The Nitwitz – B.G.K.Members NitwitzTony Leeuwenburgh (better known as Tony Slug) – vocals, guitarPaul Smith – backing vocals, guitarLaurent van Bouvelen - bassSteven Nieuwendijk - drumsOther musiciansErik Peters - vocalsMarcel Verhoeven - drumsSteven Walraven - guitarTheo Brouwer – bassMembers BGKRené van de Meer - vocalsTony Leeuwenburgh - guitar, bassSteven Walraven – guitarMathijs Houwink – bassMarcel Verhoeven - drumsThe Nitwitz 1978 – 1982BGK 1982 – 1988The Nitwitz 1996 – nowBiographyWith an average age of sixteen The Nitwitz were the youngest of the Amsterdam punk bands. In 1978 the boys were on stage for the first time at the Spinoza-lyceum in Amsterdam-South. In 1980 the band released their first single on their own Vogelspin-label. The Nitwitz were striking because of their fast, happy punk. They were influenced by Australian bands as Saints, Radio Birdman and by Ramones, MC5 and Stooges. Not by any English punk bands. They said their biggest influence was the Dickies. In the press they got less attention. And when they got some, they got negative critics. The English press called them imitators of English bands. New Musical Express about their first single: "Too late for the Pistols, or even Sham 69, they take their lead from the likes of the Rejects and the UK Subs. Do I need to go any further?".The lyrics of The Nitwitz were not political at all in the beginning. It was
about girls, Wackier the Viking and get beaten up by disco-visitors. In march 1979 they played in Paradiso (The Netherlands) with the anarchy band Crass from England. Crass decided to sabotage the set of The Nitwitz by turning of the sound installation. After all, The Nitwitz were sexists. This shows how narrow-minded the free-thinkers from Crass really were.Because the pop journalists from the Netherlands decided that punk was dead, The Nitwitz were considered to be dinosaurs. While the band considered the pop journalists to be the biggest dinosaurs. Their opinion was a lot closer to reality these days. It became ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
about girls, Wackier the Viking and get beaten up by disco-visitors. In march 1979 they played in Paradiso (The Netherlands) with the anarchy band Crass from England. Crass decided to sabotage the set of The Nitwitz by turning of the sound installation. After all, The Nitwitz were sexists. This shows how narrow-minded the free-thinkers from Crass really were.Because the pop journalists from the Netherlands decided that punk was dead, The Nitwitz were considered to be dinosaurs. While the band considered the pop journalists to be the biggest dinosaurs. Their opinion was a lot closer to reality these days. It became more difficult to arrange gigs because of the attitude of the press. Happily for The Nitwitz there were squats. That was the only way to get on stage. But on those concerts they only played for expenses. Tony: "Sometimes it happened that the one who organised a concert wasn't as political correct as he presented to be and left with the cash-box. We could start all over again."In 1981 The Nitwitz discovered new music like bands as Weirdoes, Germs and Dills and the LP Group Sex from the Circle Jerks. Tony: "They're was no-one who knew that sort of music in Europe that year. While in the US there was a big scene around Dead Kennedy’s and more of that sort of hardcore bands. DK played in Paradiso in 1982. That was a new start of the end of the "old" punk. Hardcore made his entry and everyone wanted to be the fastest."The Nitwitz broke up in march 1982. Eric quit and started the band Outrageous. The others go on with on the vocals the 17 year old singer René van de Meer, formerly dustman. With the new singer B.G.K. (Althaea Gerard Commando) was formed. Althaea Gerard was the guy who murdered Willem van Orange, a noble guy from the middle centuries. Everyone knows him in Holland.BGK got their inspiration from the American hardcore. The high-Nitwitz tempo gets stilted and their music gets more complicated. Their first gig was in 1982 and their first LP Jonestown Aloha! came out in 1983.The hardcore scene got bigger and bigger. Europe and the US offered the possibilities for touring around. BGK made use of that chance and toured around Europe. They went to Spain, Italy, Yugoslavia and Germany in 1984. The summer that year BGK did 35 appearances in the US along with Reagan Youth, Youth Brigade, Cause for Alarm, Adrenaline O.D. and the Dead Kennedy’s. Tony: "They’re was no internet. However, everything was one big family. We slept with The Tar Babies and Die Krause. We also slept in the squat of Michel and Robbie from Cause For Alarm. That was the biggest mess I have ever seen. Back then I was a vegetarian (also smart to be one those days) and wanted to make something ready. There was standing a pan on the cooker and I took a look in there. Hundreds of maggots and cockroaches crawled out. Berg! That pan had never been cleaned out and so was the whole house and the neighbourhood. Well, then we went to the other end of the street to get some food. We were crossing the street and there we met the first `gang`. We had two Dutch girls with us, both blond and they already made a bid for them. Twenty bucks for the little one and sixty for the big one. A heavy tattooed American guy who went with us did a little talking for us and we could walk further. In the beginning in New York we hang a lot around with Harley Flanagan from the Comas. In that time he had to dive under because he was a sort of a skinhead. Those gays hang posters around the city with his head on it with the text: `If you see this guy, call immediately.` The one who could point him out would even get a reward".A month before the nuclear disaster in Tsjernobyl the second BGK LP Nothing Can Go Wrong! (no spelling-mistake) came out. 14.000 examples were shelled on their own label Vogelspin and later on the American label Alternative Tentacles. They toured again through Europe and America in 1986.René van de Meer left the band because he found his wife (the distributor from Alternative Tentacles). BGK tries to go on without De Meer but in 1988 the band quit.In 1996 the Nitwit did a reunion as a part of the presentation of the book "The shouting was massive". The book came out with a cod. On the cod there is the Nitwitz classic song "I am so Lazy" from the EP Wielding Walt, a split with The Götterflies. They shared a squat in Wielding. The band made a statement against the threatening evacuation. The combative cover is made by drawer Peter Pontiac. 16 November 1996 The Nitwitz played together with the original members since may 1982.After the reunion The Nitwitz were approached by punk label Epitaph to make a demo. They send one in but never heard anything of Epitaph again. They just released a new album. In March they started touring around Europe and they still are!DiscographySinglesThe Worst Of The Nitwitz (7', 1980) Vogel spinYeah Dig It! (7', 1980) Vogel spinIt Shows In Your Face (7', 1998) Intensive ScareLandmine Heart (7', 1998) 007 RecordsRock Roll Jihad (7', 1999, worked together with The Helicopters) Rocket dogTotalitarian Rock roll (7', 2003) Safety Pin RecordsAlbumsThe Scorched Earth Policy (LP, 1981) Vogel spinWielding Walt (LP, 1981) Vogel spinDark Side Of The Spoon (CD, 1999) Get HipDirty Deeds Done With Sheep (10', 2003, split with Holy Sheep) Bronco RecordsSex, Lies and Gaffe Tape (CD, 2003) Dead Teenager RecordsJesus Christ Porno star (10', 2004) CargoNibble The Giblet (10', 2004) Pit shark RecordsSex, Lies And Duct Tapes (CD, 2005) Rocket dogCompilationsAles Jed Hear Mara Goad Zit (1982) Vogel spinI'm Sure We're Going to Make It (1996) EpitaphCarbon14 (1999)Flattery, Vol. 2 (2001) FandangoFistful Of Run vol. 9 (2002) Tepee RecordsThe Rocket dog Years (2003) Roulette RecordsTribute to the Nomads (2003) Bongo RecordsHere's Fifty Bucks (2004)BGKJonestown Aloha! (LP, 1983) Vogel spinWhite Male Dominance up (7", 1984) Vogel spinNothing Can Go Wrong! (LP, '85 and '86) Vogel spin, Alternative TentaclesA Dutch Feast (CD, complete discography, 1999) Alternative Tentacles
