High Tide Formation

Short-lived band, later known as Kayak. They were originally, in 1968, named Balderdash but they changed name to High Tide Formation in 1969. They were the schoolband of the "Gemeentelijke Scholengemeenschap en school voor HAVO" (Municipal Schoolcommunity and school for HAVO), later known as the Adrian Roland Holst College, in Hilversum and all four members were students on that school. On June 7, 1969 they made their apparance als support-act for Pepper and Soul on the closing ball for the schoolyear. The members were Chiel van Praag on piano (who als was chairman of the Schoolparliament and would become a well-known dutch dj, radio showhows and TV-showhost. He also was son of singer Max van Praag), Ton Scherpenzeel on bassguitar (who would change to keyboards in their Kayak days), Pim Koopman on drums (during his Kayak-days he would become one of Holland's best producers and after that he formed his hobbyband Diesel) and Ron van der Werf on guitar, who was replaced in 1971 bij Johan Slager, previously of dutch hitband "Amsterdam", shortly after which the disbanded. That same year Pim, Ton and Johan (first by the named Alta Quies) recorded some demo's. Ton and Pim Started studying music in Hilversum, where they met Max Werner at the Academy who, like Pim, also studied percussion, while Ton studied double bass. When Bassplayer Cees van Leeuwen joined, replacing frenchman Jean Michel Marion, they changed name to Kayak. But that's another story!