by Peter

Freelance Band - Rough 'N Tough (1980)

The Free Lance Band was a project of Philip Kroonenberg and several member of Dutch blues bands like Q65 (Frank Nuyens) Livin Blues (John LaGrand, Cuby + Blizzards)) and Aad van Pijlen.

Laterer in the band: Nico Christiaansen, Willem van der Wal and Henno Eizenga

The band release their first album Rough 'n Tough in 1980. Although the album contains a kind of acoustic blues it was Dutch guitar legend Eelco Gelling (Cuby & the Blizzards, Golden Earring) who added some fine electric slide guitar to the album. (Gelling was asked by John Mayall in 1968 to replace Mick Taylor in the Blues breakers but he refused, not willing to leave Holland) But even with legend Gelling and John LaGrand on the harmonica, the album was totally unnoticed by almost anyone.

I got Rough 'n Tough through the local public library and God only know how they got it.It took me 3 years to find the lp itself.

DL


Freelance Band - Midnight Power House (1985)

In 1985 finally a second LP, Midnight Powerhouse, was released and this one got a little more publicity but didn't sell much either. At that time I saw the band once playing in a blues club in Amsterdam Holland. That night I spoke to Philip Kroonenberg who told me there were no plans to re-release the Rough & Tough album and that in fact he himself didn't even have a copy. I offered him one of my two copies but for whatever reason it never happened.

DL


Both albums are now available through this blog. The country-blues-folk-rock (people need a style name huh....) are worth listening. It's one of those gems the Dutch music scene has produced. Both albums are LP rips as the records were never released on CD and the LP's.... well.. if you have them you're a lucky man/woman


Peter


Ailis,
Peter,
Thanks for your understanding.
I really appreciate it....