The Cats
| The Cats | |
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The Cats in 1971
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Mystic Four The Blue Cats |
| Origin | Volendam, Netherlands |
| Years active | 1964–1979 |
| Labels | EMI |
| Past members | Arnold Muhren Jaap Schilder Cees Veerman Piet Veerman Theo Klouwer Piet Keizer |
The Cats is a former rock band from Volendam, Netherlands.
It existed (with a few interruptions) from 1964 until 1985 and had its most successful period from 1968 until 1975.
Of the many hits the band had at home and abroad the biggest one is "One way wind", which was released in 38 countries and a top ten number in several of them, of which a number one in Switzerland. In Germany for instance it sold more than a million copies. Also it has been covered by some 150 other artists. The number was composed by bass player Arnold Muhren, who also composed most other songs of the band.
Further band members were the two singers and guitar players Cees Veerman and Piet Veerman, drummer Theo Klouwer, and guitar players Jaap Schilder and Piet Keizer (for three years).
The band began life as two separate duos: Cees Veerman (6 October 1943 - 15 March 2014) and Arnold Muhren (born 28 January 1944) who started in a skiffle band; and cousins Piet Veerman (born 1 March 1943) and Jaap Schilder (born 9 January 1943) who modelled themselves after the Everly Brothers. The duos merged and became The Mystic Four, with Cees and Piet Veerman on vocals and guitar, Schilder on guitar (and piano), and Muhren on bass. By 1965 they changed their name to The Blue Cats, a reference to the colour of their suits and Cees' nickname, Poes (Dutch for 'cat'). Dropping the 'Blue' from their name in 1966 they recruited drummer Theo Klouwer (30 June 1947 – 8 February 2001).
The Cats borrowed money from Jan Buys, who was later to become their manager, and recorded their first singles that immediately entered the charts. Singing in English thanks to a songwriting duo from England, the group sounded British. Cees initially performed the majority of the lead vocals but that was to change by 1968 when the band recorded "Times Were When"; Piet decided that this song (the original version is by the Scottish band Studio Six), suited his voice better and Cees agreed on giving him a go. Arnold's lyrics and Piet's sad voice appeared to be a match made in heaven, spawning five Top 10 hits in the next two years including "Lea" (dedicated to a faithful fan who died in a car accident), "Why?", "Scarlet Ribbons" and "Marian".
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