Golden Earring - Eight Miles High (1969)

Golden Earring was one of the longest existing bands in the world, with a classic lineup that remained together for over half a century. The band was formed in 1961 in The Hague en became one of the prominent acts of the flourishing beat scene. The Golden Earring, as the band initially was called, managed to adapt to the changing musical times. After a psychedelic phase, the group found in 1970 its own high energy rock sound and its definitive lineup of Barry Hay (vocals, flute, guitar), George Kooymans (guitar, vocals), Rinus Gerritsen (bass, keyboards) and Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums).
Their big break came in 1973 with the album Moontan and the international single hit Radar Love it produced. Golden Earring toured with immense success in North America. The albums that followed were made with additional musicians, respectively Robert Jan Stips (keyboards) en Eelco Gelling (guitar). At the end of the seventies, their success seemed to fade and the back-to-classic lineup of Golden Earring considered throwing in the towel. The intended farewell album, tellingly named Cut, proved to be an unexpected hit. Plans to quit were quietly abandoned, especially after scoring a top 10-hit in America with the single Twilight Zone.
From the mid-eighties onwards, Golden Earring focused again on their home country. In the decades that followed, the band continued to be a major concert draw. The acoustic shows in the Dutch theatres proved to be especially successful. The Naked Truth acoustic live albums series sold very well. The 50th (recording) anniversary was celebrated with a sold-out show in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. Three years earlier the studio album Tits ‘n Ass was released. Their swan song, as it turned out. Early in 2021, the news broke that George Kooymans suffered from the neurological condition ALS. The band consequently ended its active career. It was a moment that was experienced by countless fans and colleagues as the end of an era.
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