Drama - "Drama" {Netherlands} [1972] (Prog Rock) (@160)

In 1971 Drama is formed by four musicians: Polle Eduard (bass guitar, vocals, ex-The Tee Set, ex-After Tea), Uly Grun (guitar, keyboards, ex-After Tea), Frank van der Kloot (guitar, vocals) and Shell Schellekens (temporary member of Brainbox) drums. On the Philips record label two singles are released the same year, Down/Hard To Believe and Daddy Won't Let Me/Everywhere.

In 1972 the Drama's album is recorded and released. It is produced by Hans van Oosterhout, who was also the producer of Supersister. The reviews of the album are quite well, but the sales figures are bad. The record company wants a hitsingle and asks Peter Koelewijn to write one for the band. The song Mary's Mamma is not the music Drama wants to play, it is absolutely not representative of their music. Unfortunately for Drama, the single becomes a minor hit. Uly Grun also left the band the same year, leaving Drama as a trio.

Because of the arguments between Drama and the record company their enthusiasm is dropping. After another single Stop That Now/Bring Back The Money, released in 1973, they break up the band. Polle Eduard starts a solo career and Frank van der Kloot and Shell Schellekens formed the band Fontessa. Later Shell Schellekens became a producer (a.o. Golden Earring). (sources: Oor Popencyclopedie, Nationaal Pop Instituut, Album sleeves, Nederpop)

01 - Dreamed I Was The President (T. Schellekens) [4:46]
02 - I'm Your Hoochie Cookie Man (W. Dixon) [7:51]
03 - No Doctor (F. van der Kloot) [2:29]
04 - Melodrama (Drama) [4:30]
05 - Smile Or Yell (R. Eduard) [6:59]
06- Tell The World I'm Coming (U. Grun) [2:57]
07 - Brains Or Not (R. Eduard) [6:31]
08 - Give Up And Go (R. Eduard) [2:29]

Bonus Tracks:
09- Down (R. Eduard) [3:08]
10 - Hard To Believe (Drama) [5:18]
11 - Daddy Won't Let Me (R. Eduard) [3:04]
12 - Everywhere (U. Grun) [3:27]
13 - Mary's Mamma (P. Koelewijn, P. Schoonhoven) [3:20]

Line-up
- Ton "Shell" Schellekens: Drums
- Polle Eduard: Bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Uly Grun: Hammond organ, Mellotron, Guitar, vocals
- Frank van der Kloot: Guitar, vocals

Guest: Sascha van Geest: Flute on track [08 - Give Up And Go]

Information:

Produced by Hans van Oosterhout (except track 13 which was produced by Peter Koelewijn).
Engineered by Erik Bakker and Henry Bentson.
Recorded at theGTB Studios, The Hague, Holland.
Sleeve design by Jan H. van Uden.
The bonus tracks are a- and b-sides of singles.

LP Phonogram 6413021 (1972)
LP Phonogram 6413028 (1972, including Mary's mamma)
CD Pseudonym CDP-1046 (1997)


Review:
"I must admit, the music of Drama is more rock than progressive. On the other hand they did have progressive influences, but most of all the did have Frank van der Kloot. He was a young and brilliant guitarist which makes this band just a bit more interesting than some of the bands that were in the same space of time.

So what about the music. The album opens with a heavy track Dreamed I was the president which has a typical seventies sound and a great guitar solo. This is followed by the superfluous blues cover I'm your hoochie cookie man. Again the guitar is good, but the more interesting tracks are the slow, early progressive No doctor and Melodrama, a song that is built up to a wonderful guitar outburst. Side B continues with the cheerful Smile or yell and the (excusez le mot) rockballad Tell the world I'm coming. One of the better tracks is the dynamic Brains or not. The album ends with acoustic guitar and wonderful flute playing, by Supersister's Sascha van Geest. A nice early progressive effort with great guitar work.

The bonus tracks are singles they released, which show their ability to create good melodic rock tracks. But when you listen to Mary's mamma, it is not hard to understand why the band hated this song. It is terrible, awful and has nothing to do with the music they really make."
(Agemo, Dutch Progressive Rock of the Seventies) http://users.keyaccess.nl/~wemmg01/drama.htm

04 - Melodrama ...

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