Shocking Blue

The Dutch quartet Shocking Blue originated in 1967 when former Motions guitarist Robbie Van Leeuwen recruited vocalist Fred DeWilde, bassist Klaasje Van der Wal, and drummer Cornelius Van der Beek. Their first single, “Lucy Brown Is Back in Town,” registered only modest local success in 1968. A decisive shift followed the replacement of DeWilde by sultry singer Mariska Veres, whose alluring stage presence and vocal command delivered a second Netherlands hit with “Send Me a Postcard.” After the group signed to Jerry Ross’s Colossus Records imprint, the international breakthrough arrived with the 1970 smash “Venus.” Although the band’s albums—Shocking Blue (1968), At Home (1969), Scorpio’s Dance (1970), 3rd Album (1971), Inkpot (1972), Attila (1972), Dream on Dreamer (1973), and Good Times (1974)—contained progressive rock elements and inventive arrangements credited to Van Leeuwen’s songwriting and production, Shocking Blue continued to be promoted chiefly as a pop singles act; further domestic chart entries never matched the saturation impact of “Venus.” Veres exited in 1974 to begin a solo career. Subsequent reunions and alternate touring configurations appeared over the decades, one of them fronted by Veres in the 1990s, yet the group’s creative chapter closed with her departure. Van Leeuwen later performed with the folk/jazz outfit Galaxy-Lin, while his signature composition “Venus” maintained steady airplay on oldies formats. Veres succumbed to cancer in 2006 at age 59; Van der Wal died in 2018 at age 69.