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Golden Earring

{{Short description|Dutch rock band}}

{{About|the Dutch rock band|the film|Golden Earrings{{!}}Golden Earrings}}

{{Infobox musical artist|

| name = Golden Earring

| image = Golden Earring - TopPop 1974 7.png

| caption = Golden Earring in 1974
left to right: Rinus Gerritsen, Barry Hay, Cesar Zuiderwijk, George Kooymans

| image_size =

| background = group_or_band

| origin = The Hague, Netherlands

| genre = {{hlist|Hard rock|blues rock|jazz rock|psychedelic rock|garage rock{{cite web |title=GOLDEN EARRING |url=https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4256 |website=Progarchives.com |access-date=31 January 2023}}{{cite web |last=Dome |first=Malcolm |title=It's Prog Jim, But Not As We Know It: Golden Earring |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/it-s-prog-jim-49 |website=louder |access-date=31 January 2023 |date=28 October 2014}}}}

| alias = *The Tornados (1961–1962)

  • The Golden Earrings (1962–1966)
  • Golden Earrings (1966–1968)
  • The Golden Earring (1969)

| years_active = 1961–2021

| label = Polydor, MCA, Track, Universal, Columbia, Capitol, 21, Polygram, Atlantic, Atco, First Quake, Red Bullet

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|goldenearring.nl}}

| current_members =

| past_members = {{ubl|Rinus Gerritsen|George Kooymans|Barry Hay|Cesar Zuiderwijk|Fred van der Hilst|Hans van Herwerden|Peter de Rond|Frans Krassenburg|Jaap Eggermont|Sieb Warner|Bertus Borgers|Eelco Gelling|Robert Jan Stips|John Lagrand|Philip van Boom}}

}}

Golden Earring were a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as The Tornados. They achieved worldwide fame with their international hit songs "Radar Love" in 1973, which went to number one on the Dutch chart, reached the top ten in the United Kingdom, and went to number thirteen on the United States chart,US-Singles: Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2006. Billboard Books, New York 2007, {{ISBN|0-89820-172-1}} / US-Alben: The Billboard Albums von Joel Whitburn, 6th Edition, Record Research 2006, {{ISBN|0-89820-166-7}} "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. During their career they had nearly 30 top-ten singles on the Dutch charts and released 25 studio albums.

The band went through a number of early personnel changes until settling on a stable lineup in 1970, consisting of Rinus Gerritsen (bass and keyboards), George Kooymans (vocals and guitar), Barry Hay (vocals, guitar, flute and saxophone), and Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums and percussion), which remained unchanged until the band broke up in 2021 when Kooymans was diagnosed with ALS. A number of other musicians also appeared in short stints with the band over its history.

The band is scheduled to play a series of five farewell concerts at the Rotterdam Ahoy in 2026.

History

=Early years (1961–1969)=

What became Golden Earring was formed in 1961 in The Hague by 13-year-old George Kooymans and his 15-year-old neighbor, Rinus Gerritsen.{{Cite web |last=NWS |first=VRT |date=2021-02-05 |title=Rockband Golden Earring stopt ermee door ziekte van bandlid George Kooymans |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2021/02/05/rockband-golden-earring-stopt-ermee-door-ziekte-van-bandlid-geor/ |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=vrtnws.be |language=nl}} Originally called "the Tornados", the name was changed to the Golden Earrings when they discovered that the name the Tornados was already in use by another group. The name "the Golden Earrings" was taken from an instrumental called "Golden Earrings" performed by the British group the Hunters, for whom they served as opening and closing act.{{Cite web |last=Slagwerkkrant.nl |title=Golden Earring na zestig jaar gedwongen om te stoppen |url=https://www.slagwerkkrant.nl/nieuws/artikel/2-25186/golden-earring-na-zestig-jaar-gedwongen-om-te-stoppen |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=Slagwerkkrant.nl}} Initially a pop-rock band with Frans Krassenburg on lead vocals and Jaap Eggermont on drums, the Golden Earrings had a hit with their debut single "Please Go", recorded in 1965. Dissatisfied 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.{{CN|date=November 2021}} The definite article was dropped from the name in 1967, and the plural "s" was dropped in 1969.{{cite web |last=Huey |first=Steve |title=Golden Earring Biography |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/golden-earring-mn0000669303/biography |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=28 July 2015}}

In 1968, Barry Hay joined the band, replacing Krassenburg as frontman. Two years later, the band earned their first number one hit in the Netherlands with the song "Dong Dong Diki Digi Dong".{{Cite web |title=Toen Op 1: Dong-Dong-Di-Ki-Di-Gi-Dong {{!}} Top 40-nieuws |url=https://www.top40.nl/binnen-bij-nieuws-toen-op-1-dong-dong-di-ki-di-gi-dong |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=Top40.nl |language=nl}} In the United States, ground work for entering the US market was being laid by East Coast FM radio disc jockey and music critic Neil Kempfer-Stocker, who is credited as the first radio DJ to play the band in the US. This single was followed by a successful psychedelic album Eight Miles High, which featured a 19-minute version of the title track, a cover of the 1966 hit song by the Byrds. The song, played throughout their US tour, became the core performance of their live shows, and their experience in the US led them to make their studio albums resemble their live shows, rather than the other way around.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TqU5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT219 |page=219 |title=Made in the Low Countries: Studies in Popular Music |series=Routledge Global Popular Music Series |editor1-first=Lutgard |editor1-last=Mutsaers |editor2-first=Gert |editor2-last=Keunen |publisher=Routledge |year=2017 |isbn=9781317417941 |first=Maarten |last=Steenmeijer |chapter=Before and After: Golden Earring Before and After the 'Dutch Invasion'}} The band's American records during this period were issued by the Perception Records label in New York, and the band's Golden Earring LP, known as Wall of Dolls, and single "Back Home" performed poorly in the US but became a number 1 hit in the Netherlands.{{Cite web |title=Vandaag in 1970: grootste hit Golden Earring komt binnen |url=https://www.top40.nl/nieuws-nieuws-vandaag-in-1970-grootste-hit-golden-earring-komt-binnen |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=Top40.nl |language=nl}}

=International fame (1970s and 1980s)=

{{multiple image

|total_width = 300

|image1 = Barry Hay 2 - Golden Earring - 1974.jpg

|caption1 = Lead singer Barry Hay in 1974

|image2 = George Kooymans - Golden Earring - 1974.jpg

|caption2 = Lead guitarist George Kooymans in 1974

}}

In 1969, drummer Cesar Zuiderwijk joined the band, completing what has become Golden Earring's classic line-up. The band enjoyed brief international fame in the 1970s when the single version of "Radar Love" (1973), from the gold-certified album Moontan, became a hit in both Europe and the US. Golden Earring embarked on their first major US tour in 1969–1970. Owing to American influences, their music evolved towards hard rock, and they performed along with Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Procol Harum, and Eric Clapton. Between 1969 and 1984, Golden Earring completed 13 US tours. During this period, they performed as the opening act for Santana, King Crimson, the Doobie Brothers, Rush and .38 Special. During 1973–74, when "Radar Love" was a hit, they had Kiss and Aerosmith as their opening acts.

Golden Earring released the Live album in 1977.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1999|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0257-7|pages=187/8}} The album was recorded at London's Rainbow Theater.

Golden Earring 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 played on the recently launched MTV, and helped the song to become a US hit, spending 27 weeks on the Billboard chart.{{cite news |url=https://www.nu.nl/muziek/6114669/het-internationale-succes-van-golden-earring-van-nummer-1-tot-gebande-clip.html |website=NU.nl |access-date=8 November 2021 |title=Het internationale succes van Golden Earring: van nummer 1 tot gebande clip |date=5 February 2021}}

"When the Lady Smiles" became an international hit in 1984, reaching No. 3 in Canada and becoming the band's fifth number one hit in their native country, but was not successful in the United States, reaching no higher than #76 on the US Singles Chart. The video was banned from MTV because of its "unholy desires about a nun and a lobotomy";{{cite news |url=https://www.tampabay.com/nothing-to-smile-about-in-this-truly-odd-golden-earring-video/2213316/ |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |title=Nothing to smile about in this truly odd Golden Earring video |first=Kevin |last=Wuench |date=12 June 2015 |accessdate=8 November 2021}} this was Dick Maas's second video for the band, and helped launch his career as a film director. While touring the US in 1984, the band played at the Great Arena Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey on May 11 and were in the midst of their performance when a fire broke out at the Haunted Castle on the opposite side of the theme park, killing eight teenagers. Following this tour, Golden Earring turned their focus toward Europe where they continued to attract standing-room-only crowds. The group paused briefly after the release of The Hole in 1986 to focus on other projects, with Hay and Kooymans both releasing solo albums (Victory of Bad Taste and Solo, respectively) the following year. The group then reconvened to record their final album of the 1980s, releasing Keeper of the Flame in 1989.

=Later years (1990s–2021)=

In 1991, Golden Earring had another hit in the Netherlands with "Going to the Run", a rock-ballad about a Hells Angels motorcycle gang member who was a friend of the band and died in a crash. The Russian rock band Aria made a successful cover of "Going to the Run" as "Беспечный ангел" ("Careless Angel"). Between 1992 and 2004, the band released three acoustic live unplugged albums, which became quick successes. The first, The Naked Truth, sold 450,000 copies within the first few years{{Cite web |date=2024-03-29 |title=The Dutch Iconic blues albums: The Golden Earring - Naked Truth |url=https://www.bluesmagazine.nl/the-dutch-iconic-blues-albums-the-golden-earring-naked-truth/ |access-date=2025-01-28 |language=nl-NL}} and became the third-best selling album of 1993 in the Netherlands.{{Cite web |title=JAAROVERZICHTEN - Album 1993 |url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1993&cat=a |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=dutchcharts.nl}}

Golden Earring celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2011, which the Dutch postal service honored with a stamp that contained a music link: when a smartphone with a special app is held up to the music stamp, Golden Earring's "Radar Love" plays.{{Cite web|date=2011-10-10|title=Postzegel voor de Golden Earring|url=http://www.westonline.nl/nieuws/postzegel-voor-golden-earring|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209235025/http://www.westonline.nl/nieuws/postzegel-voor-golden-earring|archive-date=2011-12-09|website=Westonline|language=nl}}

On 11 May 2012, the band released what was to prove to be their final studio album, Tits 'n Ass.{{Cite web |last=Slagwerkkrant.nl |title=Golden Earring na zestig jaar gedwongen om te stoppen |url=https://www.slagwerkkrant.nl/nieuws/artikel/2-25186/golden-earring-na-zestig-jaar-gedwongen-om-te-stoppen |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=Slagwerkkrant.nl}}

On 5 February 2021, the band's manager announced to the Dutch press that the band's active career was over due to George Kooymans' serious ALS illness.{{Cite web|url=https://nos.nl/l/2367435|title=Ziekte George Kooymans betekent het einde van Golden Earring|website=Nos.nl|access-date=18 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://netherlandsnewslive.com/golden-earring-guitarist-george-kooymans-seriously-ill-show/80504/|title=Golden Earring guitarist George Kooymans seriously ill | Show|website=Netherlandslive.com|date=5 February 2021|access-date=18 July 2021}}

= One Last Night (2025–present) =

In January 2025, the band announced that they would play one final concert, named "Golden Earring: One Last Night" at the Rotterdam Ahoy on 30 January 2026. Kooymans will not play, but several famous Dutch artists will perform with the band, and five euros from each ticket sold will go to ALS research.{{Cite web |title=Golden Earring geeft op 30 januari 2026 toch afscheidsconcert in Ahoy |url=https://voorburgsdagblad.nl/rotterdam%20&%20regio/golden-earring-geeft-op-30-januari-2026-toch-afscheidsconcert-in-ahoy |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=voorburgsdagblad.nl |language=nl}} Because of extra demand, four more shows from 26 to 29 January were added, which also all sold out immediately.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-23 |title=Extra afscheidsconcerten Golden Earring binnen een uur uitverkocht |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2552927-extra-afscheidsconcerten-golden-earring-binnen-een-uur-uitverkocht |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}}

Band members

= Final members =

= Former members =

  • Fred van der Hilst – drums, percussion (1962–1965)
  • Hans van Herwerden – guitar (1962–1963)
  • Peter de Ronde – guitar (1963–1966)
  • Frans Krassenburg – vocals (1964–1967)
  • Jaap Eggermont – drums, percussion (1965–1969)
  • Sieb Warner – drums, percussion (1969–1970)
  • Bertus Borgers – saxophone (1973–1976)
  • Eelco Gelling – guitar (1973–1975, 1976–1978)
  • Robert Jan Stips – keyboards, synthesizers (1974–1976, 1977–1978, 1980, 1982, 1986)
  • John Lagrand – harmonica (1979)

=Lineups=

class="toccolours" border=1 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="float: width: 375px; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #E2E2E2;" width=99%
bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1961–1962

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1962–1963

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1963–1964

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1964–1965

valign=top |

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Hans van Herwerden – guitar
  • Fred van der Hilst – drums, percussion

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Fred van der Hilst – drums, percussion
  • Peter de Ronde – guitar

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Fred van der Hilst – drums, percussion
  • Peter de Ronde – guitar
  • Frans Krassenburg – vocals
bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1965–1966

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1966–1967

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1967–1969

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1969–1970

valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Peter de Ronde – guitar
  • Frans Krassenburg – vocals
  • Jaap Eggermont – drums, percussion

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Frans Krassenburg – vocals
  • Jaap Eggermont – drums, percussion

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Jaap Eggermont – drums, percussion
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone
  • Sieb Warner – drums, percussion
bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1970–1973

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1973–1974

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1974–1975

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1975–1976

valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone
  • Cesar Zuiderwijk – drums, percussion

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone
  • Cesar Zuiderwijk – drums, percussion
  • Bertus Borgers – saxophone
  • Eelco Gelling – guitar

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone
  • Cesar Zuiderwijk – drums, percussion
  • Bertus Borgers – saxophone
  • Eelco Gelling – guitar
  • Robert Jan Stips – keyboards, synthesizers

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone
  • Cesar Zuiderwijk – drums, percussion
  • Bertus Borgers – saxophone
  • Robert Jan Stips – keyboards, synthesizers
bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1976

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1976–1977

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1977–1978

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1978–2021

valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone
  • Cesar Zuiderwijk – drums, percussion
  • Robert Jan Stips – keyboards, synthesizers
  • Eelco Gelling – guitar

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone
  • Cesar Zuiderwijk – drums, percussion
  • Eelco Gelling – guitar

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone
  • Cesar Zuiderwijk – drums, percussion
  • Eelco Gelling – guitar
  • Robert Jan Stips – keyboards, synthesizers

| valign=top |

  • Rinus Gerritsen – bass, keyboards, guitar, harmonica
  • George Kooymans – guitar, vocals
  • Barry Hay – vocals, guitar, flute, saxophone
  • Cesar Zuiderwijk – drums, percussion

= Timeline =

{{#tag:timeline|

ImageSize = width:1000 height:450

PlotArea = left:105 bottom:120 top:0 right:35

Alignbars = justify

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy

Period = from:01/01/1961 till:05/02/2021

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4

ScaleMajor = increment:4 start:1961

ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1961

Colors =

id:voc value:red legend:Vocals

id:ww value:tan2 legend:Wind_instruments

id:g value:green legend:Guitars

id:key value:purple legend:Keyboards

id:b value:blue legend:Bass

id:dr value:orange legend:Drums

id:alb value:black legend:Studio_releases

LineData =

layer:back

at:01/09/1965

at:27/01/1967

at:01/01/1968

at:01/01/1969

at:01/11/1969

at:01/10/1970

at:01/06/1972

at:01/07/1973

at:01/03/1975

at:01/01/1976

at:01/07/1976

at:01/01/1978

at:01/07/1979

at:01/10/1980

at:01/08/1982

at:01/03/1984

at:01/05/1986

at:08/05/1989

at:19/04/1991

at:01/07/1994

at:01/07/1995

at:12/04/1999

at:01/02/2003

at:11/05/2012

at:11/05/2015

PlotData =

width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,–4)

bar:Frans Krassenburg from:01/07/1964 till:01/07/1967 color:voc

bar:Barry Hay from:01/07/1967 till:end color:voc

bar:Barry Hay from:01/07/1967 till:01/07/2003 color:g width:3

bar:Barry Hay from:01/07/1967 till:01/07/1992 color:ww width:7

bar:Bertus Borgers from:01/07/1973 till:01/05/1976 color:ww

bar:George Kooymans from:start till:end color:g

bar:George Kooymans from:start till:end color:voc width:3

bar:Hans van Herwerden from:01/07/1962 till:01/07/1963 color:g

bar:Peter de Ronde from:01/07/1963 till:01/07/1966 color:g

bar:Eelco Gelling from:01/05/1973 till:01/07/1975 color:g

bar:Eelco Gelling from:01/05/1976 till:01/07/1978 color:g

bar:Robert Jan Stips from:01/07/1974 till:01/09/1976 color:key

bar:Rinus Gerritsen from:start till:end color:b

bar:Rinus Gerritsen from:start till:end color:key width:3

bar:Fred van der Hilst from:01/07/1962 till:01/07/1965 color:dr

bar:Jaap Eggermont from:01/07/1965 till:01/03/1969 color:dr

bar:Sieb Warner from:01/03/1969 till:01/09/1969 color:dr

bar:Cesar Zuiderwijk from:01/09/1969 till:end color:dr

}}

Discography

{{main|Golden Earring discography}}

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

{{div col end}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Sources

  • 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.

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • {{Official website}}
  • [http://www.radar-Love.net/ Radar Love TimeTravel]
  • [http://www.musicmirror.net/interviews-archiv1.htm English-language interview with George Kooymans for MusicMirror]

{{Golden Earring |state=expanded}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1961 establishments in the Netherlands

Category:2021 disestablishments in the Netherlands

Category:Dutch hard rock musical groups

Category:Dutch psychedelic rock music groups

Category:Dutch musical quartets

Category:Musical groups established in 1961

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2021

Category:Musical groups from The Hague

Category:English-language musical groups from the Netherlands