The Outsiders (Dutch band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Outsiders were a Dutch band from Oost, a town near Amsterdam. Their period of greatest popularity in the Netherlands was from 1965-67, but they released records until 1969.

Featuring Wally Tax (vocals), Ronnie Splinter (guitar), Appie Rammers (bass guitar), Tom Krabbendam (guitar), Leendert "Buzz" Busch (drums), Frank Beek (bass guitar 1968-1969), the band exemplified the "Nederbeat" Sound, a raw and immediate Dutch take on rock n' roll created in the wake of the 60's British Invasion. Unlike the many European bands influenced by the Beatles, the Outsiders took their cues from harder-edged British bands like the Pretty Things (who frequently toured the Netherlands). However, others have cited influences as wide-ranging as Buddy Holly, Jacques Brel, and Love (band). The Outsiders developed a reputation for a wild and raucous stage act, and were eventually banned from various venues. Their signature sound was described this way by Richie Unterberger:

"Bee-humming fuzz guitars and galloping bass runs fought it out with drummer Buzz Busch's insanely accelerating tempos, as leader, singer, and (with guitarist Ronnie Splinter) songwriter Wally Tax both screamed furiously and purred in sullen, hurt tones... Like many of the best Nederbiet groups, they mixed R&B/rock with a distinctly continental European melodic sensibility. Their odd time signatures and juxtapositions of raunch and delicate folk-rock within the same song -- "Touch" being perhaps the best example -- had few counterparts in the British or American scenes. Wally Tax was both a tough punk and, at heart, a romantic, capable of both a hoarse yelp and a tender whisper. It is the tension between these extremes that fuels the Outsiders' approach, though even in the most lighthearted of their songs, one can feel the clouds of doom lingering just over the horizon."

The Outsiders released three full-length records, Outsiders and the singles collection Songbook in 1967, and C.Q. in 1968. The latter sold poorly upon release, but is now considered a masterpiece of psychedelic garage rock. The band also released thirteen singles, including 1967's Summer Is Here, which reached the Top Ten on the Dutch charts. Their eponymous debut album, which featured one side of studio recordings and another taken from their live show, also sold well during this period. Unusually for this era, the band never recorded a cover version of any other band's compositions.

After the summer of '67, many of the "Nederbeat" bands fell from commercial favor, including Q65, Les Baroques, the Motions, and the Outsiders. Later Outsiders singles had lower chart peaks, and personnel changes, friction, poor promotion and management problems followed. Experiments and changes in musical style, though critically well-regarded today, only served to alienate the band's fanbase. The group attempted publicity stunts in the hopes of building interest. These included dressing in medieval costumes, and staging a haircut for lead singer Wally Tax on Dutch television.

Reportedly, Kurt Cobain was a fan of the Outsiders and made an unsuccessful attempt to meet Wally Tax.^[1]

A reunion tour of the four original outsiders took place in Ocrober 1997. Wally Tax died in 2005.