Group 1850 - Paradise Now (1969 / Free / 1991)
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Artist: Group 1850
Album: Paradise Now
Released: 1969/1991
Free 9105016-2
Genre: Prog-Rock, Psychedelic, Druggy, Acid-Rock
Lineup:
Peter Sjardin - Organ, Vocals, Flute
Dave Duba - Guitar
Dolf Geldof - Bass Guitar
Martin Van Duinhoven - Drums
Daniël Van Bergen - Guitar
Quote:
The Free CD release wasn't taken from the master tapes, but is a copy from a long playing record. Although the sound quality is rather good, you still can hear some unevenness. The Killroy album is a re-release with a different cover.
AMG Biography: Group Eighteen Fifty is an interesting, if sometimes exasperating, late-'60s Dutch band who ranks among the most accomplished and original Continental rock acts of the era, though they made little impression in English-speaking territories. Starting as a more or less conventional beat band in the mid-'60s, they had taken a turn for the more psychedelic and bizarre by 1967. Determined to drive into the heart of the psychedelic beast, their songs (performed in English) are quite eclectic for the era, shifting from doom-laden tempos with growling vocals to sunny, utopian passages with breezy harmonies. The group could be roughly labeled as a mixture of the early Mothers of Invention (whom they supported at a Dutch concert in 1967) and Pink Floyd without much of a sense of humor; their songs are intriguing and not without powerful hooks, and the lyrics ambitious (if often inscrutable), but one's attention tends to wander over the course of an album, or even during their lengthier songs. Their late-'60s LPs are highly esteemed by some serious psych/progressive collectors. - By Richie Unterberger
Biography #1 In Alexgitlin: Groep 1850 emerged from the renowned Dutch group Klits (short for 'clitoris') from The Hague. The line-up in 1965 consisted of: Peter Sjardin (vocals), Trevor Dirksen (guitar), Caspar Kiebert (drums), Chris Zieck (bass) & Jacques de Jong (guitar). On 1st January, 1966, the group renamed itself into Groep 1850. Their progressive music immediately revealed that the group was far ahead of its time!
In 1966, the line-up changed to: Peter Sjardin (vocals, flute, organ), Ruud van Buuren (bass, in 1969 to Livin' Blues), Daniel van Bergen (guitar & piano), Beer Klaasse (drums, ex-Kick & Defenders; in 1969 to Q65) & Rob de Rijke (bass, flute; ex-Subterraneans). In September 1967 they played at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, opening for the Mothers of Invention. The LP "Agemo's Trip To Mother Earth" was the first Dutch concept LP featuring works of poet Hans Wesseling (1968).
In 1968, the group disbanded for almost a year and then chose Amsterdam as the home base for their reunion. The new line-up consisted of: Peter and Daniel (who'd played with the Boots in the meantime) and some new members: Dave Duba (g, ex-Burning Sun), Dolf Geldof (bass, ex-Burning Sun) and jazz drummer Martin van Duynhoven (a.o. ex-Hans Dulfer). From 1971 onwards, Groep 1850 worked on and off.
In 1974 Groep 1850 disbanded once again, after working on the "Orange Upstairs" project. Two years later, a live LP was released by the ever-active Peter, with cooperation of Hessel de Vries, Neppy Noya, Arthur Ebeling (guitar) & Paul van Wageningen (drums).
After a call for autographs through the "Basta" magazine in 1979, the LP "Paradise Now" (earlier released by V&D) was re-released. Soon thereafter, Peter formed a new group: S.T.S. (Sjardin's Terrible Surprise). Line-up: Ella Elbersen (v, to Herman Brood), Robbie Smit (v, to Herman Brood), Axel Westerduin (b, ex-Stock, replaced in 1980 Kees van Vooren, who went to Just Like Eddie), Mike Willis (g, ex-Eyes, replaced in 1980 Wouter Planteijdt, ex-Door Mekaar, to Herman Brood) and Wilfred Versnellens (dr). In 1981, the group name was changed into S.I.X. (Sjardin's Invisible X-factor). In 1982 an LP by Sjardin's Terrible Surprise was "posthumously" released.
Biography #2 In Alexgitlin: Groep 1850 was formed in The Hague, in November 1964, by Peter Sjardin. He was, in turn, discovered by Hugo Gordijn when he was playing with a band called The Klits in the basement of a bowling alley in Scheveningen. Says Gordijn: "The Klits played funny and different kind of music, very good in a comical sort of way."
When The Klits decided to work with Hugo as their manager, the band's name was changed to Groep 1850. Their first gig in March 1966 at the Scheveningen Casino impressed the crowd, the band's name immediately became known on the underground scene. Sjardin copies members of bands such as The Move and The Who by mutilating his keyboard on stage. Their music of that period is best described as avant-garde rock with psychedelic influences, and a comparison with The Mothers of Invention would definitely be in order.
Paul Acket released the first single on his Yep label, entitled, "Misty Night"; it sounded not unlike Q65 and the Pretty Things. Radio Caroline gave the song lots of airplay, hence the band garnered even more attention in Holland. As a result, Hans van Hemert offered the band a contract. At the end of 1967, "Mother No-Head" was released; it became a hit song. A little detail: Van Hemert did the vocal part on this one!
This success landed the band their first tour of Germany. Sjardin remained the only member of the band to stay until the breakup in 1975. At a certain moment, something happened that caused the collapse of the band. Jaques Senf, Freddie Haayen, Beer Klaasse, Ruud van Buuren and Dean van Bergen were invited to join other bands. Beer went on to Q65 and Ruud joined Long Tall Ernie and the Shakers. Martin van Duynhoven (drums) Dave Duba (guitar), Dolf Geldof (bass) joined Groep 1850 in their stead, while Dean van Bergen came back. The band embarked on a heavy touring schedule; once a month they played at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. Groep 1850 supported groups like The Kinks, The Troggs, The Rolling Stones, The Mothers of Invention and Pink Floyd. Hugo was very much impressed by Zappa. Frank was very gentle, not as weird as people might have thought he was. In England, Groep 1850 played at the Speakeasy club, promoted by the Apple organisation of The Beatles. A drug bust organised by the police at that event unfortunately banned the band from playing in the UK.
What are the original members doing now? - Peter Sjardin lives in a basement somewhere in Amsterdam. Beer Klaasse is a successful manger at The National Printing company. Dean van Bergen lives quietly with his dogs at Loosduinen. Martin van Duynhoven is still an active drummer in the music business.
During their existence, Groep 1850 was always an underground band. Therefore, expect to pay a lot of money for their original singles and LPs nowadays. However, if you're looking just for their music, there's no need to pay that much anymore: in late 1997, Pseudonym has released the band's first album on CD. Not only that, but the said CD also contains 13 previously unavailable (on CD) bonus tracks including their entire collection of singles, originally released between 1966 and 1971, plus two previously unreleased tracks.
Group 1850 Bioscop: Groep 1850 used to call themselves The Klits, which did not help with their progress into national acceptance. In early 1966 they changed their name to Groep 1850, apparently after leader Peter Sjardin had gazed at the back of his Grandfather's watch. The debut concert of the band took place in March 1966 in Scheveningen, near the Hague,in the Casino. During that time there were lots of fans travelling around with the group and hanging around with them after every concert. The Hague at that time is Holland's number one beat city. Line up was Peter Sjardin (vocals, keys, flute), Ruud van Buuren (guitar), Daniel van Bergen (guitar), Beer Klaasse (drums) and Rob de Rijke (bass). The first single appeared on Paul Acket's YEP label, which was a complete flop. However, copies of "Look Around/Misty Night now fetch around £ 30. At the end of 1966 they sign to major label Philips and have notable concerts together with Troggs, Stones and Kinks.1967 turns out to be a better year, "I Know" is a modest little hit and the band gets lots of publicity when they open for Frank Zappa's first ever concert in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw with some other Dutch bands such as the Sharons and The Flower. It is not until 1968 that Groep 1850 have their first hit, "Mother Nohead" complete with the Urker Man Choir, this contains the children's song "Frere Jacques" and is produced by Hans van Hemert. Later that same year the group took part in the Italian gangster film "Amore Matto Amore" where you can see singer Peter Sjardin fighting and shooting between provos and drug dealers, needless to say the film was shot in Amsterdam. Later in 1968, the band recorded their first album, "AGEMO'S TRIP TO MOTHER EARTH" which came complete with psychedelic spectacles. People look on this album as the first Dutch avant garde LP and now pay £80for a mint copy. With it's reverbs and disturbing lyrics Agemo is a genuine classic.At the end of 1968, Peter disbands the group because of his friendship with poet Simon Vinkenoog and his growing distaste of the music business. In 1969, Sjardin moves to Amsterdam. It doesn't take long before he has a new line up of Groep 1850: lead guitar Dave Duba and bassist Dolf Geldof from Burning Sun and drummer Martin van Duivenbode. This band turns out to be completely different to the old one. At the end of the year, they record an album in the studio of Luud Ludolf in Nederhorst, called "Paradise Now", another sought after psych classic. The band then toured England and had their best ever gig at the London Speakeasy together with Iron Butterfly.The band has to leave in hurry after Dave is arrested in Soho for selling drugs in the street. In 1974, a final album "Polyandri" is released, featuring Barry Hay of Golden Earring, Hans Dulfer, Marc Boon, Neppy Noya, Paul van Wageningen, Peter Sjardin, Frank van de Kloot, Dave Duba, Peter Sjardin, Leo Benninck, Dolf Geldof and Martin van Duinhoven. Polyandri indeed.
Groep 1850 is the continuation of the band The Klits from The Hague in 1966. The members wereDaniël van Bergen (guitar), Beer Klaasse (drums), Rob de Rijke (bass guitar) and Peter Sjardin (vocals, keyboards and flute). A first single, Misty night, is released the same year. The band toured a lot and was a supporting act for bands like The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention. Later that year de Rijke is replaced by Ruud van Buren. In 1967 two more singles are released which become minor hits. The music they make is best described as avant-garde rock with psychedelic influences. In 1968 their debut album is released, Agemo's Trip To Mother Earth. And with this album they make their name. The music is very experimental and the sales are pretty good. The band even plays part in an Italian gangster movie, Amore Matto Amore. But at the end of the year the band breaks up. Klaasse, Van Buren and Van Bergen form the new band Boots together with vocalist Jack Eckhardt. Beer Klaasse would later turn up in Finch. In 1968 Peter Sjardin forms a new version of Groep 1850. This time with guitarist Dave Duba, bass player Dolf Geldof and drummer Martin van Duynhoven. Former member Daniël van Bergen returns. The produce a single and a new album, Paradise Now, from which many copies are sold. At the end of the year Martin van Duynhoven is replaced by Paul van Wageningen and Daniël van Bergen leaves the band. With this formation and with the help of percussionist Neppy Noya live recordings are made, which are released in 1974. In the years to follow is Groep 1850 more a project of Sjardin. They perform in changing formations of musicians and singles are irregularly released. In 1975 Polyandri is released with a bunch of old and new members. (sources: Oor Popencyclopedie, Nationaal Pop Instituut, Album sleeves, Nederpop)
Album Reviews:
AMG Album Review: The group plays it spacier and lighter on their second album, with plenty of soaring guitars and keyboards and more diffuse compositions. The attractiveness of the ethereal sound almost obscures the fact that the songwriting lacks grist and cohesion. - By Richie Unterberger
Gnosis: Paradise Now is possibly even better. Now they've managed to lose the trendy psychedelic trappings for a truly creative work. There is a more pervasive ethnic element this time around with wind instruments and hand percussion. It's amazing how timeless this music is 30+ years later. Just brilliant. - By Tom Hayes, 2001, Gnosis)
At first, Paradise Now, by the Dutch band Group 1850, had me quite impressed with how well they managed to evoke the sound of the 1960s -- until I realized that the album was recorded in 1969! For some reason I'd initially thought they were a contemporary act. Regardless, I like this album. It's the first one I've gotten in a while that's made me want to play it on repeat, not so much because any particular moment is especially addictive but simply because I very much enjoy the overall feel of it -- relaxed and loose, but not meandering, and recorded in a way that's pleasing to me. Considering that they get a fair number of Pink Floyd comparisons, that probably shouldn't come as a surprise -- though, then again, I've found that comparisons to Pink Floyd are almost always bullshit. Actually, though, when I listen to this disc, I find myself thinking of Jimi Hendrix (or even Black Sabbath) more than Pink Floyd. In the album's last track, a 11-minute jam called "Purple Sky", there's a moment, about 4:25 in, where the lead vocals sound uncannily like Hendrix -- if I didn't know better (and I don't) I'd have said it was Jimi himself. The track sounds a hell of a lot like "Voodoo Chile" as it is, given that it's in D minor and 6/8 and basically has the same chord changes and the same feel...actually, listening to it now, at times it borders on being a full-fledged ripoff of "Voodoo Chile", not that I have any objection to that.
Another thing: it's a really well-sequenced album. At 8 tracks and 36 minutes it may seem like it'd be hard to screw it up, but it'd also be tough to improve on it. The short little songs are placed just about perfectly, so that they break up any possibility of monotony without breaking up the flow of the album. "Purple Sky" is the album's longest track, and putting it at the end is just right, but it doesn't bog things down by being there, either.
Eyes That Can See in the Dark: You know, this is a damned good record! I don't know why I like this album so much, but something about it is really sitting well with me. It's a bit like a cross between Electric Ladyland, Pangaea, and some Dutch ancestor of the American Analog Set. It seems like it'd be the perfect disc for hanging out late at night with a few friends and a bottle of wine -- you can give it your full attention and find it completely rewarding, but it's also recorded and structured in a way so that it ought to be easy to have a conversation while it's playing, while still being able to feel it in the background. Given how good this disc is, I'm surprised that I've never heard of it before -- I just blundered upon it randomly, and thought I'd give it a try. (Actually, I snagged it nearly two months ago and only gave it my first listen within the past day or two.) Lately it seems like whenever I check out '60s stuff I haven't heard -- whether by bands I've never heard at all (Chocolate Watchband, 13th Floor Elevators), or by bands from whom I've only heard one or two songs (Small Faces, Zombies, Count Five) -- I end up disappointed, bored, or otherwise less than engaged: they're just not the kind of music I'm looking for. (I don't need to see their identification -- they can go about their business.) So it's nice for a change to dig up an album that has a lot of the qualities that I value most both in 1960s music in general, and in the albums I love from that time.
Aquarius records - The 1969 second album by Group 1850, a Dutch heavy psychedelic group featuring (in addition to the usual bass, drums, and guitars) some freaky flute and droning organ, plus effects-laden vocals in accented English. Spaced-out-there in the Floyd realms for sure. Their first album, 1968's "Agemo's Trip To Mother Earth" is considered a sixties psych concept album classic, and this ain't too shabby either. Songs like "Purple Sky" and "Hunger" are quite stoned-sounding, and probably sound even better if you are.
Eclipse records: Raving, drooling psychedelia of the best and trippiest with haunting songs dripping from lysergic tongues of flame. One of the best psychedelic albums of any time (it's from 1969) and place (Holland) finally available again on CD, and it's about time, too. Eerie, long instrumental passages of hypnotic organ, and biting fuzzed out lead guitar, with touches of Hendrix blues and early Floyd spaciness.
Freak Emporium: Phew ! What a mind blast ! The second album by Group 1850 and, although the first was pretty hard to beat, we reckon this is easily the best one. Grade "A" trippy dutch acid psych with wah wah guitars panning all over the place, hallucinatory keyboards, dreamy percussion and fried lyrics. "Thursday I am Friday and Friday I am freeeeee" Includes the classic title track as well as "Purple Sky" and other skunk classics....You need this....believe us....
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