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Andy Tielman

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Andy Tielman was born on 30 May 1936 in Makassar, on Celebes in what was then the Dutch East Indies. His father, a KNIL captain, gave his children music lessons. After the Japanese occupation Andy and his brothers and sister performed jazz standards and Indonesian music, and they even played for President Sukarno. In 1951 they turned Guitar Boogie into their first rock 'n' roll number, and afterwards they played work by Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Chuck Berry.

Music and breakthrough

In 1957 the family moved to the Netherlands, first to Breda and later to The Hague. There The Tielman Brothers grew into the first Dutch rock band with international appeal. After a performance at the World Fair in Brussels they recorded Rock Little Baby of Mine in 1958, the first Dutch rock 'n' roll single. Their wild shows with acrobatic tricks were unprecedented in the Netherlands, and radio and television makers looked down on them. In Germany, and especially in Hamburg, they were acclaimed instead. George Harrison later remembered 'Andy, the Indo' from his own Hamburg days. With the rise of The Beatles their success declined.

Influence

Tielman is regarded as the godfather of indorock. He had a wide vocal range and played virtuoso guitar. Jan Akkerman, Barry Hay and Herman Brood named him as an important influence. In the late 1970s he withdrew for a time to the jungle of Kalimantan, after which he slowly returned to the stage. In 2005 he was made a knight. He died on 10 November 2011.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Rock Little Baby of Mine (1958) by The Tielman Brothers, the first Dutch rock 'n' roll single. Notice how the band takes over American rock 'n' roll, and the guitar, which drives the whole record.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists