Jazz-rock group Solution started out in 1966 as an R&B-band, Soulution. In the beginning, this group from Groningen consisted of Tom Barlage (sax and flute, started in 1964 in the Rene Five and Keys), Willem Ennes (keyboards, ex-Roden Rockers), Ad Kooi (bass, in 1970 to Railway and replaced by Peter van der Sande, ex-Focus, to Lynx, himself replaced by Gus Williams), Ap Alberts (s, ex-Keys, later in Nicky & Shouts, only 1966), Frits Lagerwerff (trumpet, till 1968), Frank de Graaf (vocals, around 1968, ex-Tykes, to Highway and Crystal Palace) and Frits Schmidt (drums, in 1967 replaced by Hans Waterman, ex-Cuby & The Blizzards).
The group never had a permanent guitarist, but made good use of the services of John Schuursma (1969 and 1973/74) and Chiel Pos (1975, ex-Beehive, to Rob Hoeke). Guus Willemse left the group from 1973 till 1974 to go play in Beehive and was replaced during that time by Jaap van Eyk (ex-Livin' Blues) Adrie Kloner and again Jaap van Eyk (to Erwin Somer Group, Carlsberg and Trace), respectively. Guus started as an organist in the Arrow Strings (from Utrecht) and after that, he played in Truce and with Rob Hoeke.
In 1982, Solution was extended with the addition of Harry Hardholt (g, ex-Houseband and Innersleeve).
1971 LP Solution Catfish 5C 054-24377 1972 LP Divergence Harvest 5C 056-24541 1973 Divergence/New dimension Harvest 5C 006-24828 Divergence/Fever [Engeland] EMI 2023 1975 LP Cordon bleu Rocket 5C 062-97136 1976 A song for you/Chappaqua Rocket 5C 006-97621 Give some more/Chappaqua [Engeland] Rocket ROKN 536 2LP Solution/Divergence EMI 5C 180-25407/8 1977 LP Fully interlocking EMI 5C 062-99506 1978 French melody/Empty faces Rocket 5C 006-60194 French melody/Give some more Rocket 5C 006-60998 1980 It's only just begun/It's only just begun (instrumentaal) CBS 8298 On my own/? CBS 8757 LP It's only just begun CBS 84119 LP Cordon bleu [re] CBS 84383 LP Fully interlocking [re] CBS 84384 1982 Runaway/Evil love CBS 2091 Downhearted/Move on CBS 2354 LP Runaway CBS 85542
After leaving Herman Brood, Danny Lademacher (g) teamed up with Emile den Tex (v, ex-Medicine Wheel and Reaction) under the name of Innersleeve. An backing group was compiled for the following tour in 1981: Jaap Versluijs (b, ex-Medicine Wheel and Reaction), Roger Wollaert (dr, earlier in Belgium with Danny in Klepto, also with Herman Brood), Robert-Jan Stips (o,p, ex-Transister, to Nits) and Harry Hardholt (g, ex-Houseband, to Solution). In 1982, the line-up has changed: Hans Waterman (dr, also Solution), Ake Danielson (o,p, ex-Meteors), Cees v.d. Laarse (b) and Ken Spence (v, s, ex-Eyes).
1981 Where are the girls/Bitter tears Ariola 102878 LP Lademacher's Innersleeve Ariola 203393
This rock group only existed for a few months in 1980 and featured one American and two Canadians in its midsts. The line-up consisted of: Neil Merryweather (v, b, in America member of (among others) Mama Lion and the Space Rangers), Michael Willis (g, ex-Space Rangers, to S.T.S.), Ken Spence (s, o, p, g, ex-Houseband and Nina Hagen Band, to Innersleeve) and Cees Meerman (dr, ex-Herman Brood and, after this album, replaced by Rogier Wollaart, ex-White Honey, to Herman Brood).
1980 Is he your boyfriend now/ RCA PB 4539 LP Radical genes RCA PL 44019
1979 Canyon to canyon/Always be my woman Bovema-Negram 5C 006-26231 Until death/Pieces Bovema-Negram 5C 006-26343
SOLUTION 12-5-73 SINGLE tip DIVERGENCE 20-12-75 ALBUM 18 11 CORDON BLEU 5-11-77 ALBUM 30 7 FULLY INTERLOCKING 21-1-78 SINGLE tip EMPTY FACES 5-4-80 ALBUM 12 13 IT'S ONLY JUST BEGUN [Album v/d week op 29-3-80] 24-5-80 SINGLE tip IT'S ONLY JUST BEGUN 13-3-82 ALBUM 14 9 RUNAWAY 13-3-82 SINGLE 31 3 RUN AWAY 21-5-83 ALBUM 32 6 LIVE GUS WILLIAMS 21-7-79 SINGLE 27 4 CANYON TO CANYON
Groningse, a province in the North of Holland, in the year 1966 was a place literally swarming with great beat and dance acts, who mostly performed at smoky dancing venues and student halls; The Keys were one such group. However, they were one of the very few outfits at the time that used trumpets and horns in their ensemble, and also implemented jazzy bits into their repertoire - not too many had thought they would survive for too long doing this! The Keys existed for the total of two years. They were founded at the "Heymans Lyceum" in Groningen by Rik Zaal (later with VPRO radio/television).
They often performed on stage dressed in black trousers and yellow blazers, playing cover songs such as "Wooly Bully" and "House Of The Rising Sun". At a certain point, the line up changed, as Zaal and Appie Alberts departed to join Nicky and the Shouts. They were replaced by keyboardist Willem Ennes, bass player Adje Kooi, trumpet player Frits Lagerwerff and singer Louis de Vries.
The name of the group was changed to Soulution and the repertoire - to some sort of jazz-flavoured pop. Later, drummer Gijs Loot was replaced by Hans Waterman, ex-Blizzards. In 1968, the line-up was changed yet again. De Vries and Lagerwerf departed, and Soulution, thus, got reduced to just four members. The turbulent period of personnel changes was finally over. Seemingly, nothing could stop them now from getting their well-deserved national and international break. However, success continued to elude the band. For months, they was simply inactive; with Ennes and Barlage now pursuing their academic studies, only sporadic recordings were made.
Guitarist John Schuursma, however, managed to land the band a record deal with Bovema's short-lived experimental subsidiary label Catfish.
The prevalence of the very popular at the time pre-disco soul genre had inadvertently persuaded the band to drop the "u" out of their name, so that there would be no more confusing "soul" connotations, this decision chronologically coinciding with the recruitment of bassist Peter Van Der Sande.
The group's first, self-titled album was released on Catfish in the Spring of 1971; it turned out to be a bright new beginning for the band, and an encouraging debut! Just before the release of this album, however, Van Der Sande decided to leave, and was replaced by Guus Willemse (ex-Rob Hoeke). Their second LP, "Divergence", was recorded with him in the fold.
Upon their second release, the group once again embarked upon a period of confusion and uncertainty. Solution were continuously plagued by bass player problems! (Contrary to Barlage's beliefs!) Several bass players, including Jaap van Eik and Adri Klohne, stayed within the group only for a short period of time. As if this wasn't enough, Ennes and Barlage had to leave temporarily, to serve in the army. That was the main reason why in the period of the following three years no music was released.
However, they subsequently contacted the famous English producer Gus Dudgeon, who oversaw the recording of their next album, "Cordon Bleu" in 1975. Gus's credits included the production of most classic Elton John records, and so it was no surprise that "Cordon Bleu" was recorded at the Rockfield Studios, and subsequently released on Elton's own Rocket label. This time, Chiel Pos was the new guitar recruit within the band. "Fully Interlocking" followed two years later, and signified the band's change towards more laid back, melodic, even jazzy style. Subsequently, the press reaction towards this switch was not a positive one - all critics seemed almost unanimous in their dislike of the new album. Worse yet, due to the lack of success and promotion outside Holland, the group was afraid to simply vanish in anonymity. A successful tour of Turkey later that same year followed. However, continuing promotion-related conflicts forced the imminent severance of relationship with the Rocket label.
That same year, Guus Willemse recorded his first solo single, "Canyon to Canyon", as Gus Williams.
The next album, "It's Only Just Begun" was released on CBS in 1980, and was a continuation of the group's mellow fusion style of the previous record; it simply picked up where "Fully Interlocking" had left off. The group subsequently announced their decision not to perform live anymore. However, they did not hold up this promise for too long. With the release of the follow-up album, "Runaway", with new members Harry Hardholt and ex-Traffic Jim Capaldi on board, Solution toured Holland, quite possibly due to "Runaway" becoming a minor hit! It was their most commercial offering ever, fusing elements of funk and soul, styles which Ennes and Barlage were beginning to like more and more.
Unexpectedly, this was followed by the band's sudden breakup. In the Winter of 1983, Solution played live for the last time, at the Amsterdam Paradiso.
Article taken from OOR's Eerste Nederlandse Pop Encyclopedie (OOR's First Dutch Pop Encyclopedia), 10th Anniversery Edition". ISBN 90-6882-237-3
Album discography: Solution Catfish 1971 Divergence Bovema 1972 Cordon Bleu Rocket 1975 Fully Interlocking Rocket 1977 It's Only Just Begun CBS 1980 Runaway CBS 1982 Live Sky 1983
Submitted by: Adri
Verhoef (a3@a3.xs4all.nl-removespam)
Except "The Solution Story": Article translated by: Louis Rentrop
(uriahboz@zeelandnet.nl)
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