Peer Verschuren
A star was born....
Peer was born as Peter Verschuren on December 8th, 1959 in Breda, a city in the south of Holland with a population of 150,000
Peer was, what he calls, a kind of a problem child.
As any kid he had his hobbies : soccer (at WDS) and drawing.
His first musical steps were those of a drummer, obviously fascinated by rythm, although when he got a guitar as a present, that was totally IT!
His early influences were not the least: the likes of Rory Gallagher (r.i.p.), the Golden Earring and Alvin Lee's Ten Years After formed him in the early beginning.
Not surprisingly all acts where the guitar was the dominating instrument.
I asked Peer what guitarplayers have influenced them in a later stage of his guitarcareer.
These are the ones he mentioned:
Mark Knopfler, Al di Meola, Johnny Winter, Michael Schenker (he named his son after MS), Eddie Van Halen, Dave Gilmour, Peter Frampton, Jan Akkerman, Roy Buchanan, Uli Roth, Frank Marino, Neil Schon, Andy Powell and Laurie Wisefield.
1978 was the year that Peer joined his first (of course) coverband, Badge.
This band played covers of Thin Lizzy, UFO, Saxon, Golden Earring, Ten Years After and Krokus.
After a short while Peer joined a in this region very known band called Highway.
Highway had their own material, and besides that songs they played covers of Michael Schenker, Scorpions, Y&T and Judas Priest.
Highway changed its name into Rancid around 1981 playing mainly their own songs.
After his Rancid period, Peer did some blues jamsessions before joining Vengeancein 1987.
The Vengeance history can be read at http://www.vengeance.now.nu
At the end of 1989, Peer left Vengeance and did all sorts of things; mainly he played in coverbands doing so-called Top 100 hits and played in a few bands like Houdoe En Bedankt (a Hells Angels-approved rockband), Blues Bucket Band, Wang Dang Sweet Poontang (formed after the death of Rory Gallagher) and The Boldinis (bluesrock and covers)
In 1994, Vengeance was formed again around singer Leon Goewie, who had asked Arjen Lucassen to help him set up a career again. Arjen wrote all songs for the 2nd debutalbum Back From Flight 19, for which Arjen used some songs that did not appear on his Ayreon albums.
Of course, Peer was asked to join Vengeance again, together with Jan Somers; the band was finally completed with Barend Courbois on bass, Paul Thissen on drums and Roland Bakker on keyboards.
Although the album didn't do that well, the concerts were almost what they used to be a decade earlier: party party and lots of fun, besides strong music.
One single was recorded long after the album; the Osmonds classic Crazy Horses , being outstandingly covered, did not reach the level everybody wanted it to.
Untill the year 2001; the band changed bassplayer and drummer, without hiring a new keyboardplayer, and started to record a demo.
But unfortunately, before the recordings were done, the band split up again after, let's say, differences in opinion. This split however was final.
Of course, Peer joined Lana Lane in her European tour in 2001; reviews spoke of outstanding guitarwork and from Holland untill Spain everybody agreed: this was fabulous! The album of Lana Lane which was the theme of the tour (Secrets of Astrology) was musically close to what Peer likes in music; although very clearly, the influence of Arjen Lucassen (having co-written and played on that album) gave that album a touch of glance, that the successor in 2002, Project Shangri-La, could not show.
Because of the WTC drama in september 2001, plans to include both Peer and Arjen Lucassen in the recordings of this CD were skipped.
In January 2003 Peer has recorded his guitarpart for Erik Norlander's new solo CD in his hometown Breda; this CD will be released in May or June 2003, and also some songs of this album will be played live on stage during the tour
June 2003; Erik Norlanders album " Music Machine" was finally released, and Peer plays the major part of all guitarparts.
Also in June, the short Lana Lane and Erik Norlander European tour started, also featuring Ernst van Ee on drums, Kelly Keeling as guest on vocals, and Don Schiff on the Chapman stick.
After finishing this tour, Peer continues to work on a solo CD for which Don Schiff already played some bass tracks.
Peers equipment:
Flying V Gibson, Fender Stratocaster, Squire Stratocaster, Crate 180 amplifier (portable) and 2 Marshall speakers No effects!
His favorite albums:
Irish Tour 1974: Rory Gallagher
Wall of dolls: Golden Earring
Frampton comes Alive (1)
Strangers in the night: UFO
One of these nights: Eagles
Beyond the Thunder: Neil Schon
Yessongs
Live Dates: Wishbone Ash
Everything from Queen en Freddie Mercury
Live and dangerous: Thin Lizzy
Rising Force: Yngwie Malmsteen
On every street: Dire Straits
Unplugged: Rod Stewart
Honorary album/renewals in music:
Dream Theater: Images and words
In transit: Saga
Bob Marley: Live at the Lyceum
Abba: Arrival
Silk degrees: Boz Scaggs
Burning japan: Glen Hughes
Billion dollar babies: Alice Cooper
A little ain't enough: DL Roth
Nightingales and bombers: Manfred Manns Earth Band
Captured Live: Journey
Favorite Musicians: Freddie Mercury, Michael Schenker, Rory Gallagher, Peter Frampton, Rick Wakeman, John Fogerty, George Kooymans, Mark Knopfler
Favorite film: Frankenstein (Boris Karloff)
Favorite TVseries: Sanford and Son
Favorite book: Playboy , books about cooking
Favorite food: lots of meat, french fries, Indonesian , Greek
Quote: everyone is born naked and we’re all gonna die so dont walk with your nose in the air
Peer Verschuren - Michael Schenker
Wilfried Broekman - Danny Carey (Tool)
Mauri Oliver - Paul Stanley (Kiss)
Frank Dries - Jimmy Johnson (James Taylor)
Marco Borghardt - Jon Lord (DP), Jens Johansson (Malmsteen)
