Classic Dutch Prog & Neo Prog

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD      The promontory of Flamborough Head on England's east coast is one of Yorkshire's seven natural wonders. Likewise with the band Flamborough Head, who are one of the seven natural wonders of Dutch Neo Prog. I haven't gone overboard with this many 5-star ratings since Mostly Autumn, although it always helps when the band is fronted by a beautiful female singer.  

FOR ABSENT FRIENDS      Not a Genesis tribute band, but a Dutch Neo Prog band from Rotterdam, Europe's busiest port and home to The Witt Huis (The White House), the first high-rise building in Europe. Rotterdam is also well-known for its statue of Santa Claus, although the cheeky locals know it by a rather rude name which is best left to the imagination. 

Santa Claus statue in Rotterdam

FUSONIC     Not a chain of electronic hardware stores, but a Symphonic Prog band from the Dutch town of Hilversum, which, as any radio hams will know, is the principle centre for radio and television broadcasting in The Netherlands.  

GALAXY-LIN     A short-lived Crossover Prog band with a Shocking Blue connection - both bands were founded by multi-talented guitarist and singer/songwriter Robbie van Leeuwen, as well as both bands being firm favourites on TopPop - the Dutch equivalent of Top of the Pops, which thankfully wasn't presented by a Dutch equivalent of Jimmy Savile. 

THE GATHERING     An Experimental/Post Metal band for those who don't generally like Heavy Metal. Apart from the first album with its cookie monster growling, The Gathering are one of the best "Metal" bands you're ever likely to hear with a pop-oriented melodic sound far removed from the likes of Iron Maiden, Megadeath and Metallica. The chances of anyone not liking this superb Dutch band are about as likely as ever seeing repeats of Jim'll Fix It on TV. 'Ows about that then. 

GOLDEN EARRING    One of only three Dutch bands to achieve worldwide fame and acclaim (alongside Focus and Shocking Blue), The Golden Earrings (as they were originally known in their Nederbeat years) are probably best-known in England for their one and only hit single "Radar Love", but they're more than one-hit wonders across Europe as they've been around now for well over half a century with a string of thirty Top 10 singles in The Netherlands, as well as 25 studio albums to their credit. Amazingly, Golden Earring have recently celebrated their golden anniversary, having had the same line-up from 1970 thru' to 2020 and with a longer lifespan than Gerald Ratner's trinkets of jewellery.  

  2013: Hangover Paradise - Mirrors - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0olMrcUgXLQHyBuYJaDSq1TexEhlTCP4

  2017: Hangover Paradise - Out of Sight - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ndZ95eMp_GpS2ml_O5loxeRdys8RG5stY

  2021: Hanlon's Razor - Paradigm - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhy-3qXeJUD6fmHJnyhGP8rpu4X6A11wP

  2023: Hanlon's Razor - Stockholm - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n_qFPtrertoyckTBawLqAffap4vJgpvow

  2012: Roel van Helden - RvH - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_npngC4GeXIqltZwwHsf4bOYMBlNnm3wv8

HANLON'S RAZOR     Not the kind of razor that gives you a close shave, but a philosophical razor credited to Robert J. Hanlon of Scranton, Pennsylvania, which teaches us to "never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity" - although most of us know it far better as Murphy's Law or Sod's Law. 

HOLLOW DRIFTER     A strangely-familiar Space Rock band from Amsterdam with Echoes of things already gone and Echoes of Things Still to Come.