Sunny Breeze From The West Coast Part 8 – Dutch Edition
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| C-Heads Magazine |
In 1974 successful Dutch band The Cats went to L.A to record Love In Your Eyes with the best West Coast musicians around in those days, like keyboard player/producer Michael Omartian (Christopher Cross). Be My Day from the album became a number one hit in the Netherlands and reached the 18th position on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. A year later they again went to L.A. and made an album with Jeff Porcaro, David Foster and Larry Carlton as first class musicians. Unfortunately, both West Coast albums did not bring them the international success that they wanted and they split soon afterwards, although they reunited several times.
American Gypsy are best known for their song Inside Out, which has been sampled by DJ Shadow, Jazzanova, Groove Armada and others. The band began club performances in Los Angeles in 1971, followed by a two-year tour of Spain. Because of the language advantage the group settled eventually in The Netherlands in the mid-1970s.
Gary Fane seemed to come from nowhere when he launched his ambitious concept album Horoscope,
his musical interpretation of the zodiac, in 1980. At the time only a
few people were aware that he was the original singer of The Surfers,
known for the European, Beach Boys inspired hit Windsurfin'. The
tv-performances of the single were lip-synced by models, because Gary
Fane himself was already in his late thirties when this song about high
school fun was on the pop chart.
Although Erik Tagg is an American singer-songwriter, his song Mutual Feeling from his 1977 album Rendez Vous, was recorded in the Netherlands with Dutch musicians and artists, like national celebrity Anita Meyer and under supervision of Dutch producer Hans Vermeulen.
Robbie van Leeuwen was co-founder of Dutch seventies band Galaxy-Lin. A few years earlier, he wrote Venus for Shocking Blue, a number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970 and for Bananarama in 1986. And it was also on the Stars On 45 Medley that reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981.
Not only his name sounds like the West Coast, the music from Albert West has the West Coast sound too. From the early to the mid-seventies he had a string of national and international hits and because of his androgynous appearance, he was even some kind of teen idol for a short time. One of his biggest hits was Simone, originally recorded by England Dan & John Ford Coley, best known for their 1976 single I'd Really Love To See You Tonight. Albert West died tragically in a traffic accident in 2015.
Enjoy this Dutch part of Sunny Breeze From The West Coast!
Tracklist:
The Chaplin Band – Love Is Just A Moment Away (1982)
Dawn Patrol – Bring On The Good Times (2022)
Jan Akkerman – She’s So Divine (1979)
Toine – Cruisin’ (2024)
Spargo – Back In My Arms Again (1980)
Erik Tagg – Mutual Feeling (1977)
The President – You’re Gonna Like It (1984)
Gus Williams – Canyon To Canyon (1979)
Jacques Kloes & Patricia Paay – You Make It Alright (1979)
American Gypsy – Your Way (1974)
The Cats – Be My Day (1974)
Earth & Fire – Thanks For The Love (1975)
Galaxy-Lin – Long Hot Summer (1975)
Greenfield & Cook – Don't Turn Me Loose (1972)
Leon De Graaff – Pittsburgh In The Rain (1971)
FM – Never Lose You Girl (1978)
Philine – Getting Used To (2024)
Maddog – My Morning Sun (1975)
Albert West – Listen (1976)
Gary Fane – Capricorn (Don't Be Silly) (1980)
Martin & Garp – Not Into You (2021)
Lucy Steymel – No More Love Songs (1979)
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