Machine -

The Swinging Soul Machine was a Dutch brass-rock-soul band that released the album Through The Eye on Polydor in 1969. After a change of singers, the band became Machine and issued a self-titled album in 1970. Several members carried on in Tantalus and others surfaced in Limousine.

Members: Iwan Groeneveld (vocals, 1969), John Caljouw (vocals), Willem Warbie (flute, saxophone, vocals), Paul Vink (keyboards), Maarten Bekkers (flute, clarinet, saxophone), Jan Warbie (bass), Jan Bliek (drums), Jaap Schoonhoven (guitar), Mac Sell (guitar), François Content (flute, trumpet)

Swinging Soul Machine was a soul orchestra from Rotterdam featuring Iwan “Spooky” Groeneveld (voc, to Spooky & Sue), Jan Warby (b), Wim Warby (s,fl), Mac Sell (g), Jan Bliek (dr) and Paul Vink (o,p). The group existed from 1967 till 1970, when Spooky left and the band changed its name to Machine, in order to steer the music in the direction of heavy rock. From 1969 till 1970 other members of Swinging Soul Machine were: Hans Jansand (o,p, ex-Haigs, to Think Tank), Guus Willemse (b, ex-Truce, to Rob Hoeke) and Frans Meinecke (b, to Bled).

Initially they enjoyed success playing all the hits of the soul era, from Otis Redding, Sam and Dave to Edwin Starr, Eddy Floyd and all the other greats. After Iwan Groeneveld (better known as “Spooky”) joined the band they were equally successful playing music written by themselves.The first single released was ‘Nobody wants you’ with the instrumental ‘Spooky’s Day Off’ on the flip side.

It was Lex Harding, working as a DJ for radio Veronica in those days who, as it turned out later, correctly preferred the flip side and played this on the radio. The result left nothing to be desired, a gigantic hit in the Netherlands and Belgium was born! ‘Spooky’s Day Off’ was in the top 40 fourteen weeks in a row of which 6 weeks at number 2. It was aired a lot and sold well in England, Germany and France.

This hard rock group from Rotterdam with horn section, derived from the Swinging Soul Machine in 1970. Members included: Martin Beeke (horns, ex-Free), Francois Content (tr, fl, ex-Big Ballad Boogie Blues Beat Bouncers Band, Free, Jimmy Walker, Outward Bound and various jazz groups), John Caljouw (voc, ex-Dragonfly), Mac Sell (g, ex-Finishing Touch), Jan Warby (b,s), Paul Vink (o,p), Wim Warby (fl,s), Jan Bliek (dr) and Hans Kruger (s). In 1972, this line-up fragmented: Francois went to the Windmill Orchestra, Mac to Heart, Paul to Twelve O’Clock, Jan Bliek to Limousine, Jan and Wim Warby with Francois – to Tantalus. In 1973, Machine was reformed by Francois Content and Wim Warby, but in 1974 the band fell apart again. Other group members included: Jaap Schoonhoven (g, ex-Tantalus, later with Wally Tax), Michel Marion (b, ex-Kayak and Wally Tax, later in Mayfly), Marc Holland (dr, ex-Lobster) and Nico Doorduyn (voc, ex-Lobster, later in Water) and Andre de Wendt (voc, g, later in Trail).