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18-09-'05 - posted by Mike

Thanks and goodbye

Hello everyone,

It wasn't an easy decision but still: I quit. The reason? For a while I've not been happy with the direction the four of us had taken (yes, the well-known 'differences in musical taste'). We've tried hard to get things in line but still I've come to the decision that it's better to make my own plan.

Disappointed? Sure, but I can also look back at a great time and I'm proud of all the music that we've made. To everybody who has followed and supported us in all those years: thank you very much!

I will continue to make music. At this time I'm back in the studio recording a solo album.

Thanks and goodbye!

Mike

08-06-'05 - posted by Mike

The long and winding road to Kaderock (in dutch only)

We wisten natuurlijk dat het een hachelijke onderneming zou worden: het integraal naspelen van het roemruchte album Let It Be, 35 jaar na het uiteengaan van de Fab Four. The Beatles wisten het project destijds amper zelf tot een goed einde te brengen, dus wie denken wij (de vier Mashed Potatoes en Mouse Bom) dan wel niet dat we zijn? Welnu, de eerste poging in het Tilburgse 013 was eigenlijk niet eens zo slecht bevallen. Een onwillige digitale piano, een neerstortend Hammond orgel en een belabberde zaalmix maakten dat perfectie die dag nog niet bereikt werd. Het optreden op Kaderock zou de ultieme uitvoering worden. Op ons dooie gemakkie togen we naar Den Haag voor wat een memorabele dag beloofde te worden. Helaas, door deze ontspannen instelling en vooral de eeuwige omleidingen in de Haagse binnenstad ging het toch mis. Wat in bijna twee decennia Mashed Potatoes niet was voorgekomen gebeurde vandaag wel: we kwamen te laat op ons eigen optreden. Snel de spullen op het podium gekwakt en met de moed der wanhoop aan de set begonnen. En ach, het ging eigenlijk nog best goed. Maar aan de absolute apotheose, onze kippenvel opwekkende versie van Let It Be, kwamen we niet toe: de volgende act stond al klaar. Aankondigen dat je Let It Be integraal speelt en dan uitgerekend dit nummer niet spelen. Ik zweer je, er rust een vloek op die plaat... (wordt ongetwijfeld vervolgd)

18-05-'05 - posted by Peter

What is it now...

It has been almost 4 months since I had bought a musical instrument, so it was about time. And thanks to the digital highway second hand instruments are close at hand. 'What is it now', I hear you think - well, it's an organ.

The Korg CX-3 is a one-manual Hammond emulator. Fully analog it comes with drawbars, keyclick, overdrive and a leslie simulator. Truly a screaming piece. Soon to be seen on stage? Who knows...

13-04-'05 - posted by Peter

To the USA...

I'm going on tour in the USA! Not as a musician unfortunately, but as the sound engineer of the band Venus Flytrap. It will be a 11 day tour across the eastcoast (a.o. New York, Washington, Philidelphia, Baltimore). The tour will run from April 28th to May 11th. Okay bye now.

08-03-'05 - posted by Peter

The Polar Exploration Ship

I (Peter) have joined another band. Don't worry, I will stay playing in the MP's but especially now the Crimson Kings aren't playing (temporarily) I have the time for this new challenge.

The band is called The POLAR Exploration Ship and plays alternative southern rock. Think The Allman Brothers, Tussler (/Motorpsycho), Dinosaur Jr. and Neil Young. In this band I play the Fender Rhodes and Hammond organ. Other members are: Selwin Slop (ex Incense) Lennart Bes (Burma Shave) Misja van den Burg and Willem Mulock.

In a few months the first dates of shows will be known.

22-01-'05 - posted by Mike

Mike performs with Les Zazous for Asia

Friday the 28th of January, legendary guitar band Les Zazous will reunite for the first time since they broke up, five years ago. Mike will join the band as a bass player. All the benefits of the evening in the Tripodia venue in Katwijk, the Netherlands will go to the victims of the tsunami in Asia. Other bands are Midlife Crisis, HMS Highschool Band<, Lost Boys and Driftkickers. Entrance is

25-12-'04 - posted by Peter

Crimson Kings, final show!

The Crimson Kings, the acoustic americana trio featuring Peter on baritone guitar, will give a final show on Januari 15th 2005. Shortly after that guitar player Gijsbert will go abroad for a year.

What the two remaining kings will do is uncertain; try to find a replacement guitar player, or take a year off waiting for Gijsbert to return. In any case this will be tha last chance to see the Crimson Kings live.

venue: Lokaal Vredebreuk, Papestraat 38, Den Haag
date: Saturday January 15th 2005

04-12-'04 - posted by Peter

Potato songs

Visit this ridiculous site filled with songs about potatoes.

26-11-'04 - posted by Peter

Another day in the studio

In between rehearsals we still pick a day weekly to work on the recordings of the new material. Only one day, it isn't much, but it'll have to do. Better than nothing. The results don't come fast, but progress is being made.

Yesterday (Thursday) Mike an I recorded some guitar tracks on 'Come Here All The Time', 'I Like What You do To Me' and 'Never Fall In Love'. The new Pro Amp (see below) is already making over hours. Also, Robbie redid the bass track on 'Come Here All The Time'. More to follow.

30-10-'04 - posted by Peter

And yet another amp!

Maybe you don't give a damn or maybe you do, but I have bought yet another guitar amp. A Fender Pro Reverb.

For a while now I was keeping my eyes open for a Fender Twin Reverb to use with the Rhodes when this Pro Reverb cought my eye; technically almost the same amp, but delivering 40 Watt instead of 100. I liked the idea, since 100 Watt is too much anyway, and this amp could be driven harder without piercing ones eardrums doing so. An appointment with the seller was quickly made.

Today that appointment took place and I went to Haarlem together with Rob. Rhodes in the back of the Renault, the Jazzmaster too and on the way.

At the seller's house, a very friendly guy with a young daughter celibrating her birthday, we installed the Rhodes on his table and connected it to the Pro. Almost immediately Rob and I both were convinced that this amp would be a big improvement over the LAB L7 and the Roland JC-55 that I normally use: tighter in the low end and a clear 'bell'-sound. Then we tried it with the Jazzmaster - not overwhelming, but certainly not bad - although that couldnn't influence the decision any more. Wrap it up and pack it in.

Anyone interested in a LAB L7?

26-10-'04 - posted by Peter

Crimson Kings show

The Crimson Kings (featuring myself on bariton guitar) will perform on tuesday November 16th at Café Paard van Troje in The Hague.

This night the café will be an 'Unplugged Café' Other acoustic acts will also appear the same night: Nadine & me and B-sides.

Showtime 22:00, free entrance.

28-09-'04 - posted by Peter

New guitar amp!

In view of my forthcoming birthday I decided to give myself a present in the form of a '72 Fender Musicmaster Bass amp.

Although I was actually on the lookout for a Champ the extra power (12 Watt instead of 6) of this slightly bigger amp comes in handy. This one I can use with my baritone guitar when gigging with The Crimson Kings.

Altough officially a bass amp it's actually a guitar amp - a nice addition to my other guitar amp with a bass-amp's name: my Fender Bassman. It's a little tube amp with a single 12 inch speaker. In it's current original state a nice amp already, but a revision is desirable. Also I want to try some mods and want to replace the speaker. I've read stories claiming it then would measure up to much more expensive tweed Fender models. I can't wait! I've got me another project.!

20-09-'04 - posted by Mike

Ron Sexsmith in Utrecht: Mike was there

One of my favourite recent records is Retriever, by the Canadian singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith. His style reminds of Paul McCartney but Ron's songs are a bit more melancholic, which is nice in the autumn. You'd think that his music is not particularly designed for a live concert, but Ron will prove you wrong there. The sound was well-balanced, the band was tight, only Ron's voice was a little uneven. He probably caught a cold in the Dutch weather. You could hear his voice crack in the cover Listen To What The Man Said (yes the McCartney song!). It was the only 'miss' of the evening. Highlights were plenty: Tell me Again, Hard Bargain and Dandelion Wine were played beautifully. A well spent evening. Thank you, Ron!

02-09-'04 - posted by Peter

Mashed Potatoes in Argentine

This next story is sent by Walter Warmerdam to Davy vd Putten (who in turn sent it to me) and is about what happened to him in Argentine. As we know Walter the story is a little fuzzy, but remarkabble still!
[Translation from Dutch by Peter]

Dave, listen to what happened to me this weekend...simply remakable. We were taking an excursion into the Mendoza mountains with a group of about ten people. We're in this beer hut talking about a lot of stuff...this bloke, a Madrileen, sudenly askes: 'Do you know The Mashed Potatoes? (In Spanish of course)

I gasped for breath since the heater in the cabin was turned up very high and the level of oxygen was so low that it makes you wonder if it's all imagination.

The proces of verification in my head went like this: 'Rob? eh Mike?..Madrid?..hmm could be right because I once heard the've been to Spain a lot.' Then I said it: 'Yeah I know them. I know them very well!'

He said they were very popular and one of the better live bands. Yes, they were good when I saw them in de Wurft but I can't remember any cheering chicks! He also said they haven't brougt out a CD in a while and that they were very tall and stuff.

It all fitted in...but you know what I can't understand? He also said: 'Especially the bass player is very good' ...Do you get this Dave?

Thanks Walter for this great story.

28-08-'04 - posted by Peter

The Crimson Kings

The Crimson Kings are back! Peter's side project, the alternative country band that calls themself The Crimson Kings will perform on Sunday August 29th at 'straatfeest' (streetparty) at the Oude Mol straat in The Hague. Be there!