Livin' Blues
Script error: No such module "AfC submission catcheck". Livin' Blues was a bluesrock band originating from The Hague. Around 1970 the band, together with Cuby + Blizzards was considered the absolute top of the Dutch blues scene.
The line-up was Ted Oberg (guitar), John Lagrand (harp) and Nicko Christiansen (vocals, born Dominicus Christiaan Jansen). Manager of the band was the mother of Ted, Françoise Oberg.[1]
History The band was founded in 1967 by Ted Oberg. After a few changes in the line-up in 1968 the single Murphy McCoy (written for George Kooymans) was recorded by Oberg, Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums), Gerard Strötbaum (bass), Nicko Christiansen and John Lagrand. The last two previously were a blues duo called Indiscrimination. In this line-up the band, among other interesting events, opened for Fleetwood Mac in februari 1969 (performing in Rijen, Rotterdam and Amsterdam).
After a second single (You better watch yourself) for the Philips label, Strötbaum is replaced by Henk Smitskamp, who came from Willy & his Giants, The Motions and After Tea. In the new line-up the album 'Hell's Session' is recorded, produced by Jaap Eggermont. Blues aficionados compare the album with other 'white' blues bands like John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, Fleetwood Mac and Cuby + Blizzards.
In 1970 Cesar Zuiderwijk joined Golden Earring and Henk Smitskamp went to play with Sandy Coast. They are replaced by Dick Beekman (ex-Cuby + Blizzards) and Ruud van Buuren (ex-Groep 1850). Altough blues still is the core of their music, influences of progressive rock can be heard on the second album 'Wang Dang Doodle'. The guitar riff in the title song remind of Black Night (Deep Purple). A shorter version of this song is issued on single, becoming a small hit. The succes helps the band find gigs in all of Europe, from England to Italy.
In 1971 a tragedy happened for Dick Beekman, who is then forced to leave. He is replaced by Johnny Lejeune (Blues Corporation, Jasper Mule/Island). With Lejeune the album 'Bamboozle' is recorded, with 'L.B. Boogie' becoming an internationale hit.
Although the famous English producer Mike Vernon (John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac, Focus) is attached to the band in 1972 (after moving from Phonogram to Ariola), the drummer problems still exist. The album 'Rockin' at the tweedmill' has Arjen Kamminga on the drummer chair, but after a few months he has to leave the band with spine problems. Vernon brings in Kenny Lamb of the British blues band Jellybread the new drummer. He also performs on the album 'Ram Jam Josey', which hardly can be called a blues album. It is the last album of the golden age of Livin' Blues, as the group disbands in 1974. John Lagrand joins the band 'Water', Nicko Christiansen starts with a band named 'Himalaya' and Ruud van Buuren joins Long Tall Ernie and the Shakers with whom he scored a hit.
Ted Oberg is forced to continue the band due to the record contract with Ariola. He is the only LB'er from the original line-up who, late 1974, plays in the disco-hit Boogie Woogie Woman with singer John Frederiksz (George Cash), Michiel Driessen on drums, Ronnie Meyes on guitar and again, Henk Smitskamp on bas, after Shocking Blue broke up. This is the line-up advertised on teh album cover, but when the band starts promoting the single on television early 1975, Meyes and Driessen have disappeared and Cor v.d. Beek (ex-Shocking Blue drummer) and Paul Vink (ex-Finch, keyboards) are their replacements. The album 'Live 75' is without Vink. One year later, on the Blue Breeze album (produced by John Sonneveld) the previous Shocking Blue-rhythm section is replaced by bassist André Reijnen (ex-Brainbox) and drummer Jacob van Heiningen (ex-Galaxis). This is the best sold album of the band, and especially in Poland their popularity reaches great heights.
In the Nederlands it is going downhill though, and in 1978 the band is left without record label. Oberg continous with various musicians until 1980. Then, he decides to bring back Nicko Christiansen and John Lagrand and together with bassist Evert Willemstijn and drummer Boris Wassenbergh (also known as Beau Wassenbergh, later drummer of Cashmere and Boom Boom Manchini) he is focusing again on their core business, the bluesrock of ten years earlier. During the 'Haagse Beatnach' (13 juni 1980) Livin' Blues is one of the few still existing bands, and therefor one of the most professional acts on the now legendary album.
Oberg stops in 1986 after almost twenty years of Livin' Blues. Christiansen tries in 1987 with the album 'Livin' Blues Now' with Joop van Nimwegen (guitar), Aad van Pijlen (bass), Willem v.d. Wall (guitar), Art Bausch (drums) and his old friend John Lagrand.
In 1989 Livin' Blues issues their last album, 'Snakedance'. After this, discussions start about the rights to use the band name between Ted Oberg and Nicko Christiansen. Oberg names his band in the 90s simply 'Oberg'. Christiansen, in those years, has a band named 'New Livin' Blues', and after 2005, Livin' Blues Xperience (LBX) with which he still has a lot of gigs, as opposed to 'Oberg'. The band rehearses above a fish cleaning business in Scheveningen.
In 2005, disaster strikes as John Lagrand, whose health had deteriorated in the previous years gets a heart attack in June of 2005, and dies.[2] Livin' Blues Xperience in 2012 exists of Nicko Christiansen (vocals, saxophone, percussion, didgeridoo), Loek van der Knaap (guitar), Jeroen van Niele (bass), Kees van Krugten (drums) and Francois Spannenburg (blues harp). The line-up of 'Oberg' in 2012 is Liane Hoogeveen (vocals), Mick Hup (guitar), Nico Heilijgers (bass), Paul Damen (drums) and Ted Oberg (guitar).
Discography[edit]
Radio 2 Top 2000[edit]
| Nummer met notering(en) in de NPO Radio 2 Top 2000[lower-alpha 1] |
'99 | '00 | '01 | '02 | '03 | '04 | '05 | '06 | '07 | '08 | '09 | '10 | '11 | '12 | '13 | '14 | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wang Dang Doodle | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1952 | 1474 | 1628 | 1888 | 1905 | 1976 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- ↑ Een getal geeft de plaats aan, een '-' dat het nummer niet genoteerd was en een '?' betekent dat de notering nog niet verwerkt is. Een vetgedrukt getal geeft aan dat dit de hoogste notering betreft.
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