More Shocking Blue To Shock You—Much More

Recently I penned a story about the Dutch classic rock group Shocking Blue, known in the U.S. mainly for the 1969 hit, “Venus.” In the story, I discuss how the band was not just a one-hit wonder, as many Americans think. The group had a substantial international following, with a string of other hits as well.

Lead guitarist/songwriter Robbie van Leeuwen, 79, is the only surviving member of the four-piece line-up, and is currently living in Holland. Drummer Cor van der Beek passed in 1998 at age 49; bassist Klaasje van der Waal died in 2018, at age 69; and singer Mariska Veres (born Maria Elisabeth Ender) passed in 2006, at age 59.

Intrigued after my first story, I began to dig deeper into the band’s short history and eventual breakup in 1974. Many of the published print and YouTube interviews I found had to be translated into English (for this story, I had a friend who speaks Dutch help). For the most part, the band members only spoke Dutch. The English words to their songs amazingly were all memorized by Veres. It is difficult to tell that English is not her native language when listening to her sing.

Shocking Blue was born out of The Motions, another Dutch band. Van Leeuwen left that group in 1967 to form the new one. Not long after, they annexed Veres, who had been with a band called the Bumble Bees; Shocking Blue’s original vocalist, Fred de Wilde, was drafted into the Dutch army.

Shocking Blue’s manager in interviews fondly remembered van Leeuwen and the others having to drop by Veres’ house in the Hague to meet her parents before she formally agreed to join. She was innocent, early 20s at the time, and did not drink, smoke, take drugs or sleep around, as many rockers tend to do. In fact, her contract stipulated that there would be no relationships with band members, other than musical ones.

On tour, Veres was provocative, but the opposite in real life. She recalled in interviews that she would go back to her hotel room alone after shows and watch old movies. When in Holland, she’d stay with her parents, drinking tea and helping prepare dinners. And, during an album cover photo shoot, it reportedly took hours for the camera crew to convince her to show more cleavage. She just wasn’t that type of woman.

After some European success, Shocking Blue hit the big time in 1969 with “Venus,” the song quickly climbing to No. 1 on the charts in a number of countries, including the U.S.

The group was suddenly famous, mobbed by fans. Veres said that on tours some tried to cut her hair, only to find that it was a wig. Her natural hair was kinky, and she tired of ironing it, hence the exotic wigs. Veres also remembered fans trying to touch her, to which she developed a defense technique whereby she pinched them in return.

After the band broke up in 1974 - bassist van der Waal was first to leave, just before 1972, replaced by Henk Smitskamp from The Motions - Veres went solo, with van Leeuwen sometimes producing her material. But nothing ever reached the heights of Shocking Blue. Veres even DJ’d on the side for a few years. Van der Waal hung up his bass in 1975, never to play seriously again, and drummer van der Beek devolved into alcoholism, and died nearly broke.

In a documentary a few years ago, van Leeuwen waxed nostalgic about Shocking Blue - and about Veres, who never married and died of gallbladder cancer in 2006. “Mariska was so special, with her own style of singing,” he said. “Nowadays, she could be compared to Amy Winehouse. She designed her own clothes, and then her mother made them. The wigs and makeup made her sexy, but for herself, she was very modest and shy.”

After listening to some of Shocking Blue’s hits other than “Venus,” it’s evident that they were versatile, and had American and European influences. “Send Me A Postcard,” contains heavy shades of Jefferson Airplane, especially Veres’ powerful, compelling voice, which many say is a dead ringer for Airplane singer Grace Slick. As further evidence, Shocking Blue covered versions of the Airplane hits, “White Rabbit” and “Somebody To Love.”

The soulful “Never Marry A Railroad Man” clearly has a classical Spanish/flamenco guitar influence, as well as an American accent from the Mason Williams hit, “Classical Gas.” “I’ll Follow The Sun” distinctly borrows its surf sounds from The Ventures. And “My Babe” is solidly American blues.

Shocking Blue had chops, too. When you listen to their recorded live performances, it’s clear this is not just a studio band. Van Leeuwen, van der Beek and van der Waal sound raw but at the same time polished, especially as they blast through their hits in a 1971 live album recorded in Japan.

As well as being a vocal powerhouse, Veres was captivating on stage, with her sultry beauty and vibrant, yet understated, presence. She effortlessly glided along from song to song, her natural body movements matching the word cadences. Perhaps she was the Venus van Leeuwen was writing about in his hit song of the same name.

In any case, this band has not received its due in America. If you read the comments on Shocking Blue’s YouTube performances, hundreds of thousands of watchers support that notion. Readers who appreciate good music - especially classic rock - should seriously check out this group (five of their hits are embedded in this story). Shockingly good. So good, in fact, that I’m thinking there’s a book here. There is so much more to say.