney Kaagman"
bar:Chris text:"Chris Koerts"
bar:Johan text:"Johan Slager"
bar:Ronnie text:"Ronnie Meyjes"
bar:Age text:"Age Kat"
bar:Hans text:"Hans Ziech"
bar:Theo text:"Theo Hurts"
bar:Bert text:"Bert Ruiter"
bar:Gerard text:"Gerard Koerts"
bar:Jons text:"Jons Pistoor"
bar:Ton text:"Ton Scherpenzeel"
bar:Cees text:"Cees Kalis"
bar:Tonk text:"Ton van der Kleij"
bar:Ab text:"Ab Tamboer"
bar:Mark text:"Mark Stoop"
PlotData =
width:11
bar:Manuela from:start till:06/30/1969 color:lvocals
bar:Jerney from:07/01/1969 till:12/31/1983 color:lvocals
bar:Jerney from:01/01/1987 till:end color:lvocals
bar:Chris from:start till:06/30/1979 color:guitars
bar:Chris from:07/01/1971 till:12/31/1973 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Chris from:07/01/1981 till:12/31/1981 color:bvocals
bar:Johan from:01/01/1979 till:06/30/1979 color:bvocals
bar:Johan from:07/01/1979 till:06/30/1980 color:guitars
bar:Ronnie from:07/01/1980 till:12/31/1983 color:guitars
bar:Age from:01/01/1987 till:end color:guitars
bar:Hans from:start till:06/30/1974 color:bass
bar:Theo from:07/01/1974 till:06/30/1978 color:bass
bar:Bert from:07/01/1978 till:12/31/1983 color:bass
bar:Bert from:01/01/1987 till:end color:bass
bar:Cees from:start till:06/30/1970 color:drums
bar:Tonk from:07/01/1970 till:06/30/1978 color:drums
bar:Tonk from:07/01/1971 till:12/31/1971 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Ab from:07/01/1978 till:12/31/1983 color:drums
bar:Ab from:01/01/1987 till:06/30/1990 color:drums
bar:Mark from:07/01/1990 till:end color:drums
bar:Gerard from:start till:12/31/1983 color:keys
bar:Gerard from:07/01/1971 till:12/31/1973 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Jons from:01/01/1987 till:end color:keys
bar:Ton from:01/01/1987 till:end color:keys
}}
Discography
= Albums{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} =
- Earth and Fire (1970)
- Song of the Marching Children (1971)
- Atlantis (1973)
- To the World of the Future (1975)
- Rock Sensation (1975 COMPILATION)
- Gate to Infinity (1977)
- Reality Fills Fantasy (1979)
- Andromeda Girl (1981)
- In a State of Flux (1982)
- Phoenix (1989)
- Greatest Hits (CD) (1991)
- Wild And Exciting (1999 compilation)
- The Ultimate Collection (3CD) (2003){{cite web |url=http://www.eburon.nl/product_details.php?item_id=385 |title=Earth and Fire - De biografie 1969-1983 |website=Eburon.nl |date=9 November 2006 |accessdate=29 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629132042/http://www.eburon.nl/product_details.php?item_id=385 |archivedate=29 June 2009 }}
= Singles =
| class="wikitable" |
| rowspan="2"|Year
! rowspan="2"|Single ! colspan="3"|Chart positions ! rowspan="2"|Album |
|---|
| width="25"|NL {{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/search.asp?search=earth%20fire&cat=s|title=Single Top 100}} !width="25"|BEL !width="25"|GER |
| 1969
|"Seasons" | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"|4 | style="text-align:center;"|— |rowspan="3" |Earth and Fire |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|1970
|"Ruby Is the One" | style="text-align:center;"|5 | style="text-align:center;"|11 | style="text-align:center;"|— |
| "Wild and Exciting"
| style="text-align:center;"|5 | style="text-align:center;"|21 | style="text-align:center;"|— |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|1971
|"Invitation" | style="text-align:center;"|4 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |non-album single |
| "Storm and Thunder"
| style="text-align:center;"|6 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |Song of the Marching Children |
| style="text-align:center;"|1972
|"Memories" | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"|31 |non-album single |
| style="text-align:center;"|1973
|"Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight" | style="text-align:center;"|3 | style="text-align:center;"|9 | style="text-align:center;"|44 |Atlantis |
| style="text-align:center;"|1974
|"Love of Life" | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"|20 | style="text-align:center;"|— |rowspan="2"|To the World of the Future |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|1975
|"Only Time Will Tell" | style="text-align:center;"|16 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |
| "Thanks for the Love"
| style="text-align:center;"|9 | style="text-align:center;"|28 | style="text-align:center;"|— |rowspan="2"|non-album single |
| style="text-align:center;"|1976
|"What Difference Does It Make" | style="text-align:center;"|10 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |
| style="text-align:center;"|1977
|"78th Avenue" | style="text-align:center;"|14 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |Gate to Infinity |
| style="text-align:center;"|1979
|"Weekend" | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|1 |rowspan="2"|Reality Fills Fantasy |
| style="text-align:center;"|1980
|"Fire of Love" | style="text-align:center;"|20 | style="text-align:center;"|13 | style="text-align:center;"|29 |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|1981
|"Dream" | style="text-align:center;"|19 | style="text-align:center;"|20 | style="text-align:center;"|— |rowspan="3"|Andromeda Girl |
| "Tell Me Why"
| style="text-align:center;"|37 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|1982
|"Love Is an Ocean" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |
| "Twenty Four Hours"
| style="text-align:center;"|15 | style="text-align:center;"|23 | style="text-align:center;"|72 |rowspan="3"|In a State of Flux |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|1983
|"Jack Is Back" | style="text-align:center;"|42 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |
| "The Two of Us"
| style="text-align:center;"|32 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |
| style="text-align:center;"|1989
|"French Word for Love" | style="text-align:center;"|44 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |rowspan="3"|Phoenix |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|1990
|"Keep on Missing You" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |
| "Good Enough"
| style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|last1=Hermsen|first1=Fred|last2=Hermsen|first2=Dick|title=Earth and Fire: de biografie, 1969-1983|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vUuniWBMS5IC|year=2006|publisher=Eburon|isbn=9789059721289}}
External links
- {{discogs artist|Earth And Fire}}
- {{IMDb name|2805464}}
{{commons category|Earth & Fire}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Dutch progressive rock groups
Category:Musical groups from South Holland
Category:Musical groups established in 1968
Category:1968 establishments in the Netherlands
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1983
Category:1983 disestablishments in the Netherlands
Category:Musical groups reestablished in 1987
Category:1987 establishments in the Netherlands