It’s an old story but it’s got to be told. Powerdog, is he alive or dead?
I think he’s sleeping but brand new. I’m talking to the founder of Rockabilly band Powerdog: Wim van der Heiden to find out what’s the story.
In 1988 Marcel Verbaas and I met on the streets after not having seen each other for about 3 years. We both knew each other from Jailhouse, a famous clubhouse in Rotterdam where lots of dedicated rock-and-roll and rockabilly fans used to meet each other during the weekends. We decided to put up a band and rehearsed for almost a year with different kinds of line-up, playing only covers. But from the moment Robert van Driesten joined the band in 1989, I started to do the lead vocals and writing our own material. Calling ourselves Powerdog.
The typical Powerdog-sound has it’s origin in the neo-billy sound of the early eighties, combined with my experience as a rhythm-guitarist on heavy-metal music. Hence the use of the so called heavy cords but with the clean cut sound of a tube amplifier.
Two major highlights of Powerdog were the cd/lp release in 1992 by Count Orlok Music and once being the support act of Stray Cats in Paradiso Amsterdam, during their Murphy Tour.
Powerdog split up in 1994. In 1997, I was part of a band performing Dutch popsongs, but you can imagine that it was in no way to be compared with R&R/Rockabilly music.
As from then life went on. But during 2004, I had the honor of temporarily replacing the front man of 69Beavershot and after that decided to give it a go again.
And so, I started writing and recording brand new songs. With the experienced assistance of Mars and Marc from 69Beavershot, one Dog will show it’s teeth again, and mind you: they still bite.
Powerdog – Walk the Dog
Wim (guitar, lead vocals)
Mars (slap bass, vocals)
Marc (drums, vocals)
Website: http://home.planet.nl/~heid0410/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/powerdog1