I would appreciate some of DU's good vibes or

[highplainsdem]

115. The Belgian paper De Tijde (The Times) had a long article on

Boudewijn de Groot on March 22, with some of it about his Vreemde Kostgangers bandmates and the final album released last month.

He talked about how he'd almost given up performing, as a solo artist, because it had made him more and more uncomfortable, but with Henny and George, he was able to enjoy giving concerts again.

He talked about working with Henny at times in the 1970s, but he hadn't known George as well then, though they'd met:

https://www.tijd.be/cultuur/muziek/boudewijn-de-groot-ik-heb-ontzettend-veel-mazzel-gehad/10455574.html

Google Translate:

The relationship with Kooymans was never so close because Golden Earring was in a different circuit. 'When we crossed paths on some TV show, I was always a bit shy. I thought that all those tough rockers didn't like my music and I didn't dare approach them. But I always liked George because he came up with such catchy guitar runs and could come up with the right melody for a text. At Strange Boarders I was impressed by his Dutch singing. He has a light Hague accent, so he doesn't sing stiffly, but nice and loose. His background as an English-speaking rock singer can be heard. Just like Raymond van het Groenewoud, he dares to sing everything. I don't dare. I sing neatly, within the lines.'

Boudewijn preferred George's singing to his own even on a song with lyrics he wrote for his mother, who died in a Japanese concentration camp during WWII. George insisted Boudewijn sing it, so they compromised, with Boudewijn singing those lyrics for his solo album Windveren, but George's version, the demo he'd sent Boudewijn after composing music for the lyrics Boudewijn had sent him, on the new Vreemde Kostgangers album.

On the musical final chord 'Mist', Kooymans sings 'The more I get closer', a text that de Groot wrote about his mother. It was also the most personal song on 'Windveren' at the end of last year. 'But George sings it more freely. I do have emotion in my voice, but I bring it more straight forward.'

And Boudewijn had this to say about another of the songs on the VK album:

On 'The end of maybe' De Groot sings 'We are too old to die young / But much too young to die'. “If you've come to the point where you're old in years, but you still feel young inside, that's just true. I have great admiration for the level-headed and positive way George is now dealing with his illness. He accepts without becoming depressed or lethargic. I don't think I could.'