Most know Golden Earring for their 1973 hit single Radar Love from Moontan. This explains why most are unaware that the band has existed since the early sixties (1961 actually) as a pop band. In fact, the The Hague-based band had scored several successes on the Dutch charts in the early sixties. A 1968 hit is called Dong-Dong-Di-Ki-Di-Gi-Dong.
The heavy rock band was formed out of the ashes of The Tornadoes by Kooymans and Gerristen - two of the most tenacious musicians on this planet. Hay joins the band in 1967 and the band's sound seems to take a turn for harder realms.
The Dutch band maintains a following world-wide to this day. They have toured the world with The Who, Rush and Santana among others. The band had another international hit on both sides of the Atlantic with Twilight Zone in 1982, but again faded from the mainstream.
2000's Last Blast Of The Century is a compilation which further features several of the band's earlier members.
Incredibly the band released a live video in 2002 entitled Don't Stop The Show and recorded a new album due for release in 2003.