VARIOUS ARTISTS
Nederpop Volumes 1-3 (Universal Netherlands; DVDs)
    Each one of these discs contains a random assortment of 18 tracks with promotional films. They work chronologically, so DVD 1 is c.1965-69; DVD2 1969-72; DVD3 1973-76. Each has a mixture of the cool and the crap (though Vol.1 has barely any crap), but overall, these are most certainly worth getting. The 60s disc features almost entirely cool stuff; Les Baroques 'Such A Cad' shows 'the boys' demolishing a piano in under three minutes whilst Sandy Coast's 'We'll Meet Again' and The Motions 'Wasted Words', though four years apart, are both stiffly posed outdoor films. The Ro-d-y's feature twice with 'Just Fancy' and 'Sleep Sleep Sleep' and amazingly Group 1850 doing 'Mother No Head' and Zen doing 'Hair'. This volume is certainly a keeper in its own right.
    The second volume charts the early 70s, and the highs are still there in number. The Shoes 'Osaka', Amsterdam (yes, they of 'Indian Pipe' on Collecting Peppermint Clouds Vol.2 fame) play 'Lucy Lucy', Golden Earring's 'Back Home', a more strident and confident looking Sandy Coast with 'True Love That's A Wonder' (which see the band serenading an old woman from the bottom of a tower block!), the George Baker Selection's 'Nathalie', Sandy Coast (again) with 'Just A Friend' are all winners. You can skip over the likes of Mouth & MacNeal, Sandra & Andres and The Cats, but mostly its good stuff all through - Monica & The Voices of Freedom's 'Empty Words' film features the huge group of post hippie Indonesian singers with an in your face message song that hits hard even now.
    DVD 3 lands us in the mid 70s and there is crud to be skipped for sure, more Mouth & MacNeal, Jack Jersey, Robert Long and Spooky & Sue (Swingin' On A Star anyone?) or Patricia Paay's 'Whose That Lady With My Man?' from'76 (oh please dear reader, don't got there!). But there's prime moves here as well. For the first time ever, I have seen a Wally Tax video. His 'Miss Wonderful' is a crypto teenybopper number but oh so much more attractive than that. Tax on the other hand looks completely weird. Post-Outsiders (and post hair cut), he looks to be attempting some faux Teddy boy chic (but with a feather cut rather than a quiff a la ShawaddyWaddy) that you have to see to believe. He spends his camera time caressing a female display dummy in a shop window whilst causing passing Dutch girls to look on wistfully at his antics! I love Bonnie St Claire & Unit Gloria's 'Clap Your hands, Stamp Your Feet', it's a real stomper and a fun record whilst Earth & Fire's 'Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight' and Kayak's toytown prog (there's a genre to conjure with!) 'Mammoth' lead the way into the period's underground. Interestingly Kayak also finish the DVD off with 'Ruthless Queen' dating from 1978 by which point they, like most prog survivors of the punk insurrection, have come over all white suited and touchy-feely power ballad like, I'll stick to 'Mammoth' thanks.
    In all, a pucker trio of visual and aural treats which at mid-price mean you have no excuse not to own them. You can see the full track listing on the website below (click on DVDs and scroll down) and perhaps more easily buy them for a tenner a pop from Heyday mail order in the UK who will get them in to order.
www.brmusictwo.com
www.heyday-mo.com
Paul Martin