Picture

In 1979, Ronald van Prooijen on lead vocals and guitarist Jan Bechtum launched the Dutch heavy metal quartet Picture. Bassist Rinus Vreugdenhil and drummer Laurens ‘Bakkie’ Bakker completed the lineup, which took its cues primarily from British groups such as Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, and Motörhead. Across a seven-year run that produced seven albums, repeated personnel changes took place, yet the band maintained a steady level of strong songwriting. Vocals were handled at different times by Shmoulik Avigal (b. Israel), Pete Lovell (b. England), and Bert Heering (ex-Vandenberg), while the six-string role passed through Chriz van Jaarsveld, Henri van Maanen, and Rob van Enhuizen. The group dissolved in 1987, although the original four members staged a one-off reunion show in Sliedrecht the following year. Bechtum relaunched Picture in the mid-90s with Mark Maas on drums, Jos Adema on bass, and Michel Zandbergen handling vocals, but the absence of a recording contract brought that version to an end in 1999.