History & The Nine to Five Genesis

Following his successful tenure touring throughout Europe with the popular funk-rock outfit The Frog, Rickey set out to build a powerful new solo identity. The true spark for this era occurred in November 1986 during the Nine to Five festival at the Lantaren theatre in Rotterdam. Local musicians were put together in random, one-off formations, and Rickey was paired with an elite circle of session players for an impromptu jam billed as “Session number nine.”

The collaboration was such an instantaneous success that they decided to turn the temporary lineup into a permanent project called Rickey and the Fullmoonband. The group was specifically designed to handle an alternative musical catalog: their repertoire consisted of original songs by Rickey that were not performed by his main band, The Frog, supplemented by heavy, soulful blues-rock material.

As the band carved out its reputation across the European club circuit, the creative bonds forged during their grueling tour schedules directly catalyzed new developments in the Dutch music scene. The project evolved fluidly across the late-80s, naturally transitioning its core live presentation through various tight-knit setups collectively recognized as the Rick DeVito Band.

The Hamburg Sessions & The German TV Special

A significant milestone for the project arrived in 1988 when the band traveled to Germany to track their studio album at an acclaimed recording space in Hamburg. The assignment was simple: capture the explosive, unvarnished energy of their live sets on tape. Tjeerd van Zanen’s contribution to the project was purely execution-focused; while he did not write the source material, his signature guitar tracking provided the foundational punch and driving momentum that defined the record’s sonic fingerprint.

Beyond the recording studio, the momentum of the 1988 lineup—featuring Sjoerd van Bommel, Michel van Schie, Kino Haitsma, Leen van Rij, and Tjeerd van Zanen—propelled them onto international television, where they recorded a major TV Special in Germany.

The group therefore occupies a unique position in Dutch rock history as an uncompromised, purist rock unit that prioritized raw musicianship and seasoned studio execution over commercial trends.

The Touring Lineup & Crossover Cords

The live and studio lineup behind the group functioned as a seamless, high-velocity unit of elite players. The original 1987 roster featured key configurations of Rotterdam’s finest musicians, including driving percussion and rhythm sections that frequently cross-pollinated into other legendary Dutch acts.

Over the course of their 1987–1991 run, the lineup evolved dynamically across five distinct phases, bringing in elite talents like drummers Hans Eijkenaar, Ad de Jong, and Bob Langenberg; bassists Wilbrand Meinschke, Ivo Severijns, and Ocki Klootwijk; keyboardists Kino Haitsma, Victor Kerkhof, and Tijn Smit; along with percussionist Leen van Rij and dual guitar work alongside Age Kat.

This period of intense touring fostered a unique creative brotherhood. It was during a particularly grueling stretch of road dates through Germany that drummer Sjoerd van Bommel and guitarist Tjeerd van Zanen decided to form their own creative vehicle—sparking the birth of their celebrated Rotterdam-born outfit, Back To Basic, in late 1988.

Discography

1988 • Good Times

“Good Times” is the definitive studio album born from this era, tracking a heavy-hitting period that features guitar work by Tjeerd van Zanen. Released under the German imprint Transparent Records, the album features a raw tracklist that includes standout original numbers alongside a dirty, heavy rock cover of The Rolling Stones’ classic “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Recorded entirely in Hamburg, this rare recording remains a highly sought-after artifact of late-80s European rock culture. It stands as Tjeerd’s sole full-length album contribution from this period, as he was not involved in the later Back to the Roots release.

1989 • The Beginning (EP)

Following the German release, the creative momentum moved to the legendary Wisseloord Studios in 1989. Working alongside acclaimed producer Ronald Prent, the band tracked the four-song EP The Beginning (released via Polydor). The studio lineup for these sessions featured a powerhouse unit consisting of Tjeerd van Zanen on guitar, Ad de Jong on drums, Victor Kerkhof handling keyboards and string arrangements, and Wilbrand Meinschke on bass.

The only exception on the release is the track “Eva”; this specific song was not recorded by the live studio lineup and was instead produced separately by bassist Michel van Schie.

The Streaming Ghost

In today’s digital landscape, the Good Times LP holds a mythical status among crate-diggers and rock purists because it is almost completely unavailable on streaming platforms. Distributed exclusively in physical vinyl and limited CD formats, the album serves as a pure time capsule of its era.

The only notable exception is a “2 Meter” session version of “Tower of Babylon” available on Spotify, featuring Tjeerd and Age Kat as the second guitarist. Beyond this track, to hear the blistering guitar work and gravelly vocal tracks from these sessions, collectors must hunt through secondhand record store bins or secure original pressings via online marketplaces like Discogs and eBay.