The Cats

The Cats

The Cats are a Dutch pop group from Volendam, Netherlands, active from 1966 to 1979. They are associated with the palingsound style, a term used for music from Volendam, and are regarded as one of the most important acts in that scene alongside BZN.

History and style

The group begins as The Blue Cats before shortening its name to The Cats. In its early period, the band plays an AOR-leaning pop style, later moving towards a more MOR sound after the mid-1970s. The Cats achieve strong commercial success in the Netherlands, with five number-one singles, one platinum album and thirteen gold albums, and they also perform well in Germany.

Key members

The line-up includes singers and guitarists Cees Veerman and Piet Veerman, guitarist and pianist Jaap Schilder, bassist Arnold Mühren, and drummer Theo Klouwer. Other named members are Evert Veerman and Piet Keizer.

Notable songs

Among the band’s best-known singles are “Lea” from 1968, “One Way Wind” from 1971, “Let’s Dance” from 1973 and “Be My Day” from 1974.

Later development

The group’s later years are marked by internal conflict, and after 1979 the core members are not on speaking terms. Piet Veerman later leaves the band and has a major solo hit with “Sailing Home” in the Netherlands and Germany.