Scratch>>AVALON - THE NETHERLANDS



Avalon image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Morgan Le Fay, Masquerade>>RICHARD "BG" MUERMANS>>Maquerade

Guitar
Morgan Le Fay>>JACK PISTERS - Magical Strength>>MAARTEN HUISKAMP


Bass
Erik Fox - JAN VAN DINTEREN

Drum
Sword, Solo, Lady>>Frankie Woodhouse>>Jewel - Masquerade>>Jax Kraal [Jacques Kraal]>>Masquerade, Angels Decay


Keyboard
GIOVANNI PILERI




History & Biography
The Dutch band was active from 1981 to 1988. The band's story goes back to the band Scratch which was formed in 1975. Scratch's line-up, among others, was comprised of Maarten, Jax and Eric. The members recruited Morgan Le Fay's singer Richard "BG" Muermans. He would only join if the guitarist for Morgan Le Fay, Jack Pisters, would also join. Eric Fox switched from guitar to bass and with manager Bernd Konings leading, the band Avalon was formed. In 1984 Jack Pisters won a competition by Dutch radio station KRO and Virgin Records which was judged by no less than Gary Moore. Avalon's first ever show was on the 21st of April, 1984. After a series of concerts the band begins to record a five-song demo at Marlstone Studio. The songs were Morgana La Faye, It Ain't Easy, Just Call Me Conrad, The Ancient (chapter I) and The Angle Of Eternity. A new demo was recorded in August of 1985 which featured six songs. The band toured with Gary Moore and Mamas Boys. At this point Jacques Kraal was replaced by Frankie Woodhouse formerly of Sword and Lady. Next up was a mini-LP in 1986. The EP was promoted that year at the Aardschokdag/Earthquake festival in Belgium and at Eindhoven in The Netherlands. The band later re-issued the EP with new artwork. Maarten Huiskamp left Avalon, but not before the act inducted keyboard player Gionvanni Pileri formerly of Horizon. With a session drummer in tow the band entered Dieter Dierks' studio. For the coming concerts Jaques Kraal rejoined the band. Line-up problems hit the band once again when BG Muermans found himself a well paying job and a wife in June of 1987. He would depart from the fold. After a couple of temporary singers Marij Driessen, of Gin On The Rocks, would join Avalon. She would soon get pregnant, however, and leave which meant the end of the band.

The band reformed in 2005 and worked on releasing a double-CD through the Suburban Records label featuring The Third Move EP, some demo material and live footage. The band was singer BG Muermans, guitarists Jack Pisters and Maarten Huiskamp, bassist Jan van Dinteren, keyboardist Giovanni Pileri and drummer Jax Kraa. A final show was in November 2007.


Reviews

Interviews







Avalon