Over the years there have been special moments where a particular song leaves a long lasting memory. A memory where as soon as it starts, you know exactly where it was and what you were doing then. I have described a number of songs here of which I have very special memories. Although the last one was from 1990 doesn’t mean that there haven’t been any special songs after that time but they probably made less of an impression on me. Each photo is a link to the relevant number, I’m curious what you think.
Roger Waters – The Wall – 1990
In 2022 it is 32 years ago that Roger Waters stood on the no man’s land between East and West Berlin. On the grounds between Potsdamer Platz and Brandenburg Gate, the former Pink Floyd bassist performed his magnum opus: The Wall. In doing so, Waters fulfilled an old promise: he would never perform the masterpiece again unless the Berlin Wall fell. When the Wall did indeed fall at the end of 1989, the singing bassist went to the German capital for a concert together with the German band The Scorpions.
The show in Berlin more or less coincided with the tenth anniversary of the album The Wall, which was released by Pink Floyd in 1979. Nearly half a million people saw the performance of the rock opera: 350.000 people had bought a ticket, and another 100.000 people saw the show from a distance. With these numbers, The Wall – Live In Berlin became the largest concert with paying visitors to date.
Together with my good friend and neighbour we traveled to Berlin to experience this spectacle. We arrived via East Berlin which in itself was quite an experience. After arrival we parked the car in a park and set up our tent, meanwhile the sound check had started. The concert was really great, all in all a weekend to remember.
Mezzoforte – Garden Party – 1982
A complete new sound at the beginning of the 80’s 100% instrumental. It was Mezzoforte’s fourth album, with their most famous song “Garden Party”, with which the band broke through in Europe with only this one hit. The album was released in Iceland as Mezzoforte 4. In Europe the album was released as Surprise Surprise, with the cover of their previous album.
The Who – The Acid Queen – 1973
During the summer holidays of 1973 (I was in military service from Nov 72 – May 1974), my brother Peter and I hitchhiked to Luxembourg for a short vacation. After setting up our tent in Echternach we explored the area, visited the caves and spent a lot of time on the terraces of the local cafes. After about a week we had to go home. From Echternach we got a lift from a guy who must have been about 30 years old. We drove in a Mercedes convertible that was equipped with an 8-track stereo system. At one point, The Who played “The Acid Queen”. The combination of freedom, the wind blowing through my hair (yes I still had hair at the time), the smell of the joints they were smoking and the music of The Who made it a great experience.
The Free – All Right Now – 1970
In the summer of 1970 I decided to go backpacking to England. Saw an ad from a student organization to pick strawberries in Norfolk’s Eckles on Sea. With the backpack and tent together weighing almost as much as myself, I left for Hoek van Holland to cross by ferry to Harwich. From there hitchhiked to Eckles on Sea. After a few days of rain I got really bored, so I packed up and hitchhiked to Preston, not far from Blackpool. An acquaintance of my parents lived there. A hit in those days was All Right Now by the band The Free. The people I was staying with played the record like 30 times a day. It is for this reason that this song has always stayed with me.
That’s Soul 3 – Various Artists – 1968
In 1968 I when I went to the technical school I was a member of the John F. Kennedy drum band in Osdorp. During the period that I was with the drum band, we regularly had parties at our house. My favorite music at the time was Soul, and had already built up quite a collection. When the album “That’s Soul 3” came out in 1968, of course I had to have it for my collection. The best song on the album in my opinion: Memphis Soul Stew by King Curtis. I still have the album and although the record is almost gray now, the memories are still sharp on my retina.
Keith West – Grocer Jack – 1967
During the first class technical school (unfortunately for the second time!) I had a schoolfriend, we went to school together by bike every day and occasionally visited each other’s home. We absolutely loved this song back then. Why? When I hear it now I don’t know anymore.
Beethoven – Pianoconcert No. 5
It was during the 1960’s that I was first introduced to classical music. In those years I had severe migraine attacks, so bad that I couldn’t tolerate any daylight during an attack. To calm my mind, my mother played Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5. This piece is still one of my favorite classical music pieces. I took this habbit from my mother, when my daughter was ill and or restless, I played this for her too.
