This group from Delft was formed
in 1965 by singer Peter Tetteroo (ex-Shats).
They were initially an R&B band, but their repertoire became more and more
poppy over the years. From 1967, their records were released on their own
Teeset Records label (a first on the Dutch pop scene).
The first line-up included: Peter (vocals),
Carry Janssen (drums, later to Nico Haak), Gerard Romeyn
(guitar/bass, 1966-67 on guitar, to The Motions)
and Rob "Polle"
Eduard (guitar/bass). In 1966, Robert Plazier (keyboards, ex-C-Sounds,
later with Nico Haak) came on board. Their first two singles were
penned for them by Robbie van Leeuwen of The
Motions and were moderate hits. Hans van Eijck (guitarist of
Jumping Pop-in) composed a few
songs for their debut album "Emotion". After the release of the album
Robert Plazier was ousted in favour of Hans van Eijck, who switched to
organ. Early 1967, Gerard Romeyn left to join The
Motions as a replacement for Robbie van Leeuwen. English guitarist
Ray Fenwick (ex-Syndicats, where he'd replaced Steve Howe) joined the
Tee Set with
Polle Eduard
now permanently on bass. In the Spring of 1967, there were squabbles between
singer Peter Tetteroo (backed by manager Theo
Kuppens) and the rest of the band. At the centre of the problems were
disagreements about the royalties for "Don't You Leave" (a Top 10 hit
culled from the album "Emotion"), which was a traditional blues song
copied from a Dave Van Ronk album, for which Tetteroo
and Kuppens claimed songwriting credits. Tetteroo
decided to get rid of the whole band (Janssen had already left) and
subsequently Eduard, van Eijck and Fenwick founded After
Tea.
Tetteroo then picked three members of Amsterdam
band James Mean (who were without a lead singer as Michel van Dijk
had joined Les Baroques): Franklin Madjid
(bass), Joop Blom (drums) and Ferdy Karmelk (guitar). Jan Pieter Boekhoorn
(like Hans van Eijck also an ex-Jumping
Pop-in, later in Sympathy)
joined on organ. The music style of the band shifted from R&B to pop with
songs like "Tea Is Famous". The following year Karmelk was replaced
by Dihl Bennink (ex-Don't, brother of Leo Bennink of the
Jay-Jays and
The Motions) followed by the replacement of Boekhoorn by Peter
Seilberger (later in Fairy Tale).
1969 saw the return of Hans van Eijck from his stint with
After Tea. The line-up of
Tetteroo, van Eijck, Madjid, Blom and Bennink recorded the worldwide
hit "Ma Belle Amie" (#5 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970), but the
personnel changes continued. First Blom was replaced by Herman van Boeyen
(ex-Fullhouse, to Supersister) on
drums, but soon afterwards he left and Max Spangenberg joined. Ferry Lever
left After Tea to join the Set on guitar.
This line-up remained stable for a few years scoring hits like "She Likes
Weeds" (their only Dutch #1 hit) which was banned in the USA for drug
connotations, (of course) denied by the band. They claimed the first two
lines of the chorus were literally taken from the movie "Funeral In Berlin"
(starring Michael Caine) where Harry Palmer (played by Caine) makes a remark
about his superior, Ross's, weedy garden.
Ross: I like weeds.
Palmer: Yes, they're easy to grow.
When subsequent releases sold less and less, the band decided to call it a
day in 1975. In the 1980s, Peter Tetteroo
started touring with all kinds of line-ups again (at one point including
Polle Eduard
and Ray Fenwick) touring mainly the oldies circuit.
Tetteroo died in 2002 from liver cancer at the age of 55.
1966 Early in the morning/Nothing can ever change this love Delta DS 1194
Believe what I say/Don't mess with Cupid 1204
Don't you leave/Just another hour (never released) 1218
Don't you leave/Long ago 1224
LP Emotion DL 512
1967 Please call me/So I came back to you DS 1233
Now's the time/Bring a little sunshine Teeset Records TS 1252
What can I do/Colours of the rainbow 1259
Tea is famous/Since I lost your love 1266
LP Songbook Teenbeat APLP 103
1968 Life's but nothing/Join the teaset TS 1275
This rose in my hand/Sittin' on the highest mountain 1289
LP Join the Tea-Set TELP 023 S
1969 Mr.music man/Good old John TS 1310
Ma belle amie/The angel's coming 1329
Mi belle amigo/No quiero saber (Spain) Hispavox H 562
LP Emotion (re) Delta MU 209
LP Forever TSR HJT 149
1970 Finally in love again/Charmaine TS 1370
If you do believe in love/Here in my house 1369
She likes weeds/A country ride Negram NG 201
LP Ma belle amie Delta DL 547
LP In the morning of my days Negram NQ 20002
1971 In your eyes/You keep me rockin', honey NG 235
Little lady/I believe in you 240
A sunny day in Greece/So long my love 261
LP T-five ELS 921
1972 Shotguns/Horizon NG 279
Mary Mary/In the morning of my days 290
Long ago/She likes weeds/Ma belle amie 291
LP Non perishable NQ 20079
LP In the morning of the days (re) ELS 963
1973 There goes Johnny with my lady/But I love it NG 314
You bringing me down/Out of my mind 375
LP Toppers ELS 973
1974 The bandstand/Angely NG 446
1975 Do it baby/Fill the world with joy 2040
LP Do it baby NR 118
1976 Baby let your hair grow long/Much too soon NG 2081
LP 14 gouwe ouwe NAF 323
1977 I'll be lost without your lovin'/Wait NG 2238
[20-08-1966]^27*10 EARLY IN THE MORNING tee-set
[15-10-1966]^31*3 BELIEVE WHAT I SAY tee-set
[28-01-1967]^9*11 DON'T YOU LEAVE tee-set
[08-04-1967]^22*9 PLEASE CALL ME tee-set
[26-08-1967]^13*7 NOW'S THE TIME tee-set
[18-11-1967]^31*4 WHAT CAN I DO tee-set
[06-01-1968]^12*9 TEA IS FAMOUS tee-set
[21-09-1968]^16*7 THIS ROSE IN MY HAND tee-set
[19-04-1969]^39*1 MR. MUSIC MAN tee-set
[12-07-1969]^6*12 MA BELLE AMIE tee-set
[28-03-1970]^26*3 FINALLY IN LOVE AGAIN tee-set
[16-05-1970]^22*6 IF YOU DO BELIEVE IN LOVE tee-set
[24-10-1970]^1*16 SHE LIKES WEEDS tee-set
[17-04-1971]^9*6 IN YOUR EYES (I CAN SEE THE LIES) tee-set
[17-07-1971]^19*6 LITTLE LADY tee-set
[27-11-1971]^20*7 A SUNNY DAY IN GREECE tee-set
[22-04-1972]^16*6 SHOTGUNS tee-set
[16-09-1972]^20*7 MARY MARY (TAKE ME 'CROSS THE WATER) tee-set
[14-09-1974]^16*5 THE BAND STAND the tee-set
[20-09-1975]^13*5 DO IT BABY tee-set
[03-02-1979]^20*8 LINDA LINDA tee-set
The lead singer of the Tee Set; made some solo records. See also Peter & Polle.
1967 When I needed you so/I can't forget you Delta DS 1228
1969 The memory of Martin Luther King/Feelin' down folks feelin' busted
Teeset Records TS 1278 Red red wine/I won't stand between them 1294
The magic lantern/If you do believe in love 1339
[09-11-1968]^6*10 RED RED WINE peter tetteroo
Peter Tettero and Polle Eduard were together in the Tee Set.
1974 I can't live without you/Trains are coming Negram NG 405
After Tea was founded in 1967 by Hans van Eijck (organ), Ray Fenwick (guitar) and Polle Eduard (bass/vocals) - all ex-members of the Tee Set - with drummer Martin Hage (ex-Don't). The group produced three moderate hits in 1967-1968: "Not Just A Flower In Your Hair", "We Will Be There After Tea" and "Snowflakes on Amsterdam", all in a psychedelic pop style.
Ray Fenwick left shortly after the recordings of the first LP, "National Disaster" (his work permit had expired) and returned to England to join the Spencer Davis Group. He was replaced by ex-Just Colours guitarist Ferry Lever.
In the Spring of 1968, Polle Eduard was arrested for possession of marijuana and incarcerated for a few months. His temporary replacements were singer Frans Krassenburg (ex-Golden Earrings) and bass player Henk Smitskamp (ex-Motions, to Livin' Blues). In the Summer of that year, the band scored a surprise hit under the pseudonym De Martinos with "Moest dat nou?" (recorded as a joke).
Martin Hage left later that year, replaced temporarily by Pierre van der Linden (later to Focus, Trace) and then permanently by Ilja Gort (ex-IQ 150).
Early 1969, the most important songwriter in the band, Hans van Eijck, left to rejoin the Tee Set. He was replaced by German keyboard player Uli Grün (ex-Boots). The group then switched to a more rock-oriented sound. Yet in 1970, Ferry Lever left (also to join the Tee Set) and was not replaced. The band continued as a three-piece for some time, but in 1971 After Tea finally folded. Polle Eduard and Uli Grün were then joined by guitarist Frank van der Kloot and drummer Shel Schellekens, calling themselves Drama. They scored a Top 20 hit with “Mary's Mama” which they subsequently refused to play live (as the whole thing was a concoction by producer Peter Koelewijn). However, in 1975, Polle Eduard, Ferry Lever and Ilja Gort reunited once more to record the single "Mexico" under the After Tea moniker. Polle Eduard continued his career as a songwriter by penning a few hits for Nico Haak and subsequently recorded an album of Dutch songs one year later, in 1976. Polle continued playing solo and in bands like The Rest (with Hans Vermeulen of Sandy Coast).
Ilja Gort worked as a producer for Basart Records before making a fortune composing music for commercials like the famous Nescafe tune. He now owns a vineyard in France producing his La Tulipe wines.
After his stint with the Tee Set, Hans van Eijck concentrated on writing music for TV and became a successful record producer (Danny de Munck, Marco Borsato). Ferry Lever became a music teacher and a session player. He still plays in the band of singer Rob de Nijs.
National Disaster Decca 1968
After Tea Decca 1969
After Tea Negram 1970
Joint House Blues Negram 1971
1968 Moest dat nou?/Avondrood Philips JF 333959
Later misschien/Martino wals Philips JF 334522
LP 12 Martino-treffers Philips XPY 855810
1969 Als vreemden/Bij de rode lichtjes Philips JF 334678
Singer Sigrid Siggerlink, recorded a single together with Peter Tetteroo in 1979.
1978 You are my life/Rainbow CBS 6297
1979 Take it easy/You're my desert flower [Peter & Sigrid] Mercury 6013546
1981 Summernights in June/ EMI
1973 Every day I see you/Motor song Polydor 2050204