Golden Earring – Moontan (1973)

Well another album that I, like almost everyone in the country, thought was their first – was actually their ninth.  A Dutch band who stormed the UK in 1973 touring this album and hit single Radar Love.  I saw them live at Hammersmith Odeon with Joy and was blown away.  What a band, great songs and a four-piece with a big sound.  They were a real rock band, but with memorable songs and a unique sound.  The album went to Number One in the charts, but they never reached those dizzy heights again – but did keep the same four players and released many albums over the years until 2021 when guitarist and main songwriter George Kooymans was diagnosed with a serious illness.  But back in the day they were a short-lived but much loved phenomenon; this album was constantly on my record deck.  Best songs – ‘Radar Love’, ‘Vanilla Queen’ and ‘Are You receiving Me’.  Playing this has brought back so many memories of those heady early Seventies.