The Buffoons
The Buffoons
Popular group from the late '60s and early '70s centrered around the Van Tongeren brothers that is best known for its magnificent harmonized vocals.
Members
Boy Brostowski
achtergrondzang, drums
Don Biesbroek
banjo, pedalsteel, piano
Jack van Rossum
toetsinstrumenten
Ely van Tongeren
basgitaar, zang
Henk Hager
gitaar, zang
Fokke Openty
basgitaar, gitaar, zang
Former members
Benny de Groot
toetsinstrumenten
John Gaasbeek
basgitaar
Bob Luiten
basgitaar
Maarten Assink
drums, zang
Gerard Van Tongeren
zang
Eelco Wikenkamp
drums
Skip van Rooy
toetsinstrumenten
Henk Bruinewoud
percussie, zang
Koos Wiekenkamp
achtergrondzang, drums
Toon Oudenbos
toetsinstrumenten
Hilco Ter Heide
zang
Joop Walkot
toetsinstrumenten
Harry Bartelink
gitaar, zang
Joop Kiewiet
toetsinstrumenten
Gerrit Visser
achtergrondzang, gitaar
Biography The Buffoons
Popular group from the late '60s and early '70s centrered around the Van Tongeren brothers that is best known for its magnificent harmonized vocals.
1963
Gerard en Ely van Tongeren form The White Rockets and sign a record deal with Bovema.
1966
The White Rockets become The Buffoons.
1967
The Buffoons score their first hit with Tomorrow Is Another Day/My World Fell Down; a double A-sided single.
1968
The group's full-length debut, Looking Ahead, is released.
1969
The start of a less successful period for the group. When John Lennon sees them on TV while he is staying at the Amsterdam Hilton during his famous Bed-Inn For Peace, he invites them to come over and sing at his bedside.
1970
Several personnel changes take place. Drummer Maarten Assink leaves and is replaced by Boyd Brostowsky. Bassist Luiten also quits the band. Ely van Tongeren takes over the bass guitar and Don Biesbroek (piano, banjo, steel guitar) joins the band.
1972
The Buffoons have a hit with the Ferrari single You Are Mine.
1973
The single My Girl Donna reaches the higher regions of the Dutch charts. The following two singles also become hits.
1974
The single To Know You Is To Love You fails to reach the charts.
1975
The single Silver Queen also fails to enter the charts. Both ex-Barons Van Rossum en Brostowsky step out of the band to form the band Sweet Lake. They are replaced by Skip van Rooy (ex-Galaxy-Lin) and original Buffoon Maarten Assink, respectively.
1976
To celebrate the band's 10th anniversary the Beach Boys cover Barbara Ann is released, but without much success.
1977
Assink again leaves the band.
1978
The Buffoons record the song Take Good Care Of My Baby under the name The Ragdolls, but without any success. As a consequence the band breaks up.
1979
The Van Tongeren brothers and bassist Hans Nijland (ex-Teach-In) form the cover band Feeling.
1980
Former Buffoon Skip van Rooy (or: Vanroy) records the album The Defeat.
1983
Gerard and Ely van Tongeren join the band Albatross.
1990
Albatross breaks up. Ely and Gerard van Tongeren, singer/percussionist Henk Bruinewoud and singer/keyboard player Toon Oude Bos form The New Buffoons.
1992
The album Unforgettable Songs is recorded.
1997
The group has dropped the 'new' in its name and records two more albums: Through Decades and Unforgettable Songs Too.
1998
Drummer/singer and former-Buffoon Koos Wiekenkamp joins the group.
1999
The group signs to Telstar. The albums The Singles and Millenniumproof are released.
2000
The band records a new album.
2003
The Buffoons and UK bands the Fortunes and the Tremeloes tour the Netherlands. The band also performs at a '60s festival in Groningen, the Netherlands, with fellow Dutch '60s icons Shocking Blue.
2005
Ely van Tongeren leaves the band after a heart infarct. So he leaves the Buffoons. Keyboardist John Gaasbeek switches to bass guitar. Joop Kiewiet becomes the new keyboards player. Guitarist Don Biesbroek leaves the band in August. At the end of September he is replaced by guitarist/singer Harry Bartelink.
2006
Ely van Tongeren has recoverd. While rehearsals start, the band is looking for a new singer. In May the band consists of Van Tongeren, Jack van Rossum (keyboards), Boy Brostowsky (drums, vocals), Don Biesbroek (guitar) and (ex-Free, ex- Flashback Fokke Openty (bass, guitar, vocals).
2007
In February singer Henk Hager (Diesel) joins The Buffoons. Later in the year Ely van Tongeren's band calls it quits.
Discography The Buffoons
In the discography you will find all recordings that have been released listed chronologically. We restrict ourselves to the title, the type of audio, year of publication or recording, label, list of guest musicians, plus any comments on the issue.
Looking Ahead
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | LP, 1968 |
| Label | Imperial, SALI 8007 |
In Perfect Harmony
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | LP, 1969 |
| Label | Unknown |
Greatest
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | LP, 1970 |
| Label | Imperial, 5C 048-50649 |
The Best Of The Buffoons
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | LP, 1973 |
| Label | CBS, 65929 |
The Hitsingles
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | LP, 1974 |
| Label | Embassey, EMB 31089 |
Original Hit Recordings And More
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CD, 1989 |
| Label | EMI, CDM 7929912 |
Unforgettable Songs
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CD, 1992 |
| Label | CNR, CD 3004 |
Through Decades
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CD, 1995 |
| Label | Ivory Tower, ITD 35.003 |
Unforgettable Songs Too
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CD, 1997 |
| Label | Ivory Tower, ITD 35.018 |
| gastmuzikant | René Engel |
Millenniumproof
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CD, 1999 |
| Label | Telstar, TCD 11040-2 |
The Singles
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CD, 1999 |
| Label | BR, BX 5192 |
Greatest
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | LP, |
| Label | Emidisc, 5C 048-50652 |
Tomorrow Is Another Day
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1967 |
| Label | Imperial, IH 744 |
| B-side | My World Fell Down |
| Chart position |
14-10-1967, Top 40, 12 weeks, number 8
|
Goodbye My Love
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1968 |
| Label | Imperial, IH 835 |
| B-side | I Can't Go On Loving You |
| Chart position |
30-11-1968, Top 40, 5 weeks, number 19
|
It's The End
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1968 |
| Label | Imperial, IH 777 |
| B-side | Maria |
| arrangeur | Wim Jongbloed |
| Chart position |
10-02-1968, Top 40, 11 weeks, number 4
|
Lovely Loretta
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1968 |
| Label | Unknown |
| B-side | Here We Go Again |
| Chart position |
14-09-1968, Top 40, 7 weeks, number 13
|
Sister Theresa's East River Orphanage
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1968 |
| Label | Imperial, IH 801 |
| B-side | Sunday Will Never Be The Same |
| producer | Klaas Leyen |
| arrangeur | Wim Jongbloed |
| Chart position |
18-05-1968, Top 40, 10 weeks, number 15
|
Catharina Baby
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1969 |
| Label | Imperial, 5C 006-24043 |
| B-side | Nobody Wants To Be Near Me |
| Chart position |
28-06-1969, Top 40, 1 week, number 40
|
The Bus
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1969 |
| Label | Imperial, 5C 006-24113 |
| B-side | Scarborough Fair |
The Radio Song
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1969 |
| Label | Imperial, IH 861 |
| B-side | Bye Bye Bye |
| Chart position |
05-04-1969, Top 40, Tip
|
Een Popzanger
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1970 |
| Label | Imperial, 5C 006-24132 |
| B-side | De Klokken Van Het Dorp |
| gastmuzikant | Seth Gaaikema |
My World Is Empty
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1970 |
| Label | Imperial, 5C 006-24207 |
| B-side | Memories Of Melinda |
| Chart position |
02-05-1970, Top 40, Tip
|
Were You There
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1970 |
| Label | Imperial, 5C 006-24125-M |
| B-side | Love One Another |
Wie Ein Himmel Voller Sterne
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1970 |
| Label | Columbia, 5C 006-28744 |
| B-side | Deine Sorgen Mochte Ich Haben |
Unga Ueboyeh
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1971 |
| Label | Imperial, 5C 006-24804 |
| B-side | Pretty Madonna |
All Good Gifts
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1972 |
| Label | CBS, 8176 |
| B-side | Be My Side/day By Day |
| gastmuzikant | Bojoura |
The Secret Of You And I
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1972 |
| Label | CBS, 774 |
| B-side | Stickallee |
| Chart position |
24-06-1972, Top 40, Tip
|
Arizona
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1973 |
| Label | CBS, 1577 |
| B-side | I Can't Sleep |
| Chart position |
14-07-1973, Top 40, 8 weeks, number 15
|
It's The End
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1973 |
| Label | Unknown |
| B-side | Tomorrow Is Another Day/sister Theresa |
Let It Be Me
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1973 |
| Label | CBS, 1831 |
| B-side | In The Evening Of My Lifetime |
| dirigent | Dick Bakker |
| arrangeur | Dick Bakker |
| engineer | Dick Bakker |
| Chart position |
03-11-1973, Top 40, 6 weeks, number 11
|
My Girl Donna
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1973 |
| Label | CBS, 8391 |
| B-side | Wait |
| Chart position |
10-03-1973, Top 40, 10 weeks, number 4
|
I Don't Want To Go On Without You
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1974 |
| Label | CBS, 2617 |
| B-side | Summertime Has Gone |
To Know You Is To Love You
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1974 |
| Label | CBS, 2168 |
| B-side | Pack Your Bag |
| engineer | Dick Bakker |
| dirigent | Dick Bakker |
| arrangeur | Dick Bakker |
| Chart position |
01-06-1974, Top 40, Tip
|
Listen To My Song
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1975 |
| Label | Ariola, AT 16007 |
| B-side | Come On Little Honey |
Silver Queen
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1975 |
| Label | Ariola, AT 16535 |
| B-side | Country Wine |
| Chart position |
27-12-1975, Top 40
|
Barbara Ann
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1976 |
| Label | Ariola, AT 17055 |
| B-side | Disco Kid |
Because
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1977 |
| Label | Unknown |
| B-side | Ma Belle Amour |
It's The End
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | 7", 1981 |
| Label | EMI, 5C 006-26694 |
| B-side | Tomorrow Is Another Day |
Die Schonsten Deutschen Weinachtslieder
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CDS, 1991 |
| Label | Werola Records, 199/200 |
Let It Be Me
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CDS, 1991 |
| Label | Werola Records, 195/196 |
| B-side | California Blue |
A Song Is Born
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CDS, 2000 |
| Label | Telstar, TSCD 5247-3 |
| B-side | Arizona |
| arrangeur | Martin de Haeck |
It's The End
| Act | The Buffoons |
| Type and year | CDS, 2000 |
| Label | Telstar, TSCD 5185-3 |
| B-side | I'm In Love |
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