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The base for the legendary neo-classical Dutch rock group from Haarlem Ekseption had already formed in 1958 when bass-player Hans Alta, saxophonist-guitarist Huib van Kampen and trumpetist/organist Rein van den Broek formed the Jokers. In the next few years, they were joined by drummer Tim Griek and multi-instrumentalist Rob Kruisman.
In 1965, the band name was changed to Incrowd, but that lasted only for a year, when another group named Incrowd from The Hague became famous in The Netherlands. During their first year together, with Ton Heydenrijk (sax) and Hans Timmer (organ) in the lineup, they played mostly jazz and R&B at small clubs such as the ABC Societeit in Beverwijk and Club '66 in Amsterdam. In 1967, Tim (later producer for Brainbox, etc.), Ton (ex-Hottletts) and both Hanses left the group.
New recruits were: Cor Dekker (bass, ex-Hottletts), Peter de Leeuwe (drums, ex-Cuby & The Blizzards) and the group's later leader Rick van der Linden (keyboards; prior to this busy playing classical music and jazz with the Occasional Swingcombo and the Ferdinand Povel Quartet). But it was only after Ekseption won the Loosdrecht Jazzconcours competition in 1968 and Rob Kruisman left the group (he went to Island) that the band's own versions of famous classical pieces, played with rock arrangements, started getting them much-deserved attention.
English group Nice (featuring the fledgling future E.L.P. stalwart Keith Emerson) set a clear example for Ekseption.
Following some years of international success, Rick left the group in 1973 to form his own Trace; still the group plodded on without him for another two albums, but due to the lack of success, ceased to exist in 1975 (just a little bit later regrouping as Spin).
The line-up had changed numerous times by then:
1969: Rick van der Linden (keyboards), Michel van Dijk (v, ex-Les Baroques and Island), Cor Dekker (bass), Dick Remelink (sax, flute, ex-Pocomania), Huib van Kampen (sax, guitar), Rein van den Broek (trumpet) and Peter de Leeuwe (drums, from 1969 to 1970 temporarily replaced by Dennis Whitbread, ex-Het and Profession).
Michel was replaced in 1970 by Steve Allet, ex-Ginger Ale. Huib left the group in 1970, but didn't get replaced. 1973: Hans Jansen (keyb, ex-Think Tank), Pieter Voogt (drums, ex-Continental Uptight Band and also often with Rosa King), John Vennik (sax, fl, ex-Original City Machine), Rein, Cor and since 1974 Hans Hollestelle (guitar, ex-Toreros).
In 1975, the name of the group was changed into Spin. Rick van der Linden went to Trace, Michel van Dijk to Amsterdam, Cor Dekker also to Trace, Dick Remelink to Galaxy Lin, Rob Kruisman to Island, Peter de Leeuwe to Lion and Carlsberg, Dennis Whitbread to September, Steve Allet to Antilope, Pieter Voogt to Water.
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