Peter en zijn Rockets

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

Peter en zijn Rockets, in English Peter and his Rockets, was the band of Peter Koelewijn from Eindhoven. Koelewijn began on guitar at thirteen and from 1957 wrote his first songs, still in English. He started his first band at secondary school with the guitarists Karel Jansen and Roelof Egmond and the singer Anneke Grönloh; later Harry van Hoof, the future conductor, and the drummer Peter van der Voort joined. In 1959 the saxophonist Klaus Buchholz and the bassist Karel Jansen joined the group.

Music and breakthrough

In December 1959 the band recorded Kom van dat dak af for Bovema. The combination of American rock 'n' roll and Dutch lyrics was remarkably innovative at the time. In May 1960 it became a big success in the Netherlands and Belgium. The Rockets signed with Philips, but the follow-ups Laat Me Los and Marijke did less well. In 1967 Koelewijn disbanded the group to write and produce songs for others, and to present radio programmes.

Influence

In 1970 he brought the Rockets together again for a glam rock period that lasted five years. In 1981 he brought in musicians from the band Bunny for a new line-up, which lasted until 1997. Its first album was the live album Peter Live, from which Kom van dat dak af and Klap maar in je handen reached the charts. The group stands for the beginning of Dutch-language rock 'n' roll.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1983Tutti frutti
• 1983Tutti Frutti

Mentioned in other articles

• Kom van dat dak af SongOn 8 January 1960 Kom van dat dak af was released by Peter en zijn Rockets, the band of Peter Koelewijn from Eindhoven.