Teach-In

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

Teach-In was a Dutch pop group that was active from 1967 to 1980. The band was founded in Enschede, with Koos Versteeg as its leader. In 1971 only Versteeg and the drummer Rudi Nijhuis remained, and the singer Getty Kaspers and the guitarist Chris De Wolde, among others, joined. The producer and co-composer Eddy Ouwens took care of the sound, at the record company CNR. The first single, Spoke the Lord Creator, an adaptation of a song by Focus, failed to chart in 1972. In 1974 the group had three hits in the Dutch top 15: Fly Away, In the Summernight and Tennessee Town.

Music and breakthrough

In March 1975 Teach-In won the Eurovision Song Contest with Ding-a-dong, written by Will Luikinga and Eddy Ouwens. It was the first winner to have performed first. The song charted in almost every European country and reached number 3 in the Netherlands. In October 1975 Goodbye Love followed. After the departure of Kaspers and others new members arrived, and Upside Down reached second place in 1976. The disco wave brought the band into difficulties in 1978. With Dear John, in which they ask John Travolta to teach them to dance, they nonetheless wrote another hit. Regrets was the last song in 1980, after which the group split up. Later the band briefly got back together.

Influence

Teach-In made catchy, singalong Dutch pop with a European character. Its success showed that a Dutch group could win the Eurovision Song Contest.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1974Roll Along
• 1975Ding‐a‐dong
• 1975Teach-In
• 1976Get on Board
• 1977See the Sun
• 1979Teach In
• 2009Festival

Mentioned in other articles

• Ding-a-dong SongOn 22 March 1975 Teach-In from Enschede won the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm with Ding-a-dong, sung by Getty Kaspers.