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Story Behind The Album Cover : Golden Earring’s Tits ‘N Ass, by Claudia Hek

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Golden Earring’s 25th and final full length studio album was 2012’s Tits ‘N Ass. The album contained 14 tracks, and is one of their more underrated albums with rocking cuts like “Identical”, “Little Time Bomb”, “Dope Runner”, and “Avenue Of Broken Dreams”, as well as a few ballads, notably “What Do I Now About Love”. With many of the band’s releases Tits ‘N Ass was not released in North America.

Tits ‘N Ass stands out visually, with the artwork of artist Claudia Hek. From The Netherlands, Claudia Hek is best known for her pin-up art and tattoo designs, described ‘as a mix of comic, old school and realism in a retro jacket.’ Her cover-art for Golden Earring is her best known – but not the only album cover to feature her work.

In this short interview, Claudia tells the story behind her creating the cover for Tits ‘N Ass, as well as more about her artwork, influences, other album covers and more. The album Tits ‘N Ass is being reissued in October on limited 180-gram translucent red colored vinyl (Music On Vinyl).

Your art was used for the cover of Golden Earring’s Tits n Ass album. Was the art already done and selected by the band or was it created specifically for the album?  How did that come about? 

It was created specifically for the album. I got a call from the record company if I wanted to create the album art for the band. Apparently Barry Hay who loves pin-ups and tattoo art got in touch with my work and really liked it.

Can you tell me a bit about that drawing – does it have it’s title or character name? 

The title for the album was Tits and Ass and they told me they wanted a pin-up that showed tits and ass and that was what I created.

How was this created and what inspired that particular piece, with the airplane, etc… ? And were you happy with ended up appearing (on record) 

The photo of the background was created by somebody else. I only made the illustration and I think another graphic designer put it all together. I was curious to see if my work would look good on a photograph but it came out great.

Being from the Netherlands, how familiar were you with Golden Earring? (much of a fan of their music?) 

I like them. I’m not a huge fan but most of their hit songs I really like. And through the illustration I got to meet Barry and see them live two times which was great! I also read the book Hay and loved that too. Barry is a really nice guy!

What sort of music do you listen to (or purchase) – -any favorite bands or musical artists? 

I listen to all kinds of music but mainly rock n’ roll. I am a big fan of the Rolling Stones, I love country, southern rock, 60’s beat, rockabilly, soul and old blues but also listen to classical music and reggae. Basically everything besides techno or electronic music.

Has your art been used on many other album covers? Can you give me a few names or details[?] 

Yes, I made  a few record covers, for ‘the Boogie Chillers’, a great Dutch garage band from Groningen, ‘the Anaconda’s’, a surf band from Amsterdam, ‘Tio Gringo’, a hillbilly band also from Holland,  and a few 45 covers, for ‘E.T Explore Me’, a Dutch garage punk band, ‘the Doodle-Li-Bop’s’, a garage band from Switzerland, and the ‘Transatlantic Bunnies’. a pop band from the Netherlands with members from the US and Canada.

I also did a lot of poster art and logo’s and t-shirt designs for bands when I was still active in the music scene as a drummer, but not so much anymore.

What sort of influenced your own art –  the style that and characters in your work? 

I’ve always been hugely influenced by pin-up art from the 40’s and 50’s and comic art. Bettie Page has always been a great inspiration and artists like Bill Ward and Eric Stanton are two of my favorites.

Can you tell me a few details of your (new) book? And is there prints of your art pieces (Such as Tits n Ass) available at your website?  

My book gives an overview of my work from the last 10 years and also contains a short personal story. It’s very versatile, it contains not only my pin-ups work but also my graphic work, my poems, tattoo designs, animals, kinky stuff, spiritual stuff, realistic pencil- and pen drawings and some comic drawings.

And besides all that it also contains about ten short stories / testimonials that other people wrote. It’s more personal than my first book which came out ten years ago and only contained images.

Both my new book and prints of my art (including the illustration I made for the Golden Earring) are all available through the webshop on my website: www.claudiahek.com

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/claudiahekart

https://www.instagram.com/claudiahekart/?hl=en

https://www.musiconvinyl.com/catalog/golden-earring/tits-n-ass#more

08/’22

GOLDEN EARRING LIVE – REMASTERED & EXPANDED 2CD + DVD out now!

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Newly expanded and 45th anniversary edition of the first
Golden Earring Live album. Remastered from the original IBC Studios master tapes. Featuring 5 bonus tracks, including 3 previously unreleased recordings from the concert in Brugge in March 1977, Including a 30-page booklet with a new essay, memorabilia, and photos
Founded in 1961 by George Kooymans and Rinus Gerritsen, Dutch rock band Golden Earring (or Golden Earrings, until 1969) started off as a beatband, experimented as a psychedelic quartet and finally became a heavy rock group. Their ninth album Moontan (1973) hit the international album charts and is the band’s most successful album in the United States, being the only Golden Earring album to be certified Gold by the RIAA, alongside the classic single “Radar Love”, that reached #10 on the Cash Box Top 100 and #13 in Billboard in the United States.

Live is the band’s first live (double) album released in 1977. With it’s long, spun-out versions of classic Golden Earring songs, this record is vastly different from other live registrations by the band. It’s also one of only three albums featuring guitarist Eelco Gelling as a band member, adding a new dimension to the band’s sound. Furthermore, this album emphasizes Golden Earring’s strong rhythm section on swinging songs like “Mad Love’s Comin’” and “Radar Love”. Live celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2022 and has been being remastered for the first time from the original IBC Studios master tapes. It includes three bonus tracks recorded during the concert in March 1977 in Brugge and the
double A-sided single “Radar Love/Just Like Vince Taylor” which was issued to promote the album and features edit versions of the respectable album tracks. In addition, a DVD entitled Golden Earring Live features four tracks filmed at the IJsselhallen in Zwolle on 28th August 1977, which were broadcasted on Dutch television four weeks later. This footage has been restored and remastered from the original 16 mm film reels. The 2LP edition of Live (remastered & expanded) has been released by Music On Vinyl on 10th June 2022.
This 2CD+DVD edition of Live is the second volume in a special series of
remastered & expanded albums by Golden Earring, overseen by Red Bullet catalogue and band archivist Woute Bessels.

TRACKLISTING
2CD: Original album version remastered plus bonus tracks
CD1-

Candy’s Going Bad 5.06
She Flies On Strange Wings 8.09
Mad Love’s Comin’ 9.49
Eight Miles High 10.06
Vanilla Queen 11.42
To The Hilt 6.40
Fightin’ Windmills 8.50
Con Man 9.20

CD 2

Radar Love 11.16 / Just Like Vince Taylor 6.24
BONUS TRACKS: Fightin’ Windmills (Brugge 1977) 7.50 / Eight Miles High (Brugge 1977) 9.13 / I Need Love (Brugge 1977) 6.45 / Radar Love (single version) 4.46 / Just Like Vince Taylor (single version) 4.00

DVD: Golden Earring Live

Mad Love’s Comin’ / Leather / Radar Love / Just Like Vince Taylor

Live (remastered & expanded) was released by Red Bullet Productions on 29th July 2022 and is available through all renowned worldwide music dealers and online shops

Order info- https://shop.rockart.nl/product/golden-earring-live/

Kooymans & Carillo – Mirage (a review)

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Mirage is the 2nd album released by the partnership of George Kooymans (Golden Earring) and American singer/guitarist/songwriter Frank Carillo. This album was recorded over a number of years, prior to Kooymans ALS diagnosis that has left him unable to play and forcing his band Golden Earring to retire. However, this collection of songs will come as a nice surprise to Kooyman’s fans who assumed they’d not hear anything new from the legendary Dutch guitarist (as well as singer/songwriter). Mirage is also a follow up the duo’s 2010 album On Location. I haven’t got or heard the entire On Location disc (and judging by the availability and prices online – won’t be getting it anytime soon). Frank Carillo has been active releasing music since the late ’60s, his earliest bands being Hot Soup, as well as Doc Holliday along with Bob Mayo. Carillo would also play on the first few Peter Frampton solo albums, (Mayo would play with Frampton for decades).

Anyway, back to Mirage…. Golden Earring fans may know of Frank Carillo from his involvement on the band’s 2003 album Millbrook, USA. and 2012’s Tits N Ass , where he played slide guitar and had a few co-writing credits. Mirage features 11 tracks, 9 of which were co-written by Kooymans & Carillo, and recorded at a few studios in the USA and the Netherlands.

For the most part Mirage is a collection of largely acoustic based, roots rock, a bit of blues, and a bit of a country feel on many tracks as well. The lead off (and) title track is easily likeable, a smooth acoustic based country flavored tune highlighted by slide guitar and lead vocals from George, as well as vocals from Casey Kooymans, along backing vocals from Frank, who also adds piano, and there’s a bit of banjo provided by Paul Orofino. There’s a few good upbeat cuts like “If I Go There”, “Den Of Thieves” and “Crystal Cracking”, which is probably the most ‘classic rock’ track here, with it’s slide guitar and hammond organ, and Frank’s vocals.

The best picks for me tho’ are a few of the ballads, particularly “I Wish You Were Still Here”, which is just a very memorable song – if there was a hit single from this album, this would be it. As well the short “Christmas In Gaza” stands out as well. Mirage also features the light country rock tune “Ticket To Heaven” written by Eddie Seville, this one includes violin. The ‘bonus’ track here is “Seasons”, which is just George and John Sonneveld (who programs the drums and bass, adds flute and hammond organ) . It is a song George wrote decades ago and gave to Dutch band Earth & Fire, who had their first hit with it in 1969.

Lots of excellent lead vocals and shared vocals here that go so well together, great productions, and a few guests – such as Rinus Gerritsen on couple of tracks. Would be curious to know if Kooymans and Carillo might have anything left in the can. For Golden Earring fans that won’t be expecting anything further from the band Mirage is definitely something you’ll want to pick up.

http://www.redbullet.nl/

http://www.frankcarillo.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1728466740617239

https://www.facebook.com/RedBulletOfficial/

https://homestead–guitars-com.translate.goog/players/frank-carillo/?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

https://www.discogs.com/artist/11429429-KooymansCarillo

rb-66.370-kooymans-carillo-mirage-release-info-engDownload

GEORGE KOOYMANS & FRANK CARILLO Release 2nd album

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For GOLDEN EARRING fans, guitarist/writer Goerge Kooymans and American guitarist Frank Carillo released their 2nd album titled Mirage. It includes 10 tracks , notably Kooymans’ “Seasons”, which was originally written in 1968 for Dutch band Earth & Fire.


from press:

Twelve years after their debut album On Location, George Kooymans and Frank Carillo return to the front with their second album entitled Mirage. Recorded over a period of approximately three years in various studios and countries, Mirage offers ten tracks that illustrate the natural chemistry between the two guitarists, showcasing artistic excellence, as well as a wide array of musical influences.

,,Four countries, a fantastic cast of real characters, sometimes an ocean between us and more than a few laughs: That’s how Mirage came to life. We wrote a number of the songs in George’s kitchen while he cooked and I strummed guitar. Then he strummed and I got on the cutting board. We like to cook.” – George Kooymans & Frank Carillo

George and Frank are accompanied by a.o. Paul Orofino (banjo, guitar, Hammond Organ), Rinus Gerritsen (bass), Bobby Langenberg (drums), Ocki Klootwijk (bass), John Sonneveld (keyboards, programming) and George’s daughter Cassy on harmony vocals.

,,It wasn’t a conscious effort to make a CD. We just wanted to write and record because we loved doing what we do. After a while, we realized that we had enough material recorded to put out a new collection so here it is.” – George Kooymans & Frank Carillo

TRACKLISTING

1. Mirage 5.01
2. Where The Devil Won’t Go 2.43
3. Sweet Revenge 3.25
4. If I Go There 3.13
5. Den Of Thieves 4.03
6. Ticket To Heaven 3.21
7. I Wish You Were Still Here 4.50
8. Living Now 4.06
9. Crystal Cracking 4.40
10. Christmas in Gaza 2.27
11. Seasons (bonus track) 4.41

Mirage is released on 17th June 2022 by Red Bullet Productions and will be available through all renowned worldwide music dealers and online shops, plus digital channels (Spotify, Apple Music, a.o.). A vinyl version will follow later this year through Music On Vinyl.

*There is also Another release of Golden Earring’s classic Live album. I have the white vinyl of this, as well there is a red vinyl issue (released in 2019 & ’21 respectively). This edition issued on ‘blade bullet’ vinyl reportedly comes from the master tapes – “To celebrate its 45th anniversary, the album is being remastered for the very first time from the original master tapes.” I am curious how improved it will sound(?) A shame there’s no ‘bonus’ material .

Links:

https://www.jpc.de/…/kooymans-carillo-mirage/hnum/10946342

https://www.jpc.de/…/golden-earring-the…/hnum/10931042

https://www.musicmaker.nl/muzieknieuws/artikel/2-27108/release-van-de-week-kooymans–carillo–mirage?fbclid=IwAR0ej300vo7BWzLI6NFSaWDPqAQ0NSxGycnM2LnCgfadvzNkCo2dCcHqRtA

http://www.frankcarillo.com

https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeKooymansFanpage

https://www.facebook.com/groups/190008391032053

GOLDEN EARRING To release last ever live show

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Golden Earring’s last performance ever held at Rotterdam Ahoy on 16th November 2019 called ‘You Know We Love You! – Live Ahoy 2019’ as a double CD/DVD. It includes the full show and some extra’s like a replica of the original concert poster and a collage of photos that fans of Golden Earring submitted during the past year. This album will give Golden Earring and its fans a dignified goodbye so well deserved.

A big thanks to Bert Dijkstra/ Shop Around for the magnificent artwork design.

By accident, visual director Marcel de Vré (who had captured the Golden Earring Five Zero Show at the Amsterdam Ziggodome in 2015) recorded that final performance. He was hired to take care of the video content and live camera shots that would be projected on a big video screen hanging on the back of the stage. Without the band being aware, De Vré recorded the show and archived the complete footage.

Luckily, excellent audio and video was available of a tremendous concert, that sadly turned out to be Golden Earring’s final performance – with this historical release as a result.

When in February 2021 co-founder George Kooymans had to announce his having to leave the band with immediate effect, due to health issues. Golden Earring decided to break up. With the sad knowledge that the Rotterdam show had been the final performance of Golden Earring, the audio and visual files were unshelved in close cooperation with the band, Marcel de Vré and John Sonneveld – the band’s long time technical assistance and producer.

CD 1

Don’t Stop The Show
I Do Rock ‘n’ Roll
Another 45 Miles
Long Blond Animal
5 When The Lady Smiles
Liquid Soul
Twilight Zone
Going To the Run

CD 2

Vanilla Queen
Hold Me Now
Say When
The Devil Made Me Do It
Johnny Make Believe
Rinus On Bass
Radar Love part 1
Cesar On Drums
Radar Love part 2
She Flies On Strange Wings
Legalize Telepathy

DVD

Don’t Stop The Show
I Do Rock ‘N Roll
Another 45 Miles
Long Blond Animal
When The Lady Smiles
Liquid Soul
Twilight Zone
Going To The Run
Vanilla Queen
Hold Me Now
Say When
The Devil Made Me Do It
Johnny Make Believe
Rinus On Bass
Radar Love part 1
Cesar On Drums
Radar Love part 2
She Flies On Strange Wings
Legalize Telepathy

*a vinyl LP release is reported for later in the year.

Pre-order-

NL: https://www.platomania.nl/…/you_know_we…/golden_earring

World: https://www.jpc.de/…/golden-earring-the…/hnum/10869772

*Also see Amazon and other online outlets.

03/’22

GOLDEN EARRING : Moontan Remastered & Expanded

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Golden Earring – Moontan (Gatefold, Vinyl) - Discogs

Golden Earring’s best known album, and their biggest success in North America, Moontan is a ’70s must hear classic album, not only boasting the band’s biggest hit, but also a number of live favorites, with 4 cuts featuring on the band’s awesome 1977 Live album. It featured a cover photo from Dutch photographer Ronnie Hertz, a pic perhaps too much for North America where this market got a different cover or …an earring!

MOONTAN – REMASTERED & EXPANDED To be released September 10.

New expanded 2CD edition of the 1973 classic Golden Earring album, featuring the worldwide hit Radar Love

For the first time ever remastered from the first-generation master tapes.

Featuring 9 previously unreleased mixes/different versions

Featuring 6 bonus tracks, including Big Tree, Blue Sea (1973 version) and Instant Poetry

Including a 32-page booklet with a new essay, memorabilia, and photos

Founded in 1961 by George Kooymans and Rinus Gerritsen, Dutch rock band Golden Earring (or Golden Earrings, until 1969) started off as a beat-band, experimented as a psychedelic quartet and finally became a heavy rock group. Their ninth album Moontan (1973) hit the international album charts and is the band’s most successful album in the United States, being the only Golden Earring album to be certified Gold by the RIAA. The single “Radar Love” reached #10 on the Cash Box Top 100 and #13 in Billboard in the United States. It also hit the Top 10 in many countries – including The Netherlands (#1), Spain (#1), Germany (#5), United Kingdom (#7), Canada (#10) and Australia (#10) – and consequently became a bonafide international classic rock song. In June 2020, the original master-tapes of this classic album were unearthed for a long-awaited remastered edition – 48 years after its original release.

Alongside a fresh remaster from the IBC Studios first-generation album masters, six bonus tracks have been added, including the 1973 remake of “Big Tree”, “Blue Sea” that was added to the UK and US editions of the original album, the original single versions of “Radar Love” and “Candy’s Going Bad”, the B-side “The Song Is Over” and the 1974 single “Instant Poetry”.

In addition, a second CD entitled The Moontan Sessions features nine previously unreleased mixes/different versions that give insight into the whole production process of the album. Taken from a variety of archive tapes, these include the original basic recordings of “Radar Love”, “The Song Is Over”, “Are You Receiving Me” and “Vanilla Queen”, taped in early 1973 at Phonogram Studios in Hilversum (The Netherlands), which were overdubbed and finished at London’s IBC Studios in July 1973. All tracks have been 24 bit/192 kHz remastered from the original master-tapes.

A special 2LP edition of Moontan (remastered & expanded) released by Music On Vinyl will follow in early 2022. This 2CD edition of Moontan starts off a special series of remastered & expanded albums by Golden Earring, overseen by Red Bullet catalogue and band archivist Wouter Bessels.

No photo description available.

TRACKLISTING

CD 1: Original album version remastered plus bonus tracks
1. Candy’s Going Bad 6.13
2. Are You Receiving Me 9.32
3. Suzy Lunacy (Mental Rock) 4.26
4. Radar Love 6.26
5. Just Like Vince Taylor 4.22
6. Vanilla Queen 9.19
BONUS TRACKS:
7. Big Tree, Blue Sea (1973 version) 8.12
8. Candy’s Going Bad (single version) 2.52
9. Radar Love (single version) 3.45
10. The Song Is Over 4.52
11. Instant Poetry 5.08
12. From Heaven, From Hell (1974 version) 6.05

CD 2: The Moontan Sessions
1. Vanilla Queen (early version) 10.03
2. Radar Love (basic track) 6.27
3. The Song Is Over (basic track) 5.14
4. Are You Receiving Me (basic track) 9.30
5. Candy’s Going Bad (rough mix) 4.06
6. Vanilla Queen part 1 (rough mix) 5.36
7. Just Like Vince Taylor (alternate mix) 4.27
8. Big Tree, Blue Sea part 1 (rough mix) 3.14
9. Radar Love (instrumental mono mix) 6.30

Moontan (remastered & expanded) will be released by Red Bullet Productions on 10 September 2021 and will be available through all renowned worldwide music dealers and online shops.

COVER OF THE MONTH

https://styrous.blogspot.com/2019/07/20000-vinyl-lp-191-golden-earring.html

[pre order] https://shop.rockart.nl/product-categorie/golden-earring-diversen/

Golden Earring – Live

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Golden Earring is from Holland, and as far as most in North America know of them, they were a 2-hit wonder. They had huge hits with “Radar Love” (1973) and “Twilight Zone” (1982), but Golden Earring is the longest running band that until recently – regularly released albums and toured. The band formed as The Tornados in 1961, changed their name to The Golden Earrings and released their first album was in 1965. And although they’d have hits and success in their homeland, it wouldn’t be til the early ’70s that the band had distribution and an impact in North America with a string of classic albums – Moontan, Switch, To The Hilt, and Mad Love when they’d signed to MCA Records. Many years ago I had [still have] been given a few compilation cassettes of the band from my [late] uncle Jim. I never gave them much play, but in recent years I started filling in the gaps in my Golden Earring collection, and more so started digging the band’s 1977 Live album [2LP]. which – if you don’t have it – I think is one of the greatest Live albums of all time.

At this point the band included founding members George Kooymans [guitar, vocals] and Rinus Gerritsen [bass, keyboards, harmonica, guitar], as well as Barry Hay [lead vocals, guitar, flute], sax – since ’67] and Cesar Zuiderwijk [drums, since 1970] , as well and Eelxo Geiling [guitar]. Aside from Geiling, the other 4 members would remain permanent members until the end. The only personnel changes in the ’70s would be the extra guitar player or keyboard player that the band added for various albums. But, yeah – at the time of the Live album, Golden Earring was a 5 -piece, guitar heavy band; not heavy like ‘metal’, just lots of that cool ’70s guitar sound, with some slide guitar, lengthy solos, etc… The band was far from a ‘pop’ band here, stretching out the 10 tracks here with extended jams and solos, You get a 12 minute take of “Radar Love”, a 12 & a half minute play of the classic “Vanilla Queen”, and a 6 and a half minute version of “To The Hilt”.

Most of the tracks are taken from the band’s latest albums, though material from the classic Switch album is absent. There’s also a 10 minute rendition of “Eight Miles High”, which was actually shortened from the near 19 minute version that the band recorded for their 1969 album of the same name. Side One is probably my favorite here kicking off with “Candy’s Going Bad”, followed by “She Flies On Strange Wings” [from 1971’s Seven Tears] , and a near 10 minute rock out on “Mad Love’s Comin'” – the title track to their latest album at the time, and one that makes me wonder if Iron Maiden was listening to this[?].

If you have nothing of or very little of Golden Earring, Live is the best place to start, just an amazing recording of a classic band at their peak. Recently reissued on white vinyl. Would be nice if there was more to these recordings [see the new Be Bop Deluxe Live In The Air Age box set]. There would be a 2nd Live released in 1981, which only got released in the Netherlands and Germany; it features a completely different set of tracks, played to regular lengths [no 10 minute + jams]. And if you are picking up Golden Earring albums, do yourself a favor and get the original European version of Moontan! it features the classic artwork in a gatefold, as well as the proper 6 tracks, where as the North American version cheaps out on the cover art, and shortens the album to 5 songs. But, as I said – start here with Live. Guitarist George Kooymans was diagnosed with ALS earlier this year, putting an end to the band’s amazing 60 years on the rock stage. But, if you’re a fan of those ’70s guitar / jam bands Live is a ‘must have’. The band’s catalogue is long, but well worth looking in to beyond the hits.

*Live has been recently been reissued on white vinyl vi Music On Vinyl.

Links:

Golden Earring Announces Retirement After 60 Years | iHeartRadio

(9) Golden Earring | Facebook

Golden Earring (golden-earring.nl)

GOLDEN EARRING – LIVE – Music On Vinyl

KJ, 06 / ’21