Not to be confused with Big Sandy’s backing band, the Fly Right Trio, which is of interest to us here, hailed from the Netherlands and played a high-energy, top-notch brand of Neo Rockabilly.
In 1988, after releasing two singles on Ariola, Hans Van Der Velde left the Alley Cats. His idea was to form a new band where, in addition to playing double bass, he would also be the lead singer.
A first attempt was made with Eric Van Ginkel, a novice guitarist, but the project didn’t come to fruition. The following year, Van Der Velde reconnected with Van Ginkel, and his guitar playing had improved enough to revive the idea of a band. Van Der Velde called on a friend, Hans van Asch, a drummer in a psychobilly band, and in late 1990, the Fly Right Trio was formed. The trio chose this name completely unaware of the existence of Big Sandy and his Fly Rite Trio. Fortunately for them, with the addition of Lee Jeffriess, the Fly Rite Trio became the Fly Rite Boys, thus avoiding any confusion. As for the group’s influences, they drew on the great pioneers of the genre (Elvis, Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Burnette).
The Fly Right Trio – Wild About You Baby
Tombstone TOMBCD2008
Gean Genie – Yeah, Yeah, Yeah – Wild About You Baby – Brand New Cadillac – With Your Love – Real Bad News – Suzie Q – Make It – Hot Red – All These Nights – It’s All Over Now – Tornado – Wipe Off
In 1992, the Fly Right Trio went into the studio to record what would be their one and only album. Although their inspirations were classical, with Wild About You Baby the Fly Right Trio delivered a very good album heavily influenced by Neo-Rockabilly, developing a sound typical of the late 1980s/early 1990s.
Following in the footsteps of The Polecats’ cover of John I’m Only Dancing, The Fly Right Trio tackles David Bowie’s Gean Genie. The powerful, bluesy groove lends itself perfectly to a rather wild Neo-Rockabilly reinterpretation, which the guitar player embellishes with an excellent solo. The next track, Yeah Yeah Yeah (also recorded by Three Alley Cats), is a bouncy and very catchy Neo-Rockabilly number featuring a saxophone solo. The saxophone reappears on the title track, a wild rockin’ blues, reminiscent of The Wigsville Spliffs. They are less convincing with their version of Brand New Cadillac, which, while not bad, is hardly original. Fortunately, their cover of Johnny Power’s With Your Love is much more successful, the saxophone providing the perfect touch for this typically fifties slow tune. Real Bad News is a Rockin’ Blues number with an early sixties flair.
As with Brand New Cadillac, their cover of Suzy Q, while perfectly executed, doesn’t offer much that’s original. In contrast, Make It, the following track, is absolutely beautiful, alternating between passages of simmering rage and bursts of energy. Hot Red continues in the same vein of pure energy, flirting with Psychobilly. The band likes to alternate tempos and moods. Thus, All These Nights is a classic slow blues, but particularly well done. At this point in the album, we know what the band’s guitarist is capable of, and we’re not disappointed when his solo arrives. It’s not easy to follow the Rolling Stones, the Sharks, or the Meteors (not to mention the original by Bobby Womack) by covering It’s All Over Now, but the Fly Right Trio pulls it off with flying colors, delivering an energetic version. Speaking of energy, the band has plenty to spare in their cover of Tornado by the Jiants. The album concludes with Wipe Off, an instrumental blending Surf (not surprising with a title like that), with influences ranging from Link Wray to Duane Eddy. Listening to this excellent album, one wonders why the band wasn’t more successful.
The group primarily played in the Netherlands, but also ventured beyond its borders to play in France and Germany. During its short career, the trio shared the stage with Eddie Bond and the Razorbacks.
Finally, in 1993, Hans, who continued to play with Ritch Van Gessel in a new version of the Three Alley Cats (renamed simply Alley Cats), left the Fly Right Trio. The group continued for a while longer with Eric on vocals and a new bassist before disbanding. Eric and Hans stopped playing music, but Hans still plays with the Alley Cats as well as with Blue Moon Special, the Jump & Jive group formed by Ritch van Gessel.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
