Townes Van Zandt – Flyin’ Shoes (1978) One of the beautiful things about music is that you can enjoy it even more when you share it with others. In the mid-80s, I was working in the duty-free shops at Schiphol Airport, alongside my colleague, friend, and...
Ry Cooder – Bop Till You Drop (1979) I discovered this album while working at the record store in the duty-free shop at Schiphol, back when we still sold LPs. It was 1979/1980, and I played the album daily in the store. In September 1980, I saw Ry Cooder live in...
Weather Report – Mr. Gone (1978) Also in the late 70s, I watched a concert on Rockpalast (WDR, Germany 3) by the, until then, unknown (to me) jazz-rock band Weather Report. I was completely blown away. I’d never really listened to jazz before and mostly...
The Tapes – You Just Can’t Sleep (1979) Queen’s Day, 1979: my first real live concerts at a small festival in my hometown of Uithoorn, featuring The Tapes, The Nits, and Sfinx. The Tapes left the strongest impression on me. They were sometimes referred to...
Bruce Springsteen – Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) Barely recovered from the musical earthquake of The Last Waltz, Bruce Springsteen entered the scene, thanks to the “Rosalita” live clip shown during Rockpalast Night—and what an entrance!...
The Band – The Last Waltz (1978) At that time, birthday parties weren’t really my thing, so for my 18th birthday in July 1978, I went with my best friend Frank to Haarlem to watch The Last Waltz concert film in the cinema. I barely knew The Band’s work,...