"Outsiders" CD (Pseudonym)
"Talk to me + 3" 7" EP (Beat Crazy)
"CQ (Complete Polydor Recordings)" CD (Pseudonym)
"CQ Sessions" 2 CD (Pseudonym)
Review by Mike Stax, 1995. Originally appeared on "Ugly Things" #14
"On drums: Buzz! Bass guitar: Appie Rammers! Solo guitar: Ronald Splinter!
Slaag guitar: Tom Krabbendam! Zanger: Wally Tax! THE OUTSIDERS!!!"
So begins the live side of the Outsiders' 1967 debut album. The band really
need no further introduction to regular Ugly Things readers, but I'd hate
to think I'm only preachin' to the choir, so let's do it.
Not to be confused with the inferior American "Time Won't Let Me" group,
the Dutch Outsiders were active in Holland from 1965 until early 1969,
during which time they released a string of fine singles (many of which were
Dutch hits), two "real" albums (Outsiders and CQ - both reissued
on CD and reviewed here) and one compilation-type LP, Songbook).
The Outsiders' sound is hard to characterize. Not only did they incorporate
a diverse set of influences (including the Pretty Things, the Byrds, Tim
Hardin and traditional East and North European folk music) but the band's
musically un-schooled members approached their instruments in an entirely
instinctive way that often gave their records a strange, off-kilter feel.
Not that these guys were incompetent - far from it - they were just, well.....
different.
The band possessed in Wally Tax one of the greatest singers of all time -
a man with a voice that could ache with sensitivity or rage with frustrated
passion. On top of all this Tax and lead guitarist Ronald Splinter were a
songwriting team that could equal the best of the day. Which all adds up
to this indisputable FACT: The Outsiders made some of the best music to come
out of anywhere in the 1960's.
Introduction over. Let's get down to business...
Seeing as how original pressings of the Outsiders self-titled debut album
have been selling for a solid $100-$150 for the past 10 years or so, it's
incredible that it's never been made available as a reissue, even in bootleg
form. Which makes this new, legit, from-the-master-tapes CD all the more
welcome.
Whereas the band's singles where often melodic folk-rock songs with half
a bloodshot eye of the Dutch charts, their album showcased the band's rougher,
rowdier side. Side One captures the band in a berserk February 1967 live
performance which kicks off with the astounding one-chord, six-and-a-half
minute "Story 16", takes you through the plaintive yet stomping "Tears Are
Falling From My Eyes" (girls sob uncontrollably as Wally emotes like a Dutch
Otis Redding), turns up the heat for the manic, clattering, almost out-of-control
"Ain't Gonna Miss You" and "I Wish You Could", and wrings every last drop
of emotion out of you with "Afraid of the Dark".
Aah... "Afraid of the Dark": The magic of this song completely paralized
me the first time I heard it. I couldn't believe my ears. I had to immediatly
hear it another four times before I could speak or even consider continuing
with my life. And it still raises the hair on the back of my neck 11 years
later. In its sparse, simple arrangement of fuzz bass, doomy, resonating
guitar chordage, tingling four-note lead figure and dramatic percussive fills,
"Afraid of the Dark" packs the darkest, scariest, loneliest atmosphere I've
ever heard.
Side Two includes some of the wildest tracks the band ever recorded, notably
the growling, beyond manic "Don't You Cry" and the desperate, frenzied
fuzz'n'harp maelstrom of "Won't You Listen". By way of contrast there's also
the tender, sincere "I Would Love You" and the heartbreaking, so-true-to-life
pop ballad "Teach Me To Forget You".
The six bonus tracks are taken from some of their best singles: "Lying All
the Time", "Thinking About Today", "Keep On Trying", "That's Your Problem",
"Touch", and "Bird In a Cage". The latter two are previously unreleased stereo
versions, which sound mighty good.
Sound quality on this CD is actually superior to the original album, and
unlike the original there's no fades between the live songs - in fact Pseudonym
have even included an extra two minutes of introductory babble before "Story
16". The booklet has no liner notes, but the fabulous pictures (did I mention
that the Outsiders also looked cool as hell?) more than make up for
that.
If you can track it down, the Beat Crazy label have issued a rather cool
EP in a great full color cover featuring four Outsiders outtakes circa 1966-67.
The opening "Talk To Me" is in fact a studio version of "Story 16". It lacks
the atmosphere and tension of the live album version, but is interesting
nonetheless. Alternate takes of "Lying All the Time" and "If You Don't Treat
Me Right" are (even) more ragged than the finished versions, the latter breaking
into two bizarre, scraping guitar noise breaks worthy of the Velvet Underground.
The somewhat unformed "I Want to Know" is the only previously unheard song
here - a sparse, reverb-drenched cut with a bouncy tempo and spiky guitar
punctuations by Splinter. Great!
By 1968 the Outsiders were a four-piece, with rhythm guitarist Tom Krabbendam
out of the picture altogether and bassist Appie Rammers replaced by new man
Frank Beek. During the spring and summer of that year the new line-up spent
a great deal of time in GTB Studios in The Hague, working on an ambitious
set of recordings that would become their final album: CQ.
It's an infinitely tighter and more controlled unit on CQ than on their earlier
recordings. Leendert ("Buzz") Busch's unusual drumming tecnique had by now
formalized itself into a more purposeful and effective style, which locks
in strongly with Frank Beek's capable bass playing. The fuller production
enhances Splinter's guitar parts, as well as the additional instrumentation,
which includes balalaika, vibes, keyboards and a battery of sometimes exotic
percussion.
The Pretty Things had their S F Sorrow, the Beach Boys' (almost) had
their Smile, for the Outsiders, CQ was the album where the
limits of musical and studio experimentation were pushed to new extremes.
However CQ not only includes some startling innovations, it also contains
some of the band's strongest material.
The ballads "You're Everything On Earth", "It Seems Like Nothing's Gonna
Come My Way Today" and "I Love You No. 2" are absolutely stunning - Tax was
clearly born to sing material like this, and he's at his heartrending best
here. Meanwhile the band's harder punk edge can be heard on "Misfit" (featuring
some superhuman bass runs by Beek), "Man on the Dune", and the maniac fuzz
and feedback overdrive of "Doctor Doctor"
"Zsarrah", with it's strange voices and plinking Eastern scales conjures
up a genuinely disturbing atmosphere, as does the apocalyptic title track,
while the slamming blues rocker "Happyville" tells of the dark, seedy side
of Holland's sex industry, and "Daddy Died On Saturday" wraps a tale of deceit
and murder in a catchy pop melody (and somehow sounds not a million miles
away from Ziggy Stardust - era David Bowie!).
Released on Polydor in October 1968, CQ was acclaimed by many critics
and fans but sold extremely poorly. It's estimated that less than 1000 copies
were sold, making it virtually impossible to find today (originals can go
for as much as $750). A poor quality vinyl bootleg had to suffice for most
fans until 1993 when Pseudonym did the right thing and issued CQ on
CD complete with three non-LP Polydor tracks, and two cuts by Wally's jazzier
post-Outsiders project Tax Free.
As if that wasn't enough, last year they came out with the monumental double
set CQ Sessions comprising close to two hours of CQ outtakes,
demos and backing tracks.
Now you can completely submerge yourself in the strange, compelling CQ
experience. Not only does this stuff make for fascinating listening, many
of the tracks have a totally different form, with alternate lyrics, melodies
and instrumentation.
Some tracks appear as instrumentals, and "Zsarrah", "Prison Song", and "Wish
You Were Here With Me Today" are particularly effective in this form, the
latter coming off like some kind of bizzare European surf music.
Aside from some vague instrumental material, "ME Song" is the only song here
never to have surfaced. Unfortunately, it's a somewhat unexceptional pop
ballad.
As a bonus, the CQ Sessions CD also includes all four tracks from
the band's first two singles on Muziek Express: "You Mistreat Me", "Sun's
Going Down", "I Love Her Still, I Always Will" and "Felt Like I Wanted To
Cry" - all absolutely brilliant '60s beat-punk in case you didn't know.
There's also the studio demo of "Story 16" (not included on the track listing)
and a modern-day remake of "Lying All the Time" with Wally's voice sounding
as fine as ever. Another latter day Tax's track is hidden away at the end
of Disk Two and shows a mature singer who can still make the tears flow when
necessary.
Between all these CDs (and one EP) there's a marathon feast of Outsiders
material available, much of it untasted before. I hope this is just the tip
of the iceberg, 'cos I want MORE!