AHOB!
I have to write this post on my lunch break at work; the space bar on my keyboard at home doesn't work anymore since my son played some game that involved a lot of spacebar-whacking, so this will probably be a short one.
Trockener Kecks ruled my world when I was 14. They were one of the 2nd-generation "DIY" punk bands like The Ex and Nitwitz, but much poppier than most of their peers. At the time of their genius Schliessbaum debut LP (1981) and early Rik Ringers and Niet Alle Meisjes... EPs (81-82) their lyrics were downright silly, about banana peel terrorism, penis size, waiting for the alarm clock to turn 22:22, stuff like that... Right up the alley of a bored adolescent like me! Alas, after original members Edward (1st singer), Arjan (guitar, formed Frites Modern) and Piet (2nd singer, ex-Panic) had left, guitarist Rick de Leeuw took over vocal duties and steered the band into more serious waters, his Elvis-Costello-with-a-bad-cold-warbling sabotaging their stabs at hit success (with almost every single alluding to that elusive success in titles like To The Top! One In A Million! Now Or Never!). Though they never got their chart hit(s), Trockener Kecks did turn into one of the biggest Dutch live acts of the 80's/90's, earning a big fan base by working hard and generally being nice guys (bass player Theo Vogelaars famously helped washing the dishes at every youth center they played!). Too bad about the music, though...
Here's three tracks from their Schliessbaum LP, showcasing their early Jam-at-78-RPM approach. The two other tracks are from the Niet Alle Meisjes Zijn Verliefd Op Kors EP, the title track of which was already getting into pop/new wave territory (still great though!). These 2 tracks made up the B-side and in hindsight served as a sort of "punk farewell"; in my opinion this is possibly the greatest pop-punk ever made in Holland... ("Lang Zo Aardig Niet" was quite rightly selected for the famous I'm Sure We're Gonna Make It/ Killed By Epitaph-comps)
Trockener Kecks - Gifbeker
Trockener Kecks - Samen Met Jose
Trockener Kecks - Zeeuws Meisje (From Schliessbaum, 1981)
Trockener Kecks - Finishing Touch
Trockener Kecks - Lang Zo Aardig Niet (From Niet Alle Meisjes..., 1982)
posted by Niels at 10:53
6 Comments:
I wonder why the lyrics to the "geinlijn" song never made it into the lyrics section of their official website
"Geef Max de zak en stuur hem snel, met Bram en Moos naar Israël..."
Mijn aanvankelijke keuzes voor I'm Sure... waren Ik Slik Die Zever Niet en Heineken Bier. Maar ik meen mij te herinneren dat de band die nummers te ver verwijderd vond van wat ze op dat moment deden. Lang Zo Aardig Niet was uiteindelijk een compromis.
niet alle meisjes zijn verliefd op kors. helemaal weg van dat nummr was ik. kende het van shacken not stirred of andersom. en dat afwassen daar kan 10 nog steeds dromerig over vertellen...
Been curios for years about this band. But never get around to listening to them. This is great! Thanks Niels!
I just remembered, after doing the UK Subs post, that the first time I read the name Trockener Kecks was in the NME, in an ad for the 1981 "Christmas On Earth" punk festival in Leeds, featuring the Kecks alongside Exploited, Black Flag, Damned, Bow Wow Wow (!) and of course, the UK Subs. For a while I thought Trockener Kecks were an English band! (the ad later popped up as a well-known punk T-shirt design, making Trockener Kecks probably the most-worn Dutch punk band on earth.
De kecks were my firstlove too...
I remember owning a schliessbaum tape with af few songs from an other Dutch band called "de Straks" to complete the 60 minutes.
Got anything from this band?
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