The Cats

Summary

Biography

Pop group from the village of Volendam that became famous with the music style 'paling pop'. The Cats scored hits in the Netherlands as well as abroad.
Full biography

Members

Arnold Muhren   basgitaar
Jaap Schilder (1)   gitaar, piano
Cees Veerman   gitaar, zang
Theo Klouwer   drums
Piet Veerman   gitaar, zang

Former members

Piet Keizer   gitaar

Biography

Pop group from the village of Volendam that became famous with the music style 'paling pop'. The Cats scored hits in the Netherlands as well as abroad.

1965

The Cats release their first single Jukebox and sign to the Imperial label.

1966

The band's first hit single is What A Crazy Life.

1968

The band goes professional. Up until now the singles released by the Cats have only just failed to enter the charts. But that's about to change. The next six-and-a-half year the band will score no less than sixteen Top 10 hits, beginning with the number two hit Times Were When. The Cats' success is attributed to their new musical style. Whereas their music was initially rather rough, the focus is now on melodic compositions and close harmonies. The Cats spearhead the so-called 'paling sound', a term made up by prominent Dutch DJ Joost den Draaijer. Other groups in this genre are BZN, Canyon, Jen Rog, Left Side and Next One, but also the George Baker Selection, Ferrari and Classics. The first number one hit for the Cats is Lea, a song written by bassist Arnold Mühren. Only the Beatles, Abba, Queen, Michael Jackson and George Michael have scored more number one hits in the Netherlands than the Cats.

BZN Canyon Ferrari George Baker Jen Rog Left Side Next One The Classics Wim Jongbloed

1969

The Cats' next number 1 hits are Why and Marian, both of which are written by Muhren.

1970

The band's next number 1 is written by Piet Veerman and is called Where Have I Been Wrong.

1971

The Cats have 3 hit records in West Germany with Be My Day, Let's Dance and One Way Wind and go on stadium tours of Indonesia (1971) and Surinam (1972). Less successful are their attempts to conquer the UK and US markets.

1972

Due to problems with his voice singer Cees Veerman has to take a break from the band. Roadie Piet Keizer replaces him.

1973

The book The Cats - Een Hollands Succesverhaal ('A Dutch Success Story') is published. The band goes to the US to record the album Love In Your Eyes with American producer Al Capps.

1974

Love In Your Eyes is released in the US but the Americans are not impressed. In The Netherlands The Cats score yet another number 1 hit with Be My Day. Nevertheless, the band seems to have lost its creativity and announces that they will go their separate ways.

1975

The Cats get back together and release the album We Should Be Together.

1980

Again, the Cats announce that they are going to break up. Their last recording is the song The End Of The Show.

1983

When a documentary about the Cats is shown on television, the fans call for a reunion. The band reunites and scores several, smaller, hits.

1985

When singer Piet Veerman announces he prefers a solo career to the band, it definitely is the end of the show for the Cats.

1994

Cees Veerman, Arnold Muhren and Jaap Schilder record the album Shine with Jan Akkerman (guitar) and Flaco Jimenez (accordion).

2001

Cats drummer Theo Klouwer dies of heart failure at the age of 53.

2002

EMI releases an unauthorized Cats Anthology boxed set, featuring three CD's and one DVD. Two of the CD's contain all the hits. The third CD consists of rarities, whereas the DVD is a collection of filmed promo material. Out of protest, the remaining band members don't show up at the launch party.

2006

The Cats reunite for a one-off. Forty years after the recordings of its debut single, the band cuts two new tracks, both written by John Ewbank (of Marco Borsato fame). The two new tracks - The Best Years Of My Life en Those Were The Days - are included on a sampler released by the end of April. On March 23 the band receives a Royal Decoration. The boxed set Those Were The Days reaches the gold status in July, acknowledging sales in excess 35.000 copies.

2007

The Tribute To The Cats Band, with eight musicians from Volendam, releases debut single Walking In The Rain in July. The single is recorded in the Arnold Mühren's studio and also includes a live performance of the Cats song I Walk Through The Field. In August, the Tribute To The Cats Band releases a CD/DVD box. One of the band members is singer Piet Schilder from the band Next One.

Next One

Discography

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.

Photos

Audio/Video

Video

Andere frontman

Eigen nummers

Palingsound

Sessiemuzikanten

Amerikaans avontuur

Het prille begin

Het einde

Complete Interview