Alquin

Vinyl Discography:

Biography:

The foundation of Alquin was formed in 1970 when saxophonist and flutist Ronald Ottenhoff, keyboardist Dick Franssen, and singer, saxophonist, and percussionist Job Tarenskeen, all students at Delft University of Technology, enlivened parties with a heavy dose of rhythm & blues. Shortly after, guitarist/violinist Ferdinand Bakker, bassist Hein Mars, and, in 1971, drummer Paul Weststrate joined the fledgling formation. The contours of the future band were already beginning to take shape.

The flop of the first single, "Sally Saddlepain," released in 1971 under the name Threshold Fear, will come as no surprise in retrospect, given the rather corny title. At the end of that year, the band decided to change its name to Alquin, after Alcuin, the former monastery and orphanage in the historic center of Delft where the band rehearsed. Things moved quickly from there. In early 1972, the band performed for the first time under the new banner at the capital's pop temple Paradiso, immediately putting themselves on the map. The rapidly growing interest earned Alquin a recording contract with Polydor, the label that also achieved success with Dutch bands like Golden Earring, Supersister, Sandy Coast, and Earth & Fire.

At the end of 1972, the debut album, "Marks," was released, more than meeting the high expectations. Earlier that year, "You Always Can Change" had already been released as a single, with the non-album track "Hard Royce" as the B-side. Polydor, clearly possessing foresight, immediately released the LP in England, albeit with a revised cover. However, success was initially limited to the Netherlands. In 1973, Muziekkrant OOR named Alquin trendsetter of the year, a compliment that earned the band a very convincing performance at the Pinkpop festival that same year. Polydor firmly believed in the band and sent them to England for several shows. Alquin also recorded their second album, "The Mountain Queen," there with renowned producer Derek Lawrence (Jethro Tull, Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash, among others).

Even more striking than on their debut album, it's clear how Alquin transcends genres. While the band is still positioned within the progressive genre, there's also room for influences from jazz, classical music, and Latin. The album was released in the Netherlands, England, and Germany – countries where Alquin performed frequently, sometimes with Golden Earring. In France, the band even held their own as the opening act for The Who. The numerous performances meant that a new album didn't hit the shelves until 1975. Alquin had broken new ground with the album Nobody Can Wait Forever, produced by Rodger Bain (Black Sabbath, Barcly James Harvest, Budgie, among others).

Following the departure of Paul Weststrate, who played drums for the lion's share of the album, Job Tarenskeen has permanently taken over the drums. The arrival of singer Michel van Dijk, previously active in The Mads, James Mean, Les Baroques, Ekseption, Brainbox, and Amsterdam, has had a much greater impact. His husky, soulful voice gives the music a new meaning. The band itself has also opted to record shorter, more pointed compositions. The reviews are once again euphoric, and Nobody Can Wait Forever remains the ultimate Alquin album for many fans. The catchy "Wheelchair Groupie," with Mr. Widow as the B-side, may have stalled on the Tip charts, but the single does generate airplay for the group.

Shortly after the album's release, Hein Mars was replaced by Jan Visser (George Baker Selection, Dizzy Man's Band). There was widespread hope that this album would also allow them to cross over to America. "Nobody Can Wait Forever" was indeed released, albeit through record giant RCA. "Stranger" was released as the A-side US single. A tour was also booked. The suitcases were practically packed when bad news reached Alquin. The A&R managers responsible for signing the band had been replaced, and the American record company temporarily suspended all activities. Local bookers and venues were put off, and the band had no choice but to cancel the entire venture. Although the band successfully targeted their familiar home market, missing out on this crucial momentum was a bitter pill to swallow. Nevertheless, Alquin refused to give up. The band returned to England and recorded their fourth album, Best Kept Secret, with Vic Smith (Joe Cocker, Cat Stevens, Rolling Stones, among others), now incorporating lighthearted funk influences. It was released in 1976. "Fool In The Mirror" was released as a single, with "Bootlegs Ballet" on the B-side.

The reviews were once again very enthusiastic, and the tour was successful, as convincingly documented by the live album "On Tour," released that same year. However, the band itself felt they were stagnating artistically and commercially. When, after years of playing for the band, Alquin finally managed to knock Golden Earring off the top spot in 1977 in Muziekkrant OOR's "Best Dutch Band" popularity poll, the band saw their chance to leave the arena with their heads held high. Alquin disbanded. The compilation album "Crash!" did follow that year, though.

On January 9, 1987, Alquin celebrated the 10th anniversary of AMPCO, the company that originated from the Alquin installation, with a reunion concert. Dick Schulte-Nordholt (Meteors, Time Bandits, Raggende Mannen, among others) played bass. On November 18, 1995, Alquin gave what was initially a one-off reunion concert at De Eland in Delft with "Het bloed kruipt waar het kan niet gaan" (Blood is in the air), followed by a short tour in 1996.

In 2003, Alquin reunited, with a virtually unchanged lineup. The only newcomer was bassist Frans Koenn (Boom Boom Mancini, Lois Lane, etc.). The comeback shows were enthusiastically received. In September of that year, "One More Night" was released, both on CD and DVD, and recorded live at De Boerderij in Zoetermeer. However, the band refused to rest solely on past successes and recorded two highly successful new albums with Walter Latupeirissa (Snowy White, etc.) on bass. Blue Planet was released in 2005 and Sailors And Sinners in 2009.
As if time had stood still, Alquin toured to mostly sold-out clubs and theaters. In 2012, however, the curtain finally fell.

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