Claw Boys Claw

Guitar band from Amsterdam fronted by charismatic singer Peter te Bos that is influenced by garage punk of bands like Gun Club and the Stooges. Gradually, the band's musical style develops into the direction of melodic swamp rock.

Line-up
Peter te Bos: vocals
John Cameron: guitar
Marcus Bruystens: bass
Marc Lamb: drums


Other musicians
Allard Jolles drums
Arno Kooy bass guitar
Bobbie Rossini bass guitar
Geert de Groot bass guitar
Lya Spykstra bass guitar
Marius Schrader drums

BIOGRAPHY

1983 - Punk rock group Suspenders splits up in 1981 and several members form rock group L'Attentat. In the spring of 1983 L'Attentat guitarist/singer Allard Jolles, forms a second band: Claw Boys Claw. Other members of the band are ex-Suspenders singer Bobbie Rossini on bass, and on guitar (Jolles plays the drums) John Cameron (ex-Odorex). Shortly afterwards singer/graphic designer Peter te Bos joins Claw Boys Claw. The band plays garage rock with influences of psychedelics, acid punk and rock 'n' roll.

1984 - Shocking Shades Of Claw Boys Claw is recorded and released on the band's own Hipcat label.

1985 - In May 1985 Jolles leaves Claw Boys Claw in favour of his other band L'Attentat. He is replaced by Pilots drummer Marius Schrader.

1986 - Claw Boys Claw signs to Polydor. The band makes its first appearance at the Pinkpop festival. During this show frontman Te Bos throws apples, oranges, beer cans, his shoes and his socks into the crowd. In June the album With Love From The Boys, produced by Vic Maille, comes out. The band plays at the Roskilde festival in Denmark.

1987 - Claw Boys Claw records the album Crack My Nut. Shocking Shades is re-released on Polydor. Additionally, the album Claw Boys Claw comes out, a compilation of the band's self-released material (the mini album Now!, the single So Mean and the 12" Indian Wallpaper). Also released is the Christmas single Blue Bells.

1988 - Claw Boys Claw performs at the New Music Seminar in New York where they meet John Cale who promises to produce the band's next album. They sign to Megadisc and release the new album Hitkillers, a collection of covers of Dutch rock classics.

1989 - Bobbie Rossini and Marius Schrader leave the band. Rumours about a new album (produced by John Cale) are again surfacing.

1990 - The album Angelbite comes out. It is not produced by John Cale, but by Steve Parker (engineer with The Fall and Dutch vocalist Mathilde Santing). The band goes on - another - successful tour.

1991 - Late June the band plays the Parkpop festival in The Hague. In the meantime, Kooy joins La La Heaven and Geert de Groot (ex-Fatal Flowers) takes over on bass.

1992 - Late 1992 the album Sugar, a highlight in the band's career so far, comes out. The change in musical direction, that was already apparent on Angelbite, has now become permanent: The garage punk style has had to make way for the more melodic and sultry swamp rock. This has much to do with the fact that the album is produced by Urban Dance Squad drummer Michel Schoots, alias Magic Stick. The subdued single Rosie is the band's first Top 40 hit.

1993 - For the second time Claw Boys Claw is on the bill of the Pinkpop festival. Former bass player Rossini turns up in girl group Chicas del Rock that releases the album Neverneverland.

1994 - The new album Nipple, produced by Luc Suèr, largely follows the line of Sugar, but is less successful.

1995 - Marc Lamb plays the drums on Get Well Soon the second album of Soft Parade.

1997 - Claw Boys Claw release the new album Will-O-The-Wisp. The band also tours the Netherlands (by boat) with Scram C Baby and other bands.

1999 - All band members occupy themselves with various other projects: Te Bos concentrates on his career as graphic designer. Together with Henk Hofstede from Nits he designs the Media Centre of the Dutch Rock & Pop Institute. Drummer Marc Lamb wins the X3M remix award for his work with dance project Patriot Hills. Bassist Geert de Groot plays with Solex.

2002 - Peter te Bos en John Cameron work on a new album.

2005 - Former Claw Boys Claw drummer Marius Schrader alias Mars Radar independently releases an electro/synth album under the Wat moniker.

2006 - Te Bos and Cameron have written about 60 songs. Together with drummer Marc Lamb they start working on the new material. Lya Spykstra (ex-Bitchcock) is the new bass player. With Lamb she's also part of the trio Tomix.

2007 - After an initial session in 2006 in February and March Claw Boys Claw start recording the new album at Amsterdam's Eiland Studio's.

2008 - January 30th the release of 'Pajama Day' is celebrated with a showcase at the DeSmet studios in Amsterdam, in presence of members of Johan, Moke and Hallo Venray.