Radical Genes

Neil was living in Amsterdam and had been producing acts for Dureco Records.

Cees Wessels became the head of the new RCA Records in Amsterdam. Neil had met Cees when the “Space Rangers” played their first gig at The Whiskey in LA. Cees liked the ‘Rangers so much that he flew to LA on his own dime to see them perform.

Neil and Cees met in a little Amsterdam café and made a deal. RCA Records Holland signed Neil. Neil brought Michael Willis to Amsterdam and they recruited Kees Meerman from “Herman Broods Modern Romance” to play drums. Meerman brought in Ken Spence, sax player from Nina Hagen’s band.

In the middle of winter, the band went to northern Holland to record the album “Radical Genes” at Spitzbergen Studios.

Cees Wessels liked the record, but was really expecting a Neil Merryweather follow-up to the Space Rangers albums.

Neil let Meerman go and replaced him with Belgian drummer Rogier Wollaert.

The band played local gigs and small town venues.

For their final gig, they played for the Hells Angels Jamboree. The band played an outstanding show, but it wasn’t enough to keep Neil from returning to LA.

Neil Merryweather: lead vocals and bass
Michael Willis: lead guitar/rhythm guitar, vocals (lead vocal on “Gimme An Amp”)
Kess Meerman: drums and vocals
Ken Spence: saxophone, rhythm guitar, vocals

Produced by Neil Merryweather and Ken Spence
Engineers: Maarten De Boer, Jan Willem Udolph

Album Design: Neil Merryweather and Peter Bakker
Photography: Kees Taba