Shocking Blue: history, line-up, success of the song "Venus", disintegration, reunions
Late 60s... The heyday of the hippie, rock 'n' roll, and psychedelic genres. Literally every other band played this kind of music back then. So musicians had to stand out and find their own style. It was especially important in countries for which the popularity of rock music was not as obvious as, for example, in the UK or the USA.
One such country is NetherlandsThe most famous of these are the bands that have given to the music community several famous bands that have changed history in a significant way. The most famous of these is the band shock bluewhich is the subject of this article.
With Marishka's arrival, the band has taken on new colors.
The band Shocking Blue appeared in The Hague in 1967. The idea of its creation belongs to the guitarist Robbie van Leeuwenwhich, by the time of the creation of the shock blue He had already gained experience in other bands that copied the style of British rock and American rhythm and blues. Then a consistent need for other musicians arose, and then Robbie turned to Fred de Wilde, Clascha van der Wal and Cornelius van der Beek, who took over as vocalist, bassist and drummer, respectively.
At first, the band recorded unpretentious, simple rock 'n' roll songs that did not use huge popularity. The debut album with elements of blues-rock and beat music under the same name did not appeal to a wide audience. However, this record, it is worth noting, is the only one on which you can hear the vocals of the band's original vocalist Fred de Wilde.
Everything changed when Shocking Blue got Mariska Veres. The vocalist with Hungarian and German roots performed in the band Bumble Bees and had a unique vocal capabilities that immediately appealed to the rest of the musicians. Veresh possessed talent She had been performing with her father in a Gypsy musical group since she was a child, but she had never graduated from music school.
"Marischka was supposed to be a flawless addition to the band's concept, which actually happened," noted guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen.
When Shocking Blue, as intended by its founders, was assembled in its entirety, the band came to real popularity. With Marischka's arrival, the musical preferences of Dutch rock 'n' roll performers shifted, for the most part, to rhythm and bluesThe sound of the sound is appealing.
Even the Iron Curtain couldn't resist...
In 1970, the world heard the song VenusIn the USSR it is known by the illusory name of "Shizgara," in tune with the American line "She's Got It". Although this song has achieved extraordinary success around the world, some elements of it have been borrowed from another song, namely a song arrangement of Stephen Foster's "Oh! Susanna," released by the trio The Big 3 called "Banjo Song" in 1963. Even the founder of the band himself admitted that "Venus" was written under the influence of these two factors, but they in no way diminish the value of the song itself for the further development of music.
The composition about Venus quickly won the love of multimillion audiences in various countries. In particular, world fame to Shocking Blue came exactly after the release of this song. "Venus" became the first Dutch hit to top the most prestigious chart in the world - the American one. One of the key merits of the song's popularity, of course, belongs to Marischka.
"Her voice was so strong and different from the other regular girl singers. There was something of Grace Slick from Jefferson Airplane about her. Everything changed in our band when she came along. Mariška Veresch played such a crucial role," Robbie van Leeuwen said of the lead singer.
Success could not last forever
The search for inspiration and the recording of new material led the members of Shocking Blue to creative impasse. Although the band toured together for three years, and delighted fans with innovative music that also enjoyed commercial success (e.g. "Long and Lonesome Road", "Hello Darkness", "Blossom Lady"), the band ceased to exist in the usual sense for the creator of the project. Robbie van Leeuwen.
At some point in 1971, he realized that the band was limited in its capabilities and would not be able to pull the "bar higher," and fell into a protracted depressionThe band's creative impulses were hampered by the quarrels. The quarrels began...
Why didn't it work?
In 1971 the band changes its original line-up. First the bassist left, then the main guitarist, and then Marishka decided to take up a solo career. The point to continue joint musical activities was lost. In connection with this, the members of the band decided to cease to exist.
Eight years later, though, Robbie van Leeuwen seriously embarked on a revival of the band, as his collaboration with Marishka did not stop - she was recording the vocals for a single of his other band. Unfortunately, the attempt to continue the band's career and its ascent to higher achievements did not materialize. Van Leeuwen recorded with the renewed lineup single "Louise"which was never released, after which Shocking Blue broke up.
According to the band's guitarist, one of the main reasons why the reunion did not take place was Marishka. Perhaps Veresh tried to appropriate Shocking Blue records or get her full name mentioned on the full-length record itself. Another reunion attempt, though without Robbie, was also made in 1984and it was made for the purpose of giving several concerts at the festival.
