The Orange Interview

I would like to thank my good friend A.C. Bennati for allowing me to put this together for such a great band!

When and where were you born? Are you originally from Belgium?

Swa: Born in Antwerp on 31/08/1948, Flemish (Belgian) parents.

Marc: I was born in Antwerp on November 27, 1946. My parents/ancestors were all Belgian.

Hugo: Born in Antwerp, Belgium on June 10th, 1950.

When did you first start to have a fascination for music? What was it like for you to grow up? Was music something that was quite relevant in your household? Do you have siblings?

Swa: 1958 I was 10 years old when my parents bought their first pickup and the two older sisters played singles by Elvis, Bill Haley etc... Also the parents had 78 rpm records, also always a radio with popular songs. 1961 I bought my first (second-hand) single from Elvis from my savings, later when I had heard the Stones for the first time on the radio, Not fade away became my second single. In 1964 I bought my first guitar (again from people savings... And some sponsorship from my parents). After some self-study I came into contact with Nico, a neighbor boy who was also busy with music with some other friends from the neighborhood and was looking for a bass player. I liked it and so the guitar was exchanged for a new bass (Hohner).

Marc: Hereafter memories of 50 and more years ago, so here and here and there is a hole in the memory… At the age of 12 I had found an old accordion somewhere and was trying to get my first sounds out of it. Around that time, the 45-rpm records also had success with the youth and we got a broader view of what the music represented. At family parties, covers of pictures were regularly played. I have one brother, who also loves music, but doesn't play it himself. The radio was something that played from morning to evening, so certainly from that side the music has become a "must".

Hugo: I started playing drums in high school, my father sang and played drums when he was young, so I got his old kit (sadly enough I sold it, it was not rock and roll enough). I have a son and 3 grand children but none of them is interested in making music at age 12 I was very much in to jazz and saw Thelonious Monk, Modern Jazz quartet, Lionel Hampton live and saved money to buy Blue Note LP’s (Kenny Burrell, Ike Quebec and so on).

What was a typical weekend like for you before you played in bands? What would you and your friends do for fun? Did you have any other fascinations and interests outside of music and art?

Swa: Always playing with friends on the street such as playing football, and cycling in the neighborhood... From 8 to 15 years of football with the minimes and cadets of FC Antwerp. Later, I had to study during the weekends for my diploma in Electronics, a subject that also fascinated me. Once as a 12 year old my grandfather gave me an old radio (still with lamps...) Which I took apart to know what the inside looked like and put it back together to learn soldering, but music didn’t come out anymore...

Marc: Weekends consisted of going to the movies, student parties, going cycling, or just playing with friends on the street.

Hugo: I was also in the local baseball team (catcher) called ‘Luchtbal Greys’ but stopped to concentrate on drums.

When and where did you attend your first live concert and when did it dawn on you that you wanted to pursue music as something very serious?

Swa: 1964 it was the Belgian groups including The Cousins and The Jokers who performed on Sunday in the afternoon in the Beliard Palace in Antwerp.

Marc: My first concert was by the Belgian group The Cousins, who caused a furore with their single "Kili Watch"; I think that was where the impetus was given to do something in music myself. Later, Belgian bands also came to play at the student parties (The Pebbles – The Scabs – Les Vampires…). From the foreign groups: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, Pink Floyd, Simon and Garfunkel, The Byrds, Kinks, Black Sabbath…

Hugo: First live concert was Thelonious Monk, Elisabeth Hall, Antwerp (I was 12 at the time and completely flabbergasted by Monk).

Where would you go to see shows in your community/scene? Which group(s) left a heavy impression on you in those early days and made you think, ‘hey, we can do this!

Swa: The sixties were turbulent years (emancipation, the contraceptive pill, the protests against the Vietnam War, the May ‘68 revolution...) Everything that influenced the music. Various TV performances including the Stones, Beatles, Cream, Led Zeppelin... And live performances, sometimes in small venues including The Kinks, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Steppenwolf... Inspired us and many others. Especially thanks to the pirate channels we were introduced to this inspiring music.

Hugo: Later I saw a lot of English bands live in Antwerp such as Marmalade, Pink Floyd, Zombies, Sands, Mike Stuart Span, Leviathan ll in a small café in Antwerp and all these English drummers left a big impression on me and influenced my playing style.

Have you been in bands prior to Orange? If so, what were those experiences like for you and can you tell me a little bit about those early days?

Swa: In 1966 our group Difference Limited consisted of: Marc Van Geystelen-vocals & amp; lead guitar, Pittoors Nico - drums Swa De houwer - bass, Walter vocals & amp; guitar, later replaced by Karel Sammels (lead vocals & amp; organ). Our first performance was 26/11/1966 in hall Cecil, Van Arteveldestraat in Antwerp. After I graduated in 1966, I had to complete my military service for twelve months in 1967, fortunately I was able to fulfill it in Belgium and I did not have to go to Germany like many other young soldiers. Sometimes a change of one of the group members was necessary because of that military service, or other reasons. In 1967 the group name was changed from Differnce Limited to ORANGE Nibs, the reason I don’t know exactly, maybe the influence of the colorful hippie time... In 1968 Norbert De Lange (lead vocals & rhythm guitar) replaced Karel Sammels.

Marc: The first band with which they also played in local youth clubs and parties was the band "The Differents" after some time changed to "Difference Limited". It was mainly played in smaller halls and pubs.

Hugo: First band I as in was SONS OF LYNN (we were so bad they threw money at us to let us stop...) Then I joined THE MODS (you can see a live recording of the Mods on youtube: THE MODS, LIVE AT JAZZ BILZEN 1967) due to our bass player and lead singer had to join the army (drafted) the band fell apart and I joined a band called SHEPPERD’S BUSH and that dit not long last…

How did you initially meet each other?

Swa: Through Nico Pittoors who lived in the same apartment block, the ball started rolling and I came into contact with like-minded friends from a group of The Difference, which was later changed to Difference Limited. One of the driving forces was Marc Van Geystelen, with whom I still have a good contact after almost 60 years.

Marc: The very beginning was with two neighbor boys Walter, Jules and a school friend Jacques. Because each of us had to join the army at his time, substitutes came – such as bassist Swa and drummer Nico; some stayed, others went again after the "soldier" came back.

Hugo: As NORBERT asked me to join ORANGE (because their drummer left the band for personal reasons). The line up of Swabas, Marc, Norbert and myself only played songs written by Norbert! Later when the line up changed (Swabas and Marc left). Norbert and me found new musicians and continued under the name of Orange with a mis of songs written by Norbert and some covers.

What were your first impressions of each other? What initially led to the decision to start the group Orange and how did the name for the band come about?

Swa: Difference Limited evolved from rock to underground. Maybe the idea for ORANGE NIBS came about because of the light show that a friend Jan presented during our performances, he had a terrarium with snakes, from which he used the skins that he projected with a little dye, which gave a clever psychedelic effect, the new name fitted better in that colorful hippie time.

Marc: We had the feeling that the name Difference Limited did not (anymore) correspond to the time and for some reason it became Orange (we just all loved that color) and Nibs (no idea where that came from). But after a while the "Nibs" was also removed and only ORANGE remained.

What was the band’s process and approach to writing music prior to recording those singles? Did you start playing covers, or did you immediately start writing your own original material?

Swa: Started with covers and adaptations of covers. When Norbert joined the group as a singer/guitarist and wrote our own lyrics, we made our own music.

Marc: They were always covers and only a lot later some of the group made their own compositions, but mainly from the hands of Norbert.

Hugo: We had some problems as a lot of gear was stolen form our rehearsal place, but were lucky to find new musicians to continue. Rehearsal space was at an old warehouse in the middle of town (Antwerp) and was quite difficult since we had to lift our gear with cables/ropes to the second floor later we rehearsed at YWCA in Antwerp and later even created a recording studio there (now professional under the name of CAVERN RECORDING STUDIOS at Edegem (Antwerp). The studio also involved a record and publishing company (Kjell Ambjorsen, Norbert and me were the initial owners, but both Norbert and myself eventually left the company as we had not enough time due our other professional involvements (money to be made to feed the family!!)

What were those early shows like and what was the band’s set-up like? What was the chemistry like between everyone when they first started? What were some locations/clubs where you would play in the city? Tell me about the band’s rehearsal room, or where you would practice.

Swa: The rehearsals were in youth club De Waag, Lange Brilstraat in Antwerp where Jo Labens was responsible for the club. The group photo used on the cover of the canal was taken at the entrance of that youth club. There were weekly events in the club and sometimes we were on the bill there as well. In February 1970 during a performance in youth club DE CLUYS Gen. Eisenhouwerlei 47 in Borgerhout-Antwerp a girlfriend came to watch our performance for the first time, I married that girlfriend in ‘72, meanwhile we celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.

Marc: In the very beginning of the band we practiced in the basement at my house. After a while that good (sound) became too much for the environment and we moved to a room of the local youth club. Even later we were allowed to use a practice room on the2nd floor of a club on the Antwerp Stadswaag (then very well known in the entertainment center). But imagine the weekly move (before and after a performance) of the material (with the then still very large / heavy VOX installation) that had to be hoisted up along the narrow stairs or with a pulley.

Hugo: My first kit as from a company called MARIUS RENATUS (my dad’s old kit), that brand no longer exists (I believe they stopped production somewhere in the 50ies). Playing with The Mods got me enough money to buy a LUDWIG kit (same as Ringo’s), but I was foolish enough to sell it when I needed money (marriage can make you do strange things). I switched to SONOR, but was so impressed by Mapex that I finally bought a new kit MAPEX MERIDIAN MAPLE, and use Ludwig + Mapex + Pearle Bronze snares) Cymbals are all PAISTE.

How did the deal with Mill Music come about for the band, and if I may say a radically amazing, debut single in 1969? What were those experiences like writing and recording that record for you? When and where did that take place in 1969 and would you mind? give me a little background on each of the songs that are on the single? How long did it take to record that record from start to finish?

Swa: November 1969 After many successful performances with our covers in youth clubs and small halls we signed up with a cover of Cream I’m so glad; for a competition in talent for the light muse Discover the star; it took place in the Elisabethzaal in Antwerp and was broadcast live on Flemish TV. Johan Verminnen (genre kleinkunst) came out as the winner. 1970 Louis De Vries the café boss of the Pannenhuis in Antwerp who was also the manager of the Belgian group The Pebbles gave us the opportunity to perform in the TV program Andere Koek in the American Teater at the Heysel in Brussels, where the English pop group Blossem Toes also performed.

Because the airtime was limited and Blossem Toes got most of the time, we had to shorten our cover of Iron Butterfly “in-a-gadda-da-vida” which of course did not benefit our performance. During performances between the covers we also played our own songs The Sun A-side and Wait until Sunrise from the B-side. In this period, in consultation with all group members, our drummer Nico was replaced by Hugo Van Camp. Also during this period we were approached by Bobby Miller (Mill Music – Plantin; Moretuslei, Antwerp) who had seen our TV performances and suggested we release our own songs as singles… In the Decca studios in Brussels, everything was put on record in one day.

Marc: Bobby Miller had seen us during the television broadcasts of the BRT, namely "Discover the star" where we were in the final, and the broadcast of the music program "Andere Koek" where we performed in the first episode. He himself contacted us with the proposal to record a record. The studio was rented for 1 day and the recording happened on that day.

Hugo: The recording of The SUN (at DECCA STUDIO Brussels) was done in 3 to 4 hours, one take direct to tape (If I recall it well, after all it was a long time ago…) What I do remember is that I was in the drum booth and did not know that I had to put headphones on, hence the sometimes out of focus tempo… MILL MUSIC was owned by a strange guy who promised the world and let bands pay for recordings/records. As far as I know, Orange never paid anything, but a lot of other bands lost money to that guy (who later was involved in some rather dark biz such as smuggling, fraud and so on…)

What was the first order of business when the record came out? Have you played or toured shows to support that single? What were the activities of the band, as well as its members, between 1969 and the group’s second single release in 1976? Not that there’s anything wrong with such a big gap between projects, but I’m curious to know where everyone was both musically and personally at the time.

Swa: There was not much publicity, the single never ended up in the music stores, all band members sold the copies to family and friends themselves. And because none of us could write music, the single came out under the name B.Miller, we were young and inexperienced and had no business acumen. In 1971 ORANGE was named best underground group in the Dutch monthly Music Express (unfortunately I no longer have a copy of this). All band members had a professional job outside of music, and the combination of working, rehearsing and performing, was not the ideal way to achieve fame and success, keeping us at the same level. In the meantime, our lead guitarist had also stopped because it could no longer be combined with his professional job.

Near the youth club De Waag there was the jazz café Gard Sivik, Johan Coopmans owner and pianist came to our rehearsal room at a moment with the question if I could join his Jazz Trio, it was an adjustment and I only played on my electric bass, no contra bass, but it worked, also at a performance by Tim Vistrin (Flemish singer) I was once asked to step in due to illness of his bass player, I could not read musical notes but I managed to do it with chords. With the Jazz trio in the Gard SivikI continued to play every weekend for more than a year until I got married in 1972 and decided to put the bass on hold for a while. In the meantime, people end up in other communities and the other old love football resurfaced and I was as a goalkeeper in the goal of different teams in the lower divisions.

Marc: The organization after the recording was not very professionally planned. Therefore, no support actions were made or other initiatives were taken. It was just performances like we had always done before. At a certain moment I had to make a choice – for professional reasons – between my profession (for which I had to make a lot of foreign trips and had irregular hours) and the band. And since the band's income on a financial level was much less, the unfortunate choice was quickly made.

Hugo: Norbert and me and , Kjell Ambjorsen (guitar), Jean Marie Smet (guitar), Eddy Roelandt (bass) continued as Orange and released I’m gonna be a star (never really happened, haha...) on the Epic label followed by another single also on Epic, but both never reached any charts...

What was your favorite song and a gig you played at the time from 69 up until you guys left the group?

Swa: During the period was ‘69 to ‘72 AT ORANGE, my preference went to our cover of With Room (Cream) and more of Cream and the performance in Maastricht (NL) and Youth Club De Cluys (B).

What have you done in recent years? Are you currently playing music?

Swa: 1972 to 1992 the years flew by, but 20 years later I took back a bass that I bought from Strings and Things manager Jan Meyers the bass player of Blue Blot. After practicing again, I came into contact with musicians again through the Music shop Strings and Things and the cover group Midlife Crisis came into being. This also released two CDs. Unfortunately, the singer/frontman (J. Hendrickx) went solo which meant the end of this group. Afterwards played in different groups with different genres but the atmosphere and fun was no longer really there and the flexibility in the fingers decreased sharply due to osteoarthritis so that the bass was definitively hung on the hook in 2006 . 2007 - 2017 bought a yacht which was very pleasant but also required the necessary maintenance. Now carpe diem enjoy big and small things, of course also good music.

Marc: I still play music from morning to evening (on the radio and computer). Guitar is no longer possible because of osteoarthritis of the hands. I am now working a lot on something completely different from music, namely in the organization of Cycling races in Belgium such as the "Scheldeprijs" – Belgian Championship – N8 of Brasschaat – Na-tour Derny criterium).

Hugo: I am still playing with Orange and our line up has been rather steady last years except that Norbert left for personal reasons and Jean Smet (guitar) died one year ago…

PRESENT LINE UP:
Romeo Spinelli: Lead vocals and Guitar
Kjell Ambjornsen: Lead guitar and Backing vocals
Eddy Roelandt: Bass and Backing vocals
Hugo Van Camp: Drums

We hope to be able to play a few more years (our average age now 72 …) although I have recently heard from our doctor that I have Parkinson Disease … (Next to a Pacemaker and Diabetes Type 2), but I will continue drumming till my last breathe!

Lets talk about the Ancient Grease project! What are your guys feelings and thoughts after all these years to find someone as great as Adam who has an interest in the band and wants to release something for you guys?

Swa: I myself am not on FaceBook but through a friend I was informed that Hugo Van Camp was working with Adam and this project and wanted to get in touch with the old group members. With our P. 5 guitarist Marc Van Geystelen I still had contact, together we are through this project back in written contact with the other old guys. Hugo Van Camp and Norbert De Lange.

Marc: I didn't know about this project until Adam contacted us, but of course I'm very proud that after 50 years it's still being talked about, and even included in a reissue.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers?

Swa: “How boring the world would be without music.”

Dakota Brown