- Leo Bennink - lead guitar (replaced Robbie van Leeuwen)

  (1967-71)

- Rudy Bennett (aka Ruud van de Berg) -- vocals (1964-71)

- Hans Cooperville -- drums, percussion (replaced 

  Sieb Warner) (1969-71)

- Bobby Green --  keyboards, bass, backing vocals

  (1969-71)

- Nico Haak -- drums (replaced Gerard Romeyn) 

- Robbie van Leeuwen -- vocals, guitar (1964-67)

- Paul Metzan -- bass (replaced Gerard Romeyn) (1969-) 

- Gerard Romeyn -- bass, backing vocals (replaced 

  Henk Smithskamp (1967-69)

- Henk Smithskamp -- bass, backing vocals (1964-67)

- John Vennick -- keyboards, sax, woodwinds (-71)

- Sieb Warner -- drums (1964-69)

- The Atmospheres (Robbie van Leeuwen)

- Beehive (Leo Bennink)

- Rudy Bennett (solo efforts)

- Ritchie Clark and the Ricochets (Rudy Bennett,

  Robbie van Leeuwen and Sieb Warner )

- Crossroad (Rudy Bennett, Leo Bennink, Bobby Green,

  Hans Cooperville)

- Ekseption (John Vennick)

- Fisher & Friends (Leo Bennink, Bobby Green and 

  Hans Cooperville)

- Galaxy Lin (Robbie van Leevwen and Rudy Bennett)

- Golden Earring (Sieb Warner)

- Bobby Green Selection (Hans Cooperville and 

  Bobby Green)

- Bobby Green (solo efforts)

- Greenhorn (Bobby Green and Leo Bennink)

- Rob Hoeke (John Vennick)

- The Jay Jays (John Vennick)

- Jupiter (Rudy Bennett)

- Livin' Blues (Henk Smithskamp)

- Mack (Leo Bennink)

- Gerard Romeyn & Riverhorse

- The Shocking Blue (Robbie van Leeuwen)

- The Tee Set (Gerard Romeyn)

- Willy and the Giants (Henk Smithskamp)

Genre: psych

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  Impressions of Wonderful

Company: Negram

Catalog: CS-1103

Year: 1967

Country/State: Holland

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: Canadian pressing

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4573

Price: $150.00

If Americans recognize this 1960s Dutch band, it's probably due to the fact singer/guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen was one of the original members prior to splitting to form The Shocking Blue.

That oversight is unfortunate since The Motions were a fairly talented group who managed to expand their repertoire beyond their original beat group roots.  Unfortunately, by the time the band's third album "Wonderful Impressions" was released, van Leeuwen was gone; replaced by singer/guitarist Gerard Romeyn.  

While the groups first two albums went un-noticed and undistributed in the States and Canada, the Canadian-based Negram Records decided to pick up the band's third album.  Inexplicably Negram opted to give the album a new extremely psych-ish cover (the original dorky artwork relegated to the flip side) and re-title the set as "Impressions of Wonderful."  Produced by Peter Stirling (who also contributed several songs to the album), the collection offered up an enjoyable mixture of pop, blue eyed soul and lite psych influences.  Propelled by Rudy Bennett's likeable voice (interestingly he was the only band member the liner notes mentioned by name), the results sounded a little bit like mid-career Hollies (doubt the comparison, then check out 'Hey Conductor Man').  Tracks such as 'Love Is Good Love Is Real', 'You're My Adee' and 'Did I Tell You, Babe' were all tuneful and radio friendly, though lacked much n the way of originality.  In fact that's my one minor complaint with the set; namely I constantly find myself playing 'spot the influence'.  'Green Chewing Gum Machine' sounded like it was borrowed from The Strawberry Alarm Clock.  'Did I Tell You, Babe' showed a blatant Hendrix influences.  Complete with sterling vocal harmonies, 'It's Too Late To Turn Around' was another Hollies clone, etc.  Mind you, that complaint in no way detracts from the set's quality and enjoyability factors.

"Impressions of Wonderful" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Love Is Good Love Is Real   (Gerard Romeyn - Sieb Warner) - 2:48

2.) Green Chewing Gum Machine   (Gerard Romeyn - Sieb Warner) - 3:16

3.) You're My Adee   (Gerard Romeyn - Peter Stirling) - 2:27

4.) Hey Conductor Man   (Gerard Romeyn - Peter Stirling) - 2:43

5.) Did I Tell You, Babe   (Gerard Romeyn - Sieb Warner) - 2:20

6.) It's Too Late To Turn Around    (Peter Stirling) - 2:39

(side 2)
1.) Make It Legal   (Gerard Romeyn - Peter Stirling) -3:22

2.) Slow Down Cool Woman   (Peter Stirling) -2:46

3.) Memories O'Fair Haired Mary   (Gerard Romeyn - Sieb Warner) - 2:45

4.) If You and Me   (Gerard Romeyn - Sieb Warner) - 2:00

5.) Red Balloons   (Gerard Romeyn - Sieb Warner) - 2:48

6.) Night Mare   (Gerard Romeyn - Sieb Warner) - 2:35

Genre: rock

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  Electric Baby

Company: Philips

Catalog: PHS 600-317

Year: 1969

Country/State: Holland

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5126

Price: $100.00

By 1969 The Motions' ever changing line up consisted of lead guitarist Leo Bennink, singer Rudy Bennett, drummer Hans Cooperville (replacing Sieb Warner who had co-written about half of the material on the band's forthcoming album), keyboardist Bobby Green, and bassist Paul Metzan.  

Having signed an American distribution agreement with Philips, the band finally  got a major league shot at cracking the domestic market with the release of 1969's "Electric Baby".  Produced by Hans van Hemert, the album was extremely diverse, including stabs at pop, harder rock, and several weird musical snippets ('What's Your Name', the freak-out title track, 'Little Boys Life' and 'Chicks which closed the set out on 20 seconds of chicken sounds).  Coupled with some poorly conceived over orchestration (check out the ballads 'It's Alright' and 'Eliza' which all but drown Bennett and the band out) one quickly got the impression these guys didn't know what audience they wanted to pursue.  That was an unfortunate since the group's writing and performances strengths clearly came to the fore when they focused on tougher material.  While tracks like the single 'Freedom', 'Illusions' and The Moody Blues-ish 'Looking In My Eyes' were all enjoyable slices of top-40 pop, the real standouts were the band's isolated forays into harder rock.   Those highlights included the killer 'Wedding of the Hundred Brides' which propelled by Green's keyboards and some tasty phased guitar from Bennink managed to beat Spooky Tooth at their own game.  Elsewhere released as a single 'Freedom' b/w 'What's Your Name Little Boy' (Philips catalog number 40624) actually hit the US charts, though it wasn't enough to spur sales of the parent LP.

"Electric Baby" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) It's Alright   (Bobby Green - Sieb Warner) - 3:34

2.) Wedding of the Hundred Brides   (Bobby Green - Sieb Warner) - 2:25

3.) What's Your Name   (John Vennick - Sieb Warner) - 1:05

4.) Illusions   (Sieb Warner) - 3:39

5.) Looking In My Eyes   (Leo Bennink - Sieb Warner) - 5:34

6.) Freedom   (Leo Bennink - Sieb Warner) - 2:57

7.) Electric Baby   (The Motions) - 1:44

(side 2)
1.) As Long As I Have You   (B. Elgin - Jerry Ragovoy) - 2:45

2.) Eliza   (John Vennick - Sieb Warner) - 3:38

3.) Slow Motion (instrumental)   (The Motions) - 6:30

4.) Little Boys Life   (John Vennick - Sieb Warner) - 1:46

5.) Shilly, Shally   (Leo Bennink - Sieb Warner) - 4:21

6.) Hey Everybody   (Bobby Green - Sieb Warner) - 2:40

7.) Chicks   (The Motions) - 0:23