Dick Diamonde

Dingeman Adriaan Henry van der Sluijs (born 28 December 1947), better known by his stage name Dick Diamonde, is a retired Dutch Australian bass guitarist. He was a founding mainstay member of 1960s rock group The Easybeats. Diamonde, with the group, was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2005.

Dick Diamonde
Birth nameDingeman Adriaan Henry van der Sluijs
Born (1947-12-28) 28 December 1947
Hilversum, Netherlands
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresRock
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsBass guitar
Years active1964–1969, 1986
LabelsParlophone, Albert
Associated actsThe Easybeats

Early years

Dingeman Adriaan Henry van der Sluijs was born in 1947 in Hilversum, Netherlands.[1] His father is Harry van der Sluijs (also seen as Vandersluys) and he has a younger sister.[2] Diamonde emigrated with his family from the Netherlands to Australia when he was four years old.[3] Diamonde was raised in a Jehovah's Witness family, living in the suburb of Villawood near the migrant hostel of that name.[3][4]

The Easybeats

Widely regarded as Australia's greatest pop group of the mid-1960s, The Easybeats had their beginnings in Sydney's Villawood Migrant Hostel.[4][5] All of the five founding members were migrants to Australia from Europe.[4] In mid-1964 the group were formed by van der Sluys (renamed as Dick Diamonde) on bass guitar, he was joined by fellow Dutchman, Johannes van den Berg (known as Harry Vanda) on lead guitar and vocals, George Young from Scotland on guitar and vocals, and two Englishmen: lead singer Stevie Wright (Yorkshire) and drummer, Snowy Fleet (Liverpool).[4][5]

By October 1969 the Easybeats had disbanded and according to Young, Diamonde was "having a ball just being Dick."[6] In that same month his mother reflected, "He has given up the faith... We never encouraged him to follow this life. As Jehovah's Witnesses we do not believe in creature worship... It is not right the children idolise him."[2] In September 1986 Diamonde participated in a reunion of the Easybeats for a series of concerts touring Australian capitals in the following two months.[7][8] According to Stuart Coupe of The Canberra Times Diamonde had been "playing with a series of small-time bands up the north-east coast."[8] The group was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2005.[3]

References
  1. "the easybeats". The Good Neighbour. ACT: National Library of Australia. 1 June 1967. p. 4. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  2. Kusko, Julie (15 October 1969). "A family reunion for the Easybeats". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  3. "2006/126/1 Award, 'ARIA Hall of Fame', awarded to 'Dick Diamonde from 'The Easybeats' ', metal / cloth, designed by Mark Denning, made by Northside Patternmakers, Australia, 2005". Powerhouse Museum Collection. Powerhouse Museum. 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  4. McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Stevie Wright'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  5. Elder, Bruce. "The Easybeats | Biography & History". AllMusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  6. Munson Christobel; Foster, Michael (11 October 1969). "Chasing Beats". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. p. 17. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  7. Nestel, Christine (11 September 1986). "Easybeats get together for 'a bit of fun'". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. p. 3 Supplement: The Good Times. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  8. Coupe, Stuart (9 November 1986). "Legendary band back in action". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. p. 11. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
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