Interview: Combo Koedijk

Wondered who Het Combo Koedijk are? Read this interview with Het Combo Koedijk done in december 2014 which was published in City Trash #45 and you know as much as I do.

Could you please introduce yourselves? And tell us who you had as guest musicians over the years..
Mark The Beatle (singing/ rhythm guitar/ songwriting) and Alfredo Nooijo (lead guitar/ songwriting/ background singing). Guests in the past and more recent are/were: Ruben Meurkens (drums), Gerjo Teekens (drums), Jan Teekens (organ), Peter Kroes (bass/drums/guitar), Gerhard Rinsma (bass), Jerk Heijnen (drums), Dennis de Lange (drums), Arjan Spies (drums).
When did you two meet and how did Combo Koedijk get started?
Mark: Alfredo and me met +/- 8 years ago, we had a good contact and much fun, I had an idea for a band like Combo Koedijk, Alfredo did like that idea and then we started first as a side-project for my old band The No-Goods, then calles "Beatle Mark & the Action Four" and later moved on as Combo Koedijk.
Alfredo: I think that we met earlier, about 12 years ago. 5 years later we started a bit with playing music.
What would be the best way to describe your music?
M: A mix between 60´s garagepunk, 60´s nederbeat, indierock, and typical dutch 60´s/70´s/80´s pirate music.
A: I agree with Mark. Not much more important things to add.
And name some bands that were the best examples of what you are trying to do with Combo Koedijk or were an inspiration.
M: Two bands who I liked and admired from the early 90´s, the Groningen based bands "Combo Knus & Gezellig" and "Meindert Talma & the Negroes", two bands formed by some people from the also Groningen based "Hobbyrock" foundation.
A: I cannot mention bands or music who inspired me to make the musci we make. For a guitar player in the general the Rolling Stones are an important inspiration for me.
Who writes the songs? Name the three most important things of inspiration for the lyrics..
M: Alfred and I do...Inspiration for lyrics are regional adventures, Dutch village life from the 50´s to 70´s and very often used 60´s beat subjects such as girls/women, nightlife, having fun.
A: My part in songwriting is figuring out the title of some songs or parts of the lyrics. My input is also to come up with guitarlicks and guitarchords. mark is the creative engine of the band and delivers the fuel, IU´m more the oil for the same engine.
How many shows have you played and what was most memorable?
M: Not very much until now, the most memorable was the first show at café O´Ceallaighs, Groningen, which was a wild show and a big party although I don´t remember a lot due to the little too much drinks I had that night...
A:I think we have played 7 shows until now. The first show was in 2008. So that´s about 1 show in 1 year. 6 different drummers played in those shows. Our last one is Jerk Heijnen, he´s a good boy. Gerhard Rinsma is our bass player, he is also a good boy.
Some live footage from that 1st show:

Actually it was not their first, here as a duo with an accoustic version 31-12-2007:

When will the first sounds appear on vinyl?
M: We hope somewhere in 2015!
Coming back to the first question on guest musicians you had, who would you hope to have a guest appearance in het Combo Koedijk?
M: I seriously would like to do a couple of garage/nederbeatsongs with some dutch languaged singer (male/female) in the style of people like Frans Bauer or Jannes sometime, but if that ever will take place, I don´t know, we need a less popular and cheaper singer than the 2 mentioned above, but who knows...
A: Our next show is in Utrecht somewhere in January. Arjan Spies is drumming in that show, that´s a lot of fun of course.
Vrijgezellentwist & Combo Koedijk is oké! with Arjan Spies:
What can we expect in the future?
M: We hope for a lot more shows and of course a vinyl release. Alfredo end I would like to bring out a 12" LP very much, more new songs/recordings on the internet (bandcamp)
Any last comments?
Thanks for interviewing us, we appreciate it!

Now you know everything about the boys and go out and buy their 45 released by Action Weekend & Bickerton. And order your copy of their debut LP "Donderjagen met" out 13-01-2017! So sent us an e-mail: kuriosarecords@yahoo.com or if you are in Groningen go to ELPEE