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I've covered Golden Earring's classic "Radar Love" (#Day231), but I haven't profiled the band, and this seemed like the appropriate time in a week of recent departed tributes. In 1961, 13-year-old George Kooymans and his 15-year-old neighbor Rinus Gerritsen formed a band originally called the Tornados. When they learend there already was another band by that name, they restyled as the Golden Earrings after an instrumental by the British group the Hunters. Initially, they were a pop-rock band fronted by Frans Krassenburg. The group had a hit with their debut single "Please Go" in 1965 and then dropped "the" and the plural "s" from their name in 1969. In 1968, Barry Hay replaced Krassenburg as frontman and they scored their first #1 Dutch hit "Dong Dong Diki Digi Dong" (which I now firmly believe was the inspiration for Will Ferrell's Eurovision movie Fire Saga's first hit "Ja Ja Ding Dong"). Surprisingly, they broke into the US with a 19-minute psychedelic cover of the Byrds' "Eight Miles High", and they shifted toward hard rock, performing with Hendrix, Zeppelin, Clapton, and Procol Harum. Their most iconic hit, "Radar Love", came in 1973. But they struggled to hit the charts in the US again until 1982, when "Twilight Zone", fueled by MTV's airing of the video, ultimately became their only top 10 pop single. The band continued to perform through the decades. In 2021, George Kooymans retired after disclosing his ALS condition and the band dispersed. George died outside of Antwerp at the age of 77 on July 22, 2025. Because it was the same day Ozzy Osbourne passed away, George's death, as well as fellow musician Chuck Mangione, were largely overshadowed by the media. Sure, Ozzy was more influential. He was probably a better musician. But George Kooymans managed to play in a fantastic rock band for 50 years and he is responsible for two of the greatest stone cold grooves in rock history. Also, I challenge you to make a road trip mix and NOT include either "Radar Love" or "Twilight Zone". If you manage to do so, you do your road trip a disservice. Rest in peace, George Kooymans. The radio's playing some forgotten song. Twilight Zone's coming on strong. The road has got you hypnotized, and you're speedin' into a new sunrise.