George Kooymans, Golden Earring guitarist, dies at 77



George Kooymans, the guitarist and co-founder of the Dutch band Golden Earring who co-wrote the hard-rock classic “Radar Love,” has died. He was 77 years old.

Kooymans’ family and the surviving members of Golden Earring announced his death Wednesday from complications with ALS. He was diagnosed with the progressive neurodegenerative disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, in 2020 and retired from the band shortly thereafter.

“George bore this devastating and debilitating illness with exceptional strength and dignity,” a statement from Golden Earring read. “We bid farewell to a great musician and composer, whose work extended beyond Golden Earring. George was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, but above all, a friend.”

A native of The Hague in the Netherlands, Kooymans started Golden Earring as a teenager in the early ’60s. Their best-known lineup — himself, drummer Cesar Zuiderwijk, singer-guitarist Barry Hay and bassist-keyboardist Rinus Gerritsen — played together from 1970 until Kooymans’ retirement.

The band broke through in 1973 when “Radar Love” became a hit in the U.S. The song has remained a classic rock staple and been featured in movies and TV shows like “Wayne’s World 2,” “Detroit Rock City,” “Baby Driver” and “The Simpsons.”

Rolling Stone dubbed the track one of the 50 best road trip songs, coming in at number three on their list. It also inspired a number of cover versions by artists like Bryan Adams and Def Leppard.

The band later went on to tour with Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Rush and the Doobie Brothers. Their 1982 song “Twilight Zone” became their biggest hit on the heels of a music video that was in heavy rotation on the newly launched MTV.

The band continued to record and tour and were honored with a commemorative 50th anniversary stamp in the Netherlands in 2011.

As of Thursday, the surviving members of Golden Earring were still set to perform one last show in January, with proceeds set to be donated to ALS research, according to Rolling Stone.

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