Bill Wyman back in Holland

Thursday 15 October marks the start of my autumn break from school. After my last class I take the train to Zoetermeer, where Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings are doing a gig. On the way I am picked up by my friend Arie and together we arrive at the venue. Bill says hello and invites us to join the band backstage for dinner. We watch the soundcheck(see picture); it is nice to see the Rhythm Kings again. Soul legend Eddie Floyd has joined them, but Albert Lee and Georgie Fame are not on the bill tonight. After dinner Bill asks us to get back to the hotel with him to have a drink, they will go on stage much later than expected, so there's plenty of time left. Bill, Arie and myself go to the bar of the hotel. Bill orders drinks and I hand him a few clippings as well as two books on Keith Richard, signed by the author, one for him and one for Charlie Watts. We talk about some translations I did for him and he is happy to accept my offer to collect press coverage and reviews of anything on either him or the Rhythm Kings in Holland. Then he talks about his daughters and schools(my job...), future photo exhibitions, the RK tour in January and about his archive and the death of Brian Jones, which has been all over the Dutch newspapers in the past weeks. On 25 October the Rhythm Kings will play a charity gig at Royal Albert Hall and Bill openly expresses his disappointment with 'the big names' in the business who refuse to contribute. We also talk about losing weight: Arie lost 23 kilos and I lost 13, Bill gained some after quitting smoking after 55 years..... Well done, Bill! After an hour it is time for Bill to go to his room to pick up his stuff and go back to the venue. There we meet with friends. The Rhythm Kings are fantastic, but imo it is a somewhat short gig. After the show we are invited backstage: "Any chance of a beer, Bill?" Yes, there is. If we are we coming back to see the Rhythm Kings on Saturday? Sure. "Yeah, I'll see you on Saturday then."


(soundcheck Rhythm Kings at Zoetermeer, 15 October 2009, photo by P.Stroosnijder)