Zeta Lightshow

Zipps were one of the first bands in Holland with a liquid lightshow, we had never seen any but read in some music mags about bands with psychedelic and hypnotising coloured lights.

It was 1967 and we had to invent all about it ourselves. We started with panels with 3 sets of coloured lights and some cross lights (3 red and green and 4 red).

We then experimented with projectors and tried to get the fluid moving, this took us a long time (about 4 months) to find out about aether and glasses and coloured inks but after we found the secret it went quite smoothly.

We then got us another projector and a big screen to put behind the band.

During the Summer 1967 we first used all of this and because we did a lot of gigs we developed it a lot.

When we did a concert with Soft Machine and Electric Prunes at the Concertgebouw December 15th, 1967.

Soft Machine brought their own lightshow but they were so impressed with all we got that we shared all our stuff.

Soft Machine was a big influence on us and surely Pink Floyd

I worked with the Zipps, Living Kick Formation, Snowflake and Cosmic Dealer

We had the ZETA lightshow and worked with Unit Garvey Inc. I cannot remmber where the name came from, we were always very stoned ..

Zeta Light show ran until the Summer of 1971 when The Zipps broke up. We had to clear our rehearsalroom and I took all the stuff with me.

The inks, it was something you couldn't get off your hands. At first I was still at school and when we did some gigs at the weekend my hands were completely coloured and by Friday it was almost gone and then it started all over again.

Also during our shows it happened a lot that cans of inks fell on the floor and it was impossible to get it cleaned up!

For equipment we sttarted with one projector but soon had four or five, we took the cooling out of them to get them real hot, we also used some föhns (used for drying your hair). Also we burned a lot of incense during our shows, and some people thought it was the smell of hashish (remember it was 1967).

Now in 2020 I still have right now I have about three projectors left.

I kept all the projectors since 1971 and when the Zipps reformed in 2005 for a couple of reunion gigs I tried to get them working again, bought new lamps, glasses, inks, aether and started all over again.

The Zipps started to play again regularly and I did the Light Show, but now with gloves. Then Snowflake and Cosmic Dealer started again and I did the Light Show with them also.

Unfortunately all of these bands disbanded right now, some members are no longer with us but I made a video of it on one of our last shows, only the moving, coloured lights...

It was so great to do, it was a big part of my life. and to keep it interesting and new you have to invent things every time.

I will send you some photos of what's left but I have to get deep in my basement. I have some suitcases left, the same since 1970. same glasses, ink bottles, etc.

I will also dig up some live action stuff.

It's an honour to be on your Light Show Index

Best from Ron de Bruijn - November 2020

1967